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Flameseeker Chronicles: The calm before Guild Wars 2's next release
It has come to my attention that the title of the latest Guild Wars 2 release is not GIANT KILLER LADY ROBOT. It's actually titled The Origins of Madness. "GIANT KILLER LADY ROBOT!" is just what I yelled after seeing the Twisted Marionette world boss because I can't think of many things cooler than that, and now we're going to have one right here in our very own GW2. Apart from the presence of the Twisted Marionette and jungle wurm world bosses, ArenaNet is keeping the content of this release tightly under wraps. Not that I blame it; with Scarlet Briar's story arc ramping up to a finish, it wouldn't do to let too many details slip.
ArenaNet details Guild Wars 2's living story
Guild Wars 2's latest content patch, the Flame and Frost prelude, went live this week, bringing with it the beginning of a new "living story." What is living story? ArenaNet narrative designer Angel McCoy is glad you asked, as she's written up a new blog post all about it. The living story team is responsible for adding new content to the story of Tyria -- new heroes, strange plots, and dramatic changes. The stories the team creates are played out over time in the world, following their narrative paths and slowly but surely changing the world of Tyria. Each bit of living story will only be available for a "Certain period of time," but carries lasting impacts. Players can look to special heralds in cities or a new achievement section for clues on where to head for the most recent bits of living story as they arrive in the game.
Guild Wars 2 writers talk (at length) about MMO story
What's it like to pen the narrative for one of the most anticipated MMORPGs, well, ever? It's quite different from writing a novel or a screenplay, according to ArenaNet's Angel McCoy. She joins Guild Wars 2 lead writer Bobby Stein and Peter "The Explorer" Fries for an MMO story-flavored sit-down with fan site Under the Pale Tree. The interview is a lengthy one (who knew that writers could be so wordy?), and it covers a bunch of ground including the megalithic sprawl of GW2's narrative, the challenges inherent in writing particular races, and the differences between in-game dialogue and cutscene exposition. There's more to it, of course, but honestly the thing is so huge that we're going to go finish reading it after we've jotted down this here news post.
Flameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2
I was pretty excited to see this week's addition to the ArenaNet blog for a couple of reasons reasons. First, I'm a big fan of Jeff Grubb's style of storytelling. It's clear, informative, and entertaining, with just enough of Jeff's wry sense of humor to surprise a laugh out of me now and again. Second, it's about the Grawl! This is a race that I really underappreciated in the past, just like the blog entry said. The Grawl came to my attention only when I was giggling as my miniature Grawl talked to himself while running behind me, raging at multiple Grawl Udolytes in hard mode, and cracking up while watching one of my favorite fan videos. I want to take a closer look at the Grawl, but there's more -- it was an exciting week in Tyria, so follow along after the jump and let's get started!
Concentrated magnificence: Writing the Guild Wars 2 Asura
Day three of Guild Wars 2's Asura Week is here, bringing with it some detailed talk from writer Angel McCoy. In the new ArenaNet blog post, Angel looks at various aspects of writing the lives and behavior of the Asura. She covers everything from their views of other races, their jobs, even the ups and downs of their familial relationships: "A black sheep in the family affects everyone's reputation, so family tensions among Asura run hot." Angel makes one thing very clear: These incredibly intelligent little guys might be short on patience and long on snark, but it's not out of a sense of cruelty. "This verbal abuse may seem mean-spirited, but the Asura don't see it that way. They don't take it personally. Their competitive natures drive them to greater heights of achievement. Remember, Asura have survived against terrible odds, including their tiny statures. They've earned their attitudes, and a certain amount of bravado keeps them from being victims. With their jibes, they're telling it like they see it, and if you can't take the heat, get out of the laboratory." The blog entry is accompanied by several audio clips to lend some vocal backup to Angel's writings, so head to the ArenaNet blog to take a listen and read the full story.
New Guild Wars 2 blog post discusses the Sylvari Soul
After a minor delay due to technical difficulties, the latest information on Guild Wars 2 Sylvari Week made it to the ArenaNet blog. "I love how their virtue blends with their innocence and then contrasts with the darkness of the world surrounding them. This disparity illuminates the sacrifices, gallantry, and tragedies of Tyria's war with the dragons," Design team member Angel McCoy writes. She delves into the lives, loves, and duties of the Sylvari race, answering several questions that fans have been asking, such as how they're born, the intricacies of their emotional attachments, their view of the world around them, and much more. This entry follows the fashion of previous GW2 race weeks and includes several audio clips to flesh out the text, so be sure you give them a listen. The blog post and audio clips can be found at the ArenaNet blog.
Make like a tree and check out ArenaNet's Sylvari Week
Forget Shark Week -- it's Sylvari Week! Today on the ArenaNet blog and the Guild Wars 2 official site, ArenaNet announced that in honor of the Sylvari race's being playable at Gamescom later this month, next week (beginning Monday, August 8th) will be Sylvari week. So what's the schedule looking like for Sylvari week? Well, things will kick off on Monday with ArenaNet artist Kristen Perry discussing the aesthetic of the Sylvari and explaining how it has evolved over time. Tuesday we get writer Angel McCoy talking about how the writing team intends to bring the race to life through its dialogue. Wednesday, Lore and Continuity Designer Ree Soesbee swings by -- with returning guest Kristen Perry -- the ANet blog to to discuss the roots (Ha Ha! Sylvari are trees.) and development of the Sylvari race. Thursday sees the Sylvari page on the official Guild Wars 2 site updated with buckets of new content, and things finally wrap up on Friday as Ree Soesbee returns with a narrative blog post that expands on the lore of the Sylvari even further.
