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[Column] General: Five of the Best MMOs for Soloers

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

MMORPGs, just by virtue of the name, seem to require other players to enjoy the game. Yet that's not always the case. In The List today, we take a look at five MMOs that are eminently solo-able. See what you think before heading to the comments to include your favorite game.

The acronym, "MMO", means Massive MULTIPLAYER Online, the operative word being multiplayer. Yet even in today's crowded MMO market, there are many games that never necessitate any human interaction, that allow players to be Forever Alone should they choose to be so.

Read more of Suzie Ford's The List: Forever Alone in These Five MMOs.

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¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


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Comments

  • RattenmannRattenmann Member UncommonPosts: 613

    This is one of the saddest parts about current MMOs.

    They stopped being mMo, leaving out the multiplayer part. To archive this target they usually go the "we need to make sure noone can screw up, so make everything fool proof and make it even easier, just to make sure"-route.

     

    Wake me up if a new and real MMO shows up again, ill be playing games from the 90s untill then.

    MMOs finally replaced social interaction, forced grouping and standing in a line while talking to eachother.

    Now we have forced soloing, forced questing and everyone is the hero, without ever having to talk to anyone else. The evolution of multiplayer is here! We won,... right?

  • apocolusterapocoluster Member UncommonPosts: 1,326
    *waves bye bye @Zaradoom*.

    Gonna be playin them games for a while

    No matter how cynical you become, its never enough to keep up - Lily Tomlin

  • NadiaNadia Member UncommonPosts: 11,798
    this needs a companion article of   Best MMOs for gamers who enjoy teamwork
  • AvarixAvarix Member RarePosts: 665
    Originally posted by DMKano
    Originally posted by Nadia
    this needs a companion article of   Best MMOs for gamers who enjoy teamwork

    It would be the same list, as each individual decides *how* they want to play their games, socially or not, you can play Rift, WoW, SWTOR, GW2 excusively with your guild if you want to.

    I remember having friends over for solo games on C64, Amiga 500, Nintendo etc... 

    Its up to you to be social, or not.

     

    Getting tired of reading this excuse for a lack of multi-player in MMORPGs, emphasis on the MM part. There is an entire genre for players that don't want to socialize, they're single-player games. I can be extremely social, doesn't mean anyone else is going to be. You need other people to actually care about grouping, and in these games they don't. WoW player-base is especially viscous, in my experience, with players that are not already experts in all the dungeons and simply want to enjoy the experience.

     

    Grouping will always be a lot more work than soloing, if there is no incentive then these players will never do it. All we have left are dungeons and raids to actually interact with other players. The sad part of that is that in most of these games we can exclude the dungeons part for socializing. Being able to run through an entire dungeon without anyone ever saying ANYTHING is pretty common. Guild Wars 2 is especially bad for this. Other players may as well be NPC. If you don't want the MMO part in your game, that's fine. There are a TON of games, and an entire genre called "Single player role-playing games". Why are they trying to change the defining characteristic of this genre? Frankly, it sucks.

  • NadiaNadia Member UncommonPosts: 11,798
    Originally posted by DMKano
    Originally posted by Nadia
    this needs a companion article of   Best MMOs for gamers who enjoy teamwork

    It would be the same list, as each individual decides *how* they want to play their games, socially or not, you can play Rift, WoW, SWTOR, GW2 excusively with your guild if you want to.

    i don't agree

     

    yes - any mmo can be played solo or grouped but some mmos have more group content

     

    example: WOW is not a group intensive mmo

     

    almost all the outdoor content was nerfed to be soloed w patch 4.3,  2 years ago

    http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/patch-4-3-ptr-official-patch-notes/

    Many Group quests in Outland and Northrend have been re-tuned to allow players to complete them solo. They are no longer labeled as Group quests.

     

    WOW is largely a solo game until endgame w exception of dungeon instances

  • IridescentOrkIridescentOrk Member Posts: 157
    Skyrim is betta :D

    gameplay > graphics

  • maplestonemaplestone Member UncommonPosts: 3,099

    This is an issue on which there is an enormous culture gap between players in the genre.  To me, MMOs are primarily about a shared world, not formal grouping.  In fact, formal grouping is the antithesis of what an MMO means to me becasue it reduces the fluid crossing of paths to isolated pockets of forced dependancy.

    Any argument that solo play is like a single-player game can be replaced with the argument that formal grouping is just a LAN party. 

    But in general, if I ever I find myself judging how other people are playing a game, I remind myself that it's my problem, not theirs.

  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
    Originally posted by maplestone

    This is an issue on which there is an enormous culture gap between players in the genre.  To me, MMOs are primarily about a shared world, not formal grouping.  In fact, formal grouping is the antithesis of what an MMO means to me becasue it reduces the fluid crossing of paths to isolated pockets of forced dependancy.

    Any argument that solo play is like a single-player game can be replaced with the argument that formal grouping is just a LAN party. 

    But in general, if I ever I find myself judging how other people are playing a game, I remind myself that it's my problem, not theirs.

    Very nicely stated. Thank you for that. :)


    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


  • NetSageNetSage Member UncommonPosts: 1,059
    This is why EVE online is the best MMO :P.  It's honestly a pretty boring game alone. And, would be even more boring if you if you could do anything of meaning alone.
  • Silverthorn8Silverthorn8 Member UncommonPosts: 510
    Originally posted by NetSage
    This is why EVE online is the best MMO :P.  It's honestly a pretty boring game alone. And, would be even more boring if you if you could do anything of meaning alone.

    In a similar vein, this is why I am watching Pathfinder Online with some interest. I found back in the early days (pre wow that is), game worlds were harsh enough that players needed to co-operate in order to progress. It makes for a much nicer community, vastly more rewarding than the current crop.

  • MardukkMardukk Member RarePosts: 2,222
    TSW and SWTOR are definitely the best solo, due to the focus on story/cut scenes.  I prefer my MMO's to be virtual worlds, which neither of these focus on.  They were still fun for a couple months though.
  • Whiskey_SamWhiskey_Sam Member UncommonPosts: 323
    And this is why I've given up on MMOs

    ___________________________
    Have flask; will travel.

  • rodingorodingo Member RarePosts: 2,870
    Originally posted by SBFord
    Originally posted by maplestone

    This is an issue on which there is an enormous culture gap between players in the genre.  To me, MMOs are primarily about a shared world, not formal grouping.  In fact, formal grouping is the antithesis of what an MMO means to me becasue it reduces the fluid crossing of paths to isolated pockets of forced dependancy.

    Any argument that solo play is like a single-player game can be replaced with the argument that formal grouping is just a LAN party. 

    But in general, if I ever I find myself judging how other people are playing a game, I remind myself that it's my problem, not theirs.

    Very nicely stated. Thank you for that. :)

    I agree, definitely well said.  To many people seem to want to impose their playstyle on others without taking other people into consideration.  Preferences in playstyle and options are a good thing.  However I think we will have World Peace before all gamers can agree to that.  This whole, "my way or the highway" attitude that is so prevalent on these forums never cease to amaze me.

    "If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor

  • bcbullybcbully Member EpicPosts: 11,838
    Your #1 is completely wrong in the case of Age of Wushu. You essentially will not progress solo. The game does not apologize for this either.
    "We see fundamentals and we ape in"
  • ShmackpappyShmackpappy Member Posts: 75
    Gaming companies are businesses and will continue to produce games that people WANT to play.  Obviously there is a big market in producing MMOs that are soloable.  As mentioned by others, there is nothing stopping you fron grouping up.  Every game I've been on has active guilds.  Join one and group up with others.  It doesn't mean that it should be at the exclusion of people who don't want to group.
  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035

    I sort of like the technology assisted impromptu grouping where being in the same area with others adds cooperative group interaction without formal intent of doing so.

     

    That is of course assuming I didn't stumble into a hardcore soloer who resents that I'm actually helping.

     

    At least it's better than trying to PUG with idiots, or having to kiss-ass some elitist who considers me a second class citizen because I'm not wearing the latest impossible-to-get shiny.

     

    In the end, what's nice for me about "soft" grouping is once the objective is complete I can wave and wander off on my own.

     

    It may not be old-school multiplayer, but for me it is (or at least can be) a positive event in my gaming experience.

     


    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035
    Originally posted by Mardukk
    TSW and SWTOR are definitely the best solo, due to the focus on story/cut scenes.  I prefer my MMO's to be virtual worlds, which neither of these focus on.  They were still fun for a couple months though.

     

    I'd add AOC's Tortage to the best soloable based on storyline play.  I found it very engaging as a SP experience, although not what I'd be looking for in an MMORPG.

     


    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • NovuhzNovuhz Member UncommonPosts: 31

    Sorry but I have to disagree, if you can't progress the game without joining other players, that game is not solo.

    I can only talk about Rift and WoW in that list because I haven't played the other ones, and in Rift / WoW if you want really good gear you can't play solo to get it /thread. How about WoW Arenas/Battlegrounds how are you going to get top PvP gear playing solo? It's impossible you need MMR/ELO to even unlock the top pvp weapons and what about WoW PvP arena titles? You will never be able to get them solo. What about the lore? Can you even do all the lore solo? No you can't you need people to accomplish all this stuff.

     

    Can you solo instances the same lvl as  your level? Nope (not solo game anymore)

    Can you do all quests the same lvl as your lvl alone? Nope (not solo game anymore)

     

    Your definition of solo is wrong.

     

    What is solo?

    for or done by one person alone; unaccompanied.

    a thing done by one person unaccompanied, in particular.

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035
    Originally posted by Nadia
    this needs a companion article of   Best MMOs for gamers who enjoy teamwork

     

    +1  That would be an interesting read.

     

    ... and waves to another from the MMO Faces thread :-)


    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • BurntvetBurntvet Member RarePosts: 3,465
    Originally posted by ZombieKen
    Originally posted by Nadia
    this needs a companion article of   Best MMOs for gamers who enjoy teamwork

     

    +1  That would be an interesting read.

     

    ... and waves to another from the MMO Faces thread :-)

    It would be a short list.

    Pretty much every game since WoW can be soloed, some almost completely, with the exception of raiding (although in many, there is no end game BUT raiding).

    It is clear that in new games, player interdependency is dead. (Heck some of the "newer" MMORPG players get offended when they have to group or need any kind of player interaction for anything, not PvP. How far is that from the UO/SWG/EQ days?)

  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
    Originally posted by bcbully
    Your #1 is completely wrong in the case of Age of Wushu. You essentially will not progress solo. The game does not apologize for this either.

    The implication isn't that ALL games are solo-able, just that most are. I'm sure AoW is a peach. ;)


    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


  • orbitxoorbitxo Member RarePosts: 1,956

    World of Warcraft-really?

    i found it so hard to solo after leveling cap-let alone the dungeons and raids were too dependent on groups and guilds.

    all i recall soloing was that 'special' shaman totem quest and the redundent dailies

    GW2 was a refreshing soloable mmo- but died after the Orders missions ended. sad times...

    i believe TSW yet again did a great job balancing solo play with group play- and now with issue 8 this should be pretty amazing!

  • RizelStarRizelStar Member UncommonPosts: 2,773
    Originally posted by rodingo
    Originally posted by SBFord
    Originally posted by maplestone

    This is an issue on which there is an enormous culture gap between players in the genre.  To me, MMOs are primarily about a shared world, not formal grouping.  In fact, formal grouping is the antithesis of what an MMO means to me becasue it reduces the fluid crossing of paths to isolated pockets of forced dependancy.

    Any argument that solo play is like a single-player game can be replaced with the argument that formal grouping is just a LAN party. 

    But in general, if I ever I find myself judging how other people are playing a game, I remind myself that it's my problem, not theirs.

    Very nicely stated. Thank you for that. :)

    I agree, definitely well said.  To many people seem to want to impose their playstyle on others without taking other people into consideration.  Preferences in playstyle and options are a good thing.  However I think we will have World Peace before all gamers can agree to that.  This whole, "my way or the highway" attitude that is so prevalent on these forums never cease to amaze me.

    Very true.

    I might get banned for this. - Rizel Star.

    I'm not afraid to tell trolls what they [need] to hear, even if that means for me to have an forced absence afterwards.

    P2P LOGIC = If it's P2P it means longevity, overall better game, and THE BEST SUPPORT EVER!!!!!(Which has been rinsed and repeated about a thousand times)

    Common Sense Logic = P2P logic is no better than F2P Logic.

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    Originally posted by maplestone

    This is an issue on which there is an enormous culture gap between players in the genre.  To me, MMOs are primarily about a shared world, not formal grouping.  In fact, formal grouping is the antithesis of what an MMO means to me becasue it reduces the fluid crossing of paths to isolated pockets of forced dependancy.

    Any argument that solo play is like a single-player game can be replaced with the argument that formal grouping is just a LAN party. 

    But in general, if I ever I find myself judging how other people are playing a game, I remind myself that it's my problem, not theirs.

    You currently have me wishing for a +1 or upvote feature. Very well said, maplestone.

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • TekaelonTekaelon Member UncommonPosts: 604

    Good game design should allow for solid, enjoyable solo game play. Sometimes you just don't have time to coordinate with others to get something done. That being said , the current trend in MMO's is killing the concept of group play. The BEST rewards and adventures in an MMO should ALWAYS require a group! Not only that but MMO's should encourage team work through a dynamic group mechanic that insists on specific rolls. I don't mean JUST the dreaded big 3 of tanking, healing and DPS. We live in a time where developers should be able to discern all types of group encounter types.

     

    As much as I enjoyed and respect GW2, I got so tired of every group encounter coming down to 'how fast can we dps'. It got tedious and never required to develop a play style beyond hitting max level and hitting the gear ceiling. There are no memorable moments in GW2, it all just blurs together. It was a design decision Anet made for mass appeal. That's fine, and works, but it eventually loses it color and no amount of armor/weapons skins can change that. 

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