The Link Bloggy Returns! Today...I Shall Be a Warrior

Like this blog it's all Guild Wars, all the time!

The evasion mechanic was taken out of the game during the test weekend. This was supposedly a permanent change but one that was reverted (Along with EVERYTHING ELSE!!! Not that I'm still bitter or anything.) when the weekend was over. At the time the change was made I said in effect, “shame to see it go, but, yeah, I think it's for the best.” And at the time it was unmade I was puzzled. Then, of course, I poked around and found threads like this one. Signal to noise ration approaching the infinitesimal there.

And, yet, that represents the vast majority of players who are going to be giving feedback. I hope the developers have a way of weeding these things out but, me, I find it difficult because, you know, I try and do the reasonable thing and give everyone's opinion fair consideration – wisdom is everywhere, after all, seek it and you'll never know where you'll find it (This is probably a large reason why you'd have to pay me to get me involved in staffing another forum again. I micromanage - I'm the sort who just has to check every thread and read every post, I'm constitutionally unable to live with not knowing something. I suspect that's what, I hope, makes me a good moderator but it's also what drives me insane while I'm doing it. Sorry, Guru gets me all introspective as I try and figure out what went wrong with me.). Because, of course, the vast majority of people have absolutely no idea what they're talking about when it comes to the game but given a stage and a microphone they're happy to play armchair designers (Hi! Nice to meet you!). Most of them hardly even consider it in terms of systemic design. I, you know, try to which is why I'm not too broken up by evasion being removed. It's a mechanic, nothing more, and the only reason to keep it around is if it improves the game more than having it creates trouble. Whatever flavor reasons exist (like skill names and such) can be slapped on later. What really matters is what it does for the game's ruleset. Maybe having been a tester and seeing what happens when things really change quickly has made me unsentimental when it comes to mechanics or dropping in and out of the game has desensitized me to radical alterations but there it is.

If you ask me, evasion has nice flavor and it potentially adds a lot to the rules. Unfortunately, the design spaces evasion opened weren't being exploited. There was a bit of an attempt with old skills like Irresistible Blow or Griffon's Sweep to create some separation but, for the most part, the idea that there were two ways to avoid a blow that each had their own distinct identity had been abandoned. And “evade” was just another way of saying “block”. Not a particularly useful way thanks to skills that ignored both. And not a particularly interesting way because there weren't skills taking advantage of the distinction. In the interests of simplifying a complex game, I say throw it right back out. Yeah, some skills are going to have to be tweaked and maybe even renamed but it's for the best. Really. I could explain why but, you know, I have in the past and I've got better things to do. The people who really need to hear it wouldn't understand, anyway.

That might make me sound elitist. Like I'm some kind of PvP snob (Sorry, I'm just a plain old asshole.). That, you know, I believe there's a vast pool of average people who just aren't skilled or intelligent enough to understand. And, certainly, that's the sort of thinking that can lead to the ivory tower. I don't think so, though, because rather than saying this is a bad thing – that these people need to be shepherded, protected, from themselves – I think it's a good thing. That vast and thundering herd of newbs has just as much right to an opinion – and, of course, to having other people take their opinion seriously - as anyone else. And to have a say in things as well. It's the job of the so-called experts to translate their knowledge and bring it to the ears of those masses. Not to cloister themselves away and pat themselves on the back for their superior understanding. It's their responsibility to give everyone else the helping hand up not to push them back down. Chuck, as usual – the bastard – gets it right.

By the way, Chuckles has said I'm the only one who busts his chops so hard (I kid because I'm filled with burning hatred. And assault's still illegal.). I'd like to think I've earned the right. Really, people, he's not going to learn unless you argue with him. Thing is, you'll probably learn something, too. He's a dick that way.

Interesting that we're both hitting on Soul Reaping, though, isn't it? It's not like we've ever stooped to co-ordinating our efforts in the past or anything. Not once. Actually, this time it's just a coincidence - Soul Reaping's and things like Bloodspike have been bothering me for a while and I just figured out how to express it. Honest.

Speaking of leadership, indulge me if you will while I talk about one of my old guild leaders. You know, I'm proud to say that I've been in a guild with Adam Sunstrom once upon a time. He's one of the people in the community that I really respect (Not just, you know, like) because his burning desire makes my enthusiasm for the game look like a match next to a bonfire. Ran one hell of a Warrior, too. It's a good feeling to know that he's still around and still taking the time to encourage others. Not just to play the game but to get better at it. Awesome guy and his latest State of the Game article for the official Guild Wars site is, likewise, awe inspiring. If you're interested in Guild Wars PvP on any level check it out. I don't care how leet you think you are (or aren't) – read it, learn it, and love it.

You know, I want a little bio like Adam has at the bottom of all those articles. Something like... “Sausaletus Rex has been playing Guild Wars on and off since May 2004 when he participated in the E3 For Everyone preview event. Mostly off. He spends most of his time not playing the game and wishing he was. He's been a member in poor standing of many fine fansites and guilds most of which have gone on to great success after he left them. Now and forever, he remains king of the scrubs. Long live the king, baby!”

Have to disagree with the UI remapping, though. I like Q and E as they are by default – straffing keys that help you to maneuver as you move. I've remapped 6,7,8 to the R,F,and V keys and 5 to the Caps Lock. Almost as easy to reach while keeping the movement scheme I'm accustomed to. Depends on what kind of character I'm playing, of course, but I really do try and put some time into coming up with an effective interface. Helps immensely.

Really, if the game had UI templates that you could swap in and out like the skill and equipment templates I'd be a happy person.

Speaking of templates this article on the official site makes me see blood. I'm not going to give up on stringing out a post on that one just yet but the gist? Skill templates are nice and all but I want a way of being able to trade them in the damn game. Nine freaking steps! Shouldn't be longer than – Step 1: Have someone give you a skill template. Step 2: Click on it/Accept it/Make offerings to our dark pagan god! (Ignore that last one). Step 3: Open up your template list and load it up. Just needlessly complicated like so much else in the game.

Are you impressed I didn't say fuck there? I'm not.