Character balancing:
If PopCap genuinely want this game to move forward in the same way that GW1 did then I'm starting to feel that it's time they should consider pulling one or two of the community members to one side and having a proper (non-forum) discussion about how they can address everything that is seemingly making GW2 not the game everyone hoped it would be.
Balancing isn't my thing but looking through the various posts it's clear to see that certain people really do understand the intricacies of fine tuning characters and have spent a great deal of time and effort laying out every meticulous detail for all to see -not for the benefit of themselves or to satisfy their own ego's, but for the benefit of the developers and for the love of the game. If you take out the ten-a-penny random moaners who simply post because they can no longer dominate with their favourite character then you're left with a select few who obviously play the game enough to generate a non-biased opinion as to the pros and cons of every single character GW2 has to offer. It's blatantly obvious who these people are (the forum posts kind of give that away) and looking at it from a logical point of view, considering the thoughts and opinions of these people is a far more sensible approach than simply hoping for the best with the trial and error approach that seems to have been adopted.
Gameplay with balancing issues put to one side:
Map size and layout has been well discussed from day one and although it's fair to say that changing core elements is probably a non-viable option, raised concerns of these original maps could easily have be addressed when designing future additions for the game. GW2 has been blessed with two such updates since launch and my personal feeling is that both these additions haven't really enhanced the quality of gameplay in a way that they could have - or should have. Aqua centre is just a poor map and although Zombopolis is actually quite pleasing to look at, it's broken exactly the same rules as all those locations that have gone before it - in the sense that it's simply too big and too poorly laid out for the purpose it was designed for. Again, PopCap were in an ideal position to take advantage of gamer feedback and create something really exciting but chose to completely overlook these concerns by simply releasing content they deemed appropriate. Ok, so everything is free and we should be happy for the loyalty displayed - but in all honesty I would sooner pay for community influenced maps as opposed to free content that's simply added to make a game look bigger and more appealing. If a gamer is left with the same old game after the novelty period of new inclusions then that achieves absolutely nothing in terms of lasting appeal. When you consider the fact that the bulk of GW1 was played in the gardens and graveyards then it just emphasises how important quality (no matter how small it is in content) is when playing a game.
The two key elements that above everything else have the biggest detrimental effect on gameplay - and two key elements that, if addressed correctly, can make every other minor nuance considerably less painful. PopCap have a unique opportunity to take away the guesswork and take advantage of the people out there that really do seem to have a good grasp of the problems by just taking them a little more seriously then they appear to do. Surely anything that helps push the game in the right direction in a more fluid manner can't be a bad thing.
At the end of the day my ideal scenario is just like everyone else's. I want to be able to switch on my Xbox and not have to play GW1 in order to play a great map or have a great game that I've won or lost purely on my own abilities (and not because my character is stronger or weaker than someone else's) and If achieving that experience means dragging members of the community into the equation then I'm all for it. Again, If playing a decent (community influenced) map means dipping into my own pocket in order to do so is the only way forward then that really isn't a problem.
But yeah, PopCap have their own vision and if that vision doesn't include community influence in taking the game forward then so be it - it's their investment. But what I would politely ask is, if that is indeed the case then it would be nice to inform those that spend huge amounts of time doing the +/- various percentages of various attributes that their efforts are in vain. At least that way they (and indeed everyone else) can move on instead of just hanging around and hoping for the best.