Hello!
I rarely post on these forums, and I think that said my experience with what I'm about say will be unexpected. Please read me through with impartiality, because I think that this could really change your gaming experience.
A Preface: Guild vs Guild Combat-The Ultimate Experience
Guild Wars offers thrilling expeditions through dungeons, monsters, and bosses; over snow, sand, clay, water, it allows for all types of unimanigably well produced gameplay and graphics. What really sets Guild Wars apart from other MMORPGs(and therefore gaming platforms) is the incorporation of a truly amazing Player versus Player element that, bar future games modeled to duplicate GW, has no equal. Guild versus Guild combat, which I will refer to as GvG, exemplifies the precision, thought, and cohesion that the PvP of GW supports. With the underlying assumption that most people understand the general objectives of GvG I will continue (please feel free to ask by e-mail, or PM my in game if you have questions relating to basic mechanics of GvG, I will leave my information at the conclusion of this post).
The Problem: The Divide of PvE and PvP
This game has evolved an incredible amount in the 1.5 years that I have played it. As such, with new campaigns, new elements of GvG evolved into playing styles, and playing styles into metas. I think it is unfortunate that the majority(I consider the PvE player base to be much greater then that of the dedicated PvP player base) portion of the game base has been slowly moving away from one another. With the release of Nightfall we saw the incorporation of new massive damage skills that seemed catered to a playing style not supporting the previous Guild Wars style's of finesse and quick-intelligent decisions. That is not to say that it hasn't benefited the PvE greatly, I'm not here to refute the gameplay. I'm here to talk about the split in the game, and an opportunity to revive something that is dying. Ever since the Celestial Tournament, the last GvG tournament where you saw some of the original great guilds like Idiot Savants [iQ], Mostly Harmless[MH], Team Quitter[QQ], Esoteric Warriors [EW] (with many great others I'm forgetting to mention here) the GvG community has been grinding itself slowly down. Monthly tournaments were to be the shot in the arm that Guild Wars needed, to keep people interested and competitive; but slow execution, and poor incentives to play did little to nothing to slow the death of the highest level of competitive gaming. Recently, however, the GvG community has seen the return of many players who, like others, agree that GW really is something special. Unfortunately this has done nothing but exacerbate the player community divide, i'll illustrate with a theatrical dialogue from Random Arenas.
Player 1: LOL THAT WARRIOR HAS SEARING FLAMES
Player 2: LOLOL YEAH THATS SO FUNNY HAHAHA, HES SO BAD, OH MAEUN, THEZE PVE NOOBZ, HAHAHAHAHA LOLOLOL, ROFLCOPTER, LAWLERSKATES TO THE LAWLERSTORE, ROFLMAO
Player 3: You have ice spear.
Player 2: (/dance emote)
Player 1: ITS MY BIRTHDAY, IM GOING TO HAWAII, YEAYYYYY
I think that a Guild Wars World Championship was one of the truly amazing tournaments that ArenaNet hosted. What it did for the communities at both levels is astounding, I remember seeing many pve players who found higher level PvP too complicated and confusing saying 'Holy ****, that was really cool'. Watching War Machine's epic manuevering, EvIL's only-works-in-Korea-we-have-ESP-tactics, iQ's VoD surprises, made people aspire to play the game at a higher level, where you could incorporate facets of both lights of the game. It really leveled the elitism that some think surrounds the PvP environment at the higher level, because of how outrageously fun it was to watch and be a part of.
Unfortunately, perhaps because of all the resources it had spent on the endeavor(flying people, prize money, housing), ArenaNet did not market the video clips of the 2nd World Championship incredibly well (or so most of the PvP community agreed see the thread the videos emerged from: here at the QQ forums).
For those of you interested, here is the direct link to the video clips (3-1hour pieces of intense, fun competitive guild wars).
Video of Guild Wars Factions Championship
Now, I have a challenge of my own for you.
With the decline in the PvP base, and the opportunity for new players to rise from everywhere, will you take part in helping rebuild one of the most amazing gaming communities ever? I say you, because we need pressure from all aspects of the gaming coalition to even imagine the possibility of a Guild Wars World Championship 3, with an invigorated player base that could be anybody, not simply the traditional dominating guilds (although the return of old guilds would certainly not be unwelcome!).
Earlier today Agrias of the old Treacherous Empire [Te] one of the participants in the GWFC started a thread here, and sent an inquiry to Gaile Grey, who relays the ArenaNet staff (notably Izzy) to us. I urge you to read the thread, my information, and feel free to ask questions, we're asking for your signature, to help bring back something that many of us already do, and think you too will enjoy.
Feel free to respond here with your signature encouraging us to press for World Championships, questions, or constructive comments. Emphasis on the constructive, as this thread will likely be monitored eventually by ArenaNet.
Thanks for reading,
Matt "White"
IGN: White Heals Only
or, feel free to contact Agrias Reinas
An Update: Over 300 signatures in just one day guys! Thanks for the feedback, it's great to hear some constructive ideas; feel free to ask me questions in game if you're interested in helping us, and talk to your friends about the idea!
S
