User:Ge4ce/A view on the DES

Hello, my name is Ge4ce (as we all know). Just going to post something here, hoping that it wont be too much of a tl;dr, but actually something worth thinking and talking about. I would also like to mention that I'm not a very(?) good(?!) writer, but do hope I can enlighten people with this article(?) that is here below. Anything that I've written below can seem harsh, sceptical, over-reacting, thinking too deeply or just being odd. It can also be read as a light weight (neutral) review of the subject. Overall, I hope you will have a nice time reading it. So, yeah, let's get to it.

I could begin rambling and simply say; 'view dynamic events system', as a way to explain what this topic is actually about. An easy escape, a wiki-way of pointing out the obvious facts. But there are many ways to view this game mechanic then you might have thought. It requires thinking out of the box, and I cannot say for sure that it has the view or intentions ArenaNet had for this system. I'm simply going to talk about this system, giving my impressions and thoughts of what is or what can be achieved with this game mechanic. A game mechanic that will have us occupied for nearly all the time within the game, intentionally or not(1). A game mechanic that is there, everywhere and the effects that the player might experience because of it(2). What our guess is now, then, and perhaps in the future. Will we still be pleased with this, or will we laugh at it(3)? And wrapping it up at (4).

(1)

The Dynamic Events system is a new sort of way to experience quests, sort of. A new way to get-to-know the story of a particular area, its culture, happening or just something. It will open its arms towards us, inviting us to experience the content. And when we do accept that invite, it will immediately change the way we think. The (slightest) urge to know what is happening and if it is interesting enough, to even participate in. As we're wandering through an area, it suddenly does happen. An event appeared in a player populated area. Would, or could, you have predicted that it would have happened? Did the land or scenery actually change to reflect this event, or was there something that just screamed that it would happen. And even though it might have screamed the obvious, we actually don't really care that much. An event has happened, and it would just be too bad to not check it out. As the first few people get near the event, it pops up on the upper-right corner of your screen explaining what the event is. Only a moment later, people will definitely know what to do. The possibilities might be endless and with every possibility having many various options and difficulty scales. Via the chat systems (or voice chat systems e.g. in game software, ventrilo, teamspeak), more people will be aware of the event. Perhaps luring them to come, perhaps asking for more details.

As people now start participating actively in the event, some already know to which ends the event is going to be. The area where it takes place, the hot spots of the event and also even the actual ways (how you do it) that makes the event run. And most importantly, the reason (why you do it) of the event to happen. Small groups appear to the scene, some people starting to make parties and even more players are alerted on the happening. The first stage having about 1 to 10 players, those who have triggered it or just so happen to get caught within it. The second stage could easily reach up to 25, to 30 or even 50, or perhaps 100+ players. As more or less players start to participate in the event, the event automatically scales. Which is a very questionable part of the Dynamic Event System, in which ways can the event develop to? Can players already guess what the event will be like in the first stage? Have they heard from others, that it is okay to do the event, but not to get high hopes? What I would like to see in an event, is simply not to see a difference of 10 to 100 centaur tamini warriors with 10 to 100 players who are participating. Instead, it would be great to encourage players to gather at the event and have a great expectation and experience on how the event will look like at a different (high) player participation level. Not simply 100 centaur tamini warriors, but 30 tamini warriors, 15 tamini archers (some with pets), 15 tamini spellcasters, some heavy tamini soldiers with siege weapons, a bunch of bandits and some random local monsters.

It will not be an ordinary battle, but a strategic fight to weed out the bad. Perhaps allies lives are at stake, perhaps resources are in danger of becoming the enemies, or other various reason to why the tamini wish to conquer or destroy something. Is there more to expect from the event, or do other minor events happen around the big event? The skies turn dark, the ground starts to shake or do other NPC foes or allies get caught within the whole happening? Parties start to prioritize on the spot, having someone lead the group to one way or the other. Slaying foes in path, helping allies cross it, getting cargo unharmed through or trying to reach a high importance designated area? Will it be a variation or mix of the four mentioned possibilities? Or might there even be more things you could think of?

The Dynamic Event is now at a stage where perhaps anything is possible. Do the players know the event? Can they help the new players through the event so that it can succeed? How important is the event actually in a succeed or fail outcome? Is failing the event even better to have then succeeding? How can you actually ask players to not succeed? How does event #1 feel with 10 players, how does event #1 feel with 50 players, is there even a way for event #1 to have 100 players or more? Who knows what is actually at stake? Can we know it by finishing it once? Perhaps it would be fun failing it on purpose and to have it start an other event you haven't done yet.

(2)

A quick question right away; Are dynamic events everywhere? There are some, perhaps many, reasons to avoid these events. One easy reason is that you just wish to role play. You're a bright, strong and fearless fighter, fighting for the good of your people! And you want to RP at that spot, nowhere else! Another reason can be that you've actually already done the event and you simply do not wish to do it again. Cause the event might have not be interesting as others, be rewarding as others, be exciting as others, be different as others, be difficult as others... It's an event that you rather wish to skip and just leave the area. It might quickly become an annoyance on your way to an other area. There's a chance it can even block out other content, remove new or old content or change the current content. Surely, events happen here and there, some events being more fun then others. Surely, you have to take in consideration that content can change hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Even updates, adjustments and overall-new content can change your area in just a click. Some events trickier and frustrating then others. Events you rather do, or don't. Events you wished to have done, or see changed or even removed whole. You will like, and dislike the Dynamic Event System. You will tell others that you like, or dislike the Dynamic Event System. Some people will agree, or disagree with you. Either knowing what you're talking about or just taking in what you've said.

It's basically how you can bring the event to the player. How can you achieve that and what sort of thoughts and actions do you wish to see when a player is seeing an event trigger. Action to reaction to action. An action, be it in any way sort possible, leads to a reaction. This reaction is in itself already an action. The reaction here is meant for the player. How does he react? (I'm seeing that I am mentioning it in a few sentences.) Anyway, there will be areas where some events will be noticed immediately, while others go unnoticed for hours and hours and hours. Does that mean that the event isn't good enough to do? (or didn't anyone walk past it *cough*, doh) Too difficult, hard or confusing? Or does it somehow stop new or old content when it is finished, either being failed or succeeded. The idea that some events might be better off alone can be hard. It died, and the feelings it should create as well. The player didn't feel like doing it. The event needs some sort of positive effect. This can easily achieved by creating it as a great fight to the death. Being impressed, excited or euphoric are really the bonus feelings you would definitely need to make an event kind of successfully. Rewards don't even matter then. You did it, the event is done. YES! Of course, the ways of achieving a success is unimaginable.

(3)

I'm going to be very bluntly about the last subject, making it the worst of the 3 that I did. But let's start positive. Finally, quests are being taken care of! They aren't so linear, repetitive or a waste of time. They actually meant something, and as a bonus you're getting a great part of a story with you. Even if you don't care about it, you will remember particular events on what happened and the positive, or negative, effects. You'll definitely want to team up with people and explore the very ends of every event out there. Experiencing it differently every single time. Some events will definitely never get boring. Especially the larger events. The organized chaos of new events you have never seen or heard of. You will want to know the outcome of an event and perhaps hope to see something change swiftly. A feel of satisfaction and succession.

New stuff might turn quickly into known stuff. Some events might need to be redone to get to a particular event in the chain you wish to do. That event that you missed out on, or wish to just do again. To improve your tactics. And, it doesn't even matter how good or bad the reward is, you want to do that event in a perfect way. When you're in a guild, there will be many people experiencing different content constantly. At the start that is. There are people out there that have the knowledge and experience on most of the popular or known events. These events aren't typical either, they are the ones you do often. The rewards are known, and the rewards is what you're going after. It might be a particular awesome skin, a rare item you want or simply materials to create something. The mentioned prizes are hard to obtain, but not impossible. With pugs, it's a challenge. With guild mates, it's a breeze, mostly.

Ohhh, that 'DES' of GW2? It wasn't more then just a linear or serial line of quests. Nothing interesting at all. Been there, done that. Instead of just NPCs you can reach to start a quest, it's more of running into quest. Depends if it is there though. Cause one day it's there, the other day it's gone. It was fun at the start, getting to know the system, but eventually it became more of a drill. The dynamicness was more like being forced to do them. All those events are on that official GW2 wiki, with strategy and all! Even with builds, items and walkthroughs. Luckely not all events are tied in chains, otherwise it would have been a headache. Cause if it was a chain from A to O, and the event was currently at D... And you had to get to N, because the event was updated and expanded. Let's just say, it took us a week to get there. Not to forget the events that kept going forward and backwards, simply because there wasn't an end to it. Fun thing was, I missed it and had to wait ages to try again. There were also these events that felt like doing capture the base, going forward and backwards. Unsure if this was meant to be.

(4)

The DES is definitely a great way to go. Simply taking a whole different approach to the whole quest system we have encountered in tons of MMORPGs. I for one, will like, love and hate it. I remember doing no quests at all in a MMORPG (Lineage 2), being forced to do them all for not having to grind too much (Rappelz) and doing all the quests with great interest and challenge (Guild Wars). The DES can perhaps be compared with an RPG (Dragon Age, Assassins Creed) or similar other RPGs (Diablo, Dungeon Siege). Though these RPGs forced you to follow the storyline. You could even bring in the shooters (pick one) or strategy games with those single player campaigns (pick one). Why could GW2 become a success? It's not because of just some events, or just the storyline. Not because of just some professions, or just the theme or just the style. Not because of just the music or complexity.

It's the community, developer and player alike, what makes the game. What will make Guild Wars 2.

Thank you for reading A view on the DES. Started on the 21th of January 2010, placed on the 22th of January 2010. Last edited on the 22th of January 2010.