They are selling hero points in the gem store now

[Cernoch.8524]

8 hours ago, ShadowCatz.8437 said:

It is different as you still have to play WvW to get currency that you can use to unlock those HP. We also have Tome of Knowledge which you get from playing this game which can be used to level up a character and at same time will unlock HP in core maps from levelling up. When you use Tome of Knowledge to level up a character to level 80 you will also have enough HP to unlock core trait for that character.

With Gem Store item that now can unlock HP you instead will be able to buy Gem with real money (yes some players might also use Gold to Gem) to unlock maps and builds without even going through playing any game mode before they will play this game.

We already have unlocks for WP that can be purchased, so this adds up into another type of game play where new players for most part will just purchase those Gem Store items without even understanding how to play this game.

 

Like I said, I know it is different but it is not like we do not have an option to skip HPs already. And is not any different from lvl 80 boost or WP unlock. 
Although I am 100% that using the tome does not unlock HP in core tyria. The HPs you get from lvling to lvl 80 are not HPs from the maps.

[Cernoch.8524]

13 hours ago, Lucius.2140 said:

Suppose a dude just bought EoD and wants to start to play his vindicator, since unlocking hero points take time in an impulse he buys everything. 5 dollars per hero point.

Same with a returning player, specially the ones that played HoT at it release.

Theres a bunch of situations where this will happen.

And take in consideration that this option came just about they sold HoT and PoF bundled to 10 dollars; at the price of 2 random hero points lol

True I guess, but there is already something wrong with people who want to pay for everything from the start to finish without even playing teh game for 20 minutes (pretty sure you come across the HP in that time when you start playing)
Not sure where you came with that price though, isnt 1 HP for 50 gems? Thats like 0,6 dollars per HP.

[Randulf.7614]

10 minutes ago, Cernoch.8524 said:

Like I said, I know it is different but it is not like we do not have an option to skip HPs already. And is not any different from lvl 80 boost or WP unlock. 
Although I am 100% that using the tome does not unlock HP in core tyria. The HPs you get from lvling to lvl 80 are not HPs from the maps.

It specifically unlocks expansion hero points  edit, referring to wrong item

Edited November 29, 2023 by Randulf.7614

[Cernoch.8524]

3 minutes ago, Randulf.7614 said:

It specifically unlocks expansion hero points

The hero point scroll from gem store? yes, but not Tome of Knowledge as the other guy said.

This is what I was replying to: "We also have Tome of Knowledge which you get from playing this game which can be used to level up a character and at same time will unlock HP in core maps from levelling up."

Edited November 29, 2023 by Cernoch.8524

[Randulf.7614]

3 minutes ago, Cernoch.8524 said:

The hero point scroll from gem store? yes, but not Tome of Knowledge as the other guy said.

This is what I was replying to: "We also have Tome of Knowledge which you get from playing this game which can be used to level up a character and at same time will unlock HP in core maps from levelling up."

My bad, didn’t follow back far enough

[Keefe.3821]

I'll forgive them for this and many other bad decisions after they put the Legends starter kits in the vault. 

[IAmNotMatthew.1058]

1 hour ago, kharmin.7683 said:

Probably coming soon....

About as likely to happen as playable Tengu race. 0%.

[Kitty La Boom Boom.4065]

Yeah, I'm not fond of this. Yes, you need to have the expansion for whichever map you want the points from, but instead of playing the game to get the points, you just purchase them? It feels, indeed, like a slippery slope to Pay to Win.   One of the absolute best things about this game is that the only thing you can really purchase for real legal tender are convenience items and vanity/novelty items.  Unlike most other MMOs, I don't *need* to pull out my credit card every month in order to keep up with game progression, only Fashion Wars. Nothing gives me an edge except the amount of time I am able and willing to put into playing this game. If I get busy and can't get in for a few weeks or months; I may need to tweak my build, but I don't need to purchase items from the gem store to catch up.  If I *really* need cheap and easy Hero Points, I can go zerg surfing in WvW and purchase them with heroics, but I still need to actually play the game.

Yes, this is a generalized scenario that may or may not be based in personal experience with those that may feel like this is a call out to a small portion of the player base, but 😜
My concern, beyond P2W, is that Newbie McMoneybags will purchase the entire GW2 suite, poof their toons to level 80, purchase the HP they need to get whichever specializations they want, and jump into game with ZERO knowledge of how to actually play their class, expecting to be carried through pretty much everything, wondering why they die so much, and generally being  a whiny pain in the kitten as they blame everything and everyone else for their own lack of effort.  Every game has those types, but GW2 has FAR less than any of the other games I have played, which makes the community aspect here much more enjoyable.

This might be a small financial win to Anet, but its at the players' expense. I don't like it.

[Kitty La Boom Boom.4065]

20 hours ago, Assolador.3598 said:

winning comes from any objective achieved, u won't beat the game since it's a online live service mmo tho
my actual objective is getting legendary aurene dagger, can I pay for it? yes. then that's a p2w aspect

Except that Legendaries are no more powerful than any other ascended level item.  Leggies are a QoL vanity brag item at most, not an edge over anyone else.  IMO, the HP thing is not true P2W, but it definitely cracks the door open to it. Whether or not Anet decides to step through it remains to be seen.

[DeanBB.4268]

2 minutes ago, Kitty La Boom Boom.4065 said:

Except that Legendaries are no more powerful than any other ascended level item.  

Meh, just give up. People apply "P2W" to most everything now, so it is pointless to point out the meaning to them. "Oh, I have to | can | should spend money on this game? P2W!"

[Doggie.3184]

It's a collossal newbie trap. Very expensive for something easy to obtain in game. Very very bad product.

Anyone who buys it is just encouraging the development of bad products.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Doggie.3184

[Flasterko.4087]

Yesterday was something else, today is HP, tomorrow will be mastery points in gem store.

That's how it goes. But yeah some people, just keep defending this.

[Ashen.2907]

29 minutes ago, Kitty La Boom Boom.4065 said:

the only thing you can really purchase for real legal tender are convenience items and vanity/novelty items. 

And best in slot weapons.

[IAmNotMatthew.1058]

15 minutes ago, Ashen.2907 said:

And best in slot weapons.

"I could spend 500€ on a 3090Ti, but I'd rather spend 10k€ on a 4090, since it's the best"

 

[Ashen.2907]

5 minutes ago, IAmNotMatthew.1058 said:

"I could spend 500€ on a 3090Ti, but I'd rather spend 10k€ on a 4090, since it's the best"

 

Okay.

[Last Crab.6054]

You can earn scrolls while playing pvp or wvw to unlock the points, never actually having to do the challenge.

This allows players to do kther things, and still get the points, just like wvw.

If they are playing through game or earning gold and converting it to gems, seems like the same kind of service as those who stick to competitive and still want their char capable of max skills.

GW1 had skill unlock packs and tomes, even it was only good for pvp, it still eliminated previously required work to complete.

One note, skill unlock packs did benefit PVE players because their heroes had access to al those skills account wide.

I think this is not a pay to win feature, but an ease of access to keep players, especially newer players, motivated to catch up in story. 

Not every map or hero point is super active, and some are quite...challenging.

Plus revenue keeps the company alive.

I'm with Anet on this one.

 

[Arianth Moonlight.6453]

50 gems per point? Why are people even complaining? HPs were a mistake to begin with and we already can unlock them all for free with just a little WvW.

[IAmNotMatthew.1058]

8 minutes ago, Arianth Moonlight.6453 said:

50 gems per point? Why are people even complaining? HPs were a mistake to begin with and we already can unlock them all for free with just a little WvW.

50 gems per 10.

[Mizuira.8245]

As a player from GW1, I never though I would see this one day. I'm so disappointed by Anet move...

[Arianth Moonlight.6453]

19 minutes ago, IAmNotMatthew.1058 said:

50 gems per 10.

ah, ok. Still too much imo.

[SlateSloan.3654]

Why even make a thread on forums or reddit at all?

You guys buy all stuff from gemstore since years. from level 80 item to boosters to harvest tools to waypoint to any other stuff. no need to start complain in 2023 suddenly.

the gemstore kid fell already into the well when it was implemented into GW1 before GW2 release. They tested it on you and brought it over to GW2. You made it a success so dont complain 😄

[Kandrax.1504]

23 hours ago, Assolador.3598 said:

p2w means paying for skip content, pay > skip to lvl 80, pay> skip gearing, pay> skip hero point chase, pay> skip grind, if thats not p2w then I must say that black desert isn't pay to win 

P2W means you buy power someone who doesn't swipe can't have. Skipping trivial content is not actually P2W.

P2W comes mostly from these old low-effort japanese MMOs that were popular there 10+ years ago, where you could just buy level 500 in a lvl 50 game, etc.

[Mizuira.8245]

30 minutes ago, Kandrax.1504 said:

P2W means you buy power someone who doesn't swipe can't have. Skipping trivial content is not actually P2W.

So all these Gacha (mobile) games are not P2W?

You often have free trials and you can get the same Characters. It is just people can throw hundred of dollars to get them faster, same as hero points in GW2 now.

We don't have the same definition of P2W if it is not...

Edited November 29, 2023 by Mizuira.8245

[vyanne.8506]

Anyone who hasn't gotten all the hero points in Heart of Thorns the "original" way hasn't lived. xD

[Geoff Fey.1035]

Does it matter? Not sure why people are so bent out of shape over this. They've had the Waypoint unlocks since 2017 and I don't recall people fussing about it this much.

Has zero effect on PvP, and WvW/PvE literally every new player starts at a disadvantage until they level up, so it's nowhere near P2W.

Also..... who in their right mind thinks paying $157.00 USD (or 3773g) to save you maybe 10-12hrs of playtime to be a reasonable trade?

At best this is a convenience item for those who don't like WvW and can't seem to find a group to do the Group HP's in HoT. Literally everything else in the game is soloable while holding a slurpee in the other hand.