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[Flameseeker Chronicles: Touring the Snowden Drifts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-the-snowden-drifts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-the-snowden-drifts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-the-snowden-drifts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
I pretty much went all Norn for the stress test last week. Alone (like a true Norn), I ventured to the highest, loneliest peaks of Snowden Drifts, swam in the darkest ice caves, and faced the largest metric crap-ton of Sons of Svanir imaginable.

As my Necromancer slid what felt like the nine hundredth Son off of her dagger blades, I took the time to look around soak up the view; there's nothing quite like rallying three times in a fight against a whole passel of renegade Norn to make a girl really appreciate the scenery.

Say what you will (and this being the Internet, many folks do) about whether or not having to zone between maps is, like, the ultimate sign that the game isn't truly "massively multiplayer," but each and every map we've seen so far in Guild Wars 2 is packed to the brim with excitement.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Touring the Snowden Drifts

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Touring the Snowden Drifts originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesgalleriesgalleryguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2ncsoftnornopinionscreenshotscreenshotssons-of-svanirTue, 22 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Dynomatic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/flameseeker-chronicles-dynomatic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/flameseeker-chronicles-dynomatic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/flameseeker-chronicles-dynomatic/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 concept art: Centaurs from hell
After the first mostly-open beta weekend event, reaction to the dynamic event system of Guild Wars 2 is mixed. Some people see it as the revolution of gameplay that was promised, others think it's a refreshing and solid system, and others feel that it falls short. All of those are fair, although it mightn't be hard to guess that I don't share all of those opinions.

Some people expecting the dynamic event system to be the trumpet that would herald the arrival of the salvation of the MMO world were rather let down. There've been a couple of bits of confusion about the nature and scope of dynamic events, so let's look into them.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Dynomatic

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Dynomatic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcolin-johansondedynamic-eventsdynomaticfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2ncsoftopinionpveravious-makes-a-good-pointTue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Five things to love about Lion's Arch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/flameseeker-chronicles-five-things-to-love-about-lions-arch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/flameseeker-chronicles-five-things-to-love-about-lions-arch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/flameseeker-chronicles-five-things-to-love-about-lions-arch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 concept art
Lion's Arch, the quintessential Tyrian player hub, has undergone quite the extensive renovation for Guild Wars 2. As a special treat for the last beta weekend, the city was made explorable to players for the first time -- and what a treat it was! After the Rise of Orr and the accompanying land shift, Lion's Arch as we knew and loved it in the original Guild Wars was flooded. It has been raised anew, very near the first city, and stands as a monument to piracy, desperation, and inter-species cooperation (not, perhaps, in that order).

So what makes Lion's Arch awesome? It's one of six huge cities that are the thriving populatiion centers of Tyria as we find it in Guild Wars 2, and since it doesn't have one single race to lend it culture and purpose, you can bet it had better be pretty special.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Five things to love about Lion's Arch

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Five things to love about Lion's Arch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcitydiving-boardfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2hublalions-archncsoftnew-lions-archopinionpiratespiratitudequaggantrailertrailersvideovideosTue, 08 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: After beta action report]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/flameseeker-chronicles-after-beta-action-report/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/flameseeker-chronicles-after-beta-action-report/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/flameseeker-chronicles-after-beta-action-report/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 -- you have NO IDEA how long I've been waiting to use my own screenshots
Well there you have it, ladies and gents: The first Guild Wars 2 beta weekend over which people had direct control over their participation has come and gone. It was quite the exciting weekend, and it's amazing to see the volume and content of feedback being provided. If you missed out on a chance to get your hands on the game, feel free to form some vicarious impressions; there's tons of footage out there from oodles of people. Massively has a few streams recorded, and I have a niggling feeling that someone will have plenty of extra footage.

It was great to be back in the game, it was great to get to talk about stuff with people and stream and share pictures, but mostly it was great to see the world populated the way it really needs to be to feel alive and whole. Beta being beta, that brought its own set of challenges and learning experiences -- mostly for ArenaNet -- but on the whole I hope that most people agree that this was, if not a truly delightful weekend (I can't expect everyone to share my taste in games), then at least a solid and informative one.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: After beta action report

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: After beta action report originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetabeta-weekendbwe1fantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesgroupingguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2multiplayerncsoftopinionoverflow-serverpreviewTue, 01 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars: What keeps fans coming back]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/guild-wars-what-keeps-fans-coming-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/guild-wars-what-keeps-fans-coming-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/guild-wars-what-keeps-fans-coming-back/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Guild Wars
Spring is in the air in Guild Wars! I can hear the pitter-patter of speed-enhanced feet coming from the Dragon Arena, the roar of the crowds watching Rollerbeetle races, and the endless grunts of unlucky players on the Nine Rings. It's a celebration -- the celebration of the seventh anniversary of Guild Wars, to be precise.

In and around the annual birthday cupcake hoarding that's going on for the duration of festivities, this year has a few other exciting tricks up its proverbial sleeve. For one thing, a new and limited-edition pet has been made available; the Hound of Balthazar can be unlocked for free by having a brief chat with Ceira, Sworn to Fire, in Embark Beach. For another, the bonuses from all weekend events are active for the anniversary, so players will have to go pretty far out of their way to not reap sweet, sweet rewards for any time spent in-game between now and May 8th.

Seven's a pretty nice number, don't you think? This is something of a special event, as ArenaNet's promise to get Guild Wars 2 shipped before year's end means that this'll be the last birthday that Guild Wars gets to have before the sequel comes along and grabs everyone's attention -- if, indeed, that's not already happening, what with the beta weekend that's going on right this moment. Even with Guild Wars 2 soaking up some limelight, though, Guild Wars is doing its creators proud and aging with grace and dignity. Let's take a look at some of the building blocks of the game's longevity.

Continue reading Guild Wars: What keeps fans coming back

MassivelyGuild Wars: What keeps fans coming back originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7th-anniversaryaging-gracefullyanetanniversaryarenanetbirthdayfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2hall-of-monumentsncsoftopinionseventh-birthdaywhy-players-keep-coming-backSat, 28 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Dreaming of green knights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/flameseeker-chronicles-dreaming-of-green-knights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/flameseeker-chronicles-dreaming-of-green-knights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/flameseeker-chronicles-dreaming-of-green-knights/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
April's had some exciting moments, has it not? The month is going to end on a high note for many Guild Wars 2 fans. Even if you're not one of the many many people who'll be in the upcoming beta weekend event, the lack of a non-disclosure agreement for participants of this round means that anyone can stream, post, and chat about her experience. That means a new level of transparency and insight, hopefully, so that's cool.

You know what won't be available in the beta? The Sylvari and the Asura, once again. ArenaNet's included Lion's Arch in this newest beta build, but that's about all that's new. I've gone on record as saying that I'm perfectly content to wait 'til launch for the Asura and Sylvari so that they're all pristine and new and ready to be explored, but I've got to say that that contentedness gets a little more strained each time we hear or see new stuff about the Sylvari. That's been true for months upon months, but it just keeps getting better.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Dreaming of green knights

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Dreaming of green knights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2ncsoftopinionsylvarisylvari roxorzSylvariRoxorzTue, 24 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Simplicity itself]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/flameseeker-chronicles-simplicity-itself/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/flameseeker-chronicles-simplicity-itself/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/flameseeker-chronicles-simplicity-itself/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 concept art
ArenaNet is designing Guild Wars 2 to appeal to bucketloads of people. The studio's got the PvP and competition, the high-end dungeon challenge, the super-cooperative and dynamic PvE content, the compelling and branching storyline, the flashy (and occasionally sensibly flashy) armors -- there's a lot going on. Part of what makes that possible is the use of very approachable systems.

These simple systems pop up all over the place: the straight-forward lists of boons and conditions that affect players, the common capture point mechanic over which more intricate PvP objectives can be layered, and the relatively small pool of skills from which to assemble a build. The beauty of their simplicity is that the simplicity itself isn't a limiting factor -- you can't do only simple things with them.

In this way, simple systems have a low entry barrier and a high complexity capacity. That means that more people can enjoy the game with relatively little skill and that there's a lot of room for time, dedication, and finesse to lead to outstanding results. Anyone can play, but not everyone can (or will) master elements of the game.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Simplicity itself

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Simplicity itself originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcbtdynamic-eventsemergent-gameplayeventsfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2ncsoftopinionskill-comboskillsTue, 17 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Line of succession]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/flameseeker-chronicles-line-of-succession/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/flameseeker-chronicles-line-of-succession/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/flameseeker-chronicles-line-of-succession/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
Sequels are tricky business. The more fans swarm around a game or franchise, the thicker the air gets with opinions regarding what the heart and soul of that game is all about. With that in mind, I don't envy sequel game designers the task of figuring out the balance of enough of a nod to the original to maintain the emotional connection that longstanding fans have without making newcomers feel locked out of something.

One of the most frequent questions that pops up in the discussion of Guild Wars 2 anticipation is whether or not it's worth it for incoming players to take a spin through the original campaigns and expansion to pass the time. This is mostly tied in with discussion about the Hall of Monuments account rewards. In my opinion, the HoM rewards should be the least compelling reason to start a play-through, although it's still a good reason; even some members of our staff are haphazardly trying to find time to wade back through the stories before release. But considering everything in ArenaNet's design philosophy, we know the HoM rewards are unlikely to offer a statistical advantage, so they should be little more than a perk. Moreover, most of their value, it seems to me, should be from what they represent, which is both time spent in-game (forging that emotional connection) actually earning the reward points and the references some of them make to the original game. I still remember my first Stygian Reaver in GW, and that is why I'm looking forward to wielding one in Guild Wars 2.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Line of succession

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Line of succession originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetascalonian-catecombseric-flannumfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2kill-your-ancestorslegacyncsoftopinionpax-east-2012pvp-mapsequelthat-special-somethingTue, 10 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: What's your golden carrot?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/flameseeker-chronicles-whats-your-golden-carrot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/flameseeker-chronicles-whats-your-golden-carrot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/flameseeker-chronicles-whats-your-golden-carrot/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2: Electric Boogaloo
On the Sunday of the most recent beta weekend for Guild Wars 2, I found myself trying to figure out precisely what incentive my friends and I might have to go through the explorable mode of dungeons before we hit level 80. The question arose, in a roundabout way, because there's not a tremendous amount of XP available (you spend more time killing fewer things), which makes sense if you're a developer trying to discourage players from entering a dungeon they have no intention of completing in order to farm experience, but it left us wondering whether we'd feel compelled to participate in explorable mode dungeons as we progressed through the game. The point of the matter is, unless you're well and truly enamored of the armor attainable through a specific dungeon's tokens, there might not be much empirical motivation to get through a repeatable dungeon. This stood out to me because so much of the game's reward structure is so clear and well-designed.

Although I'll certainly never make the claim that the game will please everyone, or even that ArenaNet's fine folks are trying to please everyone, it is evident that they're building in support for a wide variety of play and reward styles.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: What's your golden carrot?

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: What's your golden carrot? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achieveranetarenanetascalonian-catacombsbartle-test-of-gamer-psychologycarrotcatacombs-of-ascalondungeonexplorerfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesgolden-carrotguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-betagwgw1gw2killerncsoftopinionsocializerthanks-for-the-pictures-guildcastTue, 03 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Life in the legions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/flameseeker-chronicles-life-in-the-legions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/flameseeker-chronicles-life-in-the-legions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/flameseeker-chronicles-life-in-the-legions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/flameseeker-chronicles-life-in-the-legions/
Last week, Leif Chapelle, a content designer, took some time to update the ArenaNet blog with a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at personal story in Guild Wars 2. He sketched out the structure of how players' biography choices affect their storyline: "To experience every potential storyline being told from level one to 10, you'd need to play the game 30 times (five races times three initial storylines times two internal branches in each storyline)... We have 80 levels of progression for your character, and every 10 levels or so, you'll begin a new chapter in your story."

To someone who has rolled a seemingly endless string of alts in virtually every game I've played and is extraordinarily trigger-happy when it comes to remaking characters, this shows a great deal of promise. I'm sure it's quite an angstilicious idea for people who want to savor ALL THE STORY, but I hope that such types might admit (however grudgingly) that too much story is a better option than too little.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Life in the legions

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Life in the legions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetash-legionblood-legioncharrfantasyfeaturedflame-legionflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-betaguild-wars-2-previewguild-wars-nightfallgwgw1gw2iron-legionleif-chappellemike-zMike-Zadorojnyncsoftopinionpersonal-storyTue, 27 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Setting up for success]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/flameseeker-chronicles-setting-up-for-success/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/flameseeker-chronicles-setting-up-for-success/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/flameseeker-chronicles-setting-up-for-success/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
Community Team Lead Martin Kerstein updated the ArenaNet blog a few days ago with some information about his team's plans for the Guild Wars 2 community. The two big bits of news were that there will be official forums (to the evident skepticism of the Guild Wars 2 Guru mods) and there will not be a typical fan site program. The most interesting bit, to me, is this:
"Our goal is to use a scalable, inclusive ecosystem instead of a rigid fan site program that doesn't scale well and excludes large parts of the fan base."
What I'm hoping this means is that the team members are opening themselves up to a lot more flexibility in which fan sites they support. This is great if it means that small blogs and niche communities can be more easily promoted; we already see this happening, as the Guild Wars 2 twitter feed is usually full of retweets pointing out various fan creations and posts. The flip side of this is equally true. In his article, Kerstein talks about wanting to promote a mature and helpful community, so hopefully the lack of a rigid structure in fan site support means the team members don't feel pressured to include and support toxic communities just because they've hit standardized milestones.

I have high hopes for this scalable community engagement style, and I hope to see it pay off for a lot of smaller fan sites and projects. If the folks at ArenaNet want to demand more of the quality of their community, more power to 'em.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Setting up for success

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Setting up for success originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcommunitydynamic-eventsfailurefantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesforumsguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-is-scalygwgw2Martin-Kersteinncsoftopinionravious-makes-a-good-pointscalable-contentTue, 20 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Quest education]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/flameseeker-chronicles-quest-education/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/flameseeker-chronicles-quest-education/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/flameseeker-chronicles-quest-education/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

GW2
Looking around the Guild Warsy corners of the internet, I've found some confusion about quests and dynamic events. Having this handy platform to stand on, I thought I'd try to clarify things for those who aren't really sure what standard XP-gain looks like in Guild Wars 2. If this is old news to some of you, I apologize, but please remember that not everybody's been leaping on news scraps like a ravenous puppy for the last two or three years.

With the pretty aggressive abandonment of traditional questing in Guild Wars 2's PvE, there seems to be some misinformation about what directed content will look like. It's relatively accurate to say that there are three main types: personal story quests, renown hearts, and dynamic events. Dungeons, another type of PvE content, are kind of a world unto themselves; they're approached by way of the personal storyline but evidently aren't actually necessary for progress along that line (in an effort to not force people to team up in an MMO unless they jolly well feel like it). They contain events but also static objectives. However, since they're cordoned off by way of instances, it seems pretty safe to leave them out of this conversation. Let's dig in, shall we?

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Quest education

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Quest education originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetdynamic-eventsfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2hearts-are-not-dynamic-eventsncsoftopinionpersonal-storypersonal-storylineQuestsraviousravious-makes-a-good-pointrenown-heartsTue, 13 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: How do trinities work?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/flameseeker-chronicles-how-do-trinities-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/flameseeker-chronicles-how-do-trinities-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/flameseeker-chronicles-how-do-trinities-work/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

No, no -- there's three characters. That must mean there's a trinity.
People have had varying reactions to Jon Peters' post on ArenaNet's blog last week, which explained the newest system of traits and attributes for Guild Wars 2. There've been all sorts of thoughts about it: that it's awesome, that it's unnecessary, that it's a whole lot of words to keep track of (I'm saying that, in fact, and I'm firmly in the camp of folks who think it's all pretty great). Specifically, the inclusion of the compassion attribute, which improves a character's healing output, has raised a glaring red flag for some players who are afraid this is the first step toward holy trinities and dedicated healers. I respectfully disagree.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: How do trinities work?

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: How do trinities work? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetattributesdedicated-healerfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-guideguild-wars-2-previewgwgw1gw2holy-trinityjon-petersncsoftopinionravious-makes-a-good-pointtraitstrinityTue, 06 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: I hope you like PvE stuff]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-i-hope-you-like-pve-stuff/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-i-hope-you-like-pve-stuff/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-i-hope-you-like-pve-stuff/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 folks: What a week it's been, am I right? After the flood of impressions and videos after the select press embargo lifted, ArenaNet decided to whip fans into a veritable frenzy by accepting beta signups from Wednesday to Friday. Fan response was insane -- over 1,000,000 signups in under 50 hours. While a few cool kids on the internet have tried to scoff at that number, I really can't -- it's just staggering to me.

If you were on vacation, sick, or hiding under your pet rock between Wednesday and Friday, I'm sorry -- there was a lot going on. You might consider checking out ArenaNet's blog post to catch up, as there's now a link roundup for your convenience. It's like the team wants you to be able to find out stuff about this game it eventually wants you to buy. Next the devs will be making themselves available for question-pelting on Reddit in an effort to promote clear and rapid comm-- oh wait.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: I hope you like PvE stuff

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: I hope you like PvE stuff originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbooksfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-previewgw1gw2kristin-perrymapsncsoftopinionpersonalityTue, 28 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles Extra: Guild Wars 2 crafting explained]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/flameseeker-chronicles-extra-guild-wars-2-crafting-explained/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/flameseeker-chronicles-extra-guild-wars-2-crafting-explained/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/flameseeker-chronicles-extra-guild-wars-2-crafting-explained/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

GW2
Remember how I wanted to talk to you about crafting in Guild Wars 2? Let's do that now. I made a video while I was fiddling around with the weaponsmithing and armorsmithing disciplines in the recent Guild Wars 2 closed beta press weekend, and I've included it in this extra edition of Flameseeker Chronicles. Let's take a look at exactly what's going on for your first 25 points or so in these disciplines.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles Extra: Guild Wars 2 crafting explained

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles Extra: Guild Wars 2 crafting explained originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarmorsmithingcraftingcrafting-systemdivinitys-reachfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesgatheringguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-guideguild-wars-2-previewgw1gw2ncsoftopinionvideovideosweaponsmithingWed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: The I-word]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/flameseeker-chronicles-the-i-word/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/flameseeker-chronicles-the-i-word/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/flameseeker-chronicles-the-i-word/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
I like to poke fun at ArenaNet staff members for their use of the word iteration. That's not because I think it's a cop-out or self-aggrandizement or anything. It's because I like to think of it as being at the top of an internal buzzword sheet with all the blogpost writers trying to work it into their text to earn an extra nickel. It's a patently whimsical notion, and I have a special spot in my heart for the patently whimsical.

It's nice to see that concept of iteration lending real benefit to the game. Sure, it's caused forumites no little angst; when we heard that the trait system was being reworked, for example, certain people were convinced that the iterative process meant that the game would never launch. I don't understand the panic-stations mentality. Any game company exists to make money, and you don't make money by spending five years developing a game, taking a demo on the road for two years, and never releasing it. You also don't make money by releasing a crap game. ArenaNet wants to make a lot of money. That does not make the company evil. It motivates the team to make as good a game as possible because people like buying good games.

Despite those so-called fans who look for the slightest provocation to bring out the sackcloth and ashes, the strength of the iterative process is shown every time we get to see a new demo of Guild Wars 2. Beyond just seeing a higher level of polish, we can see that certain events have been reworked, and the changes are to only the players' benefit.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The I-word

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: The I-word originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetabetasclosed-betafantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gw2hands-oniterationjumping-puzzlesmike-zncsoftopinionpress-betaTue, 21 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Big changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/flameseeker-chronicles-big-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/flameseeker-chronicles-big-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/flameseeker-chronicles-big-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Guild Wars Beyond
The last chapter of Guild Wars Beyond's Winds of Change was released just a handful of days ago, bringing nine new quests, fancy weapons, fresh rewards, and a heaping helping of story to the land of Cantha, not to mention a significant update to the way ArenaNet is telling the tale.

Miku's Tale in particular boasts a few distinct differences from earlier parts of this storyline -- largely, the consensus seems to be, for the better. There was a fair bit of griping after the first portion of Winds of Change went live and a widespread agreement that something was not quite right about the way the quests at the start of Winds of Change were being handled. ArenaNet responded to this with promises to go back and retune quests, mostly in response to the argument that mobs were too hard. While I certainly understand a fiendish level of mob difficulty acting as an intimidating gateway to players less comfortable with fighting in Guild Wars, I don't think it was really the heart of the problem with the earlier Winds of Change content.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Big changes

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Big changes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcanthacombatcontentfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsGuild-Wars-2guild-wars-beyondgwgw1gw2Mikumikus-talencsoftopinionwinds-of-changeTue, 14 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: What lies ahead]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/flameseeker-chronicles-what-lies-ahead/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/flameseeker-chronicles-what-lies-ahead/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/flameseeker-chronicles-what-lies-ahead/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Pre-Searing
To say last week was exciting for Guild Wars 2 fans is a bit of an understatement. Mike O'Brien gave the community the news it's been dying to hear, Ree Soesbee told us all about the Jotun (no, seriously, I hate those guys and their stupid KDs), and... well, some other things happened too.

We've got lots to talk about, so hit the jump and let's dive right in.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: What lies ahead

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: What lies ahead originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarenanet-guild-wars2featuredflameseeker-chroniclesguild-wars2guildwars2gwgw2mike-obrienncsoftree-soesbeeMon, 30 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: We don't need no stinkin' endgame]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/flameseeker-chronicles-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-endgame/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/flameseeker-chronicles-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-endgame/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/flameseeker-chronicles-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-endgame/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

What's at the end of the road?
We talked a lot about the concepts of endgame and raiding on last week's Guildcast, but since not everyone has had time to watch it (and because the subject is still knocking around in my head), I want to address it a little more in this week's Flameseeker Chronicles.

There are so many assumptions and so much speculation and so much talk about the concept as a whole and how it applies to Guild Wars 2, so let's dive on in.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: We don't need no stinkin' endgame

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: We don't need no stinkin' endgame originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarenanet-guild-wars2end-gameendgameflameseeker-chroniclesgame-mechanicsguild-wars2guildwars2gw2ncsoftno-endgameraidingMon, 23 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Efficient Hall of Monuments progress]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/flameseeker-chronicles-efficient-hall-of-monuments-progress/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/flameseeker-chronicles-efficient-hall-of-monuments-progress/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/flameseeker-chronicles-efficient-hall-of-monuments-progress/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Make your Hall of Monuments look like this!
Guild Wars 2 is drawing ever closer. It may not feel like it sometimes, but it's getting nearer each day. A lot of fans are easing the pain of the wait by playing through Guild Wars 1 in an effort to beef up their Hall of Monuments scores for the day GW2 arrives.

The Hall of Monuments in GW might only award titles and cosmetic goodies, but we gamers do love our shinies, so lots of people are diving into present-day Tyria to make some HoM progress while they wait for GW2. I posted a series of Hall of Monuments guides almost a year and a half ago, and while most of it has stood the test of time very well, I want to revisit it.

The reason I want to do this is to smooth the path a little more. So many people are still coming into Guild Wars for this reason, and starting from scratch with such an enormous goal can make a lot of them throw in the towel. Thankfully, ArenaNet has added some features into the game in the past few years that can make your Hall of Monuments progress more "hare" and less "tortoise," with the same prizes at the end. They all work together so you can get the most of your travels through Tyria in a much shorter time.

This one's for the min-maxers, so follow along to read about three simple things you can keep an eye on to speed up your HoM progress!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Efficient Hall of Monuments progress

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Efficient Hall of Monuments progress originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetarenanet-guild-warsarenanet-guild-wars2featuredflameseeker-chroniclesguidesguild-warsguild-wars2guildwarsguildwars2gwgw2hall-of-monumentshall-of-monuments-guidehomMon, 16 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: ArenaNet talks PvE vs. PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/flameseeker-chronicles-arenanet-talks-pve-vs-pve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/flameseeker-chronicles-arenanet-talks-pve-vs-pve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/flameseeker-chronicles-arenanet-talks-pve-vs-pve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Ascalon Catacombs GW2 dungeon
"I don't care for PvP, so Guild Wars 2 doesn't really interest me."

This is something that I've heard with some regularity over the past year or two, and every time I sort of shake my head in confusion. How could anyone perceive Guild Wars 2 as a PvP-only game? Really, just take a look at what we've seen from the development team and how PvE-centric it is and it seems that you'd get the impression that if anything, there's more of a PvE focus.

Of course, I can see where this perception comes from -- Guild Wars 1 holds the same perception for a lot of people, so it carries over. As a huge fan of both games and a pure PvE player, I thought it would be fun to take this week and clear things up. Eric Flannum and John Stumme were kind enough to help, stepping in to answer a few questions about the balance of things both past and present. Curious about what they have to say? Click past the cut and take a look!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: ArenaNet talks PvE vs. PvP

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: ArenaNet talks PvE vs. PvP originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbalanceeric-flannumfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2interviewinterviewsjohn-stummencsoftpvepvpMon, 09 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- Urgoz's Warren]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-urgozs-warre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-urgozs-warre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-urgozs-warre/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Urgoz starting area
All was quiet at ArenaNet last week as the various members of the Guild Wars 2 team enjoyed a well-deserved vacation. I'm going to consider it a welcome breather after being drowned in so many squee-worthy updates the previous week and take the opportunity to turn my attention back to Guild Wars 1 and another elite area: Urgoz's Warren.

I really enjoy Urgoz's Warren for a couple of reasons. Obviously, it gives me tons of Kurzick faction, but once you've got the hang of it, it's a fun challenge even without the perks. It's full of environmental effects and hidden enemies that prevent you from simply charging in and blasting away, so you have to think ahead, be careful, and play strategically.

Follow along after the jump and we'll take a closer look.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- Urgoz's Warren

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- Urgoz's Warren originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetdungeonsfactionsfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguideguidesguild-warsgwinstancesncsofturgozurgozs-warrenMon, 02 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: High achievers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/flameseeker-chronicles-high-achievers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/flameseeker-chronicles-high-achievers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/flameseeker-chronicles-high-achievers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Charr SMASH
Well, ArenaNet certainly didn't let 2011 go out on a quiet note. The team had a few last tricks up its sleeve before closing down shop until the new year. We chatted with Eric Flannum about the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer, and the newest ArenaNet blog post contained some exciting talk of combat, achievements, and some tweaking to the Thief class.

I loved hearing about the updates to the Thief and to combat because the fact that the developers are talking about fine-tuning says good things to me about the development process. However, it was the talk of achievements that really caught my attention because it's such a sweeping, game-wide system. Follow along after the jump and let's take a closer look!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: High achievers

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: High achievers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievement-pointsachievementsanetarenanetarenanet-blogeric-flannumfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2hall-of-monumentsncsofttitlesMon, 26 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Why must they starve then drown us?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/flameseeker-chronicles-why-must-they-starve-then-drown-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/flameseeker-chronicles-why-must-they-starve-then-drown-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/flameseeker-chronicles-why-must-they-starve-then-drown-us/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Kamadan Wintersday
Today's Flameseeker Chronicles title comes to you courtesy of one of Massively's livestream team members, echoing the wails of many news-starved fans of all things Tyrian. In a classic case of 'be careful what you wish for," we got the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer, two enormous Q&A sessions with the devs, a bit of closed beta news, and Wintersday and new costumes in Guild Wars 1, all in just a few short days.

I need to lie down.

While I do that, follow along after the jump for a rundown of all the excitement of last week.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Why must they starve then drown us?

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Why must they starve then drown us? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetabeta-testingclassclassesclosed-betaclosed-beta-testingfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-mesmerguildcastgwgw2holiday-2011mesmerncsoftopinionwintersdaywintersday-2011Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Underworld]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-the-underworl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-the-underworl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-the-underworl/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Underworld
All is still quiet on the Guild Wars 2 front, and I'm almost thankful since I was hoping to be able to go over The Underworld in Guild Wars this week. There's a lot more to say about this area because it's so much more difficult, but you can do it -- I promise. The general tips I gave last week apply to this area as much as the others, so take a moment to skim through those as well.

There's so much to say that I'm anxious to dive right in, so let's not waste any time. Follow along after the cut!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Underworld

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Underworld originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguideguidesguild-warsgwncsoftunderworldunderworld-guideuwMon, 12 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Fissure of Woe]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-the-fissure-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-the-fissure-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-elite-areas-the-fissure-of/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Forest of the Wailing Lord
As 2011 draws to a close and hordes of hopeful Guild Wars 2 fans look to 2012 for a possible launch, people are beginning to turn eyes back to the Hall of Monuments. (No, stop that. We're not debating launch dates; I'm just saying.) It's been over a year since ArenaNet unveiled the Hall of Monuments calculator. I wrote the Road to 50 Hall of Monuments guide series right away, so you guys probably have the basics done and are looking at some of the more challenging parts of Guild Wars. If you're not familiar with the series, I definitely recommend you check it out -- there are separate guides for those who are starting with only three points, those who are aiming for 30 points, and those who want to go all 50.

With that in mind, I want to spend some time on one of my favorite parts of the game: elite areas. If you've finished all three campaigns and the expansion -- preferably both in normal and hard mode -- and you're ready for a bigger challenge, it's time to take on the elite areas. I'll be focusing on one elite area each week while we wait for Guild Wars 2 news, so follow along and let's get you started on the first area: the Fissure of Woe. Ready, set, kill!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Fissure of Woe

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Fissure of Woe originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfeaturedfissure-of-woeflameseeker-chroniclesfowguild-warsgwhall-of-monumentshomncsoftMon, 05 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Memory lane and the delights of anticipation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/flameseeker-chronicles-memory-lane-and-the-delights-of-anticipa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/flameseeker-chronicles-memory-lane-and-the-delights-of-anticipa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/flameseeker-chronicles-memory-lane-and-the-delights-of-anticipa/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

GW pre-searing
The clock is ticking -- 2011 is winding down (less than six weeks left!) and Guild Wars 2 fans everywhere have closed beta on the brain. This news has been out there for a very long time, but just to eliminate any confusion, I'll go straight to a recent quote from Martin Kerstein: "We will enter CBT before the end of the year, and depending on the results we get from it, we will decide on Open Beta and Launch." The phrase "small closed beta" has also been tossed around, so I seriously doubt ArenaNet plans to go all BioWare on us and start slinging hundreds of thousands of keys in every direction. (Of course, Star Wars: The Old Republic is exactly one month out from launch at this point, and Guild Wars 2 is definitely not.)

That doesn't stop us, the fans, from having a pile of questions. When will the beta start? How many people will get in? How long will it last? Will it be ongoing or weekends only? What is the development team hoping to focus on? Only time will tell, but it doesn't stop us from waiting, wondering, and anticipating. (Aside to the developers: I'm out of town this Wednesday through Sunday. Please don't do anything then.)

There's a lot to look forward to, but at the moment we're in the lull that comes after new information has been revealed, dissected, and discussed to pieces. We're waiting for whatever comes next, so I'm going to take the opportunity to look in the other direction: back. Follow along after the jump to join me on memory lane.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Memory lane and the delights of anticipation

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Memory lane and the delights of anticipation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetafeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2guildcastgwgw2memory-lanencsoftpropheciessimsthe-simsthe-sims-2Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: The news doors haven't shut... yet]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/flameseeker-chronicles-the-news-doors-havent-shut-yet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/flameseeker-chronicles-the-news-doors-havent-shut-yet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/flameseeker-chronicles-the-news-doors-havent-shut-yet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

More news! More updates! Be still my heart! No, seriously. It does my fangirl heart such good to see all of these cool updates and details about Guild Wars 2 over the past few weeks. Between the animation updates, the skill updates, and the earnings call, there's plenty to discuss.

I was so excited to see the updated cutscenes, although I couldn't stop giggling at the male character shifting from foot to foot -- I kept waiting for him to ask the Priestess of Dwayna where the bathroom was. That's not a reflection on ArenaNet's design team so much as a testament to my years as the mother of a boy. It's all about the bathroom humor around here.

The new skill acquisition system was great in my book, and the news from the earnings call... well, why don't you follow along after the cut and we'll delve into all of that more deeply.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The news doors haven't shut... yet

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: The news doors haven't shut... yet originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetanimationsarenanetarenanet-blogbetacutscenesearnings-callfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesGuild-Wars-2gw2ncsoftskill-acquisitionskillsMon, 14 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: C-C-C-Combo maker]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/flameseeker-chronicles-c-c-c-combo-maker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/flameseeker-chronicles-c-c-c-combo-maker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/flameseeker-chronicles-c-c-c-combo-maker/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Flameseeker Chronicles
Sing hallelujah, for the Guild Wars 2 news drought is over! (The information gates may now slam shut for another excruciating period of time, but I'm choosing not to think about that.) Jon Peters brought us all sorts of exciting information on pets, Engineer changes, and cross-profession combos last week on the ArenaNet blog.

Now that we've had some time to absorb the news and talk it over, I wanted to take some time to look at it more closely, particularly the cross-profession combos. Follow along after the jump and let's get started!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: C-C-C-Combo maker

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: C-C-C-Combo maker originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetclassclassescross-profession-combosengineerfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-wars-2gw2massively-overpoweredmvopncsoftwar-in-krytawikMon, 07 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Zola's a little cranky, and so am I]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/flameseeker-chronicles-zolas-a-little-cranky-and-so-am-i/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/flameseeker-chronicles-zolas-a-little-cranky-and-so-am-i/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/flameseeker-chronicles-zolas-a-little-cranky-and-so-am-i/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Halloween is here! OK, technically Halloween has been in Tyria for a week and a half, but Mad King Thorn is here today! By now, everyone's hit Lion's Arch and Kamadan to pick up festival masks, we've mobbed the King in the hopes of getting chosen for Rock Paper Scissors, and we've laughed at his delightfully horrible jokes. (And before you even ask, yes, the pumpkin-on-head joke still cracks me up.)

I've thoroughly enjoyed almost all of Halloween 2011 in Guild Wars. Yep, I said almost. There's a single aspect of this festival that stands out very strongly and unpleasantly to me. Follow along after the jump, and let's talk it over.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Zola's a little cranky, and so am I

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Zola's a little cranky, and so am I originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetdont-fear-the-reapersfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsgwhalloweenhalloween-2011mad-king-thornncsoftopinionquestssolo-questsMon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Pumpkinhead edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/flameseeker-chronicles-pumpkinhead-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/flameseeker-chronicles-pumpkinhead-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/flameseeker-chronicles-pumpkinhead-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Costumes. Love!
Halloween is here! Yes, yes, it's here in real life, but it's here in Tyria as well! Halloween is one of my favorite Guild Wars celebrations for a lot of silly reasons. I love tapping the "R" key and unleashing a string of Ghosts-in-the-Box, I love the costumes, I love the beleaguered citizens of Lion's Arch and Kamadan (they're so funny and mopey in their transformed states!), and most of all I love the Mad King Thorn and his stupid jokes. I know they're lame and I don't care. The pumpkin-on-head joke slays me every year.

As of this writing, the new quests haven't dropped yet, but there's still plenty to do. Follow along after the jump and let's take a look at what's going on in Tyria!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Pumpkinhead edition

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Pumpkinhead edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsgwhalloween-2011mad-king-thornmassively-overpoweredmvopncsoftMon, 24 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/flameseeker-chronicles-a-closer-look-at-the-grawl-of-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/flameseeker-chronicles-a-closer-look-at-the-grawl-of-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/flameseeker-chronicles-a-closer-look-at-the-grawl-of-guild-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Grawl, take one
I was pretty excited to see this week's addition to the ArenaNet blog for a couple of reasons reasons. First, I'm a big fan of Jeff Grubb's style of storytelling. It's clear, informative, and entertaining, with just enough of Jeff's wry sense of humor to surprise a laugh out of me now and again.

Second, it's about the Grawl! This is a race that I really underappreciated in the past, just like the blog entry said. The Grawl came to my attention only when I was giggling as my miniature Grawl talked to himself while running behind me, raging at multiple Grawl Udolytes in hard mode, and cracking up while watching one of my favorite fan videos.

I want to take a closer look at the Grawl, but there's more -- it was an exciting week in Tyria, so follow along after the jump and let's get started!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetangel-mccoyarenanetfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesgrawlguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2jeff-grubbjohn-ryanlesser-racemassively-overpoweredminor-racemvopncsoftpink-day-in-laraceracesMon, 17 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Community, contests, and minion apocalypse]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/flameseeker-chronicles-community-contests-and-minion-apocalyp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/flameseeker-chronicles-community-contests-and-minion-apocalyp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/flameseeker-chronicles-community-contests-and-minion-apocalyp/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ahhh, taking a breather
This week's Flameseeker Chronicles is a bit of a departure. Rather than compiling a guide or a wrap-up of the latest news or content, we're going to sit back, relax, and have a little bit of fun. The timing couldn't be better: We're in a post-convention lull for Guild Wars 2, Winds of Change part two has arrived and been played through, and Halloween events aren't here quite yet.

It's a chance to take a bit of a breather, so this week I'm focusing on some community events and a little extra. Jump past the cut and let's get started!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Community, contests, and minion apocalypse

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Community, contests, and minion apocalypse originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbugscommunitycommunity-eventsfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-onlinegwhalloweenminion-apocalypsemvopncsoftpink-day-in-laMon, 10 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Round two - Fight!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/flameseeker-chronicles-round-two-fight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/flameseeker-chronicles-round-two-fight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/flameseeker-chronicles-round-two-fight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Soar Honorclaw
Winds of Change part two has arrived to Guild Wars, and there was definitely much rejoicing. I've been looking forward to this content for a while now for many different reasons. Many of you probably know I dived in headfirst with a nice-sized audience with a livestream event an hour after the update arrived, and let me tell you: There's nothing like stumbling through unfamiliar high-level content with a few hundred people watching. Including some of the people who created that content.

That's right, ArenaNet team members John Stumme, Andrew Patrick, John Foreman, and Joe Kimmes joined the livestream chat room. They watched the livestream, offered tips, talked Winds of Change with the viewers, and answered questions. I want to take a moment to extend my thanks to these guys. They were incredibly gracious and wound up staying in chat for not only the entire livestream event but over an hour afterwards as well. I think everyone attending really appreciated that they took those hours from their busy schedules for this.

What about the rest of Winds of Change? Follow along after the jump and let's talk!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Round two - Fight!

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Round two - Fight! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsgwmikuministry-of-purityncsoftwinds-of-changeMon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: The clock is ticking]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/flameseeker-chronicles-the-clock-is-ticking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/flameseeker-chronicles-the-clock-is-ticking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/flameseeker-chronicles-the-clock-is-ticking/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

GW Pre-Searing
Disclaimer: Today's Flameseeker Chronicles is more along the "observation and thinking aloud" line than the "guide or news" line, so your input is very welcome at the end.

It's been well over a year since the Hall of Monuments was unveiled for Guild Wars 2, bringing with it a large and ongoing influx of new players. These are players who either tried Guild Wars 1 and it didn't stick for them, or players who never tried it in the first place but are here now to prepare for Guild Wars 2.

New players are great -- a bigger community is often a win for everyone involved. But this new playerbase isn't exactly what we've been used to. Follow along after the jump and let's take a look.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The clock is ticking

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: The clock is ticking originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesgrindguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2hall-of-monumentshomncsofttitle-grindtitlesMon, 26 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 designers deliver more Asura goodies: Inquest and Golems]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/guild-wars-2-designers-deliver-more-asura-goodies-inquest-and-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/guild-wars-2-designers-deliver-more-asura-goodies-inquest-and-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/guild-wars-2-designers-deliver-more-asura-goodies-inquest-and-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Asura Golem
Other games have Dwarves or Gnomes for their token cutesy miniature race, but filling this role for Guild Wars 2 are the Asura. Last week, ArenaNet devoted a whole week to these spunky munchkins, expounding on everything from their history to architectural influences. Today, Designers Jon Peters, Jeff Grubb, and Ree Soesbee delivered an extra dose of Asura by giving us the lowdown on the Inquest and battle suit Golems.

First, Grubb and Soesbee told PC Gamer that the Inquest wanted to be the culture that invented the device that would take down the elder dragons, and its members are willing to do whatever it takes to come out on top. Grubb explained, "Most Asuras will not experiment on sentients. That's one of those things that's just not a good thing. The Inquest don't have that limitation. They are more willing to not just manipulate, but to harm others because they've made the judgment that they're superior and therefore have the right to do what they will without worrying about you."

Jon Peters was a little less verbose regarding the Asura's battle suit skills, mostly because these abilities are still in development. However, we learned that although the battle suit is designed for a single operator, when a battle suit is called, any race can pilot it. And when asked if these mechs could be used in PvP, Peters replied, "In World vs World vs World PvP, absolutely yes! In competitive PvP the battle suit will get banned from tournaments."

We hope you caught all of ArenaNet's Asura-related activities last week. If not, we have everything you need to know right here, including a wrap-up in today's Flameseeker Chronicles.

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 designers deliver more Asura goodies: Inquest and Golems originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetasuraasura-weekbattle-suitsflameseeker-chroniclesgolemGuild-Wars-2GW2inquestjeff-grubbjon-petersncsoftree-soesbeeMon, 19 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Asura week wrapup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/flameseeker-chronicles-asura-week-wrapup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/flameseeker-chronicles-asura-week-wrapup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/flameseeker-chronicles-asura-week-wrapup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Running of the Asura
The videos have been watched, the stories have been read, the short jokes have been made, and we lumbering Bookahs have been put in our collective place.

Guild Wars 2's Asura Week is over, bringing with it the end of Guild Wars 2 race reveals. We've now had an in-depth look at all five races of Tyria, and I have to say that these little guys might be my favorite. I was pretty enamored of them after logging some Asura playtime at PAX, and I loved getting to know their cocky little selves even better this week.

Follow along after the jump and let's take a look at some of the highlights of Asura Week!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Asura week wrapup

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Asura week wrapup originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetasuraasura-weekfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-wars-2gw2lorencsoftracesrata-sumMon, 19 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: The care and feeding of your PUG]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/flameseeker-chronicles-the-care-and-feeding-of-your-pug/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/flameseeker-chronicles-the-care-and-feeding-of-your-pug/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/flameseeker-chronicles-the-care-and-feeding-of-your-pug/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As I joined the rest of you in anxiously awaiting the beginning of Asura Week, I thought over what to discuss in this week's Flameseeker Chronicles. Last week was the usual calm before the storm, so I was a little stuck for a topic.

As is often the way, some quality time with Guild Wars and my alliance solved that problem! While I was playing last week, I was keeping an eye on a discussion in alliance chat regarding PUG groups and the frustration that some of my allies were experiencing at their virtual hands.

It set me to thinking about the unusual situation PUGs find themselves in in Guild Wars, so follow along after the jump and let's talk about it!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The care and feeding of your PUG

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: The care and feeding of your PUG originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcommunityfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-101gwncsoftpick-up-grouppugMon, 12 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: The pros and cons of multiple guild membership]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/flameseeker-chronicles-the-pros-and-cons-of-multiple-guild-memb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/flameseeker-chronicles-the-pros-and-cons-of-multiple-guild-memb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/flameseeker-chronicles-the-pros-and-cons-of-multiple-guild-memb/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yay guilds!
ArenaNet may have increased the speed of Guild Wars 2 reveals in a big way, but we've still got a long-running question that's not been answered: How will guilds work?

In a game where guilds are an important-enough feature to be included in the game's name, it's natural that we'd be very eager to know how they fit in. We still don't have many details, but last week we got one very important one. The ArenaNet crew made an announcement regarding guilds at PAX: "Guild membership is account wide, and you can add as many guilds as you like. You will be able to choose, at any time and on any character, which guild chat you are viewing and what guilds you are currently affiliated with." (Hat tip to Elixabeth at TalkTyria.)

This is an exciting development, and it's spurred a lot of talk in the GW2 community, so I want to take a closer look. Follow along the jump and let's talk guilds in Guild Wars 2!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The pros and cons of multiple guild membership

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: The pros and cons of multiple guild membership originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguildguild-membershipguild-wars-2guildsgw2multiple-guildsncsoftMon, 05 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2011 travel diary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/29/flameseeker-chronicles-pax-2011-travel-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/29/flameseeker-chronicles-pax-2011-travel-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/29/flameseeker-chronicles-pax-2011-travel-diary/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Is it time for PAX 2012 yet?
Welcome to my own version of post-holiday letdown. Just like last year, PAX is over and I'm a little sad. I'm dead tired, my feet are killing me, and I'm dreading trying to organize and pack the chaos of my hotel room, but I wish it were last Friday morning again. I had meetings that took me all over the show floor during the three days of PAX, but of course my downtime was all about Guild Wars 2: standing in line for demo time, checking out what panels I could, and chatting with the development team. Today's Flameseeker Chronicles is what I can now call my annual PAX travel diary, so hit the jump and I'll catch you all up on PAX, ArenaNet style!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2011 travel diary

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2011 travel diary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetdiaryfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftpaxpax-2011pax-primepax-prime-2011sheepsheilatravel-diaryMon, 29 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST