General Discussion

I'm looking for a new MMO, but the few I've tried haven't delivered a key aspect of gaming that I need. I've played City of Heroes/Villains for roughly 3 years now, on and off. I think that CoH is the only game to deliver the best teaming experience available. Teaming is so simple and so well done. However, after playing for so long the game has become a bit tedious and I'm looking for a fresh start before Champions Online comes out( my planned next MMO).

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions of an MMO that is focused on teaming? I played WoW for about 2-3 months with my friend and grouping up rarely happened. It with either my frend and I duoing or myself soloing. I've tried others, but the same problem arises. Is it just me or is grouping lacking in current MMOs?

Guild Wars if you like group PVP, DDO if you like group PVE, FF XI if you like group grind.

The only group based games are old games.  Final Fantasy XI is highly group based and Everquest was orginally highly group based.  I'm not certain if thats the case ore not anymore.

Grouping in MMOs is nothing like it is with teaming in FPSes. MMOs are more insular and so huge, to find a group you'll probably have to spam chat, and then still wait a lifetime before you/they arrive. They need guilds just so folks can find anyone in 2hrs, even.

Does that translate into "group play", no.

Grouping should be more if you're within a certain area, at range, you're automatically in the pack. It allows the shy and the bold to fight the dragon together (let alone the lower levels to get a taste of what is coming up -- not wait until they leveled to get "picked" [further wasting time trying to find a group]), and regardless of class/rank/status. Not this hurry up, wait, and begging that is going on now as "grouping". Then whatever loot that is dropped is dropped as need before greed (so the poor sod who never got their first piece of epic gear can actually get it, not the guy farming them) -- personally, I don't believe any epic gear should be dropped for grouping/guilding, it should be a personal achievement, you did it yourself without the hand holding.

This genre is a work in progress, with a long way to go to work out the kinks.

Originally posted by UNATCOII

Grouping in MMOs is nothing like it is with teaming in FPSes. MMOs are more insular and so huge, to find a group you'll probably have to spam chat, and then still wait a lifetime before you/they arrive. They need guilds just so folks can find anyone in 2hrs, even.

Does that translate into "group play", no.

Grouping should be more if you're within a certain area, at range, you're automatically in the pack. It allows the shy and the bold to fight the dragon together (let alone the lower levels to get a taste of what is coming up -- not wait until they leveled to get "picked" [further wasting time trying to find a group]), and regardless of class/rank/status. Not this hurry up, wait, and begging that is going on now as "grouping". Then whatever loot that is dropped is dropped as need before greed (so the poor sod who never got their first piece of epic gear can actually get it, not the guy farming them) -- personally, I don't believe any epic gear should be dropped for grouping/guilding, it should be a personal achievement, you did it yourself without the hand holding.

This genre is a work in progress, with a long way to go to work out the kinks.

QFT.

The question should be more like "what MMO ISNT group based" because last i checked everyone has the option to group up with people. Just because it isnt forced doesnt mean the option isnt there so if what youre asking is what games force you to group well then I cant tell you I dont play those games and by the looks of it most dont either.

hmmm only a very small handful(maybe even the literal 5 of that said hand) of people in wurmonline aren't perma-grouped in a town.

slightly shameless plug.  but there is a point in there in the fact that even if your townies aren't on at the time you're still working with them.

DDO is highly group based for PVE play. Has a very easy to use UI for LFG & LFM that is utilized by most all of the players.

Unfortunately you won't find another experience like CoH for grouping. 

Almost everything else has a static, class role, forced grouping model.  They think it encourages grouping and don't realize how much it actually ruins grouping.

There is grouping in say DDO but it of the forced grouping variety.  The only difference between DDO and WoW as far as grouping in concerned is that DDO really punishes the soloers badly.  Its not anywhere as fluid or easy as CoX and you get the same role BS too.

Sadly you are stuck with the forced grouping model.  They all shoehorn the groups slots and balance everything around a particular size group with particular classes.  The only question is whether they force the grouping by only giving you the good equipment if you run an instance designed for a group but otherwise have ok solo play or whether you simply can't jack outside of a group like DDO or old school EQ1.

I get tired of CoX quite often as it can get tedious.  Unfortunately the grouping setup in other games is just confining and depressing.  Its especially depressing when you consider that what they do actually hurts grouping but all the people who play the other games are convinced its the only way to have any grouping at all.  All they do is look at WoW which uses a forced grouping model and point at how the solo play interferes.  Of course WoW's model is whacky the damage is already done by the forced grouping model they borrowed from EQ1.  The only reason to group in EQ1 or WoW is because they punish you if you don't.  The only thing WoW did was to realize punishing people severly makes them sick of your game.

Basically you are SOL if you want a game that actually creates a positive reason to group other than CoX.