by Reuben Waters on Mar 07, 2011
In a new post on the official blog, ArenaNet outlined their plans for PAX East week, including some expanded info on
what attendees can expect to see in the latest demo build for Guild Wars 2. New details
on the revamped attributes system and some insights into how the whole nutty
ball of wax known as gathering and crafting will work are also planned for this
week.
Heres a full rundown of what ArenaNet has planned for this week:
Tuesday: Lead Systems Designer and all-around-great guy Isaiah Cartwright
Esquire the Third will talk about the revamped attributes system in an in-depth
blog post.Wednesday: Game Designer Andrew McLeod will give you some insight into Guild
Wars 2s crafting and gathering systems.Friday: The thief page goes live on GuildWars2.com, complete with skill videos
and all the usual bells and whistles you expect from a profession reveal.Friday: Well send you an update from the floor of PAX East!
The mercenary hero team from Ten Ton Hammer will be at PAX East as well, so be
sure to check back for plenty of updates throughout the weekend. Not only will
we be checking out the latest demo build for Guild Wars 2, but I also plan on
taking plenty of pictures to give our GW2 site readers a window into the show floor demos, the NCSoft community event on Friday night,
and of course any interesting GW2 cosplay I stumble across. Not that I make a
habit of stumbling around industry events mind you, but you get the idea.
Among other things, the newest demo build for GW2 will feature UI changes and the unlocked air attunement for elementalists.
Speaking of the new GW2 demo build, ArenaNet also shared some details of what
players can expect to see this weekend:
Playable guardian The guardian will be playable in the demo as well! Although
hes not quite as shiny and new as the thief, the guardian will make his debut
in the PAX East demo!New Profession features Some of the professions that you saw in past demos
have a few new tricks up their sleeves. Elementalists will be able to play
around with air attunement, rangers will have an expanded selection of pets,
necromancers will be able to use staffs, and warriors will be able to wield
greatswords.Norn opening experience Youll be able to fill out your norn characters
biography, see the norn introductory cinematic, and play around in the norn
starter areas: Hoelbrak and the Wayfarer Foothills.Gendarran Fields A mid-level area just north of Lions Arch, Gendarran Fields
offers great opportunity for danger and adventure. Those who are nostalgic for
Guild Wars: Prophecies should make sure to check out the gates of Lions Arch,
Nebo Terrace, and the Ascalon Settlement.New UI Weve changed the look of our UI. It still has its painterly art style,
but now its easier to read. Weve also added some new functionality, with new
chat features and hints of things to come.
It will be interesting to see how much the UI has changed, and you can bet Ill
be pressing every hotkey combo I can think of to see what they mean by hints of
things to come. I have a feeling that somehow relates to the crafting system,
but whatever the hints turn out to be, you can bet Ill be sharing my findings
right here on our Guild Wars 2 site.
Also on my to-do list will be making a beeline straight for the gates of Lions Arch. As the
main gathering nexus for players in the game, and with all the changes that have
occurred since the original city was flooded, Im fairly certain whatever the
new LA turns out to be it wont disappoint.
Thief Combat Video from GDC 2011 | Legend, Legacy, and the Norn | The Races of Guild Wars 2: Norn | Profession Preview: The Guardian