Originally posted by Ghost12

Originally posted by Aelious

Originally posted by SuperDonk

GW2 is the most Themeparked game ever created. And just like a real theme park there is no reason to talk to anyone that is not in the group you went to the park with. Sure you might say hello and smile at a few strangers while waiting in line for a ride, but the only people you actually communicate with are the family and/or friends you went with. GW2's problem is that large percentage of the players went to the park alone, hoping that someone would want to talk to them, only to find out that no one does.

 

Nice analogy but doesn't fit GW2.  There is no other game out there right now that provides as much player interaction while you adventure.  If you don't believe me think of how many people have revived or rezed you while doing an event.  Or read the tooltips on almost all abilities with boons attached to them.  See the part that says "allies"? They aren't talking about just group mates.  The reason you'll probably never have conversations with the people you're doing events with is there is usually something going on around the bend.  If you want structured socializing you need to do it yourself.

 

There are angles to come at GW2 on but it's social aspect is not one of them.

 

GW2 is in direct competition with SWTOR for on rails gameplay. I cant decide which game is more linear, haha.

 

The OP is right, no one talks in GW2. This is a serious blow to the genre, IMO and really saddens me. You have got to be delusional "Player interaction?" player interaction doesnt include everyone zerging at a DE event. Sorry buddy.

If thats what "player interaction" means now, the genre has truly lost its way.

Player interaction is much more than that. Or at least, it used to mean that.

Oh and the "get a guild" excuse is laughable. Half the time, I would join a guild that I MET IN GAME THROUGH SOCIALIZING. That doesnt happen in GW2.

And why should a guild be a prerequisite for sociaizing anyway? If it was, it would form a cliquey, segregated game.

This saddens me.

well said. agree 100%

Originally posted by Ghost12

Originally posted by Aelious

Originally posted by SuperDonk

GW2 is the most Themeparked game ever created. And just like a real theme park there is no reason to talk to anyone that is not in the group you went to the park with. Sure you might say hello and smile at a few strangers while waiting in line for a ride, but the only people you actually communicate with are the family and/or friends you went with. GW2's problem is that large percentage of the players went to the park alone, hoping that someone would want to talk to them, only to find out that no one does.

 

Nice analogy but doesn't fit GW2.  There is no other game out there right now that provides as much player interaction while you adventure.  If you don't believe me think of how many people have revived or rezed you while doing an event.  Or read the tooltips on almost all abilities with boons attached to them.  See the part that says "allies"? They aren't talking about just group mates.  The reason you'll probably never have conversations with the people you're doing events with is there is usually something going on around the bend.  If you want structured socializing you need to do it yourself.

 

There are angles to come at GW2 on but it's social aspect is not one of them.

 

GW2 is in direct competition with SWTOR for on rails gameplay. I cant decide which game is more linear, haha.

 

The OP is right, no one talks in GW2. This is a serious blow to the genre, IMO and really saddens me. You have got to be delusional "Player interaction?" player interaction doesnt include everyone zerging at a DE event. Sorry buddy.

If thats what "player interaction" means now, the genre has truly lost its way.

Player interaction is much more than that. Or at least, it used to mean that.

Oh and the "get a guild" excuse is laughable. Half the time, I would join a guild that I MET IN GAME THROUGH SOCIALIZING. That doesnt happen in GW2.

And why should a guild be a prerequisite for sociaizing anyway? If it was, it would form a cliquey, segregated game.

This saddens me.

huh? don't think we are even playing the same game.. also for the second thing in red I'd love to know what the "much more" means to you.. and how older MMOs required "more more" interaction than required to complete many of the dungeons in GW2... i'd suggest transfering to sanctum of rall people are talking on this server nonstop when I play. i have to cut off map chat half the time because between my guild and map chat I can't keep up with the message traffic.

Originally posted by LethalJaxx

WORSE GAME = MORE SOCIAL GAME :D

 

 

The game is already a good social game and its already been a success to many. I find it hard to believe that this is unsocial, try swtor and have fun with that big of a social game. From what you posted just made me think that your saying single player rpgs>mmos. without the social aspect there is no community, when there is no community u can easily get burn't out from the game. But there is a social aspect in this game, which gets the server community together, the way they made this its very social and cooperative and full of server pride. pretty much like country pride almost, blah blah whatever the chants are not trying to bring up that debate just an example.

I feel more ingroup in this game more than i ever did in WoW or SWTOR that i played before, and i havent actually joined a group as such (in hud).

The way the game works you feel part of the group as soon as you enter an event or attacking mobs, ive seen more interaction in this game WITHOUT purposely joining a group than in any others i played.

Originally posted by Wrender
Don't get me wrong I am really trying to love this game it's just the lack of anyone ever speaking is bugging me in some way. I feel lonely. Ignored. insubstantial. Unhelpful. Unappreciated. Just another ant running around the anthill looking for crumpets...

Playing WoW for 6 years i found 90% of the chat apart from in the dungeons (tactics) was utter crap being talked in general,  im glad this game doesnt seem to have that.

You can plenty of game interaction gameplay wise, if you join a guild youll get the social banter your after.

"Social chat" in other MMOs is normally a load of sh ite being spammed.

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by eddieg50
The MMO I grouped the most in was Shadowbane, and then SWTOR, with Vanguard a close third

 I played Vanguuard as a solo game, not that I wanted to but my work hours and the game being kind of empty when I got there forced that on me.

 

DDO was a very group centric game(especially in the early days) and what was one of the biggest complaints in that game? PUGs, pick up groups. People complained all the time about the lack of skill in the avergae PUG. So while forced grouping might cause socializing it also causes complaining.

 

I find in GW2 that the game itself is not anti social but the structure of the game does not force socializing. People will then socialize at their own pace. For some that might be in cities during downtime only, others keep up a running dialog the entire time they play.

  the main problem I had with DDO grouping was everyone wanted to race through the dungeon and that killed the enjoyment for me

Originally posted by Korusus

I have the exact opposite feeling.  Maybe it's because I just got done with two single-player MMOs in TOR and TSW, but I find GW2 to be refreshingly group-heavy. 

LOL! Another person that played TSW or SWTOR for a couple hours and bashing it like a single player game. /shrug

SWTOR had a lot of group missions.... sadly most people were anti social and just skipped it.

TSW becomes a lot more challenging beyond Kingsmouth and the further you get and I had a lot of sponanious grouping to overcome the harder content.  Also.... good luck solo'ing the dungeons. /shrug

---

Originally posted by StanlyStanko
Being auto-grouped hasn't made people much more sociable. Most still just run off in all directions when the DE ends. But it's not really a game problem, it's a people problem.

---

This is a feature that I like. My goals and tasks are often sidetracked by the various random events I happen upon. Once the task is complete I love the freedom of returning to my original plans without leaving a group or needing to explain myself.

Forced group play can have a negative feeling and impact at times. I used to really hate in SWTOR's Ilum map running with a group for pvp and suddenly finding myself the group leader because the dailies were done and the group was no longer needed. That situation is certainly not any more social than the informal grouping system GW2 employs.

I have encountered a handful of rough spots though. A handful of people running through a cave training mobs on others can lead to certain death at times or something similar.

No matter, due to the differences of each individual; some people will be happy with the GW2 system and others will not be.

Originally posted by SuperDonk

GW2 is the most Themeparked game ever created. And just like a real theme park there is no reason to talk to anyone that is not in the group you went to the park with. Sure you might say hello and smile at a few strangers while waiting in line for a ride, but the only people you actually communicate with are the family and/or friends you went with. GW2's problem is that large percentage of the players went to the park alone, hoping that someone would want to talk to them, only to find out that no one does.

*raises a glass in agreement*

Originally posted by eddieg50

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by eddieg50
The MMO I grouped the most in was Shadowbane, and then SWTOR, with Vanguard a close third

 I played Vanguuard as a solo game, not that I wanted to but my work hours and the game being kind of empty when I got there forced that on me.

 

DDO was a very group centric game(especially in the early days) and what was one of the biggest complaints in that game? PUGs, pick up groups. People complained all the time about the lack of skill in the avergae PUG. So while forced grouping might cause socializing it also causes complaining.

 

I find in GW2 that the game itself is not anti social but the structure of the game does not force socializing. People will then socialize at their own pace. For some that might be in cities during downtime only, others keep up a running dialog the entire time they play.

  the main problem I had with DDO grouping was everyone wanted to race through the dungeon and that killed the enjoyment for me

 DDO was best played with a group of friends that were all at the same level of game experience so you got to do dungeons as a team and not part of a PUG that had 3 people rolling their 25th alt or their character going through its 7th rebirth. Unfortunately by the time you played as long as I had you just had no reason to go slow anymore.

Originally posted by revy66
Depends what you mean with socializing. Do you mean talking? Or do you mean playing with others? Because I've played with others much more than I did in other MMOs and the reason is that the game mechanics encourage it as opposed to mose other MMOs. I want to play with others not chat with them and with GW2 I can do that without with more success than other MMOs.

totally agree passive grouping is the way to go, you get your game on and group more then ever. Having general chat is a just a waste of bandwidth full of comedic wannabes and trash talk. Want to share game thoughts hang with like minded people in your guild. My take, people come and go in mmos you want to socialize hang with your buds at your local watering hole.

I think GW 2 did a great job with grouping.  Many times I would fight a boss and all of sudden I looked around and realized that there were at least 15 or 20 people around me.  There was a unity there during the fight and I like that.  Although a lot of times, people just ran off to other places after the fight.  I always stay behind just to see if anyone talks but a lot of them don't.  And it's hard for me to make the first step of talking when people already running off.

So it really depends on the players not the game design.  The game can't make people talk and you can't get rid of the auto-grouping either.   Would you rather spend hours in chat looking for group so you can talk to people for like 10-20 minutes?  Or would you get auto-grouping so you can keep playing the game?   It's a double edged sword and you can't have both.  All we can do is try to start the first conversation and hoping other players would stay and chat a bit.

That being said, I don't want any new or potential players to think that there is no community in game.  The map chat or zone chat is very lively.  People talks, ask and answer questions in the chat all the time and they are all pretty friendly and polite.

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.

Why are you blaming the game for you being antisocial. If you are antisocial and didn't party and didn't join a guild it's your fault and not the game's fault.

I guess you can try and go back to Tera but you will have to deal with one more problem: not only you will have to overcome your  antisocial mentality but you will have to find an active player on your server.

Good luck :)

Originally posted by eddieg50

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by eddieg50
The MMO I grouped the most in was Shadowbane, and then SWTOR, with Vanguard a close third

 I played Vanguuard as a solo game, not that I wanted to but my work hours and the game being kind of empty when I got there forced that on me.

 

DDO was a very group centric game(especially in the early days) and what was one of the biggest complaints in that game? PUGs, pick up groups. People complained all the time about the lack of skill in the avergae PUG. So while forced grouping might cause socializing it also causes complaining.

 

I find in GW2 that the game itself is not anti social but the structure of the game does not force socializing. People will then socialize at their own pace. For some that might be in cities during downtime only, others keep up a running dialog the entire time they play.

  the main problem I had with DDO grouping was everyone wanted to race through the dungeon and that killed the enjoyment for me

That is the games biggest issue. Now finding like players changes all of that. But those that blow through the dungeons comeback is "we've done it a 100 times". I get that to. Many thought random trap and enemy placement would have changed all of that, but making the change now, would piss these long time players off. Watching a DDO Youtube video is nothing but over powered toons solo zerging the dungeon and the viewer learns nothing.

I found two people trying to do the Lion's Arch cave/jumping puzzle.We grouped up,we entered a dark room,I waved my flaming sword in the darkness to make enough light so they could see the rocks and jump ahead.I got ldealyed and lost in the labyrynth and they came back to pick me up.One of them fell and I jumped all the way back to light his way.We did the whole thing that took 20 minutes while chatting.In the end they added my to their friend's list.

I used a freaking flaming sword,not to kill some boss or get some loot but to help some stranger see his way inside a dark cave.That's Fellowship of the Ring stuff right there.How much more social do you want the game to be?

Originally posted by HorrorScope

Originally posted by eddieg50

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by eddieg50
The MMO I grouped the most in was Shadowbane, and then SWTOR, with Vanguard a close third

 I played Vanguuard as a solo game, not that I wanted to but my work hours and the game being kind of empty when I got there forced that on me.

 

DDO was a very group centric game(especially in the early days) and what was one of the biggest complaints in that game? PUGs, pick up groups. People complained all the time about the lack of skill in the avergae PUG. So while forced grouping might cause socializing it also causes complaining.

 

I find in GW2 that the game itself is not anti social but the structure of the game does not force socializing. People will then socialize at their own pace. For some that might be in cities during downtime only, others keep up a running dialog the entire time they play.

  the main problem I had with DDO grouping was everyone wanted to race through the dungeon and that killed the enjoyment for me

That is the games biggest issue. Now finding like players changes all of that. But those that blow through the dungeons comeback is "we've done it a 100 times". I get that to. Many thought random trap and enemy placement would have changed all of that, but making the change now, would piss these long time players off. Watching a DDO Youtube video is nothing but over powered toons solo zerging the dungeon and the viewer learns nothing.

 DDOs issue was for a long time there was just a core of players, it was a niche game for years. We played together for years and for many that play style was the play style. Then DDO went F2Pish and in 6 months something like 1 million new accounts were registered and now the old playstyle was no good for new players and ruined the game for them. I would always tell newer players to make LFG that asked for no vets who would spoil the dungeon. The best way to play was not to be dragged to the end by the OP solo players who had been there since the start.

Sorry, I don't call running up on the same quest monster as 5 other people, getting a few shots off, then getting rewards....only for everyone to run off to their own next objective "grouping".  Maybe relative to all the other slew of solo-type MMORPGs that have come out recently, you can call this social interaction....but for a MMO vet, I miss the days of coordinated group play.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I miss the early days of WOW....where small groups of players had to coordinate actions and work as a cohesive unit to progress through a dungeon or area.  

I've read some of the folks stories on this post about their interactive experience with some other like minded players, and thats awesome.  However, if the game's path of least resistance is to solo your way through it, that's what most people will do.  This serverly limits the pool of players willing to socially interact....providing many folks with a lack luster experience when 8 out of 10 people they run into never say a word to them.

Social MMOs are niche MMOs.  Developers hate niche MMOs because they don't make a lot of money (economys of scale are a beotch)  Leaned out themepark MMOs are mass audience MMOs.  Developers love mass audience MMOs because they make a ton of money (as I said, economys of scale are a beotch)