sylvari-week
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Massively's guide to Gamescom 2011
If you've never been to Gamescom before, let's simply put it this way: It's big. Really, really big. Forget most any convention you've attended; this is likely to be even bigger. Billing itself as the world's largest games event, Gamescom sees well over a quarter-million fans, journalists and exhibitors crowd into the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany to check out hundreds of games and companies. Due to its size and worldwide prominence, Gamescom is a significant event for anyone following the MMO genre (and video games in general). There are plenty of MMO studios gearing up to share first looks, exclusive reveals, detailed Q&A sessions, and exciting hands-on demos for attendees. Naturally, Massively will be paying close attention to all of the news coming out of Gamescom this week. For those attending the convention or merely looking to keep abreast of all of the games, studios, and information forthcoming, we've compiled a guide to the hottest tickets at Gamescom as well as a comprehensive exhibitor list of MMO studios after the break.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Sylvari week wrap-up
Guild Wars 2 Sylvari week is over, much to the relief of abused F5 keys everywhere. We've finally seen the redesign, we've read the lore, we've gotten more details about the culture, we've watched new videos, and best of all, we've talked the subject to death. Now that it's all over and we've had a chance to process the infodump, it's time for my standard post-race-week Flameseeker Chronicles analysis. Follow along after the jump, where I'll recap a few of the high points of Sylvari week.
New Guild Wars 2 blog entry talks Sylvari personality
On this final day of Guild Wars 2 Sylvari Week, designer Ree Soesbee steps in for a thorough look at who the Sylvari are: their desires, personalities, and even their darker side. Ree presents a long list of new details about the Sylvari in her post. She covers the various cycles during which Sylvari are born and how that affects who they are; some frequently asked questions about Sylvari biology; the dreaded Nightmare Court; and much more. The blog entry is also punctuated with some storytelling that serves to expand our view of the tougher, more aggressive side of the race as well as give some insight into an important figure in Sylvari culture. Check out everything she has to say at the ArenaNet blog.
The MMO Report: Higher credit rating edition
This week's MMO Report finds Casey Schreiner looking to exchange sexual favors for a higher credit rating. With that out of the way, he also finds time to talk up a few MMOs. Highlights include a mention of Blizzard's panda-flavored expansion rumors as well as a bit of commentary on BioWare's Jedi Consular class trailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Next up is a blurb about Guild Wars 2's Sylvari week, and in addition to hearing Schreiner utter the phrase "sentient tree-sprout," we get a recap of the recent blog post focused on the character designs. Bounty Hounds Online also gets a mention, and The MMO Report even has a few beta codes to hand out for the upcoming sci-fi MMO. This week's Massively mention (always the highlight of every MMO Report broadcast) is up next, and focuses on DC Universe Online's superserver merge. Finally, no MMO Report would be complete without Uncle Casey's mailbag, and you can find that -- as well as the rest of the show -- after the cut.
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%
Guild Wars 2 video talks Sylvari background and design
"Trust me, you have not seen every story that a fantasy world can tell. The Sylvari are new." Guild Wars 2 game designer Ree Soesbee emphasizes how different this new race is in today's new Sylvari Week addition. In the three-minute video, Ree talks about the origins of the Sylvari from a story viewpoint, explaining the history of the tree that bore their race, and how that forms the basis for who they are. ArenaNet artist Kristen Perry provides a counterpoint from a design perspective. She talks in depth about her desire to design a creature in keeping with the Sylvari race's unusual origins and background as described by Ree: "I didn't want to just make a painted human with pointy ears." Jump past the break to take a look at the full video for Sylvari Week.
New Guild Wars 2 blog post discusses the Sylvari Soul
After a minor delay due to technical difficulties, the latest information on Guild Wars 2 Sylvari Week made it to the ArenaNet blog. "I love how their virtue blends with their innocence and then contrasts with the darkness of the world surrounding them. This disparity illuminates the sacrifices, gallantry, and tragedies of Tyria's war with the dragons," Design team member Angel McCoy writes. She delves into the lives, loves, and duties of the Sylvari race, answering several questions that fans have been asking, such as how they're born, the intricacies of their emotional attachments, their view of the world around them, and much more. This entry follows the fashion of previous GW2 race weeks and includes several audio clips to flesh out the text, so be sure you give them a listen. The blog post and audio clips can be found at the ArenaNet blog.
Guild Wars 2 Sylvari Week begins
Guild Wars 2 fans can stop mashing the F5 keys: Sylvari week has arrived. The highly anticipated event begins with a blog post from ArenaNet artist Kristen Perry. She addresses her specialty of anatomy and clothing design in a lighthearted, pun-filled fashion: "There's one big root to the design direction of the Sylvari that I hold most dear: It all must stem from anatomy." The blog post includes 10 images, all of which are much more than just fluff to fill out the words. It's the first look at the redesigned Sylvari race since ArenaNet announced a redesign in 2010. Check out the new design and Kristen's information over at the ArenaNet blog.
Make like a tree and check out ArenaNet's Sylvari Week
Forget Shark Week -- it's Sylvari Week! Today on the ArenaNet blog and the Guild Wars 2 official site, ArenaNet announced that in honor of the Sylvari race's being playable at Gamescom later this month, next week (beginning Monday, August 8th) will be Sylvari week. So what's the schedule looking like for Sylvari week? Well, things will kick off on Monday with ArenaNet artist Kristen Perry discussing the aesthetic of the Sylvari and explaining how it has evolved over time. Tuesday we get writer Angel McCoy talking about how the writing team intends to bring the race to life through its dialogue. Wednesday, Lore and Continuity Designer Ree Soesbee swings by -- with returning guest Kristen Perry -- the ANet blog to to discuss the roots (Ha Ha! Sylvari are trees.) and development of the Sylvari race. Thursday sees the Sylvari page on the official Guild Wars 2 site updated with buckets of new content, and things finally wrap up on Friday as Ree Soesbee returns with a narrative blog post that expands on the lore of the Sylvari even further.
