Is it just me or End of Dragons is not fun?

[Valfar.3761]

HoT maps are the pinnacle of GW2's overworld content. Multi-layered which makes navigation a challenge (which is a good thing! if a game does not have a challenge, I am bored, not engaged, and would rather play something else). The multi-layered design is interesting and packs more content in. The mobs were also threatening, meaning you had to actually respect their mechanics and you were incentivized to group up with other players. The HoT maps are simply the most entertaining to play around in.

EoD's maps are not fun to play in. The mobs are braindead easy. The maps are not interesting to navigate. They are not packed with content nor multilayered. No adventures. They also suffer from missed potential in the aesthetic department. Seitung Province looks like a generic Asian game area. New Kaineng does not feel like a packed city to adventure in (contrast that with Suramar or Boralus from WoW),  and the buildings are samey. Echovald Forest looks incredibly generic. Anet did not utilize those concept arts that they commissioned from Salvatorre Yazzie that depicted an interesting fantasy environment. And then the top 2/3rds of Dragon's End - the area you spend the most time in - is again more generic grass and rocks. The only interesting area is the Jade Sea in the last 1/3rd of the map, but you are only on the surface of the sea for 5 minutes when fighting the minibosses or travelling to help out another lane's fight against a miniboss. Again compare that how much time you spent on the Jade Sea in GW1. Also GW2's version of the Jade Sea looks like neon green plastic and is not pleasing to look at. The underground tunnels are not used for content at all.

The story was bad. It was 11 hours long but only the first hour (airship setpiece) and the last hour (Dragon's End) were fun high fantasy adventuring. The rest was you standing around listening to soap opera. Contrast that with HoT's story, which was 4 hours long but it almost entirely packed with high fantasy adventuring as you pushed into a jungle, liberated prison camps, run away from giant spider ladies while carrying an egg, the final fight with Mordremoth, etc. The only boring thing about HoT's plot was the 30 minute long Rata Novus detour that amounted to nothing.

[patton the great.7126]

EoD is the PC edition of cantha. If you want the real guild wars cantha do yourself a favor and play factions. You'll see what I mean. This was guild wars being too afraid to stay true to their roots and offend the largest economy in the world (albeit controlled economy)

 

It's the LeBron effect. Everyone's is willing to stand for a cause until China threatens to take its monies and go home. 

[Knighthonor.4061]

yeah was one of the worst expansions so far

[Swagg.9236]

Bro, I didn't even finish PoF lmao.  When they hit me with that "recap episode" mission, I just quit.  Watching characters talk in static positions for 70% of the campaign is horrendous.  Can't imagine how bad EoD must be.

[Obfuscate.6430]

I only go back to PoF for bounty hunter dailies but I loved the story and exploring. I still love HoT metas and go back for those. 
I do not go to EoD and haven't finished many of the achievements though I did like Gyala Delves and it's meta.

I don't like how empty EoD feels or how involved the end meta is. EoD is a little more involved and the events require a lot of people and I often end up on maps without enough people, or people uninterested in participating so I haven't felt I had much incentive to go back. 
I feel kind of bad about that but that's how I feel. 
They are stunning maps visually though, and I appreciated all the new skins and pets.  I haven't yet tried all the new specializations but I kind of liked the ones I tried. 

[Loboling.5293]

21 hours ago, Tiamat.8254 said:

HoT still the best expansion in an mmo I have played. I am never bored there and still get lost in tangled depths. The meta is also one of the most fun. 

The only expansion that came close was wotlk in wow, but because of their model it's only fun until the next expac as there is zero replayability.

As for EoD. I think the expansion is great, but the maps are too big for the amount of people that can populate them, thus it feels dead. The rewards are also not that great so there is little incentive to stick around. The meta events are what really ruin it for me though. Basically the same meta in each map, split into 3 groups, do something, fight last boss. They could have been a bit more varied like how they were in HoT. But except for the meta and different enemies I feel I'm doing the same thing for very little fun or reward. That said, the environments are gorgeous, they improved the story telling, and first time exploring felt really great. 

HoT on release and even after the nerfs was certainly the best expansion experience I've ever played as well. It was truly brutal and felt like all my years of preparation were finally being tested. Utility items, gear setup, build design, everything was required to get through it, plus teamwork of course, the hallmark of GW2 open world.

 

The only criticism I had for it was the story was a bit weak, and felt truncated towards the end. However, the way the story tied into the meta events and open world was just the chef's kiss. Perfection.

 

If they had not rushed the end of the story and had better quality control for the final battle (that fly section was bugged for the longest time), I'd have given HoT at 10/10. It drops to a 9.5/10.

 

PoF: 7.5/10

 

EoD: 5/10

 

At least, that's reflects my enjoyment of each expansion.

[Tachenon.5270]

I revisit certain areas of HoT and PoF frequently. The first two HoT zones and their associated meta events are a lot of fun. Don't care for Tangled Depths at all, and only go to Dragon's Stand if there's something I want that I can only get from that meta event. I like all the PoF zones pretty much equally, particularly for the hero challenges when I'm building a new character. If there's a group doing bounties or running certain events, I'll generally join in.

EoD... well... yeah. I don't go back as much. Not a big fan of any of the zones or events there. Which is odd, I guess, considering Factions ended up being my favorite campaign in the old game. New Cantha just doesn't have the same charm. Or something. I dunno. /e shrug

[Gop.8713]

I'd vote pof as best story/worst maps, but tbh I never return to any expansion -- or core --  map just for fun. I'm almost always pursuing a goal which dictates where I play and what I'm doing, but if I'm not, the only map I return to 'for fun' is drizzlewood. There are other maps like grothmar that were great on release, but not the same replayability . . .

I like that eod's strikes scale a lot more than the ibs ones which were mostly just about mechanics, but players inability to adjust down on the easier strikes mostly keeps me away from them anyway. The novelty of new specs is often the least appealing thing about expansions to me but I mostly still play hot or core specs fwiw there . . .

[Lucy.3728]

18 hours ago, Valfar.3761 said:

Contrast that with HoT's story, which was 4 hours long but it almost entirely packed with high fantasy adventuring as you pushed into a jungle, liberated prison camps, run away from giant spider ladies while carrying an egg, the final fight with Mordremoth,

4 hours? I don't believe you. Took me too many days to get through it. I think you're mixing it up. EoD Story felt like 10 hours and HoT like 40 hours. 40 hours of endless babbling and plant drama.

[pocky.7468]

5 hours ago, Loboling.5293 said:

HoT on release and even after the nerfs was certainly the best expansion experience I've ever played as well. It was truly brutal and felt like all my years of preparation were finally being tested. Utility items, gear setup, build design, everything was required to get through it, plus teamwork of course, the hallmark of GW2 open world.

 

The only criticism I had for it was the story was a bit weak, and felt truncated towards the end. However, the way the story tied into the meta events and open world was just the chef's kiss. Perfection.

 

If they had not rushed the end of the story and had better quality control for the final battle (that fly section was bugged for the longest time), I'd have given HoT at 10/10. It drops to a 9.5/10.

 

PoF: 7.5/10

 

EoD: 5/10

 

At least, that's reflects my enjoyment of each expansion.

Yeah, base PoF is kinda lacking, but the conclusions in LW4 and the first part of IBS are just sublime imo. Probably my favorite GW2 era after HoT.

Compared to those EoD almost doesn't register. It's so undercooked and underwhelming. In 1,5 years we got exactly one new map. And that's on top of the base maps being very meh.

[Derktarlms.6213]

story that falters at times and especially at the end, a goal that can only be completed from the beginning in organized discord so much that it became toxic

[CAA.9653]

I thoroughly enjoyed EoD. I enjoy the new specialization, the new achievements, collections, and strikes. Objectively, it probably wasn't as good as PoF or HoT but I am still getting my money's worth. Even if it did not live up to expectations, it's still a great bang for your buck if you calculate $$$/hrs of content.

[Helliwolf the KrimsonKnight.6523]

Wow, maybe I am just sentimental from playing GW1 as a kid, but I really thought Anet did a fantastic job of re-capturing the Cantha I knew fifteen years ago.

I was blown away by the beauty of Seitung and how well they showed  the changes to the Shing Jea island over the 250 years. I spent almost a whole weekend just exploring the island and marveling at the different areas and participating in events. And fishing. Lots of fishing.

The Echovald forest was a total blast from the past. It was my favorite part of Guild Wars: Factions and it is even more stunning now. I walked around it for a good while and legitimately felt lost in the forest until I studied the map a bit.

And New Kaineng City was such a marvel! Jade Empire is one of my favorite games of all time and this place felt like I was playing that again and running around the Impreial City to take in all of the sights.

As an old gamer who loved Factions the most of the original expansions, EOD scratched my Cantha itch 10/10.

My only wish is that we can see more of the place! I want a deep Echovald map to take us to see what happened to the Eternal Grove and the Vasburg lands, and a map to see the northern part of what used to be the Luxon territories. I would love to explore what was Pongomei Valley, Qinkai Mountain, and the area north of Cavalon (including itself too).

Edited June 29, 2023 by Helliwolf the KrimsonKnight.6523

[vicky.9751]

....

Edited March 11 by vicky.9751

[Dante.1508]

Op you are not alone.. It was shockingly bad. I guess at least it was pretty. I only really liked some of the new specs..

Edited June 30, 2023 by Dante.1508

[Hindenburg.3415]

HOT still stands as the best expansion ever. Unique and fun metas , great map design -  I mean I play this game for 5 years but still if I make 10 steps from waypoint in Tangled Depths -  I am lost.  Good story that feels personal and tense.

After that we had POF -  hot pile of steaming garbage aside from mount system.  I hate everything about it - colors ,. flat maps , setting , enemies , story.

And EOD is just mediocre. Better than POF , metas are decent , personally I like final meta it feels really epic. Jade tech visuals and concept are also nice.  Story is , again , decent.  I don't hate it ,  even liked Mai Trin part.

[LCL.6259]

On 6/28/2023 at 5:26 PM, patton the great.7126 said:

EoD is the PC edition of cantha. If you want the real guild wars cantha do yourself a favor and play factions. You'll see what I mean. This was guild wars being too afraid to stay true to their roots and offend the largest economy in the world (albeit controlled economy)

 

It's the LeBron effect. Everyone's is willing to stand for a cause until China threatens to take its monies and go home. 

I think the irony in this is that you could make a case for GW2 employing techno-orientalism (not that I really agree with what is usually a mistaken application of a concept rooted in the culture of 80's Japan).

[Tachenon.5270]

This thread got me thinking about the HoT and PoF stories, and how both hinge on the, ah, incompetence and/or stupefying recklessness of two key characters:

Spoiler

Trahearne and Rytlock

One is totally devoid of any semblance of

Spoiler

tactics or strategy

. The other is a

Spoiler

spoiled brat

.

I barely remember anybody from EoD. That one lady who was so blatantly and obnoxiously a villain but somehow wasn't, and that one guy who (refreshingly) could have been something besides a cardboard cutout cartoon villain but then the wrong expectations would have been subverted and so that's what he was. Oh, and the guy with the big hat. I remember him. Sort of.

[Gravitron.7982]

16 hours ago, vicky.9751 said:

I actually returned to LOTRO last week because i quit this game a year ago. Enjoying all the new story and maps added in that game more. plus the devs made legendary weapons so much easier than before, at least now its a set it and forget it thing, and levels up with you as you level. I do still occasionally look for news about gw2, but a little sad at what it's become..

Yeah plus LOTRO has the critically acclaimed lore, and it has player housing!  And you can actually play your instruments!

[mandala.8507]

On 6/28/2023 at 5:26 PM, patton the great.7126 said:

EoD is the PC edition of cantha. If you want the real guild wars cantha do yourself a favor and play factions. You'll see what I mean. This was guild wars being too afraid to stay true to their roots and offend the largest economy in the world (albeit controlled economy)

 

It's the LeBron effect. Everyone's is willing to stand for a cause until China threatens to take its monies and go home. 

GW2 Cantha was like, 95% Korea-inspired? Why are you talking about China, dude? What cause did Anet not stand up for to please China in this expansion?

I am confusion.

[Beast Sos.1457]

The issue I had with EoD was that the dialog sounded like it was straight out of a high school drama. The attitude the NPCs give felt like I was dealing with a bunch of teens. I hope SotO doesn't feel the same. I want a more serious "adult" oriented expansion. Dialog wise at least. 

Edit: Also, it would be nice if the commander wasn't treated like a child and actually had a commanding aura. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by Beast Sos.1457

[Axelteas.7192]

I just stepped the Eod maps to earn the hero points to unlock the elite specs and never again.

[Ashen.2907]

23 hours ago, Derktarlms.6213 said:

story that falters at times and especially at the end, a goal that can only be completed from the beginning in organized discord so much that it became toxic

I completed EoD, despite not caring for the narrative as it progressed, but I don't recall anythimg that required discord organization. What goal are you referencing?

[Sweetbread.3678]

EoD was alright, but definitely not as good imo. It just felt rushed and had a lot of missed potential; lacking the tight metas of HoT and the great especs and exploration of PoF. Plus outside of the glide boost, most of the masteries felt like 80% thought out solutions for purposefully invented problems (god I hope they don't keep creating situations to force siege turtle use). Story was decent though and the Soo-Won meta fight is great.

[LaFurion.3167]

On 6/28/2023 at 8:33 PM, Godfather.9058 said:

I loved HOT. I loved POF.

But I'm just not enjoying EOD. At this point I have stopped playing a few months ago. I was pretty much done with the 3rd map. And never felt like trying EOD again.

The story was mostly exposition about dragon magic. And there was a LOT of it.

I did the metas once and never wanted to do them again. Trash mobs, escorting NPCs, a not so great boss at the end. Nowhere near the HOT metas. Or even some living world metas.

There is no game changing traversal method. Ziplines are cool but there are too few of them. You have to use the POF mounts, especially for horizontal mobility due to the map sizes. The maps are absolutely huge and they felt tedious to complete.

Anyway that's all my rant. Did you enjoy EOD?

yeah, i bought it only for the elite specs. They added nothing new, so I havn't even stepped foot in any EoD map. Theres literally no drive to go do EoD stuff.