Suggestion: Add dialogue to Royal Terrace pointing players to other vendors and services.

[ShadowVisions.8193]

I see this come up often both in Divinity's Reach and the r/guildwars2 discord; new players enter the city, go straight to the Royal Terrace seeing a bank icon there, and then are convinced there is no other way to get in other than buy the gemstore item for access.

Given how the Legendary Royal Terrace Greeter speaks up when you try to enter without a pass, I feel like it would be more beneficial to add additional dialogue pointing players to the same services elsewhere in the city. For instance:

"No pass, no entry, no exceptions!"

-> But I want to access my bank.

"The one in here isn't for public use. If you want to access your bank, there's the public one at the top of Dwayna High Road, along with a few other services."

This way, players have an idea of where to go rather than be confused.

Edited December 16, 2022 by ShadowVisions.8193
Formatting fixes

[Zebulous.2934]

I remember being a new player years ago and thinking the same thing.  They are new players, they don't know anything about anything.  Some of them might stumble on a guard and trip the dialogue to get directions to the actual bank, but I know in my first visit to DV I had assumed that the guards were just set dressing.  Then there is the fact that the bank is on the second floor.  I remember wasting so much time wandering the crafting area thinking that the bank was on the same level, and that I had missed a door.

[Ameepa.6793]

This would be very useful indeed. I see many confused new players every day because of this. Wondering how they can enter the bank. 

 

Notice would be good or changing it so that the icons are visibly only if you own the pass.

[Danikat.8537]

I agree, this would be a good addition.

I've seen the same thing: new players who find that bank/service area before any of the others, find out they can't get in without buying a pass and assume that's the case for all banks. Especially if they're on a free account - they just take it as a sign that GW2 is yet another false free-to-play game where, sure you can sign up for free, but you're going to have to keep paying out for even basic services. Luckily some people complained about that in chat and got directions to the main bank - but they weren't questioning the idea that they'd need a gem store item to access it, just complaining that they thought this game would be above those kinds of tactics. I sometimes wonder how many didn't complain and so didn't find out there's an alternative and just decided this isn't the game they thought it was and quit.

One option (if this is possible) would be to hide the map icons unless you have the pass.

If the guard is saying something I think the mention that there's a free bank should be in the first message, so there's no risk of someone missing it. Change it to something like "No pass, no entry! Go to the public bank on Dwayna High Road". There could be additional dialogue asking about the other services but every time I've seen someone trying to get in here it's been the bank they wanted.
 

[Ameepa.6793]

Still, every day there's new players getting thrown out of Royal Terrace and thinking they need to buy a pass to access the basic services. Hide the icons from non-pass owners already.

Edited May 9, 2023 by Ameepa.6793

[Zebulous.2934]

This still needs to be addressed. 

If Gw2 is going to get population from other Mmos, it is safe to assume that those players are going to be suspicious.  Once bitten, twice shy.  Refugee players will be looking for pay walls, even where there aren't any.  If they buy a pass, and then find out later that it wasn't nessassary, they will be resentful and embarrassed. 

Asking for help in map chat only works if people in town happen to be looking at chat.

  At the very least, the game could send a mail to new human characters directing them up the ramp to the bank at Minister's Waypoint.

[Danikat.8537]

I still think the best fix would be to hide the Royal Terrace icons if you don't have the pass and/or have the gate guard direct them to the main bank. That way it covers everyone who mistakes the Royal Terrace for normal services and doesn't change anything for anyone else.

If it was up to me I'd do both. Hide the icons unless players have the pass so anyone looking at the map for the bank, crafting stations etc. won't try to go there and have the guard say something like "No entry without a pass! Use the public bank on Dwayna High Road" then have dialogue options where they direct you to other services as well as explaining how to get the pass.

(Off topic but this is one time of those times I'm glad things like item storage and the gem store exist in the game world and aren't just gameplay features, otherwise an NPC would either have to break character to tell the player about them or reference them in vague ways that might not be clear if you don't already know about it.)

[Farohna.6247]

I remember bouncing off the entrance repeatedly when I first started playing lol.  It is rather confusing to see a bank or trading post that you can't not access.  Hiding it from non-pass holders would be ideal.  However, maybe it's a way to make someone go huh what is that, then buy it.  I don't know, but it's confusing for new players.

[Cuks.8241]

I really like the feature in WoW where you could ask any city guard for directions.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

3 hours ago, Cuks.8241 said:

I really like the feature in WoW where you could ask any city guard for directions.

Pretty sure we have those; for example:  https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Divinity_Guide