GW worth replacing a former WOW, DAOC, SB, SWG player? - Guild Wars Forums

Relox · Jun 01, 2007, 03:33 PM // 15:33

I have played all those games up there and have lost interest in each of them. I was wondering if GW had something that the others didn't in which it would be worth me buying. I love to PVP a lot but i also enjoy the hardcore pve raid too. Does GW bring something unique to MMORPG's to where i would want to play it?

Star Gazer · Jun 01, 2007, 03:36 PM // 15:36

no. constant nerfs, a failing economy....and most of all, no raids. PvP is dying, and the game is basically going into a black hole. If you would have asked a year ago, i would have said hell yeah.....now, i dont think i could.

Bryant Again · Jun 01, 2007, 03:36 PM // 15:36

Guild Wars has fairly decent high-end PvP. The PvE is pretty fun for a bit, too, but it has no good end-game.

lennymon · Jun 01, 2007, 03:40 PM // 15:40

heh, if you read the forums clearly the answer is no. but you cant please everyone, and those that cant be pleased ever? well I think they are all regular posters here.
I've had fun with this game going on 3-4000 hours and 19 months, and I still have fun and will buy the expansion in a month or 3 when it comes out.
Only advice I can give ya is try it and if you like it, play some more till you don't like it, then play something else.

Ritual del Fuego · Jun 01, 2007, 03:51 PM // 15:51

I haven't played all those other games, but I would say give it a try. You obviously like games and this one is exceptional. Don't listen to the jaded players in this forum to make a decision for you, your best bet is to try it yourself. The game isn't perfect, but what game is? I bet even the players that are telling you to not try it have over 1k hours playing. pretty good bang for the buck if you ask me.

Honestly, most people who complain now don't like some of the changes that have been made over time, but if you never played before you wouldn't know the difference. Guild Wars is still a great game if you ask me.

On a side note, if you are going to start, start with Prophecies or Nightfall. I would lean toward nightfall because then you have access to heroes which makes the game a little easier, especially when you are by yourself. Prophecies is the original though and many people like the storyline and appearance better. Or, if you have a membership to Sam's Club I think you can still buy all three for $49.99. Good luck with whatever you decide...

Hikan Trilear · Jun 01, 2007, 04:04 PM // 16:04

If you want to try it out I would suggest asking somebody for a buddy code, it's a trial code that you can play on for 2 weeks or 14 hours, whichever comes first.

And if you want my opinion on the game, it's still fun for me. Sometimes things come along that make it less fun in certain ways, but there are also things that come along that make it more fun. I think alot of the time people just focus on the bad things so you get alot of people saying that Guild Wars is dying, I don't think it is though.

Inde · Jun 01, 2007, 04:14 PM // 16:14

There's a great thread here that might be able to answer your questions:

Which Guild Wars Should You Buy?
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10102502

Kook~NBK~ · Jun 01, 2007, 05:12 PM // 17:12

Get a trial key (there's a place to request them on here somewhere) and try it out for yourself. Last I knew, PvP is still going strong. The economy went through a huge change recently, which makes it a bit harder to amass huge (and unnecessary) amounts of gold. It's not ruined, just different.

Each game has some pretty challenging end-game areas, especially for people who are new to those areas.

HawkofStorms · Jun 01, 2007, 05:50 PM // 17:50

PvP is still going strong and unlike those other games it is fairly balanced.

Yichi · Jun 01, 2007, 06:36 PM // 18:36

I came from DAoC 2 years ago, shortly after GW was out of the Beta and went live, you know right before EA bought mythic and killed DAoC....

Anyway I have found that the PVP in GW is completely different from the RvR or Battlegrounds PVP in DAoC (which i was hoping for in GW) and can be a letdown at times. The game does have amazing PVP, its just not what you're used too so don't think you'll just jump right into it and be great. A lot of successful guilds in GW have come from DAoC and have had great success here. As far as the PVE goes, it has some of the most beautiful scenery and probably some of the better story lines in most MMO games out there and unlike DAoC and WoW, the characters and graphics in GW are far superior, that and the no monthly fee means that if i decide to not play for a few days, im not costing myself money each month.

Darksun · Jun 01, 2007, 06:41 PM // 18:41

People complaining about nerfs/failing economy are in every game. It's a silly argument. There are no Raids per-say, but there are elite missions & depending on the Guild you are in it's more or less structured.

If you've gone through all those games, nothing will hold your attention for long. I think GW is very unique & the combat blows away just about all other MMORPGS I've played. Way more fun. But it seems like it's just a short jaunt to your next game.

hallomik · Jun 01, 2007, 07:30 PM // 19:30

I haven't played all of the games you're coming from, but I did play a lot of WOW before coming to GuildWars. I can offer some comparison from that perspective. Here are some the unique and positive aspects of GW versus WOW:

The graphics are gorgeous with a more serious, less cartoon-like look. Armor system is different in GW, so it is standard to get matching sets of cool looking gear from the beginning.

There is never a wait to get online. Also there is never a wait to upload the latest version of the game. Updates are streamed in the background.

You instantly travel between previously visited outposts. No 8-minute Gryphon rides admiring the scenery. Bing - you're there.

The primary storyline puts you in the center of the action with tonnes of sidequests. You will see cut scenes with your character speaking lines, and the central stories can be compelling. This is particularly so in the first installment, Prophesies.

Due the the highly instanced nature of the game, you will have quests that involve heavy interaction from NPC's in way's that cannot work in a persistant world. For example, you will fight side-by-side with the King's son in pitched battles. This heavy instancing also means you never have to wait for a recently killed boss to respawn. The outposts/Cities are the only non-instanced parts of the game.

You have the ability to raise your character to the max level with max gear (albeit not ultra-elite looking) very quickly. Unlike WOW, you won't spend months and months levelling a toon to see that class painfully nerfed. Skill nerfs/balances occur regularly, as these boards can attest, but your investment in a particular class isn't so great that it isn't easy to adjust. People on this site may disagree with that statement with the recent nerf to the Necro's soul reaping, but most of them have not played other games where this type of issue is so much worse.

You can only employ 8 skills at any one time from your Primary and Secondary class. This sounds limiting compared to games where you have dozens and dozens of skills available to you, but in reality it is one of the genius design elements of the game. No skill seems that great by itself, but by cleverly mixing skills, you can create incredibly unique, powerful, and special combiniations. No two warriors or healers (monks) are likely to use the exact same build. The opportunities for experimentation are incredible and because you can develop characters so quickly, GuildWars is truely the thinking man's Online RPG.

PVP is utterly balanced and you can get into it with a max level character immediately. You can create a PVP only character with max stats/gear minutes after installing the game. You will have few skills unlocked at this point, so your options will be limited, but it is possible to jump right into the fray. Competitive PVP is all about knowledge of the game, the "meta", and individual player skill. Grinding for gear is irrelevant.

You can play with any other person who owns the game. There are not hundreds of dedicated servers. Rather, there are a handful of regional servers (e.g., America, Europe, Japan, etc.), and there are international districts, the Brits and Yanks can play together if desired. You may even switch regions and play in elsewhere instead.

As the game is meant to be played with 8 players at a time, computer controlled characters both standard (henchmen) and customizable (heroes - available only in nightfall) are provided to give the players many options. You can play solo, if your build is good enough, or play with any combination of other players both real and computer controlled.

There are no recurring monthly charges. This is freeing in a great way. You never feel any pressure to "get your money's worth" for the month you're in. Play the game or put it down - no worries. There's no such thing as cancelling your account.

Most of the postive things I've outlined above have a corresponding negative. For example, the highly instanced nature can feel a bit desolate since you never see random players doing some random thing ouside the gates of a city. But since your question was whether GW offered something unique, I can assure you that it does.

Here are a few other potential drawbacks to keep in mind.

GuildWars trading system is primitive compared to WOW. There is no auction house built into the game, and spam in the large cities is super-annoying, but you can use this very site for high-end trading.

There are fewer side-activities to do. There are no professions in Guildwars - no fishing/cooking/armor crafting/mining, etc. The endgame contains a lot of challenging high-end dungeons (elite missions) and acquiring titles, but you don't typically "live" in Guildwars the way some do in other games.

The max party size is 8 (12 in a few elite areas). Massive PVP battles and raids are just not part of the game. These features are being planned for GW2.

My admittedly biased view is that GW is a great game that offers a style of play that feels familiar if you've played the others, but is really a unique experience. Some like it and some don't, but it is by no means just another MMO.

Foe · Jun 01, 2007, 07:38 PM // 19:38

no, the pve community=over, only chatters and ppl with no other options play it. Anet went SOE on their pve community a while back. Pvp would keep you interested for a bit but not long as there are a handfull of builds that can be ran if winning is your aim. Best case it will hold you over until something good comes out.

Darksun · Jun 01, 2007, 08:34 PM // 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foe

no, the pve community=over, only chatters and ppl with no other options play it.

Doom & Gloom. A ton of people play PvE. And now you have the option to play with much better npcs.
@Relox you're going to have to take these "the Game/PvE/PvP is DEEEADD!" posts with a grain (or spoonful) of salt.

@hallomik Very insightful post! Have to agree with.. well.. all of it.

The Herbalizer · Jun 02, 2007, 12:09 AM // 00:09

yeah, personally i would not recommend gw now. a year or so ago i would have recommended it but not now.

I Might Avenge U · Jun 02, 2007, 12:22 AM // 00:22

I don't mean to be rude, but why don't you guys move onto a better game. If you can't recommend the game to another, then you obviously aren't enjoying the game itself. Why not try out new things, heck why not try out WoW. I don't want to imply that nobody cares what you think, and that you are just flamming, so I just want to say try out other options in a nice, well-mannered way... If that makes any sense...

Personally i still enjoy the PvE, there's so much I still haven't done, so now I'm taking a new character across all 3 campaigns, and enjoying a lot of it

WoW is actually a great game, but I'd rather play GW, and I vote in favor of you trying it out. And Hey if you don't like it, move onto another game

makosi · Jun 02, 2007, 12:22 AM // 00:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Herbalizer

yeah, personally i would not recommend gw now. a year or so ago i would have recommended it but not now.

I agree. The development team's ability to stream updates and make changes to the game is a sweet tool but misuse has turned the system sour.

Too much insecurity knowing that the next update could completely spoil your gameplay experience.

Warrior Of The Toon · Jun 02, 2007, 12:44 AM // 00:44

It has at least 100-250 hours in it before you will start to get bored, but depending on your personality you could still be addicted as ever with 1000s of hours put in. It's a game which you can make as complex or simple as you like =P

The Herbalizer · Jun 02, 2007, 01:02 AM // 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Might Avenge U

I don't mean to be rude, but why don't you guys move onto a better game. If you can't recommend the game to another, then you obviously aren't enjoying the game itself. Why not try out new things, heck why not try out WoW. I don't want to imply that nobody cares what you think, and that you are just flamming, so I just want to say try out other options in a nice, well-mannered way... If that makes any sense...
Personally i still enjoy the PvE, there's so much I still haven't done, so now I'm taking a new character across all 3 campaigns, and enjoying a lot of it

WoW is actually a great game, but I'd rather play GW, and I vote in favor of you trying it out. And Hey if you don't like it, move onto another game

I have played WoW and am going to reactivate my account. Ill most probably get LOTR Online too.

Its called playing multiple games... Just because I dont enjoy GW as much as I did does not mean I have to quit it or play another game. I still get some enjoyment from GW but no way near what I did.

Its not trolling its called giving an honest opinion. At the start of GW 2005-Early 2006 I would have recommended GW to anyone but not now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by makosi

I agree. The development team's ability to stream updates and make changes to the game is a sweet tool but misuse has turned the system sour.

Too much insecurity knowing that the next update could completely spoil your gameplay experience.

Yupperz

I Might Avenge U · Jun 02, 2007, 01:16 AM // 01:16

Tis' just me then, I Almost ONLY play PvE, Cept for some random arena, or certain events. i have a single minded personality, so general I like to enjoy one game at a time, Same thing with books, I find it superbly hard to read two books in a certain amount of given time.

I guess it also has to do with the fact that PvE isn't affected by nerfs nearly as much as PvP is, so I'm usually not clinging to my seat hopin' that the next patch is my last. Farming is in a way I guess, but my PvE builds aren't affected too bad when nerfed.

Nerfing, IMO, is necessary because I don't expect Anet to make it easy for us to take advantage certain things, at least not for too long. I mean you wouldn't let someone punch you in the face, and contunually allow them to do it. Either way, they just find another way to annoy you, same thing in GW. You find different ways to PvP or farm..

Just my thoughts...

Jun 01, 2007, 03:33 PM // 15:33	#1
Relox Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Jun 2007	GW worth replacing a former WOW, DAOC, SB, SWG player? I have played all those games up there and have lost interest in each of them. I was wondering if GW had something that the others didn't in which it would be worth me buying. I love to PVP a lot but i also enjoy the hardcore pve raid too. Does GW bring something unique to MMORPG's to where i would want to play it?

Jun 01, 2007, 03:36 PM // 15:36	#3
Bryant Again Hall Hero Join Date: Feb 2006	Guild Wars has fairly decent high-end PvP. The PvE is pretty fun for a bit, too, but it has no good end-game. Last edited by Bryant Again; Jun 01, 2007 at 03:38 PM // 15:38..

Jun 01, 2007, 03:36 PM // 15:36	#2
Star Gazer Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Nov 2005 Guild: Zerohour Enterprises [ZHE] Profession: W/	no. constant nerfs, a failing economy....and most of all, no raids. PvP is dying, and the game is basically going into a black hole. If you would have asked a year ago, i would have said hell yeah.....now, i dont think i could.

Jun 01, 2007, 03:40 PM // 15:40	#4
lennymon Forge Runner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle Guild: Odin's Hammer [OH] - Servant's of Fortuna [SoF] Profession: R/	heh, if you read the forums clearly the answer is no. but you cant please everyone, and those that cant be pleased ever? well I think they are all regular posters here. I've had fun with this game going on 3-4000 hours and 19 months, and I still have fun and will buy the expansion in a month or 3 when it comes out. Only advice I can give ya is try it and if you like it, play some more till you don't like it, then play something else.

Jun 01, 2007, 03:51 PM // 15:51	#5
Ritual del Fuego Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: CA Guild: Frogs in Winter [FiW]	I haven't played all those other games, but I would say give it a try. You obviously like games and this one is exceptional. Don't listen to the jaded players in this forum to make a decision for you, your best bet is to try it yourself. The game isn't perfect, but what game is? I bet even the players that are telling you to not try it have over 1k hours playing. pretty good bang for the buck if you ask me. Honestly, most people who complain now don't like some of the changes that have been made over time, but if you never played before you wouldn't know the difference. Guild Wars is still a great game if you ask me. On a side note, if you are going to start, start with Prophecies or Nightfall. I would lean toward nightfall because then you have access to heroes which makes the game a little easier, especially when you are by yourself. Prophecies is the original though and many people like the storyline and appearance better. Or, if you have a membership to Sam's Club I think you can still buy all three for $49.99. Good luck with whatever you decide...

Jun 01, 2007, 04:04 PM // 16:04	#6
Hikan Trilear Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Feb 2007	If you want to try it out I would suggest asking somebody for a buddy code, it's a trial code that you can play on for 2 weeks or 14 hours, whichever comes first. And if you want my opinion on the game, it's still fun for me. Sometimes things come along that make it less fun in certain ways, but there are also things that come along that make it more fun. I think alot of the time people just focus on the bad things so you get alot of people saying that Guild Wars is dying, I don't think it is though.

Jun 01, 2007, 04:14 PM // 16:14	#7
Inde Site Contributor Join Date: Dec 2004	There's a great thread here that might be able to answer your questions: Which Guild Wars Should You Buy? http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10102502

Jun 01, 2007, 05:12 PM // 17:12	#8
Kook~NBK~ Grotto Attendant Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: A little chalet outside Drok's Guild: Natural Born Killaz	Get a trial key (there's a place to request them on here somewhere) and try it out for yourself. Last I knew, PvP is still going strong. The economy went through a huge change recently, which makes it a bit harder to amass huge (and unnecessary) amounts of gold. It's not ruined, just different. Each game has some pretty challenging end-game areas, especially for people who are new to those areas.

Jun 01, 2007, 05:50 PM // 17:50	#9
HawkofStorms Hall Hero Join Date: Aug 2005 Profession: E/	PvP is still going strong and unlike those other games it is fairly balanced.

Jun 01, 2007, 06:36 PM // 18:36	#10
Yichi Furnace Stoker Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Guild Hall, Vent, Guesting, PvE, or the occasional HA match... Guild: Dark Alley [dR]	I came from DAoC 2 years ago, shortly after GW was out of the Beta and went live, you know right before EA bought mythic and killed DAoC.... Anyway I have found that the PVP in GW is completely different from the RvR or Battlegrounds PVP in DAoC (which i was hoping for in GW) and can be a letdown at times. The game does have amazing PVP, its just not what you're used too so don't think you'll just jump right into it and be great. A lot of successful guilds in GW have come from DAoC and have had great success here. As far as the PVE goes, it has some of the most beautiful scenery and probably some of the better story lines in most MMO games out there and unlike DAoC and WoW, the characters and graphics in GW are far superior, that and the no monthly fee means that if i decide to not play for a few days, im not costing myself money each month.

Jun 01, 2007, 06:41 PM // 18:41	#11
Darksun Jungle Guide Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Guild: Karr's Castle Profession: W/E	People complaining about nerfs/failing economy are in every game. It's a silly argument. There are no Raids per-say, but there are elite missions & depending on the Guild you are in it's more or less structured. If you've gone through all those games, nothing will hold your attention for long. I think GW is very unique & the combat blows away just about all other MMORPGS I've played. Way more fun. But it seems like it's just a short jaunt to your next game.

Jun 01, 2007, 07:30 PM // 19:30	#12
hallomik Krytan Explorer Join Date: May 2006 Guild: The Illini Tribe Profession: N/Mo	I haven't played all of the games you're coming from, but I did play a lot of WOW before coming to GuildWars. I can offer some comparison from that perspective. Here are some the unique and positive aspects of GW versus WOW: The graphics are gorgeous with a more serious, less cartoon-like look. Armor system is different in GW, so it is standard to get matching sets of cool looking gear from the beginning. There is never a wait to get online. Also there is never a wait to upload the latest version of the game. Updates are streamed in the background. You instantly travel between previously visited outposts. No 8-minute Gryphon rides admiring the scenery. Bing - you're there. The primary storyline puts you in the center of the action with tonnes of sidequests. You will see cut scenes with your character speaking lines, and the central stories can be compelling. This is particularly so in the first installment, Prophesies. Due the the highly instanced nature of the game, you will have quests that involve heavy interaction from NPC's in way's that cannot work in a persistant world. For example, you will fight side-by-side with the King's son in pitched battles. This heavy instancing also means you never have to wait for a recently killed boss to respawn. The outposts/Cities are the only non-instanced parts of the game. You have the ability to raise your character to the max level with max gear (albeit not ultra-elite looking) very quickly. Unlike WOW, you won't spend months and months levelling a toon to see that class painfully nerfed. Skill nerfs/balances occur regularly, as these boards can attest, but your investment in a particular class isn't so great that it isn't easy to adjust. People on this site may disagree with that statement with the recent nerf to the Necro's soul reaping, but most of them have not played other games where this type of issue is so much worse. You can only employ 8 skills at any one time from your Primary and Secondary class. This sounds limiting compared to games where you have dozens and dozens of skills available to you, but in reality it is one of the genius design elements of the game. No skill seems that great by itself, but by cleverly mixing skills, you can create incredibly unique, powerful, and special combiniations. No two warriors or healers (monks) are likely to use the exact same build. The opportunities for experimentation are incredible and because you can develop characters so quickly, GuildWars is truely the thinking man's Online RPG. PVP is utterly balanced and you can get into it with a max level character immediately. You can create a PVP only character with max stats/gear minutes after installing the game. You will have few skills unlocked at this point, so your options will be limited, but it is possible to jump right into the fray. Competitive PVP is all about knowledge of the game, the "meta", and individual player skill. Grinding for gear is irrelevant. You can play with any other person who owns the game. There are not hundreds of dedicated servers. Rather, there are a handful of regional servers (e.g., America, Europe, Japan, etc.), and there are international districts, the Brits and Yanks can play together if desired. You may even switch regions and play in elsewhere instead. As the game is meant to be played with 8 players at a time, computer controlled characters both standard (henchmen) and customizable (heroes - available only in nightfall) are provided to give the players many options. You can play solo, if your build is good enough, or play with any combination of other players both real and computer controlled. There are no recurring monthly charges. This is freeing in a great way. You never feel any pressure to "get your money's worth" for the month you're in. Play the game or put it down - no worries. There's no such thing as cancelling your account. Most of the postive things I've outlined above have a corresponding negative. For example, the highly instanced nature can feel a bit desolate since you never see random players doing some random thing ouside the gates of a city. But since your question was whether GW offered something unique, I can assure you that it does. Here are a few other potential drawbacks to keep in mind. GuildWars trading system is primitive compared to WOW. There is no auction house built into the game, and spam in the large cities is super-annoying, but you can use this very site for high-end trading. There are fewer side-activities to do. There are no professions in Guildwars - no fishing/cooking/armor crafting/mining, etc. The endgame contains a lot of challenging high-end dungeons (elite missions) and acquiring titles, but you don't typically "live" in Guildwars the way some do in other games. The max party size is 8 (12 in a few elite areas). Massive PVP battles and raids are just not part of the game. These features are being planned for GW2. My admittedly biased view is that GW is a great game that offers a style of play that feels familiar if you've played the others, but is really a unique experience. Some like it and some don't, but it is by no means just another MMO.

Jun 01, 2007, 07:38 PM // 19:38	#13
Foe Banned Join Date: Mar 2006	no, the pve community=over, only chatters and ppl with no other options play it. Anet went SOE on their pve community a while back. Pvp would keep you interested for a bit but not long as there are a handfull of builds that can be ran if winning is your aim. Best case it will hold you over until something good comes out.

Jun 02, 2007, 12:09 AM // 00:09	#15
The Herbalizer <3 Ecto Join Date: Jul 2005	yeah, personally i would not recommend gw now. a year or so ago i would have recommended it but not now.

Jun 02, 2007, 12:22 AM // 00:22	#16
I Might Avenge U Jungle Guide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: California Profession: R/	I don't mean to be rude, but why don't you guys move onto a better game. If you can't recommend the game to another, then you obviously aren't enjoying the game itself. Why not try out new things, heck why not try out WoW. I don't want to imply that nobody cares what you think, and that you are just flamming, so I just want to say try out other options in a nice, well-mannered way... If that makes any sense... Personally i still enjoy the PvE, there's so much I still haven't done, so now I'm taking a new character across all 3 campaigns, and enjoying a lot of it WoW is actually a great game, but I'd rather play GW, and I vote in favor of you trying it out. And Hey if you don't like it, move onto another game

Jun 02, 2007, 12:44 AM // 00:44	#18
Warrior Of The Toon Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Returning after a 50 month break. Hi. Guild: None Profession: R/	It has at least 100-250 hours in it before you will start to get bored, but depending on your personality you could still be addicted as ever with 1000s of hours put in. It's a game which you can make as complex or simple as you like =P

Jun 02, 2007, 01:16 AM // 01:16	#20
I Might Avenge U Jungle Guide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: California Profession: R/	Tis' just me then, I Almost ONLY play PvE, Cept for some random arena, or certain events. i have a single minded personality, so general I like to enjoy one game at a time, Same thing with books, I find it superbly hard to read two books in a certain amount of given time. I guess it also has to do with the fact that PvE isn't affected by nerfs nearly as much as PvP is, so I'm usually not clinging to my seat hopin' that the next patch is my last. Farming is in a way I guess, but my PvE builds aren't affected too bad when nerfed. Nerfing, IMO, is necessary because I don't expect Anet to make it easy for us to take advantage certain things, at least not for too long. I mean you wouldn't let someone punch you in the face, and contunually allow them to do it. Either way, they just find another way to annoy you, same thing in GW. You find different ways to PvP or farm.. Just my thoughts...