Fansite Friday/Der Geheime Aussenposten

Fansite:  Der Geheime Aussenposten

Date:  02 September 2005

Number:  57

url:  http://drahq.dr.funpic.de/cgi-bin/drafor/fs.php

Q&A
Question:  Will they ever make an effort to cater to roleplayers? This is the most important question to most of us.

Answer: Roleplayers – those who take part in the game "in character," so to speak – are a great part of Guild Wars. We've seen a lot of requests for items and game elements to better serve those who enjoy roleplaying. The level of interest in these features is surprisingly high, and we're pleased that the RPers have embraced Guild Wars so warmly. Some of the requests from roleplayers have included town clothes, recreational pursuits like fishing and cooking, unique items, and special places reserved for roleplaying. We're aware of the desires of roleplayers, and are actively thinking about new features that would appeal to this part of the Guild Wars player base.

You may have noticed the inclusion, just before release, of a ton of new emotes. These are intended to expand "the RP repertoire," if you will. We'll be adding more props and unique locations in the upcoming chapter, too. In short, we're happy to consider the suggestions, requests and feedback of roleplayers (we read forum threads daily!) and will continue to find ways to expand content in the future.

Question:  Future character appearance modifications?

Answer: Yes, they are something that we plan for the future. There are two ways we can expand your options for character appearance: (1) We can make it possible to select from a larger range of appearances at character creation, and (2) we can make it possible to change your appearance later, well after the character has been created. We will do both!

It's a foregone conclusion that for the next installment in Guild Wars, we will certainly offer more appearance choices. You'll see new faces and new hair styles; you'll probably be offered a wider range of hair and complexion colors, too. There may even be more choices as far as stature, as well. For choices made after character creation, we could offer something simple like hair dyes or something more elaborate like a completely redrawn face or a total change in build.

It seems to me that this sort of character remake option is a great way to spend money, and that such investment is a good thing for the overall game economy. Character appearance changes and other options for greater customization are being actively considered at the current time because they are fun, because they give added emotional connection and identification with your character, and because such opportunities strengthen the economy. Implementation of many character modification options will take place with the release of the next phase of the Guild Wars story.

Question: Will they ever consider a different way/system for giving people access to the Underworld and the Fissure of Woe? Those are PvE areas, but the access is controlled by PvP - which does not make sense.

Answer: The tie between PvP and cooperative player was built with intent, as a design choice that helps to emphasize the dual nature of Guild Wars and to nurture the connection between the two types of players. As PvP players may engage in cooperative play in order to build their character, those who engage solely in cooperative play come to appreciate the access to new explorable areas made possible by the PvP player. We will continue to examine many aspects of PvP and cooperative play, and to weigh how they interact and nurture one another, as we launch the Sorrow's Furnace Update and while we prepare for the start of the tournament season.

Now, in light of this question, I want to say that we are very aware that players in Europe have less access to the Fissure of Woe and The Underworld than players from other regions. This leads us to two things that we can do: (1) We can make adjustments to help balance that access out most evenly, and (2) We can expand content to allow the same type of fun, high-level exploration and combat in other areas that do not have the same sorts of access requirements. Fissure of Woe and The Underworld are both fully optional. Yet we realize they are elite PvP areas, and that for some players, they are the most fun and the most rewarding areas in the game. But consider Sorrow’s Furnace and Grenth's Footprint. They will be more readily entered – no cost, no timing issues – and they will offer the same quality of experience and reward as Fissure of Woe and The Underworld for high-level players. By offering these new areas, we provide a variety of experiences and opportunities, and we will continue to expand such options in the future.

Bonus Question: Will there be different arena tournament systems beyond tombs?

Answer: I don't have a specific answer to give you on this except to say that we are going to continue to update and expand options for PvP play with the matchmaking system and with the content of PvP play that will help keep the game fresh as time goes on. We will do so to take advantage of new technology, to respond to player requests, and to incorporate new design ideas.

Thanks a lot to DGA, one of our long-time fansites whom we appreciate greatly!