Lvl 80 Boosts and Mounts, good or bad for new players?

[Khalisto.5780]

I just feel those things and the fact the game doesn't lead you anywhere after you hit 80 make the new players feel they have nothing to do in the game much sooner than they should

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Ahh, this one is much better.

[kharmin.7683]

Bad. New players who auto-boost for end-game content have little to no idea how the mechanics work. Then they complain and rage quit and tell everyone how bad GW2 is.

[Danikat.8537]

I think mounts are fine for new players but I have mixed feelings on the level 80 boost.

I think it's good for attracting new players: many people worry that starting an MMO when it's a few years old means spending hours alone in virtually empty levelling areas before starting to "really" play. We know GW2 isn't like that, but potential new players can't know if it's the truth or if the people saying it just want to persuade them. (Especially because if levelling areas are abandoned chances are the people saying they're not haven't been back there in years and may be going off what it used to be like when they started.) With the boost they don't have to worry because they know they can skip that and go straight into the latest content.

The problem comes when they do that and, again expecting GW2 to work like some other MMOs, assume that with a max level character in nearly top tier equipment they should be able to button mash their way through everything except dungeons and raids, or as you said when they just don't know where to go because there isn't a linear path through the game.

But that doesn't affect everyone and the solution depends on the player - for some people using the boost early on is absolutely a mistake and their best approach is to make a new character and start from scratch. But others just need a few pointers or confirmation that it's not working like their last MMO because it's a different game and they need a different approach, or just to be told that they're not missing anything, there is no path to follow and they really are allowed to do whatever they want.

So I wouldn't say it's the boost is bad for new players exactly, but it needs to be used with caution and ideally with some idea of what you're getting yourself in for if you use it.

[Ryukai.6524]

No option that I'd choose which would be.

Just lvl 80 boosts. Mounts are fine though. (considering they are NEEDED for PoF+ content it would make it impossible for 'new players' to quite literally play the game... )

That being said though, the constant mastery unlock pop up the moment you hit 80 is far far! worse for new players than any sort of boost/mount as the only way to stop it is to skip almost the entire story! It completely removes you from the story progression and forces you into content where it leaves you with a constant 'The heck is going on' and 'Who the heck are these people and why should I care about them' and just an overall sense of constant confusion. That is what's more than likely going to put new people off.

I came back a few months ago and my 'story' went as so -

50% personal story (I hit 80 before finishing it off as I was fully completing zones as I went along)First part of HoT (to get rid of mastery pop up and majorly spoiling myself in the process)PoF then LWS4 (I'd already completely and utterly spoiled the story for myself so why not just go the whole hog and unlock mounts in the process)
Back to finish off the personal Story - LWs1 summeryBack to Hot (also a case of 'how am I supposed to feel about all these 'new' npcs when I STILL have no idea where they came from!) and finally LWS3.

I pushed through it as I'm used to WoW's convoluted timeline. But the constant confusion throughout this jumbled mess that people who are new to the MMO scene are essentially forced into because of that stupid pop up is what's going to turn people away. Not 'how do I use a sword'. :/

EDIT: What is spelling and Grammar

[Game of Bones.8975]

The Boost only affects one character out of the number of slots you are given when first buying the game. It's been such a long time and with expansions/purchased slots, I forgot how many you automatically start.

I do agree that the Boost shouldn't be able to be used on shiny, new accounts until one character has made it to Lvl 20. By that time they should know basic mechanics, the race/profession they want to Boost, and be excited to see the expansive world there is to offer. I also wish you got an option of where to "play with" the pre-Boost instead of always going straight to the Silver Wastes.

Boosts purchased by "veteran" players would work as advertised: straight to Lvl 80.

If a person is liable to rage quit an entire game, do you really want that person playing along side you every day anyway?

[Cyninja.2954]

I dislike the access to the boost strait off the bat. Players are thrown into "endgame" without having created a bond with the game. Even worse if it's their first character.

Mounts are fine, they create similarities to other MMOs which makes it easier for new players to feel at home. They are also quite fun imo.

[Etria.3642]

When I recruit a friend to play, we do, in order: a brief discussion of the type of character they want, insta boost, chap 1 hot skipping everything, run around to get exp showing them the joys of pocket raptors, letting them die, then showing them the Noxxian can't can't hot video, then when they have gliding, we immediately ditch hot, and zoom to pof, where we zoom through chapter 1, do the heart, get them the raptor. That all usually takes a good 3 hours when all is said and done, basically an afternoon or evening, and THEN:

We kind of let them start exploring and playing on their own with a brand new character. They now have a better feel for the game, a better idea of gameplay, a better idea of what they want, they can glide, raptor, and don't have the mastery thing. We answer questions they have, help with quests, explain map completion, story, living world, crafting, etc.

Without this support net, though, I imagine starting out would be a lot more confusing.

[Dayra.7405]

Without doubt the 2 dogs in the raptor mission have eaten many newbies.

But I think the freedom of choice is more important than an overprotected environment.

Some self-responsibility is needed anyway, someone that jumps directly in an extension fight and rage-quit because he fails, will likely not get old in GW2 anyway.

I would find it bad to let newbies without any chance of raptor-0/1 just to protect some that aren’t able to handle their freedom.

[Kaliwenda.3428]

Boosts bad, mounts OK.

I recently used my boosts that I had sitting in shared storage just to get rid of them. I know for sure that I don't have any idea what I"m really doing on these characters. I have a lot of learning and research to do to be able to play them to full advantage. I can't imaging being completely new to the game and using a level 80 boost.

[LowestTruth.2635]

Boosts are fine. From what I can see and hear, they're generally used by someone who wants X class where they've leveled Y and want to switch. People are here to enjoy the game; i.e., they will start their first character from scratch and start leveling and getting familiar, etc etc. Then blow the boost if they decide to try a different class.

There may have been a case for no boosts before there were elite specs, I guess, but since those change class mechanics pretty significantly and require re-learning anyways... I don't see the point of restricting it in the name of "learning".

[Ayakaru.6583]

Bad for new players.Lv80 boosters should not be available to people who don't have a lv80 character, yet. Nor have played less than 2 months.

[yusayu.3629]

I don't remember, but I think you need lvl 80 to start the PoF story? So basically, one necessitates the other?

I think everyone can agree that new players should have access to mounts as soon as possible. I don't like the fact that you have to boost to 80 and start the PoF story to get your Raptor, everyone should just have access to it. Then they could also limit 80-boosts for new players (not to mention that those are a waste of money anyways, they shouldn't exist in the first place imo.).

[Goettel.4389]

GW2 leveling is best-in-class AFAIK (open to counter examples).And as long as mount damage isn't scaled way the kitten down in core Tyria, I'd rather not see more mount spammers, thanks.So: two times bad.

[Khalisto.5780]

I'm in a facebook group where a lot of ppl come to ask things about the game

I see them buying the game and 2 months later trying to sell their accounts

They use the level 80 boosts and if they don't find a guild or someone to guide them they're completely lost, feeling they haven't achieved anything in the game or in some cases everything

Like I said before, they feel they're done with the game very quickly

The mounts just help this situation a little bit, they use the boost get the raptor or even the 4 pof mounts and sometimes they feel they have to make a character from scratch to learn how to play better, but it's kinda too late, instead of learning the game throught leveling they raptor tail everything in the map without knowing their classes

I think the mounts should be avaiable in core game only after you get at least one 100% map completition

Not sure what to do with the boost, but it's primarily what's making new players get lost and quit

[ScyeRynn.4218]

If a player wants to learn the game or boost that's up to them and it's up to us if we want to deal with a boosted, inexperienced player. This is one of the things GW 2 has done right, by giving us a choice. Now if only they can apply that same concept to most other things in the game, it would only be better.

[crepuscular.9047]

unlike linear progression games where all you care about is spamming skills and managing the resource pool

GW2 is about learning the mob mechanics, dodging, build setup base on the mobs you will be fighting, so there's a big learning curve

and Anet doesnt do a good job at teaching players, can you believe people still doesnt know how to do breakbars?it seems like Anet approach to people who are unwilling to learn and complaining about 'OMG! it's too hard, nerf or I will quit!' is giving more firepower, creating power creep, then have flow on effect to other areas of the game like PvP and WvW

[Carlin Sanders.3587]

Mount Rentals? probably fine, so they can get motivated to have their own. but mounts at the start? Nah fam, part of the fun is getting it.

And i'd say hold off on lvl 80 boosts until you get to 80 yourself at least once. part of getting to 80 is learning how to play the game, which is pretty vital. sure you can cheese it with crafting or wvw or something but most players would likely get to 80 by actually playing and doing content. it can be a bore, but with friends showing you the ropes (or just saying you need help and watch as a horde of players swarm to you like flies on a dead carcass) new players should be experienced enough at least to have the fundamentals down.

[JUN YANG.4328]

i think lvl 80 boost is killing the game. behind reason for boost. is anet want to boost their account. they may think the quicker player reach 80 the quicker they start buying item from TP. however at the same time the quicker the player get to 80 the quicker they get bored for the game. this will shorten the life of gw2

[Ultramex.1506]

I would say bad for new player since they will skip everything but it's their fault for skipping instead of learning, i don't take any complaints from those type of player seriously. Also it's entirely optional to use

[Gop.8713]

It's hard for me to say 'Bad' bc I'm sure there are players out there who enjoy skipping the leveling process and getting instant access to endgame content but for me leveling was great fun and I wish I had been able to stretch it out for far longer than I did. A big part of why I enjoy keyrunning is the return to playing on weaker toons, if only through the story missions . . .

[mindcircus.1506]

I wonder how many of you who clicking "bad" have seen what it's like as a completely new player in this game over the past 6 months.Have you seen hard it is to tag mobs in events with all the veterans players around spamming mount engages and depriving new players of XP while they level ?I guarantee many of you would change your minds.I also guarantee many who clicked "Bad" are doing exactly that and just finding very creative ways of saying "L2P Noob".

[Taygus.4571]

Mounts are fine.

I'd actually encourage new players to get carried through the first episode of PoF and Hot, so they have raptor and glider and then go back to personal story.

I really think the level 80 boost should only be available after your first level 80.

Too many people boost and then know absolutely nothing about their character or the game. They ask questions that they'd have worked out had they leveled naturally.And as much as core game doesn't teach HoT level difficulty, I think skipping it is bad and leaves a player to get completely slaughtered in the expansions. At least leveling naturally they'll learn a little of their class.

[Taygus.4571]

@"mindcircus.1506" said:I wonder how many of you who clicking "bad" have seen what it's like as a completely new player in this game over the past 6 months.Have you seen hard it is to tag mobs in events with all the veterans players around spamming mount engages and depriving new players of XP while they level ?

This is only really a problem during dailies when a map events is in rotation. outside of dailies, you're lucky if there's 1 other person doing the event with you.

[Konrad Curze.5130]

Boost bad, mounts good