What new endgame systems should Anet implement?

[Henry.5713]

I am happy for everyone who enjoys the more recent content or anything along the lines of grinding "special" skills and masteries unique to a specific map and all that. I am happy if they enjoy the story and mostly playing solo. Each their own. Means ANet is doing something right if people enjoy the current content. But there are also a lot of players who do not. Many of them quit for that reason.

Personally, the only thing that would be able to keep me interested and active for a while is a lasting refocus on competitive group content such as raids, Fractals and WvW (yes, I know how unlikely that is). This would need to include frequent balance patches, new content, new challenges and possibly some innovations to keep things fresh. And I am not talking about replacing the other more casual content but about having both.

Group content provides insane replayability. People continue to play such content for years after there has even been anything new. Something I certainly can't say about any Open World content unless it happens to be the most profitable farming map. Hell, I still log in once a week to raid with friends and I join WvW once in a while to play with people I know. There are a lot of players like me and a lot of players who might return if this happened. Because even the greatest replayability doesn't last forever if you just give up on the content in question.

[Astralporing.1957]

The whole game is the endgame.

[mercury ranique.2170]

I see some issue when it comes to end game goals.I dislike the direction with the Griffon. It should be cosmetical with a few minor benefits (e. g. Legendary gear). There should not be a need for this to get it.

Looking at cosmetics there is hardly something left.One thing that pops in mind are boats. It could function as some sort of player housing and with the endless ocean there should be no need for instances (just a big map with just a lot of open water). You can set sail to one or another and you can pimp your boat a lot.

[Tyncale.1629]

Building. Not just Housing but being able to build stuff, like your own jumping puzzle that others could visit and use. All instanced off course. Thousands upon thousands of items, recipes and mats that you can collect/loot to build the most megalomanic Mansion with the craziest jumping puzzle there is. The building has to be such that it is an actual satisfying game for people who are into this. Think Everquest Next (before it was axed) but then better, ANET-style (like they improved Mounts).

Else I can see just more of the same stuff. So more Raids, more Fractals, more Meta's, more Bosses, more Shinies, more AP's, more (mostly useless) Masteries, more Races? Horizontal progression is a Curse and Blessing at the same time. Nothing easier for a MMO then to add more Levels and more Power to gain. This is the reason why Everquest is on its 27th expansion right now.

[HokenPWNZ.7628]

It must be GvG, but...

[The Greyhawk.9107]

Does it matter? Anet will just abandon it after a few iterations just like they do to everything new that gets added to the game.

[blp.3489]

Given the experiments with training AI learning systems to play various games have shown that the AI eventually gets better than the best human players, it seems to me that there is a very natural opportunity to create any number of AI systems/players that operate the same player characters that human players do and that human players can play against. You could create any number of levels of AI players so that human players could work their way up through increasingly competent adversaries.

Since the best AI will be better than the best human, players will always have something to strive toward. For Anet, they can create new adversaries/content just by training additional AI systems for different classes and builds. Each time a new AI character is introduced players will be in a race to be the first to kill it. You could also have group events. Anet could also create AI allies for all sorts of new scenarios, and they could be a lot more capable than the current NPCs.

Additionally, human players could observe and learn good play from AI player mentors. Think of martial arts "masters" that a player trains with until the student surpasses the master and goes to find a new more advanced master. Raid players can judge potential teammates based on their results sparring with, or in combat with, known AI characters, either rivals or masters.

Instead of adding bigger health pools, artificial "mechanics", and new capabilities to new bosses, just make them smarter.

[moony.5780]

A new type of map completation would be cool :) To finish all maps again with a debuff. So hardcore player do that solo, and casual just run it in groups and its easy for them.

[DonArkanio.6419]

Dungeons ha.

[Ajaxx.3157]

@Ayrilana.1396 said:I’d rather they focus on the existing ones over creating yet another system they’ll later abandon.

One of the most real posts on the forums.

I'd like them to actually focus on the MMO part of the game and stop making GW2 a single player game.

[kharmin.7683]

@Ajaxx.3157 said:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:I’d rather they focus on the existing ones over creating yet another system they’ll later abandon.

One of the most real posts on the forums.

I'd like them to actually focus on the MMO part of the game and stop making GW2 a single player game.

I'd guess that their metrics about how players play the game show them something that makes them develop more toward single players in a MMO-style environment. For me, I'm glad. I don't want to play a game that forces me to team up with people to complete all content. I appreciate the more versatile approach with GW2. I understand others don't. Perhaps, then, GW2 isn't the game for them much like many other MMOs aren't the game for me. /shrug

[Palador.2170]

If you really want something good, it needs to be a system for Player Made Content. What kind of content? Dunno, but giving players the tools to make things occupies us far longer than any single mission or raid ever will.

It's part of why people want actual housing in a game. It gives them a chance to make something, then maybe tear it all down and redo it better. It's part of why people keep suggesting the ability to have their other characters along with them as NPCs in instanced missions, so they can customize the team to how they want it. Or make their own Jumping Puzzles.

There have been a couple of MMOs that have handed out the tools for players to make their own missions/storylines even. And yes, there are pitfalls and abuses you have to watch out for. But imagine them handing over just the dungeon maps along with some basic mission making tools, with the chance to earn a special currency that can buy only some cosmetics (no EXP or Gold gain) for completing player made missions. Limited chance for exploitation, but a chance for players to make and tell their own stories.

The Devs will never be able to keep up with the players. Only the players themselves can do that. So, we need the tools to do just that.

[Cynder.2509]

Not really very endgame actually but housing like in ESO would be a very nice feature.

[Astralporing.1957]

@kharmin.7683 said:

@Ajaxx.3157 said:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:I’d rather they focus on the existing ones over creating yet another system they’ll later abandon.

One of the most real posts on the forums.

I'd like them to actually focus on the MMO part of the game and stop making GW2 a single player game.

I'd guess that their metrics about how players play the game show them something that makes them develop more toward single players in a MMO-style environment.If that is true, it would mean that their whole design direction change between gw1 and gw2 was a complete failure, because gw1 was covering this kind of playstyle much, much better

[kharmin.7683]

@Astralporing.1957 said:

@kharmin.7683 said:

@Ajaxx.3157 said:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:I’d rather they focus on the existing ones over creating yet another system they’ll later abandon.

One of the most real posts on the forums.

I'd like them to actually focus on the MMO part of the game and stop making GW2 a single player game.

I'd guess that their metrics about how players play the game show them something that makes them develop more toward single players in a MMO-style environment.If that is true, it would mean that their whole design direction change between gw1 and gw2 was a complete failure, because gw1 was covering this kind of playstyle much, much better

Which is very possible. GW2 was a bit more innovative in the MMO arena upon release and, I believe, we continue to see a gradual shift toward a more single-player style of gaming than what was originally intended. Perhaps the financial numbers earlier showed that steering away from a single-player-centric concept was not as profitable? Additionally, the personnel turn-over can dramatically affect the vision and direction, too, and I think we're seeing some of that influence as well.Having said all of that, I wouldn't consider GW2 a failure outside of what might have been the original intent and design. It has been successful enough in its current iteration to continue to make enough profit for the shareholders to keep putting resources back into it. For now.

[ugrakarma.9416]

@"Palador.2170" said:If you really want something good, it needs to be a system for Player Made Content. What kind of content? Dunno, but giving players the tools to make things occupies us far longer than any single mission or raid ever will.

It's part of why people want actual housing in a game. It gives them a chance to make something, then maybe tear it all down and redo it better. It's part of why people keep suggesting the ability to have their other characters along with them as NPCs in instanced missions, so they can customize the team to how they want it. Or make their own Jumping Puzzles.

There have been a couple of MMOs that have handed out the tools for players to make their own missions/storylines even. And yes, there are pitfalls and abuses you have to watch out for. But imagine them handing over just the dungeon maps along with some basic mission making tools, with the chance to earn a special currency that can buy only some cosmetics (no EXP or Gold gain) for completing player made missions. Limited chance for exploitation, but a chance for players to make and tell their own stories.

The Devs will never be able to keep up with the players. Only the players themselves can do that. So, we need the tools to do just that.

housing is a forum bubble, a Guild Halls failure 2.0

Neverwinter had even customized istances which they call "adventures" if im not wrong, u can make entire history instance with dialogues customized mobs and challenges and "what if" conditions...., it the end was just the most boring and less played content, they even introduce unique rewards to incentive ppl play it, and to creators to create stuff, but even with that, this game mode was a desert.

[Raknar.4735]

@ugrakarma.9416 said:

@Palador.2170 said:If you really want something good, it needs to be a system for Player Made Content. What kind of content? Dunno, but giving players the tools to make things occupies us far longer than any single mission or raid ever will.

It's part of why people want actual housing in a game. It gives them a chance to make something, then maybe tear it all down and redo it better. It's part of why people keep suggesting the ability to have their other characters along with them as NPCs in instanced missions, so they can customize the team to how they want it. Or make their own Jumping Puzzles.

There have been a couple of MMOs that have handed out the tools for players to make their own missions/storylines even. And yes, there are pitfalls and abuses you have to watch out for. But imagine them handing over just the dungeon maps along with some basic mission making tools, with the chance to earn a special currency that can buy only some cosmetics (no EXP or Gold gain) for completing player made missions. Limited chance for exploitation, but a chance for players to make and tell their own stories.

The Devs will never be able to keep up with the players. Only the players themselves can do that. So, we need the tools to do just that.

[...], it the end was just the most boring and less played content, they even introduce unique rewards to incentive ppl play it, [...], but even with that, this game mode was a desert.

Sounds familiar.

[ugrakarma.9416]

@"Raknar.4735" said:Sounds familiar.

I remembered something else.Introduction of rewards makes things worse.

this "customizable system", has a rating and ranking, which players vote the best ones.

then the speedrunners/farmers, started to play more the ones was more quick to complete to farm these unique rewards, and these ones dominated the ranks because the speedrunners was constantly upvoting them.

so in the end the best ranked "customized history instances" wanst the "creative" ones, but the easily farmables.

[flog.3485]

What about introducing a daily endgame reward: you play one tier 4 fractal encounter, one strike mission and one raid encounter to get a mystic coin.

[Palador.2170]

@"ugrakarma.9416" said:housing is a forum bubble, a Guild Halls failure 2.0

Neverwinter had even customized istances which they call "adventures" if im not wrong, u can make entire history instance with dialogues customized mobs and challenges and "what if" conditions...., it the end was just the most boring and less played content, they even introduce unique rewards to incentive ppl play it, and to creators to create stuff, but even with that, this game mode was a desert.

I should clarify that it has to be a GOOD system. The more of a chore it is to use and the more restricted it is, the less people will use it.

In fact, maybe "good" isn't the right word, let's go with "fun". It has to be a FUN system to use.

[Fueki.4753]

@Palador.2170 said:It has to be a FUN system to use.And fun is heavily subjective.I've seen people who found vast enjoyment in decorating GW2's Guild halls, while other people think it's the worst thing ever.

Other variants of that, including individual personal housing, are unlikely to be received differently.

[miraude.2107]

Something that made me stay playing WoW the longest was the introduction of archeology. I loved the lore and getting the unique pieces to each race. I would go crazy if that was in gw2. It'd be so much damn easier to implement than player housing, could make the factions that we chose more relevant (priory would be find things, whispers would be steal things, vigil would be kill things) and things like specific mounts for each faction could be added (priory raptor, whispers raptor, vigil raptor). And to top it off, they could easily rope in old content like the dungeons, strike missions, zone events, etc as missions of the day. Like any daily, don't have to do it if you don't want to however there is bigger incentive (like having fucking in-game mount skins already) to do them.And I understand that arenanet prolly won't want to let go of their cash cow mount skins to put some that would be available in game. I argue that you should put them in game as the skins are a great way to make people want to stay and do content, it gives a goal to strive for besides a legendary (you could do the mount skins like a collection similar to the skyscale and griffon) and would be able to give some substance back into the choices we made in the core game.

[artcreator.4859]

please implement challenging fights that encourage you to work with other players, like in HoT

[voltaicbore.8012]

@Fueki.4753 said:

@Palador.2170 said:It has to be a FUN system to use.And fun is heavily subjective.I've seen people who found vast enjoyment in decorating GW2's Guild halls, while other people think it's the worst thing ever.

Other variants of that, including individual personal housing, are unlikely to be received differently.

Eh. The guild hall decorating system should be nothing like a personal housing system. Sure, there are many weird little raid or festival-themed decorations that you straight up buy from vendors, but a lot of the cooler theme-making pieces (library bookshelf, various furniture, props, etc.) is very clunky to make through the scribing system.

I am 100% sure that if personal housing were implemented, it would not require scribing (which requires a guild hall with at least that minimal level of workshop upgrade), and furniture/props would just be drops or purchaseable items.

Either way, I don't care, as I went through the trouble of capturing a guild hall for my solo guild, and am treating it as a personal housing instance.

I never played WoW, but the archaeology system @miraude.2107 mentioned sounds like it would fit perfectly with GW2. So many of the maps (particularly many of the core ones) are quite meticulously designed with a lot of totally optional corners here and there, so it would be incredible to have reasons to snoop around those areas. It would be a very easy way to enrich the local lore (so smaller scale stories about the people/events of that specific area) that don't have to tie into the grand scale of the main story.

[Fangoth.4503]

none, they should first fix their current one before trying new things