Mentoring System just makes good business sense!

[Jaavik]

I'm really hoping that Bioware gives some strong consideration to a mentoring/side-kicking system as soon as possible. After the server transfers start making it so we can more easily play together, the next step is to strengthen the community of these more populated servers.

 

Probably the MAIN reason I couldn't keep myself interested in World of Warcraft was that the people who were trying to get me to play were the friends who were hardcore players. They really loved the game and I wanted to love it too.

 

I have no complaints about it other than there wasn't a good way for me to be able to play with my friends. They could run me through a dungeon and kill everything for me so i could grab the gear. But it wasn't ME playing the game, I was just along for the ride. And they couldn't "group with me" because it would kill and XP and I wouldn't be able to progress. They were more than willing to help me with money, gear, items, etc. but it wasn't the same.

 

I think I got a little spoiled but I mainly cut my teeth with "City of Heroes". There are definitely better looking and better playing MMO's out there, but I have to say, I have never experienced a stronger community.

 

My guild-mates were constantly forming groups of all sorts of levels to get together and run missions because each higher level character could "sidekick" a lower level to bring their level just below theirs. They didn't get any additional abilities, but the ones they had would play at the appropriate power. It made for a more unified gaming community.

 

This system eliminated that wall that tends to exist between lower and higher level characters. Lower level characters, especially if they are NEW players, get frustrated when they don't have someone willing to play with them or show them HOW to play. Side-kicking makes it fun to play alongside lower level toons.

 

It will keep many of the more casual players interested in the game and keep their subscriptions active. It will also bring some subscriptions back and make it easier for new subscriptions to enjoy the game as an MMO and not just a single player game.