Comments on: Nightly Blogroll — Though Amaryllis dance edition

By: Ramon

Ramon — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:20:14 +0000

Ahh, so you were talking about NPCs vs. real humans in groups :) There I agree of course. I’ve played Guild Wars for quite some time, and even though it has excellent henchman and Hero (controllable henchmen that level with you) AI, it’s still impossible to do some of the more complex missions without humans taking part.

Point understood. I’ve seen drive-by heals and the like that happen in EQ, SoD and Runes of Magic, but some other games (no names) make me wonder why people play at all, as there was no kind of interaction at all. And if there was, it usually ended with drama, rage-quitting and the like.

I think that’s what makes people solo entire MMOs, it’s less the game designs but more the “quality” of other people in those games :P

By: Saylah

Saylah — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:00:12 +0000

It’s the free will actions of other players that I enjoy. Even henchmen can’t replace them in that regard. I wouldn’t object to having henchmen so I could complete group content but that’s not a big deal to me – group content. It’s existing along side other players, crafting, participating in the economy, grazing the same zones and such, that aren’t comparable to solo RPGs and NPCs.

You’re out questing and you run into someone that needs that same higher level mob you do. You help each other out and go about your business. You’ve gotten yourself in a tight fix and someone comes by and heals you, does DPS or tanks it off you or do the same for others. It’s the cooperative nature of being in a shared virtual game that I enjoy about MMOs.

By: Ramon

Ramon — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:23:51 +0000

Saylah: So your perfect MMO would be played about 75% solo?

What do you do with the other PCs, roleplay? If not, I think the comparison to single player RPGs isn’t appropriate. The NPCs in a good single player RPG are at least five times as inventive (and canonical!) as the best guild chat I’ve read.

Or arwe you saying that an NPC can never be your friend like your guild friends can? That’s a given I’d say :)

By: Saylah

Saylah — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:24:33 +0000

Just because you like the massive part of MMOs doesn’t mean you want to do group content. I’m sorry but that ship has already sailed. There’s room for both types of players. I solo about 75%, group 15% and BS 10% and love MMOs. I can’t even get a week’s worth of play anymore in a single player RPG. NPCs just don’t hold my attention. Even The Sims has been ruined for me but I still dabble in it but not NEARLY the way I did before I walked into my first MMO.

By: openedge1

openedge1 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:10:54 +0000

I have a hate/hate relationship right now with one guildie in AoC who has pointed out adamantly that he “Solos” and NEVER groups.
At one point I mentioned he may wish to try, due to some great dungeons out there.
We have argued the point a bit.,

Yet, this weekend, he joined one guild dungeon group. I then saw why he should STAY solo (a sightseeing member of the group if you will).

I hate to say it…but he arguably won me over to the case for solo play needing to be more readily available.

Give me my henchmen now!

By: We Fly Spitfires

We Fly Spitfires — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:49:40 +0000

Were you dropping a hint for some spitfire lessons for your birthday? ;) I’ll need to try that! :)

By: Ramon

Ramon — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:34:10 +0000

Where’s all this MMO-as-solo-game talk coming from?

Yes, I also complain that I can’t find a group in SoD, but I _want_ to find groups! Grouping is the greatest experience in a game that implements them well, like SoD, EQ and presumably EQ2 (haven’t played). Yes, there is effort involved in setting up and finding groups, and it’s good if everyone has some maturity so you don’t have rage quitters, but when it works, it’s one of the fundamental elements of a good MMO.

If I had to something like WoW solo (which is what you do most of the time in WoW), I wouldn’t even bother. And I don’t :) It’s far too drawn-out and repetitive when played solo. I can play an hour of Baldur’s Gate II and accomplish a dozen heroic things, while WoW is “kill ten rats”. Proper single-player RPGs have a higher story density, usually more creative NPCs and all that — why would I sacrifice that for a solo “MM”ORPG?

Get more social, people! Or play SoD, where courtesy and maturity were part of all pickup groups I’ve played in so far.