Guild Wars 2

There’s really not much else to say here. Players who don’t want to put forth effort do not deserve rewards. Dungeons are group content and if people don’t want to group to complete them that is their choice. Their choice should not ruin the experience of those who actually desire to run group content. Moreover to nerf story modes would begin the slippery slope casualization causes in every MMO. Fist they want story modes nerfed. Then explorables. Then Fractals.

I would hope Arenanet is not willing to go down this dangerous path of catering to casuals at the expense of those who actually enjoy group content.

Games can exist containing group content with more than one difficulty level. I want to play a game with a variety of difficulties depending on how much time and energy I have available.

But there’s no rewards for story mode…

Unless you like horrible rare hats, that is.

Do you not understand the concept of difficulty levels? Why would you need story mode to be hard? If it’s reasonable it’s always there for the casual players who even find something like kholer hard.

Turgon.8625:

Games can exist containing group content with more than one difficulty level. I want to play a game with a variety of difficulties depending on how much time and energy I have available.

^^ Totally agree
A good game has something for everyone. People who like group activities will always do group activities and even want more- such as bigger raids as seen in the suggestion forum. Doesn’t make the soloers happy. So implement stuff for both and in an ideal world everyone would be happy.

As for those horrible hats, I salvaged one and got 3 ectos off it,so can’t complain XD.

I am fine with solo story modes, especially since explorables are gate by them. However, explorables should NEVER be nerfed or be designed for groups of less than five. Honestly, it is the only content in the game for PvE players that has any meat on it. The majority of the paths are already so easy that they can be completed in full pug groups in thirty minutes. I’ve never even been in a group that has needed to manipulate Defiant stacks – which would make it even easier.

I am trying not to be short-sighted, but it irks me that some players blame the dungeon difficulty intead of improving as a player. As for solo dungeons with minions or whatever – this is a muliplayer, guild-based game. I don’t know how else to say this. I fully agree with you, OP.

In a game with no group forming system, i don’t see why there shouldn’t be a solo option.

Story-mode should be introduction to dungeon layout, enemy-types and mechanics.
It’s not really relevant whether you can solo or faceroll it as long as it prepares you for exp-mode (until you add gold/exp reward).
It’s not a surprise no one is doing story-modes when they are often harder/longer than exp-modes (with crappy rewards), and doesn’t really even teach you anything about exp-mode.

angan.6572:

In a game with no group forming system, i don’t see why there shouldn’t be a solo option.

LFG tools are a recent development. Players were successful in the old MMOs as well. Meet new people, socialize with your realm community, build a friend list of capable / nice people, and join a guild. The system isn’t automated, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Toxyn.9608:

angan.6572:

In a game with no group forming system, i don’t see why there shouldn’t be a solo option.

LFG tools are a recent development. Players were successful in the old MMOs as well. Meet new people, socialize with your realm community, build a friend list of capable / nice people, and join a guild. The system isn’t automated, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Actually they aren’t a recent development.

Many MMOs have had lfg tools built in. I am surprised that there isn’t a lfg tool built in since the framework for it is there. It is definitely not a hard thing to implement since people have already done it unofficially for this game. (I will not cite urls here since that may infract)

Depends on your definition of recent. It also doesn’t change the fact that they are not needed to create groups.

angan.6572:

In a game with no group forming system, i don’t see why there shouldn’t be a solo option.

Because if you can’t handle a story mode dungeon then you have no right to step into an explorable dungeon. Fact.

Vasham.2408:

angan.6572:

In a game with no group forming system, i don’t see why there shouldn’t be a solo option.

Because if you can’t handle a story mode dungeon then you have no right to step into an explorable dungeon. Fact.

Disregarding Vasham’s hostile tone, there is a good point here. If story modes are soloable then new players may have even less preparation when going into explorable for the first time.

There should be a ramp of difficulty from the easiest of group content all the way to the hardcore top.

The OP is worried about story mode nerfs cascading down into all other challenging content. However I am worried that group instance content will remain hostile and uninviting without a gradient of difficulties. Lets hope Anet can find the balance since a binary position of all hard or all easy is not a good place.

Vasham.2408:

angan.6572:

In a game with no group forming system, i don’t see why there shouldn’t be a solo option.

Because if you can’t handle a story mode dungeon then you have no right to step into an explorable dungeon. Fact.

Except that in some cases story-mode is harder than explorable.

Vasham.2408:

angan.6572:

In a game with no group forming system, i don’t see why there shouldn’t be a solo option.

Because if you can’t handle a story mode dungeon then you have no right to step into an explorable dungeon. Fact.

how is that an argument to why there is no group forming system in game like ANY OTHER MMO in existance ?

Right, to put my two-bits in, I would personally prefer if story mode was easier than explorable. It should either prepare or test newer player’s skills, while still being do-able by the more ‘casual’ players. Now, I’ve run AC, SE, CM, TA, and Arah story modes, and AC, SE, HotW, and CoF explorable. In my own experience, which may differ from other players depending on their groups, skill levels, and play styles, I have found the explorable modes easier than story, especially in AC (although, I haven’t done AC story since beta, so that may no longer be accurate).

To me, it seems that story mode ought to give a story and introduction to the dungeon and its mechanics, which seems to only be the case in a few instances (SE’s Kudu fight corresponding to path 1’s Golem fight), and more often you have complete shifts in mechanics, enemy types, and a lowering of difficulty (again citing AC for this, ghosts to gravelings, the lovers being more difficult than the ghost king or any other main boss in my opinion).

However, I don’t think the difficulty of story mode should be lowered (in arah’s case, it could certainly use a buff…). I would prefer seeing Explorables more difficult. I’m also not a fan of people being able to farm explorables, ie grab 4 warriors and a mesmer then run through the map using pathing and the group build to clear the instance in under 15 minutes, but I know many wouldn’t agree with me on that point (my solution would be to have dungeon mobs not drop aggro based on inability to reach you/distance, but that’s something entirely unrelated).

Regardless, I agree with the OP the story modes don’t need nerfed, weakened, or otherwise made easier, with the possible exception of making the arah story mode accessible to casual players for their personal story (and hopefully more engaging in the final fight/changing the ending, which I will not say for the sake of spoilers).

I would hope Arenanet will not be so willing to go down the dangerous path of catering to Elitist, at the expense of those who actually pay to play the game too.

Content should be variable based on the level and number of those taking on the challenge. A closed instanced dungeon is too old fashioned and it’s time has come. Dungeons should be dynamic events. Where we all can pile in and the difficulty scales to it.

DeWolfe.2174:

I would hope Arenanet will not be so willing to go down the dangerous path of catering to Elitist, at the expense of those who actually pay to play the game too.

Content should be variable based on the level and number of those taking on the challenge. A closed instanced dungeon is too old fashioned and it’s time has come. Dungeons should be dynamic events. Where we all can pile in and the difficulty scales to it.

One elitist is worth more than a thousand casuals.