Darker and more serious story

[Blur.3465]

After discussing about this with many people, we came to agree that GW2 storytelling really falls short compared to how story was in GW1.
It is a lore and story rich world that deserves way more love than it is getting. A lot of story and atmosphere is ruined by shallow storytelling and humor which is out of place. 
Sadly a lot of characters fall as uninteresting and annoying as well. 

SotO is a step in the right direction when it comes to story, but it is -still- missing something that GW1 had. Depth, seriousness, weight.
Truthfully I don't think people should shy away from spicing story up with darker bits and pieces, as it adds depth and meaning to the tale. 
So far, through story, I only had my emotions touched in 'All or Nothing' episode and when we lost a certain someone like a mentor in original story. The rest? Nothing. And it really saddens me because I LOVE this game and its lore!
In GW1 I remember feeling emotions through every expansion's story and it was 10/10!
I wish I could say the same for GW2. 

I do not mind occasional humour, but almost every bit of story has it which just makes it ... cringe? 
I am aware that nowadays it's hard to write story that will satisfy everyone and not -offend- someone, which is why most stories tend to feel shallow and too plushy. Taking WoW Dragonflight as an example here as well.
But looking at LotR and all those epic fantasies that we get to watch on big screen -- they all have a good dosage of everything to them while keeping a serious and dark vibe to them too. 
Most of the time GW2 story just feels like Marvel universe or social media chatter with lots of modern talk added to it which does ruin it for me. 
Just some thoughts about story from me and a few of my friends - -we're really hoping to see some depth and darkness added to the game. Even Kryptis are falling short compared  to demons in Nightfall and Realm of Torment.

Edited January 12 by Blur.3465

[Ashantara.8731]

Great post. Thank you. 👍

[Randulf.7614]

I’ll prep myself to be flamed now, but I think people see GW1 story through rose tinted specs. I mean it did its job and got people invested in the world and lore. It was dark in tone for sure. Was it good storytelling? Prophecies felt a bit messy as a result of travelling around as many areas as possible, Factions was poorly told for such an inviting arc and it really wasn’t until Nightfall and EoTN that I personally became invested in that side of it.

GW2 gets a bad rap because it loses focus. And because the episodic formula is written by talented writers who can see the overall arc, but lose sight of how it’s presented to us, with long waits for pay offs or rushed story arcs as impatience for the next new thing kicks in. 
 

GW2 also does a lot more heavy lifting with map storytelling to aid the main narrative and I don’t think it gets the credit it’s due as a result by the players. You also have to remember, the humour and light tones are often lauded by many as well derided by others. It’s a vastly larger population than GW1 and thus the tastes are much more diverse to cater to.

GW1 did what it did well, but I don’t agree it had significantly more depth or darkness. It was just simpler and more consistent (although I’d argue Prophecies suffered from some of the issues gw2 does). It certainly didn’t have the better characters or dialogue or voice acting to what we have now 

You may now commence the beat down upon me 

Edited January 12 by Randulf.7614

[Buzzbugs.1236]

The GW2 story is largely Marvel Universe level of storytelling, including SotO. As soon as that story started by introducing a cast of characters who all need to band together to take down the big bad guy I knew it was going to be more of the same kitten. I'm tired of it as well but ArenaNet keep dropping the ball when it comes to the storytelling. It's incredibly formulaic in the way it follows the same story beats as those Marvel films as to be as easily digestible to an NPC who just joined GW2 for the first time and jumped in with a level boost and cares nothing about the world and lore and just want to be entertained by a video game. It's not for those of us who have been with this game and been supporting it for 10+ years.

Edited January 12 by Buzzbugs.1236

[voltaicbore.8012]

5 hours ago, Randulf.7614 said:

GW2 also does a lot more heavy lifting with map storytelling to aid the main narrative and I don’t think it gets the credit it’s due as a result by the players.

The core maps do this quite well, but I think the environmental storytelling has really lost a certain measure of depth over the years as well. Sadly I think the level of care that Anet can afford to put into little corners of the map not related to some meta event or reward... just isn't feasible anymore given the scale of the game and what players have become accustomed to over the years.

[Blur.3465]

4 hours ago, Randulf.7614 said:

I’ll prep myself to be flamed now, but I think people see GW1 story through rose tinted specs. I mean it did its job and got people invested in the world and lore. It was dark in tone for sure. Was it good storytelling? Prophecies felt a bit messy as a result of travelling around as many areas as possible, Factions was poorly told for such an inviting arc and it really wasn’t until Nightfall and EoTN that I personally became invested in that side of it.

GW2 gets a bad rap because it loses focus. And because the episodic formula is written by talented writers who can see the overall arc, but lose sight of how it’s presented to us, with long waits for pay offs or rushed story arcs as impatience for the next new thing kicks in. 
 

GW2 also does a lot more heavy lifting with map storytelling to aid the main narrative and I don’t think it gets the credit it’s due as a result by the players. You also have to remember, the humour and light tones are often lauded by many as well derided by others. It’s a vastly larger population than GW1 and thus the tastes are much more diverse to cater to.

GW1 did what it did well, but I don’t agree it had significantly more depth or darkness. It was just simpler and more consistent (although I’d argue Prophecies suffered from some of the issues gw2 does). It certainly didn’t have the better characters or dialogue or voice acting to what we have now 

You may now commence the beat down upon me 

Definitely not going to beat down upon you nor flame you! Hahah, those are some valid points of course!

But I have to disagree about GW1 point about it not having depth or darkness.
The way the story was presented to us in GW1 is done in a way more serious manner than GW2 aaaand I -personally- feel that many impactful things happened that actually left us O_O and had our blood pump, I know it did for me.
First the destruction of Ascalon! From wonderful pre-Searing Ascalon to that dark and destroyed landscape??? Now that was a shocker and it immediately hooked me up with the story! Charr were AMAZING enemies and a force to be feared.
Missions around Seared Ascalon were amazing and tragic, you get to see all those places you knew that were green and wonderful...but now all destroyed. Helping Prince Rurik, then entering the cold Shiverpeaks and watching Rurik DIE to Stone Summit!!!
And of course that finale in Prophecies where the Lich presents you the undead Rurik! It caused my blood to boil.

Then we have Factions where we meet Master Togo and get to learn about Shiro and Afflicted -- the Undercity in Cantha was a place that made my skin crawl and I always feared it. The howling sound of wind there, the abandoned Canthan buildings etc -- nothing we get to see in GW2. It just feels like a silly walk in the park in GW2 now, lalala no danger, silly enemies you can easily defeat, NPCs constantly talking to you via comm device and ruining immersion and danger. Kryptis realm should've been dark and scary, but instead it's...eh. Yeah >> Just another 'threat' that is not taken seriously at all and with very shallow depth to it.
But in Factions we learn about Kurzicks and Luxons, meet Kuunavang and save her, work against Shiro's corruption etc. It had so much more meaning than the horrendous EoD story we got 😕 

Nightfall then came and gave us Desolation, Realm of Torment... I mean...hands-down the best atmosphere I experienced in MMORPGs was in Realm of Torment. 

GW2 can -definitely- do the atmosphere and story well, but it's like it doesn't want to do it right. It's either comm device spamming, constant NPC talk, 0 sense of danger, and I really, REALLY hope we turn to a more dangerous/darker vibe. Kryptis had me really hyped but I was immensely disappointed by this latest release where it's just...eh. Not too great storywise? Again I felt 100% safe in that realm which shouldn't be a thing. Commander should've been exposed there, not entirely protected, not having entire army at our backs again. I was hoping we'd be in there alone with Peitha and surviving basically!

[Kalavier.1097]

5 hours ago, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

The GW2 story is largely Marvel Universe level of storytelling, including SotO. As soon as that story started by introducing a cast of characters who all need to band together to take down the big bad guy I knew it was going to be more of the same kitten. 

It's not for those of us who have been with this game and been supporting it for 10+ years.

Oh you mean like how in GW1, we operated in a band of characters who had to cooperate and work together to bring down the big bad, while drawing at times opposing factions together into an alliance to have the manpower needed to strike out?

You may speak for yourself, but I've been with GW2 since the very first day the servers went live and I'm still enjoying the story as much as I did back then. You may not be using it in this manner, but I've seen plenty of people who try to use similar lines to act like all "true" long time GW2 players and GW1 players dislike or hate the story of GW2 now.

1 hour ago, Blur.3465 said:

But I have to disagree about GW1 point about it not having depth or darkness.
The way the story was presented to us in GW1 is done in a way more serious manner than GW2 aaaand I -personally- feel that many impactful things happened that actually left us O_O and had our blood pump, I know it did for me.

It also had some incredibly silly quest-lines and events too. Which some people underplay. 

[Eekasqueak.7850]

9 hours ago, Randulf.7614 said:

I’ll prep myself to be flamed now, but I think people see GW1 story through rose tinted specs. I mean it did its job and got people invested in the world and lore. It was dark in tone for sure. Was it good storytelling? Prophecies felt a bit messy as a result of travelling around as many areas as possible, Factions was poorly told for such an inviting arc and it really wasn’t until Nightfall and EoTN that I personally became invested in that side of it.

GW2 gets a bad rap because it loses focus. And because the episodic formula is written by talented writers who can see the overall arc, but lose sight of how it’s presented to us, with long waits for pay offs or rushed story arcs as impatience for the next new thing kicks in. 
 

GW2 also does a lot more heavy lifting with map storytelling to aid the main narrative and I don’t think it gets the credit it’s due as a result by the players. You also have to remember, the humour and light tones are often lauded by many as well derided by others. It’s a vastly larger population than GW1 and thus the tastes are much more diverse to cater to.

GW1 did what it did well, but I don’t agree it had significantly more depth or darkness. It was just simpler and more consistent (although I’d argue Prophecies suffered from some of the issues gw2 does). It certainly didn’t have the better characters or dialogue or voice acting to what we have now 

You may now commence the beat down upon me 

Nah you're 100% right, GW1 wasn't nearly as amazing as people make it out to be. Factions especially had some moments made ridiculous by bad VA and the afflicted were kinda generic as enemies. 

[Buzzbugs.1236]

4 hours ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

Oh you mean like how in GW1, we operated in a band of characters who had to cooperate and work together to bring down the big bad, while drawing at times opposing factions together into an alliance to have the manpower needed to strike out?

Yes. How many times do you want the exact same story told to you?

But then again people love going to Mcdonalds to eat food that tastes the same every time. So what do I know?

5 hours ago, Blur.3465 said:

Again I felt 100% safe in that realm which shouldn't be a thing. Commander should've been exposed there, not entirely protected, not having entire army at our backs again. I was hoping we'd be in there alone with Peitha and surviving basically!

What?!1? You mean you don't like the pseudo fictional United Nations deploying themselves all over the place in Tyria and acting like the worlds police that always know best??? 😁

 

Edited January 13 by Buzzbugs.1236

[mandala.8507]

15 hours ago, Blur.3465 said:

I am aware that nowadays it's hard to write story that will satisfy everyone and not -offend- someone, which is why most stories tend to feel shallow and too plushy.

Any specific examples from GW2 you want to bring up that you think fall into this "not offend" category that somehow have something to do with the darkness, seriousness, or depth of the story? Can you point to any particular moments in the story where not offending people made it worse?

[mandala.8507]

2 hours ago, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

But then again people love going to Mcdonalds to eat food that tastes the same every time. So what do I know?

As opposed to some mythical food that tastes totally different every time?

[Buzzbugs.1236]

16 minutes ago, mandala.8507 said:

As opposed to some mythical food that tastes totally different every time?

You mean you never home cooked your own meal before? It's very difficult to get the exact same result twice. Even if you follow a recipe, there will always be slight variations. But if you're just using whatever ingredients you have available to you at the time, you will get widely different results.

So to continue my comparison of the GW2 story to food (SotO in particular), what we're getting is the equivalent to a meal from Mcdonalds. Mass produced generic content for mass appeal and consumption.

But not every story in GW2 is like this. ArenaNet has deviated before, so we know they can do better.

Edited January 13 by Buzzbugs.1236

[Blur.3465]

9 hours ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

It also had some incredibly silly quest-lines and events too. Which some people underplay. 

It did. And silly is fine, nothing wrong with adding humor to the game. GW2, however, is FULL of it and it's all in MAIN story which gets to be too much. Almost every line is spiced with humor which kills any kind of seriousness and depth of story. 
Comical relief is 100% fine, but it's not good when it's there 95% of time.
 

[Blur.3465]

6 hours ago, mandala.8507 said:

Any specific examples from GW2 you want to bring up that you think fall into this "not offend" category that somehow have something to do with the darkness, seriousness, or depth of the story? Can you point to any particular moments in the story where not offending people made it worse?

I am aware a lot of people said they'd quit the game if Aurene died. (Which would've been quite a twist in the tale after that particular episode!)
I had some discussions before where some said they don't want anything darker added to the game because they can't cope with that, which is why I feel a lot of things are also being approached with 'care' as not to overstep it with those unexpected twists. I am also aware that people use video games as a means to escape, but we're playing a game which has war, death, tragedy, loss, etc... dark moments are to be expected. 

To compare, WoW Dragonflight is kinda going with the plushy approach with that expansion which makes the expansion have absolutely 0 depth and snoozy story.

Not saying GW2 doesn't have its moments, it does! And it's great! I just wish it stopped with the constant humor in main story (I'm looking at you EoD). 
What I loved was the vibe and tone of Icebrood Saga. Now that was a step in the right direction! Sadly, the story kind of didn't deliver by the end and felt rushed. But IBS had it all RIGHT! The tone, the atmosphere, the seriousness! -That- is what I am hoping to see again, that kind of seriousness. 
I was hoping they'd continue with that, but then we got EoD and I was so immensely disappointed with storytelling there xC 
SotO returned with some seriousness but it's missing something...

Edited January 13 by Blur.3465

[mandala.8507]

7 hours ago, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

You mean you never home cooked your own meal before? It's very difficult to get the exact same result twice.

Yeah, it really isn't that hard to cook the same thing twice. I have no clue what you're talking about with this. If your food always tastes noticeably different every time you cook, it might mean you aren't very good at it.

Like, if you go to a high end restaurant and order something, are you wanting it to be different every time? No. All food tastes the same if it is made the same way with the same ingredients and conditions. It has nothing to do with the quality or intended audience.

If your point is simply to comment on the quality of the story by comparing it to bad fast food, fine.

I have to disagree and say you are very wrong imo, but if that's the opinion you're sharing, then whatever. But your analogy is not very good.

[Buzzbugs.1236]

16 minutes ago, mandala.8507 said:

Yeah, it really isn't that hard to cook the same thing twice. I have no clue what you're talking about with this. If your food always tastes noticeably different every time you cook, it might mean you aren't very good at it.

Like, if you go to a high end restaurant and order something, are you wanting it to be different every time? No. All food tastes the same if it is made the same way with the same ingredients and conditions. It has nothing to do with the quality or intended audience.

If your point is simply to comment on the quality of the story by comparing it to bad fast food, fine.

I have to disagree and say you are very wrong imo, but if that's the opinion you're sharing, then whatever. But your analogy is not very good.

This never-ending defence of GW2 from this community is astounding.

First you all tell me I must be new to the game. Nope.

Then you said it must be my gear/build. Nope again.

Then you said I must just suck at the game. Big nope.

Now I can't cook irl? I bet I'm a far better cook than you are. But that's just besides the point I was trying to make, isn't it?

This forum man..

Edited January 13 by Buzzbugs.1236

[mandala.8507]

13 minutes ago, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

Then you said it must be my gear/build. Nope again.

Then you said I must just suck at the game. Big nope.

Can I have context for this? Is there some content you were struggling with where someone would have ask you about what you're running as far as gear and build?

Because I said none of this to you, so I don't know why you're bringing it up to me.

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

20 hours ago, voltaicbore.8012 said:

The core maps do this quite well, but I think the environmental storytelling has really lost a certain measure of depth over the years as well. Sadly I think the level of care that Anet can afford to put into little corners of the map not related to some meta event or reward... just isn't feasible anymore given the scale of the game and what players have become accustomed to over the years.

And this is no surprise. Most maps were under development for about 6-8 months. The core game was in development for 5 years, and while obviously the maps weren't worked on from day 1, there were prototype maps done in the GW1 engine (like Queensdale) with GW1 assets, so they were able to prototype fairly early.

And there's just no comparison of a map worked on for 1+ years, and a map worked on for 6-8 months.

5 hours ago, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

This never-ending defence of GW2 from this community is astounding.

Please do not compare mandala to the majority of the community. They're in the superminority.

Edited January 13 by Konig Des Todes.2086

[mandala.8507]

18 minutes ago, Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

Please do not compare mandala to the majority of the community. They're in the superminority.

Agreed, but not for the reason you think. 

[Harper.4173]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:43 PM, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

The GW2 story is largely Marvel Universe level of storytelling, including SotO. As soon as that story started by introducing a cast of characters who all need to band together to take down the big bad guy I knew it was going to be more of the same kitten. I'm tired of it as well but ArenaNet keep dropping the ball when it comes to the storytelling. It's incredibly formulaic in the way it follows the same story beats as those Marvel films as to be as easily digestible to an NPC who just joined GW2 for the first time and jumped in with a level boost and cares nothing about the world and lore and just want to be entertained by a video game. It's not for those of us who have been with this game and been supporting it for 10+ years.

It's not that they are dropping the ball - this is the quality of the storytelling they are capable of putting out now. This is what can be achieved with the people working at the studio and doing the stories at present times. The people that wrote those darker, more grounded stories in the times of GW1 are probably no longer with the company. That and the current times, where stories have to be, as you said, heavily inspired by Marvel-type get together adventures where everyone is friends and they get the big bad guy together while making silly remarks. I hate it, but I doubt anything else can be delivered at this point. 
 

 

20 hours ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

Oh you mean like how in GW1, we operated in a band of characters who had to cooperate and work together to bring down the big bad, while drawing at times opposing factions together into an alliance to have the manpower needed to strike out?

Yes except that we did it in a way that didn't make the band of characters insufferable because despite how bad the odds are they can still quip some silly remark or line every 2 minutes. There's literally no taking GW2 seriously as your band constantly cracks jokes as you attempt to save the world. It's very tiresome. 
 

 

10 hours ago, Blur.3465 said:

I am aware a lot of people said they'd quit the game if Aurene died. (Which would've been quite a twist in the tale after that particular episode!)
I had some discussions before where some said they don't want anything darker added to the game because they can't cope with that, which is why I feel a lot of things are also being approached with 'care' as not to overstep it with those unexpected twists. I am also aware that people use video games as a means to escape, but we're playing a game which has war, death, tragedy, loss, etc... dark moments are to be expected. 

This is a big issue as well, I've been on these forums a while, even the old forums before these. There are a lot of people (or at least were) that always responded to threads about how lighthearted the story was with "I don't want any darkness, this is my escape fantasy, I want everything to be nice and work out otherwise I can't take it". 

[River Valley.2396]

When I first played GW2 I liked the fact that the MC didn't seem as special for the most part (I'm sure that'll change once I get to the rest of the story), so I was happy that it was a story about many peoples coming together to stand up to evil instead about a chosen one.

Going through the personal story now (many many many moons after release) with one of my alts I'm reminded of how lighthearted and goofy it can be.

I bought GW2 because I was interested in the concept of their mmo design and the absolutely GORGEOUS art. Once I was in the game I was impressed by the environmental storytelling. There are places where you can see (or at least imagine) things that happened in that map's past that had emotional weight and stakes. And while I'm not the biggest fan of the silly vibe it has sometimes, I enjoy it during holiday events as those aren't supposed to be taken seriously.

Regardless, the main story paths also sharing that lack of stakes and goofiness is a disappointment.

I don't play mmos for the storytelling, nor do I believe that "dark = better" but GW2 wants to have weight and stakes but so far it misses that goal. It's not the acting, nor even the actual dialog. It's more complicated than that, as a lot of the writing within it makes the world look like a literal theme park.

A small, undefended farm constantly under siege from a band of bandits that live inside a cave, not even a two minute walk away, and there's no casualties?

Renown heart quests bring down the whole atmosphere to a silly level as scenarios like the above replay ad-infinitum.

There are parts of the world and the game's story where it feels like a theme park narratively, and that's not good.

Edited January 13 by River Valley.2396

[voltaicbore.8012]

1 hour ago, River Valley.2396 said:

There are places where you can see (or at least imagine) things that happened in that map's past that had emotional weight and stakes.

This is a big part of why I find the expansion/LW maps far less charming than the core ones, over the long term. A well-designed ruin with maybe a vaguely worded text box - that's all it takes to give off the "I can imagine things happened here" vibe. And it doesn't have to all be ruins and ancient history either - something I often refer to is a random, fully furnished house you can walk into in Rurikton. It's just one house, not like every single door in the entire city is openable or anything. And yet, a single space like that can really go a long way in making the world feel like people actually live in Tyria, instead of the entire game world being a one-dimensional backdrop for the player to pass through.

But as people have noted in the thread, that kind of stuff just isn't going to happen anymore. Some of it is the release schedule, as @Konig Des Todes.2086 noted; individual maps just don't get that sort of attention (even in the core maps, it feels like attention wasn't evenly split). I suspect though that @Harper.4173's idea is even more significant - the kind of people who cared to actually tell those less-lighthearted stories or do the environmental storytelling just aren't around anymore.

It's a shame, really. I think environmental storytelling - while certainly more challenging than a more direct storytelling style - nonetheless would allow Anet to more easily escape the Marvel-esque style it seems stuck in now. Oh well.

[Kalavier.1097]

18 hours ago, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

Yes. How many times do you want the exact same story told to you?

You act as if this is a problem of GW2, and not something done exactly in GW1 as well.

8 hours ago, Buzzbugs.1236 said:

This never-ending defence of GW2 from this community is astounding.

"I go into a community about GW2, and I'm shocked that people here don't all hate it and scream about it all the time."

Listen, I get not liking it, but can we stop with this nonsense about how everybody must hate all of GW2 or love GW1 and you can't possibly like both games as they are currently?

 

1 hour ago, Harper.4173 said:

Yes except that we did it in a way that didn't make the band of characters insufferable because despite how bad the odds are they can still quip some silly remark or line every 2 minutes. There's literally no taking GW2 seriously as your band constantly cracks jokes as you attempt to save the world. It's very tiresome. 

Ah yes, no silly quips. Not like Eve casually commenting about "Leaving popsicles around" or the Norn going "Meh, we honestly didn't think she was needed but she insisted."

Or you know, the entire questline that is the PC actively trying to avoid a marriage proposal. Or the quest that gives you a banana scythe.

If you can't take things seriously because of a few jokes to break the tension, that's on you? People joke to prevent everybody from spiraling into a despair pit and not having the will to fight on. To use another setting example, Darktide in warhammer 40k. The characters joke and banter despite being waist-deep in corpses and gunk, because they aren't giving into despair.

 

[River Valley.2396]

18 minutes ago, voltaicbore.8012 said:

This is a big part of why I find the expansion/LW maps far less charming than the core ones, over the long term. A well-designed ruin with maybe a vaguely worded text box - that's all it takes to give off the "I can imagine things happened here" vibe. And it doesn't have to all be ruins and ancient history either - something I often refer to is a random, fully furnished house you can walk into in Rurikton. It's just one house, not like every single door in the entire city is openable or anything. And yet, a single space like that can really go a long way in making the world feel like people actually live in Tyria, instead of the entire game world being a one-dimensional backdrop for the player to pass through.

That's an unfortunate thing to know as I prep to go through the rest of the content I have. At least I'll be prepared.

Again, I'm not playing an MMO for the story but since it's there I'd like it to work on a more solid and cohesive manner (as the medium and genre allow it). That can mean Marvel quips, even if I am not a fan, but to me the issue is more than that. Other games (and books/films/shows) are able to juggle tone and their narratives well.

I like using "Hardcore Henry" as an example as that film is not trying to be an art film, but it understands what it is and does it justice.

A thing doesn't have to be narrative/atmosphere focused in order to pull off those elements of the whole package.

[Kalavier.1097]

19 hours ago, Eekasqueak.7850 said:

Nah you're 100% right, GW1 wasn't nearly as amazing as people make it out to be. Factions especially had some moments made ridiculous by bad VA and the afflicted were kinda generic as enemies. 

The Master Togo song is a great reference to this stuff lol.

GW1 was enjoyable, and it's got a solid world and storyline, but it's not like it was super deep, amazing, dark, or serious. It had silly joy moments and horrific ones. 

Gw2 has silly moments and horrific moments. 

The issue I see more often is people claiming GW1 is a masterpiece, or just acting as if you cannot like both GW1 and GW2 story or gameplay.