I haven’t had the chance to really get into Guild Wars yet and now that I’m waiting for Lord of the Rings Online in the mail and need some precious hard drive space back, I probably won’t for a long while. I’ve come to a revelation about it, though, after having played a bit through the first few quests and reading extensively about it. It is not a game for the terminally shy.
Yes, yes, everything other than towns are instanced, so you can work in isolation. Eventually, you get AI-controlled characters to help you out. Great for shy people like me, right? Not so much. I am shy around people, not apathetic. There’s a difference. I don’t mind socializing; I just have trouble doing so. If someone else initializes the interaction, though, it’s much easier. If someone waves at me, I will wave back. If people whisper me to do a instance, I will accept unless I’m logging off soon or have my attention mostly elsewhere. If someone nearby is obviously doing the same quest and offers to group with me, I will accept. If someone sees me die three times and offers to help me, I thank that person profusely and accept.
No one will be coincidentally doing the same quest I am in Guild Wars. It’s either approach a person in town who announces he’s doing such a quest or announce it myself, both of which would require much more courage on my part. No one will see me die three times and offer to help. In fact, no one will see me die at all. No one will run over and help me beat a bear to a pulp because I was obviously on the losing end of that battle. No one will be around to see such a foolish fight. While it may save my ego to die in isolation, I’d much prefer the help that I was too shy to ask for.
Whether or not Guild Wars is an enjoyable game, however, is an entirely different matter. Alone or not, I do have fun running through the gorgeous scenery and listening to the incredible ambient sounds, occasionally raining fire down upon monsters.
