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Guild Wars 2 public Beta is here for pre-purchases! [Stress Test June 27th]

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M.D

Member
So how do I get into the beta right now? I don't really understand what's going on.. is it down in general right now? Or open just for people with invites? Does someone have a spare invite?
 

Retro

Member
So how do I get into the beta right now? I don't really understand what's going on.. is it down in general right now? Or open just for people with invites? Does someone have a spare invite?

The beta is only available on specific weekends, "usually" once a month. In order to be guaranteed access, you need to pre-purchase (not pre-order, you must pay in full) and register the code they give you at their site. Then you download the client and get to play for 3 days.

Pre-purchase also gets you into the 3-day head start at launch.
 
So how do I get into the beta right now? I don't really understand what's going on.. is it down in general right now? Or open just for people with invites? Does someone have a spare invite?

You should be able to prepurchase the game on the guild wars 2 website.
 

M.D

Member
That's sucks :/

I'm not sure I want to pay for the game before I played it. I never played Guild Wars either so I don't know what to expect. guess I'll just wait for a open beta weekend.
 

Jira

Member
That's sucks :/

I'm not sure I want to pay for the game before I played it. I never played Guild Wars either so I don't know what to expect. guess I'll just wait for a open beta weekend.

It's highly unlikely there will be a true open beta. Playing GW1 wouldn't give you any idea what to actually expect either, the two games are about as far apart as any sequel has been from each other in gaming. I'll tell you this though, you don't see people in this thread and other places whining because they can't play for nothing. For many people, the experience they had in those 3 days makes other games pale in comparison when it comes to pure fun.

A friend of mine went in skeptical as most people do when it comes to new MMOs as they usually fall flat. He's now hooked, has become his most anticpated game over Diablo 3, changed his wallpaper, watched videos of it everyday now, browses /r/guildwars2 all day. Another friend of mine is in a similar boat where he whines to me everyday because he can't play. It's hard not being able to play GW2 because honestly nothing really compares to it. If you have any interest in the game at all and have the money to spare, buy it as it's highly unlikely you'll be disappointed. Do know that there is a curve when it comes to understanding the game systems and it's not something everyone is entirely familiar with. If you're used to how most MMOs work, it will take you out of your comfort zone pretty quickly. It takes most people about 1 hour to become acclimated to the game.
 

Jira

Member
490k Likes concept art:

Did this monstrosity make it into the final game? You’ll have to play to find out.

6945989250_5be254d601_o.jpg
 

BrettWeir

Member
Try to contain your boner please.

This is entirely impossible.

There, I bought the damn game.

Smart, smart man!


Thanks! A few hours of entertainment for the day.

I've never been a fan of just making the text red. It's too small and hard to notice without looking right at it.

They need to just shade the entire skill icon red. It's much easier to see out of your perifial vision.

Definitely this. Either red, or grayed out. It's much easier on the eye.

E-sport debate again

UGH. Glad the thread is back on track.
 

gunbo13

Member
"The game client will be available shortly; we will send you an e-mail with a download link."

Well...I didn't get this link. I can't really anticipate how this should work outside the BWE or whatever.
 

Vano

Member
"The game client will be available shortly; we will send you an e-mail with a download link."

Well...I didn't get this link. I can't really anticipate how this should work outside the BWE or whatever.

http://cloudfront.guildwars2.com/client/Gw2.exe

Copy the executable file from the location where you downloaded it, typically your Downloads folder, to the folder on your computer where you wish to install the game. The folder where you place the executable file is the folder the game will use to download and store its data. Note: If you use Windows Vista or Windows 7, it is recommended that you install the game in a location other than the Program Files folder. Alternatively, you should run the game as an administrator.

Outside of the BWE you download the game and thats it.
 

JonCha

Member
Probably my final PC build which will begin to be assembled next week:

CPU: Intel i5 2400 3.1GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P8H61-M LE/CSM B3 Revision
RAM: G.Skill Ares 1600 2x4GB
Graphics: GTX460 1GB/HD6850 1GB (whichever's cheaper)
Storage: Samsung F3 500GB
Power supply: Antec VP450 450W.
Case: BitFenix Shinobi
Optical drive: ASUS DRW-24B1ST
Mouse: Logitech G500
Keyboard: Filco Majestouch-2, Tenkeyless

That should run GW2 at max, right?
 

Vano

Member
Agree, some mod should change the title to "Guild Wars 2 | Now we try to stay alive while waiting"

Probably my final PC build which will begin to be assembled next week:

CPU: Intel i5 2400 3.1GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P8H61-M LE/CSM B3 Revision
RAM: G.Skill Ares 1600 2x4GB
Graphics: GTX460 1GB/HD6850 1GB (whichever's cheaper)
Storage: Samsung F3 500GB
Power supply: Antec VP450 450W.
Case: BitFenix Shinobi
Optical drive: ASUS DRW-24B1ST
Mouse: Logitech G500
Keyboard: Filco Majestouch-2, Tenkeyless

That should run GW2 at max, right?

Really hard to say as we don't know the recommended/max requirements yet D:
 

Arol

Member
I've noticed it in several other forums/communities/guilds/clans/etc that I visit that they're making Warband specific names for their Char characters, or those that make Char. I haven't seen anyone discussing this on GAF yet though, pardon if you have.

Something like, if they're the Pizza warband, those that make char would have the Pizzacutter, Pizzablade, Pizzahunter, etc, as their second name.

Seemed a bit neat and was wondering if maybe there's some interest on those making a Char on doing something similar here?
 

salpa

Banned
Probably my final PC build which will begin to be assembled next week:

CPU: Intel i5 2400 3.1GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P8H61-M LE/CSM B3 Revision
RAM: G.Skill Ares 1600 2x4GB
Graphics: GTX460 1GB/HD6850 1GB (whichever's cheaper)
Storage: Samsung F3 500GB
Power supply: Antec VP450 450W.
Case: BitFenix Shinobi
Optical drive: ASUS DRW-24B1ST
Mouse: Logitech G500
Keyboard: Filco Majestouch-2, Tenkeyless

That should run GW2 at max, right?

Yes, it will.
 

Deitus

Member
"The game client will be available shortly; we will send you an e-mail with a download link."

Well...I didn't get this link. I can't really anticipate how this should work outside the BWE or whatever.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. They don't start sending out the emails until the beta is about to start, and they don't send them out all at once either. As long as you received a code for your purchase, and have registered the code with ArenaNet, you are set. You can download the client before they invite you to the beta.

Actually, even though I pre-purchased and registered weeks before the last beta, I didn't even get my beta invite email until about an hour before the beta was supposed to start (though they started the beta a couple of hours early for some reason, so I was actually already playing when I got the invite).
 

Retro

Member
Actually, even though I pre-purchased and registered weeks before the last beta, I didn't even get my beta invite email until about an hour before the beta was supposed to start (though they started the beta a couple of hours early for some reason, so I was actually already playing when I got the invite).

Yup, if it's anything like the last beta, we'll have the link to the client download well before the e-mails go out.
 

ThedasSin

Member
well i havent had time to write up my beta summary so, here it is now lol

god i am dying waiting to play this game again, when i first started i made a norn guardian and spent 3 hours in the beginning zone!...its then that i realize how massive this game will be! i remember jumping on WvW and seeing a bunch of gaffers just chillin around and me trying to gather everyone up (i am looking at you hawkian!) but no everyone was busy sitting and jumping at the same time!(hahaha favorite glitch of all time!) but besides all of that i went to go by myself and found another group outside one of the spawn zones ( i am sorry as i dont remember names) but pretty much i felt like a true hardcore warrior as i was the only really defending my small band of heroes. we met another attacking group in a big open field and thanks to my protective walls i help defend my group alot but in the end (after an hour long battle) we lost the fight as they started gathering more people....all of that while barefooted! lol
so here are some of my positive and negatives.

PVE
+ love the exploring! i ended up finding the next major zone for norn on accident and man it was amazing discovering it, i felt like i shouldnt have been there but i went anyways and it payed off...though i walked in a town getting attack by a 100 bears!

+ combat felt good! its easy to learn but hard to master.

+ i like the downed state for PVE it worked great i thought.

+ i love how chaotic it feels but sometimes i also love how silent everything was, big open areas just felt grand and peaceful but full of danger too.

+ OMG the music...the music!!!!!!!!

- i sometimes felt like i was never really doing any major damage, maybe i haven't had time with it much but i never felt like i was doing any real pain to anything.

- i think some of the mobs are just way way too strong! especially when you are solo

- this has been mention before and Anet said they are working on it but i was lost sometimes and wished there was a better way to show you how to play properly

WvW
unfortunately i didnt have much time with it.
+ love how huge it is! my god!

+ i also love how you can help even when you are playing by yourself, i always felt like i can go scout or try to attack a caravan

- i died a lot and everything kept breaking to easily for my taste, and i never had enough money. i think they will balance this for sure though, as i read something about Anet will improve the drop rate of items and such from players.

- i hated the downstate for WvW, i am sorry but i dont think it works right with that type of gameplay.

- i also dont see the point in hitting F key to gather during huge fights, why wont it just give me the items automatically especial in a huge fight you always forget lol.

PVP
i also did not have a lot of time with this
+ i love how easy it was to just get in and start owning

+ i also love how they have training areas to teach you how to play the pvp side of things with dynamic events going off in the mists lol.

+ i really like how pvp is kinda a separate game than the others.

- i didnt know until the end that you can buy other weapons and such but this is a minor issue.

- again sorry but i didnt like the down state in this mode either though it didnt bother me as much as WvW

- like i said in the pve section i never felt like i did enough damage and i would be fighting and the other player will heal and then during the same fight the cool down for his heal will happen again so it was just this endless circle of 1v1 just healing lol

in the end this game if the game of the forever for me! wooooo i am super excited, this game has so much bang for your buck with essentially it being 3 games in 1! i notice some of my complaints where probably because i didnt spec my character right so i know thats my fault. either way guys hopefully i get to play with some gaffers next time as no one was really chatting at all.

best community on GAF!

EDIT!!!!!! damn this is ZULFATE i forget i was on my girlfriends account again!
 

gunbo13

Member
http://cloudfront.guildwars2.com/client/Gw2.exe

Outside of the BWE you download the game and thats it.
Thanks. Getting a full ~2mb/sec outside the BWE so that's kind of nice. I have my code and I registered through with my GW1 account. I also have my new GW2 user name with the pin. So I think I'm set.

I'm going to start with an ele based on the meta. I'm a meta whore. Also would run a wave dashing ranged zerg group in WvW if I had a choice. Elemental mix-ups, speed buffs, ranged destruction, etc... Not sure if any players here dig that play-style.
 

Trey

Member
Thanks. Getting a full ~2mb/sec outside the BWE so that's kind of nice. I have my code and I registered through with my GW1 account. I also have my new GW2 user name with the pin. So I think I'm set.

I'm going to start with an ele based on the meta. I'm a meta whore. Also would run a wave dashing ranged zerg group in WvW if I had a choice. Elemental mix-ups, speed buffs, ranged destruction, etc... Not sure if any players here dig that play-style.

Hey! Find your own niche!
 

gunbo13

Member
Hey! Find your own niche!
Don't worry. Just cause I'm recognizing meta doesn't mean I don't comb through to exploit it. Ranged AoE zerg rush is nothing new to GW. I would expect from the player skill in beta to be able to coordinate elemental mix-ups. The same for AoE bombing, positioning, and kiting. I'm sure from the talk ITT, players here can pull that. You do however want melee for disruption but less emphasis on slow play as well as condition spread. Quantity > quality will be the game until they re-balance. Good way to do that is a set of eles + thieves/warriors. A team of 5-6 would be able to do some serious damage with this system.

PvP right now should be ranged/speed builds. When meta is quantity > quality, those are the builds to run. You can counter squishiness with speed/run-away/kiting. Create mismatches, mainly 2v1s, due to the ability to make up distance joining your teammate. You want tight map loops where the only stalls are on the caps. WvW run-away would be similar. However, this play-style requires very good players and proper coordination. It is typically not beta or day 1 stuff. But it is very fun to be proactive and experiment even when the result will likely be sloppy to start.
 

Trey

Member
Don't worry. Just cause I'm recognizing meta doesn't mean I don't comb through to exploit it. Ranged AoE zerg rush is nothing new to GW. I would expect from the player skill in beta to be able to coordinate elemental mix-ups. The same for AoE bombing, positioning, and kiting. I'm sure from the talk ITT, players here can pull that. You do however want melee for disruption but less emphasis on slow play as well as condition spread. Quantity > quality will be the game until they re-balance. Good way to do that is a set of eles + thieves/warriors. A team of 5-6 would be able to do some serious damage with this system.

PvP right now should be ranged/speed builds. When meta is quantity > quality, those are the builds to run. You can counter squishiness with speed/run-away/kiting. Create mismatches, mainly 2v1s, due to the ability to make up distance joining your teammate. You want tight map loops where the only stalls are on the caps. WvW run-away would be similar. However, this play-style requires very good players and proper coordination. It is typically not beta or day 1 stuff. But it is very fun to be proactive and experiment even when the result will likely be sloppy to start.

How do you figure this?
 

Mulligan

Banned
Thanks. Getting a full ~2mb/sec outside the BWE so that's kind of nice. I have my code and I registered through with my GW1 account. I also have my new GW2 user name with the pin. So I think I'm set.

I'm going to start with an ele based on the meta. I'm a meta whore. Also would run a wave dashing ranged zerg group in WvW if I had a choice. Elemental mix-ups, speed buffs, ranged destruction, etc... Not sure if any players here dig that play-style.

The GAFGuild WvW squad will be 90% ele's anyway, judging from this thread.

90% ele
5% guardian
3% warrior
1% theif
1% the rest.

These statistics are based on real data. :)
 

gunbo13

Member
How do you figure this?
It goes with ranged build metas. Instead of shut-down/degen it is about frequency of your DPS. It's not a negative, even though it sounds that way. It's just how things appear to be running, at least from my perspective. This does not mean you abandon other areas but it's more like mixing them into the pot.

It's actually quite a fun type of play-style. It is fast paced and very fireworks. The way to re-balance it to either up defense or nerf the ranged offense. Then you will have melee running through and making it in time to disrupt the ranged attackers. The same with conditions. When you have high frequency DPS, conditions can be a nice added degen. If they are effective... But when you weigh even an average condition character against another who can do high frequency DPS? You'll take the DPS. You can't abandon other lines though even if they are not effective damage wise or you become to 1D. Except in PvP where you can run gimmicks being 1D if the game balance is kind of messed up. In WvW though, you need to bring disruptive characters so that you can roll over the 1D. It's just a careful process and what is required for you to run above the meta, not with it. Right now, I would guess thieves and warriors as compatriots. But I would have to hear more feedback from those who played those classes.

FYI, quantity > quality refers to the casting, not player count. My terminology is often ambiguous so my bad if that was the understanding.
 

Trey

Member
It goes with ranged build metas. Instead of shut-down/degen it is about frequency of your DPS. It's not a negative, even though it sounds that way. It's just how things appear to be running, at least from my perspective. This does not mean you abandon other areas but it's more like mixing them into the pot.

It's actually quite a fun type of play-style. It is fast paced and very fireworks. The way to re-balance it to either up defense or nerf the ranged offense. Then you will have melee running through and making it in time to disrupt the ranged attackers. The same with conditions. When you have high frequency DPS, conditions can be a nice added degen. If they are effective... But when you weigh even an average condition character against another who can do high frequency DPS? You'll take the DPS. You can't abandon other lines though even if they are not effective damage wise or you become to 1D. Except in PvP where you can run gimmicks being 1D if the game balance is kind of messed up. In WvW though, you need to bring disruptive characters so that you can roll over the 1D. It's just a careful process and what is required for you to run above the meta, not with it. Right now, I would guess thieves and warriors as compatriots. But I would have to hear more feedback from those who played those classes.

FYI, quantity > quality refers to the casting, not player count. My terminology is often ambiguous so my bad if that was the understanding.

This is interesting because I envisioned the ele filling the mid-range role. Their skills seemed, to me, more conducive to an active role in the combat, though obviously some distance must be kept. Given how there are a bevy of condition dropping defensive skills compared to just one skill dedicated to healing followed by ground target HoTs, I theorized that raw damage output will be preferable to degen based damage.

In fact, I don't intend on pursuing a burn based build much for this reason. All fire traits will be geared towards damage, with control being my primary use of conditions.
 

gunbo13

Member
This is interesting because I envisioned the ele filling the mid-range role. Their skills seemed, to me, more conducive to an active role in the combat, though obviously some distance must be kept. Given how there are a bevy of condition dropping defensive skills compared to just one skill dedicated to healing followed by ground target HoTs, I theorized that raw damage output will be preferable to degen based damage.

In fact, I don't intend on pursuing a burn based build much for this reason. All fire traits will be geared towards damage, with control being my primary use of conditions.
Eles always have byproducts with their casts. Ice = snare, fire = burn, air = blind, earth = defense/wards, etc... They are conditions but I was more referencing degen conditions, not byproducts. Necros have skills that only apply conditions without the DPS. When conditions are not impacting when weighed against high frequency DPS? They are pretty much a waste of time.

The higher importance for the eles in range battles is mixing up your elements. You don't have to pay attention too much to your conditions when they are byproducts and you have elemental priority. Basically, you make a build and your priority is air conditions, such as blinds. You have one other teammate in the sub-group you are running who is doing the same. One could be prioritize melee blinds while the other shuts down ranged attackers, such as rangers. You won't match the DPS of say the eles on fire/burning duty but you are playing an important utility role. If you find your team DPS is too low, you shift your priorities and maybe your warrior/thief compatriots. Same goes with skills, gear, positioning, etc... Eventually you'll start to get close to a setup that is effective. But it takes months to tweak it to a polished build. Nefs also come and you have to lose/pocket the build. :(

However, it is extremely rare to have all elements being effective for a ranged meta. So you might have just a group of fire/air split and maybe an ice for snares, etc... Also, ranged is ranged. Whether eles are close the front line for earth drops, mid-line to be in position for air utility with blinds/disruptions, or far away ice spammers. Eles are never just long distance attackers. So when I say ranged, it means non-melee.

I don't want to go into too much theory since the effectiveness in GW2 can be a much different variation. But it typically goes in that direction.
 

KaoticBlaze

Member
sooo since people are posting the specs of their new rigs, i thought id join the party and post mine as well lol....im going from a 2010 Imac running windows to building my very first gaming rig which im extremely excited about...with ALOT of help from ferny lol. So here it is:

CPU: Intel i5 2500k 3.3GHz
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB
Graphics: GTX 580 1.5GB
Power Supply: Corsair 850W ATX12V
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX
Optical Drive: Asus DRW_24B1ST
Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB


it will hopefully be ready in time for diablo 3 launch and the rest of the GW2 BWE's....cant wait to see her in action :-D

feel free to post any thoughts or concerns about this rig...but please be gentle as its my first time lmao
 

ThedasSin

Member
sooo since people are posting the specs of their new rigs, i thought id join the party and post mine as well lol....im going from a 2010 Imac running windows to building my very first gaming rig which im extremely excited about...with ALOT of help from ferny lol. So here it is:

CPU: Intel i5 2500k 3.3GHz
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB
Graphics: GTX 580 1.5GB
Power Supply: Corsair 850W ATX12V
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX
Optical Drive: Asus DRW_24B1ST
Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB


it will hopefully be ready in time for diablo 3 launch and the rest of the GW2 BWE's....cant wait to see her in action :-D

feel free to post any thoughts or concerns about this rig...but please be gentle as its my first time lmao

i have exactly the same build, except i have a 750w powersupply and the corsair 600t case. you are in for a treat lol. it runs almost everything on the highest graphics at 1080p. the only games i have a bit of trouble running on everything is battlefield 3 on max but i like to play at constant 60 fps so i take a few shadows and AA down a notch. gw2 ran at 60 fps on everything on highest setting

this is ZULFATE
 

Vano

Member
sooo since people are posting the specs of their new rigs, i thought id join the party and post mine as well lol....im going from a 2010 Imac running windows to building my very first gaming rig which im extremely excited about...with ALOT of help from ferny lol. So here it is:

CPU: Intel i5 2500k 3.3GHz
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB
Graphics: GTX 580 1.5GB
Power Supply: Corsair 850W ATX12V
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX
Optical Drive: Asus DRW_24B1ST
Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB


it will hopefully be ready in time for diablo 3 launch and the rest of the GW2 BWE's....cant wait to see her in action :-D

feel free to post any thoughts or concerns about this rig...but please be gentle as its my first time lmao

God damm, i'm jealous :( My 560ti weeps.

Found this in Reddit, Map of GW2 with GW1 Point of Interest.


and one comparing the maps of GW1 and GW2

 

KaoticBlaze

Member
i have exactly the same build, except i have a 750w powersupply and the corsair 600t case. you are in for a treat lol. it runs almost everything on the highest graphics at 1080p. the only games i have a bit of trouble running on everything is battlefield 3 on max but i like to play at constant 60 fps so i take a few shadows and AA down a notch. gw2 ran at 60 fps on everything on highest setting

this is ZULFATE

well im glad to hear that...you just made me even more excited to build it lol
 

Trey

Member
i have exactly the same build, except i have a 750w powersupply and the corsair 600t case. you are in for a treat lol. it runs almost everything on the highest graphics at 1080p. the only games i have a bit of trouble running on everything is battlefield 3 on max but i like to play at constant 60 fps so i take a few shadows and AA down a notch. gw2 ran at 60 fps on everything on highest setting

this is ZULFATE

Log out, man!
 

Vinci

Danish
I will be running a Guardian, perhaps even as my main. Not sure yet, honestly. Need more time with it. But I definitely dug playing a Guardian.
 
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