Can GW:EN renew Guild Wars?

Some may think it has started recently with the mid-June, with the introduction of the PvE Skill Grind and little attention to PvP. Some may claim that it has begun to degenerate since Factions, due to the Faction grind and the creation of the instability in PvP. Whereever it began, Guild Wars has lost the magic from when it was released 4/27/05.

Now, ArenaNet seeks to correct this imbalance with GW:EN. But can they do it?

The expansion claims to have 18 Sorrow's Furnace type dungeons (I still say SF was Guild Wars's best update). But will you actually be able to get a PuG for each of those 18 dungeons, or will you just be Hero/Henching each one? (then again, in GWEN you can have 3 Heroes of a single profession, so you can just sleep while you use 3x Searing Flames Heroes)

Also PvE skills, which have received mixed opinions on the forums with respect to their power level, will be a primary aspect of GWEN. With 50 PvE skills, how much of our skill bar will actually be from our primary profession? And with the skills, presumably, comes the grind, which has shown to be a disaster (Hello Kurzick/Luxon Allegiance!)

And PvP. Nothing can be said about PvP because...10 skills per profession?! That'll do much to improve balance and attention, but those are issues for another thead.

I don't think that GW:EN will fix GW; there's way too much to fix. But alas, with the confirmed release date so soon (2 months), and with no preview event, we can only hope for the best.

To be frank:

GWEN will make some much needed capital between now and GW2 release.

It will also serve as both a "finale" to some storylines in Guild Wars, and open up new ones for GW2. (not to say there won't be further GW updates, it sounds from Gaile there will be!)

I honestly am not a hardcore player, but for those who are, they will buy GWEN just for the Hall of Monuments.

Those casual players like me will just buy it for the new things to see and do....


EDIT: There is no "free" preview event, but there will be a "sneak peak/headstart" which, IMO, is much better.

I mean, what can Anet possible show you from GWEN that will change your mind? You sound like you will be disappointed no matter what.

OMG will u just go awayz zinger gosh!
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Well, I'd say that it will be VERY hard for GW:EN to meet our expectations, but I feel that the Devs will try their best to balance out skill releated problems (hopefully...).

And for dungeons, I KNOW it will be good, if they can do it once, they can do it again.

GW:EN appears to be alot more open play, as oppose to mission after mission, and I think this will really appeal to some gamers, me included.

And there does appear to be a Preview event, (although speculation) set at June 20th 07 as a week event.

I think GW:EN will renew Guild Wars.

I think Prophecies is incredibly bland when it comes to PVE. They only gave us more options.

Based on recent choices by ANet, I do not have high hopes for EotN.

Thanks!
TabascoSauce

June 20th is long gone... Did you mean July 20th? That's the day the pre-release becomes available, so I doubt they'd have the sneak peak event so soon.

I heard the weekend of Aug. 24 - 26. (that was on a pre-release website, not official).

It was confirmed by Gaile that PAX will be having some uber-GW event, that happens to coincide with that date as well. Reminds me of the E3 "Global Beta" Anet threw before Guild Wars launched.

http://www.pennyarcadeexpo.com/schedule.php

Back to the Future?

I don't think it needs renewing????

Evidently that's just me!

My prediction for GW:EN:

18 Generic "Multi-Layer" dungeons, of which most are so easy you can equip 7 henchies and flag em through it, while some are so hard it is impossible to beat without glitching (think DOA) or downright dumb, unfun tactics (think DOA). No "challenging" middle ground.

A ton of grind for new PvE only skills. This will keep em busy till GW2.

No balance added for PvP.

No solutions to problems in the game since beta.

New mini-pets for year 3 birthday.

100 useless skills that will never see metagame.

OR

100 overpowered skills that will be the metagame.

Did I mention grind?



I'm not saying it will be a bad game, just not the great thing it is hyped up to be.

Renewing what ? Huh ? Not sure if it really needs renewing but GW:EN will surely add some more excitement for people. The Guild Wars franchise has a bright future i think

I don't see GW as needing "renewing" at all. I'm still having a blast, and have been since day 1. GW:EN is just icing on the cake.

Ya i've been playing Guildwars almost since it came out and i find things to keep me into the game, so i don't see how people could get bored of this game. I can't wait for GW:EN becuase i just love looking at the stuff that Anet gives us. Also if your going to complain about GW and all, there is always a simple thing to do and that is quit. Also as fair as Grind goes, no one forces you do grind, so if you don't want to grind then don't.

God, I hope that won't be the case. I'm not expecting anything revolutionary - if they can recapture the fun of Prophecy I'll be impressed.

My fear as well. But, boxing and poly-whatever sound like fun distractions...

gw:en sounds like it will be awesome. however, once the initial fun is gone, i'm sensing that there will be a TON of added grind. and on top of that, once people see which title tracks make for the coolest hall of monuments, those will turn into grinds too...the price of unIDs will soar, or everyone will be opening chests, etc...

MSecorsky says it best for me...

the grind in this game doesn't really bother me yet....the factions pve only skills were the only grinds that even came close...but I've gotten those out of the way with this past weekend's event.

In most games you grind to get the best items or grind to the top level...your level limits your fun so you have to grind. In this game the grind isn't required...it's optional...it's a challenge. You get to the highest level easily and can get kick ass weapons easily...which means you can have fun pretty easily...no grind requried.

honestly i cant get hyped when the game thats already out has seriously flaws...(*cough*economys broke, skill balances, AI, A lot of PvP atm, lol partysearch?, rubberbanding, DoA, etc... *cough*)... and when it seems everything (even pvp) is turning into grinds with rewards imho not worth the grinding or in cases money(*see broken economy ^^). And a more than apparent dwindling player base... no an expansion isnt going to fix the game we have now... addressing the game we have now will fix the game we have now, not telling us how sweet the expansion graphics looks or the whole new "number 2 version" coming out years from now fixes everything...

I think GWEN will keep us busy till GW2 with all the new content and the all year mini games for the asura and norn.

How do you buy the prerelease package? where would it be available?

QFT.

This is mere speculation, but the PvE only skills will be given by the other races? And each one will have their own grind track, of course.

Thanks!
TabascoSauce

But if the "grind" tracks are built into forward progression of the storyline like sunspear points (do the quests and youll rank up naturally)...then its not really a grind. Now if its like Kurzick/Luxon faction on the other hand....

I guess GWEN will be good in general to gather the mass of players that are scattered tru the 3 campaigns atm.

Grouping and social interaction will increase, trading will be good.

For the skills I cant say what to expect, since PvE - which seems to be the focus of GWEN, is constantly hammered by the nerfbat, and the remedy - PVE only skills, are far away to compensate 2 years of consecutive "skill balances". It would be a lie if I say I got any optimistic about the skills in GWEN.

My highest hopes rely on the storyline and how the dungeon features will be implemented.

In general GWEN will be fine, I believe, but it will make all the other places even more desert.