Curse

Medion · Apr 27, 2006, 04:24 PM // 16:24

Hello,

I was wondering, what your first impression on the new guildhalls is. I know, it is hard to know exactly how they work, but how do you think they will be used best.

First of, to those who don't know, you can get to the new guidhalls at the boat in Lions Arch, just talk to the Canthan Ambassador.

What I think;
The jade one seems to be pretty spike friendly, because there are not really many options to split. (Unless I have missed any)
The meditating one, I am not sure about. There is the obelisk stand, but I would not be suprised if it would be used rarely. I mean, who would choose for an obelisk when you can also use it for the flagstand?
The Imperial one really looks like a Heroes Ascent map to me, with one big open center. It seems to favor ranger-spike, as the center is very open.
The last one (forgot the name) doesn't really seem so special to me, though I have to say that I found this one the hardest to explore well.

So, what do you think about the new maps? Ofcourse you can't tell very well yet, but what is your first impression?

Patrograd · Apr 27, 2006, 06:12 PM // 18:12

Saw a battle on obs mode on the Jade Map, it is indeed very similar in layout and tactics to the burning one.

as for the others

the imperial isle looks like a good ranger spike map, although there a couple of interesting gank routes

The Stone one is a bit weird, many different ways around, quite a big map

The meditating (?) isle, has a strange thing on it, an obelisk tower. this obelisk appears to control a set of three gates, presumably acting as a switch to open one while closing two and vice versa. Opening the gates would appear, without having played on it, to open a shorter route between the halls as on frozen. Seems like an interesting use of a flag......

dansamy · Apr 27, 2006, 07:05 PM // 19:05

I liked the overall look of the meditating isle, but I'd be interested in its tactical advantanges/disadvantages.

TheArrow · Apr 28, 2006, 12:02 AM // 00:02

Isle of Meditation's Obelisk activates the smaller statues near the Flagstand that shoot 'Fireballs' at you. I don't know if it's the same damage against all classes but against Rangers it's 14 damage. The Gate Lock both outside and inside the Obelisk area opens all 3 of the gates around it. The one annoying thing about that hall is the Miasma, purple glowy poison looking stuff, on the path to the Obelisk.

NightOwl · Apr 28, 2006, 01:06 AM // 01:06

I took a tour of the new guild halls. Here are my notes, in the order I took the tours.

Stone-
Very interesting map, very large. Lots of corners and hidey spots, with a variety of open spaces that could accomdate spike. Large square hedge near the flagstand though, which is pretty counter to rspike, imo, or anything that requires LOS. Water on this map (there is a river and waterfall) has a 20% enchant duration boost to it.

I think that, with a bit of care, rangerspike would have a tough time on this map. Just avoid them in the open areas, don't get too drawn out if possible. Seems good for pressure. Split/gank possibility here, due to size/layout of the map.

Meditation-
Very red at the base, matches our current cape color well, lol. No special qualities to the water.
The Flagstand is whacked, imo. The access to it is in a "V" shape, with the stand at the base of the V. Well, the Tower flagstand does, anyhow. There is an "Obelisk Flag Stand" up above, which I found later by circling around. I would be HIGHLY surprised if it fired shots that could reach the area of the Tower stand. However, perhaps a monk could be up here, and have his heals reach their group located behind the Tower stand. A group of rangers could probably spike to/past the Tower stand from here, as well.
Visitor base has rather twisty paths down below.
Basically, there are two routes. A fairly straight route from base to base, stopping by the Obelisk stand on the way. Alternatively, the somewhat curved around path that passes by the Tower stand with it's V shaped access paths.

Imperial-
Very regal, with more of a deep red in the base.
This one is screaming Rspike at me. WAY open area around the Tower flagstand. Couple columns and trees, but it's about a 10 second run to the stand from the base, through open area.
To the east and west of the Flagstand area, there are raised alcoves, one on each side, about a 4 second run from front to back. Anyhow, there is a runed circle on the floor to one side of the path up, and a big glowing ball thing on the other side of the path up. Go into the ball, and it teleports you to the runed circle on the other side (as in, go in the West ball, come out the East Runecircle). Interesting, but unsure of the tactical advantages of this.
No accessable water or magical boosts otherwise.
Base layout indicates that coming out already split is a viable option. This puts the team approaching the flagstand in two separate groups of 4, which might have some tactical advantage, maybe. Maybe not, it's just an observance.

Jade-
Dark, spooky, shiney and cold looking.
Teleporters, like in that one sandy guild hall.
Good base for Rspike to defend from, due to some raised areas, though that could cause them to be bodyblocked in on the stairs up to those raised areas while 1/2 people go after a lord kill.
"Spiked Coral" near the teleporters. 25 damage per hit while moving through it, 5-6 hits of this on the shortest run to the teleporter. "Movement speed is reduced by 10% and you take 25 damage per second while moving." Stutter steps don't seem to prevent this, in an exceedingly brief test. After going through the first patch of coral to teleport, there is a much larger patch that must be passed through. It does, however, put you very close to the flagstand. Fighting on this coral is a monks worst nightmare. Wouldn't be TOO horrible, if there was no kiting involved. A non-melee build could do well at this map, I think. Especially with an Rt to put up that aoe mending type spirit.
There is a fenced ramp up around behind the flagstand. Not sure if the fence prevents LOS or not. Puts you very close to the stand, with the platform around the stand being what appears to be max cast range. Might have some potential towards holding the stand.
Lots of ramps/paths around the place.
I was wrong, there is a path to the first teleporter that doesn't go through any coral. It's much longer though.

Anyhow, those are my tour notes. Hope that they help in some way.

-----
I made these basic notes as I toured the new areas. Posted on my guild forums, but reposted here to hopefully help stimulate discussion a bit.

Solberg the Exiled · Apr 28, 2006, 01:48 AM // 01:48

Very intresting indeed, if nothing else, these new guild halls will be a good change on the eyes.

Patrograd · Apr 28, 2006, 06:01 AM // 06:01

Also on stone isle there is another effect from "stone spores2, forget what it does now, sorry.

Also on Imperial, one of the side passages has "acid" hich hits you for 20 health per second. Using the teleporter helps you avoid this, so you can run from base to base without going into the middle and without getting hit by the acid

TheArrow · Apr 28, 2006, 12:50 PM // 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrograd

Also on stone isle there is another effect from "stone spores2, forget what it does now, sorry.

Also on Imperial, one of the side passages has "acid" hich hits you for 20 health per second. Using the teleporter helps you avoid this, so you can run from base to base without going into the middle and without getting hit by the acid

The blue side passage has Acid Traps that spring several at a time. Not smart to use it.

Neo-LD · Apr 28, 2006, 04:14 PM // 16:14

Stone Spores hit you for: 50% miss rate, 50% longer cast times, 50% chance to be interupted.

Also, everyone is saying that Stone Hall is very 'big', and while it is a fairly large map, the main battle area around the stand is actually very very congested. If you arent splitting, this map will feel very small indeed.

Jagan Vastary · Apr 28, 2006, 07:05 PM // 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrograd

Also on Imperial, one of the side passages has "acid" hich hits you for 20 health per second. Using the teleporter helps you avoid this, so you can run from base to base without going into the middle and without getting hit by the acid

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheArrow

The blue side passage has Acid Traps that spring several at a time. Not smart to use it.

The acid traps are on the long paths to the teleporter rooms, and this is actually where the flag is.

Patrograd · Apr 29, 2006, 12:00 AM // 00:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagan Vastary

The acid traps are on the long paths to the teleporter rooms, and this is actually where the flag is.

Yes, just discovered this tonight. the flags spawn in the acid rooms along either side (so to get the flag, you have leave your base by the left side gate, run up the stairs on your left, follow the passage around to the right, through the acid, and there's your flag).

Also worth noting that at the moment the guild thief will not use the teleporters on this map. This may be intentional, or not. I say it may be intentional, as if you could get the theif through those teleporters its a mighty fast gank, possibly overpoweringly so.

No matter what you do, its a long, long way with no cover to the flagstand. The quickest way is down the stairs from the sides (so after picking up the flag, continue in the direction you were headed and down the stairs on your right). You then have a relatively short journey with the flag to the tower.

On this map there are footmen guarding each entrance to each base.

Patrograd · May 01, 2006, 08:20 AM // 08:20

The obelisk on meditating controls some fire breathing dragon statues that use a low level flare/fireball on the other team. Even though its a low level effect, becasue these dragons are grouped in lots of four the effect can be quite nasty, and because they are grouped around the flagstand there is some, although I wouldnt like to comment how much, value in controlling these. Is it worth a flag though? That's the question

Zeldawind · May 01, 2006, 08:29 AM // 08:29

early stages no, at VoD hell ya (about the obelisk at meditation)

But a advice is do dual running if you dont have the flag stand and you want obelisk

Keilious Ahruhk · May 01, 2006, 12:16 PM // 12:16

The meditation map is more deadly than I first thought.
We were GvGing an hour or two ago, and ended up versing some random guild on it, towards the centre on the non-flag route (because all the gates start off closed so you can't get to the flag without a theif or something), there is a purple miasma, this inflicts "Miasma" (Wow!), which is a non-condition non-hex random OMGWTFPWN.

Miasma
-5 health regen. Spreads like disease, lasts for X (about 20-30) seconds. if Miasma is spread to you, its duration might be renewed (as far as we could tell).

asdar · May 01, 2006, 12:31 PM // 12:31

Meditation is our map.

I think you can get to the flag stand, you just have to hit the lever by the door.

Meditation plays very small. You're right on top of the flag stand So there's no set up time. If you can win a heads up at the flag stand you're practically in their base.

Patrograd · May 03, 2006, 06:20 AM // 06:20

Played alot on meditation last night (admittedly in scrimmage) and I cant see the value of the dragons at all, beyond being a minor annoyance. I would say, unless there is something glaring I have missed from about 5 fights and watching 2 or 3 on obs mode, that a good team is going to heavily punish anyone wasting a flag on the obelisk.

Ragnorak · May 09, 2006, 08:27 PM // 20:27

My Guild has a rather strange yet effective tactic for the Meditation Map. First of all we run the flag to the obelisk and take the opportunity to see where our opposition are heading. They usually head for the flagstand (unless they don't know what they're doing). Upon capturing the obelisk, our flag runner (waiting at the Guild Lord for the second flag) picks up the flag and legs it at the stand while the rest of us push back the opposition. This way we quickly get control of both points.

Personally I think the Obelisk is very beneficial. In most GvGs you will encounter teams that run a 2 boon back-line. With boon, energy management is essential so they don't want to do any healing they don't have to. By controlling the obelisk we are able to push the enemy back towards their base. This way we can keep up the flag held.

If they try and capture the obelisk we take priority over capping the flagstand, but when it is captured our runner goes straight back for the obelisk because we see it as a huge advantage. With an experienced flag runner it is easy to keep both stands under your control, especially seeing as we run a build that can very easily take down flag runners before they get anywhere a stand. Another thing that makes it easy is the size of the map. The distance from the flag to the stands isn't a very long way and runs are short.

Well thats the way we run it.