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Guild Wars 2 | Heart of Thorns One Week In with Colin Johanson | MMORPG

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
edited November 2015 in News & Features Discussion

imageGuild Wars 2 | Heart of Thorns One Week In with Colin Johanson | MMORPG

A little over one week into the launch of Heart of Thorns, and we caught ArenaNet's Colin Johanson napping long enough to coerce some answers out of him about the current state of the Guild Wars 2 expansion and how things are going inside the walls of the Bellevue, Washington based developer.

Read the full story here



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Comments

  • KatrizKatriz Member UncommonPosts: 24
    Oh some questions about WvW :) Nice interview.
  • IkedaIkeda Member RarePosts: 2,751
    Good questions Bill. My only thing is they're neglecting to really "teach" returning players. Having restarted on my server with a new toon to "learn" all the new systems they really do a piss-poor job of explaining things like Hero Points and whatnot. The "what I earned this level" tips are nice but you'd think they'd link to more pertinent information. At level 30 I'm making decisions that'll greatly impact things down the line and I have ZERO idea about what I'm doing. The system, as is, is more about keeping current players than trying to get people who left to come back. Also... where the heck is Istan? Where are my sunspears? Did they not survived to GW2?
  • OldirtbeardOldirtbeard Member CommonPosts: 6
    Oh here's something that should have been asked. How does he feel about the community tearing it's self apart on the forums regarding open world difficulty? From what I saw any one that was having a hard with the new content was verbally abused by the players that approved of the difficulty hike. Here's a funny observation though, after all the most vocal fighters were given temporary bans I've seen a new trend where players are complaining about empty maps in the jungle. I wonder where they all went, my guess is the silent majority is following the paths of least resistance like the SW Chest Train, or Halloween.
  • CooperstownCooperstown Member UncommonPosts: 32
    edited November 2015
    Oh here's something that should have been asked. How does he feel about the community tearing it's self apart on the forums regarding open world difficulty? From what I saw any one that was having a hard with the new content was verbally abused by the players that approved of the difficulty hike. Here's a funny observation though, after all the most vocal fighters were given temporary bans I've seen a new trend where players are complaining about empty maps in the jungle. I wonder where they all went, my guess is the silent majority is following the paths of least resistance like the SW Chest Train, or Halloween.
    Very good point . . . they dropped ball with this expansion and sadly, many players have left . . .

    I'm going to stick it out myself and see what happens, i bet they'll make big changes
  • AntienAntien Member CommonPosts: 1
    edited November 2015
    Ikeda said:
    Also... where the heck is Istan? Where are my sunspears? Did they not survived to GW2?
    Elona is still around, though the Sunspears not so much. Basically Palawa Joko took over everything and destroyed most of the Sunspears. You can see more of what happened to Elona/Cantha/etc. before GW2 in this article: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/The_Movement_of_the_World
  • MardukkMardukk Member RarePosts: 2,222
    I'm still lost, as a returning player.  They changed skill points and I can't exactly remember how things used to work, let alone learn a new system.  I could have sworn that I filled the mastery exp bar and didn't receive anything as I didn't have it assigned to a mastery.  I haven't figured out how to be able to start using the new weapon available to each class.  The loot is really poor, all vendor trash.  But I guess that is to be expected with this game.

    I'm enjoying the events and difficulty and something new to work towards.  Although I'm not entirely sure what I'm working towards lol.  
  • meonthissitemeonthissite Member UncommonPosts: 917
    edited November 2015
    Cooperstown said:
    Oh here's something that should have been asked. How does he feel about the community tearing it's self apart on the forums regarding open world difficulty? From what I saw any one that was having a hard with the new content was verbally abused by the players that approved of the difficulty hike. Here's a funny observation though, after all the most vocal fighters were given temporary bans I've seen a new trend where players are complaining about empty maps in the jungle. I wonder where they all went, my guess is the silent majority is following the paths of least resistance like the SW Chest Train, or Halloween.
    Very good point . . . they dropped ball with this expansion and sadly, many players have left . . .

    I'm going to stick it out myself and see what happens, i bet they'll make big changes
    To me this and the early grind problem are part of their design flaws for the game. Instead of making a game that everyone can enjoy equally they've basically been telling everyone this is how you are going to play or else. That has been tried by multiple developers over the years and it never ever works. I'm speaking of course about forced grouping.

    I honestly have no idea what they were thinking when they did this with the already fragile state the small number of players they had left were in at this point. Many of us left a long time ago only to test play the latest whenever there have been so called positive changes only to be disappointed again and again.

    How this game is still alive is beyond me also with all of the dishonesty this development team has put forth.
  • orbitxoorbitxo Member RarePosts: 1,956
    edited November 2015
    "How this game is still alive is beyond me also with all of the dishonesty this development team has put forth. " i wouldn't say 'dishonesty' but a change of direction is better fitted- iam waiting at least a month until changes and updates are in place before i give this expac a go.
  • SubHeroSubHero Member CommonPosts: 3
    Most of my friends that play this game (including myself) are casual and we just don't get anything out of this expansion except frustration and heartache. They made everything gated behind groups and grinds. WoW learned this lesson with Cataclysm and it cost them a few million subs...GW2 doesn't have this luxury. Furthermore, as the new content is devoured by the hardcores the maps are already empty and players can't complete the events anymore. Raids will just cause a further divide between "casual" and "hardcore" and destroy the community which is already happening. GW2 is the "un-MMO" that is more MMO than any game ever with the release of HoT. I can't believe the mess that HoT is...this is NOT Guild Wars 2 anymore.
  • exile01exile01 Member RarePosts: 1,089
    hahahahah. I love those dissapointed heart broken followers. Feed me with joy :)
  • comitroncomitron Member UncommonPosts: 37
    edited November 2015
    SubHero said:
    Most of my friends that play this game (including myself) are casual and we just don't get anything out of this expansion except frustration and heartache. They made everything gated behind groups and grinds. WoW learned this lesson with Cataclysm and it cost them a few million subs...GW2 doesn't have this luxury. Furthermore, as the new content is devoured by the hardcores the maps are already empty and players can't complete the events anymore. Raids will just cause a further divide between "casual" and "hardcore" and destroy the community which is already happening. GW2 is the "un-MMO" that is more MMO than any game ever with the release of HoT. I can't believe the mess that HoT is...this is NOT Guild Wars 2 anymore.
    There are plenty of single player games, this is a MMO (read.. Massive Multi-player Online game) so sick of the tablet/phone game player community coming in and complaining that they cant solo an MMO Game... Here is a thread i started discussing just this problem.. http://forums.mmorpg.com/discussion/441004/make-mmos-great-again
  • SubHeroSubHero Member CommonPosts: 3
    comitron said:
    SubHero said:
    Most of my friends that play this game (including myself) are casual and we just don't get anything out of this expansion except frustration and heartache. They made everything gated behind groups and grinds. WoW learned this lesson with Cataclysm and it cost them a few million subs...GW2 doesn't have this luxury. Furthermore, as the new content is devoured by the hardcores the maps are already empty and players can't complete the events anymore. Raids will just cause a further divide between "casual" and "hardcore" and destroy the community which is already happening. GW2 is the "un-MMO" that is more MMO than any game ever with the release of HoT. I can't believe the mess that HoT is...this is NOT Guild Wars 2 anymore.
    There are plenty of single player games, this is a MMO (read.. Massive Multi-player Online game) so sick of the tablet/phone game player community coming in and complaining that they cant solo an MMO Game... Here is a thread i started discussing just this problem.. http://forums.mmorpg.com/discussion/441004/make-mmos-great-again
    I've been playing MMOs since EQ, DAoC, AC etc. including hardcore raiding. I don't game on phones so...OK, if that makes you feel better. My point is that GW2 branded itself as a very specific type of "un-MMO" MMO that was very friendly toward gamers looking for a non-traditional MMO experience with MMO features. Now they have turned it into a World of Warcraft-esque expansion that falls into the same tropes nearly all MMOs have. There's TONS of options for a more standard MMO experience. I came to GW2 because it WAS different until HoT...
  • BillMurphyBillMurphy Former Managing EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 4,565
    I have similar worries about the difficulty of open world content when the crowd moves on from zones. But I expect them to be "re-worked" like Orr was sooner or later, because of this.  Right now, I'm treating HoT like Silver Wastes. Go where the events are, and you're fine. People are there to do them with. But there's definitely too much emphasis on open world content being aimed at herds of people running event chains. It's fun, but in stark contrast to what the 1-80 open world game was about. 

    Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.

    My Review Manifesto
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  • ThupliThupli Member RarePosts: 1,318
    I like hearing that they want group content. I hope they stick with it.

  • MukeMuke Member RarePosts: 2,614
    SubHero said:
    comitron said:
    SubHero said:
    Most of my friends that play this game (including myself) are casual and we just don't get anything out of this expansion except frustration and heartache. They made everything gated behind groups and grinds. WoW learned this lesson with Cataclysm and it cost them a few million subs...GW2 doesn't have this luxury. Furthermore, as the new content is devoured by the hardcores the maps are already empty and players can't complete the events anymore. Raids will just cause a further divide between "casual" and "hardcore" and destroy the community which is already happening. GW2 is the "un-MMO" that is more MMO than any game ever with the release of HoT. I can't believe the mess that HoT is...this is NOT Guild Wars 2 anymore.
    There are plenty of single player games, this is a MMO (read.. Massive Multi-player Online game) so sick of the tablet/phone game player community coming in and complaining that they cant solo an MMO Game... Here is a thread i started discussing just this problem.. http://forums.mmorpg.com/discussion/441004/make-mmos-great-again
    I've been playing MMOs since EQ, DAoC, AC etc. including hardcore raiding. I don't game on phones so...OK, if that makes you feel better. My point is that GW2 branded itself as a very specific type of "un-MMO" MMO that was very friendly toward gamers looking for a non-traditional MMO experience with MMO features. Now they have turned it into a World of Warcraft-esque expansion that falls into the same tropes nearly all MMOs have. There's TONS of options for a more standard MMO experience. I came to GW2 because it WAS different until HoT...
    I despise raiding and the like and when players first ask about a new game: " does it have raiding?"
    That said, I liked the game, did leveling old school in the zones, and from ther eon just did pvp whenever I played the game.

    No care for dungeons, just WvWvW every time I entered game. Got the best gear through that system too. Pwning many players with just skills.

    If that is still possible without seeing good gear being locked away pve-only, I might just come back.

    "going into arguments with idiots is a lost cause, it requires you to stoop down to their level and you can't win"

  • Octagon7711Octagon7711 Member LegendaryPosts: 9,004
    HoT reminds me of Skyforge. Why make it like every MMO on the market? I loved the original philosophy.

    "We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa      "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."  SR Covey

  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    edited November 2015
    Oldirtbeard said:
    Oh here's something that should have been asked. How does he feel about the community tearing it's self apart on the forums regarding open world difficulty? From what I saw any one that was having a hard with the new content was verbally abused by the players that approved of the difficulty hike. Here's a funny observation though, after all the most vocal fighters were given temporary bans I've seen a new trend where players are complaining about empty maps in the jungle. I wonder where they all went, my guess is the silent majority is following the paths of least resistance like the SW Chest Train, or Halloween.
    They promised us higher difficulty in the open world for the expansion and they actually delivered even if it isn't hard enough for my taste. There are already plenty of open world zones that have become nerfed to incredible easy for people who enjoy that. Nerfing all open world zones to fit the people who wants the easiest difficulty possible is a misstake they already made with the main game just before launch, almost all people who wanted it easier was gone after a month and the rest of us got stuck with their demands. A MMO needs both hard and difficult open world zones if it want to cateer to both types of players. Honestly, almost everything besides a few bosses (mainly world event bosses) can still be soloed with some difficulty, if you want it easier then just run with a few other players. And don't expect you can play the revenant good when you leveled it by using saved up books instead of by playing. MMOs constantly becomes nerfed until they are so easy a monkey can play them, whats the fun in that? I do however have no problem with people who enjoy easier content than me but you guys already have all the older zones, allow me a few as well.
  • danefahlerdanefahler Member UncommonPosts: 22
    Personally, I'm really enjoying this expansion. Well worth the money I spent. And I have yet to experience low populated areas as every event I've been in is crammed full. Keep up the great work Anet
  • OldirtbeardOldirtbeard Member CommonPosts: 6
    edited November 2015
    Loke666 said:
    Oldirtbeard said:
    Oh here's something that should have been asked. How does he feel about the community tearing it's self apart on the forums regarding open world difficulty? From what I saw any one that was having a hard with the new content was verbally abused by the players that approved of the difficulty hike. Here's a funny observation though, after all the most vocal fighters were given temporary bans I've seen a new trend where players are complaining about empty maps in the jungle. I wonder where they all went, my guess is the silent majority is following the paths of least resistance like the SW Chest Train, or Halloween.
    They promised us higher difficulty in the open world for the expansion and they actually delivered even if it isn't hard enough for my taste. There are already plenty of open world zones that have become nerfed to incredible easy for people who enjoy that. Nerfing all open world zones to fit the people who wants the easiest difficulty possible is a misstake they already made with the main game just before launch, almost all people who wanted it easier was gone after a month and the rest of us got stuck with their demands. A MMO needs both hard and difficult open world zones if it want to cateer to both types of players. Honestly, almost everything besides a few bosses (mainly world event bosses) can still be soloed with some difficulty, if you want it easier then just run with a few other players. And don't expect you can play the revenant good when you leveled it by using saved up books instead of by playing. MMOs constantly becomes nerfed until they are so easy a monkey can play them, whats the fun in that? I do however have no problem with people who enjoy easier content than me but you guys already have all the older zones, allow me a few as well.
    I beg to differ, I started playing this game a year after it released precisely because of it's chill open world environment. When ANet said that the expansion open world would be more difficult I was expecting Silver Wastes. Perhaps you didn't notice all of the other comments between my comment and yours that reflect my opinion. You guys will figure it out once you can't do your Meta events because we'll all be doing the World Boss tour, or Silver Wastes, or what ever the next Champ Train is because most of us as you can see if you actually read the comments liked Vanilla GW2 as it is now and we want to play the expansion that we paid for with our expectations.
  • moosecatlolmoosecatlol Member RarePosts: 1,531
    I heard they screwed up sPvP by taking the good aspects of it and removing it, then shitting it up with some moba garbage.
  • saurus123saurus123 Member UncommonPosts: 678
    edited November 2015
    all this QQ about HoT difficulty its not hard at all, yeah some champion bosses need to be done with 2 ppl!!! the horror for soloers its not that hard to ask for help in map chat but rather bash the game its the easy way ohh and if you cant handle maybe its time to take off your berzerker gear? :)
  • DisantiaDisantia Member UncommonPosts: 50
    moosecatlol said:
    I heard they screwed up sPvP by taking the good aspects of it and removing it, then shitting it up with some moba garbage.
    Nah..spvp is fine. Most of them just haven't figured out that the "moba" maps are optional. You can uncheck it the spvp tab and do normals only like before. Queue times are about the same too. Really haven't noticed much of a difference besides the "moba" maps and getting used to fighting the new elite specs.
  • OldirtbeardOldirtbeard Member CommonPosts: 6
    saurus123 said:
    all this QQ about HoT difficulty its not hard at all, yeah some champion bosses need to be done with 2 ppl!!! the horror for soloers its not that hard to ask for help in map chat but rather bash the game its the easy way ohh and if you cant handle maybe its time to take off your berzerker gear? :)
    It's all good, I quit GW2; started playing SWtoR and found it pleasantly relaxing compared to the edginess I was experiencing in HoT. Maybe I'm just getting old and my reflexes can't handle action combat, just turned 37 today. I know people thrive on that kind of stress I'm not one of them, I work in a hospital I deal with stress all night long; plus too much stress when I'm trying to relax isn't exactly good for my sobriety (2.5 months there).
  • APThugAPThug Member RarePosts: 543
    Tbh, the game is a freaking mmo people. It's supposed to be played with other people. I see no problems with the difficulty, especially since it's not even that hard. If it's hard for you, simply over come that by partying up. Look at the looking for group tool, people are looking to party up all the time. And idk why people are complaining about lack of other players around. There are tons. Hell, even if there was low cap, Anet already said they were looking into it because it was a bug and have already planned to fix it. It's funny how for every complaint there is always an answer.

    image
  • cesmode8cesmode8 Member UncommonPosts: 431
    orbitxo said:
    "How this game is still alive is beyond me also with all of the dishonesty this development team has put forth. " i wouldn't say 'dishonesty' but a change of direction is better fitted- iam waiting at least a month until changes and updates are in place before i give this expac a go.
    If Im in any GW2 boat, it is probably this one. Im waiting to see how Devilian pans out within the next two or three months. If it is a complete mess, I might give HoT a look provided the outlook on the expansion improves. I haven't heard amazing things about it regardless what website I go to.
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