Then you must be looking forward to GW2 and its WvW! If you haven't read about it, do a search... you HAVE to work together as a server to accomplish goals in WvW (and I don't mean "HAVE" in a bad way, like being forced to, but "get" to). I think GW2 will bring the community aspect back into MMOs. Besides WvW, helping others in PvE won't be penalized... imagine that! an MMO that encourages helping others instead of penalizing players who are not grouped together. You owe yourself to at least read up on GW2 and try it when it comes out.

I honestly never thought I would say this, but... God, I'm glad I'm old(er) and don't have the time or feel the compulsion to do things like this. However, more power to you guys! [Hope we don't read about you on the internet ending up in the hospital or something worse -- spoken like a true parent ]

when... the companion always stands directly between your char and the item/node/button/NPC you want to click on.

Bounty Hunter: Let's see... I shoot people, I get paid. 'Bout sums it up. Now if only I could get a job like that in real life. Unfortunately, having Mako as my companion, I have to lean more to the light side to please her -- dang, I'm not even married to her yet and it feels like marriage. Heck, I've probably let more people "off the hook" than I've killed. In fact, I think I've only chosen one dark side option through level 27. And that was because of all the trouble I had to go through to finish the quest... NPC, "please don't destroy X, we need it to survive" -- choices: [Dark Side] Destroy X and complete original request; [Light Side] Don't destroy X and save people. I'm like, "After dying 3 times myself to finally destroy X, the NPC gets no sympathy from me" -- [click] Dark Side option!

Hide companion helm option... /signed

If you are spending time on your ship, do what all men do in their "cave"... strip down to your skivvies! Heck, I run around, when not in a combat zone, without my shirt on because my Rattatki is one buff, "he-man", bad-arse dude!

Is there a way to view a local area that you are not physically located in? If your world map is fully populated for any particular world, is there a way to view other local areas of the world map from any other location? I'm not talking about using the magnifying glass. I'm talking about being able to actually view a different local area than the one you are located.

^^This. Seems so simple that an MMO would "encourage" others to help instead of "penalizing" players involved. If a game discourages cooperation when solo, but "forces" players to group... seems like a paradox to me. Am looking forward to GW2.

One issue I see with MMOs is that Americans, in general, are independent-minded. Why do MMOs work "better" in Asia? Because Asians have a sense of community in real life. I am the "typical" independent American. I want to accomplish things myself; I don't like to be put in a box and told, "you have to do it this way"; I don't like having to rely on annoying, immature, selfish people to complete a task. That is why "forced" grouping will never work in America. Don't punish players for helping each other without being grouped. Let grouping happen spontaneous and dynamicly. I would bet that more people would cooperate if it wasn't forced or punished. A note about combat progression. I remember when I tried to get my daughter to play an MMO, her first question was, "do I have to fight all the time to progress?" When she found out that she did, she didn't play. Anyway, how does a company get Americans to cooperate in a game when we won't in real life? Even if a miracle occurred and a game was created that accomplished true community cooperation, unfortunately, if the game allowed non-combat players to progress and be rewarded financially (in game), guess what? Some A-holes would exploit the system! I like the idea of having a "true" community in a game, where there are a myriad of professions and progression could happen other than being combat-related. I'm just not sure how, or if, it would work in America.

Now that you mention it, I can't think of a player off the top of my head that seemed to have a better season after signing a big contract. I'm sure someone has, but for some reason, no one stands out.

To me, the thing about hockey that separates it from other sports is how exciting low-scoring games are. For example, last Wed. night's game between Buf v NYR - 0-0 tie and then the shootout. Dang, that was a thriller. I remember another regular season game between WAS v PIT and thought I was watching a playoff game instead of a regular season game. I don't get the same "thrill" from a low scoring game in football or baseball or soccer (ok, I don't watch soccer because ALL the games are low scoring and boring). Low scoring games in those sports make me fall asleep. Just wanted to throw out some more hockey talk...

/silence

What about RPG content? RPG content shouldn't have to have grouping... So you believe we should have to group 100% of the time? God, I pity the people that would have to play 100% of an MMO with you. I doubt they would last as "groupers" very long. Come to think of it... it's people like you that made me stop grouping.

When are people going to stop asking this same question? Re-roll already... it's a quicker solution.

What is the point? Why have an RPG on the end of the MMO? Unfortunately, us soloers have to deal with people like you. And you wonder why more and more people solo instead of group. I can only imagine how many "groupers" decided to convert to "soloers" after grouping with you. Maybe you should look in the mirror before calling others idiots.