New Designer, Updates, PvP, XTH, and more! courtesy of Linsey Murdock

[Zanagi Kazuhiko]

what is this Sealed deck?

[Gun Pierson]

Welcome Robert!

Sealed deck looks great, as well as the other pvp adjustments.

No word about 7 heroes in PvE yet and Aion wings in GW suck.

Originally Posted by Blinzx

what is this Sealed deck?

You don't know what spells you might get to play with or something like that. It's actually cool, at least in MTG it was.

[CyberNigma]

Originally Posted by Ellix Cantero

We get . . .
-Skill updates will now take twice as long to be implemented.

-News that likely the XTH will be yanked (regardless of how you feel about XTH, it is content that will be disappearing)

-News that their original update schedule was optomistic and they'll try to squeeze out a small update here and there

-News that their resources have mostly been devoted to automating more stuff. "Yes, so they can then focus on giving us more content!" you say. No. So they can move more resources to working on GW2.

-News that HB and TA are going away (see note about XTH above)

---

The only really positive part about the whole thing was the sealed deck format being introduced, but if they're just throwing their hands up and giving up on HB and TA what will they do if the new format starts having serious problems? They're working on the new HA map too, which I'm sure is a plus to the 47 people still playing HA.

We get . . .
-Skill updates will be more useful

-News that they believe they have fixed the XTH issue, will be issuing points finally and probably have it back up and running soon

-News that their original update schedule was optomistic and they're going to try and push out more content updates than before instead of fewer really large ones

-News that their resources have mostly been devoted to automating more stuff. "Yes, so they can then focus on giving us more content!" you say. Yes. This way they can spend more time on the greater number of content updates they intend on giving us and less time prepping for events which we really love.

-News that HB and TA are going away (see note about XTH above)
-News that instead of devoting resources to try and fix a broken format, they are going to spend resources on a new format as well as more content updates than we were getting before and better skill balances.

Yeah, I guess it is pretty easy to interpret the same thing any way you want it.

[Qing Guang]

Haha, ANet bragging about "transparency". Ah well, we can hope for the best, na? Maybe they finally figured out that Blizz's way does work better.

Not sad at all to see HB gone. Almost was angry about TA until I realized I hadn't played it in several months.

But... am I the only one who hasn't quite grasped the concept of what Sealed Deck is?
<---(Doesn't PvP, like, ever)

[obsidian ectoplasm]

TA is like the only thing i enjoy about this game

[Gonzo_Neo]

Originally Posted by Martin Kerstein

Actually the first part of this statement is the correct one

Sorry Martin, but PVE GW players didnt have any new zone or armor ( elite, explorable or dungeons ) for 2 years since Eye of North release, almost half life of GW ( 4 years and 4 monts ).

We pass to weeks update to months updates for more content and the result was:

- "first" big update the best what we got was farm 5-15 items each week ( Nicholas ), make the same old quest again each day ( ZQuest ), and litle more storage ( and paying if we need more ) and catch the same old pets again ( Zoo Zaishen ), and no new monthly tonic = New fun and hard Content for PVE players was 0.

Now the months update without skill updats month are only "put old tonic month in zaishen chest", fix crash bug and voila.

-2 big update,well after more 5 months waiting new big update ( each 4 monts ......), we have 2 pvp modes less ( the playes that still play HB or TA will be very "happy" ) but 1 new PVP mode, a new HA map ( good for HA players ), no heroes in pvp, and new skins pvp ( thx for remember al pve players here ).

After 5 months waiting, update interesting for PVE Players = 0 again.

Now we have more less skill updates, we pass weekly, to 1/2 monthly and now more time wating,

Have we to expect 2 months updates only with Zaishen monthly tonic and nothing new?

Thx to this maybe we have more content in 5 months ?

Ok, but wait 5 months more to see a possible new map zone ( there will be 2,5 months without new zones since GWEN release ) or simply nothing new for PVE like until now and still recycling content for PVE players updates and wait other 5 months again and again until GW2 is release is no my idea of fun, or try keep PVE players.

Sorry Martin, but like PVE player since beta release of GW my optimism and expectations for this update and the rest until new "big update" is 0.

Hi.

[Axel Zinfandel]

I'm assuming Sealed deck is essentially, in concept, a 4v4 PUG style setting, but with "Sealed Decks" (basically, an unknown, randomized build).

So PUGs won't be discriminated against side from class, and focus is more on team play and usage of skills.

I like it, and I may actually get into PvP because of it



Also I'd venture to say that I am actually glad about the bimonthly skill balances. Hopefully then we'll get more of what we want, rather then the skill balance team throwing a skill update up and then fixing many of the skills months later.

For example, players studying the note updates for new and interesting builds could have noticed the potential problem that Ether Renewal Infusers could bring upon PvE, and issues within PvP too.

I like it guys, I like it a lot.

[Qing Guang]

Originally Posted by Axel Zinfandel

I'm assuming Sealed deck is essentially, in concept, a 4v4 PUG style setting, but with "Sealed Decks" (basically, an unknown, randomized build).

So PUGs won't be discriminated against side from class, and focus is more on team play and usage of skills.

I like it, and I may actually get into PvP because of it

Sooo... kind of similar to what we have for Costume Brawl? Sounds pretty fun; might get me back into PvP too.

[V0van]

wow TA getting removed :S
Wat the heck is seal decK every one look so hyped for it?!! can some 1 explain what is it or how it woks?

[Xenex Xclame]

In the most basic form Sealed deck is Randomly given skills and you come up with a build.

Think for a moment that we were playing Guildwars the Trading card game, instead of having skills in a window in the computer game,Every skill in the game is a different card.When you play Sealed game you are basically dealt random cards.

Each player is given 16 random skill cards that they could share and trade with their three teammates. Each four-player team then built the best characters they could using only those skills.

The rest of the game goes on the same way it does now, so instead of coming up with a build and carefully choosing which skill you will take from all the ones available, your choice is limited to only the cards you are randomly given.

Some skills might banned from use either because they are too strong or weak,that way players don't lose simply because they got skills that are useless in pvp.

Some skills you can always choose from like for example you can always choose to have a resurrection signet,or you are always allowed to have charm animal any time you have any pet attacks on your bar.

look here http://www.guildwars.com/competitive/sealedplay/ for more info.

[Chocobo1]

Originally Posted by Esprit

If Xunlai is removed, I hope Z-title be changed to account for the huge decrease in Zkey availability? And with less keys, prices will go up, and you still have the same < 1% chance to a good item when a key is used...

Thats the whole point of Zkeys. You aren't supposed to get a crystalline sword after 10 keys, most of the time you are going to be unlucky. Don't use it if you dont like it.


Please, for the love of god keep the Xunlai House out. I love decent priced Zkeys!

[Murgatroyd]

Originally Posted by Blinzx

what is this Sealed deck?

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Sealed_Deck

[Catchphrase]

If Axel's stab of guess on "Sealed Deck" is true then I am all for it. However, I think there ought to be certain controls placed upon the map itself to avoid an outright win by people who are simply lucky enough to get a direct offense group. It can be effects varying from maps to maps such as weaker replica of environmental effects in DoA or NPCs or implementing of another primary objectives, relegating total elimination of opposing team as an optional objective to reduce the chances of tiebreaker.

[Gigashadow]

Sealed deck 4v4! Oh my god YES! This is awesome.

[IrishX]

Originally Posted by Gonzo_Neo

Sorry Martin, but PVE GW players didnt have any new zone or armor ( elite, explorable or dungeons ) for 2 years since Eye of North release, almost half life of GW ( 4 years and 4 monts ).

We pass to weeks update to months updates for more content and the result was:

- "first" big update the best what we got was farm 5-15 items each week ( Nicholas ), make the same old quest again each day ( ZQuest ), and litle more storage ( and paying if we need more ) and catch the same old pets again ( Zoo Zaishen ), and no new monthly tonic = New fun and hard Content for PVE players was 0.

Now the months update without skill updats month are only "put old tonic month in zaishen chest", fix crash bug and voila.

-2 big update,well after more 5 months waiting new big update ( each 4 monts ......), we have 2 pvp modes less ( the playes that still play HB or TA will be very "happy" ) but 1 new PVP mode, a new HA map ( good for HA players ), no heroes in pvp, and new skins pvp ( thx for remember al pve players here ).

After 5 months waiting, update interesting for PVE Players = 0 again.

Now we have more less skill updates, we pass weekly, to 1/2 monthly and now more time wating,

Have we to expect 2 months updates only with Zaishen monthly tonic and nothing new?

Thx to this maybe we have more content in 5 months ?

Ok, but wait 5 months more to see a possible new map zone ( there will be 2,5 months without new zones since GWEN release ) or simply nothing new for PVE like until now and still recycling content for PVE players updates and wait other 5 months again and again until GW2 is release is no my idea of fun, or try keep PVE players.

Sorry Martin, but like PVE player since beta release of GW my optimism and expectations for this update and the rest until new "big update" is 0.

Hi.

PvP hasn't had an update since Tombs was changed back to 8v8.

Most people who TA only do it when they don't have enough on for GvG or Tombs, and (in my opinion) even a horrible implemented sealed deck format would be more balanced than TA or HB.

Also, there is nothing stopping you from PvPing. As you should know if you've been playing since beta, Guild Wars was intended to be a PvP-centric game (GvG specifically), so a PvP update should restore faith in Anet. Well, unless you are one of the three people in the game that actually enjoy HB.

I doubt Anet really cares if people keep playing the game. They know most people will buy GW2 anyway, so they just have to do something to make people realize they didn't die.

Furthermore, they didn't actually add skins to PvP, they are making the ones from GWEN available.

This is actually one of the few times that Anet is listening to PvPers, which is, believe it or not, a GOOD thing. For a while, many PvPers have been saying that we are too spread out among the different formats (I believe Rev has been most vocal about this), so this may push people to play the same format.

In closing, QQ more.

[Selket]

So, uh, how are PvE characters going to work with Sealed Deck?

[Tearz1993]

Originally Posted by Ellix Cantero

snip

Pessimism versus optimism, I'd rather go with Lindsey and be optimistic.

[zelgadissan]

Looking forward to some Sealed Deck. Not looking forward to fighting nothing but syncs in RA when I'm bored.

Edit: I missed the part about trying to get rid of syncs. I'm not holding my breath but I'd be very glad to hear they're gone.

[Wynthyst]

It will be like taking your pve character into any pvp format, except the build they will run will be made up of the skills in the "Sealed deck" that each team is given.

[Misa]

Originally Posted by Gift3d

<3 Linsey. She tells us things.

And to be honest, that's all great news to me.

Sealed deck in-game, awesome.
Revamped TA, awesome.
New HA map, potentially awesome
but...
Hero Battles LOL. That's the best of all.

i second your post!

seal deck is like reverse RA...
RA: random team, player selected skill bars
seal deck: player selected teams, random skill bars

it will be interestinggg