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However, Pre-Searing characters have it rough. They’re locked out from the Guild Hall. You can’t “twink” them with money or top gear. TANK, as a level 1 Warrior, would have to fight very hard for upgrades. Simple things, like a decent sword and a shield, are something to fight for. I remember scrounging for iron ignots, just to forge a Rinblade. Oooohh… 10-14 damage. How uber! Yet, the 15-22 Glacial Blade puts the best pre-searing blades to shame. What are you supposed to do with this awesome power? A level 0 River Scale Tad falls in one hit from such a mighty weapon.

That’s when I started thinking. It sure would be nice to get the Defender of Ascalon title and the Protector of Ascalon title at the same time. Couldn’t both be achieved in Pre-Searing? I checked out the Guild Wars Wiki and I started reading up on these titles. How does one reach level 20… exclusively in pre-searing …without dying? Apparently, the two titles work against each other. To get the “Defender” title, you have to “death level” your way to the end.

What is death leveling? The monsters in Pre-Searing aren’t high enough level to raise your character to 20. Yet, monsters can gain experience points off of you. By allowing the monsters to kill you over and over, they will actually gain levels. Once the monster has been sufficiently leveled, you can kill it for more experience.

What madness! ArenaNet is rewarding players who kill themselves? That’s just poor game design. It can actually take months to death level too. I thought ArenaNet sought to eliminate tedious gameplay, but this is tedious and idiotic. Instead, ArenaNet should correct this insanity. They should add higher level monsters to pre-searing, so that players can properly get the Defender of Ascalon title.

Oh sure, I can buy a second account. I could create a character to die over and over, then I could send in TANK to reap the experience. TANK wouldn’t die, so he’d stillbe eligible for the Survivor title. Yet, that’s not something worthy of honor. That’s something evil! Imagine some poor Monk, being killed over and over again. It’s a terrible thought. These characters may be virtual, but that notion makes me cringe!

No, ArenaNet should do the right thing. They should add a hardmode to Pre-Searing, just as they have done for the rest of the game. Even adding a couple of high level Charr would be an improvement. With these awesome weapons now accessible to pre-searing character, it’s time to put them to good use.

After killing more enemies, and wandering around the area, I was in for a surprise. I had discovered a bridge, but it didn’t look like any bridge I had seen before. I couldn’t understand it. Where’s the stereotypical rope bridge, or ominous roman arches? No, ArenaNet doesn’t think that way. They’re more creative than that. I realized this, once I figured out what I was standing on. I was in the middle of two stone breasts. The statue in the distance, it crumbled to form a bridge.

At that point, my tunnel vision subsided. I stopped to examine this structure. I was impressed. ArenaNet has guts and creativity to put something like this in a video game? I don’t think I’ve ever walked through a pair of giant boobs before. It was quite a unique gaming experience. A seemingly insignificant map would impress me. My vivid dream, it had become something of a reality. If you haven’t completed your first 15-attribute quest, or if you started in another chapter, you might want to visit this map. Experience one of the most unique bridges ever seen in a video game.

Gaile: I don’t know, Mike. Do you really think it makes a difference? Do you think the judges weigh a game’s merit on gameplay, graphics, storyline, and the gorgeousness of the booth models?

Yes, yes I do. I cannot see it any other way. How else could an MMORPG with no monthly fee get completely snubbed? Unfortunately, ArenaNet did not have booth babes at the 2005 E3 either. Not surprisingly, ArenaNet did not win its fair share of awards. That is why I am beginning to wonder. Did ArenaNet come to the same conclusion as I did? Did they feel slighted? Did they flex their muscle in the gaming world? Did ArenaNet complain to the E3 people? Did ArenaNet petition for a game to be based on merit, not on flesh? Has the E3 been redefined to promote quality games? Did ArenaNet call for a Booth Babe Nerf?

Instead of being a rowdy party, it looks like this year’s event is going to be more professional. It looks like it’s going to be what it’s supposed to be – a way to promote the hottest games, not the hottest women.

With the leveled playing field, I would not be surprised if Guild Wars: Factions wins Game of the Year at the 2006 E3. Yet, at what cost? Think of those poor aspiring models. Think of all those perky young women. They will lose out on some extra spending cash. Think of all the lonely geeks. They won’t get to have their picture taken with a beautiful woman.

Guild Wars is about competition and victory. Have the founders gone too far? Are they behind this? Did they have a hand in changing the E3? If so, then this is ultimately my fault. I’m really REALLY SORRY! I wanted ArenaNet to have scantly clad women at the NCsoft booth. I had no idea that things would turn out this way. Scantly clad women was part of E3. It was like Christmas in May. Now, the E3 as we know it may forever be changed. Overtime, the E3 could grow into a stuffy, corporate event. That would be a tragedy. Once again, if this is my fault, I’m sorry.