Game Update Notes: July 16, 2024

[Rubi Bayer.8493]

07/16/2024—July 16 Release Notes

Note to users of third-party programs: The game may not launch or work properly after we release a new build if you use a third-party program, due to possible incompatibilities. ArenaNet cannot offer support if a third-party modification breaks, interferes with, or prevents you from playing Guild Wars or Guild Wars 2. Our policy regarding third-party programs can be found here.

General

• Updated the behavior of the away-from-keyboard timer that returns players to the character-select screen after extended periods of inactivity. In open-world maps, the time remaining before a player who has not manually moved their character or performed any skill inputs is returned to character select is now reduced to 5 minutes if the player enters combat.
• Removed rocks that were blocking access to mursaat tokens 19 and 31 in Ember Bay.

Items

• Fixed an issue that prevented some legendary armor pieces from becoming invisible under the effect of thief stealth skills like Shadow Refuge.
• Updated the Communal Boost Bonfire with the following changes:
  • The spawn radius of the wood has been reduced.
  • Players can now place the Communal Boost Bonfire, select its boost, and interact with it, even if they are already under the effect of one of its boosts.
  • A Locked Bonfire status will now apply to Communal Boost Bonfires for the first two minutes after they are placed, and only the owner will be able to select a boost during that period. When it expires, it will be replaced by a Public Bonfire status, and any player can select a boost if one has not already been selected.
  • Players can now interact with a Communal Boost Bonfire multiple times to refresh the boost, up to a maximum of 60 minutes. The boost will not be refreshed if the maximum time limit has already been reached.

Structured Player vs. Player

Automated Tournament Updates

• The frequency of daily automated tournaments has been reduced from 8 to 4 per day.
  • All EU server tournaments will occur during their standard prime-time player activity period.
  • On North American servers, 3 tournaments will occur during NA's standard prime-time player activity period. One tournament is timed to occur during Oceanic (OCX) prime time.
• A new weekly automated tournament has been added. This tournament happens every Sunday at the following regional times:
  • EU: 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (UTC-7)
  • NA: 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time (UTC-7)
• A new monthly variety automated tournament will happen every second Saturday of each month at noon Pacific Time (UTC-7).
  • This tournament will alternate between 2v2 and 3v3 modes.
• Tournament of Legends will occur every 6 months on the third Saturday of each month at noon Pacific Time (UTC-7).

Structured PvP Titles

• The "Champion Brawler" title awarded for winning 10,000 rated arena games is now colored pink.
• Added a new colored tournament title, "Champion of Champions," for consistent high placement in the Kormir's Clash monthly automated tournament. Players accrue points by placing in the top 4 teams. First place awards 30 points, second place awards 15 points, and third and fourth place both award 10 points. The title is earned upon reaching 120 points.

Djinn's Dominion Objective Update

• The lamp map objective has received several updates:
  • The objective now requires channeling, rather than being awarded by standing within a capture circle boundary.
  • The special action skill is no longer granted to the entire team. Only the player who channeled the lamp will gain access to it.
  • Leaving the lamp arena now causes subsequent uses to apply Weakened Soul for longer durations. The maximum penalty lasts for 30 seconds, refreshing when you enter or exit the lamp.
• Special action skills have been updated:
  • Giant Meteor is no longer ground targeted, and it is now unblockable and requires a targeted enemy. The meteor will be attached to the target upon casting.
  • Disenchantment Field has been replaced by Waters of Life, a ground-targeted area of effect that revives allies and finishes downed enemies within its radius.
  • Waxing Doom has been replaced by Starfall, which damages and launches enemies in a radius around the player. Using Starfall on an enemy capture point will instantly neutralize it.
• Fixed an issue that prevented jumping players from being counted as present in the Market (middle) capture circle.

World vs. World

General

This update focuses on changing some aspects of WvW scoring, as well as some siege updates and various WvW quality-of-life improvements.

These next few changes are part of an effort to make scoring feel healthier and to make fighting for structures feel more valuable. We will monitor the impacts of these changes and adjust as needed to maintain healthy scoring as play patterns evolve.

• The victory point values from skirmishes will now be weighted based on player activity during the skirmish.
• The war score awarded for capturing objectives has been increased and will additionally increase based on the objective's tier when it is captured.
• The war score awarded for defeating an enemy player in WvW is increasing from 2 to 3.

These changes are focused on making gameplay in and around sieging structures feel healthier, paying particular attention to the tools defenders have available. We continue to strive to make both attacking and defending feel good for players.

• Objective-contesting conditions are changing. Objectives will now become contested if the lord is put into combat or if a gate or wall is damaged below 98% health.
• The Emergency Waypoint tactic now spawns 3 waypoints in various locations near the lord's room in Stonemist Castle and keeps.
• Alacrity can no longer be applied to players using siege equipment and will be removed from players when activating siege equipment.
• Boons other than swiftness can no longer be applied to siege golems.
• Flame ram health has been lowered by 50%. Iron Hide will be applied to flame rams when they are operated.
• Guild siege golem supply cost has increased from 50 to 75.
• Arrow cart supply cost has been reduced from 40 to 25.
• Superior arrow cart supply cost has been reduced from 50 to 35.
• Trebuchet supply cost has been reduced from 100 to 50.
• Superior trebuchet supply cost has been reduced from 120 to 60.

Rewards

• Added a new Corrupted Hero weapon set to WvW.
  • Exotic versions of the weapons have been added to the Mist-Hardened Lockbox.
  • Ascended versions of the weapons can be acquired from a new Mystic Forge recipe utilizing rare Hero weapons, which are acquired from the Hero Weapon Reward Track.
• Added varietal seeds to herb synthesizers.

[Rubi Bayer.8493]

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed an issue that prevented new players from entering the World vs. World game mode.
• Fixed an issue that prevented walls in WvW from being repaired when interacting with them.
• Fixed an issue that prevented "Repel the enemy attackers" events from starting in WvW.
• Fixed an issue that caused some items offered by the Skirmish Supervisor in WvW to be priced incorrectly. 

[Joie.6084]

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed an issue that blocked access to mursaat token 25 in Ember Bay.
• Fixed an issue that prevented this week’s updates to the AFK timer from functioning correctly.

[Joie.6084]

Bug Fix:

• Fixed a pricing issue that affected the Living World season complete packs. They will be 20% off again until August 2, at the proper price.