PCPP: What prompted the creation of a proper sequel? What can be achieved here that an expansion or add-on campaign cannot?

JEFF STRAIN:

Persistence - This is the BIG ONE and allows us to augment the Guild Wars experience with a whole new level of game play [including a new type of content called "events"].

Here is an example of a simple event chain:

• A dragon has been seen flying over the valley. Players may choose to work together to try and drive the dragon away by firing at it with several, pre-placed ballistae. If the dragon is driven away, the local lord will reward any player who played a part in its defeat.
• If the dragon is not driven away in time, it will swoop down and destroy a bridge. This will then cause woodworkers to gather at the bridge to begin repairs. Wagons loaded with wood begin heading down the road toward the bridge.
• Bandits from several local bandit camps begin attacking the wagons. Players who successfully defend the wagons will receive a reward when they reach the bridge.

This is an example of a very simple event chain. Our current plan is to have events with much greater and far reaching scope, consequences, and rewards scattered throughout our explorable areas.

Character Progression - Likewise, Guild Wars 2 will have the kind of extensive character advancement appropriate to a persistent-world RPG. One of the traditional weaknesses of games with a big level range is that people who like to play together don't always level up at the same rate, and once the gap between character levels gets too large, it can be difficult to play together.

Graphics - We will use the Guild Wars engine as a foundation for the Guild Wars 2 engine, but we will be rewriting and upgrading substantial portions of the code to provide a visual experience that players will expect in a sequel to Guild Wars.


PCPP: What is the key lesson you have learned throughout the creation of the original Guild Wars and its add-on campaigns that you'll be applying to Guild Wars 2?

JS: Guild Wars taught us that gamers reward innovation. Guild Wars broke new ground in the online RPG space by discarding the traditional subscription fee, and that certainly was (and continues to be) something that gamers appreciate and enjoy, but the core reason for the global success of Guild Wars is that it blazed a new path for online RPG design. For example, one of our primary goals for Guild Wars was that it would be a game that everyone could play and enjoy, even gamers who were unable (or unwilling) to invest hundreds of hours a month playing an online RPG, and many of the unique design features of Guild Wars, such as instant travel using the world map, dynamic quest population based on character history, and a skill-based combat system, supported this goal. While Guild Wars 2 will introduce significant new mechanics such as deeper character progression and a persistent world, we will retain the unique features that made Guild Wars a hit.

Guild Wars also taught us the importance of solo and buddy gaming. Even in a massive online world, players often like to play alone or with a good friend. Online games sometimes make it difficult to play this way. Through the henchmen and Hero systems, Guild Wars provided good support for solo and buddy gaming, and Guild Wars 2 will take this even further with a new sidekicking system.

We also learned a great deal about the role of PvP in an online roleplaying environment. Guild Wars stands alone in its support for balanced, strategic PvP in the online RPG genre, and a substantial percentage of Guild Wars players participate in Guild-versus-Guild matches and global competition in the Hall of Heroes. However, we think that many players would also enjoy a more casual PvP experience that is integrated with the roleplaying elements of the game. With Guild Wars 2 we are introducing World-versus-World PvP in which players can team up with a large number of players from their world to challenge players from other worlds on a strategic battlefield. Unlike traditional Guild-versus-Guild PvP, this form of PvP is not focused on direct combat, but instead allows you to choose how you want to help your team. This could include guarding a supply train, scouting from a guard tower, or manning a ballista. Of course, Guild Wars 2 will offer enhanced support for traditional Guild-versus-Guild PvP as well, so we think we've covered all the bases.