Suggestion: Open World Fractals

tl;dr version - Reuse content from some core Tyria maps to create new open-world zones suited for level 80 play, use fractal mechanics like spectral agony, AR, mistlock instabilities to provide advanced challenges, goals, and rewards.

In terms of implementation, I'm thinking that a new portal is added in LA that takes players to an open-world map based on one of the core tyria maps (possibly with some new content related to being set in the Mists). Like Activities, there is a rotation, with a different map each day. Not all core maps necessarily need to feature in the rotation. Lower-level or less-played maps might be better choices to create a fractal variant. To be clear, the original low-level maps should remain as-is. The fractal version would just be a not-quite-copy which is in the Mists, rather than Tyria proper.

Fractal Level, Spectral Agony, and Mistlock Instabilities would play a role, but with a different implementation. Mistlock Instabilities would be randomly assigned to different regions on the map for each instance. Each player would have their own "Mist Resonance Level" that starts at 0 on entering the map, and increases as they kill enemies and participate in events, sort of like "participation" in meta maps. As it increases, both the danger of Spectral Agony and the rewards they receive increase, similar to how it would with Fractal Level. When a player is defeated (not downed) their MRL is reset to 0, so dying is fairly harshly penalized.

Anyway, as to why I think it would be a beneficial use of ArenaNet resources:

• Provides a use for AR and infusion slots outside of the very narrow scope of structured 5-person group play, making them an attractive goal for the pool of people who prefer the pick-up nature of open world gameplay.
• Provides a sort of "hard mode" for core content, which tends to be requested fairly often, getting more use out of those assets beyond new characters or dailies. Also, difficult OW content is somewhat lacking, relative to difficult solo or small-group content. Unlike HoT difficulty, this isn't gating the casual or story-focused experience, it exists solely for challenge.
• Would be a decent way to reintroduce LS1 or other removed OW content without it actually being in-world or needing much in the way of story justification, or needing to be reworked as a story instance or dungeon fractal.
• Since it's mainly based on existing content, adding new maps to the rotation should be much less effort-intensive once the basic mechanics are in place, relative to adding LS maps, raids, or fractals.

There's some interesting ideas here, but using core maps would too greatly affect Personal Story, new players, and new leveling characters.

Social awkwardness on world bosses would be.............a thing. :#

@JDub.1530 said:There's some interesting ideas here, but using core maps would too greatly affect Personal Story, new players, and new leveling characters.

Social awkwardness on world bosses would be.............a thing. :#

What he said, +1

For good or bad, ANet seems dedicated to not changing anything more than they have to in Core Tyria, or other now older content. So I see this as unlikely by that alone. But also for the feedback they would get from the players that enjoys the current difficulty (or lack of such) in Tyria, even with rotating maps there are a bunch that would be upset about this.

I think would work better as new maps, specifically designed for this. Though I'd love to see some sort of challenge to Core Tyria myself, I don't see how this would work without ticking off too many others.

I can't imagine ANet changing anything in any sub-L80 zone nor in Orr, because anyone doing a personal story would be affected in the worst way. I admire the inspiration to try to bring more excitement into Vanilla Tyria, but I think there are better reasons for it to remain Vanilla.

There's a similar issue with people working on LS3 content (or farming) and LS4 is still "current".

I think this is a good start for discussing how to spice up old open world maps and give veterans reasons to return. Right now, it's mostly temporary (for a collection or achievement) or farming (and if it's worse than Istan, no on will do it; if it's better, then it will just replace Istan as "best").

@JDub.1530 said:There's some interesting ideas here, but using core maps would too greatly affect Personal Story, new players, and new leveling characters.

Social awkwardness on world bosses would be.............a thing. :#

Ok, looks like I was unclear! I'll do an edit -- but I didn't mean core maps themselves should change! More that they should toss up a new portal in LA that takes you to a fractal version of a core map that's endgame content.

@perilisk.1874 said:

@JDub.1530 said:There's some interesting ideas here, but using core maps would too greatly affect Personal Story, new players, and new leveling characters.

Social awkwardness on world bosses would be.............a thing. :#

Ok, so basically a daily open world Fractal map?

For example Kessex Hills with fractal mechanics ? Hmm, interesting idea, I'll have to think about that for a bit.

On point I can think of right away though, is rewards/grind, because it seems 90% of the community (approx from my perspective, keep your undies straight people) doesn't do things unless they can grind rewards. So how would this idea solve that?

It does sound great, the idea of implementing fractal conditions in core tyria maps can be unique, and could actually create something fresh, like Uber worlds.Although it needs a balanced reward system, if this would create fractal encryption afk farming then.... We are doomed :p

I would love to do a fractal in a open world zone as a five man instance. Take a main dynamic event chain and scale it appropriate for hard five man content.

I'd do that all day! That sounds awesome!

I like this idea. I have a love/hate relationship with hard mode in GW1 but it is something I miss in GW2.

If this was done on separate copies of the map (something the game can already do) there wouldn't be any issue with interfering with new players. It might lead to a problem with splitting the population, but if this was group content like Fractals (so only people in your group are on the map with you, which would also add to the challenge) and/or the rewards were completely different it would still keep the open-world versions of the maps relevant too.