Reserve Your Guild Wars Character Name for Guild Wars 2 by July 31 - Guild Wars 1 players log into Guild Wars 1 to reserve those character's name for Guild Wars 2.

I'm planning new names. I did make two GW1 characters just to save the names for GW2.

Ahhhh I see you thought ahead.

For all five races you start out facing some kind of boss monster. In keeping with the different attitudes of the races this act receives slightly differing responses from your people.

For humans you will be respectfully addressed by other honorable humans, including guardian Captain Logan Thackeray, a leader of the Saraph, the Queen's personal champion and former member of Destiny's Edge, as the "Hero of Shaemoor".

For norn you will be respectfully addressed by other heroic norn, including Eir Stegalkin, a great norn sculptor, ranger with pet wolf and founder of Destiny's Edge, as "the Slayer of Issormir" or just "Slayer".

For sylvari you will be respectfully addressed by other sylvari, including first born Caithe, a thief born to cycle of night, the only other sylvari to feel the call to confront Zaihtan the elder dragon head on, former member of Destiny's Edge, as "Valiant" (a title given to sylvari who hava a Wyld Hunt, most do not).

Charr are different. How other charr respond to you depends on your legion. If you chose Ash Legion, you are respected for surviving the battle that killed your commanding officer and promoted to his position. On the other hand, if you are Blood Legion, your commanding officer despises you for surviving, and you consider him a coward and a fool for splitting his forces. You will have to challenge him to personal combat to take his place. I don't know what happens with Iron Legion. But I believe in all three cases you ultimately gain the rank of "Legionnaire". Which ever legion you are Rytlock Brimstone, Tribune of the Blood Legion, a formidable warrior and former member of Destiny's Edge, will respect you for you part in the battle.

I haven't played asura so I don't know about them yet, however I wouldn't be surprised if you get no respect from Zojja, elementalist and former member of Destiny's Edge, just because asura are sarcastic and all always trying to show up each other.

Telling Stories – From Global to Personal and Back Again

Thanks Guybrush!

Character names will be reserved for 24 hours after a character is deleted. I expect lots of characters will be created on the first day with default appearance just to save the names. Then deleted and remade later.

It's good that they are reserving them.

Video: The Pillars of Guild Wars 2 Gameplay - 4 videos

Impressive! Thanks Guybrush

Link Round Up – Post Beta Edition

Thanks Guybrush, lots of info there

The human Ronan, found, carried off and planted a strange seed over the graves of his family, murdered by mursaat. Ventari the centaur had long ago sworn off war when he met the human Ronan. Though their races were enemies, the human and the centaur became friends. When Ronan died of old age, Ventari buried him beneath the tree. Ventari carved his 7 core beliefs into a tablet of stone. Although the tree could not communicate with either the man or the centaur, she understood them. When Ventari died his tablet was left beneath the tree. Centuries later the Pale Tree produced her first 12 children, the firstborn sylvari. Finding Ventari's Tablet they tried to follow its teachings. What are those teachings:

I. Live life well, and fully, and waste nothing.
II. Do not fear Difficulty, hard ground makes strong roots.
III. The only lasting peace is the peace within your soul.
IV. All things have a right to grow. The blossom is brother to the weed.
V. Never leave a wrong to ripen into evil or sorrow.
VI. Act with wisdom, but act.
VII. From the smallest blade of grass to the largest mountain, where life goes- so too, should you.

When you create a sylvari character you will be asked to choose one from three of those, number IV, VI or VII as the one you believe is the most important. This choice will determine what the second part of your personal story (begins with 6th quest) is. The first part (covered in 5 quests) is decided by what you choose for what you see in the Dream. I don't know yet if the third question asked sylvari at creation (what time of day where you born) effects your personal story or not.

Not all sylvari wish to follow Ventari's teachings. A small but dangerous minority have joined the Nightmare Court, founded by a second born sylvari, but currently led by one of the 12 firstborn, which teaches that the tablet is limiting the sylvari and they seek to corrupt the Pale Tree with nightmares. Caithe, one of the first born, claims once a sylvari turns to Nightmare it can't be turned back (she's tried to turn firstborn Faolain back and failed). The Pale Tree mourns for her lost children (said to be 10-15% of the sylvari).

There are also sylvari who have no Dream or have chosen for reasons of their own to separate themselves from the Pale Tree (but do not seek to harm it), the other sylvari call them "soundless". The good sylvari don't consider them enemies however (I think player characters are meant to feel pity for them), the evil ones prey on them.

Although their "gods' have been silent for a century and a half the humans of Guild Wars 2 era actually attribute more areas of responsibility to them not less.

GW1 time:
Dwayna was considered goddess of life and air. Said to be leader of the gods.
Lyssa twin goddess of beauty and chaos, according to the humans.
Melandru goddess of earth and nature. Even the charr had a legend of her creating Tyria.
Balthazar, god of war and fire.
Grenth, god of death and ice.
Abaddon, god of secrets and water. Forgotten by most humans until Nightfall.
Kormir - formal mortal who took Abbadon's power and knowledge but not his personality after the god's defeat at the hand of mere mortals. Considered the goddess of truth.

GW2 time:
Dwayna is now considered goddess of healing, air and life.
Lyssa, now considered goddess of beauty, water and illusion.
Melandru, now considered goddess of nature, earth and growth.
Belthazar now considered god of war, fire, and challenge. The Zaishen Order claims the portal to the Mists, now in Lion's Arch (wasn't there in GW1 time) was opened by Balthazar.
Grenth, now considered god of darkness, ice and death.
Kormir is now thought of as goddess of order, spirit, and truth. Notice she gained two areas of responsibility not just one.
Abaddon is dead and therefore irrelevant. (Developers have said he is NOT coming back.)

There are of course NPCs who believe the "gods" have abandoned humanity.

Thanks Guybrush, those are interesting changes

Jeff Grubb and Ree Soesbee on Creating the Emotional Connection in MMOs

Interesting article Guybrush. Thanks for sharing!

Ana

Guild Wars 2 official site redisgned - it now resembles the official forum page. The graphic now alternates between a launch date reminder and a countdown for headstart (3 days early) for those who pre-purchased (still available as of today).

I'm not posting a link to it, but there is a website selling computer cases with Guild Wars 2 art on the side. I thinks its absurd $200 for a case with images you could download off the web for free. I wish I had $200 to waste on the outside of the computer. If I build that new computer I'm not spending even $100 on the shell. I'm not buying a Guild War 2 mouse either.

Thanks Guybrush, how is that new computer coming?

Haven't ordered one yet. The more help I get the more confused I actually get. I'm waiting for Arenanet to optimize the game and hopefully announce recommended stats, not just required (which currently have note that they are subject to change).

Stress test Thursday 12:00 noon Pacific to 4:00 PM Pacific. For me that's 2pm to 6pm.

World vs World video on Youtube

Edit: webstie counter to headstart is bugged. Its counting down to noon on the 25th but Arenanet has posted on Facebook and Twitter that it starts at midnight.

Thanks Guybrush. I hope the test goes well, revealing all the likely bugs so the launch goes smoothly.

They made changes while the game was running. So I got to see how GW2 handles a new build while playing. GW1 just tells you there is a new build and suggests you log off and back in to get it. GW2 tells you the game will reset in 3 minutes and if you don't log off it does it for you.

Nevermind timer still broken.

The Envelope Please: Announcing the Winners of the Moment to Moment Screenshot Contest - no I did not enter.

That art is gorgeous!