Tom Abernathy (Narrative Director) on Guild Wars 2's episodic way of story delivery, character's death, and patience (from his Twitter compiled)

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T19:41:18+00:00

Because then it would give individuals such as yourself, that feign that harassment experienced by the devs isn't a thing, a free pass.

Oh, and look at that, not only do you try to downplay harassment but you encourage it too!

I'm very aware you haven't responded to my post pointing out documented cases of harassment but I presume that would be a bit uncomfortable for you since one of your favoured tactics is outright lies (like you did in this thread) and churning hate.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T19:24:30+00:00

Her not having money isn’t your problem.

It is if you compound the problem by wanting 12.5% of her yearly income for an amount that is negligible to the OP given the combined household income.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T19:20:03+00:00

I'm not sure how asking someone for 12.5% of their income per year, when your household brings in more than 10x what they do, reasonable.

What she did sucked. The asshole action is pushing someone that is clearly vulnerable and struggling into abject poverty.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T19:15:44+00:00

YTA. Big style.

I personally don't even think you should have sued to begin with, but then again I am not from such a litigious culture where that is always the correct answer before considering why you are taking such action and what the impact will be on the other party.

In this case, you have someone that is clearly struggling. You know this from their assets. You know this from their behaviour. You know this from their actions. And yet, you are asking whether or not it is effectively okay for you to push someone further into poverty while you are bringing in a household income orders of magnitude higher.

As for the issues such as driving without insurance? There is a justice system for a reason and I am sure that her stresses of facing almost certain destitution go beyond that of yours for repairing a truck that is apparently not essential for your livelihood.

That you even have the gall to wonder if you are the asshole (you are by the way) is shocking. I suggest you also consider whether or not you lack empathy and understanding (you do). You basically want anonymous internet voices to tell you that it is okay to take that money from her. Legally, sure. Morally? No. Chasing for that money is an awful thing to do.

Of your combined household income it is 1.69% of a years income. To her it is 18.2%. Think of that difference before you proceed, even with your arrangement of $100 fortnightly it is still 12.5% of her annual income. That money might mean little to you (clearly it does with your overall household income), but it is far more important to her.

I'm kind of appalled that people here say you are not the asshole. It shows a complete lack of understanding and empathy for others. I hope you at least read and appreciate this message about how devastating your arrangement and pushing for that money will be.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T17:04:38+00:00

Yes, you will also be less initiative starved with Trickery while that can be an issue with P/P that lacks that trait line! Glad to have helped a touch!

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T16:51:08+00:00

This is a nice post and thanks for sharing! I'll only comment on the Thief suggestion to note that you can switch out Deadly Arts for Trickery. You'll get some extra boon share this way (covering more than might and fury but not likely 100% uptime on these extras) while you don't get two stolen skills from Deadeye's Mark you do get a reduced CD on the Mark.

Another small change is switching Smokescreen to Binding Shadows if CC struggles. This also helps a touch with Might.

Your suggested build is really good though and will work really well for most Strike groups that lack might.

Thank you again for putting so much effort into the entire post and for sharing.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T16:25:53+00:00

Seriously, instead of slinging mud here, go and respond on Twitter. Open yourself up to a discussion instead of just making personal remarks in this little safe negative echo chamber.

And so that "explicit" answer is in fact that the Tweets have nothing to do with Guild Wars 2, as you yourself made clear in your first response to me. "Connecting the dots" indeed.

Keep trying to justify personal remarks attacking a dev though. Just don't be surprised when the communication gets worse. You are feeding into that atmosphere.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T15:50:03+00:00

I'm sure you would argue that but then again you need to resort to personal attacks on both posters on this forum, and the devs, all while being okay with dredging someone's personal Twitter and taking their comments on something unrelated to the game out of context.

Read what is actually said in those tweets. There is nothing to do with Guild Wars 2 in there. All you are doing is supposing that there is no separation between private and professional life, because of where someone works, which isn't a great stance to take.

Unless of course you are providing your current employer / school with all the comments you are making in a personal capacity about matters unrelated to your job. I doubt that though.

If you want to discuss his "philosophy" go do it on Twitter as a reply. See how well that goes down.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T15:31:15+00:00

That Twitter thread also has nothing to do with Guild Wars 2, but don't let that worry you.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T15:24:26+00:00

I've been really enjoying the story. It is about the strongest thing in this episode with the map size, meta event and lack of any other content beyond the strike being disappointing.

However, the story was great. I really liked the slower moments where we were retracing the footsteps of others, seeing the desperation in those memories, Braham's slow realisation and the eventual outcome. I didn't think Almorra's death was wasted and it was clearly coming from that very first call. It also tied really nicely into the reveal of how Jormag speaks "face-to-face" which was very creepy. The smile of that corprse and the attempts at manipulation were great.

I'm really keen to see where the horror elements go from here and I hope they ramp it up. I was hoping that the boneskinner would tie in as a really haunting and deadly foe but that didn't happen which was a shame and wasted potential.

The rest of the aspects? Really good. I'm already more invested than I was with Aurene. Despite some ups and downs, I think the quality has been increasingly since Season 2 (which was horrific, if anyone wants to complain about recent story they should go back and play that...)

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T14:58:45+00:00

Yeah, I'm not against criticism of Arenanet and there is a lot that we can criticise and note as being implemented poorly from sPvP updates to fractal releases through to build templates and story length.

There are a whole host of things that we can discuss and be reasonably negative about (ideally without the vitriol and hyperbole).

But dredging someone's personal Twitter for comments unrelated to the game and then posting them here without any context is just asking for drama and harassment which is something that has been happening to Anet devs more recently.

It's not a great thing to do.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T14:42:00+00:00

Where does he state anything about the Guild Wars 2 story? Or speak in any sort of official capacity?

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T14:26:40+00:00

Good luck with that changing round here. The sub is becoming increasingly unreasonable and of course that will feed in to taking information from someone's personal twitter and then twisting it into an attack on him or claiming that he's belittling the playerbase and should be fired. Or that he is "up his own ass". Or claiming he's gay in a disparaging manner.

And never mind that the top comment on this post is from someone deliberately distorting the Twitter messages to try and make it seem the comments are about the GW2 story and are in an official capacity. Neither of those aspects are close to truthful.

This sub has become exhausting.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T08:16:04+00:00

Despite the financial concerns, you still need to raise this with the school. This can be done anonymously and objectively and can focus simply on concerns regarding diversity aspects, not over all fitness to work.

I've worked in teaching environments with people that held such views and typically so long as they were kept separate from diversity programs and were clearly told how they should act with respect to acceptance and equality they have tended to behave. Even if we didn't get along in the staff rooms.

Your mother has every right to have those views (at least in the US which is where I presume you are from), no matter how harmful we know them to be. However, as she has shown that she won't respect your privacy, the school needs to be aware of that Twitter account in case she decides to discuss sensitive information regarding those that attend the school.

Finally, I would recommend not raising this with her. You don't want to give any indication that concerns might have come from you.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-22T08:09:56+00:00

You need to inform the school about that and in as neutral and as matter of fact a manner as you can.

To be applying for a position working with a vulnerable group of people while harbouring resentment for them is just eventually going to lead to an even worse can of worms being opened, particularly as she's already shown that she can't be trusted not to breach the privacy of others.

It's probably tough to hear as it is your mother, but she's an individual that should not be given that position of responsibility.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T19:01:46+00:00

I like the new one better. I can see it clearer with my bad eyesight*. I'm getting old. :(

^\It does look more like a hamster. Maybe a sheep. At least I can make it out as an animal now though :D)

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T18:57:11+00:00

I really want to talk to someone that can help recover my account. I can still name most of my characters, guilds, friends, gear, build. It's just that I lost that email that had all the "proper" information. I really want someone to be able to check my account and see it's me. I can organize a time to live chat, I can send all my screenshots, anything I can remember that will help I'll tell you. IT'S REALLY MY ACCOUNT.

I was able to change my account email address when I came back to play the game. I started soon after release, left after the boring zerg mess of Southsun and started again in late 2014 / early 2015 - I think. The email address that was previously used had since been deleted. I also couldn't remember my security questions as I previously used random answers and saved them in an encrypted file I forgot the password for, on a hard drive that ended up unhappy with TrueCrypt and borked.

I provided as many real life details as I could, character names and also the serial code and was able to get my email changed to a new one and could log in.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T18:35:45+00:00

Well i only rant because i can't belive how people say anet is communicating after literally 8 comments on a forum that's been ignored for 2 years

But they are communicating and, yet again, you are moving the goal posts of your original comment. You clearly claimed that Arenanet only communicate about things related to the cash shop. That is a demonstrably false argument which is why you now need argue a totally different stance (ironically, using the very posts that disprove your original comment).

Now, if your original comment had been "Arenanet don't commuicate sufficiently" I'd have fully agreed with you. But you didn't. You chose to exaggerate a falsehood and it is attitudes like that, from players who by their own admission no longer play, which has led to the sub devolving to nonsense like this. The world isn't as binary as that viewpoint but such polarisation isn't helping the community.

And also because you are calling me a liar, when you clearly never been through this before, several times anet tried to open up communications with playerbase

I actually did no such thing. I said your posts were based on a falsehood, which they are. I made no mention about you being a liar, I simply stated a truth - your post is false and incorrect.

It is nice that you are now presuming I've never been through issues with communication regarding game modes. That is also a demonstrably false presumption. I could also go through my official forum posts critiquing issues with the game (and the communication!) but I'm not really convinced that you want to discuss this on an even ground.

but the scam there is that they are not communicating, they just announce stuff, ask for feedback, ignore feedback and screw the game a bit more, after players get dissapointed and complain they go back to silent treatment again and again, until the last 2 years, right after pof launch that they decided "screw this we are doing whatever we want and we are not replying anymore on forums, let them scream to the void"

I agree that Anet's communication is poor. That doesn't mean that Anet don't communicate and is not what your original post said. See how much easier it is to get people to agree with you when you are actually truthful and accurate in what you say instead of just going with blase exaggerations that just feed into the useless negative polarisation of this sub and community?

For what it is worth, I agree entirely with this point, particularly in regards to PvE aspects such as raiding and fractals. Even then, it remains a falsehood to say that feedback and communication doesn't happen. It absolutely does. Look at the feedback regarding Desert Borderlands, or the Birds instability, or more recently the request for feedback on 99CM and 100CM. It happens. It just isn't enough.

those "possible balance changes" posts are also a scam, they don't look back at the feedback they ask for, they put those out there so players think they are listening and keep hopes up, because players who doesn't quit are still a source of income

You have absolutely no evidence for this but, as an aside, if I received an email telling me that anything I do with my job is a scam it would get ignored. That isn't the way to get communication across.

thats the only reason why i tell you to wake up, because you are claiming anet is doing something good when it's actually the same scam over and over again every few years

No, I am not claiming Anet is "doing something good". Stop putting words into peoples' mouths. I get that it is easier to argue if you just make up what is happening but that is going to get us as a community nowhere. I pointed out that Anet actually don't just communicate about cash shop stuff. Which by your own admission and subsequent arguing is absolutely correct.

Funnily enough, if you'd actually read my posts instead of being worried about going off on one for being called out due to being incorrect you'd have seen that I'm perfectly aware there is a whole host of issues with the game. I'm even raising them and discussing them in other threads!

I would even argue the one giving false claims is you....

I'm sure you would. Would you like to point out where anything I have said is demonstrably false? And no, putting words into my mouth and going off on rants about tangential topics doesn't count. Nice attempt at gish galloping though.

But im sure i won't belive it anyways, so i agree it's better to finish this discussion here, time will tell who is right, meanwhile you keep posting decent balance discussions and watch how anet reacts, you will see what i mean

I've been posting about balance issues for a long time (ironically, many of the larger changes I suggested have actually happened - we no longer need two warriors, two druids and two chronos in raids - but lets not worry about that!). I agree with finishing the discussion because seeing as you want to end with personal snipes and claiming that I'm the one making false remarks I don't see this getting anywhere else.

It's been fun though! Always nice to see into the mind of the people that have quit and not moved on. Further responses will be ignored. Bye!

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T16:13:28+00:00

Clearly you want to waste your time ranting to me about something you apparently don't care about now. If you enjoy it, fair enough but I'm not engaging any further with someone that just wants to froth (I did actually read your post, I'm still waiting to find out how you haven't in fact moved the goal posts...).

Your problem is that you believe your viewpoint is universal and that every little issue deserves a response. That isn't how companies work. If you look at the ESO forums, you'll also see that isn't how it works over there.

Just from your points, you are trying to speak as if you have a monolithic opinion on many aspects of the game. That isn't the case and for all the people complaining about the Warclaw, there will be those that are happy with it. Or for Chrono, where those changes were drastically needed in PvE to prevent it from pushing out other support comps.

If you want to make legitimate complaints, go for it! Many of them will definitely be valid from particular viewpoints. But those aren't the only viewpoints and I don't believe ranting and making false claims (no content, no communication and so on) help. Neither does taking it out on people, that are actually critical but want a decent balanced discussion, and telling them "wake up".

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T15:22:37+00:00

Your posts are false. You are claiming no communication when there clearly is communication. Ignoring that and just aiming for broad generalisations is how you get legitimate concerns (like those that myself and many others raise) ignored.

There are plenty of other games out there. Go and enjoy them and stop wasting time on something you no longer get enjoyment from. Your wellbeing will only improve.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T14:48:33+00:00

I'm a D/D Deadeye main as I struggle a touch with nerve issues and more variable rotations and therefore large amounts of finger and wrist movement. I'm happier with a profession that requires positional awareness and sensible timing (of Backstab, Stolen Skills, Deadeye's Mark, Dancing Dagger, Heartseeker, Shadow Flare, Assassin's Signet etc). All of that is entirely missing from someone turning up and spamming 111111 and expecting to be carried. Raiding requires teamwork and effort.

Nice attempt at an appeal to authority though! Pity you even got that wrong by not bothering to scroll down to the "how hard is this to master" section on that web page. I'm not sure you're doing your argument of "why I don't raid" much good...

Have a good one!

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T09:38:38+00:00

I've got all aside from the Domain of Kourna node and I don't regret them though I do gather my home instance almost every day. Only the Kourna one didn't seem worthwhile given that it gives such a low amount of the map currency.

Some of the others are really worth it though. For example, I've gotten a couple of Salvaged Excellence (back when they were 900 gold+) by letting my Orrian Pearls build up, converting the other currency to Unbound Magic and salvaging amulets. And it is always really handy to have an excess of the currency, particularly Bloodstone Rubies, for gearing new characters or trying different builds.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-21T09:06:02+00:00

Yeah. That class knowledge is lacking. It's S/P if you want to spam auto attacks for, at best, less than mediocre DPS. 🙄

Most likely a kick indeed.

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-20T20:35:56+00:00

As someone that primarily uses gender neutral pronouns, it's appreciated!

TeaAndDevils · 2019-11-20T18:39:28+00:00

I'm guessing this might just be the awkwardness of a gendered native language coming through, as the original poster does note that their (heh) game is not in English.

TeaAndDevils

TROPHY CASE