Guild Wars 2

Great post and fully agree. We just don’t have the flexible grouping options in GW2 that a modern MMO should have.

option for commander to see the map while on the move.

I’ll take any decent changes that PLAYERS ACTUALLY WANT at this point.

That squad definitely needs an UI. Somewhere it is mentioned the max size is 30 players only? I can only join it from the M map… selecting the commander itself on the main screen does not help(I don’t see the option there only for blocking and only party related stuff). Also I don’t know if I joined the squad… – no message – nothing at all… it still offers the option “join squad” and I only know that I joined if he uses the squad chat which is barely used.

This is completely useless utter crap. You have them pay 100 gold just for the commander icon – which is the only useful thing for WvW for non organizied people that don’t use TS. If you are not using TS and there is not a commander usually tons of people talk different stuff in the chat and you don’t know where to go. If there is a commander icon you just go there(and on the way there – if he is far outside – you check on other stuff with swords icon appearing and help there if needed and enough other allies nearby).

Definitely needs an UI and is the most “still beta”-stuff in the game. Should be one of the top priorities imho.

Edit: Someone talked about “grouping options”. I think we need something like for example WAR: So you can have parties of the usual size within the squad. Like squad 30 people and then 6 parties of 5 and the leader cand put them according to classes to make balanced sub-groups(parties) and direct them. Would greatly help for people not using TS.

Amy.4520:

Repeating some of what others have said, but putting it all of my favorite suggestions in a bulleted list:

Desired Options for commanders:

• Gold Commander Icon – When someone joins a squad their commander’s icon shows as gold, but they are still able to see the other blue commanders on the map.

• Icon Visibility Options – Commanders should have options to set their icon to On, Off, or Visible only to Guild (many PvE guilds use the commander icon to help a large group stay together during various events)

• Squad members show on map – Squad members show up as gold dots on the map (as party members currently show in blue)

• Squad Info Panel – similar to a Guild Roster showing members, supply, class, zone

• Kick from Squad Option – Commanders should have the option (in the Info Panel mentioned above) to kick someone from the squad

• Commander Chat – A chat channel just for commanders

Great suggestions, I’m a little hesitant about commander chat though.

DevonCarver.5370:

Upgrading the commander system and UI is on our goal list. It’s a complicated task, requiring lots of resources however, which means it isn’t going to happen overnight. Believe me though, I find our commander system almost entirely lacking in useful functionality.

Awesome! This upgrade IMO, will be the second biggest fix since the cullling fix!!!

DevonCarver.5370:

it isn’t going to happen overnight.

well I’ll say…saying “it won’t happen overnight” in a thread that is 8 months old = bold

meep.2601:

well I’ll say…saying “it won’t happen overnight” in a thread that is 8 months old = bold

Devon took over WvW 2 months ago. In that time we’ve seen more updates and changes in WvW than in the previous 6 combined.

I don’t agree with all of the changes and there are plenty of things I’d like to see improved but I’m not going to slam a person who is obviously working hard to improve WvW as well as communicate more with the players.

I would hardly count my post as “slamming” him compared to most of the nerd rage posts I see on here

After looking over the API’s and future API’s planed I can see some of the things asked for be incorporated in a 3rd part plug in with an overlay.

Take the millenium.org’s WvW dynamic map and attach a drawable pane with custom made markers/pins. If there was an API for receiving in game chat you can attach a chat overlay to map. Then for added complexity you can make the whole 3rd party plug-in an overlay to replay the current map and mini map.

Then again I am in software development and making assumptions without really diving into APIs. I would like to hope that if the in game LFG tool does come out it has an easy to use interface and can have people join commander squads easily.

DevonCarver.5370:

Upgrading the commander system and UI is on our goal list. It’s a complicated task, requiring lots of resources however, which means it isn’t going to happen overnight. Believe me though, I find our commander system almost entirely lacking in useful functionality.

You could start by making clicking the map commander icon to join a squad work, this has been broken forever. Fix existing bugs before introducing new ones features.

DevonCarver.5370:

Upgrading the commander system and UI is on our goal list. It’s a complicated task, requiring lots of resources however, which means it isn’t going to happen overnight. Believe me though, I find our commander system almost entirely lacking in useful functionality.

Devon,

I’m truly glad to see this post, and glad to finally see a dev actually post it. This is how our guild has felt since BW1. It’s been extremely frustrating to group the way we want due to the limitations with GW2’s grouping systems.

I understand ArenaNet’s philosophy of making WvW accessible to casual players and perhaps effected the lack of “private” squads. I also hope the dev team seriously considerers revisting this philosophy as it is a great source of frustration for close knit guilds who enjoy running with more than 5 people. Many in our guild are Veteran PvP players and have spent many years playing large scale PvP MMO’s. In all those games that had a private Raid/Warband/Battlegroup system one thing was always the same.

“There was ALWAYS a public or open grouping system available for casual players to join… even when private grouping systems were available.”

Servers or teams know that coordination and organization are key to being successful, and having a place for casual PvP players to join is important. Implementing an option for “private” squads in GW2 will still allow casual players to join WvW easily as public commanders will always be present.

Whatever changes are being done to the C&S system, I urge you to have the option to create “private” squads of some form so 2-4 groups can coordinate. A way for commanders to hide the pin AND still retain all the functions of a squad. Running 2-3 seperate groups in WvW, marking a “driver” with a bullseye and using 3rd party voice chat to communicate is a frustrating way for our guild.

Please allow the tools for players to coordinate in the way that works best for them. Some type of private grouping system is desperately needed.

Thanks!

Devon,

Thank you for acknowledging your teams awareness of the issue and lack of functionality in the commander pin. No one is expecting changes overnight but it is always appreciated when we can begin to have the discussion about where those changes might happen or go. There have been a ton of great ideas on how to improve commander squad functions all over these boards and subsequently moved to the suggestion forums so hopefully you’ve got people keeping an eye on that sort of stuff since I would hate to see you guys go through a lot of time and effort to give players something totally the opposite of what is needed. At the same time, I fully expect you all to stick with your vision of what ANET wants WvW to be but just in case anyone wasn’t sure what the players think . . . it has been documented in intense detail and there are some really great ideas that don’t even sound overly complicated that the team could start with.

Please don’t let this go to Ahmrill’s head as he has been hounding on this issue for quite awhile now and I am sure he would become insufferable if too obviously rewarded for his effort since he is my commander after all.

PariahX.6970:

There have been a ton of great ideas on how to improve commander squad functions all over these boards and subsequently moved to the suggestion forums so hopefully you’ve got people keeping an eye on that sort of stuff since I would hate to see you guys go through a lot of time and effort to give players something totally the opposite of what is needed.

Please don’t let this go to Ahmrill’s head as he has been hounding on this issue for quite awhile now.

Well put Pariah! And yes I’ve felt very strongly about flexible grouping systems and have been very persistent on these forums. If the dev team implements some form of private grouping system or revamped C&S system…. I promise I’ll go away!

That’s got to be some kind of incentive to implement private grouping systems.

DevonCarver.5370:

Upgrading the commander system and UI is on our goal list. It’s a complicated task, requiring lots of resources however, which means it isn’t going to happen overnight. Believe me though, I find our commander system almost entirely lacking in useful functionality.

Just curious if you can give us a sniff of what might be in the works?!

:)

DevonCarver.5370:

meep.2601:

DevonCarver.5370:

it isn’t going to happen overnight.

I must say….I chuckled at the response…well done

Ahmrill.7512:

Please allow the tools for players to coordinate in the way that works best for them. Some type of private grouping system is desperately needed.

Absolutely and desperately are key words here.

And in part this is the reason why huge zerg blobs have become the meta. In short, it’s easier and more effective.

How many of us have tried to organise small havoc groups?

If you pin up your accused of breaking up the zerg and not doing what the “map” wants.

Don’t pin up and you will be asked repeatedly “where are you again?” You are then stopping at easily located places for members to catch up and regularly as members get lost or new members join.

sigh

There is a significant niche element here that has been neglected for too long.

SoPP.7034:

Ahmrill.7512:

Please allow the tools for players to coordinate in the way that works best for them. Some type of private grouping system is desperately needed.

Absolutely and desperately are key words here.

And in part this is the reason why huge zerg blobs have become the meta. In short, it’s easier and more effective.

How many of us have tried to organise small havoc groups?

If you pin up your accused of breaking up the zerg and not doing what the “map” wants.

Don’t pin up and you will be asked repeatedly “where are you again?” You are then stopping at easily located places for members to catch up and regularly as members get lost or new members join.

sigh

There is a significant niche element here that has been neglected for too long.

Sounds like you’ve experienced the same frustrations our guild has. The lack of FLEXIBLE ways to group hinders our gaming experience and our fun in general. Give us the tools to group whatever way we want and each guild or player will choose the way that works best for them.

PLEASE make the Commander pin…..account wide! I play a lot of WvW on my whole account 6 players at the moment.

WvW Wish: Player rank account wide like in sPvP.

Naughty Goddess.3018:

PLEASE make the Commander pin…..account wide! I play a lot of WvW on my whole account 6 players at the moment.

WvW Wish: Player rank account wide like in sPvP.

Really curious if they are actually listening to WvW feedback from players… serious WvW and commander changes needed.

Iruwen.3164:

You could start by making clicking the map commander icon to join a squad work, this has been broken forever. Fix existing bugs before introducing new ones features.

Agree, just give us the same basic UI functions we have in WvW that we have in PvE. I hate typing invites out all night and reforming groups because someone forgot to leave the party before going offline.

DevonCarver.5370:

Upgrading the commander system and UI is on our goal list. It’s a complicated task, requiring lots of resources however, which means it isn’t going to happen overnight. Believe me though, I find our commander system almost entirely lacking in useful functionality.

Devon any chance of a timeline when this may be addressed?

a month, 3 months, 6 months … a year?

This is a focal point of frustration for many of us…. we need better tools to communicate and organize the WAY we enjoy.

As this seems to be a big issue.. one final bump

Ahmrill.7512:

one final bump

my boy Ahmrill here has been trying to get this improved for months and months….if even he is ready to throw in the towel, we are all kittened

I am sure a great majority of the community would love more info on this subject. Vague ‘its not an overnight job’ comments don’t do much to ensure us thakittens currently being looked at or at least planned to be looked into.

Quality of life stuff like this is arguably more important than the wvw progression system already implemented…

bradderzh.2378:

I am sure a great majority of the community would love more info on this subject. Vague ‘its not an overnight job’ comments don’t do much to ensure us thakittens currently being looked at or at least planned to be looked into.

Quality of life stuff like this is arguably more important than the wvw progression system already implemented…

Well that’s it… almost a year in and I have no idea when, how or if this is gonna be changed the way players would like. Even if this will take awhile I’d love to hear a rough timeline. Frustration builds each day we don’t have the tools to group and organize properly.

A lot of what I was going to say was already stated. I’ll summarize it.

Create a squad by clicking the “create” button in your party window where it says “squad”. This activates your commander tag on the map.

Currently you cannot invite people into your squad. They have to specifically join it to benefit from squad system capabilities like seeing what you draw, getting counted in the /squadinfo command and typing in your /squad channel chat.

Ultimately you can call your commander tag a “pug lamp” since it’s big, electric, blue, and attracts pugs. What you make of having pugs following you is up to you. Try not to kill them though, you don’t need the hate that follows.

meep.2601:

DevonCarver.5370:

it isn’t going to happen overnight.

I guess it isn’t going to happen overYEAR. #shotsfired

And meanwhile Elder Scrolls Online is soaking up ideas for their squad system. Heyooooo

I had made a number of posts stating a reformed Commander system is ideal, in some respects that moment is gone. People that wanted it I know have quit, moved on or simply folded into the zerg.

Perhaps if/when an updated system is implemented it will reinvigorate people. But as it stands I throw in the towel.

lioka qiao.8734:

And meanwhile Elder Scrolls Online is soaking up ideas for their squad system. Heyooooo

They’re going to need to soak up a lot more than a mere commander system… like a combat engine and system that’s actually playable in PvP.

But I have this odd feeling that their “No this isn’t the Hero Engine, we modified it so it doesn’t count!” isn’t suddenly going to change. These things don’t tend to osmose as rapidly. (Note: This isn’t actually a knock on the engine, but on the PR stint of trying to cover up using it.)

SoPP.7034:

I had made a number of posts stating a reformed Commander system is ideal, in some respects that moment is gone. People that wanted it I know have quit, moved on or simply folded into the zerg.

Perhaps if/when an updated system is implemented it will reinvigorate people. But as it stands I throw in the towel.

We just need to let the WvW team know we want grouping systems to be the #1 priority before new content. Give us a flexible grouping system that can be used for public/private/guild forces with UI features that actually work in WvW.

Giving this a bump, issues are still ongoing!

Giving this a bump as some great suggestions that are still relevant.

GroundZero.8037:

@ Matt Witter
Why does your Wiki say people will be able to make a party with up to 30 people in it? thats the only reason why I paid 100 gold for the commander upgrade.

I tought it would be cool to make a party / alliance with 30 of your guild members, so you can make a large group and have fun all togather.

Basicly I just threw away 100 gold and all the admins would say if I would make a ticket is “bad luck, cant help you”.

The guy or woman who posted that information on the wiki was clearly not knowing the facts straight, and the user has to pay for it (me in this case) cause they pay the crazy amount of 100 gold for something (in my eyes) which is totally not needed since 90% of the people I know (my guild for example) uses TeamSpeak or what ever communication device to talk and coordinate people.

So please remove that false information from your wiki and I hope you guys will get your stuff straighten out cause this is no fun at all. I could have gotten a load of crafts to 400 with that 100 gold which I (my personal opinion) just threw out of the window.

wikis are run by the community. it’s not something arenanet is doing.

DevonCarver.5370:

Upgrading the commander system and UI is on our goal list. It’s a complicated task, requiring lots of resources however, which means it isn’t going to happen overnight. Believe me though, I find our commander system almost entirely lacking in useful functionality.

Crazy suggestion. Maybe instead of wasting lots of resources on a completely pointless league system, you could put them towards the squad UI system or any number of other important elements that this game has lacked for so long.

Niim.9260:

DevonCarver.5370:

Upgrading the commander system and UI is on our goal list. It’s a complicated task, requiring lots of resources however, which means it isn’t going to happen overnight. Believe me though, I find our commander system almost entirely lacking in useful functionality.

Crazy suggestion. Maybe instead of wasting lots of resources on a completely pointless league system, you could put them towards the squad UI system or any number of other important elements that this game has lacked for so long.

That sounds logical to me…. yet…..

Ahmrill.7512:

Opc.4718:

Digging up a 4 month old thread, still no progress on this front xD

Now an 8 month post with no progress.

11 months now, can hardly believe it’s been almost a year. At this point, I’ll just settle for a functionality that allows me to make my dorrito visible to only guildies. Please. It can’t be that hard.

Don’t worry guys, this won’t happen overnight.

Grumpdogg.6910:

Don’t worry guys, this won’t happen overnight.

I have confirmation this will be addressed sometime in the next decade!

Ahmrill.7512:

Grumpdogg.6910:

Don’t worry guys, this won’t happen overnight.

I have confirmation this will be addressed sometime in the next decade!

Soo will the game be around in 50 years? I might be dead.

I heard Guild Wars 4 is shipping with this feature.

Luiz Swordbreaker.6547:

Not a priority, clearly the majority of the player base had been asking for the leagues for a long time..

the thing is, leagues in itself was a good idea…… a year ago. before free transfers wreaked their havoc, and servers were at least somewhat close to something that could be called even, population wise. but now? the winners are determined before they even start, and it’s just a matter of finding out which end of the blowout most servers are on each week.

sure, the end points might work out a bit better, but the matches leading up to that point are going to be absolutely brutal. people aren’t going to enjoy being on either end of the spawn camp fest. and if a game isn’t fun, what exactly is the point of playing it?

Even if leagues could have been a great idea at some point, upgrading the commander UI system will always be a good idea.

Just give us raid functionality to see more than 5 members, allow us to turn off the tag, and set our squads up how we want them.

Another patch, another missed opportunity.

Can’t wait till the new commander system comes out. All this time means it’s going to be really good!

SoPP.7034:

Can’t wait till the new commander system comes out. All this time means it’s going to be really good!

You’re either a sarcastic SoB or a leading member of the Optimists Club.