What are your impressions on the companion system in GW2?

tauntedflail

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Dec 2008

Me/

What do you want from it?
And why?

Personaly I'm really looking foward to the companion system.
After playing fable 2 and hanging around with the dog, I was amazed to see how far AI has come for games. Although it probably wont happen, it really blew my mind the other day when I thought of our companions in GW2 running around in the same way as that dog did. Really coming to life and anticipating which way you're going to go, making their own routes through the terrain and so on.
I'm kinda hoping that they dont make them the same old 'I'll follow right behind you where ever you go and not move around on my own at all' kinda thing that the AI in guildwars does.

I think its all about how realistic they make the companions seem and how connected to them we end up feeling.
Its good that each player only gets one each for this reason. Very good.
I reckon guildwars 1 had way too many characters and heros, and you could never really connect with them, they just seemed like tools for the party.
But if we have one friend, one guy/gal that we go through the whole game with, with interesting things to say and is a real personal help, we can establish that connection and enjoy ourselves in more ways than guildwars 1 has offered us.

What does everyone else think of the idea of companions?
Does anyone not like it?

Lord Of Blame

Lord Of Blame

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2008

USA

Marked Souls [MkS]

E/N

I'll have to wait an see how it works first. I heard you will have the option to leave or take the companions with you, and if you don't take them then you will get a buff of some kind. If it is a decent buff then I will probably not take the companion. My main reason is control. No matter how good the AI you will not always have total control like you do with your own character.

netniwk

netniwk

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

Bellgium

W/E

impressions?
none

FlamingMetroid

FlamingMetroid

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2007

standing on your last control point, while the rest of your team is to busy killing mine

The Luminaries [Lumi]

A/

We know nothing about it, so I have no impressions of it.

Shayne Hawke

Shayne Hawke

Departed from Tyria

Join Date: May 2007

Clan Dethryche [dth]

R/

I need some solid proof of a game before I start formulating an opinion on a feature of it.

DarkFlame

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2005

Ascalon

E/

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamingMetroid View Post
We know nothing about it, so I have no impressions of it.
Not entirely true. We know its similar to CoH's buddy system, which is meant for meshing high and low lvl players together.

What Op refers to about AI dogs, I haven't a clue. You wouldn't happen to mean pets, like the ones we already have?

cognophile

cognophile

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2005

USA

Haven't seen much about the companion aspect of GW2. It might be just an interesting play option, to make the game more entertaining, or it might also act as a balance mechanism, so that players can more easily complete quests which might be difficult for a single character (or character class) acting alone.

Abedeus

Abedeus

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jan 2007

Niflheim

R/

I think I would rather see a concept ART or anything. It's still vaporware, sorry to burst your bubble, but I love to do that.

Nightow

Nightow

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2006

Kindred Order of Souls [KOS]

All I can say is that from what I've heard about it, the part of Togo's BMP Mission is awfully similar.

Fril Estelin

Fril Estelin

So Serious...

Join Date: Jan 2007

London

Nerfs Are [WHAK]

E/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Abedeus View Post
I think I would rather see a concept ART or anything. It's still vaporware, sorry to burst your bubble, but I love to do that.
Sorry to burst yours but you haven't burst mine, or that of many people. Regina and the NCsoft boss said they saw it, it's good enough for me.

FlamingMetroid

FlamingMetroid

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2007

standing on your last control point, while the rest of your team is to busy killing mine

The Luminaries [Lumi]

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fril Estelin View Post
Regina and the NCsoft boss said they saw it, it's good enough for me.
Two people (one of which is incompetent, the other the head of a failing company, and both of them want everybody to keep buying GW1) said that a game that will supposedly benefit players if they do things in GW1 actually exists and you should buy GW1 so you get all the nice things in GW2. WE SHOULD BELIEVE AND TRUST THEM OK GUYS.

tauntedflail

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Dec 2008

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkFlame View Post
What Op refers to about AI dogs, I haven't a clue. You wouldn't happen to mean pets, like the ones we already have?
I was simply taking an example of good AI from another game and using it to describe the possibilities that companion AI could be like.

That shouldnt have been hard to understand...


Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamingMetroid View Post
Two people (one of which is incompetent, the other the head of a failing company, and both of them want everybody to keep buying GW1) said that a game that will supposedly benefit players if they do things in GW1 actually exists and you should buy GW1 so you get all the nice things in GW2. WE SHOULD BELIEVE AND TRUST THEM OK GUYS.
Dont be so retarded about the vaporware thing. Why would they pretty much abandon guildwars, loosing many sales on something that was succesfull, and then pretend its because they are making another game?
What possible reason could there be for that?

(If you were joking, my bad)

Konig Des Todes

Konig Des Todes

Ooo, pretty flower

Join Date: Jan 2008

Citadel of the Decayed

The Archivists' Sanctum [Lore]

N/

I would say "in b4 vaporware" but I'd be lying, as there are too many vaporware comments.

Instead, I shall say "it is illogical for Anet to make GW2 vaporware" as that is more correct.

Anet wouldn't simply abandon GW when it's been going well until after EN.

Bryant Again

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkFlame View Post
Not entirely true. We know its similar to CoH's buddy system, which is meant for meshing high and low lvl players together.
Isn't that the sidekick system?

Diddy bow

Diddy bow

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2006

Jawsome!!!!!!!!!!!

looking for one :p

A/D

Guess they will upgrade it alot, unless they want to keep it sort of minimalist.

pumpkin pie

pumpkin pie

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jul 2006

behind you

bumble bee

E/

you mean the one "hero" that we get to bring along?

well storage wise, it will be sucky if we have to bring a summoning stone for every type of companion. otherwise not thinking anything.

Alleji

Alleji

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

For a second there, I thought that we got confirmation of GW2's existence.

Sirius-NZ

Sirius-NZ

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2007

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

Xen of Onslaught

D/

Actually, um. Could someone just clarify things in case I missed something over the last few months... is this all just a running gag of sorts, or are there actually people here who really believe GW2 doesn't exist?

Abedeus

Abedeus

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jan 2007

Niflheim

R/

It doesn't. When was the last time you've seen ANYTHING about GW2?

Quote:
Dont be so retarded about the vaporware thing. Why would they pretty much abandon guildwars, loosing many sales on something that was succesfull, and then pretend its because they are making another game?
What possible reason could there be for that?
They don't pretend anything. They are actually worse then DNF, they at least had SOME screenshots from the game.

shoyon456

shoyon456

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2006

D/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirius-NZ View Post
Actually, um. Could someone just clarify things in case I missed something over the last few months... is this all just a running gag of sorts, or are there actually people here who really believe GW2 doesn't exist?
The reason people believe this, is based on a lack thereof of factual evidence. People who believe in GW2 at this point, are doing so purely based on faith, much like those who believe strongly in religion.

Fact is, there are NO screenshots, NO confirmed classes, NO concept art (dont confuse EOTN concept art with GW2 concept art), and NO confirmation of significant points such as what classes will return, what they plan to do w/ the level cap, etc... To make things worse, 2008 was supposed to be the year alot of GW2 info was revealed. There was nothing new if you took any notice. Anet has not stated a specific reason for this and, as i like to say, has danced around the question like Sarah Palin.

Back on topic:

Im sure it has been said since the thread has become a "will gw2 exist or not" thing, but we will not know how the companion thing works for a long time, and there is no way of knowing. However, I speculate that it will be fine if done correctly. It is of course experimental, and the probability of screwup is high.

Master Knightfall

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2007

I think the companion idea is rediculous as it's just an extention of yourself like heroes are now and they should just give all that extended power to one character and be done with all this companion and need to have your adventure 'look' like a group. It's pretty well known now that GW2 is going to be a soloable game, no more forced grouping or need to have some special powerful ursan skill to complete the game or play through the whole content. I personally didn't care for the content restrictions already in GW as places like UW and FOW and those others you either were forced to group or make up gimmick builds like 55 monks or stupid shadowform sins. I want to be able to solo every piece of content on my own and not have to rely on some silly companion or others to experience them or do them. Everyone should have access to every piece of content in GW2 and not have to make gimmick builds to do so or group. It is my understanding that the companion is 'optional' and that you can take the buffs instead and that will be fine by me as all those extra characters just cost you more money to outfit anyways. I've spent 1000's of plats just outfitting all my heroes in GW already. Waste of plat really, but, since there's nothing else to spend it on cause nothing has any value in GW I guess there needed to be something to gold sync in the game.

Sirius-NZ

Sirius-NZ

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2007

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

Xen of Onslaught

D/

Quote:
Originally Posted by shoyon456 View Post
The reason people believe this, is based on a lack thereof of factual evidence. People who believe in GW2 at this point, are doing so purely based on faith, much like those who believe strongly in religion.

Fact is, there are NO screenshots, NO confirmed classes, NO concept art (dont confuse EOTN concept art with GW2 concept art), and NO confirmation of significant points such as what classes will return, what they plan to do w/ the level cap, etc... To make things worse, 2008 was supposed to be the year alot of GW2 info was revealed. There was nothing new if you took any notice. Anet has not stated a specific reason for this and, as i like to say, has danced around the question like Sarah Palin.
Fair enough, except for one niggling question; if GW2 doesn't exist, that would clearly indicate they're not working on it.

So what ARE they doing? ArenaNet has employees last I checked. They also don't have any other projects, apart from a skeleton crew maintaining GW1.

(Side note, there has been some news about GW2, but it is very minor. People taking this to mean "it'll never be released" is understandable, if IMHO premature, but "it doesn't exist" doesn't make sense to me at all.)