Curse

Ralli Pemirl · Jan 30, 2007, 10:57 PM // 22:57

Hope you like this idea. Sorry I gave it a separate thread, I noticed others were doing so for chapter suggestions

Ugly Characters Enter the Guild Wars Universe
(an idea for a Guild Wars chapter)

Beneath the surface of Guild Wars, completely cut off from the sun, peacefully live Ugly Beings. In this chapter idea, new characters created are all Ugly Beings (or a more creative name). People who buy the chapter and want to create humans instead can fill the new slots with chars from other campaigns and then access new high-level content. After the chapters' release, human characters must each choose to be friendly or hostile to the Uglies.

In the beginning, the Uglies go about their business in their unique underworld, killing and eating bugs or whatever, until BAM! for some unknown reason a god causes an earthquake or something, killing many Uglies and forcing the rest to the surface. This chapter could be unique in that the Uglies would be sent to content from a random other chapter. Some would go to Prophecies, some Factions, and some Nightfall. They would not gain full access without buying the other chapters, and would have different missions/quests.

The world's surface is not an ideal environment for the Uglies. One faction of Uglies works to adapt to the environment. Another works to fight the evil god's devices and reestablish a home in the underworld.

Humans who are friendly with the Uglies can gain rep with the above two factions and gain access to some Ugly quests/missions (if they own Chapter Ugly). Humans who are hostile to the Uglies can gain rep with a new hostile Human faction which works towards driving the Uglies out of the Guild Wars Universe period, or making Ugly Beings extinct.

Uglies do not have access human outposts and cities, but will have their own, perhaps beneath the humans'. Humans do not have access to Ugly outposts, either. (If a player doesn't want to see a "misfit" or a "Barbie doll", as they might be called, he or she wouldn't have to.)

But if the races do want to interact in PVE they can, through secret portals.

In random areas in the explorable world, humans and uglies occasionally encounter secret portals to Ugly Technology Development Camps (the portals appear in rare and varying places, like chests). These camps are a combination of a PVP arena and an outpost. In these camps, Uglies and Humans Friendly to Uglies (HFU) can pick up quests and visit vendors and collectors. In these camps, Humans Hostile to Uglies (HHU) can enter as enemy spies, completing their separate quests/missions (kill the people and loot the place). HHU can attack Uglies, HFU and NPC Uglies/HFU's, and vice versa, if they want to, or just wave, talk, etc, if they want to. In such camps, Uglies and HFU could group together to quest/farm together (since they cannot meet in Human/Ugly outposts). Characters don't have to enter these hidden camp portals, if they don't want to. Therefore Humans never have to encounter Uglies, and vice versa, in PVE.

By making them secret and random, ArenaNet can control the population in such camps. I know real world PVP often gets crowded and crashes servers.

A class idea for such a chapter could be theives which could pickpocket (loot without killing), disappear, change their appearance, and perhaps throw bombs and have ninja kicks/jumps/etc. A second one idea could be a scientist/mage who can use chemical warfare of some sort.

It would be interesting to see how popular Ugly characters would be and how sympathetic/hostile Human characters would be.

A following chapter could have two editions, one for each race which have both settled in a new continent. It could also involve an explanation of the reason the god drove out the Uglies and maybe a semi-permenant resolution to the Ugly/Human/god misunderstanding.

This idea would exploit the human tendency to reject things different from oneself, and our struggle to accept such differences and to even become like things which are extremely different from ourselves.

I used the term "uglies" but perhaps "uniquies" would be better - I think it would be nice to give the "uglies" a unique sort of beauty, like the beasts in the previous chapters. Perhaps the underworld could be beautiful as well in a very unique way.

Kakumei · Jan 31, 2007, 12:22 AM // 00:22

What is it with you and embracing ugly characters?

Teger · Jan 31, 2007, 01:08 AM // 01:08

I hope to god you arnt serious....

Kuldebar Valiturus · Jan 31, 2007, 07:03 AM // 07:03

It's the Anti-Barbie League that's sponsoring thread topics like this!

Looks aside, I think it is more likely that people want to play anti-heroes, and the baddies don't have to look noble, beautiful or angelic. Villains are cool, Darth Vader rocks! So, this is more about the glories of evil than playing ugly, although there is a connection.

For instance, WoW already ran into a problem with UGLY. When it was released most of the adolescent types didn't want to play ugly, so they all picked Night Elves basically. Blizzard finally had to try to counter the trend by adding Dayelves...err Blood Elves, to the Horde side.

Ugly doesn't play well with most people regardless of demographics. We live in a world where people are spending billions of dollars a year to look good and better. When it comes to fantasy, looking ugly isn't generally one of their ghouls, err goals.

Hell, when I created my Necromancer I chose a darker skin tone in order to camouflage that awful mottled flesh that ANet gave them.

Ralli Pemirl · Jan 31, 2007, 05:58 PM // 17:58

I was serious, because I thought it could help GW attract more players.

Uglies may not appeal to most people, but they do appeal to some people, like some who do not play GW.

Some people (girls and dudes) love Horde on WoW. Perhaps they resent the fact that they have to dress up and show off their natural beauty/assests in order to get better pay or to get accepted into certain places, and want to escape from this reality that will hit them out the door. Also, jealousy causes some to not like the beautiful characters of their gender. (the Daedalus project contains statistics of such WoW demographics: http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/)

Anyway, it would be something different and I've heard a lot of people say GW could use something different. It would cause contraversy and contraversy sells.

I used the term "uglies" as an exaggeration to encourage people to read the thread. Few would always choose to be extremely ugly on purpose, I know, not even myself (In WOW, luckily, most horde races have a few attractive options and the alliance races have a few unattractive ones). But lots would appreciate more less human or less beautiful options. Something original, unique.

Here's an idea for the new race's homeworld: Mayan caves. Caves like the Cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula (example http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...=292848&page=2) are spectacularly pretty and kind of unworldly, too.

In the Mayan underworld were thought to live Xibalbans (isn't that a cool name?) Here is a picture of how the Mayans depicted them: http://www.misericordia.edu/users/davies/maya/k4960.jpg

OK, so my idea sucks in some heads. I still think it would have been cool. =o)

Trigger Two · Feb 03, 2007, 07:23 AM // 07:23

You go girl! Most original chapter idea I read yet
/signed for your gumption

Guild Wars could benefit from a little variety.

I found playing ugly horde very exciting.

Daedalus is an interesting collection of information. The site shows that over 50% of wow players DON'T play human, night elf or blood elves (the "pretty" races). Warcraftrealms.com also shows similar statistics.
Daedalus stated people who choose "ugly" horde characters are motivated by "advancement, competition and mechanics" while the alliance ones prefer "role-playing and customization." (this is from the wow character race demographics page at nickyee/daedalus/archives/001368.php). The girl's right! WoW's serious gamers like being ugly! o yeah!

I assume the developers at GW would look at such statistical sites before they combed fan forums like this one. I bet we'll see more "uglies".

I like your style, Ralli. Shake it up girl! keep playing GW we need more spunk!