I’ve played WoW for the last almost 3 years now, recently I’ve started looking into EQ2 to some extent and LotRO because of the Soloing mentality. As stated above: “Gamers, especially in MMOs, are aging, and due to that we’re not as prone to put up with unfriendly, rigid MMO structures; instead, we want more flexibility and choice.” Add to that regular A$$hats who like to ruin someone elses 2 hours of fun!
My life has changed as have my gaming habits. I for one will be leaving WoW because of the nonexistent “support network that other players can provide.” I just cannot stand to hear one more joke about Chuck Norris and anal [add stupid meme here] in trade channel. Boomlord has said it all there is rly nothing more for me to add.

I stumbled on this (and a few other) excellent discussions about solo play, and it has resonated big time. I got to thinking — I find that a huge amount of time has been spent waiting for groups only to have them explode while being formed or, most often, just implode as people suddenly have leave (often the leader. what, you didn’t KNOW you couldn’t stay???). Rolling on items is often goofed up, and I’d estimate 10% of the groups are pretty good and about 1% are astonishingly good.

I may be antisocial, but the glut on the Trade Channel where idiots seem to think their Chuck Norris or hate talk demands a wide audience (and it’s bleeding over to LFG) and most of the general talk is just horrid. My blood pressure rises. I’ve learned to just not open the Trade channel anywhere,

People have always been asshats on the Internet because they are anonymous and can say things that would get a face full of knuckles in real life. Blizzard has done a horrible job of patrolling it with real consequences because their $15 a month is on the line.

Still I play. After reading this and other sites today, I’m wondering if I really want to play, I might want to find a good RP guild (if there is such a thing) and be helpful and encouraging and at the same time aloof and a bit in the shadows (perfect for a crusty hunter or a sinister lock). I just know the future of this game for me is not in instances and groups, and if I can wrap my head around that point of view I might enjoy the game quite a bit more without all the melodramatic distractions.

I’d love to level one or two of mine to 80 with that solo attitude, and even keep it in balance with group in BG’s and, to some extent, Raids. Solo isn’t a condition (as in just playing by yourself) but in maintaining the attitude and outlook as being your character/toon even in a group setting which can be necessary to get some of the better items.

Anyway, that’s a lot, and I apologize. It’s just that this site is a good example of how a guy like me can get a new way of thinking that seems exciting to me. For that I’m grateful.

Boomlord (Hunter extraordinaire)

I’m going to be mean here. And I’m not saying this stereotype applies to Spinks, but it does exist:

If they carry your guild tag, but do not wear the latest uberest T 727 armor set, they will make the whole guild “look bad”

‘Buffs’ where for art thou?

I am against the rise of solo MMORPGs. I put forth to support my stance the age old claim that these were meant to be an interactive group based experience. I also bring to the table that over all the entire group dynamic has suffered in recent years due to the response to the generation of solo game play content in MMORPG’s. Given that these were changes brought about by us gamers as demands to developers. We asked, we got and in my opinion we suffer. I fully understand and accept that to many of us time constraints puts a strain on our ability to get out there and level because when we finally get online to play we are on to late, to early, or don’t want to look for a group as we will have to log shortly after due to limited time. Also as these games age and other newer products hit the market people leave and the server population drops making these issues worse. I went even as far as getting extra game accounts to make my own party in one MMO I played. All this still does not sway the fact that I miss the getting the group together recognizing the strengths and weakness of each class and the reliance on each other to do their part to have a successful adventure, and barring successfully fun in the enjoyment of company in on an adventure. I believe this spawns from my days of Pen & Paper dungeons and dragons, were a group of us would gather to adventure. I find also that people cared more for there chosen class when we not so blended and had actual roles specific to a group environment. Now I find that instead of rewarding group play by increasing experience given while in a group it is reduced, divided amongst the party members making it faster to level alone.
It is too easy for us to blame this subject on the “One MMORPG That Shall Not Be Named” as the source of all our problems. I put forth that in this case they did not cause the problem, we did by asking for these changes, they just did it so successfully that now it must be emulated to ensure company success. I do not believe for one minute that this emulation ensures anything but ridicule and that success should not be measured by over the top profits, but that is another issue.
To conclude, I say that solo play will not be the end of MMORPG’s but really is just another phase as the genre evolves. As the days grows long and night moves forward as there is fewer and fewer gamers around that recall the days when we would group up for benefit and company in our adventures then there on the horizon dawn and the ‘New’ aspect to grab the attention of the gamers will be grouping up and how good it is to be part of a team effort to accomplish your in game goals and then all will be well and as it should be. The circle continues but I leave with a warning with all sunrises there is a false dawn.

I consider myself a soloer, spending about 95% of my time outside of a group. I am also always in a guild. I am constantly dropping money and items in the guild bank, helping other guildies with difficult quests or taking down higher level mobs, or crafting things for them (usually at my expense rather than charging them anything). When someone has a game-related question, I’m often times the one they go to because the groupers can’t be bothered to look something up for a guildie.

I would say that I offer quite a bit to the guilds I’m in.