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Recommended reading for Warlords of Draenor
Warlords of Draenor, the next WoW expansion, will feature a trip to a world we've only seen one version of. Although we've visited Draenor in game, it was the shattered version of a world post-Horde, taken over by Illidan Stormrage, his allies, and the Burning Legion. Now called Outland, there's very little to see of the old Draenor in the wake of Ner'zhul's disastrous attempt to open portals to other worlds in the hopes of continued Horde domination. In Warlords, we'll be visiting an alternate version of Draenor -- a version in which the corruption of the orcish race was halted. This alternate version will highlight and showcase former faces of old in a new light, through the meddling of Garrosh Hellscream. Now united as the Iron Horde, the orc clans of Draenor past have turned away from the Legion, instead embracing their strength on their own. But just because this is an alternate version of Draenor doesn't mean there isn't material out there to be found about these characters. The situation may be different in Warlords, but there's a pile of relevant material that will help players understand exactly why the cast of Warlords are a force to be reckoned with.
The Game Archaeologist: Rubies of Eventide
I can't say that Rubies of Eventide has been on my radar, like, ever. And yet practically every time I've asked for suggestions of a game to cover in this column, it seems like someone pipes up asking that Rubies gets a little publicity. That tells me that there's some underground love for this title. There are two things that separate Rubies of Eventide from the rest of the MMO pack and make it a fascinating case study. The first is that it's one of the very few MUDs that was transformed into a graphical MMO while retaining its roots in old-school play. The second is that it had an absolutely ridiculous number of playable classes: 104, to be precise. Some days I really miss the era when game designers would aspire to reach these incredible numbers. Faced with the prospect of an early death, Rubies of Eventide miraculously survived and ran for six interesting years. Let's take a look at a MUD-turned-MMO this week, shall we?
ArenaNet's Grubb and Soesbee on Twitch this afternoon
Can't get enough Guild Wars 2? You'll probably want to tune in to ArenaNet's TwitchTV channel today at 2:00 p.m. EDT for a live chat with a couple of developer notables. Lore guru Jeff Grubb and designer Ree Soesbee are slated to talk "fantasy, RPGs, and storytelling," according to the official Guild Wars 2 Facebook page. ArenaNet is coming off its latest beta stress test, and we're counting down the days to GW2's official release on August 28th.
Guild Wars 2 weaves together three story types
ArenaNet Continuity and Lore Designer Jeff Grubb claims that there are three types of stories that players will encounter in Guild Wars 2, and he's written up an informative post explaining how the team has woven these tales into the game. "This is an underlying theme of the game -- people coming together and cooperating to fight a greater foe," Grubb explains. The first type is what he calls Story of the World. This is the over-arching narrative that deals with the biggest threat to the world (the Elder Dragons) and how it is to be countered. ArenaNet chose to use dynamic events to tell these stories so that players are gradually made aware of the threat. The second story type is your personal one, which tells of your own rise to power, fame, and glory in a variety of ways. Finally, there's the story of the five central iconic characters in the game (Destiny's Edge) and how they relate to you and each other.
Ree Soesbee talks about her career with ArenaNet and Guild Wars 2
Ree Soesbee has a long and productive career history even without her current duties on Guild Wars 2, but that's probably the part that MMO fans are most interested in. Guild Wars Insider recently conducted a lengthy interview with Soesbee, discussing her early career and her experiences working on Guild Wars 2 as it prepares for launch. And it's a meaty interview, filled with looks at the crevices of lore to be revealed over time. Soesbee explains that she and Jeff Grubb share a secret wiki project where they collaborate on the sprawling storylines, making sure that both of them know what's going on at any given moment. There are some interesting rumors of naval approaches against dragons, hints of lore to be uncovered deep within the game, and talk of the Sylvari redesign. If you're looking forward to the game, it's well worth reading the full feature, which should provide several bits of information to hopeful fans.
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!
Overshadowed by the Charr and undervalued by all: New Guild Wars 2 blog investigates the Grawl
The Charr bully them, the Asura look down on them, and the humans see them as general-purpose bad guys who are to be farmed endlessly for their necklaces. The Grawl are the Rodney Dangerfield race of Guild Wars, but things might be looking up a tiny bit in Guild Wars 2. At the very least, ArenaNet is giving the race some love. The latest ArenaNet blog post, Planet of the Grawl, gives fans an in-depth look at the history, society, and religion of the Grawl. The creatures haven't had much of a chance to evolve, so while fans of the current game will find them pretty familiar, we'll know them better. Jeff Grubb is the mind behind these new details, and he describes the Grawl as a "deeply religous, shamanistic people," with religious squabbles being the source of a fair amount of their problems. He goes on to explain how the spiritual side of Grawl society works, how they interact with the rest of Tyria, and more -- even noting some of their early design iterations. Take a look at the ArenaNet blog for the full scoop on the Grawl!
Guild Wars 2 designers deliver more Asura goodies: Inquest and Golems
Other games have Dwarves or Gnomes for their token cutesy miniature race, but filling this role for Guild Wars 2 are the Asura. Last week, ArenaNet devoted a whole week to these spunky munchkins, expounding on everything from their history to architectural influences. Today, Designers Jon Peters, Jeff Grubb, and Ree Soesbee delivered an extra dose of Asura by giving us the lowdown on the Inquest and battle suit Golems. First, Grubb and Soesbee told PC Gamer that the Inquest wanted to be the culture that invented the device that would take down the elder dragons, and its members are willing to do whatever it takes to come out on top. Grubb explained, "Most Asuras will not experiment on sentients. That's one of those things that's just not a good thing. The Inquest don't have that limitation. They are more willing to not just manipulate, but to harm others because they've made the judgment that they're superior and therefore have the right to do what they will without worrying about you." Jon Peters was a little less verbose regarding the Asura's battle suit skills, mostly because these abilities are still in development. However, we learned that although the battle suit is designed for a single operator, when a battle suit is called, any race can pilot it. And when asked if these mechs could be used in PvP, Peters replied, "In World vs World vs World PvP, absolutely yes! In competitive PvP the battle suit will get banned from tournaments." We hope you caught all of ArenaNet's Asura-related activities last week. If not, we have everything you need to know right here, including a wrap-up in today's Flameseeker Chronicles.
Guild Wars 2 Asura Week begins Monday [Updated]
The Guild Wars 2 development team has brought us Human Week, Norn Week, Sylvari Week, and Charr Week. Four of the five playable races have been covered, leaving fans anxious for the scoop on the final and most diminutive race: the Asura. ArenaNet announced today that Asura Week will begin Monday and cover character and environment design, animation, lore, and writing. The team will also release new audio, video, art, and even a "Hey Bookah" advice column that's sure to put we humans firmly in our place. Several familiar names will be pitching in for Asura week, including writers Jeff Grubb and Ree Soesbee. Asura week begins Monday, September 12th, and will continue all week. Check out the schedule after the cut for the full rundown of Asura Week! [Update: The ArenaNet blog has been updated with the details of Asura Week.]
The past, present, and future of the Guild Wars 2 Sylvari
We're coming to the end of Guild Wars 2 Sylvari Week, but the information train isn't slowing down at all. Today's lineup includes a video of the Sylvari starting area, more screenshots, Sylvari wallpapers, and an entry from writer Jeff Grubb. Jeff talks quite a bit about the history and origin of the Sylvari, touching on several elements that can be found in the current Guild Wars game, such as Ventari, Ronan, and familiar enemies and locations. He also presents some insight into the race's lifestyle, varying personalities, rulers, and more. Finally, he looks at some of the challenges facing the Sylvari, both from within and without. Check out the new video below along with new media from the Sylvari starting area, and read Jeff's full entry at the ArenaNet Guild Wars 2 page. %Gallery-92890%
The MMO Report: Guild Wars 2 edition
In today's MMO Report, Casey Schreiner takes his viewers to Bellevue, Washington for a trip to ArenaNet's offices to preview Guild Wars 2. Casey talks to two members of ANet's team: Game Designer Jeff Grubb and Lead Content Designer Colin Johanson. Jeff spends most of his time filling Casey in on the lore of Guild Wars 2, detailing the story that leads to the alliance between the Humans and the Charr and the addition of the other three races of the game. He also discusses how the choices players make will influence their story experience. Colin, on the other hand, is more focused on the gameplay end of things. He talks about how the game's classes will function without the omnipresent holy trinity, explaining that classes can fill various roles, which can be swapped between in combat. Dungeons are another topic covered, and Colin explains the differences between the story mode dungeons (which are more casual, story-driven experiences) and the exploration mode dungeons (which are tailored for more hardcore players seeking a challenge.) For the full, info-packed video (plus an inside look at the swanky ArenaNet offices), click on past the cut!
Guild Wars 2 takes us down into the dungeons
Although Guild Wars 2 is bringing plenty of hot newness to the scene, it's also carrying on the proud tradition of dungeon-running from Eye of the North and, well, every MMO that came before it. That's not to say players should be lulled into complacency, as Jeff Grubb notes that the dungeons are very dangerous and not for the solo adventurer. In a new article at Guild Wars 2, Grubb gives us insight into ArenaNet's philosophy behind dungeon building as well as the mechanics behind them. "When creating the dungeons, the team was faced with two seemingly exclusive desires: we wanted to tell a story with a set beginning, middle, and end, but we also wanted to create an instanced area that players could return to and enjoy in multiple ways," he writes. The dungeons are connected by an overarching storyline about a former group of adventurers known as Destiny's Edge. By the time players are ready for these instances, they'll have been introduced to the band, their legacy, and the resulting breakup. Dungeon-diving will give players an opportunity to meet the members and perhaps bring them back together. Grubb notes that the game is currently home to eight dungeons, all of which are level 35 or higher. In addition to the story mode, dungeons also offer up to three different exploration modes apiece that should significantly up the replay value on these instances. You can read the introduction to Guild Wars 2's most deadly places on the official blog!
Guild Wars 2 is skill-based, says lead designer
Although Guild Wars 2 has had many reveals lately, much of the game is still shrouded in mystery, and ArenaNet has generally remained tight-lipped about specific game information. However, in a recent interview with Guild-Hall.cz, Lead Designer Eric Flannum did let fans in on a few tidbits. A concern for a lot of players is skill vs. level. Flannum revealed that skill will play a significant role in Guild Wars 2 and clarified it by saying, "For really large level spreads of say 10 or more levels, then the gear and raw power of the character is going to be a huge factor. When you are talking about smaller level differences then skill plays a very large role." Given the more action-based combat mechanics of the game, we think this makes a lot of sense. In a related question, Flannum was asked about the quality of dropped gear vs. crafted gear. "It will be possible to craft items that are comparable in power to the best items available through drops and other rewards," he assured readers. For the whole interview with Flannum and designers Jon Peters, Jeff Grubb, Colin Johanson, and Ree Soesbee, hop to Guild-Hall.cz.
Guild Wars 2 Norn week continues with new video and developer interview
In what might well be the highlight of Norn week, ArenaNet has released a wealth of information to Guild Wars 2 fans this morning. A new video, screenshots and art, and an interview with the developers combine to tell players all about what they can expect if they choose to play a Norn character. Where and how will you live? What are your surroundings like? Jeff Grubb, Ree Soesbee, Eric Flannum, and Bobby Stein gathered to deliver some insight on the Norn and gave us some exciting new details in the bargain. For example, the Norn trait of being in sympathy with nature isn't limited to the animal forms we're familiar with so far. For example, Eric Flannum explained that Norn players can use that affinity to call upon the wurm spirit and summon a temporary wurm pet to assist in battle. While we're not sure you'd want one sticking around and following you home, they make for handy companions to call on in a pinch. The new video, set to Jeremy Soule's instantly recognizable background score, offers sweeping views of some of the Norn home areas. The video, which is a combination of familiar and new footage, deserves at least two viewings to allow you to take it all in -- thanks both to the sheer size of it all and the intricate detail. From the shields mounted high above to the weapons on the fences below, there's more to see than can be parsed in one viewing. The screenshots are a combination of new and old too, but even the familiar ones have new bits of information here and there. The Norn female we saw way back when is now clearly identified as a Ranger in the image title, for example. Follow along after the jump for the video, a gallery of the new images, and the developer interview!
Behind the scenes with the Guild Wars 2 Guardian: Massively's interview with Jeff Grubb and Eric Flannum
The Guild Wars 2 fanbase is still buzzing about the Guild Wars 2 Guardian this week, and we here at Massively are just as interested -- if not more so -- as anyone else. There's been a lot of talk of skills, armor, and so on, but we were curious about something a little different: the backstory behind this new class, both in a lore context and a creation context. We got the opportunity to chat with some of the minds behind those very things: GW2 lead designer Eric Flannum and lore designer (and co-author of Ghosts of Ascalon) Jeff Grubb. Follow along after the jump as we hear all about the creation and vision of the Guild Wars 2 Guardian.
An ArenaNet retrospective: "We're not a video game company, we're a community building company"
"I don't think I've seen a studio more passionate about its work." Massively contributing editor Larry Everett made this comment regarding ArenaNet in our recent Staff Choice Awards, and his timing couldn't have been better. ArenaNet has begun 2011 in a big way with the ArenaNet retrospective. The 15-minute video is a trip back in time to the earliest days of ArenaNet and Guild Wars, but it doesn't stop there. Over 20 ArenaNet team members give their perspectives on where the company has been, where it's going, the company's take on Guild Wars 2, and what makes it great. If you loved the Manifesto video, you're likely going to find this one an even bigger treat. Follow along after the jump to see the ArenaNet retrospective video and Massively's take on it.
Discussing Guild Wars 2 iconic characters with author J. Robert King
The Guild Wars lore constitutes stories -- nay, legends -- of remarkable heroism. The depth of this lore has entranced many a player of the game. ArenaNet created a world that enveloped the player in a setting that seemed greater than he. Guild Wars 2 will be no exception. Instantly, the player is surrounded by vivid characters and storylines that reach far beyond what he will ever see in-game. These amazing stories will be explored in a series of books. ArenaNet's Jeff Grubb recently sat down with the author of Edge of Destiny, J. Robert King, to discuss the characters and climate of the second novel based on events surrounding Guild Wars 2. Earlier this year, we met the characters of Destiny's Edge, a motley crew from all walks of Tyria, in the Races trailer. King speaks in depth about each of the different characters and how he personally related to each of them. The author explains in the interview: "[ArenaNet] provided me all kinds of information and images of these characters, but I couldn't write about them until they were mine. And the team gave me the creative freedom to make the characters my own." Definitely take some time to read the full interview on ArenaNet's site, and don't miss Massively's analysis of Edge of Destiny coming up in Monday's Flameseeker Chronicles.
Quaggan sad: A look back at the Guild Wars 2 Dynamic Events panel
At the top of my to-do list for Saturday morning at PAX was Designing Dynamic Events, a Guild Wars 2 panel with designers Eric Flannum and Colin Johanson. Talk and video of the panel have been everywhere this week, and I wanted to take a little bit of time to give my thoughts on what they did and how it was received. The panel was billed as a discussion about "how Guild Wars 2 designers create events in the dynamic, living game world and the many factors to consider when designing any kind of MMO content." It sounded interesting, but it was a ticketed event with limited attendance, which seemed strange to me. I managed to get a ticket and was even more confused when I walked into the relatively tiny room. Why such a small place for something that would certainly have drawn a huge crowd? It all became clear very soon, so follow along after the cut to hear more about my take on the new things we learned in Designing Dynamic Events.
SDCC 2010: Our interview with Guild Wars 2's Jeff Grubb
The hype for Guild Wars 2 seems to get bigger every week, so it was a natural choice for the Massively staff at Comic-Con to seek out some time with Guild Wars 2 designer and Ghosts of Ascalon author Jeff Grubb. If you're relatively new to the Guild Wars world, Jeff provides a nicely detailed overview of what's been happening with Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, and the first tie-in novel. If you're a firmly established citizen of Tyria, you'll enjoy the look back, and you'll certainly enjoy the hints he drops here and there for upcoming events and reveals. Follow along after the jump to see what Jeff had to say.
The story behind Ghosts of Ascalon: Massively's interview with Jeff Grubb
As Guild Wars 2 hype grows and we look to the upcoming novels to help hold us over until that elusive launch date, fans of all things Tyrian have become familiar with a long list of names. One of those names is Jeff Grubb. Jeff is a game designer for ArenaNet, focusing on content and lore. He's also the co-author of Ghosts of Ascalon, the first Guild Wars 2 novel to be released in what will become a trilogy before the game launches. The book is due out in less than two weeks, and Massively's Shawn Schuster got a chance to read an advance copy. He had plenty to say about it, but we had even more questions once it was all over. We spent some time with Jeff to chat all about Ghosts of Ascalon, so follow along after the jump to see what he had to say!
