Hireling - Revision history

Flux at 12:05, 14 October 2013

2013-10-14T12:05:33Z

Elly at 02:49, 9 February 2013

2013-02-09T02:49:15Z

Flux: /* Known NPC Followers */

2011-07-09T06:08:33Z

‎Known NPC Followers

Risingred: sigh

2011-05-12T23:01:13Z

sigh

Risingred: origin page

2011-05-12T23:00:39Z

origin page

New page

'''Hirelings''' are similar to [[followers]] in [[Diablo III]] in that they will follow the player around and assist in combat. Unlike followers, however, they cannot be equipped, cannot level up, and are considered [[hardcore]]. Hirelings are not meant to replace followers[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/hirelings-in-diablo-iii/].
Hirelings are generally part of [[quest]]s of various complexity, and are somewhat akin to smarter, more clingy versions of the wandering [[NPC]] [[Barbarians]] found in Act 5 of Diablo II.

The terminology of a hireling, and the ability to categorize them, gets a little hazy when asking whether or not [[NPC]]s as part of an [[escort]] quest are considered hirelings or not. This information has yet to be revealed, but the [[beta]] may bring updates on it.

==Development==

Not much is known about hirelings or how large a role they will play in Diablo III.
[[Leonard Boyarsky]] spoke in more detail about their plans for Mercs and hirelings at [[Blizzcon]] 2008.

<blue>We have two different types of mercenaries now. As you saw in the demo, if you got the quest where you could rescue the adventurers or their leader, those guys are a low level and are just along for the quest, or are cannon fodder. You can't really control them or have anything to do with them at all.

When you have what we are calling followers, they are the guys you can equip, give them different weapons, you can give them different armor. They will probably have some quests that involve them. Much more than in Diablo II, you could equip them but they were more like a game mechanic in a body of an NPC. Where this time, were making them much more individuals with their own back story and their own reason for being in the world.</blue>

==Known NPC Followers==

Players have found various NPC hirelings in the playable demos at Blizzcon in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Hirelings are usually part of various [[scripted event]]s and [[quests]]. In the known examples players found NPC warriors who needed assistance fighting off large groups of monsters, explorers who needed help reaching a special treasure, injured humans who requested escorts, and even an NPC merchant who felt his honor had been insulted by another NPC, and offered to sell his items at a discount if his reputation was restored.

With so many NPC follower events and mini-quests in the three playable demos so far, it seems very likely we'll see quite a number of these adventures and events in the final game.

A few examples:

The [[Barbarian]] finds [[Deckard Cain]] with three NPC [[archers]] in the dungeon in the WWI gameplay movie. The Barbarian orders Cain to follow him to safety, and the Archers come along to assist. They join in the battle and do their best, but are picked off one by one until only the Barbarian and Cain reach the end of the level.

The [[Escort Mission]] was a mini-quest in the Blizzcon 2008 demo. Players found an NPC guard captain who asked for assistance in locating the rest of his soldiers, as they'd become separated in battle. The Captain accompanied you as you explored the surrounding areas, and as each of his lost soldiers were found, they joined in as well, acting as durable, but low-damage, tanks.

Other such events were part of the 2009 and 2010 demo as well.

[[File:Follower interaction.jpg|frame|center|NPCs assist the Barbarian to rescue Cain.]]

{{Character navbox|d3}}

[[category:NPCs]]
[[category:mercenaries]]
[[Category:Basics]]
[[category:hirelings]]

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-{{BC}}
+Hirelings was a term used to refer to non-[[Follower]] NPCs during Diablo 3's development. These occasional companions were basically wandering NPCs who were occasionally found in dungeons and would tag along behind your hero for some time; until they died or completed a mission.
-'''Hirelings''' are similar to [[followers]] in [[Diablo III]] in that they will follow the player around and assist in combat. Unlike followers, however, they cannot be equipped, cannot level up, and are considered [[hardcore]]. Hirelings are not meant to replace followers[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/hirelings-in-diablo-iii/].
+These types of NPCs are still found in the game, largely in the form of frightened or lost guards in Act Three, but also during some quests in other acts. Leah and Tyrael could be described as a Hierling of a sort, as they accompany the hero on several quests in Acts 1-4, but do not receive equipment, level up, take damage, etc.
-The terminology of a hireling, and the ability to categorize them, gets a little hazy when asking whether or not [[NPC]]s as part of an [[escort quest]] are considered hirelings or not. This information has yet to be revealed, but the [[beta]] may bring updates on it.
+These NPCs are of no real importance in the larger game and the significance of hirelings grew less during development until they were merely in-game color by the time of launch in 2012.
-<blue>We have two different types of mercenaries now. As you saw in the demo, if you got the quest where you could rescue the adventurers or their leader, those guys are a low level and are just along for the quest, or are cannon fodder. You can't really control them or have anything to do with them at all.
+==Hirelings During Development==
-When you have what we are calling followers, they are the guys you can equip, give them different weapons, you can give them different armor. They will probably have some quests that involve them. Much more than in Diablo II, you could equip them but they were more like a game mechanic in a body of an NPC. Where this time, were making them much more individuals with their own back story and their own reason for being in the world.</blue>
+[[Leonard Boyarsky]] shared some of their plans for Followers and hirelings at [[Blizzcon]] 2008, though these plans changed greatly before the game's launch four years later.
-==Known NPC Followers==
+<blue>We have two different types of mercenaries now. As you saw in the demo, if you got the quest where you could rescue the adventurers or their leader, those guys are a low level and are just along for the quest, or are cannon fodder. You can't really control them or have anything to do with them at all.<br>
-Players have found various NPC hirelings in the playable demos at Blizzcon in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Hirelings are usually part of various [[scripted event]]s and [[quests]].  In the known examples players found NPC warriors who needed assistance fighting off large groups of monsters, explorers who needed help reaching a special treasure, injured humans who requested escorts, and even an NPC merchant who felt his honor had been insulted by another NPC, and offered to sell his items at a discount if his reputation was restored.
+When you have what we are calling followers, they are the guys you can equip, give them different weapons, you can give them different armor. They will probably have some quests that involve them. Much more than in Diablo II, you could equip them but they were more like a game mechanic in a body of an NPC. Where this time, were making them much more individuals with their own back story and their own reason for being in the world.</blue>
-The [[Escort Mission]] was a mini-quest in the Blizzcon 2008 demo. Players found an NPC guard captain who asked for assistance in locating the rest of his soldiers, as they'd become separated in battle. The Captain accompanied you as you explored the surrounding areas, and as each of his lost soldiers were found, they joined in as well, acting as durable, but low-damage, tanks.
+==NPC Hirelings==
-Other such events were part of the 2009 and 2010 demo as well.
+Hirelings were seen on many of the quests during the Blizzcon demos in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Several archers were the best known, appearing midway through the introductory Diablo 3 demo, released at Gamescom 2008 when the title was announced.
 [[File:Follower interaction.jpg|frame|center|NPCs assist the Barbarian to rescue Cain.]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:49, 9 February 2013
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	'''Hirelings''' are similar to [[followers]] in [[Diablo III]] in that they will follow the player around and assist in combat. Unlike followers, however, they cannot be equipped, cannot level up, and are considered [[hardcore]]. Hirelings are not meant to replace followers[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/hirelings-in-diablo-iii/].		'''Hirelings''' are similar to [[followers]] in [[Diablo III]] in that they will follow the player around and assist in combat. Unlike followers, however, they cannot be equipped, cannot level up, and are considered [[hardcore]]. Hirelings are not meant to replace followers[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/hirelings-in-diablo-iii/].
	Hirelings are generally part of [[quest]]s of various complexity, and are somewhat akin to smarter, more clingy versions of the wandering [[NPC]] [[Barbarians]] found in Act 5 of Diablo II.		Hirelings are generally part of [[quest]]s of various complexity, and are somewhat akin to smarter, more clingy versions of the wandering [[NPC]] [[Barbarians]] found in Act 5 of Diablo II.

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 [[category:NPCs]]
 [[Category:Basics]]
 [[category:hirelings]]

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 Hirelings are generally part of [[quest]]s of various complexity, and are somewhat akin to smarter, more clingy versions of the wandering [[NPC]] [[Barbarians]] found in Act 5 of Diablo II.
-The terminology of a hireling, and the ability to categorize them, gets a little hazy when asking whether or not [[NPC]]s as part of an [[escort]] quest are considered hirelings or not. This information has yet to be revealed, but the [[beta]] may bring updates on it.
+The terminology of a hireling, and the ability to categorize them, gets a little hazy when asking whether or not [[NPC]]s as part of an [[escort quest]] are considered hirelings or not. This information has yet to be revealed, but the [[beta]] may bring updates on it.
 ==Development==