Guild Wars: Factions Announced

[RainOfTerror]

Already revealed yesterday (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=30955), NCsoft today officially announced Guild Wars: Factions, scheduled for release Q2 2006.

The first Guild Wars expansion offers players an incredible gameplay experience with many new choices, including new regions, professions, skills, missions, and monsters, along with expanded options for both Cooperative and Player-versus-Player (PvP) play, and enhanced features for guilds.

Check more Guild Wars: Factions details (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=30983) over at WorthPlaying.

[wudi]

I love GW, but my main gripe is that there are only two professions that don't use magic in some form or another. The assassin looks like it will remedy that, so count me among the happy.

[Kefkataran]

I wish I could bring myself to care more about GW. I'll probably keep playing it in very infrequent short spurts, though, and maybe pick this up eventually.

[Knite]

I wish I could bring myself to care more about GW. I'll probably keep playing it in very infrequent short spurts, though, and maybe pick this up eventually.

It's boring for people who have no friends.
j/k

I'm looking forward to it personally. I am not all that thrilled playing by myself, but when my buds get on TS I definitely have fun.

[Genital Eclipse]

Oh sweet mother mary, jesus is back.

[sinclair122]

sw00t
(this msg needs to be 10 characters long..)

[devicelimit]

It's boring for people who have no friends.


No, it's just boring.

[NeuroMan42]

Game was MUCH MUCH more fun when it came out the first time...

...Under the name GAUNTLET. ;)

All GW simply is a mesh of Gauntlet and Diablo.

[sinclair122]

It plays very differently than MMO's e.g. WoW, CoH (which I feel GW should not be grouped in the same category), but it also FEELS significantly different. I think it's hella fun; more fun than WoW and CoH. Because I've not had to grind for any part of the game to experience content. It may be boring to those who are more used to "tweak" combat like in WoW.

[Grimgrock]

While I do have the ultimate goal of getting to level 60 in WoW, I play the game for the fun of playing the game. This isn't the most popular way to play the game.

With that introduction, during my short time in GW, I didn't see an ultimate goal in the game. It didn't seem to have a "ultimate end game reward" as can be found elsewhere. This is what eventually led me back to full time WoW.

I do agree that GW should not be considered the same type of game as WoW. The moment you step into the real game world, you and a couple other people are the only human players there. This isn't MMO. This is a LAN game being hosted by remote servers. On the other hand, it isn't quite Diablo or Gauntlet either. It seems to be content in a class all by itself. For those that play and enjoy it, my guess it that this is refreshing when compared to other games that are seem to be more item or goal driven.

[sinclair122]

True, I don't feel that there is an "end game reward" in GW. The fun lies in playing the game itself. The game really stresses grouping and strategy. There is an near limitless combination of play, based on character and team builds; unlike in WoW, where I find that there is only one build for each class (In GW, you can freely re-allocate skill points to the skill that you need/want). I'd say the PvP in GW is equally fast and furious as in other MMO's. But I do have to say that it lacks the immersiveness of WoW or CoH. It's much more like playing a game, than diving into your avatar in a virtual world.

I just want more people to get on and do some PvP as a guild...and Underworld, Furnace of Sorrow stuff as well.

[Rirath]

As I said in the thread of the same topic, I'll buy this and play an Assassin... but I'd be happier if the words "Higher level cap!" or "More skill slots!" appeared. It's all about PvE for me, PVP and guilds barely even register on my radar. -- And yes, that is possible... or so the 90+ hours I've logged says.

I hope the new regions are as open and nice to look at and explore and pre-searing was.

[DrDocker]

I just wish the game kept the christmas theme year round. It just made me so happy

[Kefkataran]

It's boring for people who have no friends.
j/k

:( I wasn't saying it's a bad game by any means, just that I can't get into it. But it's true that I don't have too many friends who play it, so that's probably part of the problem.

[Mason]

While I do have the ultimate goal of getting to level 60 in WoW, I play the game for the fun of playing the game. This isn't the most popular way to play the game.

With that introduction, during my short time in GW, I didn't see an ultimate goal in the game. It didn't seem to have a "ultimate end game reward" as can be found elsewhere. This is what eventually led me back to full time WoW.

GW is way more goal-oriented than WoW. My jaw is currently on the floor that you could somehow miss this.

GW has a fixed number of PvE missions. Finishing those is a primary goal for everyone. It has tons of side content and exploration outside of those missions, but the missions are the core of the game. Compare that to WoW, where there's no progression or core plotline, just a loose directive to do things that give you experience and loot.

The character system in GW is also more goal-oriented. There's a fixed number of skills for you to collect, and once you're level 20 and have the skills that you want you don't have to worry much about your character. You can mess with slightly better equipment, but that's optional. In WoW, you can raid repeatedly or farm faction for weeks to get some equipment that'll be trash by the time the expansion comes out. Nothing "ultimate" about that.

And regarding the endgame, GW's PvP endgame has a constant global tournament. If you and your friends can win it (and keep winning it), you'll have your ultimate endgame reward. Nothing comes close to that in WoW. Farming constantly to get the exact same loot that everyone else has is the exact polar opposite of an "ultimate endgame reward".

Your post suggests that you don't have a level 60 character in WoW, so honestly, you aren't in a great position to comment on its endgame. Getting ubah-loot doing the same raids over and over is way less fun than it sounds, let's just say.

[Knite]

:( I wasn't saying it's a bad game by any means, just that I can't get into it. But it's true that I don't have too many friends who play it, so that's probably part of the problem.


Awww Kef, I meant no harm!
How about a hug? >- :D -<

[Steele Johnson]

I love Guild Wars. This is VERY good news!

IMO, Guild Wars is for people who like mmorpg's but don't have the time to play. :D

I played WoW to level 60 and that had to be the biggest waste of time in my life. I was commited to my guild and just grinded through it. I hope I never play a rock/paper/scissors type game ever again.

edit: and I completely agree with Mason. Unfortunately, you don't really know how bad the end-game is until you get there.

[Kefkataran]

GW is way more goal-oriented than WoW. My jaw is currently on the floor that you could somehow miss this.

I disagree, or at the very least I think it's relative. In both games you have a choice of either running missions, doing PvP content, or lazing about in other ways (of which WoW certainly has more what with crafting, mining, fishing, etc.). What you choose to do is going to choose what your goal is for you. The only major difference is that at the start at least GW forces a certain number of goals on you before you can get into the major playing field. I see where you're coming from, but I don't think it's necessarily true.

I hope I never play a rock/paper/scissors type game ever again.

I'm not sure how WoW qualifies as rock/paper/scissors gameplay any more than GW exactly?

[Grimgrock]

Your post suggests that you don't have a level 60 character in WoW, so honestly, you aren't in a great position to comment on its endgame. Getting ubah-loot doing the same raids over and over is way less fun than it sounds, let's just say.


You are correct. I don't have a level 60 character. My highest level character is 44. I did play GW though. I think the biggest difference I see is that everyone is doing the same story so if I do it or not, it doesn't matter. It doesn't make any difference. Your game experience isn't affected by my not doing the main quests.

So because this is true, I choose to play WoW where this is equally true. A game that doesn't require a group to succeed.

As for PvP, I am horrible at it. I have been to the battlegrounds a few times and Alliance has not won a single match. Both Warsong Gulch and one other whose name escapes me.

I think it all comes down to personal choice.

[score]

I haven't started up up Guild Wars in ages. I loved it and played it constantly to begin with. I didn't think I'd ever get tired. Once I hit lvl20 I felt my interest wain but I kept plugging away. Then I got to Thunderhead Keep.