16 replies to this topic

[Aoth]

1.) I've read a couple places you can solo to max level in this game. That will wreck any sense of community, tell me its not true.
2.) How soon after release are they going to add the rest of the classes and races?

Suggestions; which may be totally useless or things already implemented, but I am interested and would like to see it do well and/or live up to its potential.

You can make the game solo friendly but you have to provide insentive for people to group so that you're getting more, not less exp from grouping. This could come in the form of a group exp bonus along with maybe instance exp bonus, that way your solo players aren't being penalized but encouraged to group instead.

Anyways, I really like what you're trying to do here. Don't reinvent the wheel, just make the best wheel ever!

[Samatman]

1.) I've read a couple places you can solo to max level in this game. That will wreck any sense of community, tell me its not true.

You can make the game solo friendly but you have to provide insentive for people to group so that you're getting more, not less exp from grouping.

This has always been something I never understood. While I appreciate the ability to solo lots of content, I often wind up doing it because grouped it is ridiculously easy. Solo content should not be something you do while reading a book; target next mob, autoattack, repeat...

Why is it that grouping almost always reduces your rate of experience progression? What bad things happen if you actually give people incentive to group by rewarding them with faster advancement?

In (original) Everquest, you could watch already slow experience drop to nothing with a full group. I know the typical argument: "groups kill faster and exp gain is higher over time with a good group". In my experience, this is almost NEVER true.

I would like to see a real advantage attached to grouping, without it being a forced requirement.

[Grymmoire]

1.) I've read a couple places you can solo to max level in this game. That will wreck any sense of community, tell me its not true.
2.) How soon after release are they going to add the rest of the classes and races?

1.) Ok, since you asked for confirmation, it is not true that if one can solo the entire game that the community will be wrecked....hehe! But, in all seriousness, sense of community is hardly dependent upon only the degree of solo ability. Community stems from the desire of the players to form relationships and group; I have been in heavily focused group games where the group only holds together for a single or two boss mobs, then the players quit and go off to craft or whatever. Or instances where most of the game players hardly typed or voiced a word for hours of play in groups. Ergo, grouping did not lend to community there either.

To ensure better exp in a grouping situation, all a game has to have is a design to proviode a bonus exp for grouping. However, a faster killing rate in group play vs solo mostly makes up for those other games where exp is evenly or skewed toward solo players at least, that is my experience in leveling in those games.

2. ) Only QOL knows their internal schedule, but they have previously stated that player input will be taken into consideration when doing the post-release classes and after data on balance and playabilty of the release classes are taken into account. So they will hopefully be what the playerbase desires, but could take awile to get to that point eh!?

[Aoth]

1.) Ok, since you asked for confirmation, it is not true that if one can solo the entire game that the community will be wrecked....hehe! But, in all seriousness, sense of community is hardly dependent upon only the degree of solo ability. Community stems from the desire of the players to form relationships and group; I have been in heavily focused group games where the group only holds together for a single or two boss mobs, then the players quit and go off to craft or whatever. Or instances where most of the game players hardly typed or voiced a word for hours of play in groups. Ergo, grouping did not lend to community there either.

To ensure better exp in a grouping situation, all a game has to have is a design to proviode a bonus exp for grouping. However, a faster killing rate in group play vs solo mostly makes up for those other games where exp is evenly or skewed toward solo players at least, that is my experience in leveling in those games.

2. ) Only QOL knows their internal schedule, but they have previously stated that player input will be taken into consideration when doing the post-release classes and after data on balance and playabilty of the release classes are taken into account. So they will hopefully be what the playerbase desires, but could take awile to get to that point eh!?

Fair enough, but here is what I do know, this was especially true in LOTRO, if a player can solo they will solo, which as I said boggles my mind...why play an mmo in that case? Some of the content has to not be soloable and there has to be some incentive to hit up the content that isn't able to be solo'd....just my opinion.

As to the classes, I can imagine it would take awhile, as it should really. Its just a selfish rpg quirk I have, hate to play humans....ironic eh? But this is how neurotic I am, I might actually delay playing until they add them lol.

[Tork]

Moved to the Gameplay>Character Advancement forum.

[Grymmoire]

Fair enough, but here is what I do know, this was especially true in LOTRO, if a player can solo they will solo, which as I said boggles my mind...why play an mmo in that case? Some of the content has to not be soloable and there has to be some incentive to hit up the content that isn't able to be solo'd....just my opinion.

As to the classes, I can imagine it would take awhile, as it should really. Its just a selfish rpg quirk I have, hate to play humans....ironic eh? But this is how neurotic I am, I might actually delay playing until they add them lol.

I agree that incentive is necessary for some to participate in grouping; for others it is how they like to play regardless. However, a game should provide for both sets of game play options and Alganon does really, so fear not. I will state though, a very valid answer to why play an MMO\MMORPG if one just wants to solo it is that one has the option to group; has the ability to communicate to others and share experiences unlike single player games; and can experience a sense of community offered by crafting and selling\buying.

I am also a player that abhors playing a "human" avatar; I play one in real life and want to be anything else in my MMORPGs lol. Give me an animal or demon any day and I am one happy Panda (pun intended). However, remember you can choose to play a Talrok and they can look rather demonic, especially if you have no bias in playing a female avatar.

[Aoth]

I agree that incentive is necessary for some to participate in grouping; for others it is how they like to play regardless. However, a game should provide for both sets of game play options and Alganon does really, so fear not. I will state though, a very valid answer to why play an MMO\MMORPG if one just wants to solo it is that one has the option to group; has the ability to communicate to others and share experiences unlike single player games; and can experience a sense of community offered by crafting and selling\buying.

I am also a player that abhors playing a "human" avatar; I play one in real life and want to be anything else in my MMORPGs lol. Give me an animal or demon any day and I am one happy Panda (pun intended). However, remember you can choose to play a Talrok and they can look rather demonic, especially if you have no bias in playing a female avatar.

Fair enough, if they can somehow balance it out it won't be an issue. I will just have to get over the lack of races and only four starting classes at release, this game seems to have amazing potential. I'll just play a class until the new ones come out. Warden and Prophet would "seem" like something I'd like. although the descriptions are vague. I am thinking druid and necro, but I can play a ranger or mage at release until those come out.

[Cerwyn]

even with an exp penalty you'll still level faster in a group simply because you'll kill faster. There have been numerous times when I'd go to an area where I could gain decent xp solo, but join a random team anyway (cause I felt like it) and wound up having a good time while leveling at a much faster rate. in short, you don't need to force people to team, they'll do it on their own even if there is absolutely no support for it.

Though, tbh, I much prefer being able to solo all the way to the end, only teaming when I feel like it, or I'm getting a bit impatient to reach my next goal. Sometimes this is because I'm just not feeling very social atm, but more commonly its because I keep very erratic hours and I can't guarantee that people I can rely on will be around to team up with and don't really feel like playing Russian Roulette with the random parties, since all to often there will be at least one person making a concerted effort (intentionally or not) to make everyone else's lives harder. in the best case scenario these people are noobs and will get better, but too often their just idiots. and while I enjoy helping noobs from time to time, if I'm seriously trying to accomplish something (or just happen to be in really bad mood) I don't want to have to rely on one whose capabilities and limitations I'm not familiar with.

[Dagda]

My wife and I both prefer playing solo. We've grouped together, mostly cuz our characters usually compliment one another, and we've grouped with others. BOTH of us have found for the most part that grouping is usually a waste of time and effort, >>memories of losing two levels because the GL din't have a clue on how to handle the area, or were ninja looting and taking off<<.

You want to group, group. I'd prefer not to hear how the Devs HAVE to make grouping the preferred method of travel, and how groups should get bonus anything. Group, run thru an area and over whatever solo player is there, go on about yer business and let us play the way we WANT to without the "solo penalty".

Dagda and Kendara

[Webbdizzle]

For first, please excuse my english. Not native speak. I am sure it will be soloable to max level, but no fear. A cool thing about these games is the game is just beginning when the level cap is aquired, hence why level cap is not so hard. Once level cap is made you will find formation of community in attempt to run high level dungeon (which are definitely not soloable) to aquire end game gear. Or pvp for an outcome of the same, or even progressing guild.

Much hope that I am understood and that I have made sense. If not, I am very sorry.

[Amarra]

I usually end up soloing because...*sigh*...at 39 years and 16 months my reflexes just aren't what they were a few years ago (even though I take great care of my health by running at least 5 miles a day + toning exercises + seeking out alternative food sources to avoid pesticides, added hormones or preservatives, including milling my own flours for baking...well, you get the point - I'm fanatical about it).

But, a lot of players aren't very forgiving (and some can be downright abusive). For that reason I would hate to see 'forced' grouping. I do like to group with people when I can find groups that aren't so 'hardcore'.

Like Cerwyn, my game play time can be erratic. I might be able to play for several days straight and then RL calls and I have to disappear for a few weeks. (and, BTW, I hope there will be an iphone app for My Alganon so that I can stay in touch )

There are probably many reasons players might need the solo option. I like that Alganon is flexible for solo and group play.

[Glarnak]

my wife and I always group up with each other.

back when wow began, instancing gave the best advancement to leveling. We would often play our char with others from 16-60 in such groups and good friendships was the result of that. grouping in eq gave the same result.

Incentive. If there is an incentive to grouping, I do believe most would seek out grouping. And as I have said earlier, grouping = Community.

[Hasala]

I usually end up soloing because...*sigh*...at 39 years and 16 months

lol...good one. Your still young!

I'm one that will solo something if it can be. I don't mind grouping on occasion or when It's required, but I won't go out of my way to do it. Have had too many bad experiences in groups so I tread carefully in them. There are many though in this beta test that I would group with. The community so far seems much more mature than other MMO's I have played.

[Lostcloud]

I have to agree with Hasala over the years I have had some truely bad experiences with grouping with random people. Thus I will almost never group with random people, in previous games. Though in saying that my reasoning for doing so was the overall high proportion of people that were just no fun to play with for various reasons.

Now having just said that I do love to group with people, I enjoy nothing more that getting together with a group of friends or guild mates people I know the ability of. All of my fondest memories from MMO's are when I have been grouped running a dungeon or something.

As for getting less experience while grouped it does not bother me so much as for me its about the journey. I like to smell the flowers so to speak as I level.

[Tork]

Although I have raided and grouped quite a bit in MMOs I find that at certain times I just want to go off by myself and kill stuff mindlessly for a while. I find leveling time to be great for this. I also have found PVP to fall into this category although it tends to be a lot more fast paced.

[Zaboo]

(and, BTW, I hope there will be an iphone app for My Alganon so that I can stay in touch )

An iphone app right into myalganon would really rock!

[dolmont]

I think when playing it boils down to my frame of mind when I start gaming. I love grouping if its a good group and everyone knows what there doing and people help each other. I also love completing quests and crafting, When I am in a crafting mood solo is great, I will complete a few quests whilst collecting mats.

I think there needs to be a balance, you cannot always get a group so solo quests are important. I played AOC for 6 months and even with the problems I liked the balance between solo and group quests. You got better exp and rewards but you could still do a lot of solo quests and level.