The blog entry gives us a high-level overview of the creation of a game map from prototype to finished product, and Fries says that environment artists were involved very early in the process (usually just after a level designer finished up with an initial three-dimensional sketch). We're also let in on the fact that ANet typically uses two environment artists working in tandem on a particular map, the better to shoulder the significant workload inherent in filling the landscape with minutiae.
Finally, we get a bit of a tease as to why location and location art matters, as Fries alludes to the history of Tyria and the continuity from the original game to the sequel. "Players who enjoyed the lore of Guild Wars will find plenty of relics from our game's history in the landscape of Guild Wars 2, sometimes tucked into surprising places," he says.
