GuildWars.com news/Archives/200702

The following lists the February 2007 news from the official GuildWars.com site.

February 28th, 2007

 * Celestial Tournament Update #2

We have another round of updates for you. These are the results of the 2nd Round of the Celestial Tournament, as well as the 3rd Round Pairings. The newest match-ups will take place over the next several days, and all will be completed by Saturday.


 * PvP Primer Articles Updated

We've updated a few of the PvP Primer articles to take into consideration game updates and skill balances, and to make the series more relevant to today's Guild Wars. Find fresh info on Team Trials, Zaishen Combat, and Random Arenas by accessing the updates from the PvP Primer index page.

February 27th, 2007

 * GvG Bonus Weekend Coming

As players prepare for the next rounds of the Guild Wars Celestial Tournament, we offer two benefits to PvP players this weekend: double GvG Faction and double Champion Points. The double rewards begin at Noon PST (20:00 GMT) on Friday, March 2nd and end at 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, March 4 (7:59 GMT on Monday, March 5).


 * Guild of the Week: COW

The small, close-knit guild of There is a Cow Level is our featured guild this week. Holders of an extraordinary record of 84 consecutive GvG wins, and frequently on the topmost rungs of the Guild Wars Ladder, the COW guild and individual bios make interesting reading. Check it out here.

February 26th, 2007

 * State of the Game: From PvE to PvP

Read about the challenges and the rewards of making the transition from PvE gameplay to PvP competition in this week's State of the Game article. Get some tips on making that exciting transition from one of our veteran game reporters in this week's feature.

February 22nd, 2007

 * The Scribe #35

This week's news scroll looks back at the recently concluded Canthan New Year's Festival and forward towards the upcoming Gamer Weekend. The Scribe's time in Cantha during the festival allowed him to spot a significant number of kind souls, whom he calls out in the Random Acts of Kindness. Find Issue 35 here.


 * Celestial Tournament Updates

Today you can read the results of the first round of play in the Celestial Tournament, plus get a look at the pairings for Round 2, which will take place this weekend. Remember that you can catch some of the action between the higher-ranking guilds on Observer Mode!

February 21st, 2007

 * PvP Primer: Miscellaneous Game Effects

This week's guide to player-versus-player gameplay continues the coverage of game mechanics by providing details of an assortment of effects not covered in previous articles. Find it here.

February 20th, 2007

 * New Contest Announced

Prepare your pencils! Organize your oils! Launch your laptop! Corral your crayons? Well, whatever medium you choose, the new Design-A-Weapon contest is your chance to make a permanent addition to the game, and to win nice prizes, too! Design a new weapon, shield, or focus item, and mail it to one of the six offices outlined in the rules. The Guild Wars Team will select up to 20 winners and the new items will be added to the game over the course of the next few months. Find out all about the Guild Wars Design-A-Weapon Contest here.


 * Coming Friday: Gamer Weekend

From Noon PST on Friday, February 23, through 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, February 25, you can participate in three great activities: The Dragon Arena, the Shing Jea Boardwalk, and Rollerbeetle Racing. For each win you will reap rewards in the form of Victory Tokens, which you can then exchange for prizes in Shing Jea Monastery and the Great Temple of Balthazar. And of course you can work on your Gamer title, too. Join us this weekend for all the fun and games!


 * Guild of the Week: SNOW

With a name chosen from the most traditional of fantasy sources, guild and alliance leader Mirror of Reason is a multifaceted guild who offers tips on PvE and PvP in this week's GotW. Get your introduction here.

February 19th, 2007

 * State of the Game: Upheaval in HA

With the recent testing of changes to Heroes' Ascent, there is much to report, analyze, and reveal about this PvP area as it moves closer to being permanently updated. Our State of the Game article provides insight into the current state of HA, and offers strategies for use during this transitional period.

February 16th, 2007

 * New Year Celebration Begins

Head to Cantha now to take part in this weekend's exciting event: The Canthan New Year's Festival. Take part in a new mini-game-Rollerbeetle Racing-where the winners can claim cool rewards! Help collaborate in creating a feast to please the Celestial Pig, and undertake new quests, too. Win sparklers, and poppers, and rockets, oh my! Kamadan and Lion's Arch will be decorated for the festival, but Shing Jea Monastery is the place to be on Sunday, February 18th, where special events take place every three hours starting at 12:01 a.m. PST (8:01 GMT), with the final event beginning at 12:01 PST (8:01 GMT) on Monday, February 19. The event will run through Noon PST (20:00 GMT) that same day. Enjoy!


 * Celestial Tournament News

Registration is now closed for the Guild Wars Celestial Tournament. Nearly 300 guilds will take part in the tournament, with play starting this weekend. The Celestial Tournament will be the largest competitive event for Guild Wars ever! You can get the latest information on the tournament here.

And check out the first-round pairings on this page.


 * Community Sharing Event

Due to an earthquake in Taiwan, many players in that part of the world were unable to participate in the Wintersday Festival. Players in other regions learned of this and helped us by donating Wintersday Gifts that were distributed during a mini-event held on the Taiwanese server in late January. Here is a report of the event and a series of "thank you" posts from players who were touched by the generosity of their fellow Guild Wars players.

February 15th, 2007

 * The Scribe #34

In anticipation of an upcoming celebration in his homeland, our roving reporter is traveling back to Shing Jea Monastery as fast as his sandaled feet will carry him. However, he has taken the time to jot down a few notes about the upcoming Canthan New Year's Festival and to acknowledge a few kind citizens he met during his journey.

February 14th, 2007

 * Challenge Mission Ladder Opens

We have a new treat in store for those hearty souls who undertake the challenge missions. Today we are opening the new Challenge Mission Ladder. This ladder will present the records of the most skilled challenge mission players. You can find the top 50 combined aggregate scores for players across all challenge missions, or you can view the top score listings by specific player, challenge mission, guild, or Guild Wars campaign. Enjoy the new ladder, and congratulations to those who make it to the top!


 * PvP Primer: Calculations & Caps

This week's Primer looks at several mathematical calculations in Guild Wars, describes how different effects stack with one another, and details the caps that are in place for various game mechanics. Those uninterested in statistics will still enjoy this edition, for it offers valuable gameplay tips as well.

February 13th, 2007

 * Guild of the Week: Tor

Another guild steps into the spotlight, this one called The Torrencians. This PvP/PvE guild gained its start with a gaming family that had ties to pen and paper RPGs and moved to Guild Wars for its many novel features. Read about Tor in this week's GotW.

February 12th, 2007

 * State of the Game: Balance Changes Galore!

Take a look at this week's State of the Game article for insight into the numerous balance and mechanical changes to Guild Wars. As the author says, "Guild Wars has changed and evolved, and those changes promise to alter the GvG landscape and the metagame for a very long time."

February 9th, 2007

 * Celestial Tournament Rules Changed

In response to player feedback, we have updated the rules of participation for the Guild Wars Celestial Tournament. Guilds now will be able to offer a roster of up to ten players, instead of eight as previously stated. Please review the rules page to learn more about the changes.


 * Guild Wars Wins More Awards

PC Gamer Magazine awarded Guild Wars Nightfall its 2006 Awards for Best MMO and Best Value. They cited "gorgeous, engaging environments populated by some of the coolest- and most creative-looking monsters and characters out there." The editors also gave a nod to their favorite game element—the low-level quests—and to the "near-unlimited gameplay for the one-time price of the boxed copy."

The awards reception for the 2006 1UP Awards erupted into chants of "Guild Wars!" just prior to announcement of Guild Wars Nightfall as the Best Online/Multiplayer Game of 2006. 1UP said, "Fans of Guild Wars Nightfall love the multiplayer experience of the game and helped vote it the winner in the Online/Multiplayer category." Details here.

February 8th, 2007

 * Canthan New Year Coming!

This month, we will be observing a new holiday in the Guild Wars world: A festival celebrating the Canthan New Year is coming to Shing Jea Monastery, with a passel of pleasurable pastimes and porcine plentitude for the populace. You can take part in smaller festivities in Kamadan and Lion's Arch, as well. Head over to the Canthan New Year's Festival event page to learn more about this exciting new celebration. We'll see you on February 16th!


 * The Scribe #33

This week's in-game periodical reports on the upcoming weekend, with special opportunities involving Canthan Elite Missions and Heroes' Ascent, as well. In addition, our reporter calls out new acts of generosity and kindness. Find the latest news here.

February 7th, 2007

 * Celestial Tournament Announced

The next competitive event for Guild Wars is the largest PvP tournament we've ever hosted. It's called the Celestial Tournament, and this GvG event offers an extensive list of both real-world and in-game prizes. In addition, the community at large will be invited to join in the final playoffs via the Xunlai Tournament House system. Registration begins immediately and runs through 11:00 a.m. PST (19:00 GMT) on February 14th. Read the rules page for more information about this exciting event!


 * PvP Primer: More Mechanics & Stacking

Following up on last week's PvP Primer, this issue provides information about a few lesser-known gameplay mechanics, details the stacking and calculation of effects, and then offers relevant PvP game tips. Read it all here.

February 6th, 2007

 * Weekend Plans: 3-for-1 Fun

This weekend, you have the opportunity to test Heroes' Ascent with an 8v8 party size configuration and share your comments throughout the coming week. In addition, PvE players will enjoy a weekend's offering of free access to Canthan Elite Mission and a doubling of the drop rate for rare items in those missions! Join us this weekend, starting at Noon PST on Friday, February 9.


 * Guild of the Week: WKT

A European guild, White Knights Templar, steps into the spotlight for this week's guild biography. This group plays it all: PvE, PvP, and Alliance Battles, too. Find out a bit more in the newest GotW.

February 5th, 2007

 * State of the Game: Pressure Builds

Take a look at this week's State of the Game article for discussion of the gameplay mode that focuses on damage over time to multiple targets, the "pressure build." Learn how these build are played and countered, and review a list of commonly used skills, in this week's SotG.

February 1st, 2007

 * The Scribe #32

Our wandering writer happened upon two connected events that involved a special opportunity to share the joy of Wintersday, and he writes about them in this week's news scroll. He also details an upcoming test event for Heroes' Ascent and proffers far more than his customary list of notable citizens of Tyria, Cantha, and Elona.