Guild Shields

Petition to put the GUILD back in GuildWars

We have been combating monsters and enemies of old across the various continents of Tyria and Cantha now. Together with friends and sometimes in solitude. Together with the friends we encountered on our journeys, we have created a band, a Band of Brothers. We called these bands Guilds and together with these friends we fought other, evil Guilds. For the purpose of recognition, each member of these various Guilds have been given a cape, to be worn proudly on one’s shoulders. Unfortunately most of us found that these capes hindered our movement in the world, or simply did not match our stature, or clothing. So many have decided to denounce to wear these proud Guild symbols. Many of our brethren just take the name of the Guild and do not wear these Guild Capes, therefore loosing the emotional connection they had with the Guild.

In other words:
We need more ways to identify ourselves with our Guild.

This post was originally about using Guild Shields for this matter, but now I have decided to extend it a bit further than merely shields. Although this is brought as a whole concept, every idea should be considered separately.
So far the following ideas are considered here, a further investigation, evaluation and ways how they can be implemented can be read further down.

Guild Shields: Simple idea, just as the knights of old always used, we can now wear skin-customized shields. These shields will show the symbol of the guild, together with the color-pattern. Examples of historical shields can be found below.
The skins will be dependant on the skin of the cape, which the Guild Leader has created. Only ascended characters can buy Guild Shields from the NPC in the guild. The shields will be having the common stats like green items have. And they can be bought in a variety of mods.They will cost a lot and thus will be a nice addition to the already known moneysinks.
They can be found in 4 different 3D models:

Round Shield/Viking Targe Template


Knight's Shield
(my guild shield 1st below :P)


Tall Shield


Roman Shield/Square Shield




Banner bearers: Staff bearers could also become Banner bearers, as in armies throughout history. While holding big staves with the Guild Banner on top, they can rain fire down on their enemies or heal their allies. The animation does not have to be very different from the staff animation, but it would be preferred.
The skins will be dependant on the skin of the cape, which the Guild Leader has created. Only ascended characters can buy Guild Banners from the NPC in the guild. The banners will be having the same stats as Collectors or Weapons NPC staffs are sold. They will also be upgradeable, just like common staffs. They will cost a lot and thus will be a nice addition to the already known moneysinks.

Guild Symbols: Similar to Guild Shields and Guild Banners. These will be focus/offhand items for caster types. The symbol is based on the symbol that is worn on the cape. If the symbol is a rose, you hold a rose. A Beer Mug, you hold a Beer Mug. A unicorn, you hold a unicorn statuette.
Only ascended characters can buy Guild Symbols from the NPC in the guild. The symbols will be having the common mods like green items have. And they can be bought in a variety of mods. They will cost a lot and thus will be a nice addition to the already known moneysinks.



Wearing Guild Cape differently: Traditional way of wearing capes does not look well on most classes. But in history, capes were also used as big sachets worn diagonally across someone’s back. This would look nice on Assasin or Ranger for instance. The colors and symbol would still be visible on this sachet.
Also a Guild Shield as read above could be worn on the back. Though the shield will have no physical effect, it will look nicely. This might be somewhat too advanced for the graphical designers of GuildWars. (and if its not, please show us your capablilities)
The way the capes are worn/ what is on the back of a character, should all be able to be included in the Visibility-cape-button.


(no this is not me)

Guild Badges: Although it will be only a small detail on one’s appearance, a Guild Badge will be a subtle yet effective addition to Guild recognition. To show or not to show the Guild Badge would be as simple as turning cape on or off. A simple solution for those people that think the Guild Cape does not look good on them.
To implement this is fairly easy. It will be just a small 3D model that can be stuck on a chest piece of armor. To turn it on and off you, a button similar to the visibility button on capes and headgear could be used.


Discussion:

How Guild Shields and Guild Banners should be acquired.Best option is to make them only accessible for ascended characters, this will give ascension finally a nice bonus (beside UW, FoW). The skin is already set by the Guild Leader and it will change when the Guild Leader changes the skin of the cape. To make that bug-free might pose a challenge for the programmers.
There is a NPC that can be bought for a cheap price by the Guild Lord, he will sell these items, dependant on the class you are at the moment. They will be customized per character, so they will be untradeble. He offers per item type a variety of different mods on it.

Guild Shields should be wearable for warriors only/ all characters.The stats of Guild Shields should be warrior only based I think. But in return, the casters can have Guild Banners or Guild Symbols. Rangers and Assasins cant use either of these, but their armor is probably most compatible with the Guild Sachet idea. So every character will have some benefit. And of course all characters get the Guild Badge. Furthermore, I think most of us play with 2+ characters, so unless you have 4 Bow Rangers, you will have a benefit on at least some characters.

Guild Shields would nerf the value of green shields or perfect gold shields.That will not be true, since they are commonly accessible to anyone, they will not be high status like some other skins are. Green shields will always remain unique, due to different skins, and names. Guild Shields are also sold at a higher price than most green shields, so it will be more attractable to buy greens anyway.
There will always be players that prefer Guild Shields, Green Shields or Gold Shields above any other.


If anyone has any other ideas about this, or more ways to identify the Guilds, please let me know.

If you find it a good idea, please let me know and what part(s).

How about a kind of guild dye that can be applied to everything dye normally can and adds the colours of your guild cape to that armour or weapon, if the item is suitable, eg a shield, then it adds the emblem as well. That way it is availible to all classes not just warriors(yes other classes can use shields but how often do they really)

That might be a better idea, since i doubt Anet will ever make shields craftable. Or just make a customize NPC that can give items a special color pattern that is connected to the guild. For instance If you find a Shield of the Wing, you can take it toe this NPC in the guild hall and he can custom-dye it for your guild. Then ONLY you and your guildies will be able to use it.

Yes but then they would have to take EVERY sheild in the game and figure out how to put it on, how it would dye, for every emblem in the game too.

I think the original idea was better. Have Anet make 3 or 4 new "clean" shields. You could basically have a round one, and sqaure one, and maybe a triangle one like Tanzits. The leader picks which one. Then the emblem/colors go on it. The leader has to pay for it intially (2-5k, like capes) then the individual has to pay for the MODS only. If they wanted they could get a clean Armor 16 one for free.

To prevent abuse, levels 1-5 get a armor +6 shield, 6-10 get armor +8, levels 11-15 gets armor +12 and levels 16-19 get armor +14. Only level 20s could get armor +16 and new mods.

A mod like +30 health could be 20k or so, recieved dmg -2 while in a stance 10k. They would all be customized.

Honestly I think its a pretty neat idea.

It is, and might not be that hard to implement. The only problem is all the rendering in PvP and stuff. But it's a great idea.

/signed

It would be easier to have only a few sheild types available which could also have a Guild Emblem, they could just make a new sheild which reflects the same insignia as whatever cape you wear. A new shield Crafter which has several types of shield stats along with the emblem would be a good idea.

I would like to see new kinds of capes available myself, they could even allow guilds to equipt a "Sheild" as the backpiece instead of the cape, with the insignia on it. Also shoulder guards with Guild insignia would also be attractive.

I am in favor of personally customizable capes and decorative garmets instead of Guild selected ones, the guild can pick the colors and insignia, but players should have the option to choose their cape look and even a variety of other "pieces" instead of all the same for one guild.

Capes don't look right on alot of characters, and other things would look alot better on other characters. Like the Assassin, I hate capes on them, I would perfer a sash simular to "Shinobi", or a fixed piece which doesn't move. And for Warriors or some other classes a shield strapped across ones back with your guild insignia would look good. For many other characters, a Cloak which comes over the shoulders covers more would be much more attractive. And then they can go into shoulder risers, collars, a chain accros the front, alot of things.

They are going to re-release this game with new "content" and new skills and characters, but essentially we are getting the same engine with a few new features using the same mechanics, I truely hope for some more elaborate and unique content rather than alot of the same and a few new armor looks. A few new cape types and the ability to choose your own "back piece", allowing characters to change their hair occasionally, some better progress enhancements, some new travel, terrain, and combat experiences, all of these are reasonable additions for the price we pay on each of these Chapters. At $50 we deserve some more detailed and diverse additions besides just new armors and lands to explore, it truely stands that the cost is deserving of a totaly new game, the least we should get is a significantly improved one, not just an expansion which can be played seperately.

how about having the cape hanging over one shoulder rather than off the collar down the back, so it covers the one half of your body?

Comon... I know you like the idea... now you only have to vote for it!

reply with /signed or /unsigned if you agree or disagree with it.

/signed

This is too directed to W/ and /W's... What about the casters, assassin, and ranger?

/signed

Also maybe you could allow casters to have stats as well. Say, have the shield give +12 energy, req 9 *insert magic*, and have caster stats.

Well I dont think there is noone that could not benefit from this. Since most people already have a warrior. Too bad there are some people around that think Warriors are grunting rushing mindless cannonfodder, but that just show that they didnt investigate the potential of warriors in partys. Show us what you have seen all warriors do wrong and do it right yourself before you judge them.

Anyway, a caster wearing a shield would not be plausible for me I am afraid. But there might be some other off-hand item that casters should be able to wear. This item should also be customizable for the guild. Like a banner, a horn, or special chalice or something.

This will still not help the Ranger, Assasin and Hammer people around though. But as I said before, probably most of us have a use for a shield on at least 1 character. And thus we will all enjoy it. Shields should belong to warriors and not casterclasses.

But... it would be nice if Anet would include in a future major update weapons and offhands that are customizable for guilds. Shields as mentioned above, Caster staffs that are colored and maybe bannered, a special focus item that is linear to the guild's emblem. For instance the guilds with a Beer mug at their backs, could carry a Bear Mug in their left hand. Unicorn, a small statuette of a unicorn, etc.

You know, a shield with my emblem on it would look KICKASS...

/signed.

I dont want Shields, I want T-Shirts

Yeah what about caster's??
Warrior still have kick Azz stuff maybe nott in PvP but still make something that all can use...

nice idea
/signed

What about foci? Shouldn't there be special, guild-specific symbols/artifacts for casters?

I do like the idea, especially of the guild leader setting the mods/abilities of weapons (Say, a statue in the center of the guild hall, that the leader clicks on to acess a small, untradeable mini-inventory, so he may mod the items?) The Leader then buys/aquires specific mods to apply to the guild's special items. How about, to get an item, each member must pay a set of "dues" to the guild to cover the construction costs?

With or without my suggestions, /signed. Great idea.

Well, as I posted before, it might be a nice idea to give casters a focus that is the same as the guild emblem. The only problem remains is the assasin and ranger, which dont use either focus or shields... And it is probably not a smart idea to make it too complicated. Your solution sounds as the guildleader will need to spend some time in getting the items prepared for his guildies.
A focus is a nice idea and easy to implement, but its soo small that you wouldnt get any real benefit from it. So the main focus of this post remains Guild Shields, for now. But keep me informed if you like this idea as well.

/signed.

just have to figure out what to give my ranger.

Nice idea, but maybe for spellcasters you could include shields that suit their abilities, for example '<Guild Name>'s Monk Shield' and it could act similar to focus items.