OP, I fear that you won't find in any of the recent releases the forced group reliance that you found and enjoyed in Final Fantasy. Rift is not different in this regard and is following the trend, which means give plenty of content to soloers without making them feel that they absolutely need to group, while at the same time tries to entice people to group and tackle group content via instances and harder rifts.
The vast bulk of the game's play to 50 content simply isnt designed to promote social play. Sure you CAN group, and the better guilds obviously will (at least in the beginning before their player levels and aims get too spread out), but the vast majority won't.
Firstly, how do you know that?
Because Scott Hartsman said himself that overland play was designed as a solo experience.
Because he also said that it wasnt necessary to group for rifts.
Secondly, doesn't it bother you that people's actual experiences differ completely from what you describe? Have you actually played any of the betas?
yes, all of them, both sides up to 27.
You?
There will doubtless be a minority who will go out of their way to solo as much as they can, though i really don't get that.
No, you might not, but anyone who thinks the vast majority of players group when the game allows them to solo hasnt played many MMORPGs imo.
You didnt need to over-generalize the solo experience into calling it a solo zerg. Just because they built the rifts so anyone could walk up and contribute wihtout having to find a team first does not make it solo only or solo zerg. It just means they thought about the dynamics of thier dynamic content first, and then decided they didnt' want to single anyone out from joining in simply because they didnt have an invite to a team first. That is an entirely different monster than your trying to portray here. {Mod Edit}
1) Rift Invasions are pretty much a must to group -- you can solo but you'll be kind of gimped.
2) Grouping has no negative side to it. (ex. no exp halved)
Except Scott Hartsman actually disagrees with you.
He says the overland content (quests) was built specifically for solo play, and also that the rifts themselves were built for solo play (hence the no auto group feature up to now, he states it wasnt implemented because it wasnt necessary to group for them).
Rifts were intended for mulptiple participation, sure, but grouping (ie communication and community) wasnt their objective.
3) Dungeons!
Yes, as been said the instances are the only specific group content in the levelling game.
Pity you only need to run them the once in each tier on your way up and so they will represent only a tiny fraction of your play time.
Lets not even talk about what a lot of PUGs are like in these instances when a load of solo trained players get together to take them on...
The vast bulk of the game's play to 50 content simply isnt designed to promote social play. Sure you CAN group, and the better guilds obviously will (at least in the beginning before their player levels and aims get too spread out), but the vast majority won't.
Firstly, how do you know that?
Because Scott Hartsman said himself that overland play was designed as a solo experience.
Because he also said that it wasnt necessary to group for rifts.
Secondly, doesn't it bother you that people's actual experiences differ completely from what you describe? Have you actually played any of the betas?
yes, all of them, both sides up to 27.
You?
There will doubtless be a minority who will go out of their way to solo as much as they can, though i really don't get that.
No, you might not, but anyone who thinks the vast majority of players group when the game allows them to solo hasnt played many MMORPGs imo.
You didnt need to over-generalize the solo experience into calling it a solo zerg. Just because they built the rifts so anyone could walk up and contribute wihtout having to find a team first does not make it solo only or solo zerg. It just means they thought about the dynamics of thier dynamic content first, and then decided they didnt' want to single anyone out from joining in simply because they didnt have an invite to a team first. That is an entirely different monster than your trying to portray here. {Mod Edit}
Well, to me, a gathering of solo players doing their own thing to kill a rift is a zerg.
Raids of players chasing zone events in huge unspeaking groups is a zerg (actually the zerg in the events is actually pure comedy... we both sat here having a right laugh at it)
However you choose to interpret it, or dissect what I have said, nothing changes what I (or others) have experienced regarded the quality of grouping and socializing. Let’s see if Beta5 continues the trend, I have no wish to endlessly debate this.
As to the OP, (who is the whole point of this thread) I hope you get to experience all RIFT has to offer, and for myself, I hope the months ahead offer if not exactly the mmo for me, at least a better community than many mmos.
However you choose to interpret it, or dissect what I have said, nothing changes what I (or others) have experienced regarded the quality of grouping and socializing. Let’s see if Beta5 continues the trend, I have no wish to endlessly debate this.
Yes, and nothing you say changes what I have personally experienced and witnessed in the game. I am just telling an objectve truth based on time spent in game, made possible by me having no emotional investment in presenting Rift as a perfect experience on all fronts.
I have less of an agenda in this I guess... I honestly don't care if this game flies or falls, I have no hatred towards Trion or need to see a game fail, I have no blind loyalty to any other game or dev and have nothing to fear from Rift selling well (which it will at the start), while you obviosuly care very much and need to see it fly.
Others can judge who has the most need to misrepresent what the game really is.
However you choose to interpret it, or dissect what I have said, nothing changes what I (or others) have experienced regarded the quality of grouping and socializing. Let’s see if Beta5 continues the trend, I have no wish to endlessly debate this.
Yes, and nothing you say changes what I have personally experienced and witnessed in the game. I am just telling an objectve truth based on time spent in game, made possible by me having no emotional investment in presenting Rift as a perfect experience on all fronts.
I have less of an agenda in this I guess... I honestly don't care if this game flies or falls, I have no hatred towards Trion or need to see a game fail, I have no blind loyalty to any other game or dev and have nothing to fear from Rift selling well (which it will at the start), while you obviosuly care very much and need to see it fly.
Others can judge who has the most need to misrepresent what the game really is.
Interesting viewpoint, "less of an agenda in this" you say? Like 22 of your last 25 posts on the forums here are all in the Rift section and all forwarding that non existant agenda? I wonder what they all say....hmmm just an observation is all. Carry on.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
However you choose to interpret it, or dissect what I have said, nothing changes what I (or others) have experienced regarded the quality of grouping and socializing. Let’s see if Beta5 continues the trend, I have no wish to endlessly debate this.
Yes, and nothing you say changes what I have personally experienced and witnessed in the game. I am just telling an objectve truth based on time spent in game, made possible by me having no emotional investment in presenting Rift as a perfect experience on all fronts.
I have less of an agenda in this I guess... I honestly don't care if this game flies or falls, I have no hatred towards Trion or need to see a game fail, I have no blind loyalty to any other game or dev and have nothing to fear from Rift selling well (which it will at the start), while you obviosuly care very much and need to see it fly.
Others can judge who has the most need to misrepresent what the game really is.
Interesting viewpoint, "less of an agenda in this" you say? Like 22 of your last 25 posts on the forums here are all in the Rift section and all forwarding that non existant agenda? I wonder what they all say....hmmm just an observation is all. Carry on.
I am flattered you have taken the time to look at my post history. Sure, I am talking a lot in the Rift forum right now... we are in the middle of it's betas and it's the hot topic. I see no agenda in this observation, though I do understand your insinuation, which I can only imagine is being made to personally bait me.
Discussing an opinion that I have gained through personal experience of playing the game isnt the same thing as having an agenda, it just means I am here to dicuss my experiences of the game.
I am sorry you thionk every one who disagrees with you has an agenda... most of the folks who do so will be doing it just because they, y'know, have a different opinion then yours.
Now, that being clarified, can we maybe not derial the thread in trying to pass personal judgements on me and get back to just talking about games?
Comments
OP, I fear that you won't find in any of the recent releases the forced group reliance that you found and enjoyed in Final Fantasy. Rift is not different in this regard and is following the trend, which means give plenty of content to soloers without making them feel that they absolutely need to group, while at the same time tries to entice people to group and tackle group content via instances and harder rifts.
You didnt need to over-generalize the solo experience into calling it a solo zerg. Just because they built the rifts so anyone could walk up and contribute wihtout having to find a team first does not make it solo only or solo zerg. It just means they thought about the dynamics of thier dynamic content first, and then decided they didnt' want to single anyone out from joining in simply because they didnt have an invite to a team first. That is an entirely different monster than your trying to portray here. {Mod Edit}
Well...
Rift is actually a grouping game.
1) Rift Invasions are pretty much a must to group -- you can solo but you'll be kind of gimped.
2) Grouping has no negative side to it. (ex. no exp halved)
3) Dungeons!
a
Well, to me, a gathering of solo players doing their own thing to kill a rift is a zerg.
Raids of players chasing zone events in huge unspeaking groups is a zerg (actually the zerg in the events is actually pure comedy... we both sat here having a right laugh at it)
{Mod Edit}
vesavius
However you choose to interpret it, or dissect what I have said, nothing changes what I (or others) have experienced regarded the quality of grouping and socializing. Let’s see if Beta5 continues the trend, I have no wish to endlessly debate this.
As to the OP, (who is the whole point of this thread) I hope you get to experience all RIFT has to offer, and for myself, I hope the months ahead offer if not exactly the mmo for me, at least a better community than many mmos.
Yes, and nothing you say changes what I have personally experienced and witnessed in the game. I am just telling an objectve truth based on time spent in game, made possible by me having no emotional investment in presenting Rift as a perfect experience on all fronts.
I have less of an agenda in this I guess... I honestly don't care if this game flies or falls, I have no hatred towards Trion or need to see a game fail, I have no blind loyalty to any other game or dev and have nothing to fear from Rift selling well (which it will at the start), while you obviosuly care very much and need to see it fly.
Others can judge who has the most need to misrepresent what the game really is.
Interesting viewpoint, "less of an agenda in this" you say? Like 22 of your last 25 posts on the forums here are all in the Rift section and all forwarding that non existant agenda? I wonder what they all say....hmmm just an observation is all. Carry on.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
I am flattered you have taken the time to look at my post history. Sure, I am talking a lot in the Rift forum right now... we are in the middle of it's betas and it's the hot topic. I see no agenda in this observation, though I do understand your insinuation, which I can only imagine is being made to personally bait me.
Discussing an opinion that I have gained through personal experience of playing the game isnt the same thing as having an agenda, it just means I am here to dicuss my experiences of the game.
I am sorry you thionk every one who disagrees with you has an agenda... most of the folks who do so will be doing it just because they, y'know, have a different opinion then yours.
Now, that being clarified, can we maybe not derial the thread in trying to pass personal judgements on me and get back to just talking about games?