Drizzlewood meta takes waayyyy too long now (meta event spoilers)

[Mikeysway.2680]

Agreed with most of you wayyyy too long. The map is gorgeous and a great design. But the siege on the frost citadel is a visual Charlie Foxtrot (I'm trying to be polite). I've done the meta 5 times now and have successfully picked up a cannon part twice. Both times too late to actually help build a scrap cannon. Not to mention with so much going on I can't tell during the Jormag fight what is actually doing to damage to down me so I can do something to avoid or mitigate the damage. Speaking of down state, why do the trash mobs which no longer give XP or loot not rally us from the down state when they die. I was downed at the end of Jormag and when he was defeated and the meta ended, no rally there either. Can we fix this? Overall Anet you guys have done a great job showing us how over the top you can make things. But please understand it's becoming less fun. I thought that was the point of a "game".

[coso.9173]

they could make it so both halves are independent, but making that if the bottom one succeeds, it could have some kind of bonus for the top half.

[Atomos.7593]

@"Skynet.7201" said:Tying the new meta in with the previous is borderline insanity.

1. After everything we've learned in the past 2-3 years about how sitting in one spot for too long is unhealthy, how did anyone think this would be okay? And the pressure is on to not afk to speed up the metas by separating. Even then, it's. still. too. long.

2 . AFK folks (again, because it's too freaking long) make both metas take longer because there's less people to divide and conquer.

3. It's ridiculous to have a 2nd meta completely depend on the completion of the first. Bjora Marches wasn't set up this way. Why is this?

The maps should be (and should have been) separated. Please don't do this again in upcoming episodes.

For the first time in GW1 and GW2 history combined, this is the first time I have to say something is without question 100% unfun.

Yeah, the devs don't seem to learn from their past mistakes. At least their design choices so far certainly don't indicate so.

[Ashen.2907]

I don't mind a couple of hours, or even a bit longer, for an event to play with my guildies, friends, etc as long as we can start it according to our schedule. I rather like the ability to get together with my friends for a solid chunk of continuous play towards a common group goal. An event that occurs outside of our ability to schedule its start, but which is sufficiently short that we can readily catch the next cycle works. But logging in to find that the 2+ hour event is half an hour into its progress and that it will be a half day to be able to get into an event start to finish doesn't work for me. Being able to play 2-3 hours a day seems, to me at least, like a reasonable dedication to the game. Having that be insufficient to partake of the game's ongoing content means disconnect and disengagement from the content and its narrative.

[Linken.6345]

@Piotrbov.6173 said:I agree this meta in overall is too long. Using LFG there is only possible to join the new map from the beginning. The rest LFG are already full.It seems I will never do this meta even once because I do not have 3,4 hours to spend at once for doing this meta.

Yea they could have done it as thunderhead peaks, have an item that need 1 part from south and 1 from north to complete and open chests.

Then you could do them 1 time each anytime they are up during the day.

[Ashantara.8731]

@Shadowmoon.7986 said:Needs to work like silverwaste, once the bar fills up, all events on the map auto fails, and the escort to the bridge starts. Add something about efrem and malice sneaking behind enemylines for a desperation attack if village and lighthouse are not taken.

That's a great idea on how to explain the second event if the first one fails! :)

I really hope they are going to separate them. I grinded 2-5 full meta events these past 6 days for the Otter's Blessing enrichment, and it's just painful to do (even once a day is!). The time it takes in addition to the fact that you don't have anything (achievements etc) left to do on the southern half. It really is no surprise that some players decide to AFK at the bridge until the northern half starts. A bad design indeed.

[ShadowCatz.8437]

@kharmin.7683 said:

@Tekoneiric.6817 said:I was watching the guild chat and it got me to thinking about the map and the meta.

While I have my flying mounts there are players who don't have them. I'd like like to see Oakheart's Essence nodes, updrafts and ley-lines added around the south side of the map to help players get around.I haven't even entered the new map yet, but I think that this is a terrific idea!

Directed to @Tekoneiric.6817 post above:I had several times a hard time to activate my Skyscale, even healed just be sure I wasn't taking damage and went out of where the rest of group/squad where in combat. This map really need more tools to get around like updraft which can be combined with those already existing Ley-Lines that are on map.

As for loot after main boss have been killed, it is too short. First time I went on North event I was lucky enough to get in from LFG in an already ongoing map to kill Jormag. We could loot most of chests before we where frozen to death (why the heck do we have to be killed in this way for reset of map?)

Second time I had luck to follow a squad that first did South meta as usual and then continued to North meta. At that time I started to feel tired as the event chain is rather long with all camps taken and cache bosses that spawn all around South map.

@ANet: Please reconsider to split meta so there is possible to take a break in between and also reduce the number of NPCs that are left after main boss, Claw of Jormag, have been killed and chests spawn.

Getting overwhelmed when one try to loot Frost chest NPC that are using leeching magic is nearly impossible to kill as those are too many and too fast for a single player to take out. NPCs that respawn that fast like those in DWCs is also really PITA when they are leeching. My HP are around 20 K and there are almost time to get out of this place with this chest before I am dead. There where some other player which had same luck laying dead second time I tried.

[Junkpile.7439]

I just hope that you could get enough masterypoints just by doing meta once per day.

[JTGuevara.9018]

I really don't see a problem. Drizzlewood is really two meta events in one, the southern portion and then the northern portion above the bridge. If you try to do both, of course it's going to take a while!

[Tekoneiric.6817]

@"ShadowCatz.8437" said:

I am aware that ANet have been using same kind of portals in other maps. It still doesn't make it right as Mesmer portals have been abused from other players around chests and nodes to teleport them away (if they weren't careful for which they interacted with). There is no reason why portals that are dedicated map portals can't be made to look different.

The first time I used in Kourna (between where there is WP close to city centre and the tower on island that have a bridge connected so it possible to get fast to next event where there is a boss fight), I wasn't even sure what that would lead to. It is no real indication for why those portals where there (from story) to learn it is a shortcut that can be used. GW2 have over time added more and more teleportation shortcuts where we first had WP (which could be contested if there where a fight close by), Asura gates, Mesmer portals (NPC or permanent), now those jump portals (when UL own that area - blue) and what not. Some where there need to be consistent system where it is clear that those portals can be used and not by randomly adding new way of shortcuts that some player finds out by trail and error.

Pretty sure player wouldn't like to get teleport into a sea of vulcanic matter (high burn damage) or or the bottom of the ice ground where you will get killed from cold damage just by picking a portal.

As for the final stage in DWC where you have portals, those are replacing the Bouncing Mushroom that you also can find on those maps. Probably because ANet want new player to be able to go there without need to level up their Mastery in Bouncing Mushroom or work on their Springer or flying mounts mastery to get there fast to take out minibosses and snipers from hills/mountains.

I suspect the use of those portals are are basically to patch to fix player movement problem after it went from design to testing phase of development. I have no problem with it but it would be nice if permanent had a different color and had an indicator where they went to.

[Blueberry.8095]

@JTGuevara.9018 said:I really don't see a problem. Drizzlewood is really two meta events in one, the southern portion and then the northern portion above the bridge. If you try to do both, of course it's going to take a while!I mean, in order for the North meta to start, someone has to complete the South meta first is it not? Do we have a choice to just start the North meta without depending on the South meta's completion? No, because they don't run on a timer.

Unless you're one of those who just camp at LFG and try to spam join a full map, hoping that you can sneak in to the half completed map from some poor soul's d/c.

Even before they added the North meta, South meta is still too long. For combining with the North, in total it should be capped at 1 & half hour max off-peak (including all the looting phase). Currently it took me about 2 & a half hr sometimes 3hrs from start to finish...

[Laila Lightness.8742]

They could also seperate north and south meta so they can be done seperatly

[Blueberry.8095]

@Laila Lightness.8742 said:They could also seperate north and south meta so they can be done seperatlyThat is not a bad idea but then I can imagine that South would be abandoned totally.

Honestly I don't mind them to combine the 2 metas for thematic reason, ONLY IF they could HALF the total duration as well as streamline the 2x chest train after each meta....

[Laila Lightness.8742]

@Blueberry.8095 said:

@Laila Lightness.8742 said:They could also seperate north and south meta so they can be done seperatlyThat is not a bad idea but then I can imagine that South would be abandoned totally.

Honestly I don't mind them to combine the 2 metas for thematic reason, ONLY IF they could half the duration as well as streamline the 2x chest train after each meta....

I got other suggestion like reducing difficulty on the champions

[mindcircus.1506]

After doing it for the first time last night I will say I enjoyed it a lot but yes, it still took a bit too long.Getting rid of the Champ train after part one and going immediately into part two would be a great start to streamlining.

[etienne.1039]

The developers of the game must be congratulated by finding an effective way to kill the game. First avoid the meta, than avoid the map, next avoid an expansion, than avoiding the game all together...The sunny side is: there are so many nice games.

[Coelho Nat.4697]

I support the idea of shortening this meta. It usually takes 2h, which is too much. Many good ideas to speed up the meta has already been given.

[Lord of the Fire.6870]

Well yes there are multiply ways to make it faster make it independent make after one dolly the attack on the next target instant . Also mentionable is that the info where who attack is often lost after a the super short message across your monitor . You can also set the afk timer down on the map . Because many people just wait for the south part to starting because everything they need only depends on the south part(mastery (archivments / collections) what also from the design was not a smart choice .

Any words from Arena.NET ? (I refuse to play this map in this state)

[Ashantara.8731]

@JTGuevara.9018 said:I really don't see a problem. Drizzlewood is really two meta events in one, the southern portion and then the northern portion above the bridge. If you try to do both, of course it's going to take a while!

The problem, as stated before by many, is that you have to do the southern meta if you want to do the northern one. They are not separated, the latter only starts if the former was done successfully.

Unless you want to be antisocial and AFK the first half, there is no way around playing it. And if you suggest to find a LFG entry that has just started the northern half: good luck on trying to get onto a full map.

[neighto.7386]

Some people have lives outside of the game... 2+ hours for this meta? The only thing this episode has done is make me play this game less... just cant be bothered with the stupid amounts of grind, its not fun and the rewards are just lacking at best. So why waste my time when there are other games out there?

[Laila Lightness.8742]

i would accept if it was 30 mins meta thats reasonable and should be max for any meta

[Manasa Devi.7958]

If I had any say in it, I'd cut it into 2 parts: southern meta and northern meta. Award each part with a unique account bound token. Main reward if you trade in both tokens. This way both parts will be played, but not necessarily in one sitting.

[Lord of the Fire.6870]

It true I wished they would change this instead of bricking the content but my hope isn't high.Main reason they already did 'this' before in the fractals with Siren Reef many many complains = no changes . Siren Reefs is through the overload on mechanics/mobs at the last boss an entire tier harder then the others in the same tier.

What I think is there is :

1. There is nobody there any more who reads the complains of the players on this board
2. Same goes in general most of the senior staff have left the game with forced firing from NCsoft after that also most of the management said cu and moved on too. So there is nobody who knows the game in its core any more in Arena.Net with the exception of a handful people. If they have anything to say is the question.
3. We don't know who is in charge of Arena.NET any more so far I heard.

I reading something between the line an guessing a lot but my feeling says the person now in charge has something to do with Blade & Soul (NCSOFT)

At least I played that game too in the past there are certain game design aspects which are similar what we have seen in Season 5.

1.)The way the mastery is depending on what was before is similar how you evolve your weapon in B&S . You are depending on content above you and if it is dead/ no group you are stuck to be precise that was happened to me there = quit. The new map also has this as feature build in the core . The sad thing is Gw2 base philosophy in vanilla was to counter all this because of this we hadn't no new map in Season 1 even if it didn't worked it was in the right direction.

2.) The way how they tried introduce 2v 2 or 3 v3 basically that is how B&S PvP is in arena. Problem here is/was the design and balance isn't build up from 1 vs 1 like B&S is at least that is what the Arena.NET developers always said when people asked about 1 vs 1 (and I agree)

3) Well the grind has increased even before this map in Season 5 well this isn't anything specific but it includes B&S

Main point is I don't know exactly who has the saying and the game has still a lot of fans and players but if this continue another half a year not even an expansion can save the game.

[Lamont.5973]

I got to chime in and add my agreement that the meta is way too long and that forcing us to do the south meta prior to the north was a really bad design decision. I don't object to doing the north meta a couple of dozen times for the otter. But I ALREADY DID THE SOUTH META A COUPLE OF DOZEN TIMES when the first half was released. And it is EXCRUCIATING to have to repeat it over and over and over and over in order to get the north done. Seriously, who thought it would be a good idea to make us repeat content repeatedly that we had already repeated repeatedly? Gotta be honest, at this point, I'm finding a map, going afk and reading a book until the north starts then killing the 5 tribunes for otters and going afk and listening to music till the end chest triggers.

course, if they would add otters into the south meta I would gladly do that part.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

It's interesting. ANet did something in Heart of Thorns that is story-wise very similar, but mechanically very different. The Pact pushes through into Dragon Stand by doing the Tangled Depths meta; then there's the Dragon Stand meta. The concept -- the PC faction needs to complete X to get to Y, is the same. The difference is that the two metas are connected by story, but not by mechanics.

I don't know about anyone else, but I vastly prefer the HoT iteration of this type of war story.