The Group/Guild Irony

[jeffhill]

I started a very similar thread to this just last week about the lack of grouping titled 'The problem with this game isnt the game..."

I ended up joining a guild, and yes I have had no problem whatsoever getting a group within minutes of logging on.

Another strategy is everyone you group with, put them on your friends list, then when you log on the next day, have a look whos on and send them a tell if they want to group.

Guilds in this game are slightly different, because of the fast pace and most levels can group together... think of a guild in Ryzom as more of a perma party. Thats what I did.
The big advantage of this is your grouped with ppl you know and who don't go afk as the main tank or healer mid fight, train you, run around killing stuff for 49xp, loot hogs etc etc

[btamilio]

Having adventured in over a dozen online worlds in the last decade, with extended stretches in some of them, both out of guilds, in guilds, and in one case, leading a guild, allow me to say this.
- Nadisu

Great post, selyf, I agree with everything you say. I'm in the same boat, been a veteran of MMOs going back to "The Realm", and even as far back as BBS *gasp* turn based MUD style games. I've been in guilds big and small, have lead a small RP Guild, and have often just enjoyed being an un-guilded journeyman.

And, absolutely, an MMOs success is made by the community and spirit of the players, not the features, loot, graphics, or items.

DAoC, as you mentioned, IMO, is successful because it tries hard to connect players IN GAME, with LFG flags (and the ability to find players looking to group), common places at dungeons and keeps to find others looking to form a group, limited "region" style chat, places to find crafters, etc. Because of the way experience works, you have to find players near your level, which basically forces every PvE group to be a pick up group. On top of that, there are distinct classes which are desirable, and required in order to hunt effectively. With each server having 500-2500 players online, there's no problem finding new people, and players around your level to form a hunting group.

That being said, I'm absolutely not saying that is the best or only model -- everything about DAoC is against the grain of Ryzom -- too structured, templated, class based, single path, etc. I don't want Ryzom to be like that -- I was drawn to this game because it's *so* different from others I have played. However, some of the key elements required to allow the players to *need* to interact with others outside their clique / guild / friends, if even on the rare occassion (spare buying player crafted items), are lacking.

I'm not sure how or what is needed to fix it, or if perhaps it will just work itself out as time goes on. But it seems too easy to fall into a niche and never have to interact with "new" people, which works against fostering and developing an in-game community. Unless there is a mass influx of new players to counteract some of those existing guild and "familial" structures, it can turn isolated players away.

Many of us play MMOs because, well, they are social, and playing a game in a shared world with other people is pretty darn fun. If it weren't, we'd all be playing "Baldur's Gate XVIII: Return of The Bride of Baal" by now.

Anyway, perhaps my experience over the last couple of weeks has been isolated and temporary until more players pick up the game, but Nevraxx may want to look into some of the "social issues" of the game -- how to develop and foster a supportive and interconnected in-game player community, that needs the *community*, not just their guild.

Ultimately, Big Picture, this is probably more important to the life and popularity of the game than "feature tweaks" like spell costs, player merchants, mounts and the like.

That being said, still playing and happy. I'd just like to interract with you all more often that when I need equipment upgrades

[edoughty]

I've played a lot of MMORPGs over the years (EQ, DAoC, AO, SWG, FFXI). Many of these had good or even excellent "Looking for Group" tools built into the game. To me, this makes a huge difference. It is such a time saver to be able to flag yourself as LFG or as a group leader looking for more. I remember EQ before they added the LFG tool was an exercise in frustration. You had to go to a specific zone and just spam "34 shaman lfg" hoping someone would see the message among all the other chat spam.

Ryzom is well suited to this type of feature, despite the tree based leveling. The person looking for a group would just pick the title appropriate to the skill they want to level and turn on the LFG flag so that groups needing someone of their level and specialty can find them. You could also see a list of other solos and group leaders who were looking for your level and specialty and send them a tell. Spamming lfg in region chat just doesn't cut it.

Nevrax, please add a LFG tool ASAP!

BTW, I'm in a guild of over 100 people. Usually between 30 and 40 members on when I'm playing and I still find it difficult to find a group sometimes. I don't have a lot of play time each week so many of the others are much higher level than I am and many are out harvesting. Even in a guild, a LFG tool is needed to enable people to group effectively.

[fjolnir]

My character's name is Jethro. I am in The Survivors of Atys guild in Matis lands. It's true, most of our teams are made up of guild members. But since we're actively recruiting, we often team up with non-guild members. I've never had problems finding teams, even outside of the guild. I don't use region chat; I always find others doing the same thing I'm doing and join up. Many of the other guild members do the same. Why hang around town spamming for team members? People already doing something are not going to want to stop and come back to town to team with you, especially considering that you might want to do something different than they do, or will be unwilling to do what they want to do. Maybe other games have a sufficient number of people playing to make it likely that there will be somebody logging on at the same time you are. At least at the moment, this game isn't one of them.

[evalisa]

I am guilded and sometimes go huntignwith my guild
I a;ways duo with my partner (who is unguilded)
I will also quite often team with others if i fancy a group instaid of justa duo