User talk:Linsey Murdock/Questions19

Grind
I understand that z-keys and balth faction are a hot topic right now, but I wanted to ask a question Currently it takes 5k faction to get z-keys. For the average pve player you get some from ab and most from the zashian challenges. With the cap at 6k and 2k, that’s about 1 key per toon per day. Let take that further shall we, say you have 9 toon slots all with the z-elite/challenge unlocked. That’s an average of 63k Balth faction a day, which equals to 12 keys per day. That is 84 keys per week, and 336 keys per month. When it takes 20k keys to achieve max z-rank it will take you at the minim of 59.52 months, which equals to 5 years I would like to max this title but I have no skill in pvp. The z-tourney house does give some point to the good, but I am not skilled there either. Other than buying the title, which sucks because every other title in the game is Accomplishable with time and patience, is there any other way to ever max it legitimately? Thanks for your time. 216.212.234.5 18:33, 20 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Actually, there are a lot of titles that can be brought, depends on how much you really want it and how much gold you have.
 * I somehow doubt they'll adjust times for this title. It was a poor title to bring out in the first place, in my opinion.
 * Titles are brought out in varying degrees, primarily they are game lengthening devices. This one is doing it's job: you have to either: grind yourself in PvP for it or grind yourself in PvE for it.   000.00.00.00 18:38, 20 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Can we please note that TITLES ARE COMPLETELY OPTIONAL plz? Thank you. :) 189.33.69.155 19:31, 20 March 2009 (UTC)
 * *Aims a 10ft pole at Topic* ... *Hesitates* ... *Hesitates some more* ....... Hasn't the main complaint about Zkeys so far been that they're TOO easy for PvE'ers to just Buy?? -- ilr  19:37, 20 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes. It was supposed to be a pvp title anyway. Boro [[image:User_Borotvaltgandalf_Earthshaker.jpg|10px‎]] 20:24, 20 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Yeah, ok. (1) 6k faction max is account-based, so you can't use multiple chars, (2) 6k is only for zaishen, so any other form of PvP has no limit, (3) I suggest RA, it's the most forgiving place to earn balth and learn PvP, (4) you can buy Zkeys using farmed gold at less than 5k now, and I expect that the price of zkeys will keep going down. If you have time and patience, you can max zaishen using a combination of the daily 6k limit, farmed PvE gold, XTH, and RA. It's also not meant to be a short title to max, for anyone. It's definately a long-term goal. -- [[Image:User_Alaris_sig.JPG|Alaris_sig]] Alaris 20:45, 20 March 2009 (UTC)
 * I thought it was pretty well designed. PvE people can finally get an emote if they want, PvPers get something to dump their excess faction in. As a result, only those that PvP a lot will ever have a high rank emote. Ok, so maybe a few farmers will slip through, but as long as you don't confuse time spent with skill, then it's a pretty nice title with something for everyone. 145.94.74.23 07:58, 21 March 2009 (UTC)
 * "as long as you don't confuse time spent with skill" - LoLoLoLoL -- ilr  02:20, 22 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Well, that may be lol, but it's also the reason why some players hate titles: some other players believe the equal skill and the first group disagrees. 145.94.74.23 07:59, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Now There is another problem with the current GW. the current shitty excuse for pve grind is "you don't have to do it". Yes you have to if you want to become stronger. That's because of PvE only skills. In a game of skill grind shouldn't make you better. So I suggest to fix PvE in the following way:
 * Smiter's Boon all PvE-only title-related skills
 * Reduce ENRAGED!'s power, so the damage increase is 10% below 75% and 20% below 25%
 * Remove environmental effects from DoA
 * Remove Heroes from High-end PvE
 * NERF SHADOW FORM! Boro [[image:User_Borotvaltgandalf_Earthshaker.jpg|10px‎]] 09:19, 29 March 2009 (UTC)
 * How many times does it have to be said? Skill feedback goes on the Skill feedback pages. You are not going to do to Linsey what you did to Izzy. And seriously Boro, your opening comment here is about as insulting to Linsey as it gets. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 09:50, 29 March 2009 (UTC)
 * I think we should rather use: User talk:Raine Valen/Mass Balance/Index Boro [[image:User_Borotvaltgandalf_Earthshaker.jpg|10px‎]] 15:21, 29 March 2009 (UTC)
 * You know what irritates me? People who complain that the statement "you don't have to do it" is not true in-game, and then continue with requests to destroy certain ways of playing. You don't like PvE-only skills because they're to strong? You don't have to use them. Others may want to. You don't like to play with heroes? You don't have to use them. Others may want to - some even ask for the possibility to take 7 heroes. You don't like SF farming? You can farm anyway you like - even not at all. Others maybe like to play godmode.
 * Why is it that some people always ask for things to be removed from the game instead of adding things to the game that provide people with choices so that they can play the way they like? How do I destroy your fun when I play with heroes and/or take PvE-only skills? How is my fun ruined when others spend hours farming? Instead of asking ANet to remove the grind we should provide suggestions for other, more challenging (but also more rewarding) ways to reach the goals currently only accessible by grinding. [[Image:User Xelonir sig.png| ]]Xelonir 19:31, 30 March 2009 (UTC)
 * I could care less about how you (when I say "you", I'm referring to players in general) play...until it starts to have a negative impact on my game experience. PvE-only skills breed incompetent and lazy PUGs that can't do anything without them. Heroes in PvP ruin perfectly fine builds and players by interrupting 1/4 second casts, attack skills under IAS, their godly omniscience of the battlefield, and many other inherent AI advantages. They make players lazy as they don't have to worry about those kinds of things any more... why should a human learn to be an interrupter if heroes will always have faster reflexes? Why should they learn to manage conditions if heroes will always be better drawbots with Foul Feast? Those are important aspects of the game which players used to have to learn to succeed and compete at the high end of PvP. Not so anymore. Finally, (over)farming ruins the game by lopsiding the economy, flooding it with far too much supply of either money or goods. It's true that demand also affects prices, and that almost inevitably goes down. But what is the point of going to so-called "elite areas", for example, when most of the items aren't worth even 10k anymore? You'd have better spent your time gambling on HM locked chests for some uber-rare skin Shards of Orr runs for a Bone Dragon Staff, and I find that rather depressing. Vili &gt;8&lt; [[Image:User Vili sig.jpg|User talk:Vili]] 07:12, 31 March 2009 (UTC)
 * I completely agree with the PvP part - after all it's Player vs Player, not Player vs Heroes.
 * But honestly: But what is the point of going to so-called "elite areas", for example, when most of the items aren't worth even 10k anymore? Erm ... the point is having fun? It's a game, after all. Is "gold per hour" really your only criterion for "good PvE"? [[Image:User Xelonir sig.png| ]]Xelonir 07:29, 31 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Nah. It's not about the gold entirely. It's about getting something "unique" and special. It used to be that after doing, say, The Deep and getting Kanaxai's Axe, you'd have that same sort of feeling as when you get an Eternal Blade nowadays. But for the vast majority of green items and other "rare" skins now, that's gone. (Sorrow's Furnace, anyone? Elemental Swords? :\) "The journey is more rewarding than the conclusion", of course, but the thrill of possibly striking it rich was a big part of the draw for me to dungeons etc. Vili &gt;8&lt; [[Image:User Vili sig.jpg|User talk:Vili]] 07:50, 31 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Dungeons are broken. They are not challenging like deep, but rather annoying. End bosses are broken... and the way how people farm them with 600smite and shadow form... Boro [[image:User_Borotvaltgandalf_Sig.jpg|10px‎]] 17:46, 31 March 2009 (UTC)
 * In response to xelonir: The problem is: GW is was a game of skill, and in a game of skill, no one should be stronger because he/she grinded a lot. Boro [[image:User_Borotvaltgandalf_Sig.jpg|10px‎]] 12:15, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
 * But for that you don't have to nerf them, you only have to make them title-independant. [[Image:User Xelonir sig.png| ]]Xelonir 16:10, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
 * The problem I have with the challenging areas is that the challenge is inconsistent. An area which could be only moderately challenging or outright easy with the right team setup could be virtually impossible with the wrong professions. I really appreciate the greater attention paid towards PvE balance these days, but the balancers have a lot of work ahead of them. -- [[Image:User Gordon Ecker sig.png]] Gordon Ecker (talk) 08:56, 24 April 2009 (UTC)~

Reset Indent. Euhm about this "Remove Heroes from High-end PvE", no way dude. It's already hard enough to find a good team, and some people just don't like playing with other people because they are not reliable. I'm someone that plays only with heroes and henchman 98% of the time in PvE because of that reason, I even want 7 heroes to just be able to finish DoA for once. Yes yes people can be alot better then heroes but most of the time they are unreliable and 9 out of 10 times someone always disconnects when doeing something that takes a while (like DoA). Also it still takes more skill then equipment to do everything in Guild Wars, and everything is optional even playing the game. Actually nerving shadow form is the only thing I agree with Boro, and even that won't last long since i'm making an assassin to farm with. If you complain so much then i'm asking to myself "Why is this guy still playing it?", when some things REALLY bother me in a game I don't play it. Qaletaqa 03:25, 26 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I just read a lot of discussion that had nothing to do with the original topic. We have no plans to add additional ways to gain points towards the Zaishen title track. It is meant to be a title which supports PvP play by either encouraging people to play PvP or buy keys from PvP players. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 18:43, 7 May 2009 (UTC)

"Busy" - new (but old) player status
Once in a time, there was "busy" status available to set for every player. It was replaced by "do not disturb" status in one of updates. Is there any chance to make it available again? I think it shouldnt be hard to implement in April's update as it existed before just was suddenly(?) deleted. What was difference between "busy" and "dnd" status? Difference was: when you were "busy" players could *still whisper you* if they have any important message to tell you. Yes, I know, that current "away" status can do the same, BUT "away" suggests to me that player is not sitting by computer, doing something away from computer. Status "busy" informed other players that you *are in game* but they cant count on your fast answer. I was using "busy" status very often and current "away" status is not what I like. Also, I dont like "dnd" status as it prevents to send me any important whispers. Lex Luxor 05:16, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I like the idea, alot. I hope it is implemented. 68.0.168.31 05:28, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
 * There are a number of times I'm in a Factions mission, or running, or farming where setting a busy status would be very nice. Being a guild leader and having a full friends list often leads to lots of whispers.  I vote for busy too.  Mar Master 09:11, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Agreed. We need an extra status for busy. Away and dnd are also good, but don't always apply. -- [[Image:User_Alaris_sig.JPG|Alaris_sig]] Alaris 14:36, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I always wanted a 10-15 character writable status, so u could put a brief message in there, like "Back at 2pm" or "Watching TV" to be more specific, but I have to agree that a Busy status would be most welcome! – josəph  17:48, 27 April 2009 (UTC)

I also vote for auto-away. I can't count how many times I left the game to do something "real quick" (like get a drink) only to find myself distracted for hours, and to come back and see people trying to talk to me the whole time. I'd love to have a feature where your status is set to Away automatically after a selected time period of inactivity after 5, 15, 30 minutes. Rose Of Kali 22:15, 28 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I'd love for us to add more status options, it's been on a post-it note for a while, but our ability to make it happen is very much about a technical hurdle. We are considering it as a possible project for the next Content Update, but I can't promise anything. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 00:58, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm glad to hear you are considering it, can't wait for the results, whenever you guys get around to it. [[Image:User Rose Of Kali SIG.jpg]]Rose Of Kali  03:05, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

Guild vs. Guild
Firstly, this is not a question on specific skill balances, though I will refer to one or two that are applicable, but more about the state of mid-high range gvg. I don't know how familiar you are with the format, but I'm just trying to get a general idea of where it's headed in terms of balancing playstyles. Basically most teams are loading up on a lot of defense at the moment and scoring kills through powerful spikes, often with multiple enchantment removal. My main question is simply what are your thoughts on this at the moment Linsey? Do you agree that this is the case in the first place? Do you think that split tactics should be more viable than currently? Do you think that pressure should be a good alternative to scoring kills? What is your opinion on the current tiebreaker mechanic? And finally, do you think it would be acceptable to revert skills like Splinter Weapon to their former glory - with VoD gone - to encourage pressure builds and good positioning? Sorry for the barrage, but it would be much appreciated if you could answer in your own time if possible. Even if your answer is a simple yes/no to each :D--118.90.21.132 22:16, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
 * You're expecting a serious answer about GvG from Lindsey? She just messes with skills, she doesn't actually PvP. --71.229.253.172 18:39, 3 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm quite aware of that. Though I'm also aware that the last couple of updates have included some uncharacteristic good balances. I'm just trying to get an idea of where the inspiration for these came from, and what we can expect in the future. As you said, she messes with the skills, so who better to ask?--118.90.21.132 06:15, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Stephen Isaiah Cartwright, also pls be less clueless on those thoughts if suggesting anythin. (Also, game balance does not aim for balancing mid rank gvg, just fyi.) 91.154.7.113 06:55, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * What makes you think Linsey doesn't PvP? It's pretty arrogant of you to assume that. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 06:57, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * This update was a pretty fucking big hint. --71.229.253.172 07:50, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I don't think she was a full time balancer for GW1 at that point, and she does PvP, I've seen her in HA before. DarkNecrid 10:23, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * @91.154 IIRC Izzy only has minor input at most on balancing matters, most of his attention is directed at GW2 now. @Wyn/DarkNecrid, yes Linsey probably does indulge in a bit of pvp here and there, but I doubt very much that she GvGs at a competitive level, so I was just wondering if her opinion of the subject paralleled that of competitive GvGers.--118.90.21.132 16:15, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Um....I just would like to point something out here, I know it might not mean much, but Linsey does pvp. I have GvG'ed with her and she played as a monk. So when you guys assume she doesn't do something, you may want to reconsider. - Tesla  16:33, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * So the reason Lindsey's made terrible balance decisions isn't just because she's inexperienced? Thank you for explaining that, my opinion of her is vastly improved. --71.229.253.172 17:09, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * As far as we know she's only done the last 2 skill balances as full on skill balancer, and they weren't dreadful like a lot of the previous ones were (not super duper fix everything amazing but they didn't ruin the game even farther, either). They were average/decent, which is more than anyone can say about 99.999999999% of the updates before it :/. I'm expecting the April one to be pretty good, let's see how that goes. DarkNecrid 17:54, 4 April 2009 (UTC)
 * @71: She likely knows more about the game than you do, so maybe we just don't understand her updates or maybe the things the meta is worked up about are things that are actually quite balanced gamewise (but not in the current metagame - there's a difference). And yes, I know you're a 'pro' and I'm a 'n00b'. But I fail to see why being a decent PvPer makes people good at balancing the game. They're 2 different things. 145.94.74.23 06:12, 8 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Before she joined Anet all she did was PvP...both GvG and HA. She is also in the Spearmen, which is an HA/PvP oriented guild.-- *Yasmin Parvaneh* [[Image:User_yasmin_parvaneh_sig.png]] 20:24, 10 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes, I have a lot of experience in PvP, mostly in GvG and HA. The guild I am in is a PvP guild, though they are mostly inactive now (playing RL). I've never been a full skill balancer and I still am not. I discuss skill balancing with Izzy because I am leading the team working on GW now, but he is still doing the majority of skill balancing. I don't have time to closely monitor the state of mid-high end GvG along with my other duties, so I don't have much to say about it. If you guys want to argue out your assumptions of how much of a noob I am in PvP, please try to keep it off my page as it is too big as it is and doesn't need to be cluttered by this kind of junk. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 22:24, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I've actually been very happy with the direction of the last few balance updates. Not every problem has been addressed, but nothing has been broken and some problems have been fixed/adjusted. Keep up the good work Linsey. Yes 71.22negative, the mass elite update did break a lot of things, but I suspect that was a full team effort and there has been a massive change in the direction of balance updates since, so I find myself optimistic. Inb4stfufanboi. If you know anything about me you know that's not true, get your head out of your ass and give credit where credit is due. I look forwards to thurdsday, assuming there will be a balance update this month. Misery  22:34, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I too have seen a considerable improvement in the quality of the latest balances, hence my original question. I realize that I am by no means obliged to get an answer, but it would have been nice to get more than "I don't balance skills so I have nothing to say". Many people in the community would like to get a vague idea of where balance is headed, and being the leader of the team that puts out the updates I would have thought you had an opinion on the subject.--118.90.18.96 18:53, 8 May 2009 (UTC)

Zaishen rewards bugged?
I had 3 wins done on my HA Combat ZQuest in progress. I went to go kill kunvie with a really good pug, then when i went to accept the reward, it wouldnt let me get it until I accepted the HA reward. this is kinda annoying since I don't wanna turn in quests I havent completed yet. especially when there's a limit on how many you can have. is this a bug and if so will it be fixed? -- adrin  08:31, 5 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I think it's not a bug, it's just works this way. As I know when you want to get reward from two quests from the same NPC, first you have to get reward from quest which you obtained earlier. Normally it's not a problem but with ZQuests it's a little annoying... I had this same problem with AB ZQuest. I won two games and I wanted to finish bonus objectives later, meanwhile I did quest with killing some boss and I couldn't get reward for the boss until I accepted reward for AB ZQuest which I've done but without bonus :/ I think something should be done with this. cinus  08:50, 5 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Like Cinus said, it's not a bug, just how the system works. Joe is working on changing it though, and we hope to have the change up on Live in the next build or shortly after. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 22:46, 5 May 2009 (UTC)
 * i must say i am finding my self <3 joe more and more finding out about his fixes that make the game sooo much more enjoyable.[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|Talk Page‎]] Zesbeer 23:41, 5 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Oh yeah, Joe is totally awesome. Since I interact with the community more, I erroneously get credit for his work all the time, but really it's all Joe ~_^. --The preceding unsigned comment was added by User:Linsey Murdock (talk).
 * I think Joe is a pretty cool guy, eh fixes guild wars and doesn't afraid of anything. 99.142.23.15 06:06, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

GM's and Dev's interaction with players
I was just wondering if you ever gave out information to players ahead of updates/skill changes/balances/ect... Wether it be for a "thank you" for finding a bug, exploit, ect. Thanks for all the great work on the updates also! Cboger 12:11, 5 May 2009 (UTC)cboger.
 * Normally when very large patches, such as the recent 4th Anniversary Patch came out, the developers will give some heads up, and also if they are planning something where they may need player input. Otherwise.. no, we usually don't have an all access pass to the minds of the devs. But they do take our thoughts and concerns into review when considering changes.


 * As for thanking people, it's really hard to say, because someone could have found a bug, and reported it, but it could have already been resolved by a QA tester, or some such situation. So I guess the answer would be no, on a whole, ANet doesn't thank people individually for finding glitches/exploits/bugs. Doing so would be immensely time consuming for them to do, and we'd all rather they made GW2 or worked on content/fixes/changes for GW1.  Drago  15:40, 5 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Like Drago said, we rarely have the opportunity to thank players for bug reports etc. We have had test groups of players which are (for testing purposes) privy to updates before they are published to the Live game and sometimes we do formal announcements of upcoming changes, but we don't generally leak out info to players unless it's a special circumstance like the ones I mentioned. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 00:45, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Can you tell the testers to check if the AI got updated to skills? Because sometimes not making AI changes along with the skills leads to abuse. Boro [[image:User_Borotvaltgandalf_Sig.jpg|10px‎]] 15:38, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
 * You do realize Ele's are better for JQ than RoJ monks right? RoJ is only broken when you have no Knockdown support from another source, because normally for nukes you need that. This just means in PvE people will take a Fire Nuker + a RoJ Monk.  There's no big impact that making this change will have.  It's not as huge a problem as people try to make it out to be.~>Sins  WDB [[Image: User The_Sins_We_Die_By_Sig.png]] 20:41, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Ele's are truly better with their armor-respecting and lower base damage. Their defensive capabilities also far outperform anything a monk could bring.  It's obviously the AI issue alone that leads to monks being used for offense.  66.190.15.232 11:05, 7 May 2009 (UTC)
 * You just copy builds right? Because it seems you have little understanding of how an Elementalist works. 1 word: RANGE. 145.94.74.23 14:14, 8 May 2009 (UTC)

Balance of PvE and PvP in GW1
Dear Linsey,

First of all, I'd like to say a big thank you for the amazing job you're doing on GW1. It's a level of dedication that you can be proud of, you're making many people very happy.

As a casual PvEr, I'm continuing to enjoy the game and will do until GW2 comes out. But I've been trying to slowly get onto PvP and reading a lot from PvPers (including from the Guru forum) I came to realise that this side of the game has been a little bit "abandonned" (I know you're still doing work on near-monthly skill balances).

When I see the huge and impressive April update and the delicious 4th Anniversary event coming soon, I an't help but wonder why there isn't anything of this scale for PvP. I bet it's a very difficult thing to discuss, as it's commercially sensible, but is the design of GW1 basically following the balance of PvEr/PvPers (i.e. the number of players on both sides).

Do you think bridging the gap between PvE and PvP is the way forward in terms of improved gameplay for the whole GW population? (the GW Guru PvP challenge was good, but it's only a tiny baby step).

<3 from a player. Fril Estelin
 * PvP is naturally a lot smaller than PvE. Which is a good thing tbh. There is a limit to how many forms of PvP there can be, and how many changes one can make to PvP in my opinion. Do note that I'm not a major PvP'r, and that I'm saying this based off of observation and not actually playing it for the most part. The only thing I can see done for PvP aside from monthly skill updates, the tournaments, and the map rotations, is to add more map options to the rotations and to allow PvP-only characters to do stuff that is not so much PvP, but then you go out of the PvP area and into PvE. Another thing to think about with adding content - like new arenas (which, aside from real 1v1, I cannot for the life of me think of another form of arena) - would be that the PvP player base would be getting split up. And it already is seemingly small as it compared to the PvE player base. Again, this is all my opinion which is from a mostly PvE'r. -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 16:34, 15 April 2009 (UTC)
 * You're mostly correct Az, although skill balances are super important for PvP, new maps would be cool, and there's quite a bit they could do to help imrpove areas of the game (use the tutorial area to cover stuff besides basic game mechanics like weapon swapping and kiting could be shown...add new tonics/minis/etc that can only be gotten thru PvP victories to add incentive, etc) that I gave Linsey to help improve areas. She made a lot of post it notes, but I'm sure PvP will get something soon down the road. :) DarkNecrid 17:11, 15 April 2009 (UTC)
 * If anything, this proves that even PvErs and casual PvPrs care about PvP. So... GET CRACKIN on those improvements ;) 218.214.126.215 01:42, 28 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I care a great deal for Guild Wars PvP. While I do play a lot of PvE, the most fun I have had in Guild Wars, has been in PvP. "PvP Love" is one of the major items on our list of things to do and it's high on that list. There are a lot of things we want to accomplish for Guild Wars while we have been given the time to work on it. It's just a matter of working our way down the list. PvP will get it's due "Love", just give us some time to get to it. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 20:46, 9 May 2009 (UTC)

Opportunities to be Creative
In the latest MMOZine, Mike O'Brien says in response to a question on keeping players entertained until GW2 "there's 250 years of history between Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, so there's lots of opportunity to be creative." The masses (inclusive of me) are excited about the upcoming patch, and honestly I was expecting the future updates to be similar in terms of smoothing things out rather than "new dungeons, instances, etc." But, given O'Brien's statement he seems to hint that with the 3-4 live updates per year we might get some !story advancement! Can you comment on this at all? --Ravious 17:21, 21 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I've speculated about this myself. Something like the BMP, but advancing the story rather than filling in interesting history. We could play Livia finding the Scepter, or Ventari defending the Sylvari tree from Mursaat. Maybe we could play Glint, doing something mind-numbingly awesome between now and GW2. Mind you, these are pure speculation and should in no way be construed as being actual suggestions, at least until the licensing kerfuffle is resolved ;) --[[Image:User mrsmiles tinysmile.png| ]] MrSmiles 20:19, 21 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I think that the "opportunity to be creative" is reagarding GW2 lore and quests --RagingLynx 20:33, 21 April 2009 (UTC)
 * RagingLynx, read the interview. The question is very much directed at the live updates. --Ravious 13:43, 22 April 2009 (UTC)
 * It's been a while since I read that interview, if I'm thinking of the right interview. At first I thought of BMP styled "futuristic" missions regarding Ascalon, Dhuum, Menzies, and other main events from here to GW2 (@MrSmiles - Ventari is 100% passive, he wouldn't fight against the Mursaat if they came). But once the books info came out, I thought that he was meaning those. Now, I don't know ^_^ Maybe M.O.X. was part of the plan... O_o -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 20:07, 22 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I agree with Mo, we do have a lot of opportunities to be creative with Guild Wars content. I'm not sure how far into the future we will get, but every time we add content to the game, we further the storyline. I'm looking forward to see what we do with new content. Building content and developing lore is definitely my favorite part of this job (figure out how much storage to give out... not my favorite, though designing the stylist UI was a lot of fun since I was trained as an artist from a young age). I love creative writing, world design and lore building so hopefully I'll have to opportunity to get into that more this year and we will all be able to reap the benefits of new content. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 17:36, 12 May 2009 (UTC)

Question
Do bears capped in the menagerie have the Brutal Mauling skill? If so, is there any way that ANet can fix this?  Drago  07:00, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Another question, is the possibility of adding additional existing hair styles to the Dervish, Assassin, Ritualist, and Paragon possible? Thanks!  Drago  07:07, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Why would bears not have the attack that belongs to their species? You wanna ask Anet to make moas stop pecking and scratching, too? :P  --Musha [[Image:User_Musha_Sigc.png|19x19px]] Talk  08:46, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Because the attack doesn't do anything besides taking up time. As a result the bear does less damage than other pets. [[Image:User Xelonir sig.png| ]]Xelonir 08:50, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * A bigger problem with the menagerie is letting just anyone cap a rainbow phoenix. That is suppose to be a reward for maxing 10 titles (per character not account). --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 10:40, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I thought the managerie was only for non-prestige pets? I haven't been able to check it yet, but that is what the GWs website said. I assumed that meant things like Black Widows and Rainbow Phoenixes. Mr J 10:52, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Nope, it takes them all. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 11:16, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Just tested this: you can poot the Phoenix in on Character A, and Charm it on Character B (non-PKM). -- [[Image:User_Elveh_sig.png|15px]] Elv 14:17, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Well Wyn, at least you got your own NPC (you lucky dog, you!) I'm jealous! Granted, you deserve it...Except that you just complained about the very place where you have your NPC... ;) ~  M  ervil     [[Image:User_Mervil_Sig.png]] 14:25, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * So pretty much, Wyn is complaining about Wynn's functionality. I have to say, the irony is win. Ashes Of Doom [[Image:User_Ashes_Of_Doom_ursansig.jpg|Talk]] 16:09, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * You can buy a Rainbow Phoenix now so being able to tame one you earned on another toon seems pittance to that. I think it's great, being able to get a Rainbow Phoenix was never going to happen to me, I don't invest the time into any one character to max the titles. Allowing me to get it without having to stop playing other characters is a nice reward. 122.111.96.166 17:02, 24 April 2009 (UTC)

I think Wyn's point was regarding that Linsey said that the Rainbow Phoenix would only be cappable by those with the PKM title (said this in the in-game chat on April 9th). If non-PKM characters can cap it, then it's a bug. And Linsey wants bugs regarding recent updates to be notified, so there is no issue with Wyn (user) but there is with Wynn (NPC). :P -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 23:44, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * IMO, the price for unlocking the Rainbow Phoenix at the Menagerie is fine (80k faction, impossible for someone without a high level of the PvP titles that in practice don't count for PKM anyway, or a very high cost in Zaishen Coins). While personally I'm happy with different characters being able to tame a Rainbow Phoenix if someone in the account has ten titles (so I wouldn't "have" to get the titles with my ranger, but rather with the character of my choice), I understand some players have an issue with this, and I can't say they are wrong.
 * What I would really like to know is if those features are bugs or if they are intended. If we can use other characters to unlock the Rainbow Phoenix and if it's possible to unlock it with Zaishen Coins and faction, my gameplay is going to be different than if those changes are just bugs and the only "official" way to get the phoenix is by getting ten titles with the character who will tame it. Erasculio 13:29, 25 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Bear + Anthem. 82.20.20.96 20:29, 30 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes, they have Brutal Mauling. No, I'm not going to remove it from the species. Maybe we will be able to expand the hair styles available for expansion classes, we are discussing how to do it, but it will likely require significant amounts of art time. It is not a bug that other characters on your account can get a Rainbow Phoenix once it is unlocked for the account. The costs to unlock it without charming one in the HoM are significant time sinks and are designed as such. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 17:47, 12 May 2009 (UTC)

BUNNEHS
Omigosh. Tell me that the mini brown rabbit and the everlasting cottontail tonic are real drops from the traveler gifts. LIE TO ME IF YOU NEED TO BUT GIVE ME HOPE. omigoshomigoshomigosh (enters trance) 189.33.71.140 11:39, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Zeh Bunehs be evil, EVIl I tell you :p -- Ellisia [[Image:User_Ellisia_al_Signiature.jpg‎‎|15px|talk]] 13:47, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Also, BUNNEH SUMMONS!!!  Ashes Of Doom  [[Image:User_Ashes_Of_Doom_ursansig.jpg|Talk]] 16:18, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes they are real. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 17:49, 12 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Lol. Sry, this should have been deleted. After 3 weeks I kinda knew the answer already :) 187.37.56.109 18:47, 12 May 2009 (UTC)

Everlasting Crate of Fireworks
25000 copper coins, wowza! Linsey, can you confirm how many festive points (if any) are given for each use? ~ M  ervil      15:48, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * My guess is none like all everlasting things. -- Salome  [[Image:User_salome_sig2.png|19px]] 15:56, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm just wondering how people have these already. I mean, sure you can use multiple characters, but right now the coins are bugged and won't go in storage, nor can you trade them with others. Doesn't that make it technically impossible to have any of the high-end items yet? -- ★ KOKUOU ★ 16:04, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I might save up for it after completing my Zaishen Title (1 gold coin per z-key) and capping all elite tomes on every single character (2 gold coins each), because at 50 gold coins this incredibly annoying item might be all I have left to buy. If you catch my drift. LOL – josəph  16:12, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I might buy it if the price stabilizes around the 200k I expect it to. (4k/zkey x 50) Ashes Of Doom [[Image:User_Ashes_Of_Doom_ursansig.jpg|Talk]] 16:14, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Kokuou, they also are a rare drop from the Gift of the Traveler. (Ralmon the Gen 16:20, 24 April 2009 (UTC))
 * Oh, okay. Whew, for a second there, I thought we had a major h4XX0rZ on our hands. o_O -- ★ KOKUOU ★ 16:50, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * If QA was involved, they give points like the everlasting tonic bug that did. We don't check for common things like that, just that it compiled with out errors, and clicking on stuff produces results.  Doesn't matter the outcome, it just has to do something.  My advice, is grab a crate and exploit the piss out of it before it gets fixed.  --Drakora 17:40, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * You forgot the /sarcasm tag. If after the last bug they don't check for it this time, I'd be really surprised. But then again, maybe you have 1 or 2 that you want to sell for 200k and hope this will make their prices skyrocket before ppl realize there's no bug? -- [[Image:User_Alaris_sig.JPG|Alaris_sig]] Alaris 17:50, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I forgot my /sarcasm tag. --Drakora 17:53, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Oh, just shut up and quit the game please. You're ruïning the fun of a majority of players that like the things they do. If you can't appreciate free content, then you're just...well, there's a NPA here so let's not get into what I believe you truly are. 87.210.150.58 07:08, 25 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Go to bed, it's past your bed time, and you still need to do your homework. --Drakora 07:13, 25 April 2009 (UTC)
 * So you're just being an ass then...good for you. That means the developers don't have to listen to you. 145.94.74.23 16:06, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

Yes, they are in the Gift as well. They do not give points and were meant to be a chase item once you have everything else you want from the rewards NPCs. - Linsey talk 17:52, 12 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Somehow i guessed it would be for that :) Well that's certainly what i plan on getting after my Extremly massive equipment packs. ... maybe i'll give up on packs after my favourite characters. Plus i do plan on playing this game for ages--Smithyben 22:10, 14 May 2009 (UTC)

HoM account based question
I dont know if it is already answered in past. But if now all your characters get deleted when the account is hacked or so. Will all the rewards remain in the HoM when the support team gives back the account to the real owner, since it is now Account Based? If yes which things will remain to? I thought pvp unlocks if I was right. If thisquestion was answered in past sorry and I dont know either if this shall be asked to Giale gray since it is about hacking and retaining accounts but in the other hand it goes about HoM account based. And that is the main question and I think you know more about it then Gaile Gray. Greetings Death Sligher. 80.183.224.183 21:56, 26 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I would say no, since the HoM itself isn't really account based, just the view is. It compiles the data from each of your characters, so if your characters are deleted, all that data is also deleted. (I could be wrong however). --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 23:07, 26 April 2009 (UTC)
 * An easy way to find out (aside from linsey telling us) is to make a new char, add something to its hall that you don't have (like a trash minipet), delete the character, and see if the added component is still there. ~Shard  [[Image:User Shard Sig Icon.png]] 01:15, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Or just wait for an answer... Most people already have all "trash" minis on one of their chars.  A more viable one is if you're still missing a hero or a pet from the Fellowship, but then you still need to get them with the new char, which takes some work.  This is a good question, indeed.  You will surely get to keep all your account achievments, even if you lose all characters, but it's hard to say about individual ones...  I would be inclined to say that they will stay.  The reason is that right after the update, you had to actually log in with the specific character to get their achievements to show up in the account-wide HoM.  So, the game does not know what they are until you bring up that specific character.  After that, the game retains these achievements no matter what character you are on, so it seems that the original character is no longer needed to keep these achievements in the record, so to speak.  But I may be wrong.  [[Image:User Rose Of Kali SIG.jpg]]Rose Of Kali  02:48, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Hopefully, once you put something in the HoM on your characters it's unlocked for the account. So, say, if I got a Mini Gwen on a character, put it in it's HoM then deleted the account it would still be there.  That's what I hope, there's a character that I have stuff on that's bugging me, for my own reasons, and I'd rather delete it and start over than pay money to do the changes. 000.00.00.00 20:07, 28 April 2009 (UTC)
 * The HoM is account based, not just the view (really, it's the same thing, it has to record the data to the account for you to be able to view it on other characters). Once something is dedicated to your Hall, it is a permanent addition to your account data. Doesn't matter if you delete the character, or delete every character on your account, that data will still be attached to the account. Same thing for any account unlock (like Skill, Item, Hero, Pets, etc). - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 02:05, 13 May 2009 (UTC)

What types of feedback are and are not currently acceptable
I've raised the question of which types of feedback are and are not currently acceptable at User talk:Mike O'Brien. An official response would be appreciated. I'm cross-posting this to Gaile and Regina's talk pages. -- Gordon Ecker (talk) 06:07, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I can't answer this question. You should wait for an official response from the person that knows the most about this, which is Mo. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 19:42, 12 May 2009 (UTC)

Blindfold oddity
This may seem like a silly question (and I'm good at those) and perhaps you are not the one to ask, but doesn't it seem odd that those of us who choose to wear blindfolds in combat are still subjected to "Blind" spells and conditions?

Kind of seems like a double standard to me...just curious if anyone on the team thought about this is all.


 * the blindfold is just like any other headgear.[[Image:User DrogoBoffin sig icon.png|Talk page]] Drogo Boffin 16:58, 11 May 2009 (UTC)
 * especially just like the ritualists' headpieces ^_^" --[[Image:User Wizard Bihuq sig.jpg|link=User:Wizard Bihuq]] Wizard Bihuq 17:04, 11 May 2009 (UTC)
 * That's why rit's have Sight Beyond Sight ^.^~>Sins  WDB [[Image: User The_Sins_We_Die_By_Sig.png]] 18:11, 11 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Perhaps its see through. &mdash; Why [[Image:User Why s.png|User talk:Why Are We Fighting]] 18:15, 11 May 2009 (UTC)
 * It would be unwise to have major gameplay advantages tied to a single piece of armor. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 17:28, 12 May 2009 (UTC)

Nicholas Sandford items on 16th May
Hey Linsey, could you take a look at this discussion about Nicholas Sandford? Some players noticed that Charr Carvings were wanted and later that day it was switched to Unnatural Seeds. Could you try to find out if it was really Charr Carvings for a while and why it happened that way? Thanks :) poke | talk 16:48, 21 May 2009 (UTC)
 * We didn't change anything. I very very much doubt that the system did something like that and suspect it was vandalism or a mistake that someone put up Charr Carvings. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 18:09, 21 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Thanks for your answer :) poke | talk 07:08, 22 May 2009 (UTC)

Zaishen Daily quests question
Love the update, but one question. What time does the available quest switch over?--Pyron Sy 16:40, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Looks like 12:00 PDT, since it was roughly five minutes after that that the wiki was updated with today's quests. Freedom Bound 19:33, 24 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I believe they switch over at 0:00 GMT. This does not account for Day Light Savings time. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 19:57, 12 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Actually no, they don't... it's at 16:00 (4:00PM) GMT. Weird time, but works for me. Any idea why such a time was chosen ?90.41.137.238 09:29, 13 May 2009 (UTC)

Z-Quest Bounty
hey there, i was wondering if the bounty quests would include Vanquishing a certain area instead of a certain boss all the time. thanks --Robot 21:29, 26 April 2009 (UTC)
 * This would be nice indeed. Or perhaps they could make another zaishen challenge? Zaishen Vanquish anyone? It would give a reason more to Vanquish crertain areas. This will prolly stay a suggestion for now because I think that would take alot of time to implement, but it would certainly fit into the game. Thumbs up for the idea Robot :). Qaletaqa 23:26, 26 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Second! I really like that idea Qaletaqa. --Musha [[Image:User_Musha_Sigc.png|19x19px]] Talk  23:53, 26 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Not really my idea, Robot inspired me and I justed builded upon that idea. But thx anyway :). Qaletaqa 01:10, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Like the idea but darn to the Liscensing >_> -expected wyn to already have put the Suggestion tag up there tbh- -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 05:24, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Well I think the whole Licensing issue is rediculous, GFDL or what not. I think they should come to a conclusion now because WE or I don't know what to do with my suggestions/ideas. Qaletaqa 06:10, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * The Bounty quests will always be a specific target. I would like to add a whole new line of Zquests for Vanquishing at some point. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 19:58, 12 May 2009 (UTC)
 * That'd be a bad idea, considering that that's hard mode only, thus inaccessible to all but a slim elite few. --136.142.214.19 20:19, 12 May 2009 (UTC)
 * im sorry to say this but anyone can do hard mode. as long as you have beeten the game in question which isnt hard to do.--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|Talk Page‎]] Zesbeer 05:28, 13 May 2009 (UTC)

Z-Challenge NPC
Hey Linsay - loving the update! Major props to you and the Team. I want to mention something I noticed with Z-Challenge NPC. I did two Z-challenges (Harnstone and Blacktide Tide off my head) and I was working on the Alliance Battle one. I got some objectives but didn't complete one bonus out of two bonuses so I wanted to go back to it at some point to finish it. I decided to cash in the earlier two challenges and he cashed in the Alliance Battle one. It's a bummer but I'm over with it - them red candies from the Traveler helped ;-). Anyway I was wondering if it's possible it'd be great if there's a dialogue box letting us choose which quests to cash in?  Meanwhile I'll just be careful :). –   Barinthus  02:21, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * So far this mechanic does not exist. If you have more than 1 quest to cash in from the same NPC, the rewards will be offered in a specific order.  I don't know how the order is determined, but it's always the same.  Implementing this idea would be useful not only for these quest, but many others.  Usually this does not matter, but it becomes important when you want to save some of the rewards for any reason.  This may be saving high XP rewards for leveling heroes you have not yet acquired; saving XP for LDOA and not having to lose the first quest, for which Haversdan gives the reward before you can take "Profession Test" and learn your skills; saving a skill quest reward in Prophecies until you can change professions, if you want the alternate skill and not the one for your current profession (nuisance for many players, but important for beginners who don't have skills unlocked or extra money to buy tomes).  [[Image:User Rose Of Kali SIG.jpg]]Rose Of Kali  03:00, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * If I remember correctly, some NPCs do in fact do this. But I think this is only the case when you have a quest you can ask about as well as one you can turn in. I may be wrong on that though, but if right, wouldn't it be possible to expand it? (sucks not knowing about programming). -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 15:58, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Another thing I'll mention simply because I haven't seen it listed anywhere and you had asked that bugs in new updates still be posted to your page. I currently have 6 Zaishen quests active in my log, while the information page states that you can only have 3 Zaishen quests active in your log at a time.  I had been wanting to check on whether I could "save up" the mission quests and have all three of the allowable quests as missions, which works fine.  However, it also allowed me to add PvP and Bounty quests even with the 3 mission quests still incomplete and in the log.  I'll check today to see if I can get over 3 Mission quests.  Please feel free to move this to any bug report page that might be more appropriate.
 * You misunderstood. You can have up to 3 of each type of quest.  So, 3 bounties, 3 missions, 3 challeges.  Once you have 3 of any of those, you cannot get another one of THAT type until you complete or abandon one.  [[Image:User Rose Of Kali SIG.jpg]]Rose Of Kali  18:51, 27 April 2009 (UTC)
 * It's very hard to say if this is just my misunderstanding or if the quests are not working as intended. The text that was printed on the website certainly says that only 3 Zaishen quests are allowed in the log at one time and suggests completing each "batch" (that sure sounds like a group of three) daily so that none are missed.  Never does it say that 3 of each type are allowed in the log at a time.
 * It is working correctly and is your misunderstanding. Rose of Kali pointed out how they work right above your comment. -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 20:42, 29 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Corrected with the May 7th update. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 04:04, 8 May 2009 (UTC)

Titles+favor
are you guys ever going to make the titles that you removed from the favor pull back in? due to the large title update you did a wile back?-- Zesbeer 23:46, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Huh? The title update made it even easier to get those favor-exempt titles, which was the main reason they were made exempt in the first place - we had infinite favor for months because of all the LB/SS.  That or I misunderstood the question...  [[Image:User Rose Of Kali SIG.jpg]]Rose Of Kali  05:20, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * it was my understanding that they made them exempt because of the changes and all the people who would get the titles right after they made the change. --[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|Talk Page‎]] Zesbeer 06:16, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * yep "We have also temporarily suspended the Wisdom and Treasure Hunter titles from counting towards The Favor of the Gods until after players have been switched to the new account-wide versions of these titles. This prevents the favor system from counting titles that have already been maximized by players prior to this update."--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|Talk Page‎]] Zesbeer 06:29, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * That was only the case for Wisdom and Treasure Hunter, if they still do not count, then it needs to be fixed. I think over half a year is plenty of time for that. -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 06:39, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * agreed they might have changed it but i didnt see it in any of the update notes seance then.--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|Talk Page‎]] Zesbeer 06:44, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Half a year there are really not that many people who max that title and it isnt that long ago. But maybe they can place it back, but giving points for this is rediculious since we dont know how much point we can have lost and in other words we were getting no point for it so why at this point. With SS/LB we were getting points but we were getting so much points that the timer restarted. So that was really a case to give free points after it. But this with the treasure/wisdom title doesnt feel like it. It is just removed and they maybe can replace it. Thats all.  Death Sligher [[Image:User_Death_Sligher_Dragon_Eye.png|talk: Death Sligher]] 10:19, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * um what? sorry i dont get what your saying. also we dont know how many points we are missing out on because it dosnt say when some one competed the title.--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|Talk Page‎]] Zesbeer 10:23, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Soz read something wrong, what kali said. Thought you wanted free fame because they didnt put it back.  Death Sligher [[Image:User_Death_Sligher_Dragon_Eye.png|talk: Death Sligher]] 13:10, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * As the game ages, if favor becomes very difficult to get, we will consider adding back the titles to make it easier as the player base decreases. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 01:35, 26 May 2009 (UTC)

The Seers
Who or what are they? Will we ever know? Will we ever learn more about their war with the Mursaat, and why they fought? Did they know the truth about the Vizier even as they infused our characters' armor for us? Did Glint know? Do they have a role in GW2? So many unanswered questions about these guys, I was curious to see if any of them would be answered. --Axwind 13:22, 17 May 2009 (UTC)


 * It's hard to say, they may not have known about the Viziers plan and just wanted someone to help get rid of the Mursaat for them. I'd like to know what the story writers had in mind for them too.(marsc 16:29, 17 May 2009 (UTC))


 * Well Seer's are all throughout our history as Prophets which would explain how they knew about us needing our armor inusing when technically we never tell them, yet they seem to know about it. As to how much they knew about it all only the writers will know that one. For your question about their war with the Mursaat, perhaps they have seen something in the future that they will do and are trying to stop it before it actually happens so maybe we will see them in GW2, who knows, i for one know that the Mursaat have played a role in GW's history and will for a while yet. Simzy '' [[Image:Dervish-tango-icon-20.png|19px]] 13:45, 17 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Another question is, where are the rest of them? We only see two or three, I think. Or is it the same one showing up in different places as we go along? --Axwind 19:00, 17 May 2009 (UTC)
 * From what I know, the Seers are one of the most Ancient Races on Tyria - the others being the Charr, Mursaat, and Forgotten (with the Titans being around back then as well, but they are not a species, they are closer to Constructs). Although I, and everyone else but the writing team, do not know of the reason why the Seers and Mursaat fought, I can guess that their names - Seers and Unseen Ones - kind of hint at the whole "arch rival" thing, meaning that there may not be a reason and they just hate each other. As they were close to extinction long before even GW1, I don't think they will have a role in GW2, though it would be nice if some did. We see 2 different names, Seer (Iron Mines and Mineral Springs *probably same - very close location*) And Ancient Seer at Ring of Fire mission, Abaddon's Mouth mission, and Hell's Precipice (those three are also probably the same). So we either see 2 or 5 Seers. It could be that the rest are spread throughout the world. Also, I think this question would be easier answered (or quicker) by one of Anet's writers. Stein would probably be the best bet of who can answer the question to a better extant. Except for that GW2 question, doubt that will be answered by anyone. -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 19:14, 17 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I was thinking that they might play a role in GW2, what with at least Lazarus the Dire surviving, there'd have to be at least one Seer unless they have Lazarus ruling over Tyria or at least the Sylvari in the tarnished coast by GW2.(marsc 20:55, 17 May 2009 (UTC))
 * I highly doubt one Mursaat could rule Tyria. There are probably more Mursaat who survived, but that doesn't mean that the Seers have to play an opposing role, though I do hope we learn more of them (I'm just highly open to the fact that Seers will probably not get touched upon in GW2). Besides, humans can kill Mursaat, even if uninfused (just takes a lot more force). -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 22:30, 17 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I'll be the first to admit that I am no Mursaat expert, but do we even know where they come from? I mean, just because we only know of one surviving Mursaat, doesn't mean there isn't a whole homeland of them out there somewhere, right? Also, uninfused humans can kill Mursaat, but don't they have to be ascended before they can even see them? I don't know, I kinda thought that was a hole in the story, because our chars have to be ascended in order to see the unseen ones, but other humans (evennia, etc.) and dwarves seem to have no problem even though they never went to the desert. (Satanael 16:03, 18 May 2009 (UTC))
 * Clearly the seers are the guys who can see the unseen See wut i did there oh man lol.--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|Talk Page‎]] Zesbeer 18:23, 18 May 2009 (UTC)

@Satanael, we do not know of their origin, however it is point blankly stated by the Lich that the Mursaat were nearly gone during the last mission. The journal also says that the forces that the characters fought where mostly decimated and the remaining ones are in disarray (thus making them easy targets for the Titans). I always thought the "True Sight" thing was confusing. How I see it is that the Mursaat act like Ghosts do in Cantha with the Weh no Su. Mursaat can choose to hide or not to hide themselves from others, however they can not hide at all from those who Ascend. So, in the later game, they probably stopped hiding themselves. @Zesbeer, that is basically what I said the first time. Or, well, implied. And your purposeful misspelling of words does not make you funny, just makes you look like an idiot. -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 02:14, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Please no name calling on Linsey's talk page (or anywhere else on the wiki, really). Erasculio 02:18, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Technically, I didn't call him an idiot, just said that doing that kind of thing doesn't make someone funny and just worsens others' view of said person. Which usually is worsened in the manner of intelligence, which would be an "idiot". No where did I say "You're an idiot" in any form or manner. Don't misunderstand. -- Azazel The Assassin\talk 02:22, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

@Azazel i could care less wut you think about me and if annoys you ill keep doing it. because GWW is Suruz bizness-- Zesbeer 02:44, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
 * The impression I've had regarding the Seers and the Flameseeker Prophecies is that they were working with Glint (that there is SOME contact is evidenced in Iron Mines of Moladune) to ensure the Flameseeker Prophecies came to completion - but note that the Prophecies weren't seen as complete until after the Vizier fell (I'm guessing Khilbron didn't know the full prophecy, or felt he could evade his end at the last moment). Likely, they felt letting the Lich release the Titans was a reasonable sacrifice for their goal - either because they felt that the Mursaat did need to be defeated even if that required invoking a greater evil, or because they knew the Door would be opened in some fashion regardless and the Prophecies represented the means where it would cause the least damage. (Likely the former for the Seers and the latter for Glint - working together doesn't mean they have to have identical goals, just compatible ones, and it does seem that the Seers would consider the Mursaat high priority while Glint would be more concerned about Abaddon.) Draxynnic 00:51, 20 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I've actually been working on a storyline in my "spare time" about the Druids, Seers and Mursaat. I don't know about GW2 and now much they are going to touch on these lore pieces, you guys know I don't work on that game anymore, right? Since I think we might eventually add this lore to the game in a more formal way, I'd rather save it for that than give you guys the details now... can't fault me for that, right? - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 01:31, 26 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I don't know, some people are pretty unreasonable. :P Still, I won't complain about having the stuff introduced formally (a future content update?) rather than just given away - looking forward to it, in fact. Still, I hope you are still at least communicating with the GW2 story people - wouldn't want one game having the Seers being aliens from another world while another has them being former followers of Abaddon who defected when he had his little temper-tantrum... Draxynnic 03:04, 26 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Sounds good, Linsey, thanks! Axwind 16:10, 26 May 2009 (UTC)

About What's Next
Just a thought I had, Linsey, so I wanted to share it. I know you guys are trying to figure out what the next new content project should be and all, but I was thinking that perhaps it might be a good idea to wait until after the licensing issues are fixed and the new suggestion system is put in place before doing anything major (such as adding new quests/missions/areas/lore/etc.). That way we the players can be a part of that discussion and help shape the future of this game we enjoy. To help in that regard, Linsey, once the new suggestion system is in place, maybe you and the Live Team could lay out a framework or guide to help us get a better idea of what sort of things are implementable and what aren't and what goes into doing them (such as how you've said it takes about a month to make a new quest or a year for a new armor set). This would hopefully help somewhat to keep people from submitting ideas that just can't be done or that aren't realistic. Anyway, keep up the good work with GW, it's a great game and you do a good job keeping it alive and kicking. ^_^  --Axwind 20:16, 27 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Licensing only prevents them from answering. They can still read and take in cosideration what people suggest. They just can't give credit to anyone for any suggestion made. Mith[[Image:User MithranArkanere Star.png]]Talk 20:19, 27 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I quite like both those ideas, but why not merge them and have Anet give us what their options are and have a vote of sorts. I'm not sure how it'd be implementable but I think it'd be nice to ask the community. -- Alex [[Image:User_AlexEternal_Mr_Bear.jpg|19px]]Eternal 20:23, 27 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I think Axwind fails to realize that delaying what's next for the licensing issues is just a bad idea. They have many ideas to work with, and it may still be months before the ArenaNet legal department finalizes the licensing issues, I mean, it took them over 6 months to just come up with the change proposal. The April update took almost 4 months of work to make a reality, and I for one can't wait for the next, I've had so much fun with the new stuff. I think that the Live Team probably has stacks of ideas lined up already, it's just choosing which ones come next. I doubt the current community input would really make that much of a difference to those choices. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 20:32, 27 May 2009 (UTC)
 * We actually already know what we want to do next. We are working on the how now. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 23:16, 27 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Okay. But is it going to be possible in the future for us to have more of a voice in things once the licensing stuff is sorted out? From what I'd heard, it's already mostly done, just needs to be finalized or something and a few last details worked out, though I could be wrong. And can you give us any hints about what it is you're doing now?


 * Wyn, the whole point of us being able to contribute is that we're playing this game, so we ought to be able to have a say in what becomes of it, not just a wishlist but a real voice. Employment at Anet is not a prequisite for having good, implementable ideas, nor should it be. --Axwind 00:40, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I didn't say it was, I just don't believe that any game company should be so driven by community input that they delay things. I believe the ArenaNet development team is more creative than that, and I know they all are avid GW players (Linsey in particular), so they do understand the game, and what might be lacking, or what might be fun new stuff for everyone. The minute that they lose the power to make these decisions and turn it over to community voices, the game will lose and the community will lose. I would not count on the changes in the licensing terms to give you any sort of real voice or any more weight to user submitted suggestions than they have ever had, it will simply allow the developers to actually provide their feedback on them. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 00:48, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I knew it, I told so n a guru thread. With so many suggestions and people asking so many things, its almost impossible not too know what to do. Mith[[Image:User MithranArkanere Star.png]]Talk 00:52, 28 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Mith: About your comment earlier that the designers can still use suggested ideas just not comment on them. – it is actually the other way around. They can say anything they want, but to use the idea, they have to give credit to its originator and allow anybody who wants to to use their version of the idea. Further, they can't even use something similar to a suggested idea without either falling under the GFDL rules or demonstrating that their idea is sufficiently different to not count as a 'derivative work'. --Max 2 01:55, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Technically that's not true, they can use anything they want, without attribution, and it would be up to the person who posted the idea to prove it was theirs in court. The commenting part would simply acknowledge the original poster for the idea. The biggest problem with this is that in a constrained environment like a game, there are only so many things that are actually possible, just look at the massive amount of duplicate suggestions, that each poster feels is their idea. For someone to prove it was strictly their idea, and not something the developers thought of all by themselves months, if not years ago, would imo be virtually impossible. The licensing changes will simply remove any possibility of it ending up in court. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 02:11, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * The whole point is to stay out of court if possible. Once the courts get involved, costs go through the roof and the only winners are the lawyers. Also, if the developers use something without attribution, they are, in fact, breaking the license. It gets really sticky deciding if they are using something or made it up themselves if they didn't keep careful notes. It is much better to avoid the problem, which is what ArenaNet's lawyers are trying to do. The technicalities get really complex if the proper groundwork is not put in place. Even then it can be messy. (Lawyers are professional quibblers – they will argue what 'use' means until pigs fly and insist on being payed for their time.) --Max 2 03:34, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * You know, 'great minds think alike'. I've some many times the same suggestion in many different places, even in several different languages. Where I usually see things for the first time is in this wiki or in Guru forums, though. So, if a suggestion is made in several places, and they don't make it the exact way some of the suggestions say, or none of the suggestions is specific enough, they are pretty safe. But don't worry about next content update, they already have ideas to last a lot of time, they just need to figure out how to make them. After the licensing change, Anet will probably be able to 'give credit' to people that 'gave away' their ideas and all, although it is always nice to read "Based on the suggestions of players XXXXX, YYYYY and ZZZZZ", that's not really necessary at all. Mith[[Image:User MithranArkanere Star.png]]Talk 11:42, 28 May 2009 (UTC)

Wyn, I never said that the Live Team should just turn over everything to us. I don't know where you got that from. And I'm not pushing for a delay anymore, as you put it. The LT are avid GW players, yes, but they're not the only GW players. We all play this game, too. Linsey said that they've decided what to do next and have begun working on it. Yet we the larger playerbase were not given any chance to play a part in that decision-making process, in that discussion of what to do next. We never are. What I'm saying is, we both should be a part of the process, the LT and the larger playerbase. As it is, we're relegated to just having a wishlist, asking can they do this, asking can they do that, but with no real ability to really participate in the discussions and decisions that shape this game. Not every player views the game the way the LT does, or wants the same things as they do, but it's only the LT's view of it and what they want that as it stands now that is implemented. We've all made an investment in this game, so we ought to have a real voice in determining what goes into it and what becomes of it. Not just a wishlist subject to the LT's whims. --Axwind 13:37, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Just posting in agreement with what Wyn said above, firstly dont expect a bigger voice in the development of the game once the licensing is sorted out and nor does purchase of GW1 entitle you to input upon its development or GW2's, if you buy a coke you can't phone them and say "I like pepsi, be more like pepsi", well you can but they'll laugh at you, all buying the game does is entitle you to play the game and anythign more than that is just anet being gracious. Secondly Mtew2/Max 2 you are wrong, they can use any idea they want, the onus would be on the individual to prove that it was their IP and really Anet wouldnt even have to defend itself against possible court action as I doubt any lawyer would even consider taking on a case from someone who said "hey I posted on a wiki once years ago and vaguely said that this should be done and then something kinda like it was done 4 years later but no one thanked me, do you wanna take my case?" (well maybe in east texas). However take the Z-zoo and the hair dresser for example, these are all products of players going on and on and on about them for years, none of these however fall under the remit of the peoples IP, as a company providing things in response to player feedback does not give anyone grounds for claims of IP. This is why alot of the licensing discussion is so laughable, so many people contributing to it are completely uninformed about how this piece of law works and yet still feel the need to vent their thoughts about it. Anet is just being cautious with its legal stance to wiki suggestions but to be completely honest its being blown out of all proportion by the community, not helped much by the NCsoft legal department, who haven't really went into what type of things they can and cant use and why and have just given a general blanket statement of the license is incompatible. To be honest I think this is just legal fall out from the world.com law suit, but really guys things wont be that different, all that will change is that Anet employees will be able to reply to ideas and go "no thats stupid, STFU" or "yeh that has possibility, we might do that.". Unfortunately alot of the suggestions fall into the former response category rather than the latter. -- Salome  [[Image:User_salome_sig2.png|19px]] 15:02, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Except that in the case of a soda, the product is already out there and cannot be further changed, nor does the consumption last for more than a little while at a time. With GW, however, it's a game that is continually updated, adjusted, and added to, and player involvement in the game can and does go on for years. Soda also a physical, static product instead of a dynamic, constantly changing digital environment like what GW is. Had the playerbase had more of a voice, the stylist and menagerie might've been implemented sooner and in somewhat different fashion, to use the example you gave. Why should we be dictated to, rather than be invited to participate? GW was, at least as I understand it, in part about experimentation, about doing things differently. Thus it follows that a truly collaborative system between LT and the playerbase would fit into that. It would be yet another way for GW to stand out from other online games, to take an extra step beyond what others do and prove to us and their competitors that they truly see us as more than just cash cows. --Axwind 15:51, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Salome: You are using ideas based on proof and criminal law to draw conclusions about copyright law. I am also quite cynical about what cases lawyers will take and how petty some people can be. There is an excellent chance that ArenaNet would win any such case, but even winning can be expensive. That alone is reason enough for ArenaNet to be cautious and strengthen their legal foundations. Beyond that, you are right on target. (btw: The East Texas District Court deals more with patents and steps have been taken to limit its impact.)
 * Axwind: Umm, The Coke reformulation fiasco? --Max 2 16:20, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I don't remember hearing about that. Though again, a soda is a static physical short-term good, whereas GW is a dynamic long-term digital environment. You can't compare the two. At all. --Axwind 17:50, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * We will never let the community outright dictate what we do with Guild Wars. Frankly most players do not think out their suggestions to the end and don't consider more than their own little area of influence. It is our job to consider projects from all angles and determine if it will be good for the game as a whole. The general community isn't capable of doing that even if they are thinking in broader terms than just their own little part of Tyria, which usually isn't the case. We have data and tools that the players don't and that alone allows us to be more thorough in our research that the community ever could. Yes I am an avid GW player, no I am not EVERY GW player, but I work very hard to consider everyone from the hardcore to the new to the super casual. Most do not. We have a good handle on the state of the game and what it needs. Just because we aren't publicly discussing the things players complain about or discuss at length, doesn't mean we aren't discussing it in-house.
 * I've spent a massive amount of my time trying to help players feel more connected to me as a Dev and to the Live Team, but let me be clear on this, my interactions with the community are not a open door invitation for you guys to tell me how to do my job. I totally get that this is because you guys love Guild Wars and I have the utmost respect for that (which is why I participate on the wiki), but suggestions aren't always good or even feasible. It would add a huge amount of time to our already very tight schedules if we were having to work with the community to figure out what to work on. Once the licensing stuff is worked out, suggestions will be taken with the same amount of consideration they have always been given.
 * We fully plan on talking publicly about what we are working on, but there is a certain amount of work that must be done before we can do that. You'll know when we are ready to tell you. Patience, friends, patience. - [[Image:User Linsey Murdock sig.jpg]]Linsey talk 19:09, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I understand, and I'm sorry if you thought I was suggesting the playerbase tell you guys what do. That isn't what I meant. Obviously you guys would have the last word, and that's how it should be. But as I said above, there are ways to filter out some of the less feasible suggestions by putting in place a framework or faq that we can all see that lays out exactly what sort of things are doable and what aren't, instead of being addressed on a piecemeal basis. What I meant was taking a more balanced approach. And as an example of what I meant by collaboration, I remember reading in your journal here that you do the writing work of three or four people, I think, and were looking to get some outside help. Well, and again this is just an example, you have a whole community here full of people who would be happy to help with that or with any other things that we could feasibly do, thus lightening the LT's - and your - workload. Obviously you guys would give the directions and the how and when and what and determine who could do stuff, which is how it should be, but it would give the community a chance to help, too. --Axwind 20:21, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I've found that usually it's harder to tell someone else how and what to do than just doing it yourself.
 * She has asked for the community's help, have you looked at her project page? That is the stuff she wants direct community input on, and collaboration. They aren't going to be taking your suggestions for dialogue, but simple recon type input, find this, find that. The fact the current project isn't something you haven't chosen to participate in Axwind, for whatever reason, maybe it's not something you feel is important, is beside the point. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 21:36, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * @Salome & Axwind: New Coke. - Tanetris 21:52, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * "Patience, friends, patience", I love the word "Patience" and I use it all the time. And indeed, the Live Team will do better if they make haste slowly. They'll bring us up to speed when they are sure the ideas will become "reality".
 * @Axwind: You said as an example that they should give the community some of their work? Euhm, well they probably get payed according to how much they work. Also the work should not leave the office because then it is not as organized as it would've been, they also cannot rely on us to do some of their work. Their are two things they should do if they have to much work:
 * Hire more people.
 * Or slow down.
 * Second one not beeing such a good idea in a business that has to earn money to stay alive. Every company that makes money and/or making profit with their product has to have a list of all their employees, all people not on that list working for that company even when not beeing payed for the work they do are seen as illegal workers in my country. I don't know the law in America but it's probably also something along those lines. Qaletaqa 22:16, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I wasn't aware of that project, Wyn. Don't jump to conclusions. Just because I comment here doesn't mean I've looked at every single page. I haven't. Please keep that in mind. And Qale, I understand where you're coming from and it's a valid point, but implementing a tracking system or software to manage that sort of thing and list who does what would help, I think, if such an example were to be considered. I'm not sure how the legal stuff works, though. --Axwind 23:21, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * @Linsey, not that i dont like the z-zoo but we didnt really need it nor was it something that was or is a part of what the state of the game is right now. and if it was or if you guys wanted it to be you would have done a massive skill rebalanced for pets and improved their AI so they would be a lot more useful in pvp and pve. also i dont think im alone in saying that we would LOVE it if you released some more info about skill usage and just statistics about the game but you refuse to do that for some unknown reason. but then again you also think we as a community cant handle it when something gets scraped. but i think that we cant handle more because of a lack of information which has always been the case, then you guys actually telling us the reasons as to why something didn't work. for example Blizzard has made a lot of information about starcraft 2 available and a lot of units and things have been seance cut from the game seance they first came out with that first pc gamer have people freaked out no. i would also like to point out if you guys really did use the tools you have to make the game better the skill balance would not be soo funny. and skills wouldn't get over buffed or over nerffed. i don't mean to be rude or ungrateful for the changes you have been making i am just saying something i felt needed to be said.--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|link=User talk:Zesbeer‎]] Zesbeer 23:53, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Who's this we you are talking about Zesbeer? you got a mouse in your pocket? Also, what part of Linsey doesn't do skill balance don't you get? ArenaNet has made a choice not to release details of upcoming features to the public until they are nearing final stages. Your continued complaints about that aren't going to change it. Oh, and I don't mean to be rude, but I am just saying something I felt needed to be said. Oh gee.... doesn't stop it from being rude does it? --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 00:00, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * wyn if i didnt think everything you said was rude then yes i would agree with you. im just trying to portray that i am being nice in what i am saying because this is the internet and body language and stuff like that gets lost in translation. ALSO i am addressing linsey and the rest of anet that have to deal with gw1. also the we is my guild and the people i play with.--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|link=User talk:Zesbeer‎]] Zesbeer 00:07, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Zes, people have been asking for a pet stable for years, they got that as the z-zoo, they wanted account wide HoM, they got that, they wanted more storage, they got that, they wanted a hairdresser, we got a hairdresser and plastic surgeon rolled into one with sex changes to boot. They wanted other ways to gain titles, we got that with the z-quests. These are features people wanted for years, which were given to us in 1 big go and honestly I was amazed by the amount of content in the april update. I have faith in the Live team and its plans for GW1 and I look forward to seeing whats coming in the july/august update. -- Salome  [[Image:User_salome_sig2.png|19px]] 01:47, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes, they gave us those things, Salome, but what a lot of people complain about is the how. Because of the introduced microtransactions. I don't mind them so much myself, though it would be nice if there was an alternate, in-game way of getting makeover and name change credits (and the extra four storage panes) via some amount of grind or whatever. It's just something I've seen people mention, is all. And don't mind Wyn, Zes, she's just playing her part as Linsey's Zealous Defender. Whenever someone disagrees with Linsey, she seems to always swoop in. I don't think I've ever seen her disagree with Linsey or even give any credence to any sort of disagreement whatsoever by anyone else. --Axwind 12:02, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I'd wager Wyn defends Linsey because A) She likes Linsey. B) People like you and Zesbeer make her want to defend Linsey. --JonTheMon 13:08, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * And maybe C) Linsey makes valid points and people with some sense of perspective for the game as a whole, appreciate that and thus agree with those comments. As for Axwind's last post, I see your point mate, but Anet is a business, they are here to make money. You already get a game for no monthly charge and the micro-transactions are for extremely trivial things (face changes and EVEN more storage). Having them their as an option is much better than not having them at all. Every time I see people complain about it, I shudder as I can't help but think to myself "Do these people truly not understand business decisions to this degree?". You get what you pay for guys, in this instance this is purchasable, if you don't want to pay for it, you don't get it. If they started adding micro-transaction for things which were actually important, like skill packs or extra armour skin packs, then I may would have an issue, but Anet have confined it to things that don't give a player any form of prestige, as how will anyone else ever know that you changed your chars name or hair? I will admit I do advocate giving players who own all 3 campaigns, someway to create a character with all the hair, skin, face options as it is a tad annoying to only be able to get some of the combos at the face changer, but really if that's not added, I'll live without it. -- Salome  [[Image:User_salome_sig2.png|19px]] 13:29, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

I'm always amazed how opinionated people can be without data, a solid theory, or at least a solid understanding of all factors involved in upgrading software that affect a population base. Costs in time and resources, impact on the game's economy, bugs, impact on AI, impact on heroes, impact on difficulty, risks of opening up new farms, risks of shutting down existing playstyles people enjoy, risks of angering people by shutting down their income or devaluating their efforts... The devs are paid to go from "this is what I want" to "this is what everyone wants". I envy their job, but not because it's an easy one. -- Alaris 14:26, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * If we were given the data, theory, and factors in the first place, all laid out, we'd understand better, Alaris. But you're right that the devs consider everyone's needs. Though I don't know what part of the thread you meant to reference with that comment.


 * Salome, you missed where I said I don't mind the microtransactions. I was just trying to consider what other people have said, too, and not just how I feel about it. If the stuff were priced lower, more people would likely use such services. Lower prices and a higher volume of buyers equals more profit for Anet and thus, more content and stuff for us. Dunno about you, but as an example I'd rather a million people pay them $1 each for stuff than 10,000 people paying $10 each. Obviously the numbers are just an example, but you know what I mean.


 * Jon, I guess you don't think it's right to voice any sort of disagreement, that any such thing must immediately be stifled and removed. Fortunately Linsey and the LT know better. It's possible to disagree with them on some things but still respect them and be grateful for the work they do. Which is what I do. The comment about Wyn was meant to be a bit of wry humor, nothing more. The 'net, unfortunately, isn't all that great about conveying that sort of thing through text. --Axwind 16:05, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Axwind they cant charge less than £5 per transaction, its something to do with the use of visa and other such cards. So the only thing they could do is keep the price the same and increase the amount of changes you get for it. I'm not exactly sure why the gender change is 5 times more expensive than the normal change and nor am I sure why the name change is quite as expensive as it is (although I do think the name change should come inclusive with 1 extreme makeover credit, as its weird seeing a male ele run about called Tina) however these are just my person tweaks but I don't understand the greater scheme of game development and Anet does, so anything they can offer im happy with. -- Salome  [[Image:User_salome_sig2.png|19px]] 16:44, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * The thread has been a bit about balance, but a lot about new features or updates. My comment was aimed at the general sense of entitlement some players have been showing towards the design process, and their over-confidence that they could do better than current ANet employees. I've seen these comments here and elsewhere, so my burst has been more aimed at the community than just the current thread.
 * As for microtransactions, if profits alone is what's important (which is not the case), you need to put in at least 3 other factors. (1) Transaction costs. This is the main reason why you pay 10$ for 5 hairdos instead of 2$ each. (2) The need. If you reduce the costs enough, everyone who wants the feature will get it, but reducing it further won't increase the demand enough to compensate, as you will have saturated the demand. (3) How much they're willing to pay for it. Sometimes you can increase the cost without losing that many customers, so you end up increasing your profits. I'm not an economics buff, but I know enough to say that reducing cost doesn't always increase demand enough to generate more profits.
 * Name changes (etc) costs are also to discourage frequent changes, which could be used for scamming purposes. -- [[Image:User_Alaris_sig.JPG|Alaris_sig]] Alaris 16:53, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * There's disagreement, constructive disagreement, and beating the dead horse of disagreement. Making your view known once or twice is fine, but repetitively bringing it up doesn't help your cause nor people's perception of you. --JonTheMon 17:17, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * If you're referring to me, Jon, I merely respond to those who respond to me. Sometimes I feel I didn't explain things well enough to convey what I meant, which is why it may seem like I'm being repetitive. But that's not my intention.


 * Makes sense, Salome, thanks for explaining it. Upping the number of credits per $10 could be one possibility, as you said - 10 instead of 5 would be good, I think. Enough that you don't go through them right away but not so much that Anet wouldn't make a profit off of them.


 * I hadn't thought about that aspect of the name changes, Alaris. Makes sense to keep the price a little high for that purpose, as you said. --Axwind 18:39, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * RE Price: I see it as it's easier to lower a price than it is to raise a price. So, set it higher than you think it'll end up at. --JonTheMon 18:44, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * As for me being Linsey's Zealous defender, yeah, I do that a bit, because as I've gotten to know her, she has repeatedly proven to me how intelligent she is, and how much she cares about this game, and this community, and I get really angry when I see people repeatedly treating her like dirt under their shoes. She is an extremely talented woman who has been given a job of extreme difficulty with very few resources other than her own talents. I've seen the "know it all" community here drive one developer off the wiki with their hate mongering, and I don't want to see that happen to Linsey, because I think we will all be poorer for it. As Linsey has stated, most people making suggestions/demands for changes don't think things through beyond how it would specifically effect them in the little picture. I don't always agree with her, and when I don't I tell her, privately, as I've urged others here to do. Creating drama on the wiki is not good for this community. Those who have gone on their rants here are simply trying to generate more hate, I don't like the whole mob mentality that seems to arise. I also defend Linsey because I know she would love to be here doing it for herself, but has more important things to do, like work on "What's next".


 * There is no way the company is going to provide the kind of data an untrained member of the community would need to be able to evaluate how a change is going to affect the overall big picture, and asking for that is just bound to lead to disappointment, and expecting it will only lead to resentment (which btw, I already see a lot of). This is why I'm saying don't expect the change in the wiki licensing to do anything other than allow the devs to comment on user submitted suggestions, don't expect your ideas to be implemented into the game, and don't expect any more information about what's in development than we have ever had in the past, because when it doesn't come, I don't want you to explode the wiki with your angst. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png | Wyn's Talk page]] Wyn 19:55, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * What I meant, Wyn, was more a general, non-technical faq. Linsey's already done that somewhat on her page, all i meant was to expand that sort of thing to cover the broader scope of what people ask for. I don't see what the harm is in having a layman's reference available to as to cut down on unfeasible suggestions being asked for. And you missed what I told Salome, that my comment about you was meant as a joke, nothing more. I'm truly sorry if it offended you. I don't hate you and I don't hate Linsey, and I'm sorry if that's how it seemed. --Axwind 20:31, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Any faq geared toward the layman would necessarily be an end analysis of the data that Anet has rather than the data itself, and that sort of analysis is exactly the sorts of answers Linsey's been giving us that so many people question and doubt because it doesn't agree with their personal views.
 * On a sidenote, it's easy to want to defend Linsey for the simple reason that I have never seen Linsey be unreasonable, while those who decide to go after her are often (not always, but often) anything but reasonable. - Tanetris 20:48, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

(edit conflcit)
 * oh yea wyn because your never angsty. any way i appreciate a lot of things the live team has put in place and will continue to. i also have a high respect for linsey and all of the anet staff. i just get frustrated because sometimes they just don't get it and are not on the same page as there game. (in reference to skill balance mostly) also i don't want all info to be related i would simply like more statistics on thinks like skill usage and stuff like that. and if i remember correctly Gaile Gray had made a similar push to get more of that info to us. i would also like to know more about what they are considering doing even if it dost make it into the game because everywhere i read i see anet saying something to the effect of: " we cant talk about these mysterious changes because they might change and you guys (the community) cant handle when something changes or dost see the light of day" i find that to be very disheartening because who knows maybe we as a community can handle that information and can provide input that anet hadn't considered. like wouldn't it have been nice to have known before had that we would have to grind are way to a 20 slot equipment pack? or that the stylist and name changer would cost real money to use? i would have found that information very helpful and wouldn't have been so upset about it. its part of the reason why people whant to know what the changes are before the update comes out so we can give input and maybe change things for the better. i realize this isn't always possible  and i am fine with them trowing in a surprise once and a wile hopefully a good one not one were something i think should have been cheaper or should come with something else (like the extreme make over coming with a name change) or been able to say hey wait a min i think this should be this way or whats your reasoning behind this. it really comes down to a lack of information.


 * wyn a lot of changes i have asked for have been put into the game, and a lot of them haven't. so that's one way i know you are dead wrong and i don't demand nor do i try and come off as demanding. and this is something wyn i don't think you understand and that is on the internet some things that we say in our head sound really good and if you were to say it in person it would sound just fine. but when that same thought come out via the internet a lot is lost in translation. because you cant say it with care or put a empisus(sp?!) on something as well when you say it in person. also someone from the community may not have the same tools as they do but some of the decisions made by game companies make people make the clams that they could do it better and whos to say that they couldnt? not everyone is untraned or have no idea how to make a game, a lot of gamers are geeks and know how to program and do all that jazz. sorry for the wall of text and for misspellings and if something comes off as rude or unkind thats not my intition.--[[Image:User_Zesbeer_sig.png|link=User talk:Zesbeer‎]] Zesbeer 21:08, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I wasn't trying to "go after" her, as you put it, Tanetris, and I don't like the indirect accusation. And while she's been giving answers, as you said, they're largely spread across the different threads in which those answers reside. What I was saying was just to bring something like the answers from the most common suggestions together in one place so that we don't have to hunt through the archives to find them or pose a suggestion again that's already been asked a dozen times or more. That's all.


 * One other thing, Wyn, I've never tried to contact Linsey privately, as you said, because 1) I don't know how except in-game and 2) I know she's very busy and I don't want to bother her while she's trying to do other stuff. As I said, I don't hate her or you, nor was I trying to create any drama. And I don't appreciate being judged as though I were and looked down upon for it. Don't assume, ask. And I'll try to do the same. --Axwind 21:40, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * /read Zesbeer's wall of text. *facepalms* &mdash; Jon  [[Image:User_Jon_Lupen_Sig_Image.png|18px]]  Lupen  21:56, 29 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Good Gawd, someone move this section somewhere else plz before it gets any bigger -- ilr  23:24, 29 May 2009 (UTC)