Guild Wars 2 - Beta 2 Weekend Coverage 23-25 March

[Rushster]

A compiled list of the second Beta weekend's coverage.

GWO

• How to gether, how to craft - by Gorani
• Running and Waypoints in GW2 - by CMEPTb
• Musings of an Armchair Mesmer - Changes between beta tests - by Thalanor Thorndale
• Guild Wars 2 Passes the Cheetos Test , but barely by Alaris
• The Mesmer experience by Alaris
• Swapping Attunements more fun for Elemenalists by Gorani
• Beta Reviews me by CMEPTb
• Rofltations, Spam on Recharge, and other Terrible Ideas by Alaris
• Death Becomes you by Alris
• Returning to Tyria… Again by Fae
• Guild Wars 2 Beta Crafting a Coat and a focus [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta, Elementalist Drowning [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta, Elementalist Slot Skills [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta Elementalist Underwater [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta, Elementalist Elemental [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta, Elementalist Weapon Skils [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta, Drowning Ranger
• Guild Wars 2 Beta - Night to Day [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta, Norn Elementalist Hero Panel [Video]
• Guild Wars 2 Beta, A Run Through Old Ascalon [Video]
• More to come...

General Press

• Incgamers.com written preview
• Beefjack were not too impressed with GW2 in their preview.
• Videogamer preview
• mmorpg.com preview
• Massively preview
• VentureBeat Preview
• PlayerAttack Preview
• RPGSite preview
• El33tonline preview
• Gamespy Preview
• MMOGames

Video

• IncGamers Plays - The Human Storyline Area Video with commentary
• TB on the thief.
• IGN plays the Ranger
• IncGamers Plays - Necromancer Character creation

[Alaris]

I guess the embargo is lifted then.

[Nohjo]

I've read and heard about the complaints of Beefjack from other beta-players as well.. Too much spamming in combat, too much chaos, no thought etc..

While others comment on the combat system as being positive. Saying it does require thought, especially on higher level combat. That working as a team is necessary, etc.

So much conflicting information all the time.

One thing they all agree on though is that the world is beautiful and immersive. Thats good.

[Alaris]

I guess I'll publish the article on "rofltations" first then.

[Lady Rhonwyn]

I've read and heard about the complaints of Beefjack from other beta-players as well.. Too much spamming in combat, too much chaos, no thought etc..

While others comment on the combat system as being positive. Saying it does require thought, especially on higher level combat. That working as a team is necessary, etc.

So much conflicting information all the time.

One thing they all agree on though is that the world is beautiful and immersive. Thats good.

I don't agree with this remark that the game doesn't encourage real partying. Several times, I was simply helping people (actually sticking my nose in where it didn't belong ) and we ended up partying up for the rest of the quest. And finally ended up first on a moa pet hunt and then a bear pet hunt.

[Alaris]

Having played WoW where ad-hoc partying was discouraged (and you actually had to party to share loot and XP), I really prefer the new system where you can party ad-hoc. You see people, you are glad that they are there helping out, and you naturally stick around together helping out each other.

I'm sure over time the combo system would boost that even more, but just reviving them and taking down foes together is plenty of motivation to group up. I found myself grouping a lot more in persistent areas than I ever did in WoW.

Do those become lasting relationships? Well, I was never the type to care for that, so I am the wrong person to ask.

[Odinius]

Well they do say it was to be expected from a beta with people running around clueless and spamming stuff without any actual planning.
This will also happen when the game is released, but after 30 levels people WILL be more organised to tackle the harder stuff with some team effort.
I didn't get in this time, but I doubt I would have played it any other way :)

[Gorani]

Ad-hoc partying is something I did a lot (you even get an achievement title for that, as well as reviving fallen allies, both players & npcs)
Sometime you sticked together for quite some time, as the event chain progresses. Most people left after the chain reached its end though, but you parted from PUGs too in GW1 when the mission was over.
The GWO Team actually stumbled upon each other on several occasions, like when I was defending a fort against attacking Sons of Svanir, killed of the last few attackers and got to the courtyard to revive players & NPCs, Fae came to the fort "by accident" and revived me when got finally overwhelmed before being able to rezz enough allies.

PS: I also made the experience that some small events you could trigger are better done with two or three people than alone. The reason for that was the fact that "natural inhabitants" re spawned too fast, so you got overwhelmed when fighting "small bosses" (e.g. in a cave north of the passage from the Shiverpeaks to the Charr lands, when I tried to get the skill quest there). The other incident was a Norn guy called Lunt in a Dredge mine, who charged the foes which leaves you with the impossible choice to either revive him behind enemy lines or protect a fire he has been building. The last quest I did with Rhonwyn & Fae in a intense, but successful fight.

[Lady Rhonwyn]

Or when I was on my way to Lornar's Pass and I happened to see a familiar face in those cold, cold mountains!

[Gorani]

Or when I was on my way to Lornar's Pass and I happened to see a familiar face in those cold, cold mountains!

Like I said...we met quite a lot (well except Satomz, who I never saw)