Category: Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars Holy Trinity

The holy trinity is well known.  The DPS fight the mobs with damage.  The Healer fights the damage from the mobs.  And, the Tank fights the agro from the DPS and Healer.  In World of Warcraft the formula is pretty well set for easy gameplay.  Lord of the Rings gets a bit hazier with their use of hybrid classes, range tanking, and tank swapping, but for the most part it follows the doctrine of the holy trinity.

Guild Wars came very close to shirking the entire thing.  Agro does not really exist like it does in World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings Online.  Each battle with PvE mobs is reminiscent of a PvP battle.  Players have 8 bodies against the team of enemies to kill.  Because PvE can feel so much like PvP (especially in comparison to the stark contrast of PvE/PvP in World of Warcraft and Lord of the Rings Online), ArenaNet moved away from the holy trinity to a more enlightened trinity: the three lines.

Continue reading Guild Wars Holy Trinity

Guild Wars 2 Trailer – Take Two (Races)

And now on a lighter, less philosophical note, ArenaNet has just released a second trailer for Guild Wars 2 on the Races of Tyria!  Such a beautiful thing (HD link).  What a great treat right before the weekend.  I really like the mechani-Spartan Charr, but all the races seem very cool.  In other games, there are definitely ones that feel less cool.  Cold, if you will.  This game might make me a racial altoholic, in the best sense.

–Ravious
most adaptable to change

EDIT: Oh, and Felicia Day voices Zojja the Asuran. That’s pretty cool. I like their voice actors.

Guild Wars 2 Release Date Flashbang

I feel sorry for Jaeho Lee sometimes.  The man heads up the English-speaking conference call for Korean-based NCSoft.  Last time NCSoft at the conference call spoke substantively about Guild Wars 2’s possible release date it caused enough commotion that the ArenaNet’s brass had to respond.  Of course it can’t be helped, Guild Wars 1 was a success in what was considered a DOA-business model.  More people than rabid fans like me want to know about the sequel to ArenaNet’s first game. Continue reading Guild Wars 2 Release Date Flashbang

The ArenaNet Genies

A feel good moment. I am always blown away by MMO fans. They are truly some top notch people, and their creativity is apparent in things like Halloween art contests.  It’s tough competition for developers to actually compete with the masters of their games, but they can and do.  ArenaNet worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to give one of their fans, Emily, a tour of the offices and a chance to play Guild Wars 2.  Things like this make me all fuzzy on an overcast rainy day.

–Ravious
the candy man can

Under Da Sea

My first 3D exploration in an MMO was in World of Warcraft.  There were some delicious herbs to be found off of Westfall’s shores.  Stranglekelp was found amidst roaming Murlocs, and when the herb was smoothee’d with some Blackmouth fish oil, my priest could be underwater for in-game hours checking out wreckages, looking for pearls, and generally enjoying the freedom of the z-axis.  There was one area, if I recall correctly, in Stranglethorn Vale where some elite Murlocs were guarding a sunken ruins.  I played an interesting game of agro-Operation trying to swim down to the bottom without alerting the bug-eyed fish-lizards to my presence.  It took a few tries, but I remember being so proud and feeling so clever.  The quest suggested a group of people after all. Continue reading Under Da Sea

Guild Wars 2 Art Book

The Guild Wars 2 Art Book is now available for sale for all of us unfortunates that could not make it to PAX (unfortunate, yet PAX flu-free).  It is a beautiful hardbound treasure filled with art from ArenaNet’s award-winning concept artists, and for once I do not have to buy the collector’s edition for the art.  I don’t understand why game companies, especially MMO companies with very loyal fans, do not constantly utilize these generated assets.  I’ve seen some beautiful Aion Online and Lord of the Rings Online concept art in video presentations, and I fear I might never see it again.  Like music, I see no reason not to double dip.

–Ravious
logic and common sense will only interfere

EDIT: This book will not be included in the Guild Wars 2 Collector’s Edition.

Guild Wars Interview

Thanks to the fine folks at ArenaNet, I had a chance to ask Linsey Murdock and Isaiah “Izzy” Cartwright some questions on the Guild Wars series.  Linsey is the current lead designer for the Guild Wars 1 Live Team, and Izzy is hard at work on Guild Wars 2.  The interview gives some good insight for what both may have in store for the future. Continue reading Guild Wars Interview

Guild Wars 2 Interview

Guild Wars 2 is fast becoming one of the most anticipated MMO-type games since the release of the Guild Wars 2 trailer and follow up articles and interviews.  Jeff Grubb – World Designer and Writer for Guild Wars 2 -  just back from a busy time at Germany’s Gamescom, and he was graciously able to answer a few questions before heading off to PAX 2009, where ArenaNet will have plenty of events. (Be sure to check out their giveaway times for their 128-page Guild Wars 2 concept art book.)  On to the questions! Continue reading Guild Wars 2 Interview

Guild Wars 2 Art Book

If Guild Wars 2 was not enough, ArenaNet seems to have really been paying attention to what fans have been asking for in other mediums.  One of ArenaNet’s crown jewels is their art team.  They have produced hands-down some of the best concept art I have ever seen.  Their art constantly appears in trade magazines and books like Spectrum.  Now, they are going to be releasing a hardback, 128-page concept art book for Guild Wars 2.  Fans have been asking for something like this for a long time.  The book’s first showing will be at the upcoming PAX, where they will be giving the books away!  Worry not, those stranded in sunnier climes, the book will go on sale at a later date.

On another note, while Guild Wars 2 news is still coming at a decent pace, some of it is crafted through lore forum theory, wiki postings by the devs, or other “off the radar” bits.  Right now the folks at Guild Wars 2 Guru are doing a great job at putting these blips on a central radar on their front page.  Things like Guild Wars 2 gun concept art!

–Ravious
a speed understander