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'Everything in the world is fair game': Chris Whiteside on Guild Wars 2's living world
Someday playing MMOs will be like visiting that virtual-reality club in Minority Report or stepping onto a holodeck that conveniently sits between your fridge and bathroom. Today, however, we're still playing on screens and in worlds that don't quite feel alive. That goat-herding NPC you once helped do his job? Yeah, he's still there doing the same thing he was last week. ArenaNet has tried to push Guild Wars 2 in the right direction with its "living world" philosophy -- the idea that events can come and go, experiences can change year to year, and perhaps players can even change the landscape of Tyria itself. Last week, Chris Whiteside, Studio Design Director at ArenaNet, chatted with us about how this living world, even in its infancy, is already starting to change what it means to be an MMO.
Guild Wars 2 brings out big changes with the Sky Pirates of Tyria
It's all fun and games at Guild Wars 2's dragon bash until someone turns up murdered in Lion's Arch. That's what sets the stage for the newest game update, Sky Pirates of Tyria. Launching on June 25th, the update will see players thrown into a murder investigation headed by Inspector Ellen Kiel, forcing everyone to take part in several events to track down the perpetrator. If you're thinking it's going to have something to do with the eponymous pirates, well, that's a reasonable guess. This update sees the addition of a new dungeon, the Aetherblade Retreat, which pits players against pirates of a decidedly aerial nature. It also features a wide-scale revamp of traits and skills for every profession to promote a wider range of playable builds, a variety of new rewards including miniatures and monocles, and an all-new event tying into the upcoming novel Sea of Sorrows. Custom Arenas and Spectator Mode for PvP are also leaving beta, giving players more ways to enjoy a spirited battle with friends and enemies. Our own Richie Procopio will be taking part in a press preview this weekend, so tune in before launch for a closer look at the details. [Source: ArenaNet press release]
Look behind the living world in Guild Wars 2
Have you been out of the loop in Guild Wars 2? There's been big stuff going on with the game's narrative, sure, but it's easy to lose the thread if you're not playing the game on a regular basis. The latest developer video from ArenaNet is meant to address this, with narrative designers Angel McCoy and Scott McGough talking about the events of the Flame and Frost storyline and how the game's previous stories are leading into future developments. The crux of Flame and Frost is the allegiance between the Dredge and the Flame Legion, with the former lacking in magical artillery and the latter being cut off from traditional Charr machinery. That alliance led to the capture of civilians, which in turn led to a push by two young heroes to free former prisoners... which in turn has led to a population move to an unexpected place. Watch the full video for a glimpse at how the story elements lead into one another and to get hints about what's around the bend.
ArenaNet details Guild Wars 2's living story
Guild Wars 2's latest content patch, the Flame and Frost prelude, went live this week, bringing with it the beginning of a new "living story." What is living story? ArenaNet narrative designer Angel McCoy is glad you asked, as she's written up a new blog post all about it. The living story team is responsible for adding new content to the story of Tyria -- new heroes, strange plots, and dramatic changes. The stories the team creates are played out over time in the world, following their narrative paths and slowly but surely changing the world of Tyria. Each bit of living story will only be available for a "Certain period of time," but carries lasting impacts. Players can look to special heralds in cities or a new achievement section for clues on where to head for the most recent bits of living story as they arrive in the game.
Hyperspace Beacon: Six things SWTOR and GW2 can learn from each other
As I'm sure most of you can guess by the title of this piece, I spent a little time in another MMO this weekend. That doesn't mean that I will be trading in my Jawas and Wookiees for Asura and Charr. However, I will admit that Star Wars: The Old Republic does not contain everything I want from an MMO. That's also not say that Guild Wars 2 has all those missing elements. But I believe there are quite a few things that both of these great MMOs can learn from each other to make the overall MMO experience better for everyone. Before I begin this breakdown, I should state that this is not a comprehensive list of everything that I liked and disliked from either game. At the same time, I want to also state that, besides the 20 or so minutes at trade shows I had with the game, this weekend marked the first time I've spent any serious time in Guild Wars 2. My opinion here is far from complete, and my experience is really based on the first 10 levels of GW2. Lastly, I'd like to say that Wookiees will always be cooler than Charr!
