Hycinthus.6483

I agree with this. I dislike the vibrant coloration and how out of place jade tech looks in the old Tyria worlds, people running around with it. But in a way, it makes sense conceptually. It’s like a new world with different technology opens up, and that tech starts spreading to the old world, and it’s supposed to look jarring.

Which parts do you think crossed the line of being too sci-fi?

Irl, it truly depends on the occassion. There are definitely occassions where I wear clothes specifically due to what I am expected to wear, or what others will judge me by, or how others would perceive me - so yes, some events I buy clothes that I both like and it’s also because I need it to be shown to people. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. Actually I think this is how most people buy clothes. 1) whether they like it, and 2) how they would like to be perceived wearing it. If #2 is not true, then just take away and imagine losing all the mirrors in your house when you are getting dressed, no need to worry to check the mirror of what you look like.

I don’t think there’s a debate about time being spent. To go back to the original point of the OP, the main issue is that for new players/returners, doing the Skyscale grind leads him to a burnout. And this is a common theme. If you look at videos, it’s common to see this as the top-rated comment. So I think the OP’s point is - how can we have a better game design to allow people to get Skyscale that will not burn out players? Imagine how many new players quit because they are grinding Skyscale. And with GW2 actively trying to get new players, the answer does not seem to be “please slowly play the game and naturally get it over 10 years”. Gaming market is already devastated by the mobile and short-attention span, TikTok generation. Can it afford not to have a catch up mechanic that allows for convenience of immediate enjoyment? Not talking about legendary gear. Just talking about mobility.

About to say exactly the same thing. Mount is different than gear. Because mount is about mobility, and mobility is a requirement to complete the meta events together, and having enough time to get there before the event is completed by others. This is primarily why new joiners look to get Skyscale first before even doing any expansions because it’s difficult to do things with your veteran friends together when you are not as mobile as they are.

Natural game progression is a totally different concept between long-time veterans vs. new players/returners. New players/returners need catch-up mechanics that’s why every MMOs has catch-up mechanics. They cannot be expected to also spend 10 years “naturally” to get Skyscale. They see people using Skyscale and they want to get it too. Which goes to original point that new players are getting burnt out grinding to get Skyscale before even playing the expansions.

Got it thanks!

Just returned from a 1.5 year break in FFXIV as a tank, where I was mainly stationary while tanking. I was in PoF and dying to everything, even couldn't survive 2-3 mobs, and thinking something wrong with my Engineer Holosmith build. It felt so squishy, and super frustrating. Completely forgot that I had to keep moving here. I started moving around like crazy, and now taking way less damage, and can survive 8 mobs + 1 veteran. Hope I've solved the problem, but please let me know if there's any other major changes that happened to Engineer. I don't have EoD yet or I would have transitioned to Mechanist.

Just look at his bars between 2:20-2:40. It kept switching between pistol and sword skills right?

Actually I don't mind the random cosmetics look out there. I mean, eventually every game will get a bunny outfit. FF14 also went in this direction. Cars, motorcycles, etc. To me, most important is the world design and story.

How was he able to change weapon to pistol in the middle of combat? I am unable to do that so I am just stuck with sword.

The world of GW2 really reminds me of Riot's show Arcane (quite curious to see how their MMO will be), and I think the same discussion could be brought to that world too. Especially Divinity's Reach, very reminiscent of Piltover. It's kind of a mix of steam/solar/cyberpunk. Never heard of Dungeon punk before, but Technofantasy i guess is like Technomancer game by Spider. Nice breakdown here. Although clockwork to me sounds very steampunkish still, and so does pirate fantasy.

Would you consider this steampunk genre of the science fiction? I get that feeling from the technology, the cities, etc. Or it wouldn't fit? Maybe it's just high fantasy? It's quite unique from other MMOs for sure.

I think this is where the disagreements lie. If we view this as a long-term goal, I think it makes sense and it's totally fine. However, I really think the time to change is now. ArenaNet is actively trying to grow the user base now, and based on the last announcement, are rolling out a new model of pushing out more updates quicker. This means that it will attract a lot of returners and fresh new joiners. They buy the expansions and come in hoping to play End of Dragons. Skyscale would really increase enjoyment of exploration immediately. This is also why many MMOs provide direct pathways for new joiners to play the latest iteration of the expansion, to prevent them getting bogged down for weeks trying to reach the pinnacle enjoyment status of the expansion. Skyscale was really made for a different time - a time when GW2 was suffering from content droughts. Moving into this new era, I think it's worth reconsidering awarding Skyscale at the end of the base-game main quests, right before HoT. This will also resolve another long-standing problem of new joiners quitting at HoT due to difficulty spike of mobs and navigating the map.

Yeah I think with the influx of new players and the push from ArenaNet to be push out more constant updates and actively getting new players, I really think Skyscale should be easier to get or more of a given at the beginning of HoT expansion. HoT and PoF really demotivated me to play, as it was a difficulty spike to navigate, and to see veterans flying around with Skyscale. Then to be confronted to grind for Skyscale before being able to enjoy the expansions, in the end, this became a demotivating loop for new players/returners.

I have to agree with OP on this. I'm a returning player, so I have a lot of expansions to catch up on, including Heart of Thorns, Path of Fire, and now even End of Dragons. Struggling through Hearts of Thorns (a difficulty spike) was already frustrating enough, and trying to navigate through the map was a difficult experience for me as a returning player, therefore, I was suggested to get a Skyscale to make it easier to navigate. So it's not really fun having to grind something for weeks, just so I can play the expansion contents. I know it's not mandatory, but seeing others flying through Tangled Depths with Skyscale motivated me to get it too. I think we are viewing this from different angles (from me, an angle of new joiner or returner; and from others of course an angle when they grinded Skyscale during content droughts). ArenaNet truly introduced Skyscale at a different time - a time past, when GW2 were not getting regular updates or expansions. Looking from a new lens, and from a new business model of trying to push out more regular expansions, and actively trying to grow their user base with new players, I do think OP has a point here. The methodology seems to not fit with the new business model of attracting new players fast and keeping them for the long-term. And the main reason why is because Skyscale greatly increases the enjoyment factor to enjoy the new expansions, especially for new-joiners and returners, providing them great, easy, and fast access to the new wonderful maps and areas. Fast is key here as we are also dealing with a new generation of players.

Hi returning player here. Would like to join please.

Is there a way to know if I did S2 yet? I forgot if i did years ago. But i dont want to re-buy it with gems if I did. Right now the option shows that it needs gems.

Hi returning player here. Hoping to join. Thank you.

Hi guys - is there a generic advice for a path for returners who just turned 80? Should I be: Option1: Completing HoT (without mount) >Then PoF Option2: Finish Central Tyria first (without mount) > HoT (without mount) > then PoF Option3: PoF first get mount > then get flying mount > then return to HoT > then back to PoF Option4: PoF first get mount > Finish Central Tyria completely > HoT > then back to PoF Or any other options? Seems so confusing and not sure which is most efficient.

Thank you for this. Will give the power build and swap out my berserker a try. Im currently just completing other central tyria maps for masteries to relax and will return to HoT after i respec.

Actually I mean the open world of Tangled Depths itself. By the way, I have always struggled in HoT which is why I took break. And now I have returned, I’m reminded how difficult TD was and I am struggling even more. I couldn’t even walk 10 feet without getting swarmed by mobs in the vines trying to look for the Story mission marker.

Hi all, Seeking your assistance, I have just returned after a 1 year break, and the last point I was at Living Story at Tangled Depths. Somehow I just kept dying even fighting 1 or 2 mobs. With 2 mobs, my health reduces by 1/3 at every hit - after 3-4 hits, I was dead. I cannot even last 5 seconds against 1 Veteran. I died 6 times in a row even at the entrance of TD in a span of 30 minutes, and at the verge of giving up. Can I seek your assistance to audit my build here http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PehAw6lFUwm6YWxMp+GalWeT5vUA-zxQYhkGOfbQBA-e Maybe I have forgotten how to play, or the rotation, or even have a low survival build here - if anyone has any advice regarding what I should do, what skill I should pop, please let me know. Thanks.

I know everyone has a different preference, but I agree with the OP. When returning to the game, and starting the HoT maps, it was very challenging for me, at times I almost gave up. Eventually I got used to it, but the difficulty jump in navigation, from the base game, was quite apparent.