Curse

Kurow · Feb 11, 2006, 09:10 AM // 09:10

When I started this game, I was entranced. I loved the ideas the game was built on, the constant exposure to different builds and different methods of play was wonderful, it allowed me to stay open minded, and to expand my knowledge. I continued through the game with my first character, doing almost everything, there was always something new to strive for. Even after beating the game and becoming level twenty, I worked towards building great PvP builds and the like. I really liked this game.
Looking back on those days are now the same as a man in an unhappy marriage thinking back to the love-filled days of his youth. Now when I play, I find people looking for the newest way to exploit the game, the newest way to farm x, the best build for soloing y. This isn’t what you’re supposed to do. Areanet tries to stop people from doing this. It’s the moment that you start playing the game only to gain gold that it loses its innocence. Id bet every one of you can remember the first time you got to a new area with your first character, and you couldn’t wait to get all the new skills and fight all the cool new enemies. Now what do you think when you get to maguuma jungle with your 3rd or 4th character? It’s only a hassle to go through the game. And why are you making this character? I would bet that at least five times out of ten these characters are created so that someone can use them to farm gold better.
Doing the same run over and over again isn’t fun, in my opinion at least. Killing the same enemies, trying for the same loot, and when you get it, you go and sell it. What is gained? Money. Anything else? Well experience, but otherwise nothing. I don’t want to do these things. I want to play the game like I played it before. I want innocence. I want there to be no 55 monks. I want the level 20-28 enemies to be able to kill any groups with less than 4 people. I want people to not exploit the game. I want people to play it for what it is. But what I want will never happen. There will always be holes in the game; there will always be differences in the characters. There will always be opportunities for players to exploit the game. The people won’t change, its human nature to act like this. So what can I do? I don’t know. I just don’t know. I want the old game back, I want my innocence back.

EF2NYD · Feb 11, 2006, 09:14 AM // 09:14

Just ignore all the "exploiters" and problem solved.

Shadowfox1125 · Feb 11, 2006, 09:50 AM // 09:50

Well said.

Kurow · Feb 11, 2006, 10:00 AM // 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF2NYD

Just ignore all the "exploiters" and problem solved.

You cant solve a problem by ignoring it. Its because of people farming places that the drops are so bad.

Fantus · Feb 11, 2006, 10:14 AM // 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurow

You cant solve a problem by ignoring it. Its because of people farming places that the drops are so bad.

Yes you can, because it doesn't affect you how other people play the game.

The drops are bad because Anet chose to make them bad. There would have been way better solutions to deal with overfarming then nerfing drop rates, but Anet chose the dumbest one. That's Anet's fault, not the farmers.

SilentAssassin · Feb 11, 2006, 10:53 AM // 10:53

well I kinda have finishd the game, everything unlocked, all quests etc... there are no new areas for me, no new skills,...

Everybody is just getting rdy for factions, some ppl kill their time by farming (I don't have anything against it, I am just against 55 monk builds, its not normal that 1 person can kill so easily... there will allways be builds for solo playing but it shouldn't be so easy) others by PvP-ing

Don't forget when factions is out all that what you've said will come back, new areas... new missions... the love will come back, the joy...

*looking forward to factions*

Vermilion Okeanos · Feb 11, 2006, 10:55 AM // 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fantus

Yes you can, because it doesn't affect you how other people play the game.

The drops are bad because Anet chose to make them bad. There would have been way better solutions to deal with overfarming then nerfing drop rates, but Anet chose the dumbest one. That's Anet's fault, not the farmers.

That post is very contradicting when one read it, I suggest being more specific on who and which you are refering to.
===============
Anyway, people who simply ignore the problem in the game are people who simply do not wish a better future for the game.

Although Anet show support about fan discussion, us fans' influence are still very limited. Therefore, the only people who have the power to make a better future for the game, are still Anet.

So in this way, it is best to just ignore it as a fan. Powerless frustration aren't good for one's health. If you can't do anything about it, the ignoring will be the only road down.

Power come from determination. If you are determined for a change, ralley couple hundred/thousand of people to unite in one focus, no one will be able to overlook you then. Are you willing to go that far?

For me, I rather just try to enjoy the game... Playing politic even in game is a sickening thought for me. I will (and still am) just ignore all these "perversions".

generik · Feb 11, 2006, 11:02 AM // 11:02

Yeah.. I still remember the first day when I got it, and manage to find myself to Sardelic Sanitarium, it was like "wow.. another outpost!! mysterious!" and when I look at the map, the uncovered portion is so tiny compared to what I've uncovered so far.

But fact is Anet did make some lame design decisions along the way.

Case in point, the quests "Dropping eaves" and "Blood and smoke".

Even if you are doing it for the first time you'd undoubtedly be pissed of. The whole idea of zoning SUCKS. Period. So why is it that I go out, kill all the mobs through so many zones, come back to talk to some moron and listen to his grandmother's sob story, go out again and have to go through the same gruel?

It's just not right. Anet should make it remember instances for parties or something, such that when you zone through the previous instance is still kept somewhere in memory until your party formation is disbanded.

It's more computational expensive, but hey, it is only far.. and a far more realistic experience.

Dahnel · Feb 11, 2006, 11:16 AM // 11:16

all i gotta say is ... i payed my £24.99 for this game and i'm not breaking the EULA so i'll play how the hell i want

Fantus · Feb 11, 2006, 11:20 AM // 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vermilion Okeanos

That post is very contradicting when one read it, I suggest being more specific on who and which you are refering to.

Anyway, people who simply ignore the problem in the game are people who simply do not wish a better future for the game.

For me, I rather just try to enjoy the game... Playing politic even in game is a sickening thought for me. I will (and still am) just ignore all these "perversions".

Trying to clarify:

I was referring to the OP who sounded like people who are playing GW in a way he doesn't like/accept are bothering him so much that he was no longer having fun playing the game.

I mean, why should anyone bother how other people play the game. For instance, I hate it when people let themselves get run through the game. I personally think paying other people for getting run through the game is about as lame as it gets. But on the other hand - does it really concern me, when people do what I think is no better than cheating? Not really. I still can and do play GW they way I see fit. I am still having tremendous fun playing the game. I do however, acknowledge that other people might have fun playing GW in other ways I do.

Yes, the nerfing of drop rates Anet loves to do so much to combat farming DOES affect other people (it does affect me, too). I was just saying that the farmers aren't responsible for Anet taking the dumbest action possible to address that problem. Farming it and and by itself is a legit way to play GW, just as running is. If Anet wouldn't be so trigger happy with the drop rates, nobody would have a problem with that...

Rilder · Feb 11, 2006, 11:30 AM // 11:30

i agree with the OP.

Cobalt · Feb 11, 2006, 11:55 AM // 11:55

My opinion; Some find fun in grouping, others soloing, Arenanet has no business forcing anyone to play the way they "Arenanet" wants them to play (yet they try). We all paid for the game and we all should have the right to play the game in the way that brings us the most enjoyment.

Sab · Feb 11, 2006, 12:18 PM // 12:18

I play GW to be challenged. Clearing a high-level area with a full party isn't a challenge - clearing it by myself is. Is this an illegitimate way to enjoy the game? Most people have no idea who I am or what I do in GW, so how does my soloing affect them? Furthermore, why should I stop playing in this way?

Tainek · Feb 11, 2006, 12:22 PM // 12:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuxA

I play GW to be challenged. Clearing a high-level area with a full party isn't a challenge - clearing it by myself is. Is this an illegitimate way to enjoy the game? Most people have no idea who I am or what I do in GW, so how does my soloing affect them? Furthermore, why should I stop playing in this way?

Completly agree here, besides for the most part, the best money is made 2 man farming anyways (farming anyways, runners make the best £)

SilentAssassin · Feb 11, 2006, 12:23 PM // 12:23

There is a difference in playing a solo build and clearing an area while you have a hardtime, because all these mobs are lvl 20+ (so you should have a hard time) or clearing a really difficult area with a build thats way to overpowered so its as easy as eating a cookie.

Again I don't have a problem with solo players, I do it to, but I have a problem with builds who are to powerfull to do this.

Numa Pompilius · Feb 11, 2006, 12:51 PM // 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurow

When I started this game, I was entranced. I loved the ideas the game was built on, the constant exposure to different builds and different methods of play was wonderful, it allowed me to stay open minded, and to expand my knowledge.
...
Now when I play, I find people looking for the newest way to exploit the game, the newest way to farm x, the best build for soloing y.

Yeah. It's ironic that a game which is _not at all_ about loot is viewed by many, if not most, of the players as being 110% about loot. Most threads and most complaints are about farming.

Basically, people love grind. When there isn't any grind in a game, they invent it.

I can't explain it any other way.

What saddens me is when jaded & experienced players ruin the experience of new players by running them from A to B, by doing missions for them, by twinking them, by teaching them every trick and shortcut so they can get through the game as quickly as possible and get started with the real game: FARMING!

They're not helping the newbies, they're spoiling the game for them, but what can you do?

Quote:

I want people to play it for what it is. But what I want will never happen. There will always be holes in the game; there will always be differences in the characters. --- So what can I do? I don’t know. I just don’t know. I want the old game back, I want my innocence back.

Your innocense, like mine, is forever lost. All you can do is not ruin the innocense of new players. And the way to do that is by helping the enough so that they don't inadvertently ruin their own gaming experience (by e.g. running or joining a PvP guild when they're PvE players), but not helping them too much.

Kakumei · Feb 11, 2006, 01:01 PM // 13:01

I don't see how it could POSSIBLY bother you that there are ten thousand instances of the Underworld right now with only two people in them.

How does this affect you in the slightest?

crazy diamond · Feb 11, 2006, 01:31 PM // 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius

Yeah. It's ironic that a game which is _not at all_ about loot is viewed by many, if not most, of the players as being 110% about loot. Most threads and most complaints are about farming.

Basically, people love grind. When there isn't any grind in a game, they invent it.

I can't explain it any other way.

HAHA! Yes! This is quite possibly the only game devoid of any required grinding, and people still grind for insane amounts of gold and equipment that nobody really needs!

Quote:

What saddens me is when jaded & experienced players ruin the experience of new players by running them from A to B, by doing missions for them, by twinking them, by teaching them every trick and shortcut so they can get through the game as quickly as possible and get started with the real game: FARMING!

They're not helping the newbies, they're spoiling the game for them, but what can you do?

This is why I never did and won't ever do runs. It's one thing to run your second, third, or fourth character in order to speed up your pace and skip all the stuff you already did.

But when you start running people on their first character, I just have to draw the line. Thats no fun for anyone. The newbie misses out on the game, and people in high level zones have to deal with inexperienced players who still don't know what the hell salvage kits are for, much less how to play their own class or any other.

Prime example was this one time I was in THK. Since I've done everything there is to do, I sometimes go there with my monk to help hardluck groups when bored. Well, these geniuses wanted to replace my monk with an E/Mo, because they said the Elems larger mana pool made him a better healer. I say "Divine Favor anyone?" only to get a lot of "WTF is Divine Favor?" responses. I explain, and they decide to keep us both "for backup".

Already suspecting blatant stupidity in our midsts I then ask if everybody is infused. And you guessed it "WTF is infused?". How the hell do you get to THK without knowing how a proper monk works and never having heard of infusion? Why being run there of course! Three out of the eight in my team admitted to have been run, and I still suspect two more were as well.

My friend and I left when they unanimously agreed that infusion wasn't necesary to beat the mission. Because "the enemies still hit you just as hard" and you "only really need it at the end".

Krist!

Canadian Bacon · Feb 11, 2006, 02:04 PM // 14:04

Crazy Diamond, I know where your coming from.

A while back I had to explain to a lvl20 guy (somewhere in the mountians, I forget exactly where) how to use his Map function. I am not lieing.

But that isn't the worst part of it.

I explained to him that when you press "M", you can see the map. Of course, he was like "Whao! Thats sweet!" About half a minute later, he suddenl;y leaves the party without warning. I whispered him to ask where he went, and he replied with something to the eeffect of, "OMG! My map is hax! Its big glitch! I clicked Ascalon to zoom in, and suddenly I went there! WTF!!!!!" Of course, I had to onder if this guy was serious. But nevertheless, I began typing a message about how that's what is supposed to happen when you click a town. He took a moment to reply, and then said "STFU NUB!!!" and put me on ignore.

I promise this is a 100% true story, as unbelievable as it is. This is a perfect example of how runners wreck the game for new players. That guy hadn't the faintest clue about one of the most basic features.

On the subject of farming, the easiest way to put a complete halt on all farming is to equip all of the most commonly farmed monsters in the game with this skill, that will only be used when the human party is 3 or less:

Rend Farmers
Monster-Only Skill
If opposing party has 4 or less people, then this skill becomes activated. All enchanments and stances are removed from target foe, and all foe's allies. Target foe, and all foe's allies are knocked down for 8 seconds. Target foe and all foe's allies suffer 12 health degeneration, and recieve 100 damage per second for 10 seconds.

If every monster carried something like that, farming would be completely wiped out.

I realize that this is very extreme, and will never happen, I was just throwing it out there.

Loralai · Feb 11, 2006, 02:20 PM // 14:20

I can see the OP's point, however, I lean more toward the idea of, "play the game your way, let others play theirs." We ALL paid for the game. If a 55 monk is farming Augry Rock, it's not affecting my game in the slightest, so why should I care?

If the general consensus here is that farming affects drops and the GW economy, yeah maybe. But regardless of what game you are playing, if there's an economy, something will affect it that is out of your control...soloists or not. If the basic argument is that it is harder to find a group so that you can play the way YOU wish too, maybe it's because people are just bored with the same missions, the same quests, the same PVP maps. There's nothing that can be done about that until Factions is released. I have watched the communities in other games I play turn into the exact same thing, slowly dwindling. But with the release of an expansion or new addition, lo and behold they all suddenly appear again, ready to play.