January 2, 2014

  • Today, I have finally accomplished my long-term goal of putting together Sunrise, my very first legendary. I have been playing since release, have over 3,500 hours played, gained over 13,700 achievement points, got to level 50 fractals (higher before the reset), and have seen hundreds of gold come and go. And I finally, only just now, finished my very first legendary.
    When I began this quest a year ago, I made a vow: I would never buy any of the components of my legendary off of the trading post. Every single lodestone, every T6 crafting material, every last glob of ectoplasm, every bit of ore has to be farmed from drops or salvaged from rares that I got from drops or mined. The only other possibility to components that contributed to my legendary would be gifts that I would accept from friends. That way, when I finally hold Sunrise in my hands, it will always be a symbol of my accomplishment resulting from my hard work, dedication, perseverance, and the dear friends who supported me towards my goals and dreams. (That's also why I was also never the kind of guy who would shamelessly ask in map or guild for donations, but instead was very selective about who I was willing to accept gifts from. Sunrise is special to me, and so are the friends who were by my side.)

    I knew the process would be long and hard, but I never anticipated how much. I got a lot of the components the hard way. I got the badges of honor when they were better known as badges of jumping, before they tossed them at you like candy at a parade for achievement poitns. I remember being 'time gated' by mystic coins because I couldn't buy them off the trading post. When the account wallet came live, I consecrated all of the gold for my icy runestones that I had farmed via CoF p1 (before the nerf) or other means by putting it into a personal guild bank.
    In the beginning when I ran into the occasional person who actually had a legendary, I would sometimes stop them and chat with them, ask them about the process and ask them for advice. As more of my friends attained their legendaries, I cheered for them, as I had expected that I wouldn't get mine until way later. As more and more people got their legendaries, that initial excitement and joy for others became commonplace, and eventually that feeling became discouraging. Logging on felt like a chore, my legendary seemed so far away, and even if I did get it, what was the point? It seems like everybody has Sunrise nowadays. I can't really say I was tempted, but I was definitely frustrated- I felt like my hands were tied; I had the resources, but I couldn't compromise my vow. My more hardcore gamer buddies started to look at me like some odd bird, for not having a legendary. But I pressed forward. It wasn't about being first or being special or not following the crowd or purposely trying to be different. I set a goal, and I pressed for it. I owed it to myself, and to those who supported me, those friends who believe in me.
    And now, at long last, I have my legendary. Maybe I will become busy with life, maybe I will get drawn into another game, and maybe I won't always play GW2 as avidly as I do now; but I really do love the game, and I believe in the developers' passion and vision to make GW2 the best mmo that endures through time. Perhaps there will come a day when I have not logged onto GW2 for months, and I'm feeling particularly low or discouraged, and I need a break- so I sign on (this wonderful, no-subscription fee MMO), and I run around and I wave my Sunrise around, and I will be reminded that I have the determination and ability to accomplish my goals, that I am not alone, and that there are people in my life who care about me and support me and want me to succeed.

    So, for this new year, I hold my new legendary. A reminder of fond memories shared with cherished friends, those who stood by my side, and my own perseverance. Sunrise, the symbol of hope and optimism for whatever joy and challenges and surprises this new year, and all the years after, may bring: