The Relics team talks masteries and stronghold previews.
Bramble Patch:
IGN Exclusive - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SSed8tYnek
DINOSAURS BASICALLY
but also zone flyovers
There are mushrooms you can interact in Maguuma Jungle that will offer you access to new areas or better vantage points
New NPC races, one of them is the Itzel. Learn their language to unlock things with them such as vendors, special combat abilities that can help you overcome obstacles, and collections.
Mastery content can be used outside the new zones, including Fractal of the Mists.
Mushroom jumping and Gliding will both be mastery abilities
Blogpost: Into the Heart of Maguuma (https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/journey-into-the-heart-of-maguuma-in-guild-wars-2-heart-of-thorns/)
Outposts: New system around which events are structured
closest in game approximation is the forts at Silverwastes, but again better
Lots of dynamic event chains, and their success is tied directly to the success of the second phase of each map
ex: Laranthir and the Pale Reavers are going to become central characters
Mordrem wyverns - the farther you push Laranthir and co. the higher chance you’ll have to see a wyvern
outposts have several levels of strength
Adventures: any activity, minigame, or challenge you can imagine
they have their own ui, and are challenging, ex: timed JPs
scored performance and leaderboards
may be able to work with other players
returning events we heard about before launch?
if you find an adventure that is not available you will be given instructions on how to access it
Challenging content:
Challenging group encounters to come, but not ready to talk about yet
First look at HoT Play on POI
Previewed adventures
Verdant Brink NW of Dry Top
The map objectives are working really well so they want to keep rolling with them
During the day you build defenses, capture areas, and gather supplies to prepare for the night Mordrem assault
only 50% of queensdale events were about the humans vs centaurs fight
There are sub-factions and characters in outposts and they will keep moving throughout the zones so you get to learn their story
capturing an outpost will last an hour+ for a more permanent feel
doing more events around a captured outpost will unlock waypoints, adventures, resource farms, etc.
Adventures
The successor to hearts, meant to challenge the way you play
Shooting gallery, jumping puzzles, races
Personal repeatable challenges w/ leaderboards
masteries help beat them
you can restart them instantly
fewer maps with HoT but really in depth ones
Revenant Icon
Warrior F2 Skill?
New event/patch - Year of the Ram?
“Defiant Bar”
WvW may be excluded from Map Completion
Bonus episode of POI Wednesday to show masteries and hang gliding and mushroom jumping
Blogpost: Masteries Reimagined - http://dulfy.net/2015/02/05/gw2-reimaging-progression-the-mastery-system/
Masteries are unlocked at level 80 - changes your XP bar and displays the Mastery level instead of your actual level on your nameplate
Level 80 characters won’t get skill points anymore, but more will be added to the world to compensate
Mastery points will be found all over, personal story completion, map completion, challenges, exploration
Can be gained before 80 but not spent til 80
Some mastery points will be awarded retroactively
Master Lore: Attunement with new ally races can be trained to understand their language, unlocking secret locations and access to battle techniques that can weaken your shared enemies.
Master Legends: Train in legendary crafting to learn to create all existing legendary weapon precursors and new legendary weapon precursors introduced with Heart of Thorns.
Master Exploration: Mastering jungle movement will unlock the ability to hang glide to previously unreachable locations as well as the ability to use special mushrooms to traverse the Heart of Maguuma faster.
Master Combat: The Heart of Maguuma will be home to some of the most challenging combat inGuild Wars 2, and Masteries will give you the tools you need to excel in these fights. Hunt new enemies, master abilities to defeat champions, and become more deadly against the new creatures waiting in the jungle.
Master Fractals: Uncover new depths in the Fractals of the Mists to gain powerful new abilities to overcome difficult fractal challenges, garner greater rewards, and unlock more powerful infusions.
When you train the Gliding Mastery, however, you’ll have the option to soar freely through the treetops, escape the dangers that await you on the jungle floor, use the air to your advantage in combat against certain foes, and save yourself from accidental death by slipping.
Once you’ve unlocked the Gliding Mastery track, you can pull out your glider any time you’re in free fall in the Heart of Maguuma. When you first pull out your glider, you’ll notice that you have a limited amount of energy while in the air. Be careful—if you run out of energy while gliding, your glider will collapse and you’ll be in for a rough landing!
Stronghold sPvP Format to be Previewed at PAX East
http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/2uluqo/psa_a_preview_of_the_new_pvp_gamemode_stronghold/
