Project Tyria

Amazing savings on the original Guild Wars on steam right now for the Autumn Steam Sale. If you've ever wanted to try out the original and gone ".... nah" at the 40 bucks price tag then this is the time. Sales don't come around often for this game, and especially not one this large. GW1 is a great game on its own merit, but for GW2 people, if you link your accounts you can earn skins and titles and achievement points from doing stuff in GW1! Details on what you can earn is here: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Eye_of_the_North_(instance)

A few things I should point out:

If you play GW2 through steam you cannot link a GW1 account to your steam gw2 account, sorry. You'll still have a great game to play! But can't earn rewards to move over.

No such thing as a "GW1 steam account" it's just.... part of your anet account. So don't worry about the above in reverse

Eye of the north is needed for the HoM rewards and you need a base game to add eye of the north to, so you will need to own the Trilogy, or a stand-alone campaign (Prophecies, Factions, or Nightfall). Considering the trilogy is this cheap, no point going after just one campaign.

For the love of Dwayna, play the game for the game first of all, then worry about Hall of Monuments rewards later.

This is a very very very very different game to GW2 or any typical MMO. (GW1 is not an MMO anyway, it's a COORPG, Co-operative online roleplaying game). It's old, it shows its age. You can't jump, don't worry, you'll get over it.

I highly recommend starting a character in each of the campaigns so you can see the starting story as it were, then when you get to the point where you can travel to the other lands you'll have some idea which of those 3 characters you want to play on.

You will actually have to play the game to get gw2 rewards. I know this sounds silly for me to say, but I've seen my fair share of people buy the game and go "how do I get my stuff. what, I have to *play* this?"

Be patient with it, it's old and crinkly in parts, but it's a great game. <3 And seeing all the original stuff and going "I've been there in the future!" is always fun.

GW1 has a wiki just as great as the GW2 wiki. A lot of passionate people put time in it and like the gw2 wiki it's a massive community labour of love.

Before, after, and now.

GW1 (2006) // GW2 (2019)

The Hidden City of Ahdashim

The legendary hidden home of the djinn is a well-known bastion of safety, if one can find it and gain access. The djinn have held it and kept sanctuary there for longer than anyone knows. In 1075 AE its inhabitants ignored the Nightfall merging of Abaddon’s realm with reality, and after that, was untouched by the long and deathly reign of Palawa Joko. 

In modern times, however, the city was encroached on by Kralkatorrik’s brand as it rained down over Vabbi, and then formally breached by former fire djinn Qadim in 1332 AE in an indignant rampage. Most djinn caught there were slaughtered, including two elemental cardinals, resulting in the reshaping of the magical power structure to split more evenly and fairly, and be less vulnerable in the future. 

The fabled immense, glittering, guarded treasure room was not seen in the raid. 

GW1 (2006) // GW2 (2017)

Domain of Vabbi (Part 2)

The destruction of the one-proud region of Vabbi is both complete and varied. Kodash Bazaar retained its name and was built up further over the centuries, and made into a jewel of Joko’s kingdom, then struck through by the Brand. 

The Grand Court of Sebelkeh was possibly the grandest temple in the world, floating high above twirling planters and the lake oasis for which the Mirror of Lyss was named. The formerly golden statue stands blackened and the basilica stays afloat, just, washed with purple crystal. 

GW1 (2006) // GW2 (2017)

Domain of Vabbi (Part 1)

Vabbi was once synonymous with opulence and riches in Elona, and the centre of culture of the region. The double whammy of Joko’s reign and then a very thorough branding leaves this eastern portion an uninhabited wreck. 

Towns once lived in are broken open, dotted with Joko statues, flooded with sand, and subject to constant lightning strikes from the storm Kralkatorrik left behind. 

Then & Now 

Temple of Grenth 

Gandara, the Moon Fortress

Then & Now

Then & Now

Continuing my ‘same locations, 250 years apart’ thing

Kourna and the Sunspear Sanctuary