Oh Gods! "Blade Runner" Kaineng City is real :(

[Randulf.7614]

Just now, Artemis.8034 said:

Ok i dont use twitter and didnt see it on the main page

No probs, I’ve edited my above post so you know where it is on the home page

[Poormany.4507]

37 minutes ago, Artemis.8034 said:

Ok i dont use twitter and didnt see it on the main page

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/see-you-in-2022/

 

At the bottom of the page.

[Taris.9730]

On 12/17/2021 at 10:31 AM, Ashantara.8731 said:

GW2 is not a science-fiction game.

But it's also not a purely Sword & Sorcery Fantasy game, either. Asura had their magitech and the Charr their steampunk vibe from the very start. And we've had monitor screens and holographic displays for a while... think Scarlet's Lair.

I love Blade Runner - it's an all time favorite. It's not a stretch to imagine a mega city like Kaineng having some kind of magitech bling. Looking forward to it.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Taris.9730

[Ashantara.8731]

2 minutes ago, Taris.9730 said:

But it's also not a purely Sword & Sorcery Fantasy game, either. Asura had their magitech and the Charr their steampunk vibe from the very start. And we've had monitor screens and holographic displays for a while... think Scarlet's Lair.

I love Blade Runner - it's an all time favorite. It's not a stretch to imagine a mega city like Kaineng having some kind of magitech bling. Looking forward to it.

I wasn't there for LWS1 (I had quit before that to come back three years later). Had I been there, I might have said the same things about Scarlet's creations as I am now about Cantha's jade-tech designs.

As I mentioned, I love Blade Runner, too. 🙂 Had this been an artwork from a different game, one of the cyberpunk genre, I would probably be in awe over it. 😉

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Here's some 2013 Daniel Dociu concept art:

https://daniel_dociu.artstation.com/projects/a8kV9

Perhaps, that influenced New Kaineng.

[vanfrano.1325]

On 12/18/2021 at 1:48 PM, saalle.4623 said:

I love it actually, this sort of diversity works for FF XIV so can work for this too. I just hope its not complete shift but just tied to this region.

Anything works in FFXIV because the world doesn't make any sense and is just a mix of everything in existence. The game itself has not identity.

Edited December 20, 2021 by vanfrano.1325

[Fuchslein.8639]

27 minutes ago, vanfrano.1325 said:

Anything works in FFXIV because the world doesn't make any sense and is just a mix of everything in existence. The game itself has not identity.

But gw2 with its Shiny greatsword that leaves puddles as big as lakes, bows that shoot unicorns and cats, swords that strongly remind of star wars, ect. and a story that is absolutely not consistent and adds things that make absolutely no sense if you look at previous story-parts, ect. makes more sense and gives more identity? 

How is gw2 not also a mix of everything in existence especially with the last years what the Gemshop has added.

The new Legy greatsword can transform into other weapons while you fight. One of them looks like a laser device from the fractals. Where does that make sense?

We could fill whole pages with items and story decisions that don't make sense, according to what some people write here xD.

What I just remembered and what I also found very strange at the beginning of POV. The forged, where do they fit in GW2? According to the logic that many put here. The Forged are so much more advanced than like 90% of Tyria. And what about the Charr? On one of the maps you play derby or whatever it's called, with steampunk cars that can turn invisible and jump really far and everything xD.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Fuchslein.8639

[yoni.7015]

4 hours ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

I wasn't there for LWS1 (I had quit before that to come back three years later). Had I been there, I might have said the same things about Scarlet's creations as I am now about Cantha's jade-tech designs.

As I mentioned, I love Blade Runner, too. 🙂 Had this been an artwork from a different game, one of the cyberpunk genre, I would probably be in awe over it. 😉

It’s a real shame the developers didn’t call you before they started working on End of Dragons. 

[Sobx.1758]

6 hours ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

I wasn't there for LWS1 (I had quit before that to come back three years later). Had I been there, I might have said the same things about Scarlet's creations as I am now about Cantha's jade-tech designs.

As I mentioned, I love Blade Runner, too. 🙂 Had this been an artwork from a different game, one of the cyberpunk genre, I would probably be in awe over it. 😉

Now I wonder how you survive through the dragon bash event? 😄 

And the advanced technology/monitors were in the game since the start. Not sure why suddenly it's such a shocker for you.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Sobx.1758

[deatine.2498]

I love it. I think it is totally believable within the limits of this game world and just another expected step.
I always wondered how all other races could stay so far behind in their development, now that Asuran tech is known to the world.

New Kaineng just a different color and slightly different look than Asuran magitech, and it happens to please the cyberpunk aesthetic. And that is all, it won't be cyberpunk, it will just more or less look like it.

But even if you think it is a sudden huge leap in technology, that is not necessarily unbelievable. Even in the real world, we are at a point where the speed of technical advancement surpassed the understanding of many people in one lifetime.

Edited December 20, 2021 by deatine.2498

[Zekent.3652]

MMOs ≠ Medieval only

[Taris.9730]

51 minutes ago, deatine.2498 said:

Even in the real world, we are at a point where the speed of technical advancement surpassed the understanding of many people in one lifetime.

Yup. Lots of people on this planet who don't even have indoor plumbing... but they have cellphones. 

[Jukhy.2431]

By the Eternal Alchemy, I like the look of that view! (New widescreen background, yay!)

Maybe we will finally meet some bookahs who'll understand asuran technobabble.

[zealex.9410]

On 12/19/2021 at 7:44 PM, Ashantara.8731 said:

Yes, and to a certain extent is was okay. That extent has been overstepped by a long shot with cyberscales, comm devices, computer terminals everywhere, electric billboards, and jade-technology. (And yes, one of the reasons I loved PoF so much was that I didn't have to deal with any of that stuff for most part, which was a relief.)
 

When a Cantha expansion was announced, I was super excited. I couldn't wait to return to those Eastern Asian themed lands full of legends, mysteries and magic. I was looking forward to likewise themed elite specs such as Assassins, Master Swordsmen, staff-wielding (and fist-fighting) Monks, spirit-whispering Ritualists, and flying, fireball-shooting Elementalists - instead, we are getting these (please excuse the harsh term) abominations. I also couldn't care less about two rivalling gangs fighting over some high-tech that powers their homeland (even if it involves a dragon).

It's fine, though, I am at peace with it now. I have spend these past two days snooping through upcoming MMORPG attractions and have found one that I know will suit my ideas of a classic (and classy) fantasy world. So my "MMORPG-fired" dopamine levels  will no longer depend on a game that obviously isn't for me anymore (and perhaps never was). I can relax now and see what's coming to GW2 and take it for what it is. Further complaints are pointless, because decisions were already made and my opinion has zero influence on them.

Idk i think you are over reacting iver one expansion theme that only is really the main attraction in 1 zone.

I can understand some mounts and such being immersion breaking but ehh gw2 has always been a mix of tech and fantasy and that mix is retained in eod.

[zealex.9410]

On 12/20/2021 at 7:07 AM, Ashantara.8731 said:

I wasn't there for LWS1 (I had quit before that to come back three years later). Had I been there, I might have said the same things about Scarlet's creations as I am now about Cantha's jade-tech designs.

As I mentioned, I love Blade Runner, too. 🙂 Had this been an artwork from a different game, one of the cyberpunk genre, I would probably be in awe over it. 😉

Idk this mindset imo is bad to have when it comes to lve service games and mmos in specific, considering they always put out new stuff and try different thing.

And idk, the asthetic is very much cyberpunk but its also very much the established magitech from 2012 just green.

[Faridah.8431]

Part of me laments the loss of the atmosphere Kaineng had from the first game. But realistically after 250+ years and the proliferation of jade tech throughout Canthan society, this makes logical sense as a direction. If they can still pull off the vibe well in terms of making it feel like a rich and alive metropolis, maze like navigation, and the contrast of rich and poor parts of the cities (not necessarily the same shacks as GW1, I think this can work very well. 

I'm looking forward to seeing it.

[Ashantara.8731]

9 hours ago, Faridah.8431 said:

[...] I'm looking forward to seeing it.

I will be majorly disappointed if Kaineng doesn't sport additional districts like the old slums and an undercity of dungeon-like sewers and ancient, forgotten temples.

Those were the coolest parts about GW1's Kaineng City. They made for exciting exploration.

9 hours ago, zealex.9410 said:

And idk, the asthetic is very much cyberpunk but its also very much the established magitech from 2012 just green.

😂 Perhaps you are right. Perhaps I simply didn't want to acknowledge that part about GW2, which is why I have been looking for a new primary MMORPG home these past few days (and think I have found one, though the release is still at least a year or two away).

Edited December 21, 2021 by Ashantara.8731

[Gibson.4036]

I do hope the slums are back in some recognizable form. The feel of that unrelenting maze of stacked tenements was amazing.

[witcher.3197]

Many people here are saying this is how it's always been in GW2, but it's worth mentioning how the franchise started with Pre-Searing Ascalon, not GW2. What we have now is almost a completely different universe, so I don't think it's unreasonable for people to complain about the massive shift in direction and tone. Cantha is a GW1 zone afterall.

I for one liked the setting of GW1 a lot. It was a really immersive and unique fantasy world with a coherent narrative where everything just felt connected, the pieces fit together. I feel like Anet jumped the shark with GW2 Asura and Charr. We had black powder and mechanical constructs in GW1, from the Iron Forgeman to Asura golems, but they still felt like they had a place in Tyria. GW1 Asura worked for me, it really felt like they were using magic to power their constructs. GW2 asura have no magical feel about them at all. Mechanical inventions on the side of Dwarves and Charr were also kept reasonable and somewhat unique to Tyria (like siege devourers).

Then the digital consoles, holograms, helicopters, hoverbikes, terminators and battle tanks happened.. 

Remember when the commando class was an april fools joke? It's nothing compared to the stuff we have now.

What they did with GW2 was too much. It feels like a bunch of different universes stitched together in an attempt to reach a much wider audience, but instead of being smaller in scope but more coherent, compelling and immersive like its predecessor, GW2 feels like it's a mess that lacks direction and fidelity. Well, they are about to do it again.

Now they are turning these things up to 11, and worst of all they are doing it to Cantha. A continent known for its diverse cultures and deeprooted spirituality and traditionalism is now a homogenous entity with microwaves and giant holoscreens. This isn't "progression", it's a different universe.

To me the soul of a franchise dies when it starts copying other games/shows instead of staying true to itself. GW2 Kaineng isn't based on GW1 Kaineng but on Cyberpunk 2077. GW2 Cantha itself is a complete betrayal of GW1 Cantha on every level. Some try to justify it as "progress", but I'd argue that it's replacement. Some here are claiming it's a bad thing for the game to be stuck in time, but isn't that what literally every successful IP does? They stick to their vision and draw fans in by delivering on that, and new advancements happen within the scope of that vision. GW2 tossed the original vision of GW1 out of the window on day 1 and we're about to hit a new low with EoD I feel. It was a mistake then and it's a mistake now.

Just my 2 cents.

Edited December 21, 2021 by witcher.3197

[Ashantara.8731]

1 hour ago, witcher.3197 said:

Many people here are saying this is how it's always been in GW2, but it's worth mentioning how the franchise started with Pre-Searing Ascalon, not GW2. What we have now is almost a completely different universe, so I don't think it's unreasonable for people to complain about the massive shift in direction and tone. Cantha is a GW1 zone afterall.

I for one liked the setting of GW1 a lot. It was a really immersive and unique fantasy world with a coherent narrative where everything just felt connected, the pieces fit together. I feel like Anet jumped the shark with GW2 Asura and Charr. We had black powder and mechanical constructs in GW1, from the Iron Forgeman to Asura golems, but they still felt like they had a place in Tyria. GW1 Asura worked for me, it really felt like they were using magic to power their constructs. GW2 asura have no magical feel about them at all. Mechanical inventions on the side of Dwarves and Charr were also kept reasonable and somewhat unique to Tyria (like siege devourers).

Then the digital consoles, holograms, helicopters, hoverbikes, terminators and battle tanks happened.. 

Remember when the commando class was an april fools joke? It's nothing compared to the stuff we have now.

What they did with GW2 was too much. It feels like a bunch of different universes stitched together in an attempt to reach a much wider audience, but instead of being smaller in scope but more coherent, compelling and immersive like its predecessor, GW2 feels like it's a mess that lacks direction and fidelity. Well, they are about to do it again.

Now they are turning these things up to 11, and worst of all they are doing it to Cantha. A continent known for its diverse cultures and deeprooted spirituality and traditionalism is now a homogenous entity with microwaves and giant holoscreens. This isn't "progression", it's a different universe.

To me the soul of a franchise dies when it starts copying other games/shows instead of staying true to itself. GW2 Kaineng isn't based on GW1 Kaineng but on Cyberpunk 2077. GW2 Cantha itself is a complete betrayal of GW1 Cantha on every level. Some try to justify it as "progress", but I'd argue that it's replacement. Some here are claiming it's a bad thing for the game to be stuck in time, but isn't that what literally every successful IP does? They stick to their vision and draw fans in by delivering on that, and new advancements happen within the scope of that vision. GW2 tossed the original vision of GW1 out of the window on day 1 and we're about to hit a new low with EoD I feel. It was a mistake then and it's a mistake now.

Just my 2 cents.

It feels relieving to see someone else spell it out like that. Two 👍 for this post.

[zealex.9410]

1 hour ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

It feels relieving to see someone else spell it out like that. Two 👍 for this post.

Its also worth mentioning they introduced these magitech concepts in eotn and thats its been 250 years since then no?

[PseudoNewb.5468]

On 12/18/2021 at 7:33 AM, Elricht Kaltwind.8796 said:

Huh? We went from civilisation being in a state with a level of development between the early middle ages and the renaissance, to being in 2300. I think that's what people find unconvincing, not technological development lmao. It's not bad writing to have a civilisation that develops at a realistic pace.. when I saw Guild Wars 2 concept art, I thought the whole game was going to have a 1700s-1800s vibe and I thought that was a great direction that would follow naturally in succession after the first game's world.

What makes this screenshot 2300? We don't know what 2300 will be. Nothing in the concept art says 2300 levels of advancement (if we are going to compare real tech vs magitech in the first place). Neon lighting is not advanced futuristic technology. Bright lights and glowing cities are certainly Cyperpunk aesthetics. But that is just aesthetics not a reflection of technology.  If you strip away the aesthetics, and look at the 'magitech' as objectively as one can ponder fantasy tech, none of the items shown in the screenshot are very surprising compared to anything we have seen before. There is no technological jump shown here. Holograms, levitation, drones, magic conduits. We have seen this all before in this game.

 

The only thing that is truly abnormal is the density of technology. I think the difference between Tyria tech and what is shown in Kaineng can be compared to pre and post industrialization. A period where technology goes from perhaps one sophisticated machine in a city to one per household. Kaining looks to have a high density of technology, but the sophistication of the tech isn't that much different than what we have seen. Funnily,. if GW2 looks like it started in the 17-1800, guess when industrialization occurred in the real world.

 

If you don't like the neon lighting aesthetic, just say it. It reminds you too much of other scifi media. But that is just aesthetics. You can't use neon lights to also say it is a unrealistically futuristic city. Neon lights don't equal hundred year advancements in tech, no mater how much the cyberpunk aesthetics conditioned you to believe so. Imagine thinking that the Las Vegas strip is clearly from 2300 because of all the lighting, signage, and media being broadcasted everywhere.

[Ashantara.8731]

3 hours ago, zealex.9410 said:

Its also worth mentioning they introduced these magitech concepts in eotn and thats its been 250 years since then no?

Did you read the post I quoted? There was a completely different feel and level to it - it wasn't intrusive and immersion-breaking, it was magical (and mechanical), not cyberpunk-y.

Edit:

• https://i.imgur.com/CyWn1FG.jpeg
• https://i.imgur.com/nDFsNAb.jpeg
• https://i.imgur.com/UFR1VBR.jpeg
• https://i.imgur.com/v9wRf9I.jpeg
   

Edited December 22, 2021 by Ashantara.8731

[Teratus.2859]

On 12/18/2021 at 5:16 PM, Metricos.5617 said:

People get real mad when they're forced to reckon with a fictional society learning to use or invent technology to improve and advance their own civilizations.

That's disingenuous.

Nobody is complaining about the existence of Jade Tech or Cantha having more advanced technology after 200+ years.

They're just complaining about how it looks, the style of it which is hideously ugly, off putting and clashes with the unique beauty of old Canthan architecture.

It's like putting neon lights and big ugly glowing containers and cables all over Notre Dame and calling it an "improvement" when it's the complete opposite.

Gw2 can do future tech really well and make it fit into this world, the Asura are proof of that.
But steampunk and cyberpunk are visually repulsive styles that imo do nothing but degrade the beauty of this world.

[witcher.3197]

7 hours ago, zealex.9410 said:

Its also worth mentioning they introduced these magitech concepts in eotn and thats its been 250 years since then no?

Yes, but in a way that fit into the world. I talked about how advancements can happen without issue as long as it's within the scope of the original vision. I think GW1 asura still fit into that. Their gimmick was imbuing stone constructs with magic, bringing them to life which isn't all that different to what a necromancer does, they were like the other side of the same coin. I could buy into the magic part.

What also served to balance them out was their architecture which was arguably more primitive than that of humans, and blended really well into nature. Some of their labs were just caverns and their towns were very far from urban. They had things they were technologically superior at, and things they were weaker at. GW2 asura is just straight up a sci-fi civilization and I'm not buying that any magic is involved. It's not magitech, just tech. Same goes for Cantha, are the writers going to tell me it's a "magic microwave"? Cmon, I know what a microwave is and it for sure isn't magic..

In GW2, Anet is just using "magic" as a synonym for electricity. Sure, you could argue both are energy, but I think how they're used is what distinguishes the two, and there is nothing "magical" about the way GW2 handles magitech.

Edited December 22, 2021 by witcher.3197