Over at the Guild Wars site, NCSoft has just posted the latest issue of the Scribe where they talk about the Balthazar priests' experiment in Heroes' Ascent.

According to the Scribe, the Priests of Balthazar will be implementing various changes to Heroes' Ascent within the next few weeks. Not to worry though, the priests promise to execute their plans first on a temporary basis to give the citizens the chance to voice out their opinions about the changes being made.

The priests won't divulge any specific details about these changes but they highly encourage combatants to opine on the changes they'll make so that they'll be able to make the necessary adjustments before the Priests of Balthazar make their final verdict.

The priests have also vowed to consider all opinions given to them so citizens need not worry that they won't be informed regarding the changes that'll soon take place. However, this "test" will only be in place for a limited time, so adventurers are advised to head on to the Battle Isles soon and participate in the discussions and debates.

Over at the Guild Wars site, they have posted up an article on everything you need to know about the Observer Mode, an Observer Mode 101 if you will. So if you're curious as to how those top guilds were able to get to the top rung and snag prizes and the prestige, you might wanna check this out. There are also general tips on how to learn from observing and how you can maximize this learning potential to cause damage to your opponents.

The first thing the article covers is how the UI can be navigated for watching GvG (Guild-versus-Guild) matches in Guild Wars. Here are the tips they gave out:

*Auto Camera - moves the camera slowly to targets engaged in the main fight. This is used best for hands-free operation, but can pose restrictions to players who want more control.
*The Score Chart also works in Observer Mode. Press "O" to see the morale and Health of both teams.
*Multiple copies of the party window can be opened up, simply press "P," then click the icon at the top of the window to open another one. To switch between different sides, just click the icon at the top of an opened party window. You can use this in Heroes' Ascent to keep tabs on more than one team.     
*Clicking on a player moves your camera to that player. You can view the skills they use but you won't be able to see their target. Their Energy, armor, items, and exact Health also remain hidden.     
*The 'U map' also works in Observer Mode and shows you additional fixed points where you can move your camera. Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom the map in or out.

The article also gives Observer tips according to position, so whether you want to observe a monk, mesmer, warrior, ranger, elementalist, or necromancer, there are tips on how to maximize your Observer Mode experience and go about studying players of each profession. If you're in dire need of tips and find yourself wondering how other players just seem to know exactly what to do, the Observer Mode 101 could prove to be a good and useful read for you. Simply click on the link below for more.

Just when you thought it was safe to come out of your hidey-hole, Guild Wars gives everyone another welcome surprise. While they've postponed Green Drop Weekend for next week, they have decided to make it worth your while by giving us something else we want.

Becoming king. Of a hill. Of heroes.

Yes, you sword-swinging weed whackers and spell-slinging bush bashers! You can beat the stuffing out of even more people as they turn the Heroes' Ascent PVP event into a permanent staple of the game. No doubt due to user feedback, they've decided to keep it as an additional field for fighting, converting it into a 6x6 PVP slugfest. This change should be taking effect on Friday, so stay sharp.

That being said, since Green Drop Weekend is taking a break for a little while, they've also decided to work on making it even more worthwhile for the people who don't like PVP. They'll be informing everyone of their tweaks to GDW next week, so keep a close eye on your friends and enemies, and stake out your camping spots.

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One of the few known portals between Tyria and the Underworld, Heroes' Ascent will have more than people seeking an audience with the spirits of legendary warriors long dead this Labor Day.

Starting September 1st until noon of September 5th, participants will face off in a battle against each other in smaller teams of six members, allowing them to gain double fame as they do. So if you think you're brave enough, gear up (or guild up?) and see you at Heroes Ascent.

Great news for Guild Wars players!

In an attempt to make the most out of Labor Day Weekend, they'll be offering double fame for the Heroes' Ascent event. Sure, it takes a while to get through this particular mission (hour after hour... so draining), but with double fame, it should be worth your time.

One other wrinkle in this special event is that you won't play with 8 players. For the special Heroes' Ascent event, you'll be fighting in groups of six. For large guilds, this would be quite good... but this might lead to a lot of arguing for smaller groups, who already have eight people set up for these kinds of events.

Nevertheless, there are workarounds. The whole Heroes' Ascent double fame event will be four days long, starting from Noon of September 1st (PDT time) to Noon of September 5th (PDT time). You and your friends can work in shifts to farm fame, if you're really up for that kind of intense warfare.

To all our Guild Wars-playing readers, enjoy the weekend, and may you live in interesting times.