Solo mode for heroics...my thoughts

[LordArtemis]

It would be a good way to provide extra content to players without having to create that content...It already exists, its just that I suspect most players skip the majority of heroics as they go.

[Elyons]

Obviously heroics were designed to be a group effort, and I am sure many folks have seen what it is like when you try to run 4 man heroics with 2 or three players and companions to fill the empty seats...especially if you are not a few levels above the mobs.

 

Bragging moment: Me and my Brother (Im a Sentinel and he's a Commando) have two manned every single 4 man since coruscant. Its totally possible, and easier then you think

[LordArtemis]

Bragging moment: Me and my Brother (Im a Sentinel and he's a Commando) have two manned every single 4 man since coruscant. Its totally possible, and easier then you think

 

That's pretty impressive. I know a few folks that do this, that can be challenging for certain heroics.

[Elyons]

OOPS noob moment of mine! I misread the post. Actually thats an AWESOME idea.

 

Up vote!

Edited November 1, 2013 by Elyons

[Sportiva]

Bragging moment: Me and my Brother (Im a Sentinel and he's a Commando) have two manned every single 4 man since coruscant. Its totally possible, and easier then you think

 

I call "shenanigans" on that claim. It is impossible.

[LordArtemis]

OOPS noob moment of mine! I misread the post. Actually thats an AWESOME idea.

 

Up vote!

 

Ah, thanks.

[Elyons]

I call "shenanigans" on that claim. It is impossible.

 

If you'd like proof, my name is Kaserai. I play on the Begeran Server.

 

My brother's name is Corsorvin. He plays on the Begeran Server as well. Pm one of us between 3-4 PM "American Mountain time" stating your forum name We are currently 42 and 44, so we'll be more then happy to escort you as a spectator on Belsalvis as we two man the 4 mans there.

 

 

 

To clarify, we do both use companions for all of these heroics.

[Sportiva]

If you'd like proof, my name is Kaserai. I play on the Begeran Server.

 

My brother's name is Corsorvin. He plays on the Begeran Server as well. Pm one of us between 3-4 PM "American Mountain time" stating your forum name We are currently 42 and 44, so we'll be more then happy to escort you as a spectator on Belsalvis as we two man the 4 mans there.

 

 

 

To clarify, we do both use companions for all of these heroics.

 

No I'll take your word for it. However, please explain how the two of you completed [HEROIC 4] The Shroud’s Last Stand/The Shroud Revealed.

[Sportiva]

If you'd like proof, my name is Kaserai. I play on the Begeran Server.

 

My brother's name is Corsorvin. He plays on the Begeran Server as well. Pm one of us between 3-4 PM "American Mountain time" stating your forum name We are currently 42 and 44, so we'll be more then happy to escort you as a spectator on Belsalvis as we two man the 4 mans there.

 

 

 

To clarify, we do both use companions for all of these heroics.

 

Ah nvm, I didn't see how low a level you were.

[LordArtemis]

Ah nvm, I didn't see how low a level you were.

 

Yes, I was going to say that later on some of the Heroic 4s are brutal...and I might contend close to impossible without 4 well geared players.

[venomlash]

Bad idea IMO.

 

I would support special (instanced, probably daily/weekly) quests at endgame where you'd bring more than one companion, but that's a different thing entirely.

[Elyons]

Yes, I was going to say that later on some of the Heroic 4s are brutal...and I might contend close to impossible without 4 well geared players.

 

Really? Hmm... That sounds interesting. Il keep you posted when we get there! I guess we'll find it out if it really is possible

[Sportiva]

Just to clarify my position.

 

I really enjoy grouping for Heroics, but the Shroud heroics in particular are almost impossible to find a group for them.

 

I've done them on 5 characters, but since it has been 7 months since RotHC, there are very few people interested in doing them. Which IMO, is a problem since they are integral in getting access to a gameplay mechanic (i.e. the macrobinoculars or the seeker droid for the other set of quests -- although that final H4 can be completed with less than 4 players.)

[Sportiva]

Really? Hmm... That sounds interesting. Il keep you posted when we get there! I guess we'll find it out if it really is possible

 

No spoilers. But the Shroud quest is impossible w/o four people.

[Vandicus]

Really? Hmm... That sounds interesting. Il keep you posted when we get there! I guess we'll find it out if it really is possible

 

There are some that demand the use of 4 people, irrelevant of gearing, because you need people to hit buttons together. The first one of those to my knowledge to exist in the game was the Aurora Cannon. Some people will run the heroic and then call others in for the button presses.

[LordArtemis]

There are some that demand the use of 4 people, irrelevant of gearing, because you need people to hit buttons together. The first one of those to my knowledge to exist in the game was the Aurora Cannon. Some people will run the heroic and then call others in for the button presses.

 

That's a good point...even if they implemented this kind of system, which of course is unlikely, any heroic that has puzzle elements like that would be impossible without other players.

 

But I think the bulk of the leveling heroics would be playable under this proposed system.

[Stradlin]

You replied to yourself.

 

God forbid that in an mmo, people group up to do stuff.

 

Heroics are there for the social challenge imo, and should remain a social feature.

 

Giving folks a soloable option for those would murder the purpose.

 

LFG tool removes the social aspect behind assembling a group. It takes very little time an effort to reach gear level that makes lvl 55 Hms ridiculously easy. For majority of people who play this game in active fashion at lvl cap, this " social challenge" you speak of doesn't much exist. For most it is just 40 mins wortyh of running through ridiculously easy instance with people you don't know or feel like talking to.

 

Solo HMs would give BW(and perhaps the player too..) more tools to control the level of difficulty. It'd make a very good deal and could prove much fun. If you worry about social experience in game as highly instanced and isolated as SWTOR, you are playing the wrong MMO.

 

Curiously enough, if they added some sort of a time run or challenge mode to it, that alone would be enough to make it more social than experience of running a typical 55 HM.

[LordArtemis]

Curiously enough, if they added some sort of a time run or challenge mode to it, that alone would be enough to make it more social than experience of running a typical 55 HM.

 

I would love to see alternate modes of play for Heroics and Flashpoints, challenges that would spice them up a bit.

[khankar]

Personally I solo a lot, and even when not I only group with one other player (my girlfriend, as it happens). We do Heroic 2 missions all the time, but always skip the Heroic 4 ones. While I understand that part of the difference between an mmo and, say, a solo console game is the idea of grouping, I personally would like another option for the Heroic 4 stuff. But even if that didn't happen due to lack of demand, I find it REALLY annoying that certain quests can be done solo for a while and then throw a Heroic 4 at you towards the end. Macrobinoculars, Seeker Droid, HK-51, ALL of these can be soloed ALMOST the entire way through...and then, BAM, Heroic 4, better group up or abandon. That's just really aggravating...I seriously do not mind group exclusive content...I don't do Operations or Flashpoints, and I don't do the Daily Heroics in places like The Black Hole, and I'm FINE with that, but the "mix it up" missions are just crappy.

 

Same with me. I just play solo all the time and i don't mind skipping Heroic missions but when they throw the Heroic missions at the end of an easy solo quest, it really annoys me. BW should really patch these missions so they can be done solo. Or make the entire quest Heroic.

[LordArtemis]

Same with me. I just play solo all the time and i don't mind skipping Heroic missions but when they throw the Heroic missions at the end of an easy solo quest, it really annoys me. BW should really patch these missions so they can be done solo. Or make the entire quest Heroic.

 

Perhaps higher perks for group play might encourage group creation...right now, for reasons unknown, groups are just difficult to form when leveling.

[Andryah]

Perhaps higher perks for group play might encourage group creation...right now, for reasons unknown, groups are just difficult to form when leveling.

 

IMO.. because of the "time-2-level" factor. Most players (not all) look for their optimum path to level. Heroics are NOT in the optimal path time wise. They are in terms of group play and challenge.. but that's really not where most players are focused in todays MMOs. So even if there were better rewards... it won't work well.. UNLESS they give out crazy high XP rewards for completion. The good news is.. changing XP reward is probably really easy to do. Then again.. there would be people doing nothing but heroics to gain accelerated XP if it's not balanced well.. so striking a balance is the real challenge for Bioware.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Andryah

[LordArtemis]

IMO.. because of the "time-2-level" factor. Most players (not all) look for their optimum path to level. Heroics are NOT in the optimal path time wise. They are in terms of group play and challenge.. but that's really not where most players are focused in todays MMOs. So even if there were better rewards... it won't work well.. UNLESS they give out crazy high XP rewards for completion. The good news is.. changing XP reward is probably really easy to do. Then again.. there would be people doing nothing but heroics to gain accelerated XP if it's not balanced well.. so striking a balance is the real challenge for Bioware.

 

It's a good point. I do not see this suggestion as a substitution for group content naturally, instead a way to provide more content to solo players if they would desire it. Naturally only Bioware, to my knowledge, has the metrics to know if most folks skip Heroics. I would say it seems sensible that Heroics do not follow the optimal leveling path.

 

And naturally the point could be made that running heroics and cause level inflation, just like doing side quests, and also that folks can return later for the majority of heroics and do them when they are grey if they wish...and I bet many do to generate comms for alts....I know I do.

 

I just thought that perhaps a solo mode with reduced rewards OR scaling might slow down the speed at which folks run to max level.

[LordArtemis]

LFG tool removes the social aspect behind assembling a group. It takes very little time an effort to reach gear level that makes lvl 55 Hms ridiculously easy. For majority of people who play this game in active fashion at lvl cap, this " social challenge" you speak of doesn't much exist. For most it is just 40 mins wortyh of running through ridiculously easy instance with people you don't know or feel like talking to.

 

I do think that if a true LFG tool existed for each planet this problem would not exist. It would be far easier to create groups when at proper level on planets for heroics if that was the case.

[Rafaman]

IMO.. because of the "time-2-level" factor. Most players (not all) look for their optimum path to level. Heroics are NOT in the optimal path time wise. They are in terms of group play and challenge.. but that's really not where most players are focused in todays MMOs. So even if there were better rewards... it won't work well.. UNLESS they give out crazy high XP rewards for completion. The good news is.. changing XP reward is probably really easy to do. Then again.. there would be people doing nothing but heroics to gain accelerated XP if it's not balanced well.. so striking a balance is the real challenge for Bioware.

 

True^^. I have become pretty adept at speed leveling and while I will LFG for a heroic while I am in an area, if it doesn't pop, I don't wait. I just move on. Flashpoints are much easier with group finder of course. I just Que and forget and let it pop when it will.

 

And BTW, depending on the class leveling, there are some heroics I can solo at level. However, I won't do it if the it will take a bunch of time to accomplish. Speed is my guide now.

 

Generally, I like the idea of different play modes for heroics especially. If they scale to the group and size would be a great thing. Tougher mobs better rewards if you go in with two and even better if you go in with four. IMO they should leave flashpoints alone for the most part. That should be left to the domain of a full group.

[Jaxtes]

I have the most trouble in the bonus heroic missions that are on Nar Shadda, Alderaan & Hoth. Bioware should change the rewards on these ones to include comms.