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ArenaNet shares Hall of Monuments newbie guide and reward video
With only a month remaining until the release of Guild Wars 2, many players are frantically working on boosting their Guild Wars Hall of Monuments numbers in order to gain access to special GW2 rewards. Content Designer John Stumme posted a neat introductory guide to getting 30 points or more, and he slants his post toward the newcomer. "Most people will be content to get 30 points for all of the special items, and that's a task that's much easier to break down," he assures us. In addition to the guide, Stumme put together a video showing off the in-game rewards that the Hall of Monuments produces in ArenaNet's sequel. You can check this video out after the jump, but don't forget that Massively has a rather excellent Hall of Monuments guide as well!
Flameseeker Chronicles: ArenaNet talks PvE vs. PvP
"I don't care for PvP, so Guild Wars 2 doesn't really interest me." This is something that I've heard with some regularity over the past year or two, and every time I sort of shake my head in confusion. How could anyone perceive Guild Wars 2 as a PvP-only game? Really, just take a look at what we've seen from the development team and how PvE-centric it is and it seems that you'd get the impression that if anything, there's more of a PvE focus. Of course, I can see where this perception comes from -- Guild Wars 1 holds the same perception for a lot of people, so it carries over. As a huge fan of both games and a pure PvE player, I thought it would be fun to take this week and clear things up. Eric Flannum and John Stumme were kind enough to help, stepping in to answer a few questions about the balance of things both past and present. Curious about what they have to say? Click past the cut and take a look!
New Guild Wars Winds of Change content has arrived
Guild Wars fans, have you finished the first 17 quests in Winds of Change? We hope so, because the next round has arrived! The conflict between the Ministry of Purity and the gangs of Kaineng continues with what is being called Guild Wars' largest content expansion to date! The focus moves from eliminating the Afflicted to watching the Ministry rise in power as its motives become more unclear. Part two of Winds of Change will bring 11 new quests, five new respawn zones, and quite a few extra scenes hidden here and there. Players will also encounter a familiar face -- Miku the Assassin from War in Kryta has returned. We're anxious to check out this new content here at Massively, and we've got a surprise Livestream so we can bring you along for the ride. Head to our Livestream channel at 6:00 p.m. EDT today for a first live look at Winds of Change. Even better, some of the ArenaNet team will be joining us in chat to talk over the new content and answer your questions: Lead Designer John Stumme, Programmer Joe Kimmes, Game Designer Andrew Patrick, and QA master John Foreman. Check out the gallery below for some brand-new screenshots, join us at 6:00 EDT for a livestream of some of the new content, and enjoy Winds of Change!%Gallery-135220%
Celebrate six years of Guild Wars with prizes and an exclusive update interview
Let the celebration begin! Guild Wars is six years old, and as promised earlier this morning, ArenaNet has handed out the party hats and kicked off the festivities. Here at Massively we've got plenty of party treats for you! Not only do we have the full scoop on the anniversary update, but we chatted with Guild Wars Live Team members John Stumme and Matthew Moore about the creation of the event. Finally, we've got a special Livestream look at the new content along with a pile of prizes for Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 fans, so follow along after the jump for all the details!
Flameseeker Chronicles: Going Commando
Yes, we all made the commando joke, so I couldn't very well leave it out. As my excited and frequent Tweets indicated Friday, ArenaNet carried off full honors for April Fools' Day in the MMO world. Not that there wasn't good stuff out there. World of Warcraft simultaneously cracked me up and charmed me with Crabby the Dungeon Helper -- seriously, could the little guy be any cuter? I loved the introduction of Dungeons and Dragons Online's Broccoli class. Sadly, the page is now gone, but the description pointed out that since broccoli has no legs or arms, it's the perfect class for weaponless fighting. I loved it. However, the ArenaNet team arrived fashionably late to the party and promptly carried off full honors in every category. The April first prank spanned both Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2; had text, video, images and wallpapers; and gave us new (albeit temporary) content. Follow along after the jump for a complete rundown!
Exclusive interview: Guild Wars unveils Hearts of the North
When we last left our heroes, a distraught Gwen was crying in the Hall of Monuments, and Keiran Thackeray had disappeared. Thankfully, knowledgeable Guild Wars fans weren't too worried over the fate of the most prominent couple in the game. Logan Thackeray and Ebonhawke in Guild Wars 2 carry our assurance that the original couple reunited and married at some point. That point has arrived with Hearts of the North, the newest content addition to Guild Wars. Hearts of the North brings new quests and missions to the game as you progress from the search for Keiran to the wedding festivities. There is plenty of variety, including a Bonus Mission Pack-style event in which you play as Keiran and a more lighthearted chance to help a Norn wedding planner arrange the ceremony. The highlight of all the new content, of course, is the wedding. There are five new costumes for you to choose from for the ceremony, so get ready to choose your favorite formal wear and help bring our lovebirds back together! Hold on though, because we have so much more for you! We are as excited to see new Guild Wars content as the rest of the community, and we inundated ArenaNet with questions. John Stumme had plenty to say to all of them, even tossing in a few extra surprises for us. Follow along after the jump for the full scoop on Hearts of the North!
Costume design and hints of what's to come: Massively's interview with the Guild Wars team
Halloween may be over, but it lingers on in Guild Wars. The new costumes and the new Halloween masks can still be seen all over Tyria as players show off their latest dye mixes and combine the masks with various armor sets and costumes. The event resonates in another way too. We got so many hints and details on new and old characters in Tyria: we were introduced to the Lunatic Court, we met Mad King Thorn's ex-wife, and even Palawa Joko made an appearance. All of this seemed to hint at more to come, and fans were left wondering: is this the last we've seen of all this? We at Massively were anxious to know too, so we went straight to the source. Live Team Lead John Stumme, along with artists Susan Jessup and Kristen Perry, spent some time answering our questions about the thoughts and ideas behind the creation of the new costumes and masks. In between their answers, they managed to drop all sorts of exciting tidbits about what's coming in Guild Wars. Read on past the break to see for yourself!
Linsey Murdock stepping down from ArenaNet Live Team
If you're a Guild Wars fan, the Live Team is a group you're probably very familiar with. They're the main minds behind Guild Wars, the primary development team. Linsey Murdock has been the Live Team's leader for quite a while, so it was a bit of a surprise when she announced today that she is stepping down from the position. She'll be passing the torch to designer John Stumme, and they each took a little bit of time to say a few words on the change. Don't wave goodbye to Linsey just yet, she's not leaving ArenaNet. She'll be taking a different position within the company instead. If you want to know what it is, you'll have to wait a bit, says Linsey -- she can't talk about it quite yet. Check out the ArenaNet blog to see what John and Linsey have to say about the switch.
ArenaNet devs talk parties, games, and map travel
ArenaNet must be feeling generous this week, because we've gotten another hefty dose of new information about Guild Wars 2, a mere day after the last round. After all that talk of death and healing, we're venturing back to the lighter side with designers John Stumme and Ben Miller. We established not long ago that there's an important lighter side to Guild Wars 2 -- a part of the game that's just for playing, having fun, and taking a break from the burdens of war. Follow along after the jump for our take on ArenaNet's look at activities in Guild Wars 2 and a bonus look at travel!
