PAX 2010 Updates & Screens

[JohnnyV]

It definitely hasn't been that long since gamescom, where A-Net was showing off the first gameplay footage of Guild Wars 2. We now have another conference to be excited for, in PAX 2010. Arenanet will be in Seattle to show off the game even further.

It looks like there will be one main keynote for the game, but they'll also be demoing the title just like they did at gamescom.

Here's the main discussion they'll be having about the game:

Saturday - 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Room 304

Guild Wars 2: Designing Dynamic Events

What does it take to create MMO content? Veteran game designers Eric Flannum and Colin Johanson, key creators behind ArenaNet’s upcoming Guild Wars 2, will give audience members a unique perspective on designing MMO content in this fascinating talk and workshop. In an informal presentation, Eric and Colin will show you how Guild Wars 2 designers create events in the dynamic, living game world and the many factors to consider when designing any kind of MMO content. Attendees will leave with a greater insight into the work of game designers and a deeper understanding of the Guild Wars 2 dynamic event system.

This session is a ticketed event with limited attendance. Please stop by the Guild Wars 2 Booth #642 to find out how you could get a ticket.

Panelists include: Eric Flannum, Colin Johanson

If you come across any news or content which relates to Guild Wars 2 at PAX Seattle 2010, then feel free to post it.

[JohnnyV]

A-Net has released a full schedule of events at PAX. Just as many demo events as gamescom!

Friday, September 3

10:00 Doors open – PAX begins!

10:30 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

11:30 Guild Wars 2 demo at nVidia Booth

12:30 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

1:30 Guild Wars 2 demo at nVidia Booth

2:30 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

3:30 Quiz Show – win Dynamic Event Panel passes!

4:00 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

5:00 Trading Card Game Prize Drawing

5:30 Quiz Show – win Dynamic Event Panel passes!

7:00 Hall closes

Saturday, September 4

10:00 Doors open – Day 2 begins!

10:00 Guild Wars 2: Designing Dynamic Events panel in Room 304 (passes only)

10:30 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

11:00 Quiz Show – win party passes!

11:30 Guild Wars 2 demo at nVidia Booth

12:00 Ghosts of Ascalon book signing and giveaway

1:00 Quiz Show – win party passes!

2:00 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

3:30 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

4:30 Guild Wars 2 demo at nVidia Booth

5:00 Trading Card Game Prize Drawing

6:00 Hall closes

6:30 – 10:30 Guild Wars 2 PAX Party at the Hard Rock Café (pass holders only)

Sunday, September 5

10:00 Doors open – Day 3 begins!

11:30 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

1:00 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

2:00 Guild Wars 2 demo at nVidia Booth

3:30 Guild Wars 2 demo presentation

4:30 Guild Wars 2 demo at nVidia Booth

5:00 Trading Card Game Prize Drawing

6:00 Hall closes

http://www.arena.net/blog/pax-to-the-max

[Venn]

A full weekend of more Guild Wars 2 bliss. Huzzah!

[JohnnyV]

just got word via Twitter update that there won't be any live streaming coverage of PAX...

[Venn]

Ah well should still be some great updates like getting news from comic con.

[Ruse]

I still haven't watched most of the Comic Con footage for fear of spoiling the surprise, so. I personally don't mind. xD;

[Venn]

The spoilery footage was gamescom. I just meant we can follow PAX in the same fashion that we followed CC via articles and such.

[JohnnyV]

As if I needed another reason to be jealous of people who are going to PAX.

http://www.arena.net/blog/carving-guild-wars-2-stamps-with-john-corpening

John Corpening knows how to make a good impression.

Like most of the folks who work at the studio, John is a multi-talented and creative individual. In addition to his duties as lead programmer on the Guild Wars 2 Tools Team, John carves some of the coolest, most intricate ink stamps you’re likely to see. This weekend at PAX, we’ll be using John’s handmade Guild Wars 2 stamps as part of our interactive PAX trading card game.

The Guild Wars 2 trading card game at PAX is, in the words of Community Manager Martin Kerstein, “like a big Dynamic Event in Guild Wars 2. Players will have to work together if they want to win.” ArenaNet staffers will be handing out two random cards to Guild Wars 2 fans who participate in various ArenaNet events, such as playing our demo, answering trivia questions, attending a demo presentation, wearing a GW2 headband, or answering trivia questions.

There are five sets of trading cards (each based on a GW2 race), and each set has five cards. When you’ve collected a complete set of five cards, come to the ArenaNet booth to get your hand stamped with John’s Guild Wars 2 dragon logo stamp and receive a raffle ticket. Every afternoon at 5 PM we’ll have a raffle drawing for cool prizes from our partners nVidia and Razer.

[JohnnyV]

So, apparently Guild Wars 2 is playable in 3D at PAX.

Official A-Net tweet: Wanna see GW2 in 3D? Check out our live demonstration at the nVidia booth in the South Hall, hosted by uber communtiy mgr Martin K ~DC

[JohnnyV]

Guild Wars 2: All fun, no grind

We spent some hands on time with Guild Wars 2 at PAX 2010, and came away both surprised and impressed by the game's ease of play, active combat, and streamlined game mechanics. From the moment you step into the game, it's obvious that Guild Wars 2 isn't cut from the same mold as other MMORPGs.

Our tour guide, ArenaNet's Global Brand Director Christopher Lye, guided and spoke with us we played a human Elementalist through the beginning stages of the game.

Every character has a story

Guild Wars 2 is built upon three key ideas guiding its design. The first is providing every character with their own unique, personal story—basically, a good, single-player RPG experience, with real benefits, consequences, and a sense of achievement that is far more satisfying and heroic than collecting 10 of anything.

The personal story is handled in an interesting fashion: basically, the game gives you an entire home town as your own personal, instanced home base. When you go to your town, you can do all the usual things you would do: buy items, visit the tavern, get quests, etc. But your hometown and the characters in it also serve to reflect the actions of your character.

For example, if an orphanage catches fire, you can rush to save it. But if you don't, your town will have a burnt orphanage (and maybe some angry orphans) sitting around in it.

The results of your choices both in and outside of your hometown will also be reflected by other characters there. In the aftermath of a tavern brawl (see Part 2), the city guard came to arrest us. But a commander whom we aided at the very beginning of the game (outside our town in the world at large) stepped in to speak on our behalf, sparing us a jail cell.

For full article, click here.