Will WoW be forced to adapt fully into the ''Modern MMO'' style?

[Aeula]

I hope so. The new model is much more enjoyable, it sucks having to wait on other people.

ESO is a bad example though, there's still a lot of group only content there (sadly). Just look at dungeons, trials, world bosses, public dungeons and Craglorn.

Group content doubly sucks on console since you can't communicate with anyone unless you have a microphone.

[endersblade]

I think the core problem is, so many people think that 'MMO' means 'attached at the hip with 4+ people the entire time'. Just because millions of people are playing it, doesn't mean you are required to play WITH them.

I think FF14 tried to take the middle ground, but really kinda failed. The main story quest is 90% single player, with a few dungeons or boss fights requiring a group here or there. Trying to do the main quest with a friend is really freaking annoying. Or even a group for that matter. It's just not made for that sort of thing.

As a long-time player of FF11, I cried tears of joy when I found out I could play solo in 14. It's pretty much an impossibility in 11.

I think older WoW was better as far as being more multiplayer friendly. Many quests, and even entire areas of maps, required you to group up because of elites. Granted, with the toxic behavior of the current community that wouldn't work so well, especially not as far as making friends. But it was a great concept. You were perfectly capable of playing 1-60/70 solo, but there were ample opportunities to run in a group. Dungeons were never required, but definitely helped. Whereas in FF14 they basically force you to do the first three dungeons as part of the main story, there's no way around that. Forced content is never a good idea in a genre that is supposed to offer choices.

I have no problems with MMOs having PvE content like raids as their final end-game, but I do really wish there was something more we could do either solo or in 5-mans. I don't like big groups. Mostly because I don't know enough people lol. But getting a group of friends together to run dungeons, that I can do.

Too many games go extreme one way or the other - either the game is basically an online single-player game, or it's mandatory that you find other people to play with or you won't amount to anything. We need that happy medium. Again, just because it's an MMO does not mean, and never has, that you are REQUIRED to have to play with other people in the sense of grouping up for content. I'm plenty social in WoW and FF14, but I rarely do group content. That's just how I like to play, and I know I'm not the only one.

[Golden]

I think all MMOs going forward will have some solo content simply because that is the best place to tell the story. When you are grouped up, people don't want to read dialog or watch cut-scenes. Furthermore, anyone trying to do that slows the group down and usually gets yelled at.

With that said, I don't think it's a bad idea to bring a few group quests back for current content. It's nice to remind people from time-to-time that they should be nice and that they are in a game with other people. Also, I think the world bosses have helped.

[Deleted]

A modern MMORPG for me would be:

1.) Optional group content
2.) Focus on class diversity
3.) Focus on the RPG part
4.) Many progressive parts
5.) Focus on matchmade group content
6.) a immersive changing world
7.) Mysteries you need to find out. Exploration.
8.) Optional challenges
9.) Every gameplay rewarding (means you may play what you like and dont gain special gear for the level of organization)
10.) Challenges more rewarding, but no matter if being played in groups or solo

[Sencha]

With modern i mean the acctual new style, dungeon and raid finder were a big evolution from the oldschool but nowdays even those are getting old and the modern mmos are focused mostly on solo online content, the biggest examples are Final Fantasy 14, Guild Wars 2 and Elder Scrolls Online but basically all of the mmos now follow this route, Wildstar tried to go oldschool and got knocked out within a few weeks.

So many wrong statements in one sentence.

MMOs that focus on solo content are failing. Final Fantasy XXIV does not focus on solo content. Wildstar failed for tons of other reasons.

[MoanaLisa]

World of Warcraft for the most part is relatively solicitous about providing a range of solo play. I think they fell down in Warlords but that was a misjudgment about the viability of garrisons as long-term content. So yes, WoW will continue to tilt toward solo play with a lot of options to play with groups of people. Legion appears to be another step in that direction but to know for sure we'll need to see the actual launch content and how it all balances out.

WoW really needs to get back to telling stories as a component of trying to keep people around. Stories work best as solo affairs.

[melodramocracy]

To be more specific, the modern mmos are focused mostly on solo story content while at the same time there is the same online interaction that the previous mmos had

No, there really isn't.

[UnluckyAmateur]

I'd like to see WoW become more active combat like Black Desert or Blade and soul but I know this can't happen for SEVERAL reasons. Still nice to dream though.

[Aruhen]

I guess all the people I had to group up with to run Alexander Midas in FFXIV to progress my character were imaginary. Sure most of the story can be done by yourself but so what? They sprinkle group content throughout the thing. You have to do a dungeon every 3-4 levels to progress. Almost all the gear is locked behind group progression too but I guess that is too being done with imaginary people...

[apples]

oldschool mmos were forced groupcontent

all the time

thats all they were

100% forced group content. be grouped or dont play the game

modern mmos are solo with group optional content

/thread

[Echo of Soul]

the storyline questline was 99% running around clicking on things and talking to people style fetch quests and 1% fighting primal avatars and doing dungeons.

I seem to recall all the scenarios to get my class armor were solo as well. You can't be serious.

You literally cannot complete the main story quest and get into the expansion solo. He's very serious.

[Super Kami Dende]

lolwut?

Why would it be Wow being forced into this type of "modern MMO" style when they have more Subs combined than all the ones you listed.

[tss]

Single player is antithetical to MMO. Seeing people who are proudly single-player WoW players frankly need to fuck off. Well, they needed to about 7 years ago.

[spinner981]

What you're describing its not how a mmo should work.
If i want solo content il play dark souls.

The key difference I think is solo content plus multiplayer content, rather than just 90% of the game being locked behind a multiplayer requirement. Basically, after questing and grinding there isn't really any solo content. Scenarios would be a good way to introduce more solo play into the game. Class specific and even race specific quest chains would also add a lot to the game imo. Warlock green fire quest chain was awesome, and I would like to see more quest chains like that.

Plus most of the multiplayer content in WoW right now that isn't instanced basically has the social aspect of it destroyed by CRZ.

[kamuimac]

What you're describing its not how a mmo should work.
If i want solo content il play dark souls.

its the majority customers who dictate how market works not marigin - if you want to play what suits your particular needs but isnt what majority wants then you need to look for low populated indie games

[Deleted]

Perhaps for LFR, because it is already so easy that you never talk to anyone in the group or asks about tactics. LFR is sooo anti social that it might even be better to replace other players with NPCs. That way it stayes tourist mode and no one can get a total free ride.

[Deleted]

WoW is already like that.

This is exacly how I see it. Thats why some ppl are looking for old pre expansions servers, but I don't want to start talking about this in this thread...

[Crimewave]

Why WoW should adapt to what new MMOs are doing? Most of them aren't even capable to survive for 2-3 years.
Blizzard had butchered their success formulae enough already.

Also, why do you want all games to be similar? I'd like some variety on the market i.e. WoW is for group content, raiding and arenas\BG's (thats what historicaly was good in WoW) and other games for questing, grinding boars for lvls and chilling in taverns with npcs(what current "MMO-playerbase" seem to enjoy)?

[WowIsDead64]

The only purpose of making MMOs - is "network marketing". Forced socialization is needed to achieve it. Quality of solo and PUG content should be terrible. Guilds should look at you, as bosses look at their employees. And the only enjoyable way to play the game - should be to play with friends. Your friends still don't play this game? Convince them to play it! Also social factor usually keeps the players subbed for longer period of time. At some point player realizes, that this game is just a pointless grind to make further grind a little bit easier. But as long, as his friends are still playing this game - he'll use this game as just paid chat. This is the reason, why large investments into MMOs were paying off in the past. So. MMO makers should weight their "networks marketing" vs "quality of solo experience". And looks like MMOs, as some kind of "paid Facebook", are dying. So MMO makers should adopt and turn them more into "Solo game with online progress and optional multiplayer" in order to survive.

[Deleted]

The only purpose of making MMOs - is "network marketing". Forced socialization is needed to achieve it. Quality of solo and PUG content should be terrible. Guilds should looks at you, as bosses look at their employees.

You wouldnt even adress 1% of nowadays MMORPG players.