Zaishen Menagerie - is it really just for show?

I'm surprised so few people have talked about this aspect of the upcoming update, as it's an actual large new area to explore (albeit with no enemies/quests). I'm beginning to wonder - would the devs really put all this effort in to parade around the pet feature, which only Rangers benefit from fully, and are very much a niche in any part of the game? After all, there are very few builds which use entirely pet skills, and rangers aren't that effective with one.

I reckon the skill update for May was originally going to be some general balance update, until it possibly got delayed primarily to buff pet skills into use - perfect timing to bring pets into the game fully, and allow other professions to run full-pet builds if they want to. Well, I can dream...

I just think it's bizarre adding such a big thing to the game without making the part of the game it's based on more useful. At the moment it's equivalent to having a new area added to show off smiting prayers or blood magic, two niche skill-lines.

Yea,i think that pets should get a buff in some way.
In other games the whole fuction of a class is the pet(Warhammer,Squig Herder ?)

I wouldn't be surprised if a whole new set of X/R builds with pets sprung up as a result of this update. I don't think many people have really thought much about using pets. (I know I will be)

Same. I'm already looking at another prestige armor for my Ranger and trying to work out a pet build to play it with.

I have some doubts whether this is true. It would presumably be simpler to copy/paste some or all of other areas rather than create a new zone from scratch.

A pet zoo where players can have more than one pet on a character has been a recurring request since the game came out. ANet are giving us what we have asked for.

http://wiki.guildwars.com/images/2/2...erie1_full.jpg

http://wiki.guildwars.com/images/1/1..._Menagerie.jpg

See for yourself.

I'd love to, but the update isn't live yet. Absent any confirmation from the devs, it's not possible(for me) to determine from the posted screen shots or videos whether or not this is an entirely new area that does not use content from a previous zone. It really doesn't matter one way or the other, though. It's still new content.

Images wider than 800 pixels stretch the forum.

That it's old models and terrain? That's for sure looks just like factions starting areas

Please post WIDER pictures I love side scrolling 30 odd foot

I'm guessing that the addition of the menagerie may have something to do with gw1's relation to the world in gw2, sort of like how the programmers have hinted at changes to the HoM for it's relation to gw2.

Gotta love Opera's fit-to-width function.

I'm intesrested in how currently used pets will activate/unlock. When you open the character will they unlock straight away?
If not then can we take our heroes to this place, ofcourse if it lets us capture other petse for them. In place of heroes are we able to bring other players instead though........can these players unlock/ capture pets in your area?..
WTB full menagerie 10k....
I think theyre will be special pets such as rainbow pheonix that can only be unlocked the normal way. Take note that the purchasable pack only gives core pets.

EDIT: who mentioend gw2? Ha good point its a good idea but then again stop making everyone think they're only playing to fill stuff so they have a little extra in gw2 and play for fun.
I love areas like HoM and this because theyre personal to you. I always wanted a house on a side note but this is what were getting. I know it won't happen but i think the heroes should walk around the island it would be funny.

BRB, death-levelling all the pets in the freaking game for a full Menagerie on day one. WTB shark with freaking laser beam on its head Animal Companion for full Menagerie unlock.

Gotta love a nice monitor where you don't even notice there is a problem

I can see lots of pet builds, whether they be by primary or secondary, popping up as a result of this update. It's going to be a shame if ANet doesn't do some balancing with pets in addition to this update in order to make them effective, because that'll just mean that more people are gonna run around with junky builds for a small time.

No problem on 24" monitors


Looks like factions to me.

My guess is that they are focusing on the usefulness of Hall of Monuments (as they ready for the announced update), and they noticed a glaring hole in how it works: You want multiple pets, you jettison the old one, and cap a new one.

With this menagerie, you can cap a handful of pets, and don't need to get rid of anything. And you can then put them all into your HoM, and get to see their 100 year old corpses in GW2...

all zaishen things look like factions, tbh

The new area definitely has new terrain but borrows heavily from Factions scenery.

the terrain is not new. i dont THINK. it looks the same right down to the fences in the little farm west of tsumei village. go down to the ox pen look north take a screen shot over lay on the menagerie.


soooooo yea i think its the same right down to the wheat in the front and strange corn on the hill.



Cronk