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Guild Wars 2 unveils the game's lighter side
We've learned a lot of core news about Guild Wars 2 lately -- everything from class reveals to character creation has been served up to eager fans. The latest batch of new information about Guild Wars 2 takes a look at some of the lighter aspects of gameplay. IGN spent some time chatting with the developers and came away with a wealth of new information on events outside the central storyline. Bar brawls, daily achievements, kill counts, and interaction with NPCs were all covered. We even got hints of some possible side games or minigames, such as a shooting gallery. Check out the full interview at IGN.
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.
Vote or game over: Golden Joystick Awards close tomorrow
Believe it or not, 2010 marks the Golden Joystick Awards' 28th ceremony -- the oldest in the business. These prestigious awards are handed out every year to the best of the best in the gaming industry, and have the distinction of being voted on by Mr. and Ms. Public Gamer (i.e., You). If you're planning on casting a ballot for this year's ceremony, you'd better hurry, as the award voting ends tomorrow, May 27th. Several MMORPG companies and titles are up for possible statues, including: One to Watch Award: All Points Bulletin, DC Universe Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic Online Game of the Year Award: Too many to list Roleplaying Game of the Year Award: Global Agenda Ultimate Game of the Year Award: Champions Online, Fallen Earth, Global Agenda, Star Trek Online It's not too late (yet) to put one of these MMOs on the winner's platform, so get over there and vote today!
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 Designer answers more questions about dynamic events
"Loot will never be directly given as a reward for an event. [...] All events reward you with experience, gold, and karma, which you can spend at merchants and vendors in the game to purchase rewards." There you have it: the answer to the question asked over and over since the Guild Wars 2 dynamic event system was announced a little over a week ago. Guild Wars players have always enjoyed loot distribution that's different from the need vs. greed or free loot systems that are standard in so many MMOs. Pre-assigned items and equally divided gold skirted the entire issue of arguing over who gets what. Players have been very concerned about the distribution of loot, gold, and XP in Guild Wars 2, but the only hint we received was from Lead Designer Eric Flannum: "[...] each event has its own criteria for determining participation that gauges who actually made a decent effort at participating. It's designed to give no credit or lower credit to players who were AFK during an event or just did a fly-by, using only a few skills and moved on. [...] The intention of the system is to encourage players to participate in fights. We don't define participation as either idling and doing nothing, or using one skill and simply tagging a monster." That was definitely reassuring, but as with most of the Guild Wars 2 news it raises even more questions. Colin Johanson addressed them briefly yesterday when he introduced the concept of karma as a way of acquiring the things you need, promising that Eric Flannum would explain further tomorrow. Tomorrow is here and Eric does tell us more about karma, but he's got much more to say. Follow along after the jump for the next round of questions about dynamic events!
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.
The Daily Grind: What crazy idea should someone try?
If you want to be a cynic, or you just happen to be one anyway, it's easy to complain that MMOs have turned into something of a cookie-cutter genre. So many of the basic expectations that players have are all but carved into stone, and there's a well-understood set of basics, ranging from quests to default control schemes. Of course, there's no shortage of variances between the biggest titles, but there's certainly a general idea in people's heads of what an MMO should look like by default. Of course, any artist knows the best thing for when a genre starts to stagnate: trying something truly absurd, something that breaks down basic assumptions of what should be done. And we're seeing games with systems that do precisely that, like TERA's action-oriented combat with no lock-on or Guild Wars 2 experimenting with environmental gameplay. But those only scratch the surface of all the assumptions about MMOs that could be turned on their ear. What insane idea would you like to see a game put into practice?
Guild Wars 2 devs talk crafting, PvP
The folks over at GuildWars2Guru.com have scored an impressive interview with ArenaNet Lead Developer Eric Flannum and Game Designers Ryan Scott and Isaiah Cartwright. The trio drop a few interesting nuggets about the highly anticipated Guild Wars 2. The piece touches on everything from World Versus World (WvW) PvP, to the game's unique take on healing classes, to crafting and gathering. "We're still designing many of the specifics but players should expect crafting to enhance their adventuring experience and not be a system that tries to replace it. What I mean when I say that is that crafting will not be something players can engage in as a career without ever going out and slaying monsters and being a hero. We think that systems that allow players to do that can be a lot of fun but just aren't right for what we're doing in GW2," said Flannum. Check out the full text over at GuildWars2Guru.com. Also be sure to look at The Flameseeker Chronicles this Monday as Rubi breaks down all of the Guild Wars 2 details flooding the net in recent days.
ArenaNet reveals new combat information for Guild Wars 2
Yesterday's unveiling of the Elementalist class for Guild Wars 2, along with the new combat information, sent the Guild Wars community into information overload. Fans were incredibly excited to see so much new information, but there was an underlying reason beyond the obvious happiness at receiving so much concrete knowledge. The reveal of one class in such great detail means that others are obviously coming soon, so the excitement was increased by the knowledge that more is on the way, and hopefully soon. Of course, there were also some concerns. Are we going to hear those catchphrases -- "I'm so stunning" -- over and over and over? What about that skill bar setup -- is it going to lock us into rigid, unchangeable builds? The important thing to remember is that the team behind Guild Wars 2 is made up of gamers, people who love MMOs and the Guild Wars universe as much as us. It's what makes them great at what they do, and it means that they likely don't want to hear "Here come the flames!" a hundred times an hour any more than we do. Guild Wars 2 is still being developed, so this is only a first look at things. With that in mind, follow along after the jump, because ArenaNet has more for us today.
The Digital Continuum: 'Meh' to MMOs?
While the MMO genre appears to be growing at a decent pace (at least for Blizzard) there's still plenty of room for growth. World of Warcraft clones can attract only so many interested players and turning to classic niche designs such as the sandbox MMO ala Fallen Earth won't do anything to pique the interest of people who otherwise have no interest in the genre. So what will appeal to someone who has never felt a desire to play a game both massively and multiplayer?
ArenaNet LFM for Guild Wars 2
Do you have mad programming, writing, or art skills? (We're going to assume you love MMOs since you're here.) If you do and are either in the Bellevue, WA area, or are willing to relocate, then you'll want to check this out. The ArenaNet team have over a dozen positions currently posted on their website, and looking for more people to help them bring Guild Wars 2 to life. Current openings are for a host of positions: animators; QT specialists; web services and game programming; writing; and even a French community manager. So if you've ever wanted to join the ranks of the games industry and have the chops, get your resume and cover letter together and send them over to ArenaNet! Who knows -- perhaps we'll wind up interviewing you for Massively some day!
The Flameseeker Chronicles: Community guide to Guild Wars
Welcome to Tyria! The Flameseeker Chronicles will be a regular feature here at Massively, in which we cover all things Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, beginning with this handy-dandy community guide. Guild Wars has been around for a while now, and has the advantage of a strong, knowledgeable fan-based community. There are literally hundreds of fan sites and forums, Twitter pages and Facebook pages all devoted to Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. It's very easy to get overwhelmed, so view this as a guide to where you can find the most comprehensive information for whatever you are looking for, be it gameplay information, news on game development, skill and build help, and much more.
ArenaNet gives us a sneak peek at the voices of Guild Wars 2
Just when you thought we'd already gotten our excellent holiday treat from ArenaNet in the form of that amazingly gorgeous Guild Wars 2 trailer, they decided to add in a behind-the-scenes video for us to enjoy! This new video titled "Giving Tyria a Voice" offers a look at the people making the characters of Guild Wars 2 come alive. Additionally, we're treated to their thoughts on what their characters are all about -- shedding a bit more light on what we can look forward to in terms of story and atmosphere. When coupled with the art from the recently released races trailer, this is a must-watch video for anyone curious about how the game is progressing.The voice talent tagged for Guild Wars 2 is an amazing lineup of well-known, veteran voice actors. The people we meet in this trailer are Steve Blum, Troy Baker, Kari Wahlgren and geektastic favorite, Felicia Day, one of the stars of The Guild. With a rich pool of talent like this, coupled with award-winning artists and a studio dedicated to creating top-notch content for their fans, Guild Wars 2 is definitely shaping up to be an incredible game. But don't take our word for it -- check out the behind-the-scenes video from ArenaNet we've conveniently included after the break!
The Daily Grind: Which Guild Wars 2 race will you play?
Hot on the heels of any new information about Guild Wars 2 these days comes the inevitable question: which race will you make first? Since we found out that humans aren't the only playable race, the discussion provides endless fodder for Guild Wars fans. Will you stick with your tried-and-true and play a human? How about going brain-over-brawn and playing an Asura? Have you been running around in your Charr hat since Halloween this year, dreaming of the day you can go all steampunk and create a Charr character? Perhaps you'll create a Norn, just to see if you have a shot with Jora. Or are you the curious type, anxious to create a Sylvari and learn about this mysterious new race? Speculating on your first race in Guild Wars 2 seems to be a favorite way for fans to entertain themselves while waiting for launch, so how about you? What race can you just not wait to jump into when launch day arrives?
NCsoft hints at Guild Wars 2 beta in 2010, launch in 2011
Fans of Guild Wars have been waiting for well over two years for Guild Wars 2, ever since ArenaNet fired up the hype machine in a big way back in March of 2007. Anet announced Guild Wars 2 and Eye of the North at the same time, and anticipated that the beta for GW2 would arrive in the second half of 2008. Since the announcement, the Guild Wars player base has become intimately familiar with various versions of the phrases "We haven't released that information" and "TBA", punctuated occasionally with new information. While the bits of information given here and there add up to something relatively substantial, fans are still asking the big question: When? Obviously the planned 2008 beta didn't happen, and now fans will have to wait a bit longer. CEO Jaeho Lee referred to GW2 and Blade and Soul in a recent conference call with investors: "I believe there will be certain public events in the year 2010... at least a closed beta test for those titles. Commercialisation will be expected, at this point, probably some time in the year 2011." At least fans have plenty of time and motivation to finish filling their Hall of Monuments. Silence and delays aside, when Guild Wars 2 finally arrives, most fans trust ArenaNet to give them something well worth the wait.
Win yourself a Guild Wars 2 art book from Massively
During PAX this summer, ArenaNet announced a new art book, showcasing the amazing talent that they've somehow been able to harness all in one studio. This book was given away at the convention and is now sold at their Penny Arcade or NCsoft online store, but will not be available anywhere else. That's why we're extra happy to announce that we're giving one away to a lucky winner this week.As part of our commitment to never accept gifts from publishers, we're giving away this art book (valued at $30) in a random drawing. To enter, simply reply to this post between now and Friday, October 16th at 8am EDT. At that time, a winner will be chosen and contacted. Limit one entry per person. Winners must 18+ and live in the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Check out our complete contest rules page for more information on eligibility.Before we pry our hands from this coveted hardcover book, we took some photos of a few pages to let you know what you're trying for. Follow along in the gallery below for only a sample of what to expect.[Update: Comments are now closed, winner to be contacted shortly]%Gallery-75334%
Guild Wars 2 blending RTS with PvP
Kill Ten Rats recently picked up some interesting information regarding PvP in Guild Wars 2. Essentially, world PvP will be mimicking the RTS model. Resources such as stone mines can be conquered by players and will deliver stone to catapults by caravan. These deliveries can be intercepted by enemy players unless manned watchtowers are defending your roads and scouts are keeping track of enemy forces. Or, as ArenaNet put it, players can simply look for lost PvPers and smack them around a bit.Complex is the operative word here, as making this system work with large numbers of players will be almost as difficult as making it work with very few. Plus, developers will be dealing with all the regular idiosyncrasies associated with grouping in an MMO such as PUGs, communication and unruly parents demanding for chores or homework to be completed. Even all that considered, we hope they can pull it off so we can reap the fun.If you're looking for more information on Guild Wars 2, check out our recent interview with ArenaNet.
Guild Wars 2 art book to not be included in the collector's edition
If you've been keeping your eye on that very gorgeous artbook that's currently residing in the Guild Wars 2 store/Penny Arcade store but have been holding off on your purchase, you might want to reconsider. ArenaNet has recently confirmed, via Twitter, that the art book in the Penny Arcade store will not be coming with the Guild Wars 2 collector's edition box.So if you were really looking forward to this artbook, looks like you're going to have to put down the 30 dollars and pick it up separately. On the bright side, it's a hardbound 128 page book of what looks to be some really beautiful art.As to what will be included in the collector's edition, well, your guess is as good as ours right now. ArenaNet is being tight lipped on those features, and it looks like we're just going to have to wait.
Massively's interview with ArenaNet: Let's talk Guild Wars 2
While the internet collectively recovers from the new Guild Wars 2 trailer, released during GamesCom earlier this month, we jumped at the chance to interview the creative geniuses behind the upcoming title. ArenaNet's Eric Flannum, Lead Designer, Ree Soesbee, World Designer/Writer and Will McDermott, Writer all answered our barrage of questions.Follow along after the jump to learn more about the GW2 business model, evil Sylvari, plans to have multiple servers and much more!
NCSoft sells over 300,000 Aion pre-orders
There's an interesting interview with Véronique Lallier -- NCSoft's managing director of publishing -- over at GamesIndustry.biz that reveals Aion has sold over 300,000 pre-orders so far. Not too shabby if you ask us. The interview also covers a lot of what's been going on over the past year with NC West, NCSoft's 'umbrella' for their western subsidiaries.The main goal of NC West is to give the company a stronger foothold in European and North American markets. Now based out of Seattle, employees can be closer to their players and be more responsive to their needs. Stepping back from their original strategy of making casual games, the Seattle studio is also focused on making more triple-A MMOs for the West. What's on the horizon for NCSoft? Apparently, we can expect to hear more about Guild Wars 2 next year and their Korean studio is working on Blade & Soul, which they claim has even better graphics than Aion. There are a number of unannounced titles as well.We should have the results of our own Aion interview with NCSoft out shortly, so make sure to stay tuned for that.
