Guild Wars 2

Perhaps it’s my age but as much as I love GW2 it just seems as the gaming community has changed.

I’ve been gaming since the days of MUDs, MUSHs and MOOs. I’ve tested and played almost every MMO title since UO.

Never before have I had a more difficult time finding a core group to socialize with than in GW2. At times I think it is the unique dynamic of this game but question if I haven’t become an old grump.

1. People seem always in transition. Chasing after one goal or another. You see people running past enroute to this vista or that waypoint and other than perhaps to throw out a spell or sword slash they really do not stop.

Faces appear in the heat of battle; take down a veteran or champion and then move on. There are no long lasting groups.

2. Guild spam is horrible and faceless. Unguilded I get perhaps 3-5 invites per day, having never met the individual offering. I don’t accept them. Now I know the arguments, “well then how do you expect to meet people?”

For me guilding is a commitment, and I never join a guild unless their playstyle, humor, temperment and goals meet mine and there is that “fit.” Early in the game I gave a couple of spam guilds a try; and although there were 200 people within the guilds; noone “knew” anyone. There were a few cliques of 3-4 people but all the guild meant to anyone were some free buffs and mundane and often irritating background noise in a chat channel.

Even though I have met a few people and have gamed with them for a few hours; it is automatically assumed you will joined their guild. I often say; “put me on your friends list; let me meet some of the others and I’ll decide, there’s no rush.” You never hear from them again. It always makes wonder WTF??

3. Even after running a few story instances. It always seems you are simply a means to another’s end. I don’t think I have said 2 words to some really fun groups I have ran with.

4. Did the independence which struck down the “Holy Trinity” of older games lessen the commitment players have to one another. Was there a “need” born from older game systems that tied people socially to one another?

Interested in everyones observations…

It’s kind of strange if you are such an MMO vet that you seem to say you have never really bonded with others before. Let me elaborate before you get on a soapbox :-)

My story is somewhat completely different in that I too played MUDs and such, EQ having been my first graphical MMO and since then EQ2, Vanguard, WoW, AoC, LotRO, Rift, SWTOR, … (long list)

I’ve tried and played most of them for a while, some whiles lasting longer than others, but some of those people I got to know in EQ, I joined in another MMO – e.g. EQ2, others were playing WoW which I played too, I met new folks giving both games some of my time, then went to another game which seemed interesting to me and convinced some of both EQ2 and WoW to join me, or I joined them in yet another MMO they discovered or were interested in, and I always tried to keep in touch or kept tabs on those I liked to hang about with.

Some people you end up parting ways with, others you meet along the road you travel.

Somewhere in between, along came Ventrilo, which in the early days was a novelty, now is basically simply a part of gaming and your bonds with those people you knew from games and typing in chat, got even closer- them to me and me to them.

I have a bunch of folks I would consider friends, some of which I’ve met in real life, some I still haven’t even though I’ve “known” them for over 10 years.
Call it virtual friends or just companions, I still interact with them and have fun.

These days with facebook and whatnot, keeping in touch is easier than ever. You don’t need to register your real name if you don’t want, don’t have to put up photo’s you don’t want, just create an account with your charactername, put up screenshots of your character and try to keep your name the same or similar in each MMO you play.

Yes, the instant gratification in modern day MMO’s makes for less hanging about in the same zone for hours on end, no need camping a spawn or a spot, hence getting to know folks is less likely.

But it still happens.

If your play times are the same as some others and you level in the same zone/area, you run into one another doing quests/events, help one another out on the odd occasion, all it takes is a few seconds to thank/say hello and get on from there with socializing.

You might end up saying hi/bye each day in the beginning, at some point you’ll ask them for help or they will ask you, and who knows, they might already have a group of people they hang about with which you can get along with.

If all else fails, at some point you will be spending time in Lion’s Arch – spend a bit longer there and check the general chat – some conversation might be going on that tickles your fancy, you can join in or if you’re shy to speak in public chat, even send a tell, have a to-and-fro out of the blue.

Go along on pick up groups, if people are asking 1 person to join for a dungeon run, see how it goes. Even if only 1 group out of 100 seems to contain nice people, ask them if they would be around the next day and see if they are up to do some group things again.

Socializing isn’t just others, you too need to initiate too if you’re intending to find people you agree with.

And as far as age goes, it doesn’t matter – I’m currently in a guild with people in their 50’s, 40’s (myself in that range), 30’s and even some 20’s and adolescents (children of the aforementioned 50’s/40’s and 30’s). Sure drama happens, it’s inevitable with social contacts, you can’t all see eye to eye 100 percent of the time, but that too is part of human interaction and enjoyable in it’s own way – it’s memorable.

Anyways, it might indeed be you, because as I said, my experience is completely different in my 14 years of on-line play of MMO’s.
Maybe you need to stress less about it and go with the flow a bit more.
If not, figure out what your requirements are and look about for guilds that seem to match your requirements by reading their forums and application rules and introductions.

Just try and give it some effort if you’re really looking to make friends to hang about with and don’t give up too easily – we all have walls we present to strangers, a persona you present if you will – it’s everyone else’s job to try and get through them to see the real you behind it.

I’m not sure if this helps or is too much off the point Khai, but I think what we are really lacking is a sub-forum for every server. The guild-recruit forum here is such a mess and impossible to see through, it gives me a headache every time I open it and I sure as hell wouldn’t look in there for a guild either.

There is an external inofficial website (gw2guilds.org) that has a nice overview and descriptions for a lot of guilds, it might help finding a guild that suits your personal play style/humor/attitude.
But yeah, it is kind of sad having to depend on that and other inofficial websites and communities that some people might never hear about…

I think the reason for this happening is that the MMO dynamic has changed in general. Back in the day, when a graphical online RPG was new, people took notice of other players. A live person in pixel form was something completely new. There was a tighter sense of community because there were far, far, fewer of us playing back then. Most people I knew in real life had only vaguely heard of EQ, if they had at all. Fast forward to WoW; everyone watching Shatner, Mr. T, and Chuck Norris in prime time commercials. It’s commonplace to see another player running around. In fact, other players are often viewed more as competition, than an ally against a harsh game world. Guilds are not a coalition of like-minded players, carving a prestigious or infamous rep for themselves, but a means to an end. You want this? Join that guild. You want that? Join this guild. It will be rarer and rarer to find people who clan up for the enjoyment of others alone. Sign of the times, I guess.

What you are seeing are rats in a maze looking for the next piece of cheese. Some mindlessly try to “beat” these games the moment they start. Others enjoy the content. I experience the same thing as the OP. I had a small guild of friends who I have played other games with over many years, unfortunately they all left shortly after Nov 5th, or out of boredom, so I run alone. My choice, not a complaint.

But this does feel like the least social out of all of the games I have played over the years, and I have been on several servers.

It’s the Virtual Treadmill Carrot on a Stick Gear Grind that all the WoW Kids love and that Guild Wars and Anet have been catering to. You can’t just enjoy the journey or stop to make friends or even have a decent conversation. There simply isn’t enough time. With the gear/weapon/gold grind and soon to be introduced daily and monthly Laurel grind you have to spend every second of your in-game time very wisely. Well, for people that have jobs, lives, and girlfriends at least. I really feel that the only people who can get ahead are kids with no jobs and social outcasts with no friends that live off/with their parents. The problem is that if you’re not grinding out Karma, Playing the TP, Farming specific Dungeon Paths for Gold, Grinding Fractals, getting all of the WP’s, Vista’s, POIs, and Hearts for 100% World Map Completition you ARE falling behind the power curve. Which will be extremely apparent to you the moment you get into a 1v1 in WvWvW. And if you’re doing any of the things I mentioned above then you’re falling behind in your sPvP Rank and will never get hooked up with a good sPvP Guild because you need to be at the very least a Tiger these days, that’s Glory Rank 40+ for all you PvEasy’s.

Anet really messed up with Guild Wars 2. They put all of this gorgeous great stuff to see and do and then at the same time add in a gear grind that’s impossible for anyone with a job, life, and girl to achieve. Unfortunately you have to have the gear or you won’t be on an even playing field as your enemies and peers. The stat difference is already immense with just the Rings and Back Pieces. Wait until you can wear all Purple or all Red. Out of the Four different Guilds I’m in, every single player aside from one or two have quit. This gear grind BS is not what we signed up for.

Anyway, no chance you’ll be making friends in game. Your enounters will be brief. You’ll use GW2LFG.com to find a group for a Dungeon or Fractal or 2 and as soon the rewards are handed out the party will split as if it never even exsisted. And due to the DR you can’t hang around that area for too long. You have to move on to the next thing you can do to get ahead. It’s a really sad time for Tyria.

It’s simple, games are just to easy.

When rabbits start killing people again, people will hunt in groups again. Seriously though I played solo on 3 characters, no need for groups, chit-chat, nothing. You have to go out of your way to find danger, and if it doesn’t drop sprinkles you probably wont find any help in killing it.

Theplayboy.6417:

Snip.

Your post has too many flaws to go over.
Just because you’re finding reasons for yourself to dislike the game does not mean its been like that for everyone else.

The fact that you’ve created a grind for yourself says enough. I’ve never felt the “Grind” once when playing GW2. I just enjoyed myself while playing.

There is also no power curve, having to grind for Laurel’s is pretty sad since dailies are things you get from just playing the game, same with monthlies. It doesn’t need to be done the instant it resets.

And falling behind in sPvP? Since when did Rank ever matter? All ranking does is allow you to get better cosmetics, it shows absolutely no display in power and how well you know your character and his/her build.

If you can’t even make friends in the game that’s your fault, no one else’s.

OP:

I too am from the old school. This year makes my second decade in MMO gaming.

In that twenty years I have seen the most of the entire gambit of people that are out there.

In recent years the playing styles that were learned from console games centered on the one person playing the game has become a part of the mentality for those that now play MMOs.

Those out there are mostly “Me” oriented. They have no real desire to play an MMO as it was in the old days.

Now I must admit that I am mainly a soloist, but I knew when it was needed to be part of a “We” mentality.

To be part of the “We” philosophy I knew to put the “Me” on the back burner. There are few things in MMOs or in RL that encourage teamwork any more.

It is those playing the games that need to realize this and learn how to make teams again.

The Dynamic Event system that we have in this game and even more so with the coming changes to the DE system will require Core DE Raid groups.

I have been saying this for months to an audience that ignores, laughs or insults me as I try to drive these facts home.

Anet has made it clear that the DE webs in Orr require a group to do them and figure them out, but I rarely if ever have seen anyone even try to do this.

I don’t mean the temple or dungeons. I mean DEs. When folks wake up and start working together to do those we may see a revival of the old school days. Now we can only hope.

Original mmo gamers came from the pnp rpg crowd, people with more imagination and the ability to set their own goals, nowadays that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Shame really, though I’ve not noticed the issues you’re having, I talk all the time, though my mmo veterancy only goes back about as far as anarchy online. Never managed to get into muds since pnp was better :P

Theplayboy.6417:

] Snip.

Once again, I don’t see any grind in this game. I’ve gotten a full set of exotics without ever having to really try. You set the game up for yourself to feel like a grind, for whatever reason, and I’m truly sorry you did that to yourself.

And as far as you know Power/Prec/Crit is called Berserker’s Armor, which can be crafted/purchased. When I completed the map, I had enough money to purchase the entire exotic set + runes. Not once do I recall myself grinding for that exotic armor.

Skins, on the other hand, were the only thing I grinded for. There is still a grind for Unique skins, what are you talking about? If you’re leading into an Ascended Gear comment, half of that crap isn’t even out yet, so I don’t know what you’re worrying about.

Also, I’ve played enough PvP to know that Rank doesn’t matter, and I’ve done enough tournaments to show it.

Berserker gear can be crafted at lvl 80 exotic.

Theplayboy.6417:

Snip

Dude its a video game there all a “waste of time” unless your like winning esport level stuff getting sponsored and making cash or playing them for some sort of job. I dont care if your playing some supper competitive level game or a friendly coop game. Its still just a game with you infront of a pc eating chips and getting fat and the only thing that matters is if your enjoying yourself…… alot of people enjoy this game the way it is and the direction that its going.

As for the op I am in a vary socil guild (only about 50 of us) most of the people didnt know each other when we started but we have all become friends and chat and joke and talk all the time.

I also find plenty of people to talk to if im the one to start the conversation. Its almost like every one is just shy. shrug

Ragnarawk.8697:

I think the reason for this happening is that the MMO dynamic has changed in general. Back in the day, when a graphical online RPG was new, people took notice of other players. A live person in pixel form was something completely new. There was a tighter sense of community because there were far, far, fewer of us playing back then. Most people I knew in real life had only vaguely heard of EQ, if they had at all. Fast forward to WoW; everyone watching Shatner, Mr. T, and Chuck Norris in prime time commercials. It’s commonplace to see another player running around. In fact, other players are often viewed more as competition, than an ally against a harsh game world. Guilds are not a coalition of like-minded players, carving a prestigious or infamous rep for themselves, but a means to an end. You want this? Join that guild. You want that? Join this guild. It will be rarer and rarer to find people who clan up for the enjoyment of others alone. Sign of the times, I guess.

This.

Back in the day, there was a huge emphasis on group combat.

I guarantee if vets were the weakest mobs in this game, you would have a tighter community and a higher skill level.

Theplayboy.6417:

Theplayboy.6417:

UrbanEMP.2654:

Theplayboy.6417:

] Snip.

Once again, I don’t see any grind in this game. I’ve gotten a full set of exotics without ever having to really try. You set the game up for yourself to feel like a grind, for whatever reason, and I’m truly sorry you did that to yourself.

And as far as you know Power/Prec/Crit is called Berserker’s Armor, which can be crafted/purchased. When I completed the map, I had enough money to purchase the entire exotic set + runes. Not once do I recall myself grinding for that exotic armor.

Skins, on the other hand, were the only thing I grinded for. There is still a grind for Unique skins, what are you talking about? If you’re leading into an Ascended Gear comment, half of that crap isn’t even out yet, so I don’t know what you’re worrying about.

Also, I’ve played enough PvP to know that Rank doesn’t matter, and I’ve done enough tournaments to show it.

You are a PvE’asier and enjoy that sort of thing. I’m sure you’re logging in every day just to get a “few” things done and kill some kitten AI NPC’s that are created specifically to die and drop virtual junk.

Also, I know what Berserker’s Armor is. If you at all knew anything that you were talking about you’d know that it can’t be looted or crafted at level 80. The Berserker gear you’ll find stops at 78. So it’s not at max stats. You can put superior runes in them, but you can’t put Ruby Orbs or Exquisite Ruby Jewels in them because those upgrades require the armor to be level 80. The only way to get it, is grind either CoF or TA.

Legendary items are currently on par with exotics but will soon be upgraded to a higher level than exotics. Just because it hasn’t fully been released doesn’t mean it isn’t on it’s way. Your poor sub 80 Orange gear will one day be equivalent to current level Greens when compared to Purple and Red Armor/Weapons/Upgrades. It’s all a grind and you know it. You’re just being stubborn and refusing to admit to the truth.

And as far as the sPvP Rank comment is concerned its apparent you have no clue what you’re talking about so go ahead and stop while you’re behind.

Enjoy your grind fest kid. Anet will make sure you’ll always have shiny digital item that has zero real world value for you to waste your time working towards.

http://www.gw2db.com/recipes/11013-satchel-of-berserkers-emblazoned-armor

C’MON MANNNNN.