What Do you think about this Companion idea for GW2? - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

Red Sonya

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

20 Apr 2008 at 19:52 - 1

I recently read this and it leaves concerns that henchies and heroes are going to die with GW1.

Quote:

Eurogamer: In the first game you had the option of filling your group with NPC henchmen if you had gaps in your line-up or simply didn't want to wait for real life players to fill your party. How will this work in Guild Wars 2, will we see the return of the henchmen?

Erik Flannum: That was obviously one of the very strong things in Guild Wars, our henchmen and later our heroes. But one of the side effects we've seen with that is, because of the way those characters worked, in some ways it discouraged you from grouping with other players.

So one of the things we're planning on doing is developing a companion system, where every character of every class has - if they want it - a companion they can develop, much like our Heroes. However, these companions don't take up a party slot, they're assumed to be a part of your character. These will allow you to potentially fill in weaknesses that your character may have.

For example, you might have a character who's a mage-type that doesn't have a lot of armour and doesn't want people to get up and really smack him. So he might take the companion that's a very heavily armoured "tank" character, which will allow him to more effectively solo. But it will still allow the mage to feel like he's got that vulnerable low armour thing going on at the same time.

We're also going to offer some sort of buff for players who prefer not to deal with companions, which will make up for the loss of power in not having a companion with them.

It almost sounds like some suit of added bonuses armor that is invisible is going to be added for this companion type play. No more henchies, no more heroes to deck out no more nothing but some invisible cosmetics to buff up some weak parts of your own characters according to this article. You guys going to buy into this that like to solo?

netniwk

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

Bellgium

W/E

20 Apr 2008 at 19:55 - 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Sonya

You guys going to buy into this that like to solo?

Yes
.

Nevin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jul 2005

20 Apr 2008 at 20:04 - 3

Personally I think if there is some way that Anet will make it so a player can either solo the entirety of GW2, or play it with a party, or with a companion- I'll be impressed. Obviously they'd have to vary and have multiple designs of the same areas to accommodate the different levels of play.

I'm not "buying" into the companion idea, but more or less I will try it. As far as that goes, I will try each way of playing the game. After all, thats what you gotta do if you want your money's worth.

Malice Black

Site Legend

Join Date: Oct 2005

20 Apr 2008 at 20:08 - 4

I'm not buying into anything. Right now any info is just a rumor.

llsektorll

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2005

Toronto, Canada

R/

20 Apr 2008 at 20:27 - 5

if its from Anet i will buy it

warcrap

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2007

somewhere on earth!

E/Me

20 Apr 2008 at 20:46 - 6

i think the companion system will work like links fairy in legend of zelda.
you will see it flying above you.

StormDragonZ

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2008

New York

W/R

20 Apr 2008 at 20:50 - 7

They've given a reason now to have a boyfriend or girlfriend to come along with you...

Felixious

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

Sweden

W/

20 Apr 2008 at 20:53 - 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by warcrap

i think the companion system will work like links fairy in legend of zelda.
you will see it flying above you.

And then you accidently press B, and see it fly away just before the dungeon boss. i've been there.

Solas

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2006

Ireland

Currently LF Active HA Guild, Glad 2, Comm.3, R2

E/

20 Apr 2008 at 20:59 - 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixious

And then you accidently press B, and see it fly away just before the dungeon boss. i've been there.

yeah>< DAmn you Navi!
tbh it was nice to get hints here and there.

but yeah i hope that it will be focus'd on 1 char like WoW and any companion will just be treated like a pet, ( or a GW hero)

Winterclaw

Wark!!!

Join Date: May 2005

Florida

W/

20 Apr 2008 at 21:26 - 10

Forced grouping or forced 2 man parties, take your pick.

I'd like to see heroes come back, but with better AI. Honestly there are times I don't want to have to deal with other people, or spam LFG for half an hour.

wraithe

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2008

N/Me

20 Apr 2008 at 21:39 - 11

not sure about any companion system...till i see it in acton..

but what i am wondering is..if HoM is some sort of passing stuff from GW to GW2 what is purpose of heros in there?

would of liked to have heros..i dont like being forced to play with others...

You Look Grim

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2007

Ecnegilletni Laicifitra [朔mud]

20 Apr 2008 at 21:42 - 12

man guild wars 2 is going to be really different from gw1.
i'm actually pretty fine with the system guild wars has right now.
not too many complaints.

Sniper22

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2005

20 Apr 2008 at 21:45 - 13

No more ally NPCs ever! No more Stefan, Koss, Leroy, or Rurik. They all suck. Don't need a bunch of noobs running the the rune trader to buy the superior death magic runes and bloodstained insignias for there minion master hero in GW2. We don't need "companions" and they probably will be unbalanced no matter how hard they try.

Nightmares Hammer

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Dec 2007

W/

20 Apr 2008 at 22:02 - 14

Can we rename it to homeboy?

slowerpoke

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2007

Cuba

20 Apr 2008 at 22:08 - 15

From that text it sounds like both henchmen and heroes are out.

And a Companion could be in the form of a pet, summoned creature, construct for all we know. Those might be more fitting to some of the professions.

Alex the Great

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2007

America.....got a problem with that?

[Lite]

W/

20 Apr 2008 at 22:19 - 16

a companion seems more like a sidekick, to complement your weak spots.
ie,
your a warrior, so your companion could be a rit to heal and buff you

your a monk, your companion could be a warrior to do damage (although hopefully smiting will be buffed)

Witchblade

Polar Bear Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

20 Apr 2008 at 22:24 - 17

If the whole game can be done with AI / solo stuff, s'ok ...
Forced PUG / Grouping... no way !

Asyntyche

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Dec 2007

UK

[ptrm]

D/

20 Apr 2008 at 23:00 - 18

It will be interesting to see how this develops, as it could cause a lot of headaches for anet in terms of balancing. Especially having a buff of some kind if you choose not to have a companion, that just adds an extra level of complexity.
Hopefully we'll get more information on this soon, as well as how the races and classes will play out, for instance: will a non-Norn warrior be pretty useless, and for that matter, will you even be allowed to play a warrior as an Asuran?

Vinraith

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2006

20 Apr 2008 at 23:07 - 19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Sonya

You guys going to buy into this that like to solo?

Nope. Talk about making the game radically less interesting, removing the team building dynamic from solo play pretty much cripples the shelf-life of the game. Add persistent zones and a twitch-based skill system and I'd be absolutely amazed if the result was a game worth playing.

Sirius-NZ

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2007

Bellevue, WA (I know ... but I moved out of NZ)

Xen of Onslaught

D/

20 Apr 2008 at 23:18 - 20

Even that is subject to change. ArenaNet have said themselves that a lot of things are different since the first interviews, from memory.

This reminds me a little of the strategy when playing through Diablo 2 with a sorceress; you can't afford to get hit much, so you get a hireling to tank for you. Other classes sometimes didn't need their hireling so much. I suspect the only reason they talked of putting this system in was to ensure that all classes *can* solo the game - otherwise you would, as with D2, find some of them excessively hard to play.

Adje

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2008

Glorious Order Of The Benign

R/

20 Apr 2008 at 23:24 - 21

I'm personally happy with the system we have now. My guild is pretty tight-knit and we help each other out with missions whenever we can, so grouping isn't so bad and we don't mind taking one or two pick ups with us (and sometimes they decide to join our guild at that point). I think that's the system ANet is looking for and it's a system I like. We use heroes whenever necessary, but otherwise we mainly play as a guild. I do think it's important to have the alternative to bring NPC heroes along to fill a group, but I don't think groups should always be filled by them. What sets Guild Wars apart is the complexity of team interactions; no character profession is capable of doing everything... at least not unless you decide to use a 55 build and farm things... but farming isn't really playing, it's more like work anyways. Anyways, I digress. I'd like for GW2 to have the possibility to add NPCs, but not to promote it as the better alternative as it does now. I'll agree that sometimes I've partied with complete PUGs and realized that the henchmen and my heroes are better at the game than they are, but I guess that's why there is a guild system.

RedNova88

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2007

Behind you!

W/

20 Apr 2008 at 23:28 - 22

I'm with Witchblade on this. Forced grouping = fail. That's not to say I dislike parties, I just think parties are more for things like what was described in an interview with someone from Anet. Band together with random people to fight off a dragon or something and be rewarded! I just pray it doesn't end up like the grouping system in WoW/Lineage2. The last thing we need is a mass of nerds fighting over loot.

The whole idea of a companion/sidekick is interesting, even more so if we can pick and choose their equipment and appearance. However if we can't make them unique for each player then it is going to be pretty dull considering the army of sidekick clones that we'll see running about.

This is just a thought, and perhaps off-topic... But think of it like this, say the person in question has 2 main characters, I think it would be cool if one could use the other main character as a companion. It would make things unique, and would reward us whether we focused on just one character, or two.

DarkWasp

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

Paradise

Agency Of Forbidden Fruits [Oot]

R/A

20 Apr 2008 at 23:37 - 23

All I care is that the companions are customisable, like a whole other character. I do not want to have to party with a member of the select few companions, it ruins the connection between your character and his ccompanion.

warcrap

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2007

somewhere on earth!

E/Me

20 Apr 2008 at 23:56 - 24

i think it willl be best if they make the grouping like in city of heroes.

Necrotic

Elite Guru

Join Date: Feb 2005

The mists

Co-founder of Knights of the Phoenix

N/

21 Apr 2008 at 06:32 - 25

Eliminate the one aspect of the game that truly made GW different from most others? Good idea....~sigh.

I just remember from my days in EQ wishing that I could solo the blues and whites (it's a con thing) as well as certain other classes could who, despite being even more squishy than I was, were soloing all the time...thanks to their pet. I was so happy to finally get my flying hammer...only to realize that by that level (50ish), smashy was more squishy than I was, not to mention he didn't like to stick around and would go "poof" the second a target died...almost. He did make a good distraction though on the few occassions when I bothered to whip him out. That whole experience is partly why I chose to play with dead things in GW instead of trying to keep them from getting that way. Imagine my dismay at seeing my newly summoned bone horror degen away in a matter of minutes....well....it just made me get really good at curses.

Anyway.....good times, good times....but yeah, I actually like being able to just grab the mercs and try a mission knowing I may have to leave long before I complete it. How would real players feel about having party members drop just before they complete the mission....just because they were just checking it out.

Sirius-NZ

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2007

Bellevue, WA (I know ... but I moved out of NZ)

Xen of Onslaught

D/

21 Apr 2008 at 11:37 - 26

Not sure about one aspect.

- No ongoing fees
- Many skills, limited skillset
- "Skill > Time" (yes, we all have our opinions on this one, but most MMOs don't even try)
- Limited character advancement (level 20), main focus on strategy
- Fully instanced world
- Map travel

There are probably a few others I haven't thought of. GW is not just one thing.

cebalrai

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2007

Mature Gaming Association

Me/E

21 Apr 2008 at 11:43 - 27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinraith

Nope. Talk about making the game radically less interesting, removing the team building dynamic from solo play pretty much cripples the shelf-life of the game. Add persistent zones and a twitch-based skill system and I'd be absolutely amazed if the result was a game worth playing.

If you put that much value on solo play, why are you playing an MMO? Maybe Oblivion or something like that is more your style?

Avai

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

21 Apr 2008 at 12:37 - 28

I think GW2's companion system will be more like what I was expecting heroes in GW1 to be.

When I first read about heroes in GW1 that could level up with you and be your new best friends, I figured all players would get to pick one or two and invest as much time into them as one might invest into a second character. Instead, everyone got a ton of heroes and most people I play with don't use superior vigor runes on their heroes and spend time giving them good builds like I do. That makes me sad when I party with someone for a mission and they need to take all their cool heroes and there isn't room for mine. I ask them to ping their heroes' skills only to find Tahlkora is using mostly fire magic and Jora is playing a Healer's Covenant bar.

I think the GW2 companion system sounds very interesting! Option 1: Have a companion to synergize with my own skills (tank for my caster when I am solo), or Option 2: leave my companion behind (when a human tank is in my group) and instead my caster will be buffed.

Doesn't that sound cool? If I play at times when my guildies are away or busy, I can get AI help. When I party with my friends, I get buffed. What's there for me to complain about? I'm anxious to see if GW2's companions act in this way - the way I was expecting GW1's heroes to act.

Ravious

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Servants of Fortuna

N/Mo

21 Apr 2008 at 12:46 - 29

Personally I needed a break from GW, and in playing LotRO, I find the biggest reason I needed a break was because I was sick of playing an 8-headed hydra (me and 7 others) ALLLLLLL the time.

LotRO has a great quest system that tries to pretty much tell you when you can play solo, with a buddy or two, or need a full group. So, it is apparent which carrots I can run after depending how I want to play at that moment.

I think GW2 will benefit a lot from the Companion System. It will allow more flexibility in soloing (see the Warrior and Ritualist companion example in an above post), and hopefully it foretells a little of the design philosophy that A.Net is going for in GW2. No more required 8-headed hydra for every (nearly) instance of PvE gameplay.

I for one am really excited about this type of gameplay in Guild Wars.

sterbenx2

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2007

New England

Lunatic Legion

N/

21 Apr 2008 at 12:54 - 30

I'll miss the "team build" strategy we have in GW. I am currently going for the vanquish titles then I'll be doing the Missions in HM after and having to think up and lay out perfect builds for each area is one of the finest aspects in any RPG ever. I think this style of play will be greatly diminished or even non-existant in GW2, sad. But, I don't want to speculate, I want to see it first hand. Anet, in spite of all the negative talk, always manages to make the game better (I started in April05) so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Breakfast Mc Rit

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2008

[Sin]

Me/

21 Apr 2008 at 13:33 - 31

Some people like to solo areas, others like the team play. I don't think A-net is trying to take any of that away. I'm pretty sure the Companion isn't as much of a buff as it is a more viable way to do something solo. They have said that should you choose not to take your companion your character would be buffed appropriately. Maybe people would be sacrificing stats by taking their little fall back buddy.

tracco

Academy Page

Join Date: Dec 2007

Earth (mega lawl)

Lubricated Volcano Love

21 Apr 2008 at 13:56 - 32

So far, I've taken this companion system as:
-1 hero
-Nothing to do with henchmen. From what I gather, they'll still be around.

DarkWasp

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

Paradise

Agency Of Forbidden Fruits [Oot]

R/A

21 Apr 2008 at 14:21 - 33

Well personaly, I don't know what to think of the idea. I kind of like it, just because i've found no reason not to.

Still, if they arent customizable like a second character, ima be real pissed.

netniwk

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

Bellgium

W/E

21 Apr 2008 at 14:24 - 34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex the Great

a companion seems more like a sidekick, to complement your weak spots.
ie,
your a warrior, so your companion could be a rit to heal and buff you

your a monk, your companion could be a warrior to do damage (although hopefully smiting will be buffed)

exactly how I see it.

I MP I

Hustler

Join Date: Nov 2006

in between GW2 servers

Mo/

21 Apr 2008 at 14:36 - 35

I like the idea of a companion. I guess this means we wont lose gold/items that henchmen eat up. My biggest hope is that they can somehow be controlled/customized.

Aera Lure

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

In Baltar's head

Bring Out Your Dead [BOYD], former officer [LBS]

Mo/

21 Apr 2008 at 14:37 - 36

Thumbs up to the removal of heroes and henchmen, imho.

Will have to wait and see about how the companion system works. Why would you bring one vs why would you not? Are there other drawbacks to taking one as opposed to literally soloing? They almost sound like a more advanced configurable rune or piece of armor in some regards. Maybe you always have one, even in a party.

Even with the companion system they havent solved the reason why they might be removing heroes and henchmen, ultimately. The game needs to be balanced to encourage grouping while at the same time allowing for solo play and offering benefits to both.

MithranArkanere

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Nov 2006

wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigo

Heraldos de la Llama Oscura [HLO]

E/

21 Apr 2008 at 14:47 - 37

I loved to 'train' and equip Diablo II companios and make them fight, like if they were Digimon.

I hope we can do that here too.

It would be also great to have different amont of companions depending on your race:

- Asura: 5 member krewe
- Charr: 4 member warband
- Human: 3 member party.
- Silvary: 2 member duos.
- Norn: Norn fight alone, XD.

Ctb

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

W/

21 Apr 2008 at 14:53 - 38

Quote:

If you put that much value on solo play, why are you playing an MMO?

It's not an all or nothing proposition. Most other games have a mix of quests that require groups or can be done solo. As someone else mentioned, LOTRO even goes so far as to rank them according to whether they're normal or hard solo, require a buddy or two, or require a full party. Guild Wars just forces you to group, even if just with H/H, for every bloody thing, and it's kind of annoying sometimes.

What some MMOers fail to recognize is that not all of us who enjoy playing MMOs always have three solid hours of time to do something, so we'd like to be able to sit down, run a quick quest or two solo, and then leave the bigger stuff for later when we do have the time to do it. When I played WoW and LOTRO, I spent a lot of time solo questing, but I also joined groups for quests or instances when I had the time to actually devote to doing so. I feel like I can almost never play Guild Wars with other people, though, because everything requires a group, which usually means H/H for me since they won't get mad if the dog has to go out or the wife needs something, and as a result I just play H/H for EVERYTHING now. I spent so much time learning how to manage those dumbbells that I now feel almost obligated to just use them for every single thing, even when I have the time to group up.

The companion thing is fine with me if what they're going for is a buff to allow you to solo some areas of the game.

zwei2stein

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Europe

The German Order [GER]

N/

21 Apr 2008 at 14:58 - 39

To me it seems that companion is something like another secondary class.

Maybe replacement for secondary class.

shrugs.

zamial

Site Contributor

Join Date: Apr 2006

Usa

TKC

N/

21 Apr 2008 at 15:14 - 40

Its time to play. . . . . . What IF?

What if all companions are generic except for the skins?
What if mini pets were the companion skins?

Why do I care about party size when my entire guild can be grouped/ fighting the same monster?

hhhhhhhmmmmmmmm

Why do I care?