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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.
Eric Flannum answers more questions about Guild Wars 2's ranger
The latest profession reveal for Guild Wars 2 was the ranger class, and ArenaNet has been generous with information since then. In the newest entry on the ArenaNet blog, Lead Designer Eric Flannum answers the most frequently asked questions from the community. He clarified quite a few things from the reveal video and discussed some mechanics that will carry over from Guild Wars, such as the ability to dodge. Some new information on the blind condition caught the attention of quite a few fans. Rather than the timed duration we're familiar with now, blindness in Guild Wars 2 "causes the target's next attack to miss." Interestingly, a question very near the top of the frequently-asked list was not answered: that of interrupts. There's heavy community speculation on why this is, and hopefully we'll have some news that clears it up very soon. For now, the latest round of new information can be found at the ArenaNet blog.
More questions answered on death and healing in Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 designer Jon Peters answered several of the community's questions on death and healing earlier this week, and promised more to come. The rest of those questions were released last night on ArenaNet's blog, thanks once again to Jon. The questions had a wide range, giving more details on the mechanics of downed and defeated states, possible exploits, and even a bit of information on the philosophy behind Guild Wars 2's design. There is plenty of new information here, and Jon even managed to sneak in another Guild Wars 2 skill mention -- the elementalists's Vapor Form skill. The entire list of questions and answers can be seen on the ArenaNet blog.
New ArenaNet blog post confirms information about second Guild Wars 2 novel
Fans may get impatient with ArenaNet for its secrecy, but when the people behind Guild Wars 2 decide to release information, they pull out all the stops. The past 24 hours or so have been pretty exciting for Guild Wars 2 fans, and now we've got one more tidbit of news to enjoy. The newest ArenaNet blog post comes to us courtesy of Jeff Grubb, co-author of Ghosts of Ascalon. He talks quite a bit about Ghosts of Ascalon, but the final paragraph holds some extremely interesting news for those already looking forward to the second book. While intrepid fans have tracked down a bit of book information via publishing and bookstore sites, Jeff gives us some confirmation: Edge of Destiny, written by J. Robert King, is due out in December. Furthermore, we learn more about the book's content: "Of the "big guns" of Guild Wars 2 – Rytlock, Zojja, Logan and the rest that we saw in the early trailers – a couple of them will show up in Ghosts, but their full story is told in the second novel, Edge of Destiny." Check out the full blog post -- it's a must-read for any fan.
Death and healing: Guild Wars 2 community questions answered
What happens if you have no money and aren't revived? Do we wait to be killed, and respawn at a waypoint? Do we have to lie on the ground, begging people passing by to come and revive us? It seems like this could suck. It's a valid question, and one that Jon Peters was more than willing to answer. ArenaNet released information on death and healing to eager Guild Wars 2 fans last Thursday. The community had a long list of followup questions, so the Guild Wars 2 team rounded them up and set out to answer them. According to Community Manager Regina Buenaobra, there were so many good questions to answer that the team decided to split them into two blog posts. The first of those two was posted last night, and addresses a handful of player concerns as well as some interesting details of how the system will work. Check out the first batch of questions on the ArenaNet blog, and keep an eye on Massively -- we'll bring you round two just as soon as it's made available!
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!
To live and die in Tyria -- death, healing, and combat in Guild Wars 2
As the Guild Wars 2 news continues to roll in, one of the main topics of conversation has been the lack of a dedicated healer class. No monks in Guild Wars 2? What will we do? The question of death mechanics is a natural one to follow that line of thought, and it's something else we've been anxious to find out. Well, "everyone take a deep breath. It's going to be OK." That's straight from the designer's mouth. Game Designer Jon Peters finally lifted the veil on this information, so to speak, with the newest update to the GW2 site. Follow along after the jump as we take a look at "A New Way of Looking at Healing and Death."
ArenaNet Content Designer talks lore and languages in Guild Wars 2
The languages used in the world of Tyria have always been a subject of great interest to much of the Guild Wars community. Players have been studying and translating the various languages and dialects spoken throughout the world for several years now, coming up with a full translated alphabet of Old Ascalonian runes, a chart of Canthan ideograms, and much more. Content Designer Matthew Medina is the mind behind those languages that so fascinated players,and has plenty to say in the newest ArenaNet blog entry. In the game's early days, the community's enthusiasm for the Old Ascalonian runes both delighted and inspired him: "I was incredibly flattered that a number of players had taken such an interest in something that I was also passionate about. Inspired by this, I created other alphabets and writing systems for subsequent campaigns. Sure enough, groups of eager individuals fervently turned their attention to deciphering the new written languages." So does that interest still hold? Follow along after the jump to see what Matthew has planned for Guild Wars 2.
Guild Wars 2 devs answer questions about combat, gameplay, and traits
Last week's unveiling of the warrior class for Guild Wars 2 sparked a lot of excitement in the Guild Wars community. The introduction of the trait system came at the same time and was another hot topic of conversation. We at Massively were as thrilled as the rest of the community at the news, and just like everyone else, we had quite a few questions. Guild Wars 2 Lead Designer Eric Flannum answered our questions last week, but he's got even more to say. Eric and Designer Ben Miller spent some time going through quite a few of the more commonly asked questions, and added an informative new entry to the ArenaNet blog. Check it out for all the latest on warriors, traits, combat, general gameplay, and more.
ArenaNet introduces house style for Guild Wars 2
ArenaNet's latest blog entry is a bit of a departure from what we've grown used to lately. Rather than another big announcement or new information, they've focused a bit on the writing in Guild Wars 2 -- specifically, changes that they'll be making. Guild Wars 2 Lead Writer Bobby Stein gives some entertaining information on the process behind this new style, pointing out the inconsistencies and occasional silliness in the way things have been done until now. The short version is that they'll be conforming to the Chicago Manual of Style. The long version is contained in the blog post and a great read whether you've got the word nerd gene or not. Take a look at the full entry for all the details on how the writing in Guild Wars 2 will differ from that of Guild Wars.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Prince Rurik is on the phone, and he says you got banned
Last week's Massively outing into Guild Wars was another success, with [MVOP] -- Massively's Thursday night Guild Wars group -- tearing through the Great Northern Wall and Fort Ranik missions. As usual there was much fun and hilarity, including the above pictured gangsta Necro and someone's incredibly loud cellphone ringing on Vent in the middle of a cutscene. In the end we were divided over whether Rurik was making or receiving a phone call, but either way it was another dose of our standard silliness. Guild Wars -- as with any MMO -- is so much better when you have a good group that you can have fun with along the way, and [MVOP] has it down to an art. So what's up next? Well, at the end of our last outing we all landed at the Frontier Gate, so we'll be picking up the primary quest from Warmaster Riga. That will take us on to Ruins of Surmia, then to Nolani Academy. Once Nolani Academy is finished, we'll land in Yak's Bend and it's time to wave goodbye to Ascalon as we enter the Northern Shiverpeaks. I want to make a quick note about our overall goals for [MVOP]. The overall goal of the group is to play through Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall, then Eye of the North, moving through the campaigns and expansions in the order of release just like they did back in the olden days. Guild Wars is a huge game, with side quests and extra towns in every area. To try to do them all together would take us a few years, so on Thursday nights we're going to focus strictly on missions and the main storyline. One of the great things about this group is that so many of us are playing together outside of the scheduled time, so if you get a chance, make sure you explore some of these extra quests in the places we've been. Finally, if you'd like to join [MVOP], we'd love to have you. It's certainly not too late to catch up, so send a whisper to my IGN -- Rubi Djinn -- and I'll be happy to add you to our group. Now that we're all caught up on Thursday nights, what's going on in the rest of Tyria? It's been an interesting week, so follow along after the jump as we look at why the population of Tyria is suddenly a little thinner.
[Updated] If you cheat in Guild Wars, Dhuum will kill you
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Cheating_in_Guild_Wars_gets_you_banned_by_the_God_of_Death'; No, seriously. Guild Wars players hanging out in Heroes' Ascent this afternoon noticed an interesting sight. Dhuum in all his giant shiny glory was popping in and out of different districts, banning people with a swing of his scythe. What was it all about? ArenaNet announced today that they have banned over 3,700 accounts and disbanded over a dozen guilds in Guild Wars for botting and match manipulation. Design Director James Phinney, addressed the issue in the newest ArenaNet blog post, explaining more about what they're doing. First of all, if you break the User Agreement, you may get banned at any time in the future, it's as simple as that. "...there is no expiration date for breaches of the User Agreement or RoC." Just don't cheat. Second, they plan to take a much more active and public approach to this problem from here on out, so you'll see more in the future. All Guild Wars players need to read through the blog post to understand what's going to happen from here on out, but James' closing statement encompassed it nicely: "For those of you who raised concerns about this issue, we're sorry it took as long as it did to put these changes in place. We should have been faster and more prepared. With your help, we will be more responsive in the future. We are listening, and we are ready to take action." [Update] The Guild Wars team, including Emily Diehl, spent some time in Great Temple of Balthazar this afternoon, and Emily stated: "We checked and have been told that the following mods are OK: KSmod, GWstats, TextMod, and MultiLaunch. NOTE THOUGH: this is the original code of these guys. So we cannot guarantee that future updates of these mods will remain pure. So use caution, and if you're truly unsure, err on the side of caution." Regina chimed in as well on the forums to remind us that while it's okay, you are on your own should anything go wrong. Want to see the Dhuum-slaughter for yourself? Follow along after the jump for a video.
ArenaNet offers Guild Wars 2 merchandise survey
Last year's The Art of Guild Wars 2, first made available at PAX 09, was a big hit with fans. It looks like ArenaNet is thinking about offering a wider variety of merchandise for sale, but what they create next is up to you. The latest entry in the ArenaNet blog is the GW2 Merchandise Survey, covering a wide variety of items from socks and action figures to computer cases. While it's several pages long, it's well organized with a separate page for each category. For example, the apparel category gives a quick list of multiple-choice questions for you to indicate your level of interest in shirts, socks, jackets, hats, and so on. Then there's one last question about your interest in Guild Wars 2 clothing items as a whole, and it's on to the next page. The blog post says that they'll be collecting the information "in a few weeks," so take the survey and let them know what you'd like to see for sale.
Guild Wars 2 Lead Content Designer expands on dynamic events system
"The game is lying to you!" Colin Johanson, the Lead Content Designer for Guild Wars 2, made a very good point when he introduced us to the dynamic events system planned for Guild Wars 2. This is a common theme in almost every MMO -- it's just the way it's always been done. While Guild Wars occasionally falls prey to this just like so many other MMOs out there, ArenaNet do have the advantage of an instanced world in which you can make things a bit more dynamic. In Defense of the Eye is a great example of this. Artificer Mullenix tells you that Centaurs are attacking the Eye of the North: "As we speak their numbers march upon us." He asks you to help defend the Eye, and when you run outside to Ice Cliff Chasms, sure enough: hordes of Centaurs are attacking. If they take you out, you have failed. Taking that sort of reality a step forward is the central goal of the event system in Guild Wars 2. An NPC who stands there calmly and presents a little black box with white text telling you that something earth-shattering is about to happen doesn't do much for immersion. Hence the introduction of dynamic events: allowing players to truly interact with and change the world of Tyria. Colin introduced the system last week to great interest from the community, and followed up by clarifying quite a few points -- an interview that sparked even more discussion among the community. Still want to know more? ArenaNet spent some time browsing through forums to see what fans were most anxious to hear about, and called upon Colin again. Follow along after the jump to see what more he has to say about dynamic events.
Guild Wars 2 character artist talks costume design
One of the most prominent features of Guild Wars has always been its beautiful art style. That reputation carried over seamlessly as information about Guild Wars 2 began surfacing last year -- it was clear that the Tyria of the future would be just as gorgeous as the one we know today. One of the members of the talented team of artists at ArenaNet is Kristen Perry, the Guild Wars 2 character artist. Even if you don't know it, you're familiar with her work which she began for ArenaNet with Factions armor design, creating the majority of the Kurzick NPC clothing as well as some Ritualist and Assassin armor. In Nightfall, she designed all of the Elementalist armor as well as the most of the armor for the other professions. She's also responsible for all of Gwen's armor -- even the outfit in the Bonus Mission Pack, and her handiwork can even be seen throughout the game in the character models themselves. Kristen's no stranger to Tyria, and designing for Guild Wars 2 opened the door for a brand new series of challenges and opportunities to design something completely new. In the latest entry in the ArenaNet blog, she tells all about her latest project. Follow along after the jump to see what she had to say.
Eric Flannum answers more Guild Wars 2 questions
Last week's information avalanche from ArenaNet answered a pile of questions about Guild Wars 2, then created what was possibly an even bigger pile of questions with a lot of speculation thrown in to boot. ArenaNet's been on the ball, keeping a close eye on the buzz and compiling a list of the most asked questions. Today, those questions were answered, thanks to Guild Wars 2 Lead Designer Eric Flannum. Possibly the most significant piece of news was the confirmation that the companion system is in fact dead. As development progressed and the focus on group play and casual grouping became clearer, the team decided that the system wasn't necessary. The companion system was only the beginning -- Flannum covered nine key points in this blog entry, ranging from the skill bar to non-combat activities. As with all of the latest Guild Wars 2 news, anyone with an interest in the game will find it well worth their time to read through this latest blog entry.
