Why New Players STRUGGLE Sticking With Guild Wars 2

[@rept7]

The fact the single player experience, especially while leveling, feels fun and like you can play however you want, only for entry level fractals to be a total bore (Running past all foes you can isn't my idea of fun) or to require a rotation and build you have no way of knowing without looking one up on the internet, certainly isn't helping.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True guild wars 2 does lose some immersion and fun in its entry end game content because many of the activities are lack luster in excitement tk be fajr

[@DemethVLK]

To me, the main reason why new player leave is because they fail to find objectives and goals. The game fails at ponting at that. We, veterans, know where to fins goals (sometimes we don't) but new players don't know how. The game is off-putting in that sense. No Gear progression patern/ clear markers for what to do next, etc. The entirety of the game is our oysters, we just need carrots to do it

[@arandomfish9755]

Yes, this I agree. Honestly the game has much to offer but are pretty obscure, mainly hidden behind the UI like achievement (which is kind of a guide/goal list) or the LFG is a maze that's not intuitive or user friendly and takes time to work through; not the best impression especially for the new age attention span.

[@Nkodtb]

Exactly. This is why they really need to improve the core experience

[@Dantoy1994]

I'm a new player who just bought the game, coming from BDO. Initially, I'm loving the story so far. I have a question: should I boost my character to level 80 or progress organically? There's this annoying part where I enjoy the story/quest, and then the next quest will only be available to me after reaching another +10 level. It's so frustrating.

[@nexeus7302]

@@Dantoy1994 you should never boost as new player. Didn't you watch the video? The game has learning curve (like many other MMO's), and if you boost you wil be lost and overwhelm with info. Don't do that. Boosts are there, but for vets and definitely not for new players. Play the story, READ your skills and what they do, and I mean EVERY skill from EVERY profession on every weapon available for your profession.

[@bae_velvet]

I agree, I started 2 weeks ago and I really wanted to give it a try so I had to look for what the game could offer me because once I reached level 80 I didnt know what to do, sure I knew what existed but not how to get there. The game looks nice but its definately for people that WANT to like it. If you dont want to, you wont google things and get anywhere, so now I have to spend time watching videos about what I could do and how the game works, because the game wont tell me anything T_T

[@erkantopaloglu345]

When you see people flying everywhere and you are just walking...

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Bit disheartening for sure

[@CouchSquirrel]

Even ~200 hours in with decent gear and four mounts, I still feel like a loser without a skyscale.

[@syncopatedglory]

@CouchSquirrel that sounds like a self-esteem problem friendo, i ran around for months with just a raptor and loved the hell out of that thing. there were loads of us running around on foot in WvW following behind people mounted on warclaws, i would be in groups where i didn't even have a *glider* and was clambering down from stuff like a dork before rushing to catch up with the group. i never felt bad about it, and no one ever had anything negative to say. there's so much to do in this game that i hadn't even made it to HoT to unlock the glider when i was doing this stuff. i don't play anymore, but gw2 is one of the most noob-friendly games i've ever seen. these people understand that everyone is at different stages, and you only have what you have. /shrug

[@XAn0nymousX0]

How is it a "self esteem" issue. It's objectively bad to not have a skyscale as a new player. Everyone flies through map metas while you lag behind just trying to get a tag on something before it dies. It's not a good experience and it's one of the reasons new players aren't sticking around.

[@CouchSquirrel]

@@XAn0nymousX0 I was gonna reply to them with exactly this. When I said "feel like a loser", I wasn't implying I am depressed every time I play GW2, I just meant that having to run the long way around on every meta sucks compared to flying directly to it. That being said, I got my Skyscale probably a couple weeks after that comment, so I am no longer "suffering from a self-esteem problem" 😂

[@af6756]

Yes, complexity. It feels fluid and open world but then again there's soo many things thrown at you at the same time you end up wondering whether it's actually worth investing hours into learning about it all.

[@BlackDeath-wt1oz]

Yes, one of my issues exactly. Seems like it could be a fun game, but I'd have to devote a hundred hours to actual gameplay plus an untold amount of time on wikis, forums, KZbin and Google searches, just to learn the basics of the game.

[@zeffmalchazeen3429]

I used my OCD to play this game, like, completing all markers, heart quest, waypoints, events, vistas in every single map. Once I hit a level where I can proceed with my story, I do the story, then proceed on completing the maps again. I was quickly burned out. I even bought the whole game during a sale just to push myself on reaching to level 80. I stopped around 60 and uninstalled the game.

[@Nahtan.9758]

​@@zeffmalchazeen3429funny you say this cause this is my favorite part of this game, exploring maps and completing then and then playing story

[@recur9245]

Really I am new player and if you just play the game lvling up exploring and story it's not bad at all it's when the new people use a lvl 80 boost things just get thrown at you it's over stimulation xD It's way more fun not using a boost because the game is so big

[@recur9245]

I did use a lvl boost with game but it just blew my brain out so went back to new character haha

[@xlrators5378]

I feel like it's very easy to get into GW2... However, you can get burnt out easily if you don't have goals.

[@cypherdroid]

That's my problem i got bored because i dont know what to do.

[@lostpotato8363]

Was the same for me then included fractals into my routine and ibs5 when I can find a group and now it feels better, even my gold gain is getting better. Then if Im lost I just do map exploration or check the wiki for world events or keep working on the collection achievements I’m keeping track of. It is very important to kinda know where youre going since the game doesn’t tell you to go anywhere

[@fazoodle7972]

Right on

[@Nhouyengah]

I had the same feeling and stopped the game for about 5 months, got all lv 80 and no idea what to do... picked up the game again with the goal of getting legendaries, the game feels great when thriving towards something

[@hobbitpsi]

I had a goal. problem is the game makes it too damn boring to get that goal. I'm sorry but my goal was make a druid to be a healer. Nope.... can't just level. Have to run around the entire damn world looking for hero points. Exploration is great when it's a choice. Forcing me to have to explore to find those points is just stupid.

[@anantisocialsinsight]

Honestly, I started gw2 last month and i never thought the graphics were bad. It allows people with bad pc to play. I think it’s great it fits both worlds

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True! It offers everyone a chance at a great game with little to no PC drainageA

[@MiguelDebruyne]

The graphics are great, one of the most beautiful games ever made. Mainly because of the art style. I actually like that the graphics are from an older era.

[@wolfwolf7152]

except the game has outdated graphics AND poor performance

[@MiguelDebruyne]

@ Indeed it has really poor performance, though it has gotten better with a directx update couple years ago. I just really like these outdated graphics, I don't even think I would like it more if it was magically ported to new age graphics. Still looks better than most modern games despite it.

[@Skyace13]

From what I’ve seen, the jump from free trial to paying is the hardest. As players experience inconveniences (mostly inventory related) and are directed to a cash shop as a solution, trouble starts. Most people are okay with pay for convenience or pay for content, but you are asked for both fairly early. Pay for convenience is an inherently frustrating model on its own as well

[@Baniished]

You hit the nail on the head. This was exactly me, I loved GW1 and finally jumped into GW2 and was frustrated by inventory issues. I soon realized I couldn't fix it without getting the expansion and all the other things that I was being blocked from became apparent. It was off putting and I quit disappointed... I'm finally coming back again with a few friends so here's hoping try 2 will be different!

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Oh I agree! Specifically throttling older content and the new player experience who deturbs more players from committing to the game!

[@mariusnico6938]

New player here. I quit after level 40, because it was very annoying to not have any main campaing and side quests around that campaing. You have the quests every 10 levels, but outside that there is no direction to follow. That was the only annoying thing. Maybe if gw2 would have been my first mmorpg, things would be different, but after playing aion, wow and drakensang is very hard to hard to play this game, because I feel there is no direction to everything I done. Especially because I get to play a few hours a week, and feel that there is no progress.

[@sohu86x]

Imo the biggest problem with free is the lack of mounts. You can't get around without em!

[@madprophetus]

The worst is paying for convenience and then getting thrown into a terrible combat system that consists of blinding yourself with over the top particle effects while being expected to perform pixel perfect dodging while ranged enemies spam you with unavoidable damage. This game is a frustrating mess. It's like doing my taxes. It makes every purchase feel regrettable.

[@anonymjet4436]

i'm a fresh lvl 80 necro, almost quit playing because just found out how hostile the game is (the expansion to be accurate, like PoF and HoT) to me who barely just learned how to play the game. Fortunately i found a player who helped me with getting 1 master point, that is above the quicksand, and that gave me the boost to look for other mastery points with my own effort. I'm full exotic, but still the enemy hit like a truck (i know my exotic set is just zhed armors i bought from TP, but come on dev, can't you just give a room for a fresh lvl80 to grow and not smack them in the face when they just enter an expansion?) I really love the game story, it's just the enemies' truck load hits that ruin the fun for me. I won't complain if the enemies in expansion are like the ones in core tyria, maybe a bit hard, but adjustable to your level, not endgame veteran level monsters right of the bat when you just play the expansion. Also, as a new player who just played gw2 and got to max level, i expected to receive cool rewards/skills, but the game said NO, and slapped me with a steep learning curve (how experience points in core tyria and mastery points in expansions work totally different, in core tyria when your exp bar is full you got points to level up your skills immediately, in expansions your exp bar stop gaining exp when full, and you need to collect mastery points which are stationed like vistas and are annoying to get, in order to progress). That and again, the hard hitting enemies when i just entered expansion

[@GhostlyMVP]

I tried this game a few years ago and the main things that put me off were the UI layout/lack of customization, the jarring amount of currency/items, and the lack of direction while leveling between story missions. I did like the combat/pvp and the horizontal progression is appealing, so it probably deserves another try, eventually.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Yeah the ui and graphics are showing their age, still a great game imo!

[@michixlol]

Gw2 seems to be a game that needs a few retrys. And with every retry one learns more and is maybe sticking for a bit longer too

[@jamesp1389]

​@@michixlol yup I tried 3 times before finally getting it and enjoying it 😅

[@m4rcin847]

​@@Stunex No, its not a bad design. Leveling process is one of the smoothest Ive seen in MMOs. Problems starts when you hit 80 and finish main story. You are bombarded with millinons of items and currencies you have no idea what to do with. Pay for convinience starts to show up HARD there. Not as hard as Black Desert witch was designed as a pay for convinience platform (just like mobile games), but things are pretty obvious.

[@m4rcin847]

@@Stunex And I think its NOT a bad design. It forces you to stop chasing green marker and explore witch is imho the best part of this game right besides fantastic OST by Jeremy Soule. For me story was just a sidejob, and a bad one tbh. When I hit my first 80 10 years ago I was still at lvl 40 story missions.

[@SD-Casual]

Lack of custom UI is about to make me quit very soon.I dont mind having 3 bars full of buttons as long as I can customize and bind them but here , major turn off for me.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

You can keybind every button however I do sympathize with you about the lack of movable UI elements

[@fullmetalathlete]

It's just so complex, there are so many different currencies and loots given, and trying to determine what to do or how to do it is an endless wormhole of googling...it just needs to be simplified by a lot.

[@Syll7179]

Started One week ago, litteraly i just cannot play properly without google, its so complex …

[@Deadshot4396]

cry about it

[@WhyAreWe_Here]

@@Deadshot4396 moron

[@WhyAreWe_Here]

Yes same here. Far too many items, you literally need a wiki to understand them, and even then its such a mental drain. ESO while the exploration isnt as good, it does things very well, keeping it all simple. Which allows you to play it reaching than studying it.

[@rimuu3032]

@@WhyAreWe_Here i like ESO much on storage and bank even your not a sub if you max out storage you dont have any problem

[@PureRandumosity]

I’ve tried so hard to get my collection loving friends into the game. Where they fall off is always during the leveling. They see people running around on mounts and gliding and want them but I have to tell them they need to get to HoT and unlock masteries. I also forgot that even auto looting was gated behind a mastery. Once I start trying to explain what to do they get overwhelmed and give up. I’ve noticed if something during the leveling doesn’t peak their interest they give up because they have no idea what to strive for, what to look forward to or even have a reason behind it all. Us Vets were eased into it all and saw the game grow and we could form goals little by little. I couldn’t imagine being a new player now, it’s so overwhelming when I try to explain all the things to do to my friends

[@BRBgettinSTONED]

Seeing all these types of comments make me not want to try the game

[@PureRandumosity]

@@BRBgettinSTONED if you’re not a motivated person who can set goals for yourself, GW2 is hard to get into. The combat is fantastic though and all the classes feel very different from one another, giving it a shot just for that might be worth it. And honestly if you want something to hold your attention for an extremely long time it’s worth trying. Find something you want in the game and work towards it, the game has become a complete sandbox style over the years

[@Dhaiwon]

I tend to play MMO's largely because the crafting and farming materials, so I tried to get into that early. It mostly left me confused, and with farming materials not feeling as relaxing/rewarding as it sometimes does in other games I had trouble sticking to it, which eventually led to my attempt at it fizzling out.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

The crafting whilst having a spot does not have as much emphasis or direction. It takes alot of wiki information and trial and error

[@Dhaiwon]

@@CaffeinatedDad That kinda resonates with what it felt like to be honest :)

[@trlavalley9909]

Returning Player here: So a couple quick thoughts, 1. Plenty of population on this game. I tend to play with an event timers game up on the side on my Tablet. Pretty much anytime I log on, sometimes late at night; I'm something of an owl. You get something like 100+ Players gathered together to take down a world boss. Last Night the Harathi Hinterlands event drew one of the Biggest Zergs I've ever seen. . 2. I'm old, So one of the things I really dislike about more recent games, is the feeling I'm being dragged by the nose through the story, it feels more like I am watching a movie than playing a game. I much prefer a real Sandbox approach like GW2. . So why did I leave, . One of my real frustrations with GW2 was the near impossibility of doing the Personal Story on ones own. I understand its an MMO, So Dungeons, Raids, Fractals; no grief. But I have never had half the difficulty with doing personal story in any MMO that I encountered in GW2. . The Personal Story has always felt more like a Guild Story to me, and if that is the Devs intention they should just call it that. I remember being a new player and being herded way to early into the Trial of Julious Scenario; there was no way my Lv 10 Ele could defeat the men ranged against her as they were Level 10 Veterans, or Elites, something like that. Anyhow she was totally out leveled; and being new I did not know the code by which the Devs misrepresent much higher level mobs as lower level mobs. . This mechanic is to my experience Unique to GW2 and one of the worst most off putting aspects of the game. Take for example the Level 23 Krait Witch, which is easily Level 80, or Covington, A Lv 50 Mob it takes an entire Zerg to kill. She's got to be Lv 500 in all reality. So just call her that! But no, she's in a Lv 50 Zone so she is presented as a Level 50 "Champion". Of course the game is 10+ years old, so the Devs will never change their ranking system, but Im sure I am not the only player that hated, and hates that deception; after all How can I gauge my chances against an opponent that is purposely under leveled in its presentation. That was one aspect of the game I did not miss, while I was away. . So why did I return, well I believe its been about a year since Tera shutdown, and I miss the Action combat of that game. I thought I might reboot GW2 and see what's up in Tyria. I have not tried any dungeons yet, so I've not yet had time to see if the meta there is still everyone standing one standing on one pixel and spamming buffs. Which I thought was quite broken when I left and ruined one of the best parts of GW2 as advertised. Since returning I have largely just done world Bosses, but joining in those Zergs was always one of the best parts of the game to me. So its been fun, but I've not really gotten at all deep in the water yet. . Appreciate your time, your thoughts, and your channel has been a big help, Dad. Nuff Said, BB.

[@chronodis]

Gw2 also has an arrow, it's in the top corner and constantly points at story and world unlocks

[@tjepting1]

I just started yesterday and love it. I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about low player counts, but I got in a guild already, and I just hope when I get to harder difficulty group type content, I can find people. I love the world setting though and the story pieces so far. I actually love that there is 10 years worth of content, because I like knowing if I am going to get into something, that it is something I can spend a ton of time on and enjoy. Also with the new expansion coming out soon, I think this is the perfect time to start playing and catch up so I am ready to experience the new content along with everyone else. I am really loving it so far and excited to see where it goes.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

It's interesting because gw2 has had a consistent amount of players for a very long time albeit probably not like wow or ffxiv, but certainly is doing quite well given the games model. The world is fantastic and I highly recommend you taking your time going through it!

[@diamondsanchez224]

For me, I almost quit the game a week after I just started. I picked Guardian because I read up that it's a good beginner class. Off the bat, my biggest gripe with the game was how little it explained. I will never forget the time where I needed to kill enemies underwater for a story mission, but couldn't because I had no weapons nor abilities, and nothing I equipped worked underwater. It wasn't until I asked around that I realized only specific weapons like tridents and spearguns work underwater. Fair enough but why didn't the game ever tell me that? And if it did tell me things, such as to assign attributes to weapons, it would tell me to click the Hero menu but nothing else on where to go or how to do it. However, soon after hitting level 30, the game felt brutally difficult. I could barely keep track of anything going on when there were so many enemies or players on the screen. This led to me feeling overwhelmed and unable to think, which in turn led to so many deaths. Other people recommended I try the Ranger but I didn't want to start all over again after all that progress to get to level 30. I almost quit until I said "Fuck it," and made a Necromancer, boosted them to level 80, and had a blast, then learned anything I was missing from there on my own. Necromancer's minions, AoE, range, and self-sustain made it far easier for me to absorb what was going on and make decisions accordingly. I think for the game to be more appealing to new players, they need to update their tutorials and tooltips with explanations that actually tell you how to do things. I shouldn't have to have the community be my tutorial. The community can help me with details, optimization, or tips, but the game should teach me how to actually play. I really think GW2 would also benefit from allowing players to switch their characters' classes, even if you are limited by how often you can do that, or at the bare minimum let players try out a class in character creation to see if they like it before settling on their choice.

[@michixlol]

Gw2 has a veeery steep learning curve at the beginning. I totally agree with that. Too little time to learn every ability by itself.

[@RidoDrago]

Tbh, its an mmo. And the community is nothing like any mmo, ppl are really helpfull. Just ask? Also, its nothing like any mmo where you can swing your 50 kg sword underwater. Same goes for mount skills, different mounts with different utilities. Ive quit the game after 1 year from the start since end game was dull. Ive just returned a week ago and im already up to date thanks to the lovely community not only answering every question i have, but also gave me all extra info that i would need next without me asking everything one by one. Also, its almost a stereotype that a ranger/archer is one of the best classes you can explore a new mmo. Ive tanked WoW for more than 10 years and i still started with a ranger in GW2 since i know its 99% chance that itll faceroll till end game. Please, ask questions and search the Wiki.

[@diamondsanchez224]

@@RidoDrago That is no excuse. When I played World of Warcraft, OSRS, even FFXIV, those games explain the essentials for you to succeed, while the community could simply give tips and show you things that would make your playthrough easier or more enjoyable. I said it's fair enough to have specific underwater weapons, but the game needs to explain that. The community answering questions about how to have an easier time acclimating is fine, but basic essentials should be on the game. Otherwise, that's how a game loses players. Having a bad tutorial makes players quit. This especially doesn't account for solo players, who often don't want to engage in the community, yet take up a vast majority of players in most MMOs. It's not on the community to be a game's tutorial.

[@WintersMinion]

Yeah to me while I enjoy the game and the combat system is really good when you understand it but when you first start it sets you up to fail. As each weapon type gives different skills so you need to figure out the appropriate combination but you also have weapons switching so that is multiple weapon skill sets you have to keep track of. Than there are your trainings and specializations where you can unlock everything eventually but you can't reset your points spent so if you screwed up in making a build your stuck that way until you unlock what you actually need.

[@crazymage5316]

As someone who tried getting into the game. I was stuck in this endless cycle of trying to find a class that feels right for me. Problem with it being none the jobs starting actually feel good and given being locked into only 2 character slots . It was alot of trial and error and even more wasted time to actually find a job you like playing

[@gokudouvo314]

Same

[@benjaminfast5496]

That's the unfortunate way the progression works in this game. You eventually get 3 trait lines, but they're spread out at lvls 21/45/71. That's such a large gap. And new players don't know where to put their Hero Points and I imagine it's very overwhelming. And the truth of it is, you don't get a true feel of the classes potential until 71 when you can have 3 trait lines. and really customize the class to what you enjoy.

[@SirAlric82]

You can try going into the PvP lobby. There you can try out your characters at level 80 with all traits and skills unlocked to get an idea to what you can expect when you reach max level. Then you pick the class you liked best and go back to leveling in PvE.

[@SirAlric82]

@@benjaminfast5496 - It doesn't really matter on which specialization or trait you spend your hero points, since you are going to have all of them (except the elite specs) unlocked by the time you reach level 80. In other words, there is no wrong choice to be made.

[@benjaminfast5496]

@@SirAlric82 Yeah, I'm meaning for while they're leveling up to that point. Like, at level 21, which one to focus on first? Then at 45, which do you focus on? Also, trying to figure out which utilities to unlock at the same time. If you put all of your points into skills, then you don't have many points to traits. It can be overwhelming and confusing for a new player. Looking up guides or asking other players is almost necessary. Lol. But yes, once you reach level 80 you have them all unlocked and then you have the freedom to play around. But that doesn't help for a player who's leveling their first character.

[@helenwilliamson9002]

I am a casual player and an old gamer 67 years old and it is harder to play for me but keeps my mind going and sometimes I get frustrated but I still come back and play or even lvl a toon. thank you for the content.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Agreed! Something about this game helps keep your mind focused onto something without making it feel too punishing for bot playing perfectly! I appreciate your kind words!

[@BigBroccoli_]

When I got my first level 80 through a boost, all I knew to do was the main story so I did just that. But after that, I just didn’t know what goals to do next because it’s really hard to know. So I ended up watching all the amazing content creators and now I’m working on getting my first set of ascended gear!

[@steamyrobotlove]

The best advice I was ever given when it comes to any game is “take your time.” Your best friend will be curiosity and Google or just asking in map chat. :D I know it seems like a brush off and tutorials should absolutely be in the game IMO, but really, don’t be afraid to take it slow and learn about every system/event that interests you. This game has so much content and the developers really seem to care about their players. You’re gonna like it here :)

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Well said! It truely is an mmo that offers quite a bit and has alot of nuanced systems but overall taking your time is going to be your best friend in this game!

[@nikigira]

"Drawn in with Picasso, and then given a hand-painted drawing from me in first grade" this is such a perfect analogy because there is no difference between your first grade drawing and Picasso; just like how in GW2 you really are given what you're promised but it takes some time to level and really enjoy the game.

[@MattShubert]

It's interesting that every point you bring up is something I find in favour of GW2 over other MMOs. Speaking as someone going through the new player experience right now, I don't really see the 10 years of content as something to "catch up" on since progression is horizontal - instead of giving me a higher ladder to climb, I see it more as an ever-expanding room of toys to play with at my discretion. No other MMO I've played feels that way, it makes being a new player so damn fun because I can really pick what I want to do and chip away at my own goals over time.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Agreed! I know the reasons are common why people leave but they could be viewed as strengths

[@kubium7546]

For new players from my own experience is like having mountain of toys that will fall on you when you just take one for playing. And its not fun getting hit by mountain of toys.

[@frankmills1917]

What if Anet throws a quest for a legendary item right at the beginning? Make a story about it and have it as an achievement. That way new players are introduced to the achievement system and what it offers.

[@Horrormane]

Tbh as a new player the game did give me fancy color named items and since it doesn't tell me why I should get excited it just feels like another random item (I notice there's two slots, I guess you can come up with builds?) Unless as you say there's an entire mechanic I'm not even aware of yet.

[@yammoto148]

I mean they already did that with Caladbolg, but if its something in the core game it might be better.

[@purplelurple8029]

The problem is, once they have a goal ( achievments and legendaries for expample ) they get gate keeped by elitists, who only play with others, that have years worth of kill proof for certain areas. New players cant get to the new and fancy content and raids and stuff, the "static practice groups" in discord are a joke and an even more valid proof, that new players are just getting gated.

[@nobodyisprfct]

No real incentive until they stop making a profit. Very time consuming game. When you have old school players overpowering certain events becomes difficult. Very few people want to lead raids or other groups for 1 reason or another.

[@sealboy1211]

I’m like 80 hours into gw2, I actually loved the 1-80 journey and I did not feel a slog starting until I got to heart of thorns. I think it was just k yea, this zone is highly vertical, can’t wait for the glider. Then you get it and your like I still can’t get over there. Figure out bouncing mushrooms and nope still pretty stuck, updrafts? I still can’t get around very well and it’s kind of claustrophobic in a weird way. I’ve had to ignore hero points taunting me on the map because I just can’t get up there. Going from the open exploration of core world to this almost metroidvania experience has been jarring. I just unlocked munoch(?) hunting and can progress the story, will see what’s next.

[@Jannah_2k]

Same for me with Heart of Thorns. I liked the core game. HoT been nightmare to navigate, spending too much time trying to find how to go where needs to go. AND sadly the metagame event when it happens, it starts to lag for me on that zone. It makes it feel heavy. Had no such issues on Tyria. So everytime i have played now, it's been shorter and shorter sessions since HoT has kinda been not so much "fun". Feels almost forced going through it. And someone already said that "wait until you get to Tangled Depths.." so there is worse ahead? X)

[@mortus3255]

I agree 100% map design is HoT was awful

[@sealboy1211]

@@Jannah_2k I figure if it becomes to much for me to get through in one go, I will embrace the essence of guild wars and go somewhere else for awhile till I feel ready to conquer this challenge.

[@Horrormane]

​@@sealboy1211I felt the same and once I got there I skipped to End of Dragons and it has brought back the spark. There's some spoilers, but nothing that would ruin the idea of going back and experiencing the story. It's like "the heroes defeated a bunch of bosses, here's some new friends, you know them already!". If anything I can't wait to finish that one to get back to the earlier stuff as a more seasoned adventurer to learn all the details.

[@SirAlric82]

The thing with HoT maps is that they were designed to be very hard to explore at the begininnig and then become progressively easier to navigate once you unlock the various masteries. Sadly, many people could not get past that initial wall and gave up.

[@N7xVoss]

I really liked this videp Cafe! All the points you brought up were really good.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Hey Thanks Nyx!

[@eduardogomes7037]

I think you'll agree with me that the more you play and understand, the better it gets. I had friends try the game and not sticking with it due to some of the reasons you mentioned, but one that stood out to me is that they were coming from WoW and they didn't understand the game at all, was out of their comfort zone, it relates to the complexity that you talked about. People don't really get that the design of the game wants you to log in and have fun, that would be crazy in an MMO, to actually have fun. XD

[@eduardogomes7037]

Oh... and one you forgot to mention that made my proggress in the game so much slower is accessibility in terms of machine power. You have to have a good computer to play it, otherwise you can't participate in a lot of the stuff. Most of my years in GW2 i couldn't participate in big events and played in fully low settings. My dream was to get a good computer to be able to really experience the game. And this is a big one, if you think about it, a lot of the biggest games, like wow, lol, fortnite, minecraft, etc. They can run on a calculator.

[@eduardogomes7037]

And last but not least... Also no servers in south america for example. They never expanded.

[@zometthecomet]

@@eduardogomes7037 😅 I wouldn’t either have you seen where you live ? No offence but holy!! We North Americans are not use to leaving our home land for any reason! Why would we?

[@eduardogomes7037]

@@zometthecomet haha i live in europe now my friend! I just mean that the game is missing out on all those players haha

[@zeffmalchazeen3429]

as a long time wow player, I do have fun while playing the game since 2005. I jumped to FF14, I do have fun as well. But when I tried GW2, I got bored around level 60. Maybe WoW and FF14 had a clear goal on what to do including endgame.

[@KillerDeadXero]

i'm trying to stick to it so bad, i do like DW2, but for some reason i'm not "passionate" about it. like i don't go to work and already think of money farming/ build path creating/ having a desire to have to button press combos because that dopamine hit feels so good when you combo it right. on top of being an adult. I guess this is how women feel with "nice guys", when "nice guys" respect them in the relationship but it's not "exciting, exciting" as the guy who goes to fancy restaurants and tell you to skip work to go on his yacht, and sooner or later your're in epstiens island.

[@hyperionsupreme551]

Long story short one of the main reasons that players leave is because of the steep learning curve. You cannot button smash your way to victory in GW2.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True the mountain is kinda tall to learn this game....

[@SoahcGhost]

Been playing this game since its pre-order early access. Started with friends from highschool and college and still we hop on to run amuck in wvw or run metas in pve. None of us are consistent players but we can always pick up the game and enjoy it with no issues.

[@Endrosz]

Love the camera turn to show the large amount of players waiting for Tequatl!

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Ha thanks! I put avengers music to it!

[@conganh2111]

There used to be a really bad "3rd party gold selling " problem. That's why some of base game features are limited.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True I can see that, occasionally I still see outside websites popping up saying for gold lol

[@ViktorLF]

What really helped me get into it I think was the fact I had friends recommending it to me in the first place and they were patient enough to answer my sometime stupid question and I really enjoyed it because of the company

[@wotwott2319]

part of why the game is hard to stick with new players is that the base game storymode is extremely subpar and doesn't explain the lore of the world consistently. I find it baffling that the point in the story where they thought would be a good idea to explain to you who the main bad guy is, is not in the beginning, not halfway through, but right at the end right before you're about to fight them.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True, even in my first playthrough I zoomed through the story not really caring about the big bad

[@dizzastah4775]

6:05 Oof. That caught me off guard :D Some memelord knowledge you have there ;)

[@blackyvertigo]

Constant invisible one shots or massive fields of unavoidable shit you can’t do anything about is why I move on everytime I come back.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True ! Sometimes the game moves so fast it's tough to enjoy

[@kmurphy0620]

As a new player, looking ahead I see the lack of vertical progression in the game giving this game a more apparent expiration date than other MMO's where I'm certain I'll reach the limit of achievable power on the class(es) I care about, and doing the content I care to, then not logging into the game for a few years before catching up again on whatever progress. It's cool that they didn't want vertical progression to be different than WoW, but I really think the game is missing it.

[@FrycoN]

Game have more than 10 years, it's very hard for a new player to jump in to the game and not feel overwhelming, but if they decide to keep playing they will have fantastic time in it.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True! Most players were able to eat into the game piece by piece not all at onceA

[@maximetauran3415]

The biggest problem is mostly that players that are used to MMOs like WOW or FF14 expect GW2 to be roughly the same. But GW2 is very different than other MMOs. You surrely are not as guided as others but you are still guided, you just have to pay attention to the map. Leveling up is also more about enjoying the moment than rushing to max level to farm endgame. The endgame is very different too because of horizontale progression. Anet should not change in anyway those elements that make the game great but find a way to better market the game philosophy so that new players know what they get into.

[@TebTengri]

Biggest reason I can't get into it. It's too disimilar and mostly it just seems like it's only to be different, not any better

[@maximetauran3415]

@@TebTengri GW2 is not different to be different but has a different philosophy regarding how you play. It gives more freedom and doesn't require as much personnal investment as others (no subscription and no gear treadmill for example). It's not about being better either, but more about how you want to play.

[@kimrasmussen7188]

@@maximetauran3415 wrong, i guess you didnt play any other mmos at all.

[@maximetauran3415]

@@kimrasmussen7188 guess again...

[@kimrasmussen7188]

@@maximetauran3415 i guess you didnt pay attention then. and i literally quit the game, because i couldnt play the way i wanted to. not gonna grind a skyscale or whatever, just to get around in the zone.

[@RasPudin]

when i started this game as a new player 5 years ago it still is my best experience in any game ever being a NECROMANCER and then discovering i can become a REAPER ... went from i like this beautiful world to I WILL REAP SOULS NOW lmfao

[@Chico_Julio]

What I don't like about GW2 is all the flashyness that take a hit to the eye, and the story centered on one-dimensional threats like forces of nature or demons.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

There is alot of flashiest, bright colored and sometimes blinding pixels.. lol

[@cruick32]

My issue originally with the game was I used the Lvl 80 boost thing when I really shouldn't have & it ruined my experience of the game, I didn't play the game after that for 2yrs, I recently came back to the game & am enjoying it a lot more because I am taking my time with the game & experiencing all the content it currently has to offer.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Yeah that's a trap alot of players don't recommend. If you go for it it leaves you kinda saying with am I suppose to do?

[@nautilaz]

I started in 2012, left, came back in 2018 and did the max level boost on a warrior. However, I never got "into" that toon because I skipped all the learning and story. Now returning again, I am starting the story for him and I like it better.

[@sharktos3218]

​@@CaffeinatedDadI am feeling like I have nothing to do at level 10. Yes, there are quests, a large amount even, but my char feels so overpowered, I could easily take on the entire map without any struggle. I'm about to quit because I'm not seeing how I go through the slog of getting to level 80 just for the game to finally start being fun. Tip for new game devs: If your game only gets interesting at point X, remove everything before point X and just make X the start of the game...

[@silvithril]

This game, inho, offers the best new player experience out there. Imagine 'mentors' map chatting asking people what they can help out with, and answering questions. Like wow.

[@Trompok13]

is so funny to me that the only people calling it a dead game is mostly wow players and they are at the 1 mil player mark and going down not up xD

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Looool shots fired!

[@MNMNT_OG]

I never understood the "dead MMO" comments, it's actually mind boggling. I see so many new and old players whenever I log into the game, of course especially in the starting zones but even beyond that.

[@rimuu3032]

the new player is not much more like old player creating new account for mystic coin

[@MNMNT_OG]

@@rimuu3032 well, whenever I'm online I see countless newbies in chat asking questions

[@pHixiq]

SWTOR and Guild wars 2 are by far my favorite mmos. By a large mile

[@CaffeinatedDad]

I've heard great things about Swtor!

[@aar021]

Enjoying the game and your content. Thank you 🙏

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Glad you enjoy it! Thank you for the kind words!

[@its_deer]

I think GW2 has a similar problem to FFXIV where the game just puts you trough the most outdated, janky and messiest part of the game first, and than comes around with the better content. The base game story is average at best and awful at worst, most of the old maps looks super dated and dungeons are just a mess all on their own. Comparatively the expansion content is leaps and bounds better, just like Heavensward is leaps and bounds better than base ARR. If new player retention is the goal, getting the early game up to snuff seems a pretty logical step to me. Graphically update those starter zones and rework dungeons at the least, those are beneficial changes to all players, not just newcomers.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

I agree with your thiught, make the landing place a lot more welcoming to retain new players. Luckily it seems like that's what they are turning their attention too!

[@Colancio]

Correction, once you pay, you can't play all the content, the living world acts are still behind another paywall, so no, not all content is available once you switch from free to play to pay the game.

[@_GCode_]

The horizontal progression is going to turn a lot of new players off after they hit 80 and get exotic/ascended gear and their elite specs. Many players are not suited to long term horizontal play as it can impact goals that people need to keep playing long term. Doing harder instance content to get drops that don’t make you any stronger is going to deter many players from wanting to learn and play such content. Chasing legendaries for some QoL enchantments is not going to keep loads of new players playing daily for a long time. It’s just a reality GW2 grinders have to face and that is most new players after reaching their goals of getting geared/elite specs, many don’t stay because there’s nothing much to chase after that.

[@eduardogomes7037]

Yeah... They come from WoW and all it's look alikes. In that game, it is all about the gear grind and feelling powerful, you don't need too much skill if you have stronger gear than most. GW2 is different, u get the build you need quite easily and then to be good at it is another story. Personally, I always felt great when I did good at pvp or pve because I knew it came from skill and not only from gear.

[@hailburngw2824]

yea thats why you get into WvW and join a wvw guild that chases fights and not ppt. thats where the fun begins.

[@_GCode_]

@@eduardogomes7037 The skill overcoming better gear is valid but the truth is a lot of people don’t want to put the time and effort in to learn tough and long instances group content just for the joy of besting it. Many players need a carrot at the end of the stick to reward them for their efforts and getting ascended gear they already have and/or leg crafting items are not going to cut it for many new players. That’s why the average GW2 player plays on and off to scratch an itch and/or to play versus other people. It just back to the main point that horizontal progression is not in the majority mindset of most players so the return rate on new players are not going to be high to begin with.

[@eduardogomes7037]

@@_GCode_ Fair enough! Need a change of mindset, play for the fun and not for the candies. But i understand that the candies might be the fun so.. ;D

[@ghostplanetstudios]

In my experience new players leave because they come from games that lead them around by the nose and GW2 just isn’t going to do that. It expects you to be an adult, and look up things you’re curious about. Learn about its system gradually, develop your own goals in the sandbox to strive toward, and then go after them without prompting. Plenty of games do this as well but many don’t expect it from GW2. I watched a stream where a new player ended the tutorial, was placed into overworld right outside Rata Sum, and immediately gave up sighting being lost. He ran left, he ran right, he saw an entire open world before him, endless possibility, but with no immediate carrot hanging in front of his face he simply felt overwhelmed and logged off. This just isn’t the kind of player this game was made to cater to. The fundamentally incurious. It never has been, and at this point I don’t think it ever will be.

[@DJIronChef]

I just started playing this week, I barely got my bearings together but I have no clue if I'm doing it right. I feel like I don't hit hard enough and I'm missing a ton of stuff and don't know how to make it happen. Also kinda bummed I can't get mounts unless I spend money

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True the mounts bit is a downer. What level are you? What am happy to help if I can!

[@AhamkaraMommy]

From a person's perspective who started a couple of weeks ago: > Starting experience is, for lack of a better word, absolutely abhorrent. I played through FFXIV's but FFXIV's base story is a damn typhoon of fun when put next to GW2's. > Confusing mechanics and systems, honestly after reaching lvl 15 I didn't even know what half what skills did or how to use them, much less if I should switch to another weapon etc. > Overwhelming amount of items, for the first few days of playing I spent about 2 hours playing, then 20-30 minutes of figuring out what to do with my full inventory. > Lack of community, this may come to surprise many but the "Helpful and friendly GW2 community" I'd been told so much about was basically nowhere to be seen, I'd be lucky to get single word responses to questions I would ask 95% of the time. > Price to entry, plainly put while yes the selling point is "you keep it forever", it's still an incredibly high entry fee when you consider living world seasons AND dlc. > lvl 80 "confusion", I got to around lvl 56 before I had to give up and use a skip before I went crazy completing "Kill X enemies in area" hearts. However it left me immediately confused as to what I was supposed to do after finishing my main story, I was fortunate to have had a friend who could point me in the direction of content. Others might not have that. > New-player Economy, since the majority of gold, scratch that, basically ALL gold comes directly from the trading post, it's hard for a new player with no Magic Find and no crafters let alone mastery in DLC areas or knowledge of metas to earn any gold, this can lead to frustration and feeling like you're left behind. Apologies for poor formatting.

[@chalphon4907]

Just trying it out for the first time now and my char is lvl 11. I have no idea where the "main story" is, I have a bunch of crap cluttering up my bag and I cant vendor it to make space, and I have no idea where to go... oh and I just got a new weapon which made all my abilities disappear and brand new ones to pop up. Apparently I'm a melee class now...

[@CaffeinatedDad]

I'm order, every 10 levels you'll get a new story quest chain that'll appear in the top right of your screen. Inventory is... well it's a pain until you have better bags. And yes when you swap weapons, you get new skills. Just like a warrior with a greatsword will have different skills than a hammer

[@Assassinss77]

For some reason I want to add to this comment section. When I started and every time I returned I did the story. It is one of the strongest points for me, I love the story, I love the voice acting and I love how well it feels to play each different path. I played WvW most of the time after I have done my story and after getting into guilds it became something that I did not enjoy that much. I played pre end of dragons expansion. WvW for the most time was an empty waste where even if we came online as a group we could be wandering without no more than 2-3 fights after 2 hours. This was not fun and after experiencing it for the most time I decided to give up on WvW because it was not fun anymore ( also the fact that you need to be a certain class to be part of the group as some just do not offer any value in zergs). Then I moved on to PvP. In PvP most games were filled with afk people and the deciding factor was who has the afk. Even after grinding for higher rank it was not something I wanted to do again. So after this I ended up going for fractals and looking for raids. But the problem is between ascended and legendary it is not worth the time invested to farm it. Yes it looks good but I don't really care if it looks better than ascended if it still deals the same dmg as ascended. Long story short the lack of progression is what made me stop playing the game. You just hit a point far too quickly where there is no more to farm. I could farm money but for what? There is no better gear to buy so it is kinda pointless.

[@aliveagain]

I see what you're saying. End game kinda does feel more so for collectors and fashion oriented folk. Especially those that'd want to optimize convenience, whether that be for exploration or pvp build changes (legendary stat swapping). I think guildwars 2 is a great place for story/character enjoyers as well. I tend to stop playing pretty soon after I catch up with the story. Maybe this time it will be different.

[@SealFormulaMaster]

I just started and... I don't know what to do or where to go. Are there sidequests to do? If so, where are they? And, where do I get the story quest? And, where do I find any NPC at? I heard Mesmer can use a Greatsword to cast spells, so I'd like my tiny dwarf/halfling guy to swing a big metal stick around like a wand. I grew up playing FF11, Fiesta, Runes of Magic, and such, so I'm use to some of the oldschool stuff, but everything I've seen so far feels archaic to the extreme, which is saying something since it's at least 4 years newer than some of the oldest stuff I grew up on. I also have no idea what I'm doing. What's the different damage types, buffs, and such? Where are the potions? Heck, it took me a good hour to learn I had a character menu. I don't mind not having tutorials when the games easy enough to figure out, but this seems a bit much. Even when I learned how to open my character menu, I was greeted by more information like stat allocation. What does a Mesmer need? I don't need a build recommender like in newer games, but having priority stats listed on the class select screen would be nice. And I don't know how bad the monetization is (I play Destiny 2 so anything is better than what Bungie does), but I really hope I get a permanent mount at some point, or at least the ability to run. The travel time is a bit tedious, especially when you die and just want to get back to where ever you where to keep trying to do the event thing. I know I should explore, but as a new player I just want to get in and try stuff out first before I commit to the game enough to dive into the world and lore.

[@yourboijt9084]

Started the game alone and it is true that people help you with content, but nobody really helps you to tell what to prioritize. Also people are friendly, but I have really not made real community or friends in the game.

[@Plight_]

Have you asked people what to prioritize?

[@MrDeenav16]

I am having a hard time sticking with the game because it's hard for me. The game is a really good game, but grinding the hero points in expansion zone is taxing to me. Having to also grind mastery points in order to unlock movement like using wind tunnels or flying mounts ect just so I can access areas to get to heropoints on the map all the while getting killed because of lack of skill coupled with not having my specialization fully unlocked, i dont know i just lost motivation. I bought everything so i will go back but I am having a hard time. This is just open world which the community says is easy. A lot of players love the difficulty but for a filthy casual like me , its not as enjoyable. Also theres not really any builds specifically for grinding hero points. I am sure some one would say go on a HP train or what ever but i didnt know how to use the LFG, theres vids but once I joined a group I couldnt get to the group they were so far and I hadnt discovered those areas and that was the only group doing it so I gave up and was like mabey I should just finish story first , and this was all annoying so I gave up for the time being.

[@ParagonOblivion]

In regards to the mastery point farming, I felt the same for my first run around Heart of Thorns Hero Points, since their difficulty was decidedly not what I was expecting! There aren't many builds on the usual websites (metabattle, hardstuck, etc.) specifically for soloing hps, but I found several builds on KZbin that performed super well, like Lord Hizen's celestial builds that focus on survivability over dps to outlive most solo content, if that helps? And LFG is a bit of a tough one, but mostly I look for HP trains and ask when the next one is starting since most groups who run them have a schedule somewhere ,or stuff like 'chest TP' to get into New Kaineng to solo the much easier HPs there. If any of that helps, I hope it might serve you to get back into the game! If not, sorry I couldn't be more help... ❤ cheers mate.

[@Skadi.-]

okay go grind in wow/black desert/ffxiv and comeback to gw2

[@MrDeenav16]

@@Skadi.- ok

[@MrDeenav16]

@@ParagonOblivion this helps, thanks for taking the time to give me some tips , love this community.

[@benjaminfast5496]

@@Skadi.- I know to some this might sound cheeky or something, but it's also very true, lol. The grind in GW2 is actually enjoyable and pretty easy, at least the leveling to 80. Grinding for gear and such, I can't compare as I don't really focus on that stuff as much.

[@_Libosido]

I took break from GW2 but play it since release (I have still DVD installation discs :D). Biggest selling points for me, what dont offers another MMOs are: - all your progress and better gear is account wide - there is no monthly fee for playing the game - all your progress in the game isnt powercreeped by "new patch", if you bough exotic gear ten years ago, the exotic gear is still good for playing - proffesions matters - best gear is craftable for min maxing but you can have good times with cheap exotic gear from trading post _(auction house)_ - game community is friendly and no toxic -in the game isnt spectate of gear, or dps meter, or gear score etc., gathering nods are not 1 pick only, no pvp in open world (beside WvW), home instances for all players etc. Ofc game have many flaws, like without wiki you are lost or buffs in the game are too much OP, but game is still best in MMO genre.

[@fylimar]

Relatively new player here. I'm in the lucky position, that I'm playing with friends, who play that game since beginning, so I can always ask someone. I really like the game, the story and artwork is great, love the music and am a big Asura fan. ANd I agree, sometimes the game can get frustrating, but it is so much fun. And I really love the community - whenever I need help and none of my friends are online, there was always a person to answer my questions or help me out.

[@drivingcrazy5336]

I spent 8 hours doing a lw instance just for a fucking achievement for not getting touched by the boss's AoE. Most of my time spent watching how Wynne died over and over. 😂

[@5H4D3]

Given how many people you see in basically every map event in the game, you can hardly call this a dead game.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Absolutely not! The game is popping!

[@jhondiick4202]

indeed ; more and more players play it now@@CaffeinatedDad

[@OriginalAkivara]

"shorter expacs more often" oh, but the same price of course. -_-

[@parky669]

I have a Max level character, my main problem with the game is the vertical progression. I don’t know if there is something I don’t understand so feel free to help me… please. Once you’re geared out with exotic/ascended. There’s nothing to do to improve your character right? All gear seems equal? There isn’t anything like..rare? I just don’t know what im working for.

[@IohannusTwine]

Funny Story and probably someone here has experienced this. I have been playing Guild wars 2 since POF came out. When I first started playing (coming from WoW) I couldn't understand what I had to do in game (there was no guides, or the amount of creators in youtube to explain the game) so I quit the game. A few months later I got frustrated playing wow, and I quit. Decided to come back to GW2 where I played the ranger for the first time and i Loved it so much that I decided to stay a little more. Then I asked the comunity for some help to finish a quest, they where so helpful that it made me stay, never went back to WoW. HAHA :)

[@CaffeinatedDad]

It's slippery lol once you spend some time you appreciate the game and then it grows from there. I'm also trying to promote the game as much as possible!

[@IohannusTwine]

@@CaffeinatedDad I also try to promote the game here in my country, Portugal. :) I wish more Portuguese would find this game and try it, and give it a chance. I used to make a a joke..."the game developers from Guild play Guild Wars. Can you confirm that the developers of WoW play WoW?" :D Now it's not a joke anymore since the only thing they made good was "inspired" on an existing mount in GW2 with some improvements, so I guess that shows what game they play, huh? haha (just joking, don't want ppl upset with me everyone is free to play the game they like :) )

[@maironannatar7335]

The unguided experience is what hooked me to buy the game early this year. It gives me the freedom to do things on my own, and not feeling like Im doing things wrong. Also the freedom on builds is also what got me in. And now im almost on the 200th mastery.

[@shitori_1410]

Yeah, idk why they hate that.

[@wsad1337]

If you didn't play GW1 then I can see how GW2 feels like it has build freedom while it is the complete opposite of the truth when compared to GW1.

[@CuteLittleLily]

I just started and having so much fun. But one thing that sometimes hate is how the profession is too complex. Sometimes less is more and i just want to kill mobs with 4 5 basic skills instead of switching to different weapon or attunement every 3 seconds

[@popot.2847]

One of my first impressions of the game which I liked was the lack of direction which liberates me into going on an adventure and freely roam around this sandbox world, most MMO's show/tell you which places to go or direction to follow and I think most players nowadays have become attached to this sort of mentality where they need a direction to follow instead of striking it out on their own and exploring I like being a Nomad.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

That's the beautiful part of this game, just being able to go out and do what you need to and have fun without being required to do anything!

[@wsad1337]

@@CaffeinatedDad That's exactly the thing most people don't find beautiful. Why do any of it? What's the point of spamming dailys, metas, fractals, w/e? What's the point of map completion? It doesn't drive your character to a meaningful higher level of power. You cap power through gear pretty easily in the game then everything else starts to feel like a pointless chore. At least GW1 had a vast ocean of builds to play with and you were driven to play the game in order to unlock skills to play a build you wanted to try so you could do a FoW run, DoA, 55 hp monk farm, run people to LA, etc. There was a POINT. GW2 feels like 100 different dinners crammed together on the same plate with the insane amount of resources and currencies. STOP THE CURRENCIES! Consolidate that garbage system. Also, why am I doing the same things over and over every day?

[@painfullyaware5221]

Although I've enjoyed some of your content in the past, this video is so on point that I just have to subscribe; well done!!. Understanding the base game isn't too bad, but I quit years ago when I hit Heart of Thorns; instant WTF!? I'm just now coming back, this time with a Steam account so I can start fresh.

[@sealboy1211]

I am having a similar reaction to heart of thorns. Only been here since post steam so I wonder if I didn’t have this self imposed goal of “get through this” to get onto the other xpacs, if I would have any desire to see it through.

[@moof1315]

You should resurrect your old account. Your old characters will have birthday gifts that include xp boosters and level boosts. Plus you already bought hot so you'll have a mount full time.

[@painfullyaware5221]

@@moof1315 Thanks!

[@moof1315]

@@painfullyaware5221 and look up the character adventure journal under the achievements section of the hero window. Following that will level characters up in no time.

[@painfullyaware5221]

@@moof1315 👍

[@SilentaryXIV]

All really good points. In addition to what you mentioned there is one big thing that really made it a challenge for me personally to get into the game: the core profession and elite spec design. A new player can choose a profession that sounds great to them, spend X amount of hours leveling up to 80, then realize they don't like any of the elite specs. That happened to me several times and led to massive burnout after grinding different professions up to 80. In a lot of cases elite specs change gameplay up SO much that it no longer resembles the core profession that you originally enjoyed (there are some elite specs that I do feel like are natural progressions of the core professions). Yes you can watch videos but watching a video of someone playing is very different that playing it yourself. The opposite is also true. There are some elite specs for core professions that don't interest me that I think look really cool. Do I really want to waste the time grinding levels just to see if I like it though?

[@aidenmartin6674]

If you go to the PvP lobby you can equip any of your character’s elite specs (if you own the expansion it comes with). If you don’t want to do pvp there are golems in the lobby that you can attack to see how your skills work.

[@chibi_undercover9663]

@@aidenmartin6674 That’s good but very far from the actual experience of playing the class. Playing Druid on golems vs in fractals for example. You don’t always have a clear idea of what a spec does until you’ve spent a few days trying it out.

[@Ashenwolf888]

Then stay the core spec? Nobody is forcing you to play an elite spec.

[@benjaminfast5496]

@@chibi_undercover9663 Agreed. Playing on a golem that doesn't do anything does not give you an understanding of playing a class in HoT maps which are rough to get through solo unless you're a really skilled player. Also, most new players won't realize you can jump to the PvP area and do such a thing.

[@SirAlric82]

A question: if you really enjoyed the core specialization of class X but don't enjoy any of the elite specs of the aforementioned class X, why don't you stick with the core specs that you liked then? Who said that you must play an elite specialization? They offer the option to play your favourite class in a different way compared to the core version, but they are in no way mandatory. There is not a single piece of content that requires you to be with an elite spec.

[@proximityAlert]

Hey @caffeinatedDadGaming, do you have a video with your recommended keybinds? I'm curious how youve set yours up, especially for ease of use.

[@leeprosser4682]

Skyscales, I know that’s going to be controversial. They’re great for those that have already done the grind and achieved the mount, and congrats on that. But… for those of us that haven’t the shear number of people using them means that… hero point trains can be difficult to keep up with, bosses & bounties can be dead before I get there etc. Some areas aren’t really even accessible to Skyscaleless players now because the groups of players needed to get through to the boss overland, rather than flying, aren’t there e.g. Watchtower Cliffs in Lake Doric. My in-game focus for the last month has been to get the mount just so that I can keep up and enjoy the game

[@CaffeinatedDad]

It does put new players at somewhat of a disadvantage doesn't it? I mean the convince and speed of the mount makes a huge difference. I do hope you still enjoy the game after getting your dragon!

[@louisanderson3174]

Bro I just follow the story. Where ever my chapter story goes I max out the map and farm, then go back and work on my crafting to stay caught up. My only issue is what do I need to do once I hit 80 and finish the story? I think I will see what vanilla GW2 has to offer, ex. jumping puzzles, clear maps, dungeons, then move on to Thorns then Fire. I feel like I shouldn't short myself vanilla GW2 due to wanting to hit 80 super quick then jump on dlc.

[@imdamanization]

The core tyria experience needs to be more streamlined imo(bring it up to 2023 standards) and they need to optimise the UI. The achievement tab is particulary daunting and annoying. and maybe it shouldn't show me mastery tracks for expansions I haven't been to yet, I wanna take my time but I feel stressed knowing that there are many things to "complete"

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Even though they don't push for it, most playtime think in the sense of completionist. I have to finish all the map before moving on when that's just not the case!

[@96Caleb96]

When i first logged in a few months ago i found high level players having fun in new zones and alot of new players doing activities at the same time as me, people talking in each map, some things you NEVER see in mmos these days.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

That is true. There are tons of players having a great time all over the place now and each map has a reason to go back to it!

[@tonecyphers9239]

I think that's intentional. People are always running events and teaching people the game as it should be. I like that part of the game. I can go to just about any map and see a Commander running around doing the events. I also like that the game can be pretty punishing. The level scaling doesn't allow plays to just solo champions and world bosses. It still requires grouping up

[@Warcrafter4]

I feel like a major part is intimidation and cost. Fractals and legendaries are both insanely expensive and upfront with how expensive they are. This drives a lot of people away thinking that they simply aren't worth the effort. Combined that with fractal's agony gates can get them kicked from parties or just not being able to find parties because of the 100 levels. As outside of dailies levels 0-25 aka beginner levels are rather dead.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True fractals could use a fresh take to make them interesting. Let's see what next Tuesday does for them

[@HeathenHammer123]

I just started this weekend. had a blast I'm level 35,

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Happy dor you! It's a great game!

[@keats27]

For me, there's definitely a disconnect between storyline running and fractals, strikes, raids, even world bosses (and I've been in for a few of those). I still have never run a fractal or raid. My next level came from wvw. And that is my primary focus. I also think the crafting skills are overdone. I want to be able to look at the recipes I have (and maybe don't have) and know what to make next. I'm guessing there are some nice videos on every trade skill, I just can't be bothered--at least for now. I'd also like to know how to reliably put an infusion on a piece of ascended. My ascended pieces are better without infusions than exotic gear with upgrades. I think I've bought and applied an infusion one time. Then I was like, well, those stat adds are not worth the effort. Now I'm getting ready to up the game a bit, and want those little stat adds. And I'm not entirely sure how to get and apply the best ones.

[@Phevo75]

Infusions are not really for the little stat upgrades they bring. They give you agony resistance which you need to run fractals above a certain level. That's all they are there for in my opinion

[@imdamanization]

9:31 What movie/show is this clip from?

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Scrubs!

[@kimsebimse6603]

im a new player :) the only issue i have is actually the complexity of the game. your first points dont bother me at all. but the complexity and lack of direction etc is daunting. even after lvl'ing up to 80 i still feel pretty confused about the mechanics. i tend to just spam hit various buttons and hope they do something good. its easier to understand what the weapon skills are etc. but the various buffs and conditions.. what to pick.. what is "best" etc.. very confusing. and there is online very little direction. and Wiki is.. well, wiki is wiki..

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True! The pop ups and conditions and boons are very confusing to most players just getting into the game

[@kimsebimse6603]

@@CaffeinatedDad aye, and also because the combat is pretty fast paced. at least for a new player :D but i am also a strong believer in learning by doing, so thats what im doing atm :)

[@siffumetsu271]

For me the thing that is bringing me back to gw2 is the fact that i feels massively multiplayer especially with meta trains and world bosses just feels nice to see 30+ plays doing something where a lot of newer mmos feels instants

[@MrJokerswild06]

I just recently started the game. I'll admit there's alot of info to take in but I'm managing that the things that's bothering me is that the elite specializations are at max level I believe you should have access to them much earlier to play with them to even see if this is the class ypu really thought it was.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Hey before you get too far with a class, try going to the pvp tab (2 swords on the top menu) enter the heart of the mists. Once there you can test every profession/specialization that you have access to for your account!

[@MrJokerswild06]

I watched a video amd saw you could do that I'm really wanting to play a herald. My thoughts were just on how long it would take you to get the class itself. Another comment I saw someone post was about not having goals. Well if you could let's say unlock a elite class every 20 levels those are short term goals that keep players engaged because they know they are able to obtaining something new over shorter periods of time.

[@StarseedResistance]

​@@MrJokerswild06 Herald is a dpa/buffer hybrid kind of like bards in EverQuest

[@tonecyphers9239]

@@MrJokerswild06 The elite specializations require you to buy the expansions. This makes sense to me because if they just gave them out, there would be no incentive to purchase the expansions. These guys have to get paid somehow. The hero points also require you to play through the expansion zones to get fully trained. Again, it forces the player to actually play through the game and experience it. I'm totally cool with that. The only expansion I didn't enjoy was HoT. It was a mess for me and I felt I was wasting too much time trying to get hard to reach spots than actually enjoying the environment. I still don't have gliding maxed out. It's too frustrating

[@The_real_tactical_ghost]

My issue as a returning player. I originally started GW2 and bought some expansions, immediately used my 2 lvl 80 boosts and quit the game as I was underpowered, inexperienced and had no sense of direction. Two weeks ago, I started playing again. I deleted all my low level characters and crrated new ones, allowing me to find a feel for what I want to play as. Suprisingly, I ended up with a warrior which I took from 15 to 36 yesterday, purely by just following the story. It's dual wielding 1h axes and a 2h sword. I checked your guides as well as others for leveling specific guides which cover from the base up, and not lvl 80 / endgame guides. I found a nice guild on EU and this is where I found myself settled and playing now.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

It's odd isn't it? I feel like the level boost does more of a disservice then assisting players in most cases. Leveling on your own and through your own methods I feel makes you a much better player!

[@Tracker947]

The beginning as a new player is the best part by far. It's unique and fun. Once you hit max level, all the end game content is just kinda generic except for a handful, which get old.

[@deadvodka]

While I agree, that the beginning was a fun experience, I strongly disagree with the content becoming generic. I've left the game after reaching several of my goals and now came back after 7 years of absence and I'm blown away how much content there is in the expansions and lws stories. I haven't even touched 4 and IBS, nor EoD yet.

[@jgsource552]

Explain.... New player exp is the worst part, cause you have to play the base game.. how is that the best part lol

[@kimrasmussen7188]

@@jgsource552 you may not like it, but without the quality of the core game, there wouldnt be any expansions at all. 17 mio accounts in 10 years would suggest that the lure works fine. it is the hook, that is failing over and over.

[@ophielasrage]

@@kimrasmussen7188 i didnt like it. Thats why i quit and never gave it another chance.

[@kimrasmussen7188]

@@ophielasrage if you dont like the start, then theres good chanche that you will like the end game. they are as different s night and day. and you can level in pvp from level 10. it is one of the easiest and fastest mmos to level in.

[@nikolasferreira3247]

My main problem as a new player is the lack of communication with players. I lost count of how many times i asked for help or tried to chat with someone only to be completely ignored. Even now that i'm in a guild, players barely talk with each other.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Yeah I've noticed that guilds just somewhat run themselves, players log in for a minute then job back out

[@darkwater1967]

Going back to do World Completion for my first gen 1 legendary weapons, it definitely feels like the core maps are a lot less populated than they were before HoT, hence some truth to the game seeming dead to newer players running core maps after EoD.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Right right, it's interesting although I've seen more people coming to play the game recently!

[@MrXephone]

As a GW1 veteran, I barely played GW2 (lvl47...). I just re-installed it, and enjoy my time. I was suprised to find a lot of players, the game feel alive, even in the low level zones

[@luke5779]

as a new player, leveling up to do the next story missions is such a crawl starting at 30-40. I get exploring and doing the open world events is fun, but doing that for hours just to progress the story is kind of mentally draining

[@boredgirl6752]

I nearly quit when i wasnt even max level, bc i chose elementalist; I was used to the mage class being very powerful in mmos, but in gw2 i found myself lying around in downsate most of the time. I eventually tried ranger after multiple people told me that elemantalist is the worst class to start with, that made me stay in gw2. I also had a hard time with coming to terms with how grindy gw2 is, it annoyed and scared me quite a lot in the beginning, but after i got some collections done i realized that the grind often included multiple parts of the game, so i could just hop from map to map and do whatever i feel like doing while progressing my collection.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

True the ele can br a bit surprising for new players just getting into the game. And I'm on a few legendary collections myself ATM so it's quite awesome to have these options!

[@hughjass2896]

The reason I'm getting butthurt is I'm a pretty strict pve player, and in having the game 3 months now I've gotten 3 legendaries. And I've hit a wall now where the game is going to force me to go into pvp to get gifts of battle. I've completed the entire aurora achievement, and only don't have it cause I hate the pvp just that much, I'd literally rather pay gems than spend another second in wvw or pvp.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

The forced March unto pvp is a turn off for many players unfortunately

[@edzebes]

I've always felt its easier for players to get into gw2 if they don't play it like an MMO. Non-MMO players seem to adjust better since they're used to just exploring and looking for stuff. Your average MMO player is looking for the optimum track to max out.

[@supersonic_kitten]

i really enjoyed getting to lvl 80 on a f2p account, testing the waters and wondering if i should buy. problem is - yeah, i like the game, but now that i hit lvl 80 and finished the "my story" quest, i don't feel like doing anything else. it's hard to find a goal to work towards. i could continue questing but honestly the later quests i experienced started feeling like a bit of a drag. the amount of currencies and stuff i get in my bags is confusing. the combat for me is very hard to read, especially the amount of aoes and the faint way they are displayed, and then when it's a lot of them it's basically unreadable. also i don't understand how to break stuns or avoid some red, the only thing the game gave me was a "learn how to roll dodge" tutorial. other than that the game is pretty fun. but, i normally see doing instanced end game content as one of my main goals in mmos, and gw2 actually...... makes me want to avoid it 😅

[@MrJotaFelipe]

I personally feel the start of the game is one of the best parts of it, specially as a new player! The initial zone is a great "tutorial zone".

[@benjaminfast5496]

I strangely agree. With FFXIV, the start is such a boring grind that, as much as I love alts, I cringe at the thought of starting over and going through all the beginning stuff again. Enter GW2, I've got 18 characters, that I juggle between. I've deleted many over the years and started new ones. I just really love going back to the start in this game with a new race/class combo and experiencing it again. Perhaps that because I feel like I get lost in the endgame? I feel like there's no direction once you reach 80. Other than going through expansions/living worlds I kind of just aimlessly walk around. Once I get tired of that, I start a new alt, and it seems to excite me again. Lo.

[@MrJotaFelipe]

@@benjaminfast5496 I feel the same way! And I also have that feeling of being lost in endgame. So many currencies, so many metas, and specially with all the drops and bag management. In that last case, I just wish it was "simpler" o easier to track. The only exception I feel towards this, is legendaries, it's ok they are that hard. Still, I genuinely think, GW2 is one of the best games out there.

[@benjaminfast5496]

@@MrJotaFelipe Yeah, when the game launched on Steam they incorporated the adventurer's guide volume thing to help with the leveling and guiding them on what to focus on. I think it's great! However, that doesn't continue at level 80. if I want to get a legendary weapon, I need to grind masteries to unlock the vendors that gradually give you info on how to find them or something. I'm not sure, I'm still confused on how that works, lol. But there's little to no direction on how to start Fractals/Raids. Starting WvW is confusing because you start out in this dead area where there isn't a single person in sight. It's so strange. That being said, I agree that this is one of the best games out there and I have logged in almost every day for the last 2 years, save for the odd break to try out a new game.

[@RED_Theory038]

I've tried the game several times now. The leveling is rough and once you do get to max level the gearing and build crafting is just not intuitive at all to me and just doesn't click.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

I can see that, ot seems like there are multiple different levels of scaling and grinding made by multiple people not one single style so it can be taxing

[@NotBer]

What I liked most from GW2 is the open world. I enjoyed exploring the map and getting lost. Unfortunately, it was ruined with HoT. The zones were extremely hard to navigate, which normally I wouldn't mind, but the enemies too strong and almost always are in a group. Unlocking waypoints and hero/mastery points became frustrating to do alone and now you have to wait for a train instead. Problem is, a lot of them have Skyscales and I couldn't keep up with my Raptor and Glider.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Yeah that is unfortunate from a newer or younger account. Many don't have the skyscale so traversing around in tyria isn't as enjoyable or well fast

[@mi-vy4cz]

gahgaghahg that grandma at 1:22 always gets me

[@CaffeinatedDad]

I try to find ways to add thise cuts in!

[@1dozmos]

Hands down 100% agree with this - I've played this game for over 12 months now, all I do is PVP - because that's all I know how to do... Beyond PvP - this game is a COMPLETE labyrinth.. Now, you can join guilds and use the LFG - the trouble is, as a new player - WHY AM I DOING LFG? WHY ARE WE DOING THIS META? WHY ARE WE DOING FRACTALS? eg..... What is the purpose of it? I have no freakin idea outside of PvP!!!

[@CaffeinatedDad]

Ha! That's what a lot of players have said! It's so confusing to misate through all the shenanigans of this game with no clear path!

[@SirAlric82]

Why am i doing LFG? - Because you want to find a group to complete content with. Why are we doing this meta? - Because it's fun and gives a lot of EXP and loot. - Why are we doing Fractals? - Same reason as the meta.

[@1dozmos]

@@SirAlric82 I hear you and agree with all those points but I guess what I’m trying to say is… what do I get from it

[@thezoar6508]

Hello! I’ve been watching a handful of your videos. They have been quite helpful! I’m currently playing a virtuoso and having a blast. I do have a question, I’m not sure how geared I need to be. But it seems like a lot of enemies and bosses especially are very meaty and take up to 5-10 minutes in some cases to kill. Is this just how the game is? Or would it be just my lack of knowledge and skill?

[@neonizgaming]

There are beefy world bosses, for example lets say most of the meta event bosses, or some from fractals, raid bosses are one of the beefiests

[@Horrormane]

Did you figure out how to do the combos to reduce the weird armor bar that some enemies have? That was my biggest struggle for a long time. Some skills put circles on the ground and some other skills benefit from it. When you do that, those enemies go down easier.

[@trxe420]

Most closely related is hard, because I see a lot of other games in GW2, but for me it's ESO because both games have a heavy focus on exploration. I think the freedom you have to do what you want can be a problem for new players who are used to games on rails and also inventory is a huge issue. I literally had no clue what to do with half the stuff in my inventory, should I sell it? Why can't I sell this? What the hell is Luck? Anet should look at introducing a much better tutorial system if they are revamping the core game.

[@vojinvmilojkovic7622]

I am about to jump into Gw2 since years ago, and i totally had this issues... So many items, materials, boosts, soooo many possibilities and im sitting there thinking what to do first and now i am watching your videos to motivate myself to return after path of fire being my last expansion. p.s you are doing a great job, if you are not an arenanet partner, then....

[@yanxunkee2365]

I played gw2 only for 2 years (casual) I can confidently say that the learning process is the real fun part came from, all the struggles i faced eventually turned into the true gaming experience for me (Poor English I'm sorry

[@vexx12343]

Finished tutorial camera is wonky and no quests turning me what to do

[@Teh-Gaz]

I went from GW1 to GW2 when it first came out. Season 1 was amazingly fun to play through. Unfortunately irl got in the way so I ended up not playing for yrs and yrs. I jumped back in a couple yrs ago to check things out and it was still pretty fun. The only thing is that there isn't that much new content unless you are willing to pay for it. I'd say that has a lot to do with it. Once you've gone so far and done so much you have to pay to continue and I imagine that puts a damper on things for a free to play persons enthusiasm.

[@CaffeinatedDad]

I believe this sentiment is true. Once you've paid for most of the game experience why continue?