Curse

TheGizzy · Mar 04, 2011, 06:25 PM // 18:25

Maybe I'm clueless, but I'm just not seeing what advantage these mercs are going to give anyone. A third rit? Hell, I can turn one of my rangers into a perfectly suitable SoS rit. For that matter, as an ele, I was able to turn MYSELF into an SoS rit and I get to use summon spirits which isn't available to H/M/H.

Another mesmer? 'meh. I can dual-class a monk or ele into a mesmer... the whole "fast casting" isn't that big of a deal on any of the builds I'd run on a third mesmer anyway.

More necros? Seriously? Yuck. Besides, I use a build on Razah that makes him an even better bomber than any of my N/any are... and it's rare I have to yank Death Nova away from him like I do on the necros (though that did finally happen last night LOL).

I've no interest in the merc packs... and I'm just not the type to roll & play multiple toons anyway. I made a rit that I was going to use for Survivor, but now that that title has changed, she'll be another mule and a place for ANet to give me birthday prezzies.

In all the complaints about the "advantage" these mercs are giving people, I'm just not seeing anyone clearly state what those advantages are. PvE, which is the only place you can use mercs, is not a competitive instanced environment. So why should I care that some other player is able to use more of some profession than I can? I'm not in competition with them... there aren't finite resources in-game... I can still earn all the gold, or ectos, or whatever I want with what I already have. I can't do a speed clear to save my life... should they be nerfed because I can't do them and so other people have an advantage over me? I could learn, right? Just as I COULD pay for the merc packs.

I simply choose not to.

Deakon · Mar 04, 2011, 06:32 PM // 18:32

I think the same thing can be said about any of the expansions since Prophecies. Folks who purchased Factions had an advantage over those who did not. Nightfall and EotN is the same thing. People who spent money on the expansions gained skills, heroes, etc. etc. Which gives them an advantage over those who did not. With each expansion there were options for builds (team or solo) as well as new content. I look at this as a limited content expansion but a greater build option expansion (which was free!). The Mercenaries may give the player an advantage on options but seriously... out of the nth million options already available, is it really going to be that noticeable?

Winterclaw · Mar 04, 2011, 06:32 PM // 18:32

The advantage is you can fully customize your team (for $45 bucks).

BTW, someone asked about having 8 slots. I thought about it for a minute and realized you need an 8th because you've got multiple PCs and you might not want to use the mercenary version of your current PC.

Lasai · Mar 04, 2011, 06:35 PM // 18:35

TBH I think most of this frothing at the mouth isn't about an actual advantage at all, but merely attempting to lever ANET into providing something really cool, free.

GranDeWun · Mar 04, 2011, 06:41 PM // 18:41

'Advantage' + PVE = nonsense. It's not a competitive situation.

TheGizzy · Mar 04, 2011, 06:48 PM // 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterclaw

The advantage is you can fully customize your team (for $45 bucks).

What effect does someone else being able to fully customize their team have on you and on your gameplay? Are you playing against them? Competing for something that you'll now not be able to acquire because they have mercs? What's the specific advantage? What is the impact on you and your gameplay?

Winterclaw · Mar 04, 2011, 06:55 PM // 18:55

1. They can do it faster/easier if the right build is found.
2. Depends on how you define playing against someone.
3. Depends on the competition in question
4. Depends on the build, but I'd say time and as someone else suggested, not needing to use cons.
5. Mat prices?
6. ???
7. I win.

Chocolate_Prayers · Mar 04, 2011, 06:58 PM // 18:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

What effect does someone else being able to fully customize their team have on you and on your gameplay? Are you playing against them? Competing for something that you'll now not be able to acquire because they have mercs? What's the specific advantage? What is the impact on you and your gameplay?

Apparently everybody is unknowingly competing for the biggest E-Peen on Guild Wars.

Granted, having smexy looking mercenary versions of henchmen really does add that extra bling factor that makes them so much more advantageous to have.

Lasai · Mar 04, 2011, 07:03 PM // 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

What effect does someone else being able to fully customize their team have on you and on your gameplay? Are you playing against them? Competing for something that you'll now not be able to acquire because they have mercs? What's the specific advantage? What is the impact on you and your gameplay?

Yes, I have yet to see evidence of any actual advantage. The Sky is (theoretically) Falling.

It has been one day.

And on another note, the sheer petty behavior of the GW Demographic baffles me. GW is the best value in gaming, to me, right now. I am amazed still by what they do, the quality of the items offered, and that content updates like GW beyond are free. Beyond content far exceeds that of the Bonus Mission Pack and does not cost a dime.

I played SOE games for oh.. 6 years. I've been conned by professionals. ANET are saints compared to Smedley and SOE. They really don't deserve the abuse being hurled around.

TheGizzy · Mar 04, 2011, 07:10 PM // 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterclaw

1. They can do it faster/easier if the right build is found.
2. Depends on how you define playing against someone.
3. Depends on the competition in question
4. Depends on the build, but I'd say time and as someone else suggested, not needing to use cons.
5. Mat prices?
6. ???
7. I win.

1. And an SC team can do it faster/easier than I can. Better nerf those, then, since it's unfair that those players are getting more ectos than I am... that means they can buy a polar bear and I can't! Ohnoes!! Because it certainly isn't allowing them to buy better weapons than me... I've always found it insane that people are paying a few hundred ectos for the exact same weapon stats I can have crafted for 5k. It's a VANITY purchase - has zero impact on game play.

2. I guess so. But last time I checked, there wasn't anywhere in PvE that I had to play against someone else in order to progress. If you know of one, please share.

3. Be specific - what competition?

4. Ok, time... and what advantage does their doing it faster gain them over you, specifically? They might have one more ecto than you for 10 minutes? As for cons... I don't know, I've never done an area in the game where I had to use cons to complete it. So I'm not really seeing that.

5. Why on earth are you wasting money on buying mats? Only time I've ever bought mats was to get spiritwood for my incubator because I was too lazy to farm it. On the other hand, I've made a boodle of money selling feathers to other people who are in turn too lazy to farm them... and god knows they're probably the easiest farm in game, so I've never really understood that. LOL

6.

7. Win what? Is this another of your imaginary competitions? LOL

Lasai · Mar 04, 2011, 07:17 PM // 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterclaw

1. They can do it faster/easier if the right build is found.
2. Depends on how you define playing against someone.
3. Depends on the competition in question
4. Depends on the build, but I'd say time and as someone else suggested, not needing to use cons.
5. Mat prices?
6. ???
7. I win.

1. A full necro team pwned the separate instance next to mine so hard that the npcs I wanted to kill fell over dead.

2. I got kicked out of an explorable at 87% VQ because a full necro team somewhere won the race I didn't know I was in.

3. A full necro team hacked my acct and got me banned.

4. The existence of full necro teams has caused the npcs to point and laugh at me as I enter explorables.. causing me untold mental anguish.

5. Depends. discrete, absorbent, perfect for long hours of trying to be as good as full necro teams.

6. Profit.

Do I get a participation ribbon at least?

Grj · Mar 04, 2011, 07:22 PM // 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

In all the complaints about the "advantage" these mercs are giving people, I'm just not seeing anyone clearly state what those advantages are. PvE, which is the only place you can use mercs, is not a competitive instanced environment. So why should I care that some other player is able to use more of some profession than I can? I'm not in competition with them... there aren't finite resources in-game... I can still earn all the gold, or ectos, or whatever I want with what I already have. I can't do a speed clear to save my life... should they be nerfed because I can't do them and so other people have an advantage over me? I could learn, right? Just as I COULD pay for the merc packs.

I simply choose not to.

If people share this view or simillar and this is the case why is it then that this forum filled with nerf 'insert skill here' and crying for balance threads if people don't care what builds others run and don't care about players in their own instance?

TheGizzy · Mar 04, 2011, 07:23 PM // 19:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate_Prayers

Apparently everybody is unknowingly competing for the biggest E-Peen on Guild Wars.

Granted, having smexy looking mercenary versions of henchmen really does add that extra bling factor that makes them so much more advantageous to have.

*chuckling* My game buddy Missy bought the merc pack last night and converted several of her toons into mercs. We went to do the Gates in Kryta mission with my hubby since we all still had it as an uncompleted ZM & Missy brought along one of her new mercs. That toon is one she's used frequently when we play together in addition to her main (the one she was actually playing last night). We were laughing over how odd it was to see "her" playing alongside "her" and to see "her" name in the party list alongside "her" other name.

Maybe it could be used as a distraction tool! Confuse the foes!

TheGizzy · Mar 04, 2011, 07:26 PM // 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grj

If people share this view or simillar and this is the case why is it then that this forum filled with nerf 'insert skill here' and crying for balance threads if people don't care what builds others run and don't care about players in their own instance?

I don't know... but you'll notice I don't participate in those threads.

Personally, I've never really understood why people care how someone else plays in a non-competitive gaming environment. If this were WoW, I could see it - but thank all the gods it's not, so I don't get it.

My guess is that those "nerf the skill" threads are probably populated by the same people complaining over the merc packs, but I don't know - just not something I care enough about to pay attention to.

Imaginary advantage is imaginary.

Lasai · Mar 04, 2011, 07:29 PM // 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grj

If people share this view or simillar and this is the case why is it then that this forum filled with nerf 'insert skill here' and crying for balance threads if people don't care what builds others run and don't care about players in their own instance?

Oh yes, because a forum filled with nerf calling and general crying validates so many many things.

Chocolate_Prayers · Mar 04, 2011, 07:39 PM // 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

*chuckling* My game buddy Missy bought the merc pack last night and converted several of her toons into mercs. We went to do the Gates in Kryta mission with my hubby since we all still had it as an uncompleted ZM & Missy brought along one of her new mercs. That toon is one she's used frequently when we play together in addition to her main (the one she was actually playing last night). We were laughing over how odd it was to see "her" playing alongside "her" and to see "her" name in the party list alongside "her" other name.

Maybe it could be used as a distraction tool! Confuse the foes!

Aye, did a similar thing, Merc'd 6 of my chars, stuck em into party with a 7th, added an alliance member and watched genuine confusion ensue.
Real creepy when all of a sudden there are 7 versions of the same person partying with you.
Must be what everyone here is so eager to have after all.

TheGizzy · Mar 04, 2011, 07:42 PM // 19:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

Imaginary advantage is imaginary.

I should clarify something here... I'm not saying there is no advantage to having mercs. What I'm saying is that, thus far, I've yet to see anyone actually offer up a specific actual advantage that demonstrates a tangible game reward which is otherwise unobtainable by those who do not possess a merc pack. I'm really not trying to be a smart ass...I just don't see it, and no one seems to be able to verbalize it.

If "faster" is a tangible benefit, then why aren't people screaming over the skill packs? Because they certainly allow a person to do things "faster" than those without. Being able to immediately set up a gimmick build on yourself/your heroes, without effort (beyond perhaps earning enough money for skill tomes/trainers for your actual toon - but with gimmicked heroes, you could run a blank bar yourself and still progress) should fall into the same category, yes? Yet I see plenty of those complaining about the merc packs saying that skill packs are fine.

What is the tangible game reward those with merc packs will receive that those without them cannot? I am genuinely wanting to know.

*lemming* · Mar 04, 2011, 07:50 PM // 19:50

Is everyone seriously denying that the ability to have more than the allotted number of heroes for any one class in a party an advantage? Even if it seems trivial right now, what makes you think it's not an advantage?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhavv

If I can clear all of the UW except for 4H (regarded to be the hardest quest in the whole game) with my 2 accounts, 6 heroes and a rage quit on my other character, does it really matter if I'm down a man?

Yes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGizzy

If "faster" is a tangible benefit, then why aren't people screaming over the skill packs? Because they certainly allow a person to do things "faster" than those without.

Skill packs can be replicated with, you know, actually having skills unlocked. It's faster to get started that way, but it's not an exclusive effect to those who paid for it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lupu

Until someone comes up with an "outside the box" AWESOME new herobuild that will drop the ecto prices or something similar because it's so good and being overly used by everyone with merch heros, ...I don't think they will have an advantage.

Maybe it's the case that with less people able to test builds, we'll never see anything uniquely degenerate involving more than three heroes of one class, but do you honestly believe that will hold in the long run?

Lortext · Mar 04, 2011, 07:51 PM // 19:51

The biggest in-game advantage I got from the store was buying Eye of the North.

TheGizzy · Mar 04, 2011, 08:02 PM // 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemming

Skill packs can be replicated with, you know, actually having skills unlocked. It's faster to get started that way, but it's not an exclusive effect to those who paid for it.

Seems to me I can replicate it - I party up with my friend who is also an elementalist, and we each drag along our three elementalist heroes. Now we've got a party of 8 elementalists, and I didn't have to pay a dime.

So if the argument is that the end effect cannot be duplicated without spending money... then the argument is a fail.

It takes additional effort to cap a skill or unlock it via faction from that which is required to obtain it via a skill pack - but the skill is obtainable either way. It takes additional effort to form an 8-custom profession party by partying up with an additional player(s) - but it is still obtainable either way.