Guild Wars 2/FAQ

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Guild Wars 2 frequently asked questions
Image:Info-Logo.png Note: This is a community-made FAQ based on information from interviews and other official sources. For an ArenaNet-made FAQ, see their website page.
Please note that this isn't a page to ask questions, and that most answers are already here.

Contents

[edit] General Questions

Will there be a subscription fee?

No. This has been confirmed several times. You will only need to buy the box to play.

Will there be micro-transactions or things to buy which don't come with the box, like character slots?

Yes, micro-transactions will exist.[1]

Isn't ArenaNet going to ruin the game by making their game more like all the other MMORPGs?

ArenaNet have said they are not trying to make another World of Warcraft clone. Their core ideals of accessibility, playing how you want to play and the ability to play with your friends have been prominently mentioned in the press for the game.

I've got this great idea for GW2, where should I post it?

Post it to your favourite fan forum. There is also a suggestion area on Guild Wars Wiki. But check whether someone else has posted a similar idea first!

My question isn't answered by this FAQ.

If your answer isn't on this page or on the Guild Wars 2 page then it is likely there is no answer for your question yet. In particular there is little confirmed information on game mechanics. Ask your question on the talk page and it may get added to the FAQ, whether we know the answer or not.

Where can I get more information about Guild Wars 2?

Check out the official website, official twitter account and official facebook page for new information as it is announced. Check out the wiki's news page for a list of articles on Guild Wars 2. For speculative, unconfirmed information or discussions on information, or lack of it, check out a fansite forum.

When do we expect new information, there is still hardly anything here?

We're expecting more information about gameplay and mechanics in early 2010.

Is there going to be a Prima game guide or something similar?

We don't know.

[edit] Release and testing

When is Guild Wars 2 going to be released?

No official date has been announced for the release of Guild Wars 2, only that it will be released "when it is ready". However, according to NCsoft conference call from Q3 2009, the beta is expected to start in 2010 and the final game is expected to be released in 2011.

Can I get into the Alpha test?

Alpha test is by invitation only.

So can I beta test instead?

You bet. Just like the Original Guild Wars games there are going to be public beta tests. ArenaNet has stated this will start closer to the release of the game than for Guild Wars 1.

How do I sign up for the beta test?

You can't sign up for the beta test at the moment - any site which claims you can is trying to scam you. The only place which will allow you to sign up for a Guild Wars 2 beta test is the official Guild Wars 2 website. Don't give your account information to anyone!

The beta will be announced using the newsletter, so sign up on the Official Guild Wars 2 website if you aren't checking the news sites frequently and don't want to miss out. Take care to watch out for scam emails.

Why did they cancel the beta test they announced for 2008? Are their dates slipping?

ArenaNet thinks that the market for MMORPG has changed significantly since they developed Guild Wars. Players view betas of MMOs as demos of the final product and so expect a level of polish which betas early in development cannot provide. As a result the planned beta has been delayed to provide the right first impression of the game to these players. It doesn't necessarily mean that planned release dates have changed.

What languages will be supported/Will there be different servers for different languages?

We don't know.

Will Guild Wars 2 have standalone campaigns?

It has been stated that expansions and/or mini-expansions are far more likely than standalone campaigns.

[edit] Original Guild Wars

So what was wrong with the original Guild Wars?

The development team at ArenaNet realized at the time they started work on the fourth Guild Wars campaign that there was so much stuff they wanted to do but couldn't make fit into the existing game. So they decided that making Guild Wars 2 was the best way for them to do what they wanted to the game.

Can I keep on playing Guild Wars?

Yes. ArenaNet have stated that the Guild Wars servers will stay open after GW2 is released. There will continue to be special events and patches for players who stay playing Guild Wars.

Are there going to be any more expansions for Guild Wars?

Between now and release of GW2, no. Whether there are any more after release of GW2 hasn't been entirely ruled out but it seems pretty unlikely.

Can I transfer a Guild Wars character to GW2?

No. You will be able to reserve character names.[2] GW:EN allows you to transfer some achievements to GW2 through the Hall of Monuments.

Are Hall of Monuments achievements by character or by account?

By account. A player may link a Guild Wars 2 account to a Guild Wars account using an in-game item in Guild Wars 2. All characters on the account will then be able to access the rewards from the Hall of Monuments.[3]

So what stuff do I actually get in GW2 from putting things in the Hall of Monuments?

There isn't any word on this. Anything you get from Guild Wars won't give you a permanent advantage over new GW2 players. Basically, expect cosmetic stuff with stats that new GW2 players will be able to achieve by playing GW2.

[edit] Technical stuff

What are the specs for running GW2?

GW2 will have higher requirements than GW but no requirements have been set. They plan to keep the requirements low so that owners of mainstream PCs will be able to play the game when it is released.

Can I play on dial-up?

We don't know.

Will I need Vista/Windows7 and DirectX 10 to play?

No, but DirectX 10 will be supported.

Will I be able to play the game on a Mac or Linux PC?

It seems pretty unlikely it would be officially supported. The official FAQ says that they're developing for PC which usually means for Windows but it can be ambiguous.

[edit] Servers/Worlds

Are there going to be different servers?

Yes, however you will be able to move characters between different shards/worlds quickly and easily.

How many people are there going to be in one world/server/instance?

We don't know.

[edit] Gameplay

Will my character be able to jump without the emote?

Yes! The first trailer for the game clearly shows characters doing just this. It also been said that you can swim and climb trees.[4]

Will my character be able to fly?

No, your character will not be able to fly.[5]

Will the game target for me?

Yup. The game will still target for you.

Will map travel stay in the game?

Yes. A system of Asura gates will enable players to travel from place to place and facilitate map travel.

Will there be mounts?

We don't know.

Will there be henchmen/heroes?

The system of heroes and pets is being reworked. Information from 2007 said you will have a single companion but they will not count towards any party you join. They'll be like an extension of your character, and if you choose not to take one, your character will be buffed to compensate.

Any news on armor, equipment or loot?

It has been stated that equipment will be a more significant part of PvE and World PvP gameplay. Armour and weapons will no longer be profession specific. Armor will use a light, medium, heavy system.[6] It has been confirmed that guns will be a weapon type available to players.

[edit] Character

Do I have to have separate PvP and PvE characters again?

No. One character can participate in any gameplay type that GW2 offers.

[edit] Levels

So are they raising the level cap?

Yes, but the final cap hasn't been announced. It could be as high as 100.

Isn't that going to get in the way of me playing with my friends?

A sidekick system will be used which will bring your armor and power up to that of people you are with.

Am I going to have to endlessly grind to be the most powerful I can be?

No. The amount of power you get at higher levels will reduce significantly. At some point you will not get any more powerful by gaining more levels.

[edit] Races

What are the races I can play in GW2?

Human, Asura, Charr, Norn and Sylvari are confirmed for the initial release.

Will there be any other races?

It has been stated that in the future, other races will be added,[7] but we don't think they will do this for the initial release of the game.

Will races get race specific characteristics?

Yes. But, aside from the obvious appearance differences, the exact form and effect of these is unknown. We do know that the Norn will be able to shapeshift into animal forms and the Asura will be able to use Golems. It has been stated that ArenaNet wants race choice to have a significant effect on gameplay.

[edit] Professions

What professions are there going to be?

There isn't any information on which professions are in game. However all of professions from the original Guild Wars are under consideration, as is the possibility of adding new professions.

How many professions are there going to be?

We have no idea. Really. However it has been implied in interviews that the profession count will be equal to or lower than the profession count in Guild Wars.

Will there still be secondary professions?

As of 2007, secondary professions have been confirmed to be almost certain.[7]

Will professions have racial restrictions?

All professions will be available to all races.

[edit] Skills

Will there still be skill capture?

We don't know.

Will I be limited to 8 skills?

A limited skill system is still going to be used in Guild Wars 2. There is no confirmed information about the number of skills equipped at one time.

How many skills will there be in the game?

It is likely there will be fewer skills than in Guild Wars. It's been said they're aiming for quality rather than quantity of skills for Guild Wars 2.

[edit] PvE

Do each of the races start in different areas?

Yes. Each race starts in a different area and has a slightly different storyline. However, ArenaNet has made clear that the storylines do converge and you will still be able to play with your friends regardless of races chosen.

Will I be able to craft?

Crafting will be added to the game, how it has been implemented hasn't been said yet. Apparently other non-combat ways of interacting with other players will be added too.

Any news on quests?

The green exclamation point indicating a quest has been removed. The event system scripts 'quest chains' into the world which players in the area can find and participate in.

Will I be able to solo?

You will be able to play the game solo. However whether this means you can play through the game without NPC companions or need them to replace human party members is not clear.

Will there be a pre-searing like area, like in Guild Wars Prophecies?

Because there are different racial starting areas the developers felt it was impractical to implement such areas.

[edit] Persistence

Why are they adding persistence?

So that you can have a more social time in game and have the potential to see and meet people who are online as much as you are. Persistence also adds new game elements, such as an evolving world and consequences.

Are there still going to be instanced areas?

Yes, dungeons and mission type content are still going to be instanced.

What about boss camping and loot stealing which happens in persistent games?

Big events will be announced in game so any player who wants to kill can show up to help. Anyone who helps in the fight will be individually rewarded. Whether the usual problems will occur with mobs of general monsters and bosses is unknown.

[edit] Setting

Will I be able to travel to Cantha and Elona?

You will be unable to travel to these areas in the initial release of the game. Expect to see them in future releases.

Are they going to include a day/night cycle?

Yes. The cycle will be faster than real time. Events and monster spawning will change based on the time of day. Centaurs might attack a camp at dawn, and ghosts haunting an ancient battlefield might only be visible at night.

So I heard that we could explore underwater. How's that going to work?

There will be extensive underwater areas which are intended to be a fun place to explore - which means that breathing isn't going to be a problem. A consumable item will allow breathing underwater for a long period of time. There will be new friendly races introduced and there will be events in these areas.

[edit] PvP

What PvP modes will be available?

Two PvP modes have been announced, but not formally named. "Structured PvP" will be similar to GvG in GW. Players will be on equal footing there. "World PvP" will involve large, ongoing battles in the Mists between players from up to three different shards, with persistence.

Will there be UAX, unlock of all skills and items, for PvP players?

It has been stated that a character which is taken into Structured PvP will be given fixed level, and have access to the same set of skills, items and professions as other players. World PVP will use the equipment, skill and level of the character entering.

What about Player-killing?

Guild Wars PvP has always been consensual and this will not change. This does leave open the possibility of a PvP flag system which other MMOs have, but such a feature has not been mentioned to date.

[edit] Guilds

Will I be able to save my guild's name in the Hall Of Monuments?

We don't know.

Will my account be able to join multiple Guilds?

We don't know.

Will Guilds be segregated by character race?

No. Guilds will "accept heroes of all societies into their halls."

[edit] References

  1. ^ GCO9: Guild Wars 2 Interview, Gamereactor
  2. ^ Gaile Guru forum post
  3. ^ Regina Guru forum post
  4. ^ Feature: Guild Wars 2, GW Expansion Unveiled, Kotaku
  5. ^ ArenaNet im Interview - Teil 1, Onlinewelten
  6. ^ Guild Wars 2: Exclusive Interview, mmorpg.com
  7. ^ a b The best things in life are free, Eurogamer
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