Almost 6 months since the last fractal (without cm even). Are fractals gonna end up like raids?

[zealex.9410]

I remember back in the early days of se3 where the devs said they aimed to release a new fractal every 4 to 5 months, since then that has changed to be every other lw update (so every 2 episodes). Thats fine and all but the lw updates have a pretty "louse" cadence esp in the latest season, season 4. Just in prospective, between Shattered, which was delivered with the last ep(ep6) of se3 and Twilight which was released with ep1 of se4 there was a 4 month wait. Deepstone which released with ep3 of se4 took aprox 7 or so months. Depending whether we get ep 5 this year or the next we are either looking at a 6 or 7 month total w8 for something that might or might not have a cm (and judging from the previous 2 it might not).

Its also worth mentioning that the last fractal reworks we got were a full year ago which were molten duo and mai trin.

Are fractals gonna end up like raids? Having a few first well paced releases and then going to almost a 10 month w8 between each one? I mainly played gw2 for the instanced content, less so raids and mostly fractals, cms were some of the best content to be added in gw2 and to this day i view Nightmare cm along with shattered (when it works) to be some of the best releases that provided me with a tone of playtime (unlike lw which admittedly i find my self over and done after the first week). The knowledge we got with ep3 ama (iirc) that the teams are now merged also paints a somewhat grim picture for the future of fractals and prob raids as well.

This is really sad to see since seeing with the more aggressive monetisation in the gemstore that the overall quality of the lw updates has increased along with the twitch presence imo (compaired to earlier years) as well as earnings from the last quarter showing increase, that the game seemingly is doing better than ever but my favorite part of the game which i spend the bulk of what is 4k~ hours (afk in mistlock excluded) has instead degraded compaired to last year.

Thats also the case to some extend with lw, even though i said lw has seen increase in scope and quality we havent gotten any episode around the 2 month mark and instead we've even seen delays up to 1 month for some releases.

Let me add here that it also feels bad how raids and fractals are tied to lw, this is mainly due to the fact that if a lw update is delayed so is the fractal (as seen with deepstone, which supposedly had a smooth development and was done before Bug in the system got shiped). It also gives me a sense of urgency, i personally want to take my time to play through the content without missing out on something else and/or feeling like i could be doing something else with friends or that i could get spoiled for lw while im doing the fractal and vice versa.

These mega releases make me feel like instead of massive content droughts the game is instead experiencing smaller 3-4 month ones as nothing noteworthy is happening between lw. The game is under the radar for 3 or even 4 months at a time until it releases lw +raid/fractal (prev all 3 at times) where it pops up then go back in hiding, i feel like it would be much better if we had the fractals and raids release inbetween lw episodes ( Lw> fractal> lw> raid> lw> fractal etc).

Don't take this as doomsay that the game is dying or smth, as i said its prob doing better than ever, its just the part of the game that i love (instanced content) that feels like it hasnt had any benefit from the success of the game elsewhere and instead feels like its slowed down.

[Zenith.7301]

You sound surprised by their cadence of content.

Fact is, PoF maps were far less technically demanding than HoT maps (especially boss fights, nothing even close to Dragon's Stand level of tech), had less adventures and the masteries were less meaningful and integrated to replay value.

Fractals took on average over a year to see a new one.

This is not new. Anet will never match the content production cadence of subscription games like FFXIV or WoW. The good thing about GW2 is that you can have it as a sidegame and pick it back up when new stuff comes out without heavy catch ups or financial impact.

[zealex.9410]

@Zenith.7301 said:You sound surprised by their cadence of content.

Fact is, PoF maps were far less technically demanding than HoT maps (especially boss fights, nothing even close to Dragon's Stand level of tech), had less adventures and the masteries were less meaningful and integrated to replay value.

They were also more, bigger and as detailed looks wise as the hot ones, yes we didnt get metas that is true but that was also a year ago im speaking mainly for the game past pof.

Fractals took on average over a year to see a new one.

We had fractal take around 4-6 months iirc with the exception being shattered which took 7 or so months during se3 when they actively started supporting them with a couple of reworks to existing ones on top of this.

This is not new. Anet will never match the content production cadence of subscription games like FFXIV or WoW.

Wow and ff14 release a raid/raid wing around every 4 months and more for their 5man content, i dont expect this i dont ask for such cadence from a b2p game.

The good thing about GW2 is that you can have it as a sidegame and pick it back up when new stuff comes out without heavy catch ups or financial impact.

Sure but if the content takes the better part of the year i dont think ppl will bother comming back and supporting the game.

[Blocki.4931]

They plan to release Fractal -> Raid -> Fractal if possible, so the fact it's been 6 months just means that next release will have a fractal, because last time we got a raid wing.

[zealex.9410]

@Blocki.4931 said:They plan to release Fractal -> Raid -> Fractal if possible, so the fact it's been 6 months just means that next release will have a fractal, because last time we got a raid wing.

Thats been a thing and also known for like a year now, they issue is that if for w/e reason ep 5 gets delayed the fractal will get delayed along with it.

[Tyson.5160]

@zealex.9410 said:

Sure but if the content takes the better part of the year i dont think ppl will bother comming back and supporting the game.

Thankfully this isn't a subscription based game, where you have to go through the tireless act of unsubscribing, re-subscribing when a new update comes. You can just pop in at your leisure and it doesn’t cost a thing.

[Cristalyan.5728]

Sorry, but I think your expectation are too high. Taking into account that ANet needs more than 3 months to "develop" a single Legendary weapon, (weapon promised years ago and already paid) then I think that expecting a raid wing (or a fractal) every 6 months is too much.

@Blocki.4931 said:They plan to release Fractal -> Raid -> Fractal if possible, so the fact it's been 6 months just means that next release will have a fractal, because last time we got a raid wing.

I don't want to disappoint you but I think the next release will be a Legendary Weapon. This is enough for Anet to skip any other Raid or fractal.

[maddoctor.2738]

@"Cristalyan.5728" said:Sorry, but I think your expectation are too high. Taking into account that ANet needs more than 3 months to "develop" a single Legendary weapon, (weapon promised years ago and already paid) then I think that expecting a raid wing (or a fractal) every 6 months is too much.

@Blocki.4931 said:They plan to release Fractal -> Raid -> Fractal if possible, so the fact it's been 6 months just means that next release will have a fractal, because last time we got a raid wing.

I don't want to disappoint you but I think the next release will be a Legendary Weapon. This is enough for Anet to skip any other Raid or fractal.

Someone would think that something that requires only art is created by a different team than something that requires gameplay.

Further, they released one new legendary weapon on every single episode, so that's a moot point.

[zealex.9410]

@"Cristalyan.5728" said:Sorry, but I think your expectation are too high. Taking into account that ANet needs more than 3 months to "develop" a single Legendary weapon, (weapon promised years ago and already paid) then I think that expecting a raid wing (or a fractal) every 6 months is too much.

@Blocki.4931 said:They plan to release Fractal -> Raid -> Fractal if possible, so the fact it's been 6 months just means that next release will have a fractal, because last time we got a raid wing.

I don't want to disappoint you but I think the next release will be a Legendary Weapon. This is enough for Anet to skip any other Raid or fractal.

Legendaries have little to do with raids or fractals.

[zealex.9410]

@Illconceived Was Na.9781 said:

@Vinceman.4572 said:I think the release cycle is still on time. As always zealex is expecting too much from Anet. Nothing new to see/read here.

I agree. I don't see anything worse about the current situation. If anything, we've seen more new stuff, even if they haven't been universally awesome fractals or overhauls of old ones.

In what part of the game tho, for fractals we've seen less new stuff this year.

[Magnus Godrik.5841]

The devs say alot stuff. If they go by what they "said" then the next fractal should be coming with the next LS. They also said the LS releases would be around 3 months.

[Zenith.7301]

@maddoctor.2738 said:

@"Cristalyan.5728" said:Sorry, but I think your expectation are too high. Taking into account that ANet needs more than 3 months to "develop" a single Legendary weapon, (weapon promised years ago and already paid) then I think that expecting a raid wing (or a fractal) every 6 months is too much.

@Blocki.4931 said:They plan to release Fractal -> Raid -> Fractal if possible, so the fact it's been 6 months just means that next release will have a fractal, because last time we got a raid wing.

I don't want to disappoint you but I think the next release will be a Legendary Weapon. This is enough for Anet to skip any other Raid or fractal.

Someone would think that something that requires only art is created by a different team than something that requires gameplay.

Further, they released one new legendary weapon on every single episode, so that's a moot point.

Raids require way more art assets than a legendary weapon does. Not to mention animation budget.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

@"zealex.9410" said:for fractals we've seen less new stuff this year.

• Originals: Aether, Aquatic, Cliffside, Snowblind, Solid Ocean, Swampland, Uncat, Underground, Urban, Volcanic
• Added LS1: Mai Trin, Molten Boss, Molten not-Boss, Thauma
• Added LS3: Chaos (July 2016), Nightmare (Nov 2016), Shattered (Jul 2017)
• Added LS4: Deepstone (June 2018), Twilight (Nov 2017)

If there's a new fractal this month (unlikely), then 2018 will have exactly as many new fractals as 2017 and 2016. At the current moment, we're still on track to have the same rate in the last 13 months as in the previous 13. If there had been a new fractal in November, we'd have new ones at the same rate as 2017. Plus, LS4 isn't over, so if the next episode has a fractal then LS4's three fracts in five episodes will match LS3's three instances in six episodes.

The problem with counting stuff per calendar year is that there's not that much new stuff, so missing an arbitrary deadline skews the perception substantially.

---

tl;dr I don't think it's helpful to say "we've seen less new stuff this year," because that's not the issue. The problem is that we simply don't see a lot of new fractals in the first place, so any delay at all feels like a bigger gap.

[Talindra.4958]

Everyone kinda slowing down preparing for the festive isn't it? Haha... I'm pretty sure derv is human too some might be taking leave atm so they can spend time with their family.. post like this should come up after festive period so everyone come back from holiday refresh and restart.. the area which needs more attention imo is wvw and PvP atm. Fractal and raid yes that too but wvw and pvp needs a bit attention too. xDHope we all have a nice December and enjoy your festive month!! xo

[Blocki.4931]

@"Cristalyan.5728" said:Sorry, but I think your expectation are too high. Taking into account that ANet needs more than 3 months to "develop" a single Legendary weapon, (weapon promised years ago and already paid) then I think that expecting a raid wing (or a fractal) every 6 months is too much.

@Blocki.4931 said:They plan to release Fractal -> Raid -> Fractal if possible, so the fact it's been 6 months just means that next release will have a fractal, because last time we got a raid wing.

I don't want to disappoint you but I think the next release will be a Legendary Weapon. This is enough for Anet to skip any other Raid or fractal.

You do realize that we've had a legendary weapon with every single episode release, right?

[schokelmei.8271]

Almost 4 years without any update to wvw.

[zealex.9410]

@gebrechen.5643 said:Almost 4 years without any update to wvw.

Content update or system? They did add that arena as well the pip system.

[Glider.5792]

I feel like fractals are becoming more like dungeons. Neglected.

• Having bugs for months now, every patch more and more things going invisible, torch not getting used in chaos etc.
• A balance patch without any 5man content in mind, which completely ruined fractal comps, made fractals alot less fun and alot more frustrating.
• Still zero change on instabilities.

[Turin.6921]

Fractals have a specific cadence. One every other episode and they seem to stick to it pretty accurate. Not sure why you think since are difference compared the last couple of years.

[zealex.9410]

@Turin.6921 said:Fractals have a specific cadence. One every other episode and they seem to stick to it pretty accurate. Not sure why you think since are difference compared the last couple of years.

Because the majority of the episodes got delayed and the fractals along with them.

[Turin.6921]

@zealex.9410 said:

@Turin.6921 said:Fractals have a specific cadence. One every other episode and they seem to stick to it pretty accurate. Not sure why you think since are difference compared the last couple of years.

Because the majority of the episodes got delayed and the fractals along with them.

But that is not a fractal problem. It is a general content delivery problem. It has nothing to do with any change towards fractals development specifically compared to before.

[Hesacon.8735]

@zealex.9410 said:

@gebrechen.5643 said:Almost 4 years without any update to wvw.

Content update or system? They did add that arena as well the pip system.

• Rewards tracks
• Skirmish tracks
• Vendors that take wvw currency to purchase pve items without the need to do any pve
• A third map, modified with player input
• Legendary armor
• Legendary backpack
• Scoring based on skirmishes
• Server linking to attempt to address server imbalance
• Abandoning glicko in favor of one-up-one-down
• Modifications to siege
• GvG spaces
• Skill split between pve and wvw
• Guild halls

Nope, no updates to wvw in 4 years.

[zealex.9410]

@Turin.6921 said:

@zealex.9410 said:

@Turin.6921 said:Fractals have a specific cadence. One every other episode and they seem to stick to it pretty accurate. Not sure why you think since are difference compared the last couple of years.

Because the majority of the episodes got delayed and the fractals along with them.

But that is not a fractal problem. It is a general content delivery problem. It has nothing to do with any change towards fractals development specifically compared to before.

Its something that has negatively impacted them over the course of pof. With season 3 we had a diff cadence which was overall followed iirc and if it was not u knew it was because of the fractal.

Now a fractal can be delayed with out it being the cause if said delay which means less content over the course of the year.

[maddoctor.2738]

@zealex.9410 said:Its something that has negatively impacted them over the course of pof. With season 3 we had a diff cadence which was overall followed iirc and if it was not u knew it was because of the fractal.

Oh yes Season 3... that was delayed for 9 months after the release of the expansion. What a good release schedule for Fractals!

Now a fractal can be delayed with out it being the cause if said delay which means less content over the course of the year.

In 2015 we got 0 fractals. In 2016 we got 2 fractals. In 2017 we got 2 fractals. In 2018 we got 1 fractal. Fractals have been released in July and November, so we missed the November release (because there was no episode on November)

The problem is with releases in general, it will obviously affect fractals and raids. those are also parts of the release schedule.