Guild Wars 2

Daemonne.5018:

WvW is fine because I’m not comparing it to other games which are irrelevant here.
The commander tag does need some tweeks IMO, but the system doen’s need to be reworked into something else entirely.

I agree, I don’t think we need a completely new system, but they NEED to make a system that offers the flexibility for ALL guild and player styles. That warband system could be used by any number of people for any situation…. something GW2 needs to do.

The commander and squad in it’s current form offers NO support for medium size forces or private squads. It’s simply a zerg or nothing.

AmIAnnoyingNow.2903:

The simplest solution is to have a commander icon for PvE and a separate icon for WvW.

Or just allow private squads and players can use it for everything, without all the pins annoying everyone else.

If they actually allowed commanders to hide the pin AND still retain all the functions of a squad…. half the commander pins would be gone. Many guilds and players are simply trying to coordinate multiple groups together, not actually lead a zone.

Until we have some way to make private squads or some other multi-group system we’ll have commander pins everywhere.

Vayle.7964:

actually a guild commander icon, only visible for a guild and that can only be given to people by a guild leader would be great

This has been suggested since BW1. Tons of feedback on the commander/squad grouping system but it simply feels like no one is acknowledging anything or it’s simply not a priority.

Grouping mechanics and social interaction should be a main focus of MMO’s and the C&S system feels like an afterthought.

DevonCarver.5370:

While I think there is a good argument for this, we haven’t discussed it enough yet for me to say if we would or would not want to go this route. We are looking at the commander system generally, because we think it can be improved upon, and as part of that discussion we’ll almost certainly look into how you become a commander.

For goodness sake please allow commanders to hide the pin AND still retain all the functions of a squad. There is no support or flexibility for multiple groups to coordinate together if they want to form medium size forces in WvW. Putting the pin up invites everyone to to the squad and you are expected to lead the zone…. even when you are just trying to coordinate multiple groups together.

If you allowed private squads then guilds and players could actually do private events or stay under the 25 person limit to avoid crossed swords at times.

Lead.1784:

I like the idea of different modes since you could have a commander with the overt setting running the militia since they will all flock to it like a beacon-and then guild groups could have a sneakier one and coordinate with the militia commander with a chat box, VoIP, etc.

Having a one size fits all grouping system is NOT adequate. Major upgrade needed to allow flexibility for all different player styles and uses. Everyone has a different idea of what content is “fun” for them… but we don’t have the tools to properly organize for more than zerging.

Just want to repost something I had in another thread..

I realize the Commander and squad system is designed for something different than warhammer’s warband system… but look at the functionality difference between the two.

Warband options:

/disband Disbands your party or warband if you are the leader
/leave Leave your current party or warband
/lfg
/lfm
/lfp Opens and closes the Open Parties and Warbands window
/makeleader
/partyleader Pass party leadership to the targeted character in your party
/makemainassist Pass main assist to the targeted character in your party
/openjoin [character name] Join a specific character’s open party
/openlist
/partylist Lists open parties
/openpartyinterest Toggles your character as interested/not interested in forming a public party
/openpartynote Set recruitment settings for an open party (you must be set as interested in forming an open party)
/partyboot
/partykick
/partyremove Boots the targeted character from your party
/partyleave
/partyquit Leave your current party
/partyinvite Invites the selected target to your party
/partyjoin [character name] Joins a specific character’s party
/partyopen Sets your current party or warband as open
/warbandconvert Converts your current party into a warband
/warbandleader Pass warband leadership to the targeted character in your warband
/warbandlist Lists open warbands
/warbandjoin [character name] Joins a specific character’s warband

This is just the /slash commands for the warband system. All of this could be done in the UI with a drag and drop and right click menu as well. You also saw each groups dots on the map with a unique color. Let’s take a look at the C&S system functions.

Commander & Squad system:

/squadinfo — displays the supply carried by each member of your squad.
/supplyinfo — displays the supply carried by players near you.
/squadjoin [commander_name] – join a commanders squad.
/squadleave – leave your current squad.
/squad – speak in squad chat

Commanders can also set Waypoints via the UI… and that’s it folks. That warband system could hold between 6 people (1 grp) and 48 players. It could be used for any situation within the game, either PvP or PVE. It was simply the best grouping system I’ve ever used in an MMO for multiple groups.

I’m not saying make the commander and squad system exactly like the warband… but look at the functionality between the two. That warband system came out just under 5 years ago…

Convenant… I’ve been pushing the idea since BW1. Totally agree that the current grouping system for more than 5 people is inadequate for many guilds and players.

I do think there is a place for the current Commander/squad system, but they need flexibility for those players and guilds to form medium sized forces. Even if they made a simple change and allowed private squads it would help drastically. A way to hide the commander pin AND still retain all the functions of a squad. The warband system used in Warhammer online was the best I’ve ever used…. and it’s almost 5 years old.

Gw2 is a great game… with an absolutely horrible grouping system that pigeon-holes everyone into a zerg. I’m not the only one that feels this way…

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/pvp/wuvwuv/Throw-your-commanders-a-bone/first

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/pvp/wuvwuv/Give-us-raid-warband-option-as-a-default/first#post1399889

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/suggestions/The-Commander-New-System/first

They need to allow the commander and squad system to be used for ALL player sizes and uses. Commanders have one use… leading a zerg. Many guilds and players would like to coordinate guild groups or multiple groups for specific or medium size forces… it’s impossible when the blue pin basically invites everyone in the zone to join a private event/group.

They NEED to allow commanders to hide the pin AND retain all the functions of a squad so they may be used for private guild or player events and custom forces.

Arenanet did so many things right with this game, but IMO they dropped the ball with the grouping systems. MMO’s that came out 5 years ago have 10x the grouping system that GW2 has.

- Still have to manually invite everyone to a group while in WvW zones. (no right click options)

- Absolutely NO in game way for guilds or more than 5 people to group unless you use a commander pin which basically invites everyone in the zone to join your private events.

To be honest, it’s the worse multiple grouping system I’ve used in the last 4 MMO’s I’ve played. They at least need a way to hide the commander pin AND still retain all the functions of the squad system for guilds and medium sized forces who wish to coordinate privately.

Often we have commander pins up for no other reason than guilds are trying to coordinate. Give us options to form squads of any size for whatever reason we need…. right now the commander/squad is for zergs ONLY.

How about having a private option so we can actually create specific or medium size forces? Sometimes we want to coordinate 3-4 groups together without a shiny blue “zerg magnet” inviting everyone else in the zone to come to our position.

They need a way to hide the commander pin AND still retain all the functions of the squad system for guilds and medium sized forces who wish to coordinate privately.

How about having a private option so we can actually create specific or medium size forces? Sometimes we want to coordinate 3-4 groups together without a shiny blue “zerg magnet” inviting everyone else in the zone to come to our position.

They need a way to hide the commander pin AND still retain all the functions of the squad system for guilds and medium sized forces who wish to coordinate privately.

I want to know is it every going to have a /private option. Be nice to keep multiple guild groups doing guild events to well….. guild mates only?! Sure we can can run around with separate 5 man groups using 3rd party voice, but it sure would be nice to have a private in game grouping system.

We need grouping systems that support multiple groups or medium sized forces. You either 5 man or pop a commander pin which forms a zerg. With no other in game options… people will always zerg.

Patiently waiting until they either allow private squads or some other grouping system to promote multiple groups/forces to coordinate on the map.

The first way to promote smaller or medium sized forces spread out on the map…. is Actually have a grouping system that allows it!. You either have a 5 man group or a commander pin which is basically a zerg. If we actually had the tools to make private squads or another grouping system for multiple groups….. people would actually use it and we’d have smaller sized forces on the map.

Pretty hard to prevent orange swords and stay under the 25 person limit when you pop a pin and have no control over how many people follow you. At least allow people to hide the commander pin AND still retain all the functions of the squad system.

- I’d just be happy if they enhanced the grouping systems so we have a choice to be in something other than a 5 man or commander/zerg system. More multiple UI grouping support for medium sized forces.

- Be able to right click on a player name in chat or guild and do more than simply have “report” as an option. Basic things like “invite to group” or “whisper”… manually typing out invites sucks. I don’t understand why we don’t have the same right click options as in PvE areas.

We need more than two options to group. Commander zerg or 5 person limit is not enough. If we had a way to create private squads for multiple groups perhaps we’d get more medium size forces running around.

If we had the tools, people would use them.

Part of the problem is the lack of tools and support to create anything BUT a zerg. Having only two options in WvW to group and coordinate is silly. You either run as a five man or zerg it.

If they have a way for multiple groups to group/coordinate privately to stay under the 25 person limit… we’d actually get more medium size forces running around. The Commander and Squad system needs a huge overhaul to allow people to create private squads and show locations of squad members better.

WvW is disappointing because…

- We “STILL” have to manually type and invite every single person to a WvW group. How about having the same “right-click” options as we do in PvE areas to “invite” with that thing called a mouse?

- No grouping support for custom sized squads. It’s either 5-man it or run with a zerg. If we actually had the tools to coordinate multiple groups together with control over the numbers.. perhaps we wouldn’t have so many zergs running around.

I’m not talking about joining a squad and zerging it, I’m referring to coordinating multiple groups or medium forces under the 25 person limit. Why is there no way to form private squads for smaller forces to coordinate?

And why don’t we have the same options when you right click a person’s name in chat or guild as we do in PvE? Basic things like actually “inviting” people to a group instead of manually typing an invite out? The only menu option you have when you right click a players name in WvW is “report”.

Our only option is forming 3-4 separate groups and getting everyone in a 3rd party voice program. Perhaps if we had some in game tools to actually make custom size forces we wouldn’t have to resort to zerging all the time and get people spread out more on the zones.

Some needed changes for WvW… but did I miss something?

Under the bug fixes I’m sure I would have seen the UI fix for right clicking on a players name and having the same options as PvE areas. Do we still have to manually type group invites while in WvW? Our only option is “report” when right clicking on a chat name/ guild roster name while in WvW still?

No commander changes either? Still no way for more than 5 people to group privately or try and keep multiple groups under the 25 player limit for orange sword?

Heck of a lot of PvE content on this “WvW patch” they talked about.

It’s hard to stay under the 25 limit to prevent orange swords with a commander pin up. It’s also hard to mark waypoints for multiple groups unless you have commander pin up.

What we need is a way for commanders to hide the pin AND still retain all the functions of the commander and squad system. This way guilds or multiple groups running together can form private squads for whatever it is that they enjoy doing.

There is currently ONE way for more than 5 people to group and it’s ineffective for what some people/guilds need.

Gaudrath.6725:

Ahmrill.7512:

All the stuff you guys suggested was pretty much what Warhammer’s “Warband” system had. Hopefully they make grouping properly a priority soon.

Well Warhammer’s WvW system was overall better, even if the game itself wasn’t. Ah the days of shield walls in keep defense… now that required some coordination. Much more entertaining than just zergballing like angry bees.

Personally I don’t think the system was better, but it certainly had some features that obliterates things in GW2. As mentioned earlier, the warband multiple grouping system in WO is still the best I’ve ever used…. it certainly puts the current commander and squad system to shame.

There was still a lot of standing around in Warhammer waiting for zones to flip. The changes they made about a year after release really helped, but by that time 80% of the people had quit.

I’d just be happy if they had a grouping system that we can use for all different numbers of guild mates and for “private” guild events and missions.

C&S system is horrible for private guild events and there is no other in game option.

All the stuff you guys suggested was pretty much what Warhammer’s “Warband” system had. Hopefully they make grouping properly a priority soon.

Hexin.5603:

If it doesnt work from the map click… find the commander in the zerg your following, right click his nameplate, join squad

when your done with him, /squadleave

What an archaic system. When MMO’s that came out 5 years ago have a vastly superior PvP/PvE grouping system that fits any number of players or situations… I have to shake my head.

For all the wonderful and innovative things GW2 did right, their grouping system for over 5 people fell back to the stone age. They need to revamp the command & squad system or add a new grouping system that actually fits players and guilds play styles.

IonusX.7905:

i do have to agree with lots being said but early today me and a fellow guild organized our selves and our server by using 3rd party surface we organized the guild group into a small zerg and i controlling the pug and mixed players that where not part of the guild and it was working flawlessly but their many time where i wanted to tell certain people hey can you 5 and you 5 go here and here while the rest of us move to here. now with the squad chat its not really need since you can never see where anyone really is which practically sucks since saying you want to hit this supply camp here and hit this tower at this time gets very difficult since you cant see where everyone is or when you want lead a sweeping manover on your enemy’s and no one knows whats going since they cant read or follow which chat window

Can you actually imagine an army trying to fight a battle without knowing how many people they have, if they are together and no way to split the forces into various sizes.

That’s what it’s like trying to group in game and play GW2. let’s get some commander love this next patch…

Well first they actually NEED a system for more than 5 people to group/coordinate that’s not a zerg magnet. If they had a way for 2-4 groups to group for medium size roaming/havoc…. perhaps we’d have less people zerging?

A way to hide the commander pin AND still retain all the functions of a squad for whatever guild or player size forces people want to make. The grouping system in GW2 needs a lot of attention… worst grouping system in the last 5 MMO’s I’ve played.

kuora.5402:

What’s wrong with zergs?

It’s not what’s wrong with zergs… it’s what’s wrong if you don’t want to zerg. There is no possible in game way to coordinate multiple groups for medium forces (say 2-4) groups using the current commander and squad system. As soon as the pin is popped to help coordinate multiple groups for a medium force or guild event the “blue zerg magnet” comes into effect. Want to stay under the 25 person limit so you don’t have orange swords popping on the map? Better not use the C&S system.

It would be nice to have more mechanics AND some kind of grouping system that would allow more different sized forces anywhere on the map.

Vanity.2506:

There’s not even effective guild tools, let alone a useful UI system for WvW. Yeah, they need to get to work on BASICS … please.

Just on par with most mainstream MMO’s would be dandy.

I’d love to comment more but can’t afford a third infraction for this thread.

100% agree! Sorely needed!

Sorely needed feature to help guild leadership manage a guild.

Taldek.6105:

Add commander tags to guilds which can only be seen by guild mates. Make this something you can unlock down the wvw line with influence and add the ability to pop guild commander tags via guild role permissions while limiting the number of active guild tags to one per fifty members. Any one in a role with commander tag permissions could then pop a commander tag visible only to their guild and each guild could only have a maximum of ten tags active at any one time. I think that would help on a number of levels but would definitely allow groups to coordinate in smaller segments without the risk of drawing unwanted attention of those that just look to follow a public commander tag.

Something similar to this has been suggested countless times since release. It’s very difficult for guilds to group and coordinate over 5 people. The commander and squad system just doesn’t have enough functionality for what’s needed by guilds and players in the game.

The C&S system is surprisingly the least effective system for grouping I’ve seen in the last 5 years playing MMO’s.

Lebannen.8325:

5) Able to salvage siege for supplies (including enemies)

I liked that idea, just like Dolyaks drop supply… you have a chance to gain supply from destroying an enemy siege.

Sacrx.6721:

Be nice to hear of the commander changes i hope it will have guild only option to be seen by guild only. Raid UI?

I’d just be happy if they allowed commanders to hide the pin AND still retain the functions of a squad. Pretty hard to do guild WvW night or private guild events when you have no control over who joins the squad or how many flock to the commander. Trying to stay under the 25 person limit for orange swords is hopeless with a commander pin up… just no other options in the game to coordinate over 5 people.

Actually the guild tax/tithe system used in warhammer was fantastic for helping guilds.

Basically a player could choose to donate a % of money directly to the guild vault from NPC looted coin only. This didn’t effect items sold to merchants, or trading posts… just coin looted from a mob you killed. You could also turn it on and off if you were doing heavy farming.

That 1% of a silver from a mob you kill over time is hardly noticeable.

CapN Biku.6024:

I know my guild uses Skype for their officer chat, it’s free and you don’t automatically go into voice chat.

Although this sounds like a good thing to have.

It’s really kinda sad we have to use 3rd party programs for functions that could be in game and are in most modern day MMO’s. Just like having to use a 3rd party voice program to coordinate multiple groups…. having a commander pin up negates any possibility of private grouping and all we have is VoIP.

Grouping in a modern day MMO is a big part of the social gaming experience. There are many types of guilds and players and those guilds an players have different interests and idea of what is “fun”.

Having a functional system that allows for any number of players to group in a flexible easy manner is paramount. And currently the commander and squad system isn’t doing this. We don’t have to go into details, just do a search for “commander” on the forums…. lots of fantastic suggestions.

I’m sure the C&S system will get upgraded at some point, but I just hope Arenanet realizes how many people are frustrated right now with the current state of trying to get multiple groups together for anything. It feels clunky and inadequate for anything but herding zergs in WvW.

I was surprised this wasn’t in the game either. There is just some conversations or event planning that doesn’t need to spam up the main guild channel. Any tools that make it easier to run a guild are a good thing.

I too am frustrated at the lack of effective and flexible grouping system for over 5+ players. The commander and squad system gets an extremely poor rating as a multiple grouping system compared to most MMO’s that have come out in the last 5 years.

Ease of grouping with players and guild members is part of the social aspect of a game. It’s kind of Ironic how difficult it is to effectively group with your guild in “guild” wars 2. It feels like the commander and squad system is still in early beta testing…. it needs a major facelift.

Malediktus.9250:

I am against requirering influence or something similiar for commander tag. Most commanders on our server are leading the mass of randoms with teamspeak on our server without making use of guilds.

I think the Influence was for guild commanders. Basically you can assign someone in your guild as a commander but only guild members could see or join the pin. Just a way for individual guilds to access the only grouping system in GW2 for more than 5 people for guild events.

Putting the pin up in WvW for a guild only event interferes with the commanders that ARE in teamspeak and leading the zone. This could be a solution to help guilds organize better.

Taldek.6105:

Add commander tags to guilds which can only be seen by guild mates. Make this something you can unlock down the wvw line with influence and add the ability to pop guild commander tags via guild role permissions while limiting the number of active guild tags to one per fifty members. Any one in a role with commander tag permissions could then pop a commander tag visible only to their guild and each guild could only have a maximum of ten tags active at any one time.

This would solve the ability for guilds to create private squads for guild events without interfering with zone commanders. We need a more dynamic way for multiple groups to coordinate and the current Commander and Squad system isn’t cutting it.

brogarn.8723:

As said above, Warhammer, of all games, got it exactly right. Carbon copy that and no one would blame you, Anet.

I realize the Commander and squad system is designed for something different than warhammer’s warband system… but look at the functionality difference between the two.

Warband options:

/disband Disbands your party or warband if you are the leader
/leave Leave your current party or warband
/lfg
/lfm
/lfp Opens and closes the Open Parties and Warbands window
/makeleader
/partyleader Pass party leadership to the targeted character in your party
/makemainassist Pass main assist to the targeted character in your party
/openjoin [character name] Join a specific character’s open party
/openlist
/partylist Lists open parties
/openpartyinterest Toggles your character as interested/not interested in forming a public party
/openpartynote Set recruitment settings for an open party (you must be set as interested in forming an open party)
/partyboot
/partykick
/partyremove Boots the targeted character from your party
/partyleave
/partyquit Leave your current party
/partyinvite Invites the selected target to your party
/partyjoin [character name] Joins a specific character’s party
/partyopen Sets your current party or warband as open
/warbandconvert Converts your current party into a warband
/warbandleader Pass warband leadership to the targeted character in your warband
/warbandlist Lists open warbands
/warbandjoin [character name] Joins a specific character’s warband

This is just the /slash commands for the warband system. All of this could be done in the UI with a drag and drop and right click menu as well. You also saw each groups dots on the map with a unique color. Let’s take a look at the C&S system functions.

Commander & Squad system:

/squadinfo — displays the supply carried by each member of your squad.
/supplyinfo — displays the supply carried by players near you.
/squadjoin [commander_name] – join a commanders squad.
/squadleave – leave your current squad.
/squad – speak in squad chat

Commanders can also set Waypoints via the UI… and that’s it folks. That warband system could hold between 6 people (1 grp) and 48 players. It could be used for any situation within the game, either PvP or PVE. It was simply the best grouping system I’ve ever used in an MMO for multiple groups.

I’m not saying make the commander and squad system exactly like the warband… but look at the functionality between the two. That warband system came out just under 5 years ago… and you wonder why the OP is disappointed and got frustrated?

Rezz.8019:

Having a blue hat that is visible for EVERYONE on the whole map, being able to create 50-man squads, being able to check supplies.

That is worth more than 100 gold, should make it at least 500.

What if you want you simply want to run with 4 groups and stay under the 25 player limit to avoid the crossed orange swords on the map? There is ONE option to effectively coordinate doing that and it involves using a 3rd party voice program. Running 4 separate groups together is no where near as effective as running 4 groups in a squad with a dedicated chat channel, supply check and waypoint marking. Flagging the pin basically invites everyone in the zone to join you and eliminates a specialty squad, or trying to stay under the 25 player limit.

The commander and squad system would work if they allowed some flexibility and control over the size of the squad and who’s in it. Allow commanders to hide the pin and still retain all the functions of the squad would probably be the easiest solution. Commanders can be public or private for guilds and havoc forces.

It would work for whatever players or guilds would need or enjoy doing.

AmIAnnoyingNow.2903:

Hopefully, the march update will bring more attention and some improvements to the system so people will use it more.

We can hope. If they make no changes to it… it would be pretty sad.

I’ve been pretty vocal with suggestions to Commander and squad system upgrade. In a game that’s supposed to be about players working together and using tactics…. we simply don’t have the tools to do it. When you can’t control how many people are in a squad, or know where they are on the map it effects the ability to lead effectively. It’s kinda sad that the best tool available to coordinate in gw2 is a 3rd party voice program.

Players have their own ideas of what is fun and they will group the way that they enjoy. Unfortunately you are either forced in gw2 to run in a group of 5 or be part of a zerg. If you like running with 2-4 groups of players or guild mates doing stealthy hit and run tactics it’s impossible to put up a commander pin. Putting the pin up in this situation attracts everyone in the zone to you and now shows the orange swords. Most groups of players are forced to run together in separate groups of 5 players and have to rely on 3rd party voice to coordinate the multiple groups.

Your suggestion above would certainty be an improvement from what we have atm. I would like to see the commander and squad system flexible for all play styles and sizes. The easiest way would to allow commanders to hide the pin AND still retain all the functions of a squad. Now you can have a private squad that can be used for any number of players with some degree of control.

Something needs changed and I hope Arena net realizes how inadequate the current system is for player grouping.

Thesilentflute.8761:

So much QQ over nothing the raid ui is alt f4 duhhh. Zergs are a waste of man power tanky toons running in rings till they forget to heal or glass toons that are smash or be smashed.

huh?

Jeknar.6184:

Did Ahmrill.7512 posted already? He’s always in those threads about commander’s UI.

Yes… yes I did!

Every time I see something regarding the C&S system I have to post. The lack of functionality and flexibility for more than 5 people is frustrating. Gw2 got so many things right, but the multiple grouping systems in GW2 still feel like they are in beta testing.

Guild name: Nordvegr
Server: Jade Quarry
Rank: GM

“Display guild emblem” not working for our guild members. They are unable to purchase a guild emblem armor or weapon.

I have “display guild emblem” checked for our member rank. I’ve tried toggling it off and on. I’ve tried creating a new guild rank and enabling the “display guild emblem” permission. Nothing has changed…. not sure what else I can do at this point.