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The list of key problematic issues
User	Dmitri Fatkin
Categories	Mechanics → Game features

The following list contains a set of the most significant problematic issues existing in the game at the moment, the ones which are preventing players from enjoying it to the full extent. It is important to note that this is more the designer's list including most of the known ones, rather than a detailed review of certain partially-nonfunctional elements. I will be presenting brief descriptions where required, along with the ways I would have addressed these imperfections myself. Alright, it's time to take a look at the list:

• The absence of the ability to utilize Heroes in PvP, which can be divided into the lack of option of adding up to 6 of them for the matches at Heroes' Ascent, up to 6 for the Regular GvGs, up to 5 for the Daily AT games and up to 3 for the Monthly Tournaments. If changes required to enable them in GvG mode are too sophisticated, the increment of the regular Henchmen numbers cap appears as appropriate alternative, the grounding for which can be found here.
• The matchmaking system of the GvG format should be adjusted to provide further pairings of two same guilds after they have faced some other opponent for only a few times. In other words, repeated opponent encounters should be allowed after having played only two games against respective number of different groups. That'll help to address the emptiness problem on the Regular Ladder, where it's almost impossible to encounter real opponents nowadays, which in 95% of the cases are substituted by match manipulations though the misuse of this scheme, which should also be given a proper fix.
• The existence of the 3rd team at the last map of Heroes' Ascent (the problem is thoroughly described here), the Hall of Heroes, which leads to holding Blue team utilizing that 3rd (Yellow) team to their advantage through the means of getting on its spot with alt accounts. And since investigations of match manipulations have been reduced to the minimal level, it's also expedient to proceed with reduction of the daily cap associated with Hero title from 300 to 200 points, to uphold the remaining worth of advancing its progression.
• The inability of starting the matches at the Alliance Battles off the double Balthazar and Imperial faction bonus events. The correction for this should include the capacity of adding up to 2 (possibly 3, has to be checked on Live Server to see how it goes) Heroes or Henchmen to each of the 3 parties of 4 players required to enter the competition.
• Fort Aspenwood's match-entering mechanics should be redesigned to be similar to the one employed at the Alliance Battles, to make the map operational with a lesser number of players regardless of part of the day or the occurring community-driven events. The exact party-assembling mechanics should consist of two 4-player squads with the ability of substituting 2 players in each squad with Heroes or Henchmen, which would result in the minimal requirement of 8 players total in order to begin the match (4 human players on each side of the fort).
• The Jade Quarry's mechanics is a little bit more tricky and it's still playable up to this day since three quarters of 24/7 "players" on it are driven by bot scripts, however, if we assume they didn't wish to continue exploiting the map to their advantage, it would be totally empty. In order to fix this, its party-assembling mechanics needs to divide the required 8 players into 4 separate squads, where each of those will be given the ability to utilize a Hero or Henchman to muster the fully-staffed state.
• Since bots have been mentioned one item above, it's vital to provide a note on the negative impact they're causing to legit players through the means of incredibly-accurate automated interrupts within RA, GvG and HA bouts. The problem itself lies in the fact that for an automated script, there are absolutely no difficulties in interrupting any skill which is activated at a slower than 1/8 second rate. I've been thinking a lot on how exactly it could be resolved, but always found myself stuck at the point that given the present capabilities of Live Team, it is very unlikely to be able to submerge into thorough correction of the problem by adjusting various properties of Mesmer interrupts, however, based on what the central goal of players utilizing such scripts is, a certain easier solution to counter their actions is applicable. The main target of these bots are the Monk elites, and everything which is associated with effective performance of the opponent's backline. And since successful interruption of 1/4 second cast spells for the bots is dependent on one of the features of the Mesmer's Fast Casting attribute, the fix I'm suggesting for this crucial PvP flaw is associated with establishing skill activation time reduction threshold on the attribute in application to interrupts as well as laying down fundamental restrictions on their equipped weapon casting time reduction modifiers and adjusting the activation times on some of the principal Monk and Ritualist spells, along with improving the functionality of 4 elites (Blessed Light, Glimmer of Light, Life Sheath, Divert Hexes) which aren't so commonly-used at the moment:

Fast Casting attribute modification:
Fast Casting decreases the activation time of your Spells and Signets. (One fourth the initial effect for interrupts and no effect for non-Mesmer skills with an activation time less than 2 seconds.)
In PvE, each rank of Fast Casting decreases the recharge time for your Mesmer Spells by 3%.

Interrupts mechanics polishing:
Interrupts are now unaffected by equipped weapon casting time reduction modifiers.

Blessed Light: decreased casting time to 1/4 second, reduced Energy cost to 5. Increased recharge time to 4 seconds.
Spell Breaker: decreased casting time to 1/4 second. Recharge time of the spell is lowered to 35 seconds.
Glimmer of Light: Enhanced functionality to: Elite Spell. Heal target ally for 10...130...160 Health. Increased recharge time to 4 seconds.
Spotless Mind: Changed functionality to: Enchantment Spell. For 1...12...15 seconds, target ally loses a hex every 5 seconds.
Spotless Soul: Changed functionality to: Enchantment Spell. For 1...12...15 seconds, target ally loses a condition every 3 seconds.
Dismiss Condition: decreased casting time to 1/4 second. Recharge time increased to 4 seconds.
Divine Intervention: lowered recharge time to 25 seconds.
Smiter's Boon (PvP): reduced the cost to 5 Energy, decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, increased the spell's duration to 20 seconds.
Mark of Protection: lowered the spell's recharge time to 40 seconds.
Aegis (PvP): lowered the spell's recharge time to 25 seconds.
Amity: lowered the spell's recharge time to 35 seconds.
Divert Hexes: decreased casting time to 1/4 second, reduced the cost to 5 Energy. Increased recharge time to 6 seconds.
Life Sheath: Changed functionality to: Elite Spell. Remove 0...2...2 condition[s] from target ally. For each condition removed, that ally is healed for 10...58...70 Health. Extended the spell's recharge time to 3 seconds.
Reverse Hex: increased recharge time to 12 seconds, reduced the cost to 5 Energy.
Shield of Absorption: decreased casting time to 1/4 second, increased recharge time to 12 seconds.
Zealous Benediction: decreased casting time to 1/4 second.
Mending Grip: decreased casting time to 1/4 second, boosted the amount of gained Health to 10...82...100 and lowered the spell's recharge time to 4 seconds.
Soothing Memories: decreased casting time to 1/4 second.
Weapon of Shadow: decreased casting time to 1/4 second.
Spirit Channeling: decreased casting time to 1/4 second.

In addition to this, as a part of tuning the non-ranged interruptive abilities of melee professions to the increased effectiveness of the above caster spells, Critical Chop should be available again in 12 seconds, Disarm should have 15 seconds cooldown, Savage Slash should become recharged after 12 seconds, Skull Crack should cost 7 adrenaline, Lyssa's Assault should take 12 seconds to recharge, Lyssa's Haste (PvP) should require only 20 seconds to refresh and Temple Strike should take 15 seconds to renew.

• The current Codex Henchmen skillbars are far too weak to make up for behavior of actual players and should be boosted from 6 to 8 regular skills without an elite. The existing set of skills should be appended with addition of this: Signet of Strength and Symbolic Strike for Paresh, Poison Tip Signet and Dryder's Defenses for Cardis, Signet of Rejuvenation & Healing Touch for Marin, Signet of Sorrow along with Masochism (PvP) for Soheila, Signet of Clumsiness (PvP) in conjunction with Phantom Pain for Atu and Sliver Armor for Vinson.
• In the past, there was certain Zaishen Keys daily limitation update, the purpose of which consisted in decreasing the harm to the game's economy the exploitation of faction-farming bots at the Jade Quarry creates, and, it affected the prices of RMT dealers more or less, although, when it comes to such services, folks like me can be as persistent in their anti-RMT innovations as the level of flood these services are imposed to us in Kamadan. We have this limitation for Zaishen Keys which lowers the amount of what can be gotten out of running JQ bots in multiple game windows, however, this measure alone isn't enough to decrease the effectiveness of scripting activities, and because of this, the continuation to the first step on Live Team's part should consist of introducing the daily limit for the amount of Ectos which can be dropped for one player, after which, all further chances to obtain an Ectoplasm loot will be replaced by the drops of Diamonds, the item currently not specified to drop from any type of creatures, and therefore, the entry into effect of this anti-scripting measure is going to be easily-recognizable. As for the exact number of Ectos the players should be given the opportunity to acquire through the day, I believe it should be equal to the amount of Zaishen Keys, that is, 25.
• And from the above topic, descends another one aimed at cessation of high-end RMT activities. In the past, there were certain items which were awarded to players for participation in various contests, after conclusion of which, these assets became unavailable. This seemed fine back in the middle of 2008, when they were simply gifted by ArenaNet to the fans, until the recent years, at which these items started popping up at elitepvpers and the alike forums with ridiculous, real currency prices (400€ for Mad King's Guard, the same amount for dedicated Panda and probably much more for the Everlasting Reindeer). In my homeland, there's a saying which proclaims that "a good laugh is made by the one who's laughing the last", and this conveys my exact attitude when it comes to developing effective measures towards cutting down the activities of such kind. In my personal belief, because of such problems arising sooner or later with any no-longer obtainable objects across almost every popular MMOG, the only in-game objects which should be unobtainable by the regular players are GM items, such as the Miniature Frog in Guild Wars, the rest should be highly-priced, yet still available. Luckily, it's not too complicated to induce the downfall of the real-cash prices associated with these items, and Jessie Llam (or NPC trader akin, to substitute a crafter) will be our perfect guide on the road to this. By what exact means? With the supplement of these additional co-voyagers offered from her or that new vendor's stock:

Miniature Kanaxai for 3000 Gold Zaishen Coins and 100 Platinum.
Miniature Mad King's Guard for 2500 Gold Zaishen Coins and 100 Platinum.
Miniature Island Guardian for 2250 Gold Zaishen Coins and 100 Platinum.
Miniature Panda for 2000 Gold Zaishen Coins and 100 Platinum.
Miniature Longhair Yeti for 1500 Gold Zaishen Coins and 75 Platinum.
Miniature Grawl at the price of 1250 Gold Zaishen Coins and 75 Platinum.
Miniature Destroyer of Flesh for 800 Gold Zaishen Coins and 50 Platinum.
Miniature Ceratadon at the price of 700 Gold Zaishen Coins and 50 Platinum.
Miniature Gray Giant at the cost of 600 Gold Zaishen Coins and 50 Platinum.
Miniature Asura at the price of 500 Gold Zaishen Coins and 50 Platinum.

In regard to the remaining items favored by the real-cash traders, they should also be made very rare drops or high-valued merchandises obtainable from various sources, such as the Wintersday Chest for the Everlasting Reindeer Tonic, 1500 Racing Medals at Little Jack for the miniature version of Zippy, a rather sparse draw from Lunar Fortune for the original Warthog breed, and so on, with implication that all of them should be attainable one or the other way. Everlasting Henchman Tonics could be offered as Exotic Miniature/Consumable rewards at Tolkano for 25000 (1,66 times the Obsidian trim price) Tournament Reward Points per potion.

• And last but not least, in contrast with Guild Wars 2, there's presently no free-to-play portion of the game built with the goal of attracting new audience, which is possible to fulfill by providing free-of-charge editions of Guild Wars: Prophecies, with the opportunity to upgrade for a small fee. The initial version should contain a few restrictions such as the inability to use Local & Trade chat channels (as well as party searches), the impossibility to trade or drop items & gold or pick up things dropped by the other players. However, the newcomers should be allowed to create PvP-only characters and travel across the Battle Isles, engage in challenges unfolding at the Alliance Battles and Fort Aspenwood, along with possessing the rights to invite the others in order to form a group. From technical and commercial standpoint, of everything listed, this option is one of the toughest to implement, since it requires not only lengthy alterations of game code, but also creating the corresponding section at the official website, along with Community Department's involvement into informing ArenaNet's social networks followers of the availability of such a campaign. At the same time, it clearly will serve the goal of maintaining in-game population at a stable level for the years ahead.

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