Archive for the Lore Category

Asura Week Incoming

Posted 09/09/11 by

ArenaNet has announced that next week is Asura week and this is what’s planned.

  • Monday, 9/12 – An asura character design blog post by concept artist Matthew Barrett, the key artist responsible for the look of the asura.
  • Monday, 9/12 – BONUS! We’re throwing in an extra asura short story by loremaster Jeff Grubb!
  • Tuesday, 9/13 – An asura environmental design blog post by Matthew Barrett that takes a closer look at asura architecture and props.
  • Tuesday, 9/13 – Hey, Bookah! This advice column provides smart asura answers to stupid questions.
  • Wednesday, 9/14 – Writing the asura blog post by Writer Angel McCoy, with audio examples of asura chatter.
  • Thursday, 9/15 - Asura animation blog post by Lead Animator Heron Prior, with video examples of unique asura animations.
  • Thursday, 9/15 – We’re updating the GuildWars2.com asura web page with new lore by Jeff Grubb, new screenshots and wallpapers, and a brand new asura feature video.
  • Friday, 9/16 – A narrative asura blog post by Ree Soesbee that explores the world of the asura through fiction.
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Anet | Dream and Nightmare

Posted 13/08/11 by

Picture of The Grove

Artistic Picture of The Grove

In the last part of the Sylvari week, Ree Soesbee gives us insights into the origin, culture, the biology, and dreams and nightmares of the Sylvari race, and the Pale Tree. It starts like this:

The sylvari are the youngest race in Guild Wars 2, awakened with the rise of the new age in Tyria. They may be unfamiliar with the world, but they have dreamed of it, and they share a rich and compelling vision that guides their path. From the day of their awakening, each sylvari feels called to defend the land and fight the Elder Dragons. They are united in this purpose beneath their mother, the Pale Tree.

Interspersed are glimpses of beautifully written narration. Head on over to the blog post to read the rest.

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Sylvari Race Page Update

Posted 11/08/11 by

It’s day four of Sylvari week and ArenaNet has added the Sylvari race page to the Guild Wars 2 site which includes some tasty wallpapers and shots. There is of course more background info on the plant people if you need to brush up on your lore.

Next week is going to be interesting with the Gamescom reveal to the public for the first time and I have to admit I am itching to see the Sylvari in-game. Shots are nice but you can’t beat live action.

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Anet | The Sylvari Soul – Angel McCoy

Posted 09/08/11 by
The New Sylvari

The New Sylvari

 

The second article covering the Sylvari has been released. Angel McCoy gives an insight into design of the lore for the Sylvari. In the process, we learn about the life style and culture of the Sylvari. The article is supplemented with Sylvari audio clips giving a glimpse into the way the Sylvari think.

Head on over to the article to catch the details, and be prepared for tomorrow’s article!

Thanks goes to shawn this time who first spotted the article and shared the link with us here today!

 

 

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Anet | Kristen Perry – Redesigning the Sylvari

Posted 08/08/11 by

 

Sylvari Picture

First Glimpse of the New Sylvary

The first article on the week-long coverage of the Sylvari has just been released. Kristen Perry discusses the thought processes and challenges on the design and redesign of the Sylvari. She writes that:

There’s one big root to the design direction of the Sylvari that I hold most dear: it all must stem from anatomy. However, researching this design proved to be very tricky. It seemed that most images of plant people fell into one of two categories: painted humans with leaf accessories or outright plant monsters.

Head on over to the article to both read about the changes and view the first pictures of the Sylvari. Then share with us what your thoughts are on the new redesign.

P.S.: Thanks goes to Alaris who first posted the surfacing of this article here on the site.

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Norn Week Incoming

Posted 19/02/11 by

So the Humans have had their turn in the spotlight but next week it’s the turn of the Norn. Starting Monday we can all look foward to finding out more about the shape shifting half-giants including features from the dev team, new art and a Norn trailer. Can’t wait! Roll on Monday.

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Read your maps

Posted 17/07/10 by

With a little help from a graphics program, you can spot certain interesting items on the map of Tyria that comes with the “Ghosts of Ascalon” novel.

To start with my little bit of nerd geography, I used a graphics program to create an overlay of the new map from “Ghosts of Ascalon” and the old in-game map of Tyria. I could not get a complete accurate overlay, as certain fixed spots (e.g. Rata Sum) could not be kept in line with others. I had to stretch the map a little from west to east. Here is what I could spot

tyriamapcomparison.th.jpg

To start with my little bit of nerd geography, I used a graphics program to create an overlay of the new map from “Ghosts of Ascalon” and the old in-game map of Tyria. I could not get a complete accurate overlay, as certain fixed spots (e.g. Rata Sum) could not be kept in line with others. I had to stretch the map a little from west to east. Here is what I could spot

There are some constants
Rata Sum, Lion’s Arch and Bloodstone Fen are still there. We know Rata Sum is the capital of the Asura nation, Lion’s Arch will be hideout for scoundrels in the future and Bloodstone Fen … might be a link to some not so dormant Mursaat remains or a centaur town. Of course there are also the Ruins of Denravi.

New places in old spots
The Grove – the place of origin for all Sylvari – is around the same spot, where the seed was planted by Ventari, Divinity’s Reach is located on Divinity Coast (well, kind of obvious) and Ascalon Catacombs are still there on the map. The Crucible of Eternity is located very close to what has been Droknar’s Forge, so it might be some remembrance to the Dwarves. Sorrow’s Embrace might be a new Dredge capital, after the Summit have been driven out of Sorrow’s Furnace in the future.

New places to look forward to
Hoelbrak, the new Norn capital is located far more south than I had expected, but it makes sense as the rise of the dragon in Drakkar lake has most likely driven them away from the Northern Shiverpeaks. The Black Citadel, the Charr capital is located south of the Nolani Academy area and the Flame Citadel lies very close to the old Flame Temple Corridor. Ebonhawke, the human fortress holding out against the Charr is in an area we have not been able to reach in Guild Wars.

Other stuff? I guess a lot more, like the Dragonbrand valley, which does seem to originate around the place we saw Glint for the last time. And will the Dominion of Winds be connected to Galrath and the floating castle?

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Guild Wars Novel Detailed

Posted 15/07/10 by

ArenaNet designer Jeff Grubb has been writing about his co-authorship of forthcoming Guild Wars novel “Ghosts of Ascalon.” Penned in tandem with Matt Forbeck, “Ghosts of Ascalon” will provide some background lore to the game universe as it stands one year before the time of Guild Wars 2, and detail a tentative truce between man and charr. The book “serves as an introduction to that world both for long-time fans of Guild Wars and newcomers who are interested in finding out what all the clamor is about.”

It will be followed by a second novel, “Edge of Destiny,” written by J. Robert King.

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First Novel Based on Guild Wars Announced

Posted 24/02/10 by

NCSoft has announced the first novel based in the Guild Wars universe, the Ghosts of Ascalon. Written by authors Jeff Grubb and Matt Forbeck, Ghosts of Ascalon sets the stage for the release of Guild Wars 2.

The novel is scheduled for release in North America and Europe this summer and takes place in Tyria. In the book a “mismatched band of adventurers, each plagued by ghosts from their pasts, journeys into the haunted, war-torn kingdom of Ascalon to retrieve a sacred relic that holds the promise of peace between humanity and their ancestral enemies, the savage charr.”

The book is set in the same time period as Guild Wars 2 and NCSoft state that the novel will appeal to fans of the Guild Wars series as well as fans of fantasy novels.

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