Originally posted by Lorkii Actually yes it is a design problem, when the game is designed for you not to have to group to get things done, just be with people, isn t grouping. As others have said, most, not all, don t even give a shit if you re there. This does not = grouping. It is easily the most unsocial so called MMO experience I ve ever encountered. It may as well have been instanced like GW1, where at least my heroes felt more like a group, and hell said more then most people.
There's a reason why /map chat is there and works across the entire zone you're in, you're able to talk to other players you're not grouped with. Like I said in another post, I'm on Yak's Bend and it's always moving- it feels like IRC in a virtual world actually and the channel is called #guildwars2.
And this is one of THE most social MMO's I've played.
Originally posted by Nadia i agree - every mmo feels solo unless you join guilds or make friends with players you meet
i agree - every mmo feels solo unless you join guilds or make friends with players you meet
Not true. Actually, in MMOs of the past, you didn't need to join a guild to socialize. People just did it..they talked to you, they communicated. The only times I notice this in most current MMOs is during early access or initial launch. It seems like once that time passes, all the social stuff goes out the window.
What GW2 does well is gets people to fight monsters together...but that isn't the real solution to the solo feeling experience so rampant in MMOs these days. I appreciate the effort, but it's more of a bandaid than a solution.
Well, the more popular MMO's become the more players like the OP have these kind of experiences imo. There are loads of players that somehow don't feel all the time to socialize. There is nothing wrong with that imo, it is their call.
I always randomly group with ppl in any MMO, but then I also chat and I don't feel insulted when no one around me responds. But I always find other likeminded players and they usually end up in my friendslist. Forced grouping in MMO's never made this any easier for me. The grouping itself is not the social part I think. It is looking those same ppl up the next day you play the game, that is the social part for me. With forced grouping you still have loads of players that could just as well be AI for their presence.
Well....I don't relate to what you're saying at all. Why? I'm in a medium size guild and I play with my real life partner as well. Not only that.....we play with other people in the game world all the time. I had a gal take me to where I could get a pet shark the other day and swim down and fight with us. /shrug We "group" for DEs and hearts all the time too. We even talk to people in those loosely formed groups.
If you're not grouping, imo....it's by choice, not because the game doesn't support it.
Maybe if people stopped bitching about how nobody talks and then actually spoke to other people they might have less of a reason to bitch.
Exactly.
We tend to refer to it as 'making' friends, not 'getting' friends. The English language even inferrs that socialisation requires some level of effort. Nothing in GW2 stops you talking to people, forming groups and joining guilds. Nor any other MMO for that matter.. I don't know an MMO that deserves the description 'anti-social'.
Well GW2 is the game built for zerging. You zerg in pvp and in pve. Theres no need to communicate you just need numbers and it will work out.
Also, with their "innovation" in the class trinity...and by innovation i mean decision to remove dedicated healers...theres even less need to communicate since you can take care of yourself.
IMO theres been a lot of themepark mmorpg trends over the past few years that seem to be cumulating in GW2 as the main focus. This game is build for the super ADD cowd who want lots of no-risk/cant screw up pvp, doesnt want to have to worry about getting gear or progression...and doesnt want to have to socialize to play...and doesnt want to be identified as a poor skilled player.
I see it as a game where everyone is running around with no focus having quests thrown at them via DE/Hearts because they dont have the attention span to manage it all. A game build for people who usually just pvp queue their entier duration of playing.
One of the few MMO's I've personally experienced that had a real life-like and thriving social community was Ultima Online.
But that is because UO had a very different style of play, it was in many regards highly focused on role-playing and it was a sandbox MMO. It invited such players, players that liked to talk with strangers, make up tales, invite you to their shop, etc etc.
With GW2, WoW, and other like-minded MMO's, it's a whole different story. You cannot expect to experience any lovely social encounters unless you yourself is the one making the effort. Because the way the game is designed, it doesn't require any sort of real socializing, as in comparison to sandbox MMO's, that really do need that if you want to have an easier time in the game
So, if you feel this is an issue, you need to do the hard work here. Otherwise have fun being alone and sad.
i agree - every mmo feels solo unless you join guilds or make friends with players you meet
Not true. Actually, in MMOs of the past, you didn't need to join a guild to socialize. People just did it..they talked to you, they communicated. The only times I notice this in most current MMOs is during early access or initial launch. It seems like once that time passes, all the social stuff goes out the window.
What GW2 does well is gets people to fight monsters together...but that isn't the real solution to the solo feeling experience so rampant in MMOs these days. I appreciate the effort, but it's more of a bandaid than a solution.
I suspect a large majority of the problem is the player base itself. People who play these games (by and large) tend not to have world class social skills to start with. There are obviously exceptions, but these types of games aren't really the hobby of the socially adept. That being the case, games have naturally evolved to better fit their target audience over the years.
i agree - every mmo feels solo unless you join guilds or make friends with players you meet
Not true. Actually, in MMOs of the past, you didn't need to join a guild to socialize. People just did it..they talked to you, they communicated. The only times I notice this in most current MMOs is during early access or initial launch. It seems like once that time passes, all the social stuff goes out the window.
What GW2 does well is gets people to fight monsters together...but that isn't the real solution to the solo feeling experience so rampant in MMOs these days. I appreciate the effort, but it's more of a bandaid than a solution.
I suspect a large majority of the problem is the player base itself. People who play these games (by and large) tend not to have world class social skills to start with. There are obviously exceptions, but these types of games aren't really the hobby of the socially adept. That being the case, games have naturally evolved to better fit their target audience over the years.
Agreed. But I'd also say that it's probably part of human nature to avoid doing something if it is not required. In real-life, you are pretty much forced to socialize in many aspects and in many situations, for good and for bad.
And, bringing up sandbox type MMO's again, there's a similarity to that.
People will generally pick up on something if they see that it is needed for them. But in GW2 for example, most of those things are pretty much "fixed" and done for you by the game, if you know what I mean.
But of course it's possible to make GW2 a social experience. As I said you just need to go out there yourself and look for those people, join a guild etc.
i agree - every mmo feels solo unless you join guilds or make friends with players you meet
Not true. Actually, in MMOs of the past, you didn't need to join a guild to socialize. People just did it..they talked to you, they communicated. The only times I notice this in most current MMOs is during early access or initial launch. It seems like once that time passes, all the social stuff goes out the window.
What GW2 does well is gets people to fight monsters together...but that isn't the real solution to the solo feeling experience so rampant in MMOs these days. I appreciate the effort, but it's more of a bandaid than a solution.
I suspect a large majority of the problem is the player base itself. People who play these games (by and large) tend not to have world class social skills to start with. There are obviously exceptions, but these types of games aren't really the hobby of the socially adept. That being the case, games have naturally evolved to better fit their target audience over the years.
Wraith I think you hit it right in the head, Useing your computer is a solo event and people who use their computers alot i think are individualists who are not normally sociable people. That being said there are some people who find it easier to socialize on a computer than real life,
Comments
^ that pretty much.And this is one of THE most social MMO's I've played.
Not true. Actually, in MMOs of the past, you didn't need to join a guild to socialize. People just did it..they talked to you, they communicated. The only times I notice this in most current MMOs is during early access or initial launch. It seems like once that time passes, all the social stuff goes out the window.
What GW2 does well is gets people to fight monsters together...but that isn't the real solution to the solo feeling experience so rampant in MMOs these days. I appreciate the effort, but it's more of a bandaid than a solution.
Well, the more popular MMO's become the more players like the OP have these kind of experiences imo. There are loads of players that somehow don't feel all the time to socialize. There is nothing wrong with that imo, it is their call.
I always randomly group with ppl in any MMO, but then I also chat and I don't feel insulted when no one around me responds. But I always find other likeminded players and they usually end up in my friendslist. Forced grouping in MMO's never made this any easier for me. The grouping itself is not the social part I think. It is looking those same ppl up the next day you play the game, that is the social part for me. With forced grouping you still have loads of players that could just as well be AI for their presence.
Well....I don't relate to what you're saying at all. Why? I'm in a medium size guild and I play with my real life partner as well. Not only that.....we play with other people in the game world all the time. I had a gal take me to where I could get a pet shark the other day and swim down and fight with us. /shrug We "group" for DEs and hearts all the time too. We even talk to people in those loosely formed groups.
If you're not grouping, imo....it's by choice, not because the game doesn't support it.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
Exactly.
We tend to refer to it as 'making' friends, not 'getting' friends. The English language even inferrs that socialisation requires some level of effort. Nothing in GW2 stops you talking to people, forming groups and joining guilds. Nor any other MMO for that matter.. I don't know an MMO that deserves the description 'anti-social'.
Well GW2 is the game built for zerging. You zerg in pvp and in pve. Theres no need to communicate you just need numbers and it will work out.
Also, with their "innovation" in the class trinity...and by innovation i mean decision to remove dedicated healers...theres even less need to communicate since you can take care of yourself.
IMO theres been a lot of themepark mmorpg trends over the past few years that seem to be cumulating in GW2 as the main focus. This game is build for the super ADD cowd who want lots of no-risk/cant screw up pvp, doesnt want to have to worry about getting gear or progression...and doesnt want to have to socialize to play...and doesnt want to be identified as a poor skilled player.
I see it as a game where everyone is running around with no focus having quests thrown at them via DE/Hearts because they dont have the attention span to manage it all. A game build for people who usually just pvp queue their entier duration of playing.
One of the few MMO's I've personally experienced that had a real life-like and thriving social community was Ultima Online.
But that is because UO had a very different style of play, it was in many regards highly focused on role-playing and it was a sandbox MMO. It invited such players, players that liked to talk with strangers, make up tales, invite you to their shop, etc etc.
With GW2, WoW, and other like-minded MMO's, it's a whole different story. You cannot expect to experience any lovely social encounters unless you yourself is the one making the effort. Because the way the game is designed, it doesn't require any sort of real socializing, as in comparison to sandbox MMO's, that really do need that if you want to have an easier time in the game
So, if you feel this is an issue, you need to do the hard work here. Otherwise have fun being alone and sad.
I suspect a large majority of the problem is the player base itself. People who play these games (by and large) tend not to have world class social skills to start with. There are obviously exceptions, but these types of games aren't really the hobby of the socially adept. That being the case, games have naturally evolved to better fit their target audience over the years.
Agreed. But I'd also say that it's probably part of human nature to avoid doing something if it is not required. In real-life, you are pretty much forced to socialize in many aspects and in many situations, for good and for bad.
And, bringing up sandbox type MMO's again, there's a similarity to that.
People will generally pick up on something if they see that it is needed for them. But in GW2 for example, most of those things are pretty much "fixed" and done for you by the game, if you know what I mean.
But of course it's possible to make GW2 a social experience. As I said you just need to go out there yourself and look for those people, join a guild etc.
Wraith I think you hit it right in the head, Useing your computer is a solo event and people who use their computers alot i think are individualists who are not normally sociable people. That being said there are some people who find it easier to socialize on a computer than real life,