Curse

VGJustice · May 26, 2006, 05:13 AM // 05:13

Something has been nagging at me for a while now. I was thinking about the next chapters and the current chapters (specifically, Factions) when I came to realize something which may or may not be the case: Assassins and Ritualists may not ever get any more skills than what they have already.

My reasoning for this may be a little convoluted. Both classes are billed as being "Factions Only characters", and you can't make either class to start in Prophecies. Which makes sense, they wern't around for that. But, if they're going to be Factions Only, that very well may mean that they exsist only within Factions, and won't get any further skill updates in future chapters, because they don't exsist in those chapters. And, I fear that new classes in future chapters may also fall prey to this, and each in turn will slowly stagnate while the core profesions continue to get major skill updates every chapter.

This won't do.

As such, I've been thinking about how this could be solved. And, I think I've come up with a way that can help A.Net be in touch with the players on a new level, as well as giving us some input on the whole thing: Skill Contests at regular intervals.

The Plan
Take this much like the Guild Emblem contests, giving players the oportunity to submit skill ideas for any class, in a contest setting. Developers would have to select the skills that would be appropriate (i.e., not the DBZ overpowered skills) and allow for selection on the top skills for that period. Then, prehaps with the release of a new chapter, or through an update, these new player defined skills could be added to the lineup of currently available skills, making the one-shot classes living and alowing them to grow with the rest of the game.

I'm not even asking for a huge number. 5ish skills a period (6 months to a year) for each one-shot class should be enough to keep them going, or it could even be a selling point for new chapters (one of the main reasons I bought Factions was the number of new skills I could get for my exsisting characters). The number of skills I'm thinking of may be small, but I'm also thinking about long term. After 5 chapters, with 2 new classes a chapter, those new skills would add up very quickly. Plus, with the player feed-back and suggestions, that would take some of the load off of developers (if they chose to do this).

What do you guys think? Could this work, or would it just be too much trouble to be bothered with?

anonymous · May 26, 2006, 05:17 AM // 05:17

and why wouldn't assassin and ritualist get more skills when warrior and such did?

actionjack · May 26, 2006, 05:31 AM // 05:31

Thinking up skills is not hard. (look at that 200skills concept list post)
The hard part is to play test them for balance.

I do think there is a possiblity that Assassin and Ritualist might not get new skills (since they are not part of Core 6, and only appear in its stand alone game) But... if giving them new skills will help sell more future chapters (As well as for balancing issue against new proff and their skills), than A.net will give them new skills.

Also as alternative, they could possibly make expansion paks for Faction and Canthra. (note, not a stand alone game) It would add on more maps and missions and skills for things in Canthra, thus you can always keep your assassin or rituralist up to date and fresh with new skills and armors and weapons, without the need to buy new chapters.

Morgana · May 26, 2006, 06:33 AM // 06:33

I remember hearing quite a bit about how there would be no new skills for ass or rit after Factions... but I can't see that happening, mostly because assassin is -the- most popular class right now, and unless Ch. 3 has a.. pirate or something, it'll probably remain the most popular class. From a business standpoint, it'd make a lot of sense to give them more stuff...

Sol_Vie · May 26, 2006, 07:04 AM // 07:04

I don't think they'll be Factions only. I think that they'll most likely have each set of new classes get caught up in the next chapter. So in Chapter 3, Proph and Factions chars both will be able to access it. In Chapter 4, Chapters 1-3 chars will be able to access it and so on. That's how I see it anyway.

Kaguya · May 26, 2006, 07:23 AM // 07:23

I just wonder if the Ch3/4/5/6 will drop assassin/ritualist specific weapons. Probably not... Semi-sucketh since you won't be able to get new mods and other junk for your Ch2 chara when playing Ch3/4/5.. Thenagain, those don't drop in Ch1 either, but not many Canthans have been playing Ch1, and I'd say many more Ch2 charas will play Ch3 than Ch1.

w/e. :P

Undivine · May 26, 2006, 07:33 AM // 07:33

It would be an awful lot of work to make rods, staves, daggers, greens, skills, armor designs, etc. for every single class that they roll out in each new expansion and balance it all with eachother while keeping fair to those who do not have certain chapters. After a few years you are looking at 15 classes maybe.

However, I'd like to point out one thing: why are you assuming each new chapter will have new classes? I can't remember where I heard it (maybe the interview on Gaming Steve, I think), but I think they mentioned that they don't neccessarily have to come out with new classes. In fact, I don't think chapter 3 will have any.

If this is the case, then making new content for the added classes is doable. A new chapter can have much more content than just a new class. Howabout, for example, new playable races? If they do that, they don't even need to make new classes. They can just apply the existing ones to a new race template and that will be new and fresh enough for us, on top of all the other interesting things the chapter will come with.

Tien ak · May 26, 2006, 05:18 PM // 17:18

Im sure Arena net thought this threw to be honest they said they would balance it out and if your fear is that they won't have as much skills as the other races, I wouldn't worry.

But as undivine said they proberly won't make anymore proffessions I think I heard that review to...he basicly said that instead he will add new races instead which is good though as that will still balance it out and be more look based everyones happy

Mostly hearing from the interview basicly all these new chapters will do will add more skills to the game, more explorable areas, more challanges and something diffrent eg New races or something Radicaly diffren (those were his words)

Ninna · May 26, 2006, 06:44 PM // 18:44

going forward its easy to accomodate existing classes

going backwards, its limited

example:
Chapter 3 new classes probably wont find much support for their skills and weapons in Chaper 1 and 2

but Chapter 3 classes should be fine for being supported in Chapter 4+

Ninna · May 26, 2006, 06:46 PM // 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undivine

why are you assuming each new chapter will have new classes? I can't remember where I heard it (maybe the interview on Gaming Steve, I think), but I think they mentioned that they don't neccessarily have to come out with new classes. In fact, I don't think chapter 3 will have any.

gamespy interview with Jeff Strain 01/11/2006
http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/guild-wars-.../680914p1.html

Quote:

Each release will sport two new professions only available to players who own those expansions