Curse

yikomaka · Jul 15, 2007, 05:54 AM // 05:54

Hey all,

First of all I have been playing Guild Wars since it came out I remember playing with not half of the new features out today and it was a fun grind to 20. It wasn't hard at all back then it just took time, but it did not seem like a grind because the missions and cinematics were nice.

However I came back and started a new charecter, within one day I was at about level 10 which is normal as starting area is easy. When I got to 15 I went to Factions (Nightfall, Factions etc is linked to my account) from there I simply went around doing all the 3000 xp quests with the level 20 henchies fighting for me and some of my heroes from nightfall area (just got the heroes no missions there) I began to level up at a fast rate and within a few hours, 3 at most I was level 20.

What are you guys comments and opinions? Do you think the new Factions and Nightfall have ruined the leveling rate?

BTW the new features I have noticed, small things like extra bank storage are really nice too. Have not yet tried out Hard mode but that seems fun!

Dr Strangelove · Jul 15, 2007, 06:01 AM // 06:01

The game doesn't start until you hit level 20. Guild Wars is about skill choice, tactics and teamwork, not endless leveling treadmills. I haven't started a character in Prophecies since Factions came out, it just takes too long to get to the fun part of character design.

Lotrfish · Jul 15, 2007, 06:07 AM // 06:07

It's supposed to be easy to get to 20. The game's a lot better that way.

yikomaka · Jul 15, 2007, 06:10 AM // 06:10

Yes with the expansion packs its easier but with prophecies it was actually funner to level rather then simply be at 20 within a few hours like factions.

Lord Feathers · Jul 15, 2007, 06:11 AM // 06:11

To me 1/2 the fun is developing a character regardless of the level..... that and I'm not one to be worried about what everyone else does.

Saphrium · Jul 15, 2007, 06:17 AM // 06:17

I remember it used to be exciting to receive a new skill unlock pop up in pve.

Redfeather1975 · Jul 15, 2007, 06:19 AM // 06:19

I really don't enjoy leveling at all.
I used to play EQ2 and WoW and quit because of how much level restricts the player and creates gaps in grouping.
I was relieved when GW eliminated the level grind found in Proph.
I've only made one proph character that has legitimately leveled through the game. The rest I run to Cantha or Elona.

Thunder79 · Jul 15, 2007, 06:19 AM // 06:19

If you originally started with Prophecies...the way leveling is now will no doubt feel way accelerated. Prophecies is setup so that your character ends up being level 20 by the time you really need it...just after Ascension. The problem with that is ...more than half the game is already over with.

Nightfall and Factions changed that...the new standard was making it so that you got to 20 quickly...and then most of the storyline was left over.

If prophecies were setup in the same way it'd be equivalent to getting to around 20 by the time you got done with Fort Ranik...2 missions into the campaign.

I prefer the new system of leveling...

Redfeather1975 · Jul 15, 2007, 06:21 AM // 06:21

They had to speed up leveling in Factions and Nightfall, because they figured the majority of players would be coming to those games already at lvl 20 and wanted the highest percentage of lvl 20 content they could afford.

countesscorpula · Jul 15, 2007, 06:54 AM // 06:54

Ok, go figure I have a different take. Leveling was fin in Prophecies, as we were all new, and it gave a gradual intro to the mechanics of the game. Good for what it was (a bit slow once you understand it all though). Factions recognized that it was a bit slow, and kicked in the turbo leveling... almost to the point of causing whiplash. In factions you're level 20 in a few hours, compared to the days of normal play through Proph. I really think NF scored the balance between the two rather nicely. There is LOTS to do on the newbie isle to level up at your own pace, or if you cram in the bounties you can fastrack your way out of there. All in all, when it comes to pace of leveling, I think NF has it down pat.

drago34 · Jul 15, 2007, 08:17 AM // 08:17

It has always been pretty easy to get to 20. It should be that way since the game truly opens up when you hit 20. And honestly who the hell wants to grind to just get to where the game starts. It's fine how it is in NF and Factions.

rohara · Jul 15, 2007, 08:26 AM // 08:26

i, personally, like the uberleveling in factions. i have 9 characters (2 prophecies, 5 factons, 2 nightfall) and playing a noob character is boring for me. i re-made several of my prophecies characters in factions simply because i couldn't stand to grind through prophecies again! too much trouble to ascend and get to the good stuff.

Productivity · Jul 15, 2007, 08:31 AM // 08:31

Both Factions and NF had highly accelerated level development, because if they took it at the slow speed of Prophecies, half the game would be below pre-existing characters who enter at level 20. Then they would either have to do lots of grinding through low level areas or be introduced halfway into the game. Neither was an attractive option, so they took NF and Factions characters up to L20 very fast.

Arcane_Penguin · Jul 15, 2007, 08:32 AM // 08:32

made a new character, R/Mo in factions, played for 3 hours and 27 minutes, lvl 15, nearly 16.

arcanemacabre · Jul 15, 2007, 08:44 AM // 08:44

In other games, you tend to get a tremendous feeling of success and achievement when your character reaches a new level. This is because in those games, leveling is central to character development, and at higher and higher levels, it can take days, even weeks to gain just one, finally increasing your power and allowing you to defeat that big baddie or wear that one piece of armor you just couldn't before.

In GW, everything maxes out early. Armor/weapons stop scaling up in power at a very early point, and your character stops gaining any attribute points once you hit level 20. This is how the game was designed. This is how it always was, and always will be (for GW1, that is).

The tremendous sense of achievement in this case comes from what you do with your character. Discovering a new skill combo that works well, playing a new build that is effective and fun, defeating a high-ranked guild or a really difficult mission you usually have problems with - all can offer up that sense of accomplishment. These feelings are a lot more genuine and fulfilling than a simple number increase. In GW, I never got that feeling from seeing my character's level change from 13 to 14 - no matter if it happened in 10 minutes, 10 hours, or 10 days. The only number that matters is 20, period.

Jongo River · Jul 15, 2007, 08:47 AM // 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by yikomaka

Yes with the expansion packs its easier but with prophecies it was actually funner to level rather then simply be at 20 within a few hours like factions.

I can't agree - I find much of Prophecies extremely dull and always did. It's fine having a beginner area like pre-searing, but when the next 2 thirds of the game feels like an even slower paced beginner section, something's just wrong.

milan · Jul 15, 2007, 09:01 AM // 09:01

the last two chapters V chapter 1 do have much faster levelling options, I like that but I also make ch 1 characters every now and again to slow it down a little.

A good way for a challenge in ch2 and 3 is to take less people/henchmen in groups than the maximum, that makes it a little more difficult.

spellsword · Jul 15, 2007, 09:15 AM // 09:15

Slow leveling isn't fun. Leveling itself isn't fun. Especially if you have several characters already, having to do the boring low level areas is a real annoyance. The faster it is, the better, I say.

-Loki- · Jul 15, 2007, 09:17 AM // 09:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by yikomaka

First of all I have been playing Guild Wars since it came out I remember playing with not half of the new features out today and it was a fun grind to 20.

No, it wasn't.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yikomaka

It wasn't hard at all back then it just took time

That was the problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yikomaka

but it did not seem like a grind because the missions and cinematics were nice.

No, they weren't.

The cinematics, even improved in Nightfall, are horrible. The missions are mediocre for the most part. Slow levelling in some games works, in Guild Wars it doesn't.

william1975 · Jul 15, 2007, 12:46 PM // 12:46

I started playing Prophicies about 2 months before factions came out, and hated the slow progress to leveling, i had characters stuck there for a year because i didnt like the leveling speed, and made new ones in factions and nightfall, because it was quick,
I have one level 11 in ruins of surmia, its a monk and only because i want a survivor from prophicies