The Lincolncast Episode 6: Beta Recommendations and E3!

Hey guys!

For those who don't know, this is the Giant Bomb community's Guild Wars 2 podcast (made by our guild, Lincoln Force). This week, we start with PvP news then move on to our recommendations for what to do in next week's Beta Weekend Event along with tips for guys who will be new to the whole Guild Wars 2 thing. Also, stick around after the show for some extended E3 discussion.

Also, subscribe to the show!

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Streaming Embed (audio only):

Show Notes

Intro music: "The Pentagon" by The Hamster Alliance

Featured Members: @Dourin , @selfconfessedcynic , @No0b0rAmA , @Rawson , @shinboy630

Run time: 2:21:46 not including E3, 4:13:29 otherwise

Topics:

• We make an exciting announcement regarding next week's show
• WvW Gets more awesome with Mini-Dungeons
• Structured PvP doesn't quite meet half the team's expectations... again
• What we recommend you check out for next week's beta
• Tips, tricks and game options which could be useful
• Which Race's starting area is the best? (and which would we recommend?)
• Aaaand after the show - What we're looking forward to at E3 and what we think will happen

Enjoy! Also, feel free to leave some criticism or feedback - TheLincolncast@gmail.com or @TheLincolncast on Twitter

Plugs!

• The Live Show will be on Friday June 8th, 6PM US PDT, June 9th 1AM GMT, 11AM Australian EST. Catch it at www.twitch.tv/Dourin
• Final Fantasy X is an awesome PS2 game
• Check out Shinboy630's site at www.plugandplaygaming.com

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Listening now.  Also I would be interested in helping out some point after the beta when a slot opens up (if someone can't make it).

Here's a list of standout comments and corrections. I have a serious problem, forgive me!

• I haven't been super excited for sPvP either, but I can't tell if that's because that sort of thing really never excites me or because of how this is built; either way, I should get my hands on it (with a decent PC) before I make a call one way or another
• I'm entirely and vehemently against the skill tiers, but they seem to just be A-Net's midguided attempt to ease players into the system and stretch a sense of progression throughout the game, and in that spirit...

1. the re-spec micro-transaction isn't a valid concern; if you got all of your points back, you'd have to buy another five tier-1 skills to unlock the second tier again
2. I verrrrry seriously doubt the skill tiers will get progressively more powerful, that's just not how the game is balanced

• sylvari have a D&D fantasy basis, buts more sylvans than elves
• FUCK THAT SVANIR BOSS, CYNIC, WHAT KIND OF A SADIST ADVISES PEOPLE TO FIGHT THAT BASTARD
• guild limits have been promised to be either much greater than 100 or unlimited in the past; alliances haven't been confirmed
• all of you guys' tips'n'tricks at the end were pretty spot-on
• put the plugs in the show notes, it makes it easier to reference later

I'll see if I can listen to y'all's E3 discussion later.

I'm not going to say anything about turkeys. Fuck a turkey, man. Turkeys ain't shit.

Wait. Crap.

@RobbieMac: Sure, I'd love to have you on.

@Dark_Lord_Spam:

Hah! I still can't believe people listen to it all the way through in the first place. Also, I generally like how we manage to get both supporting and dissenting opinions on topics on the podcast - so I agree with you somewhat on some of those notes and Dourin would on others.

Also, dude, that Svanir boss was AWESOME : D - I was in a 60-dude boss fight at lvl 11! But yes, it's a bit tough...

*uploads the first half to youtube, puts the plugs in the show notes, starts uploading the second half*

@Dark_Lord_Spam: @selfconfessedcynic: I was confused even when we were recording (hence why I didnt comment on it), the Svanir boss, is that the one in the middle of the lake that creates the snowstorm thingy around him? Cause if so I've always come in in the middle of the fight but thought it was pretty fun.

@shinboy630: Yeah! He makes all these tornadoes around him and solidly kicks everyone's behind over and over until he goes down (usually takes 10-20 mins not including his mobs)

ed: But I didn't say this in the podcast, I just said go to frozenfell creek because I didn't want to spoil.

@selfconfessedcynic: Yeah he can be a bitch, but generally I thought his fights were fun. I never got the chance to do the chain leading up to that fight though.

@shinboy630: I was thinking of the same guy, so maybe that is the one. If so, man, that fight was pretty brutal from what I remember.

@selfconfessedcynic: I love checking out the Google doc of the show notes and seeing the planned recording time as 1hr30mins and then seeing a podcast come out as 4+ hrs. I just laughed. Good on you guys for being able to find that much time though. I wish I had free time in blocks like that. Also, the D3 hating made me a little sad. I listened to this while doing Nephalem Valor runs. :|

Also, I don't remember who said it specifically but ... Diversity's Reach.

Yes.

Sure, he might be fun when you have >4fps, but I was throwing essentially throwing a hefty corpse at him between trying to dodge out of twenty red circles and the nearest waypoint being assaulted. I think it was one of the two times in beta where I got a bronze for contribution.

@Dark_Lord_Spam: lol - yeah, I got a bronze for it too, but mainly because I spent all my time rezzing rather than trying to get up close and do damage. Oh, and dieing while trying to rez / running back from that way point to the fight.

Still - hard stuff in MMOs? I found it refreshing and epic fun.

ED: I have now uploaded the second half to Youtube (and put in annotations which allow you to jump between the two halves). So - for those interested in what we have to say about E3, give it a listen!

Now to make the GW2 guru post...

@Subjugation said:

Also, the D3 hating made me a little sad. I listened to this while doing Nephalem Valor runs. :|

As one of the people that was against that topic, I wouldn't say it was D3 hate. In fact, I'm looking to buy D3 as soon as my job starts and I start making some money. Just as someone who does not own the game, talk of it gets really old and stale incredibly fast.

@shinboy630: Hah, I'm only joking when I call it hating. No harm, no foul.

@shinboy630 said:

@Dark_Lord_Spam: @selfconfessedcynic: I was confused even when we were recording (hence why I didnt comment on it), the Svanir boss, is that the one in the middle of the lake that creates the snowstorm thingy around him? Cause if so I've always come in in the middle of the fight but thought it was pretty fun.

Isn't Svanir the bear boss on the sPvP map?

Sudden addition: If you're going to play GW2, and have no idea about GW1, this video should bring you up to speed on the world and its lore.

@Rawson: I know way too much about GW1 and I still found that video interesting, even if I knew almost all of that information already.

@shinboy630: I know next to nothing about GW1 and I just watched the video earlier and now I feel like I know marginally more. Cantha sounds really cool. Like, really cool.

@Subjugation: Cantha was Ok....you end up spending way more time in the city than you should, and it gets old. Probably because its basically one giant slum. Shiro (the villian from factions) is the man, though! And the Kurzick and Luxon thing was cool. I guess Cantha was alright :P

@shinboy630: Oh, haha. Sounds like you have a strongly developed opinion of it. I guess I could clarify by saying that the Far East/Asian sounding theme of it sounded appealing. Already being a sucker for that stuff, then mixing it with the art team of GW2 ... I can't even imagine. The game isn't even out yet (not even a release date) and I'm already pining for expansions. What is wrong with me?

@Subjugation: Far out dude - Cantha was AWESOME. Especially how it started you off on this island and you gained levels really quickly to begin with / the tutorialisation for the new classes and plot was spot on. Keineng was also the only thing that felt like a real city I've been in for a long long time (a run down one, sure, but it was massive and had housing, etc).

But most of all? The soundtrack.

I mean... man.

Needs more female player characters.

Isn't Svanir the bear boss on the sPvP map?

@shinboy630: Oh, haha. Sounds like you have a strongly developed opinion of it. I guess I could clarify by saying that the Far East/Asian sounding theme of it sounded appealing. Already being a sucker for that stuff, then mixing it with the art team of GW2 ... I can't even imagine. The game isn't even out yet (not even a release date) and I'm already pining for expansions. What is wrong with me?

I'd say Cantha is my second favourite. The City was amazing, as was the Jade Sea. Wasn't too fond of Shing Jea or Echovald though.

@Subjugation said:

@shinboy630: I know next to nothing about GW1 and I just watched the video earlier and now I feel like I know marginally more. Cantha sounds really cool. Like, really cool.

That video explains the GW2 lore, not the GW1 lore, the next episode will cover GW1. The GW1 wiki is also a good place to catch up on that.

The Prophecies storyline was pretty interesting. The way they tied everything together was cool (when you first meet the Titans at the end of the game and realize that the Charr effigies all the way at the start of the game were a tribute to these same beings, it blows your mind a little). They just did a poor job of presenting the story. Arenanet needs better writers IMO.

@Dark_Lord_Spam: Cool, I know next to nothing about the norn lol.

If this thread turns into a lore discussion, it's gonna get real nerdy (and by that I mean awesome) real fast. Count me in!

@UssjTrunks said:

@Subjugation said:

@shinboy630: I know next to nothing about GW1 and I just watched the video earlier and now I feel like I know marginally more. Cantha sounds really cool. Like, really cool.

That video explains the GW2 lore, not the GW1 lore, the next episode will cover GW1. The GW1 wiki is also a good place to catch up on that.

My apologies. I guess that only further proves my point that I don't know anything about GW1 lore huh?

@selfconfessedcynic : Oh man, that is exactly the kind of stuff I'm talking about. The Asian architecture, the Asian themed music ... I have this unnatural fondness for it. Those two songs were amazing, thanks for sharing.

@Dark_Lord_Spam: I had no idea GW1 dealt with some darker themes like that. I really appreciate it when a game has some more mature, heavy stuff going on though. The Witcher games, and more recently Max Payne 3, are great examples of games that conquer serious themes that most shy away from and I think they handle it well and benefit from it.

@Subjugation: @selfconfessedcynic As "Meh" as I feel towards factions from a gameplay standpoint, the theme is among my favorite game themes. Jeremy Soule you glorious bastard you.

@UssjTrunks: Yeah that was an incredibly cool moment.

@selfconfessedcynic said:

@Subjugation: Far out dude - Cantha was AWESOME. Especially how it started you off on this island and you gained levels really quickly to begin with / the tutorialisation for the new classes and plot was spot on. Keineng was also the only thing that felt like a real city I've been in for a long long time (a run down one, sure, but it was massive and had housing, etc).

But most of all? The soundtrack.

I mean... man.

Too bad the city was fucking disgusting. I really loved the architecture of the Kurzick buildings in the echovald forest. I really want to know what happens to Cantha.

Listened to all 6 episodes of the Lincoln Cast this weekend while playing the beta. Was bummed I couldn't transfer over to Yak's Bend and play with you guys but the podcasts were the next best thing. Oh, and turkey, turkey, turkey.

@TrueMagnum: haha - thanks! It's still crazy to hear that people listen to us. I hope you enjoyed them!

As a status update, I'm desperately trying to get our liveshow onto youtube. Took me only about 2 hours to edit, but so far it's taken about 22 hours to upload - I finally settled on google drive (my line is unstable, so I couldn't upload it to youtube directly as it'd just fail like 6 hours in). Now I'm getting Dourin to upload it to our shared account (when he gets online, that is).

ED: I think I'll show dourin how to edit these, so next time we can skip me entirely and get it up much much faster.