Server Migration

The migration process to the new hardware is now complete and most services are running again.

Server Migration

Currently in progress. Estamated down time 60 - 120 mins from this post.

Game server downtime

On February 17, 2015 between 08:00 and 02:00 UTC the game server will be offline while it gets migrated to new hardware. The expected down time is to be around 40 mins.

Only game servers will be effected:

• Arma 3
• Minecraft
• Forge - Alpha
• Starbound
• Jedi Knight 2
• Teamspeak 3

This is simlar to the other update a few weeks back that got delayed.

Website will not be affected during this migration.

Heart of Thorns - Stronghold trailer

Heart of Thorns: First look at Maguuma jungle

Frontier: Elite 2 Intro

Seamless planetary landings in 1993, Over 20 years later and Elite Dangerous still doesn't have this but maybe soon.

Guildwars 2 Expansion: Heart of Thorns

Only bad news No playable Skrit =(

New Features:

• Mastery System
• New Zones
• Gliders
• Class Profession Specializations
• New Class Profession - The Revenant
• Guild Halls
• New PVP Gamemode - Stronghold
• New WvW Borderland

Other features:

• NO LEVEL INCRESS
• NO INVALIDING GEAR
• A way to get precursors that doesn't rely on RNG

This seems like a expansion in the form of Eye of the North. One which is intended for max level characters. A proper extension of the game. Not increasing the level cap or forcing me to grind new gear is what I am talking about. This is fantastic as they said, this won't invalid the current world.

You get to 80, then you can go to the jungle to do more horizontal progression on your character.

 Profession Specializations lets your character use a new weapon. The 3 shown are Rangers get staff and can become druids, Necromancers get greatswords ( Pudding is excited ) and Engineers get Hammers which they should have always had.

The whole feeling for this expansion to me is Arena.net adding more Guildwars 1 into the game.

The only disappointment is the lack of new races. The effort to add one though would have taken focus away from what they are trying to do. Which is add brand new challenges and 'end game' to the players. A new race would have required ether them recording brand new dialog for the personal story of GW2 and injecting them into it or creating a new 1 - 80 level up experience from that races perspective.

So did the hype train pull up to expectation station, for me it did. I am very excited about what is to come.

Full details on the expansion can be found here:

https://heartofthorns.guildwars2.com/en