Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[ArenaNet releases third Guild Wars 2 sound design dev diary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/arenanet-releases-third-guild-wars-2-sound-design-dev-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/arenanet-releases-third-guild-wars-2-sound-design-dev-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/arenanet-releases-third-guild-wars-2-sound-design-dev-diary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

ArenaNet's third and final Guild Wars 2 sound design dev diary is live without a net on the company's official blog, and today's installment comes through with an interesting conclusion to the sonically inspired trilogy.

The piece is clearly written by and for sound geeks, and we mean that in the nicest possible way (as some of the terminology left us scratching our heads). Lead sound designer Drew Cady and sound engineer Robert Gay are our guides to everything from voice processing, to mastering, to parallel processing. We're not sure what the heck any of that means either, but we're confident you'll get it if you go read the blog right now.

If you're in a rush, the long and short of it is that ArenaNet is spending a lot of time, effort, and money on Guild Wars 2's sound design. Though gaming soundtracks are often drowned out by custom playlists and voice chat, Tyria's soundscape is shaping up to be one worth hearing.

MassivelyArenaNet releases third Guild Wars 2 sound design dev diary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena-netarena.netarenanetdev-blogdev-diarydrew-cadyfantasygeek-speakguild-wars-2gw2robert-gaysound-engineersoundscapesoundtracktech-talktyriaThu, 04 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet revealing Guild Wars 2 PvP and customization at Gamescom]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/29/arenanet-revealing-guild-wars-2-pvp-and-customization-at-gamesco/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/29/arenanet-revealing-guild-wars-2-pvp-and-customization-at-gamesco/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/29/arenanet-revealing-guild-wars-2-pvp-and-customization-at-gamesco/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Europe's largest game expo is getting ready for plenty of Guild Wars 2 goodness, as ArenaNet will be bringing its highly anticipated fantasy MMO to the Cologne convention that runs from August 17th to August 21st.

In a new post on the company blog, Martin Kerstein gives us an idea of what we can expect from the NCsoft demo booth. The playable GW2 build will include all seven professions revealed thus far, the complete Charr starter experience, and a mid-level demo featuring powerful Orrian enemies (and Sylvari and Asura playable characters).

Last but not least, gamers will finally get their hands on Guild Wars 2's character customization system as well as its PvP component. Hands-on PvP experiences will be available, and players can also watch exhibition matches between developers and select European players.

MassivelyArenaNet revealing Guild Wars 2 PvP and customization at Gamescom originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena-netarena.netarenanetasuracharacter-customizationcharrcharr-starter-experiencedemoseventsfantasygamescomgamescom-2011guild-wars-2gw2martin-kersteinncsoftplayable-demoprofessionspvpreal-world-eventstyriaFri, 29 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet talks Guild Wars 2 environment art]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/arenanet-talks-guild-wars-2-environment-art/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/arenanet-talks-guild-wars-2-environment-art/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/arenanet-talks-guild-wars-2-environment-art/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There's a new Guild Wars 2 dev blog loose on the interwebs, and ArenaNet's Peter Fries has lots to say about the upcoming sequel's environment art. Fries paints a pretty picture of the game's locations, both literally and in the mind's eye of folks excited about ANet's decision to make Tyria more of an open world. "In the original Guild Wars, a map artist could cheat in places they knew a player could never reach, using unbacked facades or hollow props, but there are few parts of this game world that are inaccessible," Fries notes.

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.

MassivelyArenaNet talks Guild Wars 2 environment art originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarena.netarenanetartdesigndetailsdev-blogdev-diaryenvironmental-artfantasygame-designguild-wars-2gw2location-artloremap-designncsoftopen-worldpeter-friestyriaWed, 27 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How NCsoft should have done their layoffs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/how-ncsoft-should-have-done-their-layoffs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/how-ncsoft-should-have-done-their-layoffs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/how-ncsoft-should-have-done-their-layoffs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Adam Martin is no stranger to NCsoft or the game industry. We've already covered both his look into the failure of Tabula Rasa from his position at NCsoft, as well as his advice on how to approach customer service. His current topic, however, is a bit more edgy than usual.

Adam takes a crack at the NCsoft layoffs, not only saying they were expected but also going further by giving advice on how to properly lay off employees and departments. He makes the point that the company is simultaneously doing two things: both cleaning up the mess of a partial layoff in the development department in the European offices and transitioning the company into the hands of Arena.net veterans rather than Destination Games/Origin Systems veterans.

It may be a harsh situation, but Adam's post brings up many good points on how the whole thing could have been handled more effectively from a business stand-point. Check out his entire article over at his blog, T=Machine.

MassivelyHow NCsoft should have done their layoffs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-martinarena.netdestination-gamesnc-europencsoftncsoft-layoffsncwestorigin-systemsrichard-garriottrobert-garriottt-machineThu, 12 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively.com giveaway: Guild Wars-themed Razer mouse]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/07/massively-com-giveaway-guild-wars-themed-razer-mouse/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/07/massively-com-giveaway-guild-wars-themed-razer-mouse/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/07/massively-com-giveaway-guild-wars-themed-razer-mouse/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We're going to wrap up our long, long week of MMO giveaways with a doozy! This is the last giveaway of the week, and it comes from our good friends at Razer! You may recall they helped us out with a giveaway for two mousepads a few weeks ago. They were nice enough to dig through their stores when we mentioned how much we admire the Guild Wars DeathAdder - and they found one of these rare beauties still in the box! We can now turn to you, the Massively community, and give this sucker away. The Guild Wars-branded DeathAdder retails for $69.99, but this thing just doesn't get sold anymore!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment here on the post, but this contest is special one. We want to hear from you, Massively readers, and we want to hear the good stuff! What do you like about Massively.com? The mix of content, individual games we cover, particular columns, writers that you particularly enjoy ... maybe even our little podcast? Let us know in the comments and you'll be entered to win!

You'll need to comment before 7:00 AM EST Sunday, November 9th. You can only enter once per person, and after the contest closes we'll ship out the prize to one randomly-selected winner. Give us at least a week to ship out this massive pile of swag, though. To win you must be age 18 or up and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). For full eligibility details, we suggest you read our official rules. Good luck! And thanks for playing along all week as Massively celebrated its first birthday!

MassivelyMassively.com giveaway: Guild Wars-themed Razer mouse originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netfeaturedguild-warsmassively-giveawaysrazerFri, 07 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively.com giveaway: Guild Wars Arena Champion prize packs ]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/03/massively-com-giveaway-guild-wars-arena-champion-prize-packs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/03/massively-com-giveaway-guild-wars-arena-champion-prize-packs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/03/massively-com-giveaway-guild-wars-arena-champion-prize-packs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Most of us here at Massively can't get enough of Arena.net's Guild Wars. It's gorgeous looking, well-designed, tons of fun to play ... and very, very free to play. So we're thrilled to be able to offer five lucky winners prize packs full of Guild Wars goodness! Each of the 5 packs contains: 1 Guild Wars boxed copy (retail $29.99), 1 Guild Wars 'Shield Bash' pin, 1 Guild Wars T-shirt, and 1 'The Art of Guild Wars' hardcover book (retail $29.99)! Total estimated retail price: $80. We have a couple of different boxes to hand out, just to clarify. We've got one Factions box, one Nightfall box, and three Guild Wars: Game of the Year edition boxes. If you're picked as a winner, one will be randomly assigned to you.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post! In honor of Arena.net's warped sense of humor, we want you to tell us what your favorite movie quote of all time is! This blogger tends to like the short-and-pithy "Dodge This" from the Matrix, but yours can be longer if you'd like. Just keep it clean! You'll need to comment before 7:00 AM EST Wednesday, November 5th. You can only enter once per person, and after the contest closes we'll ship out these fantastic prizes to 5 randomly-selected winners. Give us at least a week to ship out this massive pile of swag. To win you must be age 18 or up and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). For full eligibility details, we suggest you read our official rules. Good luck!

MassivelyMassively.com giveaway: Guild Wars Arena Champion prize packs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetfeaturedguild-warsgwmassively-giveawaysncsoftMon, 03 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Dragon Festival returns to Guild Wars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/dragon-festival-returns-to-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/dragon-festival-returns-to-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/dragon-festival-returns-to-guild-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The 2008 edition of the annual Guild Wars Dragon Festival is set to kick off starting next Thursday, July 3rd. The events, prizes, and loot drops are set to run through the evening of Sunday, July 6th PST. Every year the Canthans (the culture from Guild Wars: Factions) celebrates a festival of fireworks, mini-games, and fantastic prizes. Every year the Canthans hand out a terrifying Demon mask, and this is your chance to win the 2008 variety. You can catch it on the right, on a fearsome warrior's visage.

How do you get that mask? Glad you asked! Victory tokens are available for successfully completing the aforementioned mini-games, and you'll need 250 of those bad boys in order to claim the mask. Head over to the Shing Jea Boardwalk to play the games, try out the new missions (new ones every day), and be sure to be there on the final day of the Festival for Emperor Kisu's proclamation and mask distribution. Happy Dragon Fest!

MassivelyThe Dragon Festival returns to Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netdragon-festivalguild-warsgwin-game-eventSat, 28 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Upcoming changes to GW's Hall of Monuments]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/upcoming-changes-to-gws-hall-of-monuments/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/upcoming-changes-to-gws-hall-of-monuments/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/upcoming-changes-to-gws-hall-of-monuments/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


According to a recent Guild Wars developer update, the Hall of Monuments is getting some much-needed love in preparation for the upcoming sequel: Guild Wars 2. While there is no definite date for these changes, they've been detailed in this update so players know what to expect.

The Hall of Monuments accomplishments will be viewable by character or by account, but as far as how they will transfer from GW1 to GW2, that will be account-wide. This means all HoM accomplishments for any character on that account will be available to every GW2 character on that account. Plus, after plenty of concern from players, the Tormented weapons will finally be available in the HoM. This not only gives players the option to display these Tormented weapons, but also allows them to be unlocked in GW2. ArenaNet plans to provide more information regarding the exact rewards available to the Hall of Monuments once we get closer to a GW2 release date.

MassivelyUpcoming changes to GW's Hall of Monuments originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetdev-blogguild-warsguild-wars-2hall-of-monumentsncsofttormented-weaponsWed, 25 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars named in Top 50 games list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/guild-wars-named-in-top-50-games-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/guild-wars-named-in-top-50-games-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/guild-wars-named-in-top-50-games-list/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Over at 411mania.com, the staff there are working on each of their own lists compiling the top 50 games of all time. In this most current edition, The Checkpoint's John Curry gives us his own list. To our delight, Guild Wars is on this list, although almost right smack dab in the middle. To be fair though, it is the only MMO listed among a mountain of single-player and console games. In fact, the honor for Guild Wars seems more prestigious once you see just how "of all time" this list actually gets. Oregon Trail ftw!

Granted, this list is a personal opinion, put forth by one man, but we found it entertaining nonetheless. What may be even more entertaining though is the mountain of comments following his post. As with any opinion piece, those making comments love to not only tell him his opinion is wrong, but spread their own opinions everywhere. It makes for an interesting read.

MassivelyGuild Wars named in Top 50 games list originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>411maniaarena.netarenanetguild-warsncsofttop-50Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars support just got a whole lot more comprehensive]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/guild-wars-support-just-got-a-whole-lot-more-comprehensive/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/guild-wars-support-just-got-a-whole-lot-more-comprehensive/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/guild-wars-support-just-got-a-whole-lot-more-comprehensive/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Aside from the normal bug fixes in this most recent game update to Guild Wars, we get introduced to the new "Test My Computer" option. This feature appears on the login screen where you can click the link, launching a diagnostic test that measures a few helpful specifications of your machine including adapter settings, network connections, server connectivity and DirectX diagnostics. Completing this test will open a text file containing the results you'll need to help diagnose connection and playability problems you may be having with the game. This aids the support team in resolving your support problems more quickly.

In addition, a few miscellaneous changes to the game with this update include some minor crafting tweaks. The sale value of the Tempered Glass Vials have now been adjusted to match their crafting cost of 20 gold. Also, the elusive Clay Bricks have been removed from all material crafter inventories. Previously, these items were impossible to craft, because of the fact that one of the crafting components, the Brick of Mud had no known source. Maybe we'll see their return in Guild Wars 2?

MassivelyGuild Wars support just got a whole lot more comprehensive originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetguild-warssupportupdateSat, 31 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The PvP future of Guild Wars explored]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/the-pvp-future-of-guild-wars-explored/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/the-pvp-future-of-guild-wars-explored/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/the-pvp-future-of-guild-wars-explored/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Over at Massively's sister site Big Download, the PvE vs. PvP column is exploring the future of Guild Wars' Player vs. Player elements. Talking to game designer Isaiah Cartwright, the site offers up a bevy of questions on the current and future game's signature arena-style combat. The designer touches on the interesting question of game balance when it comes to balancing the needs of one type of player over the other.

Cartwright as much as admits that the challenge of keeping skills balanced for both sides of the coin is a daunting challenge. In the future, they might even completely separate out the mechanics for these game components. A skill might do one thing in PvE, for example, and another in PvP. That would be for future projects, though: Arena.net's focus on Guild Wars is on maintaining the game's quality, not shaking things up. Other subjects of conversation include the impact of the skill unlock packs, the introduction of 'casual' PvP with Factions, and the possibility of tools for player-run tourneys in the future. Be sure to check it out for context on one of the most unique MMOs on the marketplace.

MassivelyThe PvP future of Guild Wars explored originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netguild-warsgwisaiah-cartwrightpvepvpTue, 20 May 2008 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[New Guild Wars Zaishen rewards announced]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/new-guild-wars-zaishen-rewards-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/new-guild-wars-zaishen-rewards-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/new-guild-wars-zaishen-rewards-announced/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Now that the April 2008 Zaishen Tournament is over, commemorating the third anniversary of ArenaNet's Guild Wars, we look forward to a completely revamped tournament system with new rewards, in-game prizes, items and a shiny new Zaishen title track.

The way this new system works, whenever you use a Zaishen Key on a Zaishen Chest, you get 5 Zaishen Reputation Points which accumulate towards this new title track. Each rank of this title track, from 1 to 12, has its own unique name. In addition, you'll receive infinite-use Transmogrifier Tonics that will change for each month of the tournament, and special rank emotes which will be progressively more impressive the higher they get from rank 1 to rank 7. Be sure to check out the Guild Wars website for complete information on these rewards and a video of the rank 7 emote in action!

MassivelyNew Guild Wars Zaishen rewards announced originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetguild-warsncsoftpvprewardszaishenzaishen-tournamentFri, 09 May 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars: A guide to Pre-Searing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/guild-wars-a-guide-to-pre-searing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/guild-wars-a-guide-to-pre-searing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/guild-wars-a-guide-to-pre-searing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The last day dawns on the Kingdom of Ascalon. It arrives with no fanfare, no tolling of alarms. Those who will remember, will speak fondly of the warm morning breeze. People carry on with their daily lives, unaware that in a short while... everything they have ever known will come to an end.

This is the opening dialogue for the original Guild Wars, directly after you initially create your character in Prophecies. It lets us know that the beauty we are about to experience in what is known as "Pre-Searing Ascalon" will only be temporary.

The name "Pre-Searing" comes from the fact that everything in this tutorial area of GW:Prophecies occurs before the Searing, when the evil Charr burned the lands of Ascalon to the ground. Because of the fact that it precedes the rest of the storyline by two years, the area cannot be accessed again once you leave. For this reason, you will find many players who remain in the Pre-Searing area permanently, as a roleplaying homage to their original homeland and its preservation. In fact, this starter area has had such an impact on players that an entire fan-based community has been created around it.

Continue reading Guild Wars: A guide to Pre-Searing

MassivelyGuild Wars: A guide to Pre-Searing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetfeaturedgalleryguild-warsncsoftpre-searingpropheciesWed, 30 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars third year anniversary retrospective: Nightfall and Eye of the North]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/guild-wars-third-year-anniversary-retrospective-nightfall-and-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/guild-wars-third-year-anniversary-retrospective-nightfall-and-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/guild-wars-third-year-anniversary-retrospective-nightfall-and-e/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Guild Wars began life as an unknown; an experiment into combining some of the best elements of Diablo 2-style online hack and slash with the persistent storytelling of traditional MMOs. Its first two years were wildly successful, despite the reservations of veteran players. With several million boxes sold and expectations high, Guild Wars' second year of live service had already begun with a bang. Guild Wars: Factions released to much fanfare, but didn't deliver on all the notes fans of the original Prophecies campaign were hoping for.

In October 2006 Arena.net answered those expectations with a brand-new campaign, still lauded to this day as the greatest addition to the series. Guild Wars: Nightfall introduced yet another entirely original campaign setting. It also added the Hero mechanic into the game, allowing players the opportunity to level up their fully customizable NPC allies. Capitalizing on the momentum of that release, the series' first real expansion was unveiled for players in August of 2007. Last year's Guild Wars: Eye of the North added a bevy of new ways to play the game, and paved the way for the upcoming Guild Wars 2.

Today, in honor of Guild Wars' third birthday, we've got a retrospective on the two most recent explorations of the original game concept. We'll offer up some imagery from the past, reflect on how the game is today, and look ahead to the future of the series. Click on through to explore the history of Guild Wars, and don't miss our other retrospective on the first two boxes in the series!

Gallery: Guild Wars Three-Year Anniversary: Nightfall and Eye of the North

Tribal HeadsThe TempleSwamp SummoningAbaddon's DeathKoss Goes to Work

MassivelyGuild Wars third year anniversary retrospective: Nightfall and Eye of the North originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryarena.neteye-of-the-northfeaturedguild-warsgwgwenjoystiqfeaturesncsoftnightfallMon, 28 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars third year anniversary retrospective: Prophecies and Factions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/guild-wars-third-year-anniversary-retrospective-prophecies-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/guild-wars-third-year-anniversary-retrospective-prophecies-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/guild-wars-third-year-anniversary-retrospective-prophecies-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


You've come a long way, baby. This weekend marks the third anniversary of the retail launch of ArenaNet's Guild Wars, and as we reported earlier, they're celebrating it in style. So we thought we'd take a visual look back at the game, how far it's progressed since April 28th, 2005 and where it stands today.

The original Guild Wars, now known as Chapter 1: Prophecies, is where the game's heart and soul lies. The core skills and classes originated here, but over time, we've seen many changes to the primary land of Tyria. Does anyone remember the original campfire log-in screen? Or the non-refundable attribute points? How about life before Sorrow's Furnace? Can you tell us where the first Hall of Heroes was? These were all additions and improvements made to Guild Wars, along with many others throughout the course of the game's life.

Gallery: Guild Wars Three-Year Anniversary: Prophecies and Factions

Post-Searing AscalonSardelac SanitariumFrost GateThe Wizard's TowerWelcome to the Jungle

Continue reading Guild Wars third year anniversary retrospective: Prophecies and Factions

MassivelyGuild Wars third year anniversary retrospective: Prophecies and Factions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryarena.netfactionsfeaturedgalleryguild-warsncsoftpropheciesMon, 28 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A brief chat with Guild Wars' chief art director]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/27/a-brief-chat-with-guild-wars-chief-art-director/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/27/a-brief-chat-with-guild-wars-chief-art-director/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/27/a-brief-chat-with-guild-wars-chief-art-director/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While Guild Wars has some detractors ("it's not a real MMO", they say) there are a few incontrovertible facts about the game. It's free, it's fast, and it's absolutely gorgeous. The beautiful imagery that we get to enjoy in Arena.net's Tyria stems first and formost from the fabulous art used the series; graphical trickery isn't behind those amazing screenshots. We can blame that fantastic imagery, then, on Guild Wars' art director, Daniel Dociu. Dociu is the subject of a recent interview with the arts and architecture site BLDG BLOG. The site's Geoff Manaugh sat down with the artist for a chat about his work, including his inspirations, background, and how the art informs the game.

Daniel offers, interestingly, that he makes it a point to draw his inspiration from anywhere but videogames. The broad input he gets ("we need a castle here") allows him the opportunity to draw from all kinds of different places when doing his work. He states that he primarily draws from architecture, though he's reluctant to shoose any one style or era. "Rather, I just sort of store in my memory everything that has ever made an impression on me, and I let it simmer there and blend with everything else. Eventually some things will resurface and come back, depending on the particular assignment I'm working on." Click through to the article to read the interview or to see more of Daniel's amazing work. If you're intrigued, more of this style of art is available in this Flickr feed or via our recent discussion of Guild Wars' art.

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

MassivelyA brief chat with Guild Wars' chief art director originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netartdaniel-dociuguild-warsncsoftSun, 27 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars celebrates its third birthday!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/25/guild-wars-celebrates-its-third-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/25/guild-wars-celebrates-its-third-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/25/guild-wars-celebrates-its-third-birthday/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yesterday MMO newcomer Lord of the Rings Online celebrated its first birthday with celebrations and a brand-new patch. This weekend Guild Wars is celebrating its third tumble around the Sun, and they have the festivities to show it! Fireworks are now lighting up the sky, and birthday cupcakes are dropping from world monsters. Starting at noon Pacific time today, the Shing Jea boardwalk will be open for business. If you're a looking for a little Rollerbeetle Racing or Dragon Arena, they can help you out with that too. Just head to Lion's Arch, Shing Jea Monastery, Kamadan, or the Great Temple of Balthazar. The festivities should be going on all weekend.

Then, starting at 12:01 am pacific time on Monday, adventurers will begin to see their third anniversary mini-pets (like the handsome lion right) show up in their inventory. These pets only show up on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd anniversary of your character's creation, so you may have to wait a while depending on when you rolled your handsome ranger or saucy elementalist. Make sure to have fun a the party, and I hope you get a good drop for your birthday!

MassivelyGuild Wars celebrates its third birthday! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryarena.netguild-warsgwin-game-eventFri, 25 Apr 2008 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Welcome ArenaNet's newest Community Manager]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/welcome-arenanets-newest-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/welcome-arenanets-newest-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/welcome-arenanets-newest-community-manager/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In what seems a continuing stream of Guild Wars community news coverage by us in the past week, we have yet another tidbit concerning their newest Community Manager. Regina Buenaobra has taken the reins over at ArenaNet, after Gaile Gray was promoted within the company earlier this week.

Regina, also known as Brinstar over at her blog Acid for Blood, has been blogging about Guild Wars and other games for several years now. Before this recent move, she was the Community Manager for Xfire, so she does have experience in this context. She lists her main character as a Necromancer/Mesmer, which certainly gets her some cool points in our book. We wish her all the best in her new position and her new move from California to Washington.

MassivelyWelcome ArenaNet's newest Community Manager originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetcommunityguild-warsxfireTue, 08 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second ArenaNet community personnel move in a week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/03/second-arenanet-community-personnel-move-in-a-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/03/second-arenanet-community-personnel-move-in-a-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/03/second-arenanet-community-personnel-move-in-a-week/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As we originally reported yesterday, it seems ArenaNet's community team is going through even more changes with the recent announcement that Andrew Patrick is changing roles as well. As with his predecessor Gaile Gray, Andrew will be remaining with ArenaNet, but moving onto a QA position in hopes of furthering his knowledge of the gaming industry from within, and getting more directly involved with the development team.

Many Guild Wars PvP players know Andrew from his involvement with everything from high-profile tournaments to the casual GvG. Some had speculated that he would be the one taking Gaile's place as Community Relations Manager, but this latest news certainly throws a monkeywrench in that idea. We think our next concern is who will fill their shoes? They're certainly going to be large shoes to fill.

MassivelySecond ArenaNet community personnel move in a week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetcommunityguild-warsncsoftpvpThu, 03 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Eight Guild Wars artists honored for their work]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/eight-guild-wars-artists-honored-for-their-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/eight-guild-wars-artists-honored-for-their-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/eight-guild-wars-artists-honored-for-their-work/#commentsFiled under: , ,


When you think of Guild Wars, what comes to mind first? No, besides the lack of a monthly fee. No no, besides the instanced world. Why, it's the game's sheer beauty, of course! The Spectrum 15 Artist List, an annual showcase of the best fantasy, science fiction, and horror artwork created each year, recently recognized eight ArenaNet artists for their incredible work on Guild Wars. The ArenaNet artists honored on this list are Jaime Jones, Richard Anderson, Matthew Barrett, Daniel Dociu, Jason Juan, Kekai Kotaki, Jason Stokes, and Doug Williams.

We can all agree that these wonderful artists are deserving of such accolades, but consider the impact they will have on future generations of artists. In an era of computer graphics getting easier and easier to create, replicate, and manipulate, it's inspiring to know that we have a way to honor such genuine talent in the gaming industry.

MassivelyEight Guild Wars artists honored for their work originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetartartistsguild-warsspectrumTue, 25 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Arena.net lays out Guild Wars RMT policy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/arena-net-lays-out-guild-wars-rmt-policy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/arena-net-lays-out-guild-wars-rmt-policy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/arena-net-lays-out-guild-wars-rmt-policy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Though the Guild Wars terms of service have never allowed players to trade in-game currency for real money, this past week Arena.net laid out - in no uncertain terms - what they think of the practice. Their anti-RMT policy is extremely harshly worded, going so far as to use the phrase 'illegal' to describe these third-party transactions. The policy clarifies why they feel this hard-line approach is required, and details some of the steps they use to address the problem. Apparently the company bans some 5,000 accounts a week over this issue, and claim to have GMs monitoring the issue 24 hours a day.

The PlayNoEvil Game Security blog clarifies an issue we have with the statement: by definition this practice is not illegal. It's against the game's EULA, to be sure, but Arena.net and other game developers are not (that I'm aware of) empowered to sway the American justice system. While we certainly find the idea of buying gold a bit strange, throwing around words like 'illegal' is a poor idea. They also insinuate that gold farmers (as a rule) are installing keyloggers and hacking accounts. While obviously that's the case in some circumstances, we tend to think that's a pretty broad brush to pain that group with. That's a question for you: do you consider the actions of gold farmers actively illegal? Should they be?

MassivelyArena.net lays out Guild Wars RMT policy originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netgold-farmingguild-warsgwrmtMon, 24 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Frontline tactics and the midline shutdown in Guild Wars PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/frontline-tactics-and-the-midline-shutdown-in-guild-wars-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/frontline-tactics-and-the-midline-shutdown-in-guild-wars-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/frontline-tactics-and-the-midline-shutdown-in-guild-wars-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Arena.net's Guild Wars has a rich and satisfying Player vs. Environment experience, but the Player vs. Player component of the game is really the title's core. The official game site regularly releases what they call 'State of the Game' articles; snapshots of the game's play experience at the time the article is written. Their most recent articles are all about thinking tactically in the game's PvP arenas.

A post from early this year concerns frontline coordination, giving hints for ways in which Warriors and other melee classes can keep the pointy end of the sword pointed in the right direction. Their two more recent articles are about a subject they call 'the Midline shutdown'. If the frontline keeps the opponents occupied and the back row keeps the party alive, it's the job of the midline to keep the other party disrupted and ineffective. They have suggestions on how to accomplish this task with a Ranger (with skirmishing and condition spam). They also explore shutdown possibilities with a Mesmer, a possibility that I imagine most PvP teams find a bit disconcerting.

MassivelyFrontline tactics and the midline shutdown in Guild Wars PvP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netguild-warsgwmidline-shutdownpvprangersstate-of-the-gameWed, 12 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars tops 5 million sold]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/guild-wars-tops-5-million-sold/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/guild-wars-tops-5-million-sold/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/guild-wars-tops-5-million-sold/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

A bit behind the times with this, but better late than never: Guild Wars cracked five million boxes sold late last month! NCsoft is (understandably) pleased, and there's a lot of crowing in the official press release. That number includes every box in the whole franchise, of course, so that's spread out across Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall, and Eye of the North.

That's a pretty outstanding achievement, with the game having originally launched back in April of 2005. Back in the day, just after World of Warcraft had launched, the idea of a US publisher succeeding with a game that didn't require a subscription was considering crazy talk. With Guild Wars 2 already in the works and now five million units of the original out and about in the world, I'd say that kind of talk is now quite debunked.

While it doesn't look like there's any sort of in-game celebration going on, the site has a few details for other community-type things. The February Championship series results are in, if you care about that sort of thing. They're also running a contest right now, if you have an eye for design, looking to get players making brand-new weapons for inclusion in the game. The weapons from the 2007 design-a-weapon contest are fantastic, so good luck to any budding artists out there.

Gallery: Guild Wars Core Gallery

MassivelyGuild Wars tops 5 million sold originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netbreakingeye-of-the-northfactionsfive-millionguild-warsgwncsoftnightfallpropheciessales-numbersWed, 05 Mar 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars' version of Chinese New Year starts Friday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/guild-wars-version-of-chinese-new-year-starts-friday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/guild-wars-version-of-chinese-new-year-starts-friday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/guild-wars-version-of-chinese-new-year-starts-friday/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The beautiful continent of Cantha celebrates the Guild Wars New Year in style. The 2008 celebration begins tomorrow at noon PST, ending at the same time on Monday the 11th. The main food-packed celebration happens in the Shing Jea Monastery, with smaller celebrations taking place at Kamadan and Lion's Arch. Freebie goodies given out at the festival includes plenty of fireworks, bean cakes, champagne, and (if your fortune augurs well) perhaps even a new mini-pet.

Festival events include ensuring that fireworks supplies are kept up, access to the Shing Jea Boardwalk for games of fortune, the annual Rollerbeetle Racing Arena, and a cooking competition. A brand new patch dropped yesterday to support the holiday, along with new the 'Party Animal' Title track and numerous class skill balances. If you're interested in participating, make sure to stop into the party on Sunday; the Celestial Rat will be showing up every three hours to hand out some great holiday bennies.

MassivelyGuild Wars' version of Chinese New Year starts Friday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netcanthan-new-yearchinese-new-yearguild-warsgwThu, 07 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bug Zapper: Star Wars Galaxies, Guild Wars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/bug-zapper-star-wars-galaxies-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/bug-zapper-star-wars-galaxies-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/bug-zapper-star-wars-galaxies-guild-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The zapper has claimed a few more victims in the Galaxy Far, Far, Away and ... does Arena.net have an all-encompassing name for the Guild Wars world? I know the continents are named Tyria, Elona, and Cantha, but does the planet have a name?

In any case, patch notes have come down for both games, adding minor tweaks to recent gameplay additions for both games. Star Wars Galaxies patch 8.1 puts the first touches and corrections on the recent Chapter 8 update, ironing out some troubles with the new ships and smoothing out some collection issues.

The Guild Wars patch primarily addresses some poor choices AIs were using when using certain Hero skills. They also updated Automated Tournament map rotations, fixed an art glitch with some male armor, and correctly equipped some wayward mobs: "Charr Bladestorms found in Guild Wars: Eye of the North now wield swords instead of axes to match their equipped skills." It must have been embarrassing for those Bladestorms to go around trying to use skills like Hundred Blades and Gash to no effect ...

MassivelyBug Zapper: Star Wars Galaxies, Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netbug-bombguild-warsgwpatchsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesswgFri, 01 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How Arena.net developed the Guild Wars Mission Pack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/how-arena-net-developed-the-guild-wars-mission-pack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/how-arena-net-developed-the-guild-wars-mission-pack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/how-arena-net-developed-the-guild-wars-mission-pack/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Yesterday we discussed the official commercial release of the Guild Wars bonus mission pack. It's been available for certain players since November, but now anyone can snag it for about ten bucks from the NCsoft online story. The pack pits players against some of the most well-known foes in Arena.net's gameworld, like the intimidating Charr above.

But how did they make the missions? The official Guild Wars site has up interviews with several of the developers, exploring the process behind this latest addition to the game. Lead designer Colin Johanson explains how the pack fits into the game's fiction, what a player who purchases the pack will find himself doing, and the challenges of working on the current game while working on Guild Wars 2 at the same time.

Their second interview sees fellow designers John Stumme and Linsey Murdock joining Johanson to talk a bit about their past experiences on the Arena.net team, as well as the process of actually creating components of the bonus pack. Johanson in particular enjoyed how the team could focus on story in this special contend update: "In a major Guild Wars release, the focus is on the players' characters-the things they do that shape the world around them, and their adventures. With these missions, we could tell more of the story of the world itself by showing the deeds of those who had come before.'

MassivelyHow Arena.net developed the Guild Wars Mission Pack originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netbonus-mission-packexpansionguild-warsguild-wars-2gwmission-packWed, 30 Jan 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A look behind the art of Guild Wars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/a-look-behind-the-art-of-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/a-look-behind-the-art-of-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/a-look-behind-the-art-of-guild-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Guild Wars art is beautiful. When we were doing our site launch giveaways, the giveaway post for a concept art print was one of the most heavily commented - you folks like their art as much as I do. So you might be interested in an interview over on the CVG/ PC Gamer site with Daniel Dociu, the art director for the series of best selling online games.

In the piece, he discusses the innumerable challenges that Arena.net artists have faced in creating the games. The sheer scope of the world and the numerous cultural influences to synthesize were things I expected, but he also notes the important role that art plays in spurring on the writers and designers. As he puts it, "The way that I personally like to work, and the way things oftentimes work out, is that I throw out ideas and propose a possible context that these ideas could work in - a seed for the storywriters to consider."

You can also read about his 'role' in a highly notable offline game, Half-Life 2. Dociu, you see, is the visual template for Father Grigori of Ravenholm fame. "Be free, my children!"

I had the chance to see a copious amount of concept art for the Arena stable of games when I visited their offices last year. It was amazing to see the way they treated these precious works; the original data is all on a PC, of course, so printouts were what they used for reference and sorting. Their methodology for doing this was distinctly low-tech: they taped them up to the wall. As 3D artists came back over the concept folks' work, they'd just toss the printouts on the ground to indicate they were done. What was left behind was a drift of paper, each page featuring an image worthy of framing in a gaming household.

Luckily, you can sample some of that beauty online. Arena's artists are frequent contributors to the ConceptArt.org Forums, and received permission after Factions, Nightfall, and Eye of the North to post their beautiful works. Make sure you especially check out the GWEN stuff - amazing!

MassivelyA look behind the art of Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netconcept-artdaniel-dociuguild-warsgwThu, 17 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMORPG.com's Eye of the North review highlights player discontent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/mmorpg-coms-eye-of-the-north-review-makes-excellent-points/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/mmorpg-coms-eye-of-the-north-review-makes-excellent-points/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/mmorpg-coms-eye-of-the-north-review-makes-excellent-points/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,


A review was recently posted at the MMORPG.com site for Arena.net's latest Guild Wars release, Eye of the North. While I personally have been enjoying some of the new content in the expansion (and the Wintersday event) there are definitely some concerns among the players about the Eye. Beyond reviewing the game, Jeremy Star's piece does a great job of running down some of the biggest issues I've heard in discussions with other players.

He specifically calls out Arena on the biggest problem with Eye of the North: that many players don't think this is an adequate stopgap between late 2007 and whenever Guild Wars 2 will be released ... but the whole experience teases the in-development title. Asura, Norn, Dwarves, and Charr are all over the North, but none of them are playable. The Hall of Monuments is a big deal with bonuses you'll get to use at some point in the indeterminate future. The expansion sounds and looks great, but it's just not up to the standards of previous releases (especially Nightfall).

With this release and the closing of GuildCast, are these dire signs for Arena's game? Are players going to maintain interest in Guild Wars until the spiritual sequel goes live?

MassivelyMMORPG.com's Eye of the North review highlights player discontent originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.neteye-of-the-northguild-warsguild-wars-2guildcastgwmmorpg.comopinionreviewFri, 28 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars Wintersday 2007 Gallery]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/24/guild-wars-wintersday-2007-gallery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/24/guild-wars-wintersday-2007-gallery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/24/guild-wars-wintersday-2007-gallery/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


It's Christmas Eve, and if you've got nothing better to do there are two warring factions in the world of Guild Wars that would probably like your help with the Festival of Wintersday! Of course, there's all those family obligations to see to on days like this, and you can hardly be blamed for being busy. As such, why not sit back and check out our own gallery of Wintersday imagery? Or go browsing on Flickr for the innumerable beautiful pictures of Arena.net's holiday finery in Kamadan, Lion's Arch, Ascalon City and beyond?

We've previous featured Arena.net's Wintersday finery in our One Shots series; why not submit a Wintersday shot from this year? There's still plenty of time before the end of the event to get a shot in the door! Whether you're a follower of the crotchety Grentch or beautiful Dwayna, make sure to have a Happy Wintersday ... at least until January 1st. Then the gloves come off and it's time for a battle royale!

Gallery: Guild Wars Wintersday 2007

MassivelyGuild Wars Wintersday 2007 Gallery originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netfeaturedgalleryguild-warsgwholidashholidaysholidazescreenshotswintersdayMon, 24 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The winners of the Guild Wars RAWR Cup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/the-winners-of-the-guild-wars-rawr-cup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/the-winners-of-the-guild-wars-rawr-cup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/the-winners-of-the-guild-wars-rawr-cup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Last month we discussed the first GuildCafe / Guild Wars joint event: the RAWR Cup PvP Tournament. Things apparently went quite well, and the official Guild Wars site has a rundown on the big winners for each division.

In all, 72 guilds registered online for the RAWR Cup. This included 18 teams in the Dragon Division, 21 teams in Phoenix, and 33 teams in Titan. Competing teams ranged from the number one team on the guild ladder, Delta Formation [DF], to several teams outside the 10,000 rank level ... The Dragon Division featured two European guilds, Esoteric Warriors [EW] and Whats Going On [sup] fighting on Imperial Isle ... Nearly the entire match was fought at the flag stand, with occasional pushes on flag runners as they came down their respective ramps to capture the stand ... [sup] took several deaths after VoD but eventually recovered, only to give up the first morale boost of the game just after 23 minutes. At this point [sup] could no longer withstand the pressure and eventually succumbed, making [EW] the Dragon Division winner.

Most exciting to me personally is the fact that the event had fascinating play-by-play commentary on the Uberguilds network.

Scotty of [rawr] and Roxianna from GuildCafe hosted a live show on the day of the tournament, with several others helping out. During the Swiss Qualifying Rounds, Scotty and Roxianna watched matches as they came up on Observer Mode, addressing comments posted by players in IRC and observer chat, while also providing commentary on the match being observed.

This kind of collaborative experience is fascinating, and if the inclusion of third parties into official tournaments will result in more events like this it's hard to see the downside.

MassivelyThe winners of the Guild Wars RAWR Cup originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netguild-warsguildcafegwpvprawr-cupWed, 19 Dec 2007 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars Wintersday prep, FAQ and patch updates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/guild-wars-wintersday-prep-faq-and-patch-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/guild-wars-wintersday-prep-faq-and-patch-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/guild-wars-wintersday-prep-faq-and-patch-updates/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The developers at Arena.net are hard at work in the code mines, keeping Guild Wars up to date. Patches since the lowering of level-based access to Eye of the North have mostly focused on getting the annual Wintersday event up and running. The official Guild Wars site has a complete run-down on this year's event, from start to finale. The decorations and such will go up next Friday, the 21st. You'll be able to once again choose sides in the war between the grentches and snowmen, as well as partake in the daily city quests. Folks who take part in the event finales on the 1st and 2nd of January will (of course) be getting stylish hats.

In the tradition of the season, you will also receive special holiday-themed headgear if you attend the Wintersday finale. And this year, the hat you receive will depend on which deity wins the day, so choose wisely. We look forward to seeing you this Wintersday. Come join the fun, and don't get left out in the cold!

The site is also offering up patch notes for the Dec. 7 and Dec. 11 updates, and a FAQ on the newly offered skill pack unlocks.


MassivelyGuild Wars Wintersday prep, FAQ and patch updates originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netguild-warsgwholiday-2007holidayswintersdayThu, 13 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars patch lowers access level for Eye of the North]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/guild-wars-patch-lowers-access-level-for-eye-of-the-north/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/guild-wars-patch-lowers-access-level-for-eye-of-the-north/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/guild-wars-patch-lowers-access-level-for-eye-of-the-north/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This week's update to Guild Wars brings the usual assortment of bug fixes and pvp tweaks, but it also offers up a curious change to the way that Arena.net's latest release (Eye of the North) works. At launch two months ago, players needed a max-level character to gain access to the new content. Level 20 in Guild Wars is fairly easy to attain, and I didn't think much of it. Now, though, the company is offering access to the expansion as early as level 10.

Additional notes include:
  • Players who are between levels 10 and 19 and are in Eye of the North maps will automatically receive a buff called Journey to the North. This buff [effectively makes them 20th level for armor, stats, and health. The buff also effectively gives characters 20th level attributes.]
  • Players new to Eye of the North can now receive a basic max damage weapon by completing the Hero Tutorial quest given by Burol Ironfist in Boreal Station. Once completed, players receive a Burol Ironfist's Commendation item that can be turned in to Arkor Leadfoot in Boreal Station for a weapon of their choosing.
  • A new armorer, Jolvor Stoneforge, has been added to Boreal Station to give players a cheaper source of basic max level armor in the Eye of the North expansion.
So ... what does this mean? The opinion in the community is that almost everyone has a 20th level character. Veteran players talk about running an alt up to 20 like it's nothing, and even challenge themselves with strange and arcane hoops to gain unique titles. Obviously Arena.net feels that there is a significant population of players out there that want to participate in the GWEN content, but don't have a 20th level character.

Is there any other reason to drop the level requirement and offer these boosts? Guild Wars vets, fill us in ... why the change so soon after the expansion launches?

MassivelyGuild Wars patch lowers access level for Eye of the North originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.neteye-of-the-northguild-warsgwgwenncsoftFri, 07 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars bonus mission pack released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/guild-wars-bonus-mission-pack-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/guild-wars-bonus-mission-pack-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/guild-wars-bonus-mission-pack-released/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



The Scribe, just recently returned to Tyria, promised that we'd be seeing the much-anticipated Bonus Mission Pack soon. And so we have, as a blurb on the official Guild Wars site notes that the pack is now live!

For those who have qualified, the Guild Wars Bonus Mission Pack is now available to play! To access the four new bonus missions, speak with Durmand[Historian] in Lion's Arch, Kaineng Center, or Kamadan. Once you have done so, you'll receive special story tomes that are filled with detailed histories and provide entry into the missions.

If you're unclear on just what this is, Arena.net has a handy FAQ that will set you straight. For more on the Pack, they also have up an interview from mid-October with lead designer Colin Johansen. He describes the high concept behind these bonus missions, as well as some of the challenges that went into creating them.

MassivelyGuild Wars bonus mission pack released originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netbonus-mission-packguild-warsgwncsoftreleaseFri, 30 Nov 2007 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Wars scribe offers events preview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/the-guild-wars-scribe-offers-seasonal-fare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/the-guild-wars-scribe-offers-seasonal-fare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/the-guild-wars-scribe-offers-seasonal-fare/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Scribe has returned to the lands of Tyria, Cantha, and Elona - the lands of Guild Wars. It's been a long time since his last post, but he comes bearing great news.

Players should keep their eyes out in the next few days for free treats and sweets as Arena.net ramps up to the Winter's Day celebration: The Fraternal Order of Bakers and Brewers (FOBB) plans to gather at secret locations across the lands to exchange recipes, share samples of their goods, and spread their special brand of cheer (to the dismay of bar maids and innkeepers alike). What may interest you, gentle readers, is that in the past, the participants of these surreptitious banquets have often left for home not fully in control of all of their faculties ... and have been known to unwittingly leave some of their wares along the roadside.

If you purchased the Bonus Missions Pack sometime in the last few months, your wait for that content will soon be over. The Scribe states that adventurers seeking ' the noble history of the past', in order to 'partake of rewards for the effort' should look to Historian Durmand in the next few weeks.

And, as he always does, the Scribe gives 'shout outs' to a handful of players that went above and beyond the call of duty to their fellow GW citizens. Remember that the next time you've got loot to spare and spot a new player looking a bit lost - you could end up on the Scribe's lists.

MassivelyThe Guild Wars scribe offers events preview originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netguild-warsgwscribeTue, 20 Nov 2007 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet the October Guild Wars PvP champs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/meet-the-october-guild-wars-pvp-champs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/meet-the-october-guild-wars-pvp-champs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/meet-the-october-guild-wars-pvp-champs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Another 'State of the Game' piece from the official Guild Wars site takes us once again behind the scenes, this time to have a chat with the winners of the October automated PvP Tournament. The guild, called Delta Formation, passed on some information about their history, their adversaries, and most usefully a ton of insight on tournaments, builds, and GW PvP in general.

In terms of builds, [DF] likes to focus on flexibility rather than engaging in "build wars," where a team attempts to beat others by outbuilding them rather than outplaying them. [DF] plays balanced builds because members believe the effectiveness of the build is directly tied to the skill of the players using the build. If played correctly, they feel their balanced build can beat anyone else. That said, [DF] still runs a variety of other builds in its main guild or its smurfs. Sometimes they might be trying to throw off opponents by running other, less conventional builds. More often, they are trying out various gimmick builds to identify the weaknesses and strengths of those builds. For many gimmick builds the counter is obvious, but for others merely theory-crafting the counters might not be enough.

MassivelyMeet the October Guild Wars PvP champs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netguild-warsgwncsoftpvpTue, 06 Nov 2007 21:10:00 EST