The main thing about MMOs today compared to MMOs in the past is grinding. In the past, MMOs were very heavy on grinding and while you could still level up fairly well solo, you could also group up to grind (which was easier) so in that sense, soloing or grouping were not "forced" on players. Because players were more likely to group up naturally, so it also eased up the notion of forced grouping to complete high-end content because players for the most part already had some friends here and there.
*** What this means is that, unless you somehow started playing the same game with a friend ( and started in the same area if class/race locations are not divided), a significant portion of the game will be played solo with very little opportunity or purpose to grouping, hence the feeling of being "forced" to play a certain way. After reaching a certain point however, it becomes the opposite and players now suddenly feel "forced" to group as playing solo is no longer viable to experience the late-game content.
This is not to say that older MMOs are better however. Quite frankly, I dislike grinding. But the notion that players are "forced" to play either solo or in group in MMOs today is certainly true and is one of my biggest issue with the genre. There is no middle ground, just a single formula they all share: Quest solo for early to mid-game content, group up with randoms/guilds for late-game content.
At lest there are people see the problem . I almost want do sink this thread. As you said , monster hunting (aka grind) is good for MMORPG to build up community link between player , while quest hubs and instance ruin everything . Quests and instance wasn't bad , but they were misused and cause ruin for everything .
I hate hellish level grind too . But i prefer call the "grind" as "monster hunting" or "hunting" for short . When you see the old "grind" as a concept of (monster) hunting , new things open and there are more solution to help the hunt become more enjoyable instead of hellish . There are limit until the hunt become grind and enjoyable become hellish . From nowadays standard research , the limit around 50 levels in 2 week of play . That is the limit of tutorial . After that , they should make grind become optional and remove all the restriction .
After that you change the leveling grind (tutorial part) to hunting part in order to let player build up the unique character (collection phase)
While grind more for more level still an option , people will not care about it if they see that they don't have to keep leveling , instead they will go around to play with other part of game . Some will keep leveling if they want to.
Basically it's idea environment to create community that allow multiple play style coexist.
My post always mess cause i'am not good with writing . But it's amazing me that there are people have same though about the problem . Most people play MMORPG and even the game devs never give a though about it . Though it make me worry that the only one share my though come from madness realm lol .
Comments
As you said , monster hunting (aka grind) is good for MMORPG to build up community link between player , while quest hubs and instance ruin everything .
Quests and instance wasn't bad , but they were misused and cause ruin for everything .
I hate hellish level grind too .
But i prefer call the "grind" as "monster hunting" or "hunting" for short .
When you see the old "grind" as a concept of (monster) hunting , new things open and there are more solution to help the hunt become more enjoyable instead of hellish .
There are limit until the hunt become grind and enjoyable become hellish .
From nowadays standard research , the limit around 50 levels in 2 week of play . That is the limit of tutorial . After that , they should make grind become optional and remove all the restriction .
After that you change the leveling grind (tutorial part) to hunting part in order to let player build up the unique character (collection phase)
While grind more for more level still an option , people will not care about it if they see that they don't have to keep leveling , instead they will go around to play with other part of game . Some will keep leveling if they want to.
Basically it's idea environment to create community that allow multiple play style coexist.
My post always mess cause i'am not good with writing . But it's amazing me that there are people have same though about the problem . Most people play MMORPG and even the game devs never give a though about it .
Though it make me worry that the only one share my though come from madness realm lol .