Community?

As a veteran of many MMO's I have always found the most fun in the game coming from interacting with players around me. Player interaction has been and is the focus of every MMO. One thing I see lacking in GW is community. Why is it so hard to find a group, or why is it so hard to have stimulating conversations with pleasant people? It seems everyone just groups up with some henchmen and goes out to do missions, what happened to grouping up with people to accomplish a common goal? I miss that aspect of online gaming, its driving me and many other people to log on less and less, despite GW being a new game. Hopefully we can begin to group with others around the game and make more and more friends, just like MMOs were designed to do. If you agree, possibly post here and we can start a list of people who enjoy grouping and talking.

Thanks,
Iteicea

myself i tends to always group with henchy for the only reason that if i have to go afk, i go afk and dont keep playing because people dont wana wait dont know about the others.

I think you can chalk that up to personal preference to a degree. I know quite a few people who love the fact that henchmen exist, for the freedom it allows them while playing. In the words of my fiance: "I like the fact that I dont always have to find a group when i log in, I can go with henchmen if i want."

I agree, its nice to have them, but when they are used every time someone goes out into their instance, then why play an online game, you can get the same experience from dungeon siege or any of the Baldur's gate games

I usually prefer henchmen because of the apparent yet invisible barrier between me and the rest of the community. In regards to what you're saying, I don't know if this feeling occurs because everybody is using henchmen, or if everybody is using henchmen because the lack of a unified community. Seems kind of like a chicken or the egg type of deal.

Though I'm rather lucky in that I have a handful of close friends who I group with (in addition to henchmen, to fill out the rest of the party slots) when they're online.

I am just disappointed, because this game is so amazing, but lacks that atmosphere that makes MMOs great.

it's not worth it because the people in this game are just morons. i've played many online games and this game has the biggest assholes and stupidiest bunch of people all round up. best off just sticking with henchmen as much as you can. at least Stephan won't call you names while he's running through the walls. and henchmen never go afk or leave a team in the middle of a mission either.

Ya, we get the problem of assholes because its free, yes you get it in other MMOs, but not to this extent.

I know I've had a number of problems with living, breathing people. I only group with humans if the henchmen just don't cut it. I've been ditched, cursed at and just plain ignored one too many times.

You know, oddly, I've never experienced a significant problem with these kinds of issues. Most of the random people I communicate with in-game seem at best kind and respectful, and at worst indifferent. Most of the party leaders in pickup groups in the Crystal Desert are reasonable folks trying to get from place to place or through the missions as best they can, while sheperding people who may not have learned how not to attract every hostile on the map.

Maybe I've just been lucky.

—Siran Dunmorgan

Yep, and well said, I have to say though I do usually end up grouped, but I also agree, this game does not have the same feel or atmosphere as other MMORPG's.
It is a MMO game, just not a MMORPG as in role play game. It has as much in common with role play as Tekken.

First thing for me is in other MMORPG's you actually get attacted to the character that I'm playing, but for some reason here I don't, it seems more like a hack and slash diablo fest with little purpose other than unlocking skills for PvP which I don't actually play often.
The story is good first time round, but it also makes the game feel as though it is over just as you start to get into it..

I played FFXI for about a year and a half before I quit it and moved to GW. You're right that the community is not as strong as in other mmo's, but there's a reason for it. In most other grind games you need to spend a ton of time making friends, searching, and begging to make parties and to finish quests, simply because there is no other option. Even simple levelling was often a 1-6 hour wait depending on level, or more if you're an "unwanted" job.

Guild Wars gives you options in the form of henchemen, which is wonderful, because now I can spend my time playing the game and having fun instead of trading favors or begging people to help. The trade off is that I don't need to make friends or beg the community to help me out, which results in a weaker community than other mmo's. It's a weakness that is well worth it in my opinion, especially if you've played a heavy grind/grouping intensive game like FFXI. Even for quests that generally need rl people such as Aurora or the ascension quests it's very easy to get people to join. In FFXI I'd spend weeks hoping to find someone who either also wanted to do it, or who owed me a favor and would help out.

Exactly! Thats why I enjoy MMO's, I immerse myself into a character, I become someone else and am able to play out my story, with the lack of RPing and the focus on hack 'n slash, RPing is buried along with community, and its very saddening to see a game with so much potential ruined by this.

I agree, I find myself logging on less and less because of this very reason.

I don't have any experience with other MMORPG's, because I have a busy life and could never bring myself to fork out the monthly fees. That and the track record of the makers attracted me to GW.

Now that I'm here, I find I split my time about 50/50 between henchmen and real people. Henchmen are dependable but weak, and other humans are strong, smarter (in that they don't stand in poison water), but carry the risk of being jerks.

I've had several lame groups, true, but I don't share the cynicism I see thrown around here a lot by disillusioned players (95% of the people playing this game can't be jerks). My own ratio is probably about 1/3 total losers/lunatics, 1/3 competent but not very fun (ie, silent), and 1/3 fun, competent and interesting people.

I will say that, at its best, playing with other people is MUCH better than playing with henchmen. It's a totally different game. But sometimes I'm just not in the mood for the risk of grouping with a bunch of jerks.

I wish there was something somewhere between friends (I've made friends, but everybody goes at their own rate and it never seems like we're in a position to hook up again), and guilds (too small). Some sort of online secret handshake that told me: "I'm not a jerk. I may not be the most kick-ass player in town but I have a sense of humor and teamsmanship." That'd be nice.

Me too, by FAR the groups that I've teamed up with have been great. Of course, there are couple of bad groups, didn't gel, couple of immature rantings (shoudln't type when in the middle of combat). But for the most part, I've had great experiences.

I've also noted that the impetus to team up with living players comes down the line a bit. The game really gears up in the 2nd half and relying on teammates (living, breathing ones) becomes more paramount.

Now, my highest player is a monk and is in high demand.... I admit that...

Also, there are times that I like the freedom of doing missions, especially early, with the henchies... that way I can play as long as I want...and skip out if I want to and not feel overly guilty.

I have actually 2 ascended characters one which has finished the fire isle chain and other that is upto it. I have also been playing a monk of late, it is fairly easy to get a group as a monk, but I much prefer playing my other character, as playing a monk revolves more around watching health bars and click / heal than fighting monster enjoying the graphics.

Yes it is fairly easy to get group , and I have had a few bad groups, but more often than not they are good.
There is still no RP interaction in these groups for the majority of the time though.
You also have to understand that alot of post about "idiot gamers" are spur of the moment posts by players who have had a bad day. Forums are an annonomus place to rant etc and then only comeback you will ever get is a ban if you good too far.

I just beat D'Alessio Seaboard and still notice this problem... I have found a few people who are nice and whom I enjoy their company...but only a few. I have run into TONS of morons, mainly little "kids" who are mooching or think they are the shiz...I want a whole group of people I can rely on to group up with or even just talk with, and thats at the very least.

It's not just a bad day for me, its been a bad experience playing for weeks now. I enjoy the game itself, but want something more.

The community is extremely lacking. I find myself logging in less and less as the days go on. I really have nothing to do when I log in. I like PVP and all but finding a group without a guild that can field them all the time is hell, finding a group that dosen't suck is even harder. Other then that I can go farm. While typing this post i've decided to move on. I need to play something else.

The only way to get that is through finding people / joining guilds.

Hmm, there is a guild listing with descriptions of guilds.
You may be able to find people that way rather than just random PuG in game. Not saying it will be easy, there are 777.