ArenaNet: Linsey Murdock unveils High End Ascended Gear (2012-11-13)

[Centaur]

The difference is, I'm not blaming Anet for having to make a business decision to launch early, even though they said when it's ready.

I'm not blaming ArenaNet for launching early. I'm blaming ArenaNet for not being honest to their players about what they can expect, why changes are made, and what direction the game is heading in.

And if they want to add an infusion slot to existing armor... great, I don't have a problem with that. But new levels of armor with increased stats? I cannot see any plausible explanation as to why that would be necessary, other than to satisfy the needs of the gear grinders who asked for more gear progression. It goes in against everything ArenaNet said they would do. And they even admit that this is just the first step of their new item progression program, and that there is much more to come.

As for your faith that everything that's currently wrong with the game will be fixed three months from now... sorry, but I can no longer share that faith. Based on what was addressed in all the patches up until now, what is announced for the upcoming patch and the direction the game is heading in, I actually feel that we may be much further from a solution by then, if ArenaNet doesn't get their act together and turn this ship around. But if they do, I will surely return.

[Vayne]

I'm not blaming ArenaNet for launching early. I'm blaming ArenaNet for not being honest to their players about what they can expect, why changes are made, and what direction the game is heading in.

And if they want to add an infusion slot to existing armor... great, I don't have a problem with that. But new levels of armor with increased stats? I cannot see any plausible explanation as to why that would be necessary, other than to satisfy the needs of the gear grinders who asked for more gear progression. It goes in against everything ArenaNet said they would do. And they even admit that this is just the first step of their new item progression program, and that there is much more to come.

As for your faith that everything that's currently wrong with the game will be fixed three months from now... sorry, but I can no longer share that faith. Based on what was addressed in all the patches up until now, what is announced for the upcoming patch and the direction the game is heading in, I actually feel that we may be much further from a solution by then, if ArenaNet doesn't get their act together and turn this ship around. But if they do, I will surely return.

Will they patch EVERYTHING. Of course not. Guild Wars 1 still has bugs. They're simply bugs I can live with. I'm pretty sure we're not going to see the kind of gear grind people are scared of here, but until it happens one way or the other, who knows?

[bokiz333]

You've got a crystal ball? Are you sure this isn't compensation for something they felt they did wrong, because that's how it comes off to me. I don't suspect that will happen. You might be right. But you might be wrong too.

Just like me.

Where. is. my. 800. k. in karma. vayne? Who in their right mind would have spent that much karma, gold, badges and mats on gear that isn't the top of the line? If they didn't bait and switch me, I would have saved it for "hopefully" the actual end game gear.

If you argue that you don't NEED that gear, then I don't need the exotics just as much as I don't need the Ascended, so who would have spent all those resources if they thought it wasn't end game gear? I'm 3 months in, have no karma left, little money, no badges, because I spend a KINGS RANDOM on Exotic gear in the last few weeks. Because they said the game would be one thing and in 3 months they changed id.

Answer the first question my friend.

[Vayne]

Where. is. my. 800. k. in karma. vayne? Who in their right mind would have spent that much karma, gold, badges and mats on gear that isn't the top of the line? If they didn't bait and switch me, I would have saved it for "hopefully" the actual end game gear.

If you argue that you don't NEED that gear, then I don't need the exotics just as much as I don't need the Ascended, so who would have spent all those resources if they thought it wasn't end game gear? I'm 3 months in, have no karma left, little money, no badges, because I spend a KINGS RANDOM on Exotic gear in the last few weeks. Because they said the game would be one thing and in 3 months they changed id.

Answer the first question my friend.

Nope you got screwed over. You played a lot of WvW and spent all this karma, you probably have no karma left. You don't make karma fast in WvW at all. In fact, you don't have dailies that make you even more karma with the new karma jugs either.

The karma cap was raised to over a million because Karma builds so fast. Sure, its sucks, but face it. In this upgrade, they're only coming out with a ring and a backpack. That's it. Two items, as far as I know..

Two items. And the REST of your items are still the best you can get at this time. Are you really telling me that you'd wait around and save that karma forever, maybe waiting a couple of more months to upgrade, all the time at a possible disadvantage from people who actually have exotics?

Because from reading your posts, I'm pretty sure you didn't want to be at a disadvantage.

[bokiz333]

Nope you got screwed over. You played a lot of WvW and spent all this karma, you probably have no karma left. You don't make karma fast in WvW at all. In fact, you don't have dailies that make you even more karma with the new karma jugs either.

The karma cap was raised to over a million because Karma builds so fast. Sure, its sucks, but face it. In this upgrade, they're only coming out with a ring and a backpack. That's it. Two items, as far as I know..

Two items. And the REST of your items are still the best you can get at this time. Are you really telling me that you'd wait around and save that karma forever, maybe waiting a couple of more months to upgrade, all the time at a possible disadvantage from people who actually have exotics?

Because from reading your posts, I'm pretty sure you didn't want to be at a disadvantage.

Maybe I should have been more clear..sorry that's on me. I bought a ton of different skins for looks because I already had the stat WvW gear I wanted. because I thought the game was about looks once you're at exotic level. So I WOULD have actually saved all that karma and money (but not badges because I wanted toughness/vit stats and have them now) for other things, like Ascended gear. I DEFINITELY would not have spend that much karma and money FOR JUST looks on gear I don't plan on using that much that isn't the best gear...because then I'd have to grind for new best gear, instead of just using the resources I had accumulated.

I hope that clears it up.

[Alexanian]

Vayne. What about people who spent 800k of karma on now obsolete exotics? Or 40 gold on different skins on TP. Or I have no idea how many mats crafting my exotics (and lvl to 400). Or how many FRICKING WvW BADGES that are so hard to get they spent on exotic Invaders gear. All under the very CLEAR direction that there was no vertical progressing and this was final end game gear. How is this not a huge F#$@ YOU to them?

You keep on missing the issue. If they had 3700 tiers TO START then I know whats what and can plan accordinyl. You can't change the game in a major way 3 months in...I don't want to buy them off the TP. Because I already did that thinking I just bought my end game gear. I'm not getting that money back. I'm most certainly NOT getting my WvW badges back.

What was the point of getting crafting to 400 is they dont make the best gear in the game? How was that not a total slap in the face? Why even have it as an option and not make everying a drop or through dungeons from teh start...why just this gear?

How you can't see why this is so different and problematic is beyond me.

What do you do with your WvW badges now that you have all that stuff?

[bokiz333]

What do you do with your WvW badges now that you have all that stuff?

Siege. I carry a metric shit ton of siege. Need a golem, no problem. Need that catapult, sure I've got 1 or 7. (between badges, gold and drops...I never want to get caught without having that catapult you need behind a keep door at the last minute)

[Vayne]

Maybe I should have been more clear..sorry that's on me. I bought a ton of different skins for looks because I already had the stat WvW gear I wanted. because I thought the game was about looks once you're at exotic level. So I WOULD have actually saved all that karma and money (but not badges because I wanted toughness/vit stats and have them now) for other things, like Ascended gear. I DEFINITELY would not have spend that much karma and money FOR JUST looks on gear I don't plan on using that much that isn't the best gear...because then I'd have to grind for new best gear, instead of just using the resources I had accumulated.

I hope that clears it up.

Yep, I get you. ANd it sucks. But think about it. If you were able to do all that in two months, it's another two months to get that same amount of karma back, isn't it?

Is the currency wasted if you're able to use it for months? I don't think so. And you can keep the skins and transmute anyway if you like them. The skins aren't wasted.

[bokiz333]

Yep, I get you. ANd it sucks. But think about it. If you were able to do all that in two months, it's another two months to get that same amount of karma back, isn't it?

Is the currency wasted if you're able to use it for months? I don't think so. And you can keep the skins and transmute anyway if you like them. The skins aren't wasted.

Now you're telling me what I consider a waste or not. I told you point blank I would not have made those purchases if eveything was disclosed to me at the start. So that is a huge waste to me. That's really the plain and simple truth that you should understand since you often talk about how certian things affect you PERSONALLY and thus are valid.

[Fey]

Yep, I get you. ANd it sucks. But think about it. If you were able to do all that in two months, it's another two months to get that same amount of karma back, isn't it?

Yeah, but that's more time spent playing for something you would had no idea that was going to happen at launch. If they had stated at launch that they had plans for this, people might have saved their Karma for something else.

Honestly I'm not against these changes, if ArenaNet thinks it will help the game then I'm okay with it. If it does help the game, I'm more okay with it. But you can't defend ArenaNet from people that are mad at them. They have every right in the world right now to be mad. I'd almost say that this is false advertisement and refunds should be an option, however everyone should have known from the get-go, that MMO's are always subject to change. For better or for worse.