playing with others in the endgame of a mmo, rather being forced since some of us don't have time to make online friends or even care is wrong. all content should scale, it's a game not a lifetime achievement. I'm the batman of games, and I will damage these studios until they fix it so people who have a life and little time can play every aspect of an mmo. People who like to group can still do that, but it shouldn't just cut anyone off because their schedule or preference is different. I don't mind helping people in a mmo but not for lengthy amounts of time and never friendships. It's insulting the developers believe everyone is shares the same mentality. I will bring them down and I have in some ways already since I already can have access to group content, solo anytime I want with any game I play.
Sort of a tough nut to crack, as it comes down to Human Nature.
As long as there is a "linear" trail of rewards and capability pointed straight up at the sky, "mentoring", even grouping with people in satisfying ways (as opposed to the alternate experience) is going to be chancy, at best.
People just "want their STUFF". That's why they log in (most of them). That's their focus, and helping others to the ideal of actual Mentoring principles is going to be a rare thing to encounter. Because that capability, that aptitude, is a rarity to begin with in the human animal itself.
There are a whole lot of people who THINK they are the shizznits, the "right" person to lead, etc., but the plain fact of the matter is: It's the 10% with that ability, the other 90% have "talents" in other areas. /shrug
So how can a game infrastructure promote team-play? Even learning in a group play environment? There's no way we can have any expectation a game structure can be built to alter human nature itself. But it can be built in a way to at least provide the outlets for participation in that area.
Participation. Ability to Participate (with others). Competition. Ability to Compete (with others).
IMO key factors that destabilize an entire game's community are the very things used in that game to motivate them, because it's flat out calibrated incorrectly: Progression scaling and power levels, particularly at End Game, because it's too often open ended.
There's no Domain of Participation established for the entire playerbase. It's little teeny stacks of participatory zones stacked on top of each other, and at the top what rules all is the End Game (cap) level with end-game stats/gear, acquired through uncounted hours of GRINDING to push Faction Reps, etc., to the max.
In that model there is ZERO mode or ability for a level 1-5 to participate with anyone at the cap, or even at level 20.
I'm of the opinion the scaling of progression and power scaling should be set to represent a global domain. That we should cater to bigger and better and more powerful as you level, because that's basic to time spent as well, but not so much so that the human factor can be totally negated simply by virtue of numbers packed on a character.
Thus, taking an example from World PvP anyways, 15 to 20 level five's should in fact have a chance to kill a capped character. Assuming they knew how to play, move their feet, etc.
Once you at least establish SOME mode, even if small, of ability to participate with others across all levels, you'll never see more "mentoring" going on. Even then it will be minor, but at least not minimized.
Because as long as game's continue to promote open-ended power climbs straight up that maximize player attenuations from each other in participation, you will minimize motivation stop doing "relevant stuff" and backpedal into sheer charity.
And, btw, I'm a guy to is above average in going out of my way to help people.
playing with others in the endgame of a mmo, rather being forced since some of us don't have time to make online friends or even care is wrong. all content should scale, it's a game not a lifetime achievement. I'm the batman of games, and I will damage these studios until they fix it so people who have a life and little time can play every aspect of an mmo. People who like to group can still do that, but it shouldn't just cut anyone off because their schedule or preference is different. I don't mind helping people in a mmo but not for lengthy amounts of time and never friendships. It's insulting the developers believe everyone is shares the same mentality. I will bring them down and I have in some ways already since I already can have access to group content, solo anytime I want with any game I play.
This is where the Henchmen / Hero system in Guild Wars shines, because it does exactly what you describe:
Provides for a mechanic that enables people to auto-fill the Party Roster, as needed, to go out and complete (most) challenges.
Whether you are alone, and no on in your guild is on yet. Whether it's just two or three of you. Regardless of who's available or not, PuG people or not, people not on due to time of day, day of week, on vacation or not . . .
. . . you have a means to partake of most of the meal a game has to offer, instead of being held hostage to missing 1/2 the content in a zone because you can't find a group.
Comments
playing with others in the endgame of a mmo, rather being forced since some of us don't have time to make online friends or even care is wrong. all content should scale, it's a game not a lifetime achievement. I'm the batman of games, and I will damage these studios until they fix it so people who have a life and little time can play every aspect of an mmo. People who like to group can still do that, but it shouldn't just cut anyone off because their schedule or preference is different. I don't mind helping people in a mmo but not for lengthy amounts of time and never friendships. It's insulting the developers believe everyone is shares the same mentality. I will bring them down and I have in some ways already since I already can have access to group content, solo anytime I want with any game I play.
Sort of a tough nut to crack, as it comes down to Human Nature.
As long as there is a "linear" trail of rewards and capability pointed straight up at the sky, "mentoring", even grouping with people in satisfying ways (as opposed to the alternate experience) is going to be chancy, at best.
People just "want their STUFF". That's why they log in (most of them). That's their focus, and helping others to the ideal of actual Mentoring principles is going to be a rare thing to encounter. Because that capability, that aptitude, is a rarity to begin with in the human animal itself.
There are a whole lot of people who THINK they are the shizznits, the "right" person to lead, etc., but the plain fact of the matter is: It's the 10% with that ability, the other 90% have "talents" in other areas. /shrug
So how can a game infrastructure promote team-play? Even learning in a group play environment? There's no way we can have any expectation a game structure can be built to alter human nature itself. But it can be built in a way to at least provide the outlets for participation in that area.
Participation. Ability to Participate (with others). Competition. Ability to Compete (with others).
IMO key factors that destabilize an entire game's community are the very things used in that game to motivate them, because it's flat out calibrated incorrectly: Progression scaling and power levels, particularly at End Game, because it's too often open ended.
There's no Domain of Participation established for the entire playerbase. It's little teeny stacks of participatory zones stacked on top of each other, and at the top what rules all is the End Game (cap) level with end-game stats/gear, acquired through uncounted hours of GRINDING to push Faction Reps, etc., to the max.
In that model there is ZERO mode or ability for a level 1-5 to participate with anyone at the cap, or even at level 20.
I'm of the opinion the scaling of progression and power scaling should be set to represent a global domain. That we should cater to bigger and better and more powerful as you level, because that's basic to time spent as well, but not so much so that the human factor can be totally negated simply by virtue of numbers packed on a character.
Thus, taking an example from World PvP anyways, 15 to 20 level five's should in fact have a chance to kill a capped character. Assuming they knew how to play, move their feet, etc.
Once you at least establish SOME mode, even if small, of ability to participate with others across all levels, you'll never see more "mentoring" going on. Even then it will be minor, but at least not minimized.
Because as long as game's continue to promote open-ended power climbs straight up that maximize player attenuations from each other in participation, you will minimize motivation stop doing "relevant stuff" and backpedal into sheer charity.
And, btw, I'm a guy to is above average in going out of my way to help people.
Wherever you go, there you are.
This is where the Henchmen / Hero system in Guild Wars shines, because it does exactly what you describe:
Provides for a mechanic that enables people to auto-fill the Party Roster, as needed, to go out and complete (most) challenges.
Whether you are alone, and no on in your guild is on yet. Whether it's just two or three of you. Regardless of who's available or not, PuG people or not, people not on due to time of day, day of week, on vacation or not . . .
. . . you have a means to partake of most of the meal a game has to offer, instead of being held hostage to missing 1/2 the content in a zone because you can't find a group.
Wherever you go, there you are.