Curse

AceeBlueEagle · Jun 07, 2006, 12:46 PM // 12:46

Overall, I like factions as well. But I think it is light on content. The mere fact that I and most of my guild has pushed through all of our characters on both sides of Factions seems to tell it all.

It seems that they made the faction farming quests with the belief that they were 'dynamic' in nature to fill some of the void.

Don't get me wrong, I love this game. But I will admit it has faults just as I do.

Slainster · Jun 07, 2006, 12:58 PM // 12:58

I got to agree with all the recent posts about factions been a bit rushed, and this whole thing about a new 'chapter' every 6 months. Its really got me thinking (and to be perfectly honest abit down). Its not that I mind spending the £40 for my nice new shiny game, its the fact the release times are going to become so short, I just wont have time to keep up.

And as for the bleeding running back forth to complete quests... highly annoying.. at least in Tyria it wasnt as bad, you may have run back and forth 2 or 3 times, but not bleeding 4 or 5 times

The other thing mentioned is character development, while its great to have new characters, it just doesnt have the same quality feel to it like in Tyria, where it takes a bit longer to build up. You actually felt like you were getting to know your character, now it just feels like it should be over yesterday. I realise it would be grossly unfair to the new characters to have a long build up time, so what does this portend for the future? Will we continue to get new classes, or just follow the yellow brick road...

Cash · Jun 07, 2006, 01:00 PM // 13:00

im enjoying factions a lot now. at first i was frustrated by the fed-ex quests (which by the way, you really dont HAVE to do many of them), but once i got into the kurz area i started having fun. most of the missions are pretty fun and challenging, and the 15k armors absolutely pwn anything tyria had to offer.

the only complaint i have- and its a huge one for me- is not being able to choose to run characters around the map. yeah, id do it myself with one char, and yeah i wanna explore the map fully with my warrior (my title character), but i really dont want to HAVE to do it with the other 5 chars (although im doing it anyway...).

overall, im not dissappointed in the factions content. i still have yet to finish it, but thats just because im more concerned with moving each character along to certain points at the moment. im glad i bought it, although i wont be buying it for my 2nd acct- actually ill probably buy 2 slots and remake the only 2 profs i dont have on that acct when the option becomes available.

Dark Helmet · Jun 07, 2006, 01:23 PM // 13:23

No, I don't. I can see why some people don't like it; like other people said, character creation is a lot faster, and there's less "development", and the story is beyond generic. The voice acting is particularly terrible, especially Togo and Shiro.

Aside from that however, it kicks ass. The mix of authentic-feeling Kaineng with the imaginative other factions is really cool, and the new zones are fun to explore. Plus, you can now make money without farming, so people like me now have a decent amount of gold instead of a few thousand.

As for the quests, I don't see Tyria's having a chance. Like Tijger said, some are genuinely humorous (if you actually read the text!

), and there's actual plot arcs to them. Finish one, you move on to the next bit, like the ongoing war against the Afflicted in the city, and containment of the Jade Brotherhood and Am Fah. Tyria? "Bring this quest item to [insert name] and he will give you a crappy reward for wasting 10 minutes. Kthnxbai."

So yeah, I love it. It's not generic, it has plenty of replay value, and the new professions are as cool as advertised. Thanks Anet. I'm a hardcore Morrowind fan, but I play Factions more than Oblivion. And that's saying something!

Dravyn · Jun 07, 2006, 01:26 PM // 13:26

I love both Factions and Prophecies. And as far as fishing and crafting skills, go play Lineage 2 if you want that crap. I'll be happy if I never see another mmorpg with player craftable armor and weapons.

Tijger · Jun 07, 2006, 01:34 PM // 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by [NRN] Kepa Nimo

Hi can someone point out to me whether I should buy Factions please, I bought GW when it first came out but have not played in a while, only recently returning after throwing SWG into the nearest trash can.

Well, I think its worth the money but as always, you're the only one that can decide that.

Quote:

I am not sure what benefits I would gain or what I would lose by getting factions.

The benefits are the ability to take your characters (if you choose to link the two) through each continent and play all the missions and most of the quests.
You do not lose anything.

Quote:

Also, as it is a stand alone game I assume that means that it would not overwrite/upate my current GW files like Trials of Obi-Wan did on SWG for example, but rather be a totally new game. That being the case can I play my current characters when I login to factions?

Sorry for all these nOOb questions, I just want to get all the info before I spend money on this.

GW:F does not overwrite anything, current characters stay where they are with the equipment they have, nothing changes and you can play your existing characters as much as you want.
You can start a new character in Cantha if you choose or simply take a Tyrian character to Cantha, all of that is up to you.

So basically, you get more and do not give up anything that you have now.

Ninna · Jun 07, 2006, 01:36 PM // 13:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by [NRN] Kepa Nimo

I am not sure what benefits I would gain or what I would lose by getting factions.

I love Factions but it is a different flavor than Prophecies

- Prophecies has more under 20 quests
- Factions has more level 20 quests

if you choose to buy Factions
you have the choice to merge with your existing account (and get 2 extra character slots) -- I recommend doing this

or just have it as a standalone game with 4 new character slots

Sanji · Jun 07, 2006, 01:48 PM // 13:48

I like Factions, but my main beef is most of the new skills. While I like the Ritualist's skills, with my Prophecies characters, I still find my skill bar filled with Core/Prophecy skills with a small dash of Factions skills.

I also don't consider Factions a stand alone product and am unsure how long I'd be able to keep up with 50 dollars every 6 months. Even to the point that I might say that a game with a monthly fee might be a better value when you stack up content per dollar.

bele · Jun 07, 2006, 01:55 PM // 13:55

Factions has issued and solved many problems of Prophecies. It's a great game, but as standalone product it seems quite small to me.

Still quite a match for many of all that rub* out there

On the bad side. 2 products each year? . Well i think the'll burn the game... or maybe not. I cannot say

wilebill · Jun 07, 2006, 02:01 PM // 14:01

Factions has a lot of positive features and improvements. But many downsides as well. Too many locked gates, elite missions that need "taxis," and an overall feeling for casual players that they are not part of the "in-group" and will never be "in-group" that I think has hurt its popularity with new players unfamiliar with Guild Wars.

It does have a "rushed to market" feel about it. The starting island is excellent. But the city seems to have expanded to replace whatever environment was supposed to precede the Kurzick and Luxon areas.

Casual players make up the great bulk of game sales. Factions seems to be aimed at serious and experienced GW players, leaving newbies feeling that they are holding the short end of the stick. I think the generally lukewarm professional review ratings coming in around 8.5 suggest that there is room for improvement and that the next expansion pack ought to be less elitist.

milias · Jun 07, 2006, 02:17 PM // 14:17

I prefer Prophecies much better than Factions. Factions is not, in my opinion, a standalone, it's more of an expansion for the price of a standalone...

I've been playing a lot more Prophecies than Factions since I bought Factions on its release day, what does that tell you?

Aarroe of Gilgamesh · Jun 07, 2006, 03:12 PM // 15:12

like a few others factions has been a mixed bag for me.

things i like: no grinding for level, having to actually do the missions for advancement, 12v12, new armors, new skills, new professions, new maps, the ending is actually ending-like, a new importance given to the pve player, titles

things i do not like: having to do every mission to advance every one of my characters (as far as i'm concerned having towns and missions unlocked by account is a much better solution to running), little to no reward to pvp toons with the new battle systems (the only thing you can give them which has any impact is balthazar faction), rewards for holding a town are minimal and hardly worth the gold loss thru donated faction, kurzick/luxon map advancement does nothing strategic (this seems to have absolutely no value), allliances are all around disappointing (either you are in a large pve alliance to faction farm for a town, in a pvp oriented guild looking to save money on guest invites, in a giant social alliance, or in something that is neither here nor there), bugs that take forever to get fixed (i'm at 12/13 mission completion and have master completion symbols on 14/15 mission sites, the 15th, visunah square local, it still will not give me access to; ferocious strike skill still has not been added to factions although it is a core skill; the closed arenas, and thier lobbies count toward map completion, so characters younger than the battle isles are SOL for tyrian grandmaster title; etc, etc...), the storyline has no continuity (how did shiro get emmisary status? how did a man known for fighting prowess unleash such a powerful magic in death? did the emperor actually plan to kill shiro? if shadow stepping can not take you through obstacles how did visu get thru the masses thronging the temple and the walls using "shadow arts"?...), most important gripe about chapter 2, 3, 4, 5... they keep getting used as excuses for not fixing trade, storage, getting trapped in stairs, and ramps, and bridges, and anything else that needs to be improved.

MSecorsky · Jun 07, 2006, 03:26 PM // 15:26

Bah, the money isn't the issue... the problem I see is chapters coming out too quickly. My first Factions character (assassin) hasn't even finished all the Kurzick content yet (did the Luxon first) because those danged alliance battles and Aspenwood keep luring me away from questing. Releases ever six months may be too quick to give me time to fully to Factions. Of course I'll buy chapter three, but if it were in the nine to twelve month release window I'd be a bit happier, plus they'd have that extra time to add that much more.

No criticisms to ANet, love the games. But with only an hour or three an evening to spend playing... sigh... plus, I start SCUBA classes next week, to that'll be two more nights I don't get to play (after work, four hour classes...)

OK, just bragging on the diving certification.

Still, slow down the releases a bit imo. HOWEVER... this also has the negative effect of reducing the cash influx ANet needs to keep these great games going, and free. Oh the pain.

Takeko Nakano · Jun 07, 2006, 03:43 PM // 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slainster

Its not that I mind spending the £40 for my nice new shiny game, its the fact the release times are going to become so short, I just wont have time to keep up.

1. £40? It cost about £25 for a pre-order.
2. Those of us that play Guild Wars a lot are happy with a new chapter every 6 months. The problem occurs if they're rushed and not that great.

Feminist Terrorist · Jun 07, 2006, 03:50 PM // 15:50

If you want food catching and armor crafting, you're playing the wrong game. Go try EQ or something.

I'm disappointed in Factions. Every time I get a new quest, I dread doing it. Can't stand the Undercity, and if I have to go back in there one more time, I'm gonna kill someone. Sick of the fetch quests, and I don't like the Kurzick side of the map because it's so dark, I have to play in a dark room just to see where I'm going. I have three other characters to get through Factions, but I don't think I will. I'm no masochist. I sure hope Chapter 3 is better.

Sanji · Jun 07, 2006, 03:52 PM // 15:52

Yeah, that's another problem I have with this release platform. 6 months seems hardly enough time to make 50 dollars worth of content. Both in quantity and polish.

Mustache Mayhem · Jun 07, 2006, 04:04 PM // 16:04

what's funny is lot of people were crying factions was too hard.. so they beefed up the henchmen.. now it's a joke if you say anything's too hard- used to be pretty tough going out of harvest temple after unwaking waters with henches to do caps- the henchmen are so beefed up after the cry me a river updates you can't lose now.. the game's so easy like the original anymore it's no wonder everyone's bored- pretty disappointed they made the henchmen so good just because of the whiners- really makes factions a easy game with little to no challenge on the pve side

Kakumei · Jun 07, 2006, 04:09 PM // 16:09

Do I think Factions is a letdown?

No.

And OP did you seriously name yourself after a Warcraft map what is wrong with you

Loviatar · Jun 07, 2006, 04:11 PM // 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sanji

Yeah, that's another problem I have with this release platform. 6 months seems hardly enough time to make 50 dollars worth of content. Both in quantity and polish.

is that sarcasm or have you actually missed all the repeated

THERE ARE STAGGERED TEAMS EACH GIVING ONE YEAR OF WORK ON A 6 MONTH STAGGERED RELEASE SCHEDULE

i really hope you were sarcastic on that

dreamhunk · Jun 07, 2006, 04:13 PM // 16:13

yes it is a let down, but is the route that anet wanted to take. Will i buy in the future I don't know!