User:Aspectacle/Factsheet

A list of information known about Guild Wars 2 from various sources. It makes no claims to completeness nor to being completely accurate!

General

• No release date announced.
• Possible release window 2010-2011 NCsoft financials, Q1 2009
• Public beta expected close to the release of the game OGW GW2 FAQ
• No subscription fee - Gaile guru post
• business model of regular expansions/campaigns to continue - Eurogamer 07
• 'It was in active design and early R&D as of early 2007.' - TTH 07

Technical

• Continued support for OGW after GW2 release - ref guru post
• No plans for console, still focused to deliver on the PC - Eurogamer 07
• No in-game ads - guru post
• "try to keep our system specs reasonable. We don't develop on highly-advanced systems, and we intend to make Guild Wars 2 as approachable as Guild Wars is." - [1]
• Will have higher system requirements then OGW - [2]
• Will run great on 'mainstream PCs' IGM 08/09

Servers & Persistence

• More persistence in the world, but instances will still be used. - [3]
• Events in instances could have an impact on the persistent world (?) - [4]
• 'explorable' areas as a persistent world, missions and a dungeon will be instanced - [5]
• Servers/worlds in game, players can transfer between these at will like districts. - [6]
• Player number cap not finalised "have to put the player cap in a way which avoids both abandoned and overcrowded areas." - [7]

Events

• Event System which notifies all players in the zone that something big has happened. All players participating in a large event will be rewarded - [8]
• Trying to build cause and effect into the game - [9]
• Replaces traditional RPG/MMO quest system EuroGamer 08/09
  • "I think I can safely say that you won't see a single exclamation mark floating above a character's head in Guild Wars 2" EuroGamer 08/09
• World has scripting/schedule/scenarios which changes depending on the actions of characters Pause 08/09
• "raid the centaur camp and clear out the centaurs, then there won’t be a centaur attack on the garrison. But if the players let the centaur population get out of control, then the centaurs will become emboldened and start doing raids." Pause 08/09
• No penality on characters or requirement for the world to be in a particular state Pause 08/09
• Scale in difficulty depending on whether you solo or are in a group GW2 the status quo

Movement

• Click to move will be removed from the game - ref
• Z-axis to be added
• Jumping! and other environment interactions - swimming or sliding - ref
• Target locking still in game - ref
• "environmental clutter will react should your weapon, intentionally or unintentionally, smash through it" - ref
• Players will still be able to "teleport" their character around the game world. No significant changes to character transport. [10]

Graphics

• rewriting portions of the engine in order to provide much greater detail - Eurogamer 07
• better shadows and lighting, new animation and effects systems IGN 08/09
• team plans to use concept art in the game in one way or another, as a storytelling tool Gamespot 08/09
  • a graphics engine that ... does justice to the concept art Gamespot 08/09
• DirectX10 Supported but not required - Gaile guru post
• Likely no graphical blood - Gaile wiki talk

Characters

• Different races (see below)
• Level cap will be increased, but a cap has not been stated but it could be as much as 100 or have no cap - ref
• Plateau of power in leveling system. "not going to require players to grind away their life to actually reach that plateau" - [11]
• No transfer of characters from OGW. Hall of Monuments can transfer some info and provide some items, including reserving character name.
• It is unlikely HoM achievements will have to go to a character of the same name GG 23/10/07
• Can still have multiple characters - 07
• Don't have to choose between a PvP or PvE type character, A character can play anywhere - [12]

Parties

• Companions don't take a party slot
• Side-kick system like City of Heroes "I can do what my friends can do, regardless of our levels. It doesn't mean I can't play certain content because I'm not a high enough level yet" - ref
  • Can be used in World PvP - [13]
  • Equalise a low level character to a high one allows a person to participate in PvP without grind. - [14]

Companions

• assumed to be part of the character, making up for the characters weaknesses - ref
• customisable like heroes - ref
• can take a companion which doesn't take a party slot - ref
• If alone a player will be buffed instead - Eurogamer 08/09

Professions

• designed for solo or group play
• The primary and secondary professions system will be kept - ref

Skills

• "unique skill deck system of the original and makes it more comprehensible, with a focus on quality of skills instead of quantity" IGN 08/09
• Skills might have a different effect depending on the situation of the character. Jumping, surrounded by enemies... - Wired 07
• Definitely have a skill number restriction, like the 8-skill-system. - Gamona 07

Environment

• day/night cycle IGN 08/09
• underwater sections
  • one of the reasons why it's taking a while to develop the game GameSpot 08/09
  • Easy, accessible and possible for all races Eurogamer 08/09

Armour

• Will play a more important role, not bound to Profession Gw2 the status quo

Weapons

• Guns and pistols Regina Journal
• Will play a more important role, not bound to profession Gw2 the status quo

Other stuff

• A crafting system Eurogamer 08/09
• Other non-combat player interactions Eurogamer 08/09

Races

• There are 5 confirmed player races; Human, Charr, Norn, Sylvari, Asura - ref
• More races to be announced/added to the game later - Eurogamer 07
• Races are to have different characteristics and also different abilities - ref
• Start in different areas Slightly different story for each race [15]
• No interrace conflict for players 08/09
  • bringing each of the races together to fight the dragons 08/09
• Equal footing - PCGamer 07

Human

• On the back foot in Guild Wars 2 ie fighting to survive. - ref
• Some still in the east of Ascalon in the Ebonhawke fortress. - ref
• Kryta a "last bastion of humanity". - ref

Charr

• Control Ascalon from the North to the Crystal Desert in the South to the Shiverpeaks in the west and Ebonhawke in the east. (?) - ref
• Militant - tribal - ref
• Divided into Legions or warbands which maintain rule - ref
• 4 legions - Ash Legion, Blood Legion, Gold Legion, and Iron Legion - ref
• Sharmans, who worshipped the old gods, have split from the rest of the Charr - Regina Journal
• "underlying goal of every Charr leader to prove his own superiority, subjugate his fellows, and raise the banner of one legion above the rest" - ref
• Believe it is their destiny to rule Tyria - ref

Asura

• Skills with magic and crafting - ref
• Now the best crafters in Tyria - ref
• condesending and confident, like to experiment for power and magic - ref
• Control neutral trade routes and try very hard to be neutral - ref
• Believe it is their destiny to rule the less intelligent races - ref
• Can control Golems to fight for them EuroGamer 08/09

Norn

• Territory in the far North, found throughout Kryta and in old Dwarven forts in the shiverpeaks - ref
• Individual strength and individualistic race - ref
• Can transform into a Bear form - ref which makes them stronger - ref
• At war with the dredge - ref

Sylvari

• Inquistive possibly naive - ref
• Born adult "as if awakening from a magical dream" and do not age - ref
• don't quite understand the culture and logic of the other races Gamespot 08/09
• unified as a culture and share the common dream of eradicating the dragons Gamespot 08/09
• not all Sylvari have good intentions and certain splinter groups have arisen Gamespot 08/09
• armour and weapons are ... organic, and grown from roots and leaves Gamespot 08/09
• Special connection to others "the Dream of Dreams" - [16]
  • learning before birth and communication
  • hidden whispers behind this of unclear origin or meaning

Enemies

Ancient Dragons

• Game will primarily focus on just one of these dragons EuroGamer 08/09
• Earthquakes in GWEN caused by awakening ancient dragons - ref
• Primordus, the first to awake, lives in caverns under Tyria - ref
• Zhaitan, forced Orr to the surface - [GamesCon trailer]
• Another rose at/in Orr - ref
• Another is in Ascalon, which has corrupted Ascalon and its monsters further. - ref
• Much greater than Glint or Kuunavang - ref
• Have no interest in being nice to anyone - ref

White Mantle

• Still around in Kryta - ref

Centaur

• Still around in Kryta - ref

Dredge

• Fight with the Norn in the Shiverpeaks for land - ref

Guilds

• Allow mixed races - [17]
• 'Home' in Lions Arch - [18]

PvP

• Entrance to the Mists and the 'Hero's Hall' to be at Lions Arch - [19]
• Only consensual PvP Eurogamer 08/09
• Two types; Structured and World PvP

World

• play characters of any level, using the skills that you have in your possession at that particular time. - [20]
• can gain levels Eurogamer 08/09
• relaxed bridging point between PvE and structured PvP. - [21]
• large scale, no parties, could take place over a long period with people coming and going. - [22]
  • 10 on 1, 100 on 20 Eurogamer 08/09
• Objective based - [23]
• In the Mists.
• Everyone in your world is fighting for the same team and matched up against other worlds - [24]
• "By achieving victories in these battles there will be benefits to your world," Strain said. "Bonuses, advantages, maybe everyone gets increased energy regeneration or healing rate or enhanced loot drop rate." - [25]
• Shuffled every few weeks to make sure it is fair - [26]
• Never required to participate in World PvP but can "gain experience and progress your character" - [27]
• Design aim is to allow each character to be useful - [28]

Structured

• Like GvG in OGW - [29]
• A character is given "maximum level" with everything unlocked. - [30]
• Level playing field - [31]

Setting

• Set 250 years into the future of OGW
• Still going to try and tell a story - [32]
• story will take place through a combination of instancing and persistent areas EuroGamer 08/09
• story arcs, or bubbles rather than a monolithic story - [33]
• Try to make the world a place to hang out, have fun and explore - [34]
• No more "paving barriers you can't get across" - [35]

All setting from ref unless otherwise noted

Ascalon

• Humans but entirely pushed out of Ascalon by the Charr. The final stronghold in Ascalon is a fortress called Ebonhawke. Ebonhawke located to the east of the Tyria map (?).
• Ascalon City held by spirits loyal to King Adelbern.
• Has an Ancient Dragon

Kryta

• Human
• Constant conflict and turmoil
• Ruled by a queen and senate
• Many human refugees settled here
• on the Divinity Coast - Divinity's Reach is the capital

Lions Arch

• Pirate/mercenary town after flooding
• Neutral open to all races
• PvP home

Orr

• Able to get to Orr Regina Journal
• The city of Arah is the seat of power
• Orr has returned to Tyria through the return of an ancient dragon.
• Controlled by the dragon and undead minions
• This dragon and the minions prevent access to Cantha and Elona.

Elona

• Ruled by Palawa Joko
• Unable to access due to the Orr dragon cutting off land access
• Suggested that this area could be reopened at some time

Cantha

• Isolationist
• Players unable to access due to the Undead Corsair ships cutting of shipping.
• Suggested that this area could be reopened at some time
• Find some around Maguuma (?)

Other

All information in this section is from ref unless otherwise noted

Order of the Sunspears

• Essentially wiped out of Elona.
• Spread to different continents. How significant they are in Tyria is unclear

Order of the Whispers

• Still exists
• work in Kryta and with the Ascalonians and maintain contact with Elona
• Saved knowledge of ancient human history which is now hidden in the shiverpeaks

Dwarves

• Scattered race very rare to see
• Made of stone and earth

Gods

• The Human Gods (Melandru, Balthazar, Dwayna, Lyssa, Grenth) have been largely silent for 2 centuries. It is unlikely they will be as influential in GW2.