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    Guild Wars 2 The Commander And Progress

    January 24, 2022

    Guild Wars 2 The Commander And Progress

    The Commander And Progress

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 09:39 PM PST

    Meeting of Ministers

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 08:03 AM PST

    I did know Canach was into Kasmeer

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 11:03 AM PST

    Anet, its OK if Feb isnt set in stone for release and you feel theres a posibility to delay. Just tell us.

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 12:24 PM PST

    At least i want to believe this is becausw you guys are all crunching like mad to make it for Feb 2022 but its ok if you feel like you might delay.

    If its not development related tho and this is some kind of 400 iq marketing... idk what to tell the management, i dont think they realise when february is and i have unironically seen ppl suggest anet is not revealing the date until its too late for ppl to book time off work so the servers dont get hammered on launch.

    Seen a bunch of influencers on aocial media also be very weirded out that we still dont have a release date.

    If you feel you might have to delay just let us know, if the AIM is feb but its not secure again just let us know, if this is some new hot marketing strat... this aint it, at this point you are annoying more ppl than excite them.

    submitted by /u/ze4lex
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    BS Acronym

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 06:39 PM PST

    Crystal Desert News-January 23rd, 2022

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 08:48 PM PST

    Dear ArenaNet, some of us would LOVE to take off work for the release of EoD

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 09:03 AM PST

    If I could take off the entire month of February, I would.

    An exact release date would help a lot of us out with putting time in at work so that we can have a few days to play our favorite game.

    I'm 35 with a wife and a 3 year old. I barely get 3 to 5 hours of gaming a week in. The expansion is a time for me to take some time to myself and enjoy what I enjoy the most, exploring Tyria with my online friends.

    Anet, what say you? It seems like February isn't really happening. And that's totally fine! It's just... could we have some communication on the subject? I hope it releases in Feb but March is fine as well. I, plus many others, would like to take off work and plan out some "game time" in our busy schedules.

    I look forward to the release! Stay safe everyone.

    submitted by /u/Oneiric19
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    Trailer Speculation: I have a theory about the mysterious voice

    Posted: 24 Jan 2022 03:32 AM PST

    Okay, so like the nerd I am, I've been rewatching the EoD expansion trailer to look for clues about the upcoming story, and I think I stumbled upon a really cool revelation about who I think the mysterious voice is.

    We are right on the doorstep to the expansion, so if you'd rather just experience the story without thinking about what I'm going to discuss here, this is your warning. I take no accountability if I happen to be right.

    With that out of the way, I'll begin.

    So to me, there was never much doubt that this voice was a draconic entity. It's talking to Kuunavang, to Aurene; it's supposedly an immortal being of some kind. It just made sense.

    Well, I think the writers ended up breadcrumbing a little too close to the sun, because there's a particular line in the trailer that, when paired with some of the character introductions they did in the gameplay livestream, puts a lot of the puzzle pieces together for me.

    This voice also is in communication with one of the new characters, Joon, and her line is the one I'm referring too. When she talks to the mysterious voice, she tells her, "Look around us. Your children would be trapped in the past, if not for me." This line always stuck out to me because of her mention of "children", but I had initially brushed it off as just some quirky wording. However, in doing some more research into Cantha I realized it's a call-back to some of the Factions story, in particular the description of an entity named Tahmu.

    I'm going into Guild Wars 1 spoilers now, so beware.

    In Factions, we visit the the Nahpui Quarter of Kaineng City in order to seek the Canthan version of Ascension, called Weh no Su. It means "to be closer to the stars" and we need the powers of truesight it bestows to combat Shiro and his minions. To do this, we first must first receive the blessings of the Four Cardinal Celestial beasts by defeating their avatars. One of these four cardinals is the celestial dragon, Tahmu.

    There just so happens to be a signpost in the city that gives us background on this entity. It reads:

    "The Dragon, a reminder of atrocity, pain, and anguish.

    Tahmu was an empress well known for her generosity and kind spirit. The people of her lands were all her children, and she made sure none went without food and shelter. When the Naga attacked, her private guards urged her to flee the city that she might save her own life. But Tahmu would not abandon her children. She called to her people to take up arms and defend themselves against the Naga, and she herself went into the streets to do battle. Unfortunately, the Naga overpowered Tahmu and her people, keeping her alive to witness the torture and murder of every single person in the city. Enraged beyond reason, she managed to break from her bonds and call down fire from the heavens, which streaked through the streets in the form of a dragon, incinerating the Naga attackers."

    And now you see the connection. This Celestial Dragon was once an empress, and she, like the mysterious voice, would refer to her people as her "children".

    But that's not the best part. There is some more lore concerning the celestial dragon specifically in gw1 surrounding an event called the Dragon Festival. In the finale of this festival, the Canthan Emperor visits the Shing Jea Monastery to celebrate what they refer to as "the blessings of the Celestial Dragon".

    The emperor speaks, and after the events of Nightfall, he says this:

    "Cantha has a rich history of overcoming adversity. And I am proud to know of many Canthan heroes who toiled with our Sunspear allies to thwart this most recent peril! I only wish I was here under better circumstances, but the attacks from unknown origin on our lands have cast a dark shadow over our holiday. Despite the perils that have befallen us these last days, we can proudly claim we are winning the battles against this nebulous foe. Cantha has a rich history of overcoming adversity. Once more we are united against our enemies as a mighty Dragon Empire that cannot be overturned! Two hundred years ago, my ancestor, Emperor Hanjai, gazed upon a fractured Cantha on the verge of collapse. He prayed to the ancients for guidance, to seek a way to reunite his people and restore glory to our troubled lands. His prayers were answered in the form of a mighty celestial dragon that swooped from the heavens and assured him Cantha would rise once more. The inspired Emperor Hanjai poured every ounce of his blood, sweat, and tears into achieving that goal by bringing together our lands, making them safe, and restoring leadership. In honor of the celestial dragon that guided him, Hanjai restored the lands of the Dragon Empire. We celebrate this day as a reminder of the empire's guide and protector, as well as our newest protector, she who guided the world from darkness back into light...Kormir, the Goddess of Truth. I bequeath a gift to each one of you who has helped protect the empire from all enemies who seek to destroy us. As protectors of the empire, you honor the dragon spirit. You have triumphed over demons, over dark gods, and over the affliction that plagued our land. I am awed by your unity and perseverance. I ask you to bow your heads in respect as we pray for the blessings of the celestial dragon and of Kormir. Celestial dragon, figurehead of our great empire, benevolent constellation that watches over us, guides us, and protects us, we beseech you. Cast your blessings once again upon Canthan lands as you did for the great Emperor Hanjai 200 years ago, and may Kormir, the Goddess of Truth, bathe this land in the light of truth for all eternity. The dragon and Kormir have heard the call of the people. Give thanks for the blessings they spread among us!"

    In my opinion, the emperor's anecdote about the Emperor Hanjai mirrors almost exactly the relationship between Joon and the mysterious voice, which I'm alleging is this same guardian and protector, the celestial dragon Tahmu. And we know that Joon just so happens to be the half sister of the Empress Ihn because the writers told us in the livestream. On top of that, she seems to have similar motivations to give Cantha what she believes they deserve; their "promised future". This again mirrors the story of Emperor Hanjai, who also was contacted by the celestial dragon and then motivated to work hard to pull Cantha through hard times.

    It is too perfect to not be true, and I am in love with this idea. Also, the idea that Aurene also has some connection to her is really interesting. Another line that I also thought was just pretty wording was Aurene's mention of "a song half remembered", but now it kind of reminds me of how the Zephyrites say they sang to Aurene as an egg. There's just so much to speculate on with this, I'm geeking out so hard right now; send help.

    And the implications of the dragon spirit picking the illegitimate daughter over the Empress to lead the Dragon Empire out of the darkness, AAAAAAHHHHHH! It's just too good, I'm so excited now. Let me in Anet, February is so far away.

    Anyway, hopefully this makes sense, I'm honestly blinded by the potential here, so, sorry if I did a poor job explaining it. Real gw1 lore people, I'd love to see more insights on this from the first game. I'm not as familiar with that stuff, so if you know of anything else relating to this, that'd be cool to read through.

    But yeah, End of Dragons! AAAAAHHHHHH

    submitted by /u/mandala30
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    Grouch on twitch chat:(tldr: Release date is coming with a taxi episode)

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 03:52 PM PST

    After stockpiling 55 stacks of eternal ice, I finally cashed it in. Here's the results from almost 450 Trophy Shipments.

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 07:05 PM PST

    [Parody] All the newbies reaching HoT...

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 12:58 PM PST

    How Volatile Magic looks in dx11 for me XD

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 02:40 PM PST

    God damn you Asura!

    Posted: 22 Jan 2022 11:29 PM PST

    I have an idea... Concept by Sercan Özyurt

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 10:42 AM PST

    Can we discuss how bad ArenaNet’s marketing is?

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 11:41 AM PST

    I think it deserves a standing ovation. It's truly incredibly how little marketing they do... and when they do it... it's KungFu Tea or Quiznos giveaways for a 15 slot leather bag and a mini pet.

    I love this game. It's an amazing game overall.... but they need to pump some marketing dollars into something... the expansion would have been a great chance, but it's too late now...

    Maybe if they have another expansion? I think this game could explode with the improvements they've made over the past year or two if they just showcased it more.

    submitted by /u/RealYender
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    new to game, jumped off stairs in black citadel, glitched through world, found a cat cult...

    Posted: 22 Jan 2022 06:30 PM PST

    Sieran gets sent to HR

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 01:15 AM PST

    Bellular's experience in Guild Wars 2

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 07:36 AM PST

    Don't know if I want to laugh or cry about not knowing the expac date

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 11:37 AM PST

    Suspicious tweet by EoD Story Team Lead

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 07:55 AM PST

    The Weekly Map Recap, Week 43 - Domain of Vabbi

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 11:27 AM PST

    Welcome to the Weekly Map Recap, a series where we look back at one map in the game each week. We'll look with a critical eye at how each map represents its theme, proves faithful to its lore, and implements its design. We'll see how effective its gameplay is, whether the art holds up, and the forecast for the map's long term retention. With 52 maps to date, it'll be quite the journey!

    Links to the previous entries in a reply at the bottom!

    43 of 52 - Domain of Vabbi - Level 80

    Domain of Vabbi is the climatic map of Path of Fire, and nominally where the other map's stories should come to a head. I'm not sure that it accomplishes that, despite having qualities that I admire. As one of the largest maps in the game to date, there's a lot to dig into.

    Theme/Concept - 9/10

    Vabbi is all about the high culture and society of Joko's kingdom of undeath. Everything revolves around how that society functions, what the nobility in that system are like, and how they're responding to pressure from Balthazar, Kralkatorrik, and a missing Joko. Certain areas, like the Necropolis, execute on these ideas perfectly: they include environments, events, renown hearts, and npc conversations that tell you everything you would want to know about the process of becoming Awakened. Other areas, like the Garden of Seborhin, feel like they communicate very little other than that the nobility is ineffectual, which is communicated repeatedly across the map.

    Lore - 9/10

    Despite a patchy implementation, the lore that is here is fantastic. Again, areas like the Necropolis or Vehtendi Academy communicate fantastic lore about Joko's kingdom, the people in it, and how they see the world. The initial pitch for Path of Fire, in early interviews, was that we would see a civilization that was quite different from the Tyria we were used to. Here in Vabbi, that really pans out. They have a worldview that is topsy-turvy to our own, but understandable nonetheless. We also get updates on legacy sunspear characters, and fantastic djinn lore as well.

    Design - 6/10

    In its western sections, Vabbi is a highly successful map. The landmarks convey a sense that this is a civilized area, and they attract players well for their associated events. A number of these locations fuse together the theme/lore/gameplay strongly - even making some renown hearts that I don't mind.

    Additionally, we get to see the mount mechanics come together here in cool ways - the jackal puzzles mixed with Brand travel are standouts. The djinn, as well, get to shine here in cool ways - making them part of the waypoint network and zones of reprieve is quite clever.

    On the other hand, the eastern side in the Brand can inhibit group play. There are several sections (such as the djinni sanctuary and a hero point or two) that are within the brand and require groups. But it is difficult for groups to get over there, and so it makes the associated events and points of interest more challenging than they may have been otherwise. Whether this is a positive or negative will depend on you.

    In terms of narrative flow, the map is a bit odd in how it presents enemies and their associated meta events. If the expansion's ultimate baddie is Balthazar, then why is the meta event associated with his forces at the entrance to the map, rather than further in? If the villain is instead Kralkatorrik, it seems awkward that his meta event is in the northeast of the map and tucked away rather than the southeast - this is part of what makes Serpent's Ire difficult to locate. Instead, the southeast of the map sort of… peeters out. There's not much of interest down there, save the Sunspear Sanctuary (and that narratively does make sense in the layout).

    Unfortunately, here again we run into some fundamental problems of the PoF map design. Serpent's Ire is hard to locate, complex, and not especially rewarding for the effort. It requires squad-based coordination, but doesn't encourage that through its rewards. Part of this again is down to the lack of unique rewards for this meta versus any other in PoF. The Forged in Fire meta is more successful, but is less engaging.

    The semi-hidden Sunspear Sanctuary is another standout. If only upgradeable base elements had made their way here sooner than in the next LW season, this could be a really neat hub. As it stands, it's cool while you're working on it before being replaced by the Sun's Refuge instance.

    Gameplay - 5/10

    When taken in individual chunks, Vabbi is very successful. Events are engaging in their lore and gameplay, and fairly challenging on average. There are several jumping puzzles, mini-dungeons, and other such content on this map, and lots of hidden nooks and crannies to explore. The Forged in Fire meta event is one of the most popular in the expansion, and the bounties are run regularly.

    Somehow, all of this never quite congeals into a whole product for me. Everything feels very disconnected - I don't feel like the gameplay when I'm breaking into Zommorros' lair really leads me into further gameplay elsewhere on the map. This flow feels stronger on a map like Crystal Oasis, where events feel like they're always chaining together, or my eye is caught by something else on the horizon whenever I finish my last adventure.

    On Vabbi, everything feels very isolated, and I don't find myself entering that state of flow. Maybe this is partially because of the low player count.

    The metas also suffer from strangely tuned gameplay. Forged in Fire and Serpent's Ire both have interesting mechanics that feel they could support a satisfying meta, but the first is too easy and the second too difficult for its rewards. These could be tuned either at the balance end or the rewards end. As it is, few do Serpent's Ire as it requires the coordination of a Heart of Thorns meta without any associated payout.

    Art - 6/10

    Parts of Vabbi are gorgeous, beyond a doubt. Again, areas like the Necropolis, the Forged Foundry, or Vehtendi Academy have a cohesive design and beautiful aesthetics. Even the Brand on this map has some amazing vistas.

    But again, I feel like there's a lot of disconnect - a number of the props and areas feel dropped into the landscape rather than a natural fit. There doesn't seem to be much planning going on in Vabbi, for a region that is supposed to be urban and wealthy. One of the core hallmarks of the cities and palaces of the Islamic Golden Age which Vabbi evokes was extensive urban planning, and while areas like the Garden of Seborhin approach this idea, as soon as you step out the door it feels like you've accidentally walked out of bounds.

    Part of this is down to what feels like haphazard architecture and environmental design, as well. Many of the areas like the Garden of Seborhin or some of the other urban complexes seem composed of really obvious copy-paste of repeated assets without a clear sense that this is somewhere humans would actually live.

    They seem grand until you realize that the floor you're standing on is a wall asset that you saw in the palace next door, and then the whole thing starts breaking down as just a heap of geometries piled on top of each other. The overall impression I walk away with in Vabbi's buildings is of chaos, with no real 'interiors' in the whole map. Everything feels like external assets that have been used to get as close as possible to interiors.

    Long Term/Retention - 4/10

    Sadly, Vabbi has pretty bad retention for an expansion map. As we've discussed in the past, all Path of Fire rewards that are worth anything can be acquired by playing on any of the PoF maps. There's no real need to play on Vabbi when you can get the currencies you need on a map that's more populated. On top of that, the bounties are pretty tough, the fun exploration achievements are a one-and-done, and the Serpent's Ire meta is way overtuned.

    Forged in Fire is the main saving grace on this map, as it's run as part of big meta trains almost every day. That said, those are not groups which hang around and play on this map beyond that event - good luck finding groups for much else.

    Overall - 6.5/10

    Vabbi has some real highlights surrounded by confusing decisions. While it carries a lot of storytelling weight in its environmental storytelling, events, and npcs, it also feels strangely empty in large stretches. Areas like the Garden of Seborhin have npcs scattered throughout, but without any real sense that they're in a living space that humans would actually occupy. Some events are great, some events are tuned weirdly, some events need a reward overhaul. In all, Domain of Vabbi is my favorite map that I don't enjoy playing in very much.

    --------

    That's all, folks! What do you think of today's map? Any fond memories, or strong complaints? How well do you think Path of Fire stands up in comparison to the other content chunks? Next week, we'll start Living World Season 4 with Domain of Istan.

    submitted by /u/Jonah_Marriner
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    Friend :D

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 05:50 AM PST

    After unpopular demand I am back and bring a simpel version of a pot choya, discord emoji edition

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 09:30 AM PST

    I though aurene didnt like underwater weapons?

    Posted: 23 Jan 2022 12:15 PM PST
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