Guild Wars

[FelixofMars]

I should be on tommorow, stupid postie didn't post my copy through my door, evidently it needs signing for

I would have sent it to work but we have moved recently.

[PeteJ]

I have to agree that the interface isn't particularly great, but coming from WoW which had one I've the most streamlined UI I've ever seen, that is hardly surprising. For a game designed around party play, the management of said party is surprisingly poor - you can't click on someone in your Friends list to invite them to a group, you can't invite someone in who says "invite me!" in the main chat - you actually have to type in their name or click on their avatar. Because you can have friends in seperate districts (essentially servers, though you can chat across them), this isn't the most ideal situation. Also, as Silvergun says, not being able to share quests is an oversite I hope the developers will look into - there are so many quests you gather in such a short space of time (at one point I had over 30, and I'm only a few hours in), yet they are not listed in a helpful way like in WoW - they aren't organised by map area or difficulty, which makes life difficult when remembering who and what goes where.

The ability to draw on the mini-map for party members to see is just the most ingenius touch however, and I imagine it'll come in very handy later on. I like the crafting system too, it's cutback a lot from other games of this style, but this is the appeal.

I'm still in the training area at the moment, though I have been given the option to move on (and do so several levels ago), but I want to make sure I complete everything before I do so. I don't particularly want to move on just yet though...its really purdey

[PeteJ]

Ok, the game has gone from good to sublime. Myself and Silvergun have just had the most amazing few hours of gaming, and stuff happens that is just crazy for a mmporg. I so want to shout out what goes on but I won't want to spoil that incredible rush it creates!

If you aren't so fond of the game in the opening few sections, stick with it. Trust

We have a guild setup called NTSC uk, though we've yet to buy a cape because it seems to cost an awful lot (and I can now confirm it costs 2platinum, or 2000 gold. eek).

[Silvergun X]

Pete, you have seen NOTHING yet.

Myself and Eleanor got stuck into a mission just after you left. Cutscenes and everything... We are DEFINATELY doing that when you're next on, it is absolutely superb.

This is, without a single doubt in the world, my favourite online RPG. Nothing i've played before comes close to this in terms of sheer fun, and epic story.

Well. Phantasy Star Online would have to come a very close second.

[FelixofMars]

OK its arrived, does anyone know if I can install it at work as well as home so I can play at lunchtime or is it one code for machine. I can't think it is but I would be dissapointed if I cannot reuse the key.

[Silvergun X]

One code per account.

You can create your account at work and play it at home.

Let me know your character name so I can invite you to the NTSC-UK guild.

[PeteJ]

Yeah, it works like hotmail once you've setup an account, all you need is the client installed (which you can download from the GW website) on the PC.

Silvergun - I look forward to playing the Northern Wall, it did look pretty awesome just from the outside. Did you manage to complete it? I need to sort out my scheet armour before I attempt it though

When will you next be on?

[Silvergun X]

About 5 minutes, mate!

And yes, we managed to finish it. The mission afterwards is even better (Fort Ranik, I think it's called), but we didn't get to finishing that one. A level 8 mob killed us, and we were one man down as he quit the game.

There's a very, very nice part of Fort Ranik that you'll like, that involves a large enemy camp, a large trebuchet, and unlimited ammunition...

[PeteJ]

Ah man, I can see myself losing another day to this

I'll be on at about 12:15!

[Silvergun X]

http://thisisinternet.co.uk/partybattle.avi

I recorded a session of mine and PeteJ's just now. Just over 1 minute long, showing what battle's like (Including my targeting ****-ups. )

[PeteJ]

I'm glad its just not me messing up with targetting - I have discovered that if you press C it selects the nearest enemy though, which is very handy. If you target an enemy and press T, a message appears on everyones screen saying "press t to target XXX's target". Could be useful.

I made a major booboo with my character though - I was playing with the skill-points after you left, not realising that you had a limited number of changes...so I've ended up with a near-maxed out skill in one area (swords), and nothing elsewhere. Doh!

I like your exploding double arrow attack, very powerful

http://img193.echo.cx/img193/2662/gw0025nq.jpg
Taken from the opening section, after a little walk. My character is a warrior, currently has temporary Mezma skills. I eventually ditched these and got Elementalist skills, so I can throw fireballs and lightning, then run in with my oversized Brute Sword. Yayzorz.

http://img193.echo.cx/img193/4600/gw0041wo.jpg
This is part of the first 'proper' mission that demands you play cooperatively. The difficulty shoots up and you can easily die if you aren't careful. Between us three (and 1 ai monk, for healing), we managed to take down enemies far harder than us. Good times...some of the views we came across were just staggering - this shot only hints at the sheer epic scale of the vista before us.
I'm the one with horns

[Silvergun X]

I've just found out an interesting fact.

The level cap is 20.

Yes, I typed that correctly. It's 20.

The reason the level cap is so low, is to make the GvG or PvP play based around skill and skill choice, as opposed to how many years you've played the game to get to level 2907890345

A lot of people will frown on this and call it crap, and that it's end game so quickly. This is a lie. You still have missions to do, skills to unlock, equipment to get.

At level 20, you 'Ascend'. Quite what that means, I don't know, but i'm assuming that means you're ready for the big PvP battlefield, as you're on an even character level as the rest of the big guilds.

[PeteJ]

Of course, you can just 'skip to the end' by creating a level 20 character from the off, but you are limited to PVP arenas only. I think that when you Ascend you unlock the final areas and arenas of the game, including 4v4v4 combat, capture the flag and other variations of team combat.

I've only had one experience of PVP in the game, and it was pretty rocking, though Silvergun did ruin it slightly by saying "just a thought...is it just you and me?" No. "Ah sorry, I thought you guys were NPC's".

Doh

[Silvergun X]

LOL

Well I did!

It was only us two in a party, and when we warped out, there were suddenly 4 of us and 2 pets. I assumed it had filled in the gaps with NPCs. I wasn't to know they were actual player characters.

[csuzw]

I bought this while Earthen Ring (WoW) was down. Started a character but have no idea what I'm meant to be doing. If there is going to be an NTSC-uk guild then I'll be up for it but I won't be on too often - I play WoW far too much . My character is Aegon Astralis.