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Post by Triia on Feb 9, 2006 11:18:35 GMT -5
Preview event!!! ;D
Press Release - February 09, 2006
GUILD WARS FACTIONS TO BE UNVEILED IN MASSIVE BETA TESTING EVENT AVAILABLE TO MORE THAN 3 MILLION GAMERS
ArenaNet Opens Up Highly Anticipated Game to Global Beta Test and Announces Pre-Order Availability
BELLEVUE, WA (February 9, 2006) — ArenaNet®, creators of the #1 selling online roleplaying game Guild Wars®, and NCsoft® Corporation, the world's leading developer and publisher of online computer games, announce today plans for a landmark event to preview Guild Wars Factions™, the highly anticipated follow up to 2005's critically acclaimed game Guild Wars. On March 24, 2006, game players around the globe are invited to participate in the Guild Wars Factions Preview Event, an exclusive and one-time opportunity unlike any offered before.
All current Guild Wars players can join the event, and will be able to invite up to three of their friends using an in-game invitation interface. Entry into the beta event will also be available through the Guild Wars Factions pre-order package, which will include the Guild Wars Factions (GWF) pre-order CD, a GWF beta access key, a "friend" key that allows access to the beta event, a 14-day, 10-hour trial key for the original Guild Wars game, a tactical guide, and a quick-reference card. The Guild Wars Factions pre-order key also adds one unique item for each of the game's two new professions, the Ritualist and the Assassin, and authorizes the user to play Guild Wars Factions 24 hours before the game's street date in spring 2006. The Guild Wars Factions pre-order package will be available in retail stores nationwide beginning February 28.
A game beta test of this size and scope has never been offered before and is a unique event for both fans and the ArenaNet team alike. With current Guild Wars players, their invited friends, and players around the world who purchase the GWF pre-order converging on the game for the Guild Wars Factions Preview Event, ArenaNet is preparing capacity in all its data centers to handle record-breaking numbers of new players.
"To be able to open up Guild Wars Factions and share this one-time experience with so many people is truly a thrill," said Mike O'Brien, ArenaNet co-founder. "Guild Wars players will get the opportunity to play Factions before the game's release while sharing the game with up to three of their friends. We can't wait for the feedback from the seasoned players, as well as those who join us for the first time on March 24."
Guild Wars is an online roleplaying game where players explore a rich fantasy world, acquire skills, build personalized characters, and compete in head-to-head guild battles with players from around the world. In addition to the compelling game design and innovative technology that make playing Guild Wars a unique experience, Guild Wars' success is due in part to a revolutionary business model in which no monthly subscription fee is charged to its users.
Please visit www.guildwars.com for more information.
Six weeks is such a long time to wait....  |
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Post by Triia on Feb 9, 2006 18:09:38 GMT -5
ANet released a FAQ later in the day today. Sounds like it'll be fun!  If you go to the home page, you can see a couple of characters in new armor. |
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Post by Triia on Feb 10, 2006 15:25:12 GMT -5
Here's a link to a thread with a bunch of screenshots and some examples of the new armor
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Post by Triia on Feb 20, 2006 16:21:55 GMT -5
 I found a Factions trailer today! Took 20 minutes to download, but.... oh, wow....
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Post by Logo on Feb 20, 2006 16:30:42 GMT -5
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Post by Jupiter on Feb 24, 2006 8:02:31 GMT -5
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Post by Triia on Feb 27, 2006 21:25:25 GMT -5
Well.... finally some offical word on the character slot issue for GW:F: Latest Gaile chatAccording to Gaile, if you have GW:P you have 4 slots, if you get. GW:F you get 4 slots....if you link the accounts you get a total of 6. I can't say that I'm real pleased about this as I just can't imagine not linking my accounts, but I guess two is better than nothing. It's a shame they can't have a PvP designated slot. Ah well, I'm sure there will be lots of great stuff to make up for it.  |
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Post by Logo on Feb 28, 2006 15:47:15 GMT -5
Well.... finally some offical word on the character slot issue for GW:F: Latest Gaile chatAccording to Gaile, if you have GW:P you have 4 slots, if you get. GW:F you get 4 slots....if you link the accounts you get a total of 6. I can't say that I'm real pleased about this as I just can't imagine not linking my accounts, but I guess two is better than nothing. It's a shame they can't have a PvP designated slot. Ah well, I'm sure there will be lots of great stuff to make up for it. I'm not too happy about this. It's kind of a slap in the face to the loyal fans that bought the first game, as people that only buy Factions are getting twice the character slots for their money. On a brighter note, there's a nice preorder offer going on at www.guildwars.com. They're showing off the new box art (it looks great ) and the stuff that you get when you preorder, which includes access to the new content 24 hours before everyone else. If you're going to buy Factions (as if the if is necessary), it seems like a no-brainer to preorder. |
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Post by Triia on Mar 10, 2006 12:14:20 GMT -5
There's a large update going on. They're streaming a lot of the preview data now. I've had my log in screen opened for quite a while now and it's over 300 Mb and still going. There has also been a few other interesting updates as of last night/early this morning. Also, if you go to the PvP creation screens, you can look at the new Factions armor sets (you cannot put them on the character) and their stats. There are three for each class, except necro for some reason. Rumor has it that there are also new elemental based staffs dropping... a lot of them, apparently. Update - Thursday March 9
General:
This week we are pre-streaming a lot of new Canthan maps and artwork to clients in preparation for the March 24 Factions Preview Event. As always, you can download new data in the background by just leaving your Guild Wars client running and sitting at the login screen.
Arena Combat Updates:
When players enter the Random Arenas through an International District, they will now be placed on teams consisting of other players who entered through an International District. Previously, players were always placed on teams with other players from their own territory.
Teams in both Random and Team Arenas can now be matched against opponents from anywhere in the world.
Guild Combat Updates:
Guild Lords will now walk instead of run out of the base at "Victory or Death" to give their teams a better chance to keep up with them.
Updated NPCs in the Isle of the Dead guild hall map so that they will now patrol the low ground near the flag at "Victory or Death."
Skill Updates:
Fixed the skill Dwarven Battle Stance so that it only causes hammer attacks to interrupt the target, not other types of melee attacks.
Fixed the skill Mantra of Recall so that it only provides its Energy boost to the owner of the skill. Previously, a player could get an Energy boost if he removed Mantra of Recall from an enemy while he also had the same Enchantment applied to himself.
Fixed the skill Feral Lunge so that its damage and duration correctly match last week's update notes.
Item Updates:
Restored the functionality of Bloodstained Boots.
Updated "while hexed" shields on Collectors so that they are equivalent to those on the PvP creation screen.
Updated roleplaying character creation so that all professions start with helmets or headgear.
Updated the "/preorder" command to provide Guild Wars Factions preorder items to those who have applied a Factions preorder key to their account.
Map and Quest Updates:
Removed the portal effect from the closed east gate of Lion's Arch.
Tightened the guard security on the ramp in Heroes' Ascent so that characters cannot sneak past the guards.
Corrected the art being used for Commander Rezhang in Heroes' Ascent.
Increased the maximum allowed party size in The Great Temple of Balthazar and Isle of the Nameless to eight.
Fixed a bug that allowed characters who had not completed the “Path of the Zaishen Elite” quest to enter the Zaishen Elite outpost.
AI Updates:
Fixed a bug that caused Henchmen and pets to be left behind or to run back to their original locations after cinematics.
Updated AI so that creatures and Henchmen no longer try to heal or enchant Spirits.
Audio Updates:
Improved the performance of the game's audio engine.
Added a new slider to the Game Options panel to adjust sound playback quality.
Added support for DirectX 3D sound (DS3D) hardware acceleration.
User Interface Updates:
Added a "Sort by Campaign" option to all skill lists.
Added the ability to access the options panel (F11) or to logout (F12) from pre-game screens such as character selection and creation.
Added the ability to customize the position of the mission goals pop-up window using the Customize Layout interface.
Updated the Guild Roster page to display the guild's home territory.
Fixed party size numbers shown over the heads of party leaders so that the count includes Henchmen.
Fixed a bug that caused the district selection control to lock up when a player canceled party travel, or when a non-leader chose not to leave his party after acknowledging that he did wish to leave the current district.
Fixed a bug that prevented detached start menu items from being correctly hidden during cinematics.
Fixed the display of skills that are unavailable due to being in a campaign that the player doesn't own. Previously, if such a skill was an adrenaline skill, the skill's adrenaline charge state would override the unavailable state. |
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Post by Triia on Mar 10, 2006 12:25:48 GMT -5
In the update, there has been a "Sort By Campaign" option added. It appears that you can find the names (but no details) of the new Factions core class skills. I think this is something you can see in the PvP character creation section, not sure about elsewhere. Warrior Skills
"Coward!"
"None Shall Pass!"
"On Your Knees!"
"Retreat!"
"You Will Die!"
Auspicious Blow
Auspicious Parry
Dragon Slash
Drunken Blow
Enraged Smash
Fierce Bloe
Forceful Blow
Furious Axe
Jaizhenju Strike
Lacerating Chop
Leviathan's Sweep
Penetrating Chop
Primal Rage
Protectors Stance
Quivering Blade
Renewing Smash
Shove
Signet of Strength
Silverwing Slash
Standing Slash
Sun And Moon Slash
Tiger Stance
Triple Chop
Whirling Axe
Yeti Smash
Ranger Skills
Archer's Signet
Bestial Fury
Bestial Mauling
Brambles
Broad Head Arrow
Conflagration
Enraged Lunge
Equinox
Famine
Focused Shot
Glass Arrows
Heal As One
Lacerate
Marauder's Shot
Melandru's Shot
Needling Shot
Poisonous Bite
Pounce
Predatory Bond
Run As One
Savage Bounce
Seeking Arrows
Snare
Splinter Shot
Sundering Attack
Tranquility
Trapper's Focus
Viper's Nest
Zojun's Haste
Zojun's Shot
Monk Skills
Air Of Enchantment
Blessed Light
Boon Signet
Deny Hexes
Dwayna's Sorrow
Empathetic Removal
Ethereal Light
Extinguish
Gift of Health
Healing Burst
Healing Light
Healing Whisper
Heaven's Delight
Jamei's Gaze
Karei's Healing Circle
Kirin's Wrath
Life Sheath
Ray of Judgement
Release Enchantments
Ressurection Chant
Reverse Hex
Shield Guardian
Signet of Rage
Signet of Rejuvenation
Spear of Light
Spell Sheild
Spirit Bond
Stonesoul Strike
Withdraw Hexes
Word of Censure
Necromancer Skills
Animate Flesh Golem
Animate Vampiric Horror
Bitter Chill
Blood Bond
Blood Drinker
Cultist's Fevor
Defile Enchantments
Discord
Enfeebling Touch
Fetid Ground
Gaze of Contempt
Icy Veins
Jaundiced Gaze
Lifebane Strike
Opressive Gaze
Order of Apostasy
Reckless Haste
Rising Bile
Shivers of Dread
Soul Bind
Spoil Victor
Taste of Pain
Vampiric Bite
Vampiric Spirit
Vampiric Swarm
Vile Miasma
Wail of Doom
Wallows Bite
Weaken Knees
Well of Weariness
Mesmer Skills
Accumulated Pain
Ancestor's Visage
Arcane Languor
Arcane Larceny
Auspicious Incarnation
Complicate
Conjure Nightmare
Ether Signet
Expel Hexes
Feedback
Hex Eater Signet
Illusion of Pain
Images of Remorse
Kitah's Burden
Lyssa's Aura
Lyssa's Balance
Overload
Power Leech
Power Return
Psychic Distraction
Psychic Instability
Recuring Insecurity
Revealed Enchantment
Revealed Hex
Shared Burden
Shatter Storm
Signet of Disenchantment
Signet of Disruption
Stolen Speed
Unnatural Signet
Elementalist Skills
Arc Lightning
Ash Blast
Bed of Coals
Breath of Fire
Burning Speed
Churning Earth
Double Dragon
Dragon's Stomp
Energy Boon
Glyph of Essence
Gust
Icy Prism
Lava Arrows
Lava Font
Lightning Hammer
Mirror of Ice
Ride The Lightning
Second Wind
Shatterstone
Shock Arrow
Schokwave
Silver Arrow
Smoldering Embers
Star Burst
Teinai's Crystals
Teinai's Prison
Teinai's Wind
Unsteady Ground
Vapor Blade
Ward of Stability |
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Post by Malae on Mar 10, 2006 13:13:08 GMT -5
Argh! Stuck at school.
Must see this!!!
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Post by Darkwind on Mar 10, 2006 18:18:37 GMT -5
I don't know if you guys have seen this, but here are some nice pics of the new armour sets. It comes with a preview as well...but it's what we know already - pc.ign.com/articles/693/693676p1.html |
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Post by somefool on Mar 10, 2006 19:02:33 GMT -5
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Post by somefool on Mar 11, 2006 14:08:47 GMT -5
media.pc.ign.com/media/789/789078/vids_1.htmlIGN have some new videos up. The Flesh Golem is a little....plump.... I wonder who gets to summon that huge wyrm.... Based on the videos, there will be some huge battles. I DEMAND EoE BOMB!
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Post by somefool on Mar 13, 2006 4:45:12 GMT -5
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