[Dev Update] Hard Mode and Sunspear & Lightbringer Titles

[Gaile Gray]

Hi, there,

We have a note today from the team about two subjects that have been on many minds--Hard Mode and those high-level Sunspear and Lightbringer titles. Here's what they have to say:

We know that, in essence, it is currently not possible to get the maximum ranks of the Sunspear and Lightbringer titles. When we released Nightfall, our plan was to not allow players to max out these titles until the implementation of Hard Mode. We originally thought this feature would be ready shortly after release, but during testing we found more and more features we wanted to include in the Hard Mode update. The core idea was simple: Give players the option to take on a more challenging version of Guild Wars and reward their characters with better drops and titles than they could achieve in Normal Mode.

The basics haven't changed, but to borrow a phrase from Tolkien, "The tale grew in the telling."

Rather than simply staying with the general set of changes and rules we'd originally intended, we're also adjusting creature Skill Bars throughout the game to make the fights more interesting. Contrary to our original intentions, we're also including Hard Mode in all areas of the game (except pre-Searing Ascalon). So, if you've ever wanted to explore a version of the Flame Temple Corridor with level 20+ creatures, you'll be able to do that with Hard Mode. This, of course, is requiring us to adjust some rules about how loot is generated.

We're adding a few new items we think you'll like that drop only in Hard Mode. In addition, we're altering the way locked chests work in Hard Mode, including the addition of lock picks that can be used on any locked chest. Unlike keys, which disappear after you use them once, with a lock pick, you will have a chance of using it on more than one chest, and that chance will increase based on your Lucky/Treasure Hunting titles. We're also adding new titles, Guardian and Vanquisher, which have required extensive testing and balancing of all the missions in Hard Mode. (This meant doing such things as making sure a human Hard Mode team paired with an NPC team in the Vizunah Square mission could still achieve Master's level completion.)

Beyond all of that, we've also realized during the course of development that these changes give us the ability to rebalance several things in Normal Mode that players have found too challenging or unpleasant. For example, we're altering the death explosions of the Afflicted creatures in Factions, creature distribution in particularly difficult areas, monsters scattering away from area of effect spells, and healer creatures running from melee attackers indefinitely. We've also decided to add a number of PvE-only Sunspear skills, which will be available to players through both Normal and Hard Mode.

In short, we've taken this extra time as an opportunity to make many aspects of the game better, and because of that, the Hard Mode release is taking longer than originally anticipated. We currently believe it will be ready within a month, if not sooner. We hope you'll find it was worth the wait.

[Jebus]

Awesome! Finally the news is here =D

[Shanaeri Rynale]

one word, well two. Woot and When.

[Piglou]

I like the increasing difficulty level , like in Diablo2.
Thanks for the info.

[Etta]

Thanks for the head up, Gaile.

[Dreikki]

Great news. Keep up the good work, i'm sure it will be worth waiting.

[DrD]

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

We currently believe it will be ready within a month, if not sooner. We hope you'll find it was worth the wait.

You heard her it's gonna be out THIS MONTH!

[Goldenboy]

Woo! I'm really looking forward to this.

[Mammoth]

Glad to see something new being added to the game, Thanks Gaile.

[thezed]

Sounds like a lot of fun!

Is the split of the "Skill Hunter" title and the Global Explorer/Protector titles coming with this "Hard Mode" update?

[King Kong]

Woooo sounds great! Keep up the good work ANET

Im going back to the game before everyone starts moaning

[viper008]

One question how do we turn on/off hard mode? Anyways can't wait to try this out, Thanks for the info Gaile.

[frickett]

Sounds wonderful, we can get through normally, but if we want more challenge we can do the whole hard mode thing.
I am especially interested in lockpicks, that might free up some of my slots.

[ChaoticCoyote]

Wow.

WOW!

!WOW!

You've rewarded my faith. Where can I build your shrine?

[Ferret]

Cool, it sounds like normal mode will be made a bit more bearable in some areas at the same time as hard mode comes in.

I wonder if they'll do some changes to Call of Torment, like increasing its duration to 10 secs or making it interruptable? That would actually make it a bit more balanced.

Also, it looks like the Nightfall and Factions starter Isles can be done in hard mode...a good testing ground i guess.

Sounds like good news to me, but i'll wait to see the final details before i jump with joy.

[GD Defender]

Something new to do, if nothing else. Hope it's not as hard as elite areas.

[Tazaki]

Great news, thatll help keep interest. I've always wanted to take a stroll through ascalon with lvl 20 mobs^^

[Indian]

Originally Posted by GD Defender

Something new to do, if nothing else. Hope it's not as hard as elite areas.

They better be hard as Elite Areas, otherwise whats the Fun of playing "HARD" Mode..

[Machinae]

I take back everything negative I have ever said about Anet. <3

Ps: Doesn't some of this sound suspiciously like the Inquirer article? More pve-only skills etc.. </strir>

[The Great Al]

wow this sounds amazing and I really really can't wait - thank you!!!