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Gendarran Fields for BWE2
fiontar
Member UncommonPosts: 3,682
It looks like Gendarran Fields, a level 25-35 zone just North of Lion's Arch, will be part of BetaWeekend Event #2.
IGN was given an invite for a few days of access to the Developers Server and permission to share video and even a live stream with the public.
Gendarran Fields Livestream Replay
At one point, a dev chimes in during chat that this zone will be part of BWE2.
The video shows some interesting changes since the last BWE, but I don't know that we can be positive that they will all make it into the BWE build. Worth a look.
Some obvious changes:
UI has been further cleaned up, with scale options, mini-map options and the energy bar now wrapping around the top of the Health bubble.
Traits are indeed now tiered. A portion of traits for a trait line can be slotted to the first major trait slot, a larger pool is available for the second slot and all are available to be slotted to the third slot.
Utility Skills are also tiered now as well. You have to unlock 5 Tier 1 skills to open up Tier 2 skills and you unlock 5 of them to open up Tier 3 skills. With only three tiers and no pre-requisites, it offers more freedom that a full skill tree, but is still more restrictive than the previous system.
Modifiers are available for key bindings.
We don't know if there will be any other zones added. (We do know that the Asuran and Sylvari zones will not be in BWE2). Nice to have a new zone to play around with though.
Want to know more about GW2 and why there is so much buzz? Start here: Guild Wars 2 Mass Info for the Uninitiated
Comments
I don't like the tiers it seems like a pointless reduction in freedom.
i too dont like the tier trait. tier utility is np, i think i like.
UI much much better now. boons and conditions much more visible on us and much better control on them ( have time now)
Question: did they update the graphics? Because my game didn't look anything like this on max settings, and most screenshots/vids I saw it looks far worse.
I felt the opposite way regarding traits and skills /shrug.
And no, this is the same game engine. Game always looked that good for me.
The trait restriction is a reduction in freedom, but a necessary one. Some of the traits are clearly more powerful and the alternative was to "balance" or "nerf" them. I'd rather have tiers than nerfs... but really and truly we all benefit from ANet making sure that PvP remains balanced. It's disappointing when our favorite class loses a powerful build but it benefits the game in the long run.
i can see it with traits but for skills its kind of pointless
Really? Mine looked just that good last BWE, with all settings maxed out.
Respect, walk
Are you talkin' to me? Are you talkin' to me?
- PANTERA at HELLFEST 2023
The whole point of having skills that cost different amounts of skill points was to make them accessible at different levels. There was a system for skill "tiers" that also gave more freedom to the players....
All in the name of balance. Anyway I'm not totally against this, balance is a good thing in MMOs but I'm still a bit disappointed with them.
The trait tiers aren't that bad, otherwise all players would've had the same "perfect 3" major traits. That is, everyone would use only the most powerful traits and ignore the rest, now there will be some more variety in builds. BWE is close, we shall see
Block the trolls, don't answer them, so we can remove the garbage from these forums
They didn't add tiered utility skills only b/c of balance. people were hoarding skill points just to buy this 7 point utility skill as their first. So we saw people with 0 skills at lvl 15. It improves progression.
Yeah, for the skills they probably just want players to try out as many of the Utility skills, as they can, before they can move onto the next tier. Because obviously a lot of the skills didn't look that appealing, so they've been shafted to Tier 1. Same with the Traits, because people just didn't use some of them (i.e. do X when take fall damage), while others like the Warrior's Shrug it Off were mandatory.
Just hope that the Ele's Written in Stone Trait isn't a Tier 3 one.
Well eitherway, loving the UI and I can't wait to see the new PvP interface and tournament set-up.
I've been thinking about the new skill tiers. I think a big part of the reasoning for the change is to ensure people have a variety of skills during the lower levels, rather than just saving up for one really expensive skill and having no utility skills for many levels. Also, if you have a set build and can just buy all the skills by level 35, it takes away a big part of the feeling of progress. This way, leveling and skill point challenges mean more.
Some of us are trying to get out of the "I must have a carrot" mentality, but I can appreciate that for the game to have broad appeal, there needs to be some catering to other play styles.
On the plus side, I was constantly finding skills that didn't really pop out to me based on the skill list and tool tip that I actually loved once I played with them. So, this will definitely encourage players to buy and use more skills through out the leveling progression, exposing them to skills and builds they might never have stumbled upon if too focused on some pre-designed build.
Want to know more about GW2 and why there is so much buzz? Start here: Guild Wars 2 Mass Info for the Uninitiated
Interesting, I thought it made more sense with utilities than it makes with traits.
In the old system, skill challenges were almost too easy to ignore, as you'd get enough skillpoints to pick your favorite utilities and elites simply by leveling up. With these tiers, you have a little bit more incentive to actually go out and collect more skill points.
So does that mean they're going to bump the level threshold up a bit? Curious to see what people's take are on the explorable mode versions of dungeons.
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
This calculator already uses the numbering scheme for traits: http://gw2.luna-atra.fr/skills_tool/
Unfortunately Written in Stone seems to be Number 12, 3rd tier. Subject to change of course, beta and all, but so far not looking too good.
I like many others am sick and tired of tiered crap and really hate to hear of anet working to make this game a clone of all the others in existance, its a bad move at the cost of player freedom, so much for bold and cutting edge..
Strike one..
Playing GW2..
Meh
I really don't see what the big deal is with having them tiered. Seems like some are making a huge issue out of nothing really. You guys are acting like this makes you locked into one set path or something.
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
It's stuff many love to do, it's the same as those who bait and switch all the time.
I might get banned for this. - Rizel Star.
I'm not afraid to tell trolls what they [need] to hear, even if that means for me to have an forced absence afterwards.
P2P LOGIC = If it's P2P it means longevity, overall better game, and THE BEST SUPPORT EVER!!!!!(Which has been rinsed and repeated about a thousand times)
Common Sense Logic = P2P logic is no better than F2P Logic.
That's exactly how i feel about them aswell, stripping freedom of builds early on (yeah i know you can get them all eventually)
Are they going to put a respect guys so we can change ur trait again?
since now we cannot get all of the trait. and limited
~The only opinion that matters is your own.Everything else is just advice,~
You can respec if you visit a prof trainer, they are at every city.... (and at some villages too)
Block the trolls, don't answer them, so we can remove the garbage from these forums
I think they should revert it back though to be honest. I think previous was better, not end of the world as I want to "experience" what they are talking about.
I might get banned for this. - Rizel Star.
I'm not afraid to tell trolls what they [need] to hear, even if that means for me to have an forced absence afterwards.
P2P LOGIC = If it's P2P it means longevity, overall better game, and THE BEST SUPPORT EVER!!!!!(Which has been rinsed and repeated about a thousand times)
Common Sense Logic = P2P logic is no better than F2P Logic.
If they remove the trait tiers they could make the traits more powerful if you slot them on a highest slot. A trait in an Adept slot could be a bit more powerful than a trait in a Grandmaster slot.
What they did has a similar effect, the more points in a trait line, the more powerful traits you can slot. It kinda works like the minor traits, isn't it strange that minor traits get more powerful the more points you have but MAJOR traits aren't?
I like my "option" best though. Giving a small boost to traits if they are slotted in higher level slots (this can work with all traits not only "the most powerful" ones.
Block the trolls, don't answer them, so we can remove the garbage from these forums
I already had a good spread of skills by level 21. I had at least 3-4 different skill setupsI could run. And I had bought some expensive skills as well such as the mesmer portal. I did make a real effort to do a number of skill challenges and that was my reward for it, greater diversity.
The whole thing doesn't wash to me. This will not force people who don't want to diversify into doing.
As for progress. I was already making progress by getting more and more skills. My next goal was to unlike the various mantra skills and retrait so I could try a mantra build.
This fake progress by denying you what you want is crap. Its everything that is wrong with RPGs and nothing that is right.
Let me do it my way.
For the traits I can understand. Its expected in an MMORPG that certain things must be sacrificed on the altar of the almighty balance. But the skills thing adds nothing. Its just people fooling themselves that something worse is really better. It does nothing but limit you and then when you have that limit lifted they say "See we stopped crippling you up are stronger now". Uh yeah thanks for not being assholes anymore? No not acceptable.
Lol, i was using that to make my Guardian Char. I plan to use a Spirit Weapon set, with the hammer, sword, and shield as the spirit weapons. Then I realized that the sheilds name is a reference to the Avengers, specifically Captain America's sheild!
Anyway, can you explain how this tier system works? I am slightly confused.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovation
Easy. Traits have roman numbers I-XII. 10 points in a tree you can use I-VI, 20 I-X, 30 I-XII.