Guild Wars 2

Arenanet please hear me out. I was thinking about this yesterday as I had nothing I really felt like doing in the game, so I just decided to go poke around in Caudecus Manor by myself in story mode. Now I’d just like to say I’ve been playing GW2 since it was released, I have 6 characters all level 80 and the Dungeon Master title, so I’ve played my fair share of the game, so don’t think I’m trying to make a complaint about dungeons being too hard or the fact that I don’t like social interaction. I’m simply asking for a second look at how the dungeons should work.

First off I love RPG’s, I’m a huge Elder Scrolls fan, and anyone that’s played them knows how detailed the environment is (picking up books, looting dressers that sort of the thing), and because of my experience in those types of games, I find myself craving a detailed level of interaction in my favorite MMO. So it’s not that there isn’t one there, but the way that the story mode in dungeons is set up right now can sort of limit you from that, unless you have a very specific group of friends who enjoy playing exactly like you, but not everyone has that luxury. So what will more than likely happen is you’ll get into a group, and then you feel this pressure to just get through it and not waste anyone else’s time, skip the cutscenes, skip the dialogue, not really know what’s going on, because let’s face it, 3/5 of those people probably just want to complete it so they can have explorable mode active on that character. If that’s all you want, then that’s fine, but I think a lot more people would be happy with the dungeon stories, if they felt a better connection to them, which I feel could be better achieved by making them soloable.

The story modes for the dungeons are sort of like branched stories to the personal story, right? But what always irritated me about them is that, if you’re in a group of people and you’re not the instance owner, you have some random goober you don’t know playing the main protagonist and filling in the cutscenes. I want MY character to be the one who’s helping out in this particular scenario and not just some tag along nobody, hence…soloable dungeon story’s. Now I’m not saying do away with being able to create a party for dungeon story’s but the option should be there in my opinion.

So what would be so bad about this idea? I would like to see there still be challenge to the story dungeons, maybe a regular story mode and a hard mode (still soloable) but much like in GW1, have your npc allies be useful! Oh! what a concept! Who knows maybe even let us control them in the same fashion as GW1 Heroes? That would be amazing. There’s a lot more good that could come of this as well. For example new daily achievement: Complete Dungeon story mode, Complete Dungeon story mode in hard mode? You could even make leaderboards and a scoring system for the competitive types out there, see which players can finish a dungeon the fastest and let them record a run, much like how in pvp you can have a spectating room.

The main reason for me personally though to be able to have Dungeon Story soloable is just so I can play through it, get rewards, and enjoy it AT MY OWN PACE. Sometimes I like to roleplay a bit and put my character into /walk mode and talk to every npc, I should be allowed to do that without being pressured by my teammates to hurry it along. Look we’ve got 3 paths to every dungeon in explorable mode if you want to gather with a party and beat a dungeon, which, on a side note I’d like to add I’ve never watched ANY of the cutscenes to any dungeon explorable in fear of simply being kicked from the group…honestly. Is that really what Arenanet had in mind when they designed the dungeons? Let the story mode be something a little different I say, and let those who want to enjoy the work that was put into the dialogue and cutscenes be enjoyed.

So if anyone agrees or would like to add anything please show your support to this topic.

Thanks all.

You’ll love this: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Personal-Story-Restoration-update/first

Why didn’t you just solo it when you were poking around in there?

As for your suggestion, I can’t really see why not, hard modes would also be nice. But in all honesty, the chances of the existing dungeons getting any major updates is slim to none.

I’m still hoping they’ll give all the dungeons the Arah treatment and in the process make them all part of the personal story

I agree 100% OP

Since they are making the Arah step solo it makes sense to do the others aswell.

I don’t group. Rarely anyways.. and I prefer it that way because I like playing at a slow pace and talking to NPC’s and taking afk’s whenever I want. I like that you can go out in the world and be able to just play with anyone without grouping and doing raid like encounters. For this reason I don’t do the story modes when they pop up in my journal but that would bring so much to the game for me. To me they should be solo because you’re the hero of this story and if I am with other people who are also the hero’s then doesn’t that break the immersion aspect of it? I’d love to have strong NPC allies to help me along but the personal story has always been about the player character but those big chunks of story are missing if you don’t want to group for it. It’s a shame really! I do hope they change it.. it would make a lot of sense if they did. Plus it would help out the people who just want to complete it to get to the explorables.. then they dont have to watch the dialog if they don’t want to.

I’m with you OP – story mode dungeons really should have been solo or optional party content from the beginning – similar to how your personal story works where you can have a friend along in your instance if you want, but it’s definitely not required.

Reminds me of a time when I was helping a friend with his first time through story mode Arah. We used LFG to get three random folks with us. At the first cut scene I noticed the random people had voted to kick my friend. When I asked them why they did that, they said it was because he was watching the cut scene. In hindsight I suppose we should have warned them this was his first time and that we’d be watching cut scenes. Still, it made his first Arah experience a bit less than desirable.

This needs to happen, and it’s quite a shame it hasn’t already. I want to know who thought it was a good idea to have Story mode dungeons be group content. It completely breaks the flow of the story and often turns people off to dungeons in general. Allowing them to be soloable would probably entice people to revisit the dungeon again with a group.

Poor design.

This would be awesome. i myself havent done the story modes yet except for 1, because when i do, i want to watch cutscenes. i also want to do so at my own pace.

Would be nice.

I actually often prefer playing in groups, when the group is big enough and anonymous enough that you still have some autonomy.

But I often end up disliking small, intimate groups, as they are so often ruined by an obnoxious player (or players), basically, trying to bully everyone else.

So, sometimes, it would be nice to just be able to solo some instances.

Of course, the double-edged sword in this game is the scaling, but I’m sure they could add an option for soloing, fairly easily, if they wanted.

100‰ yes to making story modes in all dungeons party-optional.

Just thought I should say that I gave soloing the first two dungeons (on story mode) a go, on Ranger, and managed it

I had tried Caudecus’s Manor previously, but I was in all Berserker gear at the time, so it was a bit of a nightmare trying to juggle big groups of mobs.

Just couldn’t quite stay alive long enough for CDs to refresh…

But, now I have Soldier’s gear and some ascended rings and an amulet (still only exotic Ruby Orichalcum earrings in Zerker stats, though) and it was still not what I would call easy as such, but it was doable.

Used drake pets.

I’m still quite new to this game, so if you are too, thought you might like to know so you can maybe give it a go.

Not saying your idea shouldn’t still be implemented.

As, as I say, it was reasonably challenging and took a while (and may be harder on some classes), but still.

I’m not big fan of dungeons and fractals. I did them only a few times and mostly with guildmates, but I always had a bad feeling what will happen if I would be downed or not play it correctly although it was my first time and nobody told me what to do. I have that feeling always even though everything is going smoothly.

I did only once Arah story to finish personal story with my main character. A few others are waiting just for rework of it to do it solo.

I made only one L80 character after megaserver update and NPE and I’m missing traits related to story dungeons. I would like to do them solo and watch the cutscenes to know what am I doing there and why.

Anet already showed that it is possible to do it. If I remember it correctly so enemies in Tower of Nightmares instances were scaled according to the amount of people in party. Story dungeons could be done similarly. Story dungeons should just show players what to expect in explorable mode (even more difficult), but first of all to tell the story. I would really like it this way.

I don’t understand why people don’t just solo it if they want to o.O

Like, what’s the point in complaining about any of them besides AC and Arah story gates? All of the other ones are easily soloable on every class, AC story gate is actually soloable on any class with a leap or teleport too. Those two I get, but I don’t understand what the problem is for the rest of them.

You can either solo them now, or just post an LFG saying “story, no skipping cutscenes.”

Now, if someone still kicks you from your story mode even after you state that in your LFG ad, then we have a problem. At least give it a try.

Purple Miku.7032:

I don’t understand why people don’t just solo it if they want to o.O

Like, what’s the point in complaining about any of them besides AC and Arah story gates? All of the other ones are easily soloable on every class, AC story gate is actually soloable on any class with a leap or teleport too. Those two I get, but I don’t understand what the problem is for the rest of them.

You can either solo them now, or just post an LFG saying “story, no skipping cutscenes.”

Now, if someone still kicks you from your story mode even after you state that in your LFG ad, then we have a problem. At least give it a try.

Just like some people have trouble with Jumping Puzzles, despite others thinking they’re the easiest thing in the world, not everyone can solo dungeons just because you can.

In all honesty the story mode Dungeons are OPTIONAL, they’re not integral to the Personal Story what so ever and don’t even need to be done for a cohesive story for your character. What those SM Dungeons are for is getting Destiny’s Edge reunited for the battle against Zhaitan, nothing more. If you can some how manage to weave them into your PS, all the better for you, but they leave out nothing in the end and you really never have to do them at all(as I have never done any of them on Live, other than the Victory or Death). They are barely related to the Personal Story as is, if they were more intertwined I would agree, but in their current format…no.

Agreed. If they make all the dungeons soloable, I would do them all. No insult intended, but many players don’t get how to do dungeons much less how to play their class.

From my own experience, I tend to be the last person alive and soloing a grouped event anyway in fractals or Living Story dungeons.

So I’m already soloing the content, but it’s too time-consuming overall to solo for the little rewards.

Again, if they adjust the content to make it soloable, I’d be all over it.

Zaklex.6308:

In all honesty the story mode Dungeons are OPTIONAL, they’re not integral to the Personal Story what so ever and don’t even need to be done for a cohesive story for your character. What those SM Dungeons are for is getting Destiny’s Edge reunited for the battle against Zhaitan, nothing more. If you can some how manage to weave them into your PS, all the better for you, but they leave out nothing in the end and you really never have to do them at all(as I have never done any of them on Live, other than the Victory or Death). They are barely related to the Personal Story as is, if they were more intertwined I would agree, but in their current format…no.

There are two reasons this is not true.

The first is that in order to unlock the explorable dungeons you have to do the story dungeon. While you can still join a group that has already done it and unlocked them, that still means it had to have been done at some point. So not optional entirely.

Second is that the personal story involves Destiny’s Edge. The first chapter of your person story involves one of the members of Destiny’s Edge somewhat mentoring you, most just you hanging around them for a while doing stuff while they watch from the sidelines. Then, at level 30, you get to see all of Destiny’s Edge come together, get into a massive fight and break up, apparently irreparably. Finally, at level 80, you come to Arah and they are a fully cohesive group and working together like a team.

Without the story modes of all the dungeons before then the transition from the team at level 30 to the team at level 80 is nonsensical. AC shows Eir trying to make things better with Logan and Rytlok and shows Rytlok’s attitude about what happened. CM introduces Logan’s feelings for Jenna, why he left the team, and Zojja’s feelings. TA explains Caithe’s situation with Foalin, which is further delved into during LW Season 2. SE gives the entire breakdown of Destiny’s Edge. CoF reunites Logan and Rytlok and helps to restore their bromance. HoW restores Eir’s confidence in herself. CoE Logan and Rytlok help Zojja get over herself and the loss of Snaff. After all that, when you get to Arah to find them all finally able to work together like they used to it make sense. It’s all part of the same story, especially since you are directly involved in all of those events, so it should be part of the personal story and as such played personally.

I support soloable dungeon story modes, but not at the cost of them being repeatable. If I want to shoot Zhaitan down for the third time on my warrior, let me relive that moment. If I want to kill the Lich, Abaddon, or Shiro, I can pop into a gw1 character with th appropriate mission, pick a group of heroes and have at it in less than 5 minutes.

What’s so hard in scaling down a dungeon and leaving it a dungeon?

Boro.7359:

I support soloable dungeon story modes, but not at the cost of them being repeatable. If I want to shoot Zhaitan down for the third time on my warrior, let me relive that moment. If I want to kill the Lich, Abaddon, or Shiro, I can pop into a gw1 character with th appropriate mission, pick a group of heroes and have at it in less than 5 minutes.

What’s so hard in scaling down a dungeon and leaving it a dungeon?

I agree with this. I want them to be solo-friendly, but still repeatable.

It’s a bit awkward that Arah story is the final part of both the personal story and the dungeon story. It would be nice if the dungeon story was made soloable (by your average player, not just by good players) and merged into the personal story. The problem is that the personal story isn’t very repeatable. You either have to make an alt or join someone else’s story. They need to make it like LW S2 in which you can repeat old story steps. Just make it so that in chapters where you make a decision that will affect the next chapter, you are locked into the decision you made the first time around.

Arcadio.6875:

It’s a bit awkward that Arah story is the final part of both the personal story and the dungeon story. It would be nice if the dungeon story was made soloable (by your average player, not just by good players) and merged into the personal story. The problem is that the personal story isn’t very repeatable. You either have to make an alt or join someone else’s story. They need to make it like LW S2 in which you can repeat old story steps. Just make it so that in chapters where you make a decision that will affect the next chapter, you are locked into the decision you made the first time around.

This could actually help them in that regard. The reason they haven’t been able to make the personal story repeatable is because you make choices in the personal story that have a direct impact on the rest of the story. They’re working on technology in HoT that will allow those choices not to mess everything else up, so that they might be able to implement it.

The story dungeons, though, don’t effect anything. So they could use them as placeholders in the greater story replay feature. Or they could set up the dungeons outside the main story so that when you play them they just unlock and you can run them whenever you want. Either way is an option, since the feature doesn’t actually exist yet.

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

They are not soloable to the vast majority of players. Take your elitism somewhere else.

Kal Spiro.9745:

Zaklex.6308:

In all honesty the story mode Dungeons are OPTIONAL, they’re not integral to the Personal Story what so ever and don’t even need to be done for a cohesive story for your character. What those SM Dungeons are for is getting Destiny’s Edge reunited for the battle against Zhaitan, nothing more. If you can some how manage to weave them into your PS, all the better for you, but they leave out nothing in the end and you really never have to do them at all(as I have never done any of them on Live, other than the Victory or Death). They are barely related to the Personal Story as is, if they were more intertwined I would agree, but in their current format…no.

There are two reasons this is not true.

The first is that in order to unlock the explorable dungeons you have to do the story dungeon. While you can still join a group that has already done it and unlocked them, that still means it had to have been done at some point. So not optional entirely.

Second is that the personal story involves Destiny’s Edge. The first chapter of your person story involves one of the members of Destiny’s Edge somewhat mentoring you, most just you hanging around them for a while doing stuff while they watch from the sidelines. Then, at level 30, you get to see all of Destiny’s Edge come together, get into a massive fight and break up, apparently irreparably. Finally, at level 80, you come to Arah and they are a fully cohesive group and working together like a team.

Without the story modes of all the dungeons before then the transition from the team at level 30 to the team at level 80 is nonsensical. AC shows Eir trying to make things better with Logan and Rytlok and shows Rytlok’s attitude about what happened. CM introduces Logan’s feelings for Jenna, why he left the team, and Zojja’s feelings. TA explains Caithe’s situation with Foalin, which is further delved into during LW Season 2. SE gives the entire breakdown of Destiny’s Edge. CoF reunites Logan and Rytlok and helps to restore their bromance. HoW restores Eir’s confidence in herself. CoE Logan and Rytlok help Zojja get over herself and the loss of Snaff. After all that, when you get to Arah to find them all finally able to work together like they used to it make sense. It’s all part of the same story, especially since you are directly involved in all of those events, so it should be part of the personal story and as such played personally.

Technically speaking, you’re somewhat correct, but it doesn’t matter if you’re not interested in doing the dungeons…so that’s one issue taken care of. Secondly, why are you(the player character) helping to get Destiny’s Edge back together? Yes, I get the level 30 meeting and break up, but, Eir goes off to start what she thinks will help get the group together…that’s her deal, I have nothing to do with it so why should I go and help? Now do you get why the story mode dungeons shouldn’t be included as part of the Personal Story…as for needing to do Story Mode to unlock Explorable…that was just a design decision…they could have chosen any number of ways to do that…including creating a dynamic event that served that purpose, then there wouldn’t have been a need for a Story Mode at all. Yes, I’m looking at as someone who could care less about the dungeons, either Story or Explorable…I honestly don’t even remember doing one of the Arah paths in Explorable, but I must have otherwise I wouldn’t have 60 tokens, and that’s the last time I’ve set foot in one, at least on the live client.

Zaklex.6308:

Secondly, why are you(the player character) helping to get Destiny’s Edge back together? Yes, I get the level 30 meeting and break up, but, Eir goes off to start what she thinks will help get the group together…that’s her deal, I have nothing to do with it so why should I go and help?

Because someone sends you letters telling you what’s going on, and asking for you to help?

The sender of the letters is simply known as “Your Herald”, even though you never hire or ask for one. I’d guess that they’re linked to Mister E in some way, IF ANet ever decides to address that issue.

Given that you’re supposed to be a friend of sorts to at least one of the people involved, it’s not too big of a stretch to assume that you’d try to help. (Depending on your personal story, it may not be the first time you’ve set out to help a friend, after all.)

Kal Spiro.9745:

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

They are not soloable to the vast majority of players. Take your elitism somewhere else.

Its not elitisism, its a valid option if you are too lazy to make a group.

Kal Spiro.9745:

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

They are not soloable to the vast majority of players. Take your elitism somewhere else.

how is anything what malediktus said elitist?

how is “story mode dungeons are soloable, there’s just some effort involved” elitist in any way?

or are you just throwing the “e” word at any post you dislike?

maha.7902:

Kal Spiro.9745:

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

They are not soloable to the vast majority of players. Take your elitism somewhere else.

how is anything what malediktus said elitist?

how is “story mode dungeons are soloable, there’s just some effort involved” elitist in any way?

or are you just throwing the “e” word at any post you dislike?

Elitist might be the wrong word, but the sentiment that the poster is attempting is valid. I can do a dungeon so everyone should be able to do one is just a terrible attitude. I can write a novel, so everyone should be able to and I have no sympathy for those who can’t.

Story mode dungeons are part of the story and you shouldn’t need to be a "good’ MMO player to experience the story. Yes, they’re not part of your personal story, but they surely are part of the story of the game. They teach you who the iconics are and how they relate to each other.

Solo players are left out of that (and there are more of them out there that most MMO players suspect). And many solo players are also people who don’t know metas, or stacking or LOS because they have less ways to learn that stuff and less ways to need that stuff.

There should be hard content in games that people need to group together to do, but it shouldn’t be something that is part of the story. Just my opinion of course.

Malediktus.9250:

Its not elitisism, its a valid option if you are too lazy to make a group.

maha.7902:

Kal Spiro.9745:

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

They are not soloable to the vast majority of players. Take your elitism somewhere else.

how is anything what malediktus said elitist?

how is “story mode dungeons are soloable, there’s just some effort involved” elitist in any way?

or are you just throwing the “e” word at any post you dislike?

Let’s all just all just through sweeping generalizations out there at each other.

Also, Kal Spiro has contested a few posts already, but because he used “elitist” once, apparently he’s out to get everyone that disagrees with him? Let’s not go down this road, it leads to nowhere.

Anyways, I would like to be able to actually see my character in story dungeon cutscenes, but unless I enter the dungeon first I can’t. And if more than one person in the group is in this situation some one is getting the short end of the stick. I personally like playing in groups, but some adjustment to this would be nice, like rotating who’s talking in each speaking part or something.

DragonflyDusk.6582:

Malediktus.9250:

Its not elitisism, its a valid option if you are too lazy to make a group.

maha.7902:

Kal Spiro.9745:

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

They are not soloable to the vast majority of players. Take your elitism somewhere else.

how is anything what malediktus said elitist?

how is “story mode dungeons are soloable, there’s just some effort involved” elitist in any way?

or are you just throwing the “e” word at any post you dislike?

Let’s all just all just through sweeping generalizations out there at each other.

Also, Kal Spiro has contested a few posts already, but because he used “elitist” once, apparently he’s out to get everyone that disagrees with him? Let’s not go down this road, it leads to nowhere.

Anyways, I would like to be able to actually see my character in story dungeon cutscenes, but unless I enter the dungeon first I can’t. And if more than one person in the group is in this situation some one is getting the short end of the stick. I personally like playing in groups, but some adjustment to this would be nice, like rotating who’s talking in each speaking part or something.

This was actually my biggest problem with Arah storymode. It’s the last step of the personal story (if you exclude the epilogue) and only 20% of the party gets to see themselves in the cut scenes.

It’s the only time in the personal story you’re required to group up at all, and it’s not only unfair, but it’s annoying to see another character, possibly a complete stranger, being thanked by Destiny’s Edge for bringing them together. It’s just bad.

I totally agree! I love Lore and i’m missing a lot of it! I not only feel bad holding back players but when i do decide to watch the stories, i constantly get kicked by my fellow party members…. T^T Though it is understandable since not many people have time and want to clear dungeons to get the rewards and get em over and done with. All kinds of people to keep happy. Some slow. some impatient. So no hatred or flaming here, but still….. I want to read cutscenes at my pace there’s no helping it T^T

Vayne.8563:

DragonflyDusk.6582:

Malediktus.9250:

Its not elitisism, its a valid option if you are too lazy to make a group.

maha.7902:

Kal Spiro.9745:

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

They are not soloable to the vast majority of players. Take your elitism somewhere else.

how is anything what malediktus said elitist?

how is “story mode dungeons are soloable, there’s just some effort involved” elitist in any way?

or are you just throwing the “e” word at any post you dislike?

Let’s all just all just through sweeping generalizations out there at each other.

Also, Kal Spiro has contested a few posts already, but because he used “elitist” once, apparently he’s out to get everyone that disagrees with him? Let’s not go down this road, it leads to nowhere.

Anyways, I would like to be able to actually see my character in story dungeon cutscenes, but unless I enter the dungeon first I can’t. And if more than one person in the group is in this situation some one is getting the short end of the stick. I personally like playing in groups, but some adjustment to this would be nice, like rotating who’s talking in each speaking part or something.

This was actually my biggest problem with Arah storymode. It’s the last step of the personal story (if you exclude the epilogue) and only 20% of the party gets to see themselves in the cut scenes.

It’s the only time in the personal story you’re required to group up at all, and it’s not only unfair, but it’s annoying to see another character, possibly a complete stranger, being thanked by Destiny’s Edge for bringing them together. It’s just bad.

This is the main reason why even in Guild Wars 1 I didn’t care for groups, especially if it was a mission I hadn’t done before. Someone else was in the spotlight in my story.

I’d also like to add my vote to making dungeons soloable since my only character is a necromancer and I like to watch cutscenes (even in Guild Wars 1, after 10 years I still like to watch the cutscenes), that’s a double guarantee that I’ll be kicked from a group. I’d rather just keep to myself and not take up other players time.

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

Dungeons progress as you level. So while you can solo some of them at 80 w/exotics but not at the time the dungeon was designed for. I doubt a level 40 can solo CM Story.

BrooksP.4318:

Malediktus.9250:

They are already soloable, just takes some effort instead of steamrolling.

Dungeons progress as you level. So while you can solo some of them at 80 w/exotics but not at the time the dungeon was designed for. I doubt a level 40 can solo CM Story.

I’m not entirely sure why that matters. Just go back at level cap and solo them.

Fenrir.3609:

I’m not entirely sure why that matters. Just go back at level cap and solo them.

Because its a storyline mode, kind of defeats the purpose if the story is out of place.

BrooksP.4318:

Because its a storyline mode, kind of defeats the purpose if the story is out of place.

It wouldn’t be out of place though, you can do it in the “right order”. Just wait till you hit 80 before soloing them.

Fenrir.3609:

BrooksP.4318:

Because its a storyline mode, kind of defeats the purpose if the story is out of place.

It wouldn’t be out of place though, you can do it in the “right order”. Just wait till you hit 80 before soloing them.

The dungeon story goes along the same path as the personal story, while separate in influence it still plays along the same path. So assuming you do the PS as you level, waiting till the end to do the dungeons will still seem out of place.

BrooksP.4318:

The dungeon story goes along the same path as the personal story, while separate in influence it still plays along the same path. So assuming you do the PS as you level, waiting till the end to do the dungeons will still seem out of place.

There is nothing to stop the player grouping for the content at the relevant time (i.e. doing it in order), then going back at max cap to solo them (in order), take his/her time and see the cutscenes.

Tbh there is nothing really stopping someone making a group saying “no cutscene skipping” either, for story mode that shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Anyway, I fear we maybe derailing the thread somewhat.

Except that you most likely won’t find cutscene watching story mode players anymore.

Tried that for CoE, waited half an hour for a group to get together, someone changed the LFG without looking, and I got raged on by another warrior who joined.

Fenrir, you’re right…and you’re wrong. You’re right in saying that anyone can go to the end of the game, skip pretty much everything and do it all at 80. The problem is, how does a new player KNOW that that’s what they’re “supposed to do”.

If you do no storymode dungeon at all leveling, but you do do the personal story, the last step of that story is the last story mode dungeon. The final chapter. During which, if you have the cut scene, someone is thanking you for something you haven’t really done.

Sure once you know the whole situation you can make intelligent decisions, but the game wasn’t designed for you to do this. It sends you at mail at level 30 that you can do this dungeon. You can’t expect new players to completely ignore what the game is telling them.

The problem is, it doesn’t matter what you, or I, or anyone on the forums think. We’re still a minority of the playerbase. Most people aren’t hanging out here or on the wiki. They’re in game playing, getting their information FROM playing.

And to those people, if they can’t get a group for their dungeon, they’ll miss it and just do the story….which ends in a dungeon…the last dungeon.

Some might say this is badly designed. You’re right when you say there’s a workaround. But by the time most players discover that, it’s already too late.

Fenrir.3609:

BrooksP.4318:

The dungeon story goes along the same path as the personal story, while separate in influence it still plays along the same path. So assuming you do the PS as you level, waiting till the end to do the dungeons will still seem out of place.

There is nothing to stop the player grouping for the content at the relevant time (i.e. doing it in order), then going back at max cap to solo them (in order), take his/her time and see the cutscenes.

Tbh there is nothing really stopping someone making a group saying “no cutscene skipping” either, for story mode that shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Anyway, I fear we maybe derailing the thread somewhat.

Or they could just make the story part of the story, make it soloable and scalable, and then this would all be academic, because anyone could just run through the dungeon on their own when it unlocked, or not as they please, without having to worry or even think about it.

I admit I am one of those players who has never been able to solo a dungeon, story or otherwise. As I am not overly keen on pugs I only do dungeons when I feel i have no other option. As I want a legendary I am pugging a dungeon, which means that pugs have to put up with my less than optimum ability and knowledge of the dungeon, reading any amount of guides does not prepare me for actually being there. I haven’t even finished the personal story on any of my level 80s as knowing the last part is multiplayer has just put me off.

Some no doubt will ask why I don’t play single player games, I enjoy the open world and the general interaction with others, the ability to trade, chat and randomly help people. I just find that organised group play such as dungeons is not my thing.

I would therefore love to see at least story dungeons soloable. I would actually like to see an easy (solo) mode and a hard mode added to all the dungeons in addition to the normal mode.

I would really like this. I think the better way to describe what I’m looking for is “intended to be played solo as a story instance” rather than “soloable” as used in the OP, which implies the bare fact of something being possible, and which in turn invites other people to blurt out that they can solo the dungeon in story mode and therefore no change is necessary.

As a new player, Destiny’s Edge’s constant importance and relevance feel random and poorly explained by the personal story. The device for the group’s narrative development, story dungeons, are a bizarre hybrid of personal story storytelling (which normally features fairly easy combat) and extremely challenging combat, far above anything the open world would have prepared me for. In my opinion, this disparity should be reconciled in favor of better integration with the personal story and its storytelling.

I’m confused what does OP mean?

boomersooner.4612:

I’m confused what does OP mean?

Try reading it then.

And again: I support a rescale of dungeons for repeatable solo play, that scales with the number of players (both in rewards and in difficulty)

Vayne.8563:

Solo players are left out of that (and there are more of them out there that most MMO players suspect). And many solo players are also people who don’t know metas, or stacking or LOS because they have less ways to learn that stuff and less ways to need that stuff.

There should be hard content in games that people need to group together to do, but it shouldn’t be something that is part of the story. Just my opinion of course.

I agree with this except for the part about soloists being left out. Choosing to not do something isnt being left out IMO.

That said, I think that more solo friendly options for story mode dungeons is a fine idea.

Two thumbs up.

Palador.2170:

Zaklex.6308:

Secondly, why are you(the player character) helping to get Destiny’s Edge back together? Yes, I get the level 30 meeting and break up, but, Eir goes off to start what she thinks will help get the group together…that’s her deal, I have nothing to do with it so why should I go and help?

Because someone sends you letters telling you what’s going on, and asking for you to help?

The sender of the letters is simply known as “Your Herald”, even though you never hire or ask for one. I’d guess that they’re linked to Mister E in some way, IF ANet ever decides to address that issue.

Given that you’re supposed to be a friend of sorts to at least one of the people involved, it’s not too big of a stretch to assume that you’d try to help. (Depending on your personal story, it may not be the first time you’ve set out to help a friend, after all.)

But, what if I like playing as the friend that never helps? Or only helps when it’s convenient for me(not saying I’m like that for real, but it’s an interesting way of playing). Would I try doing the story mode if the option was given to be able to do them solo…perhaps, but then again, perhaps not as I’m not a big dungeon person to begin with. I suppose it’s just another option for the community, and it’s one that won’t harm the game to much if at all.

Can the Dungeon Story mode please be made into a single player mode? Almost every single time I enter one, someone wants to rush it!

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Please-make-dungeon-mechanics-soloable/first