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POLL: Forced grouping okay?

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Comments

  • McGamerMcGamer Member UncommonPosts: 1,073

    If it's an mmo, then the players in that game need to focus on grouping. It's not a single player console game. I'm not sure why some gamers can't get that through their head.

  • ComnitusComnitus Member Posts: 2,462

    Originally posted by Czanrei

    If it's an mmo, then the players in that game need to focus on grouping. It's not a single player console game. I'm not sure why some gamers can't get that through their head.

    Yes, it sounds like grouping with people like you who insist on telling people how to play would be such a pleasant experience. In the OP's game, I'd be forced to if I wanted to level up. Yay!

    image

  • eyeswideopeneyeswideopen Member Posts: 2,414

    Originally posted by Czanrei

    If it's an mmo, then the players in that game need to focus on grouping. It's not a single player console game. I'm not sure why some gamers can't get that through their head.

    Your opinion is not the rule. Thankfully.

    -Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
    -And on the 8th day, man created God.-

  • CoralisCoralis Member Posts: 31

    I dont mind forced grouping to a point , I just want to be able to do something entertaining when I dont feel like grouping or cant find a group. 

  • OtiroOtiro Member Posts: 205

    Originally posted by Czanrei

    If it's an mmo, then the players in that game need to focus on grouping. It's not a single player console game. I'm not sure why some gamers can't get that through their head.

    Um what?

    Whether the game is Darkfall or World of Warcraft or anything in between. They are a type of virtual world where players can play anyway they like. You want to solo... solo, you want to dou...duo, you want to do 6 man groups go ahead. If you just want to sit on a cliff to watch the sun rise or set go for it.

    There is nothing in the words Massive Multyplayer Online Role Playing Game that says you must be grouped. In my opinion it means like I said above. A type of virtual world.  A place to take your mind away from the real world for awhile. Like reading a book, but your making your own story. In my online story I have friends to go out and do missions with and I have my very own missions that I do alone.

    So there is no one certain way to play an MMO. It is there to play how you wish.

    Why can't gamers get that through their heads?

  • decoy26517decoy26517 Member Posts: 313

    Of course not. It's impossible to always have a group whenever you want and paying to just sit there waiting for people to log on sucks. Who would PAY to play such a thing?

    "World of Warcraft is the perfect implementation of this genre." - Hilmar Petursson. CEO of CCP.

  • WickedjellyWickedjelly Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 4,990

    As much as I'm a proponent of mmos being more group oriented or having group content compared to the current trend which seems to be pushing more and more towards a solo oriented gaming experience I can't say I'm a fan of this idea. 

    I'm all for games giving bonuses to completing things in a group and having some content simply geared towards grouping but not cutting off leveling altogether unless you group with someone else.

    1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.

    2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.

    3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.

  • LidaneLidane Member CommonPosts: 2,300

    Originally posted by Otiro

    So there is no one certain way to play an MMO. It is there to play how you wish.

    Why can't gamers get that through their heads?

    Because this is the internet. People have to find something to argue about or debate endlessly.

  • QuirhidQuirhid Member UncommonPosts: 6,230

    Originally posted by eyeswideopen

    Originally posted by Quirhid


     

    So basically you want a game just for yourself and developer be damned if he wants more money out of his labor. To make it just only for a marginal target audiance will be like shooting yourself in the leg. Good luck finding funding for this kind of project!

     

    I myself do not want a "forced grouping" type game.

    But the part of your post I highlighted brings to mind at least one game that proves it wrong: EVE. 400k+ subs for a niche game meant for a "marginal audience" speaks volumes.

    So if Eve did it, everyone else should too? image

    I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been -Wayne Gretzky

  • ThomasN7ThomasN7 87.18.7.148Member CommonPosts: 6,690

    Apparently it isn't ok because just about every mmo is soloable now. MMOs have become the anti-social genre of gaming.

    30
  • WickedjellyWickedjelly Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 4,990

    Originally posted by SaintViktor

    Apparently it isn't ok because just about every mmo is soloable now. MMOs have become the anti-social genre of gaming.

     Eh...the chat channels in most mmos seem more livlier now than ever.  Granted it tends to be about everything besides the game unless it is being compared to WoW.

    >_>

    It's when you get to grouping that quite a few tend to go into the fetal position and begin sobbing like Chewbacca. So I don't know if anti social is the right term to use for it.  A lot seem to certainly want to communicate with each other.  Just not rely on others to accomplish anything gameplay oriented.  Bad experiences maybe?  Different type of gamers coming into the fold?  Language barriers? Who knows the reason but it sure does seem to be the norm in most mmos anymore for a lot of players and even with the amount of soloability present in games there are those that want to push it even further in the solo oriented direction.

    1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.

    2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.

    3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.

  • MMO_DoubterMMO_Doubter Member Posts: 5,056

    Originally posted by Otiro

    There is nothing in the words Massive Multyplayer Online Role Playing Game that says you must be grouped.

     

    Multiplayer.

    MMOs are the only multiplayer games that people expect to be able to solo in.

    "" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2

  • JSchindlerJSchindler Member Posts: 87

    Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

    Originally posted by Otiro

    There is nothing in the words Massive Multyplayer Online Role Playing Game that says you must be grouped.

    Multiplayer.

    MMOs are the only multiplayer games that people expect to be able to solo in.

    I don't have to group with someone when I'm PVPing with/against them.

    I don't have to group with someone when I'm trading with them.

    I don't have to group with someone when I'm talking to them.

    I don't even have to group with someone to help them kill stuff.

    Multiplayer doesn't require grouping.

  • scuubeedooscuubeedoo Member Posts: 458

    Yes and actually looking for a game like that, as long as it has some decent activity to do when alone like crafting, GM/community events maybe or, last but not least, decent lore and enough people interested in roleplaying. Ideally i would want all these activities of course :)

    "Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression. In Alganon, in addition to these we've added the fourth pillar to the equation: Copy & Paste."

  • MMO_DoubterMMO_Doubter Member Posts: 5,056

    Originally posted by JSchindler

    Originally posted by MMO_Doubter


    Originally posted by Otiro

    There is nothing in the words Massive Multyplayer Online Role Playing Game that says you must be grouped.

    Multiplayer.

    MMOs are the only multiplayer games that people expect to be able to solo in.

    I don't have to group with someone when I'm PVPing with/against them.

    Fighting with or against someone is still playing the game with them.

    I don't have to group with someone when I'm trading with them.

    That's not soloing. It's interacting with another player.

    I don't have to group with someone when I'm talking to them.

    MMOs are more than chat rooms.

    I don't even have to group with someone to help them kill stuff.

    That is grouping, whether it's official or not.

    Multiplayer doesn't require grouping.

    It requires interacting with other players. Whether you call it grouping or not.

    "" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2

  • EronakisEronakis Member UncommonPosts: 2,249

    There is always two sides of the coin.  Forced grouping helps progress the community more efficiently because your depenedent on other players. However, forced grouping in EQ can diminish gameplay because if you can't find a group the you can't progress. I highly believe that you have to have an mmo that gives incentives and bonsuses to group. But solo play should be an option if you can't find a group. mmorpgs is about community and adventure. 

  • eyeswideopeneyeswideopen Member Posts: 2,414

    Originally posted by Quirhid

    Originally posted by eyeswideopen


    Originally posted by Quirhid


     

    So basically you want a game just for yourself and developer be damned if he wants more money out of his labor. To make it just only for a marginal target audiance will be like shooting yourself in the leg. Good luck finding funding for this kind of project!

     

    I myself do not want a "forced grouping" type game.

    But the part of your post I highlighted brings to mind at least one game that proves it wrong: EVE. 400k+ subs for a niche game meant for a "marginal audience" speaks volumes.

    So if Eve did it, everyone else should too? image

    Yes, they should. Why shouldn't someone who wants to make a game for a small minority of players do so? CCP made a game that, first and foremost, they would want to play. And they marketed it toward people who thought likewise. And they were successful.

    The problem with most of the "indy" devs coming out now is they are getting trapped in the same cycle the big guys are in. They want to make "big money" so they try to market their game to everyone and their brother, and end up getting everyone BUT those who would have enjoyed it.

    -Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
    -And on the 8th day, man created God.-

  • chriselchrisel Member UncommonPosts: 990

    A game which forces me to group would NEVER get my money!

    Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!

  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806

    Originally posted by GTwander

    No game 'forces' you to group. It's just either more efficient to do so, or not.

    When a game logs you in and actually *forces* you to hang out with strangers you might not even like, then I will vote, and mostly likely vote 'no'.

    Do you remember the original Dungeons and Dragons? Pretty much nothing to do but run dungeons, and lord help you if you tried to run one at your level solo.  From what I hear they've changed that now.

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806

    Originally posted by eyeswideopen

    Originally posted by Quirhid


    Originally posted by eyeswideopen


    Originally posted by Quirhid


     

    So basically you want a game just for yourself and developer be damned if he wants more money out of his labor. To make it just only for a marginal target audiance will be like shooting yourself in the leg. Good luck finding funding for this kind of project!

     

    I myself do not want a "forced grouping" type game.

    But the part of your post I highlighted brings to mind at least one game that proves it wrong: EVE. 400k+ subs for a niche game meant for a "marginal audience" speaks volumes.

    So if Eve did it, everyone else should too? image

    Yes, they should. Why shouldn't someone who wants to make a game for a small minority of players do so? CCP made a game that, first and foremost, they would want to play. And they marketed it toward people who thought likewise. And they were successful.

    The problem with most of the "indy" devs coming out now is they are getting trapped in the same cycle the big guys are in. They want to make "big money" so they try to market their game to everyone and their brother, and end up getting everyone BUT those who would have enjoyed it.

    That is what is so ironic about Eve's success. More than half of the player base stays in high sec and seldom if ever leaves.  CCP itself has admitted that(much to their disgust... ^^).  A companies initial focus doesn't always stay as it started.

    Given what MMO's cost to produce, of course they will pitch the wide approach to the investors. Intoning the mystic phrase; "Its just like World of Warcraft!" causes investors eyes to light up with dollar signs, and then they throw truck loads of money at your project.  Of course, given that MMO's like WoW are highly complex combinations of technical and personnel knowledge and experience, damn few can actually pull it off.  With the results we've seen over the last few years.

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 24,429

    One problem is that when you used a word like ‘forced’ players automatically think there will be a loss of freedom. We have all had grouping nightmares and those who are not sure about grouping think ‘forced, you have got to be joking’.


     


    I do think the genre could do with a look at the solo/grouping balance, DAOC for me got it about right. If we had different servers with reduced xp on the grouping server then the uber fast levellers would stick with the ‘solo server’, maybe that’s a good thing!


     


    I do believe the ethos that MMO’s are multiplayer so we should do as much in a multiplayer player mode as possible, not just levelling, crafting etc as well. These are not solo games, I get my solo gameplay feel from solo games, from my MMO I should be getting a multiplayer feel at least some of the time. And by that I don’t just mean loads of OOC chat that no one ever reads. :)

  • scuubeedooscuubeedoo Member Posts: 458



    Originally posted by Wickedjelly


    Originally posted by SaintViktor

    Apparently it isn't ok because just about every mmo is soloable now. MMOs have become the anti-social genre of gaming.

     Eh...the chat channels in most mmos seem more livlier now than ever.  Granted it tends to be about everything besides the game unless it is being compared to WoW.
    >_>
     

    You mean this thing?


    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$
    trollguru: omg this is so much better than WoW
    trollnewb: stfu i bet you haven't even played WoW past lvl 10
    randomguy1: WTS longsword of supreme destiny +3
    xXpWnz0RXx: lol noobs
    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$
    randomguy2: i agree trollguru this is so much better
    gurliegamer: ^_^ >>@ XD
    randomguy3: WoW has better graphics tbh
    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$
    randomguy4: LFG for GOM lvl15
    xXpWnz0RXx: stfu noobs
    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$

    "Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression. In Alganon, in addition to these we've added the fourth pillar to the equation: Copy & Paste."

  • WickedjellyWickedjelly Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 4,990

     


    Originally posted by scuubeedoo



    You mean this thing?



    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$

    trollguru: omg this is so much better than WoW

    trollnewb: stfu i bet you haven't even played WoW past lvl 10

    randomguy1: WTS longsword of supreme destiny +3

    xXpWnz0RXx: lol noobs

    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$

    randomguy2: i agree trollguru this is so much better

    gurliegamer: ^_^ >>@ XD

    randomguy3: WoW has better graphics tbh

    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$

    randomguy4: LFG for GOM lvl15

    xXpWnz0RXx: stfu noobs

    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$




    Yeah, that's pretty close.  Just need to add a sprinkling of people arguing politics, morality issues, and who has the best "Your mama" jokes and it would be complete.

    1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.

    2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.

    3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.

  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806

    Originally posted by Wickedjelly

     


    Originally posted by scuubeedoo



    You mean this thing?



    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$

    trollguru: omg this is so much better than WoW

    trollnewb: stfu i bet you haven't even played WoW past lvl 10

    randomguy1: WTS longsword of supreme destiny +3

    xXpWnz0RXx: lol noobs

    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$

    randomguy2: i agree trollguru this is so much better

    gurliegamer: ^_^ >>@ XD

    randomguy3: WoW has better graphics tbh

    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$

    randomguy4: LFG for GOM lvl15

    xXpWnz0RXx: stfu noobs

    dfsghsagrk: $$$$ best RMT in europe, asia, NA, fast and safe, visit blabla.com $$$$





    Yeah, that's pretty close.  Just need to add a sprinkling of people arguing politics, morality issues, and who has the best "Your mama" jokes and it would be complete.

     

    Not to mention Chuck Norris jokes <Face palm>

    At least in WoW its easy to block/report the spammers.

    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • AthcearAthcear Member Posts: 420

    It all depends on how the game is set up.  If you are expected to have to work together, then people will be working together, and finding people to work with will be easy.  But since most MMO gameplay (at least the xp gaining portions) are solo activities, requiring grouping for that seems absurd.  But grouping constantly would be commonplace in a game where you were also assumed to be doing that.  So no, forcing gropuing is stupid, but designing a game around grouping would be just fine.

    Important facts:
    1. Free to Play games are poorly made.
    2. Casuals are not all idiots, but idiots call themselves casuals.
    3. Great solo and group content are not mutually exclusive, but they suffer when one is shoved into the mold of the other. The same is true of PvP and PvE.
    4. Community is more important than you think.

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