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WoW incredibly anti-social

Just wanted to make this observation about my return to WoW for the MoP expansion. Additionally, I encourage rebuttal as long as it remains progressive (trying to avoid hate although its basically hypocritical).

To my main argument, there are a few things I found incredibly anti-social as I was leveling up my character, and couldn't be overlooked.

 Barely any socialization through LFG 5 mans. It's honestly a struggle to get a response to a group "hello" message. I wouldn't even consider this an issue but as soon as you wipe or anyone dies, people instantaneously bitch about someone not performing correctly. This isn't just 1 or 2 instances, this is a status quo as far as random dungeons are concerned.

Additionally, joining a largley populated guild (as far as I have noticed from my 5-6 guilds ive joined, sorry to generalize) and chat is Barren (see what I did there), with people becoming members primarily for the benifits.

I understand that a guild will help to correct this problem, but even then, youre still randoming at some point and dealing with stagnant chat as always.

 

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Comments

  • plescureplescure Member UncommonPosts: 397

    ive noticed this myself recently. Returned after a year absense, rolled a monk tank and , as i always do in wow these days, ive leveled him solely using dungeon finder. and no one talks... at all!! its never ben that sociable but it used to be maybe one in 3 runs there might be a bit of conversation going on but that seems to have completely stopped now. even stuff like telling ppl your going afk or you need a mana break seems to much effort these days.

    last saturday i did 30+ dungeon runs and i have a seperate tab for my grp chat. at the end of the day i checked the tab and in 30 runs there had been a combimned amount of 4 lines of dialogue!

    If someone is talking in general chat in a language you dont understand, chances are they're not talking to you. So chill out and stop bitching about it!

  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,435
    It's pretty much true for all modern theme park MMORPGs, not just WOW, and it's really not so much due to the players as it is to the lack of interactive design and interdependent game mechanics.
    Making titles largely solo centric and providing all sorts of non-interactive tools such as DFs and instant travel, combined with little forced downtime between fights means player have little reason to chat, the only goal is to hurry up and fight.
    In early titles if someone in the group wasn't quite skilled enough or unfamiliar with the dungeon it was worth the groups time to teach them since finding replacements was more wasted time. Now groups can just kick and replace in minutes, and so they do.
    Worse, very often these days, very early a after a games launch, you will see adverts saying "must know fights" which just sort of turns me off MMOs all together.

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

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    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

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  • dllddlld Member UncommonPosts: 615
    Originally posted by plescure

    ive noticed this myself recently. Returned after a year absense, rolled a monk tank and , as i always do in wow these days, ive leveled him solely using dungeon finder. and no one talks... at all!! its never ben that sociable but it used to be maybe one in 3 runs there might be a bit of conversation going on but that seems to have completely stopped now. even stuff like telling ppl your going afk or you need a mana break seems to much effort these days.

    last saturday i did 30+ dungeon runs and i have a seperate tab for my grp chat. at the end of the day i checked the tab and in 30 runs there had been a combimned amount of 4 lines of dialogue!

    How many of those were your own? if it was 0 then you don't really have any right to complain.

  • bingbongbrosbingbongbros Member UncommonPosts: 689
    Originally posted by dlld
    Originally posted by plescure

    ive noticed this myself recently. Returned after a year absense, rolled a monk tank and , as i always do in wow these days, ive leveled him solely using dungeon finder. and no one talks... at all!! its never ben that sociable but it used to be maybe one in 3 runs there might be a bit of conversation going on but that seems to have completely stopped now. even stuff like telling ppl your going afk or you need a mana break seems to much effort these days.

    last saturday i did 30+ dungeon runs and i have a seperate tab for my grp chat. at the end of the day i checked the tab and in 30 runs there had been a combimned amount of 4 lines of dialogue!

    How many of those were your own? if it was 0 then you don't really have any right to complain.

    haha well said i was thinking the same exact thing.

     

    honestly hive collective internet folk from beyond the grave... what do you expect??question mark?

     

    you play a game that is completely built from the ground up on playing ALONE until you get to the last level and then are required to do either raid/expert/master/ultra arm flexing dungeons for and or loot?

     

    and then you are surprised when the majority of the community hates talking to anyone at any given time?  It is what you are being herded to dooooooooo just sayyyy moooooooooo.

    stop being a sheep and following your breadcrumb poka dot path from 1 to 9194994 in version 1,2,3.... etc of these games.

     

    make a friend, talk to a noob, pinch a npc's ass.

     

    LIVE IN YOUR WORLD MAN!!! in a dungeon say hey! whoever doesnt say hi is a chinese inmate! and see what happens. LIVE MAN LIVE

    Playing: Smite, Marvel Heroes
    Played: Nexus:Kingdom of the Winds, Everquest, DAoC, Everquest 2, WoW, Matrix Online, Vangaurd, SWG, DDO, EVE, Fallen Earth, LoTRo, CoX, Champions Online, WAR, Darkfall, Mortal Online, Guild Wars, Rift, Tera, Aion, AoC, Gods and Heroes, DCUO, FF14, TSW, SWTOR, GW2, Wildstar, ESO, ArcheAge
    Waiting On: Nothing. Mmorpg's are dead.

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247

    Was it ever sold as a social game?

     

    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

  • VesaviusVesavius Member RarePosts: 7,908
    Originally posted by dscar23

    Just wanted to make this observation about my return to WoW for the MoP expansion. Additionally, I encourage rebuttal as long as it remains progressive (trying to avoid hate although its basically hypocritical).

    To my main argument, there are a few things I found incredibly anti-social as I was leveling up my character, and couldn't be overlooked.

     Barely any socialization through LFG 5 mans. It's honestly a struggle to get a response to a group "hello" message. I wouldn't even consider this an issue but as soon as you wipe or anyone dies, people instantaneously bitch about someone not performing correctly. This isn't just 1 or 2 instances, this is a status quo as far as random dungeons are concerned.

    Additionally, joining a largley populated guild (as far as I have noticed from my 5-6 guilds ive joined, sorry to generalize) and chat is Barren (see what I did there), with people becoming members primarily for the benifits.

    I understand that a guild will help to correct this problem, but even then, youre still randoming at some point and dealing with stagnant chat as always.

     

     

    It's not just WoW, it's across the board really.

    Even in games where grouping is accessible and fun most people solo if possible and don't even bother saying hello or goodbye to their guildies when they come and go, even ignoring those that DO, and just bark out questions when they get stuck or whatever. God forbid if they were ever forced to actually have a friendly conversation or engage with others beyond immediate needs... Most don't even seem to be capable of it in most games I have played. It's crazy tbh, but it's just how the modern MMO culture has been trained to be by years of games designed to focus on solo independent play I guess.

    I guess what I am saying is that it isn't fair to single WoW out for this. It's all over.

    Just focus on the good people you find is my advice and accept that 90% of folks that you ecounter have no desire or intention of ever becoming your buddy...

    I guess one of the weird things in these games is that they are at their best when social experiences, but they tend to attract a lot of folks that are pretty socially inept.... it leads to a strange contradiction in the playerbase.

     

  • muffins89muffins89 Member UncommonPosts: 1,585
    don't blame wow.  blame the internets.
  • This happened with cross server dungeons and the dumbing down of the game. You always group with random unknowns that aren't relevant to your server. In addition youtypically  don't need to coordinate well in dungeons as they are facerollable. People tend to just drone on in the game while watching TV, so their attention isn't very into what they're doing, much less the chat.
  • lotapartylotaparty Member Posts: 514
    Originally posted by dscar23

    Just wanted to make this observation about my return to WoW for the MoP expansion. Additionally, I encourage rebuttal as long as it remains progressive (trying to avoid hate although its basically hypocritical).

    To my main argument, there are a few things I found incredibly anti-social as I was leveling up my character, and couldn't be overlooked.

     Barely any socialization through LFG 5 mans. It's honestly a struggle to get a response to a group "hello" message. I wouldn't even consider this an issue but as soon as you wipe or anyone dies, people instantaneously bitch about someone not performing correctly. This isn't just 1 or 2 instances, this is a status quo as far as random dungeons are concerned.

    Additionally, joining a largley populated guild (as far as I have noticed from my 5-6 guilds ive joined, sorry to generalize) and chat is Barren (see what I did there), with people becoming members primarily for the benifits.

    I understand that a guild will help to correct this problem, but even then, youre still randoming at some point and dealing with stagnant chat as always.

     

    it is society problem overall . people are more mean . the living conditions are deteroating .people are getting unemployed , families are falling apart . so it is not a game problem ,it is society problem . 

  • etlaretlar Member UncommonPosts: 855
    Im talking more with people in wow than i am in gw2..which is kinda sad, but nonetheless true.
  • RusqueRusque Member RarePosts: 2,785

    Well what is it you want to talk about? Politics? Weather? Sports? Gaming?

    Maybe you just want people to say" hello", which results in what? If it makes you feel better, when someone gives a greeting I always respond.

    At the end of the day, you're choosing the wrong medium for holding a discussion. I don't see people complaining on forums that all people do is talk but no one ever wants to play a game with them.

    As for the guild issue, that has never changed. Big nameless guilds have always existed and have always been terrible. Find a better guild sometimes looking for a "family style" guild will get you better results. Unfortunately, finding good people can be tough, but it's doable.

    But the last thing I want to add is that WoW has one of the best features that other games don't have . . . people don't talk about WoW in WoW. Chat in every other game is filled with people talking/bitching about WoW (kind of like nearly every thread on the mmorpg site). If you don't want to hear people talking about WoW, you just play WoW.

     

  • MukeMuke Member RarePosts: 2,614
    Originally posted by dscar23

    I understand that a guild will help to correct this problem, but even then, youre still randoming at some point and dealing with stagnant chat as always.

     

    even Guilds are anti-social, this game has always been like that when they look at your gear first, personality later.

     

    "going into arguments with idiots is a lost cause, it requires you to stoop down to their level and you can't win"

  • dimnikardimnikar Member Posts: 271

    WoW (or, let's be honest here now, come on, ANY online game) comunity is shit.

    That's why I've made it my endgame, for years now, to kill them all. Ganking ftw.

  • grimalgrimal Member UncommonPosts: 2,935

    The WoW community was never a great one.  Even when I played years ago when BC launched...it was just bad.

     

  • just1opinionjust1opinion Member UncommonPosts: 4,641
    Originally posted by Loktofeit

    Was it ever sold as a social game?

     

     

    I would say yes, since using the "MMO" acronym means well....massively multiplayer online....which SEEMS, at least, to imply it should be social in some way.  Maybe it's wrong to have ever assumed that, but it used to be true anyway.

    President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club

  • cagarcagar Member Posts: 98

        We are in the I want it now generation. Talking just slows things down, even in real life. Just text me so I can look at it later.

    How dare you expect me to actually put any effort into something or slow down to help someone.

    there are a lot of people these days that will push those that don't know what to do aside because they don't feel like teaching them a dungeon, then turn around and complain that there is no one to group with.

    70 monk eq1
    80 bruiser eq2
    43 druid wow
    Currently playing : rift

  • ComafComaf Member UncommonPosts: 1,150
    Originally posted by dscar23

    Just wanted to make this observation about my return to WoW for the MoP expansion. Additionally, I encourage rebuttal as long as it remains progressive (trying to avoid hate although its basically hypocritical).

    To my main argument, there are a few things I found incredibly anti-social as I was leveling up my character, and couldn't be overlooked.

     Barely any socialization through LFG 5 mans. It's honestly a struggle to get a response to a group "hello" message. I wouldn't even consider this an issue but as soon as you wipe or anyone dies, people instantaneously bitch about someone not performing correctly. This isn't just 1 or 2 instances, this is a status quo as far as random dungeons are concerned.

    Additionally, joining a largley populated guild (as far as I have noticed from my 5-6 guilds ive joined, sorry to generalize) and chat is Barren (see what I did there), with people becoming members primarily for the benifits.

    I understand that a guild will help to correct this problem, but even then, youre still randoming at some point and dealing with stagnant chat as always.

     

    Wow has some great points.  But the ease of grouping (i.e., Dungeon Finder and instanced PvP) made it pointless for anyone to give a care.  Why talk to Bob the Mage if he's on another server?  Point is, best you can do in a game like WoW is try to get on a social server, i.e, Moonguard, and get into an old school RP'ish guild.  Try to group with them when able - that's one way around it. 

     

    Hope this helps.

    image
  • RohnRohn Member UncommonPosts: 3,730

    As so many others have already pointed out, this isn't a problem peculiar to WoW.  As themepark games have increasingly made a conscious effort to make their play solo and casual friendly, the need to be social in what should be a social game has been reduced to almost zero.

    Why do developers waste so much time and money creating persistent worlds with massive concurrent player populations, when they do very little to capitalize on this fact?  Follow the money.  The solo and casual players make up the bulk of most game's players, so developers seek to cater to them.

    WoW, RIFT, GW2 - all games that are designed to be anti-social with the overwhelming majority of their gameplay and game systems.

    Hell hath no fury like an MMORPG player scorned.

  • dscar23dscar23 Member Posts: 32
    Originally posted by lotaparty
    Originally posted by dscar23

    Just wanted to make this observation about my return to WoW for the MoP expansion. Additionally, I encourage rebuttal as long as it remains progressive (trying to avoid hate although its basically hypocritical).

    To my main argument, there are a few things I found incredibly anti-social as I was leveling up my character, and couldn't be overlooked.

     Barely any socialization through LFG 5 mans. It's honestly a struggle to get a response to a group "hello" message. I wouldn't even consider this an issue but as soon as you wipe or anyone dies, people instantaneously bitch about someone not performing correctly. This isn't just 1 or 2 instances, this is a status quo as far as random dungeons are concerned.

    Additionally, joining a largley populated guild (as far as I have noticed from my 5-6 guilds ive joined, sorry to generalize) and chat is Barren (see what I did there), with people becoming members primarily for the benifits.

    I understand that a guild will help to correct this problem, but even then, youre still randoming at some point and dealing with stagnant chat as always.

     

    it is society problem overall . people are more mean . the living conditions are deteroating .people are getting unemployed , families are falling apart . so it is not a game problem ,it is society problem . 

    This made me laugh, has to be a troll.

    To comment on a couple thigns people have said: first, sorry I want social interaction in my MMO, i guess thats an odd request? Secondly Vanilla WoW was FARRR from anti-social. You grouped with ppl on your server, people knew other people, blacklists etc. They chose to make it anti-social, which imo kills a big part of the game for me. WoW FUCKED the whole MMO sphere up by making everything instantly attainable, so now if you dont bring that to the table no one wants to play. WoW was never marketed as a singple player experience and frankly never was until LFG finder. Now I can play the game, obtain raid loot and LITERALLY never say 2 fucking words. Its sad.

  • stringboistringboi Member UncommonPosts: 394

    This has nothing to do with WoW, its becoming the norm in every game.  Unless theres something people want, like info about new content, or how to defeat something, or where something is....people rarely talk regardless of the game.  The only chatter I see in any game is either trolling, putting people down, or somebody asking questions about something they dont know.  

    The only way this is going to change is by getting together with your true friends or by getting in a big social guild.  Who really wants to talk to people you dont know, about nothing that interests you?  I know I dont, especially when most people that open their mouthes have nothing positive to say.  I enter a dungeon, say hello...get what I need, and say goodbye.   It's not that I want to be anti-social, it's just that truthfully.....I could care less about what most people have to say, because it's usually BS anyway....and I think others feel the same way.

  • zevianzevian Member UncommonPosts: 403

    Ive felt like the OP for a while, however with MOP ive noticed peopel invitng to groups for dailies and chatting about.   I have alts in a couple different guilds one they dont really talk (Except on sunday) and the other they chat all the time.  Ive also made some friends by talking to people..... and helping them with things.   

     

    Its a community created and easily fixed issue if peopel force themselves to interact,  on the plus side im enjoyign myself again.

  • fenistilfenistil Member Posts: 3,005

    It is not just WoW.  It is true for all matchmaking games where you sit, press button and play with some random people.  

    Playing most themepark mmorpg nowadays once you have max level (and sometimes even before) is like playing League of Legends of Call od Duty.   Log in, choose game mode, press button for auto-game find.  Play in instance. 

  • nollonollo Member Posts: 5

    Someone mentioned how this is a society problem and involved with more then just WOW. I agree, I Play many MMOs like many of us have. And I put alot of work and time into the friendships I make because I know that is what Makes the game. No longer am i amazed by grinding real fast or a mega upgrade. I thing is conquering content with friends and the rewards just come gradually . 

     

    But On that subject of its a societal change, Ya know I have to agree. I come from a very priveledged upbringing and have made a business for myself at a young age. I finished 2 degrees and have been extremely socially responsible in my life, and in my mid 20s I can happily afford any gaming habits I have. 

    When I play with my old time friends and we do things so intelligently and together, its the most fun in the world. When I even try to group with some random people, and get to know them, It turns into a utter disaster. Then When I am assisting someone in learning the game or how to maximize their class. The like 10 year old talk comes out, then they talk about not having a dad, or growing up in Arkansas with shit for oppurtunity, and all sorts of shit. So im sitting  back with my badass desk, cash stacks, easy life, amazing upbringing, 0 stress, an d thinking.. Man mayb e this dude has the shittiest fucking life I have never known and just logs on to a world to escape his piece of shit life and rather just be a rushing mean piece of shit here. 

     

    Im just thinking some players that outright are anti social, dumb, and mean.... is starting to reflect a very serious issue of horrendous parenting and problem lives, being reflected in a social Medium.  I would feel alone as all hell if im sitting in a room on a computer ( already away from friends ) and cant bring myself to be anything but anti social or a dick to others. 

    I just dont get it, I love promoting the right path, helping others, enlightening people, removing their focus from the negatives..... Life is short, to be enjoyed with others ( we cannot live on earth alone  ) so why live on a virtual world alone..... To not deal with ragging morons? Well how do we turn the tide.... where does it start..... or has society gone so far off the cliff... that the future is  a mix of what I am seeing today..... its dangerous. 

     

    Single moms that leave a kid infront of a MMO from age 9 till whatever, and man I seen some messed up 13-14 year olds with no social skills and turning into fat pudgies that will effect their confidence.....

    This seems a rant now but its how i Feel. Games designed for the masses are getting less and less reliant on a community design. 

     

    Dro 

    *take a dab of cannatonic honey oil*

  • dscar23dscar23 Member Posts: 32
    Originally posted by nollo

    Someone mentioned how this is a society problem and involved with more then just WOW. I agree, I Play many MMOs like many of us have. And I put alot of work and time into the friendships I make because I know that is what Makes the game. No longer am i amazed by grinding real fast or a mega upgrade. I thing is conquering content with friends and the rewards just come gradually . 

     

    But On that subject of its a societal change, Ya know I have to agree. I come from a very priveledged upbringing and have made a business for myself at a young age. I finished 2 degrees and have been extremely socially responsible in my life, and in my mid 20s I can happily afford any gaming habits I have. 

    When I play with my old time friends and we do things so intelligently and together, its the most fun in the world. When I even try to group with some random people, and get to know them, It turns into a utter disaster. Then When I am assisting someone in learning the game or how to maximize their class. The like 10 year old talk comes out, then they talk about not having a dad, or growing up in Arkansas with shit for oppurtunity, and all sorts of shit. So im sitting  back with my badass desk, cash stacks, easy life, amazing upbringing, 0 stress, an d thinking.. Man mayb e this dude has the shittiest fucking life I have never known and just logs on to a world to escape his piece of shit life and rather just be a rushing mean piece of shit here. 

     

    Im just thinking some players that outright are anti social, dumb, and mean.... is starting to reflect a very serious issue of horrendous parenting and problem lives, being reflected in a social Medium.  I would feel alone as all hell if im sitting in a room on a computer ( already away from friends ) and cant bring myself to be anything but anti social or a dick to others. 

    I just dont get it, I love promoting the right path, helping others, enlightening people, removing their focus from the negatives..... Life is short, to be enjoyed with others ( we cannot live on earth alone  ) so why live on a virtual world alone..... To not deal with ragging morons? Well how do we turn the tide.... where does it start..... or has society gone so far off the cliff... that the future is  a mix of what I am seeing today..... its dangerous. 

     

    Single moms that leave a kid infront of a MMO from age 9 till whatever, and man I seen some messed up 13-14 year olds with no social skills and turning into fat pudgies that will effect their confidence.....

    This seems a rant now but its how i Feel. Games designed for the masses are getting less and less reliant on a community design. 

     

    Dro 

    *take a dab of cannatonic honey oil*

    I quoted yours but a lot of reponses are saying that it isnt a "WoW" problem but a social problem. I beg to differ with you because WoW was the catalyst for the change. I agree that playing with my friends (particularly early world pvp) was the most amazing gaming experience I ever had, but now that you dont have REPERCUSSIONS for being a dick or ninjaing or w/e, so no reason to interact or anything.

    Why would I care to socialize with you when..

    1. I won't see you ever again in 30-45  minutes

    2. Ill roll need on rog leather as a healer b/c its basically trivial and will be easily replaced

    just to name a few (footballs on im somewhat distracted haha)

    but for my tl;dr, WoW caused a social gaming shift, not the people changing themselves.

  • IcewhiteIcewhite Member Posts: 6,403
    Originally posted by Kyleran
    Worse, very often these days, very early a after a games launch, you will see adverts saying "must know fights" which just sort of turns me off MMOs all together.

    That would be raiding guilds with no interest in wiping newbs' noses for them.

    How undemocratic, I know, right?

    Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.

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