Why do you like Guild Wars 2?

Despite gripes and my preferred game modes not getting much love (PvP and WvW), GW2 holds a special place in my heart.

I love this game, I really do, and it got me thinking about why...

Well honestly I do love my character and how I made him look, I like the fashion of GW2 and getting skins. Recently I was convinced to do CM fractals which I hadn’t bothered with before because of a nice shield skin that I wanted for looking legit in PvP. I did some fairly challenging content, it was fresh and I got a cool skin. That was great and I think skin hunting could be a big win if it was supported a bit more.

But mostly I love the combat. This game has an amazing combat system, like crazy good, I’ve played so many great games over my lifetime and GW2 is mechanically one of the greats.

So I just can’t figure out why Story is pushed so hard.

Guys I don’t know how to say this but while the story is serviceable, it’s never going to be able to compete to games specially tailored for story (not an MMO).

I think the other issue is achievements. Content is based around the idea that we care about getting AP. But unless you’re a completionist and a veteran player it is obvious you’re far too late to enter the AP race. It feels very difficult to care.

Anyway those are the things I love about GW2. Fashion and combat, but the focus of development is story and completionism. That’s the main issue with the game for me honestly.

Fashion Wars, Combat system, Story, big Metas like TT

There is just something about the world that keeps me here. Combat is fine, but that is not the reason I like it, after all I loved guild wars 1 more, and it is totally different unfortunately.

It's the combat system for me too. Everything else (the world, story, etc) just kind of fades into the background, even though the maps in this game are generally pretty great. I would like to see some new maps/metas similar to the original HoT maps make an appearance. Those map-wide meta events are the last time I really felt drawn in to the world.

1.story

2. world boss
3. beautiful maps
4. no toxic community very helpful players
5. beautiful armor custom designs
6. combat style
7. 1 profession multiple builds
8. jumping puzzle
9. festivals,
10. achievements,
11. mount with different uses
12. mount race
13. no race/gender locked professions
14. world vs world,
15. pvp
16. one character multiple guilds
17. fractals
18. dungeons

As an older player, with limited time due to real life commitments, GW2 is perfect for me because it is sub-free. That's the biggest draw. Aside from that, I enjoy the mechanics (as limited as I am with them because I don't really "practice") and the fact that I can go to pretty much any map and find something to do with whomever happens to be on that map at the time. I can also take my time with whatever achievements I set for myself (still working on stupid skyscale!) because I don't feel forced to do things as I'm not on any monthly fee.

@aspirine.6852 said:There is just something about the world that keeps me here. Combat is fine, but that is not the reason I like it, after all I loved guild wars 1 more, and it is totally different unfortunately.

Hmm, so it sounds like you're not really sure why you like the game? Attachment maybe?

I think ArenaNet has difficulties because it seems the divide and desires between cooperative (completionism, open world etc) and competitive (PvP, raids etc) players is so dramatic. What one likes, the other has no interest in. Something I knew this topic would clearly demonstrate.For example you say you could leave or take the combat system, which blows my mind personally. I also feel genuinely surprised when people say they like the story and easter egg hunting, because to me that just isn't engaging and there are games which actually cater to those things better (imo).

Looking at Guild Wars 1, the strength really DOES feel like the world, the lore, and obviously the combat system there is great too, although widely different, much more of a strategic based combat. But for me Guild Wars 2 feels best when it's being kinetic as possible. Fast mounts, vicious and speedy combat, even hectic meta events.

The thing is, who is giving the most money? I'm not convinced that story-fans are the bulk of the paying customers. I don't believe there are that many guys who go and replay the story episodes as their main source of content and enjoyment in this game.

There are 4 teams right now for Icebrood Saga. I would personally be overjoyed if 3 of those 4 teams focused on adding new content like new fractals, new PvP maps, new WvW additions, new systems. Whilst the story team would have a long period of time to perfect and develop their story and map releases.

I don't love it like I love Guildwars1.end.

It's an MMO without a subscription, where the vast majority of in-game purchases are optional.

All the updates (except expansions) are free if you log in early enough.

It almost never goes down for maintenance.

I can take my time, focus almost entirely on the parts I want to play or stop playing entirely for a while and never find I've fallen behind and have to grind (or buy) new equipment.

Lots of original races and creatures which aren't in the DnD monster manual or 1/2 a dozen other games.

Lots of stuff to find in each map, from amusing dialogue to mini dungeons. And a lot isn't sign posted so I actually get to discover it.

its more a hate love of tpvp

Could you please use the Search function next time before creating the dozenth thread on the same topic? :s

i enjoy both guildwars an the difference in the maps an learning what cathan was. i also enjoyed first learning about eotn an the asuru an norn that can be played in guildwars2! i also loved having hero from nightfall an what they have brought to the living world of season 3 an season 4! i also learn that i love the living world or saga of year guildwars 2 has been out! the friendlyiness is also what makes guildwars part of a enjoyable community!

A couple of big things that I realized I have become so accustomed to I've basically been taking them for granted until reading all the thread posts thus far (so thanks!): No subscription, free after initial purchase, zero time down to maintenance . . .

Now, for my initial reactions just from reading the topic I would have gone with the combat, excepting that I wish it wasn't so afraid to stand on its own brilliant merits instead of trying to distract us with a lot of effects that just cover everything up. Also just the movement. Moving through the world feels very natural, including all the mount and glider movements. They're instinctive and you never have to remember what to do to get a particular result, it all just flows. The one complaint I would have with the movement is underwater you can't go past vertical. You can swim in a curve up or down until you are vertical, but then something artificially blocks you from completing the other half of the circle. It's frustrating . . .

Also the achievement system is brilliant. Widely varied in scope and difficulty, any time you're looking for something new to do you can just go to your achievement panel to find some content that you've been less engaged in so far. Things they could do to improve it would be to make it private so ppl would stop seeing it as a competition, and remove the unique skins so the reward track just repeated like all the other reward tracks, so ppl would stop trying to reach 'the end', or the next big milestone. Actually, removing the AP point total entirely might be worth considering, and just have a track that repeats based on number of achievements or on achievement points without keeping a grand total . . .

The fluid combat is probably my main reason.I would say the sincere aesthetic, but.. that's gone out the window for a while, and there's been some wth decisions in outfit/skin design.

The story. I'm quite attached to my characters and the lore.Sylvari. :blush:The beautiful maps (hurray for a new computer; now I can actually appreciate those gorgeous maps on high settings...I admit to getting hopelessly lost and killed quite a few times in Heart of Thorns just because I stopped to gape at the astonishing scenery). Along the same lines, the sheer amount of detail that goes into the environments, skins, outfits, character models, animations, etc.The music. There's a reason why Fear Not This Night is in my forum signature here, aside from just sentimentality. It's a beautiful song.The combat! I've been spoiled for other games. Tried to play GreedFall and wondered why dodging wasn't working like it "should"... The combat here is fluid, fast-paced, and a fun puzzle to work out once you get your rhythm on a certain class. I love that every class plays differently.Level scaling done right. I can go back to old maps and not feel ridiculously overpowered (well, except maybe in the starting maps, but other than that). I can still have a decent challenge and get good rewards no matter what level I am.Jumping puzzles. Frustrating? Yep! But I love that triumphant feeling I get when I finish one.Gliders. I got my glider and promptly forgot about following the story for a while as I ran around the map jumping off of every high place I could find, and grinning all the way down. Yes, I'm an easily excitable child, why do you ask? :tongue:

NO SUBSCRIPTION!!! This is part of the reason why I left SWTOR. I loved that game, but the subscription got really annoying after a while...especially with all the restrictions they slap on you should the sub fall off (former subscribers can't even post on the forums). But here, you buy the game/expansion once and never have to pay another cent if you so choose. That's awesome.Edit: Oh, and the fact that everything in the gem store is optional. Either cosmetics or non-essential convenience items...AND that you can get what you want without paying any real money, if you so choose. Gold-to-gem conversions are great! Thank you for that, ArenaNet. :D

The freedom the combat and mounts give you in Gw2 are unparalleled, in other games it just feels so static

I love that the game never punishes you for anything. Gone for a week? No big deal. Can't do a jumping puzzle, someone can't port you.

Fluid combat and movementAlt friendlyCooperative -- no node/kill stealing, easy to help others even if you don't group up with them, fosters a friendly communityFlexible cheap/free cosmetic systemInteresting setting that while not fully developed in game (plot threads drop, world doesn't react to crises) provides plenty of solid fodder for RPUncluttered UINo down timeNo subAbility to return after an absence without losing progress (a selling point for me to offer to friends who can't/won't play as much as me)I feel competent at the game to the point I can mentor and help others with it, at least in the areas of it in which I focus my time

And many more.

PS Also, Lord Faren.

My main reason for liking GW2 doesn't really come from things that they do right. Indeed, I have serious complaints about nearly every facet of the game, and the forced rotation complexity has nearly driven me from it However, it is rather the lack of wrong things that they do. Some examples of non-wrongs:

(1): I hate the trinity system. I don't know why so many people love it. It is way too simplistic, extremely boring, and it always seems like failure is due to reasons beyond your control. It is a system of weakness and ineptitude. I'm glad that in GW2 we're essentially action combatants who are individually competent.(2): In a similar vein, I hate overly complicated cooperation. I don't have the social skills, nor the health to make any commitments. A lot of people lament that in GW2 you "play alone together," but honestly that is one of the things I like about the game.(3): Shared loot and scaled participation awards. I've come from games that don't individualized resources or drops, and it is always terrible. Granted, scarcity allows you to put value in new locations and enemies, but that design advantage does not overcome the disadvantage of having to fight other players for the same resources. Sometimes literally.(4): The level scaling system. Now, I've played games that didn't have a system to scale up or scale down players, and it is the most confining thing ever. It means that most of the game is unplayable, and you're relegated to the handful of level appropriate zones. In a pseudo-competitive environment like an MMO, it is a bad idea not to have this scaling system.(5): The functioning economy. Yes, I have been to games where so much wealth is generated that it renders the entire economy moot, and players start trading in potions or something.
(6): The level cap. I've played a game that didn't make your gear obsolete with constantly climbing levels, but that was just the one. Most of them have a terrible system where everything you earned becomes useless upon next expansion, making you wonder why you bother in the first place. Little hint: I don't bother. But in GW2, we stopped at 80 with ascended, and I'm glad that is where we stayed the whole time.(7) Partial aesthetic freedom. in a lot of games you character just looks like whatever gear tier that you're currently wearing. I've always found that annoying, as the whole point of designing your toon is to look like and look at your toon. GW2 gets this right, to a certain degree.
(8) Death is cheap. It allows you to be brave, and to be experimental. Compare this to other games that will outright destroy your progress and your items upon death. The end result of that is that nobody takes risks.(9) The gem trade. I don't have to actually buy anything in this game, aside from expansions. I can convert my in-game currency, which is much easier on somebody who's too sick to work.

There's probably more QoL features that I can't name off the cuff. It is often the lack of these nuisances that makes a good game.

The main reason I like GW2 is because it is part of the Guild Wars franchise and I am a sentimental fool.

The races and their personnal stories. Just an awesome work: the animated background during story steps during dialogues, the plot the little enemies we meet and the progression. All the story steps choice we have until lvl 40 wow. After it become less fun, less interesting.

I'm happy they made the amnoon affiliation step with the choice between free, sunspear and awakened. Even the personnality mechanic, was lovely to see if your character is noble or rogue etc....

I really think there should be a reputation mechanic allowing you to earn a "badge" near your character name: would be side quests around core maps for different parties. Then you earn a title like exemplar peacemaker and the badge.Would work with: Peacemaker, Inquest, Seraph, Bandit, Warden, Nightmare court, Wolfborn, Sons of Svanir, Adamant Guard, Flame Legion.For other corresponding to player creation screen, the badge and title would be earn once map completion. As example if blood legion chosen: Blood legion emisary.

So no need to make us clearly join anybody the title + badge can be awesome for RP or if you want to represent the bad guys.

Because I can just log on and play whenever I want and do whatever I want. I never need to farm. Can buy gold if I need it. I do not need to group for most anything, I do not play instanced content. It is perfect for a casual who still plays about 30 hours a week.

I like wvw because every outing is a unique adventure and I rarely end up doing what I thought I would.

Like this weekend, I only planned to get my necro through the new map, but ended up having to do the previous two. In the process I complete an achievement I had been struggling with.

I also got a key for a map completion. I was lucky to get a gem store outfit for the wardrobe unlock. I put it on and head to wvw. There is a commander on and I decide to follow. We have some success. I finally decide to give discord a try. It take a bit to work, but at least I can hear him. We head over to wvw and try to crack this week's zerg monster. I usually play reaper, but decide to flip to my scourage build. I don't like using it because it feels useless in roaming, but it's ok. Although we fail a lot, it's fun. We kill enough to satisfying -- even wipe them a time or two. I also lean a lot of random chicken facts because someone in wvw seems obsessed with them

After that I am still no tired, so I decide to do some pvp. It's been a while, but I don't do too bad, being on the winning team four of six matches.

The next day I start with my necro in pvp.While looking at my inventory between matchs, I realize I have enough stuff to finish my first piece of legendary armor. So I hope eon my Guardian and make them. I then take them for a spin in wvw.

I then decide to do fractals. So I could make some quick gold to make up for the cost of the pants. We struggle with the first boss, but we get it. A couple people leave because of it, but the people who join are ar awesome, and we fly through the rest.

Then I hop on my thief. Still need to get him through latest map. There in little lag, I manage to get another racing achievement. I end to day in wvw, where I happily managed to win several 1 vs 1s. Decide to do more pvp for practice, but, who knows

That is why I like gw2.

Gw2 lowered my gaming skill overall that I can’t even success in gw1 normal mode now...

Can’t play anything else due how gw2 carry...

I like gw2 because the roleplayers who are still here are lovely company!