Guild Wars 1

[Theodora]

The Guild Wars 2 thread is that way, sir.

I was trying to confirm that I was correct that there wasn't anything like that that you gain access to later on, or that's limited to a specific expansion; it wasn't a complaint, just a query. 'MMORPGs' have had these systems for over a decade, so I don't know why you think it's such a ludicrous thing to double check that there's nothing elementary of the sort. There's a dye system, which is already the first steps towards that kind of customisation.

Again, wasn't complaining about the absence of anything. Christ.

 

[mediocrepoet]

The Guild Wars 2 thread is that way, sir.

I was trying to confirm that I was correct that there wasn't anything like that that you gain access to later on, or that's limited to a specific expansion; it wasn't a complaint, just a query. 'MMORPGs' have had these systems for over a decade, so I don't know why you think it's such a ludicrous thing to double check that there's nothing elementary of the sort. There's a dye system, which is already the first steps towards that kind of customisation.

Again, wasn't complaining about the absence of anything. Christ.

Transmogs tend to be a newer development and more in certain types of games than others. GW1 is an unusual MMO but it's always online and favours grouping and is/was PVP oriented. Things like the helper NPCs you can roll around with to solo were later additions to the game as well, but that may explain some of your confusion.

GW2 may be more up your alley, depending on what you're looking for. The main campaign is F2P, with paid expansions and QOL additions and it has a Steam version now, so it's pretty easy to check out if you're so inclined. It's more about hitting a fairly early level cap and sideways progression and cosmetics though. Still, I don't know that there's any game that leans as far into the cosmetics and transmog side of things as FFXIV.

 

[Theodora]

GW2 may be more up your alley, depending on what you're looking for. The main campaign is F2P, with paid expansions and QOL additions and it has a Steam version now, so it's pretty easy to check out if you're so inclined. It's more about hitting a fairly early level cap and sideways progression and cosmetics though. Still, I don't know that there's any game that leans as far into the cosmetics and transmog side of things as FFXIV.

Wasn't really looking for anything; I'm slowly working through GW1 and haven't any complaints about it, at least not in that dimension.

Was more just a curiosity thing.

Things like the helper NPCs you can roll around with to solo were later additions to the game as well, but that may explain some of your confusion.

That actually explains a lot, thanks!

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

Things like the helper NPCs you can roll around with to solo were later additions to the game as well, but that may explain some of your confusion.

henchmen have always been in the game. heroes came later.

 

[Average Manatee]

Henchmen (AI with preset skillbars) always existed, Heroes (fully customizable AIs) were introduced in the 2nd expansion.

 

[mediocrepoet]

Thanks for the correction. I bounced off GW1 pretty hard back in the day. I was a pretty big WoWtard.

 

[Mexi]

I never used henchmen. They all sucked really bad. I didn't know you could customize henchmen, but I only played the first expansion.

Theodora are you playing the first game or expansion? Does that Eye of the Storm level still have any one? If you are, be on the lookout for Ashford Abby, one of my favorite tracks.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

While Henchmen were around since the start they were a really poor substitute for real players. Doing some of the later missions, or even just missions with a lot of nuker enemies was like sticking your dick in a cheese grater, especially when you weren't playing a particularly broken class yourself to make up the difference. Better than nothing, but far below the later Hero additions and real players.

Mexi Heroes are the ones you can customize, the henchmen are the same as you remember.

 

[Theodora]

@Theodora are you playing the first game or expansion? Does that Eye of the Storm level still have any one? If you are, be on the lookout for Ashford Abby, one of my favorite tracks.

I'm on Prophecies, yeah. (Does EotS have what, sorry? A henchman?)

That track stood out to me yeah ^^ I have DirectSong set up too, though it was a real pain to get it working on Windows 10.

 

[Mexi]

One more question. Are people still doing those runs to Droknars' Forge? I don't even remember why I paid money for that once. I remember I met a girl, and she tried to get me to do a run with her. We both kept dying. She sounded hot on TeamSpeak, but this was before "Gamer girls" so she was probably 300 lbs and ugly as hell.

 

[Mexi]

@Theodora are you playing the first game or expansion? Does that Eye of the Storm level still have any one? If you are, be on the lookout for Ashford Abby, one of my favorite tracks.

I'm on Prophecies, yeah. (Does EotS have what, sorry? A henchman?)



That track stood out to me yeah ^^ I have DirectSong set up too, though it was a real pain to get it working on Windows 10.

The very first level before the searing part is called Eye of the Storm, IIRC. Just wondering if the lobby has anyone.

 

[Theodora]

The very first level before the searing part is called Eye of the Storm, IIRC. Just wondering if the lobby has anyone.

There's still people about in the early part of the game, they're just not particularly common. Imagine it's a peak hours kinda thing?

Enough people to have human interactions anyway, even if I've not partied up with anyone yet.

She sounded hot on TeamSpeak, but this was before "Gamer girls" so she was probably 300 lbs and ugly as hell.

What does sounded hot mean? (I assume they would've seemed rarer than they were due to people not having mics, but idk.)

I'll get back to you about the other thing, haven't run into it yet.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

Are people still doing those runs to Droknars' Forge? I don't even remember why I paid money for that once.

Yes, people still do that, but it's not as lucrative anymore. A lot of runners just do it for tips or whatever now. Guilds handle it pro-bono for their own most of the time. Running to Droks essentially lets you skip half the content in Prophecies to reach endgame and max armor quicker. That was probably what you (or more likely she) were after when you were chasing that e-honey.

 

[mediocrepoet]

One more question. Are people still doing those runs to Droknars' Forge? I don't even remember why I paid money for that once. I remember I met a girl, and she tried to get me to do a run with her. We both kept dying. She sounded hot on TeamSpeak, but this was before "Gamer girls" so she was probably 300 lbs and ugly as hell.

Yeah that was probably me. It's the thought that counts, big boy.

 

[Darth Roxor]

While Henchmen were around since the start they were a really poor substitute for real players. Doing some of the later missions, or even just missions with a lot of nuker enemies was like sticking your dick in a cheese grater, especially when you weren't playing a particularly broken class yourself to make up the difference. Better than nothing, but far below the later Hero additions and real players.

It also bears remembering that henchmen didn't have infused armour until long after Nightfall was released. And that's without even mentioning their much poorer AI and skill sets.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

While Henchmen were around since the start they were a really poor substitute for real players. Doing some of the later missions, or even just missions with a lot of nuker enemies was like sticking your dick in a cheese grater, especially when you weren't playing a particularly broken class yourself to make up the difference. Better than nothing, but far below the later Hero additions and real players.

It also bears remembering that henchmen didn't have infused armour until long after Nightfall was released. And that's without even mentioning their much poorer AI and skill sets.

Inability to individually flag as well. To the game's credit, they did serve as a sort of puzzle for some of the harder missions, the selection playing a key role in whether you'd succeed or fail a bonus objective. Even for the final boss of Factions which has the potential to stomp newbies there's a specific Henchmen combo that can see you to victory if you understand Shiro's skillbar well enough. All that information available on the wiki now of course.

 

[Average Manatee]

While Henchmen were around since the start they were a really poor substitute for real players. Doing some of the later missions, or even just missions with a lot of nuker enemies was like sticking your dick in a cheese grater, especially when you weren't playing a particularly broken class yourself to make up the difference. Better than nothing, but far below the later Hero additions and real players.

It also bears remembering that henchmen didn't have infused armour until long after Nightfall was released. And that's without even mentioning their much poorer AI and skill sets.

I'm 99% certain henchmen had armor shortly infused after prophecies release. Like 3 months maybe. The exception may be on the mission where you get infused, you have to get the infusion in the mission to have them count as infused there. But if you entered later missions they'd be infused. I distinctly recall henching prophecies missions in the ring of fire where infusion is essential and it wasn't an issue. Though those fucking seals that sapped energy were, henchmen had no idea how to handle it and me as a poor fire ele did next to no damage to anything aside from with Meteor shower (cue waiting 60s between every fight for it to recharge).

Are people still doing those runs to Droknars' Forge? I don't even remember why I paid money for that once.

Yes, people still do that, but it's not as lucrative anymore. A lot of runners just do it for tips or whatever now. Guilds handle it pro-bono for their own most of the time. Running to Droks essentially lets you skip half the content in Prophecies to reach endgame and max armor quicker. That was probably what you (or more likely she) were after when you were chasing that e-honey.

The main reason it isn't relevant now is because as soon as you get to lion's arch you can hop on a ship to Kamadan or Kaineng and get max armor. So the run is only useful if you want to finish prophecies for the completion reward (a single green), or access one of the prophecies elite areas (Sorrows Furnace, IIRC tomb of primeval kings required you to go through desert), or capture certain late prophecies elite skills (but you can just unlock it through faction and use a skill book too).

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

they were a really poor substitute for real players.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. no. have you ever really played with the average player? either it was a fow expedition, with people having ONE TASK and one task only, and a very specific set of prefixed commands, or henchemen, even with their disastrously poor builds, acted much better.

 

[fork]

Depended on the players really.
But yeah, most randoms were shit back then already.

 

[Black]

With henchies you always knew what you're getting yourself into, their equipment and skills were mostly static, their behaviour predictable.
And some of them later got really good skillbars, probably better than you'd get in a pug.
https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Chiyo

 

[Darth Roxor]

Sorry folks, but you're dead wrong. Before the henches, especially Prophecies henches, got a yuge AI update derived from heroes, together with build revamps, they were absolutely dreadful and worse than any pug. You could use them reliably only for regular quests and exploration, but taking them into missions was asking for trouble. I'm not even sure if the Prophecies henches originally had 8 skills in the endgame parts...

I started playing GW shortly after the release of Factions, and henches were already a meme back then, I particularly remember Aidan being the meme king. IIRC he had two skills that were mutually exclusive which he kept using all the time.

 

[fork]

Yes, but they were still better than many randoms.
At least Mhenlo actually healed, the Mesmer henchie actually interrupted etc.
Randoms were beyond useless more often than the henchmen. Right from the beginning (Prophecies).

I remember when I tried to get my first fow armor we first tried to fill the group (3 humans including myself) with randoms and failed miserably, then succeeded first try with henchies.

 

[Darth Roxor]

the Mesmer henchie actually interrupted etc.

See? This is what I'm talking about.

The mesmer henchman in Prophs had no interrupts before the global hench build revamp

I was also right that they didn't have 8 skills. Just as I thought it was 5 + rez signet.

For reference: https://wiki.guildwars.com/index.php?title=Dunham&oldid=1335835

 

[fork]

That's fake news, the Mesmer henchie definitely had an interrupt before Factions even.
Or maybe it's not, and he hadn't.

The point still stands: even henchmen were more useful than randoms most of the time.
Another reason why I won't start playing this again: I had achieved everything back then. I was part of a small, friendly guild, where everyone knew each other and the game perfectly. Why would I start chasing that stuff again without the ability to show off and without the good times in Teamspeak?

 

[Darth Roxor]

That's fake news, the Mesmer henchie definitely had an interrupt before Factions even.

Except nope. Not Dunham. Maybe the Factions-exclusive mesmer henches did, but Dunham did not.

Also, oh boy, Aidan the meme king https://wiki.guildwars.com/index.php?title=Aidan&oldid=933428

Now I remember why he was the meme king. Because he didn't even have an elite skill in Nightfall. Instead he had Heket's Rampage that he kept cancelling with power shot