The Icebrood Saga

[Fny.4502]

Having seen so many negative comments here about IBS, I just want to express how much I appreciate that particular Living World season. Yes, there are certain issues, things I think could have been done better, but overall I think it's bloody fantastic. Grothmar Valley? I LOVE IT. Bjora Marches. I LOVE IT EVEN MORE. Drizzlewood? OMG IT'S EVEN BETTER. 

 

Beyond that, the story-telling has gotten better, the VA has improved (even though I'm missing Canach's original voice BIG TIME), the characters are finally starting to feel like proper people as opposed to cardboard cut-outs, and so on and so on.

 

So I guess I just want to say to the devs: Thank you. Please don't drown in the negativity. Lots of us actually LOVE what you've done with IBS, so don't get discouraged. 

 

 

[Tyncale.1629]

I agree that I enjoy the maps. However DRMs are meh, the collections are super grindy, Strikes are terrible, Masteries are bad exept the Wayfarer Station, that one is cool.   The thing that bothered me is that they sold IBS as Expansion level LW content, also implying that we would never see a regular Expansion again.  I think the ending was very mediocre too. The Mordremoth fight (and meta before that) is so much more fun. 

I personally think LW4 also had more cool content in them (Skyscale, Beetle) and even better maps, and that content had no illusions of being Expansion level.  IBS is Ok-ish, certain not Expansion level though.

To end up with a positive note, I do like the game a LOT! 

If you want this to be a thread where only people chime in that are positive about IBS, then please  say so and I will remove my post. 🙂 

Edited October 15, 2021 by Tyncale.1629

[Rasimir.6239]

I've really enjoyed the IBS up to and including Drizzlewood. The part that comes after however isn't my cup of tea. I love maps to explore, and while I always thought story was a big part for me, too, I really could've done without the DRM part of the IBS. It still feels like they only released the first half of the saga, and the 2nd part (Braham and Primordus) got scrapped in favor of EoD. It's like this huge open wound and they've put a tiny band-aid across because they didn't have time to properly deal with it.

 

I have kind of chalked it up as "no use crying over spilt milk" and am looking forward to a new story and (more importantly) new maps to explore once the expansion hits, but I will always look back at IBS and its outstanding three maps wondering what other maps and stories we could've gotten if they hadn't cut it half-way through.

[Randulf.7614]

The IBS maps work better now they are complete. Bjora released in half maps never felt quite right, but combined it’s a lot better. IBS had so much potential and the VA, characters, dialogue, strikes, atmosphere had started to build something special before it completely fell apart.

[genjonah.1253]

Up until Champions I loved IBS. They just pulled a GoT with the landing

 

 Drakkar was great, love all three of the maps, the first few episodes were genuinely creepy

[The Greyhawk.9107]

Heresy.  I hereby declare Exterminatus.

[Matthew.9473]

What other people said. Story-wise it was going good, then Champions happened and was... bad.

 

I mean really, watch "The Elder dragons don't matter anymore" from wooden potatos and tell me they couldn't have done something so it wasn't so rushed.

 

Personally, I would've loved if they'd delayed champions for however long they needed to make the story and gameplay/pacing better (I.E a new map and no DRMs to progress story). Long as they explained people would've hated what they would've turned out I think most people would understand.

 

Also yeah, masteries were bad Too map-specific.. That's the other thing I didn't like, aside from the insanely rushed ending and all the DRMs you have to do at the end.

[Antycypator.9874]

Everything was fine before Drizzlewood Coast, when we get a story about angry teenage cat running from his parents to be "noticed by everyone", because uncle B told him he's so special (but actually not).

Bjora Marches chapters were great, I love it... it's the only winter map I like.

[DarcShriek.5829]

For the most part I enjoyed IBS.  I didn't like Champions though.  But up until Champions, I enjoyed it.

[The Greyhawk.9107]

36 minutes ago, Matthew.9473 said:

What other people said. Story-wise it was going good, then Champions happened and was... bad.

 

I mean really, watch "The Elder dragons don't matter anymore" from wooden potatos and tell me they couldn't have done something so it wasn't so rushed.

 

Personally, I would've loved if they'd delayed champions for however long they needed to make the story and gameplay/pacing better (I.E a new map and no DRMs to progress story). Long as they explained people would've hated what they would've turned out I think most people would understand.

 

Also yeah, masteries were bad Too map-specific.. That's the other thing I didn't like, aside from the insanely rushed ending and all the DRMs you have to do at the end.

WOODEN POTATOES IS A FALSE GOD.

[Sobx.1758]

I think the staggered drm release made some people forget that it was still one episode of IBS instead of a full "season". IBS before champions/drms was -and still is- good. 

[Farohna.6247]

Unpopular opinion, I actually love Drizzlewood Coast 🤫.  It's nice to see some positivity about IBS, the maps are lovely, story for the most part is good, Champions feels rushed or course.  I appreciate they tried something new-ish with a "saga", better go just stick with Living World, as that's what it truly is.  

[yann.1946]

I'm under the opinion that ibs would have been way better received if their were elite spec bundled with it. 

[genjonah.1253]

4 minutes ago, yann.1946 said:

I'm under the opinion that ibs would have been way better received if their were elite spec bundled with it. 

I think you may be right

 

i’m one of the weirdos who enjoyed Drizzlewood, but yeah I think that the disaster that was champions would’ve been largely forgiven had their been new specs 

[Fueki.4753]

At best, it was decent until they pulled the Primordus card.

They should have properly had it end as the Icebrood Saga, not the lukewarm soup of Ice and Fire.

The maps are decent, although the Bjora Snowstorm is annoying and takes away from the fun.

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by Fueki.4753

[NorthernRedStar.3054]

It would've been a GREAT season if they didn't have the 'rug pulled out' beneath them. I believe we would've gotten 1 or 2 more maps, possibly with centaurs?

The atmosphere was amazing for the most part, and the content was simply put fun.

[Gibson.4036]

I tend to forget about all the stuff that came before Champions and have remind myself. 

I don't care for all the weird masteries, but other than that I enjoyed IBS up until Champions.

Edited October 16, 2021 by Gibson.4036
I

[AliamRationem.5172]

It started out strong.  I really enjoyed the prologue and Grothmar Valley is a cool map with lots of Charr flavor.  Bjora1 was creepy and cool, but I didn't like the whole splitting one map into two and Bjora 2 felt copy/pasted and boring.  Drizzlewood was the same.  I liked the south part of the map, but the way it's set up the north side is a real drag.  These maps would have been better as 1 full map per episode.

Then we come to DRMs.  I know why it was handled this way, but I will take LS3/LS4 style story content over this any day.  They aren't inherently terrible as a concept, but the low-effort delivery killed it.  The expensive reskins for rewards, the same exact boring formula for every DRM of pre events -> escort -> boss.  The recycled environments in place of new maps.  I wouldn't mind DRMs, comparing to LS3/LS4 it fell way short for me.

The finale was terrible.  Sorry.  Dragons were a stupid idea for a villain in the first place, but wrapping up the story in a rush like that didn't do it justice.  Again, low-effort.  We all know why, but that doesn't make it better.

[Obtena.7952]

IBS has two problems:

1. Stigma of 'expansion-like' content when it never was. Even if you put this 'expansion' expectation aside, the whole thing just seems like a big experiment of "what can we get away with?" from Anet. 

2. the Black/White nature of its content ... some content is legit the best in the game, particularly Bjora and Dizzlewood for me. On the other hand, and some of it is the most BLEH (looking at you DRMs and Visions of the Past). 

[Tails.9372]

The IBS would be ok if it weren't for 2 mayor issues.

Firstly: in particular DRMs and DS feel repetitive because they overstay their welcome as they are filled with HP blobs. Consider this: DRMs are essentially an attempt to bring replayability and pugability to story missions but the DPS of the average player is somewhere around 1-5k and upscaled veterans alone have more than 150k HP so fights drag on for way too long completely ruining the experience in the process.

And secondly (skins and stuff aside) there is not much of value to get out of it. LWS4 had two mounts, the Prototype Position Rewinder and a legendary accessory. The IBS has one thing and that's neither a gizmo nor is it free to use. But the most disappointing part here is that there actually was the potential to give players something which has been requested for quite some time now: the Ally Support system which are essentially universally applicable racial skills. If they offered gizmo / infinite combat tonic versions of them for Tyrian Defense Seals then we had at least more to get out of there as (as bad as the combat transformations are when compared to a proper build) these things are (with like one or two exeptions) actually strong enough to be viable for your average casual PvE content.

Edited October 17, 2021 by Tails.9372

[Ultramex.1506]

Ah yes...IBS, nothing boil my blood more than IBS not even that thing called "Scarlet Briar"! What we have in the beginning are mysteries and creepiness with Jormag's whisper then we get a Charr-focused story, both of which i really like then DRM happened...Oh good gravy did DRM happened, I wish it got LW 1 treatment because I prefer it gone forever.

Bjora Marches was ok, i liked the creepy and foreboding atmosphere that is. Drizzlewood Coast, however, was great! For South events that is, North feel like DRMs which is : Too long; too slow; too boring ; too repetitive (Seriosuly Anet, how can you ok with reusing portal events?).

I'm not alway this negative toward GW2 and will defend it for the most part, but it took them ONE last release to fill me with antipathy everytime i think about it, deserve Angry Joe's "Epic Fail" seal. I'm glad i took a break when they were releasing DRM.

Cantha excited me not because it take place in Cantha, but because its an Expac, and despite my rant,  i will still play this game

[Ashantara.8731]

On 10/15/2021 at 10:00 AM, Fny.4502 said:

Having seen so many negative comments here about IBS, I just want to express how much I appreciate that particular Living World season. Yes, there are certain issues, things I think could have been done better, but overall I think it's bloody fantastic. Grothmar Valley? I LOVE IT. Bjora Marches. I LOVE IT EVEN MORE. Drizzlewood? OMG IT'S EVEN BETTER. 

 

Beyond that, the story-telling has gotten better, the VA has improved (even though I'm missing Canach's original voice BIG TIME), the characters are finally starting to feel like proper people as opposed to cardboard cut-outs, and so on and so on.

 

So I guess I just want to say to the devs: Thank you. Please don't drown in the negativity. Lots of us actually LOVE what you've done with IBS, so don't get discouraged.

😂

Just one simple question: Have you already played through the Champions episode, and the last chapter in particular, which is the actual subject of people's complaints, because it ruins the whole tension build-up of all the previous contents you named?

Edited October 18, 2021 by Ashantara.8731

[notebene.3190]

I like IBS (that never sounds right), but am also probably one of the few people that likes the DRM mechanic. It was probably a lot to have 'nothing' but DRMs back-to-back for awhile, but the idea, mechanics, scaling, etc is rather nice. I hope they revisit the mechanic to sneak things in from time to time, be it a part of a LW story or a Current Event or something else. It was a neat way to tell a story, have a fight. Great queueing mechanism too (instead of staring at a party finder waiting for others to show up). Just start playing, if you are alone, so be it, if you get 4 more, all the more fun.

[Raknar.4735]

14 hours ago, notebene.3190 said:

I like IBS (that never sounds right), but am also probably one of the few people that likes the DRM mechanic. It was probably a lot to have 'nothing' but DRMs back-to-back for awhile, but the idea, mechanics, scaling, etc is rather nice. I hope they revisit the mechanic to sneak things in from time to time, be it a part of a LW story or a Current Event or something else. It was a neat way to tell a story, have a fight. Great queueing mechanism too (instead of staring at a party finder waiting for others to show up). Just start playing, if you are alone, so be it, if you get 4 more, all the more fun.

I agree with this.

I dislike DRMs because they feel like playing the same thing over and over again due to their similiar structure (Preevents -> Escort/defense event -> boss). The environment may change, but the basics, as well as the enemy variety is mostly the same.

The underlying idea of instanced content that scales to player amount (besides preevents) however might set a precedent for future/EoD content that functions the same. The need to wait for a group to form / remaining players to join for current instanced content is a pain point for some players that would rather just go in and play. Playing > Waiting.

[Matthew.9473]

Another thing I want to say, besides simply delaying Champions to *properly* wrap up the story in a way that wasn't so crazy rushed, a particular change I would've made is dedicate IBS entirely to Jormag. Then "The Destroyer Saga" or whatever entirely to Primordus. And then yet ANOTHER season or expansion story dedicated to both of them, at the end finally destroying each other.

 

Or place that at the end of the primordus season. That would've given the story plenty of breathing room.

 

I mean think about how many times an expac/season's ending was rushed (albeit not as bad as how champions ended I'd say). Heart of Thorns? Wondering through the jungle then we realize we gotta kill Mordremoth and the solution is handed onto a silver platter. Compare that to the personal story and Zhaitan. Yes the actual fight was BLEH but at least there was a ton of proper build up and strategy to preparing for the fight. Season 4 Ep. 6, while I accept the solution being logical, pacing-wise it was off. Any weight from how Ep. 5 ended is not even there for a few minutes if you play them back-to-back. And also there's a bit with the real Lazurus at the end of season 3 for some reason I remember? Which was... odd.