Chapter 4 - Home Theme - Page 4

Fay Vert · 29-10-2006, 23:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalidri

Let me tell you about California. When I was a kid there were rolling hills, oak trees and wildflowers as far as you could see. Then progress happened and those things are gone and under thousands of houses. For me presearing is like my childhood. Fond memories and sweetness, but you can't go back. In a way its like searing is how you grow up.

Isn't this the very essence of why we love fantasy? Because after all the hardships, challenges and monsters, we can go back there, at least in a game?

thetoe · 30-10-2006, 00:17

I loved Pre-Searing and long to go back. I often find myself day dreaming about the first night I logged into GW with a friend, just running through trails and orchards amazed at the waterfalls and the way the light came through the canopy of the trees. No other area of GW has gave me that same feeling. I think if they could incorporate something into the story line like the summoning of a time portal for the purpose of preventing the char from the searing but you somehow had to keep going further back in time to other distant lands.

I totally agree with the OP here. Im a purist, I want dragons and castles and I want to see the places of fantasies.

Monaghan · 30-10-2006, 00:23

Quote:

I totally agree with the OP here. Im a purist, I want dragons and castles and I want to see the places of fantasies.

and there are an endless (literally) number of games that cater to exactly that. If you started at birth, you couldn't play through every sword and sorcery game that has been made before you died if you lived to be 100 years old.

thetoe · 30-10-2006, 00:25

I want the GW flavor. Pre-searing captured it perfectly and I want it back!

Monaghan · 30-10-2006, 00:31

how can you say that a portion of the game that doesnt even constitute one tenth of the games content (counting all three games) is "the GW flavor"? Pre-Searing is the same thing we've seen in every fantasy RPG since these have started being made. Yes, I had fun with it, but I left as soon as I had done every quest because I wanted something at least sort of original and different feeling.

djxiii · 30-10-2006, 00:40

I think that a lot of what spurs these Pre-searing warm fuzzies is the fact that we can't go back there. "You can never go home." The saying goes, and starting a new character doesn't cure that longing in quite the same way. For each Prophesies-born character, the Searing cuts us off from that starting point in a way that the characters from other campaigns never are.

That said, I love the environments in Shing Jea and Istan and I'm glad my characters can return there when they want to. Ascalon before the Searing is, however, still my wistful favourite.

and now a poem.

I stood in Stormcaller's rain
watching Rin burn
My Prince, My Prince
said all was lost
and lead me far away
in ice and snow
I lost My Prince
and never saw home again.

Teana Zarahemla - the red-bound journal 1073 ae

Tinnic · 30-10-2006, 01:26

I am big Tolkien fan and I have also read and love Ivanhoe, King Arthur etc. But despite all that pre-searing all failed to hold my interest. I mean in many ways it did look like a place out of Ivanhoe but it was TOO much like something out of Ivanhoe and a lot like two hundred other medieval themed games out there. Not to mention that in Tolkien terms in reminded me of the Shire. The Shire didn't have adventures until it was invaded i.e. post searing. So why would I want to be there if what I want to do is adventure?

So no I really don't want chapter 4 to have a pre-searing theme to it. What I want to do is go to the Seer's home world in chapter 4. Now that would be interesting.

As for Factions, I loved pretty much everything about faction. Running around the Imperial city I could picture myself back in ancient china. The luxon and Shin Jea felt more like Japan and I loved that. It felt like I was in an anime! As for the Kurzicks... their areas reminded me of Doriath from Silmarillion and that was really, really cool.

Bananko · 30-10-2006, 01:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinnic

But despite all that pre-searing all failed to hold my interest.

While I disagree that pre-Searing was boring, what we have to realize is that pre-Searing was basically one huge tutorial. It wasn't meant to have much going on in it until the Searing.

ArenaNet can design just as moving and epic a storyline and gameplay for a pre-Searing Ascalon-like themed portion of the gameworld as it did for the first three Chapters.

thetoe · 30-10-2006, 01:49

I just really liked the feel of it and wish that they would use the same kind of enviornment in the future. Another thing I wish....More huges instances like UW FoW. They could sell an entire expansion with nothing but "dungeons" or other large instances.

**Gmr Leon** · 30-10-2006, 02:08

Personally I don't really care what the next chapter's theme is. Sure, I have my hopes like everyone else, but will I let that blind me to the obvious great things introduced to my eyes? No. No I shall not.