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[LaunchpadMcQ]

This was a problem they have since addressed by including the story journal, so that all future content releases will be re-playable if players want to do them again. But that doesn't mean that content didn't exist for players who were actively playing when they occurred.

I think the problem, and I use the word problem very loosely because I actually love GW2 to death, is that we love these event updates, but we want the more substantive additions, as well. It's a lot to ask for, I know, but that's what I hear a lot of people clamoring for - a full-blown expansion. Hell, I'd love it myself; I'm trying to get back into the game now that I have some more free time in a casual capacity. However, I'm looking at starting a new class or jumping right into PvP/WvW because I don't really have much to do with my level 80s at this point in terms of gear or anything else.

It's not the be all end all MMO, but it's great at what it does - the unique WvW, fun as hell leveling, solid structured PvP, and the classes are very well realized.

 

[Ken]

Are necromancers cool yet.

 

[Retro]

I think the problem, and I use the word problem very loosely because I actually love GW2 to death, is that we love these event updates, but we want the more substantive additions, as well. It's a lot to ask for, I know, but that's what I hear a lot of people clamoring for - a full-blown expansion. Hell, I'd love it myself; I'm trying to get back into the game now that I have some more free time in a casual capacity. However, I'm looking at starting a new class or jumping right into PvP/WvW because I don't really have much to do with my level 80s at this point in terms of gear or anything else.

It's not the be all end all MMO, but it's great at what it does - the unique WvW, fun as hell leveling, solid structured PvP, and the classes are very well realized.

I agree that they should be more substantial, but I also know from past experience that full expansions tend to soak up a lot of development time for what amounts to very little pay off. Players are essentially starved for months or a year at a time waiting for these giant feasts of content which they ravenously devour and beg for more.

For example, look at WoW; a full year will have passed without any updates between the last Pandaria one and the release of the Warlords expansion. Anecdotally, I can remember blowing through everything in Wrath of the Lich King in about a month and a half, after 8 months of drought. The subsequent wait for Ulduarr killed my guild because there just wasn't anything to do for the remaining 4 months and people were bored.

I feel like the Living Story updates just need a little bit more heft to them (Season One was actually pretty good, it just needed to be permanent) and they'll be in great shape. Instead of long periods of famine punctuated by feasts, their goal seems to be healthy portions on a regular basis. The portions are just too small at the moment, in my opinion.

 

[LaunchpadMcQ]

I agree that they should be more substantial, but I also know from past experience that full expansions tend to soak up a lot of development time for what amounts to very little pay off. Players are essentially starved for months or a year at a time waiting for these giant feasts of content which they ravenously devour and beg for more.

For example, look at WoW; a full year will have passed without any updates between the last Pandaria one and the release of the Warlords expansion. Anecdotally, I can remember blowing through everything in Wrath of the Lich King in about a month and a half, after 8 months of drought. The subsequent wait for Ulduarr killed my guild because there just wasn't anything to do for the remaining 4 months and people were bored.

I feel like the Living Story updates just need a little bit more heft to them (Season One was actually pretty good, it just needed to be permanent) and they'll be in great shape. Instead of long periods of famine punctuated by feasts, their goal seems to be healthy portions on a regular basis. The portions are just too small at the moment, in my opinion.

The thing is, expansions bring players back. I think if ArenaNet gets people to come back and purchase the expansion, that's really the best-case scenario. If people blow through the content that quickly, that's on them, but ANet makes the money regardless.

I think you're onto something though, but I doubt it's possible in the timeframe they've set up for Living Story releases to really put out the kind of permanent content people are looking for. It looks, at least from where I'm sitting, that these guys are giving it their all to a unique vision of updates - and I respect the hell out of that because it's creative and people love it, even though it's really not for me. But people have also become accustomed to the WoW model and want traditional updates. It's unfortunate, but it's a flaw you can't really fix without adding some major content updates.

In any case, this is nitpicking GW2 for things it doesn't have when what is there is actually amazing in its own right. Everything I mentioned at the end of my previous post is reason enough to play it, honestly.

 

[Teremap]

I agree that they should be more substantial, but I also know from past experience that full expansions tend to soak up a lot of development time for what amounts to very little pay off. Players are essentially starved for months or a year at a time waiting for these giant feasts of content which they ravenously devour and beg for more.

For example, look at WoW; a full year will have passed without any updates between the last Pandaria one and the release of the Warlords expansion. Anecdotally, I can remember blowing through everything in Wrath of the Lich King in about a month and a half, after 8 months of drought. The subsequent wait for Ulduarr killed my guild because there just wasn't anything to do for the remaining 4 months and people were bored.

I feel like the Living Story updates just need a little bit more heft to them (Season One was actually pretty good, it just needed to be permanent) and they'll be in great shape. Instead of long periods of famine punctuated by feasts, their goal seems to be healthy portions on a regular basis. The portions are just too small at the moment, in my opinion.

Oddly enough, FFXIV is the one big exception to all of this in that it has substantive content updates every 3 months, smaller updates in-between, AND they're releasing a major full-sized expansion early next year.

So then the question becomes, why can Square Enix afford to do this, but apparently no other company (including Blizzard with its absolutely massive resources) cannot? I'd love to have an answer for this.

 

[LaunchpadMcQ]

Oddly enough, FFXIV is the one big exception to all of this in that it has substantive content updates every 3 months, smaller updates in-between, AND they're releasing a major full-sized expansion early next year.

So then the question becomes, why can Square Enix afford to do this, but apparently no other company (including Blizzard with its absolutely massive resources) cannot? I'd love to have an answer for this.

I honestly don't even have an explanation for this. I tried the free trial for FFXIV last week and I was blown away by everything; that game really has some unique things going for it that other MMOs just don't. Then I looked up the updates, and they are getting an entire new class plus a new dungeon I think in an upcoming update, plus a full expansion will be revealed in October. I wanted to sub right there on the spot, but sadly I'm subbed to WoW at the moment and I don't think I'll have the money or the time for both in the coming months.

 

[Retro]

The thing is, expansions bring players back. I think if ArenaNet gets people to come back and purchase the expansion, that's really the best-case scenario. If people blow through the content that quickly, that's on them, but ANet makes the money regardless.

Off the initial boxed purchase, yes, but their business model is based on retaining players long enough to buy items from the gem store. The majority of folks who come back for an expansion are the "MMO Locusts", the people who just swarm to whatever is new and then disappear just as quickly. Those aren't the kind of folks who buy items from the gem store because they're just poking around the new stuff and don't intend to stay.

So the question becomes, is the potential quick shot of cash from an expansion's sales enough to justify the long development process (remember, that's months or even years of development costs to generate what is usually a short burst of profit)? How many of the "Locust"-type players will honestly stay and continue to support the game via gemstore purchases, where the game is truly supported?

I also feel like if they're making an expansion behind the scenes, they could have used those resources for the Living World and delivered something even more special in a way that is uniquely theirs and aimed at the players who are already supporting the game.

 

[jpax]

Downloaded the game and started playing, not really enjoying my time with it. The combat feels sluggish and borring and just out of date. Same lame combat as in The secret world and only slightly better than WoW. It is just not my type of game.

 

[Retro]

Downloaded the game and started playing, not really enjoying my time with it. The combat feels sluggish and borring and just out of date. Same lame combat as in The secret world and only slightly better than WoW. It is just not my type of game.

Which profession were you playing? It tends to make a difference, as some (Guardian, Engineer, Necro) feel a little on the slow side while others (Thief, Thief and Thief) tend to feel much faster. Think of the classes more as characters in a fighting game, where they all have a different feel to them.

Race may also be a factor. Since the run speed is normalized across all races, the large ones (Charr, Norn) just have a wider stride that feels slow, while the small races (Asura) feel like they're sprinting. It's sort of the same thing as the Tauren in WoW; they just feel slower.

Finally, there's a dodge button (default v) that you may not have reached the tutorial tip for yet. That helps.

 

[jpax]

Which profession were you playing? It tends to make a difference, as some (Guardian, Engineer, Necro) feel a little on the slow side while others (Thief, Thief and Thief) tend to feel much faster. Think of the classes more as characters in a fighting game, where they all have a different feel to them.

Race may also be a factor. Since the run speed is normalized across all races, the large ones (Charr, Norn) just have a wider stride that feels slow, while the small races (Asura) feel like they're sprinting. It's sort of the same thing as the Tauren in WoW; they just feel slower.

Finally, there's a dodge button (default v) that you may not have reached the tutorial tip for yet. That helps.

Well... I was a Char Necro! So I chose the slowest combo. I did dodge and strafe and all of that, but when you have played a true skill based action combat mmo it is hard to go back. Just not my type of game anymore.
Nonetheless, thank you for your kind answer and help