Wintersday in GW2, what do you think?

[BladeDVD]

So far, I'm liking what I've had time to do.

I have been doing the Tixx dungeon stuff. Made it to both the Grove and Divinity's on both my accounts. Very easy to group up with people and the dungeon is pretty forgiving and fast (15-20min easy).

I didn't realize this until I was looking up a possible bug in the Smash the Town achievement, but I think the little miniatures on the ground are actually a representation of Tyria, with each major city represented. That was cool.

The Tixx stuff itself is pretty easy without much fighting necessary. You really only have to defend a point for a few minutes and take down Toxx. The Grove version started with killing Tar Elementals, Divinity with present collection. You do have to take out turrents at one point too.

Don't forget the chest in the middle when you're done. And it offers you webs or glue (you will need both to make a mini) and other stuff you'll need to make up to two minis (if you do all 5 days). Not sure what will happen once it gets to LA. Repeating will only get you gifts and the chest. Some decent exp too (only on first run) if you want it (got my mesmer from 70 to 72 doing the first two events.)

It counts for your account, fyi.

The Bells: If you've played and enjoyed Rock Band or Guitar Hero, you might like this. You pick an area, then which of 3 parts of a circle you want to do. I've heard that certain areas are easier than others. There will be 8 colored wedges leading down to the blue circle with a white border you are standing in. Once they pass the white line, you use the appropriate skill key (1-4, 6-9). Counts for two titles and sounds very pretty. Kind of peaceful. Sadly, the songs are just from the in game music. A few more recognizable Christmas songs would have been nice. There's a free play chance for a few minutes after the six songs you can play.

I had some fun with this, but not being very musically inclined, I couldn't do much with the free play time, which I think would make this a lot more fun to do over and over. Some people were complaining of lag, but not sure if it was true or they were just making a joke about why they were making mistakes. I had no problems with lag, the bad playing was all my fault!

Jumping puzzle: I love the design. I've tried it a few times and haven't gotten past the snowflake part. I'm pretty sure I'll get it eventually. However, the waiting area has piles of snowballs and you can have snowball fights with others while waiting. This is pure fun. I love this part of it. Dodging works too.

I haven't done too much in PVE yet. I opened some boxes in the outside areas the first night, wasn't too hard. I hear the little princesses (which are also in the Tixx dungeon and wonderfully creepy, I think they have no faces, they cry and cower when hit and yet they do enough damage to kill you, very twisted...great stuff). Not sure about how they work in the PVE area, but in the dungeon they seem to be ranged only. If you could round them up and put a feedback bubble on them, I would think they'd die pretty quick.

I haven't done the snowball PVP stuff yet and probably won't.

I can't say I care for the gingerbread weapon skins. Are there more skins? I haven't checked yet.

Over all, pretty happy with it so far. Looking forward to the next city when I get home later tonight.

[Fae]

It's missing *something* possibly a farm event? Not sure. I miss being able to just zone out and go hurrrrr and farm stuff whether it's going afk and licking doors in polar bear dungeon, or lobbing snowballs at NPCs.

But other than that, having fun! It's definitely an event for dabblers. Sample some things, get what you need, go back to doing whatever it was you were doing.

I'm hilariously terrible at the bells minigame, though can appreciate its fun-ness. I suck at rockband-y games, so yeah, that one wasn't for me. I could just about handle it on easy.

The jump puzzle is definitely something people can make progress with compared to the mad king one, IMO. I FINALLY got it done today after trying for a while on the past few days. I could see myself making progress, whether it was actual linear progress, or just being able to nail the jumps on the path that had the candy cane beams that went down rather than up.

The dungeon is neat too. The initial reward, and then a mini reward (with a bit of RNG thrown in) to lure people back in to help guildies and friends throughout the day.

So far so good!

[sorudo]

i try to avoid it as much as possible, they focus way to much on hardcore grouping and speed racers for me to enjoy the event at all.

[shawn]

i try to avoid it as much as possible, they focus way to much on hardcore grouping and speed racers for me to enjoy the event at all.

what does this even mean

[RabidCoqui]

what does this even mean

Made for Speed Racer groupies?

[Hersir]

Hardcore grouping? I hope you meant groping? What kind of server are you on or are you Mr Supersensitive?

Most people seem to take any group they get and it's not like the Dungeon is hard to finish.

[Alaris]

Here goes Sorudo with wild claims again, totally different from my experience.

If you server is elitist, change server. Join SBI, never had that happen to me there.

[sorudo]

Here goes Sorudo with wild claims again, totally different from my experience.

If you server is elitist, change server. Join SBI, never had that happen to me there.

so i have to do everything all over again, guild bank, guild armor, all the upgrades, etc.?
no frikin way, i am not gonna change server just because the event sucks.

btw, my "claims" as you put it is what i think of it, what you think of it is something i don't give a f*** about.

[Guided Daggers]

so i have to do everything all over again, guild bank, guild armor, all the upgrades, etc.?
no frikin way, i am not gonna change server just because the event sucks.

btw, my "claims" as you put it is what i think of it, what you think of it is something i don't give a f*** about.

If everyone would react that way there would be no need for forums. We don't care about your opinion either, given that they usually seem to come from someone without any idea. Speed racing? Ok, so the jumping puzzle is timed. I don't like that either, but you still have plenty of time, it's nothing at all like the Mad King's Clock Tower. And that dungeon is easier than most dynamic events in the regular areas, so I dont see the need for "Hardcore" groups.

The event is the greatest so far imho, and a lot of people agree. I think it is you who should grow up and realise ArenaNet isn't going to cater the game to you. Looking at your posts, I see no evolution whatsoever over the past few years.

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I think Wintersday is great, though I would have liked to revisit the old snowball map, even though this one looks like it. Snowball fights are great, bell choir is pretty awesome when and if you get good at it (though the free play part is just a waste of time) and the jumping puzzle... Well... I've decided after Halloween that I won't be doing any timed puzzles anymore. Even though it's obviously easier than the clocktower, I'm not planning on spending hours in that map.

I love the toys and tonics, and in the end I think it's a great improvement over Halloween.

Oh and ArenaNet? Thanks for all the free content!

[Lady Rhonwyn]

I love the toys and tonics, and in the end I think it's a great improvement over Halloween.

Oh and ArenaNet? Thanks for all the free content!

I hate ANet for making me choose between the tonic or the mini!