Why do people play MULTIPLAYER games if all they want to do is solo?!

[sheisty]

I used to play EQ back in the day which basically forced you to group, unless you had one of the chosen classes to solo with. But essentially if you wanted to make any meaningful headway you had to group.

 

then wow came around and made the entire leveling game solo. And people praised Blizzard for not having to force grouping.

 

And now weve come full circle...lol

[timewatch]

The big problem in mmo grouping, is the requirement of the holy trinity. Nobody wants to spend hours looking for a tank or a healer, so people just don't bother with it and solo instead. That's why WoW killed EQ so bad, people don't have to stay in one spot and log off if they can't find a tank/healer.

[Kabjat]

You know, this is an interesting point.

 

It also explains why these "casual gamers" who want to be able to solo everything want to be able to level up so quickly as well. That way they can get to the "endgame" as fast as possible and feel superior having the max level and the best gear.

 

So you may be on to something here. It may very well all be about "showing off". It's one of the only logical explanations I can think of.

 

It's called playstyle, and some people don't think or play they way you think they should. Has it ever occurred to you or the OP that interacting with others in the game can be a real downer at times? People's attitudes suck in this game, and frankly, my husband and I have just as much right to play how we choose as you do.

 

When I log in, I want to relax and not deal with immaturity. The hubby and I would have just put the kids to bed so believe me, we are already at our tether for the amount we can tolerate.

 

But we love the game, so we'll continue to play, and enjoy it.

 

So yeah...come out from under your rock and realize that people play this game for any reason, solo or grouped, introverted or extroverted. It's probably a small margin of people who only solo content that your above reasoning would even apply to.

[Malichus]

Given the OP's original insult-laden post, I'd say two things are pretty clear. One, that he wanted to group and couldn't find anyone willing to do so. Two, that the reason is probably not because they all just wanted to solo.

[Slightlycampana]

I'm not talking about people who like to solo ON OCCASION, or people who would rather play with people they know or a reliable guild. I mean people who want to play THE ENTIRE GAME without ever grouping with another person, the people who want SOLO OPS in which they use their companions as a raiding team.

 

If not, WHY play an MMO, then? What do these people get out of this game that a superior single player game (like Skyrim, for example) wouldn't offer them and even MORE?

 

Imo, your first incorrect assumption is that people only play one single player game. If someone has time to play this and Skyrim, why wouldn't they?

 

Your second incorrect assumption is that the storylines in this game are inferior to those of single player games. This is really a matter of opinion, but I think there is enough content in this game to satisfy someone who is here merely because they are a Bioware fan (or a Star Wars fan) and not interested in MMOs.

 

I also think it's wrong to equate "MMO play" with "being able to play in a group." Imo an MMO should have mechanics for player interaction that don't necesarily require you to socialise or team up (e.g. mainly crafting, industry, economy etc). But that's more of a sandbox thing, and you wouldn't really expect it from SWTOR.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Slightlycampana

[TheRealDestian]

The other problem with grouping is that your average MMO player is really, really, really bad at videogames.

 

Infuriatingly bad.

 

I can't count how many times I entered a group only to leave 5 minutes later because one guy has managed to die 3 times in 5 minutes.

 

I just don't have that kind of patience.

 

Neither do I, which is why I have a guild of good players who I play with regularly.

 

That seems like the logical option to enjoy everything the game has to offer. I'm still left scratching my head about why people would PURPOSELY avoid the game's best feature.

[JeremyDale]

It's called playstyle, and some people don't think or play they way you think they should. Has it ever occurred to you or the OP that interacting with others in the game can be a real downer at times? People's attitudes suck in this game, and frankly, my husband and I have just as much right to play how we choose as you do.

 

When I log in, I want to relax and not deal with immaturity. The hubby and I would have just put the kids to bed so believe me, we are already at our tether for the amount we can tolerate.

 

But we love the game, so we'll continue to play, and enjoy it.

 

So yeah...come out from under your rock and realize that people play this game for any reason, solo or grouped, introverted or extroverted. It's probably a small margin of people who only solo content that your above reasoning would even apply to.

 

Don't try to get personal with me Kabjat, they are strict on this forum will delete your post

 

I saw little in your response that addressed anything I said though...and the OP makes an excellent point and I think he is correct, at least to a large degree.

 

The only plausible explaination as to why so many of these "casual players" want the game to pass by so quickly so they join in on the endgame hamster wheel (which is repetitive and boring) is so they can please themselves by showing off to everyone else how high their levels are and how good their gear is.

 

It has to be self-vanity. There is no other reason why they would want to the actual "fun" part of the game to be over with so quickly.

 

The fact you are married, have kids, not a lot of time to play...blah blah blah. Those are irreleveant facts that do not counter what the OP is saying. If you actually found the game fun the last thing you would want it to do is be over more quickly.

 

I am convinced there is a large amount of players (this may be you or it may not be) who play MMORPgs for the sole purpose of grinding to the so called "endgame" as fast as possible so they can show off to other players. You can disagree with me if you want, but that's my stance and I'll continue to have it rather you like it or not.

Edited February 3, 2012 by JeremyDale

[Saurakk]

I have limited time to play games. I have loved MMO's for more than a decade now, they are a unique experience. We can all agree on that.

 

Your game play is about building your character in skill, in gear, in cash flow, etc.

 

You can do it two ways, solo, or grouping....or BOTH.

 

When I have a 1-2 hour window to play, about the most I get now, I am not going to wait to find a group, then get the group together, then wait for Joe Tank to BRB AFK getting a beer!

 

To wait for Nancy DPS to go link dead and log back in either in 3 seconds or 30 minutes (do we replace her, do we wait?)

 

Harry Healer was doing well but his wife just came home and now is standing there doing nothing every 2 minutes pretending to play while wife yells at him.

 

The 12 year old you are playing with just got a phone call, or mommy or daddy came home and he has to go, "KK BYE!" log.

 

Lots of RL and valid reasons cause people to focus on soloing 90% of their time which still progresses and builds their characters for when they want to actually group up, if ever.

[Slightlycampana]

Neither do I, which is why I have a guild of good players who I play with regularly.

 

That seems like the logical option to enjoy everything the game has to offer. I'm still left scratching my head about why people would PURPOSELY avoid the game's best feature.

 

The MMO mechanics are the game's worst feature. The storylines are great, the setting is great, but I dislike themepark MMOs generally, and I particularly dislike WoW-style gameplay. I am playing this game in spite of it being an MMO.

[crica]

the game's best feature

 

that is subjective

 

i find the games best feature to be crafting and the economy

 

you find the games best feature to be grouping with other players

[Flyceratops]

I play solo probably 97% of the time on TOR. It's not my usual style of play for MMOs, and it's got nothing to do with TOR 'feeling like a single-player game' (it doesn't, at least to me) - it's just that I haven't been 'in the mood' to want to group with anyone or talk to strangers.

 

I talk in guild and general chat, but that's the extent of it. *shrug*

 

I usually use the game as a distraction from my (severe) depression, so that's probably got something to do with it.

 

Edit: Note that I think that 'single-player operations' and such are ridiculously stupid ideas that don't even make sense for an MMO designed around four, eight or sixteen-player groups in every encounter.

 

Emphasis on player - the companion AI is nice, but not nearly as good as a good player is.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Flyceratops

[Saurakk]

The only plausible explaination as to why so many of these "casual players" want the game to pass by so quickly so they join in on the endgame hamster wheel (which is repetitive and boring) is so they can please themselves by showing off to everyone else how high their levels are and how good their gear is.

 

It has to be self-vanity. There is no other reason why they would want to the actual "fun" part of the game to be over with so quickly.

 

I am convinced there is a large amount of players (this may be you or it may not be) who play MMORPgs for the sole purpose of grinding to the so called "endgame" as fast as possible so they can show off to other players. You can disagree with me if you want, but that's my stance and I'll continue to have it rather you like it or not.

 

I think most will disagree with you because that actually makes zero logical sense.

 

Solo'ers have nothing to show off.

 

Its the raiders who sit in the common areas of MMO's showing off their rare raid gotten loots and mounts.

 

Very backwards and incorrect reasoning.

 

You can disagree with me if you want though....

[VanorDM]

then wow came around and made the entire leveling game solo. And people praised Blizzard for not having to force grouping.

 

City of Heroes did it first actually.

[JeremyDale]

I play solo probably 97% of the time on TOR. It's not my usual style of play for MMOs, and it's got nothing to do with TOR 'feeling like a single-player game' (it doesn't, at least to me) - it's just that I haven't been 'in the mood' to want to group with anyone or talk to strangers.

 

I talk in guild and general chat, but that's the extent of it. *shrug*

 

I usually use the game as a distraction from my (severe) depression, so that's probably got something to do with it.

 

My problem isn't players who like to be able to solo. Clearly the option to have fun solo on an MMORPG needs to be present if it's going to be successful.

 

The problem is the players who want to be able to quickly solo the entire game. This causes the game's content to rush by too quickly and forces players who are looking for a long-term experience to have to spend most of their time grinding repetitive and boring activies on the so called "endgame".

 

It's a very flawed system. It's much better to have the so called "time sink" evently distributed throughout the game, not collected all at the end when there is nothing new on the horizon to move into.

Edited February 3, 2012 by JeremyDale

[TheRealDestian]

Imo, your first incorrect assumption is that people only play one single player game. If someone has time to play this and Skyrim, why wouldn't they?

 

Your second incorrect assumption is that the storylines in this game are inferior to those of single player games. This is really a matter of opinion, but I think there is enough content in this game to satisfy someone who is here merely because they are a Bioware fan (or a Star Wars fan) and not interested in MMOs.

 

I also think it's wrong to equate "MMO play" with "being able to play in a group." Imo an MMO should have mechanics for player interaction that don't necesarily require you to socialise or team up (e.g. mainly crafting, industry, economy etc). But that's more of a sandbox thing, and you wouldn't really expect it from SWTOR.

 

It's not just the storylines I'm speaking to, here.

 

In Skyrim (as with most single-player games), the ENTIRE GAME is tailored to provide a single-player experience the likes of which SWTOR cannot match.

 

It might be something as simple as having more immersion in that mobs don't endlessly respawn, key enemies who you killed don't reappear seconds later. NPCs you encounter show up later on instead of just sending you mail. The decisions you make have a real LASTING impact upon the story, etc.

 

Bottom line, no MMO is going to be able to tailor the gameplay to that of a lone player the way a single player game will. It's just not doable.

 

And if players aren't going to take advantage of the fact that this is a multiplayer game (and seem to revile those who do), why not avoid that headache and just play single player games instead?

Edited February 3, 2012 by TheRealDestian

[AtomicPenguin]

I'm not talking about people who like to solo ON OCCASION, or people who would rather play with people they know or a reliable guild. I mean people who want to play THE ENTIRE GAME without ever grouping with another person, the people who want SOLO OPS in which they use their companions as a raiding team.

 

I mean, isn't laughing with guildies fun? Isn't screwing around in general chat fun?

 

If not, WHY play an MMO, then? What do these people get out of this game that a superior single player game (like Skyrim, for example) wouldn't offer them and even MORE?

 

Is it because, as PA once said, "You can ride that **** through Ironforge!"?

 

You could have just made a topic called "I don't understand people who aren't extroverts" and it would have been the same thing.

 

 

No, screwing around in general chat isn't fun. There's only so many ill-informed conversations about bacon or whatever else the internet meme of the day is that you can handle before you get tired of it. Most people don't even seem to participate in general chat in games anymore, not even normally extroverted people, because quality conversations are so rare.

 

Not everyone wants to play with guildies, either, because they don't want their play time monopolized by what someone else wants them to do at any given moment. I don't mind helping people, but I hate feeling obligated to so I prefer to go it alone where there's no social pressure to spend my free time doing something other than just relaxing.

 

And as someone who's been solo playing MMO's since EQ came out, I have to wonder what solo player you've ever seen anywhere, ever, has been parading around to show off their gear or their mount. Solo players NEVER have had the stuff you parade around on; we can't even get it. It doesn't happen. This is beside the point that solo players generally don't even care what you think of their gear, they just want to be able to make some kind of progress.

 

It's not difficult to understand why people want solo ops, either, given that 1-50 can be played entirely solo and then you're left out to dry at 50 because they decided the game needs to be different there. It's BS when games are designed like this; if you want to enforce grouping, just do it, don't lead people through the leveling process allowing them to play one way and then forcing them into something completely different once that part of the game is finished.

[TheRealDestian]

I think most will disagree with you because that actually makes zero logical sense.

 

Solo'ers have nothing to show off.

 

Its the raiders who sit in the common areas of MMO's showing off their rare raid gotten loots and mounts.

 

Very backwards and incorrect reasoning.

 

You can disagree with me if you want though....

 

You can solo-grind to 50 and then park your huge 1.5 mil credit mount over vital services on the fleet station.

[gtmach]

I also think, because of how this game is with its voice acting and choices, being with someone else is like having a person trying to talk to you while you're reading a book or watching a movie.

[daemian]

You can solo-grind to 50 and then park your huge 1.5 mil credit mount over vital services on the fleet station.

 

This behaviour is not exclusive to soloers.

[JeremyDale]

I think most will disagree with you because that actually makes zero logical sense.

 

Solo'ers have nothing to show off.

 

Its the raiders who sit in the common areas of MMO's showing off their rare raid gotten loots and mounts.

 

Very backwards and incorrect reasoning.

 

You can disagree with me if you want though....

 

And disagree with you I will.

 

They have their high level to show off....and get to run around and pretend they are greater than the lower levels around them.

 

Also, I find most of the "i want to be able to solo everything fast" crowd tends to be the exact sort of people who love grinding the "endgame" hamster wheel.

[TheRealDestian]

This behaviour is not exclusive to soloers.

 

Never said it was, but a soloer can definitely "flaunt it" as any raider could.

 

You can do the same with battlemaster gear as a soloer.

Edited February 3, 2012 by TheRealDestian

[GellonSW]

I also think, because of how this game is with its voice acting and choices, being with someone else is like having a person trying to talk to you while you're reading a book or watching a movie.

 

 

Eh? The whole group is experiencing the same conversation. It's basically you sitting in a group watching the movie together and making snide comments about how shoddy Bioware's writing is.

[Saurakk]

You can solo-grind to 50 and then park your huge 1.5 mil credit mount over vital services on the fleet station.

 

Yes you can, but the solo'er mentality would be to park the lvl 50 in the character select screen and go solo more on one of their many alts.

 

Because with strictly solo play, there is no motivation to play a maxed level character.

[Mephismo]

Sadly the reason I solo is because I never know how long I will be on or if I will be interrupted. I wouldn't want to subject a group to me constantly going afk.

 

Single player games just don't hold me anymore after I played my first mmo (EQ). If I had to pick I would play a mmo every day of the week.

 

I don't group but as a sage I will stop and help people with quest and do drive-by buffing and heals.

 

In single player games the world just seems dead but in an mmo with other players it is alive whether I talk/group with them or not. Kinda like the real world I guess ;D.

 

This is my reason, also I am *****

[InnateOne]

For the option. Sometimes you may just not want to be around people but it's nice to be able to if you want. Perhaps you don't want to contend with others for that one piece of gear. Whatever the case my be it's nice to have the option.