Eladiun wrote on Nov 4^th, 2015 at 4:33pm:


New players.
And not everyone is uber.  I mostly play solo because hardly anyone is on in my Timezone when I play, but I understand the need for grouping.  I enjoy soloing, but don't mind helping out guildies (no friends left in game - all left in disgust at what DDO has become and Turdbine CS).

The game depends on new players otherwise the attrition will kill it.

If it is marketed as an MMO, there has to be some interaction, otherwise people will get a superior DnD experience by playing Baldur's Gate or some other non-online game.

Or maybe not even DnD, just a better use of their free time.  With Halo5 released, I have spent most of my gaming time playing the Master Chief collection (remastered) and Halo5 now.

Quote:


Yeah, I don't know what the "right" answer is at this stage as the game is in decline.
If they produced a master stroke and really got something right that motivated players to play and stay (eg. GS2), they might actually get players back and cause populations to sustainably rise again.

So designing a system to cater for a game on the slope to oblivion is tricky.  Educated debate, listening to representative feedback from the community and understanding what drives player behaviour in the segment you're looking at are all important factors for them to consider (which they won't).  Hence they have virtually no chance of getting the solution right.

The important thing is that if you try to implement something that appeals to all, it will likely fail as the playerbase has such diverse foci.
Hardcore players are a minority, but they are an important part of the DDO ecosystem.  Average players & filthy casuals probably make up the majority - and probably spend the most money on the game, so they need to be considered.
Then you have the new players.  No game company will survive if they cannot appeal to the new player base and try to keep retentions above the level of attrition.  I do sometimes wonder how many of those new player stats are just mule accounts...... 

Who Cares wrote on Nov 4^th, 2015 at 6:34pm:


ROFLMAO.

Too true.

Asheras wrote on Nov 4^th, 2015 at 7:03pm:


The only pugs I ever ran with were Stainer-Gawna productions (for the LOLz) or an occasional Shroud for mats otherwise it was guild or channel groups.

Asheras wrote on Nov 4^th, 2015 at 7:19pm:


We had a couple TR/Completionist groups that were amazing to run with. Goodthings was pushing some crazy turn around time on TR's. TR'ing with Kountry or Heltzer was amazing as well.

The downside is with that kind of group pugs are either a liability or get left behind in the run.

Asheras wrote on Nov 4^th, 2015 at 7:31pm:



One hell of a raid leader too back when eLOB was the top of the heap; he ran near flawless runs. Those are the guys and runs I miss the most when I think back on DDO.

Then I resub; run a 12 man; freeze lag for 5 minutes; die and remember.

Haven't really been active since in DDO since 2012. Though I few old timers on Facebook are trying to drag us back for old school drunken raids.

Asheras wrote on Nov 4^th, 2015 at 7:31pm:

I see Good every once in a while. We chat sometimes and then I usually log off. I haven't been very motivated to play for more than a half hour or so for quite some time.

Couldn't they incentivize quest(s) by simply putting a box to click on as "group quest" where the minimum group has to be 5?

The incentive could be higher percentage of drops, more loot, more XP, or all of the above?

As for me, I solo simply because I often have to just "walk away" from the game because of family (they come first).

[] wrote on Nov 5^th, 2015 at 4:02pm:



haaha, well if walking away from a game to tend to my family makes me a "loser" then by all means, call me the biggest looser of all, I am damn proud of it; which of course makes you full of win!


PS. based upon that response, one can only conclude you aren't a man by any measure.

palmer01 wrote on Nov 5^th, 2015 at 3:34pm:


I'm in the same boat mate, so I can relate to that.  Getting interrupted makes it hard to get immersed.  I have found PoE more amenable to short stints of play.

My kids come first, so I have a lot less time to play now.
Glad to hear you have your priorities right mate.
When the game is dead and buried, your kids will love and respect you for it.