Helpless NPCs

So here i was completing another dynamic event with hellbugs and E-Rep soldiers, and then i thought like "jeez, man, this E-Rep 'commandos' are completely helpless". This problem(for me it is anyway) i saw in GW2 before(but to be honest npcs in there are absolutely completely cubed helpless, Defiance is far more better this way)...
I understand that Trion like any other game developer aims to the players feel themselves like mega epic almighty heroes, and that's why NPCs have almost zero dmg and health. Point me if i'm wrong, but i see it this way.
I don't know about other players, but because of this i don't feel myself like a part of the game world. When i see an ally(no matter PC or NPC) i expect some help fighting all those hostile shtako, and what i get... Well, a bit of tanking and nothing more. So i think, maybe you Trion should allow NPCs to slice like half of the enemy's HP bar and then remove all dmg? I don't know really, i can't into game balance and all that, but i see a problem here.
And what do you guys think?

Yea, they do really suck. Alway's just laying around begging for a revive..:)

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Originally Posted by Tallon

Yea, they do really suck. Alway's just laying around begging for a revive..:)

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By the way, why NPCs don't revive ME when i'm down? Helpless and useless! :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by epsire

By the way, why NPCs don't revive ME when i'm down? Helpless and completely useless! :rolleyes:

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I agree, I thought that was the whole reason for stationing them at locations like Iron Demon Ranch and the Overpass and in scattered locations throughout the map. They should be able to do real damage, defend and revive players, the Echelon Mercs at Bloodbath Turnout just get killed, revive and get killed again, they don't even shoot back.

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Originally Posted by Mess7739

I agree, I thought that was the whole reason for stationing them at locations like Iron Demon Ranch and the Overpass and in scattered locations throughout the map. They should be able to do real damage, defend and revive players, the Echelon Mercs at Bloodbath Turnout just get killed, revive and get killed again, they don't even shoot back.

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lol.those mercs are probably under contract by that greedy shtako Soleptor somehow...and god forbid they charge him extra for reviving someone NOT on their list...hahah...just saying :D

Yeah npc soldiers such as Echelon and E-rep do little to no damage. Their grenades and bullets do nothing. I wouldn't mind seeing Friendly NPCs having Enemy NPC damage to hold their own. It would add more immersion if they could fight back better and not having to babysit them. And its not like they will steal the glory from the player anyway.

I would like the npcs to actually do damage to encourage you to revive them so they can assist you, adding a tactical option to that play. It is also immersion breaking a bit and at the moment at best they draw fire, so there is little reason to revive them.

Following on from this, I would like the ability to hire Echelon mercenaries which can fight alongside you:
- give them a few loadouts to choose from, draw fire, support, damage, sniper etc
- potentially have a minute scrip or salvage drain to pay for upkeep
- perhaps offer some rarity or progression for these npcs

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Originally Posted by Etaew

Following on from this, I would like the ability to hire Echelon mercenaries which can fight alongside you

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It's actually great idea that can improve solo player's(like myself) experience. Remember mercenaries from Everquest 2. But that brings us to complete new 'pet' system... And despite my desire to see it in game i don't think Trion should bother with it until they finish fixin all the bugs.
Still i'm glad to see i'm not the only one bothered with NPC uselessness. %)

I like the idea of hiring echelon mercs too although the cost would be very interesting also the casualty fee cost

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Originally Posted by Mess7739

I agree, I thought that was the whole reason for stationing them at locations like Iron Demon Ranch and the Overpass and in scattered locations throughout the map. They should be able to do real damage, defend and revive players, the Echelon Mercs at Bloodbath Turnout just get killed, revive and get killed again, they don't even shoot back.

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1.) I have seen the 3 'recruiter' NPCs at the Bloodbath fast-travel point take fire from the mutants up the hill at the parking-lot and actually run up the hill together and attack/kill the whole crowd of badguys up there.
I was so amazed at the time that I ran up the hill with them and watched the whole thing. When it was over they all just walked back out of the parking-lot, walked down the hill, and resumed their posts. It was truly bizarre to watch from start to finish.

2.) It has always annoyed me that all the hostage situations end in me doing 100% of the rescue. You'd think that on occassion after I untied several that once/while one of THEM would finish or pitch in releasing the last one or two. Maybe even reviving ONE of the downed goodguy NPCs. Instead we get one guy waving his arms over one dead goodguy.

3.) Regarding doing actual damage to badguys, I have to admit that while I appreciate the turrets when I'm alone at a siege, I do get ticked off at two things:

• The amount of time that turrets that I paid to fully upgrade just hover doing nothing but adjusting whatever song they're listing to on their iPod while I'm getting my azz shot off by a crowd of Volge.
• The text pop-up that gives the turret credit for kills at a siege. I swear I keep seeing it say I got an assist.

I do like the fact that a downed NPC will tank a Monarch and just lay there the whole time I BMG the Monarch from a distance. I have a Tele-spanner that has extra distance, 555 DMG/sec, and '0% DMG charge' stat (-0.03 DMG charge and -0.06 DMG charge bonuse's's) , so it'll take down a Monarch without dropping below 70%.