Content Updates are being dropped randomly.

DonArkanio.6419 · August 31, 2019

Hey,

Here and now - that's what this game is about. Is it good?

I just want to highlight this and ask why this happens. As a someone who somehow enjoyed the 30th Livestream, I have to say that I really don't understand why this is the case.ANet continuously drops actual Content Updates at random. Why? Why not wait with the actual release to give us the promised expansion-like feeling?This might sound tedious but hear me out. I, as a customer, really like big content drops to feel a little bit of overwhelmed by the entirety of the patch. I know many other people think this way too. That's the overall experience with actual Expansions. People are waiting for that huge chunk of content to get into. It's fun. And games are about fun. From a business perspective I think it's a pretty solid tactic to make your audience want and wait for your content. Other way, once you release the content you've got here and now, there's little left for the big announcement.Why drop it randomly when everyone knows that supposedly a big thing is coming?You are lowering the amount of joy people get when the actual update comes.

New HoT-inspired 2v2 Map for PvP
Cooking 500
Legendary Runes
Legendary Sigils
GemStore 2000 packages (I hate GemStore, but just for the sake of example, here it is)
QoL,Build Templates
New PvP Conquest maps
New WvW featuresWhy is it all dropped at random? Why not deliver it in a single huge package?

I know, some people might not consider new armors, mounts or Cooking a new content. But, would it help witht the big release strategy? Absolutely Yes.

So, I don't want it to be a hate thread, but something to consider. Why is that way? Could we have an explenation?

I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "Oh, cooking 500, cool". I hope you get what I mean,

Inculpatus cedo.9234 · August 31, 2019

Likely, because players lament content droughts more than your 'random content updates'.

ricky markham.8173 · August 31, 2019

i prefer the trickle things that way they can get on bugs of one thing before they introduce another plus im not required to try more then one trying at once

Trise.2865 · August 31, 2019

They're not random. They're dropping upon completion. Completion time is variable in software development.

Would you rather they save completed features for "big releases", denying them proper live test data, and you access to new systems and features, just so people can feel like an update is more significant than it really is?

zealex.9410 · August 31, 2019

You forgot to include lw there,it doesnt follow any schedule it just drops randomly.

JpDelano.2580 · August 31, 2019

Well heres an example. I play Division 2. The game launched and was three months old. People started saying that the game is dead because theres no new content out. 3 months old, the game is dead because no new content out.

So you have to look at the average attention span these days, and i can tell you it isnt very long. No more gaming on Nuka Cola is one solution..

But to answer, i would say that its better for me to get regular updates. I usually play two games intentionally, to avoid burn out. Especially if one of them is an MMO. As soon as I find myself making drastic changes to my character, or making several new characters, i know im getting burnt out. I will usually go 2 years solid in a game, take a break, come back. or as im tryin now, just keep two games going at once.

So many people dont understand the concept that you can take a break from the game, and come back. It does not mean the game is dead. There are only a handful of people I know that have played years consistently in a game, im not one. I have to take a break because i will get burnt out. Then what happens is you look for another game to compare, and its hard.

Anyway, if they just released new content at once, there would likely be a drop out point or drought in the game, my opinion, and because many would or could take a break at the same time, or around the same time, the game is dead the game is dead........ However in this case, the game has already been out for a while, so would be hard to gauge when people take a break from it, so they decided to drop content regularly. from the looks of it, they made that decision a long time ago anyway.

anyway, thats my two cents

Illconceived Was Na.9781 · August 31, 2019

Why not wait with the actual release to give us the promised expansion-like feeling?First, no one promised an "expansion-like feeling." Second, what is inherently better about feeling like an expansion over just getting content and features when they are ready? Unless you enjoy the hype leading up to an expansion more than the actual expansion, it's more fun to have stuff to do when it's available then to have people tell you it's going to be available.

DonArkanio.6419 · August 31, 2019

@"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:
Why not wait with the actual release to give us the promised expansion-like feeling?First, no one promised an "expansion-like feeling." Second, what is inherently better about feeling like an expansion over just getting content and features when they are ready? Unless you enjoy the hype leading up to an expansion more than the actual expansion, it's more fun to have stuff to do when it's available then to have people tell you it's going to be available.

Yeah, it's the expansion-like content. I don't know what feeling it gives but I guess it's expansion-like feeling.

Well, I am saying my opinion as I enjoy the expansion feeling. You answered my question.

inherently better about feeling like an expansion over just getting content and features

Ashen.2907 · August 31, 2019

I am pretty sure that it is not random.

Personally I think that a continuous flow of new things is better than content droughts followed by a larger release.

Memoranda.9386 · August 31, 2019

Players complain when features are kept for a big release, such as a LW episode.

Players complain when features are deployed upon completion, because it should be kept until a LW episode to make it seem "meatier".

Some of these players are in both camps.

You can't have it both ways.

Redfeather.6401 · August 31, 2019

It's probably for player retention. But all of the little things I seen added are just grinds. Game relies too much on grinding to keep people playing.

Cobra.6509 · August 31, 2019

You are calling this new content ? Your quality bar is very low.2vs2 almost no one plays that,cooking 500 : It's a nice addition but dont call it new content, 80 % of it was already ingame.legendary runes and sigils....so expensive no one is making them.....true gemstore is new content in strange way :)Qol, build templates are not ingame and could take 2 years until you will see them if ever(see alliances for wvw)New pvp conquest maps .....pvp has issues that requires attention but a new map is last on the list, check the pvp forum,New WvW features....dont get me startedand yes we will get 2x LW5 episodes and a prolog but sound to me they will be like lw4 episodes..like 10 hour of gameplay in total

How about we should receive this year as new content if Anet would actually work for GW2 :

an espansion
3 LW5 episodes
alliances updates for WvW
side storiesand many more

For me its clear Anet is not working for GW2, that " refocused on GW2" was just another smokescreen in order to milk us more

Bloodstealer.5978 · August 31, 2019

Several reasons spring to mind... As Inc said avoiding content drought is likely a priority not to avert player discontent as such, but to avoid those troughs in revenue potential.Secondly ... it seems pretty feasable, to me at least, they need to generate revenue before they can commit to spending resources on further content with the exception when its needed to support the next deluge of gemstore fluff.I am of the mind ANET are stuck in a vicious circle right now of needing to draw in revenue as fast as they have to spend it to keep the game going hence why moving away from expacs perhaps makes sense, at least to the bean counter part of the business.As for putting armour sets within the LS updates to give some extra zing... didn't they recently try that with Requiem..... then look at the flipside of it and the uproar that ensued... no thanks, but I am confident that wont be the last we see that nonsense going forward.

mindcircus.1506 · August 31, 2019

@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "Oh, cooking 500, cool". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.

Cobra.6509 · August 31, 2019

@mindcircus.1506 said:
@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "
Oh, cooking 500, cool
". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.

What did we find yesterday is that for next 6 months or so we will have 10 hours of new content, this is our future and reality. Its not personal fantasy but personal nightmare.At the end is not about new content and how much it is, but Anet was dishonest with us paying customers with words like "refocused on GW2" or "expansion like content".Anet, tell us frankly, GW2 is in maintenance mode, we will release some content whenever we feel so, we have better things to do.

mindcircus.1506 · August 31, 2019

@Cobra.6509 said:
@mindcircus.1506 said:
@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "
Oh, cooking 500, cool
". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.

What did we find yesterday is that for next 6 months or so we will have 10 hours of new content, this is our future and reality. Its not personal fantasy but personal nightmare.lol.... nice meme

Ashen.2907 · August 31, 2019

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Cobra.6509 said:
@mindcircus.1506 said:
@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "
Oh, cooking 500, cool
". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.

What did we find yesterday is that for next 6 months or so we will have 10 hours of new content, this is our future and reality. Its not personal fantasy but personal nightmare.At the end is not about new content and how much it is, but Anet was dishonest with us paying customers with words like "refocused on GW2" or "expansion like content".Anet, tell us frankly, GW2 is in maintenance mode, we will release some content whenever we feel so, we have better things to do.

So you only spent 10h in istan or dragonfall. I mean I've spent way more in those and even every other ls map that wasn't lucrative and by paying customers you mean what that we paid for pof what 3 years ago and haven't had to buy anything since. 3 years of wow or ff14 is 540 bucs. Am I entirely happy with gw2 content release probably not but Gw2 still easier to keep playing then many other mmos.

To be fair one may not have to pay $15 per month to play GW2 but some people pay much more than that (my peak was $1k per month) and would like to see a reason to keep paying and playing.

Ashen.2907 · August 31, 2019

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Cobra.6509 said:
@mindcircus.1506 said:
@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "
Oh, cooking 500, cool
". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.

What did we find yesterday is that for next 6 months or so we will have 10 hours of new content, this is our future and reality. Its not personal fantasy but personal nightmare.At the end is not about new content and how much it is, but Anet was dishonest with us paying customers with words like "refocused on GW2" or "expansion like content".Anet, tell us frankly, GW2 is in maintenance mode, we will release some content whenever we feel so, we have better things to do.

So you only spent 10h in istan or dragonfall. I mean I've spent way more in those and even every other ls map that wasn't lucrative and by paying customers you mean what that we paid for pof what 3 years ago and haven't had to buy anything since. 3 years of wow or ff14 is 540 bucs. Am I entirely happy with gw2 content release probably not but Gw2 still easier to keep playing then many other mmos.

To be fair one may not have to pay $15 per month to play GW2 but some people pay much more than that (my peak was $1k per month) and would like to see a reason to keep paying and playing.

I get that but it's optional. And yes you are supporting the game and can expect things but it's not a nightmare like the guy I replied too said. Of course only if you are buying gems with cash not gold like I do. And it also isn't a subscription that anet can depend on steady income to produce content. Even subscription games like FF14 got outfits/retainers they suck you in for more money.

What he said was that ten hours of new content every six months is a nightmare rather than a dream. I doubt that many people would consider 10 hours of content per six months to be their dream. Nightmare seems a bit hyperbolic to me, but his point is solid. Keep in mind that he didn't say, "paid," customers but rather, "paying." Paying means current. Not paid at some time in the distant pass, paying currently.

Ashen.2907 · August 31, 2019

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Cobra.6509 said:
@mindcircus.1506 said:
@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "
Oh, cooking 500, cool
". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.

What did we find yesterday is that for next 6 months or so we will have 10 hours of new content, this is our future and reality. Its not personal fantasy but personal nightmare.At the end is not about new content and how much it is, but Anet was dishonest with us paying customers with words like "refocused on GW2" or "expansion like content".Anet, tell us frankly, GW2 is in maintenance mode, we will release some content whenever we feel so, we have better things to do.

So you only spent 10h in istan or dragonfall. I mean I've spent way more in those and even every other ls map that wasn't lucrative and by paying customers you mean what that we paid for pof what 3 years ago and haven't had to buy anything since. 3 years of wow or ff14 is 540 bucs. Am I entirely happy with gw2 content release probably not but Gw2 still easier to keep playing then many other mmos.

To be fair one may not have to pay $15 per month to play GW2 but some people pay much more than that (my peak was $1k per month) and would like to see a reason to keep paying and playing.

I get that but it's optional. And yes you are supporting the game and can expect things but it's not a nightmare like the guy I replied too said. Of course only if you are buying gems with cash not gold like I do. And it also isn't a subscription that anet can depend on steady income to produce content. Even subscription games like FF14 got outfits/retainers they suck you in for more money.

What he said was that ten hours of new content every six months is a nightmare rather than a dream. I doubt that many people would consider 10 hours of content per six months to be their dream. Nightmare seems a bit hyperbolic to me, but his point is solid. Keep in mind that he didn't say, "paid," customers but rather, "paying." Paying means current. Not paid at some time in the distant pass, paying currently.

And I said no way it's only 10h content per 6 months. I really don't want to argue with a different person guessing that he's paying for gems and telling me what he meant. If you aren't happy fine. If you want more fine but don't tell me it's 10h of content per map and if it is for you or anyone then I'm sorry. I didn't even say I was happy and I don't pay at all so I get it. There is not a game I have played non-stop for years. They all die or get stagnant and all that time leveling and rl money is gone but usually worth the investment vs any other number of vices/hobbies out there.

Then contest the claim of 10h per six months, not invent new points of contention about the price of games that we arent playing.

Ashen.2907 · August 31, 2019

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Cobra.6509 said:
@mindcircus.1506 said:
@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "
Oh, cooking 500, cool
". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.

What did we find yesterday is that for next 6 months or so we will have 10 hours of new content, this is our future and reality. Its not personal fantasy but personal nightmare.At the end is not about new content and how much it is, but Anet was dishonest with us paying customers with words like "refocused on GW2" or "expansion like content".Anet, tell us frankly, GW2 is in maintenance mode, we will release some content whenever we feel so, we have better things to do.

So you only spent 10h in istan or dragonfall. I mean I've spent way more in those and even every other ls map that wasn't lucrative and by paying customers you mean what that we paid for pof what 3 years ago and haven't had to buy anything since. 3 years of wow or ff14 is 540 bucs. Am I entirely happy with gw2 content release probably not but Gw2 still easier to keep playing then many other mmos.

To be fair one may not have to pay $15 per month to play GW2 but some people pay much more than that (my peak was $1k per month) and would like to see a reason to keep paying and playing.

I get that but it's optional. And yes you are supporting the game and can expect things but it's not a nightmare like the guy I replied too said. Of course only if you are buying gems with cash not gold like I do. And it also isn't a subscription that anet can depend on steady income to produce content. Even subscription games like FF14 got outfits/retainers they suck you in for more money.

What he said was that ten hours of new content every six months is a nightmare rather than a dream. I doubt that many people would consider 10 hours of content per six months to be their dream. Nightmare seems a bit hyperbolic to me, but his point is solid. Keep in mind that he didn't say, "paid," customers but rather, "paying." Paying means current. Not paid at some time in the distant pass, paying currently.

And I said no way it's only 10h content per 6 months. I really don't want to argue with a different person guessing that he's paying for gems and telling me what he meant. If you aren't happy fine. If you want more fine but don't tell me it's 10h of content per map and if it is for you or anyone then I'm sorry. I didn't even say I was happy and I don't pay at all so I get it. There is not a game I have played non-stop for years. They all die or get stagnant and all that time leveling and rl money is gone but usually worth the investment vs any other number of vices/hobbies out there.

Then contest the claim of 10h per six months, not invent new points of contention about the price of games that we arent playing.

I did and threw in the paying customer in gw2 is optional and can't be depended on while the other games costs aren't optional and every single account is a paying so 10m accounts is 15mil per month of revenue to devote to more content. 10h of content is wrong. In the next 6 months we will prob get 2 ls maps again for free(me) or optional fashion war purchases(you).

No, you didnt contest the claim of 10h per six months. You stated that you personally spent more than 10h in istan or dragonfall. I have spent more time in the mistlock sanctuary than in the mentioned maps. That is not a reflection of how much content it contains. If I spent 100 hours in the mistlock sanctuary would that mean that it has 100 hours of content? No, of course not.

Ashen.2907 · August 31, 2019

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
So how would we measure content in hours then? Would it be the fastest person to finish all achieves. Obviously replayable content doesn't count to you like istan/sw/dragonfall/wvw.

You are the one contending that you can contest the ten hour claim. Not I. If you can, do so. I tend to not measure content in terms of hours of play. I would much rather a truly fantastic two hour experience than 20 hours of meh.

I don't understand what you want from anet.

Better than what they have done.The ability to choose maps in sPvP. Tradable ascended gear.The removal of crafting from the game (or at least reduce its impact on content creation and the in game economy).An option to play a ranger without a pet competitively.Less cartoony content (does seem as if the new saga might be going a bit darker, so yay!)The removal of mounts from WvW

I love the idea of the LW approach to content development, I just think that it has been horribly implemented.

I finished all the festival achieves in 1 day does that mean it was only 1 day of content? Or because I played everyday there was it 21 days of content.

Both, for you.

Cobra.6509 · August 31, 2019

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Ashen.2907 said:
@Jayden Reese.9542 said:
@Cobra.6509 said:
@mindcircus.1506 said:
@"DonArkanio.6419" said:I like being thrilled and wait for the new features that are yet to come. Not just log in and "
Oh, cooking 500, cool
". I hope you get what I mean,While you personally may like the wait and the hype for a big content drop(so do I), I think we saw yesterday that this community on the whole is simply not mature enough to deal with the difference between their personal fantasy of the future and reality.