Solo mode for heroics...my thoughts

[LordArtemis]

Your solution to people being UNABLE to find groups for group content - is to find a group or play the content SOLO

There are literally times on servers where the population of a planet is less than 4 so your solution to this issue that is OUTSIDE the player's control is to blame the player for being anti-social ?

 

Alternatively, your solution is to 'over-level' content and do it solo - Brilliant solution which ends up happening on planet after planet.

Result: Players end up going through the game missing chunks of the game because there is not enough people to group for the content then just soloing it themselves...

 

But of course your going to complain that content that people are already working around by doing it solo at high level should not be made solo-able on-level and thus remove the need for a stupid workaround in the first place.

These missions are part of the planet story and meant to be done as part of the time on the planet. Making people skip them is the equivalent of forcing people to skip chapters of a book.

 

It is bad enough that even with Group Finder it can be a pain to get a group for a flashpoint on the server but the heroics on the planets are even worse.

 

Well, to be fair the LFG tool does work pretty well. And you have to consider, IMO, the idea that you are out leveling, running missions, so making a group on a planet if you are in a que might be easier than doing so on the fleet.

 

On the fleet you can, of course, be busy with other activities, but on a planet you are likely busy engaged in leveling content, just like normal. An LFG tool would work well in this case IMO.

 

I also don't think it's nice to call him "dense". Insult the opinion, not the person.

Edited November 8, 2013 by LordArtemis

[Mallorik]

I don't have a problem with solo heroics, I think they would be fine time sinks and they could be made for something people can do while waiting in the que. They could give them unique cosmetic rewards or something but I would see them more as time killers and just all around fun.

[AshlaBoga]

Oh yeah im prett sure i speak for them when i say its a multiplayer game ment to be played with groups for group content. Im not saying anything you havent said yourself

 

You want to solo heroics. Thats fine.

 

I can't remember the last time I agreed with mmjarec, but I do agree with him here.

 

The problem isn't the Heroics OP, it's your inability to solo them.

 

I have soloed Heroics below level - I soloed Level 22 H4s at level 21, I've soloed level 49 H2s at level 47.

If I can do it, then a hundred thousand other players can as well.

 

So you know what this tells me? You aren't trying hard enough.

[LordArtemis]

I can't remember the last time I agreed with mmjarec, but I do agree with him here.

 

The problem isn't the Heroics OP, it's your inability to solo them.

 

I have soloed Heroics below level - I soloed Level 22 H4s at level 21, I've soloed level 49 H2s at level 47.

If I can do it, then a hundred thousand other players can as well.

 

So you know what this tells me? You aren't trying hard enough.

 

I don't have an inability to solo them. I have thoughts about what a solo mode for heroics could be like or adding an LFG tool to planets. If the metrics do not support my contentions then this is a moot point naturally.

Edited November 9, 2013 by LordArtemis

[LordArtemis]

I don't have a problem with solo heroics, I think they would be fine time sinks and they could be made for something people can do while waiting in the que. They could give them unique cosmetic rewards or something but I would see them more as time killers and just all around fun.

 

Well, I think a separate que, like a LFG tool for each planet would work best, and that would preclude use of the flashpoint que I would expect.

[AshlaBoga]

I don't have an inability to solo them. I have thoughts about what a solo mode for heroics could be like or adding an LFG tool to planets. If the metrics do not support my contentions then this is a moot point naturally.

 

Well, as long as I could do the original version of the Heroic and get the original rewards. I like to underlevel and solo Heroics for fun, and I don't want that taken away from me by them being nerfed.

[October]

I solo a lot because I'm a pretty sporadic player that plays at my own pace. I'll maybe binge play a lot one weekend and not come back for a month or so.

 

This has proven problematic for me since the Microbinocular and Seeker-droid Heroic missions. Perhaps I waited too long to complete them, or maybe not everyone has gone through the effort to reach those, but I cannot seem to be able to find a group to do the heroics. Nor can I solo them on my own.

 

Even though I play solo most the game, I would like to complete all the heroics, but it's often hard to find a group for some things, or simply irritating to wait.

[Tsillah]

I solo a lot because I'm a pretty sporadic player that plays at my own pace. I'll maybe binge play a lot one weekend and not come back for a month or so.

 

This has proven problematic for me since the Microbinocular and Seeker-droid Heroic missions. Perhaps I waited too long to complete them, or maybe not everyone has gone through the effort to reach those, but I cannot seem to be able to find a group to do the heroics. Nor can I solo them on my own.

 

Even though I play solo most the game, I would like to complete all the heroics, but it's often hard to find a group for some things, or simply irritating to wait.

 

Yeh I never got that decision. It's a solo quest line for most of it but I stopped doing it for that particular reason. I don't even do the first quest anymore even because I know the end of the line will be a pain, so why even start? I just take the initial quests to have the items because you need them for other things like Oricon daily bonus quests. The problem is that because of that I have 2 quests stuck in my quest log of 25 quests max. That's the biggest bull of the whole thing.

[LordArtemis]

Well, as long as I could do the original version of the Heroic and get the original rewards. I like to underlevel and solo Heroics for fun, and I don't want that taken away from me by them being nerfed.

 

Absolutely. The idea is to first suggest a LFG for each planet, or short of that a solo mode for the heroic that has reduced rewards if you are short on participants. Something that scales with group size or allows a group of all companions, that way you can enjoy the content.

 

But this by no means means that the original intent and setup for the heroics needs to change. They would continue to have the best rewards.

[Sarlegant]

I would support this idea to use companions to fill in heroics...

 

There is a simple problem, we're all leveling at our own pace. somewhere on the planet. You either haven't gotten the quest yet, or already moved on. Sometimes it's as easy as a quck gen chat invite, other times no replies... often times, it's 2 of us running a +4 with our companions... point is, it's hit and miss and you're lucky if someone is also ready to hit the heroics. Even when you are playing in primetime, and get 3 others, it's unusual if it 's a trinity group with a tank, 2 dps, and heals. Actual, it's usually 4 toons that are specced for dps and you just ******** the heroic.

 

I'd enjoy getting some use out of some of my comps... I use t7 till I get Kira, and then Kira till I get Doc... Sarge and the Lord never saw action. Needing them, would help give us reasons to gear them. I'm bad, I don't even bother to pass down T7's old gear to C2.

 

A possible drawback exists early in the game, especially for some classes slow to get additional companions... Jedi Knight for example... my Sent, just hit 38 finishing Balmora, before getting my 3rd companion Doc.

A selling point for Bioware, if this idea was implemented, I'd actually need HK and/or Tweek. How about C2-N2 actually learning to fire a pistol... point and fire, like a 3 year old with a water pistol... even if it's white damage and alot of misses, still better than C2 throwing a punch.

 

/2 cents

/end rant

[LordArtemis]

I would support this idea to use companions to fill in heroics...

 

There is a simple problem, we're all leveling at our own pace. somewhere on the planet. You either haven't gotten the quest yet, or already moved on. Sometimes it's as easy as a quck gen chat invite, other times no replies... often times, it's 2 of us running a +4 with our companions... point is, it's hit and miss and you're lucky if someone is also ready to hit the heroics. Even when you are playing in primetime, and get 3 others, it's unusual if it 's a trinity group with a tank, 2 dps, and heals. Actual, it's usually 4 toons that are specced for dps and you just ******** the heroic.

 

I'd enjoy getting some use out of some of my comps... I use t7 till I get Kira, and then Kira till I get Doc... Sarge and the Lord never saw action. Needing them, would help give us reasons to gear them. I'm bad, I don't even bother to pass down T7's old gear to C2.

 

A possible drawback exists early in the game, especially for some classes slow to get additional companions... Jedi Knight for example... my Sent, just hit 38 finishing Balmora, before getting my 3rd companion Doc.

A selling point for Bioware, if this idea was implemented, I'd actually need HK and/or Tweek. How about C2-N2 actually learning to fire a pistol... point and fire, like a 3 year old with a water pistol... even if it's white damage and alot of misses, still better than C2 throwing a punch.

 

/2 cents

/end rant

 

You could get stand in NPCs that would fill the gaps until you have enough comps to fill the roles needed.

[Tellenn]

Heroics are another example of why the game didn't get its concepts right. When players are going around doing their single player game with their companions they don't want to wait half an hour getting a group together for an heroic just to have the same **** as in FP's of some going spacebar spacebar at any narrative or having to sit watching 10 minutes of cut scenes you don't want to. Modern mmos have scheduled Public Quests swtors heroics just seem an old concept that games have moved on from.

[LordArtemis]

Heroics are another example of why the game didn't get its concepts right. When players are going around doing their single player game with their companions they don't want to wait half an hour getting a group together for an heroic just to have the same **** as in FP's of some going spacebar spacebar at any narrative or having to sit watching 10 minutes of cut scenes you don't want to. Modern mmos have scheduled Public Quests swtors heroics just seem an old concept that games have moved on from.

 

Perhaps an LFG tool for each planet that has an option to check off that indicates story mode.

[Tolgeranth]

4 man heroics are easily 2 mannable with blue gear and properly geared comps. Green does not equal good......

[LordArtemis]

4 man heroics are easily 2 mannable with blue gear and properly geared comps. Green does not equal good......

 

Perhaps, but that is not always the case. In this respect I am suggesting ways that folks can either form groups easier, IE have a planet specific LFG, or have a solo mode with reduced rewards so they do not miss out on the content.

 

It is pretty obvious, if the net, in game chat or this thread/forum is any indication that many folks skip the heroics for many reasons. The metrics would tell the story, but if that is the case than folks are skipping a fair bit of content when they don't have to.

[LordArtemis]

Yeh I never got that decision. It's a solo quest line for most of it but I stopped doing it for that particular reason. I don't even do the first quest anymore even because I know the end of the line will be a pain, so why even start? I just take the initial quests to have the items because you need them for other things like Oricon daily bonus quests. The problem is that because of that I have 2 quests stuck in my quest log of 25 quests max. That's the biggest bull of the whole thing.

 

I think having heroics as the end of a quest chain for secondary missions like the seeker droid mission set is not a wise move on their part. It's difficult enough to get groups together for mainstream grouped missions, like flashpoints...it seems to me getting them together for quests like that is nearly impossible.

[Thlaylie]

I don't understand why this is so hard for people to get, but I will try to enlighten everyone.

 

People play games to get away from the world, because it sucks.

 

It sucks because of people, having to deal with them and compete for resources with them.

 

MMO's stupidly try to encourage grouping, when most of us have had quite enough of people in our real lives.

 

The game company that finally figures this out and scales all the group stuff so it can be played solo will be the one that wins all the profit.

 

Just because all MMOs before this one have done something is no reason not to be progressive and improve the regime.

 

Adding this content to the game will not impact those that prefer grouping in any way other than them knowing that some people are soloing the same content and they feel, "that's not how an MMO is played."

 

If everyone just minded their own business and didn't worry about other people, even the real world would be better.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Thlaylie

[Mowermanx]

I wouldn't like to see any dev resources wasted on this.

It is optional content for people that like to group up and beat on some baddies, nothing more, nothing less.

[Thlaylie]

Seeing ALL the resources and the difficulty scaling already is in game there would be very little effort needed.

[McSomething]

I don't understand why this is so hard for people to get, but I will try to enlighten everyone.

 

People play games to get away from the world, because it sucks.

 

It sucks because of people, having to deal with them and compete for resources with them.

 

MMO's stupidly try to encourage grouping, when most of us have had quite enough of people in our real lives.

 

The game company that finally figures this out and scales all the group stuff so it can be played solo will be the one that wins all the profit.

 

Just because all MMOs before this one have done something is no reason not to be progressive and improve the regime.

 

Adding this content to the game will not impact those that prefer grouping in any way other than them knowing that some people are soloing the same content and they feel, "that's not how an MMO is played."

 

If everyone just minded their own business and didn't worry about other people, even the real world would be better.

Easy fix; go play a single player game. Not an MMO. MMOs are meant to be social by design. That's their purpose.

[Artrii]

I've played an mmo that eventually made it so a person could fill an entire group with special companion npc's to 'solo' quests. It pretty much killed the whole community working together idea that you should get from mmos. Everyone was running around with their geared companions doing all the quests and such without help from any other thinking human beings. Pretty much only time any people were around each other and interacting was in towns to buy/sell things.

 

I NEVER want to play a game that allows that ever again. I'd rather skip the heroics all together than to run them with a bunch of NPCs if I had the choice.

[jstankaroslo]

so forcing people to group is what the MMO's been designed for? Your idea of fun: have other people forced to play with me. And of course the way you like it (spacebar!!!)

I grouped several times, always regreted it.

The first thing people do when group on some planet? No introductions, no chit-chat, just turn around and run in their desired direction. Is this supposed to be role playing (as in 'massive role playing game')? I don;t think so.

All this content lost, because you have to be grouped to finish it. What a waste.

Grouping seem to be an option for some school kids, that finish their classes and play computer games instead of doing their homework.

Solo option for heroics will not affect those who enjoy grouping (if they really enjoy it).

[MariaD]

I would prefer to add tools that make grouping more rewarding, or easier. For example, tying planetary heroics to reputation assures people want to do them. It's super-easy to find groups for all heroics that give reputation.

 

Several people in this game said they want to play solo of the time. I would prefer these tendencies strongly discouraged. When I go to a math conference, it's a positive experience in part because I assume everybody there likes math. They may not want to do math all the time, or with me, but I know they do it sometimes and it makes for a more coherent community. When I play an MMO, I want to assume others like to be with people at least part of the time.

[khankar]

I wish BW would just scale the difficulty as others have suggested. I want to kill Malgus but i really don't want to play with other people. i just want to solo. that's why KOTOR I/II were so much fun.

 

BW, please make it so...

[Thlaylie]

Easy fix; go play a single player game. Not an MMO. MMOs are meant to be social by design. That's their purpose.

 

Right away as soon as they release KOTOR III or an equivalent Star Wars single player game.

 

For now I'm stuck with SWTOR because they decided to make it an MMO.

 

Not my fault.