Guild Wars 2

I had these two ideas for team recognition that I posted during BWE3, but I figured I’d post them again now, to get some ideas going about possible replacements for the armor colors we are currently using. It needs to be replaced so the armors we win in sPvP has greater value when it comes to appearance. Feel free to post your own ideas or just add to existing ones.

Flags
This idea I got from samurai movies, and is really as simple as it reads: Give players flags on thier backs, that are either colored blue or red. Like this image: http://www.eastofindia.com/images/samurai.jpg

This idea has a few additional benefits:

• Flags could prevent the advatage of the asura’s small hight, by making flags a little taller for asura
• You could make the flags not only different colors, but also different shapes. Like this: http://image.made-in-china.com/4f0j00avUEgGrITWpw/New-Combination-Backpack-Flying-Banner-Beach-Flag-Backpack-X-Banner.jpg
• Different shaped flags could be used to better distinguish NPCs from players
• You could give players the ability to put their guild logo on the flags, and choose between different flag shapes as well. Maybe even sell different shaped flags in the gem store?

Icons
This idea is much more simple. I noticed when watching footage from you devs playing, that you have the ArenaNet logo next to your name. So why not simply make different logos for each team as well? For instance, the red team could have a circular red logo next to their player names, and the blue team could have a square blue logo next to their player names.

Speaking of player names, is there a reason why our player name is lower down on an asura character, then on taller characters like a norn? I think it makes more sense to have all player names at the same hight above the different characters, so the asura don’t have an easier time hiding. Unless they are suppose to have that advantage of curse.

The idea would function to identify and separate teams as well as having a unique appeal to it (in this case similar to the guild wars 1 cape; in GW1 guild designs are presented on capes and coloured to the red/blue scheme). It seems like players like to appear unique and not adhere to the default red/blue colour scheme currently implemented. The current system however, is designed with esport commentary in mind and it is a lot easier for spectators to identify opposing teams in the mist of a chaotic battle, especially with duplicate classes. I think the developers could believe that armour diversity alone is substantial at the moment. They have however mentioned that they are experimenting and are opened to further suggestions that would keep both individual and team diversity as well as allowing the ease and recognition of opposing teams.

In regards to your ideas:

I feel that the problem with having flags would make it quite intrusive, as similarly not everyone would like being a banner-man even if they could keep their unique armour scheme. Icons are less intrusive, but may cause a problem in ease of identification for esport potential.

Realistically, in a match without any issue of viewership, unique colour schemes are totally possible, since basically RED=DEAD. Anyone with a red tag you will know to attack, its that simple and has worked well for other games. With the addition variable of ease of identification for viewers we might have a problem in keeping track of the chaotic battle with raging particle effects.

A simple idea could be to allow colour schemes for armour during normal play, however, during observer mode (when implemented) viewers would instead see the default red/blue colour scheme for players. Although personally, I have no issues with the current system, as its not on a high priority compared to other features.

I think the luxury of being small…. is being small… and harder to target/being seen…. I’m not sure how this didnt occur to you lol

I think the luxury of being small…. is being small… and harder to target/being seen…. I’m not sure how this didnt occur to you lol

ArenaNet has said many times that no one race should have an advantage over others. That’s why they made hit boxes the same size for all races. So it would seem odd if ArenaNet went against that and made the name on the asura characters lower, to purposely give them an advantage of hight. I think having a lower name tag is an advantage that they didn’t consider.