Official Feedback Thread: LWS4 Episode 4: A Star to Guide Us

[Perisemiotics.4579]

Just a minor issue I've had with some achievement collections and this release has one such again... the 40 Jahai Coins - when designing these large, same-item type collections, please try to not just number them 1 through N and make a plain list out of it. This not only devalues the items or the fiction behind them (in this case they were meant to be coins which would be rare, lol) but gameplay-wise it becomes tedious and unfriendly... we have no hint about the location for each item so unless we play it combing the map terrain thoroughly, coming back later will mean to have to look in most places all over again.

The way I think would be fitting for this type of collection is how the Mursaat Tokens were done in S3E2 in Ember Bay, with unique hints for each that actually made exploring the intricate geometry of the map enjoyable - you could even add a bit of lore, reference and humor in the flavor text of the hints.

[perilisk.1874]

Great episode, bugs notwithstanding, one of the best so far. Good story instances with some crazy bits, Sun's Refuge is a fun piece of content, and the map is nice (especially the anomalous parts). And full armor sets in a LS episode too. Plus tornado riding.

[Adul.1520]

Please let us reconfigure the key that's used for the new mount skill Bond of Vigor, as I'm already using my utility skill keys for my mount movement abilities.

[Zushada.6108]

1. When compared to the last episode, this one is a dream. I love it. I like the map, I LOVE the throw-back touches to LS1, LW2 & HoT maps
2. IMO we need more interconnection and/or use of masteries outside to their original expansion, just think of the number of ppl who would get HoT just to train gliding, mushrooms and updrafts! :smile:
3. I still firmly believe the base HP of the mounts needs to increase and the mounts need some form of mitigation or "shield" mode. Getting knocked off in one-shot and then hyper-focussed by an Occultist who drains your health in 3s is really, just not fun because you don't have time to defend yourself.
4. I am still not sure how SR will replace the home instance, but if that is your intent, I would love to see us be able to gain the nodes etc we have already acquired.
5. I was disappointed that SR is an instance as I was hoping it would be like Passkey areas where you still have access to full map chat etc and I would like to stay in SR when I log out. (I understand that because it is tied to the story, you instanced it but we had Strongholds in SWTOR that were still part of the map chat etc but only accessible to the player and their party-mates).
6. THANK YOU for the Desert Fox, his animations are brilliant and I cracked up when I jumped into the pond and there he was. My only small issue is that he gets in the way when trying to interact with objects so rather than snacking or playing fetch, he gets told to patrol the area or stay.
7. The collections are fun but the drop rate on some of the Crystal Collection items seems extremely low when compared to the Door to the Past collection drops. I don't believe it should be 100% drop rate, but there is something off balance with the different collection drops.
8. Speaking of which, the Convergence of Sorrow II is calling for a +1 Swim Speed infusion but they do not exist in the game
9. I really liked the Tornados, they were like Updrafts for Griffons!
10. I am struggling to get the Hydra down because the pre-event fails constantly. I think, it is poorly timed because it is often up at the same time as the Shatterer. So I would like to see the timers increased and/or adjusted so the other events do not spawn during the shatterer. Overlap is fine, it is just hard when both pre-events spawn within 5 mins of each other.
11. sigh why did it have to be Taimi... :cry:
12. The Xunlai chest is a tease. Nice throwback, but such a tease that we can't interact with it.
13. I forgot to add A -- As others have mentioned, I really don't like the fact that the Defend the Chantry's Entrances always fails because you need so many people to defend it. Perhaps this was an attempt at an additional map meta but it just isn't working.
14. I forgot to add B -- The rate of which we can gain Mistonium seems a bit low when compared to the LW3 maps and even Sandswept Isles. The nodes are not a guaranteed drop nor are the chests. In Ember Bay, you had more hearts to make up the difference. By no means should we earn the additional gear skins overnight, but with the drop rate of Mistonium, the gold heavy second collection, it really just seems like we are being a smidge punished for being to quick about the achievements. :smile: TBH, I would rather you time gate the second and/or third collection over restricting the drop rate on the nodes and chests. Especially when the heart rewards and a number of events do not give Mistonium.

Really well done guys, you deserved those waffles and a couple of beers too. :sunglasses:

[Matt H.6142]

Best update ever.Feel like you fit the best of GW2 into this release, and will be happy to keep playing it. Great new experiences in the storyGreat level of challenge on the map. Great designs.Except riftstalkers.
TL:DRThe most amazing update to the game yet, expansions included. I've been buzzing for 2 days since finishing it. It has everything. Old friends, an elder dragon, Joko, the jungle, new world boss (kind of).
I can't wait to replay the episode story soon, whereas thinking of doing episode 3's story again seems like a chore. The deadeye instance was an incredible first for the game, the nastiest spider in the game, (you know the one) and the space jumps in the mist were very trippy.
The map is quite dangerous to navigate too. The branded have a lot of range to hit mounts, and I've used like 3 revive orbs this episode like I've never done before. Mobs chip away at your health throughout the shatterer fight. Love all the options in that fight.Always being mindful of the Claw of Kralkatorrik makes the map feel alive.The one thing I don't like are the riftstalkers. Less interesting karka with no lore that stand in place taking little damage with a repeating pattern of aoe.

[Keriana.9635]

Here is my feedback:

Likes:

• Large amount of content, especially for a free update
• Loved getting new armor
• Sun's Refuge -- I really like how the map and Sun's Refuge are connected and that when you do events, it is sometimes reflected in SR by getting new people, pets, etc.
• I especially liked the cutscene where Aurene saw different possible futures

Dislikes:

• Storm Tracker -- This should have been a powerful story instance considering what happened, but for me the mechanics and the bugs took a lot of the impact of the story away
• Lack of dialogue choices or interactivity in the story
• Braham -- Braham's subplot and its conclusion didn't work for me. I didn't want him as the pc's family. I think he should have been sent packing.

[Egrimm Van Horstmann.7921]

Deadeye story can't be completed. I get DC'd when I meet up with her on last part. Also need a larger zone around borders, too easy to step out of instance just moving to cover.

[Rauderi.8706]

Additional thoughts now that I'm all the way through:

:+1: I know it's extra work, but pleeease keep doing cutscenes instead of the panned-out talking bits. GW2's aesthetic doesn't really let us easily zoom in to capture detail, but the cutscenes were great for keeping the focus right on the dialogue and speakers.

:-1: Still. No. Retry. Button. When there are achievements for "don't mess up not even once!" maybe we don't want to have to go through 10 minutes of exposition to do them again. Fail Faster. Let story instances get some of that sweet /gg action, would ya?

[brenda.9723]

Praise Joko!

[brenda.9723]

I really like this episode. :)8 out of 10 (-1 points bc of Blish :cry:)

The Good:1: I liked the beginning: it was fun to see the people of elona arguing about the death of joko and mistrusting aurene. Thanks for the aurene heart animation, those make me always so happy :3 . And Koss saving us was really nice <3 .2: The shatterer "fight" was awesome. I really like the detail that one NPC (I believe an awakened) was completely crushed. Also the animations of the shatterer were really cool. I am happy we did not fight the shatterer, bc I often do the world boss the shatterer, and killing him easily on my own would be a bit unbelievable for me.3: OMG The doctor who/strange plot with time and space shenanigans was completely crazy. I love it! Kralky felt this patch so unbelievebly scary :scream: !4: Yeeh, I really liked to see eir and snaff. The talk between eir and braham was well done. I am happy that Braham finally knows how much of a KITTEN he has been in the past.5: I really like walking in open world with Blish :3. The new map is really nice, mainly the ???-part6: Glint`s return was nice :).7: I played this whole patch with a scourge support build (so my dps is a bit lower), and I was happy to see that there were often NPs I could support. So my build was still quite usefull :smile: .8: The new home instance is nice.9: The new map is nice. All the space/time shenanigans in the new map are really nice.

Well done. But please stop breaking my heart:1: Why did you kill Blish :'( ? Why?:heartbreak: He was such a fun, cute and nice character. It made me always so happy to see him. He was one of my favorite characters. Blish was such an adorable little robot and I really liked him . Please bring him back. It would make me so happy to see him again. Please let us put him back together, or save him from the mists :'( .2:The Aurene cutscene was very beautifull and nicely done. But the ending with the glass breaking animation and the sad sound Aurene made.... Poor Aurene. :cry:3: I had to cry when I told Taimi and Gorrik about the death of Blish. It was already so painfull, and then they tell me that Taimi is dying. OMG Arenanet, are you trying to break me? Why are you doing this to me?Please safe Blish :heartbreak: !

The Bad:Sorry, but I am not a fan of Zafirah. Her boss fight was really annoying me. And she has kind-of the same secretive vibe as caithe, but then less believeable and fun. I dont really like her " we are not friends" attitude.

[Verthurnax.2784]

2 out of 10. A crap of map just like all maps since POF came out. Single-player focus only in a mmo is the worst thing to do. Forgetable story and big map with no events at all plus trash collection all over again, just logged in once did story and all map in like 2 hours of content and since then i don't need the desire to log in again and i am back to just annoy me in old content like hot maps and pvp. People like me want from an mmo to be an mmo not a trash single player look alike game ... just look at how map is empty just as kourna, 0 comms becuase there is nothing on it, since all can solo most of it.

[hugo.4705]

Just little things I need to add, that I forgot before....Plz don't kill Blish, I like him a lot, he added something to the story... if you want leave braham somewherr I don't care, even that sub-act with him have not added a drop of compassion within me.... And what about Taimi... We theoratically lost 2 brains...

[Siniorica Sunmist.7218]

I am blown away! Rarely do bother to write, since I prefer playing the game then to waste my time here, but this is one of the few situations, that make me write a review.

The whole episode is indeed the best so far ever and even better than the living world in Guild Wars Beyond. I don't know what influence that firing of these two people from your team have on this specific episode, but the narrative, the writing, the videos, mapping, accessibility, fun, etc etc etc.....It is the most immense and successful episode I've seen so far since Guild Wars 1. I wasn't fan of Guild Wars Nightfall for no reason.... BRAVO. Keep going and fire more people if that means you would do as legendary as this time! :* I love you.

EDIT:

MAKE TAIMI A REVENANT LEGEND

[Jethro.9376]

Map:The map itself is far better than the last ones. But i still miss a SW/DS kind of map. The Shatterer could've been a good opportunity for more map pressence...more pre-events. He is just parked and forgotten in a corner of the map which is sad for something that big. Even regular Shatterer in Blazeridge Steppes has more map influence.

Suns Refuge:I expected more of it. But i get behind the idea of it being an experiment for the dev team.Having said that, here are some things that bother me with the way they are now:

• Why does the SR portal scroll put me all the way to the entrance rather than a point more central?
• Collections...i'm not a big fan of them. I was hoping for SR would be a small version of the Guild Hall system. Maybe with the purpose of passively increasing map currency gains (Mistonium, Inscribed Shards etc.) or a sink for materials like essence of luck.
• Finishing some of the collections feels empty. I have to speak to persons to start them but they end without any interaction with them. I pick up books and artifacts, they fill my inventory but somehow end up on a table. Even selling the artifacts ruins their value and meaning.
• No NPC for bank, crafting or TP? OK this would lead to empty main cities and less players communication but then again why not use "order halls" for professions or a chosen fraction in the future? I know other games do this but i like this system.

Story:The story was ok. I have given up on Taimi and Braham to ever get me to worry about them.

[notebene.3190]

Haven't opened up the collections and things yet. The map is fun. I enjoy the hunting of animals and the events and rifts are great (pretty sure I played that game though :wink: ) and lots of great achievements to do (though, I'm a bit concerned there are going to be too many story ones required of me and I won't get to complete the meta for the staff :anguished: ). Of course, the big Shatterer 2: The Second One event is great. It's a neat map and a great story.

The story hit me in the feels. Just finished it. Thinking about taking a break the rest of the day and picking up tomorrow. :cry:

[Randulf.7614]

As an addition, please could the team start to take on board our inventory management concerns. Too many things need deleting or selling once ticked off a collection. Everything should either auto clear or never end up in our inventory. We know that interactions alone is enough for a collection, so why the need for a disposable item too?

The item for Crystal attunement collection for example. Once interacted with the npc, it stays in your inventory, not making it clear that the use for it has gone, instead still indicating it needs handing in.

Proactivity and planning ahead please!!

[CrimeDog.5614]

How great is everything about this update!? The new map, the continually better and better story telling and cinematics, Sun's Refugue, all the minor additions, man, I could go on and on. Just finished legacy and only have explored the story sections of the new map l, but so far I'm truly impressed and love all the hard work the devs continually put into their game. Can't wait to see how the story ends this chapter and where it's heading for future updates.

[Adul.1520]

The new Volatile Singularity item has the same icon as the Gleam of Sentience. Please give it its own unique item icon, because currently, it's too easy to mistake it for the Gleam of Sentience.

[Einsof.1457]

I love love love love the story, anet. I have played many many "story based" MMOs in my time, and nothing holds a candle to the work you guys do! Please never change!

[Ayakaru.6583]

For may, i have two Giant thumbs up and two giant thumbs down

Up 1. The fast pace of the combat. Those were good fights, racing away from a storm, rodeo with a spider, awesome.Up 2. The cinematics, we got so many curtscenes this episode, especially the visions of Aurene caught me off guard, positively. That was AWAESOME!

Down 1. The loyalists were stupidly loyal. Like, i get it, even after his fall they’re loyal. But there’s a thing like stupid loyal. They’d dive in a grave if there as a rumor of Joko being there. Self sabotage hardly seems like loyalty, and more like plain stupudity.Down 2. The sniper mercy. We saw her in a vision, and so she gets a free pass to mercy, and immediate amnesty for all her assassinations and (attempted) kills? Why was mercy even an option, let alone the only one.she should be locked down, stripped of her gun, if we are not to kill her.

(Extra down 3. Even now with Snaff, no closure on snaff’s interactions with Kralky, or any closure on Zojja. When we heard snaff mentioning ‘thats where that came from’ i had half a thought Snaff takked to Zojja... in the mists

[Gehenna.3625]

Well I liked the story as I mentioned but now things are moving along, I'm not sure what to do with Sun's Refuge and there is no point or indication of how or why to upgrade it. I found the runes but that's a repeatable thing for a chest so that was a bit meh. The requiem armor set was pretty cool to do. I'm not done but after the first two pieces, it does become a grind again and I'm losing interest rapidly in spending time there. Though I might run another alt through the story, which I didn't expect to want to do again.

The thing is that other than the requiem armor there is nothing really of interest to me and the mistonium farm is not a great one. It's a bit all over the place. So story is great. The map looks great (in spite of being a bit bored with the branded stuff), but I'll get the first armor set complete and then I think that'll be that. There is some strange detail work that kind of ruins the aesthetic for me so I'm not getting the full sets after the first one. And well exotic armor is easy to get so it's really just about the looks for me.

[Ashantara.8731]

As I already wrote in another thread, my rating for this episode is a solid 10/10:

I haven't found a single thing I can criticize at this point. It is an awesome episode, the best so far (my absolute favorite, to be precise :) ).

The writing, as I foresaw, is getting better and better - the increase in quality during LWS4 has been phenomenal. <3 Every single character is on-point, and the ambiente NPCs are rich and three-dimensional as well. It feels like a living, breathing environment. I hope it stays on this high level.

The story was wonderful as well, I enjoyed every single minute of it.

I love the map (design, explorability, variety in conent, etc.), and as for Sun's Refuge, I sincerely hope that it will be expanded further through future content (as it would end up being a huge disappointment in retrospect if it wasn't)..

Edit: Okay, there is one thing that still bothers me about the writing, as I am just playing through the content for the second time, on my Charr: it not always fits your character's race. My charr being so "soft" and calling Braham "family", although Charr who grew up in the Black Citadel have no understanding of the term (due to being raised in a fahrar) but only for warbands. You are already trying to put slight differences into the dialogue depending on race, but it requires even more attention IMO.

[monkcrabswamp.9315]

It's been a few days, hope you guys are still reading! Just found the time to finish the main story, and I'd give it a solid 9/10. Please note that I haven't had time to complete the map and all the activities yet.

The Good

• The Aurene cinematic was great. I was in the 'duh' category in the first few runs of Aurene's death, and yet by the end I was whimpering and going 'nononono please make it stop Aurene no'. If that's not an effective cinematic, I don't know what is.
• Running the Koss-Kossan subplot throughout it is really nice and makes you feel invested in him.
• Blish's character went from 'another asura' to 'awww I like that kid' this episode.
• The beginning with all the different factions of Elona. While I understand that they necessarily can't be the main focus, I'd LOVE to see more about them and how they end up.
• I actually really like the sniper segment. All those Medal of Honor trauma flooding back, lol.

The Bad

• The writing can get heavyhanded and uneven. Neither of these are new to GW2's writing, and I understand that a lot of it comes from the challenges of writing an MMO that needs to be vague enough and yet needing all players to be on the same page for the important developments. However, this one went heavyhanded in a new way that I'm not sure I like. Case example : Taimi's reveal at the end. It's made in a fashion where she's talking at us instead of talking to the Commander, and it took me out of the moment. Disappointing for a plot thread I've been looking forward to since LS1.
• Speaking of which, the Commander! They've been really reactive this episode, what with all the other things (which will list in the next section), but it took me out of the moment that...the Commander who nearly panicked when Taimi cried in LS3 had little reaction over her reveal? They didn't get a line in response except the one we manually say to her and can miss? It's all about Blish, this kid they've known for a few months?
• Braham comforting the Commander is great. About time someone does that for their trauma conga line. However, unless he's trying to comfort Taimi and referring to his Eir grief/their past griefs at the same time, calling the episode name after Blish is a little bit over the top. Blish's death is tragic to be sure, but the Commander has suffered worse tragedies. Their sky is studded with guiding stars at this point, and it's kind of.....unfair to single Blish out. Perhaps it'd have been better to make him say that as a catch-all to whoever died on their watch.

The Wonderful

• The map! Of course I haven't finished it yet so this opinion may change, but I've really loved the map with all its nooks and crannies so far! I was almost sad that I had to tear myself away from it to play through the story, lol.
• The conclusion of Braham's conflict. I feel that Braham is a little one-note this episode compared to how multifaceted he was in the last one, but I can't even complain because that was G R E A T. 10/10 will stay beside him to the end again.
• Making callbacks to Core GW2 with Trahearne and Orr and the fungi/Destiny's Edge, The Pact! It's about time the Commander says something in the main story about those things again, and I understand that mentally they just got to that point last episode maybe BUT.
• The VA did a knockout job with this one again. Kudos to whoever is involved.
• You managed to realize the concept of Elder Dragons as a force of nature. This is something that GW2's been struggling with ever since Core release, and this time I'd say that you NAILED IT.
• The writing for the vast majority of the episode. The pacing is a bit uneven at spots (the transition from the Elona plot to the Kralky plot, bringing up Trahearne's favourite poem), but I've enjoyed the vast, vast majority of it. The sniper section in particular managed to make me think about the war themes of the past episodes in a new way, which is something I'm thankful for.

TL;DR --- Loved all my time in the story except the one bit at the end with the Taimi cinematic. Looking forward to the next one!

[Ithilwen.1529]

I would say that story telling has declined significantly in this episode. The first instance was a bit odd as well with The Commander sounding panicky. On a positive note, the instance wasn't so difficult that it distracted from the story.

[Lucius.2140]

@Obtena.7952 said:My only complaint so far is that in the first story part, was that it was not intuitive on how to move the scared people around. Unless I have forgotten, no other mechanic in the game works like that. It was frustrating to just stand there yelling at them wondering why they run randomly around until you figure out the controls.

Raid 1, wing 3: escort.