blackheartgary.8605

It would appear as if a well thought out solution to some of the issues has been obtained. It would also appear that now, for some strange reason, that these changes are being offered, people are asking for more stuff. This feels like someone delivering a perfectly cooked meal, then offering desert, and still the one who has eaten is still hungry.

hey there, thanks for the input. oh, and thanks for you being you and speaking your mind. Don't you worry, i'll do exactly what you just told me to do. i promise 🙂

a very solid response. thank you for this. and yes i agree with you entirely. while i still maintain that the vast majority of rage comes from the feel that the mount is being gatekept... if that was taken away, then the focus would be on the issues of the meta event that people have expressed, and arguably, there would be a lot less people upset. i won't lie... tonight we got to 9% and because of a single missed breakbar, it was a loss. it was a solid fight, and everyone on map was giving it all they had. and if i'm honest, the last cc check was understandable, due to all that was happening around the group. there's two schools of thought, and both are upset with the whole thing. but if one of those, the group that just wants the egg, didn't have to suffer through something they really don't want to do, i think that would please them and that's a good thing. and for those that are in the other school of thought and focus on the fight itself, even more focus on the fight would take place, albeit with less people. I may be oversimplifying it, but i am not 100% wrong on this. it really, really, is about "i just want the mount" and personally, i don't.

Think about this for a brief moment, if you will: first, let's strip the egg from the event. By doing this, those who feel they are required to do something they do not want to do no longer have to do it. second, let's look at the event. it does not ask for KP. it does not ask for builds. it does not ask for LI. Players do that. The event is not to blame for the choices players make in how to organize their teams, as the event does not demand those things. Third, yes it's hard. So was gerent. Yes it has RNG and that should be looked at. as far as it being fair or unfair, that's not my call. The fairness or unfairness of a thing is determined by the individual's opinion. I am simply stating a fact. if you remove the turtle (or egg) from the event, there would be less arguing about it. the focus would then be on the mechanics of the event itself. I don't feel superior to anyone. i see things in their complexity and then bring them down to their simplest form. in short, i summarize. hence the post. 🙂

quite the contrary. people like mounts. they're actually pretty cool, and a great addition to the game. Maps were designed around their use. I have no issue with people wanting their mounts. never did. My point... is that if that turtle was not connected to DE, the arguing would not be as loud. and i am not wrong. yes there would be a debate about the event itself. but by and large, there would be less arguing if the mount was not a part of the event. period.

I remember when Triple Trouble launched, that there was this feeling that the world boss event was way too hard to complete. It was an open world event, requiring 3 groups to split off and simultaneously attempt to take down 3 heads of a Wurm. Back then, it originally felt unbeatable. Overt time, teams began organizing, strategies were forming, and attempts were being made to test out these strategies. a LOT were unsuccessful, and yeah... people did get a bit salty over it. if i recall correctly, there was even talk that TT was too hard. Talk that TT didn't appeal very much to the casual player for the level of difficulty it presented. and then people learned how to defeat TT. repeatedly. and Yes, it still fails today sometimes. The Chak Gerent fell to a similar pattern. Anet Stepped in at one point and nerfed it. the Gerent didn't have as strong a bite anymore and people began playing it more. the same exact thing is happening here with DE.

never said there was anything wrong with that. i said that the turtle is the reason for all of the grief.

you'd be wrong. i don't have the mount. i am not interested in the mount. i love the event. i love the challenge. But thanks for assuming.

gonna be honest here... you're 100% correct on a few things here. under no circumstances should an open world event require role-centric subgroups. that's correct. and the DE meta doesn't ask you or expect you to have it, or at least that's not what my screen says when i enter the map. This particular thing comes from players themselves. second, the thing about KP: again, this is players, and not the event. the players themselves are making those requirements, as they did in raids. I'm strongly against that concept. you cannot expect or demand from other players that they provide KP for an open world event. it's simple as that. and those that do will be disappointed to know that while they may require that in their squad, it will not stop players without KP from participating in an open world event. Because, you know... it's open world.

Respectfully, I disagree. As a whole, the Event is designed to be difficult. Of course it is, as this is the culmination of almost a decade of fighting Elder Dragons. I would be deeply disappointed if an end-of-an-era event is a fight that lasts 10 minutes and can be done with less than 5 people in an open world map. No. IMHO it needs to be this difficult; this challenging. it needs to feel like it cannot be done. the mechanics need to reflect the skills that have been given to players since launch. It needs to have a "big fight feel".

"I just want my mount". That's it. That's the entire reason for the megatons of forum posts, the debates the arguments, the angry players, etc etc. "I just want my mount". Since the Launch of the Expansion, and the discovery that the Siege Turtle collection begins after the successful completion of the DE meta, there have been countless arguments, thousands of words lobbed at each other, and a lot of disappointment from players. Successful completion of the event gives you an egg, and this egg starts the turtle collection. Now, before anyone gets any ideas, I do not want the mount. it's not as important to me as the experience I get from playing the game itself. The turtle mount is cool, indeed. yes it seats 2, yes, it can be used in open world combat. Also, I get it... the DE meta is challenging. I love that it is challenging! Yes, please, feed me more of this! Win or lose, this is perhaps the single greatest fight-based event in guild wars 2! can it be random? can it be frustrating? can it be overcome? the answer to all of these questions is YES. But the meta is not the subject of the debate. it's not the subject of the increased division amongst players. That title goes to a small turtle egg. "I just want my mount". Here lies the sole reason why the bandaid gets torn off on a wound that has existed since Guild Wars 2 began, in reality. There are many different kinds of players, and 2 specific types of players are arguing incessantly over working for what you want vs working hard for what you want. This has happened several times before, and no doubt it will again. but in this particular instance, it is ENTIRELY about: "i just want my mount". Think about it. if the turtle was obtainable by any other means, this mt everest of debating would not be taking place. people would be less angry. those who didn't want to do the DE meta wouldn't have to, and those who did would have the groups they are expecting for this type of fight.

Apologies. it's not intended to be, what did you call it, a "gotcha" moment. I work in a real world industry where my job, for the most part, is to de-escalate things and try to figure out the root of the problem, then find constructive means on how to solve said problem. Call it Deductive reasoning, with a paycheck. You're right, BTW. There's Nothing wrong with the meta. not really. it has nothing to do at all with the meta, in fact. it's about the mount. people just want their mount.

And there it is. See, the HUGE argument that has completely engulfed this event is not about the event at all. Not really. the Argument, in a single small nutshell: "i just want my mount" vs "i want to beat this event" When we simplify the argument down to it's easiest form, that's the ENTIRE reason for the hundreds and hundreds of responses, the increased division amongst players, and the countless words being thrown at each other. it comes down to "i just want my mount".

Judging from the overall size of Cantha itself, there is definately room for more zones, and apparently there already is one located slightly south of one of the existing zones. then again, that zone specifically, is for the guild hall. imho, it is entirely plausible that there is Living World content in our future related to Cantha. The real mystery is: what kind of living world will we get?

Look, i get it. there is a mountain of posts and seemingly endless threads saying (almost) the exact same thing. let me summarize: "we want our turtle because that's what you said we were going to get. you never told us how we were going to get it" and "i can't get my turtle because the thing to start the collection is attached to a very hard open world event and that's not fair" And i promise you, if the turtle was not connected to said event, everyone would be happy. and the content they deliberately choose to skip will be skipped. is that the solution you are seeking?

I agree. and so i don't further confuse anyone, what i was referring to above... is that this particular debate endures (for lack of a better word) and has endured in many forms. difficult content requires some form of skill. it always has. difficult content requires some form of organization, a level of communication, cooperation from several people, and the learning of the mechanics of that content. it ultimately will stop being difficult once the above boxes have been checked enough times. However, while those boxes are in the processes of being checked, the enduring debate will continue. if one does not learn after x amount of attempts to do a thing or not do a thing, and continues to repeat their actions identical to the first attempt, the same result will take place. as long as this constant exists, the debate will endure. I promise you this though: after a while, this particular event will not be seen as difficult as it appears, "because learning happens". this same formula has happened before in multiple events in guild wars 2, and it has happened on multiple other platforms. so has the division/debate. that's my point. A simple solution: do not link the 2-seater tank-turtle to the meta event. find an alternative to link it to. does it stop dividing people? no. it simply solves an obvious issue.

so... please allow me, for a moment, to respond from a "outside" point of view. this is what i am reading, seeing, and hearing from anyone who has attempted DE and either lost or won. (ironically, this same debate can be applied to anything considered challenging) Party 1 states that X content is too difficult and caters to party 2 and party 1 should not be punished or forced to do what party 2 is doing. Party 2 states that X content is fine and party 1 should be willing to work on personally improving their playstyle or be willing to adapt in order to successfully defeat X content. Both Party 1 and Party 2 want the reward at the end of X content. Neither party 1 nor party 2 wish to work together to successfully complete X content, and neither party wishes to play alongside the other. Both parties blame each other. The debate gets heated more and more, and the division gets greater and greater. Time passes. X content has been played for a fairly long time (not for just 1 week) Minor adjustments have been made by developer to address issues brought up by both parties. X content, surprisingly, becomes a bit easier to accomplish. now, whenever you see the X, insert the following: Triple Trouble, Twisted Marionette, Mordy Migraine Achievement, Chak Gerent, every single raid, strike, dragon response mission, CM's in fractals all the way to 100, Tequatl Rising, and strangely enough.... waypointing if ded from Golem Mk 2(the WP is right. over. there!!!!) the difference? the shiny in this particular debate... is an egg. for a ridable turtle. let that sink in.

Precursor: the following is not intended to spark a lengthy conversation, debate, or heated argument regarding the meta event and any issues individuals might have. This is simply one person's point of view. Hello. I wanted to jot these words down the moment I first experienced the Battle for the Jade Sea. I wanted to, but i also wanted to find the right words that could describe what i experienced without sounding too much like an kitten. Thought of wordage had to come first, and now that I am ready, if it is alright with you, I'd like to share with all of you my personal experience with EoD's final meta event. It started, with my main character entering the map itself. Dragon's End, aka the Jade Sea was nothing at all like the Sea i once remembered from Factions. Yes, while it of course looked vastly different(250 plus years will do that), it just felt different. Something was looming over the horizon. My first few moments being in the area were non-social ones. For a moment, I stopped to take the environment in. Deep contrasts of color schemes. Calming yet ever-so-slightly foreboding music in the background. As my character moved through the space I could tell things were just tense, not just from the map chat but from the collection of NPC groups amidst the map. These groups, or factions, if you'll pardon my puns, were fighting each other and also fighting me in the previous map. in fact, the Brotherhood and the Singers were engaged in a form of "gang warfare" in the Echovald, and I had to fight through loads of them to get here, to a map where they held an uneasy alliance. Then it dawned on me. The reason for the uneasiness... The Dragon's End Map was designed around the prepping of all of us for a world-altering battle; one that could very well spell the end of the planet Tyria as we know it. There were large roaming groups of Dragonspawn everywhere, and the further I roamed about, the more there were. Yet, despite the looming threat all around them, the NPC's continued their preparations for the oncoming battle. a Commander Tag was present, and I could only assume that was the individual explaining the event chain that was to follow. This player was roaming about the map completing event after event with a group of others following them. The instructions that were being given was not unlike a military general strategizing and prepping his troops for battle, with a slight dash of memes and humor to keep it classy. I tried to pay attention. I truly did, but there was a lot going on all at the same time. Plus, this map was huge. The area reminded me a lot of the Crystal Desert Maps in size and scope, but when it came to the art that was being displayed here, there was simply no comparison. Yes. that was my distraction. The Canthan zones are just absolutely breathtaking to behold. Their beauty was only matched by how dangerous they could truly be if not properly navigated. This distraction, the stopping every few moments to just stare at the zone in awe and think of how long it must have taken for the artists, coders, and other developers to create what i was seeing in front of me instantly drowned out the Commander's explanations. Sorry, Commander. I've been deep diving into the lore of the game and focusing a lot on the story leading up to Dragon's End prior to entering the zone/map/whatever you wish to call it. The Jade Sea was once the scene of a heated and violent battle between two warring Factions: the Luxons and the Kurzicks, and each were fighting over the valuable Jade Mines that existed after Shiro Tagachi summoned the Jade Wind to turn the Entire Canthan Sea into this resource. I remembered the hundreds of hours i used to spend in this area doing Alliance Battles, or just exploring and seeing what was just out there. When I arrived at the Jade Sea this time, another, more gruesome Battle was about to commence, but this time, it was to save an entire planet. Yes. That was just the preface of my thoughts before the event chain began. All of what you just read was racing through my brain while I was exploring Dragon's End. A timer began, and it snapped me out of all of that. This timer was specific: we collectively had to complete readiness activities to prepare for an assault against Soo-Won, the Deep Sea Dragon. But Why? Because She was consumed by Void Magic and was producing Dragonspawn from all of the previously Deceased Elder Dragons? or was it because the players on the map wanted to ride a turtle? My thoughts were the former, while Map Chat insisted it was the Latter. So I snapped out of it, and worked my tail off to help as best as i could to complete the events. I raced from side to side, area to area, and with each completion of the events, I found satisfaction knowing that my contribution was helping prep for a much harder fight ahead. Except It wasn't. The Timer kept ticking down, even though all the areas were on "high readiness". Map chat was growing quiet. I was seeing less and less players moving about and doing things. A Giant Jade Maw event was happening, and yet no one was attempting to complete it. Something about not understanding the mechanics or not enough people. I went over there, and was immediately reminded of why playing solo sometimes sucks. Then, after respawning, I was reminded what the definition of insanity was. Meanwhile, The Commander and their crew were chilling nearby in front of a bridge, with banners out, consumables for everyone, and watching the timer tick down. BTW... Timers ticking down? slightly anxiety inducing. Finally it was Time for the first Big Push. Three NPC's gathered where the Commander was, and began to dialogue, then split in 3 different directions. Something about "all the preparations have been made, etc. etc." We split into 3 groups, each Pushing their respective NPC towards their intended destination. We'd stop along the way from time to time to stomp on some Dragonspawn, and it was often at times Hilarious watching the NPC I was following clear an area, backtrack several ticks away only to reverse course and keep moving. Finally we got to our destination. 3 huge walls were blocking the entrance to a temple that was inhabited by a Salt Spray Dragonspawn. our team had to assist in defending siege turtles as they knocked down these walls, giving us an entry point or 3 to engage what was inside. The fight was messy. there was a lot of running around, people shouting for CC and "moar dps!!!" and yet, there was so much chaos happening inside that tiny space that finding the hitbox to actually land hits against the target was a challenge in itself. Despite all of that, we managed to take the beast down, and claim we were ready for the next phase. we were not ready for the next phase. 4 events on the map spawned after a few moments. each connected with Zhaitan, Moredremoth, Jormag, and Primordus. (excuse my misspelling). each of the 3 groups now had to peel off and contend with the 4 areas that were leaking Void Magic and stop them as fast as we could. once done, a 5th event spawned at the Harvest Temple, representing Kralkatorrik. Yes. I just mentioned these 5 Elder Dragons. You know, the 5 Elder Dragons we have spent the past years fighting against? Their Energy all combined into one thing called the Void, and it was spawning hordes of enemies. "but wait", I thought, didn't Aurene absorb them? nope. not all of them! They were now a part of Soo-Won. That's why we had to put her down. Getting to that 5th event was easy. completing that 5th event was pure chaos. Above Me, I noticed beams of light representing the Elder Dragons themselves coming down into the Harvest Temple. All of them. converging on one area. This was truly.... apocolyptic. For a player like me, someone who looks into the surroundings to get a feel for what's actually happening, this felt both chaotic and terrifying. was this the actual end of guild wars 2? I started having that feeling that comes with the culmination of a lifetime of work coming to fruition. and it actually scared the hell out of me, even for a brief moment. I had to shake it off, however. we had a job to do. Aurene wanted us to charge the 5 crystals in the center of the harvest temple with the leaking magic from another 5 areas that spawned after we closed the previous 5. Players were running all over the place. Fights with Dragonspawn were happening all around the Temple. And Then, it was time. After almost 90 minutes of prep work, event chains, countless Dragonspawn Slain, and countless moments of me stopping and going "hey this place looks pretty-oh yeah back to task" we ascended to the top of the Harvest Temple, which just had it's top ripped off. By Soo-Won. This was what I was looking forward too the whole time. I had finished the Story Mode itself, and now I wanted to see what the Commander and several other players were all fussing about. It did not disappoint! This disk-like platform we all stood upon suddenly got real quiet for a brief moment. Then Soo-Won arrived. To the Developers, a Massive Kudos to the design of this particular Dragon, btw. WOW. I hear the echoing, booming voices of Aurene and Soo-Won communicating to each other. I could immediately tell that Soo-Won was using a dualing voice, one of herself and one of The Void. The fight began with everyone being downed or defeated almost instantly, and that set the pace for what was, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest 20 minutes or more of fighting I have ever witnessed in guild wars 2. There was just so much happening all at once. i heard this booming, ominous voice just telling all of us to "just give in to darkness" or "embrace oblivion" or something like that while Aurene is begging... pleading with Soo-Won that we didn't mean to do this, we didn't want to destroy her. Meanwhile, Tsunamis, Whirlpools, countless Dragonspawn, an insanely beautiful yet deadly Tail squashing us over and over again, and even Soo-Won herself biting, swiping and spewing acid at us. we had to break off several times to fight champions of each Elder Dragon on smaller platforms. we got turned into wisps, chasing after our own memories just to get our bodies back, which were encased in crystal. In what I can only assume as a meme reference to the Nickname "bubbles", we were encased in bubbles by Soo-Won's Tail and our teammates had to pop those bubbles. This was both Horrifying and Beautiful at the same time, and yet... In the middle of all this... we had to fight the Mother of all Dragons. To Stop Her. To remove the Void from her, before literally all of Tyria was obliterated. and we failed. Soo-Won sacrificed a part of herself to keep the Void away long enough for us to try again. At least that was what the end of the fight was telling us. To me, the Map closed, and i respawned on another instance. Alone. With the Calmest of music playing in the background. Only for me to attempt to do this all over again. To ArenaNet, to Guild Wars 2, to the people that made this event... This is me saying thanks. That was one hell of a ride. Keep it up.

Greetings, I haven't posted in a while, but this particular thread has piqued my interest. First, allow me to say thank you to the team at ArenaNet for the hard work and endless dedication that was put into the creating of not just EoD, but all of GW2. End of Dragons is, imho, a masterpiece in practically every way, and I applaud your efforts. That said, Allow me to get into this subject. of the Battle For the Jade Sea. First, Thank you for the updates to the event. While for someone like me, who simply enjoys a good fight and a better story, this would only make the good fight better. I think, however, that there is a vast misunderstanding that a lot of players have regarding this particular event, and are upset for 1 of 2 reasons: First: They are upset that the turtle mount collection begins only after successful completion of the meta event, which can possibly be seen as gatekeeping. The reward for a successful kill, in their opinion, should not be a promised and promoted feature of the game, but instead that feature be acquired by other means. Personally, I feel that the end justifies the means. Honestly, that siege turtle is flat-out cool. It's a two-seater mount that can be used in open world combat. We are literally being given the ability to drive a pseudo tank around Tyria. That reward, should not come from an easy acquisition. However, I can see the point of those that feel it's being kept behind some invisible wall. an average casual player values their time wisely, as there isn't very much of it in the first place (for many various reasons). Case Studies be damned, they simply do not have the time that is allotted for the pre-events and the meta to happen, then hope for a successful kill, and finally be rewarded the McGuffin they were there for in the first place(or they can't be bothered). Suggestion: Provide an equally challenging alternative for acquisition. this could be a gold sink (similar to the griffon), a worldwide collection (similar to the roller beetle or skyscale), or a series of smaller, yet challenging events across the planet of Tyria(such as strike missions) Second: People are upset, generally speaking, that simply bringing the character they played through the whole of the story now must also have the build that is "meta" for the event. Now personally, I am not very keen on playing what everyone else expects me to play. I personally choose to play the way that fits my character more than what is numerically optimal. I can see, however, how running a optimal build would assist in a more successful ending to the meta event. If a well-organized group of players running optimized builds can win, then one would assume that this would be the avenue to go should one want to actually beat the meta event. Still, there will be people that insist that they cannot find such organized groups (yes they fill up fast) and therefore have to "pug". Also, there will be players that will state "But I really just wanna play what I have and succeed with what I have". To these individuals, which I can honestly say are the majority, adaptation may be the challenge, and not the fight itself. Nerfing the fight will not be a viable solution for them. They need to grow, adapt, and learn from experience. This can't be handheld or taught; it has to be experienced over time. There's no suggestion for this part. the entire game has prepped us for fighting "every elder dragon plus 1" We adapt or we do not survive. Again, Thank you for producing an epic game and epic story.

if anything? i gave someone humor to read while they are being better than everyone else.

no. i am simply used to everyone ripping each other apart in these forums. i've grown used to it over the years. it's almost expected that when someone actually writes something serious, 2 results will happen. people will get confused, laugh at it, or proceed with the written thrashing of anything posted. Even if it was serious. even if the author was genuine.

I am so glad people find what i wrote to be funny and confusing. Your immaturity is palpable. making light of someone actually talking about a genuine illness and their journey with it, including their use of a specific game to help them through it... is seen as a joke to you. "nah, guild wars 2 doesn't have a toxic community" oh... really?

cue the insults.

So, This started several years ago. Let's begin with that. Also, let's make it a point to state clearly I will not be point fingers directly at anyone. That's just rude. Several years ago (you know, when fire was created?) This 46 year old "boomer" left another game after discovering there was this incredible game coming out called guild wars. I was intrigued. The concept of it was amazing, but i so very much needed to know more. I quickly raced to the local store and got the game, brought it home, and made room for the installation. this was going to be epic i thought. The first day I played GW, everything I thought I knew about gaming changed. Here was a very well thought out storyline, Extremely deep lore and history, a beautifully crafted world, amazing gameplay, and as it advertised, my own personal copy of the world to play in with friends in a party. friends in a party. hmm. For someone like me, that was going to be difficult. You see, I have Social Anxiety Disorder. For the Uneducated, Social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia) is a mental health condition. It is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and your other day-to-day activities. It can even make it hard to make and keep friends. The odd part of this was, I worked in Emergency Services. I worked with the Public. and part of that challenge was interacting with people. so how was this going to work in an MMO? Oddly Enough, Guild Wars allowed me to come out of my shell. It gave me freedom i had not felt before. I was allowed to be me, flaws and all, and it was okay. The youth of today might even say it was a vibe. In GW, i could meet people that had similar interests, tastes, and yes! i even met others that had the same issue that i did. As the years went on, i felt more and more comfortable being me and being able to speak and interact with others. It even reflected on my work outside of gaming. The change wasn't immediate; there were times where i refused to come out of the apartment. but in GW, i was safe. i was free. For people Like me, interaction is a difficult thing. I can get terrified just saying hello. I always feel like I am doing things wrong, or that my existence alone is an embarrassment to the rest of the world. However, in GW, I could be anything. I could be strong, i could be friendly. I could be welcoming. Sociable. There was no fear. and for someone like me, that was a BIG thing. My experience in GW was a rewarding one, and when GW2 was announced, I simply could not wait. I had mained Assassin in GW1, and when they had announced Thief, I was almost salivating at the chance to play. More Importantly, I was anticipating more freedom to enjoy the world i learned to love with everyone else, rather than my own personal copy. At Launch, I deliberately took the week off from work, "no-lifed" Guild wars 2, and for the first time in a long time, i could meet up with all my in-game friends in real time, on the same map. it was glorious. Everything Arenanet had delivered to us in GW2 was amazing. the Developers really knocked it out of the park. Combat felt fluid, the world breathed, mobs fought each other as well as you, and it generally made me feel right at home. Guild Wars 2 became my home away from home. it became a Safe Space. I couldn't have been more Happier. Meanwhile, in the real world, I was raising a young lady on my own, holding down a career, and finally beginning to make real world friends. Now you're Probably thinking "the boomer has no friends and no life? that's a meme in itself". Perhaps you're right. Then again, for someone like me, making friends is a tricky thing. there are several barriers to overcome, especially the fear that comes along with it. I have always had this looming black cloud over my head... telling me that i would never belong, never fit in, never be allowed to be me. I've had relationships in the past that went good, and most went horrifically bad, including two significant others dying. All around me, my family members were succumbing to kitten and? with the exception of my daughter, the real world became a very lonely place. So again, Making friends was a challenge. 7 years ago, My spine was severely damaged during an emergency call for a bariatric patient. the partner dropped his end of the stretcher, leaving me permanently damaged. It ended My career, and when a change like that happens, people like me do one thing very well. we hide. I hid inside GW2, of all places. Remember, Tyria was my home away from home. did i still take care and raise my daughter well? yes. as a matter of fact, her first PC game ever was Guild Wars 2, and she plays to this day. she's an adult now, by the way, and is highly successful in her career. For those 7 years, i physically went through immense pain and discomfort. but there was always a place for me to be me.... in Tyria. In GW2. Arenanet made a place where i could feel safe, feel active, and feel wanted. for someone like me, that was a very welcome sight. Gamewise, I deep dove into the lore, the richness of the story, and the World i had grown accustomed to. I discovered new species, such as the sylvari. I fought awkwardly beside the Charr, and laughed at the snarkiness of the Asura. I even managed to befriend a few Norn, but i am sure they won't say the same about me. I became so passionate about this game that i wanted to share it with the world. 4 years ago, i took a very bold step forward. I became a content creator. I became a streamer. Now I know what you might be thinking. "boomer's trying to do what we do all day every day". You're right. I knew from the start how hard this was going to be. i was terrified. TERRIFIED. at first, i wouldn't show my face, because i felt that if i did, there would be ridicule and humiliation instantly. after a few months, i turned on the camera. A few weeks later, i turned on the mic. The Constant, however, was my expressing the passion I had for Guild Wars 2, and what this game had meant to me... i wanted to give that to others like me. I wanted them too, to have a safe space. I wanted others to see what i was seeing. Guild Wars 2 helped me come out of my shell. it helped me grow as a person. it allowed me to freely express my asexuality. it allowed me to fight for causes i believed in. it helped me find friends. it gave my daughter and i something to do for fun together on rainy days and cold winters. and Guild Wars 2 never asked for anything in return. I started a guild called TBC. our goal was to do things differently. we didn't want to be the same thing everyone else was. we wanted to be a safe space for everyone, including people like me. Flawed but fighting. Scarred, but trying to succeed. Damaged, but determined. Together, TBC and I did some pretty amazing things. One of them i even began to promote on these very forums. it was for a good cause, and it was something i couldn't have dreamed of in a million years. it was SCARY for me. all those people, under one roof in one instance, listening and doing things that i helped create. Meanwhile, the world of Tyria kept evolving. HoT. PoF. mounts. Gliding. Raids. Living World. I absorbed everything i could, read everything that was readable, attempted to participate in everything. meanwhile, in the real world, i physically struggled. i financially struggled. My GW2 friends and family helped me out a lot. and as for making friends in the real world? that stopped happening. My stream was never going to be seen by hundreds of people as the service suggested, and my content was never going to be viewed by hundreds of people as YT advertised. day after day, i attempted to do the very thing i was passionate about, and the longer i did it, the further and further away from my safe space i was slipping. it started becoming uncomfortable. the anxiety returned, and with a vengeance. i ended up becoming homeless, unable to hold down a physical job due to the spine. As that was happening, Guild Wars 2 kept evolving. the one thing that was holding me together at that point was the safe space that Tyria Provided. that the community provided. But being homeless has 1 very specific disadvantage: you don't get to play games. So even GW2, even my safe space, was gone. Ultimately i bounced back from it. A few times , in fact. With each return, however, i began to notice changes. Tyria had Changed. Toxicity began to reign supreme where there was safe spaces. Egos and selfishness replaced friendliness. Harsh criticism and social polarity began to rear it's head in a world i thought was safe to be free... safe to be who i was. Well, at least there was the Game itself. The lore and story was solid enough, i thought, i'll stick around. Plus, i was doing actual good work for the community, and my content was finally being seen and liked. No, i haven't a single clue as to why. And then it happened. The ending of the Icebrood Saga. A 30 minute battle that resulted in the death of not 1 but 2 Elder Dragons at the same time. For me, I was devastated by that episode. It wasn't because the combat was bad, or because of some other minute thing. No. You had to kill 2 Elder Dragons in less than 30 minutes. Elder Dragons. One of the mainstays of the lore of the game. one of the largest plot points in the game. something i had followed since GW1. Gone. in under 30 minutes. I was completely invested in Tyria. it was my safe space. and now... not even the story was safe. not for me. The community... all of you... are amazing people. for me, it's not a safe space anymore. I feel uncomfortable logging in. I feel uncomfortable selecting one of my characters. I feel uncomfortable entering any single map. I stopped creating content for Guild Wars 2. I took all my videos down. No one was going to watch them, or me, anyways. there is a small bright side to this. Memories. I can remember those moments that made me proud to be a part of this community. Memories that made me feel safe. welcome. Happy. I also have an apartment now, in a major metropolitan city, where i have this amazing job. it's helping me come back out of my shell again. slowly. Look, if I have hurt anyone here in the 9 years that i have been in Tyria... if i have made anyone mad, i'm sorry. I mean it. I really am sorry. maybe I'll come around from time to time. Maybe End Of Dragons might bring my Main character back to her original starting home. But it won't be the same. You know what? I won't even be missed. I'll be a dot on the map. a blip on the radar. My ability to create content was ignored, my stream was ignored, i was never promoted by arenanet, and i was never going to be. And that is Okay. In closing of this "letter", to the Folks of Arenanet... Thank you. Thank you for providing me with a place i could be me for once. Thank you for providing me with thousands of hours of entertainment, lore, community, and a sense of belonging. The Real world is horrible and scary. but In Tyria, for a while... I felt home. Safe. Thanks for that. sincerely, Sin Of Anubis. aka... gary.

badum tiss. sadly no. we at TBC are still in talks about this... but presently, due to lack of interest and other things i refuse to bring up here, we had to decide not to do it this year.