Best way to find social interaction in WoW today?

[Zoldor]

I know of a couple guilds on my server that are social, have a raid team, but the guild is more built around socialization and doing random things. ie retro-raids, pvp, dungeons and scenarios etc. They use a chat channel to help bridge the gap between guilds and alts, which is something i recommend, its something I've been using since Wrath and maybe late BC (can't really remember). I have about 4 chat channels that are always going during the day and its a great way to keep in touch and find friends to do stuff.

The problem really is there isn't that much outside of CMs, Raids, dungeons, scenarios and Rep Farms that require a group. I found that Isle of Thunder really was the best return to the old days of finding random people to do stuff. People didn't really chat but it was very similiar to BC vanilla era of needing others to complete something. Our isle was always blowing up chat with where rares were and people looking for help killing etc.

The social interaction is what you make of it. We'll see a little nod to it when we get the "harder" heroics in WoD, but even then most people are established in the game at this point. Thats also a MAJOR factor in why the game early had much more socialization, we were all new and needed to meet people, 10 years later we know people and don't really have to leave our social circles. How often in real life do you go seeking new friends? Most people have an established group of friends in RL that they don't stray from. The same is going on in game, most games don't have a life span like wow, so to say its only because of LFR and LFD is ignoring a lot of other causes to the decline in random socialization. In BC and Vanilla and Wrath people were still "new" and looking for people, where as now people are established and have a core so they don't branch out as much. LFD should go back to realm only that would be the most helpful so at least the people you meet you run into again in the LFD. That is about the most helpful change they could make. LFR is LFR and I have no problems either way with it, but I don't blame it for why socialization is down, do you really want to be friends with people who have no more in game aspiration than completing LFR? Those people are just going to get geared and then stop playing.

Side note, I know for sure there is a ring of people who do a lot in the Pet trading and hunting world and that is a great way to make friends now. Finding people with a similar interest that doesn't have a random way of putting people together.

[crowmancer]

I think a lot of people are right in recommending social guilds. Those are a very mixed bag and therefore produce mixed results in my experience, so caution is advised, but there are good ones out there.

And honestly, I've met some of my coolest battle-tag friends just by speaking up in dungeons while leveling, or talking in LFR or general chat. This relies on the sort of group you get, but it is a definite possibility, and I consider myself as someone who is not, for whatever reason, good at... hm. Luring people in to the friend-zone? Heh.

If you really ain't into that, hypertrain had good recommendations, though the state of some realms' forums I've seen (in that they're almost solely used for guild recruitment for raiding and things of that nature) has me concerned as to whether or not that would actually yield any results for some realms.

[Deleted]

When I came back roughly half a year ago, I guess I had the same question in mind.

I'm quite the inquisitive soul, so I set out to find out, for science, I guess. Nah jk I was lonely as fk.

So, there you go, I was back, at that time, only one contact was still alive and kicking, the one that dragged me back in the game basically with a scroll of rez. I had no guild, it was that 7 day trial for getting rezzed.

I've no guild, but he was in an RP guild, me being on an RP server.

Got along pretty well with them. I wasn't much in the way of RP, since I was mostly some crazy PvP-er, always found RP awfully slow and boring, though I love lore and stuff like that.

However that wasn't a big deal. Went in some dungeons and raids with them to help them with the RP loot, did some jolly co-operation, decided it's actually very nice to assist them whenever they asked.

I also have this policy of expecting nothing in return. Hmm though I wonder if deep inside it's all true or not. I enjoy the company, and I also get to know them better. Hmm, information is a valuable commodity I suppose... Though it comes by default, rather than expected.

Did dungeons as alts too, went in some less accessible Cata raids, did PvP togeter, in the end I'm pretty close with most guildies, I don't play right now, but we still talk. I guess doing content together helps with bonding.

Later, I sent my bank-alt DK in a raiding guild as I wanted to see MoP content.

I suppose it's the same story over there. Some ppl seemed like fun, we did some alt runs and real-ID adding, some random PvP. Hell I don't even care about rating these days, it was still hilarious.

Also, another thing I did, was while running around Shine of Moon Moon, I'd see some random ppl idling a lot. Or running around like I did. I randomly whispered them, never knew I had the balls for that, I'd die if I did that IRL. It kinda worked though it takes forever for me to think up a pretext and stop it from being awkward. 2vs2, he;s flagged, BG's! ICC25! Ended up with some on Real ID. I rarely Real ID.

So, that's how MoP was oddly social for me. With some I still talk on Skypes and stuff, since I don't play anymore.

Also, look back how you met your other WoW buddies. You need to do some things to trigger some circumstances and pull off a justification/pretext to engage in jolly co-operation.
And then you must be the cuddly pixelbundle everybody likes to be with and cuddle, not just some acquaintance. I guess friendship is what your goal is too, uh?

I really hope all this data helps! Guess we could've tried some random BG or stuff while you're here, but I don't play, not until WoD, so no point in giving ID. Also I'm EU. Though if you're same zone, and here, and looking for company, guess you active guys could PM each other some tags? Touch summoning signs, do jolly cooperation!

Someone's been playing Dark Souls!