Kilsin said:What is your preferred method for finding people to play with? For example, playing in game, voice chat, websites, forums, LFG tools, etc.
This is an interesting question, because I was about to come in with an answer, but then I saw everyone else's comments and realized my answer is, "It depends."
Every single MMO I started playing because there was either someone I know playing the game or friends/family/guild said jointly, "let's play this game." So if my whole reason to play a game is because friends are playing, then my first option for grouping or adventuring would be to see what everyone is doing and see if they want to join me or join in with what they're doing. As of late, since I married my Best Gaming Friend, and we still hang out with our other Best Gaming Friend, I'm either hanging out with one of or both of those guys, and then we see if there's anything going on.
But if I'm on my own, I've found the best, real, long-lasting gaming relationships (ones that start from scratch and not people who you knew in real life or were brought together by joining the same guild) have come from happening upon other players in a game. Two of my most recent memories of that happening were in Guild Wars 2, where I met the "other Best Gaming Friend" I mentioned before during one of the Beta weekends. It was in the Norn newbie area and he was in a bit of trouble, and I stepped in to help. He thanked me, we grouped, I told him about our guild and we've been friends ever since. The other was the three of us finding someone who was being ganked in the PvP area of The Division, and we decided to help him instead of participating in the gank. We became fast friends right then and there.
Those two games I mentioned aren't the paragon of open-world, non-linear games that Pantheon is reaching for, but it just goes to show that there doesn't have to be a game mechanic to help you find other people. Sometimes it just happens like it does in real life. Whether you're a child just starting school and you walk up to someone playing alone on the playground or you happen to sit next to someone in a sports bar and strike up a conversation about the game on the TV above you, sometimes it's just the act of having the courage to walk up and say hello that helps form the best groups.
And on the other side of the coin, I find nothing wrong with LFG chat, because back in EQ, you could do a zone message, "LFG 45 Cleric for XXXXXX run," or "LF 45 Warrior to tank boss" and you could not only find a group, but also make new friends that way.
So yeah, Kilsin, it depends. ;) Some of the best groups just come naturally, but having a tool or chat to find players who need help or who are LFG are worthy too.
Kilsin said:What is your preferred method for finding people to play with? For example, playing in game, voice chat, websites, forums, LFG tools, etc.
Honestly I rarely need to find people with whom to group except for the very first few weeks of the game. Why is that? Because I plan ahead all the time. If I'm in a guild I'm always checking with the guild to see who is doing what where, setting groups for the next day or day after, posting on forums for groups I'm forming..basically making sure everyone knows when I'm available should they need me. If I'm not in a guild I keep track of players around my level. I make sure that when I am in groups that I'm playing to the absolute best of my abilities, instilling in everyone that I'm damn good at my class and yet very personable, very likable. Basically making a name for myself where people will seek me out to join groups. I'll also form odds-and-ends groups of people waiting on zonelines just to kill yard trash because doing something is always better than doing nothing.
So yeah..a complicated preferred method: Putting in a lot of work in different ways to minimize the chance of not ever sitting there LFG.
From FFXI in the 75 days, change to bard, Seek Party Flag On; Now half the server is trying to talk to me!
When not being bard, /shout|/yell "Who wants to join for {quest|exp|moneymaking}?"
Saying "Hi" when I'm running from point A to B in the game to anyone I pass, ask them if they need help with anything or if they just want to be left alone!
Kilsin said:What is your preferred method for finding people to play with? For example, playing in game, voice chat, websites, forums, LFG tools, etc.
I prefer /shout and /ooc. I find LFG tools to be immersion-breaking and it makes me feel like I am sitting at a desk waiting to play a game, rather than wandering around a virtual world looking for companions. Frankly, I also don't like chat channels much - there should be some very limited ones but, again, it moves all the social interaction out of the context of charact-game-play so the p[layer is conversing not the character.
I've never really liked excessive use of pick-up groups (PUGs) or dungeon finders that throw you in with people you have never seen, will never see again, and are probably not even on your own server. My preferred method is to find the right guild (and convince as many friends from other games to join as possible) and work through the guild to build groups. It might not mean an all-guildie run, but I prefer at least working from that core.
Agreed. By big thing is acknowledgment. If I see you fighting and I need to get by or came in. I will wait till said beasty is dead and then say Hi to you- but first I will place myself in front of you- so you see me, and then I will accost you.
If you do not reply I will wait a bit more, patiently.
If I get no reply I will move on, but not without giving any buff's I can.
Otherwise, strike up a greeting, ask about any common or shared goals and take it form there.
But generally- depending on the class, I will respond to requests for members, than ask for members. For instance, if a caster- I am primarily support so if you want me, I am in. If I was a cleric or Crusader or warrior, I would ask for help and take all comers- we'll figure it out, there.
If I am a caster and I stumble upon you- I would be open to odd-grouping dynamics, I mean if I have 2 and you are 2- 4 is better than 2, maybe not asw good as 3 with a cleric, but- we can figure it out as we go along.
Ha, this was my question when asked "what would you ask the community?" on FB. The reason this question came to mind first is becuase i've played MMORPGs for several years and there have been some games where it has been way easier to find people for groups and meet new people, and some games where it has been way harder. I don't know a lot of people in RL that play games like these, and while I have some lifelong friends met in game, many of them have strayed to other games. I'd have to say the best groups was EQ. You had a /LFG tag and then you could do a /who all lfg search and see what level and class they were. Then you could just send them a tell. The person looking for a group could be doing whatever they wanted without having to spam a chat channel, or clicking buttons in a window, or sticking around a certain area, etc.
Chat channels would be the second option, if you didn't see anyone you could use, that was flagged /lfg. Maybe someone just logged on or they are tired of what they are doing. The problem with asking in chat channels is that often people aren't very specific. "looking for 1 more for so and so dungeon" - if the chat channel is global and the world is large, or the game/content is new there might be players that not know what dungeon that is or what level, etc. I even often see very vague requests: "looking for 1 more for my group" ok... what level? what class? what area?
In all the games I've played with an actual LFG tool/window I've never found one that was very user friendly. And imo it's like having to fill out an application, not very immersive.
To me this question is important because I like doing PUGs. I like playing with friends and guildies too, but PUGS give you a chance to get a group immediately and meet new people. Of course the game environment has to support pick up groups too. A game with all dungeons/areas that require a well oiled experienced group doesn't favor PUGs. Not to say that kind of content isn't wanted either. Some of the best times I've had were defeating raid bosses before anyone else, or with less people than anyone else and that requires a tight knit group :)
Mikaela said:Ha, this was my question when asked "what would you ask the community?" on FB. The reason this question came to mind first is becuase i've played MMORPGs for several years and there have been some games where it has been way easier to find people for groups and meet new people, and some games where it has been way harder. I don't know a lot of people in RL that play games like these, and while I have some lifelong friends met in game, many of them have strayed to other games. I'd have to say the best groups was EQ. You had a /LFG tag and then you could do a /who all lfg search and see what level and class they were. Then you could just send them a tell. The person looking for a group could be doing whatever they wanted without having to spam a chat channel, or clicking buttons in a window, or sticking around a certain area, etc.
Chat channels would be the second option, if you didn't see anyone you could use, that was flagged /lfg. Maybe someone just logged on or they are tired of what they are doing. The problem with asking in chat channels is that often people aren't very specific. "looking for 1 more for so and so dungeon" - if the chat channel is global and the world is large, or the game/content is new there might be players that not know what dungeon that is or what level, etc. I even often see very vague requests: "looking for 1 more for my group" ok... what level? what class? what area?
In all the games I've played with an actual LFG tool/window I've never found one that was very user friendly. And imo it's like having to fill out an application, not very immersive.
To me this question is important because I like doing PUGs. I like playing with friends and guildies too, but PUGS give you a chance to get a group immediately and meet new people. Of course the game environment has to support pick up groups too. A game with all dungeons/areas that require a well oiled experienced group doesn't favor PUGs. Not to say that kind of content isn't wanted either. Some of the best times I've had were defeating raid bosses before anyone else, or with less people than anyone else and that requires a tight knit group :)
It sure was and it was a good one, I have used a few of those questions now :)
Mikaela said:Ha, this was my question when asked "what would you ask the community?" on FB. The reason this question came to mind first is becuase i've played MMORPGs for several years and there have been some games where it has been way easier to find people for groups and meet new people, and some games where it has been way harder. I don't know a lot of people in RL that play games like these, and while I have some lifelong friends met in game, many of them have strayed to other games. I'd have to say the best groups was EQ. You had a /LFG tag and then you could do a /who all lfg search and see what level and class they were. Then you could just send them a tell. The person looking for a group could be doing whatever they wanted without having to spam a chat channel, or clicking buttons in a window, or sticking around a certain area, etc.
Chat channels would be the second option, if you didn't see anyone you could use, that was flagged /lfg. Maybe someone just logged on or they are tired of what they are doing. The problem with asking in chat channels is that often people aren't very specific. "looking for 1 more for so and so dungeon" - if the chat channel is global and the world is large, or the game/content is new there might be players that not know what dungeon that is or what level, etc. I even often see very vague requests: "looking for 1 more for my group" ok... what level? what class? what area?
In all the games I've played with an actual LFG tool/window I've never found one that was very user friendly. And imo it's like having to fill out an application, not very immersive.
To me this question is important because I like doing PUGs. I like playing with friends and guildies too, but PUGS give you a chance to get a group immediately and meet new people. Of course the game environment has to support pick up groups too. A game with all dungeons/areas that require a well oiled experienced group doesn't favor PUGs. Not to say that kind of content isn't wanted either. Some of the best times I've had were defeating raid bosses before anyone else, or with less people than anyone else and that requires a tight knit group :)
BTW, about PUGs and automatic dungeon groups tool - it worked surprisingly well for the first year or so in WS. I reckon it was because dungeons were actually hard and even experienced players doing it for 1001st time still remembered 20+ wipes on the last boss until they got tactics straight AND practiced it enough to finally kill that thing, let alone how it took like 50 attempts on that dungeon to even get to the last boss :) Every pack of trash felt like true achievement. Even if you got 4 experienced + 1 newbie-screwing-everyone-up group the 4 people would bear with it and give useful advice to the newbie and stayed polite. Except for rare cases when someone didn't have the patience or the newbie couldn't read/speak English.
This was the only time I actually liked automatic group finder in a MMO and a lot of those people ended up on my friend/neighbour/guild lists.
I've no idea what changed but today everyone votes disband on first wipe, without saying a word.
Kilsin said:What is your preferred method for finding people to play with? For example, playing in game, voice chat, websites, forums, LFG tools, etc.
I prefer in-game text chat. First, there is nothing wrong or broken with direct communication, and I see no need to subsidize the lazy or anti-social in a social group-based game. Second, I want the ability to consider someones reputation on my server before grouping with them, and the automatic LFG tools we've seen so far prohibit that. Lastly, if you build the right kind of game for this community and support it properly post-launch, these tools wont be needed.
I would, however, be in favor of a searchable LFG window like we saw in EQ, as long as it isn't forming groups for me.
BeaverBiscuit said:I usually yell at whatever chat is made for the purpose... In the meantime I try to sell gear and/or solo.
Worldwide chats are nice but forever fear WoW barrens chat.
I agree, lfg channel, ooc, etc.
However the Im hoping the same about the "Barrens chat" but I don't think this game may appeal to the younger mmo audience.. wow seemed to draw in a lot of young players and the uncouth 16 year Olds that trolled the zone for entertainment . although.. I could be all wrong..
Aayden said:I agree, lfg channel, ooc, etc.
However the Im hoping the same about the "Barrens chat" but I don't think this game may appeal to the younger mmo audience.. wow seemed to draw in a lot of young players and the uncouth 16 year Olds that trolled the zone for entertainment . although.. I could be all wrong..
Well said haha
WoW holds a disproportianate number of MMO players in general, so it naturally holds a disproportionate number of uncouth 16 year olds. I've known an unfathomable number of assholes in EQ, Vanguard, etc., but WoW still dwarfs that just due to the sheer fact that EQ at its peak was tiny by comparison in playerbase.
The accessability of the internet before WoW was also much lower, whereas by 2004 the internet had permeated a staggering number of American households, including households containing kids. I'm not 100% sure of the numbers but I guarantee that in 1999, the age demographics for internet use in general were heavily skewed towards the adult population.
In my opinion, global chats break immersion. A way to broadcast across zones without breaking immersion could be a notice board in each home town. Once you post a LFG or LFM statement on the board, anyone can check it across the other towns. Maybe it costs money and someone running the board sent out a bird with the LFG message to all the other home towns or something...someone more imaginative than me can think of something.
Short of the above, an LFG window would be great. /w a lfg lvl-lvl was tedious and made me feel like a stalker.
I have 3 ways . One passive and two actives .
The passive one is when I have trade skilling or selling/buying to do . Then I need only an lfg flag and when/if somebody invites me, I join . Time not being a factor it doesn't matter if I get a group in 10 minutes or 1 hour .
The first active is to simply do /who lfg 20 30 all and then create a magical trio first (healer, tank, enchanter) . We then join the place we agreed upon ond complete by anybody willing to complete the group .
What I absolutely HATE about this method is when I send a tell to an lfg guy and he answers "No . I want an already hunting full group" . This kind of people immediately join my ignore forever list .
The second active which works best if the group finder is well designed is to look for groups LFM and directly send a tell to the group . As I saw that people often forget to update the LFM tool once the group is full, it is fundamental that the LFM tool lists all the members of the group what allows to check whether the group is already full or not .
I would also like if there could be a tool which allows to see all NOT full groups in a given level range . Indeed generally a huge proportion of not full but functionnal groups doesn't use the LFM tool so that you can't know that they exist . This kind of groups almost always immediately accepts a player who proposes to jojn and complete the group but you have to happen on top of them what is highly unlikely .