tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85580115703456286882024-02-07T03:18:39.887-05:00The Egg BaronA daily Guild Wars 2 blog.Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-64066042130483279382013-03-09T14:02:00.001-05:002013-03-09T14:14:01.124-05:00Impassible Barriers in Tyria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Talking about <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/more-living-story-updates.html">the new castle in Wayfarer and its impassable gate</a> has got me thinking about other barriers in Tyria and what might lie beyond them. I surveyed my map and made my way back to a lot of these places I remembered from previous adventures. I quickly discovered that a lot of these areas could be accessed through events I had yet to discover, by completing a jumping puzzle, or through a personal story path. Still the most interesting were those pathways that I couldn't get past. These routes are blocked off presumably because the content behind these barriers has not yet been released. Today I would like to share with you some of these locations in Tyria and speculate as to what might lie beyond.</div>
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The first, and one of the most obvious, is the gate guarded by Tengu in Caledon Forest, near Titan's Staircase Waypoint.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQNsB6gklZAZ-OoHtr_JlBZ59jnF4qHE52eZ_Z6zEgns2E9FAqEwUXo7ATTNWZR0HMTJhQYHkvLf45m7gK6K2jOVjWhtSIaFezEUO5krDttEc_LhH70K2L_WkYKgROn0kF6USfMQqEwQ/s1600/Pathways19.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQNsB6gklZAZ-OoHtr_JlBZ59jnF4qHE52eZ_Z6zEgns2E9FAqEwUXo7ATTNWZR0HMTJhQYHkvLf45m7gK6K2jOVjWhtSIaFezEUO5krDttEc_LhH70K2L_WkYKgROn0kF6USfMQqEwQ/s320/Pathways19.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is the view that will greet you as you approach. A massive wall blocks passage along the entire eastern extent of this zone. The Dominion of Winds lay beyond.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGEAFapqHzoVCW7eVLnHmo7oKHuhcOlpsM1d9cRKoArjk6CahWzmcDTRTfbEa2OIIP3EK79A5ELfvRRZ69VMf99DrVHo7JQV5hBGeQFNxzl-BnJxYl17YzJZ0RfkPox23AImnFP8EOMM/s1600/Pathways13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGEAFapqHzoVCW7eVLnHmo7oKHuhcOlpsM1d9cRKoArjk6CahWzmcDTRTfbEa2OIIP3EK79A5ELfvRRZ69VMf99DrVHo7JQV5hBGeQFNxzl-BnJxYl17YzJZ0RfkPox23AImnFP8EOMM/s320/Pathways13.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WHUM0AorjX_v86mwmlhTAijhnqwhin84Qy5QFji3Yj5NeyGauLtDa6XaJY9LUoG8wVoKH0wjlx-69yLdmXuZ8pEEmppx8YY8KRWLOP5wqQQ-0bVaF8ORP9SrTKhF68bq9jVW6GZj2gQ/s1600/Pathways10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WHUM0AorjX_v86mwmlhTAijhnqwhin84Qy5QFji3Yj5NeyGauLtDa6XaJY9LUoG8wVoKH0wjlx-69yLdmXuZ8pEEmppx8YY8KRWLOP5wqQQ-0bVaF8ORP9SrTKhF68bq9jVW6GZj2gQ/s320/Pathways10.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can speak with the local Tengu to attempt to learn more. The one that will talk is reluctant to give details. The others seem to be basking in the monotony of guard duty.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs6OmJR4usHPW-hrFlVZ-Yb1MpwiTOtcSi4S28pWujoxtH_6ZDz9gwaj8y1BypEwxKkjFyumd_XteVtiltJF3oXz4ICYcCdhdFUfMTj6sZ3CfaV3aEVKjsU5fTERmu4RatRNUD6Y6kBo/s1600/Pathways8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs6OmJR4usHPW-hrFlVZ-Yb1MpwiTOtcSi4S28pWujoxtH_6ZDz9gwaj8y1BypEwxKkjFyumd_XteVtiltJF3oXz4ICYcCdhdFUfMTj6sZ3CfaV3aEVKjsU5fTERmu4RatRNUD6Y6kBo/s320/Pathways8.png" width="210" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnR0SN0K9C6mP202KRWogx6NUIp5zQsqKZ-pAWu73iTFpA4xoKwnG0eVnxSQJfQkX6FojrOZtlkxrGg9SwqYRjLsGkofpe0OHiHhSi3Bd73QGUSjzcVs05HNXxpcqc-phEU0vPjA6mttQ/s1600/Pathways9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnR0SN0K9C6mP202KRWogx6NUIp5zQsqKZ-pAWu73iTFpA4xoKwnG0eVnxSQJfQkX6FojrOZtlkxrGg9SwqYRjLsGkofpe0OHiHhSi3Bd73QGUSjzcVs05HNXxpcqc-phEU0vPjA6mttQ/s320/Pathways9.png" width="233" /></a>Although there personalities may be lacking the Tengu look awesome and would make an amazing playable race. Now if the last Tengu city lays beyond these walls, presumably, if Arena Net added them as a playable race their capital city would be right there. It is a good location as it is beside a starting level zone and near the other major cities. The stage is set for them to enter the game, the question is, will Arena Net pull the trigger?<br />
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If you want to learn more about the Tengu there is another small camp where they trade in Caledon Forest at Hanto Trading Post just east of <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Trader's_Green">Trader's Green</a> and Caledon Haven Waypoint. There is also a <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Tengu">Guild Wars 2 wiki article</a> about them, <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Rising_of_Orr">the "Great Tsunami"</a> and <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dominion_of_Winds">the Dominion of the Winds</a>. Even more can be found on the Guild Wars wiki where you can learn about <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Tengu#Known_tribes">the various Tengu tribes</a> and a <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Tengu_Wars">war between the Tengu and Canthans</a>.</div>
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Finally, the Tengu city was built on top of an area that was accessible in the original Guild Wars called <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Sanctum_Cay">Sanctum Cay</a>. I have never played Guild Wars so all I could tell you is what is on <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Sanctum_Cay">the wiki article</a> or what I see <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?q=sanctum+cay&aq=f&um=1&ie=UTF-8&gl=CA&sa=N&tab=w1">in youtube videos</a>. It appears to be an instanced mission where you are tasked with delivering a scepter to an NPC. Along the way you battle drakes, giants, undead, and <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/White_Mantle">White Mantel</a> forces. Will we ever visit this island in Guild Wars 2? Only time will tell.</div>
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Next we move to Sparkfly Fen. On the western side of the map is a blocked off pathway near Karinn's Passage north of Forvar's Waypoint.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI1k9CdrEuxCA7ImbX4SZmujr3xE3ZJByTBkNjrbG6sv_A_bY6RvHYbfvkSCAkJYxGnWNuiEGDjeLvjAilVYiX0iuwOGDIL37K8uo3x0HhIzS4S1iBQ_z4o3Cg5UfgSi7YWgAcIs9DNs/s1600/Pathways2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI1k9CdrEuxCA7ImbX4SZmujr3xE3ZJByTBkNjrbG6sv_A_bY6RvHYbfvkSCAkJYxGnWNuiEGDjeLvjAilVYiX0iuwOGDIL37K8uo3x0HhIzS4S1iBQ_z4o3Cg5UfgSi7YWgAcIs9DNs/s320/Pathways2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The way is blocked by a stone barrier.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UnNoPnZ_e6K6So0BuBuYceezWqhSb2H55roeMmeQe-m7hhyphenhyphen86azuP7jxPBk7xrHgnh2Ii5BoDLP2ARdxw4MXVDqqGBiVpustx6Op5bvXZzqpWUEiP8C1wUbOBXlWCXalYA-LjL-eanw/s1600/Pathways1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UnNoPnZ_e6K6So0BuBuYceezWqhSb2H55roeMmeQe-m7hhyphenhyphen86azuP7jxPBk7xrHgnh2Ii5BoDLP2ARdxw4MXVDqqGBiVpustx6Op5bvXZzqpWUEiP8C1wUbOBXlWCXalYA-LjL-eanw/s320/Pathways1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Way back in November, before access to Southsun Cove was granted by boat in Lion's Arch, I thought this is where we would access the island from. With those events long past it remains a mystery where this may lead, however, on Southsun we can discover what looks like another pathway leading to the same area.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGUpCGp_Ic77qWmRNuUzoWnKkRjIIdyLHULCC6gWu3IzxxVCxmHyvb43wktnuKaP0XAeMFEPX7zLtv8xIbWeSTRkWQC2aTRydr4Oi_uyBhMTavQJUsjKZC47CKuTmWXN0NJG8Fx9amzU/s1600/Pathways15.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGUpCGp_Ic77qWmRNuUzoWnKkRjIIdyLHULCC6gWu3IzxxVCxmHyvb43wktnuKaP0XAeMFEPX7zLtv8xIbWeSTRkWQC2aTRydr4Oi_uyBhMTavQJUsjKZC47CKuTmWXN0NJG8Fx9amzU/s320/Pathways15.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Again the path is blocked by a stone barrier.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXi6fx4KhBHRcbO4QhB0eRS_02w4Omdtu-7QbX8FkQioZNTiDFsyGzERnZia8P4Rj1LuHWJU6t-yuAJrEJnDnkA8Ktf3PVeQ51krvw7NCFWClMEKd9lEhSbUjx9U5LWOqGiObmqX4-eE/s1600/Pathways7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXi6fx4KhBHRcbO4QhB0eRS_02w4Omdtu-7QbX8FkQioZNTiDFsyGzERnZia8P4Rj1LuHWJU6t-yuAJrEJnDnkA8Ktf3PVeQ51krvw7NCFWClMEKd9lEhSbUjx9U5LWOqGiObmqX4-eE/s320/Pathways7.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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What could possibly fit in the narrow area between Southsun and Sparkfly Fen? It would have to be an extremely narrow zone or perhaps Southsun Cove will be expanded in the future. Maybe with a small refugee city on the land between the zones? Or maybe a zone related to the Tengu if they are ever added as playable race.</div>
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Next, near <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Ebonhawke">Ebonhawke</a> is a gateway leading to the <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Crystal_Desert">Crystal Desert</a>. This is area I most look forward to opening but for now we are just presented with this locked gate near the Blackwing Excavation east of Ebonhawke.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ps6va5SIhXNQa-QAqAvl4GYRSZq0JBCsMqYGOqDxvm7I7pt9lEqUq6HMZOMSs599ZXYKct45LOCGeA0sAZhYqsDYzGdeWllLvavjblv3mb6sXlvvOjKiQ0z2vd_msoQ0-y7GTj8qg6c/s1600/Pathways18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ps6va5SIhXNQa-QAqAvl4GYRSZq0JBCsMqYGOqDxvm7I7pt9lEqUq6HMZOMSs599ZXYKct45LOCGeA0sAZhYqsDYzGdeWllLvavjblv3mb6sXlvvOjKiQ0z2vd_msoQ0-y7GTj8qg6c/s320/Pathways18.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can talk with the two guards, but do not expect to learn much.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBpZycXJSd-uL7otw3mqgneRLmh8bXdX2oIVlj_NFQVkJpt2LVNkxsB_pub8G-TTxUTk4vSgoBG7ymqDCstGRdJwqGyIOejBvMH9IE1usfKzHP3groAj5-CzMidJekcI1TVjrKNn9Gmw/s1600/Pathways14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBpZycXJSd-uL7otw3mqgneRLmh8bXdX2oIVlj_NFQVkJpt2LVNkxsB_pub8G-TTxUTk4vSgoBG7ymqDCstGRdJwqGyIOejBvMH9IE1usfKzHP3groAj5-CzMidJekcI1TVjrKNn9Gmw/s320/Pathways14.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFQA2fCvqrp6PD7Pv3jYxGT_ck4qnOU5dSJEUvh_WPXsaVrsvrGomExQXJoXDFdYMhanTtu5j_egsn0ORHMywuA4KmY6nsonEGAIVJO-upz1_wQKYUT8XdJcTDtXh9acHa1nTgXoBrSM/s1600/Pathways16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFQA2fCvqrp6PD7Pv3jYxGT_ck4qnOU5dSJEUvh_WPXsaVrsvrGomExQXJoXDFdYMhanTtu5j_egsn0ORHMywuA4KmY6nsonEGAIVJO-upz1_wQKYUT8XdJcTDtXh9acHa1nTgXoBrSM/s320/Pathways16.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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By playing through the story mode of the dungeons we learn about <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Destiny%27s_Edge">Destiny's Edge</a> and their battle with <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Kralkatorrik">Kralkatorrik</a>. These are events that took place very recently in the Guild Wars timeline just five years ago. I hope we as players get to finish the job Destiny's Edge couldn't and slay the dragon.<br />
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You can get a feel for what might lie beyond this gate <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Crystal_Desert">from the original Guild Wars</a>, but most likely the desert has changed greatly since then due to the forces of <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Palawa_Joko">the undead King Palawa Joko</a> in the south, Kralkatorrik in the north, and Zhaitan in the west. The conflict sounds exciting and I would very much like to explore the desert.</div>
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Also alluding to an advance into the Crystal Desert is this next barrier in the southeast corner of Mount Maelstrom at Judgement Rock near Judgement Waypoint.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8NHCurbGqp7Vtba-gjl3be6Gs8DMSp9mZp1hXMPQetg9ZcUHGhwK1aVt36kQLSrji6RW6ZNIePLog0rrlSDSv9djCnMQ-YL3gKG13jMLEaTmSKciIxAF2bhbrmfPObRIffnslnI50TU/s1600/Pathways17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8NHCurbGqp7Vtba-gjl3be6Gs8DMSp9mZp1hXMPQetg9ZcUHGhwK1aVt36kQLSrji6RW6ZNIePLog0rrlSDSv9djCnMQ-YL3gKG13jMLEaTmSKciIxAF2bhbrmfPObRIffnslnI50TU/s320/Pathways17.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The way is blocked by a overgrown barrier.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3o9CHPnlVAqdPdVvWsLXl-Q2M8oRBtGw2sTMJ-gpFKES9CiJuezHGfZseSXeosUmjM54jGVutwZseq8ZMuBirYw1y9YkSEKMi-AtoYYCuCNr3kmzrQus2UByVVs6qsxaXsj1fHAHuv8E/s1600/Pathways11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3o9CHPnlVAqdPdVvWsLXl-Q2M8oRBtGw2sTMJ-gpFKES9CiJuezHGfZseSXeosUmjM54jGVutwZseq8ZMuBirYw1y9YkSEKMi-AtoYYCuCNr3kmzrQus2UByVVs6qsxaXsj1fHAHuv8E/s320/Pathways11.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can jump and get on top of the wall. Looking beyond it you can see a dead end to the right and an open area to the left perhaps where a future portal to a new zone will be. This would then lead to a zone off to the east of Mount Maelstrom towards the Crystal Desert. With Zhaitan defeated in Orr perhaps we will see Tyrian forces exploring the western frontiers of the desert and reestablishing contact with Elona and beyond.</div>
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Next we move to the Western edge of Tyria to Brisbane Wildlands near Lionshead Outcrops west of Seraph Observers Waypoint.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI75mtMWGk5wdTiOKViOzMmYx97k9_pDFcbGNNXOlUZEAt99fcqDmtUqEKJpbn2K_EiSmEBDvLRuKJ72YKwFKmZFkpHJ7Q-e4YNuzo3AIbTN8pLb1iEN41S8rEFsjgcjiRl1ianyr8yM/s1600/Pathways3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI75mtMWGk5wdTiOKViOzMmYx97k9_pDFcbGNNXOlUZEAt99fcqDmtUqEKJpbn2K_EiSmEBDvLRuKJ72YKwFKmZFkpHJ7Q-e4YNuzo3AIbTN8pLb1iEN41S8rEFsjgcjiRl1ianyr8yM/s320/Pathways3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the top of an unreachable hill you can see a portal to another zone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV7QgVvoTebdwaz9xKcsEwD21ZXaEAWPo-kjo_bFDjBElV7mP3rZHYEGx5oLtYFvLfM71zkHtO3E56p5sFCkZTSIOT_Ct_8WoG4aK1bp1HBygTrlZSbrWqvZnMW0CVMWwIX-nRtFqQ_s/s1600/Pathways4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV7QgVvoTebdwaz9xKcsEwD21ZXaEAWPo-kjo_bFDjBElV7mP3rZHYEGx5oLtYFvLfM71zkHtO3E56p5sFCkZTSIOT_Ct_8WoG4aK1bp1HBygTrlZSbrWqvZnMW0CVMWwIX-nRtFqQ_s/s320/Pathways4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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What lies beyond may be something like <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Maguuma_Jungle">the Maguuma Jungle seen in the original Guild Wars</a>. What is more liking, however, is that the area is now <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Maguuma_Wastes">a wasteland corrupted by the elder dragons</a>, perhaps by <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sixth_Elder_Dragon">the mysterious 6th elder dragon</a>. The fact that this portal is already in game and just a repaired bridge away make me think this may be the direction we go next.</div>
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Nearby, in Vandal's Claim, north of Triforge Point Waypoint there is a bandit castle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWh6ox8WrDOOku4XxAsW7-VZk-_UL6ajcJyc9LG6oNn7GF7Dp4n9NG4ntHqB6T3pl146vv6y7IHGe3OUI1Y0yVdSNRRK4_PZh2m5M81HpgAPPUBOnOn6GxoRrm4DOFcctOMmUworu3Ko/s1600/Pathways6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWh6ox8WrDOOku4XxAsW7-VZk-_UL6ajcJyc9LG6oNn7GF7Dp4n9NG4ntHqB6T3pl146vv6y7IHGe3OUI1Y0yVdSNRRK4_PZh2m5M81HpgAPPUBOnOn6GxoRrm4DOFcctOMmUworu3Ko/s320/Pathways6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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It is occupied by champion level 80 bandits.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNhIyJyYodEJm19qcjBET1DxF0VweyP07l0Kqj1UHpocCuqe9YULfoBMWkLrWjQTF8ZXc5FhAoZVyoS5h9wcpVKrxbGtTnHc9EbVLej7vMvyeZ5EGzQAdrUZ4_Gg938sjqrdx901f9ds/s1600/Pathways5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNhIyJyYodEJm19qcjBET1DxF0VweyP07l0Kqj1UHpocCuqe9YULfoBMWkLrWjQTF8ZXc5FhAoZVyoS5h9wcpVKrxbGtTnHc9EbVLej7vMvyeZ5EGzQAdrUZ4_Gg938sjqrdx901f9ds/s320/Pathways5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The fort is inaccessible at the moment but shortly after the Guild Wars 2 launched a number of people found their way in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OqMWn62iDE">which you can see on youtube</a>. Inside appears to be a zone portal heading to the west again hinting at future expansions to the explorable areas in the Maguuma Wastes.</div>
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Finally, we head to the north eastern corner of Frostgorge Sound, near Drakkar Spurs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVOhmmcNrH7QP3XArxR01hFKinw2eLEVeyqZRnltBWeT_jPtfOTWaCNZNLioH5KSrFTd4cZxqEfIF4pl8-fm4id5WOsOkquu5SNmJgenDoUicgbRd5QJMy3GdOFI6yP3XRtwPc3Yu7I8/s1600/Pathways23.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVOhmmcNrH7QP3XArxR01hFKinw2eLEVeyqZRnltBWeT_jPtfOTWaCNZNLioH5KSrFTd4cZxqEfIF4pl8-fm4id5WOsOkquu5SNmJgenDoUicgbRd5QJMy3GdOFI6yP3XRtwPc3Yu7I8/s320/Pathways23.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here we find a pathway leading to an ice wall. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSuZrcJlxwoq7-ZScuj6le8h7v3QgamxuDsGs_D_jiy9obWK3XpKEJZKhCb_pCZH-gq_InUUmfhpbJohP3kq3RirCiECML08PV9V3N-15UzJZuHqJNx6_5CplQ0-fIsXCRpMLqSvXopo/s1600/Pathways22.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSuZrcJlxwoq7-ZScuj6le8h7v3QgamxuDsGs_D_jiy9obWK3XpKEJZKhCb_pCZH-gq_InUUmfhpbJohP3kq3RirCiECML08PV9V3N-15UzJZuHqJNx6_5CplQ0-fIsXCRpMLqSvXopo/s320/Pathways22.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The area where this wall is found is named Drakkar Spurs after <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Drakkar">one of Jormag's champions</a>. <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Drakkar">In the Guild Wars storyline Drakkar</a> corrupted <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Svanir">Svanir</a> while he was frozen deep in a lake. Though Svanir was defeated we still see his influence in the world of Guild Wars 2 in the form of the Sons of Svanir. Also, the lake that once contained Drakkar is no longer frozen alluding to a future confrontation with him. Perhaps, in future expansions of Guild Wars 2 we will get to track down the source of all this corruption, Jormag, add end him.</div>
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Those were all the barriers I was able to find in Tyria. Maybe there are more I have missed. If you know of one please let me know in the comments. I have marked all the above mentioned pathways on to this map of Tyria to help give you an idea of the different areas that we might visit in the near future.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4UL8dE-tRA0jRftIr0H-MxAfKNVgbU5ZR5YOpP7plUCRcc9M83M2SXzZ97d684TFlIOsdewVKq1JoAxICysaPYcwS3TrAVixrzOKiCOp4QHYFb04HycopT7ukzkiy1wP9s7cKjiVid0/s1600/Pathways20.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4UL8dE-tRA0jRftIr0H-MxAfKNVgbU5ZR5YOpP7plUCRcc9M83M2SXzZ97d684TFlIOsdewVKq1JoAxICysaPYcwS3TrAVixrzOKiCOp4QHYFb04HycopT7ukzkiy1wP9s7cKjiVid0/s320/Pathways20.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you are looking for hints as to what might lay beyond you can compare the locations of these pathways to <a href="http://thatshaman.blogspot.ca/2013/03/a-historical-guide-to-tyria-update-3.html">That_Shaman's Guild Wars 2 map</a>. He has marked locations accessible in Guild Wars on to this map. It is a handy tool for exploring the geography and history of Tyria through the two games. The two timelines found on the <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Timeline">Guild Wars</a> and <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Timeline">Guild Wars 2</a> wikis also come in handy as a temporal map.</div>
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I hope you enjoyed this article. Again, let me know if you see anything similar in your journeys in Tyria. I am sure I probably missed some. Also, let me know which areas you are most interested in seeing opened up. Would you rather visit the Dominion of the Winds or the Maguuma Wastes? Do you want to take on Jormag or Kralkatorrik first? Let me know in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-82201412895183037162013-03-06T07:17:00.000-05:002013-03-06T09:40:22.962-05:00More Living Story Updates<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sorry for the lack of updates as of late. I have just been having too much fun playing the game! I did want to keep everyone up-to-date on the Living Story. I have not seen any changes in game since the patch last Tuesday. I do, however, have some new thoughts to share. And, on <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/march-2013/">the Guild Wars 2 main site, there has been a posting about next months adventure</a>. If you missed my articles on the changes from the patch on Tuesday then check out <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-1.html">part 1</a> and <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-2.html">part 2</a> here.</div>
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No Changes!?</h3>
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Firstly, I find it strange that there was no changes at all this week. On Monday, I thought, "okay, maybe Tuesday since that is when the patch was." Now Tuesday has come and gone and there is still nothing new to report. I don't think I missed anything. I checked all the hot spots; Hoelbrak, Black Citadel, Lion's Arch, Wayfarer, Diessa, and Southsun Cove. I have yet to notice anything new. If I have missed something please be sure to let me know.</div>
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If there is not anything this week then I would implore Arena Net to work on their communications with the players a little bit more. They seem to have this awkward way of setting player expectations and then completely dashing them. I am not looking for large amounts of new content, I get that this month will be a slow one. What I am looking for is consistency. For the last month every Monday there has been something new. I have come to expect that. Now when it is not there I feel like I am the one missing something. If there were no plans to add content weekly this month a quick heads up would have helped and saved me some time.<br />
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Since my last post I did notice this (thanks to reddit). It is a new piece of ascended gear, an accessory. It's description is what is interesting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIJc-LJzRQgraAm8LnxtIojpqShIGe5u4_66pG83I3XoZSOd1CNk5r8aCO39Aw1f6b19a229IUaDOciH1Ev4xznZ_sgnzRv1_CQ7GDcZPnPR0dAbK2beDupNDHsKF4PQXTxbyOhCMACs/s1600/GS1U22.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIJc-LJzRQgraAm8LnxtIojpqShIGe5u4_66pG83I3XoZSOd1CNk5r8aCO39Aw1f6b19a229IUaDOciH1Ev4xznZ_sgnzRv1_CQ7GDcZPnPR0dAbK2beDupNDHsKF4PQXTxbyOhCMACs/s320/GS1U22.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wonder what other dark artifacts they are conjuring. And what about their alliance makes this possible?</div>
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New thoughts on New Castle</h3>
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Since there are no new stories to share I thought I would share my latest thoughts on the new castle in Wayfarer Foothills. Firstly, take a close look at the gate again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmJKc5rZCmWfMy775HCrpVoIV-i37Ltu4vQ2b87Hw-OdsRhhlNu8M5kFMTUZPh2bcVC3HyMyhUhyk29Sf8F0X1G1TnQz02QT-WHgTJv4-pQ3wUKdFiUg7ngxDZaYUTWTTG1N7aAdpk4s/s1600/GatheringStormFort3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmJKc5rZCmWfMy775HCrpVoIV-i37Ltu4vQ2b87Hw-OdsRhhlNu8M5kFMTUZPh2bcVC3HyMyhUhyk29Sf8F0X1G1TnQz02QT-WHgTJv4-pQ3wUKdFiUg7ngxDZaYUTWTTG1N7aAdpk4s/s320/GatheringStormFort3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-M3zEf0sC2zHf0fHMcN3V0U6kWWTwBHpOEU_Kqfrym3yevLFvWqujkB7e-Fq26URHoLAtCP1VYaCbHNC-7ffytAtV6pIrZe5PMy7SOOuGBuUOmOuhgN9pTQQd8PzSHbQmbqFDeaFfE50/s1600/GS1U8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-M3zEf0sC2zHf0fHMcN3V0U6kWWTwBHpOEU_Kqfrym3yevLFvWqujkB7e-Fq26URHoLAtCP1VYaCbHNC-7ffytAtV6pIrZe5PMy7SOOuGBuUOmOuhgN9pTQQd8PzSHbQmbqFDeaFfE50/s320/GS1U8.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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See those square blocks with the bird symbol in the middle? My first reaction was, "Tengu?" Kind of looks like one and it even seems to show their tusks (or is that a tongue).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxZ9Q7hqbTBnaexXr2P-qX4-4V91Pvm4LYSw3if8HSREUuRrZ8N81_PeBYw3ITxLbW7-jh-Rm5HjDjGj6vUOMzAaCXeEQYzMIMO41Q1gKnqjmlT59Z1WFvKWXV0OlC32GIMa2ITTEmiw/s1600/GS1U1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxZ9Q7hqbTBnaexXr2P-qX4-4V91Pvm4LYSw3if8HSREUuRrZ8N81_PeBYw3ITxLbW7-jh-Rm5HjDjGj6vUOMzAaCXeEQYzMIMO41Q1gKnqjmlT59Z1WFvKWXV0OlC32GIMa2ITTEmiw/s320/GS1U1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoyVXzxLqjgphejs8SJYuvFtcAJHoQaLi_hCVwNoMDnmbv2qLvqGZL9GbfGeprG7IQ9Ksm72Ya1IGtze_aLtBXi9XBRXq_xlZ9gm7-8UI5bkdkhZi1bFNFAeDOQhI-BgISGsvNmccFq0/s1600/GS1U9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoyVXzxLqjgphejs8SJYuvFtcAJHoQaLi_hCVwNoMDnmbv2qLvqGZL9GbfGeprG7IQ9Ksm72Ya1IGtze_aLtBXi9XBRXq_xlZ9gm7-8UI5bkdkhZi1bFNFAeDOQhI-BgISGsvNmccFq0/s320/GS1U9.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I probably would have ran with this, but I had another idea to check out. The only other significant bird character(s) in the game I could think of was Raven, the Norn spirit animal. So, off the Hoelbrak I went and sure enough that symbol is everywhere.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHihc569cdJATCf6IuaLQTnhvaIlfbwWn8N4FkB6zT2-BeuQ-f79hsW9phbiYRgF91BtBI7JaKt4_2My02SUSXnxlqa1UwT1mPX7MahyphenhyphenEzOx8nVL3iKKxvH72uvtYzxEWdjnh0uaDEHk/s1600/GS1U3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHihc569cdJATCf6IuaLQTnhvaIlfbwWn8N4FkB6zT2-BeuQ-f79hsW9phbiYRgF91BtBI7JaKt4_2My02SUSXnxlqa1UwT1mPX7MahyphenhyphenEzOx8nVL3iKKxvH72uvtYzxEWdjnh0uaDEHk/s320/GS1U3.png" width="277" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSJ_8tEhaSAFWLYEk7FBw-gCeAGFa8tJyfQ5WLgwBrFN8oxyoZqWXtMHbp798RrrSDLFExLmuHDBiTtWiGik95YPWbmKyksc0sCQhmZ5YbshcKGM__kEjC0_FYbbOdRWb1s7LeCC4oz4/s1600/GS1U2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSJ_8tEhaSAFWLYEk7FBw-gCeAGFa8tJyfQ5WLgwBrFN8oxyoZqWXtMHbp798RrrSDLFExLmuHDBiTtWiGik95YPWbmKyksc0sCQhmZ5YbshcKGM__kEjC0_FYbbOdRWb1s7LeCC4oz4/s320/GS1U2.png" width="210" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XeZPbwI0Mse6f6s2JtSfHVCKNlZDijOO4CoASM1U6l9RVSEZXkxHNVEhi2B0qXFmZ2dxygBX_lliahvMzTCzpSnYeKtOPst19OCvYBom00RhuHwVLkBnmwv9DQ9FY_cGGFwGqocsDZw/s1600/GS1U4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XeZPbwI0Mse6f6s2JtSfHVCKNlZDijOO4CoASM1U6l9RVSEZXkxHNVEhi2B0qXFmZ2dxygBX_lliahvMzTCzpSnYeKtOPst19OCvYBom00RhuHwVLkBnmwv9DQ9FY_cGGFwGqocsDZw/s320/GS1U4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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But, wait there is more. The torches on the gate look identical to the torches in Norn areas. Firstly, here is a closer shot of the torches on the gate of the new castle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUHMUCsKi0WJ3iqGkaFUh7jQQAeaejJo_6E83zq9ShLEn5nUusIkXITCA6QuHOMHwijFSoknDaZtgrZaOzESVItqWYKSLSolUqKM5f6Qxy1YOzSNQuXFC7StBKLUNXrOoUJGoVNNzeUA/s1600/GS1U5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUHMUCsKi0WJ3iqGkaFUh7jQQAeaejJo_6E83zq9ShLEn5nUusIkXITCA6QuHOMHwijFSoknDaZtgrZaOzESVItqWYKSLSolUqKM5f6Qxy1YOzSNQuXFC7StBKLUNXrOoUJGoVNNzeUA/s320/GS1U5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here is a shot of the torches in Hoelbrak. This particular one is outside Bear Lodge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4Jbujwqtqgs2lWicxuHI8YcrkXeRISIZMrCsbFnt6iS7K8EnHDxwtvCjlhro9XzPCCf4kjxt4v1p35TIbmPcSj-UieK1OTuua0p0WeuimMeCz4Z70eTBdgn7FTtWrvoXgBHeAaHpvYk/s1600/GS1U6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4Jbujwqtqgs2lWicxuHI8YcrkXeRISIZMrCsbFnt6iS7K8EnHDxwtvCjlhro9XzPCCf4kjxt4v1p35TIbmPcSj-UieK1OTuua0p0WeuimMeCz4Z70eTBdgn7FTtWrvoXgBHeAaHpvYk/s320/GS1U6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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In my last article on the Living Story I pointed out these wolf statues inside the walls of the castle. I was able to get a better shot of them and then I enlarged the picture. Here is the result.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hEMn3H6fOjgDoEuno2QYfz_oue52cyiwXoUQt7l10ADHpu01U4QXUw6gLsiqE6qBuQ9HPU1Xd3cG7KUqFDpxDtwtLJbx5VPqakgsyLOvP-hd0Pig_IjDtexNAtoKJzCPPE8DOLWd8lM/s1600/GS1U7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hEMn3H6fOjgDoEuno2QYfz_oue52cyiwXoUQt7l10ADHpu01U4QXUw6gLsiqE6qBuQ9HPU1Xd3cG7KUqFDpxDtwtLJbx5VPqakgsyLOvP-hd0Pig_IjDtexNAtoKJzCPPE8DOLWd8lM/s320/GS1U7.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Compare that with the wolf statues in Hoelbrak. They are identical expect one is rock (?) and one is ice.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd3bRoaSInqVVEPCXMJ0HZTTHibnwCRgHmYSx-aTXkLq-7Q-IvCyrEKYdeXUBkTx5C-mxJQptUEPbQu4CRo0VbFiVnNFJylezgkdqfqHUtIGXRuuHzhiTnzu39PmHajssNxs3A3E3i_8/s1600/GS1U10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd3bRoaSInqVVEPCXMJ0HZTTHibnwCRgHmYSx-aTXkLq-7Q-IvCyrEKYdeXUBkTx5C-mxJQptUEPbQu4CRo0VbFiVnNFJylezgkdqfqHUtIGXRuuHzhiTnzu39PmHajssNxs3A3E3i_8/s320/GS1U10.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The only other detail is this wolf statue. From my first image I thought it was perhaps a flat banner. I managed to get a slightly better angle. You can clearly see it is not a banner, but instead a statue of some sort.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAHQd5XCKcax5D1GQD2SXCM1ttYXoqy7HYSACU-T-8oPjdHSHWevKsVqJeiYhLZxh2UzUgInPFTeVryWbjt_CnZrT5ro24u_wjfd4gF5NlvbaU5n117l__fgqIg1Os2rKSi1pP0lQ9J0/s1600/GS1U11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAHQd5XCKcax5D1GQD2SXCM1ttYXoqy7HYSACU-T-8oPjdHSHWevKsVqJeiYhLZxh2UzUgInPFTeVryWbjt_CnZrT5ro24u_wjfd4gF5NlvbaU5n117l__fgqIg1Os2rKSi1pP0lQ9J0/s320/GS1U11.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytjTWHEMn0N1NcVV0vfenEf6dV7VYm7JMcI1mHCU7-a4LtXxlldO_m7kdJgMhmPPSCks_c_OT6DlUTl6HytbhgRjheNYlfbmx_B_mKZXcemjoN1OckQkP7qxtDU_z2bCrk7UJcBcpqcE/s1600/GS1U13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytjTWHEMn0N1NcVV0vfenEf6dV7VYm7JMcI1mHCU7-a4LtXxlldO_m7kdJgMhmPPSCks_c_OT6DlUTl6HytbhgRjheNYlfbmx_B_mKZXcemjoN1OckQkP7qxtDU_z2bCrk7UJcBcpqcE/s320/GS1U13.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-gN3SON_Q1aQLZJSMsuxbCrfeTgpevtE0ZP6p4OVzvTAc1PcWlHWRN4047KHiDcKhRqcRoMIqWVUj9iclzNTPrGjPvljmEyg50CTR7WF3MSHdIUUJUaVrvI4YDn2h1fy1rj7ioxL4M8/s1600/GS1U14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-gN3SON_Q1aQLZJSMsuxbCrfeTgpevtE0ZP6p4OVzvTAc1PcWlHWRN4047KHiDcKhRqcRoMIqWVUj9iclzNTPrGjPvljmEyg50CTR7WF3MSHdIUUJUaVrvI4YDn2h1fy1rj7ioxL4M8/s320/GS1U14.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am not entirely sure what it is. I tried to match it to something already existing in the world and came up with these two possibilities. A random small wolf shrine,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtEH1mb9F2YXFlrAS1qqQEP7FaJSHVYZOht-rNEOxNlKUc93CVt1hqvVUdTHDYbvZoHluhRlDCRKpIVeyrqmFhLjR3ZpJptzY9LqlLOj_3wp0ug4gFHij_0_6fs6Uj4V7kbTAckgADcg/s1600/GS1U15.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtEH1mb9F2YXFlrAS1qqQEP7FaJSHVYZOht-rNEOxNlKUc93CVt1hqvVUdTHDYbvZoHluhRlDCRKpIVeyrqmFhLjR3ZpJptzY9LqlLOj_3wp0ug4gFHij_0_6fs6Uj4V7kbTAckgADcg/s320/GS1U15.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFCe7OWa1GwyHsMvIVExCV46g8hyS21sC2UINC0T5vBpGX129arWrvOw12yhzUVoaUF9rrNT2dAKe8arO72Im3R67wjXlJ3lCWH3rspNEsOjkmKcxnXTl1BluUK_XRws7IYBDElT46dU/s1600/GS1U16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFCe7OWa1GwyHsMvIVExCV46g8hyS21sC2UINC0T5vBpGX129arWrvOw12yhzUVoaUF9rrNT2dAKe8arO72Im3R67wjXlJ3lCWH3rspNEsOjkmKcxnXTl1BluUK_XRws7IYBDElT46dU/s320/GS1U16.png" width="255" /></a></div>
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The wolf carving above the entrance to wolf lodge,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTV6A2UrG6sUvgkcTmMsQPIWN1-e0aYUreUrX7BZOrO1Rg4odBEnlNX2LKKnc_L0tUQiLUVQpWAB6X_NJQk19VCH8c7JCWaKgwaXOOXlee0D9KLqJHEOIaYJ9FMbTguRtDxSLokfVVfs/s1600/GS1U17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTV6A2UrG6sUvgkcTmMsQPIWN1-e0aYUreUrX7BZOrO1Rg4odBEnlNX2LKKnc_L0tUQiLUVQpWAB6X_NJQk19VCH8c7JCWaKgwaXOOXlee0D9KLqJHEOIaYJ9FMbTguRtDxSLokfVVfs/s320/GS1U17.png" width="228" /></a></div>
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The only other thing you can see in the castle is some fencing which seems to match this fencing found in wolf lodge (didn't see it anywhere else).<br />
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So what is up there? A shrine to wolf? If so, why? Surely this castle is controlled by the Dredge and Flame Legion? Or did the Wolfborn toss it up as a line of defence? If it was the Wolfborn how come nobody is talking about it? My only hope is that Arena Net does not try to convince me it was there the whole time. And, let me in already! I want to check it out.</div>
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Finally, I would like to show a small hole in the map that I found in Diessa. I wouldn't normal show something like this (I have already reported it to Arena Net), but I think I can fit a little bit more speculation in around this. This is where it is,</div>
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It will appears as if the "skirt" of the mountain is missing. This is what it looks like on my screen,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmTQzF7hoqffA_VXeKCK8Fqv7d6_P7N9waQI9ttLj6VLcdTfW9ErrRemWJ4BJ-9JZVMKgo1mhqEcWnZGs2SaToYXCKcD8ACJkr-8Rho9soW4dbNRAznloEJ_b8D5ViJfI1QdZ8JQ0czQ/s1600/GS1U20.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmTQzF7hoqffA_VXeKCK8Fqv7d6_P7N9waQI9ttLj6VLcdTfW9ErrRemWJ4BJ-9JZVMKgo1mhqEcWnZGs2SaToYXCKcD8ACJkr-8Rho9soW4dbNRAznloEJ_b8D5ViJfI1QdZ8JQ0czQ/s320/GS1U20.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once you enter the hole this is what you see in front of you,<br />
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You can not get any further as there is an invisible wall. So, why do I bother showing you this. Well, this is where I <b>really </b>start to stretch the available facts. Okay, so firstly, I doubt this hole has been here since launch, because, it is large and easy to spot and I have never seen it on my many journeys through the area. That leads me to think that it was introduced in the latest version of the map when they added the castle. Which then raises the question, why were they playing with that section of the map? Did they remove something? Or are they planning to add something here? Or maybe I am just crazy. Thought I would bring it up and let others see it and share their thoughts.</div>
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Flame & Frost: The Razing</h3>
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<a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/march-2013/">The April story line has been announced</a>. It seems Arena Net has decided to go with "The Razing" as a title. Reading the spoiler text we learn that all our suspicions about the Dredge and Flame Legion are true. They are now allied and on a rampage. According to the blog post they will be moving house by house burning everything to the ground. We are also told that two new heroes will enter the fray, a Norn by the name of Braham, and a Charr by the name of Rox.</div>
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No twists, no mention of the consortium though. Also I worry that it sounds like the players will be taking a back seat to the NPCs. One thing I learned early on in my Dungeon Master career was that players hate glory hog NPCs and much I might love them. Players hate being put into a situation where an NPC has to save them. Players want to drive the action. NPCs should be gateways to content. They should not complete the content for the players.</div>
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However, I am prejudging the content and I shouldn't do that. I do not know what will come. I just can't help but loose some enthusiasm after reading this overview. I just have to remember that with this patch comes an increase in the volume of content. That will be great and I am super excited to see where the Living Story idea goes.</div>
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Conclusions</h3>
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In summary, there do not appear to be any changes to the Living Story so far since the patch. I have my eyes out and I will be sure to report here when I notice any. The new castle in Wayfarer Foothills is just as mysterious as ever, but I believe it to have been originally constructed by Norn, which begs the question, where did it come from? Finally, Arena Net announced the April story line, The Razing, which will bring with it a large chuck of new content.</div>
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Those are my thoughts, now let me hear yours. Have you noticed anything new in the Living Story since last Tuesday? What do you think of the lack of changes? Should Arena Net continue adding something every week if that is what they have been doing so far? How about the castle? Did anything I highlighted trigger any eureka moments? What do you think of it's construction? What about the hole in the map? Am I crazy with my thoughts? Finally, what do you like the sounds of the April story? Let me know what you think in the comments! We have been having some great discussions that I would love to keep going. Don't be scared to join in, ask questions, or even tell me I am a moron and have it all wrong.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-64676965588183114562013-03-03T01:26:00.004-05:002013-03-06T09:17:28.182-05:00Living Story: Gathering Storm part 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yesterday <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-1.html">I started discussing the changes to the Living Story</a> by going over the additions to Hoelbrak, the Black Citadel, and Lion's Arch. Today I would like to finish by looking at the achievements you can complete, the new content in Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau, and provide you with my thoughts and speculations on the Living Story so far. There is a lot of stuff to go over so I will get right to it.</div>
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<a href="https://d3b4yo2b5lbfy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/23b45GW2_Feb2013_Release_NewHeader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://d3b4yo2b5lbfy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/23b45GW2_Feb2013_Release_NewHeader.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Achievements</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuY7JBetBKiObPuL7BfkNrebax5OG_osCBA_oz3zOp9qJ7GOEHpq40cFaf3CFG9XYdeZyo5DgaeB2eUII66cYKxma-Xr6NC1nME0AfwTikQLe4KmOACq64vslmGF3c5sLbzgIzbgOUsek/s1600/GatheringStorm7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuY7JBetBKiObPuL7BfkNrebax5OG_osCBA_oz3zOp9qJ7GOEHpq40cFaf3CFG9XYdeZyo5DgaeB2eUII66cYKxma-Xr6NC1nME0AfwTikQLe4KmOACq64vslmGF3c5sLbzgIzbgOUsek/s200/GatheringStorm7.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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The first thing to know is that most of the content from the February patch is still available. If you haven't finished your volunteer title you can still head out into Diessa and Wayfarer and help the stream of refugees heading through the zones. There is a lot to do which you can find more details about in <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/flame-and-frost-living-story-review.html">my article reviewing the February content</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTABXDOnI6V58R6YeU8crhx629LX1ulYcONEr_rIxxgTf5SJRSuwstN7LrXWciJibaA10AeKor39zQTudhPHp5FOJrhnyP1-ouwARVob30TSZBYo20zQijOuJ5IN7OPSwQR7Zse-Dbcrs/s1600/GatheringStorm1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTABXDOnI6V58R6YeU8crhx629LX1ulYcONEr_rIxxgTf5SJRSuwstN7LrXWciJibaA10AeKor39zQTudhPHp5FOJrhnyP1-ouwARVob30TSZBYo20zQijOuJ5IN7OPSwQR7Zse-Dbcrs/s200/GatheringStorm1.png" width="200" /></a><br />
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The new content introduced with the latest patch runs in conjunction with the old giving players plenty of time to finish their achievements. There are two new achievements for players to complete this month. The first is titled "The Gathering Storm" and has players defeating Invaders. Dredge and Flame Legion are attacking various targets in the Norn and Charr lands. You will need to kill 150 of them to complete this achievement. In the map below I have marked the location of some of the events where you can find the Invaders. They are marked with a circled flag or a circled gear.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6194hNg5BmCSKxUga84TaobtP1keEp5F0M72si5G8EinopW-GZaxUjgz2qpcWbZipyGZMzZF2_29Ead_vvx_MqkneYWzHkxGNsutfp6o4F0Hhyphenhyphenfg2SaJln5JeIwx8_ht9BSpMuo6Y4s/s1600/GatheringStormMap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6194hNg5BmCSKxUga84TaobtP1keEp5F0M72si5G8EinopW-GZaxUjgz2qpcWbZipyGZMzZF2_29Ead_vvx_MqkneYWzHkxGNsutfp6o4F0Hhyphenhyphenfg2SaJln5JeIwx8_ht9BSpMuo6Y4s/s400/GatheringStormMap.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The second achievement is called "Lost and Found" and has players locating trinkets lost by the refugees. The refugees missing the trinkets can be found in Lion's Arch (<a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-1.html">see yesterday's post</a>). Currently there are two trinkets to locate; Kirk's Goblet in Wayfarer and Malia's Toy Soldier in Diessa. They will spawn at a random location in the zone and you will need to track them down (<a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/02/26/gw2-lost-and-found-living-story-event-and-achievement-guide/">Dulfy has a map marking some of the possible spawn locations</a>). They can be tricky to find and I wish the NPCs gave in game hints to help you find the specific location. What you are looking for is a sparkling object on the ground (see images below). If you hold CTRL down, as you are exploring, the name will pop up above the object, if it is nearby. Don't give up! If you can not find it right away don't be afraid to ask if anyone has seen it in map chat. </div>
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Once you have found the missing trinkets return them to their respective owners in Lion's Arch. You will be thanked for your efforts and learn what the character plans for the future. Here is Malia's response,</div>
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I love this little story. She didn't get to visit Tixx during Wintersday so her now legionnaire made her a replica. Sadly, this legionnaire is now MIA. Touching story and I am glad I could help out. And here is Kirk's response,</div>
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Good thing we returned Kirk his mug. Sounds like he will have a tough future and will need a stiff drink every once in a while. Once you have helped Kirk and Malia keep your eyes on Lion's Arch for new refugees needing assistance. Presumably, at least four more refugees will be added over the coming weeks. When they do show up I will let you know here.</div>
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Diessa Plateau</h3>
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Most of the new content in Diessa Plateau is located in the Northeastern parts of the zone near Butcher's Block. The Invaders are swarming into Diessa through Flame Legion portals and Dredge personnel carriers (circles with gears on the map above). These events were not easy on my poorly geared level 60 Mesmer. The Invaders respawn quickly and you can not damage the portal or personnel carrier until you defeat the spawned mobs. Keep at it and call out for help. There are lots of people looking for Invaders to kill in order to finish their achievements.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgze1G4A99sxns3dPX5ouPh0ljXxNfcQzJ7jU7j1J5VK6I1owIfnZbugdySn8EUGhLIHZuCgqULl65lb73o4VFALbJwJP7w4N1qIXMPE-NONRspVXdEfOsOQ8kZI-Yx-MyyVUBKo_lm-Go/s1600/GatheringStormDiessa6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgze1G4A99sxns3dPX5ouPh0ljXxNfcQzJ7jU7j1J5VK6I1owIfnZbugdySn8EUGhLIHZuCgqULl65lb73o4VFALbJwJP7w4N1qIXMPE-NONRspVXdEfOsOQ8kZI-Yx-MyyVUBKo_lm-Go/s200/GatheringStormDiessa6.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9aoE_hT9nm-crAB3UfHmqsXy1UTRqcZ7eW3Fk7jVPLgZNVPwrjE8A_jpCa0WVcaZfWndwXvdZgHA9yjYXOOlERUebrHI8jDCs6zM7iK7yE7cRmz-6PLINPk3ufBle2sFEpYo5pcRyCk/s1600/GatheringStormDiessa4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9aoE_hT9nm-crAB3UfHmqsXy1UTRqcZ7eW3Fk7jVPLgZNVPwrjE8A_jpCa0WVcaZfWndwXvdZgHA9yjYXOOlERUebrHI8jDCs6zM7iK7yE7cRmz-6PLINPk3ufBle2sFEpYo5pcRyCk/s200/GatheringStormDiessa4.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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But, wait there is more. There is also a Charr ranch that will occasionally be taken over which will require liberating (circle with a flag on the map above). I liked seeing this event added to the game because you actually get to see some of the devastation caused by the invasion. It helps me stay immersed in the content.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuJ6S-vpirToz2ShXVDWTmx4g1PidCB4mBBu5VALpOPW_wsYvHFqAx4g7fL0gYxpYljrWMp5-ZoBS9VQDpOFFLr3daJNpzHZCmWAjPiAe6KNrOARIsdvuvIWxFmQjp455BQTN5bm9pX0/s1600/GatheringStormDiessa2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuJ6S-vpirToz2ShXVDWTmx4g1PidCB4mBBu5VALpOPW_wsYvHFqAx4g7fL0gYxpYljrWMp5-ZoBS9VQDpOFFLr3daJNpzHZCmWAjPiAe6KNrOARIsdvuvIWxFmQjp455BQTN5bm9pX0/s320/GatheringStormDiessa2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The last thing of note in Diessa were Flame Legion troops within the Dredge camp at the Burrows of Moledavia. I also checked Flame Legion bases in the area but did not find any Dredge. This seems to be telling of who has the pants in this relationship. I had already finished my "kill invaders" achievement when I found this so I was unable to discover if these guys were included for the kill count (Bhagpuss confirms in the comments they do <b>not </b>count). If they are they would be easy targets to get you closer to your 150 invader kills.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NDgr4pyvS8k99JjSQe1SVJYy5CZQjdF8EJA9RQp0ZAmwEnzmDysgSd64nRvQz8tY_tS0V2TLie6VrM5vMF0bDo7re1nDzdopPppmtYeL7-SvBYYuDs_CYTLDGY9Io6a0oC5v6_pNG6I/s1600/GatheringStormDiessa5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NDgr4pyvS8k99JjSQe1SVJYy5CZQjdF8EJA9RQp0ZAmwEnzmDysgSd64nRvQz8tY_tS0V2TLie6VrM5vMF0bDo7re1nDzdopPppmtYeL7-SvBYYuDs_CYTLDGY9Io6a0oC5v6_pNG6I/s320/GatheringStormDiessa5.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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Zola Swiftstep, who I talked about in <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/pre-patch-living-story-change.html">a blog post on Monday</a>, is still waiting for the Flame Legion attack and seems completely unaware that the Invaders are already here. Maybe this is an oversight by Arena Net or maybe she is keeping tabs on a different Flame Legion base. I hope we see her involvement in events shortly. There are also steam vents north of the Burrow of Moledavia, which haven't changed since I highlighted them in <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/living-story-update.html">a blog post a couple weeks ago</a>.</div>
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<h3>
Wayfarer Foothills</h3>
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The changes in Wayfarer Foothills are in many ways symmetrical to those in Diessa Plateau. Often when I find a change in one zone I make note of it and expect to find a reciprocal changes in the opposite zone. For example, you can fend off the invaders portals and personnel carriers here in Wayfarer as well.</div>
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There is also a Norn homestead that needs defending. Again adding to the realism of the refugees situation although I would have like to see more homesteads attacked to explain to quantity of homeless seen in Hoelbrak, the Black Citadel and Lion's Arch. One homestead is better than none though.</div>
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The final thing to note in Wayfarer is that the Merchant Bodyguard has disappeared. He used to be standing in the tent show below. I talked about <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/living-story-update.html">him and the dead merchant a couple weeks ago in a blog post</a>. Check it out for more details on this story. The dead merchant is still in the same place and nothing has changed so you can check that out in game (marked on the map above).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeshhzAg9UtbHJXoeizHila0phdQ8Yykg8WSPlCtX-v_NgRo5R11rDzMQvPKYpyuO9Kvt6-9OxPX6-HatYIBgDN836uhGpwUQlt1Fg9kzrU5PgYHcxmRsmjSjbjUfgXaqIqQyuO2juGw/s1600/GatheringStormWayfarer2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeshhzAg9UtbHJXoeizHila0phdQ8Yykg8WSPlCtX-v_NgRo5R11rDzMQvPKYpyuO9Kvt6-9OxPX6-HatYIBgDN836uhGpwUQlt1Fg9kzrU5PgYHcxmRsmjSjbjUfgXaqIqQyuO2juGw/s320/GatheringStormWayfarer2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I looked around a little more and could not find any other changes. As always, if I have missed something let me know in the comments.</div>
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<h3>
The Castle</h3>
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The last thing to mention is the castle which as popped up on the Steaming Mountain. This is probably the single largest and most obvious change this patch so I felt it deserved it's own section. I have taken a number of screen shots of the castle and noticed a couple interesting things about it but there are still a lot of questions. As you can see in the image below the fort is actually quite extensive reaching up the mountain.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEZ2jxLILo4Z_jzQ4jBkDYoxxY0-F_bUKh-za316_2r53jLwb_EkZiG2WQ8VRwYuojw27j94DVS-KSm03-x-qxcOI8DsL0wPw4pjgn-pOvGdTQ2Us2I29NjOLKhTjz3alOV_aJCa5wDY/s1600/GatheringStormFort6.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEZ2jxLILo4Z_jzQ4jBkDYoxxY0-F_bUKh-za316_2r53jLwb_EkZiG2WQ8VRwYuojw27j94DVS-KSm03-x-qxcOI8DsL0wPw4pjgn-pOvGdTQ2Us2I29NjOLKhTjz3alOV_aJCa5wDY/s320/GatheringStormFort6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The gates to the castle are formidable and there is a large invisible wall keep players well back from it (presumably to prevent people from glitching through and seeing what is on the other side).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYsJoc3FUrL_26ylaCdY_GjJ1eAlRUJVCjmOyKh4Tjx04xi7FXsxw-W90vIJsObJBEcmYEpFG4uKXIpl1qfaVqvzCIpi4O5jJJqWAGL1ymhImdT-aKgCwUvI_RF2lDjGTWa65xKdTNuA/s1600/GatheringStormFort3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYsJoc3FUrL_26ylaCdY_GjJ1eAlRUJVCjmOyKh4Tjx04xi7FXsxw-W90vIJsObJBEcmYEpFG4uKXIpl1qfaVqvzCIpi4O5jJJqWAGL1ymhImdT-aKgCwUvI_RF2lDjGTWa65xKdTNuA/s320/GatheringStormFort3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have tried to get various angles on the castle to see if I can peer inside. My first attempt revealed a second gate beyond the first.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1I6b0xwaHwxwHmel3FZOPFr994tRGYcZeZteW8Lyb_MTEqOK2cKevQVQ6c_GNFInP3jj_XfnT_FHy_GqPc-iIZJvA24GB5XtBuMG9v5O9O499A5FIYQQp995LGsyS9wlFrOcB2m4IOs/s1600/GatheringStormFort1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1I6b0xwaHwxwHmel3FZOPFr994tRGYcZeZteW8Lyb_MTEqOK2cKevQVQ6c_GNFInP3jj_XfnT_FHy_GqPc-iIZJvA24GB5XtBuMG9v5O9O499A5FIYQQp995LGsyS9wlFrOcB2m4IOs/s320/GatheringStormFort1.png" width="215" /></a></div>
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Looking from another angle I spotted wolf totems within the walls. What are wolf totems doing inside this castle? I originally thought this castle would have been built by the invaders. Perhaps that assumption is wrong.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0jSKA0tAhy7aS0BQ4OEVEOYhCmTsGOqYJ1D27eYWaUd2RtPIT4zow6yZp_gimR4x7DpHHU81verKLqaRTTor4Jy4ET3qMQ-Va07vGAxVMbLC0Id26hfBN2zBgdk2_iPQdi5tCNcD6_8/s1600/GatheringStormFort2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0jSKA0tAhy7aS0BQ4OEVEOYhCmTsGOqYJ1D27eYWaUd2RtPIT4zow6yZp_gimR4x7DpHHU81verKLqaRTTor4Jy4ET3qMQ-Va07vGAxVMbLC0Id26hfBN2zBgdk2_iPQdi5tCNcD6_8/s320/GatheringStormFort2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you head over to Diessa Plateau you can get a view from another angle. Although you can not see the wolf totems you can see something else of note.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm-JJXKwI5yGeGiC7hQ_8IP7snpSUDsirmAYV8wkcwdYs9S03xEpt9tze69j0BcSI_6u07AwCtXkRZq1tHDyiKANI-LjFB4xZ3qjvYuuhxDbK7B_DORmd5JpuDBJjW3suXRmAo9iDFfQ/s1600/GatheringStormFort7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm-JJXKwI5yGeGiC7hQ_8IP7snpSUDsirmAYV8wkcwdYs9S03xEpt9tze69j0BcSI_6u07AwCtXkRZq1tHDyiKANI-LjFB4xZ3qjvYuuhxDbK7B_DORmd5JpuDBJjW3suXRmAo9iDFfQ/s320/GatheringStormFort7.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYD-XKN9STBoMJGTuiJ7c40gT0WMQgKhM2CUg-gl-_VSrv_2kPPY-LuJzLqcQb3UV68pdMVw4_eHrbjCUK07AWnZGw_AFiqB6CF6yWkqYWP3uLY9KJpl5Jf1pTNVzli5Puhpr5I3Oyihc/s1600/GatheringStormFort8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYD-XKN9STBoMJGTuiJ7c40gT0WMQgKhM2CUg-gl-_VSrv_2kPPY-LuJzLqcQb3UV68pdMVw4_eHrbjCUK07AWnZGw_AFiqB6CF6yWkqYWP3uLY9KJpl5Jf1pTNVzli5Puhpr5I3Oyihc/s1600/GatheringStormFort8.png" /></a></div>
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To me that looks like a crest with a wolf on it. So did the Norn build this castle? Do they still control it? There isn't much in game that helps us answer these questions, yet. I could speculate all day about what this could be. I hope to get some facts soon.<br />
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<h3>
Conclusions</h3>
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Overall, a lot of my concerns about the Living Story have gone away. I criticized the Living Story last week for attempting to tell a story of a scale they were not showing in game. Things have changed in a big way and I am glad to see Invaders and destroyed homes in the world. It adds to the authenticity of the story and helps me stay immersed. I would still like to see some more damage in the world to reflect the scale of the events described by the NPCs.</div>
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The only criticism I will level at the new content is towards the "Lost and Found" achievement. I did not like having to wander aimlessly around. I would have much preferred to have been given a hint to it's approximate location instead of just being told which zone it was in. Perhaps, a dialog option on the refugees to ask them where they last saw their prized possession. A minor detail I am sure Arena Net will polish out in the future.</div>
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As for the quantity of content I find it hard to judge at this point. Arena Net has stated that we are still within the teaser content and that the story won't really pick up until the end of March. Until we start getting that content I do not see how I can pass judgement. I hope Arena Net will be able to deliver the quantity of content that players are looking for on a weekly basis. If it ends up being as much content as we got this patch every week I believe most people will be very happy. I know I would be.</div>
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Personally, I am really enjoying learning about all the characters. The situation with the Grawl is interesting. They seem to be treated like third class citizens and they are not very happy about it. They also do not seem to trust the Consortium. I expect something to become of this and I hope players get to choose sides. Do you help the disadvantage Grawl? Or the powerful consortium? This would really give players a chance to build their character.</div>
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Some in my guild suspect that the Consortium or some other agency is acting as a puppet master getting the Dredge and Flame Legion to do their bidding. I am not so sure. I do not think the story will be that complicated. I think it is more likely that the Consortium is merely taking advantage of this situation for PR purposes. I think the Flame Legion is the main force behind this and in return for their services the Dredge have been promised something in return. The first bit of evidence for this are the Flame Legion troops I discovered in the Burrows of Moledavia. This suggests that they are in charge since there are no Dredge troops in the Flame Legion bases. Secondly, the Dredge have most likely not given up their recently earned freedom to the Flame Legion. I think it makes more sense for the Flame Legion to be paying the Dredge for their services. All pure speculation but I do think my reasoning has merits.</div>
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As always let me know if I missed anything. I would also love to hear your theories about future events. Also, let me know what you think is the most interesting story covered so far. Thanks for reading my review of the Gathering Storm Living Story content and be sure to check back in the coming weeks for my updates as new content is released.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-82323960431390564752013-03-01T22:28:00.000-05:002013-03-03T04:08:35.678-05:00Living Story: Gathering Storm part 1<div style="text-align: justify;">
The <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/february-2013/">latest patch</a> brings a lot of changes to the Living Story. As always, I have documented those changes to the best of my ability and today I have screenshots and much more to share. There are changes in all four zones, Wayfarer Foothills, Diessa Plateau, Hoelbrak, and the Black Citadel, and the story has spread to Lion's Arch. I have previous outlined changes to the Living Story throughout February <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/flame-and-frost-living-story-review.html">here</a>, <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/living-story-update.html">here</a>, <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/small-changes-in-living-story.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/pre-patch-living-story-change.html">here</a>. Today I will go over the changes in the cities and introduce the events thus far. Tomorrow, <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-2.html">in part two</a>, I will look at the action in Wayfarer and Diessa and detailed conclusions.<br />
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<a href="https://d3b4yo2b5lbfy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/23b45GW2_Feb2013_Release_NewHeader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://d3b4yo2b5lbfy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/23b45GW2_Feb2013_Release_NewHeader.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A quick summary of the events so far would go like this. Disaster has struck Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau. Steam is escaping through underground fissures and is causing changes in the weather patterns. At the same time there are rumours of Flame Legion and Dredge attacks in the affected areas. Players have been actively participating in these events by plugging fissures and helping the refugees on their journey.</div>
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With the latest patch the stakes are upped, rumours are confirmed, and new questions are raised. <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/living-story-evolution/">A blog post by Angel McCoy on GuildWars2.com</a> gives us a sense of where Arena Net is headed with the story in March,</div>
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<i>With the February release, we’re further advancing the Flame and Frost storyline in fun ways, but we still consider this to be teaser content. You’ll get to experience saving homesteaders and ranchers in a more direct way, no longer just as volunteers, but becoming actual defenders of the residents of the Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau.</i></blockquote>
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And beyond, </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>These first couple months of teaser content have allowed us to ramp up to make the long-term Living Story an even fuller and more satisfying experience for you all. As designers have come off other projects and joined us, we've increased the amount of content we’ll be delivering, starting at the end of March.</i></blockquote>
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March sounds like it will be another slow month with the main bulk of the content coming in the next patch and beyond. The amount of content released on Tuesday is nothing to laugh at as it easily exceeds everything released in February put together. If we can come to expect this much content in the Living Story on a weekly basis then I really think Arena Net is on to something. The Living Story really will become like a TV show that you can tune into each week. Enough generalities. Lets talk specifics.</div>
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<h3>
You've got mail</h3>
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Each race received a different letter introducing the new content. I thought it was neat that they added this touch. Luckily I have a character of each race and was able to get each letter. Here they all are for those that are interested.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPGaCJtLQHDIfFTUdS0VuttLfKxDUfdn8_BTC4SDiEq65buk_O4ZwF9QZrgZYyO7RWBFnSK3yhoIiPKDgEJaPHW5TktRrFZfva27esM34-qaaoHaAeWzddgLaPmDJjw4JIT-SMxcitVY/s1600/GatheringStormZojja.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPGaCJtLQHDIfFTUdS0VuttLfKxDUfdn8_BTC4SDiEq65buk_O4ZwF9QZrgZYyO7RWBFnSK3yhoIiPKDgEJaPHW5TktRrFZfva27esM34-qaaoHaAeWzddgLaPmDJjw4JIT-SMxcitVY/s320/GatheringStormZojja.png" width="195" /></a>Firstly, a letter for Asura players from Zojja,</div>
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<i>Savant, </i></div>
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<i>An individual who claims some preposterous connection with a former colleague of mine recently contacted me, and while his claims concerning that connection are dismissible he does bring up a good point. Refugees have been streaming into the Black Citadel, Lion's Arch, and Hoelbrak from the northwestern quadrant of the Diessa Plateau and the northeastern quadrant of the Wayfarer Foothills. I don't know what's going on there - and I'm too busy to investigate personally - so, it will have to be you. Go look into it at your earliest convenience. Don't bother reporting back. I trust you to handle the matter with efficiency and style. </i></div>
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<i>Good luck, and watch your ears out there.</i></div>
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<i>- Zojja </i></div>
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<a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/3/3e/Caithe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/3/3e/Caithe.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
Secondly, a letter from Caithe for Sylvari players,<br />
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<i>Valiant,</i><br />
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<i>I've got a job for you. My friends (most days) Rytlock and Eir have requested help. I can't go myself - Nightmare Court trouble - so I'm sending you instead. If you will go, of coarse. Here's all I know - some nasty situation in the Shiverpeaks is killing norn and charr on either side of the mountains. It's gotten ugly, and the survivors have started migrating to Hoelbrak and the Black Citadel to get away from... whatever it is. Take your pick. Go to either the Wayfarer Foothills or to Diessa Plateau, and see if you can assist the fleeing norn and charr. Watch out for their injured pride, though. It's likely to be the sharpest thing you encounter. I'll see you soon.</i><br />
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<i>- Caithe</i><br />
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<a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/6/67/Rytlock_Brimstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/6/67/Rytlock_Brimstone.jpg" width="230" /></a><br />
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Next, a letter from Rytlock Brimstone for Charr players,</div>
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<i>Your characters name -</i> </div>
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<i></i><br />
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<i><i>Interrupt your current orders. Recent events in the Black Citadel require your attention. Refugees from northwestern Diessa Plateau have been flooding into the city, and it sounds like the same thing's happening over in Hoelbrak. I'm even hearing reports that they're seeing refugees as far west as Lion's Arch. Get there as soon as you can. WE need all bodies responding to this. I've got refugee troubles up to my eyeballs, so you'll be my soldier in the field on this one. Just do the best you can to help them.</i> </i></div>
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</i>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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</i><i></i>
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<i><i>- Rytlock</i></i></div>
<i>
</i>
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<a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/4/47/Eir_Stegalkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/4/47/Eir_Stegalkin.jpg" width="160" /></a>Eir Stegalkin calls out to Norn players in this letter,</div>
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<i>Slayer, </i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>You're needed in Hoelbrak. An upsurge of dredge has forced steadholders out of their homes, and they're arriving broken and battered. Knut and I are doing all we can to heal the wounded and to arrange food and shelter, but it takes time. I need someone who can go up into the Wayfarer Foothills, towards Dolyak Pass, and help anyone left behind or still fighting. We're not getting accurate reports from the area, so I'm not sure what's happening up there. </i></div>
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<i>Rytlock sent notice that he's experiencing the same thing in the Black Citadel. Charr refugees are fleeing to the city as their home are being destroyed and their friends and family massacred. Much like here. I hope he's handling it better than we are here. Organization has never been one of our more epic qualities. </i></div>
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<i>- Eir</i></div>
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<a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/d/d3/Captain_Logan_Thackeray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/d/d3/Captain_Logan_Thackeray.jpg" width="175" /></a>Finally, Logan Thackeray reaches out to human players in this letter,</div>
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<i>Dear your characters name, </i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>I reach out to you with the utmost urgency. It has been brought to my attention by two other members of Destiny's Edge that they're experiencing some trouble in Hoelbreak and the Black Citadel. Something, or someone, is burning both norn and charr out of their homes and forcing them to seek shelter and security in the cities. This is unprecedented, and I'm concerned. As a favor to my friends, I'm asking you to travel to one or both of these cities and see if you can offer any assistance. If this is as bad as they say, it may eventually threaten Krytan citizens as well. You're the perfect choice to deal with this. I'd help, but I have the queen's business to attend to. </i></div>
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<i>- Logan</i></div>
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All of these letters essentially give the exact same information. What is nice is that it highlights some of the interplay between the members of Destiny's Edge that we see in the dungeons and personal stories. It was something that Arena Net could have easily gotten away without doing and most likely most players will not even notice this. I thought it was neat enough to point out and share. Also, let the Logan jokes begin...</div>
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Hoelbrak</h3>
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The source of most of the news in Hoelbrak is the refugee coordinator found at the entrance to the refugee camp between wolf and bear lodges. The refugee coordinator's dialog has not changed since Monday but it makes a lot more sense in the context of the rest of the changes that came on Tuesday with the patch. Here is what she currently has to say,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QDGvmB831ocOB8py0p8aaqVChrEeOxwdQpvlqJ7oFby3ROFIUmCTZ5YUwh8mXsnK0PUyShUFnrlicrcFAIxoZq-LNCOUt_juh0qRIJIXuKekxt4IFqD8retuvw8WltoSWAGHFO9Tag4/s1600/LivingStory3U1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QDGvmB831ocOB8py0p8aaqVChrEeOxwdQpvlqJ7oFby3ROFIUmCTZ5YUwh8mXsnK0PUyShUFnrlicrcFAIxoZq-LNCOUt_juh0qRIJIXuKekxt4IFqD8retuvw8WltoSWAGHFO9Tag4/s320/LivingStory3U1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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On Monday, there was no evidence of refugees in Lion's Arch and the generous benefactor was a mysterious character. Both issues have been cleared up as I will discuss below in the Lion's Arch section. This coordinator also confirms the the rumours of Flame Legion and Dredge involvement in the recent disaster. For the first time players can confirm this for themselves. I will have more details on that in the Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau sections <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-2.html">tomorrow</a>.</div>
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There is a new NPC in the Hoelbrak refugee camp, another blacksmith. Here is his dialog.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7aiQ-JT08X60V1ttnsYywefLqQwDqqKOBphKxE0til1U1iDN8XkDCaBef5s7OCzmZxpyBocqHGel81NRXMBbz2C0LBqv-_RbO_gcv9a42DQUR5wiZ_fjG-h3ZwPiG8LXV2w_CwJynKE/s1600/GatheringStormHoelbrak1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7aiQ-JT08X60V1ttnsYywefLqQwDqqKOBphKxE0til1U1iDN8XkDCaBef5s7OCzmZxpyBocqHGel81NRXMBbz2C0LBqv-_RbO_gcv9a42DQUR5wiZ_fjG-h3ZwPiG8LXV2w_CwJynKE/s320/GatheringStormHoelbrak1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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He also confirms that the Dredge and Flame Legion are working together. The only other thing that has changed in Hoelbrak is the dialog of the Heralds that you can find near the Asura gate to Lion's Arch and the exit to Wayfarer Foothills. There isn't much here but I have the dialog below for completeness sake.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeiJqFY2VM5mfzrX-gmSW5eafdD5zUs5WeqDiGFqxgaARhou2_-6oTkfJD-wg5LFAuo-Mm0NYIQs_1WHeGYlcwje7RRQwlBAuspSpvtg2vz9Lp95c6ZiBeAS0VDCbN5puc-5y9VXVDI4/s1600/GatheringStormHoelbrak2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeiJqFY2VM5mfzrX-gmSW5eafdD5zUs5WeqDiGFqxgaARhou2_-6oTkfJD-wg5LFAuo-Mm0NYIQs_1WHeGYlcwje7RRQwlBAuspSpvtg2vz9Lp95c6ZiBeAS0VDCbN5puc-5y9VXVDI4/s320/GatheringStormHoelbrak2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am still disappointed that none of the <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Knut_Whitebear">Whitebear</a>'s (Knut, Sigfast, Skarti) have anything to say on the event. They are the leaders of the Norn people and the Wolfborn so they must be involved. This is a small detail though.</div>
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<h3>
Black Citadel</h3>
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The story in the Black Citadel is similar to the one in Hoelbrak. The Herald has new dialog.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GuQMnEBVzlFf-YTJRcIk3HwWbKtynXoP_h5C5RgA_DTgp752-7thuL47Kp_FcDOgPT1CBExFQZ73EPcCn_QrYzErt0eB8CyJbjgqVAj-RHGhC6tAyw6CydegSFabtoc0EOo16EcaSoo/s1600/GatheringStormBlackCitadel1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GuQMnEBVzlFf-YTJRcIk3HwWbKtynXoP_h5C5RgA_DTgp752-7thuL47Kp_FcDOgPT1CBExFQZ73EPcCn_QrYzErt0eB8CyJbjgqVAj-RHGhC6tAyw6CydegSFabtoc0EOo16EcaSoo/s320/GatheringStormBlackCitadel1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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As before he directs us to the main refugee camp near Memorial Waypoint in the northern end of the Black Citadel. He also gives an overview of the problem in Diessa Plateau and Wayfarer Foothills. Heading over to the camp we find that the coordinator's dialog has changed as well. Here is what he has to say,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRf-_nUXUOJDqTCyyNNzTSGLbgERn3hrRuXBN8aBmjCyYNUkheCuZXHKFyeotAPHnCAmadRXTu8nRLLBj20Vz6vqgBI_ZL9vZ0IhgF8CZAI1f_TXSZHavwzZdPiMTXT-E0jLTjKhWetRM/s1600/GatheringStormBlackCitadel2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRf-_nUXUOJDqTCyyNNzTSGLbgERn3hrRuXBN8aBmjCyYNUkheCuZXHKFyeotAPHnCAmadRXTu8nRLLBj20Vz6vqgBI_ZL9vZ0IhgF8CZAI1f_TXSZHavwzZdPiMTXT-E0jLTjKhWetRM/s320/GatheringStormBlackCitadel2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Again we get news that the refugees are beginning to move to Lion's Arch. That is where I will be heading next. There is a lot to learn there. Exploring the Black Citadel further and talking with Rytlock reveals he still has nothing to say on the matter despite being a leader of the Charr I suppose the interaction we receive with him is through his letter to the Charr characters. Finally there is a new NPC, a refugee cub, who has interesting details about her attackers,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlqWCyRgEVsfzth_aR-zz2yZzi1QUzKRw3hOOhkIPQS0oBdJLcXZOJZxP43rD52heUAyeXoVApBOKTQvwsFwNaQde3phpJBTahdCPSWe2O37HsT4uPEjAS5xgNm_CM3Y_NT7qnrlbPAE/s1600/GatheringStormBlackCitadel3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlqWCyRgEVsfzth_aR-zz2yZzi1QUzKRw3hOOhkIPQS0oBdJLcXZOJZxP43rD52heUAyeXoVApBOKTQvwsFwNaQde3phpJBTahdCPSWe2O37HsT4uPEjAS5xgNm_CM3Y_NT7qnrlbPAE/s320/GatheringStormBlackCitadel3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ah, so the Flame Legion are using the Dredge weapons. I wonder why? Aren't their own spells and magic enough? I do not get that. I will have to keep it in mind though.</div>
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<h3>
Lion's Arch</h3>
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Lion's Arch appears to be the new hub of activity for the refugees. We can start off by talking to the herald near the Asura Gates or north of the bank, although they will just direct you to Wayfarer and Diessa.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8MERtZwWyxf9tccaroIkUVyO87xfIYFDjY9fIaf7c0xEVStoH7bpYjtizy1wDArepI4qxmQFr9CJF5RZ1v4dYSIvYbVpQDN3w2nesw0F_02jwKYbw6w567BE8wdUGggY6DIQcqNwQe8/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8MERtZwWyxf9tccaroIkUVyO87xfIYFDjY9fIaf7c0xEVStoH7bpYjtizy1wDArepI4qxmQFr9CJF5RZ1v4dYSIvYbVpQDN3w2nesw0F_02jwKYbw6w567BE8wdUGggY6DIQcqNwQe8/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, if you look to your map you will see a star near Farshore Waypoint in the southeast section of the zone. This indicates the location of the refugee camp in Lion's Arch. If you head here there is a lot to learn.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2mHeAOC0gQiG5-x8_KTe_evN9PxUVT2FbHIRXIVvEjCW8c1TRWakyuTja_OjYE3dHwcyf0nUSm3Bs3D2_L1-sp7Dsw1Gj7FOEcZIZoyW4bz6CN2AP3oiT0u628qARCPjLvqXHFTjOzM/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2mHeAOC0gQiG5-x8_KTe_evN9PxUVT2FbHIRXIVvEjCW8c1TRWakyuTja_OjYE3dHwcyf0nUSm3Bs3D2_L1-sp7Dsw1Gj7FOEcZIZoyW4bz6CN2AP3oiT0u628qARCPjLvqXHFTjOzM/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of the first characters you will encounter is this Lionguard who seems to be acting as the camp coordinator. Talk to him to get an overview of the camp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ6vsYlZp8iNTMWmtlxRmceyLWnRL_pIof70kqa8Ewjdakk7L5VFTAMzuxcGCZDW1TFEB00MnHo4Bkk82nXYNSm_lI47oT73OG-p94qQv9wg24LseipRm39PTF5x9oggYnwndQVtclsI/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ6vsYlZp8iNTMWmtlxRmceyLWnRL_pIof70kqa8Ewjdakk7L5VFTAMzuxcGCZDW1TFEB00MnHo4Bkk82nXYNSm_lI47oT73OG-p94qQv9wg24LseipRm39PTF5x9oggYnwndQVtclsI/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch11.png" width="319" /></a></div>
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Seems our friends from the consortium are back. They are the mysterious benefactors we learned about on Monday. We first met them during the Karka Island events in November. I was wondering if that story line would some how connect into this and its seems it may. Talking with the various consortium agents you can learn a lot. Administrator Elpida Callis is in charge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqkT-m0lMF2vZqeeKWaPs3zhijtzET4swj4zsgFmQm0UE1EspP4hoL3vLC_E8peWpkYpHebu4GCMfNLwNnES2IXnv3A0B7JHy9U_H_l_FF2B5MS-ivYL51bCEDmmDNAsDrNhVD1VxXJk/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqkT-m0lMF2vZqeeKWaPs3zhijtzET4swj4zsgFmQm0UE1EspP4hoL3vLC_E8peWpkYpHebu4GCMfNLwNnES2IXnv3A0B7JHy9U_H_l_FF2B5MS-ivYL51bCEDmmDNAsDrNhVD1VxXJk/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch9.png" width="257" /></a></div>
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She tells us of a plan to help relocate the refugees here in Lion's Arch and to Southsun Cove. Something seems fishy here. Like read the line where she says, "we Consortium, <sarcasm>out of the kindness of our hearts</sarcasm>, have put together..." Did you hear the same sarcasm I did when reading that? A guildmate of mine even went so far as to suggest that the Consortium hired the Flame Legion and Dredge to attack the Norn and Charr in the first place. I am not so sure yet. This administrator seems like a smooth operator. Wouldn't put anything past her. She also speaks of some objects lost by the refugees on their journey here. To find them we will have to head to Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau (<a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-2.html">more on this tomorrow</a>). Before that though there are a couple other consortium employees we can talk with.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCGNMUzxNnWRs75BBAlVaT40ulN0Kp3fN1_20k-jEXNERJiQmoPXJNjFbYmPUqj2qSDa_XzfbAM5LhGDh_1lKbf-rgfsF0N3hCAuZfQi7i0o3cYTxrIlPhDKohBlQy8jR0IgmZsMPGL0/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCGNMUzxNnWRs75BBAlVaT40ulN0Kp3fN1_20k-jEXNERJiQmoPXJNjFbYmPUqj2qSDa_XzfbAM5LhGDh_1lKbf-rgfsF0N3hCAuZfQi7i0o3cYTxrIlPhDKohBlQy8jR0IgmZsMPGL0/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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How rude. This one seems shady. I will have my eyes on him. Maybe this other representative will know more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKANygmRXmtD_5K3qMAddh1nVSUjZye6zuDnjFE4Sw7KQDa-7BFjyC63Wn6E3PJ_ebWj7L-967NEsrXFovXqNNWkfCekxOqT80rvP7KkBv-aIwwA-cPGs_HpKDeJ2JQLHoVwEWHj_6Ki8/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKANygmRXmtD_5K3qMAddh1nVSUjZye6zuDnjFE4Sw7KQDa-7BFjyC63Wn6E3PJ_ebWj7L-967NEsrXFovXqNNWkfCekxOqT80rvP7KkBv-aIwwA-cPGs_HpKDeJ2JQLHoVwEWHj_6Ki8/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Not really. The fact that the Consortium seems to take every advantage to brag about their accomplishments seems to suggest some other motive. Maybe they are just braggarts. Looking around the camp there is a group of grawl. It seems they have been effected by the disaster as well. No one ever thought about them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9rTz-DJu63slARJI3iiuPMjQi3kusa2DNjokMnTP4kTHBrbkjBTQuB83IORh17H1aSRvyC2h4an4C1VpUFJNvAe3ICo1jaKwCk0uTwQqdhfKcaefkF6ouJ_LE1CXHWf3AzZBaXRYUi8/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9rTz-DJu63slARJI3iiuPMjQi3kusa2DNjokMnTP4kTHBrbkjBTQuB83IORh17H1aSRvyC2h4an4C1VpUFJNvAe3ICo1jaKwCk0uTwQqdhfKcaefkF6ouJ_LE1CXHWf3AzZBaXRYUi8/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Their leader has a lot to say. Seems like a new controversy is growing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSEPJ-EeiWITrZlKdwYS6VZK9gNpZadRqALhM4WJaph_7nwOGUovL8MhMJEj8aINaPLfFGZla-vU2xhoQhT3O1ty6ykYWeZNlhZpFoOUt1aqBuxemPmxWI_RBHJ4V0DORRmoHs0xSLFw/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSEPJ-EeiWITrZlKdwYS6VZK9gNpZadRqALhM4WJaph_7nwOGUovL8MhMJEj8aINaPLfFGZla-vU2xhoQhT3O1ty6ykYWeZNlhZpFoOUt1aqBuxemPmxWI_RBHJ4V0DORRmoHs0xSLFw/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch7.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Grawl seem to be the refugees of the refugee camp. Are we seeing some discrimination here? I wish I had checked this area out more before now to see if the Grawl actually were there first. It will be interesting to see how this story plays out. Perhaps something will grow out of this conflict. Or maybe Arena Net is just setting us up to have a soft spot for the Grawl.<br />
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Next there are two refugees that need the players help. You can talk with them to get their individual stories.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeYBx8h58IkouRuhcCfO60RfzFdod9TZ51gmCyIOMEqTpUOrWzX3RB7ESNzDrLLF33TY0m-Rw9i_sld6D_NtF4q9PyeWlmMFLofKWXi971Vj-VRO-GvHUZGqFDeMMOIDmvSPAnm1Vpvo/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeYBx8h58IkouRuhcCfO60RfzFdod9TZ51gmCyIOMEqTpUOrWzX3RB7ESNzDrLLF33TY0m-Rw9i_sld6D_NtF4q9PyeWlmMFLofKWXi971Vj-VRO-GvHUZGqFDeMMOIDmvSPAnm1Vpvo/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Seems this young charr has lost her toy wooden soldier. While exploring Diessa Plateau be sure to keep an eye out for this. There is also a Norn you can speak with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8W8fiCUxnGqV4EVlTLlwykv6a2lBvTia4XCEHujM5G9T0VdM4YpWlWdjimC0ExVtDNbJ_DXuIHQxQ97U1xct7QubOqO-MP35UsaHXAXOM_mYxsSle1VGewfQ8GDuj5f2BtduWVQXNSvQ/s1600/GatheringStormLionsArch8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8W8fiCUxnGqV4EVlTLlwykv6a2lBvTia4XCEHujM5G9T0VdM4YpWlWdjimC0ExVtDNbJ_DXuIHQxQ97U1xct7QubOqO-MP35UsaHXAXOM_mYxsSle1VGewfQ8GDuj5f2BtduWVQXNSvQ/s320/GatheringStormLionsArch8.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, typically, this norn is nothing without his favourite beer goblet. He has dropped it somewhere in Wayfarer Foothills. I will have more about both these stories in tomorrows article.</div>
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<h3>
Conclusions</h3>
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I am going to avoid drawing too many conclusions until I finish this article <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/03/living-story-gathering-storm-part-2.html">tomorrow with a look at Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau</a>. In general though, I am feeling upbeat again about the Living Story. There is a lot of new content to explore and with the ramp up coming next month I think this will become a great part of the game.</div>
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Which of the story lines presented in the cities so far most interests you? Do you think the consortium has any malicious intent? or is it really all generosity? Will the anything become of the grawl's exclusion? Will the norn Kirk ever be reunited with his lost ale goblet? I will keep discussing these topics tomorrow. Let me know what you think of the Living Story so far in the comments. See you tomorrow for part two.</div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-36747967337055931942013-02-28T03:42:00.003-05:002013-02-28T07:49:18.633-05:00The *new* Ascalonian Catacombs<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last night some guildies and I ran through story mode and all three explorable paths of Ascalonian Catacombs. Just hours before publishing this article I did another run of path 1 and path 2. My experience was great and I came out of the dungeon feeling that the encounters were much more interesting. If this is Arena Nets vision for all the dungeons then we are in for a treat. Today I would like to quickly go over these changes to Ascalonion Catacombs and provide you with the strategies we used to clear all three explorable paths. Here is <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/info/news/Game-Update-Notes-February-26-2013/first#post1514186">the official list of changes from the patch notes</a>.<br />
<br />
<i style="text-align: start;"><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Improved the skills on the cave troll boss. </span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Additional ghostly allies will now join Kholer</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Removed breeders from the spawns during Hodgins’ search for the first scepter</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Rebalanced the graveling dungeon army to make them more interesting and fun to fight</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Revamped the Ghost Eater fight to include Detha’s traps</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Revamped the Colossus Rumblus fight to give him new skills and abilities</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Revamped the Howling King encounter and made changes to his army</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Adjusted the health of dungeon creatures and bosses</span></i><br />
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<ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6j6JKwdBbh0Y1PP6zvbhTnrRNIdwG4J6t_PBBfRkS2-VysmUBOqPTGhKM8kaQiNMD86-Dyh8a-lUQ2NERBenX2n0dHm0iBDeNIyCCq1BK_HGN1w4EB6BF6HTyACqL6XalW6M26QZdn0/s1600/AC2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6j6JKwdBbh0Y1PP6zvbhTnrRNIdwG4J6t_PBBfRkS2-VysmUBOqPTGhKM8kaQiNMD86-Dyh8a-lUQ2NERBenX2n0dHm0iBDeNIyCCq1BK_HGN1w4EB6BF6HTyACqL6XalW6M26QZdn0/s200/AC2.png" width="200" /></a>These changes leave a lot open to interpretation which limits how I can write this article. I can not sit here and tell you facts about what was changed in every case. What I can provide is a narrative account of my group's and my own experience playing through this dungeon for the first time since the patch. Another thing to note is that not everything that has been changed has been recorded in the patch notes. <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/dungeons/Crusher-Hunter-Arah-3-Boss-Change/first#post1529010">Robert Hrouda had this to say on the forums</a> when called out,</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>I am not in charge of the patch notes – that’s someone else job, and they decided that the patch note wasn't worth including. Keep in mind we have to translate these things, and there could be several reasons it was not included, from budget to time constraint. I am working with the people who write the patch notes though, to not drop off as many as they have been lately for dungeons.</i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Not having the full patch notes is kind of frustrating when writing an article like this but last night it led to a sense of mystery. We didn't know what to expect or what exactly had changed. In the future though I for one would appreciate all the details they are willing to give on the changes made and then I can decide to look at them or not.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwyt-k-lt67Z5fhJI1xUO4Xkr1sF2JwiLBo9XgAp_244to1RzML5QpQGThy_mzF07EBUPucE4WgKySu1y6EXE5_MgKsMChlWEXhsac14uJPp5BeIGzgyMNU95_4pOXEEzyIlMvFbFdh0/s1600/AC1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwyt-k-lt67Z5fhJI1xUO4Xkr1sF2JwiLBo9XgAp_244to1RzML5QpQGThy_mzF07EBUPucE4WgKySu1y6EXE5_MgKsMChlWEXhsac14uJPp5BeIGzgyMNU95_4pOXEEzyIlMvFbFdh0/s320/AC1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The party that got it done. From left to right,<br />
Coal Blackroot, Thallorius, Me (Crushtastic), <br />
Arsenic Loki, and Keti Scheewolf</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have now run AC path 1 and 2 twice since the update and path three once. All my runs were with guildies. We did not use voice communication at all instead we relied on party chat. I ended up running with a variety of people but I had two primary groups. The first group consisted of four 80s (a thief, an engineer, a warrior, and a guardian) and a 35 (an elementalist). I couldn't tell you what each build is; however, as a group we had decent DPS and were fairly beefy. The second group consisted of five 80s (two thieves, a ranger, guardian/engineer, and a necro). This group had more DPS but less survivability. I played my thief both times and ran with <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2012/12/thief-build.html">my Jack-of-all-Trades thief build</a>. I also did a run through story mode. It served as a good warm up on the first night and we breezed through in under 20 minutes. There were no changes to this part of the dungeon so I will move on to the explorable paths.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsIf0TMoDg0MuJ7Gp6osBS71nxbO8K5DNpsLDhLTd6y9DXV7NnXD__5pCH2uaTwbe_l6_EASupw_Y_Q0d2PsoEq4Z5IrZRy_PrzjunHyfSLiGiU1Rq-Zm-Mj-Dn9kFDugIDtHbtRSpLo/s1600/AC5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsIf0TMoDg0MuJ7Gp6osBS71nxbO8K5DNpsLDhLTd6y9DXV7NnXD__5pCH2uaTwbe_l6_EASupw_Y_Q0d2PsoEq4Z5IrZRy_PrzjunHyfSLiGiU1Rq-Zm-Mj-Dn9kFDugIDtHbtRSpLo/s320/AC5.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The planning room. Which plan will you follow?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Spiders, Trolls, and Kholer</h3>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KmWfMs3CkCdQduQfz6lzFpu1G-C-ddHGzVd0RqI-X0KP6NWY6dvv1FnyagLTtIf-k_sXsDAu__XlStY4XKWyZ7JBAOfYX7UPAYwZ13hO4Y_yUiyl3xpVB0j1QuMd5H8ZCvFW0Fe_bM0/s1600/AC4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KmWfMs3CkCdQduQfz6lzFpu1G-C-ddHGzVd0RqI-X0KP6NWY6dvv1FnyagLTtIf-k_sXsDAu__XlStY4XKWyZ7JBAOfYX7UPAYwZ13hO4Y_yUiyl3xpVB0j1QuMd5H8ZCvFW0Fe_bM0/s320/AC4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like Queen like spiderling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first major encounter of the Dungeon is the Spider Queen. I ended up doing this encounter five times. On the first run we defeated it without issue. On the second run we wiped twice after spawning the Spider Queen before the spiderlings and gargoyles were defeated. We rallied and got it done. Our third attempt had no issues. Run four was with a new group and we had one wipe. Again we reset and cleared it. Run five was rocky but we made it through. The patch notes do not say anything specific changed with this encounter but we felt some things were different. The Spider Queens AoE was much stronger and she spat webs at us. The hardest thing to remember was that the AoE was actually a danger as before you could stand in it without issue. Once my groups had that in mind it was actually quite easy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0XAGC5oGPqpUqXCnPC7_SCyD38RuEhrEpxMNdgdexOM70TRn8oTOODEbVw5Cqf7qYuy5M4Sn3hkhNqB6Cd0Xa_VUKsUHYBwj8ju7gAOcp1IMJjBIc1mEZ3jV90uRuWdOrORPGCxECIg/s1600/AC8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0XAGC5oGPqpUqXCnPC7_SCyD38RuEhrEpxMNdgdexOM70TRn8oTOODEbVw5Cqf7qYuy5M4Sn3hkhNqB6Cd0Xa_VUKsUHYBwj8ju7gAOcp1IMJjBIc1mEZ3jV90uRuWdOrORPGCxECIg/s320/AC8.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Spider Queens web attack snares Keti.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another changed we noticed at this point was the big door blocking passage to the rest of the dungeon. This door does not disappear until the Spider Queen encounter is complete. I have never skipped the spider before as the reward it gives is worth the effort so this change actually does not effect me. I didn't even notice it on the first run through.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_3Prwx6a0FQIvRwJn7J5CGI1stANdDH535vGN1Tf3y_1Ryk3917mPCZzXdWEuKNfOCMptn0uAnH8zolarNMyO6svWAfn_Vgub3xw9MtAS8w1MFMW3BLe1yM7ZdU000yfhFSpSSjMVOg/s1600/AC9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_3Prwx6a0FQIvRwJn7J5CGI1stANdDH535vGN1Tf3y_1Ryk3917mPCZzXdWEuKNfOCMptn0uAnH8zolarNMyO6svWAfn_Vgub3xw9MtAS8w1MFMW3BLe1yM7ZdU000yfhFSpSSjMVOg/s200/AC9.png" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stalker evades my attacks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next you fight a group of gravelings which highlight some of their new abilities. They will knock you down and bleed you a lot more and the Graveling Stalker has an annoying evade ability where it turns transparent and is immune to direct damage for a time. This is kind of annoying but all-in-all individually gravelings aren't any bigger of a threat, but whenever they get together in groups they are extremely dangerous as they can chain knockdowns and knockbacks that will leave you crying.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SDTMZ0YxfhxMRPSQ1-REQj_QycZfuXL2ij505B2XmeJ4UWjLYwbXvA1-35GzsYfe_kje578CjoJzk2KRUzsmSicL6a0jY4vhYhnxlpDCq_wkX9Ti6crQqXVDnS1XPTIlsfeuLKlCf10/s1600/AC10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SDTMZ0YxfhxMRPSQ1-REQj_QycZfuXL2ij505B2XmeJ4UWjLYwbXvA1-35GzsYfe_kje578CjoJzk2KRUzsmSicL6a0jY4vhYhnxlpDCq_wkX9Ti6crQqXVDnS1XPTIlsfeuLKlCf10/s200/AC10.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kholer face tanks like a man.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The next major encounter is Kholer. Kholer is a thorn in the side of a number of people. I have never really had any issues with him. Once you know how to look for his tell (he raises his sword in the air) then the fight is rather trivial. The most obvious change to this encounter is that Kholer now spawns minions throughout the fight. Now it doesn't matter if you pull him away from his spawn location you will always have to deal with some adds. We simply focused the adds down and kept an eye out for Kholer's pull and we did fine. Occasionally someone would go down, we would laugh, and get back to it. Finally, it seems like Kholer performs the pull less often and his spin attack does less damage. I let him pull me in once and stood still during the spin attack and survived with around 100 HP. Overall, this encounter is much easier. We fought Kholer straight up three of the fives times I ran through AC and had no wipes.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
On the other two runs the Cave Troll spawned and we lured it to Kholer for a fight. Kholer beat the Troll on both occasions and we cleaned up. We could tell that the Troll had a number of new abilities including a glowing projectile attack which bounces from one target to the next. He also performs a jump with a radial knock back along five directions. I kind of wish they would put the Troll in places that forced your team to fight him. The temptation to lure him to Kholer for a show down is too great for most parties to turn down.</div>
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<br />
<h3>
Path One</h3>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next encounter to discuss is Path 1's Burrow Room. The burrows no longer spawn Breeders and instead they seem to spawn higher quantities of the lesser gravelings. I did this encounter twice and both times it proved a challenge. Both times we attempted the "traditional" method with one person defending and the rest taking down the burrows. Of the three or four times we tried this it always failed. As our experienced defender said, "Holy crap there are way more gravelings now." Other strategies that failed; a two pronged blitz across both sets of burrows, three defenders with two attackers, and two parties for each side of the room. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXPXiL6nGRn3w_HoLRuW4h_cYYS75FNpiJy2JUL9YMLc4RHn-6mCNo6xrzV9I0YxlNJKxqS-Bz0QtasFxWzEJi4vvOgl11kUEzn5vf6Snpx29F9HbFLJOuhiPLd5KYnV7ny86DEM_9fs/s1600/AC24.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXPXiL6nGRn3w_HoLRuW4h_cYYS75FNpiJy2JUL9YMLc4RHn-6mCNo6xrzV9I0YxlNJKxqS-Bz0QtasFxWzEJi4vvOgl11kUEzn5vf6Snpx29F9HbFLJOuhiPLd5KYnV7ny86DEM_9fs/s320/AC24.png" width="159" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of the strategy outlined.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Both times we succeeded we had to have strong coordination placing party members where they were strongest. The strategy we employed was actually quite complicated and it will help to give the players names to better describe it. Lets call them A, B, C, D, and E. A, B, and C start on the western burrow and D and E start on the burrow just above Hodgins (top image).<br />
<br />
A, B, C quickly destroy the western burrow while A moves on to the next burrow in the chain. B and C stayed behind where the first burrow was to screen the gravelings and finish them off. While this is going on D and E are killing the trash the comes out of the upper burrow without killing the burrow itself. Once B and C clear their gravelings C moves to the eastern side of the room to join D and E. B stays on screening duty (2nd image).<br />
<br />
At about this point A will finish off their burrow and will join B and finish off any gravelings in the area. Now the action shiftd to the eastern half of the room. C will continue screening the upper burrow while D and E break off and down the final burrow in the first chain (3rd image).<br />
<br />
Once that burrow is destroyed a lot of pressure is relieved. A and B will probably still be dealing with gravelings on the western half of the map while C, D, and E finish up the upper burrow and the one that comes after it. Each time they are leaving someone behind to screen and clear the gravelings that that left over. Once the final mound appears A and B will be in good position to attack it while C, D, and E protect Hodgins from the remaining gravelings (bottom image).</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
This wasn't easy either time we went through. When we did finally lock down the strategy it felt right and it actually went REALLY smoothly. It might not happen the first time you try. Don't be discouraged. You might need to come up with your own strategy for your party composition. Having the right people in the right place goes a long way.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mKXglZ-4qbnNPfDNsBowB0X3sbHNnd4-CVUak5FIHCGYON22Sm7eyj3hOmFzCRS5wrO-ksOGVDmfgtqTIgW9zaVwpekvpp4Ezjrup2Oc2w07Mdmfgn9B4QpK7xuoJf0UZjaQiEiHzvc/s1600/AC11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mKXglZ-4qbnNPfDNsBowB0X3sbHNnd4-CVUak5FIHCGYON22Sm7eyj3hOmFzCRS5wrO-ksOGVDmfgtqTIgW9zaVwpekvpp4Ezjrup2Oc2w07Mdmfgn9B4QpK7xuoJf0UZjaQiEiHzvc/s320/AC11.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Death Beam. Don't get derped.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To wrap up Path 1 we fought the Howling King. The first time I fought him my party cleared it no problem. The second time, however, we had great difficulty taking about 5 or 6 tries to finally crack it. There are a number of things to watch out for in this encounter. Firstly, is the death beam that the Howling King will let loose. It will down you and then keep going til you are dead. Luckily it seems to be very narrow and is easy to dodge. He also performs a small cone scream to those in front of him. The scream does little damage but it will cripple you and put about five stacks of confusion on you. This attack is subtle but deadly. If that wasn't enough to keep you busy there are also fire traps on the ground that are deadly to you and to the gravelings in the encounter.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The strategy going into this was to stay tight as a group and kite him around in a circle through the different fire traps. While that works in theory it usually quickly turned into a cluster with every one kind of having to look out for them selves. If you had gravelings on you then you kited them into a fire trap and they died. If not you put your best DPS on to the Howling King. Eventually everyone got the rhythm of the fight and we got it done. At one point I was the last one up with him at about 10% HP. My party encouraged me to go forward and try to solo it. I got him so close (like a hair away) before a graveling jumped me. Though I tried to get up with <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shadowstep">Shadowstep</a> I wasn't quick enough and was quickly jumped by three more gravelings and that was that.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyU1PCWuem2zEdAeBNRsdVxoWwLEQ_NQvAJvGvXimBikWP_K6HUhNVm48xnJpGkLSgXc0wGuSaX3xJd67tZuWYOkqq8QVDu41YoCLzZV__UlaptYOCsuNn_sdbrxxMFHTfxp4lDqXxX8/s1600/AC13.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyU1PCWuem2zEdAeBNRsdVxoWwLEQ_NQvAJvGvXimBikWP_K6HUhNVm48xnJpGkLSgXc0wGuSaX3xJd67tZuWYOkqq8QVDu41YoCLzZV__UlaptYOCsuNn_sdbrxxMFHTfxp4lDqXxX8/s320/AC13.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another death beam shot. Notice the fire traps.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In retrospect, I had to think about why my first run went so cleanly and I think it was because we natural fell into a rhythm of having three people on the Howling King while two others intercepted the gravelings. It all happened really quickly and I didn't really even get a chance to see what we did right. The fight is not in any respects trivial nor was the first group any better then the second. Thus, I think there are two strategies in this encounter. One would be an every man for himself style like my second group ended up using. Everyone needs to have strong condition removal and at least one stun breaker. The strategy here is that everyone looks after themselves. Ressing is tricky if you don't have a thief with <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shadow_Refuge">Shadow Refuge</a> as the gravelings will make mince meat of those reviving. The best bet is to keep moving and if you have gravelings on you burn them in the fire. The other strategy would be to have some players intercept the incoming gravelings BEFORE they get to those DPSing the Howling King. Once agro'd the gravelings are very hard to loose.<br />
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<br />
<h3>
Path Two</h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Next lets talk Path 2. The first encounter in this path is the trap room. Both times the trap room went down smoothly. In both instances, I took on the role of kiting the gravelings while the other four worked the traps. I derped on the second go and let the Breeder get past me. Luckily my party was fast acting and the person with the Breeder's agro joined me kiting and another took over the centre trap. I payed for my derp with my life so at least there was that justice. The first try though I did it no problem. I didn't even go down and usually I do (not that it is a big deal as you just rally of a dying graveling) and I was kiting on my own which I don't normally do.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvPoKinqviNSuhbvYjKnyb6HgVSeNE6pjFpKfqjxHmJEgae2AKuZkGjDR95UqIyIdp1IdOuJEeqelDmfzn9TCZTRgxSctxBDmUMlECUIaLZjaZbhHht-n9OpyS6mgy_owIhrBNE1Jvho/s1600/AC16.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvPoKinqviNSuhbvYjKnyb6HgVSeNE6pjFpKfqjxHmJEgae2AKuZkGjDR95UqIyIdp1IdOuJEeqelDmfzn9TCZTRgxSctxBDmUMlECUIaLZjaZbhHht-n9OpyS6mgy_owIhrBNE1Jvho/s200/AC16.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathing in the AoEs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The major difference in Path 2 was at the end of the encounter. Firstly, the Ascalonian ghosts which attack Detha, while she set up her traps, were much easier. I can not even begin to describe how much less damage they do. I remember standing in an area overlapping with Necromancer AoEs and laughing at how little damage I was taking. Both times we breezed through this part. This was a nice change as usually this is by far the hardest part of the path and probably the dungeon and it shouldn't be. It isn't a boss fight or anything. Thus, this was an excellent improvement.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P5kvxai6wqOIZwGZ88MDKxaf-kfvh27TQ6JtcFQgrgGy8ZAQ5q15KKrh4qqTJBX1icHa4FuGDjnauo4p83EIzUBbzZRp9goEKvCD4HFJdQdUqyBUd1BVeEVNjTIXq-iYC1nkgBqpxiA/s1600/AC17.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P5kvxai6wqOIZwGZ88MDKxaf-kfvh27TQ6JtcFQgrgGy8ZAQ5q15KKrh4qqTJBX1icHa4FuGDjnauo4p83EIzUBbzZRp9goEKvCD4HFJdQdUqyBUd1BVeEVNjTIXq-iYC1nkgBqpxiA/s320/AC17.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Ghost Shield" buff. Also notice the boss' description.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Ghost Eater is completely different than before. On the first run through we derped around for quite a while trying to figure out what exactly we had to do. It took about 5 minutes then we had it and finished the encounter without incident. The first thing to notice is the new buff on the Ghost Eater called "Ghost Shield". You know this buff is up when the Ghost Eater looks like a ghost. One of the effects of this shield is to make the The Ghost Eater invulnerable. The other effect is to cause to her to spawn oozes when attacked. Next thing to notice are the guns strewn about the room. The guns have two abilities, a lift and a pull. Neither does anything on its own but when an ooze is lifted it can be pulled. Once an ooze is pulled into range of a trap it will dissolve and provide power to the trap. Three oozes will completely power a trap. Once the Ghost Eater enters the area of a charged trap it will remove the Ghost Shield buff at which point you are free to do damage.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCB9K8ghNpcV2E8oqAhllsW2qNXqZvZBa1ROI64Xv8tRB5F7EYvTsQdvnhVmYE2ekaS6RO0Nsy_C22_Nn7Fe88yEeOhBgj-weRk9KOgrioiPMgpnLO3qGVtoLB2i2es1SMEvNcvlcJZDo/s1600/AC18.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCB9K8ghNpcV2E8oqAhllsW2qNXqZvZBa1ROI64Xv8tRB5F7EYvTsQdvnhVmYE2ekaS6RO0Nsy_C22_Nn7Fe88yEeOhBgj-weRk9KOgrioiPMgpnLO3qGVtoLB2i2es1SMEvNcvlcJZDo/s320/AC18.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ghost Eater in Ghost mode next to a trap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The second run was dicey and we wiped twice. The main danger in this fight is the AoE attack that the Ghost Eater performs. He will spit out goo that coats the floor doing big chunks of damage. You really need to avoid this. Luckily he will target one person and that person needs to kite the Ghost Eater around while the others take care of charging the traps. I would recommend kiting the Ghost Eater around a pole. That worked best for me. Keeping the Ghost Eater busy is important as the AoEs will block the traps.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSM4C_i_R3smGnKA_tmf0uYXMLlkIZLr-9EZaRf-mnDSV7bsgwDkvp6ORh7WIjnpUjBYCFCRoosElEGeCEwKCzwzBFKhHfx-aVQrL70gEwbCjzM2jRKRMOrZdLkJmOhSTe9r5KtLKsGRY/s1600/AC19.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSM4C_i_R3smGnKA_tmf0uYXMLlkIZLr-9EZaRf-mnDSV7bsgwDkvp6ORh7WIjnpUjBYCFCRoosElEGeCEwKCzwzBFKhHfx-aVQrL70gEwbCjzM2jRKRMOrZdLkJmOhSTe9r5KtLKsGRY/s320/AC19.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When the trap explodes a bright wave of light passes<br />
over the Ghost Eater removing his buff.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I see it there are two strategies you can employ. Firstly, you can do one trap at a time. The down side to this strategy is that the Ghost Eater can heal. It seems that he will release the oozes when attacked for a short period of time. When that time is up the oozes left will return to the Ghost Eater healing her. If you are quick there won't be problems if not then strategy two might be for you. This involves charging all three traps and then pulling him from one to the next. That should be enough to kill him. The down side to this is that you need to have someone in your party that can kite the Ghost Eater long enough to charge all the traps. I tried doing this for my party with some success. It wasn't easy though.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some general tips for this encounter would be to have all party members turn off auto attack. Attacking the Ghost Eater while he has his buff up will only cause oozes to spawn that will eventually heal him. Also, assigning party members as either pull and lift before you start and sticking to these assignments will help. Nothing is worse then lifting an ooze at the same time three others do. If your party is extremely coordinated then you might even have two groups with one pull and one lift in each focusing two oozes. My groups simply targeted an single ooze. The lifters lifted and the pullers pulled. Sometimes this was dicey but it got the job done.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Path Three</h3>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Finally, we come to part 3. I only ran this path once on the first night after the patch. And unfortunately all my screenshots from the first night didn't actually get taken. I blame FRAPs, FRAPs blames me. Whatever. There isn't much too see in this path that is different anyway. Most of the screenshot below were taken from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qi2DPa7m30&feature=youtu.be">this video which I have embedded below</a>.<br />
<br />
The Lovers room went down with no problems. We just ran from burrow to burrow quickly downing them. We weren't pro or anything and after the first five or so burrows were spinning around looking for the next one. Common sense of targeting the burrow when you see it payed off and we breezed through.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4BfrRAVq8QY-UXoPYNVPIsz84Gqk6yUB6Y8MmVCtvWBtOvfVCs5VWFfc1Hhy7-M98lIwXJeVZEaRztMmD_zbuTDBhGAn5l3TAo0A4e48MCGN63lCj9VRQCTR396a3TqxanbDWwhXWtQ/s1600/AC20.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4BfrRAVq8QY-UXoPYNVPIsz84Gqk6yUB6Y8MmVCtvWBtOvfVCs5VWFfc1Hhy7-M98lIwXJeVZEaRztMmD_zbuTDBhGAn5l3TAo0A4e48MCGN63lCj9VRQCTR396a3TqxanbDWwhXWtQ/s320/AC20.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the large AoEs from the roof collapse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The boss fight with Colossus Rumblus was challenging. We lost a party member right before the fight as well and were unable to replace him due to people being on different builds that night. In the end we did four man him. The main mechanic with this fight is basically the entire roof collapsing in on you and your party. The only place to take shelter from this is near the NPC named Grast who will put up a shield to defend everyone... sometimes. Whether he is meant to shield your group every time I do not know but it seems bugged to me. Right before Rumblus triggers the roof to cave in he waves around and kind of glows green. This seemed perfect for an interrupt but this also seems bugged. I hit him with a number of <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Headshot">Headshots</a> and was unable to interrupt the ability even though "interrupted" would display. <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/dungeons/New-Colossus-Rumblus/first#post1520181">On the forums Robert Hrouda is calling it bugged</a>.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Hmm, that seems like a bug. It was intended that you could interrupt the howl that caused the rocks to fall. I’ll send that over to our QA and get it verified.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjncX_OrHzG1Bknwduhe5W4IfbQ7pr551VerSDHn1q3dTWmppDwBJjlm6CjvFSuyEOZHp4lfZBnrc-dpdy7IZn0vV9HHY4r-4dISeYTxnq3eglVUwOUfllVsMvp1OmojD2viMNockxA8/s1600/AC23.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjncX_OrHzG1Bknwduhe5W4IfbQ7pr551VerSDHn1q3dTWmppDwBJjlm6CjvFSuyEOZHp4lfZBnrc-dpdy7IZn0vV9HHY4r-4dISeYTxnq3eglVUwOUfllVsMvp1OmojD2viMNockxA8/s320/AC23.png" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here the tell that indicated Rumblus<br />
is about to make the roof collapse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not sure how something like that slipped past them but alright. My party wiped a about a dozen times trying to crack this one. We even got wiped about 15 seconds into the encounter one time. Positioning is everything in this fight. If you get hit by the falling roof you get knocked down. If you get knocked down and do not have a way to get up you are going to go down and most likely will die. Ressing people is extremely difficult and it is best you just do not go down in the first place. Watch for Rumblus' tell and get near Grast for protection. Then watch out for Rumblus as he has knock backs that can hit you out of the shielded area.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
This is where I bring up the third potential bug in this encounter. If your party wipes you will need to rez Grast to even have a hope in your next fight. The problem is Rumblus will most likely be pathing over top over his dead body. Not only that once you do get Grast up he will pull a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCNJRfSZBU">Leroy Jenkins</a> into the fight at 50% HP. This isn't enough HP for him to survive the entire fight and he will go down again. You either need to get him back up or get dodging because he is your only line of defence. Some how he did go back to full HP for us and that was also the time we defeated Rumblus as we had Grasts' help the entire time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The final thing to mention about this encounter is that there might be a safe spot outside Grast's shield. While we were playing we noticed a spot under the archway of the ruins that seemed to be devoid of falling rocks. Shortly after spotting this we finished the encounter without getting a chance to test this. I did find this Youtube video of a guy using that spot to his advantage though.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1qi2DPa7m30?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It hasn't been confirmed on whether this is intentional or not but while the rest of the event is bugged I see no harm in taking advantage of this. This is a challenging fight without a doubt. Once the bugs are fixed it will most likely be enjoyable. Being able to interrupt the roof caving in will go a long way. Personally, I wish that the shield ability that Grast performed was in the hands of a player. Relying in an NPC is lame. Instead I feel there should be an item that a player can hold to generate the shield or be a thing sitting in the middle of the room that can be activated.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Conclusion</h3>
<br />
I think this has turned into the longest post I have ever written (I am also still finding grammer errors. Sorry one man show here!). There was a lot to talk about and I am not done yet! A lot of my guild mates have been asking me, "Is AC easier or harder now?" My answer to them is that it is neither. Some parts are easier some parts are harder. Overall, I would say it is more interesting. The mechanics for the boss fights are challenging and exciting. They definitely keep you on your toes and require cooperation. The only thing I would say this dungeon needs now are <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2012/12/dungeon-and-encounter-design.html">more spotlight moments</a> and it would be brilliant.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjgXRC88jkrfrglrHJcZH4GwzaoeWU0TH2S4NH38fNUHDh_9IbwBxumHYe3sJ3xjdRLu1jo6z_LCSf640dcmzTfpkbkvWVIZIaLunUDt-Dvfga60qmW_2tjq1NkoiFPL8CBLEqrfFQ3Q/s1600/AC15.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjgXRC88jkrfrglrHJcZH4GwzaoeWU0TH2S4NH38fNUHDh_9IbwBxumHYe3sJ3xjdRLu1jo6z_LCSf640dcmzTfpkbkvWVIZIaLunUDt-Dvfga60qmW_2tjq1NkoiFPL8CBLEqrfFQ3Q/s320/AC15.png" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meh loot.<br />
Thanks Kholer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If this is the path that Arena Net plans to take with all the dungeons then by all means carry on. These changes are excellent and much needed. I would also imagine that a number of new strategies will emerge in the next couple weeks that will help everyone in completing these dungeons in record times. The biggest hinderance to running the new AC will be your previous expectations to what the fights will be like. Go into the Spider Queen fight assuming the AoEs are no big deal and you will die. Assuming you can get away running dungeon without a stun removal will get you killed. If you put your brain to the task though and drop your expectations you will be fine. Just do not expect PUGs to know what to do or for that matter to even be aware that the dungeon has changed for the next month. If you aren't willing to put up with a wipe or two then do not run this dungeon until people learn what they are doing or stick with those that you know have completed it post patch.<br />
<br />
Sorry about the long post. I hope some of you have made it to this point. If so, let me know what your take on the new AC is? Have you run it? If not, what do you think of my take on it? Does it make you want to find a group and get out there and give it a go? Or does it intimidate you into not wanting to try? Let me know in the comments!</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-53545397634393638972013-02-26T16:15:00.003-05:002013-02-27T02:41:14.507-05:00Gathering Storm Patch Notes Up<div style="text-align: justify;">
The patch notes for <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/info/news/Game-Update-Notes-February-26-2013">the Gathering Storm are up on the forums</a>. Head over and check them out. The patch is now live. Currently, downloading. I was getting good speeds but now I am getting connection problems.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some highlights from the patch notes,</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Two new achievements, The Gathering Storm and Lost and Found, have been added to the Living Story category.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
The refugees’ oppressors are becoming more aggressive and have shown their faces in Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau. The refugees need qualified adventurers even more!</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Camps in Hoelbrak and the Black Citadel have become crowded. As a result, the refugees have begun moving on to Lion’s Arch. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Refugees arriving in Lion’s Arch have lost on the road precious objects from their homes. The objects will be difficult to find, but the refugees are more likely to tell their stories to the helpful adventurer who recovers their possessions.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sounds like a good ramp up for the Living Story. I will have updates here when I find them in game.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
You can now select the five daily achievements from a list that you will complete to receive the daily reward. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
You can now select which achievements are tracked on the right hand side of the screen through the Achievement tab on the Hero panel.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Added new rewards to the laurels vendors in all major cities.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been looking forward to this. The new rewards are just icing on the cake. Along with this comes an expanded selection of daily achievements such as do three jumping puzzles or score points in keg brawl.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Many of the encounters in the Ascalonian Catacombs Explorable have been revamped, including all three final boss fights.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is more details on this in the patch notes. If we can not do Guild Missions today then I will be running AC tonight to check out the changes.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
A new test version of our advanced event scaling algorithm has been applied to four high-level, regularly played events to help us monitor the feasibility of this system in the live environment. This new scaling algorithm dynamically increases the difficulty of events by using the current system of increasing the difficulty of existing creatures, while also adding a new system that substitutes creatures of lower difficulty with different creatures as the event scales up. If successful, this system will be slowly extended to other events across the game during 2013.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Firstly, I wonder which events have been changed. Hopefully they let us know instead of just leaving it to speculation. Secondly, this actually sounds awesome. I hope it works out well so events can accommodate more people.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Next are notes about item preview on the Trading Post, which is nice, but even better is the ability to preview the weapon in different states; sheathed, drawn, or by itself. Next is notes about the Guild Missions and new Guild Content. Nothing new to really note here that <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/an-overview-of-guild-missions.html">I didn't already mention here</a>.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Credit for killing creatures is now easier to receive in situations when many players are attacking a single target. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Increased the loot rewards on many world boss chests, including the chests in Orr temples and the dragon chests. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Fixed a bug on certain world boss chests that was causing them to drop fewer rewards than intended. These chests can now only be looted once per day, to encourage players to fight multiple bosses and spread out across the world.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, more loot, more loot, more loot less often. I will certainly take that. I have often thought that reducing the frequency of the dragons would be a good idea. My thought was to have the dragons spawn once a day at a random time. I like the above idea of only allowing players to grab the chest once per day. This lets them put better stuff in it and allows people of all time zones to enjoy their loot every day. I just worry that their won't be enough people willing to help if they have already received their chest for the day.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Daily achievement tracker now preserves expansion state.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nice quality of life change.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Fixed most cases of a bug where players would be stuck auto-running when attempting to pick up a bundle.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know this is a big one for a lot of people. Some guildies went nuts reading that one as did some people on twitter.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Lesser air elementals now have legs and a tail.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
First thing I am doing when I get in game is checking that out. I can not even imagine what this will look like.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Black Peppercorns no longer drop from Mature Herb and Verdant Herb nodes.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Will price go up on TP? Who knows. I'll probably buy a bunch when I get in game just in case.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Increased the drop rate of Passion Flowers from Passiflora Vines.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This might also be a good thing to harvest after the patch to take advantage of the high prices before they fall.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Increased the drop rate of exotics in the profession gear boxes sold by laurel vendors.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another nice change. Might make these boxes worth it. Sounds like we are getting a lot more loot this patch. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Using stealth no longer resets NPC aggression tables.</blockquote>
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If this means what I think it means this will be a really nice update. What I think this means is that when you enter stealth the monster will no longer untether and reset, but will instead wait for you to come out of stealth. Which will be nice as I have had creatures reset and heal on me before.</div>
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Cleaned up hit detection for melee attacks targeting inanimate objects.</blockquote>
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I hope this finally fixes the issues we have all been experiencing with this since launch.</div>
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Changed the orange swords combat marker [in WvW] to show only if more than 25 people are in combat in the area.</blockquote>
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I think it used to show up with five or more people. Changing this to a higher number is excellent and will hopefully break up some zergs.</div>
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Fixed an issue that allowed NPCs with Righteous Indignation to still take condition damage.</blockquote>
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Was always wondering when they would fix this. Will make choices to take the supply camps much more strategic.</div>
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Well my game is patched and those are about all the highlights I wanted to mention. Time to play.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-61780675797051953692013-02-26T08:00:00.001-05:002013-02-26T08:03:56.926-05:00Pre-patch Living Story Change<div style="text-align: justify;">
It seems that every Monday there are some changes in the Living Story even if there is full on <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/february-2013/">patch the next day</a>. Not much has changed since <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/small-changes-in-living-story.html">my last update</a> but I did want to update everyone no matter how small the change. </div>
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This week we see changes just to the refugee coordinator in Hoelbrak. The coordinator in the Black Citadel has not had any changes. Also as far as I can tell Wayfarer and Diessa also remain unchanged. Here is the coordinators new dialogue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QDGvmB831ocOB8py0p8aaqVChrEeOxwdQpvlqJ7oFby3ROFIUmCTZ5YUwh8mXsnK0PUyShUFnrlicrcFAIxoZq-LNCOUt_juh0qRIJIXuKekxt4IFqD8retuvw8WltoSWAGHFO9Tag4/s1600/LivingStory3U1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QDGvmB831ocOB8py0p8aaqVChrEeOxwdQpvlqJ7oFby3ROFIUmCTZ5YUwh8mXsnK0PUyShUFnrlicrcFAIxoZq-LNCOUt_juh0qRIJIXuKekxt4IFqD8retuvw8WltoSWAGHFO9Tag4/s320/LivingStory3U1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Looking around I was unable to find any evidence for who the mysterious benefactor might be. I also popped over to Lion's Arch to look for refugees and was unable to find any.</div>
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We also get our first confirmation that the Dredge and the Flame Legion are working together. I some how still think that there is more to this though and we do not have the full story. Other places I have looked for changes but found none are The Great Lodge, Sigfast and Skarti's lodges, Lion's Arch (all over), the dead merchant, the merchant body guard, the small refugee camp near Dolyak Pass, and the Burrows of Moledavia. </div>
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Since there were few changes in the Living Story I thought I would point out an NPC in Diessa Plateau that intrigues me. Her name is Zola Swiftstep and she can be found on the western edge of Diessa Plateau near Silex Castrum which is a POI just south of the Wurm's Gullet. This NPC has been in Diessa ever since I have been coming here daily for the Living Story. Silex Castrum is a small Flame Legion base that Zola has been keeping an eye on. Here is what she has to say,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSGukB9HwbXZvWYUgzOOmopEXoI4Od7qZfMegAXfY-PNcR-9ZiPxCTcLNBt8gKYl4VJvKyUBJKkHsGxd9cJQTzwsqAqOtjSc5UMz8Y2PRbmRq_eGwB5PEIvureamZ747_OnBQwOqNKdE/s1600/LivingStory3U2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSGukB9HwbXZvWYUgzOOmopEXoI4Od7qZfMegAXfY-PNcR-9ZiPxCTcLNBt8gKYl4VJvKyUBJKkHsGxd9cJQTzwsqAqOtjSc5UMz8Y2PRbmRq_eGwB5PEIvureamZ747_OnBQwOqNKdE/s320/LivingStory3U2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wonder if she will play a part in the upcoming story since she has had eyes on the Flame Legion. If the Flame Legion are involved it seems like she has failed in her duty. Otherwise it would seem like the Flame Legion are not involved. I am grasping at straws here though.</div>
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Slowly the Living Story moves forward. Reading what <a href="http://dragonseason.com/Front/tabid/124/EntryId/210/Lunch-with-Colin-Johanson.aspx">Colin Johanson had to say about the Living Story in recent interviews</a> it seems to me that the Living Story was created as a solution to the problems seen with the November one-time event. A lot of people were not very happy about being forced into coming online at a certain time (especially if you weren't in North America) and the servers couldn't handle all the people anyway. Thus, the move seems to be to get away from one-time events and move towards content that players can access at their leisure. As for what is to come here is what Colin has to say,</div>
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<i>You’re not going to see a ton of stuff in February, [it’s mostly about the story] more setup stuff. (When) we hit the end of the year and decided to really make that a big thing for 2013 and as a result [this didn’t leave us much time to] build a lot of stuff yet, so I think walking towards March and April we’ll get into the cadence of what a living story can be and then that will build from there as the year goes on.</i></blockquote>
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This doesn't give us much hope for what to expect in the near future. Sounds like February will be about as exciting as January, but there is hope for March and April. Here is another quote from Colin,</div>
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<i>I mean, take everything that happened in January, and condense it down to say, a weeks worth of content and then the next week there’s more story that builds on that. Is that something that would interest you guys?</i></blockquote>
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It is hard to say if even that would be enough as this entire month has done nothing to advance things. As Bhagpuss stated in the comments to last weeks Living Story update, "If this were an actual story in a book we'd still be on the first page. If it was a movie we'd still be in the pre-credit sequence." And it is true. I would not put up with this on a weekly basis. The Living Story needs to be more real. Right now it is completely immersion breaking as the effects of it are not actually visible in the world. If an NPC tells you there are scouts somewhere then there should be scouts there. If an NPC says refugees are moving to Lion's Arch then there should be refugees in Lion's Arch. If there is a massive disaster that has destroyed the homes of hundreds then some where there should be evidence of destroyed homes. </div>
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On the other hand, if what Colin means is that weekly we would receive a couple dozen dialogue changes, new NPCs, new events, and new structures then I could get behind that so long as a story is actually told that I can interact with in the world. If the plan is to have a story told by NPCs that you can not actually see the effects of in the real world then they might as well just save themselves the time and just add <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/18uwhf/ive_catalogued_the_books_from_the_durmand_priory/">a new book to the Priory Library</a>.</div>
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What do you guys think? Do you have hopes for this story going forward? Have I missed anything that changed this week? Let me know in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-73075225574588402782013-02-24T12:25:00.002-05:002013-02-24T12:29:22.080-05:00This Week in Guild Wars 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
Every Friday, Raphia at <a href="http://guildmag.com/">GuildMag</a> goes through all the community articles for the week and <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-63">rounds them up into one giant article</a>. Every week I like to go through this list and pick out my favourites to share with you guys. The articles I pick out tend to compliment the content that I have here on my blog. I also try to sneak in some Red Posts and news from Arena Net that I may have missed earlier in the week.</div>
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Straight from Arena Net</h3>
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First off, there is <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/bag-slots-and-bank-tabs-are-20-off/">a sale in the Black Lion Trading Post on bag slots and bank tabs</a>. This sale will last until February 26th so get them now while they are 20% off. Guild Wars 2 is also on sale. Right now you can purchase <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/save-over-30-on-guild-wars-2/">Guild Wars 2 for 30% off</a>. If you know someone looking to get into the game now is a good time. They have until Febraury 25th to get in on the sale.</div>
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Bobby Stein, Guild Wars 2 Lead Writer, has been busy <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/story/I-hate-personal-stories-Did-I-fail-the-game/first#post1459802">posting in a thread about the personal story</a>. He has a number of posts in this thread but my favourite concerns Trahearne,</div>
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<i>[Trahearne] didn’t resonate well with some players for a variety of reasons. We’re comparing external feedback with our own, since we have plans for Trahearne and other existing characters in future live updates and expansion content. We won’t spoil what we’re discussing, other than to say we’re looking at many different options for his current implementation and beyond.</i></div>
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My vote would be to have Trahearne become corrupted and become a boss everyone gets to kill. It would be the just thing to do.</div>
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Recently Colin Johanson had lunch with a number of lucky fans. <a href="http://dragonseason.com/Front/tabid/124/EntryId/210/Lunch-with-Colin-Johanson.aspx">Dragon Season was kind enough to transcribe the entire conversions into a Q and A style document</a>. It is divided into three parts <a href="http://dragonseason.com/Front/tabid/124/EntryId/210/Lunch-with-Colin-Johanson.aspx">here</a>, <a href="http://dragonseason.com/Front/tabid/124/EntryId/211/Lunch-with-Colin-Johanson-Part-II.aspx">here</a>, and <a href="http://dragonseason.com/Front/tabid/124/EntryId/212/Lunch-with-Colin-Johanson-Part-III.aspx">here</a>. For even more check <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23foodwars&src=typd">twitter hash tag #foodwars.</a></div>
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Finally, is this video where Arena Net is reproducing <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/harlem-shake">the Harlem Shake meme</a>.</div>
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Gloopy the Quaggan</h3>
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The first episode of <a href="http://vikingclan.eu/index.php?file=Page&name=Gloopy">a video series titled "Gloopy"</a> has been posted to <a href="http://vikingclan.eu/index.php">the French site vikingclan.eu</a>. The video contains no dialog and can be enjoyed by anyone. It is rather odd but some how compelling. I want to know more. Check it out for your surreal moment of the week.</div>
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The Guild Wars Chef</h3>
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This blog, <a href="http://guildwarschef.blogspot.ca/">Guild Wars Chef</a>, is really neat. The author takes foods in Guild Wars 2 and makes them - for real. So far the blog has featured a new recipe each week complete with pictures of the finished products. This is a really neat idea and I especially like the idea crafting <a href="http://guildwarschef.blogspot.ca/2013/02/week-7-edas-apple-pie.html">some tasty food for myself</a> for a change. I will definitely be following this blog in the future and if I ever feel adventurous in the kitchen I may even try a recipe or two.</div>
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Inventory Full is Guild Wars 2 a Theme Park?</h3>
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One of my favourite gaming blogs, <a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/">Inventory Full</a>, has a great article this week on the merits of the open world event system. Is Guild Wars 2 simply a theme park? If so is it a good thing? Bhagpuss discusses this and more<a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/2013/02/sunday-in-park-gw2.html?showComment=1361724019315#c2531446040586057555"> in his article titled, "Sunday in the Park"</a>. If there is an article you read this week, make it this one. Bhagpuss's witty writing style is always enjoyable and this week it is backed up with a solid critical viewpoint. Definitely my favourite article of the week.</div>
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Kill Ten Rats on Guild Wars 2 Expansion</h3>
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The rumour of a Guild Wars 2 expansion has been floating around for a while now and it is something I have been meaning to discuss here on Egg Baron. Ravious at <a href="http://www.killtenrats.com/">Kill Ten Rats</a> does a good job rounding up all the evidence for an expansion into one place. Is an expansion coming? Probably. Head over to <a href="http://www.killtenrats.com/2013/02/15/gw2-expansion-calculus/">Kill Ten Rats for all the details</a>.</div>
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Guild Wars 2 Hub debates Trading Legendary Weapons</h3>
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The guys at <a href="http://www.guildwars2hub.com/">GW2 Hub</a> have continued their debate series this time tackling<a href="http://www.guildwars2hub.com/features/last-whiskey-bar/legendary-weapons-should-they-be-tradeable"> the issue of whether legendary weapons should be tradable on the Trading Post</a>. It is something I have thought long and hard about and I have to say I am clearly on the side of they should not be tradable. Innuendo takes the side of against trading them and nails the points I would have laid out. If you are unfamiliar with this debate check out this article for a good primer.</div>
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Malefic Incantations on the Defiant Buff</h3>
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Optimus Maleficus from <a href="http://maleficincantations.com/">Malefic Incantations</a> has <a href="http://maleficincantations.com/2013/02/21/defying-explanation/">an excellent post on his blog about the Defiant Buff</a>. This buff can be found on most champion or higher level monsters in Guild Wars 2 and is the bane of many a player. Personally I have spent some time attempting to learn exactly how this worked. I thought I had all the details but Optimus's article taught me quite a bit about the nuances of how this mechanic works. It is a really neat article.</div>
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Guildcast Episode 62</h3>
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<a href="http://gamebreaker.tv/">Gamebreaker.tv</a>'s Guild Wars 2 show <a href="http://www.gamebreaker.tv/video-game-shows/guildcast-guild-wars-show/guild-wars-2-mission-system-gc-62/">Guildcast keeps on coming</a>. This week they look at what to expect in the Febraury patch, the Living Story, and loot. As always it is a fun packed hour with Gary Gannon, Richie Procopio, and Elixabeth Claire (Scott Hawkes was mia this week). They even mention a certain blog when discussing gold making strategies. I try to catch this show <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/gamebreakertv">live every week on Wednesday @ 6/9pm PST/EST</a>.</div>
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Matt Visual on Consumables</h3>
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The always entertaining <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MattVisual?feature=watch">Matt Visual</a> is back this week with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzymDv4bcts">a great video on the various consumables in game</a>. There are some great Boofs to be had, but hey, you probably do not even know what a Boof is. And you won't until you watch this video. But, seriously, Matt is making the most entertaining Guild Wars 2 videos out there. Subscribe to this guys channel. You won't regret it.<br />
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Wooden Potatoes on Traditional Questing</h3>
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Is Guild Wars 2 missing something? Is is Traditional Questing? I don't know. In his most recent video Wooden Potatoes provides an excellent argument to why he feels that traditional questing could add an extra layer of depth to Guild Wars 2. I guess it coudln't really hurt the game and I totally agree with Potatoes that traditional quests are something Arena Net should not be completely avoiding. Sure, focus on dynamic events, but don't forget about the good things that traditional quests had to offer.<br />
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That is my round up for this week. For <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-63">the full list of all the community articles this week</a> head over to Guild Mag. Let me know what your favourite article were this week in the comments.</div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-66128886688837533652013-02-24T05:10:00.001-05:002013-02-24T05:23:28.388-05:00A Preview of Guild Missions<div style="text-align: justify;">
On Thursday, on <a href="http://guildwars2.com/">GuildWars2.com</a> <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/leah-rivera-on-new-guild-missions/">an article by Leah Rivera appeared detailing Guild Missions</a>. Additional details can be found in <a href="http://dragonseason.com/Front/tabid/124/EntryId/210/Lunch-with-Colin-Johanson-Part-I.aspx">an interview conducted by Dragon Season</a> during a meet and greet held by Arena Net. Even more from this meet and greet can be found <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23foodwars&src=typd">on Twitter with the hash tag #foodwars</a>. Putting this all together we start to get a really good picture of what the Guild Missions will be. It all sounds really interesting. Today I would like to discuss the features we have learned about the Guild Missions so far and give you my thoughts on what is to come.</div>
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Guild Missions are a new form of PvE play that Arena Net is introducing into Guild Wars 2 with <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/february-2013/">the February patch</a>. The missions are designed for large coordinated groups and will be started by a Guild that has unlocked the event through research. The missions will come in a number of difficulties as well as five different types. The types are, Bounty, Trek, Challenge, Rush, and Puzzle. You can get a good idea of what each of the mission types will be, except Trek, by watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z_8_yKMzGA">the video embedded below and in the Arena Net blog post</a>.<br />
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<b>Bounty</b> is the mission type that has been talked about the most. It is the first Guild Mission that will be available once researched. The Bounty mission will have various mobs spawn across multiple zones which your team will need to take down in a given time limit. Colin Johanson said in his interview with Dragon Season that the larger Bounty missions will have your guild spread out across five zones each with a boss that needs to be taken down. The smaller tier, however, will have three bosses in three zones. He also said that when the Guild Mission is launched a random selection of monsters will be selected from and spawned meaning the mission should be different each time.</div>
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<b>Trek </b>is probably the mission that we know the least about but the one I am personally most interested in. The only thing I know about this mission type is what Leah Rivera said in the official Arena Net blog post. "Think you know Tyria? Well the Tyrian Explorer’s Society has a challenge for you! Find the list of locations before time runs out." I feel I have good knowledge of Tyria. I have three 80s and a 50. I have 100% World Completion on my Thief, 72% on my Elementalist, 62% on my Warrior, and 33% on my Mesmer (266% in all). I have explored some regions quite thoroughly for articles here including Wayfarer Foothills, Diessa Plateau, Black Citadel and Hoelbrak for <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/search/label/living%20story">the Living Story</a> and <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/ebonhawke-last-city-of-ascalon.html">Ebonhawke because it is awesome</a>. Learning more about Tyria sounds like fun and I feel I would be a great help to my guild in this mission type.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some where along the Dragon Brand...</td></tr>
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We learn the most about <b>Challenge </b>from Leah Rivera's blog post and the video that accompanies it. The official word is that the Challenge mission will "leverage [the] existing event system" and be "specifically geared to require multi-group, coordinated play to succeed." Watching the video we first see a group of heroes fighting somewhere along <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dragonbrand">the Dragon Brand</a> then we see a group fighting the Krait underwater and finally they are fighting Karka in Southsun Cove. I look forward to learning how these missions will differ from existing events.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Branded creatures feature in this Guild Challenge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone in the pool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_C4axrTi9-1Crmoi8EfMuTLpGMyIhG6cmYo5QjfngDz0KGDkUc5cN7Vq-Jnq4Dgyk1lwdSMRDI9WGvyPVpVeGpp5t11H9cebnHi9hi1DpQv0sSORlh54v3FDqoElBYO6CAGIabX_Pzc/s1600/GuildMissions1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_C4axrTi9-1Crmoi8EfMuTLpGMyIhG6cmYo5QjfngDz0KGDkUc5cN7Vq-Jnq4Dgyk1lwdSMRDI9WGvyPVpVeGpp5t11H9cebnHi9hi1DpQv0sSORlh54v3FDqoElBYO6CAGIabX_Pzc/s320/GuildMissions1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flashbacks are already starting.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqLa6uy3qRuvhVkVy74FB7Y0LuOK_47qvyRPCcDyl_BpWQ4ZOw0BMgNs5sDH01Cf3g4sZWJ0qFVPyuk_rN_bIbJlL6mVt6WVaCNsH6_YfJCm7lOFi7OiFAAGOJMmPjsWVrMXcD5WeNS4/s1600/GuildMissions6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqLa6uy3qRuvhVkVy74FB7Y0LuOK_47qvyRPCcDyl_BpWQ4ZOw0BMgNs5sDH01Cf3g4sZWJ0qFVPyuk_rN_bIbJlL6mVt6WVaCNsH6_YfJCm7lOFi7OiFAAGOJMmPjsWVrMXcD5WeNS4/s320/GuildMissions6.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken run. Looks like stealth is one of your abilities.</td></tr>
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<b>Rush </b>as described by Leah Rivera is, "a mad dash over harrowing terrain, traps, and other hidden dangers." In the video we see a group of players running past monsters, first, while transformed into chickens and, second, transformed into spirit wolves. To me, this looks like it will be a lot like the Underwater Fractal where you are transformed into a Dolphin. In Dolphin form you have the ability to "ping" around you to see hidden enemies, you can send out a decoy to fool enemies, you can dash forward, and finally, you can revive allies from a distance. The goal is to use these abilities to swim through a maze and avoid the Krait. I would be very surprised if this is not what Rush was like.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKiBXub7Rea_c5NY3LPU4FoIy_IEht45-7u2ygZegdJ5CIMY5FV-TZWzbMetk9nkBJH73wMwB9YEWPLzZ6r6DYkgyPTW2OtM_h0wJ5qTZiRffi8E7PVX30QzY5rJkPtvNK-CdF5jBcGnI/s1600/GuildMissions5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKiBXub7Rea_c5NY3LPU4FoIy_IEht45-7u2ygZegdJ5CIMY5FV-TZWzbMetk9nkBJH73wMwB9YEWPLzZ6r6DYkgyPTW2OtM_h0wJ5qTZiRffi8E7PVX30QzY5rJkPtvNK-CdF5jBcGnI/s320/GuildMissions5.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we see the Spirit Wolves buffing each other. Also notice the banners. Will this be slalom style?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pretty room in this first puzzle featured.</td></tr>
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Finally, <b>Puzzle </b>looks like it will be the most complex. Described as, "a puzzle and a jumping challenge all in one," this mission type looks like it is setup to highlight group play and individual talent. In the video we see players performing a group jumping puzzle, fighting monsters, and navigating a maze. The variety of things to do in the Puzzle mode looks interesting, but I wonder if these will remain interesting once they are solved. My guild has a lot of fun with "jumping puzzle nights" where we all get together to complete a series of jumping puzzles and race to see who can finish first sometimes with prizes. Others in the guild, however, have great difficultly with the jumping puzzles due to a number of factors from skill to hardware and rendering issues. I think views on this game mode will be very polarized from those that love it to those that hate it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpyIleYbUY_5pPBLKjAOPa3M58VWwvlTlZHDIDNvxa6RAXIYz-O12Vw4ypExfaBYM0NaO1wainjPK3HJs9jP-JjlHfVt1UYs8C_CL98nSs-7EaqW2ZolF6AYdTBFEwwZmE1NWUiU7K94/s1600/GuildMissions13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpyIleYbUY_5pPBLKjAOPa3M58VWwvlTlZHDIDNvxa6RAXIYz-O12Vw4ypExfaBYM0NaO1wainjPK3HJs9jP-JjlHfVt1UYs8C_CL98nSs-7EaqW2ZolF6AYdTBFEwwZmE1NWUiU7K94/s320/GuildMissions13.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Human statues on one side of the room and three Charr statues on the opposite. An Ascalonian riddle? </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not really sure what is going on in here, but again, it is a enjoyable view.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivGpRApMPW31IJ0UuezcUlNIKcYuQh8zjBORlYUyaALDDhXHw_q7n_8k4GvLMZtFh3oJma-mIcFHV8FaLp4fU5KnXyw2tnikfWh8RycpwKEGrxcb6XI-NTLj5SYYU7NPnSvjhCUIPKBc/s1600/GuildMissions11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivGpRApMPW31IJ0UuezcUlNIKcYuQh8zjBORlYUyaALDDhXHw_q7n_8k4GvLMZtFh3oJma-mIcFHV8FaLp4fU5KnXyw2tnikfWh8RycpwKEGrxcb6XI-NTLj5SYYU7NPnSvjhCUIPKBc/s320/GuildMissions11.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumping will feature in the Guild Puzzles.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOhOQ4jCTHUnKF5kpV_Nve2yj85eJa_xvLG3fRvUD1jidEZ7n3wGZ9ysiyw0nkFLjo_37lkwdeK5BMTcGcDijIbfrGJLMKYPmbKiebGhTYxNbyc5g0PMVOu9KXGO_rCjkwZbFqSDb2EM/s1600/GuildMissions8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOhOQ4jCTHUnKF5kpV_Nve2yj85eJa_xvLG3fRvUD1jidEZ7n3wGZ9ysiyw0nkFLjo_37lkwdeK5BMTcGcDijIbfrGJLMKYPmbKiebGhTYxNbyc5g0PMVOu9KXGO_rCjkwZbFqSDb2EM/s320/GuildMissions8.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As will mazes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVM6IpD0YRZI3YVuEZzciv8bq_Ntmpx5HxfKNY-BPQMClkuBH3N4NHAw2VdaiL6qL7IrRb_4mE14jCzDIoylCzzCAz4uo0IiaFHmb5vpVHk98VUyhAqK_Pg9TSfhTH5_AGvVElnoPeL8/s1600/GuildMissions9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVM6IpD0YRZI3YVuEZzciv8bq_Ntmpx5HxfKNY-BPQMClkuBH3N4NHAw2VdaiL6qL7IrRb_4mE14jCzDIoylCzzCAz4uo0IiaFHmb5vpVHk98VUyhAqK_Pg9TSfhTH5_AGvVElnoPeL8/s320/GuildMissions9.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Puzzles. Notice the different animal silhouettes above each station.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DEerkimEqNnn1L51bkYrdFPXHmM5Ml5EPlr-oldPVkqmQmGpcyDsPuFBWNNbuiAj4aSlymGNrU-LSfcKYsMXRb8Fg2Tj0bY03ZdUnLAJxubuy_1ozqIk8YEktZfJSWMuI0KaP7tINW4/s1600/GuildMissions10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DEerkimEqNnn1L51bkYrdFPXHmM5Ml5EPlr-oldPVkqmQmGpcyDsPuFBWNNbuiAj4aSlymGNrU-LSfcKYsMXRb8Fg2Tj0bY03ZdUnLAJxubuy_1ozqIk8YEktZfJSWMuI0KaP7tINW4/s320/GuildMissions10.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Asura style architecture, perhaps this is a swiftness buff or an elevator control.</td></tr>
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The Controversy</h3>
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It did not take long after the announcement of Guild Missions for <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/New-guild-missions-opinions-concerns/first">a bit of a controversy to break out</a>. Most of this is in relation to <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Will-Guild-Missions-need-a-levelled-Guild/first#post1486566">a post made by Anthony Ordon</a>. The post itself was harmless and merely an answer to the question of how guilds will go about unlocking the various missions. His answer is as follows,</div>
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<i>Each guild mission type becomes available through an upgrade that is researched in the guild tech tree. The first one is Guild Bounties, which does require Art of War level 5.</i></blockquote>
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A lot of players are concerned about this because they have smaller guilds which have yet to unlock Art of War at all. The Art of War research chain contains upgrades useful for WvW which many guilds have, up to this point, decided are unnecessary. Unlocking this entire chain would take 36,500 influence which is a lot for a small guild to put together. Influence can be purchased at a rate of 2 gold per 1,000 influence making Tier 5 Art of War cost 73 gold in total. A lot of people are concerned that their 2-3 person guild will not be able to obtain this. <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/New-guild-missions-opinions-concerns/page/5#post1492059">Here is Arena Net's response</a>,</div>
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<i>Our goal with this system is to give guilds activities and long-term progression that they can accomplish by working together as a guild. These missions are meant to be difficult and challenging to not only unlock, but to accomplish.</i></blockquote>
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<i> We would also like to make every guild upgrade line valuable to every guild. Currently, Art of War is very focused on PvP and WvW, but our plan is to continue to add more guild upgrades in the Art of War line to accomplish this. These Guild Missions are the first step. Along with this system, we also added a number of new guild upgrades that guilds can earn.</i></blockquote>
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<i>In the end, our goal for all of this content is to give guilds new goals and challenges to accomplished once they have researched deeply into each line, as well as require guilds to have researched multiple lines to unlock some upgrades. We expect guild members to have to work together as a guild to earn the influence needed to unlock these new missions, as well as overcome the challenge of the missions themselves.</i> </blockquote>
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<i> In the future, we plan to continue to add more guild upgrades, as well as continue to add challenging guild missions, as we don’t want guilds to run out of goals and accomplishments they can achieve.</i></blockquote>
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I, personally, think this is a perfectly valid response. Guild Missions are not designed for 1 or 2 people to be able to do. As Colin Johanson said in his interview with Dragon Season, the easiest Bounty mission has 3 bosses spawn in three different zones. He figures it would take 10-15 people to finish this mission. If you then consider the cost of 73 gold across 10-15 people that is only 5-8 gold per person which is not a whole lot. This content is not designed for solo play. This is the content that a lot of us have been waiting for that will engage an entire guild. If you still want to be in your 2-3 person guild the great thing about Guild Wars 2 is you can join multiple guilds. <a href="http://hyperion-overlords.enjin.com/">My guild</a> is very receptive to allowing people to mutli-guild so long as you stop in to say hello to us every once in a while. Thus, I really do not see what the issue is. Just join another guild for doing Guild Missions. With guesting you do not even need to find a guild on your server. If playing with others in a coordinated style is not the play you are interested in then Guild Missions are not for you.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DmVx3U97qRV8k2eg2zsDcUF-xkqDbxo7y9m7AA3rq-pi3B80l4YpV2T0HM1x3UxeIulMCQyaBJsRq0LufKf7osx-nHHcT06_WkgxKxU0YFZ01qZH9i2vDRHU_LbzBtgWNBQi8LEWeLo/s1600/GuildMissions16.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DmVx3U97qRV8k2eg2zsDcUF-xkqDbxo7y9m7AA3rq-pi3B80l4YpV2T0HM1x3UxeIulMCQyaBJsRq0LufKf7osx-nHHcT06_WkgxKxU0YFZ01qZH9i2vDRHU_LbzBtgWNBQi8LEWeLo/s200/GuildMissions16.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Guilds Influence count.</td></tr>
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Maybe, I am biased though. I am an officer in a guild with around 300 people and we have saved up 130,000 influence in anticipation of these Guild Missions. At the same time though, we have been waiting forever for something that we can do as a guild together. Up to this point we have just been making up stuff to do, like Diving Board contests, Hide and Go Seek in Lion's Arch, Jumping Puzzle Nights, Party Nights (with in game food and fireworks), weekly Dungeon nights, Fractal nights, WvW nights. To finally have a system in the game that will support us all is awesome.</div>
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The only thing that I remain concerned about is how involved people outside the guild can be in the event. Mission types like Bounty and Challenge seem like they take place completely in the open world and anybody can join in. This, in my opinion, takes away from the element of the guild working together to finish the event. I don't see how these are any different then the events that already exist in the world other than a Guild has to start them. I really hope there is something extra to these mission types that requires the coordination a guild brings to the table.</div>
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On the other hand, the mission types like Puzzle and Rush, seems like they take place in instances (although somewhere I think I read that the missions will not be instanced [can't find a source for this though]) and will require a lot of coordination. It will be interesting to see if people outside the guild will be able to help with these mission types without being a hindrance or just out right griefing. I can already see my guild enjoying ourselves in a Puzzle mission type only to have an outsider come in and spoil the solution for us or complete a section we wanted to do together.</div>
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<h3>
Conclusions</h3>
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Overall, I am very excited about the Guild Missions. The various game play elements look exciting. My guild is already going nuts about this in guild chat and on our guild forums. We have been saving up influence for this day for a long time now and are already starting to plan how we will tackle organizing everyone to finish these missions. Suffice to say, the first chance we get we will be going on a Guild Mission together and you can bet that I will have coverage of that right here. If I can convince my guild leader to stream the mission I will link that here as well.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIQGckj-OeWpymDseZBZbQ1nmtWybd0x7oV9_YXQMTaQeXNKscSK-aeoBWa-34hUWkSmPDVpmAZAC9Qc8H0YRQeXR3d246MEoPtQUrVgoA5LXKQrL2bUU6O_5ON5RKOFQb5IKPI0ICFs/s1600/GuildMissions17.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIQGckj-OeWpymDseZBZbQ1nmtWybd0x7oV9_YXQMTaQeXNKscSK-aeoBWa-34hUWkSmPDVpmAZAC9Qc8H0YRQeXR3d246MEoPtQUrVgoA5LXKQrL2bUU6O_5ON5RKOFQb5IKPI0ICFs/s320/GuildMissions17.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HPV during a diving board contest.</td></tr>
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In the mean time, if you are looking for a guild that will be getting serious about these guild missions consider <a href="http://hyperion-overlords.enjin.com/">my guild Hyperion Overlords (HPV)</a>. We are based on the Gate of Madness server (but we are open to anyone joining us) and are roughly 300 members strong. We have a webpage we use to organize events and a vent server to organize play. We try to take part in all aspects of the game and have members actively playing PvP, PvE, and WvW. We are not a hardcore guild by any means and prefer to think of ourselves as casual and fun. We run at least one event a week but it is more often then not we have over three events each week. Members of HPV hail from all around the world but are mainly eastern North America. Check out <a href="http://hyperion-overlords.enjin.com/">our webpage</a> and <a href="http://hyperion-overlords.enjin.com/recruitment">fill out an application</a> or contact me in game via PM or whisper Crushnaut.8307.</div>
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What do you guys think about the Guild Missions? Are you as excited as I am? Do you have concerns about the content? Did I miss anything? There have been a lot of little tidbits coming out of the meet and greet Arena Net held that have been difficult to follow. Let me know in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-79132405155512030882013-02-20T23:50:00.000-05:002013-02-21T00:30:40.396-05:00Small changes in the Living Story<div style="text-align: justify;">
It seems every Monday there are some small additions to the Living Story that is unfolding in Tyria. This week saw some small changes that I would like to update you on. All-in-all the Living Story is slowly moving forward. In less than a week <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/february-2013/">the latest patch will go live</a>, hopefully, bringing some life back into this story. If you haven't checked out the Living Story yet be sure to see <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/flame-and-frost-living-story-review.html">my initial review</a> and <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/living-story-update.html">my update from last week</a>.</div>
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Hoelbrak</h3>
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If you head over to Hoelbrak, just north of Wolf lodge, to our old friend, the Refugee Coordinator, you will find that this characters dialogue has changed. Here is what she now has to say,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP24lKgre1aVvPestQ9Zqxpdvc5Lr4e1xqCpYQxrjZP4sWuMD7XzfD1yWnZGtiSbsGlIBmAC0Od0gsGk01vC1qaAcRYrXUyisEfD5SR2edZnivOmEEsvh4uMWXsuRlbVKR0VqLn6L6kNY/s1600/LivingStory2U1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP24lKgre1aVvPestQ9Zqxpdvc5Lr4e1xqCpYQxrjZP4sWuMD7XzfD1yWnZGtiSbsGlIBmAC0Od0gsGk01vC1qaAcRYrXUyisEfD5SR2edZnivOmEEsvh4uMWXsuRlbVKR0VqLn6L6kNY/s320/LivingStory2U1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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So there are two things to take away from this. One, Whitebear sent some Wolfborn to scout the effected areas, and two, rumour has it that dredge are rising up with magically help. Firstly, Whitebear could refer to <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Knut_Whitebear">Knut Whitebear</a> or one of his two sons, <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Skarti">Skarti</a>, and <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sigfast">Sigfast</a>. I first went to talk with Knut Whitebear in the Great Lodge. He didn't have anything to add.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNvXmaZk89GjJAm9Fd4vHJVdzC62sVoXC_UpDsIm7bJLbHWt7e_qufSS_hcj6YFxlTcbvWGAbQGfYAW9ULYPz2433qqmZYNX3hbl63DzJuKdzN8hNu7GgetE8MAFm7qdJBgl2l3VEc7I/s1600/LivingStory2U3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNvXmaZk89GjJAm9Fd4vHJVdzC62sVoXC_UpDsIm7bJLbHWt7e_qufSS_hcj6YFxlTcbvWGAbQGfYAW9ULYPz2433qqmZYNX3hbl63DzJuKdzN8hNu7GgetE8MAFm7qdJBgl2l3VEc7I/s320/LivingStory2U3.png" width="306" /></a></div>
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Next, I went to Skarti's Steading just south of <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shelter_Rock">Shelter Rock</a> by Bear Lodge in Hoelbrak. Skarti is, afterall, the head of the <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Wolfborn">Wolfborn</a>. If anyone would know anything it would be him right? Well his dialogue has not changed. Here is what he has to say,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpT-uBOvc2uE7FxHbvM3ef_3Xx18WPdSPdoTeo0WTiBUP_ataV_ZIupzrILw1HebtN4aBnpkTjhY9hlMeuTRqx2SN5BbpTcwdM7lma7wM9QpQYM5haIBeMYW69pv_VyU32joE7iUWcW0/s1600/LivingStory2U2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpT-uBOvc2uE7FxHbvM3ef_3Xx18WPdSPdoTeo0WTiBUP_ataV_ZIupzrILw1HebtN4aBnpkTjhY9hlMeuTRqx2SN5BbpTcwdM7lma7wM9QpQYM5haIBeMYW69pv_VyU32joE7iUWcW0/s320/LivingStory2U2.png" width="291" /></a></div>
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Skarti's dialogue is a little different if you are on a Norn character, but still there is nothing about this scouting party. For completeness sake I went and talked to the last of the Whitebears, Sigfast. His home is just northwest of Shelter Rock.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPLP8jgP3YA4TuKzXb49x9du0qS4_qkmVKOcC1CkY_899MVm1eiGBYUF1QCkBRavykyCsIrRwUci31bytUkJyzydZhuhrwHeqDwmS5Uv_c81M4vgaPSPlAm09UvCNzbRCH2VE4A0RUds/s1600/LivingStory2U4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPLP8jgP3YA4TuKzXb49x9du0qS4_qkmVKOcC1CkY_899MVm1eiGBYUF1QCkBRavykyCsIrRwUci31bytUkJyzydZhuhrwHeqDwmS5Uv_c81M4vgaPSPlAm09UvCNzbRCH2VE4A0RUds/s320/LivingStory2U4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Again, nothing. Finally, I went to Wayfarer Foothills and looked for the scouting party. I looked high and low and could not find a Wolfborn scouting party. Maybe I overlooked something or did not look in the right spot. I kind of expected there to be something...</div>
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The only other thing to discuss is the "magical" help that the Dredge are receiving. The obvious answer is that it is the Flame Legion based on what we learn in the Black Citadel but are things that obvious? Or is something more subtle going on? I had <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/living-story-update.html">more speculation in last week's update</a> that still applies. There were also some <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/living-story-update.html?showComment=1360664016412#c2237152024147838167">great theories in the comments</a> to that post.</div>
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<h3>
The Black Citadel</h3>
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The story in the Black Citadel is similar to that of Hoelbrak. The Refugee Coordinator has updated dialogue, but beyond that there isn't anything else to see. Here is the updated dialogue,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1swqhyphenhyphen94hNkiHNGzcJxMr-kAmMjcYI5fVqP4tJeFL1k7W_6hlvq7zexbBOTaoncEYXwt7q0uCTF_6T3qFh_aOocb52lt6LGssReHvtTJdIOwldGw_V1hyphenhyphenul-8_ary6Sm0PZmVK1Fjg8/s1600/LivingStory2U5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1swqhyphenhyphen94hNkiHNGzcJxMr-kAmMjcYI5fVqP4tJeFL1k7W_6hlvq7zexbBOTaoncEYXwt7q0uCTF_6T3qFh_aOocb52lt6LGssReHvtTJdIOwldGw_V1hyphenhyphenul-8_ary6Sm0PZmVK1Fjg8/s320/LivingStory2U5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Seems like we are not the only ones in the dark as this guy knows nothing and has begun to speculate. I went looking for the scouts in Diessa Plateau and has unable to find any. Also, I have been to everything in the area that could be considered a ranch and everything seems fine. The coordinator says Tribune Brimstone sent the scouting party. The only Tribune I know with the name Brimstone is Rytlock, so I went to have a chat.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhYedALgr6i26FDuRgr-RdzTO4kCccXPZp7a3CdoBR4ObW-MDw4LaG4sb9NhZ9R7YhGVkvuaTbQcV-zEmSzNNkWUw8uSqQnBp0ORybSJCjAKdIp9d2JWTrqsbDLXeD-Ox_ZCEYGgElR4/s1600/LivingStory2U6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhYedALgr6i26FDuRgr-RdzTO4kCccXPZp7a3CdoBR4ObW-MDw4LaG4sb9NhZ9R7YhGVkvuaTbQcV-zEmSzNNkWUw8uSqQnBp0ORybSJCjAKdIp9d2JWTrqsbDLXeD-Ox_ZCEYGgElR4/s320/LivingStory2U6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Again nothing. If you speak with the "aide-de-camp" you will learn what an "aide-de-camp" is but little else.</div>
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<h3>
Conclusion</h3>
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As you can see, I enjoy the idea of the Living Story. I like the idea of the world feeling more like a living place with dialogue changing and such. It has forced me to learn the lore of the land. I had no idea who the leader of the Wolfborn was before I decided to figure it out. I did all the research in game finding other NPCs that spoke of the hierarchy of Hoelbrak. I had a lot of fun doing that and have a lot of fun looking for changes in the Living Story.</div>
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What I do not like are the choices Arena Net has made in the delivery of this story so far. For example, in this most recent updated they changed the refugee coordinators dialogue to say that a scouting party had been sent by Whitebear to see what is going on. I do not get why they choose those words if in fact there is not a scouting party to be found and Whitebear has nothing to say on the topic. The scope Arena Net choose for this new dialogue is far to broad. The dialogue could have simply read something along the lines of "Wolfborn from the area are beginning to report in. Surely, there will be more information soon."</div>
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The above example fits the profile of the problems with the Living Story in general. The premise is that something has occurred in Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau that was large enough to cause a stream of refugees to funnel into Hoelbrak and the Black Citadel. Yet, there is no evidence of this what so ever in the zones. Where are these refugees coming from? Where are there damaged homes? It seems to me that Arena Net has bit off more than they can chew. The scope of the Living Story is just far to large for the amount of effort that they are willing to put in. It doesn't mean that the Living Story idea is bankrupt it just means that the writers need to be far more clever than they are being or they need to dial back the scope of the story. The story needs to be far more subtle for them to get away with the small changes they are actually making.</div>
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Maybe I am not seeing everything, or maybe Arena Net will blow me away in the future. I don't know. All I can tell you is how I feel about the current state of the Living Story which in a word is frustrated. What do you guys think? Are you enjoying the Living Story? Have you seen anything change in Tyria that I haven't pointed out? Let me know in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-69468899887185578932013-02-19T18:29:00.000-05:002013-02-19T19:47:26.367-05:00Colin Johanson on Loot Drops<div class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Yesterday, Colin made <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Update-on-Loot-Drops-Investigation/first#post1462956">a post on the forums concerning loot drops</a>. Apparently, there has been a glitch in the code that has prevented players from being rewarded in certain cases. This has been obvious to many for a while now as champion level mobs don't always drop loot even though Arena Net has stated that they should. The official word now is that this problem has been located and fixed. Here is what Colin had to say,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXo8GbPodubz61WRvBplFgupNdatBJTskVxOJF09CXHhyrR3Qu-PoyGcBjb2qtMtOeHHy9PUxowvtyQtyNlopcumapiqmxcv9dsLT7UEFchkpxqNgrX6ZPvwSK2ScTefVwOspcOajgP20/s1600/ColinJohanson%255B1%255D.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXo8GbPodubz61WRvBplFgupNdatBJTskVxOJF09CXHhyrR3Qu-PoyGcBjb2qtMtOeHHy9PUxowvtyQtyNlopcumapiqmxcv9dsLT7UEFchkpxqNgrX6ZPvwSK2ScTefVwOspcOajgP20/s1600/ColinJohanson%255B1%255D.png" /></a><i>The rules by which you qualify for credit for an event or for experience when killing a mob are different rules than those used to help determine if you qualify for loot. Some of these were set up to be unintentionally restrictive, and as such you could kill a creature with a lot of health (this was most noticeable on champions) and not qualify for loot, despite qualifying for all other credit.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>For the February Flame & Frost: The Gathering Storm release we will be repairing this issue to ensure more players are capable of earning loot credit for kills. This should fix the issue such that you got credit for killing a champion, but received no loot from it. Once fixed, all champion mobs will correctly always drop 1 blue or better loot item, and all veterans will have a chance of dropping loot better than regular mobs as outlined in the November release. Please note, it is still possible to kill a creature and not do enough damage to qualify for loot (which is the only way you won’t get loot for a champion), it is also still possible for veterans to not drop loot at all, since they simply have better odds of dropping loot than normal creatures but no guaranteed drops</i>.</blockquote>
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This is great news! I am glad this is finally being addressed and fixed. Not getting loot from a champion is extremely frustrating. As with everything on the Internet, this post has turned into <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Qualifying-for-loot/first#post1467117">a controversial topic</a><span id="goog_2042979359"></span><span id="goog_2042979360"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>. <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/From-perceived-to-proved/first#post1467178">A lot of players are frustrated</a> after weeks of telling Arena Net this problem existed without receiving proper communication. This may be true, but in the end though I think we can applaud Arena Net's choice to admit to the mistake and quickly work towards getting a fix in game. As if anticipating this bad reaction Colin attempts to placate the masses with promises of more loot.</div>
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<i>On top of this, we’re also updating some of the loot in various areas of the game for the February release that should make specific areas more rewarding. We’ll cover this is in detail with the February release notes.</i></blockquote>
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And he wins because you can't argue with more loot. At least I won't.</div>
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Still a lot of players seem to believe that there <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Share-your-data-about-perceived-strange-drop-behavior-here/first">are further issues in the game relating to a change made in the November patch</a> which reduced the amount of loot players were receiving. The official word on this is that it is now an "X-Files level conspiracy". Although a horrible choice of words, since in the end the X-Files "conspiracies" turned out to be true, we can get <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Share-your-data-about-perceived-strange-drop-behavior-here/page/22#post1357916">what Colin means by reading his words in context</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoaCjUiQb77OxVf1ZPmC0zOz-q-qS3-EyaLSBIqET1sv1M8BNtgfIX2Siln_bWqFdG9yTjdgG0BxxH1nsaJxgXZuTJw5CtySwkeJ0AQXNf3LjSZWRnX8D-hARiLck_hdy_Fr4Jvcc9jA/s1600/Thexfiles%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoaCjUiQb77OxVf1ZPmC0zOz-q-qS3-EyaLSBIqET1sv1M8BNtgfIX2Siln_bWqFdG9yTjdgG0BxxH1nsaJxgXZuTJw5CtySwkeJ0AQXNf3LjSZWRnX8D-hARiLck_hdy_Fr4Jvcc9jA/s1600/Thexfiles%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Just wanted to give a quick update on this topic. We've completed verifying every update from the November release and there were zero changes to anything what so ever that would have negatively affected loot in any way/shape/form. We can officially confirm this as an X-files level conspiracy at this point. </i></blockquote>
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<i>We’re in the midst of evaluating every loot table in the game and running massive random roll evaluations table by table, as well as evaluating every system game wide that causes a player to qualify for items to determine if any issues exist in those systems from launch.</i></blockquote>
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So, what Colin is saying is that there was nothing changed in the November patch. They have looked at the code and confirmed that this is the case. You have two choices now. Firstly, you can believe Arena Net and move on and enjoy the game as is. Secondly, you can choose to not believe Arena Net and be upset and bitter. I choose to be happy. There are answers to why a large number of players think something changed in November when in fact nothing did. You do not have to resort to thinking Arena Net is lying or incompetent.</div>
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What a player might be observing is a form of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias">the confirmation bias</a>. A good example of this is that many people believe that <a href="http://skepdic.com/fullmoon.html">there are more emergency room visits during a full moon then on any other day</a>. The only evidence for this comes anecdotally from nurses and doctors. They are more likely to remember and report a surge in patients on a night with a full moon than any other night. Thus, it may seem like the full moon causes people to go a little crazy. Statistics do not lie and it can be shown that there is <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15166467">no increase in emergency room traffic on nights with a full moon</a>. This equates to the situation in Guild Wars 2 where you have, firstly, players only noticing when they are not getting good loot, and secondly, only players getting bad loot are reporting their problems. Thus, it may seems like there is a problem when in fact one does not exist.</div>
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The other thing that may be a factor here is that people <a href="http://muller.lbl.gov/teaching/physics10/old%20physics%2010/chapters%20(old)/4-Randomness.htm">are terrible judges of true randomness</a>. As an example take the following two images. Which do you think was generated by the most random process?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZr663-vwLYyrW9JMmF5tfKlZEza41J1rFLALYeMwPbK4KZcflTUBrR62ydvO5EGSx3U7DPxejsk78npF2GcuTBN19IS7fyxzwBonFNnBJ4jp-nI-yrTbNfnroUJLxOspCaGkXImK8yA/s1600/random%5B1%5D.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZr663-vwLYyrW9JMmF5tfKlZEza41J1rFLALYeMwPbK4KZcflTUBrR62ydvO5EGSx3U7DPxejsk78npF2GcuTBN19IS7fyxzwBonFNnBJ4jp-nI-yrTbNfnroUJLxOspCaGkXImK8yA/s1600/random%5B1%5D.GIF" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwKT0YHLTO9YMtKkoxgR5OqmzdgBdmBtpv5LEWr_pEy3Pm4VT2rI-iyWPlup8cqmZCRwzazxfpQ7ebxd0jpqEeORi2gSMDDpm1Erbs8rZD6v6pqlk8Jcxr71-SunWpKqFYNFv8lg7cKQ/s1600/uniform%5B1%5D.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwKT0YHLTO9YMtKkoxgR5OqmzdgBdmBtpv5LEWr_pEy3Pm4VT2rI-iyWPlup8cqmZCRwzazxfpQ7ebxd0jpqEeORi2gSMDDpm1Erbs8rZD6v6pqlk8Jcxr71-SunWpKqFYNFv8lg7cKQ/s1600/uniform%5B1%5D.GIF" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Images from <a href="http://muller.lbl.gov/teaching/physics10/old%20physics%2010/chapters%20(old)/4-Randomness.htm">http://muller.lbl.gov/teaching/physics10/old%20physics%2010/chapters%20(old)/4-Randomness.htm</a></i></span></div>
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It turns out that the image on the left was generated by simply placing 100 random stars with in the fixed area using a random number generator. The image on the right was generated by first dividing the entire area into 100 squares and then randomly placing a star inside each of those squares. See for yourself in the image below. No two stars are in the same box.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGKHjOG3gtmYpBg7c2xcEG2DvFLwtcekZjPRKqf7vQuBVmo8FhyphenhyphenfOYfIleOTY4woax0y2NMU1hT7gUEDgNLoBCT_6V8HY4p2AA6LRQqRxybFpBr3JG8a-BYwIIjyzVuzeM660im3rTLw/s1600/uniform_gridded%5B1%5D.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGKHjOG3gtmYpBg7c2xcEG2DvFLwtcekZjPRKqf7vQuBVmo8FhyphenhyphenfOYfIleOTY4woax0y2NMU1hT7gUEDgNLoBCT_6V8HY4p2AA6LRQqRxybFpBr3JG8a-BYwIIjyzVuzeM660im3rTLw/s1600/uniform_gridded%5B1%5D.GIF" /></a></div>
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It is hard for a lot of people to accept that the image with the black stars is in fact generated by a more random process than the image with the blue stars. This has a lot to do with how <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophenia">the human brain is constantly looking for patterns</a>. When the brain sees these patterns it attempts to correlate them to a cause even if a cause does not exist. Essentially, this is the illusion of luck. It is why people can believe that they are on a "hot streak" or why they might believe an object gives them an increased chance at success. Some call this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambler's_fallacy">the Gambler's fallacy</a>. In the end it is all the same thing. People are terrible judges of randomness. That is why we invented statistics.</div>
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So, what does this have to do with Guild Wars 2? Imagine your character is walking around in the image with the black stars above. Each time it encounters a star you can equate that to "getting good loot". Now if your character was in an area of that image with a clump of stars before the November patch then afterwards you managed to find yourself in a void you might say to yourself, "Hey, I am getting less loot after then November patch then I was before. The patch must have changed something." This is a perfectly reasonable hypothesis, especially if you think the world looks like the image with the blue stars. This hypothesis has been shot down by Arena Net who have looked at the bigger picture. They can see the entire image and use statistical techniques to determine the randomness of the spread of stars. Unfortunately, as players all we can see is what is around us. Thus, in the end I am going to trust Arena Net when they say that there is no difference pre and post patch.</div>
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I hope this quick look at probability, math, and psychology has given you something to think about. I have attempted to back up my statements with links to sites with more information if you are interested in exploring these topics further. All-in-all my advice to everyone would be to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimism">optimistic</a> about the situation. More loot is coming in February and an outstanding bug has been corrected. Lets move on and enjoy the game.</div>
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What do you guys think? Are you happy with these changes/fixes? Do you buy my theories as why these conspiracy theories started? Let me know in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-42622303524985250172013-02-17T21:30:00.003-05:002013-02-17T22:21:05.518-05:00This Week in Guild Wars 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Every Friday, Raphia at </span><a href="http://guildmag.com/" style="text-align: justify;">GuildMag</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> goes through all the community articles for the week and </span><a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-62" style="text-align: justify;">rounds them up into one giant article</a><span style="text-align: justify;">. Every week I like to go through this list and pick out my favourites to share with you guys. The articles I pick out tend to compliment the content that I have here on my blog. I also try to sneak in some Red Posts and news from Arena Net that I may have missed earlier in the week.</span><br />
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Straight from Arena Net</h3>
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Posted to the main Guild Wars 2 site was <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/introducing-the-new-spirit-watch-pvp-map/">a new article giving additional details about the new PvP map</a> called "Spirit Watch". The map is the first to bring capture the flag elements to Guild Wars 2 PvP and has a number of people quite excited.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7eu4JT4c12HfSSW32mZuZG8OUA3TWN3okSa2suJ2W3ijO0BvSjlVsQucA1lK1Mug7c3oHC3jP3TysMiHaIP8E4RLd19yyjLXrvFLGd6d8yLsnU4osQxh4GB5dK1FiS_j5smniuyUS18/s1600/3479dEnglish-weapon-preview%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7eu4JT4c12HfSSW32mZuZG8OUA3TWN3okSa2suJ2W3ijO0BvSjlVsQucA1lK1Mug7c3oHC3jP3TysMiHaIP8E4RLd19yyjLXrvFLGd6d8yLsnU4osQxh4GB5dK1FiS_j5smniuyUS18/s320/3479dEnglish-weapon-preview%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/february-2013/">Arena Net updated their February patch preview</a> adding in that item previewing will be available through the trading post at the end of the month. I know I have been waiting for this since launch and will be happy to see it in game. Now if they can just get item effects to appear in the item preview everyone will be happy.</div>
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A lot of players have noticed that since the maintenance period on Wednesday that a number of their achievements are no longer displaying the correct numbers. For example, a number of my slayer achievements that were at 1000 and complete and now are listed at 999 and not complete. <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Achievements-Bugged-Merged/page/5#post1447744">Stephane Lo Presti took to the forums to ensure players</a> that this would be corrected in the patch at the end of the month. Still a lot of players are still confused as to how such a thing could even happen. More details from Arena Net on the cause of this would be appreciated by many.</div>
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Finally, the Guild Wars 2 community team shared this fan made video via twitter on Feb. 14th.</div>
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MMORPG interviews Colin Johanson</h3>
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The crew over at <a href="http://mmorpg.com/">MMORPG.com</a> was lucky enough to get <a href="http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/473/feature/7133/Guild-Wars-2-Februarys-Flame-and-Frost-Update-Detailed.html">some of their questions answered by Colin Johanson</a>. Topics discussed include: the new PvP map, the new daily system, guild missions, and the Living Story. I particularly liked the bits about guild missions and am starting to get more excited about this content release. Colin had this to say during the interview,<br />
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<i>The system allows people in a guild to work together to unlock guild upgrades that allow them to go on missions together. These missions can be kicked off by the specific guild that has researched that mission, but once they are activated, anyone can jump in and participate to help the guild finish the mission if they wish. The missions are designed such that some components of the mission can only be completed by the guild themselves, but each of them has aspects other players can assist with as well, so everyone has something they can do during the mission.</i></blockquote>
This sounds great! I hope the guild specific components are strong giving more reason to be in the guild. For the rest of the interview and <a href="http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/473/feature/7133/Guild-Wars-2-Februarys-Flame-and-Frost-Update-Detailed.html">more from Colin Johanson check out MMORPG.com's article</a>.<br />
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Guild Mag returns with Dynamically Spoken</h3>
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This week was my first time listening to <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/episode-8">Guild Mag's podcast Dynamically Spoken</a>. It seems they are back from a long hiatus to bring the folks of Tyria all the latest news. I really enjoyed their discussion of the various content coming at us in the February patch. They did not simply present what is coming but took the time to detail the good and the bad as well as add their own personal feelings. I will be looking for this podcast in the future. <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/episode-8">The cast is available as an MP3</a> and in the YouTube video below,<br />
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Guild Wars 2 Hub on Karma Farming</h3>
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<a href="http://guildwars2hub.com/">Guild Wars 2 Hub</a> has an excellent <a href="http://www.guildwars2hub.com/guides/basics/guild-wars-2-fastest-way-earn-karma">article up on the best way to farm karma</a>. The author, Lewis B, goes through the various items that give karma, the different boosts available, and finally, the best places to farm karma. I haven't seen a good guide like this anywhere else lately, so this comes at a good time. I still remember the days of farming the Plinx event in Cursed Shore all day long, but things have changed since then and new karma farming methods are surfacing.</div>
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Guild Wars 2 Trading Post on Player Purchasing Trends</h3>
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When trying to make gold on the trading post the first thing that you need to know, in order to be successful, is what are people buying? Markco at <a href="http://www.guildwars2tradingpost.com/">Guild Wars 2 Trading Post</a> has <a href="http://www.guildwars2tradingpost.com/2013/02/strength-in-numbers.html#.USFL_KXqnQg">a short article on determining which items to flip</a> based on the items players are most likely to purchase. For example, are players more likely to buy power based armour or condition damage based armour The key is too look to your own play styles in order to answer this question.</div>
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If that wasn't enough Markco has another great article this week discussing <a href="http://www.guildwars2tradingpost.com/2013/02/should-you-undercut-highest-buy-order.html#.USFMMaXqnQg">when and by how much to undercut your competition</a>. Some great discussions ensues in the comments on this one as well.</div>
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Taugrim on the state of the Engineer</h3>
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<a href="http://taugrim.com/2013/02/09/thoughts-on-guild-wars-2-engineer/">This is my favourite article of the week</a> and kind of makes me want to roll up an Engineer to play. <a href="http://taugrim.com/">Taugrim </a>explores what many call the "weakest" class. He begins this discussion by pointing out that the Elementalist used to be thought of as underpowered, but now is seen as one of the most powerful. In his article Taugrim explorers the steep learning curve around an engineer and the vast array of abilities that they have. For his conclusions head over to his blog.</div>
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Hunter on Food</h3>
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<a href="http://huntersinsight.com/">Hunter's Insight</a> has <a href="http://huntersinsight.com/2013/02/09/the-hungry-tyrian/">a great post on food and potions in Guild Wars 2</a>. Hunter goes through the different categories of potions and various food types and shows which are best for a given situation. He also provides cheaper alternatives to the more expensive choices. This is a great article for people like me who have not really explored what foods are available. I think I will have to diversify my characters diets.<br />
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Inventory Full on Kill Variety in Plains of Ashford and Server Pride</h3>
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If you are ever looking to get your daily kill variety done in a hurry Bhagpuss at <a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/">Inventory Full</a> has your back. He has <a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/2013/02/kill-variety-in-plains-of-ashford.html">a great article this week showing you where to find 15 different types</a> of enemies in Plains of Ashford. While you are over there why not check out Bhagpuss's other <a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/2013/02/server-pride.html">article on server pride</a>. Is splitting a game up across multiple servers a good idea? Did Guild Wars 2 get it right? Bhagpuss answers these questions and more on his blog.<br />
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Asura Dreams of Being Charr</h3>
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This screenshot showed up on Reddit and I thought I would share. Is it the dream of all Asura to grow up to be as strong as a Charr?<br />
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AnEvilBag gets Jailed in Rata Sum</h3>
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Do I need to say more? I saw this on Reddit and had to share. Basically a player, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/AnEvilBag?feature=watch">AnEvilBag</a>, is exploring Rata Sum trying to get places he isn't supposed to be and ends up in jail for his crimes. Don't believe me? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnA6pi1MNY0">Watch his video</a>.<br />
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Wooden Potatoes on the Living Story</h3>
This was my first <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/WoodenPotatoes?feature=watch">Wooden Potatoes</a> video and after this one I will for sure be going back for more. My attention was drawn to this after seeing a bump in traffic to my blog and tracing it back to a link from Wooden Potatoes. I am very happy that he linked to me or I would have never seen this great video for myself. Mr Potatoes <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3JZyZGexGM">goes through all the new content to be found in the open world added with the Flame and Frost patch</a>.<br />
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That is it for this week. If you have worked through all this and still want more be sure to check out <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-62">Guild Mag's full round up here</a>. What was your favourite article this week? Did I miss anything huge? Let me know in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-14401215103993541562013-02-16T00:32:00.001-05:002013-02-16T00:33:49.784-05:00Fine Crafting Materials Revisited<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the past on this blog I have explored the potential profits to be made promoting crafting materials in the Mystic Forge. I have articles discussing the specific promotion of <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/promoting-rare-materials.html">rare materials</a>, <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2012/12/promoting-t5-fine-crafting-mats.html">fine materials</a>, <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/promoting-common-crafting-materials_16.html">common materials</a>, and <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/dust-promotion.html">piles of dust</a>. Today, however, I would like to revisit the promotion of fine materials. Originally I had dismissed promoting lower tier fine materials as being unprofitable. Thanks to Egg Baron reader ZoCks this assumption was challenged and I was proven wrong. There are in fact excellent profits to be made promoting some of the lower tiers. Today I will share with you my assumptions, my experiences, and the updates I made to<a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/converting-skill-points-to-gold-update.html"> my crafting materials promotion spreadsheet</a>.</div>
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My Assumptions</h3>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXa_AFc5eW_X6qMZDrNTqRHx9msCtv2Vd7xQKdTzcDZG2MmCKuV7pSgWTYMCCUi7wBNcHck_yNvJFcUuvizRLSJ2RkhEqCog9uf0_aeULUc8MQ64uAFTiIUtijfnnE2guUGqDQoKQhsDs/s1600/fine3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXa_AFc5eW_X6qMZDrNTqRHx9msCtv2Vd7xQKdTzcDZG2MmCKuV7pSgWTYMCCUi7wBNcHck_yNvJFcUuvizRLSJ2RkhEqCog9uf0_aeULUc8MQ64uAFTiIUtijfnnE2guUGqDQoKQhsDs/s320/fine3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the fine materials.<br />
Tier 1 at the top row tier 6 in the bottom row.</td></tr>
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The main thing that needs to be determined, in order to calculate the profitability of a promotion formula, is the number of materials that the Mystic Forge outputs per promotion done. This is easy for the rare crafting materials which have no random components to the output. You put in the materials and you always get out the same thing. This is different for the fine materials and the common materials. The number of materials returned is different every time. The best that we can hope to accomplish is to determine the average number of materials returned.</div>
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Luckily, from my experiences and from what <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mystic_Forge#Fine_Crafting_Material_Promotion">I have read on the GW2 wiki</a>, not every recipe has a different random output. Recipes of a given rarity and tier all seem to output the same number of materials on average. In other words all tier 5 fine crafting materials when promoted will on average yield the same number of tier 6 fine crafting materials. I have not rigorously tested this (although I have tested it to my satisfaction) thus it is an assumption.</div>
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I have extended this assumption slightly further when dealing with the additional tiers. It is obvious that there is a discontinuity between promoting from tier 5 to 6 and promoting tier 4 to 5. That is when you promote tier 5 materials into tier 6 materials you do not receive the same number of materials as output when you promote tier 4 materials into tier 5 materials. You will receive more for the tier 4 to 5 promotion. However, when you promote tier 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, or 4 to 5 you seem to receive the same average number of materials as output. Again, I have not rigorously tested this (but, again I have done so to my satisfaction) thus it is another assumption in this process.</div>
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My Trials</h3>
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In order to determine the average number of materials returned when promoting the lower tiers of fine materials I did two promotions. In the first I promoted 3500 Tiny Fangs. In the second I promoted 500 Heavy Bones. Firstly, though for context this is the recipe for a single promotion for fine crafting materials (with the exception of piles of dust).</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> 50 Tier X Fine Materials</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 1 Tier X+1 Fine Materials</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 5 Tier X+1 Dust</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + X Philosopher Stones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> = a random number of Tier X+1 Fine Materials</span></div>
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Where, X, is the tier of the material you are promoting. Thus, if you were promoting tier 3 materials you would need, 50 tier 3 materials, 1 tier 4 materials, 5 Piles of Luminous Dust (tier 4 dust), and 3 Philosopher Stones.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP0h9SXOyse4dXPoxvnpYJSq00jFpxyaivAf2ANoiA2tzmf9gceArd3FOURa-zZ0qYXLVh_u-XQo1muCqPh0lzmRGstXjCa6P0mO1heZAiFPatjfQ1eiw0g9we2n6MkbiSQ69LykGqQ8/s1600/fine5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP0h9SXOyse4dXPoxvnpYJSq00jFpxyaivAf2ANoiA2tzmf9gceArd3FOURa-zZ0qYXLVh_u-XQo1muCqPh0lzmRGstXjCa6P0mO1heZAiFPatjfQ1eiw0g9we2n6MkbiSQ69LykGqQ8/s320/fine5.png" width="320" /></a>Here are my results. Firstly, for promoting the Tiny Fangs,</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> 3500 Tiny Fangs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 70 Small Fangs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 350 Piles of Shimmering Dust</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 70 Philosopher Stones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> = 1163 Small Fangs</span></div>
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Removing the Small Fangs used in the formula leaves me with 1093 Small Fangs for 3500 Tiny Fangs. On average I received 15.6 Small Fangs for every 50 Tiny Fangs. This is not to bad and I had profits of about 70 silver per skill point. This is a good baseline for the average number of materials to expect as output. I have rounded this figure down to 15 for use in the spreadsheet. For those interested in the raw numbers here they are (12 9, 15, 9, 9, 25, 15, 19, 16, 11, 10, 25, 27, 16, 16, 15, 13, 11, 16, 9, 12, 38, 10, 15, 8, 10, 11, 24, 32, 15, 16, 9, 20, 26, 16, 22, 18, 14, 17, 14, 14, 12, 13, 13, 22, 37, 15, 9, 22, 12, 12, 12, 16, 11, 9, 33, 35, 14, 26, 28, 9, 13, 24, 15, 21, 13, 15, 12, 17, 14 = 1163)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eknJMQOqFeNAR0WiL_aCeqrZXAjh7aH-VlRXO-tTjTCgqmWddUo9ui4_gAxrtJg4yixYkYg_CUE_ejxcraTz6gtanKh4LzaCftyCIeN57orTNoKF6r4VJ8GpkIMvs7-MyZrymyK_PLM/s1600/fine4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eknJMQOqFeNAR0WiL_aCeqrZXAjh7aH-VlRXO-tTjTCgqmWddUo9ui4_gAxrtJg4yixYkYg_CUE_ejxcraTz6gtanKh4LzaCftyCIeN57orTNoKF6r4VJ8GpkIMvs7-MyZrymyK_PLM/s320/fine4.png" width="320" /></a>Next, here are my results for promoting the Heavy Bones,</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> 500 Heavy Bones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 10 Large Bones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 50 Piles of Incandescent Dust</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> + 40 Philosopher Stones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> = 211 Large Bones</span></div>
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Removing the Large Bone used in the formula leaves me with 201 Large Bones for 500 Heavy Bones. On average I received 20.1 Large Bone for every 50 Heavy Bone. I did not make any profit on this (in fact I lost quite a bit) but I did determine that the average output from this formula is similar enough to the output of the tier 1 to tier 2 formula to make the assumption that you receive the same number of materials when promoting any tier between 1 and 4. This seems to be others experience as well. For those interested in the raw numbers here they are (16, 18, 11, 37, 28, 16, 34, 17, 18, 16 = 211).</div>
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Spreadsheet Updates</h3>
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I have gone ahead and added this information to <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/converting-skill-points-to-gold-update.html">my spreadsheet</a>. You can now see the potential profits to be made promoting the rest of the tiers of fine crafting materials with the exception of the piles of dust. They have a slightly different formula and different outputs that need to be determined.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwwYJC8NsE1AtKwmeXlle8Mggkc7bPRD7yesBED2wBVQ_i709J8ulEW9XrB8XBjKf5QiSkxn412upjfdhSvZhW2Qe51T9yJUKgBik23pZ2SNgq_G7fkuwuwd27evGdoQNFFcFWU7wL34/s1600/fine1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwwYJC8NsE1AtKwmeXlle8Mggkc7bPRD7yesBED2wBVQ_i709J8ulEW9XrB8XBjKf5QiSkxn412upjfdhSvZhW2Qe51T9yJUKgBik23pZ2SNgq_G7fkuwuwd27evGdoQNFFcFWU7wL34/s400/fine1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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You will also notice that I have split the "simple view" up into three different sheets. You will now find the rare materials, common materials, and fine materials on their own spreadsheets. You can access the various spreadsheets using the tabs at the bottom of the screen.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqqL3ueRTX2qgSRfX-rZMJd93ykywC9aGOUoekdpstgIwT02AsoyhK7rqXEbeWzQR-HmPfTvK__uvNFbVvtie_98hUpmMrsdX4f_YToCobNYitNeBZ4Ai2oRr98-X0n9eZ4kGI68QrMg/s1600/fine2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="20" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqqL3ueRTX2qgSRfX-rZMJd93ykywC9aGOUoekdpstgIwT02AsoyhK7rqXEbeWzQR-HmPfTvK__uvNFbVvtie_98hUpmMrsdX4f_YToCobNYitNeBZ4Ai2oRr98-X0n9eZ4kGI68QrMg/s400/fine2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Conclusions</h3>
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Promoting lower tier crafting materials can be profitable. Right now you can easily make 50 - 80 silver per skill point promoting some of the tier 1 fine materials into tier 2 fine materials. The markets move relatively quickly as well meaning their is room to be made in the margins and you won't be sitting around on your inventory for long.</div>
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Again special thanks to ZoCks for pushing me to get this done and for informing me of the profits to begin with. I hope everyone can use this to their advantage. Let me know how you do in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-22733317470398257062013-02-14T14:38:00.000-05:002013-02-16T01:15:04.526-05:00Secrets in the Swamp<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">One of my favourite events in Guild Wars 2 is the fight with the Shadow Behemoth in Godslost Swamp in Queensdale. This is the event that really drew me into the game when I first encountered it months ago in the beta weekends. Fighting this giant monstrosity really made me want to explore the world and find other battles like this one. The January patch saw a fix to a bug that was preventing this event from occurring and I have been meaning to write an article about it ever since. Today I will satisfy that itch by introducing you to the Shadow Behemoth.</span></div>
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The Shadow Behemoth encounter is accessible by almost everyone as it is only rated at level 15. You can join in on this battle once every three hours in the Queensdale zone. Simply head to the southern areas of the zone and search for the Godlost Swamp. When you are in the general area of the swamp a new event will appear in your event tracker in the top right of your screen called, "Secrets in the Swamp". By looking at this you can tell whether the event is active or not. There are four states that this event tracker can be in.<br />
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Firstly, it most often says, "The swamp lies dormant." This means that currently the event is not active. From the time the last Shadow Behemoth was defeated until the next fight starts is about three hours. If you are looking for other things to do in the mean time there is a jumping puzzle in the South East of the zone called "Demongrub Pits" and events will spawn frequently around the Krytan Freeholds, Phinney Ridge, and Altar Brook Vale.</div>
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Once the 3 hour timer is up portals will open up in three different areas surrounding the Godlost Swamp and the event tracker will update to, "Underworld forces have been spotted outside the swamp." This indicates that the first set of events have begun. You will need to head to the three different areas of Queensdale; Phinnery Ridge, Taminn Foothills, and Krytan Freeholds. Each location has three portals protected by shadow creatures. Damaging the portal will cause a number of these creatures to attack you but since they lack ranged abilities they can easily be kited while you damage the portals from a distance. Working on your own or in the group you should be able to quickly close the portals in all three locations. Don't be afraid to announce in map chat that the Shadow Behemoth events have started. There are usually a number of people in Queensdale that will come to assist.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb05ZMidEBwYGB19JMbQpH7hLqo09wnoEUNlOAetLkHt1CwyxbNmM2j3E_HWJFNs4ucsMgM0VTRfLJ_zvFEgQjTJjPybah6tUFCjgV7Go8LHPoHfhielcMS-APpAfz_yV-VAlFp0-M8sQ/s1600/SB12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb05ZMidEBwYGB19JMbQpH7hLqo09wnoEUNlOAetLkHt1CwyxbNmM2j3E_HWJFNs4ucsMgM0VTRfLJ_zvFEgQjTJjPybah6tUFCjgV7Go8LHPoHfhielcMS-APpAfz_yV-VAlFp0-M8sQ/s320/SB12.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Portals in Phinney Ridge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGP1T_MWjdMJbwDE4smNxh9mMenXE1Akzv8VTpUcChNtWbFKMnuvM7q1JuQ6ZPAu7CCM_oyjHZp6i5t_KDyzJQs6grOEV8phkohRBioSefeayCAFLFxtwNFnwEh2dohMcn7fsOKRYapM/s1600/SB4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGP1T_MWjdMJbwDE4smNxh9mMenXE1Akzv8VTpUcChNtWbFKMnuvM7q1JuQ6ZPAu7CCM_oyjHZp6i5t_KDyzJQs6grOEV8phkohRBioSefeayCAFLFxtwNFnwEh2dohMcn7fsOKRYapM/s320/SB4.png" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fighting to close the portals in the Krytan Freeholds.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4fYxw1HjHuQmqYyazMudUKSwHgw9lh64Nj4oUrTSIrdUDsX990rrtNkg7sYwZmkSyHsAAHu-YKtj-_D_bwYHE8sJnC_n4Z9x3DnWrpIrJFaCEaq8JJmgQFSazdHtfNvLvfo-LXOxH90/s1600/SB1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4fYxw1HjHuQmqYyazMudUKSwHgw9lh64Nj4oUrTSIrdUDsX990rrtNkg7sYwZmkSyHsAAHu-YKtj-_D_bwYHE8sJnC_n4Z9x3DnWrpIrJFaCEaq8JJmgQFSazdHtfNvLvfo-LXOxH90/s320/SB1.png" width="320" /></a>Once you have managed to close all the portals surrounding Godlost Swamp the event tracker will update to say, "There is a disturbance in the heart of the swamp." At this time you will be directed to enter the swamp where you will find three more portals to the underworld and a large vortex of energy that is beginning to form. Use the same tactics you used on the other portals in the previous event and prepare to meet the Shadow Behemoth.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryXfAZvOfYOUVslGD1dnCdua2GPA-MfaZ1D9avY6G1dWRfOIHdFYFMWfVGIoAmuCL519uCYs4qGvsTl12y1GoUqz-X656IxbKTnSD3oq65hZML63H1zXAszEfVLWMXBDjy2PDNQT2k9c/s1600/SB17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryXfAZvOfYOUVslGD1dnCdua2GPA-MfaZ1D9avY6G1dWRfOIHdFYFMWfVGIoAmuCL519uCYs4qGvsTl12y1GoUqz-X656IxbKTnSD3oq65hZML63H1zXAszEfVLWMXBDjy2PDNQT2k9c/s320/SB17.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The location of the final pre-event and the fight with the Shadow Behemoth.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk77tSXLpU8jPc9D53G4Ha6b0qfRHupuV4ulPYEdgVvVweoTe7RY-lbbieAjqDL1UL4jCYqiHbu9Rw6m-6Qfb7sIOL99zPxa9-w3HxLIBO4O53ba4rW3MmOiRR2sa5WAGsf_ZLZUw32g/s1600/SB3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk77tSXLpU8jPc9D53G4Ha6b0qfRHupuV4ulPYEdgVvVweoTe7RY-lbbieAjqDL1UL4jCYqiHbu9Rw6m-6Qfb7sIOL99zPxa9-w3HxLIBO4O53ba4rW3MmOiRR2sa5WAGsf_ZLZUw32g/s320/SB3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More fighting to close portals to the underworld.</td></tr>
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Shortly after you close the last of the portals surrounding the vortex the Shadow Behemoth will emerge from the depths and the event tracker will update to say, "The beast has been awakened."</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lBNdi78Z_kXuBnLLBu671EX4vZDuVNBHQa4Fi0TXOoygg48sGetyVa6vzmdEwoListjP-C8kXT8YseV9jnSG1c1rq31UGSVyCk0b8_HhUI47MIOpagWQKfJfurDgcWPJaq751TZRKqA/s1600/SB5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lBNdi78Z_kXuBnLLBu671EX4vZDuVNBHQa4Fi0TXOoygg48sGetyVa6vzmdEwoListjP-C8kXT8YseV9jnSG1c1rq31UGSVyCk0b8_HhUI47MIOpagWQKfJfurDgcWPJaq751TZRKqA/s320/SB5.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He is magnificent isn't he?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSyWNDOXKRF0Q57BsvBpvhjUHHPpGFavpJ0CiBaZx75i_5CQigIEfrDeecRQDNzxxPQJTq7_tw7bVlrl8r2KgAIDXrEjh0rqtuwzrGlBW1yAcYdFF7CnVO78e_smuN_Cl9RKi-KICy1k/s1600/SB14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSyWNDOXKRF0Q57BsvBpvhjUHHPpGFavpJ0CiBaZx75i_5CQigIEfrDeecRQDNzxxPQJTq7_tw7bVlrl8r2KgAIDXrEjh0rqtuwzrGlBW1yAcYdFF7CnVO78e_smuN_Cl9RKi-KICy1k/s320/SB14.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to get down to business.</td></tr>
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The fight with him is rather straight forward and it will not take long to complete. The fight essentially has three phases that occur one after the other. The Behemoth will start by tossing a number of shards of dark energy around the battlefield creating large areas of damage. Simply watch for him to bring his hands together to cast the spell then get out of the red circles of damage. If you can not get out of the circles in time just be sure you are not in any over lapping areas. This is where the damage will be most intense.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileEVlIpxY0ICDUHe4E-Q5PPKSMycJm4w8j3sB7HVNkTgJ0NBXE3TQ_SFn84UC9OrALUl-svWN82lpozRCi4xFrSkvIQOxE5Xy1GdTlSQGp0vax5IxknXJ9eFEl7GxM-ikprpFDTwM8pc/s1600/SB16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileEVlIpxY0ICDUHe4E-Q5PPKSMycJm4w8j3sB7HVNkTgJ0NBXE3TQ_SFn84UC9OrALUl-svWN82lpozRCi4xFrSkvIQOxE5Xy1GdTlSQGp0vax5IxknXJ9eFEl7GxM-ikprpFDTwM8pc/s320/SB16.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shadow Behemoth summons dark shards of energy from the underworld.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ueEoRGeOFmMYnhnvQ0KwtnctjKxL3_LgG3niZxRiH-oeCy_TjytXz6IyPThXY22Gk2N4sblMjCINevUWMN9N1H1O5SVJP2oINJvdv8LuQmjeeazcxp7PwGo82Fz118JC_ZEFHaPA5pM/s1600/SB13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ueEoRGeOFmMYnhnvQ0KwtnctjKxL3_LgG3niZxRiH-oeCy_TjytXz6IyPThXY22Gk2N4sblMjCINevUWMN9N1H1O5SVJP2oINJvdv8LuQmjeeazcxp7PwGo82Fz118JC_ZEFHaPA5pM/s320/SB13.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He then rains the dark shards down upon the battlefield.</td></tr>
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Once the Shadow Behemoth has completed casting his spells he will be vulnerable to damage while he prepares his next ability. Target the Behemoths head and let loose with your ranged attacks. If your main damage is done through melee attacks get ready for him to scream. While he is doing this you will be able to close to melee distance to unleash a burst of damage. The scream will open a number of portals marking the beginning for the next phase of the fight.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy5zPn3VO-iufO6UBuGC8aRANgZLyZa2ilvmB5yI8vr3qO91_FA1konrANVLfWgXxePBv9MpSeDuaLUDs7MUFtyI96lJ6rXTEik8t-PNS8MxsnfYLsIMFZpIbjxMRxeVOGSvUIC0Zj0c/s1600/SB10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy5zPn3VO-iufO6UBuGC8aRANgZLyZa2ilvmB5yI8vr3qO91_FA1konrANVLfWgXxePBv9MpSeDuaLUDs7MUFtyI96lJ6rXTEik8t-PNS8MxsnfYLsIMFZpIbjxMRxeVOGSvUIC0Zj0c/s320/SB10.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shadow Behemoth's scream pierces the veil between Tyria and the underworld.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BhmBw6zbBPyeSByByenfgm0xUvVF6ydoJcPZs-Wv5ZSOEQEhTyLPUzvR320kgfQbywaZgdEJ0OsRtu-SxkXNkkurvQbKSFR6rMqPC37nk6sfp8qybYSU5yKaUyR9e73Rw_px_Znb-aY/s1600/SB7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BhmBw6zbBPyeSByByenfgm0xUvVF6ydoJcPZs-Wv5ZSOEQEhTyLPUzvR320kgfQbywaZgdEJ0OsRtu-SxkXNkkurvQbKSFR6rMqPC37nk6sfp8qybYSU5yKaUyR9e73Rw_px_Znb-aY/s320/SB7.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now content the Behemoth summons his allies from beyond.</td></tr>
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Once the portals are open focus on destroying them and the monsters the spill out from the underworld. Spread out and focus on a portal that your allies are neglecting. Beware though, the Shadow Behemoth will begin casting his spells shortly after the portals have opened. Close all the portals, dodge the AoE damage, and get ready to hit the Behemoth again. The Shadow Behemoth will follow this pattern for the rest of the fight. The battle will not take long and soon you will be sharing in the loot with your allies.</div>
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Expect typical loot for a chest in Guild Wars 2. With the new dynamic loot system you will receive level appropriate gear which makes this a great event for everyone to participate in. You can even track when the next Shadow Behemoth fight will take place on <a href="http://guildwarstemple.com/dragontimer/">the dragon timer at Guild Wars Temple</a> so long as someone on your server has kept it up to date.</div>
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If you haven't checked out this event for yourself what are you waiting for? It takes virtually no time at all. For the next week do your daily achievements in Queensdale and I am sure you will encounter this event at least once. If not, hang out a while and wait for it to come up. It is worth it in my opinion. *Edit* A guild mate uploaded this video of the entire fight in 1080p. Check it out. Thanks to "The Badger".<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eVyGEf9klL4" width="640"></iframe>
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What I like about this fight are the visuals, the mechanics in the fight, and the length of the battle. Firstly, the visuals are outstanding. When the Shadow Behemoth first spawns into the world is it like a cloud of smoke bursting forth from the ground. The amorphous blob of shadows then slowly arranges itself into the form of the Shadow Behemoth. During the battles the players are constantly kept busy. Whether you are closing a portal, dodging an AoE attack, or wailing on the Behemoth itself you are constantly on your toes. None of the phases of the battle last too long either which keeps things fresh. The Behemoth itself also does not have a crazy amount of HP and he will be downed inside 10 minutes no problem.</div>
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The only complaint I really have about the encounter is that at no point do you really feel in danger. None of the Behemoth's abilities really do any significant damage and even if they did they are easy to avoid. I understand that the encounter is in a starter zone and can not be overly difficult but even new players need to learn the revive mechanics in the game at some point.</div>
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Overall, the encounter is fantastic and I am ecstatic that it is working as intended once again. What do you guys think of this encounter? What was your impression of it the first time you did it? Also, what do you think of the format of this article? I tried something different then my usually by including more screenshots then I normally do to help break up the text. Let me know in the comments!</div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-77810974880739189682013-02-12T15:55:00.004-05:002013-02-12T16:03:24.267-05:00Valentine's Day Sale<br />
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If you have not noticed already there is a Valentine's Day Sale in the Black Lion Trading Post. Good ole <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/love-is-in-the-air-at-the-gem-store/">Evon Gnashblade has all the details on the Guild Wars 2 main site</a>. The sale will last until February 18th so you have plenty of time to take advantage of these deals.<br />
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A Bouquet of Roses has been added to the game. The roses give you five non-combat abilities that can be used in costume brawl. For more details on these Roses I highly recommend watching Richie Procopio aka the Bog Otter's new video. The video is absolutely hilarious as Richie runs around town tossing bouquets to anyone around. The effects are actually quite nice.<br />
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Also included in the sale is a new red dye pack. This package is "guaranteed to contain red and pink dyes only." This is, personally, not for me. On the other hand though, they have also put the self style hair kits on sale of 20% off. This is something I could see myself stocking up on. I find changing the look of your character can go a long way to re-invigorating your enthusiasm for playing with that toon. Well that is the effect it has on me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBjfnp1GVaGTlms39-Kbtt3xibZC2V-vbMquhDA6xwc4irC8EF-LE3AfG1BSKR6VMXlUQiVsQh62B7Yvk23DdV0IWRMGAYSjlarqNCmc6LpyfnKvJ2sPImZhjvxwYPNveRm8Qk7VQ2PU/s1600/5aef0HairKitLargePNG%5B1%5D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBjfnp1GVaGTlms39-Kbtt3xibZC2V-vbMquhDA6xwc4irC8EF-LE3AfG1BSKR6VMXlUQiVsQh62B7Yvk23DdV0IWRMGAYSjlarqNCmc6LpyfnKvJ2sPImZhjvxwYPNveRm8Qk7VQ2PU/s200/5aef0HairKitLargePNG%5B1%5D.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCV5v6moOf4Sz-FDkeAZ3cDjhJE5qidTJwyPnJOVE2aphyphenhyphenxnfDpEH6LDgWoZq6syM2E_g51BAPnSw2XIwbkvLwUPWJXhZs5WclY7NXduFmBJVZ6J7G95NYb3RKONl52cVOPri44ZjYjxg/s1600/5503cRedDyePack_133x133%5B1%5D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCV5v6moOf4Sz-FDkeAZ3cDjhJE5qidTJwyPnJOVE2aphyphenhyphenxnfDpEH6LDgWoZq6syM2E_g51BAPnSw2XIwbkvLwUPWJXhZs5WclY7NXduFmBJVZ6J7G95NYb3RKONl52cVOPri44ZjYjxg/s200/5503cRedDyePack_133x133%5B1%5D.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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A lot of people in my guild have been blasting Arena Net for not having a system to gift items to other players. Judging just from my own guilds reaction I can say Arena Net lost out on a good deal of money. While a lot of my guild mates say they would never buy these items for themselves, they would have bought them for someone else.</div>
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While you guys be buying anything in this sale? What do you think of the Bouquet of Flowers? Would you have gifted these items to someone else if it was possible? Let me know in the comments!</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-69422472595374703852013-02-12T01:29:00.004-05:002013-02-12T03:33:38.433-05:00Living Story Update<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two weeks ago the Flame and Frost Living Story was introduced into Guild Wars 2. Nearly everyday since, I have taken a quick run through Hoelbrak, up the Wayfarer Foothills, across Diessa Plateau, and finally, to the Black Citadel looking for new developments. <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/flame-and-frost-living-story-review.html">I reviewed the initial content</a> added to the game shortly after release but have yet to provide an update to what is happening. Today I would like to do just that by sharing with you some of the things I have seen change and the stories I have seen beginning to develop. If you would like to explore the story on your own and would like to avoid spoilers then I suggest skipping this article.</div>
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Hoelbrak</h3>
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The story in Hoelbrak takes place between Wolf and Bear lodges where a refugee camp has been setup. It is marked on your map with a yellow star. At the entrance to this camp is a coordinator where you can get more information. Well you can try.</div>
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Not very helpful. In the beginning this was all that the player could discover within this camp. Since then things have changed, including the dialogue of the coordinator.</div>
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I think we will have to give up on this NPC. She still does not know what is going on. Luckily for us, not so much the refugees, the camp has grown in size.</div>
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Quite a little camp has sprung up and there are now more NPCs to talk to. Among them is a steed holder that seems to know more.</div>
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Dredge and fire! Interesting. We shall have to keep this in mind when exploring other areas. There is another story here though. Talking with a refugee Blacksmith we learn of a poor orphaned boy.</div>
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Perhaps this is a seed for a story that is to develop? Or maybe this is just trying to set the mood. Either way I am curious to learn more about the fate of the boys parents.</div>
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The Black Citadel</h3>
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In the Black Citadel a refugee camp, similar to the one in Hoelbrak, has been setup near Memorial way point. The Charr are more forth coming with information. Before we even get to the refugee camp a herald, near the Asura gate to Lion's Arch, gives us some info.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5p9ABRuMRbEtIL3vHaQdmJVzTQFwbDn-buDeRWa-UYUExkZz20GvE3lfaKSSObvk7nkqte1qe5e3l89id9-wGSJ06qQhrAGJHfsnbrrzLG9eo7g4ekYesXE1-qmRs3hWpUtl1HLAy8gM/s1600/LSBlackCitadel6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5p9ABRuMRbEtIL3vHaQdmJVzTQFwbDn-buDeRWa-UYUExkZz20GvE3lfaKSSObvk7nkqte1qe5e3l89id9-wGSJ06qQhrAGJHfsnbrrzLG9eo7g4ekYesXE1-qmRs3hWpUtl1HLAy8gM/s320/LSBlackCitadel6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This Charr seems to know more then the Norn do about the situation in Wayfarer Foothills. At least we get some confirmation of that the dredge are involved in this some how. When we arrive at the refugee camp we are met by a member of the Adamant Watch who is acting as a coordinator. This is what he has to say,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZGWAOFiShYyNHwN5P8HMypYs-pShJiGWeEcfx1Cz01BTqPVip2gIGvjFMyNaKMzeLzsJCYrkYYnNExNNR1yWpdZQVMtyZJU2yHXqNWCGoTG1GHPcd7Qy-2aTGdAErKDEMqtbNFj02PM/s1600/LSBlackCitadel4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZGWAOFiShYyNHwN5P8HMypYs-pShJiGWeEcfx1Cz01BTqPVip2gIGvjFMyNaKMzeLzsJCYrkYYnNExNNR1yWpdZQVMtyZJU2yHXqNWCGoTG1GHPcd7Qy-2aTGdAErKDEMqtbNFj02PM/s320/LSBlackCitadel4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Up until recently, this was all there was to discover in the Black Citadel. Like Hoelbrak, things here have evolved a little, including this NPC's dialogue.</div>
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Things seem to be getting hectic, but the consistency seems to be the Flame Legion's involvement. We can get more confirmation of this in the now expanded refugee camp.</div>
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Within this expanded camp are two new NPCs we can speak with. The first NPC we run into is a grouchy rancher who really wants nothing to do with us.</div>
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More talk of Flame Legion! Perhaps, once this rancher calms down, she will have more to tell us. For now though, this is all she has to say. As we continue to explore the camp we run into this well dressed chap.</div>
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And he has a bone to pick with, you guessed it, the Flame Legion.</div>
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Butcher's Block is the small town in the north-west of Diessa Plateau. I will discuss this area more below. Suffice to say there are more Dredge in this area then Flame Legion. Are the Flame Legion some how behind the disturbances in the north? Or are they just taking advantage of the chaos? Could the Flame Legion be working with the Dredge? Or maybe flame throwing Dredge are being mistaken for Flame Legion? Or is something else going on here? So many questions, so few answers.</div>
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Wayfarer Foothills</h3>
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Things start to get a little more interesting as we explore Wayfarer Foothills because we start to get closer to the source of the problems. In <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/flame-and-frost-living-story-review.html">my previous review of the Living Story</a>, I discussed the events you can participate in including, completing your volunteer achievement by helping streams of refugees coming from the north and by completing dynamic events that involve fighting ice elementals and plugging ruptures in the ground.</div>
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This has not changed. You can still participate in these events and no new events have been added to my knowledge. The other thing that has not changed is the mysterious frozen dead merchant in the north near Solitude way point,</div>
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It is still dead and still just as mysterious. One possible explanation for this dead merchant, that I did not discuss before, is found nearby at Dolyak Pass way point. Here, in a tent, we find a Merchant Bodyguard that seems to be more concerned with counting his coin than guarding merchants.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mUPJFft9IQcEKZ-ABe4VScjYe_y3a0bb3Br_cBV54gHRmLHT5Ogs00YVLWzG0NpgCE5ACwrj3QHL3NGRnGjq3XcraQlqs3C8MA7DEBM7zm-fuSfOFrEPq4cFMPN2keVEzEw1QNRBmP4/s1600/LSWayfarer1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mUPJFft9IQcEKZ-ABe4VScjYe_y3a0bb3Br_cBV54gHRmLHT5Ogs00YVLWzG0NpgCE5ACwrj3QHL3NGRnGjq3XcraQlqs3C8MA7DEBM7zm-fuSfOFrEPq4cFMPN2keVEzEw1QNRBmP4/s320/LSWayfarer1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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What a guy. Unfortunately for us this is all we are able to learn. It does seem, though, that the merchants know something is up. Too bad the only one around is a frozen corpse. We will just have to keep looking around and in fact we do not need to go far. Just south of Dolyak Pass way point some refugees have setup a couple small buildings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9YKevM9ZZ45ZwtTdtlNzmbrmRa-XFW4CgxtMbAuzhH6HrjfphRmzpRLLvF3t1bFwwe3Y6941SxuOvWBW4cFRbu3nuehjQ71JHge24IwD4CFUw2tHKaVmcYQa9dV1RMAjDpNTjLEYjFQ/s1600/LSWayfarer7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9YKevM9ZZ45ZwtTdtlNzmbrmRa-XFW4CgxtMbAuzhH6HrjfphRmzpRLLvF3t1bFwwe3Y6941SxuOvWBW4cFRbu3nuehjQ71JHge24IwD4CFUw2tHKaVmcYQa9dV1RMAjDpNTjLEYjFQ/s320/LSWayfarer7.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are three NPCs in the camp but none of them have anything to say. As we continue to explore the zone we discover this ominous looking mountain north of Dolyak Pass way point.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24u6xTXp6EM2rVJdqeWIaDgys9VTTBlMGUxWQRajNoaIAL5fkIZ12hcigXrS_QrvO1Yuq9D1Ny0RY8Xpgr4hSJmzEaSGn92-CRgJ78qPwXDFeBf0GRZ1jFNp4m_b-tR-M0JPpwaW8i4Y/s1600/LSWayfarer2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24u6xTXp6EM2rVJdqeWIaDgys9VTTBlMGUxWQRajNoaIAL5fkIZ12hcigXrS_QrvO1Yuq9D1Ny0RY8Xpgr4hSJmzEaSGn92-CRgJ78qPwXDFeBf0GRZ1jFNp4m_b-tR-M0JPpwaW8i4Y/s320/LSWayfarer2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Which looks even more ominous when viewed from another angle at a different time of day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9omXXbXdEAYfYKSJLjNOsHAGgcrmmhMTO7PTzsni9f_Rfvawz3c2On5u6dB3RyrEIk60CAzvkUcSRO_Zmu6OMkoVsel-ujQruoR-dzUEf-uPlHvX9CHSycChtPpcNMRthcHimnIR4qc/s1600/LSWayfarer3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9omXXbXdEAYfYKSJLjNOsHAGgcrmmhMTO7PTzsni9f_Rfvawz3c2On5u6dB3RyrEIk60CAzvkUcSRO_Zmu6OMkoVsel-ujQruoR-dzUEf-uPlHvX9CHSycChtPpcNMRthcHimnIR4qc/s320/LSWayfarer3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Those ruptures look an awful lot like the vents that we are required to close during the dynamic events. Here is one for comparison,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvcL00J4WdvvYmHmwU_e8BDUeY4nd_trCH-UrR17xLpGDoQRLci91O4iVcVloHCH8URM2KZsh8yw-4njNDTSDKrCYxmcV-Uk-F7PqG_9inNAHbm_97YdlBqyhpgklWLuQWgC9DUJxRJ0/s1600/LSWayfarer4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvcL00J4WdvvYmHmwU_e8BDUeY4nd_trCH-UrR17xLpGDoQRLci91O4iVcVloHCH8URM2KZsh8yw-4njNDTSDKrCYxmcV-Uk-F7PqG_9inNAHbm_97YdlBqyhpgklWLuQWgC9DUJxRJ0/s320/LSWayfarer4.png" width="118" /></a></div>
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Similar? Exploring further around this mountain reveals little. Heading further north leads to Frost Gorge Sound where these events have yet to spread. Going either south or west just leads away from the mountain where nothing else seems to be occurring. If we look on the slopes of the mountain there is one cave, called the Warm Spring Grotto, which contains some steaming pools of water and a lot of spiders. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kVXR6tsjJ_qkpRuZIrogse5tf7G8pRLLPv5ysS4jheH9WzoP_fniOU6fKOTbJKTzvuEtf4yBb9tpxuUzqZ4-h0SL4jFaqAlg6tYBZWzRNTek-rIFBsVyEdaMVZQF0Rp5whoOIGW_k2s/s1600/LSWayfarer6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kVXR6tsjJ_qkpRuZIrogse5tf7G8pRLLPv5ysS4jheH9WzoP_fniOU6fKOTbJKTzvuEtf4yBb9tpxuUzqZ4-h0SL4jFaqAlg6tYBZWzRNTek-rIFBsVyEdaMVZQF0Rp5whoOIGW_k2s/s320/LSWayfarer6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This isn't the only place in Wayfarer Foothills with hot springs though. On the other side of the zone at Zelechar Hot Springs way point are more hot springs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho60eD5KgEc35IlM6wUN5-OcHjS3jO7GvEfGW1PjYhUv3gGZfPNbZrrkc3D-igEawvEsLX7uGqloN7D17ypw0wxZV-1YnJ6Q8sW_1xvS5nzhglYkWl9qDFwO4M951rZ5pNXHkaTMa4Mdw/s1600/LSWayfarer5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho60eD5KgEc35IlM6wUN5-OcHjS3jO7GvEfGW1PjYhUv3gGZfPNbZrrkc3D-igEawvEsLX7uGqloN7D17ypw0wxZV-1YnJ6Q8sW_1xvS5nzhglYkWl9qDFwO4M951rZ5pNXHkaTMa4Mdw/s320/LSWayfarer5.png" width="300" /></a></div>
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But, there are no geysers shooting steam into the air here. Are the Wayfarer Foothills volcanic? Or is there more to this? The center of the activity appears to be in the North East around the steaming mountain. Next I want to explore the eastern slope of this mountain in Diessa Plateau.</div>
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Diessa Plateau</h3>
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The story here in Diessa Plateau is similar to Wayfarer Foothills. Refugees are streaming from the north to the south towards the Black Citadel. These poor refugees still need help if you are willing to provide it. You can also still participate in the dynamic event that has the player fighting earth elementals and plugging ruptures much like Wayfarer Foothills. Unlike Wayfarer Foothills, there are no refugees setting up camps nor are there any mysterious dead merchants. Thus, my attention is drawn to the north west of the zone to explore the eastern slope of the mountain I discussed above.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqdnTwldOx969B_A4bzKW4M92VslzcOli-SS7y5abP8AsxwrIy2TYXiVkpH-yYF48wfcaXCQ0wPKMNCpnVs8xQ-_iU9KX3EdT_EkeiknxxX7lYRLjbbRdw-XHdTXMY0yBEhpAT8aOWuA/s1600/LSDiessa1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqdnTwldOx969B_A4bzKW4M92VslzcOli-SS7y5abP8AsxwrIy2TYXiVkpH-yYF48wfcaXCQ0wPKMNCpnVs8xQ-_iU9KX3EdT_EkeiknxxX7lYRLjbbRdw-XHdTXMY0yBEhpAT8aOWuA/s320/LSDiessa1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Even on this side we can see the vents blowing steam into the air. Is it any surprise that this is right near an area ripe with Dredge? The whole north-west of Diessa Plateau, named Burrows of Moledavia, is infested with dredge. Seeing as how the Dredge have been brought up before I thought it worth exploring this area some more. Upon reaching the north-east corner of Moledavia I saw this as I looked to the north and east.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2P-nO-FKU03GmBF1p3OW2k23lCFuhcgR8ETvSWf-oWIRa2BbnYcTiqmW9nrvfUKU5vR3R9t77CcEIZEYyZqxd59NyZfxMefSfR7EqXSOvNgF8WsovLebslba93oT5Ftwst1RcsN67_M/s1600/LSDiessa4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2P-nO-FKU03GmBF1p3OW2k23lCFuhcgR8ETvSWf-oWIRa2BbnYcTiqmW9nrvfUKU5vR3R9t77CcEIZEYyZqxd59NyZfxMefSfR7EqXSOvNgF8WsovLebslba93oT5Ftwst1RcsN67_M/s320/LSDiessa4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I exited Moledavia and worked my way around to the other side of a small ridge for a better view.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCP-evBD2A5efjWvL67w9A40Wp7_LaQrNX6yvvPHzVNBzJ4jB9smedoAwPade1-_lAzN9BAM89mybP2LCCqdhicZo6aG_0EfYy9kQYFb6Oa_Le9wEzZ41w4WWTrcp49Bq2K2XMSE02DcE/s1600/LSDiessa2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCP-evBD2A5efjWvL67w9A40Wp7_LaQrNX6yvvPHzVNBzJ4jB9smedoAwPade1-_lAzN9BAM89mybP2LCCqdhicZo6aG_0EfYy9kQYFb6Oa_Le9wEzZ41w4WWTrcp49Bq2K2XMSE02DcE/s320/LSDiessa2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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It seems there is activity all around Moledavia. Here is a map showing the different things I have discovered crossing over between Diessa and Wayfarer Foothills.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSAmR6j4vCYb0XUBWCWQaq5Fyq5PxWtOt51ShPtoyBn2PIkmJfD-VMAbRZTAhQjAS5Ec07bAmqko3kUf6QK1rkiooxiYueVHXI4pPxrg3tZZQLMCrJ5xiJKVCuy7uLw_6DjPDUp4BBpw/s1600/LSDiessa3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSAmR6j4vCYb0XUBWCWQaq5Fyq5PxWtOt51ShPtoyBn2PIkmJfD-VMAbRZTAhQjAS5Ec07bAmqko3kUf6QK1rkiooxiYueVHXI4pPxrg3tZZQLMCrJ5xiJKVCuy7uLw_6DjPDUp4BBpw/s320/LSDiessa3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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If the Flame Legion is involved it is sure hard to find evidence for it besides some raving Charr in the Black Citadel. There seems to be a lot more activity around the Dredge areas.</div>
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Conclusions</h3>
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It is hard to say, just yet, where this story plans to go. There are some good theories floating around though. Some people thing the Flame Legion are solely to blame, while other blame the Dredge. A guild mate suggested the Steam Creatures, but they seem to be located only in Lornar's Pass. Just about every elder Dragon has been invoked in some theory at some point. A theory I like involves a continuation of the story told in the dungeon Sorrow's Embrace. If you have not played through the Sorrow's Embrace Dungeon you can watch the cut-scenes in this video,</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pr3aTHtol5M?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The gist of it is that the Inquest and Dredge got together to try to harness the energy of a dragon. They are defeated in the story but the head Inquest scientist escapes. Are the inquest still supporting the dredge in these experiments with dragon energy? Perhaps, the Dredge have started experimenting on their own, or maybe they have a new backer in the Flame Legion. We will have to wait and see as this story plays out. Hopefully it picks up in speed as up until now things have moved forward at a rather slow pace. There are lots of seeds for stories that I would like to see develop. I would also like to see more far reaching effects. Arena Net has me hooked now they just need to reel me in.</div>
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What do you guys think of the Living Story so far? Have you been exploring and trying to find hidden story elements? Have I missed anything? What are your theories about the cause of this disaster? Let me know in the comments below!</div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-43600310006617271162013-02-10T09:54:00.000-05:002013-02-10T09:54:40.974-05:00This Week in Guild Wars 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
Every Friday, Raphia at <a href="http://guildmag.com/">GuildMag</a> goes through all the community articles for the week and <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-61">rounds them up into one giant article</a>. Every week I like to go through this list and pick out my favourites to share with you guys. The articles I pick out tend to compliment the content that I have here on my blog. I also try to sneak in some Red Posts and news from Arena Net that I may have missed earlier in the week.</div>
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Habib Loew on WvW</h3>
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Earlier this week <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/pvp/wuvwuv/Update-No-WvW-Rating-Reset/first#post1313585">Habib Loew took to the forums</a> to discuss WvW related rankings changes. It was originally thought that the rankings would be reset for a fresh start on Friday. The idea behind this was to allow the match ups to reach an equilibrium quicker than if there was not a reset. Here is their new take on it,</div>
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<i>In light of the strong community response to the idea of a WvW ratings reset, the results of our ratings formula investigations, and our data on the current matchups we have decided not to reset the WvW ratings at this time. All existing WvW ratings will be preserved and the rating calculation methodology will remain unchanged.</i></blockquote>
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This 360 degree turn leaves me kind of baffled. I felt Arena Net had a lot of confidence in the ratings reset and the benefit it would have for the game when they first announced it. The back and forth makes me question that confidence.</div>
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GW2 Audio Team Video</h3>
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Posted to the main GW2 site was <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/video-arenanet-audio-team-plays-with-fire/">a video with Arena Net sound designer Drew Cady</a>. In this video Drew shows the viewer how he used fire to make a number of the sound effects in Guild Wars 2. It was surprising to find out how many different noises could be made just based on the shape of the burning object. Check out the video and article to see for yourself,</div>
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Guild Wars 2 Trading Post - Levelling Experiences & Attitude</h3>
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Markco from <a href="http://www.guildwars2tradingpost.com/">GW2 Trading Post</a> is always on the look out for new ways to make gold in Guild Wars 2. This week he had an article re-iterating some advice that I have given on my blog in the past. When looking for opportunities to make gold always look back to your experiences levelling your character. What levels did you buy weapons? What type of armour did you focus on? etc. Using that kind of thinking led Markco to <a href="http://www.guildwars2tradingpost.com/2013/02/dont-forget-your-leveling-experiences.html#.URahc6XAfQg">a great market to make money in</a>. What is it? Head over to his blog to find out! But, remember the main take away from this is not this one market, it is the general philosophy of using your levelling experiences to inform your trading in game.</div>
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Of Course I'll Play It - Takes the Fight to Zhaitan</h3>
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Dusty Monk decided to take on the final task in his personal story and completed Arah story mode. He also provided <a href="http://ofcourseillplayit.blogspot.ca/2013/02/victory-at-last.html">an excellent review of the dungeon</a> on his blog <a href="http://ofcourseillplayit.blogspot.ca/">Of Course I'll Play It</a>. The review is relatively spoiler free and still manages to get across the good and the bad sides of this dungeon. If, like me, you have yet to take on this task, Dusty Monk's article might give you the encouragement you need to finally get it done. I have my personal story entirely complete on two characters with the exception of this dungeon. I think I might finally finish it up.</div>
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Inventory Full - A Sunday Stroll Through Orr</h3>
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Bhagpuss wrote what is <a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/2013/02/a-sunday-morning-stroll-through-orr-gw2.html">my favourite article this week</a> in which he visits Orr. From the Straights of Devastation up over Malchor's Leap to the Cursed Shore Bhagpuss visits them all and shares his thoughts about the "new Orr" post patch. He also took some wonderful screenshots which along with his witty writing style make this article an extremely pleasant read. The article was tweeted by <a href="https://twitter.com/GuildWars2">@GuildWars2</a> it was so good. Need I say more? Go check it out and Bhagpuss's other articles on <a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/">Inventory Full</a>.</div>
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Sailor Scouts </h3>
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Posted up on Reddit and Imgur were a series of pictures of players that managed to make their characters look like the Sailor Scouts from the anime <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_Moon">Sailor Moon</a>. The resemblance is striking! Here are some images from a third party that happened to see them on an overflow server, and here are some pictures from the group themselves. Hopefully as the wardrobe in Guild Wars 2 expands we will see more of this kind of in game cosplay. We can add this to the <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/184j5p/weve_got_gw2_sailor_moon_my_guild_has_the_mighty/">Power Rangers</a>, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/177ztb/got_my_picture_taken_with_a_very_photogenic/">Mickey Mouse</a>, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/16qjgn/i_see_your_storm_trooper_and_raise_you_darth_vader/">Darth Vader</a>, and the <a href="http://imgur.com/a/F3b4I">Storm Trooper</a> seen previously.</div>
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Four-year Old Plays GW2</h3>
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Definitely winning points in the cute category, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfjoohIaJXI">this video</a> of the four-year old playing Guild Wars 2 along with <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/17vjt4/my_4_year_old_son_playing_guild_wars_2_wvwvw/">the post made by the Dad on Reddit</a> is the kind of thing that makes me wish I had kids! In this video the four-year old takes on two worlds in WvW. Definitely an entertaining video to watch. I can tell you one things, this kid doesn't care that the WvW updates were pushed back a month. He is having fun playing the game and being a part of something.</div>
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Ascalonian Catacombs - The Naked Version</h3>
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An enterprising crew decided to take on AC Path 3 without armour! The video puts things into perspective. Like do you really need "the best" gear to run dungeons in Guild Wars 2, and do you really need all 80's? The opinion one gets from this video is that stats really do not matter THAT much. What is more important is coordination and skill. It also reminds me that to have fun in this game you do not need to finish the dungeon in record time. Just running the dungeon with some good friends and focusing on fun can go a long way.</div>
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Matt Visual - Easter Eggs</h3>
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I am keeping it visual again this week with another video from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MattVisual">Matt Visual</a>. This week he takes a look at a couple of the Easter Eggs that are hidden away in Guild Wars 2. I had heard of the cat room before but the secret face room in the CM dungeon is completely new to me. Check out this video to have your mind blown!</div>
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That's it for this week in Guild Wars 2. Remember to check out <a href="http://guildmag.com/">GuildMag</a> for <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-61">the full round up of this weeks community articles</a>. What were your favourite articles this week? Let me know in the comments.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-64158393446265902672013-02-08T16:54:00.000-05:002013-02-09T13:30:26.365-05:00February Teaser: The Gathering Storm<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/february-2013/">A teaser has been posted up on the Guild Wars 2 main site</a> for the February release of Flame and Frost which is being called, "The Gathering Storm." In <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/february-2013/">this teaser</a>, we learn some new things about what to expect in the February release. The devs have also taken to the forums with additional details. Today I will go over these changes and add my thoughts.</div>
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The Living Story Continues</h3>
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The effects of the Arena Net kool-aid I was drinking when <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/flame-and-frost-living-story-review.html">I reviewed the Living Story</a> have started to ware off. The story is grinding along far to slow for me. At first I thought it was just pacing but I am not so sure anymore. The effects of the story do not seem to be far reaching and changes are slow to come. The teaser for February seems to imply we will just have more of the same thing.</div>
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<i>The situation worsens for the citizens of Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau. Volunteers have eased the burden, but more refugees hobble down from the Shiverpeaks. The storm there gains momentum, but the forces of good are beginning to rally. They’re sending their heroes to defend the land and its peoples. Someone must hold back the gathering storm.</i></div>
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Maybe this is just me though. Having not experienced the new content I should not prejudge it. Re-reading <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/the-living-story-in-guild-wars-2/">Angel McCoy's blog post</a> on the official Guild Wars 2 site does give me more hope for the Living Story. Flame and Frost may be just Arena Net testing out the idea for themselves and with players or maybe I am wrong and the story will speed up with more changes in February. I think the idea has great merit and I hope it does just end up being a couple lines of new NPC dialog every week and instead becomes a narrative the player can look forward to participating in on an on going basis.</div>
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PvP - New Map Spirit Watch and Rankings</h3>
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The PvP side of things will be seeing a new map titled Spirit Watch, which by the sounds of it, features game play elements similar to Capture the Flag,</div>
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<i>This peaceful green vale, nestled between cliffside shrines to the norn Spirits of the Wild is about to echo with the sounds of combat. In Spirit Watch, players will score bonus points by capturing the Orb of Ascension and running it to any of the three shrines on this newest PvP map.</i></div>
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A lot of people have been wanting new styles of play in PvP and <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/gw2-livestream-coverage-part-2.html">Arena Net has been saying</a> they want to stick with the conquest format with some added twists. This seems to fit in exactly with that philosophy as we see capture the flag elements added to what I assume is a conquest style map. Further along in Arena Net's blog post we learn of a ranking system officially coming into effect,</div>
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<i>It's time to prove your skill! In this new type of competitive PvP, two teams of equal average rating are pitted against each other in a quick, intense match. The ratings for every member of each team is then adjusted after the match.</i></div>
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I feel match making is a core thing that PvP requires. It is a kind of progression for a lot of people, but it is also necessary to create enjoyable matches. I have been reluctant to play PvP up to this point because of the lack of match making. I think this change will bring me and a lot of others into the game.</div>
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More details on these changes were given in <a href="http://www.guildwars2guru.com/videos/view-2956-state-of-the-game-featuring-jonathan-sharp-jon-peters-february-2013/">GW2Guru's state of the game</a>. This is a great series where every month some PvP players get together with devs and discuss Guild Wars 2 PvP. If you are into PvP or looking to start playing this format I highly recommend watching this video,</div>
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Guild Missions</h3>
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The next thing we learn about in Arena Net's blog post are Guild Missions. New guild content has been at the top of my "want list" for a while now. For a game named "Guild" Wars the guilds certainly do not feel as important as I think they should be. Guilds are missing a lot of basic features that make running them on a daily basis difficult (ie no way to see if people are inactive). Here is what Anet has to say,</div>
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<i>Join your fellow guild members to take on an entirely new category of content! These missions, designed for coordinated group play, include everything from bounties to group puzzles to cross-country challenges. You’ll need to work together to complete the missions and earn new Guild Merits, which can unlock cool upgrades and rewards. It pays to be in a guild!</i></div>
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These missions have been hinted at in the past and it is nice to see that we will see these in game at the end of the month. <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Guild-Quest-Update-concerns-me/first#post1398267">Anthony Ordon added the following</a> on the forums,</div>
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<i>We want you to be able to play with your friends without feeling pressured by the game to spend your time doing otherwise. We’re still fine-tuning some details, but the general idea is that rewards from new guild content system are rate-limited in such a way that a smaller, more-focused groups can maintain a similar pace to the larger ones. So no, you won’t have to abandon your friends and join mega-guilds to benefit from the system, but that’s not to say the mega-guilds won’t have plenty of stuff to do.</i></div>
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That is about all we have on what these Guild Missions are. The only other thing mentioned in the past has been that they will allow people not in the Guild running the mission to also participate. This raises some alarm bells that the missions will just be events that require a guild to activate. I sure hope that is not the case because then the role of the guild is mitigated. Anthony's post above already seems to hint at the fact that being in a large guild will not help you finish these mission's any easier. I just hope that the role of the Guild is not reduced to simply activating the event. I hope that an active coordinated team is required. <a href="http://hyperion-overlords.enjin.com/">My guild</a> has been itching for something to do and I hope this is it.</div>
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Custom Daily Achievements</h3>
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The second set of changes to the daily achievement system will arrive in February allowing players to select which tasks they do in order to complete their daily achievement,</div>
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<i>With our new selectable achievement system, you’ll have a chance to set new daily challenges for yourself and to choose what kind of content you want to be rewarded for playing.</i></blockquote>
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This change will make the daily achievements seem a lot less grindy. I personally do not like crafting or the gathering that goes along with it. When I play I do not like worrying about missing those gathering nodes and prefer to focus on the action. I hope after this patch goes live that I will never have to gather again. I know other feel similarly about other aspects of the game thus I am sure this change will be popular across the board.</div>
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WvW Changes Delayed</h3>
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Not mentioned in Arena Net's official blog post is the fact that the anticipated WvW changes have been delayed. Instead <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/pvp/wuvwuv/Upcoming-WvW-Updates/first#post1385839">we get details about this on the forums</a> from Colin Johanson,</div>
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<i>Because of how broad the WvW game type is, and how large testing for features for this area of the game can be we’re going to hold off on any major WvW updates until March to allow a bit more time to test and polish.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>March will see the release of the WuvWuv progression system, new ranks you can earn in WvW visible to all other players, and new DubVDub specific abilities/bonuses that you can earn as you rank up. Our team working on WvW will discuss this system in more detail as that date approaches.</i></blockquote>
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Colin's post then goes on to detail some of the WvW changes expected to make the cut for the March patch that <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/the-big-post-is-up.htm">we have discussed here on Egg Baron in the past</a>. Although the delays disappointing I would rather see a polished release then something half complete. In the end though, WvW may loose this player to PvP as those changes seem to be steamrolling ahead.</div>
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Conclusions</h3>
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While the January patch seemed a lot larger than I was expecting so far the February patch seems kind of light in comparison. Perhaps, this is because of the WvW delays, or perhaps there is still a lot more to come that has not been mentioned. Both myself and the people I play with have high hopes for the Guild Missions. We really hope this will be the thing to bring life back into our Guild and give us something new to do. I still think Arena Net is on the right path with their update methodology. I just wish it worked at a faster pace. What are you most looking forward to it the February update? Let me know in the comments below.</div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-65722292344038906412013-02-06T18:04:00.001-05:002013-02-06T18:04:41.239-05:00Mystic Binding Agent UpdateI made an edit to my post below regarding Mystic Binding Agents as new uses have been discovered. As I discover more I will continue to edit the original posting. I will also edit the articles verbiage to reflect that I have now actually tried this myself.<br />
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If there are any Mystic Forge formula you would like me to try please let me know in the comments below. I have yet to use all my Mystic Binding Agents and would be happy to try out formula in the forge for you guys.Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-72378136742421501732013-02-05T11:25:00.001-05:002013-02-06T21:49:43.371-05:00Mystic Binding Agent<div style="text-align: justify;">
News of people purchasing the <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mystic_Binding_Agent">Mystic Binding Agents</a> has started to come in on the forums (eg, <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/crafting/Mystic-Binding-Agent">here</a> and <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/crafting/So-Mystic-Binding-Agent">here</a>). The word is that <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/laurels-and-daily-achievements.html">they work as I predicted</a>: one Mystic Binding Agent replaces one Elonian Wine in the Rare Materials promotion formula. But, wait! It is more complicated then that! You can used the Mystic Binding Agents to batch together promotions of lower tier materials. Today I would like to discuss the consequences for using these item and discuss whether the are worth buying.<br />
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*Edit* This article was revised on February 6th, 2013 based on new information that was learned.</div>
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Mystic Binding Agents</h3>
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Firstly, a package of ten Mystic Binding Agents can be obtained from the laurels vendor for ten laurels. On February 6th, 2013 I purchased the Mystic Binding Agents to determine exactly how they work. I have since gone through and edited this article to reflect what I learned.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zZM9XVQ7U-93CE9vIpBlSY7EqS5W3zaT7nviuWMsLrFn5RVBTht7mq_DaFG46lK5EoXd37Vk0CTapVmSjmUotRpKi7ozER2VqRHnuCWBMKYs6XWjvd1LnLGoRPWICnWG3__A8Nftsdg/s1600/Mystic_Binding_Agent%5B1%5D.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zZM9XVQ7U-93CE9vIpBlSY7EqS5W3zaT7nviuWMsLrFn5RVBTht7mq_DaFG46lK5EoXd37Vk0CTapVmSjmUotRpKi7ozER2VqRHnuCWBMKYs6XWjvd1LnLGoRPWICnWG3__A8Nftsdg/s1600/Mystic_Binding_Agent%5B1%5D.png" /></a>Is it worth using your laurels to get Mystic Binding Agents? Laurels can be converted into a number of different items which can then be converted into gold. Depending on the route you take you can end up with ten Unidentified Dyes (worth about 1.8 gold) for five Laurels, two pieces of rare gear (worth 80 - 100 silver) with a chance at an exotic also for five Laurels, 3 fine crafting materials (worth 15 - 45 silver) for one Laurel. Obtaining the Mystic Binding agents which each replace an Elonian Wine worth about 25 silver is comparable, but you have other options with the Mystic Binding Agents as well. The following formula are possible.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP97gMExBzdbNaYFUXCWI4JUbTTmw0KswmofmL9tWF700aa22D0f_iT0xRmJdQ9jn_3gjz4tdKXOZ4XoiCe__Z4IHjNHI_s-ICjHiPRPQZQZb_16GmUxhXO8yh-ZANpD7AFOxHfjx9Kc/s1600/mba1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPP97gMExBzdbNaYFUXCWI4JUbTTmw0KswmofmL9tWF700aa22D0f_iT0xRmJdQ9jn_3gjz4tdKXOZ4XoiCe__Z4IHjNHI_s-ICjHiPRPQZQZb_16GmUxhXO8yh-ZANpD7AFOxHfjx9Kc/s320/mba1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">8 Slivers + 1 Mystic Binding Agent + 1 Crystal + 1 Pile of Radiant Dust = 4 Fragments</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2nifYeckwJRkRLH-WoBSG2j7TvFPqDfJFp4aBoaezN_XVNr8mMKsrT8RwZQlaKAudllEIjyDws5NrwSBvFyGO9rQdJGz8Uwzw4gjlUUXi6HdY2G1P6Z84QU7ukZvMnKPekgjczV8N_0/s1600/mba2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2nifYeckwJRkRLH-WoBSG2j7TvFPqDfJFp4aBoaezN_XVNr8mMKsrT8RwZQlaKAudllEIjyDws5NrwSBvFyGO9rQdJGz8Uwzw4gjlUUXi6HdY2G1P6Z84QU7ukZvMnKPekgjczV8N_0/s320/mba2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">6 Fragments + 1 Mystic Binding Agents + 1 Crystal + 1 Pile of Luminous Dust = 3 Shards</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMQUP4oiKdX-yKefDXWlqsGvuZkaKadK2lXLGOGsckmT0cmy3-IXXC59kTUCXAo2lvEh-WARMJf8n9SaUYAgithJTv0VYg-qIwpjMPNB6SsoRkHSzcEU6Xas8tvCyTfh_w_PNN8by-Uo/s1600/mba3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMQUP4oiKdX-yKefDXWlqsGvuZkaKadK2lXLGOGsckmT0cmy3-IXXC59kTUCXAo2lvEh-WARMJf8n9SaUYAgithJTv0VYg-qIwpjMPNB6SsoRkHSzcEU6Xas8tvCyTfh_w_PNN8by-Uo/s320/mba3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">4 Shards + 1 Mystic Binding Agent + 1 Crystal + 1 Pile of Incandescent Dust = 2 Cores</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgGXRs_OjAyPL3C_wyo9e4fOEqgnFJxcgrYJlA0Rzsun-l9bagn8tZHz1n5Oxjjy6i4nl1L4_22CR_qxio9ZVnyLU8BJjnw2QfsiLHAM7lUEuYBLe8yIDQK2VpWlZOozm-T8N6w8euu4/s1600/mba4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgGXRs_OjAyPL3C_wyo9e4fOEqgnFJxcgrYJlA0Rzsun-l9bagn8tZHz1n5Oxjjy6i4nl1L4_22CR_qxio9ZVnyLU8BJjnw2QfsiLHAM7lUEuYBLe8yIDQK2VpWlZOozm-T8N6w8euu4/s320/mba4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">2 Cores + 1 Mystic Binding Agent + 1 Crystal + 1 Pile of Crystalline Dust = 1 Lodestone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
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This allows players to batch together promotions, thus spending less dust, and crystals to achieve the same results. Also not having the pay for the multiple Elonian Wine opens up a host of possibilities. I have done some calculations and currently, by promoting 6 Charged Fragments into 3 Charged Shards you could profit by 80 silver per Mystic Binding Agent or 130 silver per Skill Point. That is a largest profit I have seen, thus far. Thus, as a way to generate additional gold Mystic Binding Agents are viable.</div>
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Of course there are other things you can spend your Laurels on that you can not get any where else. It will be up to you to decide what you want to obtain with your Laurels, more gold or unique items like mini-pets, ascended amulets, infusions, etc. <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/laurels-and-daily-achievements.html">My article on laurels</a> takes a look at all the things you can obtain currently and might help you decide.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cI5XwvXNB3sjUgCm7mP3LeeDhliD0NIMdf96Jl6nO7IBnRHaXOuVBkNAhrhLkc93FFPMMFo_a1yat-lEQ2ZxxMxJHYcciji1iq52OnTDJIP3cCbiH3B8qJvsBiC3yC_BjkKukKkLXCU/s1600/raremats.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cI5XwvXNB3sjUgCm7mP3LeeDhliD0NIMdf96Jl6nO7IBnRHaXOuVBkNAhrhLkc93FFPMMFo_a1yat-lEQ2ZxxMxJHYcciji1iq52OnTDJIP3cCbiH3B8qJvsBiC3yC_BjkKukKkLXCU/s320/raremats.png" width="320" /></a>I am interested to see if how these will effect the overall markets for all Rare Materials. Mystic Binding agents have made promoting the lower materials profitable which you can see in <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/converting-skill-points-to-gold-update.html">my promotions spreadsheet</a>. You can also promote through multiple tiers to make a profit. For example, just doing some quick math you could promote 6 Charged Fragments, into 3 Charged Shards, into 1.5 Charged Cores, into 0.75 Charged Lodestone. Yes, I only made a fraction of a lodestone, so obviously you would need to run these promotions multiple times in order to get a full stone. We can use this to calculate how much it would cost to make a full stone though. Since 75% of a lodestone costs 3 Binding Agents and 120 silver in materials, 100% of one would cost 4 Binding Agents and 160 silver. If I had done this without Mystic Binding Agents it would have cost about 325 silver to make the same Charged Lodestone. A Charged Lodestone sells for about 300-350 silver.<br />
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As you can see the Mystic Binding Agents make the market much more dynamic and interconnected. At the moment, in my opinion, there are better things to spend your laurels on. If, however, you just want to convert your laurels into gold there are some extremely profitable channels available to you (see my spreadsheet below). In the future, though, this system will really come into its own. Eventually, laurels will be a less valuable commodity and more people will be looking to turn them into gold and then we will see large numbers of people playing the market converting one type of material into another.</div>
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<h3>
Updated Spreadsheet</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaLZUCKz38JcAlcu7ts-bnkRyKkyEFwPLKuW1Fh-2KLP4XJfnHmy_ImjPSEZ32MwxX4L3gomxCDGXalDEBa1JJnLqeTO4uvVtg9NOFyhUuzSaUxbbRGPc3NafXzQpxBxNcDd4pKkZsvc/s1600/mbaspreadsheet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaLZUCKz38JcAlcu7ts-bnkRyKkyEFwPLKuW1Fh-2KLP4XJfnHmy_ImjPSEZ32MwxX4L3gomxCDGXalDEBa1JJnLqeTO4uvVtg9NOFyhUuzSaUxbbRGPc3NafXzQpxBxNcDd4pKkZsvc/s320/mbaspreadsheet.png" width="320" /></a>I made a quick update to <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/converting-skill-points-to-gold-update.html">my spreadsheet showing the profits to be made from promoting crafting materials</a> to reflect your option to use the Mystic Binding Agents. On the detailed view I have added a column showing profits to be earned per attempt and per skill point if you were to use the Mystic Binding Agent. The formula needs some tweaks to properly reflect all potential profits, but right now it is the minimum you will earn.<br />
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I have also added another option to the risk assessment on the simplified view which will trigger if there is only profit to be made if you use the Mystic Binding Agent. You will see this as "See Binding Agent [6]". This means that there is only profit to be made using this promotion formula if you use a Mystic Binding Agent. Since this only applies to the Rare Materials I have left the cells related to Fine and Common crafting materials blank. Using this players should be able to spot opportunities to promote materials and gain the most for their laurels and skill points.<br />
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I have added a test page to the spreadsheet which attempts to calculate the profits from these new promotions. At the moment, if my calculations are correct, you can make about 70-80 silver in the best case at the moment. Check the new tab on the spreadsheet titled, "*Testing* MBA Promotion Tables". This is very much a work in progress, but I am fairly confidant about the profit calculations now that I have got my hands on the Mystic Binding Agent myself and seen how it is used.<br />
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<h3>
Conclusions</h3>
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In general, I do not think people will be rushing to spend their Laurels on Mystic Binding Agents. Most people will still be interested in going after the unique items that are currently not obtainable any other way. Still though, I think enough people will be interested in obtaining cheap Lodestones or just making gold that we will see prices continue to come down just nothing dramatic. Over time as people obtain the unique rewards the laurel vendor has to offer gold making schemes will become relevant again. Arena Net has also stated that at some point down the road we will be able to obtain laurels from other achievements besides dailies and monthlies. At that point I would expect the Mystic Binding Agents to be much more relevant. </div>
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A lot of people feel let down by the Mystic Binding Agents as they assumed they would be a quick fix to the high prices of the Lodestones. It is understandable to be disappointed but often players need to check their expectations. Seeing how much gold could be earned per Laurel for the other items should have led players to the conclusion that the Mystic Binding Agent would be worth a similar amount. </div>
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Players also need to start checking their expectations regarding any "fixes" coming to the Lodestone prices at all. It is still debatable whether there is a problem in the first place. Arena Net has not stated any plans to attempt to lower prices of rare crafting materials. I would advise players to think realistically and expect that any changes that are made to these markets will be small and measured. Also, start thinking longer term. I do not think we have seen all the implications of the laurel system on the prices of lodestones yet.</div>
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What do you think about these new items? Will you be spending your Laurels to obtain them or are you saving for something else? Let me know in the comments!<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF8DEZSz0H0">TobranEarnwood</a>'s video below for setting me on the path to realizing that there was more to these Mystic Binding Agents then we first thought.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QF8DEZSz0H0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-32960084553663709242013-02-04T10:28:00.000-05:002013-02-16T00:39:49.384-05:00Skill Points to Gold Spreadsheet Update<div style="text-align: justify;">
I recently released a dynamic spreadsheet that calculates the expected return you could expect to receive when promoting crafting materials from one tier to another and keeps its data up-to-date from <a href="http://gw2spidy.com/">GW2Spidy.com</a>. I am happy to announce that I am ready to share the newest version of this spreadsheet with my readers. This spreadsheet is the culmination of the work I did writing blog posts about promoting <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/promoting-common-crafting-materials_16.html">common crafting materials</a>, <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2012/12/promoting-t5-fine-crafting-mats.html">fine crafting materials</a>, <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/promoting-rare-materials.html">rare crafting materials</a>, and <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/dust-promotion.html">piles of dust</a> through <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mystic_Forge">the mystic forge</a>. The new sheet has a number of new features, such as, a simplified view, Tier 1 - 5 Rare Crafting Materials, faster updates, and an update log. With that said here is the spreadsheet,</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As-wCpIszrT9dFB3YjVUVFhfenlDUUpXTVBIdm5qWmc&usp=sharing">Egg Baron Material Promotion Spreadsheet</a> - Last Updated February 16th, 2013.</blockquote>
* Feb 4th, 2013 - Posted Publically<br />
* Feb 5th, 2013 - Added column showing profits using Mystic Binding Agent<br />
* Feb 16th, 2013 - Added the rest of the fine crafting material promotions (tier 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5). Also, split simple view up into three different sheets, one for rare materials, fine materials, and common materials. Access the different sheets via the tabs at the bottom of the screen. For <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/02/fine-crafting-materials-revisited.html">more details see this post</a>.<br />
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A special thanks goes out to ZoCks for helping me collect data!<br />
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Simplified View and the Risk Column</h3>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFUMVRiJZ8UwA6C8HOjvvGO7PnpOH7CBwJMZnSbaVhFhWLzNaopN6GbrI_PKoNy7nVfJAX_dinWLjAF7CKz45tZAN6UOJWbboxbNXIxZ1V3eUmDRRrD9KWvkBR4uJQ3jN0S7IaIyzN-I/s1600/spreadsheetsimpleview.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFUMVRiJZ8UwA6C8HOjvvGO7PnpOH7CBwJMZnSbaVhFhWLzNaopN6GbrI_PKoNy7nVfJAX_dinWLjAF7CKz45tZAN6UOJWbboxbNXIxZ1V3eUmDRRrD9KWvkBR4uJQ3jN0S7IaIyzN-I/s320/spreadsheetsimpleview.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new simplified view.</td></tr>
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The most obvious change is the simplified view. The simplified view was designed to give readers an easy way to view the most important information about the various promotions. It shows the formula used in the Mystic Forge, the expected output, expected average profit per attempt and per skill point, and a risk assessment.</div>
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The risk assessment is based on how likely it is for you to turn a profit. "No Profit" means that even in the best scenario you will not profit. "Extreme" means that only in the very best scenario will you profit. "High" means that you will only profit in cases above average. "Average" means that you will only profit when you perform at the average or better. "Low" means you will profit in all cases expect the worst results possible. "None" means that even in the worst case scenario you will still profit. Keep in mind that none of this takes into account the fluctuations in the market while you perform transactions. That is a risk you need to access for yourself. This risk assessment only takes into account the fluctuations in the output from the Mystic Forge.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjin5jEGIYW4wmyo0MtHMeBIO-GB1A0vpggFIqdCy0BucOu83QCqxQRmHUuzVYTfD1gJS3iRPcU0Fx7AKNFJXK61wdxoLO6rj419nMPMJ7HJFCOTJJZpCoYCfCvwOVgFyLol5PyuKydidE/s1600/spreadsheetsheets.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="26" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjin5jEGIYW4wmyo0MtHMeBIO-GB1A0vpggFIqdCy0BucOu83QCqxQRmHUuzVYTfD1gJS3iRPcU0Fx7AKNFJXK61wdxoLO6rj419nMPMJ7HJFCOTJJZpCoYCfCvwOVgFyLol5PyuKydidE/s320/spreadsheetsheets.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can select a sheet to view from these tabs.</td></tr>
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The simplified view should be the active sheet when you open the spreadsheet. If not you can access it via the sheets tabs towards the bottom of the window. You will also see three other tabs; "Detailed View", "raw data", and "log". The detailed view looks the same as the old spreadsheet showing calculations and cost/profit/revenue breakdown. <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/converting-skillpoints-to-gold.html">For instructions on reading this sheet see my old blog post</a>. I will talk more about the raw data sheet and log sheet below.</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Other Updates</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cI5XwvXNB3sjUgCm7mP3LeeDhliD0NIMdf96Jl6nO7IBnRHaXOuVBkNAhrhLkc93FFPMMFo_a1yat-lEQ2ZxxMxJHYcciji1iq52OnTDJIP3cCbiH3B8qJvsBiC3yC_BjkKukKkLXCU/s1600/raremats.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cI5XwvXNB3sjUgCm7mP3LeeDhliD0NIMdf96Jl6nO7IBnRHaXOuVBkNAhrhLkc93FFPMMFo_a1yat-lEQ2ZxxMxJHYcciji1iq52OnTDJIP3cCbiH3B8qJvsBiC3yC_BjkKukKkLXCU/s320/raremats.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have also added the rest of the rare crafting material promotions. Currently, none of them are profitable but recent market shifts have opened up possibilities. Now it should be easy to watch for opportunities. I hope to follow this change up by eventually adding the rest of the fine and common crafting materials but more research is required into output quantities. Also, if it turns out the new "Mystic Binding Agents" effects profitability on promoting rare materials I will attempt to factor this into the spreadsheet and make an update.</div>
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Next, I did a lot of work on how the code gets the data from GW2Spidy. Formerly, I made a series of tiny requests to GW2Spidy for each piece of data then updated each cell one at a time. You may have seen this happening as you used the old version. The new spreadsheet makes one large request for all the data. This data is then cached for use for a variable amount of time (currently, 15 minutes the same amount of time GW2Spidy keeps its data). Updating the cache with 20,729 items from GW2Spidy takes roughly 30 - 60 seconds, however, this sheet only grabs the 1,019 crafting materials as this is quicker taking roughly 5 seconds. Once the data is cached it can be accessed instantly. </div>
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I have also moved all the raw data to its own sheet called "raw data". This sheet gives me a central place to select which items I am interested in and get all the information about them. Updating all the data in one central location is much faster then updating individual cells. Now, if the cache contains fresh data, the spreadsheet will update nearly instantly.</div>
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Finally, I have added a log. The log records each time the spreadsheet is updated, each time the cache is updated, and any errors that occur when connecting to GW2Spidy. Now it is much easier to tell if the data being displayed is fresh, or if there is some sort of error holding the update process up.</div>
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Fair Warning</h3>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSKEdfFEZwB8V5myd0RwkYUA_oMRIibILhtGRYuU8pRbExxMSC6sRFG8vf-4BkJfguc3Z5joknVpcI1lcpMUkR3GKXMSSt7bzmweNrzOoTQ2-fHxt4X4rMsvo__WhUrT-IGOPXQCBAvs/s1600/bug-report%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSKEdfFEZwB8V5myd0RwkYUA_oMRIibILhtGRYuU8pRbExxMSC6sRFG8vf-4BkJfguc3Z5joknVpcI1lcpMUkR3GKXMSSt7bzmweNrzOoTQ2-fHxt4X4rMsvo__WhUrT-IGOPXQCBAvs/s320/bug-report%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please report bugs or errors in the comments or <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/p/test.html">via e-mail</a>.</td></tr>
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I have been running most of the new code for about a week and I believe I have eliminated all the bugs and errors. Every time my spreadsheet scripts generate an error it is logged and once an hour I am e-mailed a report. The only error I can not eliminate is a timeout error associated with Google's URLFetchApp. Sometimes when I attempt to retrieve data from GW2Spidy I am unable to complete the transfer but instead of receiving an HTTP error the fetch function times out and crashes the script. This can happen because of a slow transfer rate between GW2Spidy and Google or when the connection is interrupted, for example. Looking into this there does not seem to currently be a work around and Google is working on a solution. There is nothing I can do as it is Google's function that causes my script to stop running. I can not even catch this and report it in the log. The only way to tell that this is happening is if you see a message in the log stating a cache update started without a reciprocal caching completed message. I tell you all this to let you know about the sheets limitations. It is not perfect. It is not fully tested. Use this sheet to look for opportunities then follow up with research in game. If you see any error or problems please do not hesitate to let me know <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/p/test.html">via e-mail</a> or through the comments below.</div>
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Using my code</h3>
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If you would like your own version of this spreadsheet you may copy it to your Google Docs for your own private use and modify it an anyway you wish. When you copy the spreadsheet you will also copy the script I wrote. If you would like to use this sheet or my script to publish your own material please leave a reference to my blog somewhere within your body of work. I also would like to see how people are using my spreadsheet so please let me know about your modification whether private or public. You can add me as a collaborator <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/p/test.html">via my e-mail address</a> if you do not wish to make your work globally public.</div>
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With that said, yes it is now possible to modify this sheet to your hearts content. Simply add your own ID numbers to the first column of the raw data sheet in a copy of this spreadsheet on your Google Docs. The next time the spreadsheet updates the GW2Spidy data for this item will be added to the raw data sheet in the columns to the right of the ID column. I will have more details about creating your own spreadsheet using my code in the future. For now feel free to play around with it and ask questions in the comments below. I believe I have clean code that is well commented, so you should be able to make out alright yourself.</div>
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<h3>
Legacy version of the Old Sheet</h3>
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I will be turning off <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/converting-skillpoints-to-gold.html">the old spreadsheet</a> in about one weeks time. The sheet will remain shared in my Google Docs folder but the script will no longer run and the data will no longer update. I have placed warnings in the spreadsheet about this cut off dating instructing people to come here to obtain the new spreadsheet. If you would like a copy of the old spreadsheet please copy it before February 8th, 2013. At this time I will also add a warning to my blog post on the old spreadsheet indicating that it is no longer active and linking to the new spreadsheet.</div>
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As always let me know what you think of my content. It helps me decide what to do more of and what to do less of. If you are a regular user of this spreadsheet be sure to come back to my site every now and then to check for update and to get your Guild Wars 2 news.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-58890662335441130262013-02-02T18:11:00.001-05:002013-02-02T18:17:42.184-05:00This week in Guild Wars 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
Every week on Friday, <a href="http://guildmag.com/">GuildMag </a>rounds up <a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-60">all the community articles into one big post on their site</a>. Here on my blog I like to pick out my favourite articles of the week to share with you and add in a couple of my own links. This week had a lot of information about the latest patch released on January 28th but there were also a steady stream of articles on other topics.</div>
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Arena Net has a number of blog posts up on their site explaining the changes to the game with the new patch. The first blog post <a href="https://guildwars2.com/en/news/new-items-and-an-updated-favorite-in-the-gem-store/">discusses the new items in the gem store</a> through the voice of the character Even Gnashblade. Matt Wuerffel, one of the game designers, <a href="https://guildwars2.com/en/news/new-rewards-and-the-achievements-system/">describes the new rewards and achievements systems</a>, Robert Hrouda, content designer, <a href="https://guildwars2.com/en/news/robert-hrouda-on-upcoming-changes-to-dungeon-mechanics/">writes about the current and upcoming changes to dungeons</a>, Jonathan Sharp, the "pvp guy, discusses <a href="https://guildwars2.com/en/news/temple-of-silent-storm-week/">Temple of the Silent Storm week</a>, Angel McCoy, narrative designer, <a href="https://guildwars2.com/en/news/the-living-story-in-guild-wars-2/">talks about the Living Story</a>, Martin Kerstein, Community Manager, <a href="https://guildwars2.com/en/news/mandatory-password-change-is-coming/">explains the upcoming required password change</a>, and finally, Isaiah Cartwright, lead game designer, <a href="https://guildwars2.com/en/news/dynamic-leveling-adjustment/">outlines the changes to the dynamic levelling system</a>. The developers have also been busy on the forums and I recently <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/post-patch-redposts.html">rounded-up their post patch posts here</a>.</div>
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Arena Net's communication to the player base has improved a great deal since launch. The only thing left for Arena Net to get write is the timing. A good number of players did not understand the subtle, ever growing nature of the living story at first. A lot of us expected to have new events the day of the patch and new story to explore. A better explanation of this system before it was release would have helped.</div>
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Relics of Orr - Shotgun Interview</h3>
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<a href="http://www.relicsoforr.com/?p=2299">A quick interview</a> was posted on <a href="http://www.relicsoforr.com/">Relics of Orr</a>. Ten questions were sent in to Arena Net and ten answers were sent back. The questions range a variety of topics from achievements and home instances to magic find and Zommoros My favourite question concerned the addition of more activities to the game specifically Bar Brawl. "The Bar Brawl is the next activity that we hope to be releasing in 2013." The article goes on to describe the event as a free-for-all fisticuffs match. Achievements for Bar Brawl have already appeared in game on under the activities tab where we can see the ultimate prize for participation in this activity is the titled, "Bouncer". A title that will surely bring your characters respect across Tyria. Head over to <a href="http://www.relicsoforr.com/">Relics of Orr</a> for <a href="http://www.relicsoforr.com/?p=2299">the full interview</a> and the answers to the other questions.</div>
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Project Tyria - Lion's Arch Photos</h3>
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A series of brilliant photos has been posted up on <a href="http://projecttyria.blogspot.ca/">Project Tyria</a>. Actually, there are two amazing series of photos. The first compares <a href="http://projecttyria.blogspot.ca/2013/01/updated-lions-arch-comparisons.html">Lion's Arch as depicted in Guild Wars to as it exists now in Guild Wars 2</a>. For those not in the know <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Timeline">Zhaitan awoke in the year 1219 AE according the the Guild Wars 2 lore</a>. When he awoke Orr rose from the depths of the seas creating <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Rising_of_Orr">a large tsunami which destroyed the Lion's Arch</a>. In Guild Wars 2 it is now 1325 AE over 100 years later. Project Tryia's first series of photos directly compares various districts and areas of the city in the two different times. It is fascinating and worth a look.</div>
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The second series of photos <a href="http://projecttyria.blogspot.ca/2013/01/progression-of-lions-arch-fountain.html">shows the ever changing fountain in Lion's Arch</a> since the launch of Guild Wars 2. I have a number of shots of the fountain but my collection is no where near as complete as Project Tyria's. Head over and check it out for a bit of nostalgia. </div>
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Many Laughs - Are Black Lion Keys worth buying?</h3>
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I have never been to this blog before reading this article but I may have to keep going back as this one is a good one. The author of this blog, titled <a href="http://www.manylaughs.com/">manylaughs</a>, takes an in depth look <a href="http://www.manylaughs.com/2013/01/24/guild-wars-2-is-it-worth-it-to-buy-a-black-lion-key-updated/">at Black Lion Keys and discusses whether they are worth buying</a>. He looks at how to obtain them, their costs, and the rewards and comes to a solid conclusion. For the answer you will have to go read the article though.</div>
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Guild Wars 2 Trading Post - On Failure</h3>
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Markco at <a href="http://www.guildwars2tradingpost.com/">GW2 Trading Post</a> has a short but <a href="http://www.guildwars2tradingpost.com/2013/01/you-failing-bro.html#.UQ17Eb_AfQg">important article on learning lessons from your mistakes</a>. When you are trading on the TP it is important to not only make notes about the items that you had success with but to also note your failures. "Identify why something did or didn't sell and you'll start learning how to improve on the GW2 trading post." This is the kind of simple genius that you can expect from Markco and why I read his blog on a regular basis.</div>
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Dulfy - On pretty much everything</h3>
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One site has started to become the go-to place for information on Guild Wars 2 when a new patch is released. No one seems to have more accurate information up faster than <a href="http://dulfy.net/">Dulfy</a>. She does an amazing job and is a credit to the community. Since the release of Flame and Frost Dulfy has been busy accumulating everything we need to know. Be sure to check out her articles on <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/29/gw2-living-story-refuge-volunteer-events-guide/">the Volunteer Achievement</a>, <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/29/gw2-daily-achievements-guide/">Daily Achievements</a>, <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/28/gw2-laurel-merchant-items/">Laurels</a>, <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/29/gw2-ascended-amulet-and-utility-infusions/">Ascended Amulets</a>, <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/28/gw2-lost-orrian-jewelry-box-guide/">Orrian Jewellery Boxes</a>, <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/28/gw2-new-orr-temple-exotics/">New Orr Temple Exotics</a>, and <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/29/gw2-flame-and-frost-patch-new-legendary-weapon-effects/">Legendary Weapon changes</a>.</div>
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Shoddy Cast - Onyx Lodestone Farm</h3>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ShoddyCast?feature=watch">The Shoddy Cast</a> has <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TYLPholnsA">an excellent video on farming Onyx Lodestones in Orr</a>. It is a farming route that I have not tried as of yet, but it looks promising. Just remember to take into account the fluctuating prices of Lodestones on the trading post before you commit time to this farming path.</div>
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Matt Visual - Flame and Frost Overview</h3>
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I have been following <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MattVisual?feature=watch">Matt Visual</a> on Youtube for a while now. He creates extremely entertaining videos about Guild Wars 2. Although he does not post as often as others his videos are of exceptional quality. This week is no different as he puts together <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtKr2fp5wms">his best video yet reviewing the Flame and Frost patch content</a>s.</div>
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Dontain - Three videos on Flame and Frost</h3>
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One of my favourite Youtubers is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/Dontain?feature=watch">Dontain</a>. He plays a number of games on his channel but always comes back to Guild Wars 2. This week he put out three excellent videos that I believe are worth sharing. Firstly, is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfviH8V9kFA">a video about the volunteer achievement and how to obtain it</a>. The second is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRslbpT-Rww">a discussion about items in the BL TP and what Arena Net should be selling</a>. There is also a dancing Quaggan in this video that is must see material. Finally, is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ6zWiib_aI&list=UULT5liaU_UYbjTT9M11e-tg&index=3">a video about the Orrian Jewellery Boxes</a> something I have yet to discuss here. Anyway, head over to his channel and check out his videos.</div>
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That is all for this week. Don't forget to head over to <a href="http://guildmag.com/">GuildMag</a> for<a href="http://www.guildmag.com/this-week-in-guild-wars-2-60"> the full round up of this weeks community articles</a>. Let me know what your favourite community article was this week in the comments below. Is there a topic you would like to see covered more? I am always looking for article suggestions and would love to hear your suggestions.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-6508422396634571812013-02-01T14:21:00.002-05:002013-02-01T14:21:52.719-05:00Laurels and Daily Achievements<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today I would like to quickly go over the new Laurel system and what it offers to the players. I can not talk about the Laurel system without getting into the new daily achievements so I will also discuss those. I will also provide my thoughts on these new systems and how I think they will impact the game.</div>
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The Laurel System</h3>
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What are these Laurels I speak of? It is a new form of currency introduced into Guild Wars 2 with the January 28th patch. Currently, the only way to obtain Laurels is by completing daily and monthly achievements. You can get one Laurel by completing the daily achievements and ten Laurels for completing the monthly. The Laurels are not an item that appears in your inventory like Badges of Honor as I originally thought they would be. Instead, they appear at the bottom of your inventory screen along with your current Gem and Karma totals. Unlike karma, but similar to gems, the total is shared across all characters on your account. I would like to see a similar system put in place for other tokens like Dungeon tokens and Badges of Honor to help clean up the clutter in my bank.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyg7c8qi75dwZS8YLh2CGUgV9Y7-75Yfygh9saj8g57zAk71IXhUDsTbm1AkD11xpHWC2UoSXQH0gQzuZi5ijDHGHCybbA2uSRLjACVwzDU_2t8Ne3lWDH2wYw7HHJzD05GQMN_8jFn8M/s1600/laurelearned.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyg7c8qi75dwZS8YLh2CGUgV9Y7-75Yfygh9saj8g57zAk71IXhUDsTbm1AkD11xpHWC2UoSXQH0gQzuZi5ijDHGHCybbA2uSRLjACVwzDU_2t8Ne3lWDH2wYw7HHJzD05GQMN_8jFn8M/s320/laurelearned.png" width="320" /></a>In <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/colin-johanson-on-guild-wars-2-in-the-months-ahead/">a future update</a> you will be able to gain Laurels by completing other achievements both new and existing. It seems Arena Net hopes to continue leveraging this achievement system in order to reward players for doing what they want to do. For those that have already completed a number of achievements already Arena Net has also promised to retroactively reward past completed achievements once the rest of the system is rolled out. </div>
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I really like the idea of rewarding players for completing achievements. It allows players to experience areas of the game that they enjoy and then receive a reward for it. It seems like it is straight in line with the vision that Arena Net has for Guild Wars 2. This along with the new Living Story and daily and monthly achievements will allow Arena Net to truly highlight the dynamic nature of this game.</div>
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What the Laurel System Offers</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-v5_t_AgZm0C9Xf_mcwmweqXFNiTVUJ_1Aus5E9KEEurCRcGc64agUOotdwnDq2SwTfpKRiYbbVtTG0FXOktG-0LIigJLWyDhiJ2SCZhPPbjK1-BLFjLg6sj5m8uIPa75IX3KXHxXMQ/s1600/laurelvendor11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-v5_t_AgZm0C9Xf_mcwmweqXFNiTVUJ_1Aus5E9KEEurCRcGc64agUOotdwnDq2SwTfpKRiYbbVtTG0FXOktG-0LIigJLWyDhiJ2SCZhPPbjK1-BLFjLg6sj5m8uIPa75IX3KXHxXMQ/s320/laurelvendor11.png" width="320" /></a>There are a number of different rewards for players to pick from and all are on offer from the various Laurel vendors found across Tyria in each of the major cities. The offerings a divided into a number of different categories and cost anywhere from a single Laurel to 100 Laurels. The first tab of the vendor, marked General, has the most interesting items. For 100 Laurels we have the "<b>Endless Mystery Cat Tonic</b>", the most expensive item available. What it is, nobody knows, and nobody will know until April 7th, 2013 which is what I calculate as the earliest date someone could have this item (10 Laurels for February, March, and April Monthlies, 4 from January dailies, 28 from February dailies, 31 from March dailies, and 7 from April dailies = 100 Laurels), but it sounds awesome. Also, on offer, are two new mini-pets <b>Chauncey von Snuffles III</b>, a cat, and <b>Goedulf</b>, a dog. Mini-pets aren't really my thing, but that cat looks awesome. For 75 Laurels each they could be yours. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7oJJf9iAMMZiSgVL4xvnEUlkksN3rxBPIEcI0kTzhl5wnLuchDsb7CqcSPlKo7kq4A56ucJ3U0hzbDvWLKxrEBcg6rcmjRVlwrNmgWLCU6YjSC-J715v4rr__epRATzYDXNM-TCYzJs/s1600/laurelvendor12.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7oJJf9iAMMZiSgVL4xvnEUlkksN3rxBPIEcI0kTzhl5wnLuchDsb7CqcSPlKo7kq4A56ucJ3U0hzbDvWLKxrEBcg6rcmjRVlwrNmgWLCU6YjSC-J715v4rr__epRATzYDXNM-TCYzJs/s320/laurelvendor12.png" width="320" /></a>As we continue down the list we come to "<b>10 Mystic Binding Agent</b>" for 10 Laurels. The tool tip for this items says, "Used in conjunctions with slivers, fragments, shards, cores, and lodestones in the Mystic Forge." This item sounds really interesting, and my GUESS is that you will be able to use these to replace the <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Bottle_of_Elonian_Wine">Elonian Wine</a> in the <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/promoting-rare-materials.html">rare crafting material promotion formula</a>. Again, this is a guess, as the most Laurels a person could have as of the writing of this article is five, and ten are needed to purchase the package of 10 Mystic Binding Agents on offer. If that is how they work, it will have a dramatic effect on the market. Taking roughly 25 silver out of the cost of promoting rare materials will suddenly make promoting a number of materials profitable. Looking at <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2013/01/converting-skillpoints-to-gold.html">my promotion spreadsheet</a> I can already see the profit to be made promoting Tier 4 to Tier 5 materials without having to pay for the wine, however, I suspect there will be profits to be made promoting even lower tiers of materials as well.</div>
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Continuing down the list we come to a series of <b>eight gear boxes</b> with each one being designated for a specific class. For five laurels you get two of these boxes. Today is the first day that anyone can open one of these boxes so I suspect we will start hearing about what they contain shortly. The tool tip for these boxes say that they contain "a rare of exotic piece of level 78-80 gear" specifically for that class. This means that in the Elementalist box you might find light armour a staff, a scepter, a dagger, a trident, or a focus. A guaranteed rare is really nice as these can be sold or broken down into <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Glob_of_Ectoplasm">Globs of Ectoplasm</a> or saved and tossed into the mystic forge. I don't think this will effect the market prices of ectos or rare items too much as currently these boxes can only be opened once every five days.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIsRHA0wHw9r0Z1LkDZ46PldAHjV8oG_9fAyhek3IZaQUExZj5Og9vflhwhWowtSg3VlosWGguUCyDrZETu4GXKyAMLdQ00IHCDRiIMWAP51T9Bs2dTNE7ZflH2rR0-dL1JaM3v8r_sU/s1600/laurelvendor15.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIsRHA0wHw9r0Z1LkDZ46PldAHjV8oG_9fAyhek3IZaQUExZj5Og9vflhwhWowtSg3VlosWGguUCyDrZETu4GXKyAMLdQ00IHCDRiIMWAP51T9Bs2dTNE7ZflH2rR0-dL1JaM3v8r_sU/s320/laurelvendor15.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next up are <b>10 Unidentified Dyes</b> for five Laurels and <b>3 Obsidian Shards</b> for three Laurels. The Unidentified Dye offering has yet to have an effect on the market as they are still selling for about 19 silver each, meaning that for five Laurels you can get nearly 2 gold. Currently, this seems like the best way to convert Laurels into gold, so I would suspect dye prices to start falling as this new source enters the market today. As for the <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Obsidian_Shard">obsidian shards</a> it is nice to see another way of obtaining them. As far as I know there are now three ways to get them, trading in Laurels, trading in Fractal tokens, or trading in karma at the Balthazar temple. Also offered are <b>advanced gathering tools</b> for 2 Laurels. They require level 45 to use and boast to be "highly efficient". If they have a good chance to uncover rare materials they would be good for farming <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Passion_Flower">Passion Flowers</a> in <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Southsun_Cove">Southsun Cove</a> as there is currently 67 silver each on the Trading Post.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jNVKn_UzQrvFtchr4mN7IFAg382wA2EttHmDuwB06jvBA2YyF4bbScKFc64yR5tK4w7mRZcpaocW6fqu1b_iPMalff5iCLOEs9Cd08oqw_9JWXK1yZI0-tN-qLFkbHiJCZ6iVMPv028/s1600/laurelvendor16.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jNVKn_UzQrvFtchr4mN7IFAg382wA2EttHmDuwB06jvBA2YyF4bbScKFc64yR5tK4w7mRZcpaocW6fqu1b_iPMalff5iCLOEs9Cd08oqw_9JWXK1yZI0-tN-qLFkbHiJCZ6iVMPv028/s320/laurelvendor16.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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For a single Laurel you have your choice of <b>three boosters</b> or <b>six crafting material bags</b>. The boosters provide a 30% boost to XP, Magic Find, or Coin collected from kills. The crafting bags provide a number of crafting materials for their given tier. There is a bag of each of the tiers of materials with a number of people opting to open the tier six materials bag. It seems to provide three random tier six <a href="http://eggbaron.blogspot.ca/2012/12/promoting-t5-fine-crafting-mats.html">fine crafting materials</a> which could be worth anywhere from 15 to 60 silver. It is a bit of a gamble and most people are judging it as not worth it. I wouldn't be so quick to judge them. For anyone not looking to save up for anything in particular on the list this would be a great way to obtain a little extra coin each day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLWlLJSNlHM44gCu1m7nu1y1cH5buA7u6PoQUhTCTu6fnz56dwotTlPgnERDpd3fNOaU5vj3HJpj-NjmzRkAbvMtn86PYhtSZkhIU1GvVubUAtSJwzz2qSojIrkB4KTFAROrraV_VROk/s1600/laurelvendor2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLWlLJSNlHM44gCu1m7nu1y1cH5buA7u6PoQUhTCTu6fnz56dwotTlPgnERDpd3fNOaU5vj3HJpj-NjmzRkAbvMtn86PYhtSZkhIU1GvVubUAtSJwzz2qSojIrkB4KTFAROrraV_VROk/s320/laurelvendor2.png" width="272" /></a></div>
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And that is only the first page of stuff! It is also the most varied set of items. The rest of the offerings can be summed up rather quickly. The second page contains the new <b>ascended amulets</b>, in <a href="http://dulfy.net/2013/01/29/gw2-ascended-amulet-and-utility-infusions/">a variety of stat configurations</a> for 30 Laurels each. This is the only way to obtain an ascend amulet. Towards the bottom of this pages are the more interesting infusions. Specifically, the <b>Gilded Infusion</b> which provides +20% Gold from Monsters, the <b>Magical Infusion </b>for +20% Magic Find, the <b>Experienced Infusion</b> for +20% Experience from Kills, and the <b>Karmic Infusion</b> for +15% Karma. The Gilded and Magical Infusions cost 20 Laurels and the Experienced and Karmic cost 10 Laurels. Currently, you can have four pieces of Ascended Gear (back, two rings, and amulet) meaning you could eventually be wearing all four or if they stack four of one. I think I may end up saving for some of these as +80% XP or +60% Karma could come in handy. Also available are some boring <b>offensive and defensive infusions </b>which provide +4 to either Condition Damage, Precision, Might, Healing, Toughness, or Vitality and cost 5 Laurels.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0CaagY7h_ROkVYXbXFX3u8phcDCMoQr_F5LBRhhPJpBhkZYe1kvIkowwsmZP7oSPn0MlZeHrZ4YeLyvHYrJQMIdxArtQ2l0zg9SshfmyivJ7MiBdBWBUXoqVzxyAyFS0GfNpCfkdZDE/s1600/laurelvendor5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0CaagY7h_ROkVYXbXFX3u8phcDCMoQr_F5LBRhhPJpBhkZYe1kvIkowwsmZP7oSPn0MlZeHrZ4YeLyvHYrJQMIdxArtQ2l0zg9SshfmyivJ7MiBdBWBUXoqVzxyAyFS0GfNpCfkdZDE/s320/laurelvendor5.png" width="315" /></a>The third page contains the <b>non-infused rings</b>, previously, only obtainable from the Fractals dungeons. They each cost 35 Laurels, five more than the amulets hinting at the fact that it is more efficient to obtain these from the Fractals of the Mist dungeon Again they come in <a href="http://dulfy.net/2012/11/17/gw2-ascended-gear-and-infusion-recipes/#3">a number of different stat configurations</a>. The infused version of these rings (infused meaning they already have a built in +5 agony resistance) will remain obtainable only in fractals.</div>
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The fourth page contains <b>siege blueprints</b>. You can get 1 Trebuchet, 2 Catapults, 3 Ballista, 4 Rams, or 4 Arrow Carts for 2 Laurels. I think <a href="http://bhagpuss.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sitting-on-my-laurels-gw2.html">Bhagpuss at Inventory Full put it best</a> when he said, "buying those with Laurels would seem to be the equivalent of using £20 notes to start a fire because you fancy a slice of toast." Indeed, seeing as how these blue prints are obtainable for free for <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Jumping_puzzle#The_Mists">completing the jumping puzzles</a> in WvW and are <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Siege_Master">purchasable from a vendor</a> in WvW for a pittance it seems like a waste to spend Laurels on blueprints when there are much better things to get.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLhpvyPc2U2SF2OAk21sGV8SSWadCZ8XikTpByP3-WkdVWCS_KoYOwAv4Y94cNxXjREg-5C1bQ-qlfJJ-591O6HYGr8dQbG8Z6a8p06F3ZO5mWqLRoqESkQoZgRSNVNnuLuvSroBKx8E/s1600/laurelvendor3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLhpvyPc2U2SF2OAk21sGV8SSWadCZ8XikTpByP3-WkdVWCS_KoYOwAv4Y94cNxXjREg-5C1bQ-qlfJJ-591O6HYGr8dQbG8Z6a8p06F3ZO5mWqLRoqESkQoZgRSNVNnuLuvSroBKx8E/s320/laurelvendor3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The final page contains a series of <b>crafting starter kits</b>, one for each profession. A couple of these have been opened and they seem to contain enough materials to allow someone to achieve roughly level 50 in the named crafting profession. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPjBYkkqBCg">Here is a video of one of these kits being opened</a>. There isn't much to say about these. They do not seem worth it to me as the materials they provide can be scooped off the trading post and vendors relatively cheap. I suppose to would be nice for new players to help them get started and figure out what they are doing.</div>
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After writing all that I think it might have been easier to just say what this vendor does not offer. I have provided a number of links to other resources that provide even more details about what this vendor offers if you are looking for them, but the easiest thing to do is just log in and head over and see for yourself.</div>
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Daily Achievements</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSMifGkdrX9ZkU33dejKQUwKHFlU7Eu5ylLwHIMC-SA7_y3hUtDo4mFfqLmLnsL55rSHzssGSWfB71CqSeT0dHl61Q9y4TyBAPs80amb8Btk2XLQb-ACepecSXkVoYB-bBMZIR-l3qY4/s1600/laureldailyachievement.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSMifGkdrX9ZkU33dejKQUwKHFlU7Eu5ylLwHIMC-SA7_y3hUtDo4mFfqLmLnsL55rSHzssGSWfB71CqSeT0dHl61Q9y4TyBAPs80amb8Btk2XLQb-ACepecSXkVoYB-bBMZIR-l3qY4/s320/laureldailyachievement.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the January 28th patch the daily achievements were changed slightly. Previously, each day the achievements were the same; get 60 kills, kill 15 different types of creatures, complete 20 gatherings, and participate in 5 events. Now each day a different set of tasks will be presented to the player, for example, yesterday the achievement had us kill a number of creatures, revive a number of allies, speak with the laurel vendor, complete some gatherings, and participate in some events. Other tasks I have seen are, underwater kills, veteran kills, combos (now removed), crafting, and dodging attacks. Another nice change is that each of the daily tasks now only have a single tier. Now, quickly at a glance, and without memorizing the completion totals, you can see how many times you need to do something in order to complete the task. It is not much, but these little nice things help.</div>
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Arena Net said that <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/new-rewards-and-the-achievements-system/">they have more plans for the daily achievement system</a>. We have been told that in the future the daily achievement will present us with a number of different tasks to complete. Finishing the daily achievement will not require completing all the tasks. Instead the player will only have to complete a select number of them, hopefully, in areas of the game they enjoy playing. Once this system is in place Arena Net hopes to add more variety to the daily achievements. Again these changes are sticking to the philosophy of allowing players to experience the areas of the game they enjoy and still feeling rewarded. At the same time it gives players the option to explore new areas of the game they may not have experienced before.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8olVrCmGURQ4XyrlJZYACBxvLa2ssj_StxRnF_iD7XIUdExUtzNj5OE5lvppYQTtWWjXnQBqDWRvEPgLUrU_9HuRd9GcdbZVuDj2jnQ_vY-B98kIzP2PdzCwTUOjoZVP5gP9ejjvDok/s1600/laureldailytracker.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8olVrCmGURQ4XyrlJZYACBxvLa2ssj_StxRnF_iD7XIUdExUtzNj5OE5lvppYQTtWWjXnQBqDWRvEPgLUrU_9HuRd9GcdbZVuDj2jnQ_vY-B98kIzP2PdzCwTUOjoZVP5gP9ejjvDok/s1600/laureldailytracker.png" /></a>With the new patch, players were also given a handy new daily achievement tracker which appears at the top right of the screen under the personal story tracker and above the events tracker. The tracker provides a nice way of seeing what you have to left to complete. It would be nice to have the ability to track any achievement here, but for now it just tracks your progress on the daily tasks. I like it because it reminds me to get the tasks done. Previously I would often forget about my daily gatherings and end up not completing the daily.</div>
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Conclusions</h3>
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I think this is a great vision and a great new addition to the game. I like the direction these changes are taking us but I am not too happy with the current stage we find ourselves in. With daily achievements the only way to get the Laurels, consistently, and the current lack of variety in the daily achievements tasks I find the system grindy. I feel like I have to complete the daily achievement every day or else I will be missing out and falling behind everyone else. I also do not particularly enjoy gathering and crafting and now I feel forced to do these things. Sure, its not a huge deal, and I will suffer through it because I see the light at the end of the tunnel. The proposed daily system, tied in, with the other achievements rewarding Laurels sounds fantastic and what we have currently is better than what we had, so all-in-all this is a good change.</div>
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What do you guys think? Do you like the Laurel System? Do you have an experiences to share? Let me know in the comments below.</div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-50414084106877777142013-01-30T20:58:00.001-05:002013-01-31T12:50:32.816-05:00Flame and Frost: Living Story Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZrhXWdTqOw9vRPE8CwPIx4C_nCwiI_-AsPOnJ12wshRdHahiJXFJ8HFW92RE6H8kfTwCYVtTJypuX9B-b5_clWBguY5u2HZzYFO8G81LKDhLGeIhK7EPw6Mrmc60H6yrshh_-STRA74/s1600/fountain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZrhXWdTqOw9vRPE8CwPIx4C_nCwiI_-AsPOnJ12wshRdHahiJXFJ8HFW92RE6H8kfTwCYVtTJypuX9B-b5_clWBguY5u2HZzYFO8G81LKDhLGeIhK7EPw6Mrmc60H6yrshh_-STRA74/s320/fountain.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lion's Arch Fountain is back!</td></tr>
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I wanted to quickly provide a review of some of the new content that I have experienced in Guild Wars 2's latest patch, <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/january-2013/">Flame and Frost: Prelude</a>. Specifically I want to talk about the new story elements added to the game. The Flame and Frost story promises to set off some exciting new story lines that will play out over the next couple months. I am excited about the contents of the story itself and the direction Arena Net is taking with content releases.</div>
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First off, I personally can not believe how large the patch is, especially after <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/January-updates-Any-sources/first#post1136181">Colin down played its size, pre-release, on the forums</a>. The size of this patch also gives me insight into what Colin was thinking when he said we should expect an "expansions worth of content" in February and March. Seeing how big January's "small patch" is makes me excited for what Arena Net has in store for us in the coming months. I now understand Colin's enthusiasm for the work his team is doing. I think I may be drinking the Arena Net Kool-aid because this patch makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0PR-7CfTqLekqQJJz_4brUXfMYfAujTUadt0kgaydTIX0GXibRkVeJCY36FyW9DYNGN2w6UiKQQLhvMTswMibKON5Tp6Ps9LurpRk2zkntRlKKJQjVAhUkr7qoA5xukw73YbK9x-g9Q/s1600/a4b7dbanner%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0PR-7CfTqLekqQJJz_4brUXfMYfAujTUadt0kgaydTIX0GXibRkVeJCY36FyW9DYNGN2w6UiKQQLhvMTswMibKON5Tp6Ps9LurpRk2zkntRlKKJQjVAhUkr7qoA5xukw73YbK9x-g9Q/s400/a4b7dbanner%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a>Arena Net has setup the release of the January story into parts to create a "Living Story". As Bobby Stein <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/How-to-start-the-flame-and-frost-story/page/2#post1327676">pointed out of the forums</a> we will not see all the changes at once or even in one week. Instead subtle changes will slowly shape the land and the story. I, personally, love this idea. I liken this to the difference between a movie and a TV show. Up until now we have been getting a movie a month from Arena Net, and now it seems we will be getting a TV show once a week. I like this because I am a more active player and need something to help keep the game fresh between monthly patches. I hope the Living Story will do just that. Releasing the story in smaller doses also creates more chances for feedback on the story to reach Arena Net and for them to modify things and cater to the players. Imagine if the current story had been released in batches instead of all at once. <a href="http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Trahearne">Trahearne</a> would have been killed off two episodes into his story arc due to bad ratings.</div>
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The Story, so far</h3>
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<b>Spoilers begin here!</b></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqp3BXvhrHba9JDyT2vUEFT3FHfhh0JaA-6Jtcn6o8n3Mumcl0R9PCL0MYsxIkotpzY83Tjw45RO44UrcIl3pEW7WrlRGCsZ6nKTz5In5sIMiA4CKWcTt_O2p9bDjG5bz-I5fgmxrBK8/s1600/herald2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqp3BXvhrHba9JDyT2vUEFT3FHfhh0JaA-6Jtcn6o8n3Mumcl0R9PCL0MYsxIkotpzY83Tjw45RO44UrcIl3pEW7WrlRGCsZ6nKTz5In5sIMiA4CKWcTt_O2p9bDjG5bz-I5fgmxrBK8/s320/herald2.png" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heralds, like this one, can be found across the<br />
zones marked with the star icon on the map.</td></tr>
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The new story line so far concerns some strange weather patterns and geologic events which have upset the populations of the northern territories. Thus far, this is hitting the Norn and Charr of Diessa Plateau and Wayfarer Foothills the hardest. Streams of refugees are flowing through these zones and it is the players job to help them make their way to Hoelbrak and the Black Citadel. In these cities refugee camps have been setup where we can question NPCs to learn more about these events. NPC's involved in the Living Story are marked on the map with a golden star.</div>
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If you speak with the Norn in Hoelbrak you get vague answers. "Terrible Storms" are brewing and "something" is attacking the refugees. The most we get out of the Norn is that "steam's been rupturing up from underground." This steam is causing the weather to go all wonky. What could be the cause? And what is attacking these refugee's? The Norn do not have the answers ... yet.</div>
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The story is similar in the Charr controlled lands. Hot air is escaping from beneath the earth and causing havoc with the weather. Although not all the Charr are in on the details of what is going on one Charr in the Black Citadel is more specific. He pretty much straight up blames the Fire Legion saying that a group of soldiers were "run out of their posts by Flame Legion." Is that who is behind this? Time will tell as the story evolves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12p3ChcD7F4JEhopGoIxnwdtKSX0NsX0KLOIdONLPce6ZI7MM3KG10_rjoro0B0jTtBxMZ8BnZEiuRtkLxzcTsAJeSMOK8Axg3ooRTzzyYEnwpGXaCFs5O7_UoFePwSYzVtxaTFJ0dKE/s1600/deadmerhant.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12p3ChcD7F4JEhopGoIxnwdtKSX0NsX0KLOIdONLPce6ZI7MM3KG10_rjoro0B0jTtBxMZ8BnZEiuRtkLxzcTsAJeSMOK8Axg3ooRTzzyYEnwpGXaCFs5O7_UoFePwSYzVtxaTFJ0dKE/s320/deadmerhant.png" width="320" /></a>A mysterious dead body, that of a merchant, has appeared in the Northern reaches of Wayfarer Foothills near Solitude Waypoint. The body is "frozen and lifeless" and it is "difficult to tell how long ago death occurred". Examining the body further reveals burn marks and trails of blood coming from the ears. Other then that there are no other signs of trauma to the body. In my non-medical opinion it sounds like he was in an explosion. This body seems like a great seed for a story and am excited to see where it goes - CSI Tyria.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiX8wFL5DYbsUNrv1blio-zNiM6sSaQydqa-bxHfW79k9RibpiVNm2IuNiMTar7baUh775DTNnYdp2hevroWv_BPkw1vXtS2dD0y0WdKOT7Ge2qAsDOGpbaf8xeN8NFvVbXmkmWKcDp_M/s1600/flamefrostevent.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiX8wFL5DYbsUNrv1blio-zNiM6sSaQydqa-bxHfW79k9RibpiVNm2IuNiMTar7baUh775DTNnYdp2hevroWv_BPkw1vXtS2dD0y0WdKOT7Ge2qAsDOGpbaf8xeN8NFvVbXmkmWKcDp_M/s320/flamefrostevent.png" width="220" /></a>For now, players can busy themselves assisting the refugees along the long path they are marching along starting in the north of Wayfarer Foothills and trickling down in two paths to Hoelbrak via Wayfarer Foothills and the Black Citadel via Diessa Plateau. Both zones are low level and offer opportunities for almost every player. The new patch changed the way rewards are handled for scaled down players such that you are always rewarded for your level. That includes chests, loots drops (not crafting mats), and event rewards. It makes being a level 80 in these zones worth it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny9zP4czxnpOVgPmNNfIlAVi53jZcyKRN49uHJ8vZDE7n7267m2mntbXPwKI2-6lmHg5LCG-K3l2ZReDY5guYz8lWdhHoGxQgYHcWiNX7ZfIwXSZ48VkG25YiNtvVIqyWAif7OxNbTeo/s1600/refugeechildsdrawing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny9zP4czxnpOVgPmNNfIlAVi53jZcyKRN49uHJ8vZDE7n7267m2mntbXPwKI2-6lmHg5LCG-K3l2ZReDY5guYz8lWdhHoGxQgYHcWiNX7ZfIwXSZ48VkG25YiNtvVIqyWAif7OxNbTeo/s1600/refugeechildsdrawing.png" /></a></div>
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Tasks to assist the refugees include, lighting camp fires, healing injured refugees, collecting mementoes from the dead, and completing events. If you finish 75 of these tasks you are rewarded with the completion of an achievement, the title, "Volunteer", and a drawing from a refugee child worth 5000 karma. I completed the tasks in about 30 minutes without any problems. There are three places that the events takes place. <a href="http://dulfy.net/">Dulfy has all the details up on her page</a> but if you just go to the zones and stick the refugee trails you should encounter them. All the events are the same though and involve killing elementals taking the stones they drop and placing them into an active steam vent. The events can be easily completed solo (I did one my 80 Theif and two on my 20 Mesmer). So far, the events are rather dull but that is to be expected. Hopefully, it is part of the story pacing and not all of the events will be like this.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AOi0Z20Xi1l-E0m2h4U_pUxTkfZUVkeEx3uSfqheI0s-sPRvmYP1BcN2KnAWPA1PSvii2yHIwVFIs71BdPObxLYMKGJhONXDZyNemAnWyGkWrG8SoRXcszj18mzd3TVHtQPCIrA8JSA/s1600/livingstory.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AOi0Z20Xi1l-E0m2h4U_pUxTkfZUVkeEx3uSfqheI0s-sPRvmYP1BcN2KnAWPA1PSvii2yHIwVFIs71BdPObxLYMKGJhONXDZyNemAnWyGkWrG8SoRXcszj18mzd3TVHtQPCIrA8JSA/s320/livingstory.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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And lets not forget the stories that started in October and November. The Lion's Arch Fountain and Lighthouse have both seen changes, with the fountain now returned to its original glory.</div>
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Conclusions</h3>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjrHHS09_NnDwMCwdNtmHHcA48SLJmL3sr-OL9kL9415Xv45If59fc641uJs9PENNotLsx_Blx3e4zwu_lXw7R6zNZsowN3BFNpcVSZ2UpvBqGNfIDJhB5eZSKSKtuVwXjYkpOtOwrZg/s1600/lighthouse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjrHHS09_NnDwMCwdNtmHHcA48SLJmL3sr-OL9kL9415Xv45If59fc641uJs9PENNotLsx_Blx3e4zwu_lXw7R6zNZsowN3BFNpcVSZ2UpvBqGNfIDJhB5eZSKSKtuVwXjYkpOtOwrZg/s200/lighthouse.png" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work on the new Lighthouse continues.</td></tr>
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Like I say, I am drinking the Arena Net kool aid. Overall, I like where they are going with the game and I am excited for the future of this story and for what is to come in February and March. I have a feeling this is just the tip of the ice berg in terms of what Anet has in store. The story, so far, has a ton of great seeds and I can see it taking a number of different paths. The other content is excellent and I hope to discuss it in the days to come.</div>
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What do you guys think of the story? Have you been going out into the world to track down every little tidbit you can? Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments below.</div>
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Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558011570345628688.post-77200134560190717882013-01-30T05:02:00.002-05:002013-01-30T05:02:51.645-05:00Polymock, Mini-pet Game coming?<div style="text-align: justify;">
A recent Reddit post grabbed my attention. Let me quote you the text,</div>
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<i>I was looking at Guildhead and noticed <a href="http://www.guildhead.com/achievements/name/Daily">this</a>. There's both the current PvE and PvP daily goals, as well as some new ones.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>Also, <a href="http://www.guildhead.com/achievements/name/Monthly">monthly</a> achievements. <a href="http://www.guildhead.com/achievement/233/monthly-mini-pet-champion">Polymock</a>!?</i></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyfZN-Q1wRzoGlq5J0M28rfOyBU3j-AISEoqXFn4Sn-czFiIcI0BvTcgNaO-IOfBH2xXXyJrZ33CJkmhm5baZOErAWrYsJpyzOjeJbyyMo0V4L6R29C5AC_wU4ASfNJ5GD1FWZcAegf0/s1600/tin-foil-hat-300x225%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyfZN-Q1wRzoGlq5J0M28rfOyBU3j-AISEoqXFn4Sn-czFiIcI0BvTcgNaO-IOfBH2xXXyJrZ33CJkmhm5baZOErAWrYsJpyzOjeJbyyMo0V4L6R29C5AC_wU4ASfNJ5GD1FWZcAegf0/s1600/tin-foil-hat-300x225%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a>Lets all put on our tin foil hats and get down to some speculating.</div>
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Okay, so what is going on here? Well it seems if you go to <a href="http://guildhead.com/">Guildhead.com</a> and look at their achievement sections it shows upcoming <a href="http://www.guildhead.com/achievements/name/Daily">daily</a> and <a href="http://www.guildhead.com/achievements/name/Monthly">monthly</a> achievements as in the achievements for future days and months. One of the monthly achievements <a href="http://www.guildhead.com/achievement/233/monthly-mini-pet-champion">is for winning mini-pet games</a>, aka Polymock. <a href="http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Polymock">This was a popular past time in Guild Wars 1</a>. How Guildhead gets it's data, I am not sure, but that will determine if it is authentic. There are three possibilities though.</div>
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Firstly, some one could have manually entered this data. I have read <a href="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/support/bugs/Daily-not-working/first#post1326253">on the forums that currently there is a bug in game</a> where if you change the date on your Windows clock to a date in the future it will display the daily or monthly achievement for that day. If you can not complete your daily or monthly this is probably why. Anyway, someone could have gone through updating their clock to see what the different possibilities were and then add that data to the site.</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_83699746"></span><span id="goog_83699747"></span><br /></div>
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Secondly, GuildHead could have a program that looks through the data made public by the Guild Wars 2 servers (like how <a href="http://gw2spidy.com/">GW2Spidy.com</a> gets its market data) and then generates pages of data based on this information. Also, related to this, they could have a program looking through the files on your local client. It seems that since the daily achievement that displays is based on your system clock then it is likely that there is a file on your PC somewhere that contains a list of the daily and monthly achievements.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZWIP2ZR7Bu53u_C_98l8ySVULaNgR_PKaBIKeNNdRUhCpt7UpeNKWVgeppwBhkkFvupWEPjX_r_gCkldl1qcFgok1noJtXlSVwIMJalTT-0H9qESGNnvKnsyUD6f7UDISQN-OUDsEGE/s1600/Polymock_Pieces_Collection%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZWIP2ZR7Bu53u_C_98l8ySVULaNgR_PKaBIKeNNdRUhCpt7UpeNKWVgeppwBhkkFvupWEPjX_r_gCkldl1qcFgok1noJtXlSVwIMJalTT-0H9qESGNnvKnsyUD6f7UDISQN-OUDsEGE/s320/Polymock_Pieces_Collection%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polymock pieces from GW1.</td></tr>
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Thirdly, someone could have just made it up and stuck it there. I highly doubt this because Guildhead is a fairly respected site.</div>
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So, those are the three options. If one or two is true then there is good reason to think that pet battles are coming to Guild Wars 2 in the near future, maybe February patch. Why else would this data be in the game. If all this is true, then expect to see rises in the prices in mini-pets in the future. Now may be a good time to start investing is some of the neater looking ones.</div>
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Either way, Scott Hawkes is the guy that runs the <a href="http://zam.com/">ZAM network</a> that includes Guildhead. He is also one of the personalities on <a href="http://www.gamebreaker.tv/guildcast-show-page/">the weekly Guild Wars 2 show, Guildcast</a>. I will be sending them a question about this and hopefully it will be answered. Hopefully others ask about this to so we can get some clarification.</div>
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All-in-all this is exciting. I know a lot of people have been waiting for this, and it will give us another thing to keep us entertain in town. What do you think? Is this something we can believe? Are you waiting for Polymock? Let me know in the comments below.</div>
Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525149260217843564noreply@blogger.com3