I just wanted to answer your question, its No not even close. Not even a candidate.
No you did not answer the question...
You talk about features.
This post is all about character immersion and how these implemented features draw the OP into the world making him feel part of it... Thats immersion... And its not so much the features, but the way they are implemented as a whole...
I agree with the OP and even tough there is much themepark inside this game, i allways feel immersed in the world and the gameplay of this world because i have eye for the little details and stories, the NPC converstations, which are all voiced, and the very interactive combat, where every mistake (even solo) can kill you... atleast in this game it takes some skill to stay alive...
Best thing is that A-net after release definately listened to the community and kept things like hearts away from the new zones... On top of that the stories in the living world and HoT expansions really improved... There is much more reasons to explore in this game then in many other MMO's. Currently there is a new zone every 2 or 3 months, with accompanying story... Which with all the things going on in such a zone is huge..
There is many different kinds of immersion... which to some extend seem to be beyound a huge part of this community while another part of this community gets triggered by it
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what
it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience
because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in
the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you
playing an MMORPG?"
I find it hard to get immersed in static environments. Same quest mobs sitting in the same locations asking you to collect or kill the same thing, endlessly...
In my opinion gw2 is a huge step backwards from gw.
I find it hard to get immersed in static environments. Same quest mobs sitting in the same locations asking you to collect or kill the same thing, endlessly...
In my opinion gw2 is a huge step backwards from gw.
I dunno. Most MMOs have static NPCs. Even EVE, the NPCs don't move, they just sit there until someone comes along. They don't travel to other systems or anything, just static.
X3 series though, NPCs move to different sectors. X3 is an incredibly immersive space MMO. But that is a singleplayer game, and most MMOs have static NPCs.
GW2 is WAY more dynamic and immersive than many MMOs are, including EVE (which is my 3rd favorite MMO). At least in GW2, events happen all around and the game feels dynamic and changing. EVE changes too, but only because of the players, the AI in eve is kinda dumb.
My Skyrim, Fallout 4, Starbound and WoW + other game mods at MODDB:
Eve is far more immersive to me. UI elements alone make eve feel more immersive. With a game like eve, the ui fits the scifi theme. I find that ui elements in fantasy mmorpg are best left streamlined or they become intrusive to the experience. I also dont mind static stations in a policed sector of space when compared to a farm npc that is surrounded by monsters but yet somehow never dies. You just dont find eve mission npc surrounded by 100 pirates with an exclamation or heart over their heads...
You just dont find eve mission npc surrounded by 100 pirates with an exclamation or heart over their heads...
That is something that bugs me the most about Guild Wars 2. Quests in mmorpgs offer a huge range of activities, but are often criticized for having too many instances of kill x number of mobs over yonder hill, or gather x number of items. GW2 started off criticizing quests and offering reknown hearts instead. Reknown hearts are just the worst types of quests repackaged into hearts icons and filling bars instead of counting numbers. Anet took the worst examples of mmorpg quests and built a game around them!
If the game was immersive it wouldn't have died and the retention rating of players would have been much higher. My whole guild of 90 people quit within 2-3 months because the game is shallow as hell. Sure the pvp is fun if doing arena 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, ect, but the rest of the game was too casualized and theme-parkish.
The dynamic events weren't dynamic in the least bit and didn't even make a hint of an impact on the game world itself(ie gimmick). It also was already done in warhammer online. The Realm V Realm fiasco was just a horrendous mess of zerging and numbers game.
The cashshop was pushed too much(although the collectibles were pretty neat). End game consisted of farming dynamics to buy your jewelry and gear for your build, so you can go zerg in RvR.
The background detail was pretty cool when you were in a city, but eventually you just run past it after you see it once.
There is a reason why it has such low population player even though it was a B2P title.
If the game was immersive it wouldn't have died and the retention rating of players would have been much higher. My whole guild of 90 people quit within 2-3 months because the game is shallow as hell. Sure the pvp is fun if doing arena 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, ect, but the rest of the game was too casualized and theme-parkish.
The dynamic events weren't dynamic in the least bit and didn't even make a hint of an impact on the game world itself(ie gimmick). It also was already done in warhammer online. The Realm V Realm fiasco was just a horrendous mess of zerging and numbers game.
The cashshop was pushed too much(although the collectibles were pretty neat). End game consisted of farming dynamics to buy your jewelry and gear for your build, so you can go zerg in RvR.
The background detail was pretty cool when you were in a city, but eventually you just run past it after you see it once.
There is a reason why it has such low population player even though it was a B2P title.
Could you enlighten me with some more active MMORPG's? WoW, FFXIV and that's about it. From what I have seen, it still stands as one of the more active games in a dying genre.
And no I am not interested in stories about your guild and your friends as indication of a dying or a active game. If I was to take these ''stories'' seriously, I would have been convinced by now that League of Legends is a dead game by now seeing how every dissatisfied player who leaves mentions how the game is dead.
I find it hard to get immersed in static environments. Same quest mobs sitting in the same locations asking you to collect or kill the same thing, endlessly...
In my opinion gw2 is a huge step backwards from gw.
I dunno. Most MMOs have static NPCs. Even EVE, the NPCs don't move, they just sit there until someone comes along. They don't travel to other systems or anything, just static.
X3 series though, NPCs move to different sectors. X3 is an incredibly immersive space MMO. But that is a singleplayer game, and most MMOs have static NPCs.
GW2 is WAY more dynamic and immersive than many MMOs are, including EVE (which is my 3rd favorite MMO). At least in GW2, events happen all around and the game feels dynamic and changing. EVE changes too, but only because of the players, the AI in eve is kinda dumb.
I think the problem with GW2 is the setting TBH, it's just not that interesting (even if certain things look cool) it's just overly generic in it's representation of those things. Same goes with Wildstar. As they're both very similar in that regard. It just feels as though they had a checklist of popular tropes and just aimed to meet the item on the list.
Most other MMORPGs have a familiar setting that dates long before the MMO was envisioned. Star Wars, LOTR, D&D, DC comics, Conan, Camelot, Warcraft, Matrix, Star Trek, Elder Scrolls, Ultima, etc.... by default these franchises already have a set in fanbase eager to live their virtual life in that world. As they know that world, it's inhabitants, it's locations, etc... the tone is already set.
GW, EQ, TSW, WS, etc.. have a huge hurdle to clime in that regard, Especially in a themepark sense. Some have done better than others, to put it lightly.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
For a themepark MMO it has a pretty convincing world I agree. The cities are very nice and lifelike too. But the deal breaker for me is (as for with most newer MMO's), is that I feel like a tourist visiting a different world. Your toon doesn't live there, just fights and does chores. So it never felt like my world. That own zone you get doesnt change that.
I find it hard to get immersed in static environments. Same quest mobs sitting in the same locations asking you to collect or kill the same thing, endlessly...
In my opinion gw2 is a huge step backwards from gw.
I dunno. Most MMOs have static NPCs. Even EVE, the NPCs don't move, they just sit there until someone comes along. They don't travel to other systems or anything, just static.
X3 series though, NPCs move to different sectors. X3 is an incredibly immersive space MMO. But that is a singleplayer game, and most MMOs have static NPCs.
GW2 is WAY more dynamic and immersive than many MMOs are, including EVE (which is my 3rd favorite MMO). At least in GW2, events happen all around and the game feels dynamic and changing. EVE changes too, but only because of the players, the AI in eve is kinda dumb.
I think the problem with GW2 is the setting TBH, it's just not that interesting (even if certain things look cool) it's just overly generic in it's representation of those things. Same goes with Wildstar. As they're both very similar in that regard. It just feels as though they had a checklist of popular tropes and just aimed to meet the item on the list.
So true. I'm convinced Anet has many very talented people being led by someone/something with no imagination or eagerness to inspire them.
I have a bad feeling that when/if GW2 goes to Elona it's just going to look so much like generic african/arabian themed stuff... despite the fact that it has been under the rule of an undead lunatic for many generations.
IMO there is NO game singleplayer or MMO that have so much "feeling" in the world, NPCs just don't stand still some move some have interesting conversation you can listen into, some kids playing, cat hunting a rat, there is so much going on that makes the world feel alive.
IMO there is NO game singleplayer or MMO that have so much "feeling" in the world, NPCs just don't stand still some move some have interesting conversation you can listen into, some kids playing, cat hunting a rat, there is so much going on that makes the world feel alive.
Never played Witcher 3 eh?
Witcher 3 had so many moments where I just had to stop and take it all in. Sometimes forgetting it was just a game as my attention was completely absorbed into the scenery.
You just dont find eve mission npc surrounded by 100 pirates with an exclamation or heart over their heads...
That is something that bugs me the most about Guild Wars 2. Quests in mmorpgs offer a huge range of activities, but are often criticized for having too many instances of kill x number of mobs over yonder hill, or gather x number of items. GW2 started off criticizing quests and offering reknown hearts instead. Reknown hearts are just the worst types of quests repackaged into hearts icons and filling bars instead of counting numbers. Anet took the worst examples of mmorpg quests and built a game around them!
Fun fact that Renown Hearts were a late addition to GW2 a few months before launch during the first beta tests to guide players who just cluelessly look for stuff to do. Hearts are just handholding places for players who require a more traditional way of questing but they have never been designed to be parts of the dynamic events system. I aggree that adding Hearts was a huge mistake and they made the core event system look dumb for beginners because many of the players still think that doing Hearts is the way of leveling and exploration while originally it's the dynamic event chains that pop on the map should be the only way of doing stuff in the open world. Those tedious Renown Hearts quests just distract new players from the more fun events especially in the late zones where event chains become really long and fun. I always refused to go after Renown Hearts because they were intentionally designed to be similar to traditional quests so I always went for surfing the popping dynamic event chains instead. No wonder I haven't crafted a single Legendary in the past four years because those boring Hearts count towards 100% map completion. I would never advise anyone to do Hearts before lvl80 because completing them is only good for Legendary crafting.
You just dont find eve mission npc surrounded by 100 pirates with an exclamation or heart over their heads...
That is something that bugs me the most about Guild Wars 2. Quests in mmorpgs offer a huge range of activities, but are often criticized for having too many instances of kill x number of mobs over yonder hill, or gather x number of items. GW2 started off criticizing quests and offering reknown hearts instead. Reknown hearts are just the worst types of quests repackaged into hearts icons and filling bars instead of counting numbers. Anet took the worst examples of mmorpg quests and built a game around them!
Fun fact that Renown Hearts were a late addition to GW2 a few months before launch during the first beta tests to guide players who just cluelessly look for stuff to do. Hearts are just handholding places for players who require a more traditional way of questing but they have never been designed to be parts of the dynamic events system. I aggree that adding Hearts was a huge mistake and they made the core event system look dumb for beginners because many of the players still think that doing Hearts is the way of leveling and exploration while originally it's the dynamic event chains that pop on the map should be the only way of doing stuff in the open world. Those tedious Renown Hearts quests just distract new players from the more fun events especially in the late zones where event chains become really long and fun. I always refused to go after Renown Hearts because they were intentionally designed to be similar to traditional quests so I always went for surfing the popping dynamic event chains instead. No wonder I haven't crafted a single Legendary in the past four years because those boring Hearts count towards 100% map completion. I would never advise anyone to do Hearts before lvl80 because completing them is only good for Legendary crafting.
It's even more baffling that the new zones being added revolve around repeatable reknown hearts. I honestly think Anet found a niche audience, who adore repetition and farming, and decided what the hell we'll go forward making a game that wholly caters to it.
Anyone claiming that repeating the same events over and over is boring, probably needs to blame himself...
there are 1000's of events out in the world...
people are complaining all over that current solo experience and questing is way to easy in MMo's, well this one definately breaks with that... if you run around carelessly, you will be punished... if you dont react to the mobs actions, they will reap you...
sure there are different zones, with zoning... but all these zones are unique by themself, have lots of story to tell, trough events but also by voice acting NPC's.
yes, this is a themepark, but on a whole different level then all others...
sadly some people never understood the game, these people are in general the people that dont care for the quallity of the actuall content. This is the perfect themepark with enough stories to immerse everyone in the world, and over the years the story content has become much much better.... also there is a lot of reasons for exploration.... this is the game where everyone interested allways has something to do.... but also the game that removed most of the carrots, they have broken with the typicall gear advancement in other MMO's. And this is hard to grab for many mmo players...
for people interested in lore and story, all the events are a perfect way to tell stories... and most of it is voice acted...
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Not in my opinion, GW2 did do a good job, but far from the most.....look at games like U.O where whole towns were player built and ran, or AA where land mattered and was a commodity.
....Being Banned from MMORPG's forums since 2010, for Trolling the Trolls!!!
Not in my opinion, GW2 did do a good job, but far from the most.....look at games like U.O where whole towns were player built and ran, or AA where land mattered and was a commodity.
I dont think you can compare GW2 to those games..... GW2 is much more themepark and far less open world... by design on purpose... i dont think there are many people that both enjoy AA as well as GW2... and UO, which i really loved, was a very different time....
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Comments
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
You talk about features.
This post is all about character immersion and how these implemented features draw the OP into the world making him feel part of it... Thats immersion... And its not so much the features, but the way they are implemented as a whole...
I agree with the OP and even tough there is much themepark inside this game, i allways feel immersed in the world and the gameplay of this world because i have eye for the little details and stories, the NPC converstations, which are all voiced, and the very interactive combat, where every mistake (even solo) can kill you... atleast in this game it takes some skill to stay alive...
Best thing is that A-net after release definately listened to the community and kept things like hearts away from the new zones... On top of that the stories in the living world and HoT expansions really improved... There is much more reasons to explore in this game then in many other MMO's. Currently there is a new zone every 2 or 3 months, with accompanying story... Which with all the things going on in such a zone is huge..
There is many different kinds of immersion... which to some extend seem to be beyound a huge part of this community while another part of this community gets triggered by it
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Swtor has jump puzzles for datacrons.
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
In my opinion gw2 is a huge step backwards from gw.
X3 series though, NPCs move to different sectors. X3 is an incredibly immersive space MMO. But that is a singleplayer game, and most MMOs have static NPCs.
GW2 is WAY more dynamic and immersive than many MMOs are, including EVE (which is my 3rd favorite MMO). At least in GW2, events happen all around and the game feels dynamic and changing. EVE changes too, but only because of the players, the AI in eve is kinda dumb.
My Skyrim, Fallout 4, Starbound and WoW + other game mods at MODDB:
https://www.moddb.com/mods/skyrim-anime-overhaul
GW2 started off criticizing quests and offering reknown hearts instead. Reknown hearts are just the worst types of quests repackaged into hearts icons and filling bars instead of counting numbers. Anet took the worst examples of mmorpg quests and built a game around them!
The dynamic events weren't dynamic in the least bit and didn't even make a hint of an impact on the game world itself(ie gimmick). It also was already done in warhammer online. The Realm V Realm fiasco was just a horrendous mess of zerging and numbers game.
The cashshop was pushed too much(although the collectibles were pretty neat). End game consisted of farming dynamics to buy your jewelry and gear for your build, so you can go zerg in RvR.
The background detail was pretty cool when you were in a city, but eventually you just run past it after you see it once.
There is a reason why it has such low population player even though it was a B2P title.
MurderHerd
And no I am not interested in stories about your guild and your friends as indication of a dying or a active game. If I was to take these ''stories'' seriously, I would have been convinced by now that League of Legends is a dead game by now seeing how every dissatisfied player who leaves mentions how the game is dead.
Most other MMORPGs have a familiar setting that dates long before the MMO was envisioned. Star Wars, LOTR, D&D, DC comics, Conan, Camelot, Warcraft, Matrix, Star Trek, Elder Scrolls, Ultima, etc.... by default these franchises already have a set in fanbase eager to live their virtual life in that world. As they know that world, it's inhabitants, it's locations, etc... the tone is already set.
GW, EQ, TSW, WS, etc.. have a huge hurdle to clime in that regard, Especially in a themepark sense. Some have done better than others, to put it lightly.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
But the deal breaker for me is (as for with most newer MMO's), is that I feel like a tourist visiting a different world. Your toon doesn't live there, just fights and does chores. So it never felt like my world. That own zone you get doesnt change that.
I have a bad feeling that when/if GW2 goes to Elona it's just going to look so much like generic african/arabian themed stuff... despite the fact that it has been under the rule of an undead lunatic for many generations.
there are 1000's of events out in the world...
people are complaining all over that current solo experience and questing is way to easy in MMo's, well this one definately breaks with that... if you run around carelessly, you will be punished... if you dont react to the mobs actions, they will reap you...
sure there are different zones, with zoning... but all these zones are unique by themself, have lots of story to tell, trough events but also by voice acting NPC's.
yes, this is a themepark, but on a whole different level then all others...
sadly some people never understood the game, these people are in general the people that dont care for the quallity of the actuall content. This is the perfect themepark with enough stories to immerse everyone in the world, and over the years the story content has become much much better.... also there is a lot of reasons for exploration.... this is the game where everyone interested allways has something to do.... but also the game that removed most of the carrots, they have broken with the typicall gear advancement in other MMO's. And this is hard to grab for many mmo players...
for people interested in lore and story, all the events are a perfect way to tell stories... and most of it is voice acted...
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
....Being Banned from MMORPG's forums since 2010, for Trolling the Trolls!!!
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
If you've ever played an MMO with any weight to its combat or with skills that aren't pre-chosen for you, you'll probably just want to stay away.