1

In Guild Wars, the number 1 is used as shorthand for the word "ready". Often, a party will type "1" in response to a party leader asking if everyone is ready. This way, the leader can easily distinguish players announcing that they are ready from unrelated chat. When the number of 1's is equal to the party size, the leader will continue. Some party leaders, particularly in PvP venues such as Heroes' Ascent and Guild versus Guild in which the party size limit is 8, may request that party members, rather than replying with 1, reply with their numerical position in the party window. This facilitates determining which players may not be ready, so that the team is aware of exactly who they are waiting for.

Consequently, the number 1 has developed into not only a statement but also a question. Most players understand that "1?" is a cue to respond if they are ready. A good portion of party leaders may omit the question mark and simply begin the process by stating that they themselves are ready to proceed.