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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[ArenaNet's Regina Buenaobra on Guild Wars 2, Reddit, and community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/arenanets-regina-buenaobra-on-guild-wars-2-reddit-and-communi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/arenanets-regina-buenaobra-on-guild-wars-2-reddit-and-communi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/arenanets-regina-buenaobra-on-guild-wars-2-reddit-and-communi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Guild Wars 2
ArenaNet has, understandably, been receiving a whole lot of publicity in the days following the launch of Guild Wars 2, due in large part to notable events such as the "ask why you're banned" thread on the r/GW2 subreddit. Not everyone, however, is thrilled with the idea that ArenaNet is conducting so much of its customer support and community interaction on Reddit and social media sites such as Facebook rather than on official forums or a well-established community site.

If you're someone who has been wondering exactly why ArenaNet focuses so much effort on Reddit and social media, then we're here to shed some light on the issue. We reached out to Guild Wars 2's North American Community Team Lead, Regina Buenaobra, to get the official point-of-view. If you'd like to know about ArenaNet's community and customer support teams (and the differences between the two), click on past the cut for the Q&A.

Continue reading ArenaNet's Regina Buenaobra on Guild Wars 2, Reddit, and community

MassivelyArenaNet's Regina Buenaobra on Guild Wars 2, Reddit, and community originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbugscommunitycustomer-supportfantasyfeaturedguild-wars-2gw2interviewinterviewslaunchlaunch-daylaunchesncsoftredditregina-buenaobrasupportTue, 04 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet dispels the controversy regarding the Guild Wars 2 Engineer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/arenanet-dispels-the-controversy-regarding-the-guild-wars-2-engi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/arenanet-dispels-the-controversy-regarding-the-guild-wars-2-engi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/arenanet-dispels-the-controversy-regarding-the-guild-wars-2-engi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

An abundance of controversy erupted over the Engineer class from Guild Wars 2 when it was announced last week. Some fans of the game even went so far as to question whether the class even belongs in a fantasy game. Thanks to ArenaNet's Community Manager Regina Buenaobra, we now have answers to some of the burning questions the fans have had about this explosive class.

Guild Wars 2 is set 250 years after the events in the original Guild Wars. "Technology has advanced a great deal, and we wanted the engineer to personify this progress. And frankly, we didn't want to feel constrained by typical conventions as to what is or is not acceptable in a fantasy story," Buenaobra explains in the Engineer FAQ on the official website.

Now we know that the class fits with the timeline, but this does not explain the other issue fans have with this class. Why would the nature-loving Sylvari be interested in this type of technology? Buenaobra notes, "Players in general are exceptional and unusual figures, heroes who stand out among their people. Just as there are asura warriors and norn necromancers, it's not unheard of for an inquisitive, mechanically-inclined sylvari to become an engineer."

Check out the full FAQ on the Guild Wars 2 official site for answers to other important Engineer questions.

MassivelyArenaNet dispels the controversy regarding the Guild Wars 2 Engineer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 May 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetclassclassescontroversyengineerengineer-classFAQguild-warsGuild-Wars-2gw2ncsoftRegina-BuenaobraThu, 26 May 2011 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet confirms Guild Wars 2 closed alpha and beta for 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/arenanet-confirms-guild-wars-2-closed-alpha-and-beta-for-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/arenanet-confirms-guild-wars-2-closed-alpha-and-beta-for-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/arenanet-confirms-guild-wars-2-closed-alpha-and-beta-for-2011/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Members of the Guild Wars nation are no doubt kicking up their heels tonight, as ArenaNet has let slip the barest whisper of information on a possible release window for its forthcoming Tyrian sequel. Guild Wars 2's closed alpha and beta testing will be happening in 2011, and "the feedback from these tests will determine when we will do public beta tests and ship the game," according to an update of the official Guild Wars 2 FAQ earlier this evening.

Guild Wars 2 Guru points out that ArenaNet representatives quickly quelled any notions of a definitive time frame, but this small beta nugget is nonetheless the closest thing to an actual date of any kind thus far in the game's long development process. "The existence of friends and family closed alpha and closed beta this year has changed nothing about the release date. The release date continues to be: when the game is ready," said ArenaNet's Regina Buenaobra.

MassivelyArenaNet confirms Guild Wars 2 closed alpha and beta for 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-netalphaarena-netarenanetbetaclosed-betafantasyfriends-and-family-alphaguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-betagw2ncsoftregina-buenaobrawhen-its-readyFri, 11 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet team discusses elite skills and PvP in Guild Wars 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/arenanet-team-discusses-elite-skills-and-pvp-in-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/arenanet-team-discusses-elite-skills-and-pvp-in-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/arenanet-team-discusses-elite-skills-and-pvp-in-guild-wars-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yesterday's interview with ArenaNet at Kill Ten Rats ended on a promising note: "to be continued."

That promise was fulfilled today when Ravious posted part two of the interview. While much of yesterday's discussion revolved around energy usage and potions, today's focused more on skill usage -- particularly elite skills.

Elites in Guild Wars 2 will be quite a bit different from what we're used to in Guild Wars. Ravious described them as "ace-up-your-sleeve" skills used to turn the tide of battle when they're most needed. Martin, Regina, Jon, and especially Isaiah had plenty to say about elites and how they work, including a few specific examples.

The team also addressed weapon skills and PvP, two subjects of great interest to the community. Head over to Kill Ten Rats to check out the full interview!

MassivelyArenaNet team discusses elite skills and PvP in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetguild-warsGuild-Wars-2gwgw2isaiah-cartwrightjon-peterskill-ten-ratsMartin-Kersteinncsoftraviousregina-buenaobraTue, 30 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet talks energy and group dynamics in Guild Wars 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/29/arenanet-talks-energy-and-group-dynamics-in-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/29/arenanet-talks-energy-and-group-dynamics-in-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/29/arenanet-talks-energy-and-group-dynamics-in-guild-wars-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After the recent Guild Wars 2 news drought, new information is certainly welcome. Ravious over at Kill Ten Rats provides just that today with a new interview with several members of the ArenaNet team.

Ravious chatted with community managers Martin Kerstein and Regina Buenaobra as well as developers Jon Peters and Isaiah Cartwright for some fascinating discussion on part of the development process. The group discussed energy use in Guild Wars 2, and gave us some interesting news on how your gameplay style will affect it.

They also covered some ground on group dynamics and how you can best work with your teammates in Guild Wars 2. The best part of this interview is that it ends with "to be continued." Head on over to Kill Ten Rats to see the interview for yourself, then join us in anxiously awaiting the next installment!

If you are looking forward to GW2 but aren't a current Guild Wars player, you might want to check out the great deal on the Guild Wars Trilogy at Best Buy. What better way to pass the time while you wait for more GW2 news?

MassivelyArenaNet talks energy and group dynamics in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetguild-warsGuild-Wars-2gwgw2interviewisaiah-cartwrightjon-peterskill-ten-ratsktrMartin-Kersteinncsoftraviousregina-buenaobraMon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet community manager debunks Guild Wars 2 rumor]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/arenanet-community-manager-debunks-guild-wars-2-rumor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/arenanet-community-manager-debunks-guild-wars-2-rumor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/arenanet-community-manager-debunks-guild-wars-2-rumor/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Guild Wars 2 fans have been enjoying a series of articles at PC Gamer this week, but unfortunately the series came with a bit of misinformation. If you read through the articles, you may have noticed some news regarding dungeons as downloadable content in Guild Wars 2.

The community was buzzing about that possibility until Community Manager Regina Buenaobra stepped in to clarify things: "We have not made a decision on whether to sell dungeon content as DLC, contrary to what the article states. The author of the article jumped to this (incorrect) conclusion based upon his interpretation of Eric's statements."

Eric Flannum released a clarification that stated in part "...our core philosophy--of not requiring you to spend additional money to play the game and not making the game difficult or painful to play in order to encourage you to buy things from the store--still stands." Eric's full statement can be seen within Regina's forum post.

MassivelyArenaNet community manager debunks Guild Wars 2 rumor originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbreakingdlcdownloadable-contentdungeonseric-flannumguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftpc-gamerregina-buenaobraThu, 21 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2010 travel diary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/flameseeker-chronicles-pax-2010-travel-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/flameseeker-chronicles-pax-2010-travel-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/flameseeker-chronicles-pax-2010-travel-diary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's Sunday night and PAX is over. My iPhone and laptop are screaming for mercy. It's been a wild ride, I have the Con Crud, my feet hurt so much I keep checking to make sure they're not stumps, and all I want is to turn the clock back to last Friday so I can do it again.

I had appointments and interviews with so many different game studios, and I was excited about every single one of them, but you guys know I was making Guild Wars 2 a top priority. I squeezed in time to indulge at every opportunity and have a lot to say.

When I was spending time with Guild Wars 2 this weekend, something struck me over and over. Every employee whom ArenaNet could possibly spare from the office was there in force. I asked at one point and was told that every person wearing that white shirt was an ArenaNet employee. They were out there doing everything they could to spend time with the fans, and more than one developer told me that it was a huge thrill to finally be able to share all of this with people who love it as much as they do. The inability to share all of this exciting news has been as frustrating for them as it was for us, but it was for a good cause, and I think every fan at PAX this weekend agreed it was worth the wait.

With that in mind, it was an easy decision to share my weekend experiences and photos with you guys for today's Flameseeker Chronicles. Follow along after the jump while I go find more Nyquil.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2010 travel diary

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2010 travel diary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcolin-johansonelijah-milleremily-diehlfeaturedgameplayguild-wars-2gw2hands-onjohn-corpeningjon-petersmartin-kersteinmike-obrienMike-Zadorojnyncsoftpaxpax-2010pax-primepax-prime-2010regina-buenaobratirzah-bauerMon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Death and healing: Guild Wars 2 community questions answered]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/death-and-healing-guild-wars-2-community-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/death-and-healing-guild-wars-2-community-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/death-and-healing-guild-wars-2-community-questions-answered/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


What happens if you have no money and aren't revived? Do we wait to be killed, and respawn at a waypoint? Do we have to lie on the ground, begging people passing by to come and revive us? It seems like this could suck.

It's a valid question, and one that Jon Peters was more than willing to answer. ArenaNet released information on death and healing to eager Guild Wars 2 fans last Thursday. The community had a long list of followup questions, so the Guild Wars 2 team rounded them up and set out to answer them.

According to Community Manager Regina Buenaobra, there were so many good questions to answer that the team decided to split them into two blog posts. The first of those two was posted last night, and addresses a handful of player concerns as well as some interesting details of how the system will work.

Check out the first batch of questions on the ArenaNet blog, and keep an eye on Massively -- we'll bring you round two just as soon as it's made available!

MassivelyDeath and healing: Guild Wars 2 community questions answered originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarenanet-blogdeathguild-wars-2gw2healingjon-petersncsoftq-and-aregina-buenaobraWed, 14 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Community guide, part two]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/05/flameseeker-chronicles-community-guide-part-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/05/flameseeker-chronicles-community-guide-part-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/05/flameseeker-chronicles-community-guide-part-two/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As information about Guild Wars 2 continues to be made available, community activity has increased greatly. The sheer number of resources can be pretty overwhelming at this point, and for a while I considered updating the original community guide.

However, there are new podcasts, fansites, images, and much more, so in the end I decided that it was more than enough to warrant a new community guide. So without further delay, I bring you Community Guide Two (go ahead and say electric boogaloo, you know you want to. I'll wait.). Hit the jump to see what's what in the Guild Wars 2 community these days.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Community guide, part two

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Community guide, part two originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcommunity-guidefacebookfansitesfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesforumsguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftpodcastregina-buenaobratwitterMon, 05 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars Community Manager talks War in Kryta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/guild-wars-community-manager-talks-war-in-kryta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/guild-wars-community-manager-talks-war-in-kryta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/guild-wars-community-manager-talks-war-in-kryta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The War in Kryta campaign has garnered an incredible amount of attention from the Guild Wars community, at first because of the mystery surrounding the OBEY and DISMANTLE flyers. As time passed and it became increasingly clear that this would help bridge the gap between Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, it became an even hotter topic among the fanbase. New content in game, talk on the forums, and a Facebook campaign all combined to make this the most exciting thing that's happened to Guild Wars in quite a while.

We got the opportunity to chat with Community Manager Regina Buenaobra about War in Kryta, the latest round of costumes in game, and what's coming next for Guild Wars. Follow along after the jump to see what she had to say!

Continue reading Guild Wars Community Manager talks War in Kryta

MassivelyGuild Wars Community Manager talks War in Kryta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanet-guild-warsdismantlefeaturedguild-warsGuild-Wars-2guild-wars-beyondguild-wars-costumesinterviewobeyregina-buenaobrawar-in-krytaThu, 22 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars Xunlai Tournament House permanently retired]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/guild-wars-xunlai-tournament-house-permanantly-retired/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/guild-wars-xunlai-tournament-house-permanantly-retired/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/guild-wars-xunlai-tournament-house-permanantly-retired/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Seven months ago, the Guild Wars Xunlai Tournament House was pulled offline so ArenaNet could investigate the increasingly frequent glitches in point distribution. Yesterday they finally made the decision: "After much analysis and discussion, we've decided to permanently retire the Xunlai Tournament House."

Regina Buenaobra's wiki journal page went on to explain that ArenaNet had done an "exhaustive investigation" into the problems and in the end concluded that the XTH would need to be rebuilt from scratch. To do that, resources would have to be pulled away from Guild Wars 2, and in the end it became a question of where the focus needed to be.

It was a tough call for the Guild Wars team to make, and undoubtedly will be a disappointing decision for many fans. But with only so much time, money, and manpower to go around, they made the call to keep the focus where it currently was. You can check out Regina's full journal post here. R.I.P., free Zaishen Keys.

MassivelyGuild Wars Xunlai Tournament House permanently retired originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guild-warspvpregina-buenaobraXTHxunlai-tournament-houseThu, 11 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars releases preliminary skill update notes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/23/guild-wars-releases-preliminary-skill-update-notes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/23/guild-wars-releases-preliminary-skill-update-notes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/23/guild-wars-releases-preliminary-skill-update-notes/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No, they are not nerfing Shadow Form. Yet. But Guild Wars community manager Regina Buenaobra released a preview of some skill updates and updated GvG restrictions that are coming. Since they'll be released shortly before a Monthly Automated Tournament, and affect PvP heavily, the preview is being offered to give players a chance to plan for the changes. Regina does note, however, that these are preliminary notes, and subject to change.

So what about the rest of the promised skill update? Regina says "While we continue a larger playbalance project that includes drastic changes to Shadow Form, we believe it is important to release a small skill balance to address a few other pressing issues" So the project is still underway, and Shadow Form is still in the crosshairs. (You can either be glad of that, or farm even faster while you still can, depending on your point of view on the entire issue.)

We'll continue watching for further information on the update.

MassivelyGuild Wars releases preliminary skill update notes originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warsgvgpvpregina-buenaobrashadow-formskill-updateSat, 23 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The sounds of Guild Wars 2: a Q&A with ArenaNet's Audio Director]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/the-sounds-of-guild-wars-2-a-qanda-with-arenanets-audio-director/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/the-sounds-of-guild-wars-2-a-qanda-with-arenanets-audio-director/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/the-sounds-of-guild-wars-2-a-qanda-with-arenanets-audio-director/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The members of the Guild Wars 2 Guru forums, just like all of us, are making the wait more bearable with loads of speculation and discussion about Guild Wars 2.

A recent discussion has been going on regarding sound effects and ambient sounds, with everyone generally agreeing that those details are a wonderful addition to a game environment -- the more the better. Guild Wars is a game that already does this well, with details such as a change in the sound of footsteps depending on the surface one is walking on. Fans have the expectation and hope that things will be even better in Guild Wars 2.

As it turns out, ArenaNet's Audio Director James Ackley was keeping an eye on the conversation, and jumped in via Community Manager Regina Buenaobra to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at what the foley team has been up to for GW2.

Ackley went through the thread, and addressed each individual wish and suggestion that had come up, and then provided a handful of photos as a bonus. Take a look a the photos in the gallery below, and you can read the full Q & A here.

We at Massively join the fans in thanking Ackley for taking the time to give a behind the scenes look at some of the production process!

Continue reading The sounds of Guild Wars 2: a Q&A with ArenaNet's Audio Director

MassivelyThe sounds of Guild Wars 2: a Q&A with ArenaNet's Audio Director originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetfoleyguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-soundsjames-ackleyregina-buenaobraFri, 22 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New information on Guild Wars Wintersday redux and next skill update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/new-information-on-guild-wars-wintersday-redux-and-next-skill-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/new-information-on-guild-wars-wintersday-redux-and-next-skill-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/new-information-on-guild-wars-wintersday-redux-and-next-skill-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Guild Wars Wintersday festival had a few issues this year, but ArenaNet kindly offered up a Wintersday redux. Anyone who missed out on their hats or didn't get to participate as much as they wanted thanks to lag now gets a second chance. If you were lucky enough to have smooth sailing on the first round, just enjoy the bonus! We've been waiting on a date for the festivities, and yesterday community manager Regina Buenaobra announced that it will begin January 29 and run until the finale on February 7. (It doesn't look like the event will overlap Canthan New Year, of course.)

Regina's announcement also included new information on the large skill update that the team originally planned to roll out in full this month: "The next skill updates will be rolled out in stages. First, GvG skills will be updated, and this will come next week, before the Monthly Tournament. We will release preliminary patch notes with details of those GvG changes later this week, so that those participating in the Monthly Tournament will have some notice of the changes".

We'll keep a close eye out for those patch notes for you, and happy Wintersday! (Again)

MassivelyNew information on Guild Wars Wintersday redux and next skill update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warsMATmonthly-tournamentregina-buenaobraskill-updatewintersdaywintersday-2009wintersday-reduxWed, 20 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Potential smoking gun found for Guild Wars security issues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/potential-smoking-gun-found-for-guild-wars-security-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/potential-smoking-gun-found-for-guild-wars-security-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/potential-smoking-gun-found-for-guild-wars-security-issues/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It started as a surprise. Guild Wars players reported suddenly finding themselves hacked, their accounts cleaned out, no indication of what could have caused the problem. NCsoft and ArenaNet offered suggestions, security safeguards, new measures being taken, hints that the problem lay in a popular third-party website with an undisclosed name. But with the recent rash of problems that Aion players have been having regarding security, new facts have begun coming to light, and they paint a picture that isn't pretty.

Specifically, some players seem to be finding that it doesn't take any skill to wind up hacking someone's account accidentally. And all it takes is a few log-in attempts to find yourself with access to someone's account name, password, and billing information for all of a player's NCsoft games.

Continue reading Potential smoking gun found for Guild Wars security issues

MassivelyPotential smoking gun found for Guild Wars security issues originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-exploitsaccount-securityaionarenanetbreaking-newsgaile-grayguild-warsgwhackingncsoftregina-buenaobrasecurity-breachsecurity-issuesSat, 02 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft taking first visible steps to improve security]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/ncsoft-taking-first-visible-steps-to-improve-security/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/ncsoft-taking-first-visible-steps-to-improve-security/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/ncsoft-taking-first-visible-steps-to-improve-security/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Back at the end of November, we talked about the ongoing security issues affecting Guild Wars players. ArenaNet has been assuring players that they are working hard on the problem, and Monday evening the community saw the first fruits of that labor. Players saw a message in their chat windows that most of them have never seen before: "The Guild Wars servers will be taken offline momentarily for required maintenance."

It was a quick change, but once it happened, players logging in saw a surprising addition to the login screen. Besides the usual username and password combination, you now have to correctly enter the name of any character on your account before you are able to log in.

ArenaNet posted a FAQ on their site along with the update and Community Manager Regina Buenaobra interacted heavily with the community immediately afterward, logging in to Guild Wars to discuss the change with players (and presumably be asked a few hundred questions about Guild Wars 2.) She also spent time on the main fan forum sites, addressing concerns, clarifying the reasoning behind some decisions, and passing some well-deserved thanks from players on to the ANet team.

While not everyone is satisfied -- and when are they ever? -- this first step is a very welcome one to most players, and we look forward to seeing more.

MassivelyNCsoft taking first visible steps to improve security originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Account-Securityarenanetguild-warsgwhackingncsoftregina-buenaobraWed, 23 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Goodbye RR Day: Guild Wars to remove Hero Battles and Team Arenas this week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/goodbye-rr-day-guild-wars-to-remove-hero-battles-and-team-aren/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/goodbye-rr-day-guild-wars-to-remove-hero-battles-and-team-aren/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/goodbye-rr-day-guild-wars-to-remove-hero-battles-and-team-aren/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

No, we're not endorsing RR Day. But ArenaNet Community Manager Regina Buenaobra announced today that Hero Battles and Team Arenas will be removed from Guild Wars with this week's update, and it's safe to assume that a good many players will be mourning that loss. The news shouldn't come as any surprise, given that Live Team Lead Linsey Murdock warned us of this almost two months ago.

So how does this affect the PvP side? Well, after the update this week -- presumably Thursday or Friday -- the Commander title will still exist, but gaining points for it will no longer be possible. It will be replaced by a new title so those who haven't maxed their Commander title won't be left out in the cold. Random Arenas will no longer promote to Team Arenas, and the Hero Battles Ladder will freeze.

Linsey has said that Team Arena will be "renamed and repurposed" for the new Sealed Deck format, and that the Hero Battles maps will be reused, but the only change indicated for this week is the removal of TA/HB. It looks like Sealed Deck and all the other PvP projects are still having finishing touches put on them, so we'll keep watching for them.

MassivelyGoodbye RR Day: Guild Wars to remove Hero Battles and Team Arenas this week originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warshero-battleslinsey-murdockpvpred-resign-dayregina-buenaobrarr-dayteam-arenaMon, 19 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars PvP project updates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/guild-wars-pvp-project-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/guild-wars-pvp-project-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/guild-wars-pvp-project-updates/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Back in August, Linsey Murdock, game designer for ArenaNet, gave news of a large Guild Wars PvP project the Live Team was working on. Community Manager Regina Buenaobra gave an update yesterday, working through a laundry list of items in the project and their status.

The PvP henchmen contest seems to be the primary focus of the Live Team at the moment. Winners were announced last week, and after the initial flurry of perusing the new skill bars and congratulating the winners, the Guild Wars community wondered "What now?". Will we see the new henchmen anytime soon, and more importantly, will we really have henchmen named Rolol Lololol and A Papaya In There? As it turns out, the Live Team is working on that very thing -- contacting winners, working out appropriate in-character names, and anticipating the fun of finding models. While the team is working hard on this, Regina didn't neglect mention of the many other items on the list.

The switch from Team Arenas and Hero Battles to the Sealed Deck format is taking longer than planned, as team members had to build the project nearly from the ground up. A few items, like GvG Tiebreaker and a new Hall of Heroes map, have been put on hold until the Test Krewe is in place. Several small items are taken care of and ready to go, while other things are on hold for now; one of them being the next skill balance.

More details can be seen in Regina's journal entry, and we hope for even more soon.

MassivelyGuild Wars PvP project updates originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warslinsey-murdockncsoftpvpregina-buenaobraFri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars' Xunlai House Tournament temporarily shut down]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/guild-wars-xunlai-house-tournament-temporarily-shut-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/guild-wars-xunlai-house-tournament-temporarily-shut-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/guild-wars-xunlai-house-tournament-temporarily-shut-down/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Guild Wars and ArenaNet community manager Regina Buenaobra has announced that due to issues with the Xunlai House Tournament point distribution on June 18th, the decision has been made to temporarily halt Xunlai until the error has been completely resolved. Apparently, some players were getting the incorrect amount of points, while others weren't getting any points.

According to ArenaNet, they have the correct point amounts for May and will be making sure everyone gets the proper amount, whether or not they reported a problem with their points. Currently, there's no date on which Xunlai will be restored, but Regina makes it very clear that they're working hard on getting the issues ironed out.

It's not a fun situation for anyone, but we'd just like to say good on ArenaNet for jumping on the issue like a frenzied lion on a juicy antelope. Hopefully the dates for May point reissues and Xunlai's reopening aren't too far in the distance.

MassivelyGuild Wars' Xunlai House Tournament temporarily shut down originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetcommunity-managerguild-warsncsoftregina-buenaobratechnical-difficultiestournamentxunlaixunlai-tournament-houseThu, 25 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 concept art spotted]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/08/guild-wars-2-concept-art-spotted/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/08/guild-wars-2-concept-art-spotted/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/08/guild-wars-2-concept-art-spotted/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Guild Wars has some fantastic concept art. We've mentioned this in the past, particularly in the context of the work of ArenaNet art director Daniel Dociu and concept art lead Kekai Kotaki as seen at Spectrum Fantastic Art. In fact, the last thing we asked was, "Does this give some hints as to what we'll be seeing in Guild Wars 2?" It turns out, it does.

In fact, Guild Wars 2 concept art is now appearing in other places as well. Ravious at Kill Ten Rats hunted down more GW2 art by Dociu and Kotaki, as confirmed by ArenaNet's Regina Buenaobra. Check out the post on GW2 concept art by Ravious over at Kill Ten Rats, which features some examples of what he's found along with some background on what they may show of the next game's setting, "250 years after the original Guild Wars."

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 concept art spotted originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetartart-directorconcept-artconcept-art-leaddaniel-dociufantasyfantasy-artguild-warsguild-wars-2gw2kekai-kotakikill-ten-ratsnew-titlesraviousregina-buenaobraMon, 08 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's interview with Guild Wars CM Regina Buenaobra part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/massivelys-interview-with-guild-wars-cm-regina-buenaobra-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/massivelys-interview-with-guild-wars-cm-regina-buenaobra-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/massivelys-interview-with-guild-wars-cm-regina-buenaobra-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


You have a much more segregated view of PvE and PVP content, do you think this makes the game more enjoyable for players? Will it influence gameplay in future titles, such as Guild Wars 2?
We have different forms of PvP for different player types. We have more easily accessible formats like Alliance Battles as well as more competitive formats like GvG. The various different PvP formats give players multiple options to play and enjoy the challenge of PvP.

This will have an influence in Guild Wars 2 in the sense that we want there to be a similar kind of accessible PvP format, like World PvP, that players can get into easily, as well as more competitive forms of PvP. We want to be able to give players different options, because we know that players will want to play and enjoy different forms of PvP.

What do you think you have learned from Guild Wars?
With the Guild Wars experience under our belts, we've learned that it's worth taking some risks to provide an innovative new gaming experience. We think we've succeeded in delivering a unique online RPG to players. We've learned that players enjoy deep PvE gameplay experiences, and this is shown in Guild Wars: Eye of the North, where we emphasized that deeper style of play rather than a more broad design emphasis where content is spread more thinly.

Of course, forging a new path and doing something different from everyone else wasn't totally smooth, and we've had learning experiences that are relevant for development on Guild Wars 2. One of the things we would have reconsidered in hindsight is the fact that adding a large number of skills to the game increases the complexity of the system, and increases the amount of information that a player feels she has to absorb. This is potentially overwhelming, especially for new players. One of the strongest design decisions the team made was the use of instancing, which gives players a personal experience and the feeling that they have an impact and a stake in the destiny of the world. In games where there's more persistence, players don't feel that same kind of power. Having said that, persistent worlds give players a stronger sense of a world that's alive with the excitement and activity of other players. Guild Wars is unique from other games in a similar genre, both in the design sense and in terms of its business model, and we continue to be successful, so the lesson there is that it was worth taking those risks.

Is there anything in particular you are looking to improve upon in terms of gameplay or storyline in future?
Our Guild Wars Live Team is continuing to work on improving the game through smaller monthly tweaks as well as more substantial content updates. We don't have specific details on what's in store for the immediate future.

In terms of Guild Wars 2, we've got a lot of great ideas, but you'll just have to wait and see when we're ready to start talking about them in more detail.



Guild Wars 2 is on the horizon, are you preparing players for the transition or do you hope both games will be played side-by-side?
We're really excited about Guild Wars 2, and we hope that our longstanding players will check out Guild Wars 2 when it comes out. In Guild Wars, we have the Hall of Monuments, which records and displays players' achievements. This will help transition players over to Guild Wars 2 by giving existing characters some unique rewards in Guild Wars 2. We'll continue to support Guild Wars for as long as players are playing it.

Over the last four years, has your method of delivering new content changed? Do you think players prefer mini updates or the WoW-style of three or four huge patches per year/expansion?
Yes. We went from releasing large content updates in the form of brand new games, such as Factions and Nightfall, and our expansion Eye of the North, to shifting our focus on Guild Wars 2 while continuing to support Guild Wars with smaller updates. We currently release both mini updates as well as larger patches. These come in the form of our monthly maintenance updates where we do skill balances and monthly tournament updates, and also our less frequent content updates, such as the Fourth Anniversary update, which are larger in scope. Less frequent, larger updates give the Live Team more time for planning and development for larger projects.

Do you think the player community has been an important part of the Guild Wars experience?
Absolutely. Our players have a strong voice at ArenaNet through our community managers, me and Martin Kerstein, as well as other members of the studio who take an interest in community matters. Some of the features being released in the Fourth Anniversary Update are very popular requests in the community-in particular, the expanded options for item storage and the Zaishen Menagerie. We have a few surprises up our collective sleeves, and the community has definitely asked for them.

Guild Wars wouldn't be what it is today without our player community. Our community is passionate and they continue to show their enthusiasm and excitement, whether it's through holding in-game community events, helping new players in and out of the game, showing up to support us at gaming conventions, or contributing articles on our Wiki.



Anything you can tell us about Guild Wars 2? How is development progressing?
 Guild Wars 2 is going to be a much bigger game than the original Guild Wars. Our development team is twice as large as the dev team for Guild Wars, so we're putting a lot of development resources into it. We have regular company-wide play sessions in Guild Wars 2, and it's a blast to play with everyone. The development team also does regular playtesting every day. I can say that it's an absolutely gorgeous game and I'm always astounded at how great our artists are at bringing a world to life.

We're not ready to share more just now, but stay tuned for more information later this year. Keep in mind that unlike most development teams, we've been very open about our decision to start development on Guild Wars 2 right from the very beginning. We've also been building almost everything in Guild Wars 2 from the ground up. A lot of games start development in total secrecy before fans even hear a whisper about it. Our fans have been clamouring for news and updates, and we know it feels like a long time for them. When Guild Wars 2 is released, they'll see that it was worth the wait.

Do you think players will find it easy to move so far in to the game's future?
While we are going to have a fresh start with Guild Wars 2, we're also going to ensure that players still feel a close connection with the lore and mythology of the world. For existing player characters, they'll feel connected to the past of Tyria through the Hall of Monuments, which is where their current Guild Wars characters record their achievements.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Be sure to check out all the details of the Guild Wars Fourth Anniversary celebrations on our official website!

MassivelyMassively's interview with Guild Wars CM Regina Buenaobra part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-eye-of-the-northguild-wars-factionsguild-wars-nightfallguild-wars-propheciesregina-buenaobraMon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's interview with Guild Wars CM Regina Buenaobra]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/massivelys-interview-with-guild-wars-cm-regina-buenaobra/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/massivelys-interview-with-guild-wars-cm-regina-buenaobra/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/massivelys-interview-with-guild-wars-cm-regina-buenaobra/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



ArenaNet and NCSoft are celebrating the fourth anniversary of free-to-play MMO Guild Wars this month so we decided to sit down an chat with Community Manager Regina Buenaobra about the games success and it's beginnings.

How did Guild Wars come about?
When the ArenaNet founders (Jeff Strain, Mike O'Brien, and Pat Wyatt) were still working at Blizzard, they had a lot of discussions about the design underpinnings of World of Warcraft, which Jeff Strain was working on, and Warcraft III, which Mike O'Brien was working on. They thought that it might be cool to mix the two genres, since there was already a lot of overlap between them. Strategy games are more fun when you've got an emotional connection to not just your character but also the game world, and when roleplaying games are infused with a bit of a competitive dimension, that's exciting for players.

What were you looking to achieve when you first launched the game?
Even before Guild Wars was launched, the team aimed to do something different from what other online roleplaying games were doing. This uniqueness is at the very core of many of the design decisions-for example, the focus on player skill rather than time spent playing. The team wanted Guild Wars to deliver something different from what was already out there on the market, and have it be a success. At the time, it was a risk to diverge from the route that other online games were taking, both in terms of game design and business model. And of course, the goal was to give players a really fun and enjoyable game.

Why do you think gamers have been so attracted to the game?
I think there are a lot of reasons for the enduring draw of Guild Wars. Guild Wars provides a skill-based gameplay experience that includes a brilliant solo campaign. Here, a player feels immersed in a game world through fantastic storytelling and questing. The player feels powerful, in control of their destiny and their ability to influence events. Guild Wars also includes a deep profession and skill system which is really compelling from a strategic sense. The business model-buy the box and play online without subscription fees-presents great value for the money, especially in the current economic climate. These are all reasons for why Guild Wars is still really popular.

Continue reading Massively's interview with Guild Wars CM Regina Buenaobra

MassivelyMassively's interview with Guild Wars CM Regina Buenaobra originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild tournaments are serious business in Guild Wars. The arena-based PvP in ArenaNet's successful MMO is widely popular as global guilds face up for a top spot on the Tournament Ladder. One of the most popular and powerful of these competitive guilds is Rebel Rising [rawr], who has been in the spotlight many times for their own separate Rawr Cup Tournament. Recently though, Rebel Rising was caught cheating in a Guild versus Guild tournament. According to ArenaNet, both teams stopped fighting at the end of a match, allowing the timer to run down and guaranteeing both teams a spot in the Top 16. As punishment, Rebel Rising will have their gold cape trim removed for one month, while the other team, Survival Rate [zero] will not receive their silver cape trim, as would usually be awarded for a guild placing in the top 16.

Since this was the first offense for both guilds, the punishment was light. ArenaNet has stated that any future offenses will be met with temporary or permanent bans for any players involved. So how do you feel about this decision? When guilds knowingly break the rules to manipulate the ladder, should the punishment be more harsh or more lenient?

MassivelyEsteemed Guild Wars guild punished for cheating originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-vs-guildguild-warsgvgrawrrebel-risingregina-buenaobratournamentMon, 09 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet in complete control of Guild Wars 2 marketing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/arenanet-in-complete-control-of-guild-wars-2-marketing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/arenanet-in-complete-control-of-guild-wars-2-marketing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/arenanet-in-complete-control-of-guild-wars-2-marketing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Earlier this month we made a post speculating -- via Kill Ten Rats -- on how the marketing may be handled for Guild Wars 2. As it turns out, some of those rumors turned out to be untrue. Specifically, the rumor about how the game would be marketed when it eventually comes out. Regina Buenaobra, an ArenaNet community manager, has made it clear that NCsoft allows developers to decide their own marketing strategies for their games in the way that makes sense for them. We're very glad to hear that, as one size certainly does not fit all.

Another nice aside here is that it would appear that NCsoft is allowing ArenaNet to do their own thing, which should assuage any worries or fears some may have after the events surrounding Tabula Rasa and Auto Assault. As for that release date? Well, that's still subject for speculation as per usual.

MassivelyArenaNet in complete control of Guild Wars 2 marketing originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warsguild-wars-2kill-ten-ratsncsoftregina-buenaobraMon, 29 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet will not show Guild Wars 2 at PAX]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/arenanet-will-not-show-guild-wars-2-at-pax/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/arenanet-will-not-show-guild-wars-2-at-pax/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/arenanet-will-not-show-guild-wars-2-at-pax/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

It's no secret that Guild Wars 2 is a hot topic among Guild Wars players, so every time the smallest leak of information surfaces, excitement ensues. Yet lately we've heard more and more about how this anticipated sequel is not quite ready for prime time. One example is the announcement earlier this month that there will be no GW2 beta in 2008, as was first estimated. Now we hear that GW2 will not even be shown at PAX in late August.

This bit of news was leaked last week by ArenaNet's new Community Manager Regina Buenaobra. She said it first on the main forums, and then again on her user talk page of the official GW wiki. Despite many of the inevitable negative comments that have erupted in the forums since this was announced, creating an MMO from scratch still takes several years. With recent news of other games opting to release "on time" with minimal content, we can't help but scratch our heads at this type of situation. It's been asked a million times before, but we'll ask it again: would you rather have a partial game released now, or a complete game released later?

MassivelyArenaNet will not show Guild Wars 2 at PAX originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warsguild-wars-2ncsoftpaxpax-2008penny-arcade-exporegina-buenaobraTue, 29 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST