Curse

Lawnmower · Oct 19, 2006, 03:55 PM // 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterPatricko

e) Splitting their player base - most people will be playing the new campaign, obviously. What will end up happening is 50% of the GW player base is playing nighfall, 25% is playing factions, and 25% is playing prophecies. For now its still playable. But with 5 campaigns, each with dozens of towns, to choose from, how many people will you have in the remote places? Even when there was only Prophecies, places like Ice Tooth Cave and Maguuma Stade were empty. With so many campaigns, it may eventually be hard to find a PUG even in mission locations. The Ring of Fire islands missions are mostly empty even now. Yes, new people will join, but the bulk will still be from previous campaigns.

make international district the first pritority. that way there will be alot more people to group with.

Phoebe · Oct 19, 2006, 03:58 PM // 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navaros

They already made a ton of duplicate skills in Factions. Clearly there are not enough skills "out there" to keep being able to make new skills forever.

Those duplicate skills were extras, they didn't take the place of new skills.
Core professions were supposed to get 25 new skills each, but instead they got 30 new skills each including the 5 duplicates.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterPatricko

Yeah, the cost of skills becomes exorbitant. That's why I miss skill quests ;(

Time is money, and those skill quests wasted alot of our time without allowing us to choose which skill we get.

It costs 25k to keep each of your characters up to date each chapter.
I can easily get 25k in two-three hours if I'm hunting for platinum.
Can you complete 25 skill quests in 3 hours?

The Factions' skill aquisition method is both faster AND more flexible than Prophecies' method.

Lex · Oct 19, 2006, 04:13 PM // 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterPatricko

Allright, I'm thinking logically here. Here's the math:

If ANet keep going at their current rate:
Prophecies: 6 professions, 30 profession combinations (6 x 5), 75 skills/profession
Factions: 8 professions, 56 profession combinations (8 x 7), 100 skills/profession
Nightfall: 10 professions, 90 profession combinations (10 x 9), 125 skills/profession
Campaign 4 (Spring 2007): 12 professions, 121 profession combinations, 150 skills/profession
Campaign 5 (Fall 2007): 14 professions, 182 profession combinations, 175 skills/profession
...
Campaign 10 (Spring 2010): 24 professions, 552 profession combinations, 300 skills/profession
...
Campaign 100 (Spring 2055): 204 professions, 41,412 profession combinations, 2550 skills/profession. j/k, j/k.

---- cut ----

Magic The Gathering (13 year old game)
About 50 editions: 5 colors (+ lands, artifacts, etc.), 26(?) combinations of colors for one deck, like 10000(?) of unique cards to chose from, "hard to count number" of card combinations in 60 card decks.

And?

MTG is still alive and growing.

Kailin Aer · Oct 19, 2006, 04:16 PM // 16:16

I agree that some really concise thinking was involved here, and it highlights something the producers must be thinking of...

How about this...

instead of a "never ending rehash", that chapter 5 (or some such) actually brings us back to Tryia again. All new missions and new story set a few years after the original, facing lvl 24 Charr etc, tougher level missions in Ascalon for lvl 20s. Lets make our way to Maguuma Jungle and have some reason to go there! lol (many comments about this dead zone elsewhere)
No new professions, but a large overhaul of the basic game mechanics in the Menus, Options, etc compbined from lessons learned would be greatly appreciated Im sure.

Just a very broad, less detailed contribution, but Im in a hurry LOL

Gargle Blaster · Oct 19, 2006, 04:27 PM // 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterPatricko

I can think of only one solution to all this - instead of making all campaigns linked, make different "sets" of campaigns. What I mean is Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall are all linked to each other, but the next campaign will not be - it will be like another Prophecies, with a high amount of low level content. It will have its own completely different storyline. The core proffessions would be the same, of course. Then the next two campaigns will be linked to that, making another set of three campaigns just like Prophecies, Factions, and Nightfall. Then another "set" of three is produced and so on. This would eliminate most of the above problems as each campaign is only linked to two others, not 7 or 8.

i dont see how your solution of spliting chapters solves the problem... sure i agree that some towns are empty -but if the player base is the same there will be less people per town even if the chapters are split.

the only solution is to increase the number of people playing... and keep marketing alive for all chapters not just the latest and greatest.

hobbitshd · Oct 19, 2006, 04:38 PM // 16:38

How about an Expansion pack = (extra missions, cities, quests and 2 new elite areas and sorrows like area) - 6 months (NOT full price i hope)

Why not spend more time on awesome PvE areas such as UW, FoW, and Sorrows Furnace?

Look at what a huge hit Sorrows Furnace was/is! There are still plenty of people who go there for quests / greens.

It has been stated a MILLION times before - make more elite areas like uw/fow for dwayna and melandru etc...
add a couple new areas like sorrows furnace to each product.

i would have NO problem if they came out with a new area accessed through a statue/god like FoW - of course - this does not make them money ><

How about this schedule:
Nightfall - oct.27
Nightfall expansion pack (extra missions, cities, quests and 2 new elite areas and sorrows like area) - 6 months (NOT full price i hope)
Chapter 4 - one year from now
Chapter 4 expansion pack - 18 months..
etc..

bigwig · Oct 19, 2006, 04:54 PM // 16:54

for those arguing that arenanet has said there will not be new professions in each chapter:

Jeff Strain March 2006 - "Our plan is to introduce new professions with every new campaign"

I've read this in other interviews as well, but haven't heard what their plans are lately.

Phaern Majes · Oct 19, 2006, 05:03 PM // 17:03

Really I don't see them dying out in just a year or two. I mean sure their will be a rather big drop in the # of people playing, but look at D2. They still have their servers running (free I might add). I still go on from time to time and hack and slash abit. That game is what 6 years now according the copyright on my game case.

Kakumei · Oct 19, 2006, 07:21 PM // 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navaros

They already made a ton of duplicate skills in Factions.

Thirty is a ton? Stop saying hyperbolic shit like this.

Black Destroyer · Oct 19, 2006, 07:34 PM // 19:34

a problem is that PvP players in HA will drop... Do you think every r3+ (or even r1+) will buy all those new campains for the skills? i think GW will have a MAJOR problem for HA... Why did you think they changed it to 6v6? because when nightfall comes out, there will be not much pvp players that will buy nightfall.They will wait (like me) I don't want to make the same mistake as with factions... Factions was to boring and wasn't worth his money.
and btw how is this gonna work: a player with the 3-5 campains vs a player with 1 campain. They just push the players to buy the other campains to

Kailin Aer · Oct 19, 2006, 08:34 PM // 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kakumei

Stop saying hyperbolic shit like this.

That HAS to be the funniest quote of the day! LOL

Snowman · Oct 20, 2006, 12:22 PM // 12:22

tis an interesting subject for sure..

The official line that companies often use when their future is questioned is usually "we will continue to support X as long as it continues to be financially viable"

With their in game shop and clever marketing im fairly certain there is plenty of life left in guildwars yet.

I agree that they cant continue supplying TWO new proffesions each expansion, but games such as MTG continue to prove that there are virtually limitless possabilities with skills.

As for having to get any new comers to buy previous expansions of guildwars?..

well this question is often answerd with a considerably reduced price tag. I forsee a Prophecies code at the shop with a price tag of $5 one day.

Possibly even future editions being bundles with prophecies keys.

Anyway..

Long Live Guildwars!

Hip Hip..

Mr_T_bot · Oct 20, 2006, 01:13 PM // 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowman

As for having to get any new comers to buy previous expansions of guildwars?..

well this question is often answerd with a considerably reduced price tag. I forsee a Prophecies code at the shop with a price tag of $5 one day.

I would agree... but, I know Arena Net's marketing department, and they are quite dense and stubborn. The price of former editions will never drop that low until the game is dead. Though that will be the only way to sell previous chapters because previous chapters have 0 support and 0 future content. They are trying to sell them by half-assed, beating around the bush methods like giving a special Tyrian or Canthan hero, or with high level titles that require alot of other titles. Sure, that is a bonus for people that already own the chapters, but will it make new people want to buy the old chapters? Only if they are idiots.

Guildmaster Cain · Oct 20, 2006, 01:22 PM // 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobbitshd

How about an Expansion pack = (extra missions, cities, quests and 2 new elite areas and sorrows like area) - 6 months (NOT full price i hope)

Why not spend more time on awesome PvE areas such as UW, FoW, and Sorrows Furnace?

Look at what a huge hit Sorrows Furnace was/is! There are still plenty of people who go there for quests / greens.

It has been stated a MILLION times before - make more elite areas like uw/fow for dwayna and melandru etc...
add a couple new areas like sorrows furnace to each product.

i would have NO problem if they came out with a new area accessed through a statue/god like FoW - of course - this does not make them money ><

How about this schedule:
Nightfall - oct.27
Nightfall expansion pack (extra missions, cities, quests and 2 new elite areas and sorrows like area) - 6 months (NOT full price i hope)
Chapter 4 - one year from now
Chapter 4 expansion pack - 18 months..
etc..

Hmm I like the idea of buying a real expansion in 6 months... but not for nightfall, also for the other three chapters. Ofcourse it would have to be money-worthwhile, considering the SF update was free of charge. But in stead of chapter 4, massive update of the previous chapters would keep me interested... Not to say chapter 4 wouldnt...

-Old 3FL- · Oct 20, 2006, 01:49 PM // 13:49

Id buy NF if it didnt have new classes >.>

doinchi · Oct 20, 2006, 02:43 PM // 14:43

That was a very informative post. I agree about Anet not being able to make more chapters eventually. I am wondering if, or maybe when they would shut down all these guildwars servers and start making a completely new Guildwars game.

GloryFox · Oct 20, 2006, 03:13 PM // 15:13

Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble here... and I realize I’m not providing any hard data to prove this however...If any of you know anything about the history of Magic the Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons knows for a fact you can keep this model up quite easily.

Besides from all indications about Nightfall being the last of a trilogy. Logic and Reason dictates ANET has something special and totally new in mind for Chapter 4 and beyond.

pigdestroyer · Oct 20, 2006, 03:36 PM // 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwig

for those arguing that arenanet has said there will not be new professions in each chapter:

Jeff Strain March 2006 - "Our plan is to introduce new professions with every new campaign"

I've read this in other interviews as well, but haven't heard what their plans are lately.

well I certainly hope they dont

english storm · Oct 20, 2006, 03:56 PM // 15:56

I would be more then happy if chapter 4 bought us a decent PVE, PVP feature/story, a few new elites/items and the ability to make current classes as different species. I dont think every chapter should incude 100's of new skills and two different classes to play.

Goonter · Oct 20, 2006, 04:13 PM // 16:13

The pvp might have really good longevity if they can make it easier to organize and simply understandable to watch.

Like counterstrike, starcraft, mt:g, monopoly and chess - this game is got that vibe of a timeless competitive game.

I do sence that the game is in an untapped potentual phase with a lot of room for growth and development, but at the same time they will eventually have to top off the new classes, but mostly... I think they can just add new skills in the game until 2010 and beyond and the people will still come to sqaure off against one another for fun.

The pve is a gonna have to do something. I just dont think there is a way to turn the community around and make this a rpg where people come together to "roleplay"
Right now its largely only a means to jump through some hoops to customize your avator and to get immused in the unfolding story. I suspect that the pve game will get very good at doing just that in order to remain a game for players to log in for.

So guildwars 10 will look something like this:
30 new skills for each of the 12, now regular, classes. (but each chapter does add new ethnic groups of people or even new races)
Short PvE campaign with very cinematic story (think metal gear)
Places like HA and ToA, and not like LA, become central hubs for trade and community as 80% of all of the ingame rewards are funneled there due to thier replay value.

At this point in the game it is expected that most of the community will log for short spurts just to compete and then log out a majority of the time, but the game will still not neglect players that just explore and experiment.

The game might not do any of that or even last to chapter 10. Im just saying, if it were to, the type of people still buying it will be the "chess" players and not the "role" players.