I would suggest Darkfall. One of the first MMORPGs in a long time were you must team up to do something.
*scratches Darkfall off list*
I don't like playing on someone else's schedule.
"AFK Phone" Oh no everyone take a 5 minute break.
"Uh oh someone's at the door." Uh oh, everyone take a 5 minute break.
"BRB, need to pee." Uh oh, everyone tkae a 5 minute break.
"Bye got to go." Uh oh, we need another group member.
Why is this a problem? When that happens you just chat with the other group members or talk about raids, or just have some fun.
I'd have to agree with Nerf09 here, the constant stop and go of some groups does get on my nerves. I'm paying $50 for a box and $15 a month to play a game, not use it as a glorified chat room. The socializing is a side effect of playing a MMO for me, not the main attraction. Also if you're a person with limited play time then those 5 minute breaks quickly begin to add up.
Really, I am so sick of MMO where people just solo or group only in their guild. I want an MMO where solo is possible, BUT grouping should give you a lot more XP and loot, a lot. In today's MMO many players are much too anti-social for me, stuck in their guild, in their vent chat, in their guild, unwilling to group with strangers, unwilling to make theri own group.
In some cases this can be annoying and frustrating. Other times the game forces people into this mindset because trusting strangers can be very costly (Eve). In some PvP games you have to be able to trust the people you're with to stand and fight if you get jumped unexpectedly since dying results in a hefty XP loss and possibly item loss (Lineage 2).
Where have the good communities gone where you picked up the stranger you saw wandering around solo because pick up groups were fun.
They still exist, City of Heroes, FFXI for example.
Now it's like a race to see who can get max lvl in one day, it's pathetic.
Yes racing to max level has become another form of competition with your fellow gamers. Get rid of this "end game" concept and maybe we can rid ourselves of this style of play.
As for the OP's hope of a group only game, I would play a game like that (not sure how long though). Unfortunately, I don't think it would turn out well with currently popular class and level based design and the tank, healer, dps paradigm. Also add into the mix people from timezones all over the world, speaking many different languages, spread out over many different servers. There are just too many factors keeping people apart instead of pushing them together.
There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own. -- Herman Melville
With gaming and publishing companies becoming less enamored of niche sized subscription numbers, you'll be hard pressed to find forced grouping games being created and published again, especially when they weren't that popular to begin with.
Warhammer Online requires an excessive amount of grouping for it's PvP combat and I guarantee that is a large compontent for it's lack of popularity. I find people always commenting that they liked Dark Age of Camelot a lot better, soloable PvP being part of the reason.
With PvE raiding, it has never been a question of being "good enough". I play games to have fun, not to be a simpering toady sitting through hour after hour of mind numbing boredom and fawning over a guild master in the hopes that he will condescend to reward me with shiny bits of loot. But in games where those people get the highest progression, anyone who doesn't do that will just be a moving target for them and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay money for the privilege. - Neanderthal
With gaming and publishing companies becoming less enamored of niche sized subscription numbers, you'll be hard pressed to find forced grouping games being created and published again, especially when they weren't that popular to begin with. Warhammer Online requires an excessive amount of grouping for it's PvP combat and I guarantee that is a large compontent for it's lack of popularity. I find people always commenting that they liked Dark Age of Camelot a lot better, soloable PvP being part of the reason.
All economic theory I know point to the excact opposite. A growing market leads to people trying to catering to niches, as soon as they can sopport their own product. Cars and television are perfect examples. The probblem is that the cost of producing MMORPGs is fairly high, so it might be a while until we see that development.
Grouping and PvP dont go together. Taking a 5 min break because someone has to check up on their child crying is fine in most PvE groups. It is probably less fun in a PvP setting.
I would like a grouping game with ZERO solo content. For players that like to solo, this game would simply not be for you. There would be no solo content, nothing for you to do. Even crafting would require grouping. Think of it like a multi player First Person Shooter, like Call of Duty, or Battlefield. Solo players complain sometimes that I don't have time to look for a group, I need to accomplish something. What could you accomplish on a Battlefield or Call of Duty server by yourself? Nothing. You'd just stand there with a gun and nothing to do. I'm not saying it has to be PvP, I'm just saying think of this differently than a typical MMORPG. The object of this game is to play with other people. The object of the game is not to level up your toon and collect gear. In other words, there's no point in playing by yourself without being in a group. If you couldnt' find a group, you wouldn't play the game, because the game would BE all about grouping. Saying you'd want to solo this game would be like saying you want to play poker by yourself. Poker is all about bluffing. You can't bluff a computer, so don't say you'd just play against a computer. Sure, you can play against a computer to learn the basics, but to really play poker you need other people. This game would include a tutorial stage for you to learn the GUI and basics, so when you get to the online portion, you already know how to play, so other people wouldn't have to wait on you to learn the controls. All mobs you could kill solo give no xp, all mobs that would give you xp would require at least one other person in your group, or they would kick your ass, and you would have no chance of killing them. All quests would require at LEAST two people. One to pull a lever while the other rushes through the door to complete the mission, and things like that.
A game like this would never work.
What would the players that play strange times of the day when noone else is on do for fun?
How would the people with no guildies or friends online be able to play?
They would have to log off and wait for guildies?
I have no problem with a group focused game but zero soloability is a terrible Idea, you should atleast be able to solo grind very slowly and gather and craft solo.
I think MMOs are better played in groups also but you cant deny the guy that logs in for 30 minutes and just wants to hand in a few quests or gather a few items.
When I was playing MMOs back in 03 my wife was working the night shift so I watched my kids. I couldnt play without going AFK for more then 5 minutes. I played like this for a year plus. So I guess a game like you have described wouldn't be an option for me? who would want to group with a person that needs to go afk all the time?
Your concept is lame and flawed. Solo play is a part of MMOs the problem with new MMos is that solo play is better then group play.
I would like a grouping game with ZERO solo content. For players that like to solo, this game would simply not be for you. There would be no solo content, nothing for you to do. Even crafting would require grouping. Think of it like a multi player First Person Shooter, like Call of Duty, or Battlefield. Solo players complain sometimes that I don't have time to look for a group, I need to accomplish something. What could you accomplish on a Battlefield or Call of Duty server by yourself? Nothing. You'd just stand there with a gun and nothing to do. I'm not saying it has to be PvP, I'm just saying think of this differently than a typical MMORPG. The object of this game is to play with other people. The object of the game is not to level up your toon and collect gear. In other words, there's no point in playing by yourself without being in a group. If you couldnt' find a group, you wouldn't play the game, because the game would BE all about grouping. Saying you'd want to solo this game would be like saying you want to play poker by yourself. Poker is all about bluffing. You can't bluff a computer, so don't say you'd just play against a computer. Sure, you can play against a computer to learn the basics, but to really play poker you need other people. This game would include a tutorial stage for you to learn the GUI and basics, so when you get to the online portion, you already know how to play, so other people wouldn't have to wait on you to learn the controls. All mobs you could kill solo give no xp, all mobs that would give you xp would require at least one other person in your group, or they would kick your ass, and you would have no chance of killing them. All quests would require at LEAST two people. One to pull a lever while the other rushes through the door to complete the mission, and things like that.
A game like this would never work.
What would the players that play strange times of the day when noone else is on do for fun?
How would the people with no guildies or friends online be able to play?
They would have to log off and wait for guildies?
I have no problem with a group focused game but zero soloability is a terrible Idea, you should atleast be able to solo grind very slowly and gather and craft solo.
I think MMOs are better played in groups also but you cant deny the guy that logs in for 30 minutes and just wants to hand in a few quests or gather a few items.
When I was playing MMOs back in 03 my wife was working the night shift so I watched my kids. I couldnt play without going AFK for more then 5 minutes. I played like this for a year plus. So I guess a game like you have described wouldn't be an option for me? who would want to group with a person that needs to go afk all the time?
Your concept is lame and flawed. Solo play is a part of MMOs the problem with new MMos is that solo play is better then group play.
I to prefer group play and agree with what you have written. I do understand that solo should be an option for times when groups are not available but group being the focus of the game unlike current MMOs.
Comments
*scratches Darkfall off list*
I don't like playing on someone else's schedule.
"AFK Phone" Oh no everyone take a 5 minute break.
"Uh oh someone's at the door." Uh oh, everyone take a 5 minute break.
"BRB, need to pee." Uh oh, everyone tkae a 5 minute break.
"Bye got to go." Uh oh, we need another group member.
Why is this a problem? When that happens you just chat with the other group members or talk about raids, or just have some fun.
I'd have to agree with Nerf09 here, the constant stop and go of some groups does get on my nerves. I'm paying $50 for a box and $15 a month to play a game, not use it as a glorified chat room. The socializing is a side effect of playing a MMO for me, not the main attraction. Also if you're a person with limited play time then those 5 minute breaks quickly begin to add up.
Really, I am so sick of MMO where people just solo or group only in their guild. I want an MMO where solo is possible, BUT grouping should give you a lot more XP and loot, a lot. In today's MMO many players are much too anti-social for me, stuck in their guild, in their vent chat, in their guild, unwilling to group with strangers, unwilling to make theri own group.
In some cases this can be annoying and frustrating. Other times the game forces people into this mindset because trusting strangers can be very costly (Eve). In some PvP games you have to be able to trust the people you're with to stand and fight if you get jumped unexpectedly since dying results in a hefty XP loss and possibly item loss (Lineage 2).
Where have the good communities gone where you picked up the stranger you saw wandering around solo because pick up groups were fun.
They still exist, City of Heroes, FFXI for example.
Now it's like a race to see who can get max lvl in one day, it's pathetic.
Yes racing to max level has become another form of competition with your fellow gamers. Get rid of this "end game" concept and maybe we can rid ourselves of this style of play.
As for the OP's hope of a group only game, I would play a game like that (not sure how long though). Unfortunately, I don't think it would turn out well with currently popular class and level based design and the tank, healer, dps paradigm. Also add into the mix people from timezones all over the world, speaking many different languages, spread out over many different servers. There are just too many factors keeping people apart instead of pushing them together.
There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own.
-- Herman Melville
You won't if you lack skill. There were a good amount of successful solo'ers in beta.
With gaming and publishing companies becoming less enamored of niche sized subscription numbers, you'll be hard pressed to find forced grouping games being created and published again, especially when they weren't that popular to begin with.
Warhammer Online requires an excessive amount of grouping for it's PvP combat and I guarantee that is a large compontent for it's lack of popularity. I find people always commenting that they liked Dark Age of Camelot a lot better, soloable PvP being part of the reason.
With PvE raiding, it has never been a question of being "good enough". I play games to have fun, not to be a simpering toady sitting through hour after hour of mind numbing boredom and fawning over a guild master in the hopes that he will condescend to reward me with shiny bits of loot. But in games where those people get the highest progression, anyone who doesn't do that will just be a moving target for them and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay money for the privilege. - Neanderthal
All economic theory I know point to the excact opposite. A growing market leads to people trying to catering to niches, as soon as they can sopport their own product. Cars and television are perfect examples. The probblem is that the cost of producing MMORPGs is fairly high, so it might be a while until we see that development.
Grouping and PvP dont go together. Taking a 5 min break because someone has to check up on their child crying is fine in most PvE groups. It is probably less fun in a PvP setting.
A game like this would never work.
What would the players that play strange times of the day when noone else is on do for fun?
How would the people with no guildies or friends online be able to play?
They would have to log off and wait for guildies?
I have no problem with a group focused game but zero soloability is a terrible Idea, you should atleast be able to solo grind very slowly and gather and craft solo.
I think MMOs are better played in groups also but you cant deny the guy that logs in for 30 minutes and just wants to hand in a few quests or gather a few items.
When I was playing MMOs back in 03 my wife was working the night shift so I watched my kids. I couldnt play without going AFK for more then 5 minutes. I played like this for a year plus. So I guess a game like you have described wouldn't be an option for me? who would want to group with a person that needs to go afk all the time?
Your concept is lame and flawed. Solo play is a part of MMOs the problem with new MMos is that solo play is better then group play.
Playing: Nothing
Looking forward to: Nothing
A game like this would never work.
What would the players that play strange times of the day when noone else is on do for fun?
How would the people with no guildies or friends online be able to play?
They would have to log off and wait for guildies?
I have no problem with a group focused game but zero soloability is a terrible Idea, you should atleast be able to solo grind very slowly and gather and craft solo.
I think MMOs are better played in groups also but you cant deny the guy that logs in for 30 minutes and just wants to hand in a few quests or gather a few items.
When I was playing MMOs back in 03 my wife was working the night shift so I watched my kids. I couldnt play without going AFK for more then 5 minutes. I played like this for a year plus. So I guess a game like you have described wouldn't be an option for me? who would want to group with a person that needs to go afk all the time?
Your concept is lame and flawed. Solo play is a part of MMOs the problem with new MMos is that solo play is better then group play.
I to prefer group play and agree with what you have written. I do understand that solo should be an option for times when groups are not available but group being the focus of the game unlike current MMOs.