Looking For Group, Kill The PUGs

Necronamis

I'm starting this thread in response to AstralMystic's thread I do not condone your efforts to promote soloing in MMORPG's and the staff blog that was spawned from it. Obviously, I don't want to continue the debate about soloing versus grouping in MMOs. But to discuss ways on how to go about finding a group to join and play with.

Everyone has experienced the failure of the LFG mechanics in recent MMOs. Spending hours waiting for anyone to join up with to do a simple quest or a dungeon crawl. Then by mere chance you do get paired with someone, you come to find out that the person is such a horrible player that they make you wanna /wrist yourself.

So what are some ways to avoid these problems when looking for a group to run with?

One option I like to call is "Start Early"; when you are just starting out in a new MMO or making another character on an existing account. Make a few friends with someone else that is just entering the starting zone on a fresh toon. Since you are both starting from level 1, you both will be learning how to play your respective classes. This way you become accustomed to each others play styles and become a more cohesive group in the later levels.

Another option that I call is "Share The Addiction"; try to get your real life friends and family to join the game you are playing. This way you have real world connections within the game. Giving you the ability to talk outside of the game about group and class tactics will ensure things run smoothly when you are grouped together.

A third option that I'll call is "Nurture The Newb"; with this option, lets assume you already have a high/maxed level toon. By taking your toon into a lower level zone, find yourself a lowbie of whatever class you choose and help him level. By helping out the newb to grow and learn about his class, you are ensuring that the player becomes "l337" and better accustomed to the play style that is associated with said class.

Granted, all three of these options take a fair amount of time to employ. Though the end results are more then worth the effort you will put into them. Of course, these are just a few ideas I came up with myself and some people may not like going with these routes, but lets use these as starting points to cultivating more options.

 

edit: Changed thread topic to seem less like I needed a group

Vanpry

Or they could rework grouping and reward mechanics so they actually promoted grouping.

Grouping as it is now puts everyone against everyone else.

Toquio3

When you're in a group, and only when in a group, all the other group members are naked. There. You're welcome.

brostyn

Another option: Roll a tank or healer. DPS are always more plentiful, which lead to longer LFG times. Not that I take my own advice, as I hate being a healer or tank.

 

 

Kaisen_Dexx

 I view the lack of grouping as Design issues, as opposed to asocial player issues.

Number One cause in my book is the absolute pathetic difficulty level. Take WoW for example, any mob near your level is facerollingly easy, but try to go for higher level mobs for any more difficulty and you hit an artificial barrier where you start missing 90% of the time.

Creating a Dangerous World where its very easy to die, and it hurts when it does, would cause a community to realize they need each other to progress safely. And by doing so you start grouping at early levels and learning the ropes much sooner. 

 

Murashu

There are several things that I think people could work on that makes it easier to get a group. Many games allow players to solo to max level then give them a reason to group. This is harmful to the player because as most people know, soloing is typically easier than actually fitting into a group. If you spend all your time soloing, you arent worried about agro mechanics and you arent worried about leading or following others orders. Grouping has its own etiquette and if you dont take a little time to learn the etiquette, many groups wont waste their time with you.

 

Another thing is helping other people along the way. If you treat people like crap as you level up, dont expect those same people to be there with open arms inviting you to their group. Dont be that guy that invites someone for a quest mob then disbands. The little things that most of us consider rude will make it even harder for you to find a group later on.

Korhindi

I always have wonder what the effect of allowing players to be in more than one guild would be?

Think about it.

Why is it we players are limited to one guild?

Sure, in games where it is guild versus guild, I can see the limitation, but for the average MMO, I see this as a road block of sorts.

The allowing of players to be in more guilds would allow the forming of crafting guilds, being in a raiding guild as well as being in a more casual leveling guild.  This would increase the amount of folks a player is networked with and, if nothing else, give a player a bigger pool of folks to group with.

To be sure, there would have to be limits and safeguards in place, and the amount and type of guilds would vary by game, but it is an idea to think about.

Toquio3

Originally posted by Kaisen_Dexx


 I view the lack of grouping as Design issues, as opposed to asocial player issues.
Number One cause in my book is the absolute pathetic difficulty level. Take WoW for example, any mob near your level is facerollingly easy, but try to go for higher level mobs for any more difficulty and you hit an artificial barrier where you start missing 90% of the time.
By Creating a Dangerous World where its very easy to die, and it hurts when it does, would cause a community to realize they need each other to progress safely. And by doing so you start grouping at early levels and learning the ropes much sooner. 
 

this makes quite alot of sense, which is why I guess EQ was the game it was. I never played it, but one of my best friends did, and sometimes he goes on and on about how EQ was awesome for grouping because of this.

Toquio3

Originally posted by Korhindi


I always have wonder what the effect of allowing players to be in more than one guild would be?
Think about it.
Why is it we players are limited to one guild?
Sure, in games where it is guild verses guild, I can see the limitation, but for the average MMO, I see this as a road block of sorts.
The allowing of players to be in more guilds would allow the forming of crafting guilds, being a raiding guild as well as being in a more casual leveling guild.  This would increase the amount of folks a player is networked with and, if nothing else, give a player a bigger pool of folks to group with.
To be sure, there would have to be limits and safeguards in place, and the amount and type of guilds would very by game, but it is an idea to think about.

 

this is one of the best ideas Ive read in a long time.

Ihmotepp

Start early doesn't work.

It's to frustrating to group while you're learning the GUI.

Grouping works better once both players know how to at least do all the basics. It's really not fun learning that stuff with someone else. You need to just flounder around and click on stuff for a while, and it's not fun waiting on someone to do that.

 

Korhindi

Originally posted by Ihmotepp


Start early doesn't work.
It's to frustrating to group while you're learning the GUI.
Grouping works better once both players know how to at least do all the basics. It's really not fun learning that stuff with someone else. You need to just flounder around and click on stuff for a while, and it's not fun waiting on someone to do that.
 

 

Level 80 in WoW is early?

Ok, that was a cheap shot, but lets say, using a WoW example, the first 5 levels in the Valley of Trials, for instance, are for that period of learning. But the moment one leaves newbieville, the grouping mechanics and requirements should begin.

Otherwise, you have a solo game that morphs into a grouping game and that leaves many folks ticked off.