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Dynamic Events Dev Journal by Colin Johanson

Master10KMaster10K Member Posts: 3,065

Here's an interesting blog post by Smiling Colin, about the player reaction to the dynamic events. I particular liked this paragraph, because it really is true and I've seen it a lot on this very forum. Definitely a good read...

 

"That being said, there are absolutely some folks who I think were expecting more from them and were disappointed. It’s tough with any feature like this, because as a company you want to hype it up and get people excited for the new thing you’re doing, which always means some folks will let their imagination run away with them and picture something more than what you’re doing."

 

CLICK TO READ

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Comments

  • The_KorriganThe_Korrigan Member RarePosts: 3,460

    A good article, something quite a few people who didn't understand what dynamic events are yet should definitely read.

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  • MagnetiaMagnetia Member UncommonPosts: 1,015

    You really have to force yourself to stop and smell the flowers. For anyone who is coming into this fresh you should look at  this game as a new type of game with some mmo elements. 

    • Follow NPCS after dynamic events.
    • Listen to the dialogue.
    • Check vendors and town structures.
    • Stop and listen to the story.
    Even as a long time follower I did not do this during BWE1 and only started doing it a little in BWE2.

    Play for fun. Play to win. Play for perfection. Play with friends. Play in another world. Why do you play?

  • Creslin321Creslin321 Member Posts: 5,359

    I really think renown hearts pose the greatest danger to dyanmic events just because they are so much simpler for new players to do.  So many players dismiss the dynamic event system as just another quest system because they do the hearts and mistake them for events.  There is even a large contingent of players complaining that doing all the renown hearts in an area doesn't reward enough exp to move on to the next area,

    Hopefully, in the higher level areas hearts lose relevancy and events gain it.

    Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?

  • seridanseridan Member UncommonPosts: 1,202
    Originally posted by Magnetia

    You really have to force yourself to stop and smell the flowers. For anyone who is coming into this fresh you should look at  this game as a new type of game with some mmo elements. 

    • Follow NPCS after dynamic events.
    • Listen to the dialogue.
    • Check vendors and town structures.
    • Stop and listen to the story.
    Even as a long time follower I did not do this during BWE1 and only started doing it a little in BWE2.

    I've seen few people following the NPCs after a dynamic event is finished. It's sad because those people will start making silly claims about "random" or "timed" events, while they aren't. They are the same people who jump from event to event following their GUI messages and not realizing that those events are actually one big event chain.... When will people learn?

    Block the trolls, don't answer them, so we can remove the garbage from these forums

  • seridanseridan Member UncommonPosts: 1,202
    Originally posted by Creslin321

    Hopefully, in the higher level areas hearts lose relevancy and events gain it.

    The thing is, you can't level with hearts alone, and that was one of the complaints about leveling speed on the official forums. Players would want to level up just by doing hearts and when filling hearts isn't enough they complain, it's sad but it's the truth. Even on lower level zones hearts should be a small fraction of the experience.

    Block the trolls, don't answer them, so we can remove the garbage from these forums

  • dllddlld Member UncommonPosts: 615

    Nice read and i think it touched upon everything DE's do.

    If i had to pick the "best" out of the 4 topics it would be the coopareative one, that's the thing that aggrevates me the most when playing quest based MMO's, other players.

  • khamul787khamul787 Member UncommonPosts: 193
    Originally posted by Creslin321

    I really think renown hearts pose the greatest danger to dyanmic events just because they are so much simpler for new players to do.  So many players dismiss the dynamic event system as just another quest system because they do the hearts and mistake them for events.  There is even a large contingent of players complaining that doing all the renown hearts in an area doesn't reward enough exp to move on to the next area,

    Hopefully, in the higher level areas hearts lose relevancy and events gain it.

    I don't know about anywhere else, but Orr has been confirmed to have no Hearts, and only events, which is pretty awesome.

    image

  • Stx11Stx11 Member Posts: 415
    Colin Johanson 

    One final note I’d add is that in playing over the beta weekends, I’m constantly amazed at how few people stick around after a dynamic event to see what happens. We’ve seen this for a long time, and I know a lot of it comes from being trained in a traditional MMO, or even other games that have some sort of event system, that once the event is over, things are done and you should leave. Most events in the game have something that occurs after the event is over, and many people just run off, never to see what occurs.

    So sad but true.

  • RoybeRoybe Member UncommonPosts: 420

    image  With one caveat:  This is beta, time is short, and people want to see more than do.   Other than that...slowing down is the ONLY way to play this game properly.


     

  • BadSpockBadSpock Member UncommonPosts: 7,979

    Amazing blog post.

    A must read for anyone "on the fence" about GW2 - in practice everything he says is true... at least thus far it has been my experience in the BWE's and Stress Tests that what Colin claims about the DE systems is also true in practice in the game world.

     

  • lilHealalilHeala Member UncommonPosts: 522
    Originally posted by Stx11
    Colin Johanson 

    One final note I’d add is that in playing over the beta weekends, I’m constantly amazed at how few people stick around after a dynamic event to see what happens. We’ve seen this for a long time, and I know a lot of it comes from being trained in a traditional MMO, or even other games that have some sort of event system, that once the event is over, things are done and you should leave. Most events in the game have something that occurs after the event is over, and many people just run off, never to see what occurs.

    So sad but true.

    Indeed very sad and it's part of why folks see it as just quests presented in a different way. I really hope this doesn't discourage Anet in the long run so that they start catering to that "fast food" crowd with future content.

  • Gaia_HunterGaia_Hunter Member UncommonPosts: 3,066

    Finally waiting for my girl to decide which colour her new boots should be doesn't feel like wasted time. :)

    Currently playing: GW2
    Going cardboard starter kit: Ticket to ride, Pandemic, Carcassonne, Dominion, 7 Wonders

  • aesperusaesperus Member UncommonPosts: 5,135
    Originally posted by khamul787
    Originally posted by Creslin321

    I really think renown hearts pose the greatest danger to dyanmic events just because they are so much simpler for new players to do.  So many players dismiss the dynamic event system as just another quest system because they do the hearts and mistake them for events.  There is even a large contingent of players complaining that doing all the renown hearts in an area doesn't reward enough exp to move on to the next area,

    Hopefully, in the higher level areas hearts lose relevancy and events gain it.

    I don't know about anywhere else, but Orr has been confirmed to have no Hearts, and only events, which is pretty awesome.

    This is true. And I'm also glad about it.

    I believe the design idea they talked about was to have fewer & fewer renown hearts as you get to higher & higher lvl zones.

    The first 20 or so zones seemed to be pretty packed, and I didn't check out enough of hte 30+ zones to really comment on a significant drop, but they definitely mentioned they're trying to gradually phase out renown hearts as you get further into the game.

    They were only added to help transition new players, after all =/

  • Zeus.CMZeus.CM Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 1,788

    I'm glad I read it. Colin explained exactly why I love GW2 and why I think it will last a long time before someone can say:" I've done and seen everything in this game". In dynamic environment such as this it is very hard (takes a long time and some luck) to see and do everything and that's why GW2 has enourmous longetivity imo.

  • silvermembersilvermember Member UncommonPosts: 526

    Ya, its all too common, guild wars 2 fan hypes himself and creates this unrealistic (for now) expectation about DE and when it is not met they QQ and rage on the forums. I saw it a lot during the first bwe.

    If they were actually listening and watching the videos presented by Arenanet and not take second hand information they wouldn't be disappointed, but I suppose that is part of life.

  • Lord.BachusLord.Bachus Member RarePosts: 9,686
    Originally posted by lilHeala
    Originally posted by Stx11
    Colin Johanson 

    One final note I’d add is that in playing over the beta weekends, I’m constantly amazed at how few people stick around after a dynamic event to see what happens. We’ve seen this for a long time, and I know a lot of it comes from being trained in a traditional MMO, or even other games that have some sort of event system, that once the event is over, things are done and you should leave. Most events in the game have something that occurs after the event is over, and many people just run off, never to see what occurs.

    So sad but true.

    Indeed very sad and it's part of why folks see it as just quests presented in a different way. I really hope this doesn't discourage Anet in the long run so that they start catering to that "fast food" crowd with future content.

    Or just follow the Events initiator..

     

    I think this might change tough, as people find out whats really happening in the world.

    Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)

  • joker007mojoker007mo Member Posts: 712
    Originally posted by Creslin321

    I really think renown hearts pose the greatest danger to dyanmic events just because they are so much simpler for new players to do.  So many players dismiss the dynamic event system as just another quest system because they do the hearts and mistake them for events.  There is even a large contingent of players complaining that doing all the renown hearts in an area doesn't reward enough exp to move on to the next area,

    Hopefully, in the higher level areas hearts lose relevancy and events gain it.

    i used them as a guideline not so much a need to do i like to explore so it was more of my point of knowing how far i have gone i tend to go out and cover everything to do in one area before i move on i hate leaving stuff undone lol

    image

  • dageezadageeza Member Posts: 578

    Anet already said as you advance deeper the hearts become fewer and fewer and the DEs in these areas double and triple..

    I know from personal experience that the game is not overhyped even by most players take on it, however a lot of folks that have not played it yet may be letting their imagination run wild..

    I think at one time or another we have all done this only to be let down when we finally got to play said game..

    Playing GW2..

  • FaulknerFaulkner Member UncommonPosts: 108

    Like someone said i hope ANET sticks to their guns and continue what they have devoted.  It appears some folks want to mindless Grind and go as quickly as they can to get to the Top.  

    From playing myself and experiencing that.  This is not the game for them.  I almost had to stop for a second during BW2 and was like, I can go anywhere and see what happens, and not have to run to Point A go kill 10 deer, run back to point A...etc..  It's great, my friends and I are going to,  for example,  "let's pick a direction and go" and see what happens and take our time exploring and enjoying the Dynamic Events.

    Cheers,

  • joker007mojoker007mo Member Posts: 712
    Originally posted by Faulkner

    Like someone said i hope ANET sticks to their guns and continue what they have devoted.  It appears some folks want to mindless Grind and go as quickly as they can to get to the Top.  

    From playing myself and experiencing that.  This is not the game for them.  I almost had to stop for a second during BW2 and was like, I can go anywhere and see what happens, and not have to run to Point A go kill 10 deer, run back to point A...etc..  It's great, my friends and I are going to,  for example,  "let's pick a direction and go" and see what happens and take our time exploring and enjoying the Dynamic Events.

    Cheers,

    this exactly for me this was almost like playing a pen and paper d and d just start your adventure and stuff happens

    image

  • MahavishnuMahavishnu Member Posts: 336

    Everybody who ever played a normal MMO with its typical quests should be very excited about the design of dynamic events. Because he or she should understand in a heartbeat, that there are so many advantages - and much more fun.

    Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.

  • SiphaedSiphaed Member RarePosts: 1,114

    I love how in this article the guy tries to tell people to not do the MMO-traditional "zone train" and instead stay in areas after the Dynamic Event to see what kind of nifty rewards are available, or what the NPC's do.  This has found to be the most ...interesting feature of the Dynamic Events that I've personally experienced.


  • BadaboomBadaboom Member UncommonPosts: 2,380
    Originally posted by Mahavishnu

    Everybody who ever played a normal MMO with its typical quests should be very excited about the design of dynamic events. Because he or she should understand in a heartbeat, that there are so many advantages - and much more fun.

    Exactly this.  I wonder if that alliance WoW NPC who was building his house 7 years ago is finished?  In GW2 you see an NPC actually build stuff and the building progresses and actually gets built.

  • aesperusaesperus Member UncommonPosts: 5,135
    Originally posted by Siphaed

    I love how in this article the guy tries to tell people to not do the MMO-traditional "zone train" and instead stay in areas after the Dynamic Event to see what kind of nifty rewards are available, or what the NPC's do.  This has found to be the most ...interesting feature of the Dynamic Events that I've personally experienced.

    They've always known this was going to be a problem. And it's not an easy one to solve. We pretty much have this mindset to thank directly for the implementation of heart events.

    Perhaps the most amusing thing about this, is when you see examples of this happening in the game, it usually seems VERY obvious. The NPCs talk, they'll say things like "Great! I need to head off to this place and finish making my special brew!". And most players think 'awesome! I'm done, cya later!'.

    However, the players that then follow that NPC get to see what happens next. There really are a lot of tells, however they are usually in the form of the NPC communicating directly to you. People are just too used to following the shinniest object on the screen, that many don't even stop to see what's going on with the NPC screaming that their house is on fire.

  • VolkonVolkon Member UncommonPosts: 3,748
    Originally posted by Creslin321

    I really think renown hearts pose the greatest danger to dyanmic events just because they are so much simpler for new players to do.  So many players dismiss the dynamic event system as just another quest system because they do the hearts and mistake them for events.  There is even a large contingent of players complaining that doing all the renown hearts in an area doesn't reward enough exp to move on to the next area,

    Hopefully, in the higher level areas hearts lose relevancy and events gain it.

    They did mention that Orr is indeed heartless. image

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