In a literal sense, the developers of ArenaNet daily delight us with new information about the upcoming Guild Wars 2 update, which arrives on the servers in September.
Today, the focus has primarily been on improving the leveling phase, which will bring changes and improvements for new, returning, and veteran players, as we have summarized here for you.
An arrow marks the path
So far, players could wander more or less in any direction in Guild Wars 2, with something to discover lurking everywhere – however, there hasn’t been a clear directive on where to head next. Many players wanted to be guided a bit more, and not have to painstakingly search for their next destination on the map. To solve this problem, players will now be guided by an arrow on the map indicating which direction they should travel to face challenges appropriate to their level. However, this new system does not lead to the numerous hidden locations awaiting discovery in Tyria, for these, one must still embark on the exploration journey themselves – or consult the internet.
Easier introduction to game content
In the future, new players will be gradually introduced to game content so they are not overwhelmed or intimidated by too many new modes and play styles. For example, at level 18, access to PvP will be explained in the form of a tutorial, and a few levels later (22), the mechanics of World vs. World battles will be introduced.
Once these features have been explained, they will also be available to all other characters on your account, regardless of what level they have already reached. However, the corresponding interface options will remain hidden until they have been unlocked – but they can still be selected via keyboard shortcuts or by visiting the appropriate area; thus, there is no forced transition for veterans.
Leveling up should be understood as a reward
Speaking of leveling up: It is intended to feel much more rewarding, which is why players will receive significantly better rewards. All level-up rewards have been revised and improved so that the items obtained from them will almost always be useful. But that’s not all: Characters now gain a significant amount of attribute points at predetermined levels, rather than in small increments after each level-up.
No need to worry: Ultimately, new characters at level 80 will of course have the same base stats as already existing heroes. It’s also worth mentioning that the rewards will not be retroactively granted if your character is already at a high level – however, since they are intended primarily for leveling, this is not further necessary.
Chapters of the story will now be holistic
Finally, chapters of the game story will now always be unlocked holistically upon reaching the corresponding level, meaning: Once a chapter has been made accessible, you can complete it without interruption or the need for forced “leveling up” in one go.
Of course, they have not skimped on polishing up the associated item rewards, so as of September, there will likely be no shortage of items for any warrior.
You can read the full developer post here. For more information about the game and the feature patch, check out our Guild Wars 2 topic page.
