Anyone else feel that we have stunning new environments but NOTHING to do in them?

[Moyayuki.3619]

@Miss Pink Floyd.9730 said:My problem with the expansion is that no matter what new map, there is no resting for your character. It seems like your position is homed in on and attacked. This is very upsetting. I also find it difficult to find things. Heart quests are hidden until xxx takes place is very confusing. I was very upset upon discovering these issues.

I'd argue that that was my experience with HoT. PoF maps feel much more relaxing than HoT maps for me, with less instances of getting ganked on. I also have not had any heart quests locked behind events yet.

[Andred.1087]

I'm pretty disappointed there are no real meta events or even world bosses. I'll stay busy until I finish unlocking elite specs and getting mastery points, but like, there's just no question that large-scale events with coveted rewards are better for retaining player interest than just having pretty-looking zones with nothing of note to do. Anybody who's been playing this game long enough has learned from Core that there's no reason to do random events on the map, unless there's a long-term goal to achieve by doing them. HoT gave us that reason with epic meta events that required many other events to be done to increase the rewards, and had complex mechanics that necessitated strategizing among the players. What is there in PoF? Farming trade contracts? Yeah that's real exciting.

Hopefully ANet will add some things to the maps eventually. I mean really, no world boss? That's such an obvious thing to do. Everybody was looking forward to epic, cooperative experiences in these new maps -- something that has always been a major selling point of GW2 -- but so far there is nothing. I guess they're banking on that crowd to be satisfied once the new raids come in.

[LucianDK.8615]

I spent soo much time in auric basin unlocking all the auric skins and luminates backplate. I see nothing compelling of the same sort in pof. Im not saying there should be a large meta for each zone, but i had at least expect one or two tops, leading to a huge world boss or competitive event.

[leftyboy.9358]

@rapthorne.7345 said:I personally prefer the constant localised events, rather than massive map metas, which resulted in the HoT maps being totally dead when the metas were not up.

I do think we should have at least one world boss or large event meta for one of the maps, but I don't ever want them to become the map's sole focus again

Not sure what the solution would be.People naturally gravitate to the big events : that would otherwise fill other maps - with reason. That turned out to be the case over time in HoT. When they gave multiple big focal points , people bounced between the big events and left maps barren otherwise. Would one big meta satisfy people, or would people just then complain, "why only one"?

[Tristavel.9218]

While I don't have a problem with metas in general, I do think that the one and only map that handled them right was the Silverwastes. Tying them to a rigid timer in HoT was imo the worst design mistake Anet made. The result was that outside metas and pre chains there was very little to do on those maps, and dropping by in odd hours was mostly pointless - there either were no events running, or not enough people to complete them. The worst offender is obviously Dragon Stand - beautiful and detailed map that is utterly useless outside looooong, zergy and pretty boring meta. Finding enough time to actually complete some of this stuff was a challenge in itself.

I'm glad PoF took a different approach.

Now, I haven't explored PoF areas fully (because launch fail), but I really like what I've seen so far. Sure, "hearts" are just as bad as in every LS3 map - repetitive and boring. So I need to do them once and move on. Some areas feel somewhat empty. Those are valid concerns. But the rest? Multiple small events that can be done solo or in small group, always something going on somewhere, no artificial gating besides masteries, lots of small secrets to discover, lots of varied mobs to fight - exactly the thing I'm after when I log in for open world PvE. No need to remember timers, no problem when logging in at off hours when no one is around. Thumbs up from me.

[Rose.2593]

I think there could be more to do on the new maps such World bosses or mini meta's. Some of the legendary fights are good too., so make them have a bit more too them like pre's or something that affects the world if you win or lose like old world bosses.

[Oldirtbeard.9834]

@Vayne.8563 said:People complained about HoT being on timers and needed groups. Anet made changes based on the very loud complaints of a percentage of the playerbase. I know after I get done with the expansion I'll be spending time in HoT again, because that offers a different experience.

Both experiences are valid. Anet should have made 3 maps without metas and two with metas

I'm of the same mind, got map completion finished so I'm hoping theres enough bounties and events to make a Cursed Shore experience in all 5 maps.

[battledrone.8315]

there is plenty to do, but its all gated behind hordes of annoying mobs and crappy storywere are supposed to fight a god , but even trash mobs can take most of my health in one hit, and throwing my toon around like a rag dolli will spend even lesser time here, than i did in HoT

[Zenith.7301]

@TwilightSoul.9048 said:So far I absolutely love the new maps BECAUSE there are no huge metas. The maps aren't entirely useless up to a certain point in time like the HoT maps (Dragons stand isn't even a map unless the meta is running..) In PoF maps there are events everywhere, and no matter where you go you can find some treasure, event, whatever, it actually feels like you're exploring a map rather then raiding a map. If you just want to hit 1 until you get loot you can go back to HoT or maybe play some clicker game? I think a Multiplayer Clicker game would be among the best MMO's for most players complaining about PoF...

lol bounties are no different with a zerg clicking 1. And most of you people running open world are running bearbow or axe necromancers anyways, so don't talk about skills with your minstrel greatsword Firebrand.

[Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582]

@Bloodtau.4672 said:

@Ashley.3408 said:Funny thing is these events give far better rewards than any hot stuff. I was doing bounties after reset last night and some other events and ive got 64 rare unidentified items to open. 300 of the blue ones. And thats without the huge amount of materials that u get from sand piles and bleached skulls etc and just rewards in general.

People seem to be far underestimating rewards.

Why do u think all the prices are tumbling on trading post its like rewards are dialed to 11

See, this is the issue. MMo's have gone from fun, engaging content to content that involves grinding as much mats/gold as possible, then rinse and repeating.

MMO's haven't gone that way, the players have. Instead of being happy exploring an open world and doing events, they want trinkets and baubles and gold to buy shiny items with. The MMOs just catered to this.

[TwilightSoul.9048]

@Zenith.7301 said:

@TwilightSoul.9048 said:So far I absolutely love the new maps BECAUSE there are no huge metas. The maps aren't entirely useless up to a certain point in time like the HoT maps (Dragons stand isn't even a map unless the meta is running..) In PoF maps there are events everywhere, and no matter where you go you can find some treasure, event, whatever, it actually feels like you're exploring a map rather then raiding a map. If you just want to hit 1 until you get loot you can go back to HoT or maybe play some clicker game? I think a Multiplayer Clicker game would be among the best MMO's for most players complaining about PoF...

lol bounties are no different with a zerg clicking 1. And most of you people running open world are running bearbow or axe necromancers anyways, so don't talk about skills with your minstrel greatsword Firebrand.

The difference is bounties are not reliant on a buch of randoms - in HoT you can't do anything if you don't find a map in time with enough randoms. In PoF you can do absolutely anything you want with a small group of friends or your guild which is (to me) a lot more fun to play. I don't like beeing one of a bunch with nothing more to worry about then randoms (hardest thing about HoT metas is hoping that the randoms don't screw up since you as a single player can't make up for the masses).And what does my build have to do with weather I have "skills" or not, I'm playing full zerker tempest as main. And "skills" have nothing to do with that, to be skilled means that you can adapt to deal with new situations which is entirely unneccessary in HoT since, as I said, you can't make up for 30 terrible randoms if they screw up. You can't solo AB North - if the randoms fail, you loose.

[Thefarside.2178]

100% agree. Finished the specialty collection on my last character last night. Already have bounty achievements, griffon and a chunk of the other achievements. Even before last night, I would unlock the elite on a new character, do the specialty collection and immediately leave all POF maps. All of my characters are in non-POF maps currently and I don't see any reason to go back to them.