Curse

Cat Tabby · Aug 10, 2005, 07:31 PM // 19:31

Hi; let me be clear; I really like guild wars as a game; I have enjoyed playing it a lot; and am looking forward to the next chapters. I am concerned however that the game has no long-term future.

As a guild leader I spent time creating a cooperative, friendly guild; active in both pve and pvp (gvg). We have 25 members. However; as people complete the game - for the second or third time - and once they have the 60k armor, they invariably get bored and stop playing. We are now lucky to have eight members on at one time to do gvg at all. Although the summer update (looking more like autumn now) may bring some back, it will not bring them all back; and fewer and fewer will return with subsequent chapters.

On this basis; I cannot see how the game will be financially viable for arenanet/ncsoft in the long-term. They simply wont make enough money as there will not be enough people to pay for the new chapters. The only way it can survive is by introducing a monthly fee and more frequent if smaller updates. But as the game was marketed so heavily as having no subscriptions, I cant see them doing that. I hope it will suceed; but i cant see it.

Loviatar · Aug 10, 2005, 07:48 PM // 19:48

NCSoft is backing them so it isnt just Anet

people will go and come back as they are not being forced to play by monthly fees

Argon The Seeker · Aug 10, 2005, 07:54 PM // 19:54

Yes The Thing is the people have already bought the game after they finish and get bored Anet doesen't lose anything. Plus Most people will come back for new chapters and such thus giveing anet more money enableing them to make more chapters witch means makeing more money going on to makeing more chapters and so on

So if its guild wars being able to survive of course it will. Plus you've forgoten that there will be new players comeing in to.

BrynMaw · Aug 10, 2005, 10:44 PM // 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argon The Seeker

Yes The Thing is the people have already bought the game after they finish and get bored Anet doesen't lose anything. Plus Most people will come back for new chapters and such thus giveing anet more money enableing them to make more chapters witch means makeing more money going on to makeing more chapters and so on

So if its guild wars being able to survive of course it will. Plus you've forgoten that there will be new players comeing in to.

Cat Tabby makes a series of good points. Argon manages to miss them all. Cat said that less and less people will come back, reducing the income generated, and I dont see why an expansion would rope in new players who have to start at the beginning anyway. GW has now fallen off the top ten in most outlets, WoW has remained in the top ten since its release. I anticipate a resurge of interest around the next chapter that will rapidly fall off, though I hope this is not the case as I love the game.

Bezerker · Aug 10, 2005, 10:56 PM // 22:56

Tbh, the reason why people get bored is "simple" <- Guild Wars.

Its quests are pretty much all the same.

Weapons? ..... nothing much to say about that, since there arent enough of them.

Armors? Same deal, the end (15k armors) look nice, but provide no bonus at all, hence making it only a eye-candy nothing more.

Items? Again same deal.

Guilds? Okay, a guild is nice you have your own cape, and can get your own hall to unlock certain aspects of the game.......however the halls are nothing more but a meeting point. (& there arent enough icons and styles to choose from, so your "unique" cape is not unique at all.)

Creatures/monters etc? Only monster i was in awe off was the Worms, the rest of them didnt impress me at all.

Now lets speculate this, since those points are the common problem of this game.

A new chapter would add:

New items.
New Weapons.
New Quests.
New Armors.
New Creatures/Monsters.
New Skills.

However, if they make it like chpt 1 , in other words, only expand chpt 1 and call it chpt 2..... Heh Good Bye GW. They really have to improvise, since they now already know people are getting bored of this game in a rapid state. I really wonder what could save this game, perhaps you guys/galls got any ideas. But in all honesty, i have little hope for this game.

pyr0ma5ta · Aug 10, 2005, 10:58 PM // 22:58

Actually, if you think about it, Anet doesn't want you to play the game. They're not earning anything if you play, in fact, they're paying for servers to support you. If you don't pay, that's less bandwidth they ahve to pay for. You've already paid everything they're ever going to earn from you (unless the big chapter things start happening...).

audioaxes · Aug 10, 2005, 11:11 PM // 23:11

i have seen this coming. Guild Wars doesnt have much to do once you get so far. I dont even have the interest to try a second build in Pve.

Loviatar · Aug 10, 2005, 11:24 PM // 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrynMaw

Cat Tabby makes a series of good points. Argon manages to miss them all. Cat said that less and less people will come back, reducing the income generated, and I dont see why an expansion would rope in new players who have to start at the beginning anyway. GW has now fallen off the top ten in most outlets, WoW has remained in the top ten since its release. I anticipate a resurge of interest around the next chapter that will rapidly fall off, though I hope this is not the case as I love the game.

first off you have no idea (nor do i) what will happen between now and release of CHAPTER 2 that would cause people to dust off the game for some more play.

CHAPTER 2

also it is a one shot on the money

if someone buys chapter 2 and puts it away after 3 months feeling they got their moneys worth of fun from it they will probably get chapter 3

i have long gotten my moneys worth already so i will get chapter 2 without hesitation

the reason it is not called an EXPANSION but CHAPTER 2 is that it will have its own *story arch* as it is called along with new material of at least the full original games content instead of just expanding

it will be integrated but a full new game

if they fix a lot of problems like the economy an auction house (or way to trade) and spend all that time on new content instead of the game engine plus the art library they already have you can see the possibilities

as for having to buy chapter 1 as well as chapter 2 consider different promotions like chapter 1 at half price with the purchase of chapter 2

or buy chapter 2 get chapter 1 for 10 dollars

preorder both and get chapter 1 free

lots of marketing possibilities

BrokenSymmetry · Aug 10, 2005, 11:31 PM // 23:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrynMaw

GW has now fallen off the top ten in most outlets, WoW has remained in the top ten since its release.

In the UK charts (and most European charts that I have seen), Guild Wars is still ahead of WoW. By far the best-selling PC game currently (and probably the biggest competition to Guild Wars) is Battlefield 2.

HowardJones · Aug 10, 2005, 11:42 PM // 23:42

I went to the European server and it was barren everywhere I cant imagine how many people there actually play. And, it seems like korean wins in tombs is droping off, not because America is getting better but probably they are bored too. Sure this game is hella fun for a couple months, and without making an entirely new game you are probably right that they will decline in sales of a new chapter. Yes, weapon finding sucks and I feel badly for any newer player to the game who has no famr spots and no good drops to make any money to even afford armor for their second character. The economy sucks lets face it, and the gap between using pve for pvp is growing, and now we need to make pvp onlys if you want to do tombs, and pray you are lucky enough to find someone smart enough (and willing to teach how) to win the thing!

What they absolutely need now is:

a proper trade system
bring back better drops for the love of jesus
A NEW CLASS

as far as the storyline...

we need to return to ascalon and fight some new threat in hopes to rebuild our true home. After being played as pawns by everything that crossed our paths lets focus on being real heros.

MSecorsky · Aug 10, 2005, 11:43 PM // 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by HowardJones

I went to the European server and it was barren everywhere I cant imagine how many people there actually play.

When did you do this (time of day) and did you take into account time zones?

Aracos79 · Aug 11, 2005, 12:02 AM // 00:02

Even though I spend the majority of my time in PvE... I honestly think the best thing ANet can do to ensure the long term success of the game is improve the PvP. I hope they roll out their PvP balances pretty soon here. I think it would say a lot to the community just to see ANet take some action.

HowardJones · Aug 11, 2005, 12:02 AM // 00:02

I stuck around for a couple days and as i am a total nerd I was on at all times. I even went into the non english speaking districts. To clarify tho I spent most of my time in drakknors or lions arch- usually the busiest towns in america, and there was never many people there. I did also go to some missions and not many around. Change location and see for yourself. One tip: bring money for black dye

Loviatar · Aug 11, 2005, 12:04 AM // 00:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by HowardJones

IYes, weapon finding sucks and I feel badly for any newer player to the game who has no famr spots and no good drops to make any money to even afford armor for their second character. .

just as a small side note

i did not get my first rune, gold drop or much of anything before the so called death of farming spots.

after the nerf i got a major vigor (first rune period) and a couple minors and a average gold drop and 2 purples all on the same run

i get at least a couplr runes/hour and as many gold/purple drops.

i have made more gold since the nerf than all the time before the nerf.

long live the nerf

and Gaile said there were plans to improve the drops

Aug 11, 2005, 12:12 AM // 00:12

I see where this is going

Numa Pompilius · Aug 11, 2005, 12:13 AM // 00:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by HowardJones

I went to the European server and it was barren everywhere I cant imagine how many people there actually play.

Right now, a quarter past 2 in the morning, an ordinary thursday in an ordinary working week, there's, I'd say, 200 players in Lions Arch 1 and 2 English, and perhaps 50 each in the french and german districts. I don't know how many you tend to have on in the US at times like these, but I don't consider 300 players at 2 o clock a thursday morning "barren".

HowardJones · Aug 11, 2005, 12:17 AM // 00:17

We Have Meeeeeeelions!!

Denny Pace · Aug 11, 2005, 12:36 AM // 00:36

All I can tell you is that when I get on at night (EDT), there are TONS of people online playing GW, doing a wide variety of things. They sold 650,000 copies in the first two months. That's not Lineage 2 numbers, but it's a lot of players and tons of cash to sink in to the franchise. GW is a hit.

I don't think Anet and NCSoft have anything to worry about here. Build it, and they will come...

Numa Pompilius · Aug 11, 2005, 12:48 AM // 00:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denny Pace

They sold 650,000 copies in the first two months.

Is that official? If that figure is accurate, then GW has already paid for development and turned a couple of million $ in profit.

Tactical-Dillusions · Aug 11, 2005, 12:48 AM // 00:48

I'm buying another copy tomorrow since we have a little cash to spare this month. It helps me with the extra storage and character slots and it also puts more pennies in Anets coffers

I just hope the rare drops increase so i can fill this new space