Lol, take it too far why don t you. It s a game, it has pixels, who cares if your pixels look different then mine. The way of the future is MT, etc, so you re either going t have to get used to it, or stop playing MMOs.
I will agree in that it should not be things that will make the game a buytowin game, I do hope that they will follow their *vision* and only sell cosmetisc things.
And I will also be fine if they sell expansions, just aslong as you aren't "forced" to buy it.
The trouble is in PvE, where the 'winning' is scoring gear and developing your character in all ways, even cosmetic items are 'pay to win'.
IMO, anything that allows a player to develop his character without actually playing the game is a bad thing to be selling. This includes cosmetics and anything else.
Everything that has value in the game world should be played for, otherwise these games are just virtual shopping malls with chat rooms... Just IMVU with a fanasy skin.
Playable DLC is more then fine by me though, I love exploring, learning,and hopefully beating new parts of a game I love.
I just hate this new culture that has been brain washed in to a lot of folks by the industry that it's ok to buy cosmetics and not to buy playable content. As gamers, for us it should be the other way around.
I understand your logic, but really. What makes a bunny that shoots rainbows out it s ass value to me. It s not paying to win, in any way shape or form.
I didn't say it wa spay to win in the sense you mean it, I said it was buying your way to the prize instead of playing for it.
Which is a bad thing for games.
It changes the very foundation of what these products are, and how they are designed.
I will agree in that it should not be things that will make the game a buytowin game, I do hope that they will follow their *vision* and only sell cosmetisc things.
And I will also be fine if they sell expansions, just aslong as you aren't "forced" to buy it.
The trouble is in PvE, where the 'winning' is scoring gear and developing your character in all ways, even cosmetic items are 'pay to win'.
IMO, anything that allows a player to develop his character without actually playing the game is a bad thing to be selling. This includes cosmetics and anything else.
Everything that has value in the game world should be played for, otherwise these games are just virtual shopping malls with chat rooms... Just IMVU with a fanasy skin.
Playable DLC is more then fine by me though, I love exploring, learning,and hopefully beating new parts of a game I love.
I just hate this new culture that has been brain washed in to a lot of folks by the industry that it's ok to buy cosmetics and not to buy playable content. As gamers, for us it should be the other way around.
I understand your logic, but really. What makes a bunny that shoots rainbows out it s ass value to me. It s not paying to win, in any way shape or form.
I didn't say it wa spay to win in the sense you mean it, I said it was buying your way to the prize instead of playing for it.
Which is a bad thing for games.
It changes the very foundation of what these products are, and how they are designed.
As I said, I understand your logic, but it s silly to think a company can t make money, especially if they have no monthly fee, off of people who want to look different. Who really cares, lol.
I would like to see a company step up provide either a monthly free where you get everything.. or people can go to the cash stop. If nothing you can buy gives you an edge shouldn't make a difference..
I have a job and if your game is the only one I'm playing, $15 a month is nothing. I just don't have much fun online shopping in video games.. I bought it to play it.
I didn't say it wa spay to win in the sense you mean it, I said it was buying your way to the prize instead of playing for it.
Which is a bad thing for games.
It changes the very foundation of what these products are, and how they are designed.
As I said, I understand your logic, but it s silly to think a company can t make money, especially if they have no monthly fee, off of people who want to look different. Who really cares, lol.
But I never said they shouldn't make money.
I said playable DLC and box costs are fine. I even personally don't mind subs (as long as I am not double or triple dipped on top of them)
I care because I can see how it effects how game are designed and what it means in the future. As a gamer I want games that challenge me to play for rewards, not shopping malls that sell me them while I hang out in a chat room.
Personally I think micro-transactions are ok for costumes/pets/non game balance altering things.
As far as content goes, I think all players should be equally entitled to it. But the way it worked in GW1 was that you bought expansion packs.
I'm guessing in GW2 it will be the same.
I'm worried however that they will introduce 'mission packs'. I really don't want this since this will then segregate the community into haves and have nots.
The problem with this though, is who really buys this stuff...pets, costumes, trivialities? The fact that they don't offer anything is the reason they are trivial. If you don't need them, why pay real money for them?
That's the slippery slope ANet is going to have to walk with this. If you're trying to sell nothing of value to keep the playerbase happy, you won't make any money. If you sell items that provide some actual benefit, you are accused of discriminating.
GW2 is not GW1. The staff and the stakes are greater. I think their business plan is going to depend somewhat on this cash shop. There may not be gamebreaking advantages in there, but I expect it will be more than just cosmetics.
As has been said previously- RMT is going nowhere. The choice is whether to adapt to games that use this to generate revenue or to miss out on a great many games, looking down the road. I think where many people draw the line when it comes to RMT is when it gives a distinct statistical advantage to purchase something as opposed to playing without it.
In games such as GW2 that don't charge you $15/mo. just to access the game you've already purchased, I see no problem coughing up a couple of bucks for a shiny hauberk. As long as it's feasible to put together an outfit in game that doesn't make you look like a clown, RMT cosmetics are just another "I want" rather than a "must have" to continue the game. Premium pay for premium services, imo.
I didn't say it wa spay to win in the sense you mean it, I said it was buying your way to the prize instead of playing for it.
Which is a bad thing for games.
It changes the very foundation of what these products are, and how they are designed.
As I said, I understand your logic, but it s silly to think a company can t make money, especially if they have no monthly fee, off of people who want to look different. Who really cares, lol.
But I never said they shouldn't make money.
I said playable DLC and box costs are fine. I even personally don't mind subs (as long as I am not double or triple dipped on top of them)
I care because I can see how it effects how game are designed and what it means in the future. As a gamer I want games that challenge me to play for rewards, not shopping malls that sell me them while I hang out in a chat room.
I completely understand, and shockingly I feel the same way, but I ignore it and could care less if people do it. It doesn t effect me in any way shape or form, I can do everything anyone who buys this shit, and didn t pay anymore. I know what you re saying, I really do, but it won t effect the games future, and won t effect it in the now either.
As has been said previously- RMT is going nowhere. The choice is whether to adapt to games that use this to generate revenue or to miss out on a great many games, looking down the road. I think where many people draw the line when it comes to RMT is when it gives a distinct statistical advantage to purchase something as opposed to playing without it.
In games such as GW2 that don't charge you $15/mo. just to access the game you've already purchased, I see no problem coughing up a couple of bucks for a shiny hauberk. As long as it's feasible to put together an outfit in game that doesn't make you look like a clown, RMT cosmetics are just another "I want" rather than a "must have" to continue the game. Premium pay for premium services, imo.
So you think the way people want to look should be controlled in order to enhance your personal experience?
I suspect mission packs will be added, but with the way they focus on "Your Story" you would use your own character. The rewards wouldn't have to be any different from the mission pack rewards in GW1.
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
"I'm unsure if ArenaNet will be using an online store to sell skill-unlock packs like what we saw in Guild Wars."
They already answered this question long ago at a Con, one of the main developers said they will not be selling skills in the store due to the new design of how skills work and their new moto in keeping the store from selling advantages for real life money transactions, that the store will be pets, mounts, cosmetics only.They also touched on how extra endgame skills might work in the game, claiming these skills would only be available from players who completed in game "feats of strength".
How cute, diverting away from my point by pointing me towards a glorified chat room. You might as well of linked me to Gaia, since both are the same thing.
I love to develop my character, visually and statistically, yet guess what? I haven't had to buy a single item to do so in Guild Wars. There is a wide enough variety of gear in-game that you don't need to. And again, your logic labels damn near every MMO in existance as a "pay-2-win" prize oriented system, which makes me wonder why you would ever bother to play any of them if it is such a sticking issue with you.
You're hyping a non-existant issue by trying to force it under the idea of the stuff being a "prize", yet I haven't so much as seen a single definition of a prize that fits wha you claim it to mean. You can keep trying to push a costume with a giant pumpkin head as a "prize", its not going to make what is nothing more than your OPINION any more valid than anyone elses, even if that means you end up in the minority.
Micro transaction. The person with the most $$ in real life gets the best of the game.
Yea, I will admit that I am in a lower income bracket, got kids to feed and bills to pay ..and I think a Game that is going to be as epic as GW2 should go ahead and charge $15 per month so all can have the same expierence
Problem is-in today's markrt, even when you pay a sub they still hit you with MT for better costumes. By accepting little add-on MT's, just because they don't give competitive advantage, we've opened the door to more and more MT's. When will it end? As for cosmetic type MT's, i believe it is BS to hold back the best appearence items for extra cash, especially if you can't earn them in game play. If you pay a sub (I know GW2 doesn't have one, i mean in general), then you should have access to all character optimization, including the better appearence items. If they come through game play, then fine, but why should someone have to pay more for creating the character they envision, when they already bought the game, paid sub, etc.
Vesavius, you can't "buy the prize" because the costumes in the shop aren't what you earn in the game. The "prize" is what you'll get at the end of a dungeon. The "prize" (believe it or not) does actually have stats on it.
The entire game is not based around getting cosmetic items. If you think that's all there is to GW2 then you need to either do some more research or stop posting about it.
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
How cute, diverting away from my point by pointing me towards a glorified chat room. You might as well of linked me to Gaia, since both are the same thing.
I love to develop my character, visually and statistically, yet guess what? I haven't had to buy a single item to do so in Guild Wars. There is a wide enough variety of gear in-game that you don't need to. And again, your logic labels damn near every MMO in existance as a "pay-2-win" prize oriented system, which makes me wonder why you would ever bother to play any of them if it is such a sticking issue with you.
You're hyping a non-existant issue by trying to force it under the idea of the stuff being a "prize", yet I haven't so much as seen a single definition of a prize that fits wha you claim it to mean. You can keep trying to push a costume with a giant pumpkin head as a "prize", its not going to make what is nothing more than your OPINION any more valid than anyone elses, even if that means you end up in the minority.
Exactly. Player 1 play's the game, enjoy the content and get rewards that do not impact or give an advantage. Player 2 buys costumes, doesn't play through content, and um you have payed your cash to avoid playing the game you just paid cash towards. Spot who is insane However, Player 2 has not detracted from the experience of player 1, and they have contributed to the support of the game. Win-win.
People who are knee-jerk reacting about micro-transactions are not really getting the GW gear strategy. It is a non-issue, the equivelant of having a blue t-shirt in game and having the option of buying a red one or playing content to get that red shirt.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Micro transaction. The person with the most $$ in real life gets the best of the game.
Yea, I will admit that I am in a lower income bracket, got kids to feed and bills to pay ..and I think a Game that is going to be as epic as GW2 should go ahead and charge $15 per month so all can have the same expierence
Problem is-in today's markrt, even when you pay a sub they still hit you with MT for better costumes. By accepting little add-on MT's, just because they don't give competitive advantage, we've opened the door to more and more MT's. When will it end? As for cosmetic type MT's, i believe it is BS to hold back the best appearence items for extra cash, especially if you can't earn them in game play. If you pay a sub (I know GW2 doesn't have one, i mean in general), then you should have access to all character optimization, including the better appearence items. If they come through game play, then fine, but why should someone have to pay more for creating the character they envision, when they already bought the game, paid sub, etc.
Since when is a different cosume become a must-have purchase for cash? Ill play and have fun rather than pay for it, especially as there is no peer pressure to must-have it. If you are going to worry about that, you would be as well worrying about GW2 turning into a raiding for tier end-game or moving to pay per hour - its equally possible using this logic.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Here's the screenshot of all store items from Guild Wars 1, so you can make comparisons.
Also article said, that store in gw1 is used to unlock mission packs. It's not plural. There's only 1 mission pack that contains 4 missions which give around 2 hours of gameplay with repetitive content, so that's about 4 hours total. That mission pack didn't give advantage to players, only some weapons with nice skins. Also, missions were set in the past prior gw1 main storylines. So basically this mission pack was only for lore lovers.
Here's the screenshot of all store items from Guild Wars 1, so you can make comparisons.
Also article said, that store in gw1 is used to unlock mission packs. It's not plural. There's only 1 mission pack that contains 4 missions which give around 2 hours of gameplay with repetitive content, so that's about 4 hours total. That mission pack didn't give advantage to players, only some weapons with nice skins. Also, missions were set in the past prior gw1 main storylines. So basically this mission pack was only for lore lovers.
Purchasable additional lore content is actually something I would happily pay for from the outset to enrich the virtual world. It's a great example of micro-transaction that are not cynical money grabbers.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Skill unlock packs won't be needed because all skills will be available to the player in Competitive PvP. I'm guessing what we will mostly see is mission packs.
The microtransactions for the game will have cosmetics, mounts, pets only. They described this in the beginning of their first interviews for the game.
Skills that are beyond what one learns as a player via weapon usage alone in game, superskills, will be only available end game and through a feat of strength using a specific set of skills or doing something challenging in order to learn the special skill.
All other skills come from using weapons and weapon types to do normal fighting.
Expansions will be available in the store tho they have already stated that they will be adding more content just after launch as fast as Rift has launched their content to keep people interested and keep the game fun which will consist of adding to the world dynamic events lines, dungeons, and pvp zones.
Some people think that Arena-net won't be able to have much profit from MTs this time for various reasons. Well, think again:
1- They will sell much more games than when the original Guild Wars was released.
2- The biggest income they will probably have is from "Transmutation Stones" because they are the only thing in the game that changes the stats from one gear to another. (Example: I just made/got this new armour with updated stats but I like more the armour I had before. So, I go buy transmutation stone to change the stats from the new armour to the old one.) Just imagine the quantity of players buying this just to look unique and awesome. We don't know if people will be able to sell the transmutation stones yet though.
3 - Character slots will sell A LOT!
With only this 3 reasons, they already have a big profit and there will certainly be more MTs besides character slots and transmutation stones.
Skill unlock packs won't be needed because all skills will be available to the player in Competitive PvP. I'm guessing what we will mostly see is mission packs.
This wasnt really ArenaNets style in GW1, and I doubt they will start for GW2. They did a few bonus missions which were solo quests and expanded on the lore of the game. But nothing that would segregate players further than the expansion zones already did.
I think GW2 will do what GW1 did, and have large areas of new content in expansions, which they pumped out pretty regularly up until Eye of the North.
Only one of the Elder Dragons is going to be killable at the launch of GW1, they still have a lot of areas / opponents from the original to work with in the future, which will probably come in expansions (Cantha, Elona, the North, Battle Isles).
For cash shop items, I think you will see cosmetic / convenience items, but nothing that gives an unfair advantage to players. ArenaNet is pretty switched on to what players find acceptable.
Comments
selling items that develop your character, and customising it visually IS developing it, is selling prizes.
Look, I found a website for people that like to buy their character customisation rather then develope their character through play!
http://www.imvu.com/
Lol, take it too far why don t you. It s a game, it has pixels, who cares if your pixels look different then mine. The way of the future is MT, etc, so you re either going t have to get used to it, or stop playing MMOs.
I didn't say it wa spay to win in the sense you mean it, I said it was buying your way to the prize instead of playing for it.
Which is a bad thing for games.
It changes the very foundation of what these products are, and how they are designed.
It's called foresight and having the ability to look down the road a little to see whats coming rather then deal only in the here and now.
As I said, I understand your logic, but it s silly to think a company can t make money, especially if they have no monthly fee, off of people who want to look different. Who really cares, lol.
I would like to see a company step up provide either a monthly free where you get everything.. or people can go to the cash stop. If nothing you can buy gives you an edge shouldn't make a difference..
I have a job and if your game is the only one I'm playing, $15 a month is nothing. I just don't have much fun online shopping in video games.. I bought it to play it.
Nevermind... I love GW2 and Can't wait for it......
But I never said they shouldn't make money.
I said playable DLC and box costs are fine. I even personally don't mind subs (as long as I am not double or triple dipped on top of them)
I care because I can see how it effects how game are designed and what it means in the future. As a gamer I want games that challenge me to play for rewards, not shopping malls that sell me them while I hang out in a chat room.
The problem with this though, is who really buys this stuff...pets, costumes, trivialities? The fact that they don't offer anything is the reason they are trivial. If you don't need them, why pay real money for them?
That's the slippery slope ANet is going to have to walk with this. If you're trying to sell nothing of value to keep the playerbase happy, you won't make any money. If you sell items that provide some actual benefit, you are accused of discriminating.
GW2 is not GW1. The staff and the stakes are greater. I think their business plan is going to depend somewhat on this cash shop. There may not be gamebreaking advantages in there, but I expect it will be more than just cosmetics.
As has been said previously- RMT is going nowhere. The choice is whether to adapt to games that use this to generate revenue or to miss out on a great many games, looking down the road. I think where many people draw the line when it comes to RMT is when it gives a distinct statistical advantage to purchase something as opposed to playing without it.
In games such as GW2 that don't charge you $15/mo. just to access the game you've already purchased, I see no problem coughing up a couple of bucks for a shiny hauberk. As long as it's feasible to put together an outfit in game that doesn't make you look like a clown, RMT cosmetics are just another "I want" rather than a "must have" to continue the game. Premium pay for premium services, imo.
I completely understand, and shockingly I feel the same way, but I ignore it and could care less if people do it. It doesn t effect me in any way shape or form, I can do everything anyone who buys this shit, and didn t pay anymore. I know what you re saying, I really do, but it won t effect the games future, and won t effect it in the now either.
So you think the way people want to look should be controlled in order to enhance your personal experience?
Im fine with it as long as housing and mounts arent used in it.
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"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
"I'm unsure if ArenaNet will be using an online store to sell skill-unlock packs like what we saw in Guild Wars."
They already answered this question long ago at a Con, one of the main developers said they will not be selling skills in the store due to the new design of how skills work and their new moto in keeping the store from selling advantages for real life money transactions, that the store will be pets, mounts, cosmetics only.They also touched on how extra endgame skills might work in the game, claiming these skills would only be available from players who completed in game "feats of strength".
How cute, diverting away from my point by pointing me towards a glorified chat room. You might as well of linked me to Gaia, since both are the same thing.
I love to develop my character, visually and statistically, yet guess what? I haven't had to buy a single item to do so in Guild Wars. There is a wide enough variety of gear in-game that you don't need to. And again, your logic labels damn near every MMO in existance as a "pay-2-win" prize oriented system, which makes me wonder why you would ever bother to play any of them if it is such a sticking issue with you.
You're hyping a non-existant issue by trying to force it under the idea of the stuff being a "prize", yet I haven't so much as seen a single definition of a prize that fits wha you claim it to mean. You can keep trying to push a costume with a giant pumpkin head as a "prize", its not going to make what is nothing more than your OPINION any more valid than anyone elses, even if that means you end up in the minority.
Problem is-in today's markrt, even when you pay a sub they still hit you with MT for better costumes. By accepting little add-on MT's, just because they don't give competitive advantage, we've opened the door to more and more MT's. When will it end? As for cosmetic type MT's, i believe it is BS to hold back the best appearence items for extra cash, especially if you can't earn them in game play. If you pay a sub (I know GW2 doesn't have one, i mean in general), then you should have access to all character optimization, including the better appearence items. If they come through game play, then fine, but why should someone have to pay more for creating the character they envision, when they already bought the game, paid sub, etc.
Vesavius, you can't "buy the prize" because the costumes in the shop aren't what you earn in the game. The "prize" is what you'll get at the end of a dungeon. The "prize" (believe it or not) does actually have stats on it.
The entire game is not based around getting cosmetic items. If you think that's all there is to GW2 then you need to either do some more research or stop posting about it.
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
Exactly. Player 1 play's the game, enjoy the content and get rewards that do not impact or give an advantage. Player 2 buys costumes, doesn't play through content, and um you have payed your cash to avoid playing the game you just paid cash towards. Spot who is insane
However, Player 2 has not detracted from the experience of player 1, and they have contributed to the support of the game. Win-win.
People who are knee-jerk reacting about micro-transactions are not really getting the GW gear strategy. It is a non-issue, the equivelant of having a blue t-shirt in game and having the option of buying a red one or playing content to get that red shirt.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
Since when is a different cosume become a must-have purchase for cash? Ill play and have fun rather than pay for it, especially as there is no peer pressure to must-have it. If you are going to worry about that, you would be as well worrying about GW2 turning into a raiding for tier end-game or moving to pay per hour - its equally possible using this logic.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
Here's the screenshot of all store items from Guild Wars 1, so you can make comparisons.
Also article said, that store in gw1 is used to unlock mission packs. It's not plural. There's only 1 mission pack that contains 4 missions which give around 2 hours of gameplay with repetitive content, so that's about 4 hours total. That mission pack didn't give advantage to players, only some weapons with nice skins. Also, missions were set in the past prior gw1 main storylines. So basically this mission pack was only for lore lovers.
Guild Wars 2 Youtube Croatian Maniacs
My Guild Wars titles
Purchasable additional lore content is actually something I would happily pay for from the outset to enrich the virtual world. It's a great example of micro-transaction that are not cynical money grabbers.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
The microtransactions for the game will have cosmetics, mounts, pets only. They described this in the beginning of their first interviews for the game.
Skills that are beyond what one learns as a player via weapon usage alone in game, superskills, will be only available end game and through a feat of strength using a specific set of skills or doing something challenging in order to learn the special skill.
All other skills come from using weapons and weapon types to do normal fighting.
Expansions will be available in the store tho they have already stated that they will be adding more content just after launch as fast as Rift has launched their content to keep people interested and keep the game fun which will consist of adding to the world dynamic events lines, dungeons, and pvp zones.
Some people think that Arena-net won't be able to have much profit from MTs this time for various reasons. Well, think again:
1- They will sell much more games than when the original Guild Wars was released.
2- The biggest income they will probably have is from "Transmutation Stones" because they are the only thing in the game that changes the stats from one gear to another. (Example: I just made/got this new armour with updated stats but I like more the armour I had before. So, I go buy transmutation stone to change the stats from the new armour to the old one.) Just imagine the quantity of players buying this just to look unique and awesome. We don't know if people will be able to sell the transmutation stones yet though.
3 - Character slots will sell A LOT!
With only this 3 reasons, they already have a big profit and there will certainly be more MTs besides character slots and transmutation stones.
This wasnt really ArenaNets style in GW1, and I doubt they will start for GW2. They did a few bonus missions which were solo quests and expanded on the lore of the game. But nothing that would segregate players further than the expansion zones already did.
I think GW2 will do what GW1 did, and have large areas of new content in expansions, which they pumped out pretty regularly up until Eye of the North.
Only one of the Elder Dragons is going to be killable at the launch of GW1, they still have a lot of areas / opponents from the original to work with in the future, which will probably come in expansions (Cantha, Elona, the North, Battle Isles).
For cash shop items, I think you will see cosmetic / convenience items, but nothing that gives an unfair advantage to players. ArenaNet is pretty switched on to what players find acceptable.