GW2

The GW2 Wardrobe is Underrated

stargrace August 21, 2024 No Comments

GW2 has one of the most robust wardrobe systems I’ve played with over the years, and I think it deserves way more attention than it gets. Not only can you dye each piece with multiple colour channels, you can also have pieces that completely change your character – such as the screenshot above which is displaying a pirate hand (hook) and a peg leg.

Unlocks like these are account wide, so your characters can instantly have access to dye & appearance items no matter who you’re playing. The only other MMO I’ve played in recent times that has such a robust system, is FFXIV – and these reminders are what bothers me about World of Warcraft’s system, which appears antique by comparison. WoW just recently gave players the ability to unlock appearance gear account wide, previously you had to unlock it on a character who could wear that type of gear. They also do not allow for any dye, restricting your customization further. I understand that implementing these things so late into the game’s life isn’t something that can really be considered (thank you spaghetti code) but the more I play other games, the more I realize how much WoW lacks and how it has not risen to innovation over the years – probably because it never had to.

The latest expansion has released, and I’m slowly making my way through the story (really slowly) and exploring the first zone, Lowland Shore. I think because I have not completed some of the prior expansions it has put me at a bit of a disadvantage. I don’t have the flying mount, for one. There seem to be some places I can’t reach or some objectives I can’t do because of it. Since it’s all new, I’m not sure if I’m missing out or if there’s other ways to reach these places that I just haven’t stumbled into. I won’t be posting any spoilers, but I will say I’m enjoying myself, and I hope it lasts.

As always, happy gaming – no matter where you find yourself!

A Little Guild Wars 2

stargrace August 19, 2024 No Comments

It has been some time since I played GW2 regularly, and I’m not really sure why that is. On paper, the game has everything I enjoy in an MMO – but it’s also the game I’ve had the hardest time trying to find a place to belong. I suppose in the end that doesn’t matter too much, I rarely ever stick around in any place that isn’t my own guild – but I do have goals that I want to accomplish, and they are easier if you have a community.

Anyway.

When I started playing GW2 I was playing an asura guardian. Fun class, I loved swinging my big 2h sword around – but a few years in, I just wasn’t feeling it any more. I decided to abruptly swap over to a mesmer, and I’ve been in love ever since. The problem is, I never bothered working on her personal story, and then I got distracted by multiple shinies, and here we are. I’m on the last chapter of the personal story, called Victory or Death. Today I completed the following parts to that:

• Temple of the Forgotten God
• Through the Looking Glass
• What the Eye Beholds
• Estate of Decay
• A Grisly Shipment
• Further into Orr
• Stealing Light
• Conscript Dead ships

Now I’m on Ships of the Line. I believe after this there are 4 more sub chapters and then my personal story will be completed. I think I’ll probably need help for the final quest, I remember getting help on it when I was attempting it with my guardian, but we’ll see when I get there. I’m pretty excited to get it completed! Ideally, I’d follow up by working on the next stories in order, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to resist the sirens call of the next expansion – which just happens to release tomorrow.

I’m incredibly excited about this expansion. It’s bringing player housing to the table, and anyone who knows me understands that this is a very big deal. I love player housing, decorating and collecting furniture and browsing other people’s builds is one of my favourite pastimes.

Are you going to be playing the expansion? Are you excited about player housing? Let me know in comments, and as always, happy gaming – no matter what you play.

Season 1 and Other Happenings

stargrace May 18, 2022 No Comments

I’m not really sure about the how or why that made me wander back to GW2 but that’s where I’ve found myself lately, and I’m having a LOT of fun. First I had to decide which character I wanted to work on. I have one of every class at 80, but I only actively play the guardian and the mesmer (and for a brief stint, my elementalist). I enjoy the mesmer a great deal, but my guardian has a LOT more story components done. I’ve had a dream to one day complete the story fully on a single character (I have bits and pieces completed all over the place) – and so that coloured my overall decision to stick with the guardian. She has the HoT expansion done and that’s one that I don’t relish going back to. She also has her main story done. My mesmer has most of PoF done, but that expansion wasn’t too bad.

What none of my characters have done is the living world stories because these are usually in between major expansions, the times when I end up taking a break. I wanted to work on those starting at the beginning because they’ve been releasing living world season one for the first time and it would be neat to do those in order. I finished the first chapter, and am waiting for the release of the next one.

In the meantime, I also spent a HUGE chunk of coin on my character and purchased a leatherworking glyph so that I can cut trees and have a chance at leather. I need a bunch for some ascended gear I want to craft. I have ascended weapons and jewelry (from laurels) but no actual gear. I do have ascended gear on a second account. Unfortunately I can’t trade it.

Aside from that, there are a few other things I want to work on like WvW, map completion (I’m at 70% or so) and other random bits and bobs. I feel like GW2 has been absolutely thriving under the radar, every single area I went to had people. World bosses are packed, and overall I just had a very good time. It’s nice to be back.

As always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

Warclaw Obtained!

stargrace May 16, 2021 1 Comment

I was able to finish off the PVP track that allows you to purchase Warclaw – and I’m so glad I did, because the entire time I was working on the track I felt so behind trying to chase everyone else all around the map. Plus, it’s just nice to have another mount completed.