All or Nothing: Requiem

Intriguing! Nice to see a character more fleshed out through their thoughts and getting to learn their unspoken motivations and feelings.

Was good to get some more insight on the character. Word limits in LS releases are such a shame, I'd love to have that kind of experience ingame too.

So, the Commander crying is now canon, huh? Would have thought s/he would have hardened up after the first 1000 NPCs were killed off. Where are Tybalt's tears, you kitten?

@Gaile Gray.6029 said:I really enjoyed Rytlock's story today.

What did you think of the tale?

It was pretty amazing, too bad that the mystery of how he got Sohothin was told in such a short form... Would have been so much better as a Novel, or some sort of in-game content like a Fractal or something.

Other than that it was really nice... He has CUBS!!

@Gaile Gray.6029 said:I really enjoyed Rytlock's story today.

What did you think of the tale?

Gonna copy/paste the post I made in the Lore section here because I'm too lazy to type it all out again. :P

@TheOrlyFactor.8341 said:I thought it was a well-told story. It really doesn't make me more sympathetic towards Rytlock though. If anything, it's made me less so. For all this talk about warbands and families and having cubs, he didn't (and in my opinion still doesn't) act like someone who has their priorities straight. It was all about him and his life. To Hell with everyone else. He talks about how important Destiny's Edge was to him, how he was loyal to them, how they were his warband/family yet it was him who decided to dissolve them and (from my perspective) abandon them in LWS3.1. It was him who decided to peace out and form Dragon's Watch with the Commander. He flees and retreats at actual failure rather than picking himself back up and pushing on, rather than check on those who managed to survive the confrontation with Mordremoth. I don't find that respectable in fictional characters or in real life.

Rytlock being bullied as a cub is no excuse or justification for his behavior either. Instead of rising above his experiences, he let them control him. In an ironic twist, he kind of became a bully himself in the process, from my perspective. Him holding onto that tough guy shtick even at the end of the story is also concerning as I certainly think that's a harmful social byproduct of him being bullied. By making it about him, by having this tough guy/gruff facade up all the time, he hurt everyone around him: Destiny's Edge, Dragon's Watch, his cubs, etc.

Sure, he's admitting now that the whole thing with Balthazar was his fault but many of us know what they say about hindsight. The metaphorical horse is already out of the barn. Why wasn't he thinking of his cubs or Destiny's Edge - his supposed warband at the time - when he went after Sohothin, when he was stomping around the Mists trying to find that dumb sword and reignite it? (This is meant to be a rhetorical question, by the way. It's stated several times in the story why he wasn't thinking about anything or anyone else. I even mentioned why a few times in my own post.)

If stories - good stories at that - are supposed to entice a reaction from the reader, then I give kudos to whoever wrote this because it did just that. I didn't like Rytlock before this story and I hate him even more now after reading this.

Hopefully the next two stories will be just as good considering they're also for characters I don't care for.

( For those of you who are in the pro-Rytlock camp who happen to read this and want to try to change my mind, don't. I don't mind discussing things I may have missed/overlooked in this story but my negative opinion and loathing for Rytlock as a character won't be changing. Save your keystrokes and time. )

Well, that was enlightening. Looking forward to the other two.

One minor gripe, though: I think I would have preferred to have the whole thing presented as one continuous document instead of having to click to a new page every few paragraphs. Or at least not have the one instance of 'Balthazar' link to further ahead in the story, which then looped back before that part came up again anyways.

Good decision to make these follow ups after the sudden end of the episode. Lets us all have a chance to pick up the pieces if you will.

Also, sounds like Rytlock thought legendary weapons do more damage than the more common ascended items. :trollface:

Gaile - maybe merge with https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/67300/thoughts-on-all-or-nothing-requiem-spoilers#latest

To repeat my comment there until then - yes much improved on the rubbish short stories we once had which were embarrassing. These were much better, with an improved format. The only downside was the poor choice of artwork showing an image that looked absolutely nothing like Rytlock or expressive towards his character. I'm all for community artwork and some out there are exceptional, but this didn't fit at all.

More of these lore stories in the same format, in the same quality would work well in expanding the World - something the game really would benefit from (as long as they stay canon and not dismissed later). I've come to realise not everything can be fitted into the game and that is fine. Other games expand the lore and stories across other media and as long as they are well written and compliment the existing lore, then more is good.

I utterly adore it. I'm a huge fan of all the different short stories Anet has given us over the years and I really, really enjoyed this one. I can't wait for the other two parts!

@TheOrlyFactor.8341 said:

@Gaile Gray.6029 said:I really enjoyed Rytlock's story today.

What did you think of the tale?

@TheOrlyFactor.8341 said:I thought it was a well-told story. It really doesn't make me more sympathetic towards Rytlock though. If anything, it's made me less so. For all this talk about warbands and families and having cubs, he didn't (and in my opinion still doesn't) act like someone who has their priorities straight. It was all about him and his life. To Hell with everyone else. He talks about how important Destiny's Edge was to him, how he was loyal to them, how they were his warband/family yet it was him who decided to dissolve them and (from my perspective) abandon them in LWS3.1. It was him who decided to peace out and form Dragon's Watch with the Commander. He flees and retreats at actual failure rather than picking himself back up and pushing on, rather than check on those who managed to survive the confrontation with Mordremoth. I don't find that respectable in fictional characters or in real life.

Rytlock being bullied as a cub is no excuse or justification for his behavior either. Instead of rising above his experiences, he let them control him. In an ironic twist, he kind of became a bully himself in the process, from my perspective. Him holding onto that tough guy shtick even at the end of the story is also concerning as I certainly think that's a harmful social byproduct of him being bullied. By making it about him, by having this tough guy/gruff facade up all the time, he hurt everyone around him: Destiny's Edge, Dragon's Watch, his cubs, etc.

Sure, he's admitting

now

that the whole thing with Balthazar was his fault but many of us know what they say about hindsight. The metaphorical horse is already out of the barn. Why wasn't he thinking of his cubs or Destiny's Edge - his supposed warband at the time - when he went after Sohothin, when he was stomping around the Mists trying to find that dumb sword and reignite it? (This is meant to be a rhetorical question, by the way. It's stated several times in the story why he wasn't thinking about anything or anyone else. I even mentioned why a few times in my own post.)

If stories - good stories at that - are supposed to entice a reaction from the reader, then I give kudos to whoever wrote this because it did just that. I didn't like Rytlock before this story and I hate him even more now after reading this.

Hopefully the next two stories will be just as good considering they're also for characters I don't care for.

( For those of you who are in the pro-Rytlock camp who happen to read this and want to try to change my mind, don't. I don't mind discussing things I may have missed/overlooked in this story but my negative opinion and loathing for Rytlock as a character won't be changing. Save your keystrokes and time. )

It's fine to dislike Rytlock. I think you can be understanding and sympathetic towards a character, however, without necessarily liking them. Rytlock wasn't raised the way you were raised or I was raised. Charr values are not Human values, and you can't look at them that way. I am sympathetic towards Rytlock from the perspective of how he was raised, and glad that Rytlock is showing that despite everything he actually does have the ability to evolve and mature as a character. That doesn't mean I like who he is, and certainly not who he was. Rytlock very much has always been a selfish character, and this story reinforces that. I am certainly interested to see how he evolves as a character from here, now that he has had a bit of an epiphany about himself. The story did a good job of instilling that imo. Just have to see if it sticks. The story also provided some interesting insights that were implied but not necessarily outright stated about charr culture as well.

Its a very nice bit of exposition.

If only I could experience these in game. Anything that makes me go onto a website instead of experience in the game, I just disassociate from the material. Current Events team, go!

Looking forward to the rest.

@Eloc Freidon.5692 said:If only I could experience these in game. Anything that makes me go onto a website instead of experience in the game, I just disassociate from the material.

Would you prefer no lore if there wasn't time to add it to the game? Or prefer at least this, rather than nothing?What about if it were read (without cutscenes) by the voice actor?What if the same exposition was available in game, via a book or 'talking' to the character (without voice)?

I'm torn. I prefer to experience things in game. However, if it's just text, I don't feel more immersed by clicking through dialogue screens.So I prefer some lore rather than none.

I would. But someone wrote it so its there now.Something in the game would be preferred even without voice acting like they did with Caithe in December.

Having to interact with something out of the game is infinitely less immersive than being in the game, no matter how anyone tries to reason it.

@Eloc Freidon.5692 said:

Having to interact with something out of the game is infinitely less immersive than being in the game, no matter how anyone tries to reason it.

"Immersion" is not a matter of reason; it's an emotional connection and I'm glad that clicking on books works for others. I hope you can understand that it does nothing for some players, including myself. If anything, it reminds me that I'm playing a game.

@Eloc Freidon.5692 said:I would. But someone wrote it so its there now.My question was about the preferences you have in the future, if it turns out that ANet has more stories to tell and not enough time to include them as a side story (let alone a main one).

Love the idea, and the story is great.I hope we get more of these down the road not just these three characters as I feel I will be missing them very much once these three have told their tale.Although the artwork looks a little weird for me, Rytlock has a more mousy feel to me over cat. But the story was great to show his thought process and how he took the loss at first to coming and understanding on others actions.

I think it was really great, and I hope the Marketing and Narrative Teams will keep it up. Plus Alex Kain, that wrote Rytlock's story, well done!I really liked it's like a chapter from a book, not like dry dialogues. Books stir our imagination, and it gives us more room to imagine the environment, characters and what they feel, what Aurene's death has caused to them, that it made them share with their stories they tried to hide since forever.

It was absolutely worth to prepare this series, and I don't even know what Zafirah and Caithe will bring, but Rytlock's story expands this character to a new level, puts him in a different angle. So I cannot wait for Caithe's and Zafirah's stories.

For Caithe I hope she will tell about her relation to the Dream, who caused her to steal the Egg - was it the Dream/the Nightmare/Mordremoth/someone else? It's still not clear so I hope I'll get an answer to that. :)For Zafirah I hope she will give more context to Balthazar - why did she follow him, why his words are so meaningful for her? How Balthazar was before he went rogue? And maybe she will bring some insight to the relationship that Balthazar and Lyssa had - why did she give him the Mirror, and did she help him to escape? He didn't curse Lyssa when he was dying, so I'm really interested if their relationship was really close, or maybe they were just best friends, and Lyssa was FORCED to join the other Gods, because she would have been imprisoned as well.

So those two stories can be really huge. I think they will be much more deep and mindblowing than that Rytlock has cubs. :)

Who is Rytlock? Oh, wait...is he the tough-talking guy who does very little damage to the enemy and flees from battle every 7 seconds to be near me? Hehe, yeah...that guy is worthless! If he were a regular player he would be instantaneously kick from even the worst PUG teams! :D

Why would I be interested in the story of a guy like that?

Rytlock just look like a mouse/rat seriously... xD that's the main issue with the fact you have to click on the blue text to change page, I haven't figured that at the beginning! Would be better to put all of them on the same page, it's more clear! Apart that the story I guess is okay... dunno.

But definitely a good source of lore, thanks for that! Waiting impatiently for Caithe, Zaphirah, and maybe Taimi, Gorrik? :)Gorrik should have many things in mind just like blish, they left Inquest, passed some times with Taimi and all the crew, maybe he has changed. Also it's pretty strange that Gorrik/Blish don't know R3D-RCR, since they were working in the same complex.

I felt so bored reading it ... nothing really interesting there honestly. A website "wall" of text. I didn't feel anything special reading it ...

@perilisk.1874 said:So, the Commander crying is now canon, huh? Would have thought s/he would have hardened up after the first 1000 NPCs were killed off. Where are Tybalt's tears, you kitten?

I have to disagree ......and I'll bring as example WWIIIt gave birth to a generation of God like Titans of Steel who fought killed loved and built. While rest of Europe was under submission to nazies within days they fought died like heroes and other like dogs but they fought until achieved victory.I seen old men who lost their entire families to this monster but they kept fighting ,and every year on the day we celebrate victory thousands of grandfathers gather to remember to give a tribute of memory to those who still lay the in ground ...to their family members friends of comrades that this monster devoured.....And I never seen a more sincere tears of grief from some one they been throw hell and returned home but still had more compassion for humans then modern people even in comparison to generation after war not to mention sociopath generation of today ....

I think the Rytlock story was amazing very interesting emotional development for character.Defiantly want more of that and hope for some big sacrifice from him in next Season

@"Eloc Freidon.5692" said:I would. But someone wrote it so its there now.Something in the game would be preferred even without voice acting like they did with Caithe in December.

Having to interact with something out of the game is infinitely less immersive than being in the game, no matter how anyone tries to reason it.

I also much prefer having content in the game than outside of it but I think it would be practically impossible to put this particular content in the game. At least not in this form or in this much detail.

I mean, this is Rytlock thinking, remembering, feeling. I cannot imagine him actually saying this to anyone. So to an outside observer our experience would be like Logan's. You'd see him wander off, deep in thought, leaving his blade behind. Then a couple of terse sentences. I certainly can't imagine him going into full on exposition mode.

"I was born on a rainy Tuesday in..." nah. Not Rytlock.

We've seen him do this kind of thing in a couple of instances in the past. He separates himself from the group. Wanders off a bit and we exchange a couple of words with him. Then off we go again. We rarely get much more than a grunt or two from him. I liked it. It "humanises" (charrises?) Rytlock and gives some insight into his emotions and personal turmoil.

I really liked it. I prefer to have more lore like this. In my opinion it is a good choice to have some content between the two episodes, especially when the end is a very emotional clifhanger. I like that it gives some interesting backstory, without continuing the story too much. While I would have liked to see this in-game; I understand that creating a scene in game (with voiceacting and stuff) is way more expensive then this, so getting this all in game would be too much to ask for. Also: Thanks for breaking it up into smaller parts, that makes it more easily to read :).

I loved it. I could hear Rytlock's voice in my head as I read through it, and I could really feel for him and empathize with him. He has always been my favourite character, ever since I made my little charr ranger and started this game.

I can't wait for more of these and this format is amazing. It's not realistic to expect devs to be able to deliver all this ingame - I think people who struggle with this format are just lacking imagination or are people who dont generally enjoy reading. I am very happy with the answers and depth we got - Rytlock is a great character.

I'm very happy to have some real lore answers. Players have been asking for a very long time how the heck Rytlock ended up with Sohothin. I've been in the camp of website stories > no stories (and much more info can be packed into a website story), so I'm pleased with this release and excited for the next two entries.

Feedback on presentation:Rytlock art weird as others have noted. But otoh I didn't notice it until I saw others point it out, somehow my eye didn't focus in on the art even though normally I pay attention to these things.Hyperlinks not obvious to me. I read the first page, it seemed to conclude, I told my friends "well, that was short." Then said friends mentioned the tangents you could take and I thought to mouse over the blue text, ahah! A link! In retrospect it's obvious that colored text is probably clickable but it did take me a moment, since it just looked like Rytlock's self-loathing was set in bold.Those tangents looped oddly. I ended up seeing the same blocks of text a few times. At one point I wanted to go back a page and clicked the big left < and found myself back at the three journals page. So navigation is somewhat strange, but I'm not sure what would fix it to make a smooth flow without missing any of the text.