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All By Myself (solo content)
A while back there was some debate about why there wasn't more solo content in TERA. Now there's a decent amount: the Arena, Echoes, Ace Dungeons to name a few. But some people find the inclusion of such elements to be the antithesis of the point behind an MMO in the first place.
Both sides have their arguments: the people for solo content are usually those who're either a- or antisocial (or suffered one too many bad parties), while the people against solo content argue that the entire point of an MMO is the social aspect.
I'm just curious to see some other people's thoughts on the issue - how do you feel about solo content? Bad idea? More options? Improvements or reductions? Let's see what's good and what's really good.
Clarification: Revised for easier reading.
Both sides have their arguments: the people for solo content are usually those who're either a- or antisocial (or suffered one too many bad parties), while the people against solo content argue that the entire point of an MMO is the social aspect.
I'm just curious to see some other people's thoughts on the issue - how do you feel about solo content? Bad idea? More options? Improvements or reductions? Let's see what's good and what's really good.
Clarification: Revised for easier reading.
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Comments
I'm in the camp of people that believe that the social aspect is what makes these games what they are/can be. Forming parties, making a reputation for yourself, rivalries, cliques, and all of that stuff, that's what really hooks ya. The reason why is generally, MMORPGs tend to be lacking in narrative and in their ability to provide a solid single player experience compared to games designed for it, like say Skyrim or Witcher 3.
Some people hate group forming or just hate people in general...well, just go play one of the many open world RPG games that are simply way better suited for your taste?
MMORPGs are simply not good environments to design too many things around a single player experience, there are many options out there for that, and MMORPGs aren't supposed to be one of them.
Look at WoW...a major complaint of most who have quit will most certainly be the lack of any serious social aspect outside of your immediate guild. Everything feels so confined and directed. The sandbox feeling is lost...and the social sandbox is just as important. You instant queue for a dungeon from anywhere, no talking necessary. You run the entire dungeon, no talking necessary, then leave. Somehow WoW even managed to make group content feel like solo content and that's a special kinda of bad.
So yeah, solo content is fine for testing your skill or changing it up, but an MMORPG should never proportion more of its content for soloing than content you must group for, IMO.
I know the argument is " its a mmorpg " " you need to play with others " but I enjoy myself just fine playing my way. I have way more fun. I hang out in low populated areas so I don't have to listen to the fakers either talking like they are in an anime, fake females, filthy talking guys, and other total nonsense. then if some do find out that you are a real female ( like myself and a few of my other friends I do hang out with ), they want you to prove it by Skype or email. we just go somewhere else and ignore those idiots. I hang out in tera with mainly my real life friends I go to school with. sometimes we let others in our little group, but when or if they start acting stupid, we leave them behind or play on a different server for awhile.
so yes, I think there should be plenty of solo content in mmo's. leveling up now is basically a solo thing. even I can solo and reach 65 in a few days, and never run a bg or a dungeon. but its all up to the individual to decide how they want to play.
hope this helps
can you give a credible source on this
There's something else? Because I don't count IoD BAMs as solo content.
I don't think I understand the comment.
Why not?
That's not me calling you out saying you're wrong - I'm genuinely curious as to how it doesn't qualify in your eyes.
I was saying I prefer content that is done by two players rather than one. Most content that is setup for 3 players or less can be soloed if a healer isn't required leaving you the option of soloing if that's something you prefer or going in with a friend. Another benefit is it makes it easier for them to not have to worry about the dps of healers.
Maybe some dungeons with 1-man versions. Jumping puzzles.
But the point is that while there should be solo player content, almost nothing of that should be exclusively solo imho. At "best" it would be different versions or separate match making / leaderboard.
That doesn't mean that all the content has to be so insanely catered to party play either though, why should a 5 man party get 500% exp (i.e. Full EXP despite being in a party) even though they're already killing the monsters 5 times faster than a single player?
Rather than there being no content for solo players, I think it's just a fundamental problem of playing as a party being infinitely better than solo play. Even if your whole party is trash, at worst you'll just get the same EXP as you would alone.
Then healers will complain they take forever to solo it and nobody wants to let them tag along(and split rewards if they aren't from a quest) or everyone else has the option to go solo while healers don't(if rewards are from a quest and don't require splitting).
@MacroMaster I doubt jumping puzzles can happen in Tera as we have no control over jump distance. It'd boost sales of featherlight potions though... Also, the levelling XP is pretyt much the only time party content wins over solo content. It's on purpose, to encourage people to group up while levelling and experience dungeons as a team, learn their role in a party etc. It did fail brilliantly but, well, can't expect BHS and EmE to actually think things through, can we....
Lastly, I do think solo content has a place in MMOs. It's just a bit weird how very rewarding it is in Tera compared to party content.
Am I the only one jumping on the buildings in towns like Tulufan (Or maybe it was Chebika)? The platforms at the top left corner of Tempest Reach (Near the light house.), some of those pyramids in one of those desert zones, and there's probably a couple of more places...
Oh right, there's also those tree huts in Mistmoor island, there could be some platforming added there.
It doesn't have to be very complex, but eh at least there could be some nice views for screen shots as a reward, right?
I guess we don't see jumping puzzles the same way. I always think of GW2 when the topic is brought up because, well, obvious reasons.
The more revenue the better.
What would that content be? The only thing that comes to mind is CW and I remember quite a few topics about healers getting kicked after buffing or before they'd even loaded inside. Oh, and RG, I guess. Though that one could actually kill you so a healer was a good safety net. Is that your idea of sorta solo content? A place where healers go to get carried or kicked?
Because you can do it in parties. For me solo content is stuff you cannot do with someone else.