I think GW2 can be social if you work at it but for most people it won't be. I know for me I have not really experienced any socializing in-game which does detract a bit from the game but I know that is partially my own fault. I have been focusing on 100% map completion which means I spend most of my in-game time running around the map as fast as possible getting Vistas, POI's and Hearts as quickly as possible. I haven't done any dungeons or PVP yet where I would likely communicate more.

I also haven't joined a guild because I want to see how the guild scene settles in once the initial rush dies down and my headset is broken so I can't alk to anyone on voicechat. I really wouldn't ever join a guild that doesn't want to talk to their members before inviting them so guilds are on the backburner.

I think if you are looking for socialization in PVE you are going to be disappointed. So far, at level 45 (entirely through PVE), I have probably said "ty" about a half dozen times to people rezzing me (and had about a half dozen people say it to me), made a few comments in /say to nearby players after or before events (usually unacknowledged), and been randomly invited to one party (where the other player never said anything after I joined). Map chat is the same as any other game, a mix of: idle game or not game related chatter, google-able questions, and occasional trolling. I really don't think you can expect much more for leveling content.

I have just been playing the game like a single player game for the most part and keeping to myself. I am pretty content playing it that way for now as it has more content than many or even most single player games and I enjoy exploring by myself. The social aspects once I finish the map are going to determine the longevity of the game for me but that is still a little ways off so I am not going to fret yet.

Originally posted by kkchen

 I dunno, maybe the feeling is different for everyone. But to me these dynamic events feel like soloing.

 Oh no, they definitely feel like i'm solo'ing beside a bunch of headless NPCs with faulty coding that just run around spamming crap everywhere.

The game is great, but it doesn't feel like an MMO to me. Even the battlegrounds, nobody talks, at all.

honestly?

if I ask a question I get trolled. Sometimes I get an answer, but never a discussion.

any time I say something silly .. to try and lighten the mood or start a conversation, I get crickets.

in fact anytime I say anything that isn't really troll worthy, all I get is crickets.

maybe you should stop assuming we aren't trying to be social?

Really? I ask and I get a constant stream of responses and whispers when I ask anything. A player even asked for some coin to travel the other day and received it within 5 seconds. Also, I'm revived EVERY time I am within reach of another player. Even had 2 players ask to be in our party last night when I was running around in the LA caverns. Sure! Added one as a friend.

Maybe im missing something. Maybe I'm naive. No, i didnt play WoW. Did play a lot of LotRO. Agree that the social aspect is a bit lacking (being able to spec others gear, housing, etc) but is what you make it imho.

Maybe i'm just getting lucky with there being tons of cool folks on ehmry bay. 

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Originally posted by bingbongbros

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Originally posted by Four0Six

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Originally posted by terrant Here I am, derping along on my thief, all by my lonesome in some scary part of the world. I round a corner and BAM! Veteran Somethingoranother waiting to gobble me up. It hasn't seen me yet...I might be able to take thisguy but it would be tough. Wait, there's a Warrior over there. He looks at me, I look at him. No words are said. As one, we charge the soon-to-be-pasted Vet.   I'm on my Mesmer. Scooting along, indiscriminantly murdering things, having a good time.There's an enginner down the road who bit off more than he can chew. He just dodge rolled right into a knock down...ouch. He's on the ground, health is low. It looks bad for him...the first mob eats the magic bullet and is stunned. His dazed friend can't attack. The third one is blind, his attack misses by a mile. By the time they recover, I'm in the middle, sword swinging.  The engi offers his thanks as we take out the trash.   I'm on my Guardian doing jumping puzzles. Because I like high repair bills and I might be slightly crazy. But I have fun. There's a big fatass Charr in front of me.Somehow, as we mess up and start over during the easy parts, we're always side by side. We develop a grudging respect as we clear bottomless pits and mobs together. Then I spazz out on a jump, fall, and die. well, time to release and run...wait, what? He carefully made his way down, meaning he has to start all over again, to rez me? Later we BOTH screw up a jump, his corpse landing neatly on top of mine. "Nice of you to drop in" I quip. We laugh for a good ten minutes.   This is the kind of thing I've had happen to me in GW2. You just have to look for it.

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 I have had the exact oppisit experiance. Just yeaterday I was derping along, and there was a Vetern somethingorother. There was also a Warrior. I charged. The Warrior let me get aggro, clicked the clicky behind said Vet and took off to let me die.

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HAHAHAHA

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yea

or the guys that sprint in to get a PoI and then sprint out, run right through you, and leave you alone fighting a train of 5 mobs. obviously this is a problem in other games as well .. but moresoe in a game where they dont have to give a crap about how many people ignore them for doing it, as they will never, ever, need anyone's help for anything ...

Originally posted by bingbongbros

Originally posted by Four0Six

Originally posted by terrant

Here I am, derping along on my thief, all by my lonesome in some scary part of the world. I round a corner and BAM! Veteran Somethingoranother waiting to gobble me up. It hasn't seen me yet...I might be able to take thisguy but it would be tough. Wait, there's a Warrior over there. He looks at me, I look at him. No words are said. As one, we charge the soon-to-be-pasted Vet.

 

I'm on my Mesmer. Scooting along, indiscriminantly murdering things, having a good time.There's an enginner down the road who bit off more than he can chew. He just dodge rolled right into a knock down...ouch. He's on the ground, health is low. It looks bad for him...the first mob eats the magic bullet and is stunned. His dazed friend can't attack. The third one is blind, his attack misses by a mile. By the time they recover, I'm in the middle, sword swinging.  The engi offers his thanks as we take out the trash.

 

I'm on my Guardian doing jumping puzzles. Because I like high repair bills and I might be slightly crazy. But I have fun. There's a big fatass Charr in front of me.Somehow, as we mess up and start over during the easy parts, we're always side by side. We develop a grudging respect as we clear bottomless pits and mobs together. Then I spazz out on a jump, fall, and die. well, time to release and run...wait, what? He carefully made his way down, meaning he has to start all over again, to rez me? Later we BOTH screw up a jump, his corpse landing neatly on top of mine. "Nice of you to drop in" I quip. We laugh for a good ten minutes.

 

This is the kind of thing I've had happen to me in GW2. You just have to look for it.

 I have had the exact oppisit experiance. Just yeaterday I was derping along, and there was a Vetern somethingorother. There was also a Warrior. I charged. The Warrior let me get aggro, clicked the clicky behind said Vet and took off to let me die.

HAHAHAHA

 Why is this funny?

Originally posted by truthhurts
Its the players, not the game in this one.  Rift was actually worse.  I wouldnt consider either game to have antisocial game play by a long shot, just antisocial players.

Whoa - that is interesting my Rift experience is 100% different, very social, very friendly players willing to group up and help, at least that's how the game was at launch and during the first several months.

Originally posted by Wrender

C'mon I thought pretty much all new MMO's were nothing but solo online games but GW2 takes the grand prize here. No one groups at all, ever...

 I feel like I am playing a solo game.

I havent played a solo rpg in like 10 yrs and this aspect of GW2 is driving me absolutly crazy. I play MMO's to interact and overcome challenges with like minded players I meet in game.

I left TERA for this?

I like the games asthetics and artwork but this lack of any social interaction is killing me and I see myself going back to TERA pretty soon now.

There is just really not much point in lvling to 80 if I am doing it without mingling with a single real life human being?

Is this what our society has become? Anti social freAKS THAT ARE HATING ON EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET? iT'S BAD ENOUGH driving around in my car and observing how pissed off about 90% of everyone I meet is but it should be different in an mmo game where everyone is expected to have fun in an online game.

ANyone else feel this way.

I am not in a guild yet so hopefully when and if I get in one this will change or it will sadly be uninstalled and sold to a friend.

I suspect its more the people and the time we live in.  Those who aren't angry are frightened (or both).  The game itself is quite entertaining, but I can see how it would impact someone who is looking for a social experience.  I played Tera myself (three 60's, lancer, slayer, warrior) I left after the new block system came in. I liked the new skills, but that was too much.

At this point going back might not be the best idea. They are merging all of the servers down to only three. One each of PvE, PvP and RP.  I suspect F2P is next. If it was NCsoft, I'd expect them to be closing the game down in the first quarter of 2013.

You might try getting into a good guild, that might help.  Other than that, I don't know what to tell you. Its just the nature of the times we live in.

Originally posted by Four0Six

Originally posted by bingbongbros

Originally posted by Four0Six

I have had the exact oppisit experiance. Just yeaterday I was derping along, and there was a Vetern somethingorother. There was also a Warrior. I charged. The Warrior let me get aggro, clicked the clicky behind said Vet and took off to let me die.

HAHAHAHA

 Why is this funny?

Maybe he plays a warrior?

Originally posted by DMKano

Originally posted by truthhurts
Its the players, not the game in this one.  Rift was actually worse.  I wouldnt consider either game to have antisocial game play by a long shot, just antisocial players.

Whoa - that is interesting my Rift experience is 100% different, very social, very friendly players willing to group up and help, at least that's how the game was at launch and during the first several months.

 

 

i enjoyed rift for about 9 months.. but honestly outside my guild I hardly talked to anyone.. i had a great guild though and we talked all the time.. during zone invasions only talking I ever saw was when people needed help because they were getting ganked left and right by the defiant.. PVE wise there was never a need to talk,, in regular dungeons there was no need to talk.. i talked a lot because that's how iam but there was no NEED to... Rift did it right by doing the open groups and bringing players together by the zone invasions.. GW2 to me took it a step furher and made prettym uch every quest a cooperation based event allowing players to play alongside one another in a cooperative manner and just have fun with eachother... if you consider being social grouping that requires constant communication I feel GW2 does this also better than most with its dungeons.. no longer is it basic tank and spank through them you actually need communication of yuor team to get through most of them.. all in all it really depends what you view as being social in a MMO for me just playing with others in a cooperative manner is being social to me.. talking comes you just need to be proactive about it or get a guild.

I agree op so much, there is zero chat in /m no one says anything its like there just bots running around. no one talks back, no discurssions about classes loot or anything. DULL CENTRAl.

Skyrim is more socialy engaging.

Originally posted by pmaura

I agree op so much, there is zero chat in /m no one says anything its like there just bots running around. no one talks back, no discurssions about classes loot or anything. DULL CENTRAl.

Skyrim is more socialy engaging.

 Well there are quite a few bots in game. I ran into a few over the last couple of days that were really obvious.

That said I have not seen a lot of chat in the game outside of the main cities. When I am in a city there seems to be a bit more. Hopefully the community opens up a bit more as the game ages.

Originally posted by Wrender

C'mon I thought pretty much all new MMO's were nothing but solo online games but GW2 takes the grand prize here. No one groups at all, ever...

 I feel like I am playing a solo game.

I havent played a solo rpg in like 10 yrs and this aspect of GW2 is driving me absolutly crazy. I play MMO's to interact and overcome challenges with like minded players I meet in game.

I left TERA for this?

I like the games asthetics and artwork but this lack of any social interaction is killing me and I see myself going back to TERA pretty soon now.

There is just really not much point in lvling to 80 if I am doing it without mingling with a single real life human being?

Is this what our society has become? Anti social freAKS THAT ARE HATING ON EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET? iT'S BAD ENOUGH driving around in my car and observing how pissed off about 90% of everyone I meet is but it should be different in an mmo game where everyone is expected to have fun in an online game.

ANyone else feel this way.

I am not in a guild yet so hopefully when and if I get in one this will change or it will sadly be uninstalled and sold to a friend.

All the blame is on you.   People talk in chat.   People cooperate unbelievably well.   Was in a boss fight in Kessex Hills.   The Chamption Boss Destroyer Harpy.   She must killed every single person at least three or four times.   People were fighing in the underwear.  Yet they kept coming back and fighting and rezzing and rezzing and fighting...    Time-after-time.    Sacrificing themselves trying to get strangers up off the floor and into the fight.   Doing their best to hold the line.

I, personally, died four times though I could have kited with my staff-mage.     I could have popped-in, popped-out.   Taken no risks.   But I was in there getting people up.   And they did the same for me.

And that is social.   Gamers recognizing they need to be team players to succeed and doing what they could to succeed.  Even though, for them, it made no sense as it lowered their participation score (silver/bronze) and exposed to dying and armor repairs.

So, goodbye.  So, sorry you can't make friends.   But it's not the game and it's not the other people in it.   There are guilds on every server.   I'm in a guild.  I have multiple guild invites I have never taken up.    And people are friendly, helpful, considerate and social.

Originally posted by terrant

Here I am, derping along on my thief, all by my lonesome in some scary part of the world. I round a corner and BAM! Veteran Somethingoranother waiting to gobble me up. It hasn't seen me yet...I might be able to take thisguy but it would be tough. Wait, there's a Warrior over there. He looks at me, I look at him. No words are said. As one, we charge the soon-to-be-pasted Vet.

 

I'm on my Mesmer. Scooting along, indiscriminantly murdering things, having a good time.There's an enginner down the road who bit off more than he can chew. He just dodge rolled right into a knock down...ouch. He's on the ground, health is low. It looks bad for him...the first mob eats the magic bullet and is stunned. His dazed friend can't attack. The third one is blind, his attack misses by a mile. By the time they recover, I'm in the middle, sword swinging.  The engi offers his thanks as we take out the trash.

 

I'm on my Guardian doing jumping puzzles. Because I like high repair bills and I might be slightly crazy. But I have fun. There's a big fatass Charr in front of me.Somehow, as we mess up and start over during the easy parts, we're always side by side. We develop a grudging respect as we clear bottomless pits and mobs together. Then I spazz out on a jump, fall, and die. well, time to release and run...wait, what? He carefully made his way down, meaning he has to start all over again, to rez me? Later we BOTH screw up a jump, his corpse landing neatly on top of mine. "Nice of you to drop in" I quip. We laugh for a good ten minutes.

 

This is the kind of thing I've had happen to me in GW2. You just have to look for it.

I have been in every one of those situations.     Every day there is something like that happening.    You see someone in trouble, you see a monster you can't solo but there's somebody there who stops and you both go for it...     Every day I play stuff like that happens.

I like the solo aspect , I think there is no reason to talk to anyone until endgame .. Reason being if I interact with a group & you run a low level dungeon  & you get that BP  you were hoping for .. you leave the group  & 3 days later you no longer need that BP  so what to do ? do it all over again  in a slightly higher dungeon  or just continue question yourself , Its up to the developers to work out ways  that would want people to group & for the most part  Develpoers have failed at this ..

How about Epic timelines  starting from level 10 where you Have to group but the reward is worth the effort  like gear that levels with you .  you could have say 5 gear pieces  starting from lvl 10 to lvl 50  so 1 piece every 10 levels  & the mnore pieces you get the better the Bonuses  & ov course they level with you  so that lvl 10 piece you had to group for is still usefull

Or how about for each group dungeon you complete you recieve a token which can be used to buy potions to increase stats or abilitys  for a period of time while soloing  ie: Potion of Violence : Increase DPS by 30% for 2 Hours "Solo Mode only" or Potion of Double exp : Increase Experience by 150% for 1 Hour "solo Mode only" or Teleport potions  ect   its only limited by the imagination of the developers..

Most of my social interaction in any MMO occurs in /OOC /general chat  not in groups , in groups  you spend most of the time  fighting Mobs , healing tanks , keeping agro , casting spells , casting Buffs  were do you get time to chat ?  Plus if I really want social interaction I will turn of the PC & visit a friend ,  the people in the group are not your real friends  there just strangers your interacting with  for a short time ..

Originally posted by stratasaurus
These are just my opinions and what I define group social play as and not as.  Having people around me does not count as being part of a group to me.  Having players attack the same mob while having no social interaction with them and no designed plan for the fight does not count as a group for me.  GW2 does have group atmosphere in the dungeons and mists battlegrounds.  However I agree 100% that DEs and WvW is very far from a group atmosphere.

how is everyone helping eachother.. everyone fighting for a common goal in a cooperative manner not a group atmosphere? I have never been downed in a DE that had people around where I did not get a rez within seconds.. many people in this game go out of their way to rez people all the time..  if we are all fighting together, doing combos, rezzing, supporting eachother just because it doesn't require constant talking its not a "group atmosphere"? I don't really understand this argument