Henchies: The next step? - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

Beat_Go_Stick

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

19 Jul 2006 at 23:03 - 1

Now this is just an idea and I haven't thought it completely through so any feedback would be nice but what if clicking on a henchman to watch it after you died allowed you to take control of it instead of just observing it?

There would be numerous checks and balances that would need to be in place, obviously, but it's an interesting idea. Just imagine, you die so you click on the healer henchie and take control of healing until your character is rezzed or the healer you control dies.

A few things I can think of:

1. No henchie inventory or drops.
2. Henchies can't zone.
3. The crappy "Rush the oncoming army alone" Warrior dies and takes control of the henchie Monk? Um......no. Griefing potential x100 would need to be addressed somehow. Maybe allow the team leader to allow or disallow AI displacement with a party checkbox or something so he can stop griefers?

Basically, it's not the most well thought out concept but, hey, that's what Forums are for, no?

Discuss, theorize, debunk, etc.

-Beat

DragonFeast

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2006

My basement.

Hand of Dracul [HD]

20 Jul 2006 at 00:00 - 2

...why would you want the henchies to not zone?

fiery

Banned

Join Date: Oct 2005

maryland

InYurFace Gaming [IYF]

R/

20 Jul 2006 at 00:03 - 3

You use henchies, you pay for their service.

Dj Tano

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

20 Jul 2006 at 00:32 - 4

The idea is really cool but somehow it wouldnt work out in the end...

Evilsod

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2006

England

Lievs Death Squad [LDS]

20 Jul 2006 at 01:01 - 5

I'd rather they give the henchman some knowledge of where the front line lies.

This is the back line for casters

This is the line for assassins running off/engaging

This is the line for warriors

This is the line for Sister Tai

.neuronster.

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2006

My house.

Grenth's Rejects [GR]

E/Mo

20 Jul 2006 at 01:08 - 6

I'd like to not have to share my gold and XP with the henches. It irritates me. What do they need with money anyway? They are just computers.

AW Lore

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2006

Ancient Warriors Gaming Clan

W/Mo

20 Jul 2006 at 01:17 - 7

Quote:

I'd like to not have to share my gold and XP with the henches. It irritates me. What do they need with money anyway? They are just computers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiery

You use henchies, you pay for their service.

if you dont want to share gold and xp with the henchies, dont bring them along

its a cool concept, i like it, but i think it would be very hard to do it.

aB-

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2005

20 Jul 2006 at 01:45 - 8

This is a great henchmen add-on, but if ANY henchmen upgrades were to be made, I would prefer some general commands that can be issued to henchmen.

Opeth11

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

Richmond, British Columbia, Kanada

Demon of the Fall [Opet]

Mo/Me

20 Jul 2006 at 01:53 - 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evilsod

I'd rather they give the henchman some knowledge of where the front line lies.

This is the back line for casters

This is the line for assassins running off/engaging

This is the line for warriors

This is the line for Sister Tai

Nice XD

draxynnic

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2005

[CRFH]

20 Jul 2006 at 03:36 - 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by aB-

This is a great henchmen add-on, but if ANY henchmen upgrades were to be made, I would prefer some general commands that can be issued to henchmen.

Aye. At the very least, a 'disengage' command.

shardfenix

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Il Power Overwhelming Il [HaX]

20 Jul 2006 at 04:03 - 11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beat_Go_Stick

Now this is just an idea and I haven't thought it completely through so any feedback would be nice but what if clicking on a henchman to watch it after you died allowed you to take control of it instead of just observing it?

This has to be one of the best ideas I've ever read.

/signed a million times

actionjack

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Kali

W/E

20 Jul 2006 at 04:24 - 12

Maybe add a counter?
Where you can only take control of the Hench 15 seconds after you die.

Also... what to do about if you are also group with other human player? Will you run out of hench to control?

unholy guardian

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Lost Haven

A/Mo

20 Jul 2006 at 04:40 - 13

controling henchmen would rock, i would assume you control things on a first dead for control basis.

Beat_Go_Stick

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

20 Jul 2006 at 16:27 - 14

I just know one of my biggest gripes about henchies is that after I die, there is no organization, everyone just starts killing whoever is closest, and often just having a couple enemies left over can be devastating. An assassin monster, a warrior monster, and a healer monster for example. The warrior henchies will attack the warrior monster because it's closest while the healer just keeps that enemy alive and the assassin kills my entire back line.

Another solution would be to allow dead players to call targets so henchies will still focus on a single deadly enemy.

Maybe it could be something like this...

If there is a single player with all henchmen allies, the player can take command of henchmen upon death. If there is more than one human player in the group, the feature is not an option since the other living player can still control the henchmen and win the battle.

I would also like to see more henchmen options and, givin the "ghost town" issues that are arising, its likely that a couple chapters down the line henchmen will be the only option for someone wanting to do a random Factions mission. Allowing us to use strategy with henchmen somehow would be an invaluable addition.....

Damion Soulbreaker

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2006

The Black Hand Gang - [BHG]

Me/N

20 Jul 2006 at 23:39 - 15

A great idea would be if when you talk to a Henchman you could set their skill from pre-made builds (such as the PvP ones). So if you have two Necros and you want one to have BR and one to not you can choose. Or if you need a prot monk instead of a healing when there's only one monk about, you can change that...

Terra Xin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Mar 2006

New Zealand

Me/R

21 Jul 2006 at 03:27 - 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evilsod

I'd rather they give the henchman some knowledge of where the front line lies.

This is the back line for casters

This is the line for assassins running off/engaging

This is the line for warriors

This is the line for Sister Tai

time for me to re-read some healbot comics^^

well you really thought about the griefin potential in your own idea. All you would need to do when you take control of a henchie is to disable all windows except for the mini map and the large map... and the score chart i suppose.

gamecube187

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2006

21 Jul 2006 at 06:38 - 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by aB-

This is a great henchmen add-on, but if ANY henchmen upgrades were to be made, I would prefer some general commands that can be issued to henchmen.

Ya this is a good idea, but I would prefer other things first. Like a check box or something that says "rez". If you check it then the henchies will do what they currently do to rez. If you don't check it, then they don't rez until you check it again. There are a TON of times when something like this would have been useful. Often, when I go with only henchies and myself, the henchies start to die so I have to retreat. The healer henchies and me usually end up being the only ones left alive. There are several groups of enemies close to where the henchies die, and if any are rezed, then all the enemy groups wil be agroed. I go and try to pull one of the groups because I can handle just one group, but as soon as I get one of the enemy group's attention, the stupid henchies run up to the middle of all the groups and start rezing. Then I am screwed because, with them alive and healing me, I could handle one group at a time, but, now that I am the only one alive in the group, I am screwed. The worst part is, this almost always seems to happen in misisons and because of this, I basically gave up even trying the misisons with henchies. It is so anoying. I would rather smaller henchie improvements like the rez check box thing I mentioned so I wouldn't have this problem. I do like the idea of controling henchies though and I think it would be a nice thing to be added, AFTER they make other henchie improvments first.

Beat_Go_Stick

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

21 Jul 2006 at 17:11 - 18

Did anyone else play KotOR and KotOR2? Maybe something like their NPC system where you can set henchie strategy to a few preset behaviors......hmmmm....

Silent Kitty

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2006

Netherlands

[TYW] "The Young World"

A/Me

21 Jul 2006 at 17:54 - 19

Henchies are Anet's way to make fun at you, when you are in an empty town and can't form a team. Henchies are intentially made stupid. Deal with it, or get yourself a 55monk.

Also; Innadequate henchies forces people to go where the crowd is. That will be the newest chapter

Thargor

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

21 Jul 2006 at 18:13 - 20

I would settle for less stupid henchies. I mean they updated the monster AI to move out of AoE but the henchies can't do the same? Also I would like to see something done about the retarded henchie monk standing next to the warrior on the front line. I don't think that actually controlling them is a good idea but fully agree with some basic commands to get them where you need them.

Ristaron

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

Canada, eh?

Legion Of Valhalla

E/

21 Jul 2006 at 19:04 - 21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thargor

I would settle for less stupid henchies. I mean they updated the monster AI to move out of AoE but the henchies can't do the same? Also I would like to see something done about the retarded henchie monk standing next to the warrior on the front line. I don't think that actually controlling them is a good idea but fully agree with some basic commands to get them where you need them.

On my checklist.

-Have Stefan/Talon only tank 2 groups and then not lead them to the healer, rather than 3 or 4 then leading them straight to her.
-Have the retarded Spirit henchmen NOT cast spirits until the party starts attacking, rather than whenever we happen to stop. That way when we briefly pause to let one group go by and immediately go again to avoid another oncoming group (s)he's not still there casting 219637287364 spirits!
-Remove Tai/Alesia/Lina/Danika's affinity for frontline combat.
-Or just make them into smiter henchmen.
-Teach Mhenlo how to properly use Word of Healing {E} (NOT when someone's at 90% health).

I have more somewhere, but those will do for now.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 22

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 23

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 24

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 25

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 26

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 27

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 28

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:25 - 29

I have an idea. How about you give the Henchies skills and Elites that are useful. The warrior still uses Charge? C'mon. Aidan with Barrage would be good. Eve with WOP or BiP. Alesia with HH. Little Thom with Cleave or Evis. And PLEASE take firestorm away from Cynn. Give her Meteor shower or Rodgorts Invoc. Mesmer hench with backfire or interupts. Lina with MOP. If we have to share money with them make it worth it. Another realistic idea would be to be able to give them commands when your dead by targeting like who to res or who to kill or to run away. Otherwise, we shouldnt have to share gold with them.

Tristan the Impure

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Long Island/NYC

Invictus Aeternum

N/Mo

21 Jul 2006 at 19:30 - 30

I have no idea why it posted my reply 700 times...sorry guys.

WasAGuest

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

21 Jul 2006 at 20:41 - 31

Tristan has unlocked the new mesmer elite "Post Echo"

- that happens sometimes when the server is lagged.

I think henchies woud be good if they were even half as smart as the mobs we face against. Beat mentioned an assassin working around the back lines chewing up the casters, while the healers kept safe behind a wall of tanks. If the henchies would act even half that smart we would have a winner.

I wouldn't think it would be that hard anyway. Think player group:

If no one calls a target, players target nearest or their selected target of choice. Depends on the situation. A player calls a target, most often (minus PuGs) players will switch to assist.
Why can't the henchies be made to do that as well?
If the player(s) do not call targets and just attack, why can't henchies be like the mob AI and just head after a pre-set target according to their class*? If the players call a target, then the henchies switch.

*Just like the mob AI does.

In doing this, and making the henchie AI as smart as the mobs, mob difficulty could be increased (to finally a challenge) without the need of a UI for the henchies to baby sit.

Just my .2 gold.

gamecube187

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2006

24 Jul 2006 at 05:50 - 32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silent Kitty

Henchies are Anet's way to make fun at you, when you are in an empty town and can't form a team. Henchies are intentially made stupid. Deal with it, or get yourself a 55monk.

Also; Innadequate henchies forces people to go where the crowd is. That will be the newest chapter

Hmmmmm, ever think that not everyone is as rich as you? I can't afford the 50k gold or whatever rediculous amount it is to make a 55k monk. Also, ever heard of removing enchantments? There are enemies that remove enchantments which would render a 55 useless....