My GW 2: Expansion 3 - We must explore the ocean!!!

For expansion 3, more than anything else, I want the underwater environment to be explored. Here's a rundown of all the main things I'm hoping for and some ideas for it I'd like to have.

Title - Guild Wars: Secret of the Abyss / Mystery of Tides (something like that)

Locations:

Cantha (So much to explore in Cantha especially after so much time has passed. The Jade Sea. Echovald Forest. Shing Jea Island. Canthan cities. The Asian architecture, ect.)Unending Ocean (I want to see and be in so much ocean, so deep and wide that I can't see land anywhere.This environment won't take up the entire storyline but will be in pivotal parts such as a new way into Cantha and for the epic battle with DSD!)

Story:

Underwater Dragon as main antagonist (but portray them more like Zhaitan, as a force of nature, and not a cliche villain like Balthazar)Answers to the disturbances of the Largos, Krait, Quaggans and the other underwater life.What happened to those living in Cantha after they cut off communication and how it developed over time. Emperor Usoku. The Kurzicks and Luxons. Cantha's isolation.More history of the Echovald Forest and its original inhabitants.More about how the 5 playable races connect to the elder dragons and the Eternal Alchemy.More about the history of the races such as how the Asura, Charr, and Norn came to be.More about the 3 faction's exploration and knowledge of the Deep Sea Dragon.Huge scale UW fight with the UW Dragon having him about the size of the Mouth of Mordremoth. I've always wanted to fight a huge sea creature where there is no escape or refuge!

Environment:

Update to underwater mechanics. Making most if not all utilities usable UW.Better camera control and interface to easily tell distance and depth.Exploration of upside-down structures and areas.Maps with deeper vertical levels than HoT.Pitch Black areas at the bottom of the ocean that require masteries or objects to see and navigate.New and ancient cities underwater both beautiful and haunting.Lush landscapes on the island.Massive forests with towering trees.The current state of the Jade Sea and how it is liquifying and receding.

Races further explored:

Largos, Quaggans, Krait, Karka, Leviathans, Naga, and the deep sea dragon's minions

New mastery focus travel mechanic:

First, we had gliding.Then we had mounts.Now it's time for PROPULSIONS! - Much like the spear skills of the Mesmer, ranger, warrior, Elementalist's tidal wave skill, ect. These would be powers and abilities that rocket us in a particular direction through water, over land, or in the skies. Similar to the abilities we had in HoT Act 2 with glint's power as we were being chased by Faolin, the Zephrite Crystals in Dry Top, and the rocket packs used in the Claw of Jormag fight. But instead of being able to use them endlessly, they would have a duration from when you activate the ability and would have a decent recharge time after that duration expires.

Elite Specializations:

Elementalist - Longbow - Direct, long range attacks. More use of arcane abilities.

Necromancer - Sword - Ability to control a small army of minions with the control interface we used in the PoF mission when we controlled the awakened.

Mesmer - Daggers or Shortbow - Greater number of clones possible at a time or new type of illusion that can fight randomly or react based on the target to seem more like a live player and further confuse enemies.

Ranger - Scepter or Focus - Spirit-binding, nature spellcaster with focus on AoE dps capability. (Concept Design: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/38983/3rd-ranger-elite-specialization-design-concept-the-animist)

Thief - Greatsword - Samurai-type spec delving more into their use of shadow magic and a deeper way to harness and utilize it almost like a casting type of specialization

Engineer - Longbow or Staff - Elite spec that uses the versatility of a mechanical longbow, releasing arrows that stun, trap, explode, or guide arrows for multiple piercing of targets. If they are a Golemancer, the staff would suit them well.

Guardian - Warhorn or Dagger - More focus on the Guardian's ability to use and cast holy light. A lightbending spec.

Revenant - Scepter or Focus or Daggers - Channels the power of either Master Togo for a Spiritmaster/Ritualist spec or a past powerful villain since the last two legends were heroes. Maybe even a legend we don't know about yet, like one of the Largos. When we explore the depths of the oceans, we learn all about the Largos and a legendary hero or villain in their history. Then we learn their abilities for the third Rev elite spec.

Warrior - Staff - A warrior that has learned monk-like abilities for powerful melee and mid-range combat with the staff. Able to deflect or negate attacks and the swing of their staff can knockback groups of enemies with air percussion.

Items:

Expanded UW hero equipment panel.New types of aqua breathers.New UW weps including 1 handed weps OR make land weps usable UW.New UW themed armor, outfits, weps, ect.

Changes to the game overall:

Option to skip story mission dialogue if it has been viewed at least once on a character or accountOption to disable gliding when neededAbility to do something useful with account bound legendaries that you no longer wantDyeable wepsBetter Transmutation systemOption to earn and purchase the ability to name/title your account bound wepsFaster return of gem store itemsRaids are no longer the only source for Legendary ArmorRemove WVW and Dungeon tasks from Legendary CraftingKill Braham (must be done)Reduce aggro radius or time spent in aggro with monsters and NPCs - (especially when they are clearly dead and waiting to respawn like in PvP lobby)Option to get a training golem for home instancesOption to see complete/exact tooltip and info for every skill and traitComplete DPS meter for your buildOption to kill your character when in downed stateOption to view other players in party when dead

If spear can be a land-based weapon as well that would be cool.

So you want Anet to go bankrupt ?

I mean as much as people want expansion 3, i doubt underwater content is on the table as its a literal design space nightmare.

Listen, I know some people want underwater content thinking if they revamp the combat it would be good, but the truth of the matter is that it won't because it's underwater content. I have played too many MMOs where they have underwater content, and they all stink. Making fun and engaging combat in a 3-d environment like underwater is not possible because of it's 3-d nature and how we attack.

It will be a pain in the but to traverse and fight if they ever do it.

Cantha yes, lots of underwater areas no.

There's a reason that in old video games people would come to a water level and immediately groan. They were often the most difficult or irritating part of any game made. There's just something about them that is a giant turn off. I know there's always a few people that will enjoy them but for the most part people scream, hiss, and throw religious objects when they are confronted with water levels.

Guildwars 2, with it's focus on making sure movement feels good, could knock a large underwater map or maps out of the park. Add in underwater mounts, it could be really amazing. Underwater content isn't always clunky and irritating, it's been years since it came out but the game Aquaria is one of the best 2d platformers ever made. Entirely underwater.

GW2 - HoTGW2 - PoFGW2 - SU ( " Steve " Uprising )

Only if they make it with zero underwater combat :D

Maybe with lots and lots of islands.

Literally nothing would make me quit the game faster.

Given how accurate the leak about a year and a half ago was (It predicted everything we received with PoF. https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/53d21c/what_might_come_in_expansion_2/ Here's a snippet of it THIS IS NOT THE FULL THING): We'll be going to Blood Legion Homelands.

This information is readily available to the public, and the content it predicts is released, I feel I can safely post it here.

I like a lot of what you put here, that said I'd like the rev's next elite spec to have both a scepter and/or focus and channel the golemancer, Oola. It could be more offensive focused and can summon golem minions like the necro. Plus when you think about it, revs already channel an assassin with Shiro so having two would just be redundant.

short answer ... NO.currently i'm leveling a ranger and i forgot how awful underwater combat is.

Fact1: A huge part of the map is taken by the Unending Ocean.

Fact2: There is an elder dragon which is related to that part of the map. Most likely lives there.

With the above 2 points said, we can logically suggest that at some point of the story we will go to the Unending Ocean and will face an ED there IF GW2 is still alive.

Looking at the map as it is at the moment we have yet to discover:

1. Janthir's Bay/Islands - 90% water content
2. Far Shiverpeaks - 70-80% water content
3. Unending Ocean - ~100% water content

Yes, the other half of the undiscovered parts are land (Blood Legion homelands etc.) but you can't ignore that 50% of the undiscovered locations in Tyria is water content.

So the question is when, because as long as GW2 is alive they will introduce underwater content for sure.

I hope and agree for an underwater expansion!! It would be soooo cool! :blush: :heart:

I like it. This game already has an amazing approach to being underwater and to expand on it would be a natural thing to do.

No thanks.

Legendary Steve Irwin, must use Skimmer mounts to defeat him.

Unless we get a comlete underwater overhaul with all new skills, new movement abilities etc I would quit the game

I love underwater content and can't see anything wrong with it at the moment. Underwater mounts would be great.

No thanks.

@Javelin.7960 said:Guildwars 2, with it's focus on making sure movement feels good, could knock a large underwater map or maps out of the park. Add in underwater mounts, it could be really amazing. Underwater content isn't always clunky and irritating, it's been years since it came out but the game Aquaria is one of the best 2d platformers ever made. Entirely underwater.

I think out of anyone, if Anet were to announce an underwater expansion, I'd be less skeptical than in any other MMO. They seem to understand the importance of movement and have really become likely the best MMO in that regard.

The thing that would still have me skeptical, however, is this really isn't just a movement thing. Anet made an effort at the beginning to have underwater combat function as a separate thing with underwater weapons and have slowly distanced themselves from it since it never worked that well. Even with the most recent expansion, we have entire elite specs that barely function under the water (renegade, scourge, etc.). It wouldn't be just about getting the movement right, but combat as well, something I could see requiring a massive amount of reworking and balancing.

I do really wish we could see an MMO pull off some good underwater content though. I think it can be done, and I was excited that GW2 was putting some effort into it when it was announced. Sort of sad it got scaled back in a lot of areas instead of improved.

@Doctor Hide.6345 said:Listen, I know some people want underwater content thinking if they revamp the combat it would be good, but the truth of the matter is that it won't because it's underwater content. I have played too many MMOs where they have underwater content, and they all stink. Making fun and engaging combat in a 3-d environment like underwater is not possible because of it's 3-d nature and how we attack.

It will be a pain in the but to traverse and fight if they ever do it.

I disagree, I find the underwater combat in GW2 very easy...I've never understood peoples problem with it...if you have trouble in a 3-D game then you might need to get your depth perception checked at the eye doctor...and I'm not saying that to be mean or sarcastic. I'm saying it because your depth perception in real life shouldn't be any different than it is in the underwater environment in a computer game. No on ever bothers to pick landmarks or objects and use those for spatial recognition, which is what you need to do for enemy location...sort of like determining depth/distance in real life.

Great ideas but: first, this is two expansions (at least in what regions to be explored). Second, this should be more life 5th expansion. Otherwise this is quite amazing!

@Syktek.7912 said:Given how accurate the leak about a year and a half ago was (It predicted everything we received with PoF. https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/53d21c/what_might_come_in_expansion_2/ Here's a snippet of it THIS IS NOT THE FULL THING): We'll be going to Blood Legion Homelands.

This information is readily available to the public, and the content it predicts is released, I feel I can safely post it here.

I haven't been able to find leaks saying blood legion homelands, can you share those?