ArenaNet talks about their vision for story in the world of Tyria

If you've played Guild Wars 2, you're well aware how dynamic events contribute to the feel of a living, breathing world. Well, the folks at ArenaNet have even more sinister plans to draw you into the story of Tyria! ArenaNet's Angel McCoy recently gave players a treat in a new dev blog all about what they call "The Living Story."

First of all, just what is this "Living Story" of which she speaks? Good question:

The job of the Living Story team is to bring the world to life. On an ongoing basis, we’ll spin out story threads that will introduce you to new heroic characters, mysterious plot twists, and dramatic moments that affect the world. You’ll discover new dynamic events—some that will change Tyria—and you’ll have the opportunity to take part in history in the making.

McCoy was quick to point out that "The Living Story" is different from holiday events "because it’s based around an evolving storyline rather than a single festival. We’ll begin by introducing plotlines in our regular game releases. In this way, you may only get a portion of the story now—a taste, a nibble, a prelude— but as the story unfolds, you’ll get meatier content and get a chance to solve the mysteries we introduce earlier. We’re in it for the long term, and we hope you will be too."

The recently released content patch Flame and Frost: Prelude is just the first taste of a story arc that will continue over the span of several months, with both one-time events and persistent content.

Any fan of the MMO genre has to recognize what ArenaNet is attempting here as a bold step forward in creating a believable world with presence and character. I can't wait to see what the future holds. Click through for the full read.

Bill "Lethality" Leonard