Since 1999, I have played almost all of the AAA MMORPG titles and for one reason or another they always ended up not being fun to the point where I just never played them again.
All this despite having various levels of characters including max level characters.
Well, in desperation for the past few weeks, after having played and enjoyed Single Player RPGs such as Pillars of Eternity, all the Dungeons and Dragons RPGs like BG, BGII, also Divinity original Sin, for the past few months, I was determined to find a MMORPG and find out why I dont enjoy MMORPGs the same way and moreover find a way to enjoy MMORPGs.
Here is what I learned and what I found to be my key to enjoying an MMORPG:
1) Set a goal - In my case I wanted a Fantasy MMO, it did not matter if there was a sub or not, as long as it was Fantasy and not Asian/Eastern/Anime styled. Also, it had to have a GREAT story and be immersive.
2) Select a MMORPG - I ended up selecting Lord of the Rings Online...my reasons were that I always liked the Story and I am a Tolkien/Middle Earth/Lord of the Rings fan.
3) Disable General chat and trade Chat - Since the biggest killer for immersion in a MMO for me is the chat channels, I removed both general and trade chat. Now nothing would distract me.
4) No Guild to Start - Although I love guilds, i did not want anyone or anything except to play by myself for awhile and just enjoy the story, the world, etc....later if I would consider a guild again.
5) Ignore the Rat Race - In the past, it seemed that the objectives for so many players was to level up as fast as they could to get to the good stuff. Then, when they got to max level, and had noting to do as a result of leveling so fast they woudl jsut whine on the forums and chat. No...not this time, I avoided the forums and as I mentioned previously, I disabled general chat.
6) No Raids- At least not yet...the last thing I needed at this point was the frustration of Raid planning, the time sink and then the frustration of seeing a raid dissolve before it should....maybe later on.
7) Take my time - This time around my priority was going to be the story, the world and my character and taking the time to smell the roses.
The result:
Without the anxiety of all the things that annoyed me in MMORPGs, I am now enjoying myself for the first time in years if ever, in a MMORPG.
Moreover, I was able to do this with my level 49 Warden..a class I have hated and felt stuck with, as everytime I tried a new class, the dread of having to start over from level 1 just made it a pain for me.
Thus, with some help from LOTRO who has made the Warden class more tolerable in regards to gambits, which i always hated, now had group them into pairs, making the management, execution and memorization fo Gambits much more easier and fun.
Now, I had looked at other MMORPGs I had played previously and that fit my criteria, such as WoW, Neverwinter, EQ2...but all three just could not interest me this time around, as the last thing I wanted was to return to the boredom of "WoD", and the grind of EQ2. Neverwinter was a game I always enjoyed, but upon logging in and playing my level 60, I just could not get into it.
Anyway, this is the formula that helped me return to MMOs, its is not for everyone, but for those who were in similar situations as I was with the same hang ups, I hope it helps you.
SAD because 16 plus years back I played Asheron call 1 and did not have any issues, I had fun for 7 through 8 years.. So you also said AAA, why not play indies? I have an had more fun with them as well. So maybe you were looking at the wrong games?
ALso I dont get people who want to play a M M O ....... alone, that is so confusing to me, why bother..
I have a hard time getting even halfway to the level cap before rolling my first alt. :P
Seems like the only sane way to play a game, really.
When you go to an ice cream place, you don't stick with one flavor until you've had it 1,000 times before trying another flavor. You try lots of flavors early, and then slowly stick with the one(s) you like best. MMORPG classes are a bit different in that you need to put some time into them to get the full 'taste', but at a certain point (usually before the halfway point) you have a sense for things and can try other classes.
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
I have a hard time getting even halfway to the level cap before rolling my first alt. :P
Seems like the only sane way to play a game, really.
When you go to an ice cream place, you don't stick with one flavor until you've had it 1,000 times before trying another flavor. You try lots of flavors early, and then slowly stick with the one(s) you like best. MMORPG classes are a bit different in that you need to put some time into them to get the full 'taste', but at a certain point (usually before the halfway point) you have a sense for things and can try other classes.
I understand the desire to play alts, but to say it's the only "sane way" to play a game is rather insane in itself.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Originally posted by Bulldoze Sounds like you are trying to enjoy the wrong genre. Do you play many RPG's? They tend to have better story and solo gameplay than mmorpg's. If you avoid guilds, chat channels, group play then I don't really know why you bother
Sorry but that is a bullsh*t reply. MMO's are an off shoot of RPG's and are about immersion, progression, exploration and the journey just as much as RPG's. This notion of Endgame, raiding and forced cooperation & interaction within a group is false and has led to the decline of the beloved genre.
This is true in a sense, but the interaction part should still be present because that is why mmorpg exist but at the same time it should not be forced on people. The thing that is really hurting mmorpg's is the Endgame notion, raiding by force, etc.
Why you say?, well the reason is the fact that like lot's of people mention, you feel forced to level up very quick and then to only play by doing the same raids, bg's or even arena's over and over and to top it off you can't even play the way you want to play otherwise the rest of the group falls apart. So you basically follow a leaders way to play or certain group combos or tactics.
Mmorpg's is to play rpg's with other people in one big interactive world to make the game feel more real and not play like other people want you to play or for them. So if only raids and Endgame content is the thing then you have no choice to play the game like other's wants you to.
Where is the fun in that? or should i say where is the immersion in that?
This is actually one of the reasons why I play GW2. While playing "solo" I tend to "group" a ton by just discovering other people in the area I am in, and running tons of events together. My wife and I also duo a ton doing the same thing. The ad hoc grouping is something ANet really got right in GW2. You can be the lone wolf, but still contribute to a group when you choose and without having any real connection to those around you, unless you want to.
GW2 is pretty good about letting people play the way they wish to, since there is no true endgame for the best gear. People that want progression have fractals. Die hard PvPers don't ever have to see PvE. WvWers can level in WvW and still make contributions. Explorers have plenty to explore.
Plus, as a B2P game, I feel no additional need to play other than enjoyment. With 9 level 80 characters and currently working on my 10th, I have gotten more than my moneys worth.
I pretty much only play solo or with pre-made groups of friends/guildies. The whole PUG thing just... after this long, I just find it too hard to have the patience for it anymore.
I don't know, it seems like anytime I am in the situation in an MMO where I have to rely on other people, unless they are my friends/guildies they are just so, so bad!
I'm a min/maxer at heart, and I always push to play "well" even if it is the same run I've done 100 other times. The people I play with regularly are also good players, they'll put in the work and/or research to excel.
But randoms? Probably 9/10 times they are just bad, and that 10th time I actually get the pleasure of working with someone competent.
So yeah, I guess anything in an MMO that forces me to interact in any capacity with people that I haven't chosen to interact with, well that's kind of a no for me.
Seems like there are a lot of people who don't like your reasons or methods for enjoying MMOs. I say if it works for you, keep playing. Just because you don't wanna start out with a guild doesn't scream single RPG to me. As a general rule, I don't do raids, and I definitely don't rush to the finish like a lot of people do. I take my time, I try to explore everything and do every quest (I don't know if I enjoy doing ALL of the quests, but it's gotta be done. An OCD kinda thing).
The one thing I don't do is turn of the chat. I like to have interact some with the community. I also like to read some of the nonsense that people talk about (A chat voyeur if you will).
I don't understand why people feel the need to pick your method apart. Go... enjoy.
Originally posted by Dullahan I've done the same in the past. In fact, I've turned off all chat channels except for the local ones ever since EQ. You are basically going out of your way to create the illusion of that game you want to play, but for me it never lasts.
For me it's actually worked for years.
I'm not surprised it doesn't last for you though. It goes against everything you have listed on that quote in your signature. (And thus against everything you want in an MMO?)
Which is different than the things I look for in one.
So who's to say it won't last for the OP either? We're not all wired to like the same things.
Goes against pantheon? I believe it will not include global chat which is what he is referring to.
More the "Teamwork" and "Community" that he has listed on there.
Also, isn't Pantheon aiming to be one of those MMOs where you get nowhere unless you're teamed up all the time? In which case, yes, the approach described here would also conflict with Pantheon as a whole.
The person you quoted seemed to be more interested in the "chat" aspect of the conversation and not the group aspect. There is a big difference. I like local chat only in my MMO's. Global chats get polluted with trash that most of the time has nothing to do with the game.
Originally posted by Bulldoze Sounds like you are trying to enjoy the wrong genre. Do you play many RPG's? They tend to have better story and solo gameplay than mmorpg's. If you avoid guilds, chat channels, group play then I don't really know why you bother
Sorry but that is a bullsh*t reply. MMO's are an off shoot of RPG's and are about immersion, progression, exploration and the journey just as much as RPG's. This notion of Endgame, raiding and forced cooperation & interaction within a group is false and has led to the decline of the beloved genre.
This is true in a sense, but the interaction part should still be present because that is why mmorpg exist but at the same time it should not be forced on people. The thing that is really hurting mmorpg's is the Endgame notion, raiding by force, etc.
Why you say?, well the reason is the fact that like lot's of people mention, you feel forced to level up very quick and then to only play by doing the same raids, bg's or even arena's over and over and to top it off you can't even play the way you want to play otherwise the rest of the group falls apart. So you basically follow a leaders way to play or certain group combos or tactics.
Mmorpg's is to play rpg's with other people in one big interactive world to make the game feel more real and not play like other people want you to play or for them. So if only raids and Endgame content is the thing then you have no choice to play the game like other's wants you to.
Where is the fun in that? or should i say where is the immersion in that?
Actually notice that OP said only about zone / world chat and guilds. However:
- OP also said don't start with the guild right from the beginning - seems rather more like first immerse yourself then pick right guild that will support your playstyle as oposed to the one that will force you to certain playstyle that may be not something you like - aka rat race to beat next raid boss on the list before others do.
- disabling zone / world chat does not eliminate whispers or just talking with randomly met people. In fact there was a time where people used to enjoy such playstyle alot - even in games such as WoW. Did it reduce their interactions with others? Most certainly not.
Also about immersion. True that players here are important (as in make it or break it really) but in fact if you don't or can't immerse yourself in the world itself (regardless how many players have you chatted today with) then what's the point of playing the game at all? for chattiing and communication there is already Facebook and other services like it. No need to play the game.
Originally posted by Thebeasttt I don't know what's more frightening. The fact that OP has to play an MMO by himself to enjoy it or the fact the industry is actually catering to these people?
You are completely off base with any assumption you might be making here. I played EQ1 for 6 years and a majority of that was solo. I LOVE a living breathing world that I can interact with people "when I want to". Trading, occasional conversation, gambling (running casino's in EQ was awesome), I could go on and on.
What I hate about modern MMO's: Global chat (a lot of older ones had it too), global markets, single player content, among many other things. You see, you're assuming that because one plays an MMO "by themselves" that they're trying for a single player experience. I do not. I HATE how easy MMO's are today. I want the challenge of completely something as difficult as EQ1 by myself. If I can't then I can easily find a group to get through that part. Of course you can't kill gods or the sleeper by yourself. That's when you find a group.
Originally posted by Dullahan I've done the same in the past. In fact, I've turned off all chat channels except for the local ones ever since EQ. You are basically going out of your way to create the illusion of that game you want to play, but for me it never lasts.
For me it's actually worked for years.
I'm not surprised it doesn't last for you though. It goes against everything you have listed on that quote in your signature. (And thus against everything you want in an MMO?)
Which is different than the things I look for in one.
So who's to say it won't last for the OP either? We're not all wired to like the same things.
Goes against pantheon? I believe it will not include global chat which is what he is referring to.
More the "Teamwork" and "Community" that he has listed on there.
Also, isn't Pantheon aiming to be one of those MMOs where you get nowhere unless you're teamed up all the time? In which case, yes, the approach described here would also conflict with Pantheon as a whole.
I'm saying its something that has to happen organically. Trying to pretend I'm playing in a virtual world that isn't built as such is the problem I have. In the end all the soloability, instancing and basically instant-everything is what wears me down. Everyone else is playing it like a game, while I'm trying to play it as something its not: a game with a need for teamwork and a sense of community, like EQ (or Pantheon).
I have a hard time getting even halfway to the level cap before rolling my first alt. :P
Seems like the only sane way to play a game, really.
When you go to an ice cream place, you don't stick with one flavor until you've had it 1,000 times before trying another flavor. You try lots of flavors early, and then slowly stick with the one(s) you like best. MMORPG classes are a bit different in that you need to put some time into them to get the full 'taste', but at a certain point (usually before the halfway point) you have a sense for things and can try other classes.
I understand the desire to play alts, but to say it's the only "sane way" to play a game is rather insane in itself.
I usually level all of what ever professions I enjoy at the same time. Jumping from alt to alt when I feel the need for a change of pace. Somewhere along the line I start to really enjoy one in particular and stick with it to the end.
As far as what the OP said, I agree, it's important to play a game the way it makes you happy. Devs outline a way they would like you to play but for me it's always just a suggestion.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
I pretty much only play solo or with pre-made groups of friends/guildies. The whole PUG thing just... after this long, I just find it too hard to have the patience for it anymore.
I don't know, it seems like anytime I am in the situation in an MMO where I have to rely on other people, unless they are my friends/guildies they are just so, so bad!
I'm a min/maxer at heart, and I always push to play "well" even if it is the same run I've done 100 other times. The people I play with regularly are also good players, they'll put in the work and/or research to excel.
But randoms? Probably 9/10 times they are just bad, and that 10th time I actually get the pleasure of working with someone competent.
So yeah, I guess anything in an MMO that forces me to interact in any capacity with people that I haven't chosen to interact with, well that's kind of a no for me.
There are game by game differences in PUG quality. I've generally had a very positive PUG experience in ESO -- a downright "good ole days" experience without the general asshattery that is so common in many MMOs.
I had gotten in the habit of very rarely pugging in MMOs coming into playing ESO last year but now I have no qualms about doing it...
We'll see what happens in the console versions with proximity voice chat. I'll leave it on at first to test the waters but will most likely eventually use it just in groups/guild.
I'm also curious to see if there is as much other gender character playing when everyone uses voice... there's probably a sociology paper in there for someone
"Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”
― Umberto Eco
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” ― CD PROJEKT RED
Originally posted by Thebeasttt I don't know what's more frightening. The fact that OP has to play an MMO by himself to enjoy it or the fact the industry is actually catering to these people?
This is a huge problem with our genre atm. There's thousands of other single player games out there for these folks, instead our genre is slowly being ruined, because they complain they can't solo 100% of the time in ours.
Originally posted by Thebeasttt I don't know what's more frightening. The fact that OP has to play an MMO by himself to enjoy it or the fact the industry is actually catering to these people?
This is a huge problem with our genre atm. There's thousands of other single player games out there for these folks, instead our genre is slowly being ruined, because they complain they can't solo 100% of the time in ours.
Since 1999, I have played almost all of the AAA MMORPG titles and for one reason or another they always ended up not being fun to the point where I just never played them again.
All this despite having various levels of characters including max level characters.
Well, in desperation for the past few weeks, after having played and enjoyed Single Player RPGs such as Pillars of Eternity, all the Dungeons and Dragons RPGs like BG, BGII, also Divinity original Sin, for the past few months, I was determined to find a MMORPG and find out why I dont enjoy MMORPGs the same way and moreover find a way to enjoy MMORPGs.
Here is what I learned and what I found to be my key to enjoying an MMORPG:
...
Did the same thing you did Unleaded over the past year, seems to be working very well. I've been playing MMORPGs and MMOs for about 10 years. Like many other gamers from days past, I just don't have the time to dedicate to an EQ or Pantheon style MMO, so doing things differently is a necessity IF I want to keep enjoying my favorite hobby. :-)
Originally posted by Kaladin I don't think I would ever play a genre for 16 years without enjoying it. Or am I the insane one?
I don't think he saying he didn't enjoy it at all. I'm thinking that he's saying that he has found a way to maximize his enjoyment. A strategy that many of us could follow. Too many people find every conceivable reason to dislike a game instead of find reasons and ways to make it enjoyable.
Of course, I could be completely wrong in what I'm thinking that he's saying. In which case, I'm still right
Originally posted by Thebeasttt I don't know what's more frightening. The fact that OP has to play an MMO by himself to enjoy it or the fact the industry is actually catering to these people?
This is a huge problem with our genre atm. There's thousands of other single player games out there for these folks, instead our genre is slowly being ruined, because they complain they can't solo 100% of the time in ours.
They are ruining "your" genre (please allow me to laugh at this already) because bashing mobs in a group/raid is now optional instead of being forced?
Please, gimme a break.
Optional? You have no clue dude. No clue at all. If an NPC is solo-able, there is NO point in killing it in a group. Just because there is the OPTION to group, doesn't make it fun or worthwhile. If it's difficult enough for a group, then soloing it can have its benefits. Big friggin difference.
Originally posted by Kaladin I don't think I would ever play a genre for 16 years without enjoying it. Or am I the insane one?
I don't think he saying he didn't enjoy it at all. I'm thinking that he's saying that he has found a way to maximize his enjoyment. A strategy that many of us could follow. Too many people find every conceivable reason to dislike a game instead of find reasons and ways to make it enjoyable.
Of course, I could be completely wrong in what I'm thinking that he's saying. In which case, I'm still right
Pretty much.
Too many want a game that's custom tailored them and their every whim. Which is very unlikely to happen, especially if their tastes don't mesh well with what's popular.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
Still....at this point in time, I am playing by myself and when my friends do pop in to play when we can all be on together, it is still 1000% better with that chat turned off and taking the approaches I previously mentioned.
Sounds like the "movie experience". You watch a movie, or tv show, to see a few select characters in a particular world engage in a "quest", mission or take a small journey. You don't give much of a rat's a** about all the other hundred, or hundreds, people doing their own thing around you because they have no impact on what you're currently doing. A chat system in a fantasy realm, or many fictional environments, breaks immersion and disrupts what is probably the primary reason you chose the game in the first place.
I'm glad to see someone finally pointing this out.
I've got a feevah, and the only prescription... is more cowbell.
I find the best way to enjoy mmo's is to play 3 at a time, dis able the trade channel is an excellent idea also as it seems to attract the most obnoxious people. right now I am playing STO, ESO and The Repopulation, playing 3 at once helps you get a nice perspective and keeps you out of the rat race
Originally posted by Gorwe Anything forced is bad imo.
I was never forced to group in Everquest. The problem is that modern MMO's are so easy you don't even have to try to kill anything. They just die. No challenge. Boring.
Every MMORPG I've logged into since WoW you could walk through each area w/o even thinking (aside from Darkfall Online). No fun.
Originally posted by Thebeasttt I don't know what's more frightening. The fact that OP has to play an MMO by himself to enjoy it or the fact the industry is actually catering to these people?
This is a huge problem with our genre atm. There's thousands of other single player games out there for these folks, instead our genre is slowly being ruined, because they complain they can't solo 100% of the time in ours.
Well, you don't "own" the genre, do you? If devs want to cater to those folks, i don't see why they should not. It is a free market. No one owes you a game that you need to like.
In fact, just consider the new MMOs not your, but their genre .. problem solved.
Comments
SAD because 16 plus years back I played Asheron call 1 and did not have any issues, I had fun for 7 through 8 years.. So you also said AAA, why not play indies? I have an had more fun with them as well. So maybe you were looking at the wrong games?
ALso I dont get people who want to play a M M O ....... alone, that is so confusing to me, why bother..
Seems like the only sane way to play a game, really.
When you go to an ice cream place, you don't stick with one flavor until you've had it 1,000 times before trying another flavor. You try lots of flavors early, and then slowly stick with the one(s) you like best. MMORPG classes are a bit different in that you need to put some time into them to get the full 'taste', but at a certain point (usually before the halfway point) you have a sense for things and can try other classes.
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
I understand the desire to play alts, but to say it's the only "sane way" to play a game is rather insane in itself.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
This is actually one of the reasons why I play GW2. While playing "solo" I tend to "group" a ton by just discovering other people in the area I am in, and running tons of events together. My wife and I also duo a ton doing the same thing. The ad hoc grouping is something ANet really got right in GW2. You can be the lone wolf, but still contribute to a group when you choose and without having any real connection to those around you, unless you want to.
GW2 is pretty good about letting people play the way they wish to, since there is no true endgame for the best gear. People that want progression have fractals. Die hard PvPers don't ever have to see PvE. WvWers can level in WvW and still make contributions. Explorers have plenty to explore.
Plus, as a B2P game, I feel no additional need to play other than enjoyment. With 9 level 80 characters and currently working on my 10th, I have gotten more than my moneys worth.
I am glad you ask. Why? Because it is fun. Why would it be fun ... i have a full post to answer that.
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/634/view/forums/post/5903599#5903599
BTW .. the "trading" reason is some-what irrelevant now .. since i don't trade much anymore. But the IP & gameplay reason is still going strong.
I pretty much only play solo or with pre-made groups of friends/guildies. The whole PUG thing just... after this long, I just find it too hard to have the patience for it anymore.
I don't know, it seems like anytime I am in the situation in an MMO where I have to rely on other people, unless they are my friends/guildies they are just so, so bad!
I'm a min/maxer at heart, and I always push to play "well" even if it is the same run I've done 100 other times. The people I play with regularly are also good players, they'll put in the work and/or research to excel.
But randoms? Probably 9/10 times they are just bad, and that 10th time I actually get the pleasure of working with someone competent.
So yeah, I guess anything in an MMO that forces me to interact in any capacity with people that I haven't chosen to interact with, well that's kind of a no for me.
Seems like there are a lot of people who don't like your reasons or methods for enjoying MMOs. I say if it works for you, keep playing. Just because you don't wanna start out with a guild doesn't scream single RPG to me. As a general rule, I don't do raids, and I definitely don't rush to the finish like a lot of people do. I take my time, I try to explore everything and do every quest (I don't know if I enjoy doing ALL of the quests, but it's gotta be done. An OCD kinda thing).
The one thing I don't do is turn of the chat. I like to have interact some with the community. I also like to read some of the nonsense that people talk about (A chat voyeur if you will).
I don't understand why people feel the need to pick your method apart. Go... enjoy.
I self identify as a monkey.
The person you quoted seemed to be more interested in the "chat" aspect of the conversation and not the group aspect. There is a big difference. I like local chat only in my MMO's. Global chats get polluted with trash that most of the time has nothing to do with the game.
Actually notice that OP said only about zone / world chat and guilds. However:
- OP also said don't start with the guild right from the beginning - seems rather more like first immerse yourself then pick right guild that will support your playstyle as oposed to the one that will force you to certain playstyle that may be not something you like - aka rat race to beat next raid boss on the list before others do.
- disabling zone / world chat does not eliminate whispers or just talking with randomly met people. In fact there was a time where people used to enjoy such playstyle alot - even in games such as WoW. Did it reduce their interactions with others? Most certainly not.
Also about immersion. True that players here are important (as in make it or break it really) but in fact if you don't or can't immerse yourself in the world itself (regardless how many players have you chatted today with) then what's the point of playing the game at all? for chattiing and communication there is already Facebook and other services like it. No need to play the game.
You are completely off base with any assumption you might be making here. I played EQ1 for 6 years and a majority of that was solo. I LOVE a living breathing world that I can interact with people "when I want to". Trading, occasional conversation, gambling (running casino's in EQ was awesome), I could go on and on.
What I hate about modern MMO's: Global chat (a lot of older ones had it too), global markets, single player content, among many other things. You see, you're assuming that because one plays an MMO "by themselves" that they're trying for a single player experience. I do not. I HATE how easy MMO's are today. I want the challenge of completely something as difficult as EQ1 by myself. If I can't then I can easily find a group to get through that part. Of course you can't kill gods or the sleeper by yourself. That's when you find a group.
I'm saying its something that has to happen organically. Trying to pretend I'm playing in a virtual world that isn't built as such is the problem I have. In the end all the soloability, instancing and basically instant-everything is what wears me down. Everyone else is playing it like a game, while I'm trying to play it as something its not: a game with a need for teamwork and a sense of community, like EQ (or Pantheon).
I usually level all of what ever professions I enjoy at the same time. Jumping from alt to alt when I feel the need for a change of pace. Somewhere along the line I start to really enjoy one in particular and stick with it to the end.
As far as what the OP said, I agree, it's important to play a game the way it makes you happy. Devs outline a way they would like you to play but for me it's always just a suggestion.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
I can fly higher than an aeroplane.
And I have the voice of a thousand hurricanes.
Hurt - Wars
There are game by game differences in PUG quality. I've generally had a very positive PUG experience in ESO -- a downright "good ole days" experience without the general asshattery that is so common in many MMOs.
I had gotten in the habit of very rarely pugging in MMOs coming into playing ESO last year but now I have no qualms about doing it...
We'll see what happens in the console versions with proximity voice chat. I'll leave it on at first to test the waters but will most likely eventually use it just in groups/guild.
I'm also curious to see if there is as much other gender character playing when everyone uses voice... there's probably a sociology paper in there for someone
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
This is a huge problem with our genre atm. There's thousands of other single player games out there for these folks, instead our genre is slowly being ruined, because they complain they can't solo 100% of the time in ours.
I spent most of my time soloing in EQ.
Did the same thing you did Unleaded over the past year, seems to be working very well. I've been playing MMORPGs and MMOs for about 10 years. Like many other gamers from days past, I just don't have the time to dedicate to an EQ or Pantheon style MMO, so doing things differently is a necessity IF I want to keep enjoying my favorite hobby. :-)
I don't think he saying he didn't enjoy it at all. I'm thinking that he's saying that he has found a way to maximize his enjoyment. A strategy that many of us could follow. Too many people find every conceivable reason to dislike a game instead of find reasons and ways to make it enjoyable.
Of course, I could be completely wrong in what I'm thinking that he's saying. In which case, I'm still right
I self identify as a monkey.
Optional? You have no clue dude. No clue at all. If an NPC is solo-able, there is NO point in killing it in a group. Just because there is the OPTION to group, doesn't make it fun or worthwhile. If it's difficult enough for a group, then soloing it can have its benefits. Big friggin difference.
Pretty much.
Too many want a game that's custom tailored them and their every whim. Which is very unlikely to happen, especially if their tastes don't mesh well with what's popular.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
Sounds like the "movie experience". You watch a movie, or tv show, to see a few select characters in a particular world engage in a "quest", mission or take a small journey. You don't give much of a rat's a** about all the other hundred, or hundreds, people doing their own thing around you because they have no impact on what you're currently doing. A chat system in a fantasy realm, or many fictional environments, breaks immersion and disrupts what is probably the primary reason you chose the game in the first place.
I'm glad to see someone finally pointing this out.
I've got a feevah, and the only prescription... is more cowbell.
I was never forced to group in Everquest. The problem is that modern MMO's are so easy you don't even have to try to kill anything. They just die. No challenge. Boring.
Every MMORPG I've logged into since WoW you could walk through each area w/o even thinking (aside from Darkfall Online). No fun.
Well, you don't "own" the genre, do you? If devs want to cater to those folks, i don't see why they should not. It is a free market. No one owes you a game that you need to like.
In fact, just consider the new MMOs not your, but their genre .. problem solved.
disabling the chat sounds like a prety good idea.
ill consider this next time i play an mmorpg.
If theres one thats noteworthy.