flameseeker-chronicles
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Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars players respond to the Dervish update
Thursday's Dervish update in Guild Wars shifted the foundations of the entire class. The community has been buzzing as players talk over the changes, share new builds, dust off old Dervishes, and create new ones. It was an easy decision to step away from Guild Wars 2 this week and focus on the mega-update. This one has been a long time coming, and I wanted to chat a bit with some community members to see what they think of the update, now that it's finally arrived. Follow along after the jump to hear what five members of the Guild Wars community have to say about the new and improved Derv!
Flameseeker Chronicles: We're only human
Last week was an exciting one for Guild Wars/Guild Wars 2 fans, myself included. GW2 might be bringing us five playable races, but ArenaNet spent the past week delving into the original Tyrian playable race: the humans. This was especially exciting to those of us who are longtime residents of Tyria, because we've got lots of new details set on a foundation of familiar history and lore. Here at Massively, we touched on each new piece of information with the promise of an overall analysis today, so here we go! Follow along after the jump and we'll take a look at the human race of Guild Wars 2.
Flameseeker Chronicles: The thrill is gone?
The Guild Wars 2 community has been buzzing over the past few days about the Guardian reveal. We were all thrilled to finally have another profession release, but what caught my attention was the number of people to whom this was no surprise whatsoever as well as the number of people who have predicted the next reveal with certainty. It's a big difference from way back when we got the first reveal, and I really can't decide whether it's a change for the better or not. Follow along after the jump as I take a look at how profession reveals have changed since last year as well as the pros and cons of those changes.
Flameseeker Chronicles: The faction grind in PvE
Friday's surprise confirmation of the Guardian class in Guild Wars 2 is the subject on everyone's mind, and initially I thought I'd cover it in this week's Flameseeker Chronicles. However, anything before Thursday's official reveal will only be more speculation without hard facts, and we've had more than enough of that over the past few months. With that in mind, I decided to save the Guardian for the end of the week, when I'll do my usual full rundown and analysis of the new class. Today's topic will be the one I originally had in mind: the Guild Wars faction grind. If you watched last Thursday's MVOP outing on our Livestream channel, you know we arrived at House zu Heltzer and need to accumulate 10,000 Kurzick faction before we can proceed. (If you missed it, by the way, check it out under "Latest Videos" at the bottom of our Livestream page.) Our goal to gain that faction before next Thursday, combined with the fact that Savior of the Kurzicks has been the only thing standing between my main and GWAMM for well over a year, set me to thinking about the PvE side of the faction grind in Guild Wars. As one of the many PvE-only players in Guild Wars, I thought it might be fun to take a look at what is involved in making that climb up the faction ladder -- it can get a little overwhelming! If it's a title that interests you, one that seems like an overwhelming uphill climb, I've got a few basics to help you get underway (or back on track). Follow along after the jump and let's look at what is undoubtedly the closest thing Guild Wars has to true MMO grind.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Why is the lore of Guild Wars so important?
Enter the kodan and someone call for more crowd control! ArenaNet set the Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 communities on their collective ear last week with the introduction of the kodan race. I think it's safe to say that the Guild Wars wing of the internet exploded with speculation, discussion, arguments, and sheer excitement. Lore is huge in Guild Wars, but that's not a new thing. We might be all excited about the kodan right now, but think about it for a moment. This excitement didn't happen in a vacuum; as fans we've grown to feel this strongly about all of the lore of Guild Wars. Where did it all come from? Today I'm taking a look at some of the highlights of why we are so fascinated by the kodan and by Tyria overall. Read on, then share your own thoughts at the end!
Flameseeker Chronicles: Community and what it means in game development
Last week, I did an analysis and recap of ArenaNet's Retrospective video. The recap was released at the same time as the video, so at the time I had no clue what community reaction would be. Because of this, I was watching the general feedback with great interest, and I found that a lot of commentary focused on a particular quote from Chris Lye -- one that I particularly enjoyed. "You know, we're not a video game company, we're a community building company. We just happen to have one of the coolest ways to build a community, which is through a video game." It's an attitude shared by pretty much the entire ArenaNet staff, and it's one that drew a bit of criticism and a lot of discussion in game and on the forums. Follow along after the jump as I take a peek at the pros and cons of this philosophy.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Recap and review of Edge of Destiny
Welcome to 2011! I, along with pretty much the entire Guild Wars fanbase, am incredibly excited about what this year is going to bring to both Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. There's a lot in store, so I want to start the new year by looking at the thing that finished 2010 and brought us into 2011: Edge of Destiny. Of course, there are spoilers galore, so if you're one of the few who hasn't read the book, be warned. They're all past the cut, so follow along and let's look at Edge of Destiny.
Flameseeker Chronicles: A look back at 2010
Welcome to the last Flameseeker Chronicles of 2010, in which I wax sentimental over this year and salivate over what the next one promises. It's been a huge year for both Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 -- probably one of the biggest since Guild Wars 1 launched. There was civil war in Tyria, with consequences more far-reaching than any of us as players could imagine at the outset. Profession reveals came fast and furious for a while, and when the dust settled, we had extensive information on half of the Guild Wars 2 professions. Gamescom and PAX brought us actual Guild Wars 2 gameplay, the War in Kryta seemed to go on and on, and there were even some shakeups behind the scenes, with ArenaNet swinging a banhammer of massive proportions and dismantling the Xunlai tournament house. Follow along and let's take a look at what 2010 brought to Tyria.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Holidays, Hearts of the North, and happy endings
It's been a busy week! We haven't gotten any new Guild Wars 2 news, but things are hopping at ArenaNet and in Guild Wars. We've gotten new content, new items in the NCsoft store, and a new ArenaNet blog entry. The new ArenaNet blog post centered around this year's (unbelievably cute) holiday card. I want to thank reader and MVOP member MediaMaster9000, who received a card, scanned it, and sent it to me for a close-up look. He commented that it was one of the best Christmas presents he could have received, a statement that highlights yet again the effort that ArenaNet puts into personal communication with its fans. If you've not read this blog entry yet, you need to. Concept artist Jamie Jang bypassed digital creation for the card's front image entirely, choosing instead to create and hang real stockings then photograph them. The story behind it is a fun must-read! Holiday cards aren't the only things making Guild Wars fans happy -- we got a dose of new content last week, so follow along after the jump to see what's happening in Tyria! (Be warned, there are spoilers galore.)
Flameseeker Chronicles: My name is Gwen
As we approach the height of the holiday season, we continue seeing a shift in the focus of the ArenaNet team. While there's not a complete move from Guild Wars 2 to Guild Wars 1, things are a bit more evenly divided thanks to Guild Wars: Beyond and the approaching Wintersday festivities. I've mentioned before that it's interesting to watch Guild Wars 1 continue to progress and develop as its own game while at the same time begin telling the story of Guild Wars 2. That's a fine line to walk, and ArenaNet is balancing nicely. While the devs are doing their balancing act and we've got a little lull before Wintersday hits, I want to take a look at someone who is arguably the most iconic character in Guild Wars: Gwen. Most of us have known Gwen since day one of our Guild Wars experience. She trailed around chattering and healing us. She skipped and twirled and stumbled. She became the face and voice of the victims of the Searing for us. She (sort of) welcomed us to the Eye of the North. And she became a legend that carried forward 250 years into Guild Wars 2. Love her or hate her, she is one of the cornerstones of the Guild Wars world. Follow along after the jump as I take a closer look at Gwen.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Wintersday approaches
December is here, and for Guild Wars fans, that means Wintersday is near. The festivities have already started out of game with the Wintersday art contest, will continue in game with the Wintersday events, and may even include a few surprises (pure hopeful speculation on my part!). We may not know for sure about surprises, but we know that there will be some significant changes. John Stumme told us in a recent interview that Keiran's Wintersday quests will be much different: "Keiran's introduction and quest content are being split off from Wintersday and tweaked (for both story and requirements) so that they will function as normal quests now. Looking at it from the standpoint of a new or returning player to Guild Wars, they may have missed out on Wintersday Cheer previously, which makes it a bit confusing when this Keiran Thackeray character is suddenly part of the greater story." Speaking of new players, there are a lot of those this year! This is fantastic for the community as a whole, but things could be pretty overwhelming for those newbies. Veteran players go on about looking for reindeer, Grenth vs. Dwayna, and MPB farming while new players sort of stand around wondering what the heck is going on. We can't have that -- the more people participating, the better, so follow along after the jump and let's do an overview of Wintersday for those of you who have been playing Guild Wars for less than a year!
Flameseeker Chronicles: Expectations vs. reality
Welcome to another edition of Flameseeker Chronicles, and happy Thanksgiving several days late! I had an enjoyable weekend visiting family, eating way too much, and shopping (also way too much). In between that I managed to hop into Guild Wars and farm some pumpkin pie and hard apple cider. Earlier last week I also spent two and a half hours playing through Hearts of the North on Massively's Livestream channel, showing the content to several hundred readers. That was a bit of a nerve-wracking experience, because it's not the easiest content in the world, and there's nothing quite so much fun as having to restart over and over in front of a huge crowd. In the end I had a great time, and it was a good illustration that this isn't throwaway content that you can skate through. My thoughts on the content as well as some Guildcast discussion got me looking at the interaction between ArenaNet and the Guild Wars community, something I've been doing a lot in the absence of major Guild Wars 2 news. Follow along after the jump to see where my focus has been lately -- and as always, share your thoughts at the end!
Flameseeker Chronicles: Love is in the air
Last week was pretty busy for me, but I rewarded myself this weekend by jumping into Hearts of the North with both feet. Once I finally made time to indulge and play through the line, I enjoyed it for the most part. I had mixed feelings about a few parts, and I'll address those in a bit, but the reactions of a portion of the Guild Wars community as a whole were much stronger. I think that Hearts of the North and everything surrounding it is a "love it or hate it" situation for many people. I've heard from many players who are ecstatic about all of this, and many who want nothing to do with it. So follow along after the jump and let's take a look at the ups and downs of all the new goodies in Guild Wars!
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!
Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 101
The lack of Guild Wars 2 news lately is getting increasingly frustrating. Don't look so surprised -- just because I think we shouldn't should curse and throw a fit and take what isn't ours doesn't mean I don't want news as badly as you guys do! I've been stalking Twitter, the ArenaNet blog, forums, and anything else I can think of, hoping for any scrap of GW2 news. Of course, there's nothing. There's a bright side to weeks like this, though. They allow me to visit topics that I don't have time for on weeks when I'm scrambling to keep up with the news avalanche. The brand-new Guild Wars players just keep on coming, and while it's so exciting to see the community growing like this, the vast majority of us have forgotten what it's like to set foot in Tyria for the first time. Oh, sure, we remember how amazingly beautiful Pre-Searing was and other overall impressions like that, but sometimes it's hard to remember the confusion of not even knowing basics like how to enter a mission -- or even what a mission is. So you guys who are standing in Ascalon City, feeling confused about where to even begin, while your alliance talks about doing The Deep in hard mode, this is for you. Press that handy button to continue!
Flameseeker Chronicles: I can't hear you, I have a pumpkin on my head!
Yes, that is my favorite Mad King Thorn joke. I laugh like crazy at it every year. The Halloween festivities are almost over, and as I write this I've got both accounts parked in Kamadan waiting for my Spectercles. You know what, while I'm on the subject of that festival hat, I'll go ahead and address the question of "How do I get a hat?" Unfortunately, if you are reading this and you do not have the Furrocious Ears or the Spectercles, you are too late. Some festivals keep collectors around for a period of time after the event ends so latecomers can still get the hats, but for Halloween you must attend one of the Mad King's appearances on October 31st to get them. This year's hats will look very familiar to Aion fans. Not being one of those, I prefer to enjoy my Spectercles from a different perspective and spend a lot of time saying "Awwww!" when looking at my characters in the Furrocious Ears. So what else has been happening in Tyria? Follow along after the jump to see!
Flameseeker Chronicles: Stop telling me how to get 50 points when I only have three
I've spent a ton of time the past week talking about how to get 50 points in your Hall of Monuments, and while I'm happy with how much people seemed to enjoy it, I got a lot of feedback of another kind. This is the connection between Guild Wars 1 and Guild Wars 2 that we've been waiting for, so a surprising number of players have either come out of retirement or are picking up the game for the first time. Those players read a guide on how to get 50 or even 30 points, check their calculators, see three points, and can't even begin to imagine how they'll catch up. Well, my main account might be sporting 46 points, but the image above is a screenshot of the calculator for my Massively/Guildcast account, so I am right there with you guys. For that reason -- and thanks to a pile of requests -- this Flameseeker Chronicles is for those of you just starting out. I mentioned some of this in last week's Flameseeker Chronicles, but it was geared more toward those who are already underway. This is more basic, so follow along after the jump for a guide on how to get up to speed.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Brother, can you spare a diamond?
I've spent a lot of time the past few days with my inventory and storage panels open in Guild Wars. Like it did to pretty much the entire Guild Wars community, the surprise announcement of the Hall of Monuments calculator sent me into a tizzy of "What do I have? What do I need? I have to PvP? Noooooo!!" OK, maybe that last thing was just me, but my point stands. The revelation of all the shiny rewards and titles available on the point scale is thrilling. Personally, the "Flameseeker" title was my immediate goal, and I scrambled around to get that one right away. Now I'm chasing 50 points, as are several of my guildmates. I was happy to see so many of my inactive guildies back because of this, but I noticed something immediately. They were confused! (No, seriously. I love you guys, but I could practically see the "omg too much!" looks on your faces.) Just from hanging out and watching the community both in and out of game the past few days, I realized pretty quickly that this is happening all over Tyria. So many longtime players have gone inactive while they waited to see how GW1 was going to link to Guild Wars 2. Now they're back in droves after being gone for a while, and they feel like they might never catch up. So, this week's Flameseeker Chronicles is for you guys. Follow along after the jump and I'll help you get back in the game and all caught up.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Of dungeons, stats, and transmutation
It's been quite a week for the Guild Wars 2 community. Kristen Perry told us about her amazing dye system; some made plans to head to the east coast to hang out with the ArenaNet staff; we learned more about the Guild Wars 2 Extended Experience; John Hargrove made a post on the ArenaNet blog about loot and armor; and PC Gamer in the UK scored an exclusive look at dungeons in GW2. Looking at all that, I hardly knew where to start for Flameseeker Chronicles this week! Undoubtedly, John Hargrove dropped the biggest bomb on the community with one little sentence in his blog post: "With the transmutation system, you'll be able to acquire new items known as Transmutation Stones through our in-game store that allow you to customize your appearance. With transmutation, you take two items of the same type, pick one that is the most visually appealing to you, one that is the most statistically appealing to you, and then you simply combine the two items into what will hopefully become your perfect piece of armor or weaponry." I was tempted to skip the whole mess, but it's been several days, and the debate is still raging. I want to have some fun too, and since Guild Wars 2 Guru forum member Lyssa got her awesome hands on the new PC Gamer and shared all the details, we'll talk about that too. Follow along after the jump!
Flameseeker Chronicles: A year of hype
This was one of the quietest weeks on the Guild Wars/Guild Wars 2 front that I can remember in a long time. Even during convention weeks, the folks at ArenaNet have kept busy churning out new information. It might be something big like a class reveal, or it might be something tiny like a hint at a new hero, but there's always something. The team seems to have taken a well-deserved breather this week, which might mean nothing or might mean that the devs are about to spring something big on us. Either way, I thought it would be a good time to look back over the past months. It's been just over a year since ArenaNet pushed the start button on the hype machine, so follow along after the jump to see how far the team -- and we as fans -- has come in a year!
