war-in-kryta
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Flameseeker Chronicles: C-C-C-Combo maker
Sing hallelujah, for the Guild Wars 2 news drought is over! (The information gates may now slam shut for another excruciating period of time, but I'm choosing not to think about that.) Jon Peters brought us all sorts of exciting information on pets, Engineer changes, and cross-profession combos last week on the ArenaNet blog. Now that we've had some time to absorb the news and talk it over, I wanted to take some time to look at it more closely, particularly the cross-profession combos. Follow along after the jump and let's get started!
ArenaNet declassifies Guild Wars 2's Human military files
The Humans in Guild Wars 2 may be down on their luck (and population) but they're certainly not out. As ArenaNet continues Human Week, a new blog entry titled The Line of Duty introduces us to the three main military forces representing our spunky cousins -- and why they don't necessarily get along. First and foremost are the Seraph, who act as both the backbone of the military and the police force for the Human settlements. While the Seraph are widespread in Kryta, the Ministry Guard -- the protectors of the Human government and nobility -- mainly focus their efforts in the capital of Divinity's Reach. However, watching over the Royal Family is the responsibility of the Shining Blade, an elite force of warriors and spies. The Shining Blade should be familiar to those who fought in Guild Wars' War in Kryta campaign. Each of these military branches vies for influence and authority over the others, although the Shining Blade tends to be at the top of the pecking order while the Seraph take up position as the whipping boys (and girls). As ArenaNet writes, this causes "a tug-of-war for influence and control" amongst the beleaguered armed forces. You can read about the clash of politics, position and power between these forces on the ArenaNet blog -- and stay tuned for this coming Monday, when Flameseeker Chronicles will give a colorful commentary on the whole of Human Week.
Flameseeker Chronicles: What have we learned from the War in Kryta?
It was another relatively quiet week in Guild Wars 2 news, but here at Massively we had an exciting interview with some of the ArenaNet team members about aspects of Guild Wars 1. In that interview, John Stumme snuck in some hints of what's to come for Guild Wars: Beyond. We finally got the official name of the Canthan content: Winds of Change. There's much more, too -- Keiran's coming back, there's a wedding on the horizon, and we haven't seen the last of the Lunatic Court. These new details sparked a lot of talk among the fans and got me thinking about player feedback from the War in Kryta. Follow along after the jump as we take a look, and then let me know what you think!
ArenaNet adding seven-hero parties, new outpost to Guild Wars
The latest ArenaNet blog post is up, bringing with it the Guild Wars War in Kryta survey results and some exciting news. One survey question regarding seven-hero parties sparked a lot of discussion in the community, and ArenaNet heard the answer loud and clear: An upcoming content update will bring the ability to fill your party with all heroes. For those of you who love grouping, the other half of this update is for you: "We're going to be adding Embark Beach-a new Zaishen outpost that will allow players to travel to all Mission outposts (that they are eligible for!) from a single location. So if you're looking to find something to do or someone to help you out, you just have to check one convenient location. Embark Beach will be included in an upcoming feature build containing some improvements for the game." Check out all of the survey results at the ArenaNet blog!
The Road to 50: A guide to filling your Guild Wars Hall of Monuments (V)
Day five! This is the last day in our Road to 50 series, and we're going to look at the final segment of the Hall of Monuments: the Monument to Valor. This is where you'll dedicate all of your most prestigious weapons, and there has been a lot of discussion among players regarding what they think should be included. In the end, though, you have three choices: Tormented, Oppressor's, and Destroyer weapons. You need to have a total of 15 weapons displayed in any combination, but you have to have at least one of each type for full points. The process of getting them isn't as bad as you might think, particularly if you take your time. It's just a matter of knowing where to look, so follow along after the jump and we'll go through them!
ArenaNet adds Oppressor's Weapons to Guild Wars Hall of Monuments
The War in Kryta in Guild Wars is long over, but we've got a lot to remember it by. Some of those memories take the form of Oppressor's Weapons, the special items offered as a reward for your character once he or she finished helping Queen Salma retake her throne. Those were some hard-earned weapons, and ArenaNet heard the feedback loud and clear: the things deserve a place in the Hall of Monuments. "After discussing it here amongst the team, we decided to commemorate the players' hard-fought victory over the White Mantle by adding the Oppressor's weapon set to the Monument to Valor inside the Hall of Monuments. This new set will forever honor those who helped bring peace back to the troubled lands of Kryta." So says the latest ArenaNet blog post in a move that should make a lot of players very happy. Check it out for yourself, then join the stampede to Eye of the North.
ArenaNet wants your thoughts on Guild Wars' War in Kryta
The War in Kryta has been over for a while and Guild Wars players have begun to look toward Cantha and Elona, wondering what's next. Not so fast there, because ArenaNet isn't quite finished. The developers have a few things surrounding WiK that they'd like your opinion on. Did you love the royal gifts and end weapons? Did you hate having to follow a flowchart to figure out what was going on? Did you find the Mantle too overpowered at the end? ArenaNet wants to know all of this and more, so there is a short survey regarding your feelings on various aspects of the War in Kryta. There is also a little surprise question at the end, asking how you as a player feel about a party composed of you and seven heroes. Mysterious! Check out both the blog post and the survey itself, and make your opinions known.
Flameseeker Chronicles: The aftermath of the War in Kryta
The War in Kryta ended with a bang, but was unfortunately overshadowed a bit by the information avalanche coming from Guild Wars 2 last week. It was an extremely exciting week for Guild Wars 2 fans, but I want to backtrack a bit and look at the current state of the War in Kryta. It's been an interesting story from the beginning, and I don't think it's over by a long shot. No war ends with a single final battle that leaves everyone happy and ready to resume daily life, and the same is true of the War in Kryta. Follow along after the jump and we'll take a look at the land of Kryta today.
Flameseeker Chronicles: The end of the War in Kryta
It looks like we dismantled after all: the War in Kryta is over. Things came to a sudden end late last week with the addition of two new quests, and I have to admit that I was surprised. The NPCs involved in all of this have been hinting that the White Mantle were planning something big, but since Salma also mentioned that we still had more Inquisitors to take out, I assumed that we'd have quests for the rest of them first. Sneaky Inquisitors! Click that handy little "read more" button to see how the War in Kryta ended, join me in some pondering of the future, and find out about the new direction Massively's Guild Wars guild will be taking this week!
Flameseeker Chronicles: War in Kryta continues
While it may have been a bit overshadowed by the gaming feeding-frenzy known as E3, the War in Kryta in Guild Wars did not slow. I'm fairly certain that Salma, the Shining Blade, and the White Mantle do not care what's happening in Los Angeles, so they carried on issuing bounties, leaping out of trees, and waylaying travelers. The war events received another hefty update this last week, complete with some interesting hints about what is to come -- we'll be visiting some familiar locations. Despite another week of trotting around obediently slaying things that need to be slain, I still do not have a miniature Salma. We're also still in the dark about what these medals are for. [MVOP] had an eventful Thursday as well, and moved along in Prophecies quite a bit. Follow along after the jump to hear all the latest news from Tyria.
The Daily Grind: Straight pointers or vague hints?
Quests do a lot of good for the MMO genre as a whole, but they do occasionally have the downside of turning the game into a series of flashing arrows from one destination to the next. World of Warcraft shows nearby quests on your map, just on the off chance you might miss them. Patch notes frequently involve telling players where to start the most recent new content. Guild Wars has been taking the opposite approach with its recent War in Kryta content, however -- there are no pointers, just small bursts of content that players can stumble across. Content without clearly defined start-to-finish markers certainly helps make the game more entertaining and immersive, and gives a stronger feeling of a world instead of a collection of fetch missions. On the other hand, it also runs the very real risk of players flying straight past the additions and never experiencing what's meant to help rope them in. Which do you prefer from a player perspective? Would you rather keep the feel of spontaneous discovery with the risk of missing something, or do you prefer a straightforward experience instead?
Flameseeker Chronicles: A little help
This was an exciting week for Massively's Guild Wars guild. We've bid farewell to Old Ascalon and worked our way through the northern Shiverpeaks. Thursday night we saw the death of Rurik, who managed to get himself killed before he ever raised the promised pint of dwarven ale in our honor. We lit beacons, dragged broken gear levers all over the place, laughed at a minion who insisted on being front and center for every cutscene, and eventually arrived in Kryta -- a sight for sore eyes after the scorched landscape of Old Ascalon. We also joined the Kurzick faction and became the tenth guild in the Guild Wars Online [GWO] alliance. The alliance has already given [MVOP] a warm welcome, but if you're a guild member who is so inclined, stop by the forums and say hello. This is a good time to mention that the Massively guild has its very own Picasa gallery -- thanks to reader Tanek -- and you can find some gorgeous screenshots added by our members. If you're a member of [MVOP] and would like to add your own screenshots, all you need is a Gmail address. Send that address to Tanek at bncom1[at]gmail[dot]com and he'll set you up with access. This week we will be doing the Gates of Kryta mission to get to Lion's Arch. After some of us go on a frantic skill-buying spree, we'll pick up the primary quest from Armen the Guide and move on to D'Alessio Seaboard. From there, it's on to Divinity Coast where we will bathe in a fountain and drag a giant floating eye around behind us. If you're interested in joining up with [MVOP], keep an eye out for my IGN Rubi Djinn for a guild invitation. Feel free to send your IGN to me at Rubi at Massively dot com as well, and I'll watch for you in game. So what else is happening in Tyria? We've got a brand-new War in Kryta event, and small-but-valuable public service announcement, so follow along after the jump.
Flameseeker Chronicles: The War in Kryta continues
Massively's Guild Wars group bid farewell to Old Ascalon last week, finishing Nolani Academy and landing in Yak's Bend. Besides running through the missions, we enjoyed hanging out in our shiny new Wizard's Isle guild hall and sharing minipets, weapons, and materials for armor donated by some very kind veteran players. Next week will be a whirlwind tour of the Northern Shiverpeaks as we travel from Yak's Bend to Borlis Pass, then on to the Frost Gate, winding up in Gates of Kryta. It's certainly not too late to join us in [MVOP]. We play every Thursday night beginning at 9:00 PM Eastern time -- just send a whisper to IGN Rubi Djinn, or email me at rubi AT massively DOT com with your IGN, and I'll send you an invitation! The rest of Tyria has been busy this past week as well. We received some very exciting news about Guild Wars 2, chatted with Ree Soesbee, and watched new events unfold in the War in Kryta storyline. Last week's update brought more than just a new bounty or two, so follow along after the jump as we walk through the latest from Lion's Arch Keep.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Navigating the newest War in Kryta update
The most recent update to Guild Wars didn't look like much at first glance and was nearly overshadowed by the Mesmer skill balance. It seemed like a few minor things: a new signpost in Lion's Arch Keep, a couple of collectors, and a single guy spawning outside towns in Kryta. But it turned out to be a big weekend as players discovered that there was so much more to it. The first addition people noticed was the "Wanted by the White Mantle" signpost in Lion's Arch Keep. The concept is familiar to us thanks to the Zaishen Signposts from last year -- most players knew immediately to check back daily for a new bounty. Sure enough, there has been a new one every day. The reward for completing the bounty is similar as well: you receive XP, gold, and a reward -- more in hard mode. But rather than ZCoins, you receive War Supplies for your efforts. These handy little items have several uses depending on what you do with them or who you give them to. The other addition to the War in Kryta is Courier Falken, and a thousand Leeroy jokes were made about this gentleman in the first hour after he was discovered. So what are these War Supplies, who is this Falken guy, what else has been added with this update, and why don't you want to miss it? Follow along after the jump for a complete rundown on what's new in Kryta.
Guild Wars update brings big love for Mesmers and more surprises in Kryta
Log into Guild Wars and look around. Chances are you'll notice a lot more Mesmers running around than usual. The newest Guild Wars update arrived last night, bringing the long-anticipated Mesmer skill balance. This class suddenly looked like a lot more fun to many players, inspiring them to dust off their neglected Mesmers. The effects of this update spread to other areas of the game as well. The Mesmer balance wasn't the entirety of the update -- War in Kryta continues to escalate in ways that are bringing some potentially nice rewards for players who are keeping up with events. Follow along after the jump and we'll take a look at some of the details of this update!
Flameseeker Chronicles: Charr bags, Elementalist cleavage, Peacekeepers, and a flood of NPCs
It's been an extremely busy week for Guild Wars fans -- for starters, the Massively guild went rampaging through pre-searing again with the goal of unlocking all of the towns in pre, accomplishing this with an extension of the Charr bag giveaway mentioned last week. Instead of a single one, I wound up with a total of five thanks to the generosity of a member of [MVOP]. Once the original bag was given away, I handed out the other four through more random drawings and trivia questions, one in each new town we unlocked. It was a good time and an excellent way to help the group reach all of the towns. The Ventrilo group had a great time as usual with players assisting one another through various quests, answering questions, discussing other games, and having some hilariously disturbing conversations about what exactly a "Charr bag" is, and how ubiquitous Elementalist cleavage is in Guild Wars. Sera was the exception to this rule, as her Elementalist is entirely composed of bloom and she has no visible features whatsoever. Joking aside, the large-capacity Ventrilo server has added an element of fun to the Massively outings that would absolutely be lacking otherwise. If you've not joined us there on Thursday nights, please jump in and chat with us -- you can find the login information in the [MVOP] guild status window. All good things must come to an end, though, and most of [MVOP] is ready to move on to the Searing. Next week we're going to go Charr hunting in the Northlands for a bit, then wrap up the evening by going post as a group, so be ready! What about the other events happening in Guild Wars lately? Follow along after the jump to see what's going on in Tyria.
Guild Wars Community Manager talks War in Kryta
The War in Kryta campaign has garnered an incredible amount of attention from the Guild Wars community, at first because of the mystery surrounding the OBEY and DISMANTLE flyers. As time passed and it became increasingly clear that this would help bridge the gap between Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, it became an even hotter topic among the fanbase. New content in game, talk on the forums, and a Facebook campaign all combined to make this the most exciting thing that's happened to Guild Wars in quite a while. We got the opportunity to chat with Community Manager Regina Buenaobra about War in Kryta, the latest round of costumes in game, and what's coming next for Guild Wars. Follow along after the jump to see what she had to say!
Give us your White Mantle or Shining Blade battle cry and win a Guild Wars costume!
Are you for the White Mantle, or a supporter of the Shining Blade? Will you obey your overlords, or are you out to dismantle your foes? Guild Wars fans know this battle all too well, especially as flyers have been appearing at conventions to garner support for these two opposing factions. NCsoft, however, wants to take the battle to next level, as they're now offering brand new costume sets for both the White Mantle and Shining Blade in Guild Wars via their item shop! We here at Massively.com have procured 5 sets of the Shining Blade outfit and 5 sets of the White Mantle outfit, and we're ready to fuel the flames of war. Would you like to win yourself a free costume? Then follow along after the break for the rules of engagement!
