Propechies or Factions - which do you prefer?

Factions, no idiotic henchies that TRY to Revive during battle nor try to tank next to me in battle.

well everyone will say factions because you lvl up so quick and money is jut all over the place but...i do not play a rpg game for these reasons i play for the game of it. i play for exploration and any game that it takes 1 day to beat to me is not in any class as phrophecies is. tyrian ftw as they would say.

to an extent, i like how they give you the option to level a lot faster in cantha than in tyria.

this means that i can get to the extent of my ability in 1 or 2 days rather than a week or 2 in prophecies.

however, the missions.
i am aiming for a master award in all of them..
but the time limit they give you is always forcing you to keep going.
no room for breathing.
irritating.

thats a lose-lose situation.
doing things alone with henchies. they res during battle gives you a chance to survive...at the risk of the other henchmen dying,
no res means they die. you are already dead. mission failed.

if GW and GW:F Both came out at the same time then i would prefer GW:F because i would want to level faster.

but since GW:F came out like 1 year later i like tyria better because GW:F could be clocked too fast.

so im gonna say Prophecies is better

I've played GW since retail release and I like both. Prophecies and Factions together are a great combo! There are some great PvE spots in Factions too, Melandru's Hope is a great place to go out with henchies just for fun.

But I do have a strong word of criticism for Factions. A poster above said, "Prophecies, because I don't like to fight in ugly towns." I know what they meant. I had the same reaction to the city. And I've heard offline from two friends the same sentiments.

I started an assassin and was delighted with the starting island. I think it is better than the Night Elf starting island of Teldrassil in World of WarCraft, and that is high praise indeed. The island filled me with joy and delight. But my delight and joy came to an end when I got to Cantha. I found the city endless, confusing, and depressing.

So, I took my new level 17 assassin over to Tyria, did some missions and some favorite quests with henchies, like Blood and Smoke. At level 20, I went back to Factions and the city, did nearly all the quests in the city, but it still felt harsh and gritty and entirely too much like work. I decided to let my assassin rest from his labors.

I brought over my monk from Tyria and quickly finished all the missions and explored a lot of the Kurzick landscape and some of the Luxon. Delightful! Wonderful!

Gaille, I presume you are reading this thread, and I would like to ask? What were the game designers thinking when they decided to plunge players from this paradise of a starting island into a seemingly endless depressing urban nightmare, complete with sewers in which you tromp along in rivers of bucolic substance?

I fear a lot of new casual players who only have Factions will never discover the wonderful Kurzick and Luxon environments because for them the city will be the end. GW, like WoW, is a game of the great outdoors; I think Factions really got off track by diverging from the outdoors theme.

Prophecies by far. I have to admit that Vizunah Square is my favorite mission in both games, but other than that, the huge town of GW:F is quite boring. It wouldn't be as bad if I could skip some of the missions and come back later, but because of the locked gates that's not possible. In GW:P one of the best things was exploring and looking for outposts. Can't really do that in Factions, at least in the city. Just a dull landscape filled with dead ends and locked gates.

I've played my warrior to Tahnnakai Temple and other chars to Nahpui/Vizunah. Nowadays when I start playing, more often than not I tend to go back to Tyria to finish some leftover quests or mission bonuses because to me playing there is much more fun.

So far I've really liked the Shing Jea island, and the alliance battles are nice too, but those haven't really been enough to tilt the scale in favour of Factions. If I ever bother to get myself out of the city, my opinion may change though.

prophecies, everything feels just soo right, factions feels just wrong IMO, not how it should... and prophecies is just better

I like Prophecies better. I'm not that far in Factions yet but the feeling I got while playing Prophecies was just better. The depressive city in Factions was very disappointing for me. I sold the original GW some months ago but no that I'm playing Factions I'm really starting to regret that. I just miss Tyria, also the quick leveling really is stupid in my opinion, in the original GW I was so happy when I got to lvl 20 but I'm lvl 20 now in Factions and I was like "Oh.. I'm lvl 20..".
Factions isn't bad but it's just not as good as Prophecies for sure.

Prophesies is much more fun.

With all these threads, opinions from others, players who think Factions isn't better than Prophecies is because about the City, Closed Doors, Point A to B systems, Storyline, right?

I'm like Wilebill, I admire the landscape outside than inside the city (Except Raisu Palace). Its just beautiful outside the walls: the reflect on the Jade Sea, Maguuma feelings in Echovalds Forest and more. I dont really care about the slum city to the north. Its better to stay in southern and western (Sin Jea Monastary) areas of the city and admire there.

For me, Prophecies has the same thing about Factions: there is a place that you dont want to see, no matter what. For me, I hate Post-searing Ascalon. I hate wasteland.

I think its all about feelings....

Just my 2 cents.

Prophecies is a game, Factions is a addition to a game,

There for Prophecies is by far more of a game, yeah the features in factions are fantastic. but it is NOT a game on its own.

Thats a fact chap. lol

So anyone saying Factions is beeetter! is only liking either the way they have changed it from Prophecies to remove the bits they didnt like. or are currently just excited about something new. nothing more.

Prophecies FTW

(Tyria is my home.) x

P.S Tyria is a land to explore and learn and know, factions is a linear game with cool items and beautiful scenery.

as a MMORPG Prophecies is so superiour to Factions and it was always meant to be.

Yeah you may be bored now of Prophecies if you have done it all and been everywhere,

...but nah. its the sex. :P

I prefer factions.

Onky my ranger has completed all of the story quest, my necro often had to take an entire day to try to get into a group for the titans, I haven't even finished fire island with my warrior. Yes, the mission are a little fed ex like but you can group them all together do the entire zone, that way you can get 5 or 6 six done in a hour clear a good 2k in rewards and stuff then move on.

It's not like prophecies didn't have rezone quests, do we all remeber the Iron Horse Mines "One more thing"

I only got one prophecies char completed the game and now im left with 4 empty characters slots (one for pvp). The problem is I cant decide where to make my new characters: Prophecies or Factions.

All i keep getting from people is that Proph was harder, and for someone reason that makes it worse because you cant SPEED through it as fast.

Or cant get a group as easy... that doesnt have any bareings on how 1 is better than the other in my oppinion its just like...

...WHAT?

COMPLETLY Fair Enough if you enjoy factions more, and i dont mean to be abusing you if thats what you mean.

but as a game Proph is better, even if you are enjoying factions more

No-brainer, Prophecies crushes Factions without a doubt, prophecies was
so much bigger and varied in terrain, enemies, and challenges.
I like some of the missions in factions, the Vizunah square is a blast, but
the city is blah, and the Jade sea area is a joke, rolling plain hills with
some pretty sea effects. Also I am getting sick of Dredge, naga, and
rot wallows, I am glad there is another chapter coming out soon, I am
using the time now, to try some toonz I have never tried before, almost
got a mesmer thru the game, and working on a monk, the title hunting
just does not interest me much, using the same toon all the time gets a
little boring to me, I don't even look at titles, unless my mouse happens to
run over them.

prophecies all the way, factions just annoys me, the closed gates, dark city, the ouposts, but most of all is the "befriend" quests, i beat the game with my ritualist, and decided to do some of factions with my warrior, but i'm stuck on the stupid faction point quests, it just irks me that you have to grind to get through a small part of the game. i'm just really angry right now

I pretty much agree with this.

Not to say there aren't a few featues I like and want to see retained from factions but on the whole - Prophecies FTW

GW:P....I cant play factions....my computer cant handle the lag in the slums so I have not been playing factions. ....when either the lag is fixed or I get a new computer I will be able to compare the two, until then....GW:P....

The last update was about fixing heavy lags in Factions. It stills has some, but not like 30 min of lags while entering Keineng center district 1 anyway. The reason why Prophecies is smooth is because the majority of players is in Cantha. When Chapter 3 will comes, it will be like Factions when it came out, everyone will jump on it and plays at the first day. I waited 2-3 days after Factions came out to let the players goign far and get less lags when I entered in Cantha.

{Edit}

If you think Im with Faction than Prophecies, then its false. I already said my points about both.

Prophecies hands down. I liked the story better, and the content was so much better. Missions were also a lot more fun IMO. I don't think factions was a total let down, but I am a bit disappointed by it. I plan on buying Chapter 3, because I have confidence that ANET will listen to the players, and fix what was wrong in Factions.

This debate foolish, of course, in the sense that most people posting here not only bought both, but will most likely buy Ch's 3, 4, etc.
If you were totally new to GW, and only going to buy 1 of the 2, I would agree that GW:P is probably the way to go. But think of this:
Would anyone who already had GW:P have wanted Factions to be another Prophecies? With 1/2 the game aimed at under level 20? With laborious Ascension quests? I kind of doubt that.

Factions, but just because the starting island is FREAKING beautiful and fun to be in, unlike the post-searing ascalon.

I prefer Factions, I like to lvl quickly and have all my attributes and I also like to buy all the skills I want so I can get my build working. I didnt like how long Chapter One took to get some decent skills. Also PVE in chapter 2 is so much more fun and challenging.

Id have to say Prophacies for the actual content BUT Factions wins for UBER COOL LOOKING AMOUR AND WEAPONS (Because thats what really counts :P )

propecies


factions seems kinda underworked to me. they spend more efforts on graphics then on the actual game :/

Factions, without a doubt.
It was a much more mature game both in terms of content and the ideas that it dealt with. I loved the cityscape and honestly found it one of the most enjoyable sections of the game.
The quantity does not both me, IMHO the quality of the story in Factions was so much better.

Prophecies! No Question. All of the landscapes are well done, and have interesting features, such as the faces built into the Ring of Fire Islands, the Flora of Kryta & the Wilds, etc. The Story line is better, relatively speaking of course. And it's not overly complicated.

In Cantha, you have that ugly, really, really ugly, city. But I do like the Island area - nice touch with the water buffaloes! You also have pop-up dialog boxes popping up right in the middle of the screen - ANNOYING! especially when in the middle of a battle!

I absolutely hate the "alliance" thing. It gives a HUGE advantage to larger guilds over smaller ones. Why should a guild be penalized because it only has 10-20 members who prefer a close-knit group of friends or a multi-gaming group who have been around the gaming world for years, over a group of 70+ Guild with members that don't know jack about each other.

I also don't like the "rush-rush" of trying to get the top bonus for a mission - I play the game for relaxation, I've got enough stress IRL! The side quests for bonuses in Prophecies added to the flavor of the mission & the storyline -A MUCH BETTER SYSTEM!

Prophecies. Just take the example of the 15 attribute quests.

In GW:P the desert actually feels like part of a spiritual passing, even with the unique music to boot. In GW:F it is just "here, take your 15 points and go!"

Chapter 1 had more content. Factions has better gameplay. The storyline for both games insults one's intelligence.

I think they are both in a balance. Factions has what most people who play this game want, rare item skins, expensive armor in various forms. Prophecies has more depth of character and feel.

When a LARGE portion of Prophesies playerbase skips to Drokners Forge in order to be kitted out, then there is something wrong, Factions addressed that and decided to place the best armour right at the start taking away the need to skip/run.

Prophesies had a larger area of unused/superfluos land that made quite a few of the missions longer than they needed to be, even areas between missions/towns.. again Factions addressed this.

Prophesies was slower to accumilate wealth/cash at the start and skill quests felt more like a chore than actual fun sub quests, again Factions addressed this by enabling a decent cash flow throughout by quests giving cash and good xp and with material drops, Skills were easily bought and negated the
need to stay in an explorable zone for another hour in order to get a skill.

Once you go play through the Prophesies campaign there is a general feeling that you don't want to go through it all over again.. especially after the second time, Factions challenge missions adds good replay value for guilds and players that like to tweak builds all day long.

Personally I like to explore my first play through of any game, taking my time to do all the sub quests and main quests and uncover every inch of the map at the same time then look towards pvp, now I can replay challenges when pvp gets a bit old and vice versa.

My opinion is that Factions is a much better incarnation for the explorer and thourough type player who likes to do everything pve and pvp, Prophesies tends to make me want to skip through were as Factions I could see myself rolling up another pve character without needing to skip.

Anet may find it hard to try and give a different take/feel for each incarnation of GW, so far we have had the journey (prophesies) and the battle (Factions) perhaps the next addition is the quiet before the storm..

I say Journey as Prophesies feels a bit lengthy and epic in places, while Factions is tightly packed and the numerous enemies seem relentless in places which gives the feel of a Battle/Purpose.

What he said..

Prophesies all the way. I enjoyed taking 5 characters through Tyria (deleted my ele) doing all the missions and quests along the way. Felt the game was well made and thought out. It felt developed and fun (though the story was a little thin - heh).

A break down in my opinion:

Prophesies:
Good
Great co-op missions and enough to keep me playing for weeks with each character.
SF was and still is fun to go through (not to farm, but to play). Leeeroy!
Presearing Catacombs is still one of my favorite areas in terms of atmosphere.
Quests were plentiful and enough to keep me entertained in each area till I wanted to move on.
Farming and Grinding wasn't needed to gain or progress through the game.
Bad
Favor needed to access FoW/UW; thus PvE is reliant on PvP. Bad game design.
Going from Presearing to Post had forced PvP (meant a coffee break for me - not a big deal).

Factions:
Good
I love the boss mobs and how hard they hit. Some real challenge. Awesome.
Armor looks wonderful. I'm a huge fan of native America (north and south) and it's art, the Luxon armor reminds me of it. Beautiful. Not saying that's what it's based off of, it just reminds me of it.
Weapons are pretty cool looking too.
Enviroments are great to look at as well. I used to hate the city as well, too brown. But as I wander around in it, I find there are some neat looking areas. Waterfalls falling around and off of people homes in the background... Could have been more colorful, but it's alright.
Bad
Challenge Missions - who thought these would be fun for more than four times through? /bonk
Jade/Aspenwood - These might be fun, but the amount of leechers and afkers kill the randomness of it. Maybe if we are able to make groups and go with friends? Cause right now it's like 1 person and 3 leechers vs 1 and 3 leechers with the AI. /ponder
Grind and Farming is needed to progress through the game. work around: get 10k faction with your first character through, then work at getting each following character to the "befriend" quests. Do quest turn in; less grind needed that way.
VSquare - awesome idea but instantly failing due to poor Assassins having to hench it cause they can't get a group and Togo dieing, not fair to the rest of the players. Shouldn't auto fail.
Faction vs Faction? Where is it? All I've seen is Alliance vs Alliance as we bicker over Elite Mission access.
Elite Mission access requires farming; supreme amount of farming. Bad design.
Time over skill - see above.

The good side is that almost everyone of my complaints on Factions can be fixed via patch. Some complaints I had have already been fixed; Duel quest farming for example. I love the challenge it now presents if played with a normal group. Here's hoping for the rest.

If it's a question of value, I'd have to say that Prophecies was well worth the fifty bucks, while Factions quite simply wasn't.

Don't get me wrong, I think there are very good things with Factions, but while Prophecies kept me entertained for nearly a year, I don't see going back to Factions in 6 months when chapter 3 comes out - if i stay engaged for that long...

I love it how people want a beautiful landscape to spread the blood of critters on.... Sorry we dont wanna kill things in a dreadful place like this. :-)

I still have to vote Prophecies. The one main thing I ve noticed is the lack of unity in the Factions commmunity. People are way to spread out...

Prophecies.. Much more epic.

Phrophecies is a big smoking turd next to factions in EVERY WAY.

2 words for people who prefer exploring Cantha - locked gates.

And I think the poster above me should at least attempt to justify that statement (which I won't bother repeating).

I'm going to have to give the nod to Prophecies as well. Don't get me wrong, I love Factions and am enjoying working though it with my Rt and Ele, but Prophecies just seems more...grandiose in terms of immersion. A lot of ppl complain about the city, but I compare it to post-Searing Ascalon. Both are very drab and produce a feeling of depression. Granted, Ascalon is nowhere near as confusing as the city can be, but I feel they both serve the same purpose. I will say that once you get out of the city, much like when you finally leave Ascalon, there are some amazing environments and I have to say the art team deserves a lot of credit.

On the whole, Prophecies just has a lot more to do, whether we're talking about when it was first launched or now, when compared to Factions. I still find myself playing Prophecies even though Factions is the newer game. There's UW, FoW, Tombs, SF, and just a lot of other places to explore. I will say, however, that the Elite Missions are amazing in Factions. If you can get a ferry to one (or if you happen to be in the controlling alliance), you owe it yourself to check them out. I've only had the opportunity to do Urgoz's Warren, but if you've got a good grp it is one hell of a good time.

In the end, each game has it's own benefits and faults, but the nod goes to Prophecies for being a better game overall.

**Spoiler alert**

Prophecies for me. It had a better storyline (!); Factions' storyline is just horrible. I enjoyed the missions and level progression a lot more in Prophecies too. Shiro's got to be the easiest final boss in the history of gaming.

When looking at Factions vs. Prophecies:

Good:
- Faster levelling and skill points even though I enjoyed the character development part in Prophecies
- Faster paced missions, although focusing too much of the killing variety
- Cooperative missions like Vizunah Square. Larger battles are awesome
- Alliance battles. IMO the final release of 3 x 4 is worse than the 12 person format used in FPE
- New professions that's balanced
- Cool pets, items and balancing the economy

Bad:
- Story is meh
- Levelling is too fast leading to new players not learning team dynamics as much before getting off the island
- Elite missions limited to top alliances
- Locked gates everywhere = no exploration and can't play the game how we want to
- Insane bosses (all very well and good if you've got rebirth, but what if I want to play my Prophecies E/Me?)
- Mobs too closely spaced
- Not fixing things that don't make sense. For example, how can street thugs like some Jade Brotherhood guy drop green items whereas the much more interesting and worthy opponents like the Mursaat in Prophecies aren't dropping green items. I want to see what Coventina the Matron has as weapon and offhand!!

Bad outnumbers good - Prophecies win.