I, on the other hand, much prefer being able to play an MMO solo and grouping with people when I decide to be social. Locking content behind grouping is just plain annoying. As with all games, I'm there to explore the world and the story and the less I have other humans involved in that, the better in most cases.
Then why play something centered around multiplayer content when there are multitudes more single player games focused around that exact play style?
Some people like having others around to talk to, but not necessarily be hand-cuffed and totally dependent on them.
Probably why I actually leave multiplayer on in No Man's Sky. There's people around, stuff happens, but there is no need to engage if you aren't in the mood.
Plus, if you are feeling sociable and want to, you can go to the anomaly and team up for bonuses.
and grouping with people when I decide to be social.
They literally told you.
It doesn't have to be all one or the other.
I'm there to explore the world and the story
And avoid 90% of the content and make MMOs feel even lonelier than they already do
Doesn’t sound like the original commenter has that problem!
Locking content behind grouping is just plain annoying.
Literally one of the core design elements of MMOs is group content
You can have multiplayer influenced worlds and environments, enjoy seeing what others do and create in that world, without enjoying the partying up aspect. MMOs with competitive markets, faction influencing, or competing with players in general rather than direct conflicts.
One can enjoy the world building of MMOs without wanting to be a part of a guild or raid parties.
Then why play an mmo
A story set in a universe I like with plenty of content?
"I like multiplayer games without the multiplayer" is oxymoronic
Except there are many things that can be done without groups and more games add functionality to accomplish this (comparing FFXI at launch and today, for instance). Multiplayer could also simply refer to the fact that multiple people are playing this game at the same time, which would fit better with the first statement.
If a game wanted to force multiplayer, they should do it from the start and just not allow doing things solo. Then, you're right, I simply wouldn't play that game.
FFXIV lets you do almost all of the main story solo now, making the amazing story accessible to so many people. There are a few instances of having to do an alliance raid or trial every 40 hours of solo content or so, but if you weren’t ok with that, why even play an MMO? It’s in the name, “multiplayer.”
These days, I feel like most MMOs are just like trying to play a single player game but with other people getting in the way and/or breaking your shit while calling you an array of slurs.
Kind of like playing a regular game on extra extra difficult mode.
GW2 is the only MMO I know that doesn't have other people stealing your loot. All loot is independent for everyone (no loot sharing, bids, etc.) and you get loot from the mob just by hitting it once, doesn't matter if you last hit it or not.
Gw2 is the only MMO I've played where other people are only a positive. They can't steal your loot. They can't mess up your quests. It's a good game. No gear treadmill, too.
I think retail wow is like that now.
FO76 is like that too, although you do have to hit the mob once, which can be a problem if high leveled players are killing things too quickly.
These days? They've always been like that. It just used to be worse.
"MMOs don't force people to group together to do things anymore, which means it's harder for me to make friends"
There are more tools than ever to find community online, much less in cooperative games. Just because people don't feel forced to play with you doesn't mean you can't find people who want to play with you.
My biggest frustration with community building is how it's so hard to do natively in game. (I play WoW.) Typing is slow and takes away time from DPS, especially if you are in a group with impatient veterans who want to chain pull. There needs to be quick communication, like a wheel or something. (I use Opie to create this, macro common sayings, like in Helldivers.) I need a V button like from Deep Rock Galactic. Give me fast way to communicate simple emotes and I'll build from there.
Additionally, I'll never see the people in PUGs again. Why bother being friendly? In Vanilla, we had the same server, a reduced population. I could literally run into a person in Ironforge a few days after a group. (Don't group with that guy, he'll yell at you for jumping.) I'd see the same names in trade chat. (Oh, that's the nice blacksmith that made my sword!) When everything is cross server, the population is so large and I'll never see them again, and 1 dungeon run is not enough to know if someone is worth making friends. Friends happen by repeated forced interaction and then realizing later that you liked them.
I also think that a 3rd place would help. Give me a space and a reason to be there. Only running dungeons thru magical teleport menus is immersion breaking and doesn't foster any social interactions. Chat channels spamming LFG was terrible and slow, but at least you talked to people. The Theme Park nature and menu driven dungeons build zero community.
Yeah, servers were dope. Building a reputation for yourself, making friends outside your usual group
I stopped WoW a bit after the server instancing thing happened. I was in Detheroc pretty much from launch and got tossed into I think Shadowburn for the server group. I actually made a name for myself as a bit of a go to PUG tank for just about anything and was probably the closest one got to a mercenary in that game.
It was clunky but they were my people and we got to know each other. Once that started to fade away so did I. I miss those days but know they'll never be back so I'll just think back on those days and smile. If anyone reading this remembers a human warrior named Stem, hi.
FFXIV has quite literally a Fellowship and Community Finder to look for groups which have similar interests as you. Be it Mahjongg, Role-Playing, Try-Harding old content or seeing for LGBTQ interactions. And the rest is done over Discord, because that is for sure a better communication tool than whatever the game devs can come up with. Even the content thing is not true. There is seperate content which absolutely requires cooperation, schedules outside the cookie cutter main content like Bozja and Deep/Criterion Dungeons. More similar to old school MMOs. I'm fine with a diverse array of content.
Hell, I'm an oldass, I remember seeing people talk about Linkshells with certain interests on the forums and in-game. FFXIVs sense of community has been awesome for a long time, and they've only improved it from what I've seen.
Also erp clubs.
So. Many. Erp clubs.
Yep. Was just about to say this. FFXIV has a strong community, and the director actually listens to the community. Like with Bozja in 5.x content, it was so fun and a really nice way to get a relic weapon and have a good time with friends. With 6.x they didn’t implement anything like it and the community let them know, so they have said that they are doing something similar for 7.x. Some midcore/harder content that’s accessible to everyone.
Imposed multipkayer content can be toxic.
I played Revelation Online for a while and one feature of it was that you needed to play some 5/10 man raids for desirable upgrades. These were timegated to once a week, so if you weren't there at 00:00 server time on Sunday, everyone else had already done the run and the place was dead.Hard to stsy committed when you couldn't progress effectively.
You have to join or create a community not just pug.
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