Curse

The Josip · May 27, 2010, 03:51 PM // 15:51

(long text, bold is short version)

(First, a disclaimer. I know that many worked hard on their titles, I also know that most use them for e-peen alone. I am not suggesting title X which can be done in 2 days and will make your achievement look smaller. Merely suggesting *alternative* ways, and additional stuff to do. For example: someone vanquished all areas and did all missions, but didn't peek in every corner of the map because he doesn't like pixels search - cartographer title just isn't his thrill. He would prefer grinding something else.)

My suggestion are new titles that are not merely "achievement indicators", but something I believe ANet will improve with GW2: Making your character more personal, more individual, more unique.

Let me picture it. When you see someone displaying a GWAMM title, what comes to your mind is "wow this guy did a lot of stuff" or "oh come on, showing off, get a life". But it doesn't tell you anything about this guy. Anything about his character. Even Luxon/Kurzick title track doesn't do this. When someone has Luxon title on display, what does this mean in 99,9% cases? "Hi, my guild is Luxon" "Hi, I have this title because it was easier for me to farm this one than the other, or I've done both and this one was harder to I'm displaying that one instead". Almost never will it be "I like Luxons and don't like Kurzicks".
More personal title in GW would be "Drunkard", when it indicates someones (or his character's) desire for alcohol (and not just "look at me, I'm maxing this title").

What does non-linear mean?

It means you can lose points in it. It's nothing new. It's done with Kurzick/Luxon points to some extent, just not fully. Also, looks at LDoAscalon vs Survivor.

What does personal mean?

It tells us something about your character (and indirectly, perhaps, of you). It's a choice *for* something and *against* something. Not a choice for 'whatever I can max given enough time'.

Example:

Shining Blade / White Mantle track

* Gaining points in one title would decrease same amount of points in the other title, which means only one of these could be maxed.
* It would tell us on what side your character is, which would at least somewhat break linearity of the game (I know, you're still fighting for Shining Blade in the missions, but lore can always be devised.. you're maybe infiltrator or something, double agent etc).
* Points in for Shining Blade would be achieved by killing White Mantle, or maybe some other tasks.. doesn't matter. There would obviously need to be a way for player to kill some Shining Blade as well.

I know that every idea has someone hating it, so I'm sure some will dislike this non-linear personal approach too. I really don't see how it would hurt anyones gameplay. Gw1 is still instanced, and me displaying some title won't hurt you.

Arduin · May 27, 2010, 04:03 PM // 16:03

I think this is one of the reasons Anet abandoned GW and started on GW2. GW1 is pretty static story wise, and your character doesn't develop much.

I do like your suggestion, and would love to see it implemented in GW... but I don't think it can be done by the Live Team.

Got good hopes for GW2 though.

Sorry for being a downer

Lanier · May 27, 2010, 04:15 PM // 16:15

I like it too. Making characters more unique and personal is always a good thing.

Mintha Syl · May 27, 2010, 04:18 PM // 16:18

More or less what Arduin said.
I love this idea, really. But I think it's too much out of GW way to be and that for sure something like that will be done in GW2, for what I have seen.
I like displaying my kurzick title when in luxon area like a sort of taunt, but as you said usually it means nothing.
It would totally be /signed from me anyway.

Shayne Hawke · May 27, 2010, 04:19 PM // 16:19

Not sure how many times I'm going to have to say this to remind people: We, the players, side with the Shining Blade. There is no place for a title track that allows us to gain favor with the Mantle, because that's never the side that we take. I understand it's an example, but it's a poor one.

Aside from that, it's going to take a lot of resources that don't exist to bring GW a system like this that is actually effective at doing what it's intended to do, and will likely end up being inferior to the implementation of it in GW2. Many players' immersion is probably already killed in one way or another, and adding this immersion later in the game's life doesn't seem like it would bring those players back to feeling like they were really an important part of the world.

Nerel · May 27, 2010, 04:24 PM // 16:24

Yeah, not too sure if you have a single clear or concise idea there that I could agree with...

The idea of making your character more unique due to personal titles is largely doomed to fail, even if the game had a thousand different titles to choose from (Lyssa save us!), you're still not going to be a precious unique little snowflake in a game with hundreds of thousands, potentially millions of other gamers.

If you simply want mutually exclusive titles where a player must choose between one or the other, but is incapable of maxing both... Luxon OR Kurzick, Shining Blade OR White Mantle...

Yeah, fine...

Eragon Zarroc · May 27, 2010, 04:29 PM // 16:29

Personal title tracks that describe a characters personality would be quite cool. But I believe that if anything like this is ever introduced, it should be purely for the aesthetic value with no possibility of being maxed. The purpose of the title would not be to "finish" it, but just to progress it in order to show how you are as a player.

Also, you are going to have to come up wth a way better example than the ShiningBlade/WhiteMantle. (see Shayne's post). No decent examples of a personality geared title pop into my head atm.

Fusylum · May 27, 2010, 05:13 PM // 17:13

New titles, anything to keep me interested!
Sounds good

AlexanderMorpheus · May 27, 2010, 05:52 PM // 17:52

I think this is pretty much covered by the section on the gw2 website called personal character development, just recently been added but seems to address some of your questions

talon994 · May 27, 2010, 09:50 PM // 21:50

Legendary Troll (15)

Terrible Surgeon · May 30, 2010, 09:31 AM // 09:31

It's done with Kurzick/Luxon points to some extent,.....

You said that, it is true in that you lose your kurz faction if you turn in luxon faction for title points or other stuff. However, i do not support taking away a title that shows you put effort forth. Choosing sides? It is a game, im not a dedicated kurzick or luxon. I play the game on both side equally. Just because you choose a side does not mean you're better than me.... Other areas this might apply to though.