Curse

GraceAlone · Jul 08, 2011, 10:30 AM // 10:30

I've only done the first couple of quests, but from the stated purpose of cleansing the city it makes sense that they are kill x quests. Like many have said this is only the first part and there is nothing that says we have to do it. I've enjoyed what I've done so far and look forward to the challenges that others have talked about.

Essence Snow · Jul 08, 2011, 11:03 AM // 11:03

While the new quest are as most point out tedious and repetitve...I do applaud the new afflicted skill sets/usage. Their use of SoA is top notch, enabling them to stick around long enough for persuant mobs to overrun poorly prepared groups even in nm.

It would be nice if there was an added touch like the confessors orders and or possible mini drops that WiK had...but oh well.

I think a lot of the response has a lot to do with the level of anticipation growing too high over too much time. Ramping up too much anticipation can backfire...and appears to have done so with this release. Idk....maybe this is all tired talk...as it is early and I am only up to go fishing>woc.

Iuris · Jul 08, 2011, 11:42 AM // 11:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aljasha

By the way, you are wrong, there is a number of very good, high quality quests in GW1, which tell a story, even set the focus on the story, while using game mechanics as a tool not the reason of the quest.

I've done them all. Apart from the flavoring in the form of dialogue, you only have elements of:
-travel to/talk to (same thing)
-make sure X lives (sometimes X being you)
-kill enemy Y
-pick up item Z and deliver to W

I actually doubt I've missed any. The whole game is all about combat. So, by combat you achieve your goal. It's not a puzzle game.

All else is flavoring. But that flavoring is the important part!

I haven't played the WoC yet, 1 more hour of work before I can, but that the quests are made of these components is not a problem - that's probably the engine's limitation. It's whether there is enough flavoring that is the issue.

Most certainly, however, any properties of GW1's quests do not imply anything, since GW2 takes a different approach to the way these things are done.

Sankt Hallvard · Jul 08, 2011, 11:54 AM // 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by tegororn

this expansion or whatever u may call it sux big time. only killing mobs? over and over again same mobs

a-net gotta be kidding. SO BORIIING

You are doing pve. What are you guys expecting? You killed mobs in proph, you killed mobs in factions, you killed mobs in nightfall, you killed mobs in eotn. And now you expect there to be something more to it? Either you enjoy this or it's time to move on from pve.

psycore · Jul 08, 2011, 11:55 AM // 11:55

zwei2stein · Jul 08, 2011, 12:06 PM // 12:06

So, am I the only one who kind of expected/hoped to get Imperial faction as one of rewards for new quests?

BenjZee · Jul 08, 2011, 12:11 PM // 12:11

Anyone else noticed that the allies such as Zan Hei will spawn outside the outpost with you despite which one you started from. That's a nice touch

Mordiego · Jul 08, 2011, 12:33 PM // 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenjZee

Anyone else noticed that the allies such as Zan Hei will spawn outside the outpost with you despite which one you started from. That's a nice touch

No he won't. He spawns only if you have a respectable area quest active.

BenjZee · Jul 08, 2011, 12:53 PM // 12:53

I mean, it doesnt matter which outpost you start from he will spawn next to you if you have the quest

Skyy High · Jul 08, 2011, 12:54 PM // 12:54

I think BenjZee meant that you could enter a quest-related explorable from any direction and he'd be there.

The quests are pretty much standard GW1 fare. Of course, so were WiK's, save for a few later on....I'm having a hard time figuring out why WiK was so much more exciting for me. In any case, I'm positive we'll have more "interesting" mechanics later on in the series, just like WiK, but for now, I'm at least enjoying the challenge of some well-designed skillbars.

Tommy's · Jul 08, 2011, 01:04 PM // 13:04

I must say, I'm really liking WoC so far. Finally fun mobs using fun builds. Normal mode is a nice level, cruised through it, but you do need to invest some in builds, just the way I like it. I honestly don't understand the complaining about the level, just take some time figuring out your builds.

And about the 'its only killing stuff', like others have said, thats what PvE is. Killing stuff. I honestly don't understand what they expected, building a flying machine to follow the rainbow for adventure? Beside that, everyone is fairly early with the moaning and complaining, we've only got a few quests thus far.

Dark Interception · Jul 08, 2011, 01:25 PM // 13:25

I guess the big question is: will we need the Ministerial Commendations to get the Imperial Weapons? Otherwise im just gonna sell them for the current ridiculous price.

Makan · Jul 08, 2011, 01:44 PM // 13:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Interception

I guess the big question is: will we need the Ministerial Commendations to get the Imperial Weapons? Otherwise im just gonna sell them for the current ridiculous price.

I have a hunch that in the next updates we'll get a npc which let's you trade Ministerial Commendations into Imperial ones at certain ratio.

Ewon · Jul 08, 2011, 02:30 PM // 14:30

My impression after completing the 17 quest, quest chain:

Overall I have to say I'm finding WoC quite boring. I don't mean to just shit on a free update, and I don't want to sound ungrateful, but my current opinion is that these quests are just boring.

The quest can pretty much be summed up to, go kill these afflicted, or go kill these jade. The majority of the quests don't even have anything special that you are killing, just some random afflicted/jade groups. In WiK at least it seemed like you had more of a goal with who you were killing.

Along with the rather boring tasks of the quests, I found the new skill bars to also be boring/annoying. Doing the 17th quest on a warrior was pain. The number of weapons being cast on people, the sources of blind, and prevention of adrenaline gain was a bit much. I didn't not find the fights to be much more challenging, but rather elongated and boring.

The rewards for the quest are all the same, or close to it. Currently the only use for the Ministerial Commendation is for the purple weapons with recycled skins. I don;t mind the fact that they are allowing people to get old skins with inscriptions, but it doesn't feel like we are discovering anything new. In WiK, the rewards were much more interesting. With items like the Royal Gift, at least it seemed like we were discovering new items. Obviously there is more to come, but the rewards for part 1 are lacking any excitement.

This isn't specific to WoC only, but I am not currently a fan of having both NM and HM versions of the quests. I know this was implemented because people had been requesting a challenge, but the option was already there. If people really wanted a challenge, they could just do the same quests and go out in HM. If the fact that there was no extra reward for it was holding you back, than was it really the challenge you were seeking out anyway? Obviously there is nothing telling me I need to do both versions of the quest, but I just don't think this is something time should be focused on.

So in the end I have completed the quest chain on one character but I do not feel the motivation to did it on another. My thoughts are that WoC is pretty boring and is currently nothing special. For me WiK at least gave me that feeling that we were discovering something new. I don't want to come across like I am just hating on ANet for what they released, I'm just voicing my opinion of what I have seen so far. The fact that we have gotten some new, free content is great, I just hope it will get more exciting than we are seeing so far.

Edit:

Rather than just coming across negative about the al of the updated I figured I'd share a few thoughts on what I liked as well.

The larger afflicted bosses were a nice touch. Although it wasn't much, it gave a little meaning to the quest in my opinion. Just the fact that they were bosses and quite a bit larger made them feel new and exciting.

I ok with the purple recycled skins as rewards, I just wish that was not all we were seeing right now. In WiK we got MoH to trade for weapons as well as decent gold, experience, and gifts as our rewards. This time the gold amount isn't too much, and we are getting one item that we know of only one use for. If we are not interested in the purple skins, the rewards for the quest now become meaningless.

The new costumes and npc seem pretty cool. It's nice to see that they did spend some time on creating new character models rather than just recycling for all of the content.

I'm still excited to see where this goes, and hopefully part 2 will pick up my interest once again. It's great that we received some new content, but right now it's just missing that something to make it exciting and special. At this time though, I will just go back to what I was previously doing in GW, or playing other games all together.

Mordiego · Jul 08, 2011, 02:38 PM // 14:38

Free new content is great because it's free and new. Plus: getting inscribable daggers that deal blunt damage and look like two sword is worth hacking through the damn Dragon Throat (and killing billion Jade Brotherhood practice dummies), isn't it?

Outerworld · Jul 08, 2011, 02:43 PM // 14:43

I'm dissapointed with WoC so far and it seems to me that the Hard Mode versions are almost exactly the same save for a 2 level boost.

Ximvotn · Jul 08, 2011, 02:49 PM // 14:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by vader

Beware the Spirit Spammer Afflicted:

Haven't started WoC, how about Banishing Strike for those spirits? The costumes look nice, but I learned my lesson linking a Guild Wars account. They need to make the e-mail changeable again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outerworld

I'm dissapointed with WoC so far and it seems to me that the Hard Mode version are almost exactly the same save for a 2 level boost.

Don't forget move and attack 33-50% faster, elite skills on every bar, and reduced activation times. The enemies are under a constant consumable set

jensyea · Jul 08, 2011, 03:15 PM // 15:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outerworld

I'm dissapointed with WoC so far and it seems to me that the Hard Mode versions are almost exactly the same save for a 2 level boost.

Read the thread, it was already stated that rather then the HM mobs being harder, they made more of them. Since the putrid explosions from more foes dying would be more of a challenge then just better mobs.

ChrisCo · Jul 08, 2011, 03:19 PM // 15:19

After some sleep and thinking back about all the quests. The cleansing ones are the only ones i have an issue with. If they had made 1 cleansing in the city, kurzick and luxon area it would have been the same thing. The quest to kill the bosses in the kurzick area was fun as it was unique!

That being said though the following quest chains with the Jade brotherhood were great fun with the giant groups and 100's of enemies to kill. And the story is looking good also, cant argue with a cliffhanger.

Cant wait for part 2!!! though I still have 9 characters to do part 1 on.

... oh and the hard mode ones!

Xsiriss · Jul 08, 2011, 03:26 PM // 15:26

I'm also finding this 'epic piece of content' underwhelming. The new build are plain annoying and OP as normal when used with buffed monster attributes. All it does is mean you have to use standard OP builds to counter them (with a few variants like ench removal). Nothing special frankly.