Curse

Iuris · May 26, 2008, 08:49 AM // 08:49

The only reason FoW and UW are played so much is that they are so lucrative. That's it. If you added another version of UW where ectos wouldn't drop, you'd see the same you see with the BMP: play it a few times while it's still fun, and then move on to something else.

The reason BMP is not played so much is simple: it's tiny. 4 missions and that's it. Also, far fewer people have it, compared to the campaigns and expansions.

One thing is true, though - the fixed builds do make for little replayability. However, they add a lot to the storyline effect. And, amazing as it may seem, some people do like the storyline and LOVED seeing how exactly the Mursaat gained dominance over the White mantle and similar.

4thVariety · May 26, 2008, 09:46 AM // 09:46

The BMP is interesting, because it breaks almost every MMO rule in existence and gets away with it.

* Players do not get to play their own character
* Players do not progress in terms of power
* Players do not play with other players
* Players do not create their own build

But is the BMP fun? Yes it is fun.
Does it have replay value? Yes, there are the bonus goals. Sure the BMP will fade, but do you play the Wilds every week?
Does it have rewards? Absolutely, a full set of skins for each mission is more than most missions.

The BMP further proved that microtransaction content will be accepted by the community, as well as highly experimental mission designs. Sure, it is not replayed as much as other elite dungeons, but then again those dungeons are played because they are farming spots, nothing else.

I would gladly take any BMP style mission if I encountered it in GW2. As strange as they appear in a multiplayer environment, they add something to the game. The idea of selecting a particular reward for achieving a quest is also very nice. Better than picking up scraps while doing the mission until you can buy or craft a new weapon or maybe get the skindrop you desire.

And if the price-value ratio is ok, who would not take episodic or additional content for GW this very minute?

pamelf · May 26, 2008, 10:13 AM // 10:13

I bought heaps of stuff off the online store to qualify for the BMP and I'll be honest, I only did Togo's story, Saul's story, and got halfway through the others before I got bored and put the BMP to bed, never to be played again.

Malice Black · May 26, 2008, 10:34 AM // 10:34

BMP was boring. I was expecting full team missions, and got half cocked solo missions. I didn't pay for it though, so nothing lost.

Mark Nevermiss · May 26, 2008, 12:33 PM // 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longasc

Yep, my personal problem with trying out new things is that most of their new ideas either suck or that good ideas get implemented badly.

At the very core, GW is a really great idea and an alternative to fee-based MMOs for players with little time and/or money at hand. I still hope they go with a low level cap or none at all. But it seems they rather add more of everything to the game.

My greatest fear would be that we get "spectacular" and "epic" gameplay like in the BMP. They did not make these small snippets of story because they love us, because we are such good customers and so on. I just wonder what they learnt from the BMP... that people clap and cheer to one-shot content without any replay-value? Hopefully not!

This could be viewed as cynical but thats how corporations work. Market analysis, planning..etc. That it sometimes fails is sometimes the case though, it seems.
I would like to bring an example where things were done differently though. When NCSoft was planning their current Lineage 2 chronicle, they started what maybe described as major brainstorming among their Korean player-base [they comprise the majority] on a forum on the official site. The devs interacted with the players.
From what I understand [I could be wrong] I short list was made of the most popular elements which were later incorporated into the new chronicle and things undesirable which were eliminated.
It would be nice if something like that were done in regards to GW2 and GW1 too, I think.

Red Sonya · May 26, 2008, 01:06 PM // 13:06

From the introduction of Sorrow's Furnace Anet introduced a new type of play which included farm grind for those special greens. Then with Factions, Nightfall and GWEN it escallated into more farm grind for those greens and special weapons of GWEN for HOM. This is what a lot of people wanted. Inscribed weapons is what a lot of people wanted, same with the insignia's for armor. People screamed on the forums (not just this one) for more barbie doll type ability to customize their characters (and heroes). Now, here it is, we have it. But, of course there are always QQers who want the OLD days, the HIGH economy and most players (casuals) having little more than a collectors weapon/item or pay the price for the good stuff from the handful that want the OLD ways again.

GW's has evolved and I'm pretty happy with the evolving, but, it's still not enough. We need more higher end gear (not just looks), more neat unique greens and more options for inscriptions (haste +10%)

or (running speed +5%) and lots more I could list, but, it's useless here.

The only thing about the BMP that I liked about it was the "weapons", I'd be pretty sure most people bought it for this reason. Those that screamed nooooooooooooo Anet don't provide it openly again for "everyone" didn't want people to have it because of the weapons, not because of the stories I can bet you that. But, we all got it or have access to it now and those wonderful weapons that we can either use or give to our heroes.

And the grind required to get Norn Armors and those special PVE only skills for GWEN I'm certainly happy about as well. If NF/GWEN and parts of Factions are a look into GW2 then I'm pretty happy. Too many people were running thru the content of Prophecies to get to the high end armors and skills and weapons (ruined Ascalon and Yaks Bend pvp) and I'm glad to see GRIND can be a way to stop all that in the latter chapters and hopefully in GW2 as well. I say if you want it "for each character" you gotta EARN it "for each character".

Good job Anet please keep this philosophy in GW2 and give us more high end long adventures to get to swords of everslaying and stuff like that.

WinterSnowblind · May 26, 2008, 01:34 PM // 13:34

I enjoyed the BMP missions, I thought the missions were fun and offered a good look into the lore, and of course, gave us some really great rewards. I'd love to see them do something similar in the future, but I think they probably shouldn't be restricted to solo missions next time. Being able to play through them, with even just one other player would have made it a lot more interesting.

Balan Makki · May 26, 2008, 02:32 PM // 14:32

I'm still playing the BMP, not all the time but I'll jump back in every week or so.

If Arena Net offered 200+ BMP styled missions, I'd probably own everyone of them--and play them, as would many others. I still think they're a great addition to the franchise. Especially as a side feature to the Missions and chapters, quests, mini games. I'm still enjoying dwarven boxing, and haven't even hand time to explore Polymock. . .

Be not afraid. GW2 will likely have something for everyone.

jhu · May 26, 2008, 03:08 PM // 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagg

I don't mind being a guinea pig as long as the experiments are fun.

The BMP was fun. Once.

Which brings me immediately to Anet's major weakness: they have brilliant designers but completely miss the ball concerning added value to the game.

Case in point (you saw this coming): Underworld and the Fissure of Woe.

These areas still have wide appeal three years after their release. People have been asking, pleaing, demanding, blackmailing, begging to get the other three Realms, based on the game mechanics of the other two.

Their quality, you ask?

Simple design, solid background story, not too easy, not too hard, entirely unforgiving. Extreme replayability.

These are the two areas in the game ArenaNet got completely right (well, save for a few unfinished quests and the lack of an end-boss of some sorts).

It's sad to say, but it's a level of design quality I no longer expect them to reach ever again.

Please, ArenaNet. Prove me wrong.

i don't know about that. would people be going to fow/uw if those areas didn't drop shards/ectos?

Skyy High · May 26, 2008, 05:34 PM // 17:34

I thought the BMP was cute, fun, and worth the $10 (though I got mine for free), especially if you're a lore-nut. The rewards are beautiful, the environments are beautiful, and the presentation is perfect.

Also, no one would do UW or FoW without the ectos, shards, and reward chest at the end. Who goes down there regularly nowadays? Mainly Ursans looking to clear the UW as quickly as possible. Do you think most of them know (or care) about the lore of the area, or read the quest descriptions? Even if they did in the beginning, they certainly don't now; it's all about the money and items, gogogogo.

Think of it this way: for about a year before the reward chest was added to FoW/UW, who went to UW at all besides spider capping groups and solo/duo farmers of some kind? Basically no one, ever. FoW was played quite often, because it was an "elite" area that wasn't too hard, so it was basically the only real endgame open to many players...and shards drop often enough in a group to be worth it. But really, most of those groups just did Forgemaster runs; I'd be surprised if most of the players in those groups even knew how big FoW really was, outside the Chaos Planes.

MStarfire · May 28, 2008, 03:05 AM // 03:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abedeus

Wait, wait. When you hit Ursan Blessing, you erase your class and turn into U/x. If my Mesmer uses UB, he isn't Mesmer because he has no mesmer skills on the bar. The only way someone would notice the difference between a warrior or a mesmer in ursanway is ONLY by the useless class tags and appearance. Because they both use same skills...

Armor level, dude. A caster is at a significant disadvantage vs. a Warrior when using Ursan blessing due to base AL.

And your class doesn't change. Stop talking nonsense. Seriously.

Nemesis of God · May 28, 2008, 06:15 AM // 06:15

Yes, cry more. You got Bonus Mission Pack just for that you spent 30€. I plaid it on frined's account ( I don't have credit card) and I've done every mission at least 4 times. I enjoid every time.

Edge Martinez · May 28, 2008, 07:51 AM // 07:51

Did Gwen's story once. Maybe one day when I'm really bored I'll try another.

Balan Makki · May 28, 2008, 12:48 PM // 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhu

i don't know about that. would people be going to fow/uw if those areas didn't drop shards/ectos?

I would, but I never have enough time, in one chunk, to group with others, (rl AFKing constantly) thus I'm stuck struggling to work my way through, just to see the sights (as 600/Smite combo (me and a hero)).

I'd pay for an upgrade, BMP style, that would allow me solo access to these areas sans shards/ectos just to see the sights.

Maybe there's a 4 man build out there I'm not aware of. . .

truemyths · May 28, 2008, 01:27 PM // 13:27

um, I played two of the missions, didn't finish, didn't go back

'nuff said

Rhaegor Stormborn · May 28, 2008, 01:31 PM // 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by zwei2stein

All the ursan people seems to disagree.

I think you would find that Ursan players actually hate Ursan. Players will always use whatever tools are given to them that preform the best and most efficiently. A-Net forces the player to use Ursan because it is superior.

I love when people say "but you do not need to use it!!" regarding anything overpowered, broken, or explotative, but as long as it is in the game, players WILL use it because it is there and it is the best means of advancing towards thier goals. They may very well quit the game the day after they reach thier goal because it was so boring and tedious, but they will use the best and most effective method time and time again regardless of how boring and repetitive it is.

Skyy High · May 28, 2008, 02:46 PM // 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhaegor Stormborn

I think you would find that Ursan players actually hate Ursan.

...have you read the (many) Ursan threads? There's a significant number of people even on these forums who honestly enjoy it, and I'd wager that number is even higher in-game.