Please Read [How-To] Bugging Best Practices!

#1 - Sept. 6, 2012, 4:33 p.m.

Hi everyone!

To help us see and fix the issues you’re seeing in a timely manner, please keep to the following guidelines.

1. Follow the forum rules: Failing to do so can result in your post being deleted or closed.
2. Only post bugs: this forum is not for feedback, discussions, or questions about particular gameplay aspects, and every post that is not a bug detracts from time we could be spending looking into other issues.
3. Do not post more than one bug per thread: lists of bugs are not very helpful to us because we’re frequently sending thread links to specific people who may not be able to address the other bugs you’re reporting. Please make a separate thread for each bug you’re seeing. [edit] This is with the exception of a staff request for bugs to be consolidated.
4. Read the forums and search for existing issues before you post: Please use the search function or skim through the forums and see if your issue has already been reported. If you can add more detail to an existing thread, it’s much more helpful to us than creating a new one for the same issue.
5. Use descriptive bug titles: the more clear and relevant your bug title is to the actual bug, the higher the chance is that we’ll be able to follow up on it faster.
   I.e. bug titles like, “Please fix!” or “GAME BREAKING BUG!” tell us nothing about the actual bug you’re encountering. A good question to ask yourself is, “does my thread title summarize the specific issue I’m seeing?”
6. Describe the issue you’re encountering in detail: Providing information like the map you’re in, your character level, race, profession, and whether you’re in a group can significantly help us narrow down what’s causing the bug you’ve found. If you can reliably cause the bug you’re seeing to occur, let us know exactly how you did it!
7. Use spoiler tags where appropriate: when reporting story or dungeon bugs, please use the spoiler tags where appropriate. By enclosing the text that could ruin someone else’s experience with [spoiler][/spoiler] tags, it will black it out and prevent them from seeing it unless they roll their cursor over it.

Thanks for all the fish bugs and helping make Guild Wars 2 even better!

#2 - Nov. 1, 2012, 5:53 p.m.

As an addendum to the above guidelines, here are some additional points to consider before/while writing a bug report in this forum.

• Bots, Hacking, and Cheating Reports
  Do not report bots on the forums. If you see a bot in game, please use the in-game reporting feature by selecting the offending player, right-clicking on their character portrait, and selecting “Report Player.” These reports are sent directly to our Customer Support Specialists to investigate and handle. The same process applies to players who are hacking or cheating.

• Crashes and Crash Reports
  As a general rule, do not submit crash reports in the Game Bugs forum. Instead, when the crash report dialogue box comes up after your crash, please fill it out with any relevant details (i.e. what world you’re on, what profession you’re playing, what actions you were taking prior to the crash, etc.). These reports go directly to our programmers and help them identify what’s causing the issue. Most of the time, these crashes will be fixed for the next build before it’s even reported on the forums; that’s how fast our programmers are working!
  If you think you may be encountering a crash that is not gameplay related, then please post in the Tech Support forum.

• Disconnects
  If you are disconnected from the game, please post in the Tech Support forum. Most of the time, these issues will be caused by our servers – they are not Game Bugs. The only exception to this would be if you are able to consistently cause a disconnect by repeating certain actions, i.e. previewing a certain item or using a specific skill, in which case posting in the Game Bugs forum with specific steps on reproducing the issue would be appreciated.

• Stuck in Terrain/Under the World Bugs
  If you get stuck in the terrain or under the world, please provide a screenshot of the location before you enter the area, if possible. Videos showing how you encountered either of these types of bugs are even more helpful. It doesn’t help us nearly as much to know that you are able to get under the world or stuck in the terrain as how you are able to do so.

• Missing Items/Rewards
  If you are seeking the reimbursement or return of an item or reward you believe you should have received, please visit our support site for more assistance; we regularly post answers to commonly asked questions, and you also have the option to submit a ticket for further review.

#3 - May 31, 2013, 5:29 p.m.

Thanks to all of the players that post their bugs or help other players with their bugs. This is greatly appreciated and your posts are not going unnoticed. The issues are being looked at and ArenaNet wants the game to be as fun and bug-free as possible.
When posting in the bug forums, here are some things that will help us find and address your issue: one bug per thread, and searching for existing issues before starting a new thread. Also, the posts above in this thread have really good information on getting your issues into the right hands. Below is some information that can be included in your post that is very helpful to ArenaNet. Please include as much information as you can about the issue:
Descriptive Title (this also helps players search for and add to your thread)
-Server:
-Map/location:
-Character info(level, race, profession):
-How to reproduce issue:
+ A screenshot or video link

Please keep up the great posting!