Curse

ryan_child · Nov 19, 2007, 04:44 AM // 04:44

Hello! If you saw my first thread in the questions/awnsers part, you should know who I am! I'm going to post the things I enjoyed/disliked most in my early journeys through Guild Wars. (I have Guild Wars and Guild Wars: Eye of the North but I'm in regular GW)

COMMUNITY

The community in Guild Wars is not bad, (atleast where i've been) i've been able to find help and some people even gave me some stuff without me even asking! (It's dumb to ask for things, and I don't.) Some people are rude, but for me it's going pretty smoothly. 9/10

QUESTS

The quests are awesome, I like the "storyline" of them. They can be simple or difficult, and you can even get henchmen to help you beat them. Another unique feature (that I LOVE!) is the arrows on your minimap. They point you in the direct direction you should be going/target area is (of course obstacles aren't too clear on the map. =/) But overall, using the map can be easy! The quests are awesome. Many of them, too. Easy to quest your way to high levels, instead of constant grinding like I found in WoW. (World of Warcraft) [/B] [B]8.5/10

MISSIONS

The missions can be tons of fun, but also hard. Like the one where you have to scout out the Charr army, and then run away can be very confusing because across the bridge is scorpions, and if you hit them by accident, your henchies will aggro them and bleh you lose. I feel they don't explain it so well in some parts (what you have to do), but the storyline of the missions are awesome and overall fun. 8/10

GRINDING

I love how there is little grinding, and how monsters can appear in groups or out of groups and walk around "freely". I do find it VERY fustrating you can easily get killed and sometimes it can be almots impossible to get past certain mobs. 6/10

ARMOR/WEAPONS

I find the choices very limited, and it is VERY annoying having everyone run around with the same armor. Hard to obtain good armor/weapons, too.

3/10

LEVEL CAP

The level cap is well, horrible. I find it very boring to get halfway done with the level cap in a few days.. 1.5/10
Sorry GW, didn't do too well there.

SKILLS/ABILITIES

I like the wide choices, but having 8 bars isn't really my tastes, but still; for some people I guess it will take more "skill" in PvP.

6/10

OVERALL

I overall rate my journey's so far a 8/10. Many parts are amazing, and other parts okay, eh, and not so good. But overall, it's a great game.

~Ryan

Zinger314 · Nov 19, 2007, 05:13 AM // 05:13

You cannot, cannot, cannot review Guild Wars based on the first 11 levels. The real game begins at level 20. After you hit lv. 20, the game style take a sharp turn in a different direction (albeit it is subjective, I do believe that the pre-20 areas in the original GW campaign are 100x better than the lv. 20 areas.)

LuckyGiant · Nov 19, 2007, 05:14 AM // 05:14

Yeah I'm on the fence about the level cap. I don't mind too much grind, but can't imagine it any other way. Its just right, but I had a couple of friends who started the game and hit level 20 got max armor and called it quits and left so much of the actual game untouched.

Isileth · Nov 19, 2007, 05:19 AM // 05:19

Unlike most games getting to max level isnt the game.

Only once you hit max level does the best parts of the game really begin. At the end of the day level means so little anyways, adding more levels just means it takes longer to hit max level. Everything must stay balanced so if you get more health stuff starts to do more damage. It all balances out and just leaves it another game you need to spend ages to reach max level.

GW current system is excellent imo.

Having no "uber" weapons and armour is also great. GW is a game of skill>time. The better player isnt someone who has camped boss X for his weapon but the player with the better skills.

Same goes for the limited number of skills, its about putting together a build to counter whatever you will face. When you have all the skills at once you dont have to worry about your build.

ca_aok · Nov 19, 2007, 05:24 AM // 05:24

Your armor and weapon choice improves once you get farther through the game. At this point you should be either in the latest stages of ascalon or in the northern shiverpeaks, and you really haven't experienced much of the game yet. Leveling is not an objective in guildwars and is merely what happens as you progress through the game. It's much more about your skill choices and the story structure than actual character customization.

HayesA · Nov 19, 2007, 05:31 AM // 05:31

Although the real game doesn't really start until you hit level 20. (Hell, at lvl 300(3.8m xp)) The game delivers over and over. There is A LOT to work for. Let it be Obs armour, or Chaos Gloves. Or Destroyer weapons, or finishing that collection of req 8 max weapons you've been meaning to start/finish.

While that's all true, sometimes even getting to lvl 20 can be as much fun. When going for the survivor title (reaching lvl 20/140k xp without dying.) Titles bring yet another branch to follow. There are so many titles at the moment to work on, unless you have been working on them for well over a year now, you'll never max all of them.

Like what was said before, thsi game is skill > time. The more you know, the better you get, the more you're flexable to change your build - the more fun you'll have. If that makes sense.

Don't review the game on the first 11 levels. review it after you get to 500 levels.

wu is me · Nov 19, 2007, 05:42 AM // 05:42

Ya, i completely agree with ^

getting to lvl 11 is peanuts, compared to the full game content.

After the first time u get to lvl 20, every time thereafter when you make a new character, lvl 20 is gonna seem like a minor inconvenience in the game play.

MisterB · Nov 19, 2007, 05:42 AM // 05:42

It's funny; the things you rated lowest are what I like best about Guild Wars: fixed level cap at 20, fixed weapon and armor attributes(Or do you mean selection/style? If so, there is much more to choose from later), and the 8 skill system. Glad you're enjoying it. I know I have.

HawkofStorms · Nov 19, 2007, 06:03 AM // 06:03

Look at it this way. If there wasn't a level 20 level cap, I'd be over level 300. If there is that much content in the game to keep you interested... don't worry about level cap. The game goes on without it.

aapo · Nov 19, 2007, 06:24 AM // 06:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isileth

Unlike most games getting to max level isnt the game.

- In very few games getting leveled is "the game". Level is just measure of where you stand compared to rest of playerbase. I loved the level differences in post-searing Ascalon. You could estimate approximate power level just by looking at numbers on the screen. In later chapters everyone is 20 and you never know if that PUG is going to be a decent player or some noob griefer. Unless you start a systematical discrimination process by looking his titles, armor he's wearing, asking his build.

If level is meaningless why not remove the concept altogether and replace it with some kind of reputation system?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isileth

Only once you hit max level does the best parts of the game really begin. At the end of the day level means so little anyways, adding more levels just means it takes longer to hit max level. Everything must stay balanced so if you get more health stuff starts to do more damage. It all balances out and just leaves it another game you need to spend ages to reach max level.

- So if everything balances out why not increase the level cap, so skilled players can tackle harder monsters and weaker players could opt to level up to have easier time through the game?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isileth

Having no "uber" weapons and armour is also great. GW is a game of skill>time. The better player isnt someone who has camped boss X for his weapon but the player with the better skills.

- For PvP, definitely yes. For PvE, it's the worst flaws of the game that there's no way to improve your character after you've reached level 20, crafted max armor and collected max damage weapons. Experience turns meaningless, gold turns meaningless, treasure hunting is meaningless. After that it's about having ten different weapons and five armor sets on storage, twenty titles when you can display only one which everyone else already has.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isileth

Same goes for the limited number of skills, its about putting together a build to counter whatever you will face. When you have all the skills at once you dont have to worry about your build.

- It can also turn to "buildwars" as we've seen many times. Either you got skill X on your bar or you lose with high probability.

Cacheelma · Nov 19, 2007, 06:26 AM // 06:26

....You dare grading GW's armor at lv11....in Prophecies?

EPIC FAIL.

Blessed Winds · Nov 19, 2007, 06:29 AM // 06:29

I find it ironic that you review the level cap when you've only level 11.

crazy diamond · Nov 19, 2007, 06:30 AM // 06:30

Good lord, you have no idea what you're talking about. Anyone who complains about the level cap completely misses the point of the game. Especially when you're not even there yet.

Antheus · Nov 19, 2007, 06:32 AM // 06:32

In other words - it's not WoW.

aapo · Nov 19, 2007, 06:35 AM // 06:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy diamond

Anyone who complains about the level cap completely misses the point of the game.

- What is the point of the game?

Vinraith · Nov 19, 2007, 06:38 AM // 06:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapo

- What is the point of the game?

To present fundamentally different gameplay than other online RPG's. Instancing, limited skill bars, the level cap, all of these are what makes Guild Wars what it is. Of course, since Guild Wars 2 is doing away with at least two of these it's apparent that the things that make this franchise unique probably die with this game.

Shadowfox1125 · Nov 19, 2007, 06:40 AM // 06:40

Quote:

LEVEL CAP

The level cap is well, horrible. I find it very boring to get halfway done with the level cap in a few days.. 1.5/10
Sorry GW, didn't do too well there.

SKILLS/ABILITIES

I like the wide choices, but having 8 bars isn't really my tastes, but still; for some people I guess it will take more "skill" in PvP.

6/10

If you dislike only having 8 skills and only able to reach level 20, then sorry but, GW isn't the game for you.

Please review the game when you have at least reached level 20. I can reach level 11 on a Factions character in maybe less than 2 hours.

Saphrium · Nov 19, 2007, 06:41 AM // 06:41

Don't worry, OP, you have seen nothing yet.

Isileth · Nov 19, 2007, 06:49 AM // 06:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapo

- In very few games getting leveled is "the game". Level is just measure of where you stand compared to rest of playerbase. I loved the level differences in post-searing Ascalon. You could estimate approximate power level just by looking at numbers on the screen. In later chapters everyone is 20 and you never know if that PUG is going to be a decent player or some noob griefer. Unless you start a systematical discrimination process by looking his titles, armor he's wearing, asking his build.

What I meant there is that in a lot of games you need to spend time leveling to advance in the game. So leveling becomes the way of progressing. In GW you level up as you play, at no point will you ever find yourself thinking "hmm these guys are getting hard, best get a few more levels before I go any further".

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapo

If level is meaningless why not remove the concept altogether and replace it with some kind of reputation system?

There are games that do remove leveling. I find they work very well. As you advance the game itself gets harder, while you do not improve enemies do. This means it isnt level but actual player skill that is required to advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapo

- So if everything balances out why not increase the level cap, so skilled players can tackle harder monsters and weaker players could opt to level up to have easier time through the game?

Because then you are forced into grinding levels to hit the max level. Thats not what GW is about. If a skilled player currently wants to have a harder time they can easily take less members in a group, wear weaker armour, use less skills, use less atrribute points etc. With level the challenge isnt controlled by you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapo

- For PvP, definitely yes. For PvE, it's the worst flaws of the game that there's no way to improve your character after you've reached level 20, crafted max armor and collected max damage weapons. Experience turns meaningless, gold turns meaningless, treasure hunting is meaningless. After that it's about having ten different weapons and five armor sets on storage, twenty titles when you can display only one which everyone else already has.

Again, not what GW is about. It isnt an MMO. Its a CORPG. Its not about time spent, but about player skill. You can get max armour and weapons easily, improving after that is down to the player improving. Not farming a boss till you get a better weapon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by appo

- It can also turn to "buildwars" as we've seen many times. Either you got skill X on your bar or you lose with high probability.

In pve you know what you will face so its always build wars (unless you choose not to counter the enemies you know you will face, then again thats just build wars in reverse :P).
Besides pve can be done with so many different builds. There is never a point where you cant win without a certain skill (apart from some missions where you are given a skill of course).

What you have to remember is GW is not just another MMO. If you come expecting your average MMO you will be dissapointed. GW is the only game I know that has gone this way, it has an area of the market that no one else is aimed at.

Instanced areas
Low max level
No "uber" items
Limited skills

All of these are what has made GW great. It allows skill>time gameplay and I do hope Anet doesnt throw that away with GW2.

crazy diamond · Nov 19, 2007, 06:50 AM // 06:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapo

- What is the point of the game?

The level cap is merely the starting point of the real game. You hit 20? Congrats, you just finished your introduction to the game. Now the real game begins, which is about, skills, point distribution, runes/insignias. Everyone is on equal footing, which means you either start thinking on your toes, or get left behind. If you want to be successful at this game, you're going to have to put a little more thought into what you bring to a fight, since you can't just outlevel your enemies until they're easy to overpower. Character builds are the name of the game, not your level.