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    Guild Wars 2

    Game » consists of 3 releases. Released Aug 28, 2012

    Guild Wars 2 is an online RPG developed by ArenaNet, and continues the subscriptionless business model of the original Guild Wars. The game is set about 250 years after the events of its predecessor in a world devastated by the ancient elder dragons resurfacing after millennia of slumber.

    One Million Beta Sign-ups Worldwide, What Have We Learned?

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    Benny

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    #1  Edited By Benny

    https://public.ducksboard.com/vSPhlMJ1Yi3abkD7PtHM/

    One million total beta sign-ups in 48 hours-ish to me seems like a huge amount and over this period, Arenanet took time out to do an ask me anythingon Reddit, focused on World Vs. World PvP (and some other stuff.)

    Some of the most interesting things mentioned that may or may not be new information include:

    • You select a 'Home Server' that you cannot freely switch that is tied to WvWvW world bonuses. The idea is that in WvWvW PvP, you always represent your home server and always have your home server's bonuses gained in WvWvW.
    • You can switch to any server that is not your own at any time and can join guilds, friends, play regular PvP, PvE, whatever, whenever you want. You are locked to your 'Home Server' however and must pay a fee to change your 'Home Server.' The fee is as of yet, undetermined and is not confirmed to be real-world cash only, meaning it could be covered by in-game currency too. If you're interested in having a guild to take over keeps in WvWvW, you will probably all want to be on the same 'Home Server.'
    • 'Home Server' is account based and all characters created will be on that server.
    • There will be no cross realm chat.
    • No in-game voice chat
    • Players in WvWvW will drop loot like any random mob.
    • You can level from 1 to 80 in WvWvW.
    • All loot dropped in WvWvW is scaled to your level.
    • You can gather and craft in WvWvW.
    • In WvWvW you have the ability to buy an item that allows you to become a commander. You will be seen to people as having some sort of visual effect on your character marking you as a commander and people can click your name and join your squad. Anyone in your squad can see your commander only chat channel as well as map markers you place on the World Vs World battleground map that include 'regroup,' 'attack,' and 'defend' options to make coordinating large groups easier. The ability to become a commander is permanent and can be enabled at any time after buying the required item.
    • Titles might be earned in WvWvW and could be in other areas of the game too.
    • Guilds can capture strongholds after defeating those previously holding them in battle (which can be NPCs or Players afaik.) In a multiple guild scenario the guild that captures it is the one that has the most active members that participated in the assault at the time of capture. This means that if a guild of 1000 brings 10 members and a guild of 20 brings 15 guild members, the guild that had the most active participants, in this case the 15 members of the 20 man guild would control it. Active participation is key.
    • You can't instantly teleport to a WvWvW objective, but will have a warning system if a keep your guild controls is being attacked, and probably any objective your world controls. You will have to hoof it to get there before it's too late.
    • In WvWvW, all enemy players are named 'Invader' or something similar. This is to avoid a feeling of being picked on, gives everyone a feeling of anonymity (for better or worse) and hopefully takes the focus away from killing and aims it toward capturing. Guild tags will still be displayed however, but no names. You can get your bragging rights as a player in the more focused PvP modes.
    • In closed beta alone so far, Arenanet have managed over 300 players from each world (a total of around 1000 for the entire map,) and are continuing to push this number higher.
    • You can craft armor and weapons with your guild emblem on them.
    • Arenanet is going to need "Tens of thousands of users to test" for the closed beta.

    There are probably other interesting tidbits to be had from the AMA, but these stood out to me the most.

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    RobbieMac

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    #2  Edited By RobbieMac

    Wow 300 from each world, impressive.  Also looks like the guild logo is more important than originally thought since you can craft it on your armour.

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    WinterSnowblind

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    #3  Edited By WinterSnowblind

    @RobbieMac: No capes or scarfs though. They were in the game at some point though, so I wonder if they're something that will be added later.

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    Benny

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    #4  Edited By Benny

    @RobbieMac: I think the original quote was something like 300 on each map, and since there are 4 maps (each server's borderlands and the eternal battlegrounds bit that connects them in the middle) that makes up over 1000 possible active participants for the entire WvWvW battle it would seem, but not 1000 people all in spitting distance of each other. Theoretically however, 300 people could duke it out for the centre stronghold of the eternal battleground, which would be awwwwwwesome.

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    chet_rippo

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    #5  Edited By chet_rippo

    @WinterSnowblind: I heard they were taken out so that they could go crazy with the armor designs.

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    Benny

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    #6  Edited By Benny

    @Vadis: Makes sense, they have a lot of extravagant robes and such with the mesmers and elementalists that would undoubtedly be a nightmare with all the clipping that would happen. It was always an issue in WoW.

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    project343

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    #7  Edited By project343

    @WinterSnowblind said:

    @RobbieMac: No capes or scarfs though. They were in the game at some point though, so I wonder if they're something that will be added later.

    I'm thinking it was an unnecessary artistic conflict. Throwing a cape on a fancy-ass Mesmer costume may look a little dumb.

    @RobbieMac said:

    Wow 300 from each world, impressive. Also looks like the guild logo is more important than originally thought since you can craft it on your armour.

    And throw it on yo fuckin' keep. Imagine this ideal coop/Vent scenario: holding off with your Guildies in WvW all night long against hordes of players while your banner flutters in the winds of war (since, you know, you can claim keeps as guilds).

    Your own keep on a battlefield would also be the most bitchin' spot to hang out and socialize with guildies too.

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    selfconfessedcynic

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    Hmm. I'll still miss having a guild cape - but it should be interesting to see what kind of control I'll have over the emblem on my armour.

    Anywho - I guess we'll have to see closer to the date when it comes to figuring out what home server the guild will be on and so on. Can different characters be on different home servers? Hopefully we wont end up with a situation where a bunch of people accidentally get stranded.

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    Jimbo

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    #9  Edited By Jimbo

    that's million sign-ups

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    RobbieMac

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    #10  Edited By RobbieMac
    @WinterSnowblind: @selfconfessedcynic: @project343: Yeah I sort of liked the capes, but in regards to it taking away from the nice armours I could see that being a cause for a change.  Though having it hidden was always an option in GW1.
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    UssjTrunks

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    #11  Edited By UssjTrunks

    The capes only worked with certain armour. I remember the elite ranger armour was already like a trenchcoat, and it was just slightly longer than the cape so it looked stupid. However, it looked good with some armours, so I think having the option to turn it on or off would have been best.

    As for WvW I'm interested how the home server thing will work. Will it be regional? I think that would make the most sense.

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    frankxiv

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    #12  Edited By frankxiv

    i've learned people like free stuff

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    Subjugation

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    #13  Edited By Subjugation

    @selfconfessedcynic: Here is some stuff from the AMA on Reddit:

    Q: Does each of your characters have a home server? Or is it account-based?
    A: Home server is account based.
    Q: Will your home server be the same for all your toons? I mean, can you play with different characters in different servers?
    A: Home server is account based, every character you create will be on your home server.

    Now, he says every character you create will be on your home server, but does that necessarily mean that you can't transfer them? I'm not sure. I don't know if a transfer is per character or your whole account. Was there any precedent set in GW1?

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    Maystack

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    #14  Edited By Maystack

    I don't mind giving up capes if the alternative is allowing to have a flag with the guild logo in a fortress that you've taken over.

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    Enigma777

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    #15  Edited By Enigma777

    I feel like you just wanted to make a thread so you can put in WvWvW 13 times...

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    Maystack

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    #16  Edited By Maystack

    @Enigma777: I doubt anyone will be calling it that on full release. Even the guy doing the AMA said that everyone just calls it WvW haha

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    Vorbis

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    #17  Edited By Vorbis

    I signed up but don't really have much interest, maybe the beta will change my mind but honestly struggling to get hyped about it after seeing some videos.

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    BigChickenDinner

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    #18  Edited By BigChickenDinner

    I want to reach through my internet and slap the shit out of you for typing WvWvW so many fucking times. That's what I learned

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    Vexxan

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    #19  Edited By Vexxan

    Armor with guild emblems on them?

    Awwwww yeah!

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    WinterSnowblind

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    #20  Edited By WinterSnowblind

    @Vadis said:

    @WinterSnowblind: I heard they were taken out so that they could go crazy with the armor designs.

    That seams reasonable. Some of the robes and soldier armour is pretty insane looking, so if we've had to sacrifice capes for them, fair enough. Hopefully it's something they can work out later though, I still would have loved capes and scarves for some armour sets.

    These signs ups have actually made me wish GW1 players did get a priority in the beta. That's something I was against at first, but as someone who's been playing the original since 2005 and been waiting for GW2 since it was announced in 2007, I am going to feel a little cheated if so many others who only heard about the game because of the hype around the open beta get in over me :(

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    Benny

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    #21  Edited By Benny

    @Enigma777: It's worse that you counted them ^^

    @BigChickenDinner said:

    I want to reach through my internet and slap the shit out of you for typing WvWvW so many fucking times. That's what I learned

    Yes it was even worse when I read the post on reddit that specifically addressed this where the guy said Arenanet themselves call it WvW internally. Lesson learned.

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    Bollard

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    #22  Edited By Bollard

    Isn't this gunna throw a spanner in the works for Guild stuff? Like, Europeans and Americans will need separate guilds now for WvW?

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    Seppli

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    #23  Edited By Seppli

    Oh - missed the 'Ask Me Anything' portion of this thread. Made a thread about the developer World vs World AMA. Sorry - I guess?

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    Seppli

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    #24  Edited By Seppli

    @Benny: @RobbieMac:

    Not 300 per map. 100 per map and there are 4 maps in World vs World. That'd be a total of roughly 400 players engaged in WvW. They managed to hit somewhat over 300 players total during the Press Beta without the servers or modern gaming PCs running the client crashing and burning. That's already crazy impressive. I doubt they'll break 500 players and maintain playability, both clientside processing and networking stress will be staggering at that point.

    I'll be surprised if the gamedesign holds up to that many players and doesn't turn the whole thing a zergfest to nowhere. Though what I know so far makes me hopeful that it does hold up.

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    SlasherMan

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    #25  Edited By SlasherMan

    People really want in on GW2.

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    Benny

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    #26  Edited By Benny
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    NekuSakuraba

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    #27  Edited By NekuSakuraba

    How do I get in the beta?

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    project343

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    #28  Edited By project343

    @Subjugation said:

    @selfconfessedcynic: Here is some stuff from the AMA on Reddit:

    Q: Does each of your characters have a home server? Or is it account-based?
    A: Home server is account based.
    Q: Will your home server be the same for all your toons? I mean, can you play with different characters in different servers?
    A: Home server is account based, every character you create will be on your home server.

    Now, he says every character you create will be on your home server, but does that necessarily mean that you can't transfer them? I'm not sure. I don't know if a transfer is per character or your whole account. Was there any precedent set in GW1?

    Guild Wars 1 was district-based and heavily instanced, so no.

    You choose a home serve that belongs to all your characters. Transferring home servers will cost a fee. At any point, you can temporarily move your character to another server (for free, instantly). But you still represent that same home server. It's almost like you're visiting another country. You cannot do WvW battles as a visitor, however. You can only do that from your home server.

    @Seppli: I'm fairly certain they said '100 per map' for each faction. Which ends up being 300 per map. Total of 1200 for the whole warfront.

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    chet_rippo

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    #29  Edited By chet_rippo

    @WinterSnowblind said:

    @Vadis said:

    @WinterSnowblind: I heard they were taken out so that they could go crazy with the armor designs.

    That seams reasonable. Some of the robes and soldier armour is pretty insane looking, so if we've had to sacrifice capes for them, fair enough. Hopefully it's something they can work out later though, I still would have loved capes and scarves for some armour sets.

    These signs ups have actually made me wish GW1 players did get a priority in the beta. That's something I was against at first, but as someone who's been playing the original since 2005 and been waiting for GW2 since it was announced in 2007, I am going to feel a little cheated if so many others who only heard about the game because of the hype around the open beta get in over me :(

    They have different races now too so there are different body types, which adds a ton to the work they would have to do. GW1 still had some clipping problems too.

    Haha I completely agree, last I checked I logged over 2700 hours into GW1 and if my annoying friends who never played it get into the beta I will flip out.

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    Enigma777

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    #30  Edited By Enigma777

    @Benny said:

    @Enigma777: It's worse that you counted them ^^

    @BigChickenDinner said:

    I want to reach through my internet and slap the shit out of you for typing WvWvW so many fucking times. That's what I learned

    Yes it was even worse when I read the post on reddit that specifically addressed this where the guy said Arenanet themselves call it WvW internally. Lesson learned.

    I just Ctrl+F'd it.

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