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Demise of the MMO Communities

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  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by emistz
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by emistz

     

    Not so much as a debate on the benefits of solo v. group play, but rather a discussion on why solo gameplay seems to predominate these days as opposed to group gameplay on mmorpgs which appeared to be the norm years ago.

     

    That .. i think is pretty simple.

    1) People don't want to depend on others for their fun.

    2) Solo-ing is fun enough, and groups don't add much.

     

    That's what I find most intriguing.  Isn't the reason to join a M-Multiplayer-MO to have interact with other people?

    Yes, but grouping is not the only interaction.

    In fact, what people like you don't understand is that there are plenty of interactions without grouping or pvp:

    - showing off epleen stuff. You can't show off without others around

    - AH .. you can't buy and sell without someone else on the other side of the auction.

    - playing while chatting with guildies

    Now you may not like this kind of interactions, but they are interactions with other people nevertheless.

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by emistz

    Why are people (or at least seem to be) less likely to interact with others in MMOs as opposed to say 10 years ago when you couldn't run past someone without having some sort of interaction.  In today's world it is as if there is an army of bots running around as opposed to live human beings.

    There are interactions today. Look at others gearscore is a form of interaction.

    Sure people don't like to chat, or socialize, or even group. But you can't inspect others gearscore and show off your own without others around.

     

  • TorgrimTorgrim Member CommonPosts: 2,088
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by emistz

    Why are people (or at least seem to be) less likely to interact with others in MMOs as opposed to say 10 years ago when you couldn't run past someone without having some sort of interaction.  In today's world it is as if there is an army of bots running around as opposed to live human beings.

    There are interactions today. Look at others gearscore is a form of interaction.

    Sure people don't like to chat, or socialize, or even group. But you can't inspect others gearscore and show off your own without others around.

     

     

    That was one helluva thin straw argument lol

    If it's not broken, you are not innovating.

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by Torgrim
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by emistz

    Why are people (or at least seem to be) less likely to interact with others in MMOs as opposed to say 10 years ago when you couldn't run past someone without having some sort of interaction.  In today's world it is as if there is an army of bots running around as opposed to live human beings.

    There are interactions today. Look at others gearscore is a form of interaction.

    Sure people don't like to chat, or socialize, or even group. But you can't inspect others gearscore and show off your own without others around.

     

     

    That was one helluva thin straw argument lol

    Why? Do you deny that gearscore (or similar system) is popular? Do you deny people like to show off?

    Now tell me, do you need people around to show off?

  • Jadedangel1Jadedangel1 Member UncommonPosts: 187
    Originally posted by Miblet

    Back in the 'good old days' communities were relatively small.  Bad apples were weeded out through reputation.

    Now communities are huge, changing identities is easier than ever before and the games are more single player centric.  Too large to weed out the bad apples, to easy for them to create a new character if weeded out to begin again, and little interaction with others or need to improve.

    Some of it is social.  Some of it is game design.  Making the games easier and accessible made them more appealing to the masses however also lessened the need for a community to form.

     

    Either way communities are still there.  They have just changed to suit the newer landscape.  Where once you would socialise with a server, now you socialise with a guild and any you meet in pugs.  There are still nice and awful people about as before.

     

    ^This. Plus a lot of the newer player base are immature with self entitled attitudes.

    But I would argue that the elitist attitudes of the older original players toward incoming players over the years did a lot to alienate newer players coming into games, pushing more and more people to want to play solo and stay out the community while they played.

  • Vermillion_RaventhalVermillion_Raventhal Member EpicPosts: 4,198

    I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  

     

    But the basics.

     

    1. Players migrate much more.

    2. MMORPG's don't support community much or designs work against it

    3. Cultural changes regarding online persona's.

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by Vermillion_Raventhal

    I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  

     

    as opposed to what? People view unknown random people on the internet as stars in their own lives?

  • TorgrimTorgrim Member CommonPosts: 2,088
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by Torgrim
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by emistz

    Why are people (or at least seem to be) less likely to interact with others in MMOs as opposed to say 10 years ago when you couldn't run past someone without having some sort of interaction.  In today's world it is as if there is an army of bots running around as opposed to live human beings.

    There are interactions today. Look at others gearscore is a form of interaction.

    Sure people don't like to chat, or socialize, or even group. But you can't inspect others gearscore and show off your own without others around.

     

     

    That was one helluva thin straw argument lol

    Why? Do you deny that gearscore (or similar system) is popular? Do you deny people like to show off?

    Now tell me, do you need people around to show off?

     I deny your thinking.

    If it's not broken, you are not innovating.

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by Torgrim
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by Torgrim
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by emistz

    Why are people (or at least seem to be) less likely to interact with others in MMOs as opposed to say 10 years ago when you couldn't run past someone without having some sort of interaction.  In today's world it is as if there is an army of bots running around as opposed to live human beings.

    There are interactions today. Look at others gearscore is a form of interaction.

    Sure people don't like to chat, or socialize, or even group. But you can't inspect others gearscore and show off your own without others around.

     

     

    That was one helluva thin straw argument lol

    Why? Do you deny that gearscore (or similar system) is popular? Do you deny people like to show off?

    Now tell me, do you need people around to show off?

     I deny your thinking.

    LOl ... you can't find an argument to counter mine .. so resort to empty rhetoric?

     

  • CecropiaCecropia Member RarePosts: 3,985
    Originally posted by Vermillion_Raventhal

    I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  

    I've been observing this change myself over the past decade. People have become painfully self-involved and beyond annoying, and this self-centered and ridiculous entitled attitude is becoming inescapable. Fuck social media and the legion of people that cannot get over themselves.

    I will not remember this period of time in any positive light whatsoever. Hey, I guess it's only natural that every person has to endure a shitty decade or two throughout their lifetime.

    "Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by Cecropia
    Originally posted by Vermillion_Raventhal

    I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  

    I've been observing this change myself over the past decade. People have become painfully self-involved and beyond annoying, and this self-centered and ridiculous entitled attitude is becoming inescapable. Fuck social media and the legion of people that cannot get over themselves.

    I will not remember this period of time in any positive light whatsoever. Hey, I guess it's only natural that every person has to endure a shitty decade or two throughout their lifetime.

    Are you doing that same? Do you think you are entitled to others changing their attitude for you?

    Personally i will live and let live. Whatever their attitudes are .. is fine with me. Just that i won't play with people i don't like, and there is always entertainment to be had.

  • Four0SixFour0Six Member UncommonPosts: 1,175
    Originally posted by emistz

    Is it just me or has there been a consistent decline in the community feel in MMOs since about 10 years ago?

    Every time I log into pretty much any MMO I can see less and less community work and more and more individual people doing their own thing.  Basically people soloing the game, along with a thousand other people who are also soloing the game in the same server. 

    I am not really sure what benefit you get from an MMO without group play, except of course I guess if it was a single player game you couldn't brag to others about your latest piece of epeen gear.

    I remember the days when people would group just for the fun of doing things together.  These days unless there is a specific incentive to do so most people keep to themselves.

    What do you think has brought this about?  A change in game culture? A change in culture as a whole where we have become more and more antisocial as a society? Or something else?

    The masses cried out for "solo-friendly"...They got what they wanted...I feel there should have been more broad based game design, so those of us that want group play have our games, those of us that don't have other games...Yet in this time of "equality" that wouldn't be viewed as "fair" to those who don't want group play...In fact I have heard that argument many times in reference to this topic.. I wonder how Darwin would have viewed evolution, if he had attempted to view it through the "eyes of fairness" that society demands these days?

  • Vermillion_RaventhalVermillion_Raventhal Member EpicPosts: 4,198
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by Vermillion_Raventhal

    I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  

     

    as opposed to what? People view unknown random people on the internet as stars in their own lives?

    Essentially social media gives you an audience and a good number of  people act like their a fan base to promote their lives as a brand name they can't do in the real world.  A sense of entitlement, superiority, self centeredness that arises from it.  But I don't really think going into the social ramifications of social media is the point of this thread.

  • WightyWighty Member UncommonPosts: 699

    You can thank all the "social" and "Convenience" elements of games like Auction houses, Group finders, automatic teleports to queues...

     

    I am not saying "the old way is better"  But people will join a group via tool... blast though the content, then drop group without saying so much as a "Hello" to anyone throughout the entire scenario.

     

    Moderns guild mentality is also to blame... Guilds now seem to be replaced with spam heavy "gaming communities" Join "My Guild" which has 1000 players that spans across 20 games and no one knows one another they just chat in TS, or mumble about bullshit.

     

    Bottom line is if community is ever going to come back it starts with the players wanting to put all the convenience aside and actually seek out people to interact with and develop friendships and trust with. This was a key part of classic MMO's which have now been replaced with a bunch of drones that have no interest in exploration or interaction.. they just want to blast through content "to win" then move on to the next game and bitch that the former game "had no content"

    What are your other Hobbies?

    Gaming is Dirt Cheap compared to this...

  • Vermillion_RaventhalVermillion_Raventhal Member EpicPosts: 4,198
    Originally posted by Wighty

    You can thank all the "social" and "Convenience" elements of games like Auction houses, Group finders, automatic teleports to queues...

     

    I am not saying "the old way is better"  But people will join a group via tool... blast though the content, then drop group without saying so much as a "Hello" to anyone throughout the entire scenario.

     

    Moderns guild mentality is also to blame... Guilds now seem to be replaced with spam heavy "gaming communities" Join "My Guild" which has 1000 players that spans across 20 games and no one knows one another they just chat in TS, or mumble about bullshit.

     

    Bottom line is if community is ever going to come back it starts with the players wanting to put all the convenience aside and actually seek out people to interact with and develop friendships and trust with. This was a key part of classic MMO's which have now been replaced with a bunch of drones that have no interest in exploration or interaction.. they just want to blast through content "to win" then move on to the next game and bitch that the former game "had no content"

     

    UO was far more social and it had no global chat.  That tells you a lot.  

  • ArclanArclan Member UncommonPosts: 1,550


    Originally posted by Cecropia
    Originally posted by Vermillion_Raventhal I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  
    I've been observing this change myself over the past decade. People have become painfully self-involved and beyond annoying, and this self-centered and ridiculous entitled attitude is becoming inescapable. Fuck social media and the legion of people that cannot get over themselves.

    I will not remember this period of time in any positive light whatsoever. Hey, I guess it's only natural that every person has to endure a shitty decade or two throughout their lifetime.


    QFT

    Luckily, i don't need you to like me to enjoy video games. -nariusseldon.
    In F2P I think it's more a case of the game's trying to play the player's. -laserit

  • NaughtyPNaughtyP Member UncommonPosts: 793
    Originally posted by Cecropia
    Originally posted by Vermillion_Raventhal

    I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  

    I've been observing this change myself over the past decade. People have become painfully self-involved and beyond annoying, and this self-centered and ridiculous entitled attitude is becoming inescapable. Fuck social media and the legion of people that cannot get over themselves.

    I will not remember this period of time in any positive light whatsoever. Hey, I guess it's only natural that every person has to endure a shitty decade or two throughout their lifetime.

    This just hits home way too much. I'm going to go back to pretending life is butterflies, cotton candy, and angel farts now...

    Enter a whole new realm of challenge and adventure.

  • CecropiaCecropia Member RarePosts: 3,985
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by Cecropia
    Originally posted by Vermillion_Raventhal

    I would say that it's not even MMORPG's.  There is a self center and entitled attitude that's grown as social media has grown.   People view themselves as stars in their own lives.  

    I've been observing this change myself over the past decade. People have become painfully self-involved and beyond annoying, and this self-centered and ridiculous entitled attitude is becoming inescapable. Fuck social media and the legion of people that cannot get over themselves.

    I will not remember this period of time in any positive light whatsoever. Hey, I guess it's only natural that every person has to endure a shitty decade or two throughout their lifetime.

    Are you doing that same? Do you think you are entitled to others changing their attitude for you?

    Personally i will live and let live. Whatever their attitudes are .. is fine with me. Just that i won't play with people i don't like, and there is always entertainment to be had.

    No, Narius, I'm not looking to change the world; I'm merely making a comment on how I view things. This is an internet forum, after all.

    Man, you're really starting to reach with some of these posts.

    "Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb

  • RusqueRusque Member RarePosts: 2,785

    Weird, I can never remember those social times. Maybe it's because I've always kept to myself for the most part outside of communicating intentions for game play purposes.

    I have no interest in how your day is, how much weed you've smoked, how many beers you've drank, which politician you currently hate, and how tired you are. You're not interesting, I'm not interesting - which happens to be why I don't care to burden you with what I'm up to.

    In fact, I'm having a difficult time remembering a single time I've seen a conversation that was anything but utterly vapid. Once in a while I'll chat to someone about game mechanics or class abilities (I'm especially helpful towards new players in whispers) but outside of that what do you honestly have to say?

  • PerjurePerjure Member UncommonPosts: 250
    WOW - Gear Score - a New Generation(s) to gaming. 
  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by Wighty

    You can thank all the "social" and "Convenience" elements of games like Auction houses, Group finders, automatic teleports to queues...

     

    Bottom line is if community is ever going to come back it starts with the players wanting to put all the convenience aside and actually seek out people to interact with and develop friendships and trust with. This was a key part of classic MMO's which have now been replaced with a bunch of drones that have no interest in exploration or interaction.. they just want to blast through content "to win" then move on to the next game and bitch that the former game "had no content"

    Yeh, i thank those features everyday. Finally i can actually play a game, then do chores in a world.

    I play games for fun, not to "develop freindship and trust". I have enough of that in RL. You are right, i have no interests in socializing in a MMO.

    And why do i play MMOs? To finish the fun content, and move on, of course.

  • MorrowbreezeMorrowbreeze Member CommonPosts: 141
    Regarding community in MMOs in general on the decline, I offer evidence to the contrary on my thread posted June 29.  "Something fun to do in July on a certain MMO".
  • AeliousAelious Member RarePosts: 3,521
    I lean on the game design for the cause. People first and foremost play a game according to the rules laid out and also take the path of least resistance. A player can solo game content in most MMOs. Can they group or socialize at the same time? Sure, but it takes more time and effort since a lot of the progression is designed for solo play.

    Even a lot of the "group content" is solo when you think about it. I click a button, wait for an automated system to make other players and a 20 minute dungeon appear. I don't have to say anything, I don't even have to be good as long as I don't suck enough to have a kick vote initiated. That's the main problem, I as a player really don't matter in most casual based games. Everyone is in thier own bubble.

    Of course you CAN socialize it's just not part of the progress anymore. No biggy though, as a optimist I see many options coming that may bring importance back to MMOs, if not I'll just gravitate to the ones that do the most.
  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by Aelious
    I lean on the game design for the cause. People first and foremost play a game according to the rules laid out and also take the path of least resistance. A player can solo game content in most MMOs. Can they group or socialize at the same time? Sure, but it takes more time and effort since a lot of the progression is designed for solo play.

     

    If "not social" is path of least resistance, then people don't like socialization enough to warrant its importance in a MMO.

    I don't see anyone skipping out combat. "least resistance" is just another way of saying what people prefers.

  • AeliousAelious Member RarePosts: 3,521
    It may not be that people don't want to socialize, it's that the game design makes it a burden to do so. It may also be that the larger majority like the more anti-social casual games, which I find highly amusing. The reality is that interaction with a games community can raise the likelihood that a player will stay. I look forward to the future MMOs that embrace making social interaction more important.
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