So this is a suggestion, and I had wanted to use the Suggestions forum until I saw it was tucked away in the Archive section. However as a longtime user of forums I have always thought that suggestions and discussions are very similar… it just depends on the quality of the responses. So now I call on all of you to be positive and constructive.
Now a little information; my idea is a callback to a certain GW1 system while at the same time solving a problem MMOs have in general. That problem is being at certain points in the game -especially dungeons- and being called away to do something in real life, thereby having the options of 1) Quitting and making things harder for team-mates, 2) Standing around doing nothing and making things harder for team-mates, or 3) Ignoring that real life thing with consequences. This isn’t the greatest set of options. So my idea first came up as a solution to being in the middle of, say, a dungeon and you can’t technically play anymore. But your team-mates need you, so what to do? My idea addresses that. Also it allows characters to gain exp. and money while offline. So, here goes;
A “heroes” system. GW1 veterans know what I’m talking about. But since this is GW2 it would be different, and rightfully so since the old system makes the game a lot more impersonal. My idea is a system where a player can give permission to another player to use their character as a hero, even while that first player is offline. This hero couldn’t be controlled but it would continue to be equipped with the armor, weapons, and skills already equipped, and it would stay in a small radius around the second player’s character and attack any enemy within that small circle. The player who ‘hired’ the other player’s character would in fact pay a fee to that player. That ‘hired’ character would get a portion of the money and exp. gained while adventuring. These are the basics but I am certain it could be expanded upon a little.
This would honestly make many people happy. Certainly those who want ‘heroes’ — but also anyone who enjoys getting money and exp. while offline. And does this make the game more impersonal? No; due to the nature of the ‘hero’, with all the equips of that character, only the greatest characters would be desirable as ‘heroes’ (which reminds me of two more basic principles of this idea — a character can only be a ‘hero’ for one other player at a time, and the person giving permission to use their character as ‘hero’ would set the fee) which would set up a market as fees are relative to gear, level, etc., creating many more meaningful interactions. Players have to balance the fee for the ‘hero’ vs. an adequate power level. The best decked-out characters in the game are recognized, used, and can be great money-makers. Players have to approach each other, interact, build a friendship, until one gives permission to the other to use their character (bonus points if it’s a good character given to a lesser character for a less-than-market-price fee).
Yes this would require Anet work a bit and actually create this system… but I think it’s worth it, for all the reasons listed above and the ones that follow, too. GW2 would feel just a little more like GW1, GW2 would be innovating in the genre, I could remove myself from the computer to go eat supper and not anger my parents and still accomplish things, etc. So this was me rambling on and on, so now, what do you think?