AWKWARD ZOMBIE

Welcome!



For those not in the know, Guild Wars 2 is the upcoming sequel to ArenaNet's immensely successful Guild Wars.

GW2 boasts many new features to the original Guild Wars, including reworked professions (with the removal of secondary classes), a level 80 cap, new combat mechanics (conditions, boons, and cross-profession combos), on top of a completely redone PvP arena system and - one of the largest and most anticipated features - the addition of World versus World (versus World).

World versus World (WvW) is one of the most exciting features. Pitting three different servers against one another, players must lay siege against one another on an enormous map, accomplishing a variety of objectives. Barring decision changes by ArenaNet, servers will rotate on a bi-weekly basis based on personal ranking, meaning you won't face the same opponents. Check out the wiki page for more information! You can also find some great video footage on Youtube - here's PC Gamer's twenty-minute video of WvW action.

The way Guild Wars 2 is currently structured, your world is effectively divided into three "maps" - your PvE map, PvP arena, and WvW map. Your character's progress between PvE maps and WvW maps is identical - your character will be the same in both maps. You can, in a way, "live" in the World versus World map without hampering your regular game's progress. In structured PvP (the arena), all characters are boosted to level 80 with all skills unlocked, and there is a shop for you to purchase every available weapon type for your class - everyone is throw into the game on equal footing.

Several Awkward Zombie members gathered and played Guild Wars together two years ago, and a few have expressed interest in continuing the tradition in Guild Wars 2. For those that are worried about guild commitment (I have my own guild I'm going with into GW2), there is currently a system in place where players are allowed to join more than one guild - you have access to all guilds at all times, but you will only be able to actively represent one guild at a time. Said guild gets any guild bonuses from your achievements on the battlefield.

For those who are worried about being stuck on a server alone, or are torn between groups of friends - Guild Wars 2 has a really great server transfer system in place.

And as before, Guild Wars 2 continues the tradition of no monthly fee. They do have a cash-shop implemented, but all of the items are purely cosmetic and have no influence on in-game progress. You can also get gems (what your actual cheddar is converted to) in-game, I believe through the auction house (I am not 100% if it's the auction house, nor if the auction house is the only way to purchase them in-game).

Guild Wars 2 recently had its first open beta weekend and was met with much excitement and success. Was anyone here able to participate?

I got high hopes for this one. Did anyone here try to get the achievement things that give you bonuses in GW2 if you played the first one?

arrow to the knee

I haven't, but I still need to get the Eye of the North expansion in the first place. A few of my friends have run the gambit, though - they say if you're mostly looking for the actual items you only really need to get the first thirty or so points. I think one of my friends got all fifty, though. I'm wondering if I'll have time to get all the achievements before GW2 launches, but said friend told me you can get the achievements at any time? Not sure if accurate.

One of my friends is in the beta and has bought the Collector's edition. He says that it's AMAZING, but he's an enormous Guild Wars fanboy. Looking at vids and stuff, it does seem very good though. I'll probably buy it.

IIRC, the first 30 points gives you an item per point and a title every 5 points, then after 30 you get a title every 5 points until you reach 50. Most of the points aren't that hard to get once you just sit down and do it, since most of them just require cheddar to buy certain weapons and prestige armors. There are some for having different titles maxed though, like max Kurz/Lux and other pvp titles, so those could take a bit longer to get.

Also, what classes is everyone planning on trying? I'm probably gonna go with a human guardian to start, just because my monk was my first GW1 character and guardian is probably the closest I'll get. And a big, burly Norn warrior, because I must become the bear.

If I can, I'll get it. This time around I might make an effort to actually get into a MMO, just because it looks neat.

E: Additionally, I'd love to see an Awkward Zombie guild get involved in World V World.

I plan on playing a warrior first, but if I don't like it I'll switch to necromancer - I'm curious to see how necro plays after having one in GW. Undecided on the race, I'll most likely go for one that has nice racial bonuses (or just human it up).

This would be really cool, but I'm going on where my guild goes. If others want to be on the same server (which is currently undecided, we're focusing on getting everyone comfortable with their desired classes) then that is rad, I would love to participate with ya'll.

I am planning to be a Charr warrior or engineer, if I do get the game.

The reasons for this being a) to be a cow, and b) to be a cow with a bazooka.

Is the sequel as heavily instanced as the original?

I want to be the fuzzy or short guy. Maybe both if I can get a short fuzzy guy.

Short answer: no.
Long answer: I didn't really find a clear answer, but I think except from personal story related things, nothing is instanced. There are loading screens though but those are supposedly fast.

I played the beta this weekend and it doesnt seem as instanced apart from the areas with story progression for your character specifically

it was pretty fun

Whoops reinstalled 1 to squeak out some last minute Hall achievements.

I'm stuck on 1 for the time being anyway. Once I do get GW2, I'm going to roll a spiritual successor to my ol' Assassin. Sylvari thief is the way to go for me.