hugo.4705

So, at the time i write this message, I already completed SAB Annual achievement and already got the new shoulder pads skin along the 50 achievements points, w1/w2 done in normal/easy and w3 z0 checked for the new things, I already bought the bow. I am happy to have experienced the new additions, W3-Z0 feel more and more like a W3-Z1. A real zone. I am just quite sad that the Genie and ketto's lab in rata sum didn't made a comeback, allowing players to go in sparkling pools again. 🙂 So I will divide that post in three parts, firstly, what was added, and second one about my feedback about each addition to continue with a third one with bugs detected, to end with requests. ----- Part 1 : Additions of SAB 2024 🌠 -> Golem breaker weapons: Look kinda like a fusion of peacemaker weapons and retro-forged weapons. They have holographic purple displays with Asuran weapon design. 🔫 -> Powered Shoulders: Shoulder pads skin, kind of remind me the dynamic exo-suit outfit, in term of apperance, bulky look like scrap golem parts put on shoulders. 🦾 -> New retro-forged weapons: Pistol, Scepter, Sword, Spear ⚔️ -> Undeserving nerf of Mega bomb and bow by adding cooldown and only 3 charges on them. -> W3-Z0 new additions: New enemy: blue slime, additions of shops, of choya seeds to purchase book to purchase bow, bomb-able walls, purchasable upgrades: bow/ tote bag, new adventure 🪙 -> W3-Z0 new achievs: "ooze farmer" kill slimes to get a miniature, "seed generation" discover the 3 choya seeds, "Master of coins" Gold medal in new gourdon adventure, "room to spare/super bow" buy bauble bag/super bow 👾 -> New SAB guild decorations: Super red crystal, Super Grand Gate, Super Owl Statue (+ Jackal rental post, to allow guild members to summon jackal in your gh) 🏘️ ----- Part 2 : Feedback 📓 I find the golem breakers weapons interesting, especially the description, as i suspected, indeed related to golem uprising. 'In case of golem uprising, Step 1: Activate, Step 2: Deactivate" , so the Asura, do fear a golem uprising it seems and designed weapons able normally to stop the golems with ease, so I suppose those weapons are the strongest of asura arsenal knowing from personal stories and events that golems can have force fields, electrify themselves, I am thinking of inquest massive golems such as exterminator class golems (the big purple bionicle robot who killed an olmakhan/ in charge of security in rata primus) Regarding the powered shoulders, it follows the theme of others powered armors parts of SAB (virtual box helmet/reality rig), frankly it makes me think of a whole set related to augmented reality/sensation, augmented gear à la occulus / or in the movie player one. It is a nice armor piece. For retro forged, it is a set I love especially for the trails of pixels it let behind weapons when attacking, plus, it does unique sounds, the rifle as example do a bit crushed pew pew, i find it cool. Now the biggest additions, in W3 test zone: So, for the shops, I have nothing to complains, the bomb-able wall are not too hard to find, I find the blue slime quite cute with interesting mechanic of slowing you down in it. The part about getting choya seeds to get the bow confused me a little, I mean, ok, i get it you want to make the choya useful, but it sounds like useless, where the bow could have been bought directly instead of forcing player to spend 500 BAUBLES to get some choya seeds.... It is my honest opinion, but the nerf with addition of cooldown to Mega Bomb and the new Super Bow, along 3 charges maximum that must recharge, is anti-gameplay, unfunny, undeserved and punishing. A player can spam nunchaku and mini bomb to slaughter foes easily, I highly doubt that the original creator, Joshua Foreman, made mini bomb or the bow with as idea to have a cooldown! If I go in SAB, it is to escape from the annoying mechanics of the game such as cooldown and charges! A player have 700 baubles on them and can spam bow in the whole level? SO BE IT!!!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO NERF UPGRADES BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SAW THE ISSUES BEFORE; THOSE BAUBLES AKA AMMO? THE PLAYER COLLECTED THEM! The big bomb was perfectly fine, it is not like you throw one every two sec! It has an animation of the player taking it from pocket then throwing it. It could be the same with bow, it take little time between shots. I am sorry, but you just RUINED THE BOW. The achievements are okay, killing some slimes may take little time but it is doable. Choya seeds are easy to find, difficulty is okay to get the two new upgrades. And well gourdon, it is an adventure, as usual, nothing complicated. The mini slime miniature is nice.. I wish there will be one of the blue slime too. I just struggled to find where to get the new tote bag. For the guild hall decorations, they are always welcome to me, decorating guild hall alone and having so much fun, I definitely gonna use all the new added ones. ----- Part 3: Bugs discovered☢️ - Slingshot/Bow don't aim at foes at not same altitude: It doesn't even aim at foes!!!! Try, at the end of W1-Z3, when you are on lily pads of kind toad, to shoot at the frogs in altitude, you will notice that the bow projectile just go forward, not even going up to them! It is an issue that is also affecting sling shot, - Possibility of being stuck in a cloud during bee-pug race: if using a speed boost near a cloud especially the higher one at end of race, you may end stuck inside of it, trapped, unable to leave since there is no button to leave SAB hub. -In world 3 test zone, the yellow bauble underwater at start, on a bouncing shroom can't be collected, mushroom is too sensitive, bouncing player away without giving them the bauble. -Along years doing tribulation, to me traps, especially hidden spike ones are way too sensitive, they trigger even when 1 pixel of player shoe is one them, whereas to me it would be logical that it triggers with at least one feet on them. Sometimes, I stand beside them and get impaled. -In world 2 z2 eagle shortcut, some of baubles coming to us during flight can't be collected like bugged. -Giant Icicle / Stone doors requiring whistle in w2 z3 seems little buggy to recognize songs played with flute by players, if played too fast, or too slow, they don't understand that song is played. -Spark balls enemies spawned by storm wizard phase dragon sometimes don't get killed when hit. ----- Part 4: Requests 🎫 1- Remove cooldown and charges from Bow and Mega Bomb. Let's be clear. It is useless. If I want to do damage efficiently? I just spam nunchaku and can pass everythng without difficulty, so why nerfing those ranged weapons? Nerfing those in SAB, is like you would nerf rigle engie, longbow ranger, and all the specs using range weapons? That is anti gameplay! If someone want to progress through a level nuking every monster with bow and have fun feeling like an archer? WHY NOT? Why that pressure to force player to go CC and nunchaku all time? The cooldown is absurb, way too long like made to make the new super bow useless: THEN I ASK? WHY DID YOU ADDED THE UPGRADE? I am sorry, but adding charges and cooldown in sab? It is a big NO buzzer from x factor from me. 2- Fix SAB ranged weapons upgrades: Boomerang, Whip, Bow... those 3 upgrades feels so useless and mostly miss target or not even making the projectile go to hem if not same altitude. Really? You want to know what I use? Only nunchaku and small bomb now. Sad right? 3- Add slimes (oozes, green/blue) in SAB parade happening in SAB hub to follow the miner choyas. 4- I gonna put you know by now, that request each year, but please, if impossible to create W3 and W4, in worst case, create at least a W4 test zone and lord vanquish fight, I BEG YOU. I don't even want 6 zones at this point, just a w4 test zone and lord vanquish battle. (Eventually a Kaiser snake boss and Crimson assassin boss too).

- https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Adventurous_Cat_Outfit But with Fox ears and fox tail. So Adventurous Fox in sum. 🙂 - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Pet_Dog_Whistle:_Basenji But with Fox, Cat and Wolf. - More charr /steam related mounts skins and weapons. Apart that I don't really think of anything else. I am very thankful of all the synergetic things you add to gemstore. In addition of the cynergetics pistol and shield, the synergetics jackal, skimmer, roller beetle, skyscale are awesome so thanks to to the employees making them, i already own all the mount skins apart the cyberhound which one really looks cool. There is a good diversity of outfits too now in gemstore... and there are so many sets of mounts skin now.. https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Gallery_of_mount_theme_skins It is just a tiny parenthesis but I find all the weapons skins of gemstore, and many are lore friendly, it would be cool to see some npcs in maps wearing those weapons, indeed, synergetics mounts and weapons could be shown on npcs of rata sum... If tied to humans, having some in DR etc. ALSO, I just realized but, there is not a lot of mounts, weapons or outfit skins added to gemstore that are linked to Charr. Indeed! There is no charr related mount skins whereas we have seen in grothmar or in main peronnal story that charr have charr copters and charr tank, also, there is those steam creatures of lornar pass? Can't it be possible to create a set of industrial mount skins? steampunk aesthetic? Synergetics skins are clearly cyberpunk, but there is no read steampunk mounts in gemstore, the last steampunk like thing i remember is the aetherblade set, or the privateer weapon set. There was also that BL tied steampunk wings backpack, but in term of outfit, mount skins, there is no steampunk or steam creature related things. I speak of charr, but if you take dredges, they are also tied to like charr, metal technology, industrial. I am ofter and always advocating for my favorite race, Asura, but for once, I am defending charr, cause really it is a little sad there is like nothing added related to gem in gemstore. I think at a moment i seen a char-copter chair added or it was a BL exclusive thing, so not available to all. I hope this forum, this thread, is still read by Anet, but yeah, I think that since 2013, the gemstore grew well, there is a lot of diversity. Thank you for maintaining that awesome game, I am impatient for Super Adventure Box 2024.

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: Quite dynamic, with any skill the character seems like on rampage after a Saturday night slamming around. Skills animations: The skills animations are nice and in theme of nature and ranger, good visuals. Mechanics: I guess that force of nature buff is this spec weapon mechanic. Well it works quite well and do give nice boost. Damages and effects: Skill 1.. what the heck ahhahaha too many skills infos it goes out of screen! rofl. For boons, not many, through useful ones like protection, stability, vigor and regen. Through a special wepaon tied effect called force or nature increase +25% damage and healing. Honestly? Damage s okay, but i think some skill could have vulnerability or fury. Frankly? Nice weapon. Yes. Can be used. Definitely good.

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: Little dynamic at least it is not static keeping a single pose... Skills animations: The skills are beautiful and seems related to a kind of red chain theme, like souls. Mechanics: Well the gimmick seems to be gaining charges by using skill 3 on duration, it has the weird ally/enemy mechanic like warrior, a very confusing mechanic, furthermore, it doesn't do good help of boons or good damages of penalties so pretty useless to make allies/enemies to me as the skill by itself is bad. Damages and effects: Only skill 3 have boons or conditions, and the damage is bad, gosh it is bad.... I felt like spamming my keyboard doing 0 damages fighting against a veteran oakheart in queensdale... gosh... the worst of the new weapons presented. Really. Don't even deserve to be called spec weapon, just feel like a starter weapon that you must forget about! Horrible. Disaster. Will definitely never use that revenant scepter if it stay in that state. The idea of.. I feel like... a soul binder is cool, the skills for most of them have red chain looking appearance and effects, but it is just skritt bad... damages bad. Boons and conditions are bad.. speed of execution of the skills... bad. Skill 1? Spamming for no damages.... to avoid.

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: The character do throw the axes with some style... Skills animations: The rotating axes are cool, but it would be cooler if it uses the skin of the axe used. Mechanics: The mechanics of having skill 1 and 2 throwing projectiles that can then be attracted back to player with skill 3 like magnet... it does sounds like an engie or scrapper gimmick but it is pretty cool for thief. I always struggled to find cool weapon to use as thief. Those rotating axes do remind me of the leggy legendary aetherblade captain for twilight arbor, it is a nice gimmick worthy of an elite spec weapon. Damages and effects: Bleeding, poison, torment. A good trio inflicting good damage on the duration. Good potential for condi. The damages are quite good when many axes are deployed and called back. Yeah. To me it is a nice weapon spec and I will surely use it on my thief. As others specs, needs weapons skill icons.

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: Quite static through few skills are targeted making the character do hand gestures... well it is a rifle and is used not impressively. Skills animations: Interesting illusionary effect, an interesting take of the rifle weapon... Mechanics: I don't really understood the portal mechanic of skill 5, lease make it clearer. I placed the portal by pressing the skill and pressing it again, it just do a beam to user and do nothing else... It took me time to understand that skill 3 is a double clickable skill to make it detonate. Damages and effects: There are healing, might, fury, weakness and resistance... and still somehow, if only using weapons skills... it is a pretty weak weapon. Really. I think i do way more damage as Engie rifle. It is an interesting take of the rifle weapon, with good lookng skills, but it is not really efficient in term of damage. I always struggled to find what weapon to use as mesmer and always sticked to axe mirage because to me it was the most efficient mesmer weapon and i tried most of them.

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: Static but it is a pistol, but i expected all skills 1 to be little more impressive or slightly different poses between them, here like engie shorbow or guardian pistols, it is really just standing there and using regularly the weapon without conviction or doing impressive stuff. Skills animations: The bullets are tuned to the magics, but the casting aren't impressive. There are some efforts for most of skills 3, but skills 1 or 2 are bad looking and not impressive. I do still wonder why just a pistol and not a rifle, but in same time, why not, it allows a great versatility to use others weapons as off hand. Mechanics: Interesting that skill 3 charge elemental bullets gloating near you and then you can just release all of them at once on target, it do feels like catalyst hammer gimmick of rotating elemental charges around you. What i find interesting is that water is not straightly healing but do heavy bleeding too. Damages and effects: Good damage. Played as tempest, really cool. To sum up, Fire is for burning, Water is for bleeding, Air is for weakening, Earth is also for bleeding. It is a pretty cool condi spec weapon. In final words, a pretty cool spec weapon. I do find it fun with the elemental bullets piling up for 3 skills, fast paced, not long cooldown, good damage. Yes. I play a lot sword/dagger weaver or sword focus. But I can totally see myself become pistol focus elemental assassin.

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: Well, I will say same as engie, because it is a pistol, it feels kind of static, the character is taking pistols and just shot basically without doing any specular acrobatics which could have been free dodges. Skills animations: The skills are beautiful and do feel elite spec like especially skill 5, that looks like a mage casting their spell, it looks epic, sadly that effect seems tied to skill 5, skill 3 could have another ground effect like a big arcanic circle because that animation look like a guardian mace skill or an already existing skill! Skill 1 and 4 have same animation, skill 4 could have at least more spell effect like skill 5 to distinguish it from skill 1. Well it do have a few animations to be added but that dual pistol guardian aren't as bad as engie shortbow skill 1. Mechanics: It looks like spec gimmick is skill 5 that you decide to fire at the step you want, either without magic circle, with it started or letting it happens fully. And so i gonna do the same complain as with warrior skill 3. If you apply a gimmick, apply it to the 5 skills from the weapon. Not only 1. So make all the 5 skills charging for less or more damage. Damages and effects: The damages as pretty decent and efficient, the pistols are very fun to play. Bleeding, Cripple and ton of Burning. Yup pretty efficient for a condi. So. It is a good spec weapon to me, nicely thought, good looking mostly, good damage. So just need also the skills icons to be added.

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: The five skills do make the character move and not stay static, for a staff it is okay, but i do feel it is not the level of a daredavil; Skills animations: Skill 1 lacks effects, Skill 2 is just a Engie rifle 5 with a staff (also copy pasted tsundering leap, warrior utility skill), Skill 3 is just a reskinned warrior greatsword charhe forward, Skill 4 look like nothing, Skill 5 (Spark spell) i don't know what purpose it has / Skill 5 (Rotating staff) Looks cool but why just only a front rotate? i don't know really... Warrior... Staff... it could be at least kitten? The profession have an explosive gunsaber!!! And for the staff... it does just that? It is possible to do better: https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxxhn51lwQ0VkVGgE2rLbwx3yJ7ZZFRSZQ?si=l86zd_XaD4H7F0ds, https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxfzWj20NiBf41JqSLQhPZjOENQsX7I_Wj?si=dNXGUNMvMe2Uz9xW , https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxO0YNXt_mp0iY3vh7QjML1jVQ2J0C8pV4?si=trVQY0s8T0-h4qYT , (most impressive). Really... you take the rotating staff from skill 5, you make it on side like a wheel and it becomes like an impressive burst skill. Or a blast finisher. The Berserk skill of staff "Path to victory" is very bad and looking like skill 5, would like it changed to a combo or a blast too. Mechanics: I really try to see what the gimmick of that spec weapon. Don't tell me it is skill 3 with ally/enemy effect? If so.... well it is quite weird... and to me a skill slot wasted that could have been used by a more impressive looking skill. Skill 5 is highly confused, while fighting i never triggered the rotating staff and only the blue spark poof... I didn't understood the purpose I read barrage and somehow blocking but it does nothing and I get rekt by a vulgar oakheart in 2 seconds... The cooldown kills it too, skill 5 cooldown is way too long, skill 2 too.. Damages and effects: Fury, might, vulnerabilities, regen, cripple, weakness, resolution. You may think with this cocktail that it is nice, but the outuput damage is quite bad. In my honest opinion, it lacks stability, because I trained myself on a veteran oakheart and it feels stupid, you rush toward it and try to fight but it can just knockback you away, at least skill 2 with staff stomp could give stability and blocking next attack effect. Again to me skill 5 is very very bad and confusing, instead of two skills, i would prefer one that is an impressive burst skill dealing massive damage, or combo like skill 1, maybe a three phase combo, block any attack then do impressive combo skill then end by spell poof giving boons something like that. So, it is not a bad elite spec weapon, but i am very disappointed by skill effects and weapons, again, I am sorry, but warriors have an explosive saber a la Metal Gear... impressive daggers effects with spellbreaker... and you give that staff with bland animations, seriously?! Nah nah nah, skill 3 isn't impressive, it is just a greatsword rush forward with some flames. Speaking of which, the skill 3 pathing is bugged and sometimes the effects doesn't trigger and i don't reach target so again, it makes me dislike even more skill 3. But skill 3 feel forced if you just made it to sell your ally/enemy gimmick... A way better gimmick for that spec would be timed combos, all 5 skills have 3 sub-attacks, and player have to press skill button at specific time to trigger 2nd sub attack then 3rd sub attack, this could be indicating by the skill icon pulsing intensely like telling you to press it asap before the chain combo stop and let your skill return to default state. [To make it simple if i take as example the video clips i joined before: Skill 1 (Sub attack1): Block incoming attack with staff -> Skill 1 (Sub attack 2 if pressed rapidly): Counter attack with staff forward like a piercing -> (Skill 1 (Sub attack 3 if pressed correctly and in time): Multiple slashes with staff forward to bleed, stun or knockback... this is an example. But it would be basically you know like those defuse mine mechanics from drizzlecoast or repgrogramming kainerg fountains where you have 3 coloured symbols to press...]

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: Well the character is sure expressive and for some skills leap forward, the character is quite dynamic so it nice. Skills animations: Wow wow wow... they are stunning! One of the best of the classes along guardian pistols.... they are beautiful. The Necromant magic effects are nice. Mechanics: I struggle really seeing what bring this weapon, the fact that you can heal yourself by attacking? Healing not enough efficient anyway! So to me those swords, even if the skills looks pretty kitten, don't really deserve the title of spec weapon. Damages and effects: At first it is possible to think it has some good base to be efficient: Heal when hitting, inflict vulnerabilities... but there is no might, no fury, no speed... no boons in fact! And the damages are pretty low and bad, I check the weapons on a basic enemy, veteran oakheart of queensdale, witout using utilities or elite, i take an eternity to kill it! It is not normal! necromancer is known for a DPS like profession, You can take scourge or reaper and you can nuke foes! Even harbringer... harbringer you just drink all the elixirs like an elixir-holic and you get extra buff and destroy everything on your path... Sure it looks good, but regarding skills effects and damage it is very bad, I would never trade my greatsword reapon or scourge to take the dual swords. A great deception! Cause having two swords is pretty cool and the animations are kitten but the damage? The efficiency? It is not here sadly. That weapon really have to be reworked with more damage and boons, and if healing yourself is the main gimmick, well, make it significant! During my veteran fight, I only like healed myself of 200 health point... it is nothing regarding 24000 hp!

OK so here's my feedback for that new weapon: (Through I do think that it lacks utility/elite skills to be like other specs) Character animations: Well, it is a bow so of course our character do basic bow shots, but i expected at least the character doing a gesture like pressing a button in its hands when detonating the vials missiles put on ground. But well the character isn't expressive at all. Even using hammer or rifle feels a little more lively. Skills animations: The effect when he different vials explodes are pretty cool, but the basic bow shot, skill 1, is pretty bland, it lacks something surprising, like the character doing back flip or whatever when shooting the arrows, cause currently the characters is just shooting arrows like without motivation or style... Mechanics: I do like the idea of putting bomb vials around, and anyone here would know if i say that it reminds me of a game with squid childs battling each others. I find it interesting that if the area of effects are on each others, it triggers a chain reaction, but if put apart, they can be detonated separately. Damages and effects: I was surprised happily seeing the efficiency of the weapon, i definitely will adopt shortbow on my main character that is engie cause it is very efficient. It has all, a main skill that inflict vulnerability, and other that give what is needed: Cripple, Slowness, Weakness, Blindness... Even more vulnerability... and might! It even stun! Gosh my love ended with my Mechanist Hammer, I will embrace Shortbow Mechanist now. So, yup, pretty fun to play! And to me, eventually the animations to be made better, and of course, skill icons, like vials (kinda like harbringer vials skills icons) and for bow skill maybe a static bow icon...

Requests for new items -Fox Pet whistle. Summon and play with a fox. (600 gems) -Tails: Cat one, Fox one, Demon one.... (Could be programmed as Backpack, an display tail, so don't bother current pants armor skin, 600 gems one?) I know tails are possible, Adventurous Cat outfit exist! -Lounge in Nayos. (Demon realm of Kryptis) I find it to be a cool idea... but it is true that with Wizard tower services... 2000 gems. -Kryptis mount skins. Full set. Raptor, Jackal, Springer, Skimmer, Griffon..... 1600 gems. Would get it. -Drums as musical instrument, the real thing, the big one used in rock concerts. The current drum is just a tam tam / tambourine... 800 gems. -Astral Wizard outfit, kind of like astral ward armors. 800 gems.

-Please make so that backpacks stay visible when performing emotes. It is annoying to be without backpack and that is disappear when performing emotes. There is already an option to toggle backpack visibility in wardrobe if not wanting to see it, so i see no reason why, when i allow backpack to be seen that it disappear when doing an emote like a bug. -It is just my honest opinion, but i find the wizard vault mechanic bad, i would prefer to have back the daily logins, with their 20 mystics coins, 20 laurel bag at end of months, 20 laurels during month and the black lion goods! The new daily system is meh, i miss the good old 28 days login screen in achievement. -I think there should be more Secret of Obscure mastery points, added to more achievs or to collect around maps, I miss like 14 mastery points to get greater arcane chest access and another thing in same mastery line.... EoD gave more than enough, PoF was okay, but SoO is very tight considering mastery points. -Would like kryptid skyscale skin to be added as vault reward for 2000 points. -In guild hall, please make at the decoration vendor, the number of item selectable. It is a pain clicking 20 times each day to exchange 2000 candies into 20 pumpkin decoration... we should be able to select 20 and do one click... -(Other point: Would love kryptis decos for gh, but i precise, affordable. The available astral wards gh decos are just outpriced especially stair or windows, between requiring cured leather squares, books, orichalcum chisels or hammers.... 20+ gold to craft one... those are parts of the most expensive decos... on another hand, thank you for halloween decorations, they are cool and correct in term of gold cost. I noticed clocktower beam, and some curled trees as new decos.)

The Kryptis skyscale is featured on the Secret Obscure page it is like an easy obtainable reward, put under spotlight, I am sorry, you ask the players to do first "A new Friend" Collection that already ruin player of gold coins and then, for the second collection "A new Look" you make an outrageous total gold sink! I am sorry I feel the need to do a shout out to warn about how bad and camming that collection is! Here are the steps you should do to get your demon skyscale: 1 Talk to Skyscale Trainer Dyanne at the Beacon of Ages. (free) 2 Purchase the   analytical charm from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower. (1 Amalgamated kryptis essence (Ton of tiers essence + 50 ectos, understand 10g on tp) + 200 ectos + 20 asccended spiritwood planks)!!!!! Yes that one already steal from you like 80+ gold coins!!!! If buying from TP!!! -----200 ectos = 40g, + 50 ectos = 10g + 20 spiritwood = 85g ----->>>>> TOTAL ~ 140 GOLD 3 Complete the Skyscale Target Practice adventure. (free) 4 Defeat 20 Kryptis turrets with your skyscale's   Fireball. (free) 5 Spend 30 continuous seconds being carried by a ley line while mounted on your skyscale. (free) 6 Bring the collected data back to Skyscale Trainer Dyanne at the Beacon of Ages. (free) 7 Purchase an   anodized medicinal cauldron from Lyhr. (1 Amalgamated kryptis essence AGAIN + Encased light + pouch of stardust + 20 delrimor ingot) So understand, again, around 60g easy plus ton of map currencies removed from you!!!! --------- 50 ectos = 10g + 20 deldrimor ingot = 100g -------> ~ 110 GOLD 8 Collect a   sample of possession from the Cosmic Observatory Strike Mission, or purchase a sample from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower. Cause I don't want to do mission guess what? Ton of kryptis essence and 10 icy lodestone. Ok That one may be the step the less expensive. 5 Gold... 9 Collect a   sample of corruption from the Temple of Febe Strike Mission, or purchase a sample from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower. Same if I buy, 10 corrupted lodestone, it is like 10 Gold, it is okay. 10 Complete https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/5/58/Skies_of_Tyria.png/20px-Skies_of_Tyria.png Skyscale Medicine Masker. (250 wurm meat to collect on wurms) (free) 11 Bring the collected medical supplies back to Skyscale Trainer Dyanne at the Beacon of Ages. (free) 12 Administer the medicine to the skyscale and consult Dyanne. (free) 13 Complete https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/5/58/Skies_of_Tyria.png/20px-Skies_of_Tyria.png Arcane Osmogrifier. (1000 fragments to loot from arcane chests (free but long) 14 Use the arcane osmogrifier with the Heart of the Obscure on the sick skyscale near Skyscale Trainer Dyanne. (free) So in total, like 140 G + 110 G + 15 G ---> 265 Gold ---> ~700 Gems for Gold to gems conversion currently. Or like 1100 gems if the opposite way. I am highly disappointed by the cost, and can't understand what happened in Dev mind during the making of Secret of the Obscure. The expansion is a pain in my soul, between the astral ward armors that are highly expensive, and now the skyscale?!!!!!! What the point if players aren't even able to earn easily the rewards and for not a lot of gold? I just lost 50g already to do a new friend, and you expect me to put 265g for a skin? It is like the gold required for commander tag!!!!! I thought lesson were learnt from previous expansion, it seems not:!!!!! Rewards out of reach? Are you serious? Locking away like this kryptis skyscale skin and astral ward armor skins? What the points if I can't even have expansion related skins and rewards? Wanna know? I would have preferred the Kryptis skyscale to be available in Wizard Vault instead of that useless shiny Griffon skin!!!

So as usual here is my expansion feedback,for so far. This is my personal thought overall. 1/ Maps : Skywatch / Wizard tower / Amnytas Skywatch: I do love the idea of fractal islands, exloring potnetial alternate timelines, of course as playing mainly asura, I pass my time at Rata Novus Promenade, the place is just to beautiful... The stone summit and dwarves are also pretty cool, in term of islands, I like the astral ward in south-east too, and the balthazar part is interesting, forged are cool enemies too so... I gonna concede an island intrigued me at first, it was the Mech habitation zone, comared to other islands where you can of participate in the lafe of the locals, that one is just purely survival apocalypse. MinSec, bots taking over the city, it just make me thought of Terminator and Cyberdyne with those auto loud message playing in the place asking to exterminate the organics (us). I do like the events, I pass my time taking care of the skyscales in the south east or laying with rata novan their city hymn with trompet, nice hymn btw. I haven't participated so far of the meta to unlock the wizard toward so I can't really tell about if the meta is nice or not. Wizard Tower: The place is charming with all commodities, like a lounge, not gonna lie, the last POI, was hard to find, had to go on youtube to see it is an hidden wall in the flanks of the island, below. Not a lot to tell, all the members of the astral ward are nice, I like a lot, the Charr doing gesture, Gladium and the skritt. The blue jotun woman was nice too Dorga? Yeah something like that. The only character I didn't really linked myself with is Mabon, sure cause it reminded Lazarus, but, like, compared to others, he does nothing and then get killed... Like, if I remember his character it is just that he came helping us at the start of the story... And well Zojia was nice. I gave a good laugh with Gorrik- ivan shenanigans over the coms awith the cat hiss. Amnytas: Very well structured map, it is clear, there are zones, easy to navigate. I did participate in the meta with at the end the big squid nine eyed demons, was epic. The POI are interesting, between museum, gardens, pools, outposts.... and at the center that massive spire. It is a nice map. The architecture... if I can use "The astral style" is particularly very present, just like the Wizard Tower. Isgarren looks nice.... hmm... I would really like the UI and the events to be more clear, like a big indicator that stay at the right of the screen that say in big letter "WARNING: Current kryptis commander spot at X bastion. " or... "CURRENT EVENTS: Bastion of strength, bastion of natural" something real clear. Because really I think, apart for rifts since the mastery show you where they are, it is easy to miss an event or a kryptis commander. 2/ Story So firstly, if I understood well, the beautiful demoness Peitha, is a kryptis lord that help us and her brother is Cerus, the big bad good looking demon guy who track us and beat us in the intro... and... they both normally obey a dude called Enach which is midnight king... I suppose, a demon king. But then, I am replaying the story here a second time, but can't spot when "Strange voice" became "Peitha" and it makes me really confused, like i missed it, I am still lost wondering how i know her name. The introduction instance was nice, really, like creepy foggy gendarran then vroom, vaccumed in the Demon rift to end in.... demon realm? Purgatory? Hell cathedral? In any way I love especially that place, I know the vines all around walls are badically southsun karka nest recolored red, but still it looks demonic like flesh... pretty cool that demon cathedral where we fight Cerus. So, normally, in the next chapters, Peitha welcome us to recruit some Kryptis to support us... against enach? And here I ask by advance, don't make the kryptis come into wizard tower as we recruit them! Let us go again in that demon realm of Cerus to go recruit the kryptis! Why? Because way cooler and make more sense. Demons don't go out of their place, have to be convinced. All those kryptis are just some basic hell spawns, but the superior ones like Cerus or Peitha don't go out of their lair.... I don't know if it is made on purpose, but the elite kryptis do have deadly sin like names, like glutony or envy.... But so far.... i didn't spotted any called Lust, Wrath, or Pride... normally there are 7 sins. But amnytas map count only 5 Bastions. I think it is a missed opportunity. But can be corrected easily if we spire ring as 6 and the spire in itself as 7. This way there are indeed 7 compoments, one for each deadly sin, which can add to the already nice story and demon things. Speaking of Kryptis, it is intersting that they can possess... well, don't get me wrong, it is totally normal and expected! What I am saying, is that, in Tyria, there are demons, like shadow demons, ataxes... fleshreaver..... imps... if i can eventually include ascalonian ghosts.... and... none of them can possess us? I kind of want a priory thesis to tell me how Kryptis demons are superiors and able to possess compared to fleshreaver or imps. 3/ Mechanics The introduced mechanics and masteries work well together. And I can sigh in peace, cause I can finally spit fireball with my skyscale! Gosh that thing is as logical as skimmer going underwater to me should have been there since start. It is nice to reuse ley lines, they are a nice functionality, and now being able to ride them with skyscale sure add a twist. The updraft generator are pretty usefull too to gain height, volatile magic are perfectly placed to help moving around! About the Kryptis rifts... I gonna complain. Because I am sorry, but the kriptys motivation tier 2 we earn in story... it should be permanent! Not locked to craft again and again, or being sold on TP! I can get when we start the story we do some T1 rifts, but then we get a T2 device later, it is dumb to remove at the end of the 10th chapter.... If you want us to craft the T3 okay, but at least let us players being permanently T2 rifts once story is done.... About rifts... It would be nice, if when we arrive at some, they are in fact ambushes, and reward more. When I say ambush I speak ambush like amnytas ambush events where player can be teleported and possessed, the big thing.... 4/ Rewards So. the positive thing, is that the player, at the end of the story have for free the full skin set of mist warden armor for all weight. But the nice armor of course... the astral ward one.... is lock behind mastery and I bet expensive components? Sigh. I was looking in the vaul achievement and told myself: A new friend? What is that achivement? Then I started to seek for a shyscale egg, then returned to the trainer.... and then it happened. The disgust, the horror, the pain! Rise your skyscale AGAIN! Same annoting expensive collection! Go get those skyscale treats.... go get those saddle stuffs.... 10G The quaggan plush... 10G!!!!!!!!!!!! How? Why?!! And the treats? I just had to spend 40g on TP for them! For 12! At least the attune the egg achiev was ok just had to push my character to hurt himself like crazy in hazardous environments.... for the meats, was easy to drops on foes...... but the toy for the skyscale? Like 15g for 3? ouch. And now, I am doing the saddle... and what I need? Provision tokens? Well, I guess it is okay, cause i can have them cheep selecting best material and location.... For saddle it is not provision token the problem.... Yes for skyscale saddle... the issue is... Kryptic essence! Pouch of astral dust! Static crystals! YEAH, THE MAP AND RIFTS CURRENCIES. That drop in very poor quantities!!!! Come on! Each skyscale saddle compoment require 125 desspair essence from kryptic. What closing rift gives? 6 of them!!!!! 6!!!!!! And for the map currencies? I do an event in a bastion, and what the game gives me? 4 pouch of astral dust?!!!!! Even dry top or silver wastes reward me better!!!!! Even Tarir! YES even tarir give me more map currencies than those three new maps together! God bless Drizzlewood. Drizzlewood best map. I miss like, 4 or 5 compoments for my skyscale saddle, 125 essences + 125 essences + 125 essences + 100 astral dust pouch, it is a pain in my skyscale tail! Totally aberrant by the way, I already own a skyscale!!!!! I OWN the mount already! WHY? WHY I HAVE TO DO ALL THE STEPS?!!! just for an ASTRAL SKIN? Really, I SWEAR, i do hope once i am done with that, that the collection/ way to get the kryptis skin is not that hard and costy as that one! Yeah, CAUSE... i am forcing myself to that new friend one to unlock the kryptis one after.... like... STUPID. Would have preferred not doing it, bringing my skyscale into the demon realm, got corrupted my dragon! and boom! But yeah I think you can just 4x every event rewards. Cause there is an issue currently. Not enough map currency. Each Rift should reward easily 25 essences, each event easily 20 of currencies. Plus, where are all the goodies? Why there isn't like for LS4 map, a volatile vendor, or for LS5 map some vendor on map taking map currency for reward? I have static charges... and some others... why can't I exchange them for Mini peitha? For tonics turning me into a kryptid? And...... there is nowhere any kryptid armor? to look like the cursed kryptid? Well kryptid weapons? I am sorry but since That_Shaman stopped to say, it is even harder to figure what is added... but I did noticed new guild hall decorations, so thank you Anet. 5/ Others Noticed the infernal envoy outfit on gemstore. Excellent. Apart head. The scales along the face are okay but strange, should have looked like Peitha for females, and Cerus for male in term of face. But still very beautiful outfit, will get it when included in the black lion outfit voucher. Wizard vault... dunno what to think of it, took emote, mystic coins and gold to basically have money. But not gonna lie, all my wizard vault point just got into making me earn gold, gold immediately spent in skyscale achievs..... didin't took sanctified skins, sanctified weapons are good looking but not my style. I just gonna report one thing, i think a scam, it is the mastery point box, I am sorry, you can't put a box rewarding mastery experience, from everything apart secret of obscure map?!!!!! There are so many masteries to upgrade! The minimum is to have help of ganing mastery experience! I replayed the story with another of my character to notice that completing chapters don't give mastery boost the second time... I can understand for equity, but at least make the wizard vault mastery chest give SOTO mastery EXP! Add it!

This is just a basic post to speak chillingly about that new expansion. (For info i put link of page here of expansion as i will speak of some little things on it https://www.guildwars2.com/en/secrets-of-the-obscure/ ) 🙂 Firstly I would like to say I am happy that the Wizard Tower is finally used, indeed it was a place teasing me since 2013 when I started playing gw2; and knowing that there is an Arcane Eye outpost hidden in the cliff of Garenhoff just near the tower, of course it is an important place. I missed the beta with the Weaponmaster Spec/upgrade but It seems very fun, and a good addition, I do like using my mechanist Hammer whereas being mechanist with my jade mech. It finally allow enjoy the specs, as I will just use my weaver weapons with my catalyst... and look carefully what to do with each of my 13 chars. The demons setting is very nice... exploring rifts of reality it reminds of unstable rifts of auris weirdbringer and more recently the rift stranger, the branded rift stalkers from kralkatorirk, and Aetherblades mist shenanigans. The picture of the website with that djinn like city is intriguing reminding a little of crystal desert mixed with Astral observatory from Istan. Maybe some little things reminding the not realized Utopia expansion... Skywatch archipelago is beautiful and quite heavenly looking, like holy. What I get is, that we earn the Weaponmaster and we can use any weapon from any spec as weapon skills, some relics and runes, and what is very neat too a new weapon to use for each profession, strike mission and fractal of the mist. Three new armor sets, legendary set, weapons set... But... i read a little thing that attract my eyes: >_> "At launch, unlock the new Rift Hunter and Astral Ward armor sets, with a demonic set available in a later release. " "You'll uncover a treasure trove of rewards: weapon sets, unique weapons, back items, combat tonics, infusions, guild decorations, miniatures, emotes, and more!" "Complete the entire Mastery track to unlock a demonic skyscale mount skin for your collection." When I read those, I spot two things: Demon related rewards, and Guild decorations. And I gonna confess. I like demons. Demonic feature. Succubi. Vertical demon eye. Those creatures like Bellum in Zelda. My 13th character is a succubus on which I use dragon wings. But as far as i know, there is zero tail armor. I think the only example is the Adventurous cat outfit with a cute cat tail. But, really, you make like a thick dragon tail leg armor or demonic tail for 600 gems, bim boom I buy. I mean, any demonic outfit or armor I will be interested. No, I see you coming, skimpy/revealing outfit? Demon? Succubus? Well, If it is a cute demon suit with dragon scale I am interesting, even if only like lightly revealing. Hmm Hmm. Anyway, as I see guild decorations, and I am really happy to see those, like really happy, I know, I will sound pushy, but I would just enjoy having a nice floating palace or island in the sky as guild hall. Well no worries, I hope, but I guess, if no... I will just stay in lost precipice. To continue about the expansion, I just got myself the deluxe one, and I gonna say, the raptor skin is nice, and the emote is interesting to look at when using it. What else was in it... ah yes, the weapon set? It seemed Egyptian to me, reminding crystal desert again. It seems where the expansion take place is kind of tied to mist as there are balthazar relating things on one of the screenshot. Permit the reasons I purchased, there is that 10 seconds shot showing a rata novus like area with a demon rift, and not gonna lie, It baited me, just like seeing Zojia on some of artworks. Well that it. Haha. End of post. 😛

Ok, so as usual, for many many news map releases, since Living Season 4 episode 1, I just wanted to tell about my experience about this new content delivery. Intro BUT, this time I can't really give you rate, like 15/20... 8/20 and so on, because, it isn't a full map. It is just adding a small chunk of it, and just this is a very very huge disappointment in term of map size, indeed, I was expecting the second half to be like the first one but at the left. Just completing the puzzle. What is very very infuriating is also the vertical line of fogged undiscovered area overlapping the boundaries of the two main zones that feel like raw patchwork. No more waiting, let me start with the story? ^^ The Story (Meh - oriented BAD) So, at the end of the end of dragon, I was already in a special mood, seeing the commander somehow a super saiyan and ending destroying a giant void dragon fairly easily... it felt quite forced. And now, we face, an over tortured commander. I mean, I picked Tybalt. I was very close to the character and in the personal story, for me it was one of the biggest affecting moment, then we continued and we lost Trahearne. I didn't really like him, but he was nice as the marshal, but it was okay, it was not a very saddening moment. The story continued and the commander resurrected from the dead against Balthazar. I thought okay, why not. It wasn't a big deal, we are in a fantasy world, resurrections spells and stuffs like that can exist. But there were two moments after, where I shaked and felt really bad, the lost of Smodur in drizzlecoast and the lost of Almorra soulkeeper in bjora marches. I loved those two characters. So ok, the character of course is a fictionnal character, but if I imagine my feeling, and project myself in him, it is big deal. At a point I wonder, the Commander then got reminded so many time about his lost friends!!! By Jormag mental manipulations and illusions, by ghost of the past like Snaff in Sunspear sanctuary, and then Gorrik just ask us again to remember about the past showing the memories of our friends or reading about them. Really, come on, if I were the commander at this point, I would take my sword and kill myself. I just can't imagine the guts, or how apathetic the character of the commander is. I mean, during a lot of story steps, the commanders care of its crew, the dragon watch, their new friends of Cantha, the commander keep checking on others, asking if everything is okay, but who care about the mental health of the commander in return? In Cantha, I feel quite alone, apart with yao or joon, and the only character tht was nice to see return, Mai Trin? BOOM killed..... I somehow liked the build up during the previous release of "What lies Beneath", the demon felt like a big deal with illusions and eating fear... But the build up was totally DESTROYED!!!! I will cite my friend Detective Rama "I can't believe we killed that thing with the power of friendship memories. I am not fond of that kind of crap..." GOD that dude is SO SO like me. YES. You are right. This is CRAP and even him is aware. Rama best character. Really he is right: We passed from nuking dragons with Aurene to being super saiyan and kind of immortal against gods, to now, JUST OUR MIND AND MEMORIES are strong enough.... what after? A clap of fingers like Thanos? Really Anet, I try to be invested in the story and relate to the characters... but come on, what was that story? We just walk in a tunnel and keep saying to Rama "YEAH you are fine just keep saying those two lines to create those seals walls. Me? Oh. Just taking a walk and killing demons like they are skelks, the usual.". The commander got 0 hallucinations. Whereas a demon is stalking, near it the whole tunnel. LOL even the Boneskinner in bjora was more efficient looking at me from above and ambushing or summoning fake allies under snow crying for help. I just want to discuss about this, so, there is a demon, a wanderer, that could just take the path from the previous episode, just to pass through the base and reach our camp, but SOMEHOW, it decides to pass through that tunnel? That demon, is just, happily waiting here, whereas he could go to the surface, retaking the brotherhood outposts to feed with fears and become stronger and breaching the mining ops camp? yeah it makes 0 sense. When we were seeking in Arborstone, I thought, we gonna fine a good thing something impressive... just a plate that create walls with a book, really? Hey. HEY HEY Anet.... Do you remember that, to retake Lion's arch to risen, we literally were TURNED INTO BALTHAZAR AVATAR and caused rampage around? Like. Kurzick, Luxons, they got nothing better against a demon than that? Really? :o To pursue, let's return to the commander. We then had a step at the tea house, to somehow support rama? I really appreciated that Gorrik let me choose, the partner, and I took Ayumi. To be frank, I went in the tea house, but really thinking I would just have a wholesome date with Ayumi... and I expected to speak a lot, what she likes... occupations and so on... I was roleplaying hard, sipping, eating rarely, talking to her... and then... BOOM HEY HEY you have to do something please! I have enough of talking of sushi rolls! Hmm, TAIMI? Excuse me what? And then... please choose: -Break glass / -Point randomly at something / -Burst Moves. Hmm... excuse me... hmm no. Ayumi is looking nice... I don't want to ruin the moment ankwardly. Ok... I'm not crazy... so I pick dance. And she cheers a woohoo. Ok it was awesome. And I checked the talk with hers, the dialogs, not a lot... ok I get it... it is just for the sake of rama... bleh. Ah yes "full circle" was the name of the story step. Just, when Gorrik gave Ayumi as choice as was like... who the hell is that? We met her? Really anet. Make our relations clearer. Today, I can't even say who are our friends apart the member of dragon watch aka, taimi, canach, marjory, kasmeer, gorrik, braham, rox, rytlock... and hmm zojia, and hmm cantha one joon, yao, rama... xD Indeed, what it made me realize, and it makes the character of the commander even sadder, is that the commander doesn't have a lover, a great friend that would hang out with them. No no no, i see you coming. No, really just I think of the wholesome, just able to go somewhere with an Npc and discuss. Depending on your personal story choice too, your family is quite small, with eventually peoples welcoming you or a sister. But parents? None. And it strikes hard for my 6 asura, they are all alone, no family, no lover. And, no house! And it can be a way to reuse the personality system of dignity and charm to allow the commander, our character to you know hang out. With a tengu, or a lot of other possibilities. :'( The character of the commander is a poor soul, lone wolf and hobo. Yes.... plus tormented by its 50+ memories of dying pact soldiers under their commands + Put zojia into vegetative/dead state + made their mentor killed + lead to the death of the leader of the vigil + Lead to the death of a tribune.... hmm excuse me. Two? Well we killed a god too and that lich of joko. Oh godness, the god of war is actually DOING WAR? wow. Forged were kitten looking. And Joko... well. I guess at least he got a good build up. The progression during the whole LS4 was nice. :) What I did forgot? Hmmmm.... so seeking for a rune..... testing a device that somehow turn good memories into a weapon.... putting just a few flowers on mai trin memorial *faceplam* ... having a walk in a tunnel to build walls... having chul moo lost for hmm... killing one of his crazy crew member? Ok... Meeting between chul moo and yao memory.... OK Ok. And then just fleeing outside and killing the big threat, because friendship is magic... that sounds like a kid cartoon.. friendship is magic... Yeah that's it. :/ I think that there should be a hint or anything, about how to get to the new area after story. It adds 3 new POIs, locked behind the meta... couldn't the wall preventing accessing the new tunnel zone from the north can be removed? What about the adventures? I saw no adventure icon on the map, where are they? And those dudes of Xunlai or mining ops with their new armors, where are they? Really, the achievements could be more explicit linking to a poi or indicating a zone... The "map" (Very Bad) Well I should say, the map shard, the added piece. Meh. Really meh. Really disappointing. It would have been better if the tunnel was a mix of Silverwastes ley line hub with Brotherhood outpost and machinery like the first half. The tunnel is very very very empty it feels like the bare minimum was put in it. And REALLY, I already didn't had high expectation. A lot of leyline like environment exist in Tyria, bloodstone fen bottom with ley line, silver waste ley line tunnel, and the beautiful confluence chamber of tangled depth with its giant basaltic organs... really this one from Gyala feel very cheap. I am not expecting a lot, I expect based on what I already saw in your game! Very basic tunnel. Meta (Neutral - can be better) Hmm. I would like to see it. Hahaha. The new zone doesn't even have WvW outlines like others, I can't put my finger on it when the meta should be starting and from where it starts... but if it is what I think, it starts at the end of the previous one, after the wanderer.... Come on.... I just don't want to go in the caves all the way down to reach the new meta, would like the noth wall to open and let me enter from here to join them, or at least a new waypoint appearing or becoming uncontested! Just... come on. Have to start at the camp, take a haze mask, pass through first outpost and floor, then move down to the second one, goind then deeper to jade pools, then go lower to the wanderer caves... just to start the new one? Really please, at least a waypoint here. ;) So far I just heard a few peoples telling that the chests are scattered around, yeah it is a little annoying... a little step backward, the more they are together, the best it is. The rewards (Very Good) Ok! This is the part where I will be the least negative hahaha. Beautiful futuristic heavy armors called mining ops, drill like skins, an interesting chair skin, interesting dyable backpack... Yeah! It is nice... they are nice... looking like ant man helmet, or enforcer from warhammer 40k... Nah. Really good rewards, and the armor is for karma and research note, and that, it is very cool. :D Really the chair is nice, the screens, how it looks, it feels like what you would sit in while in a giant crab mech or xunlai octodrill while ordering the others to dig deeper, it feels like that scene you know, that colonel sipping his coffee ordering the pilots of the valkyrie in avatar. Achievements (Good - can be better) There are a lot of achievements about adventures. But where the skritt and bookah are they? No icon on my map in full screen! It's bugged? Should talk to someone? Should be indicated. And the captain Wing Jun of special ops? Where? Can it has an icon like the other world lore npc? Btw, I love world lore Npc, there should be one in every map! It is a so refreshing addition. It it like special drink to me the info she gives. The rest of the achievements are pretty OK apart "Go kill 50 onis ambush" Big sigh. :( There was not a lot of achievements related to the story steps... Really the steps lack of achievs like "Kill the wanderer at the end without touching AOES" or "In the full circle, explore all dialogue option" or "Kill the demons without using positive memories device" or "Bring the crates to chul moo in less than XX:XX". ^^ Conclusion As always, take this as constructive critisism to any Dev or artist reading it. Gw2 is an amazing game. And I know how some team and artists can render very very well environments, or create amazing events or metas. And I can't judge straight saying there is nothing to save. Maybe the delay was too short, maybe you weren't enough working on it, maybe you are all on deck on the next expansion and that is why the quality decrease? It makes sense. But when I see this release, please be serious. Don't release a new map part. You could have just gave the rewards, the story steps happening in the last room of the previous meta for the kill the demon thing. And then, later, give a REAL second half of this map. A second half NOT RUSHED. Ok. You know, I am a kind of creative person and imaginative one, let me tell you what I was seeing, just you know, to understand: "Once reaching the deep of the cavern, and starting to test the emotion device, the crew realize by eliminating this wanderer that he wasn't the origin of the fear and craziness of the miners, at the back of the room, the wall is sealed with a demonic red magic requiring intervention from the durmand priory in duo with the knowledge of arborstone, they mobilize a few arcanists along some speakers cultists that are are aware of how to break the seal. As the crew go in the wall, they found out more excavations of the jade brotherhood more wrecked, some brotherhood are found but they are half oni with half of their body being mutated into more imp or demon shape, they speak mostly in reverse or shout. Around this very deep cave in complete mayhem we found several group with very high tech equipmeent wearing Mining spec ops heavy suits, with deployed jade cannons and portative forcefield. One of the captain of those mining Special ops (charged to extract Ley purified jade they see as powerful potential energy), tell us that the surface camp locked the exit corridor with quarantine force fields to prevent the dangerous evil lurking in to break to the surface, to avoid scaring the others, it has been sweared to chul moo to not speak of the incident to the others and continuing the surface mining. Some records on jade hologram displayers transmit disturbing records of some miners seeing their loving one assaulting them, their friends acting rabbidly, or more scary, becoming possessed demonically and morphing.. The outpost behind the wall was three time bigger than the others ones, and more securized and it felt like it fell more easily. A bridge pass over a liquid jade river and lead to a massive platform where ley line converge forming like a ceiling of stars with dancing flame like ley lines, several stone orbs rotating above without gravity, on it, a greater demon in the style of karaxai wait for the commander and its crew. Guarding a massive three layer jade forcefields displaying screens and security protocol at maximum levels, twelve jade batteries maintain it, and only chul moo is able to disable it with its clearance. The fight is hard between agony orbs in spirals, Aoes blinking to warns before powerful haze tornado appear on them, the demon fuel from time to time on ley line to be powered up, and the demon pass from three different phase where it changes each time its ley-line infused bounty like effects. The emotional device is the only way to break his defiance bar as he charge up powerful attacks. From time to time it summons sad memories to disturb, and along the fight we have to reason gorrik, rama or even taimi. At the end the demon is eliminated but the cave menace to break, chul moo disable the quarantine jade force fields letting use climb up running on scaffolding and fallen mega drills creating bridges on several void gaps. The commander is breaking and very bad at exiting the cavern and ask gorrik to never do that again and that they need to rest."

Firstly, it is warming seeing all the upgrades of tge game, fix, enhancements along reading about the plans for the future. So it is nice to see the support and future plans. :) Through, in 10 years, there is still something that stayed the same. I have 13 characters, asura, charrs, norn, humans... I like them all. But I also like having a different profession spec for each. Sadly, the specs I like the most, the medium ones, when I create a character I can't hide the annoyance and disapointment knowing I will not have as much armors mix and match customization as others. I created so many nice designs with my light and heavy characters but medium.... It is always the same, trenchcoats, pants that doesn't look as amazing as other weight... come on. Take the bladed armor... either putting another torso and see the pants doing nothing, or being forced to have the whole suit. And this is this pain for EVERYTHING. It feeks so annoying at a point of thinking that my engie will be better with heavy skins. Sadly, I do truly understand the fear of devs of anyone working on those of clipping issues. But frankly, lastly I found some rare light and heavy mixes with clipping issues and I found it was looking well on my characters. I wonder, couldn't all medium chest just be like, cut when at belt level, and letting all the thing under being part of the pants skin? Yeah. I know it will be some work. But come on. I will never be enough grateful to devs, for bringing back LS1, marionette, and even... old lion's arch! ;D Should I speak about SAB world 3 preview? Those last two years were amazing. And here today. Really. I just have one request for GW2. A changing great QoL, fixing Medium armor. Being finally mix and matchable. Allowing medium looks never made before. I have 3 engies. A ranger and a daredevil. But more than the other half is light or heavy specs. I start going in round with medium knowing that using a transmut charge for leggings is useless, all looking the same or hidden by the chest piece taking over the whole body.... sure chest are nice... aetherblade, dungeon ones, the one crafting... but I just which I could put a leggings that do show themselves. .... come on. I search bladed legging medium... even on google the image show the whole armor and not just legs even wiki use full armor.... what is the point if the bottom isn't separated from top? This is literally scamming 1 SLOT of armor pieces. Honestly. This is it. I would like this option to separate bottom and top.. putting bladed chest with aetherblade bottom of trwnchcoat... having a bandit top with a full funerary bottom.... having this selecrable to have current version or this mux and match one.

The gemstore along the years saw a lot of differents things added: -Weapons skins -Armor skins -Finishers -Upgrades -Toys -Miniatures -Outfits -Gliders skins -Mount skins -Fishing rod skins -Jade bot skins -Skiff skins The three items, in greatest amounts are currently Mount skins, Gliders skins and Outfit skins. And after if you want exclusive weapons skins. But there is one thing, present still CORE 2013 that the gemstore team could monetize: - Skill/Pet appearances. What are the pros? -> There are 9 professions, 27 specs in total, each with at least 10 skills (weapon-heal-utilities-elite) without counting the differents elites, different possibles weapons and the gimmicks (pets-turrets-elementals-clones-traps-spirit weapons-legends-minions-banners). -> Skin designs possible are endless. -> Like mounts or gliders, it is surely a safe bet, as it changes how you look and will be easily noticed by others, eventually convincing them to buy those skins too. -> If anyone is scared/bothered to don't recognize the enemy skills and pets in pvp or wvw, this isn't an issue. Why? First, even if your lynx become a mecha terminator cat, over its head, it is still displayed lynx. Secondly, an option in settings can be added "show default skills skins for other players" . Thirdly, are you bothered to see a fluffy bear jumping on you instead of a regular warclaw in wvw? If not, it is the same here, it doesn't matter how look your death, you know the foe profession so you have an idea of its skills. THIS IS THE ONLY THING TOUCHING MAIN APPEARANCE THAT CAN GENERATE BENEFITS. I don't have the selling stats of the gemstore, but seing the producrion rate of mount skins it means those work well, but it worths nothing to try, things like learn to dance volumes or pet whistles exist, and they aren't a lot. It worths it to try the skill skin idea and see if it works. An engie turret reskin? A new skin for necro minions? Whatever: Asura like turrets and awakened minions for necro? THERE IS A SECOND THING. Almost as old, guilds date from 2014. No no no, I turn it in any way in my head, there is no way to generate long term stuff for guild on gemstore or let's say refund the investissement. I will speak of something more moderate, upgrades. The guilds are still stuck in 2013, lacking many services. Guild hall have been killed by lounges. Let me explain: A lounge is accessible without expansion, the mistlock sanctuary as example, in addition of letting you return where you where, have all commodities: travelling to cities, fractals, have a trading post, bank, even mystic forge. There is no reason to go into a guikd hall now. Apart from scribing. As lounge do what the guild hall does apart scribing. IT WAS AN ERROR TO CREATE LOUNGES. Whereas the guild hall was a breath taking of HoT new feature adding the unique way to have housing and scribing and special services, it now feel like a chesp gimmick compared to lounge. WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT MOVE? Selling on gemstore guild hall upgrade: -Add asura gate to fractals. -Add strike portals. -Add LS4 and LS5 (icebrood saga) vendors . -Add dungeon vendor. -Add fast travel to main cities asura gate. -Add trading post and bank. IN SUM SELLING UPGRADES FOR GUILD HALL TO TURN IT INTO A LOUNGE, NOT CREATING 50 LOUNGES. This way, the guild hall woukd have felt still relevant today, nevralgic point for launch of operations with the guild. Today, you don't have to join a guild, you can simply go on LFG with the correct gear build and find peoples to do what you want. And it is sad for guilds. To return to the main subject: What characterize a player, what a player mostly show to others, and what others notices the most about other players? In order: 1- If they wear a legendary or not. Infusion or not. 2- If they are wearing an outfit or not. 3- If they are using basic mount skins or not. 4- If they are using basic glider or not. Skiffs? Jade bots? No. Those are too niches, indeed skiff is on water, when doing metas or world bosses there is generally no water. A jade bot skin is hardly seen in melee or during a meta. So what would be another great stuff to customize? I re say it, our skills. On a world boss, a meta, or events, what you see the most is that eye burning mayhem of used skill. I bet that most of the time, it is skill effects thay is seen on screen. So it make sense to be interested to custonize those. And really there is lirerally nothing else yoi could make benefits on. I hope skiffs sell well. But if gaining more is on the table, skills may be the idea. Gliders - Mounts - Skiff, aka Air - Earth - Water already cover movrments. Outfits - Armors - Weapons already cover the character in itself along makeover kit. Miniatures - Finishers - Instruments - Chairs already cover the gizmo/fun part. The only aspect remaining is rendering: -How skills renders. (Weapons, utility, elite...) -Profession gimmicks appearance (pets, clones ...) -The voice our character have. (Deep, high, scary...) It is hard to project ourselves in the next expansion or next big features, but it is hard to see what could be added. A mercenary sysyem? Housing not requiring guild? Surely no for both. Vehicles? Nope. Grappling hook, digger? Useless. It felt like icebrood saga main feature was eye if the north, but it is pretty meh. Let's say it is a free lounge just like arborstone. I will confess. When skiffs were announced, I expected them to be like in zelda phantom houglass, a cannon to shoot at distance, an anchor attached grzppling hook to catch inderwater chest and recover them and the possibility to enter in the boat to see our little cabin. The commander don't have a real house, after 10 years of adventure.

This year, 2023. 10 year s about the starts of the game, we finally receive a new zone. A WORLD 3 Zone. I know that SAB isn't the cup of tea of everyone, but this addition means a lot to me, along the years, I posted about SAB, concept plans for the zones, possible additions and how the additions are nice. So I would like to send a virtual hug and a great thanks to whatever team who worked, maybe hardly on it, and really; it brings joys and spark into my heart. Maybe for some it is not big deal, but to me, and I hope some others SAB lovers, it means a LOT. And so I have no words how to tell how nice this is. The zone, even, well, it is the purpose is in debug mode without checkpoint, there are still foes and cage boss at the end; And gosh, what a zone. The size of it is impressing, and the new assets and mechanics too. I love the feels and how it renders, well, as a mine. That zone feels interesting to me, because somehow it seems like a preview of the 3 zones squeezed into one, Sparkling pools (known with 2013 ketto lab secret achiev), Underwater caves/network, Mines/Excavations. Note that I only made up that name based on how looked the area, and that I felt it could be subdivided in 3, well, like other worlds. The rewards this year for the new set and annual achievs are also neat, to me they look like Old Asuran weapons, like the one that could have been used rata novans or quora sumians, indeed, their design remind me of veteran golems / the ones found in rata novus or draconic mons. So yup I have fun in that new zone and I'm investigating every secret in it! Time for annual SABing and getting all the annual zone run achievs! That's my favorite moment of the year, and now also my favorite year. Frankly, I am more than okay and happy if a new zone is added each year, it is cadence that is perfect if it can allows to finish SAB. But i already feels like there is 3 worlds instead of 2 now. Thanks you a lot. I will not spoil how it looks precisely to make everyone enjoy it, about the length, I would say it is the length of the rapids, well, dunno, if speedrunned it feels like dark woods. -Someone who discovered SAB 10 years ago and still haven't forgot about it haha.

I was wandering on Ankka's page on GW2 wiki, and I found the following paragraph: "The Aetherblades ran into Kralkatorrik during his rampages through the Mists. In panick to escape the Elder Dragon, they forced their way out of the Mists earlier than intended and went through a Mists Portal, escaping back to Tyria, finding themselves in Cantha. While in Cantha, Ankka hid with most of the non-human Aetherblades in the ruins of Drowned Kaineng. During their time in hiding, Ankka learned of the Harbingers, and studied their magic and techniques." So far, not so much Aetherblades Harbringers have been seen, many of the ones from Shing Jea Island ended like Mai Trin: Haunted, with a blindfold, revenant specs. The weekly specifically says Non Human Aetherblade, is it to understand that, Humans/Pirates aetherblades established camps and bases in shing jea, north of kainerg city and echovald forest, whreas Asuras like the Inquest part of the Aetherblades stayed in Drowned Kainerg? If so, Drowned Kainerg would be like aetherblade retreat near lion's arch? Just to maintain the equipements, there are surely asura. I am curious of the continuation of the story, after all, we met mai trin in EoD and we still have that Dredge technician that were working for them with us.

Ok. So. I like foxes. I have the ninetales skin and lastly I seeked for every single shrine guardian spectral kit in cantha for shing jea sea to dragon end, passing by the new gyala delve. WELL. Almost. Cause little fox spot in pine topiaries of shing jea sea map is bugged (fox #12 in achievement spectral...) .... sniff. And so, I would like to ask, not for a basenji dog, not a skyscale pet... but a FOX PET WHISTLE! Yup you read it right, I want to pet it, to cherish it, to make it do little tricks like the tiny spectral foxes, play bring me that bone back or the hide n seek. And when I sit/sleep it does it with me? That's it. -A fox lover.

Good post, hope it will be fixed. There is no reasons why we couldn't anchor and uses cannon. Our commander can save the world but is to stupid to press two consoles to shoot bolts?

So some big deals to me that constitute real QoL: 1- Being able to use our turtle mount cannons even if alone. At the current day, I consider the turtle mount to be the greatest scam of history. Why did the players put so much efforts and gold coins in them if we can't even use the two big cannons on its back? The mount was badly implemented. If you want to keep a disadvantage of being alone, well code it so if I want to shoot I can't move, if I am not fixed for shooting i can move... this is one of the biggest errror of implementation, no mount should force the player to be with another one to enjoy all skills. The recent map is painful, and show you even more Anet, that it is a stupid idea. Yesterday, I saw 6 poors players bumping the heads of their mounts to break walls... it is so dumb we can't shoot by ourselves. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT SINCE EOD LAUNCH, THIS HASN'T BEEN CHANGED. 2-Since 2013, I opened ton of bl chest, as we speak, they gave me 200 mystic forge stone, 100 revive orbs, 170 waypoints to friends, piles of heroic boosters, several merchants, bank or trading post access. ENOUGH. For sanity sake, let players exchange those useless goods against statuettes! Efforts were invested to get keys to just piles those useless no values good in bank! It is time for change. EVEN IF 5 BL GOODS FOR 1 STATUETTE I DON'T CARE. My bank is almost full because of them to not fill my characters invs! 3-Really. Regarding new map, create a new event icons for ambushs. Reuse the one of bounties... they are easy to miss, map is filled with blades events icons. Regarding visibility, increase event detection range or make them all visible on minimap. It is a pain to have to wander everywhere to know about all events present, which thing is at what upgrade level and so on... 4- I got an idea some times ago about key currencies in chests farms map like dragonstorm or that new delve map; instead of indicating the numver of keycard/machettes/bandit keys/miner keycard whatever in inventory; you should put the icon at the top right of the screen with near it the number we have. That will greatly help to keep track of if we can open chests or not while enjoying events or exploration. 5- If an achievement is not available, please mention it will comes later with an update. I didn't find any way to listen to gorrik logs, jade researcher logs... if those are added week after week or next update, at least, please write in red in the achiev "not yet available"...

So a new map release, and as usual I just wanted to share what I think of it and how good i find the differents aspects as I did with all Ls4- Ls5 (ibs saga) and cantha. So well, will speak about story, map design, gameplays mechanics, events, ambient..... Story To start, that new map called Gyala Delve. The map is a progression between the surface and going deeper and deeper underground, a structure that can remind the left part of dry top or tangled depths maps. The story is pretty clear that something is weird about this place kinda like bjora marches it is question of being driven insane by evil forces. As the story starts with Rama and Gorrik and Yao which to me form an excellent trio, it is nice to see that the detective agency was created. We are sent on the place to investigate, and I found the investigation part talking with everyone interesting. But then after meeting some jade brotherhood driven insane attacking chul moo, we are tasked to well, collect samples of jade to see uts reaction with the void or scanning hot spots. Suddendly we are just tasked of doing some events and boom as part of the story we escort, blow a stone wall, go deeper in a ley line hub and then go into the platforms room to defeat I suppose a demon called the ravener. I think the story steps don't reflect what the story want to convey. Since outside, investigation part, it is said it is very dangerous underground, that they hear wall talking, and we can think maybe hallucinations. The player/commander and its friends progress too easily underground. We go in it like it is just a randon walk whereas the area is a combination of Bjora Marches mental cognitohazard and Verdant brink creatures dangerosity level. It is totally incomprehensible the area isn't under quarantine or having more security checkpoints. Indeed even near the surface, first underground area, miners and personels are already driven crazy. I think it is too abrupt. In the first outpost, jadepillar, I would have put 75% sane workers and 25% that are rebellous, screaming, attacking others and mechs/their friends trying to resonate them. At behemoth point, like 50% sane and 50% insane because of the giant drill fell down keeping doing an nuke alert alarm and all the void energy coming out the hole, finally for jade pools, 75% insane and 25% sane but the sane are all dead and can be revived because knocked out by the rest. It is too direct the story is told, there should have been a step to reach jadepillar then investigate, speak to personel, then going to behemoth to know why the mega cutter drill fell down and the fact they found a void energy vein/miasma, and lastly jade pools to learn why no more extracted jade come from them to supply others garrisons and the surface. This story had great potential, but the story steps doesn't fit, only restaurant and outside investigation fit the theme. Of investigation. So I can only put a 13/20. Good base idea, badly realized. So keep up the good work! And maybe try to stick to the main feeo/idea to convey, not going multiple path. Map Design Let's continue with map design. The environment is neat, frankly, this is one of the best underground designed. It is a nice detail that there are creatures in the walls of jade, the underground isn't uniform, with hydrothermal/volcanic green pools, quartz cavern, mushroom area reminding ??? Talking shrooms of jahai bluffs, the deep faults, fossils and Orr like assets like ursins and corals. The jade brotherhood mining outposts fit totally in the scenery, it industrializes not too much the map but still keeps the feels of high tech. It only kind of feel odd that the brotherhood didn't made jade lanterns paths like in echovald forest to help the miner find their way to outpost or exit. Where the mega drills are it feels very natural how the rocks are broken around them, the fallen one in the dark hole is a nice touch. In dry top I was already fan of the ley line network, and here, they ley line hub is cool too. The astral cavern is very cozy and remind of sone caves of Draconis Mons or around Rata Novus. The cave that host the champion abyssal at the end of meta is mystic with its islet and willow wisp, it is sinister. Those great designs proove it is possible to make cool looking underground, seriously, take that map, replace jade by lava and fire, outposts by asuran ruins or structures rata novus like and you have an asuea/primordius map, sad it is too late. The map design so in sum is very cool and does convey a feeling of being unsecure that creepy stuff can happens here so it worths a 17/20. Good job to the team, awesome work. Gameplay Now about gameplay/ replayability. The first big issues are keycard. I am sorry, you can't give 5 caches each events and even make some appear when killing enemies whereas in another hand, limit the ones purchasable to merchants, and makes then drops only rarely during event. The contains of caches are really bad, and doesn't push me to seek them. In addition of that the cost of materials needed to buy keycards to open caches are more expensive than what loot the caches making against the whole thing stupid. In term of exploration, sure all the locations are available, but those annoying claw symbol walls prevent taking shortcut in addition of forcing to take the turtle mount, that again I aldready told you about this issue, is useless without copilot. Each meta event requires turtle mounts.... destroy those generators with turtles.... destroy those doors with turtle..... break walls with turtles...... god. Please. Like drizzlewood, at least allow us to purchases jade powered siege weapons like canons or whatever using research note. Or even better! You boost by a lot jade miner keycard and make it used to purchase siege weapons! Finally since it is gameplay have to speak about it here, the air filter system. Let's be serious, it may have sounded like a cool idea, but again it is badly implemented. When running out of it, we are affected by conditions which prevent to wp away. I would prefer to be killed, not losing time and waypoint away to rejoin rapidly. Also, it miss immersion. If without filter, I would like to see hallucinations, hear voices, saw some allies as enemies! Really! This is more realistic, lore and immersion friendly! Everyone says it is dangerous! Gorrik check 1 million times if we are okay with com when exploring during story! Go at the end of the concept/idea, and makes the area as disturbing as bjora marches if we breath the void gaz without filter. Due to all those issues, this will be one if the worst rating, 5/20. Events Events.... well I already said in the past how I find areas with only like 5 types of events. Bad. But let me explain here. Firstly, get rid of the upper zone event "revive and subdue jade wasps mechs" this is just braindead and make you lose IQ. Really, just foes popping from time to time, killing one just progress 1 or 2% of the bar, doing it 50 times, reviving them... plainly dumb. To replace. Really. Worst event ever seen. No context just foes tgat spawns already dead or need to be killed then revived. Fed up with that one. Then we have what I will call, flavor events, here just for achievements, let's be true: Void harasser/callers don't remember names, the ambushes and jade botherhood capture/defense events. Since I started playing, I never saw a single ambush.... please.... like bjora marches, make them have a special symbol or whatever, I don't know what they look like... my experience so far is 50% slain creatures and 50% kill agitators!!! It's horrible! It feels like there are only 2 events copy pasted all over the place. What remains are just the escorts and fighting the wanderer/ the bosses after it. It makes me so sad... the jade brotherhood outpost feels so dead..... you could have put like in thunderhead peaks at least cheering event to motivate the miners or check the ones that have mental issues or disoriented... and I mean... it is an hostile environment? No? Why instead of twisted brotherhoods, there are not demons , ataxes or shades attacking? I find it stupid to break their forcefields doors, there should be an event to restore them with jade vattery afterward or about building barricades. But I tell you what it miss the most, the feeling of being alive, of connections. The outside quarry obviously put pressure on the workers to supply jade, surely the company hmm MineTec, MinSys? Wants productivity and ton of jade quantity. So I don't see why, when the control of outpost is reastablished, that we don't escort jade floating carts to the surface regularly. Or like, securizing supply lines. Currently it is just do random events around the outposts, just why? Those creatures aren't even attacking it! The agitators feels more like lost peoples than a threat... why a genocide of crazy humans whereas we can't even be ourselves at theur place to understand the situation? I will finish that part on that ravener. Weird choice of boss. Gonna be honest, in the same room, there are 3 giant alien like tentacles with mouths... why... just why are we fighting, a long boring fight in which we don't understand when it ends or what to do, whereas we could have fought against an interesting, 3 tentacles beast, that suits the definition of Largos, quaggans or Priory of tentacles horrors in the deeps of tge sea? The creature isn't even in jade and is fed with leyline! So yup the fight, make it more clear about what to do? The boss has to be killed like what, 5 times? Always same attacks of fractal agony like orbs, then like a deadly attack with shield reminding ensolys from tower of nightmare fractals. Even the captures of brotherhood outposts are just like stay near that fractal agony orb reskinned as cloud and emiting agony balls. Frankly would prefer legendary Ley line infused bounty like brotherhood or demon or ley line anomaly for the deepest outpost instead of a swarm of foes and agony like ball. So well. It does impact the overall fun, but it isn't the worst as mechanics and gameplay. But still, 8/20. Ambiance I'm very fan of those. And I'm highly disapointed. Didn't spotted so far anything. Not even foes having interactions or emotes like in drizzlewood, tgose frost legions talking together, sone other dancing or talking about the good guys. In story it is mentionned like crazy stuffs: someone locked itself because crazy, a dude but chul moo, many spoke backwards, heard whispers from walls. Crazy stuffs, would like to see more enemies screaming, doing backward stuffs or talking unintelligible dialogues! Not a lot of talk options too. So here 5/20 too. That's it, if there is another map part, makes it way better. Because as a final rate combining all it is 48/100 so a little less than 10/20. Will not speak of reward. Just found the jade tech visor cool along minister hat and xunlai detector skin. So thanks for them.