Curse

drkn · Jun 07, 2011, 09:27 AM // 09:27

Quote:

As for unlocks, in my experiences trying to get new players to GvG/HA, there's invariably people who don't have the right skills or equipment. You can't assume that they'll be able to run whatever you need them to, which is a pretty big deal. This can be mitigated somewhat by scheduling your activity, I suppose, but that's heavily dependent on how much interest there is. It's something they'll actively need to work on; if they're only looking to play one of the organized formats as an experiment, it's kind of a turn-off.

I'm a little-above-average PvE player, though never did any speedclears but DTSC, played through the game with 1,5 characters, never farmed anything for too long except for Glint's. I'm a beginner PvP player, although quite decent in RA and Codex, though not ranked high in titles; in Codex, not ranked at all. I used to be a good trader and farmed the cash for my titles in Kamadan, but that's irrelevant, as i never used a single Flame of Balth, nor i bought more than maybe 10 skills via trainers.

I have everything unlocked.
Even before the unlocking, getting a needed skill wasn't a problem. I tried to follow the rule of having at least 3k Balth faction at any given moment, obtained via ZE usually, sometimes via JQ, just in case i needed to unlock something at this very minute. Even without it, relogging onto main PvE char and paying 1k at certain skill trainer ain't that big deal - and most useful skills are trained somewhere.

What made it hard to get into advanced PvP is, mainly, the elitism coming from people who play those formats seriously and lack of real interest from people who don't.
Being myself a person who'd like to get into HA/GvG and focus mainly on that in GW after completing HoM, i really tried hard to achieve it. First i hoped to get PuGs in HA, even if created by myself, consisting of rookies with no rank (like me) - we'd at least see how it works, try some builds out, get a bit of field experience. To no avail. Without r6+, your chances to PuG in HA are next to none.
The next obvious step was to join a PvP-oriented guild. I was in several of them, and each of them had at least one of three greatly repulsive obstacles on my way to PvPhood: (1) the elitism - despite saying they recruit everyone and let everyone play with them, learn in their groups and so on, one core group was present, with substitutes, letting rookies play maybe once in a week, maybe less. It was more so annoying as, if a strict elitist was the party leader, i got kicked out of the group after one-two failed fights, like it was solely my fault - and again, no place for newcomers to learn. (2) several guilds were filled with kids, either of age, mind or behavior - or all. Not trying to teach by telling what's done wrong and what are the basic principles to follow. Raging over on vent with their squeaky voices, pretty much about everything. I'm sure PvE guilds also have a decent amount of idiots in them, but the emotions of PvP easily let the inner moron out of many people. And finally, (3) lots of 'PvP guilds', especially those consisting of fresh PvPers, low ranked players, turn out to focus on personal PvE goals rather than decent organisation of PvP. It's occassional to set up for HA/GvG there and the group disbands after losing once, essentially staying on the noob level all the time.

I have no idea how to change the above, as there's a great gap in the mentality and attitude between dedicated PvPers and PvP newcomers.
What ANet did with JQ, FA, AB, RA and Codex attracts people to at least some PvP format. I think they can't do anything to get more people into HA/GvG anymore, it's up to the playerbase itself.

Otello · Jun 07, 2011, 03:16 PM // 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by drkn

I'm a little-above-average PvE player, though never did any speedclears but DTSC, played through the game with 1,5 characters, never farmed anything for too long except for Glint's. I'm a beginner PvP player, although quite decent in RA and Codex, though not ranked high in titles; in Codex, not ranked at all. I used to be a good trader and farmed the cash for my titles in Kamadan, but that's irrelevant, as i never used a single Flame of Balth, nor i bought more than maybe 10 skills via trainers.

I have everything unlocked.
Even before the unlocking, getting a needed skill wasn't a problem. I tried to follow the rule of having at least 3k Balth faction at any given moment, obtained via ZE usually, sometimes via JQ, just in case i needed to unlock something at this very minute. Even without it, relogging onto main PvE char and paying 1k at certain skill trainer ain't that big deal - and most useful skills are trained somewhere.

What made it hard to get into advanced PvP is, mainly, the elitism coming from people who play those formats seriously and lack of real interest from people who don't.
Being myself a person who'd like to get into HA/GvG and focus mainly on that in GW after completing HoM, i really tried hard to achieve it. First i hoped to get PuGs in HA, even if created by myself, consisting of rookies with no rank (like me) - we'd at least see how it works, try some builds out, get a bit of field experience. To no avail. Without r6+, your chances to PuG in HA are next to none.
The next obvious step was to join a PvP-oriented guild. I was in several of them, and each of them had at least one of three greatly repulsive obstacles on my way to PvPhood: (1) the elitism - despite saying they recruit everyone and let everyone play with them, learn in their groups and so on, one core group was present, with substitutes, letting rookies play maybe once in a week, maybe less. It was more so annoying as, if a strict elitist was the party leader, i got kicked out of the group after one-two failed fights, like it was solely my fault - and again, no place for newcomers to learn. (2) several guilds were filled with kids, either of age, mind or behavior - or all. Not trying to teach by telling what's done wrong and what are the basic principles to follow. Raging over on vent with their squeaky voices, pretty much about everything. I'm sure PvE guilds also have a decent amount of idiots in them, but the emotions of PvP easily let the inner moron out of many people. And finally, (3) lots of 'PvP guilds', especially those consisting of fresh PvPers, low ranked players, turn out to focus on personal PvE goals rather than decent organisation of PvP. It's occassional to set up for HA/GvG there and the group disbands after losing once, essentially staying on the noob level all the time.

I have no idea how to change the above, as there's a great gap in the mentality and attitude between dedicated PvPers and PvP newcomers.
What ANet did with JQ, FA, AB, RA and Codex attracts people to at least some PvP format. I think they can't do anything to get more people into HA/GvG anymore, it's up to the playerbase itself.

I can understand you very well. I can give you a couple of advice that can be very useful (at least is what I have learned).

First of all you have to decide what is more important for you, as your pvp experience is concerned. And mainly you can choose between
A) Playing with very good players
OR
B) Having fun playing.

It is very very very difficult that you find people you like and that are good at the game. Not because they do not exist, but because those people probably already are in a guild, play together and not always they are looking for new people to join.
People that at this stage of the game are looking for pugs to pvp, means that or they are new to pvp or they do not have a flist, because they are bad or bad tempered.
So you have to choice whether to go with flaming good players, or with nice bad players.

Once you choose your way, try to have fun. Try to build your friendships in HA first, entering unranked teams and building up a flist. Eventually you could end building a gvg guild and playing also in that format. It is not a easy way, it took to me and my friends almost 2 years to build a guild that can play in gvg with some results. But it is still possible. You have started in the right direction going into HA and trying to build your own team. Now its time to build your flist, and start playing with all the same people.

drkn · Jun 07, 2011, 03:22 PM // 15:22

Tried to. I'm not easily turned down and i never whine or even get bothered by losing in those formats. My goal is to get decent myself and form a decent group one day, but i'm aware it's not to be done ad hoc. Still, i'm not familiar with most builds in HA, r-spike being the only one that i played more than once, as a ranger to that, and coupled with no ranking, it makes it damn hard to PuG there. Especially that other non-ranked players seem to be turned down faster, resigning from HAing at all, going back to PvE or RA rather than wait until eight non/low-ranked rookies assemble at once.

To be honest, i'm on a GW hiatus for a long time now, mainly because of my disappointment and hard times getting into the PvP community, even of 'bad players'. Think i'll stick to getting LDoA and grinding RA next time i get back to GW, unless something really changes until then.

Otello · Jun 07, 2011, 03:40 PM // 15:40

You should try to increase your glad title and return to HA during events/zquest when more people are needed.
I personally take in team people with high glad rank, even if they are low ranked HA people, because I know thay can pvp good.
With glad 2-3 you can easily enter HA group 4/6
Try to learn the most used builds and focus on them. Try the build in RA and or AB/JQ/FA it is very helpful
Dont try to enter teams too much ranked, they will never accept, with rank 0-2, you can try to ask rank 3-4, if you are glad 1 and they are not stupid, they will accept you, especially if you run simple builds.
A good way to find team is to monk, even if it is not easy.

yum · Jun 07, 2011, 05:40 PM // 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverend Dr

I suppose HCT mods, but really PvP efficiency hasn't ever complained about not being able to use every skin.

Nope. But why must I use a fugly pvp toon while I can use my nicer pve one. And ye, if I want to pimp my char, it'd better be one that can access everything in the game, not just pvp. Freedom FTW

Skyy High · Jun 10, 2011, 05:07 AM // 05:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by yum

Nope. But why must I use a fugly pvp toon while I can use my nicer pve one. And ye, if I want to pimp my char, it'd better be one that can access everything in the game, not just pvp. Freedom FTW

Functionality > aesthetics in PvP.