Do you like the jade-tech choice and design?

[Ulysses.2058]

Not meant as a critic or personal statement. Just genuinely curious about the general taste. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Ulysses.2058
Added an additional choice.

[Tukaram.8256]

I always felt the jade sea was the stupidest part of Factions, and hoped it would not be part of Cantha this time around... 

[Danikat.8537]

In general I prefer fantasy to sci-fi as a game setting (although I like both), but I get tired of the 'medieval stasis' where the technology, politics, demographics etc. of a fantasy world stay the same for hundreds or thousands of years, even though lots of events are occurring which should inspire innovation. (And in spite of the fact that the starting point is usually a semi-random mash-up of things ranging from the dark ages, though the medieval period and into the renaissance with odd bits from earlier and later and various things which have never existed in real life, so it's not like they're dedicated to a specific time period or level of technology so much as the perception that it's different to modern day.)

One of the things which originally attracted me to Guild Wars is that they were doing some things differently rather than following all the usual fantasy tropes, so for me it was a nice surprise when that included allowing time to pass in their world and acknowledging that things change as it does. I like that we've gotten to see the progress of technology, not just from GW1 to GW2 but also things like seeing holograms go from purely cosmetic to Elli's research into hard light holograms, and then the holomancer specialisation.

I'm similarly interested in the jade tech and how Cantha has developed over time. I don't know if I'll like all the specific ideas Anet are using, but I like that it's something new and unusual to find out about rather than simply a re-hash of Cantha as we saw it before.

I'm not a fan of the bright green colour chosen for it, but I know I'll get used to it. When I was a kid my brother chose a very similar colour for his bedroom. At first we were all joking that you needed sunglasses to go in there, but it didn't take long to adjust. I spent a lot of time in there because the 'gaming' PC (aka old one my parents didn't want any more) and later the N64 were in there and almost stopped noticed the bright green walls. If I can deal with a whole room like that I'm sure I can manage a few effects in a game.

[AgentMoore.9453]

I'm not a huge fan of it in GW2, and I say this with the understanding that tech has always existed in some capacity in Tyria. Charr have their crude-powered war machines, Humans have their clockwork constructs, Asura have their golems and magitech.

Asura have always been the neon lights and holograms race in the franchise, and while there's nothing inherently wrong with that, it has led to a lot of deus ex machina moments in the story or Asura happening to show up ahead of us in new areas in order to explain the tech advancements in a region. How they implement jade tech and explain its existence/development in Cantha is going to determine a big part of how much I like (or don't like) it. It isn't that tech isn't allowed to exist in the world, it's just that the sources of said tech and the leaps in design are often jarring or outright handwaved when they're introduced (like the jade tech microwave shown in one of the streams).

What's ironic about all of this is that while I'm not thrilled about hyperfuturistic content in GW2, I love it in other franchises. Just a question of vibe, I guess. The setting of GW2 hit different when I started playing compared to now.

[Hantu.2815]

My nostalgia demands a Jade Sea that was frozen in time, and the people who lived there while being cut off from others are also frozen in time and tradition.

[Faridah.8431]

I'm worried Jade Tech is becoming a catch all to explain too much. But we'll see I guess. I was ok with the idea of some technology developing in the vein of steampunk, etc. but it held a nice balance with the fantasy. I'd be lying if I didn't say I am a bit worried on how far Cantha will take the Jade Tech in terms of tech vs fantasy.

Edited December 3, 2021 by Faridah.8431

[Astralporing.1957]

@Danikat.8537

It's a bit more complex for me. I like both SF and fantasy, and do not require those settings to be so clearly separated. A SF setting with magical.mystical elements is completely fine for me. As is a fantasy setting that is not set in stasis and advances beyond medieval level. If i see a magical elements designed around more current or futuristic technology themes, i'd rather have it in primarily SF-based setting, or a setting that from the get-go is based around magitech. In a fantasy setting that advances i'd prefer for the magic and technology to evolve around some more unusual paths, with more mystical/unconventional approach to it instead of just trying to replicate "SF" technology with a paint job on top of it.

[LucianDK.8615]

Classic fantasy is boring, and EoD is taking the tired old tropes in a bold new direction. Instead of facing generic fantasy world 12965..

[Adamixos.6785]

It'd be perfectly fine if the jade wasn't so obnoxiously super green. In GW1 it had a softer shade and I'd prefer that, or something inbetween.

[aspirine.6852]

I dont mind, only the color is just a bit annoying. If they dont change that I hope some reshade third party will allow me to do so. 

[babak.3654]

I quite like that GW2 mixes fantasy with technology/sci-fi themes. I think at times asura-tech been leaned on too much to resolve major plot points. Jade-tech is probably going to be more of the same, if only it were not so eye-wateringly bright green to the point that it overwhelms everything else.

[Ashantara.8731]

I was shaking my head yesterday each time Rubi stated how "beautiful" those jade-tech NPCs looked -- ugh, really? The eye-sore. 🤢 They fit as much into Arborstone's beautiful design as an elephant fits into a car.

It was the only thing during yesterday's presentation that I despised. 👎 I mean, look at this toxic green blob of blur (that's supposed to be a phoenix, I guess?) in the center of the new guild hall.

Edited December 4, 2021 by Ashantara.8731

[Fueki.4753]

People complained about Taimi basically being a mcguffin character that solves too many problems off-screen.

It's possible that Arenanet reacted on that criticism and introduced Jade Technology to have it take over that role.

Or maybe Taimi dies during the expansion and Arenanet needed a new mcguffin to replace her.

Either way, I don't think it's a positive addition, especially if all of it has that toxic green glow.

[rowanblaze.2134]

I honestly had not realized it would pseudo-sci-fi. That maybe should have been a survey choice. I guess I have to wait and see. I will say, the bright green of the mechanist golem will be a bit too much if it's a significant part of the landscape.

[Ultramex.1506]

I picked engineer as my first class because of guns and inventions so sci-fi is fine to me

[Gibson.4036]

It fine by me, and in keeping with the rest of the game’s technological pastiche.

As someone who grew up reading the first Cyberpunk novels when they were new, I wish we’d find a better way to describe Cantha and Jade tech.

I don’t see anything punk (dystopian society, antiheroes caught up in the schemes of the powerful) here, and very little that resembles the tech Cyberpunk authors were exploring (cyberspace and biotechnology, principally). 
 

Glowy tech =\= cyberpunk

Edited December 4, 2021 by Gibson.4036

[Fueki.4753]

9 hours ago, Gibson.4036 said:

I don’t see anything punk (dystopian society, antiheroes caught up in the schemes of the powerful) here, and very little that resembles the tech Cyberpunk authors were exploring (cyberspace and biotechnology, principally).

That's because we've seen or heard literally nothing about Cantha in these regards.

It may very well be a somewhat dystopian society. Arenanet might give the commander allies that are somewhat selfish and antihero-like this time.

Edited December 5, 2021 by Fueki.4753

[witcher.3197]

Really not a fan of how abundant it is.

If I wanted to play a sci-fi game I would've picked a sci-fi game in the first place. I don't like how much they are changing things. Cantha was the most high-fantasy place in all of known Tyria and a very unique and diverse setting in general. Now they are killing off everything that made it stand out in the first place and pulling a complete 180 on the theme.

If Anet wants to add a sci-fi place then they should invent a new location. I hate that they are taking things we loved and reimagining them from the ground up into something unrecognizable. To me it feels like they have 0 respect or interest in the source material.

Anet doesn't care about Cantha, they just know the name sells so they are trying to milk it while giving us something unrelated.

Edited December 5, 2021 by witcher.3197

[Aleksander Suburb.4287]

I always disliked the steam tanks, submarines, cyberpunk lasers and flashy lights, roboter golems, in-ear smartphones and this stuff. The new flying-laser ufo called a siege turtle is just terrible. And now it seems that there is a lot of this stuff in my favorite gw-continent. That feels really disappointing. 😞

[Astralporing.1957]

17 hours ago, witcher.3197 said:

Anet doesn't care about Cantha, they just know the name sells so they are trying to milk it while giving us something unrelated.

Unfortunately, by this point it does seem like this is the case.

[Lynx.9058]

I like the aesthetic, but jade sphere / catalyst is terrible.

[Kaliwenda.3428]

That obnoxiously bright green color they chose is really unpleasant to me...I wish they would tone it down to a darker, more emerald shade. That's really my only objection at this point.