With the expansion Heart of Thorns, Guild Wars 2 aims to tackle the big issues in the MMORPG genre, drawing inspiration from Legend of Zelda.
In an interview with IGN, ArenaNet reveals its plans for Guild Wars 2 and the Heart of Thorns expansion, aiming to creatively solve some of the typical MMORPG problems. Players should not just rush linearly through a zone to the end. And players should not feel stronger just because a number goes up.
The zone should be multi-layered and non-linear
The new zone Heart of Maguuma, the jungle zone, will be designed to be experienced “vertically”. It will grow both upward and downward. It will have three levels:
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- The canopy – above the jungle, here you can see the remnants of the destroyed airship fleet and many vines and adventures.
- The ground – here you get the typical jungle feeling.
- The underground – and here players should be able to discover some dark secrets.
Guild Wars 2 does not want a linear zone that a game simply plows through, but rather multiple layers that open progressively.
But how do you ensure that it feels good for players that parts of the zones remain hidden at first and then open up?
Inspired by Zelda
This is where the new “Masteries” come into play, the new progression system of Heart of Thorns. They do not want to make players “stronger” by increasing a number by a few points. A power creep, an increase of the level cap, or new weapon tiers is not an option for ArenaNet.
Players should truly learn new traits through the mastery system.
Just like back in Legend of Zelda, where Link received a new tool and could then eliminate an obstacle to open a new layer of the world.
Something similar is planned with Heart of Thorns. The player will get to know a new jungle tribe, the Itzel, learn their language over time, and see the jungle through their eyes. The player will be able to swing through new heights with the glider to reach extraordinary places.
With these new abilities, fights are also set to become easier. There will be mobs that you just can’t get past, because the counter to certain abilities is still lacking. And when you later receive new “tools”, new “abilities”, it will be immediately clear what you could use them for.
This is the goal they are aiming for: “I am now more powerful! But not because a number went up, but because I have this new tool!”
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