Best way to find social interaction in WoW today?

[NewOrleansTrolley]

The easiest way is to join a RP server. Nowadays the RP stands for "Really polite."

[Sansnom]

As the game is currently, pretty much 99% of the total content can be done without any or very little social interaction with other players at all. (The few aspects of the game that I can think of that foster player interaction are CM's, Normal mode raiding, and Heroic mode raiding -- everything else seems to be largely single-player oriented, even if your party member slots are filled with other players. I exclude all PvP because I don't play or enjoy that part of the game.)

While it is true that many of the contents can be done without a premade group, the social interaction in my experience has not changed. People did not talk anymore back before LFD than now. It is still the usual hello and simple greetings.

Social interaction tends to be found in guilds and I think Blizzard could have done a better job at matching people with the guilds. If a guild is focus on certain aspect of the game that you enjoy, you are more likely to find like minded people in them. The problem is identifying the right guild and Blizzard has done nothing in this regard. Every guild is like every other guilds. Level 25 with all the perks.

What they should have done is rather than have a guild perks based on the level is to have the guild perks based on achievements. That way, a guild focused on PvP will primary have PvP related perks. Or a guild focused on progression raiding will have heroic raiding related perks. What these perks are I don't know but the guild's perks should reflected what the guild's has achieved rather than a level grind. That way, a player can at least see if a guild's matches their own playstyle.

[Deleted]

social interaction in game is done same way its done in RL: by *doh!* talking to other people.
(ofcourse u will allways meet some dicks and asshats but thats life!)

[Computed Lamb]

social interaction in game is done same way its done in RL: by *doh!* talking to other people.
(ofcourse u will allways meet some dicks and asshats but thats life!)

Congratulations for having the lowest reading comprehension of any poster in this thread so far.

[Milkyz]

As already mentioned, you have two paths:

1. Blame LFR/LFD/Blizzard/Twilight Saga/Everyone else in the world except for you;

or

2. Take the initiative
2a. join a guild that fits your playstyle (be it Flex, Normal or Heroic; or PvP).
2b. Be active. See someone on trade asking how to get to Booty Bay? Give them a ride. Someone undergeared wants to do a HS/Heroic Dungeon? Why not help? Ask other guilds how they are doing in progression. Someone asked how you got that mount? Don't just say "Alyz FL". Explain the whole thing, how you farmed, how happy you were when it dropped. The only reason someone feels there is no social aspect in the game anymore is because they never cared to be. If you care about being social, you can still be. You're just not forced anymore to be social if you don't want to be.

Of course, 2a and 2b means actually working towards the social aspect. If you don't like doing it, number 1 is also valid (and pretty popular).

[Computed Lamb]

As already mentioned, you have two paths:

1. Blame LFR/LFD/Blizzard/Twilight Saga/Everyone else in the world except for you;

or

2. Take the initiative
2a. join a guild that fits your playstyle (be it Flex, Normal or Heroic; or PvP).
2b. Be active. See someone on trade asking how to get to Booty Bay? Give them a ride. Someone undergeared wants to do a HS/Heroic Dungeon? Why not help? Ask other guilds how they are doing in progression. Someone asked how you got that mount? Don't just say "Alyz FL". Explain the whole thing, how you farmed, how happy you were when it dropped. The only reason someone feels there is no social aspect in the game anymore is because they never cared to be. If you care about being social, you can still be. You're just not forced anymore to be social if you don't want to be.

Of course, 2a and 2b means actually working towards the social aspect. If you don't like doing it, number 1 is also valid (and pretty popular).

Appreciate the response, but your reading comprehension failed.

I was asking what aspects of the game still encourage social interaction, not how to go out of my way to try and force connections with random people.

[Sansnom]

Congratulations for having the lowest reading comprehension of any poster in this thread so far.

If you are looking for new friends in the game, I suggesting being a bit more "friendly".

[Milkyz]

Appreciate the response, but your reading comprehension failed.

I was asking what aspects of the game still encourage social interaction, not how to go out of my way to try and force connections with random people.

Well, it hasn't changed from BC (can't speak about Vanilla).

You need a guild to complete the most challenging content, as always. That's it. (Or if you were a Enhancement Shaman / Feral Druid on BC, yeah, you'd need to be social to be able to get into Heroic Dungeon groups.)

So, considering a patch is released and we have fresh new content (MoP model):

You need a guild to progress into Heroic/Normal Raid Content. You don't need to be in a guild to do Flex, but well, you'd have to "socialize" by asking for an invite, maybe they would require Vent. So your option is to do LFR (which will only open a few weeks later into the patch). Heroic Scenarios, which are by far the fastest way to get Valor, requires a premade group. Does that count as socializing?

Back in BC, let's see:

You need a guild to progress into Raid Content. You don't need to be in a guild to do KZ, but well, you'd have to "socialize" by asking for an invite, maybe they would require Vent. That would probably depend on your class as well. So if you didn't want to be social back then, you didn't have the option of doing LFR and would do Netherwing / Ogri'la dailies forever. To do Heroic Dungeons, you didn't need to be social, all you needed was to spam on Trade Chat (of course, if you had a "bad class for Heroic Dungeons" you'd need to be social to get an invite).

Also, I'd like to add that the title is "Best way to find social interaction in WoW today". So your title composition has failed. Should be "Best way to be forced into social interaction in WoW today".

I find it really intriguing when someone is seeking social interaction but uses "go out of my way to try and force connections with random people".

[Computed Lamb]

Well, it hasn't changed from BC (can't speak about Vanilla).

You need a guild to complete the most challenging content, as always. That's it. (Or if you were a Enhancement Shaman / Feral Druid on BC, yeah, you'd need to be social to be able to get into Heroic Dungeon groups.)

So, considering a patch is released and we have fresh new content (MoP model):

You need a guild to progress into Heroic/Normal Raid Content. You don't need to be in a guild to do Flex, but well, you'd have to "socialize" by asking for an invite, maybe they would require Vent. So your option is to do LFR (which will only open a few weeks later into the patch). Heroic Scenarios, which are by far the fastest way to get Valor, requires a premade group. Does that count as socializing?

Back in BC, let's see:

You need a guild to progress into Raid Content. You don't need to be in a guild to do KZ, but well, you'd have to "socialize" by asking for an invite, maybe they would require Vent. That would probably depend on your class as well. So if you didn't want to be social back then, you didn't have the option of doing LFR and would do Netherwing / Ogri'la dailies forever. To do Heroic Dungeons, you didn't need to be social, all you needed was to spam on Trade Chat (of course, if you had a "bad class for Heroic Dungeons" you'd need to be social to get an invite).

Also, I'd like to add that the title is "Best way to find social interaction in WoW today". So your title composition has failed. Should be "Best way to be forced into social interaction in WoW today".

I find it really intriguing when someone is seeking social interaction but uses "go out of my way to try and force connections with random people".

I think my title is pretty clear for the state of the game as is. I didn't ask "how do I get into raid content" I was looking for what elements of the game still encourage social play. The reason I quoted TBC expansion is because there seemed to be many more things in that expansion encouraged players to interact compared to the aspects I can find in MoP that do the same.

As I've already stated, in MoP, I have very little incentive to interact with anyone, and in many cases (especially questing) interacting with players is a hindrance and not a benefit.

As for you're quote:

I find it really intriguing when someone is seeking social interaction but uses "go out of my way to try and force connections with random people".

Of the suggestions mentioned so far... yes, many are "go out of your way to try and bombard people with chat and getting to know them" to force interactions. 5-mans have zero chat -- same with scenarios, LFR has pretty much zero chat except insults, questing is solo, hell even most 5-mans are solo, talking in pretty much any of these is usually met by silence or insults because while you're sitting there trying to type up a friendly storm and engage your group members, they're pissed off at you for not already being at the boss before the loading screen has finished, or you get kicked from your LFR because they simply don't like socializing at all because it slows it down.

So, yes, asking if CM's, Normals/Heroics raiding are the only form of gameplay that still encourages socialization shouldn't baffle you. If it does, that's quite sad that you don't see the lack of socialization that is dominant in the game for your fellow players (and a killer to your game).

[Milkyz]

So, yes, asking if CM's, Normals/Heroics raiding are the only form of gameplay that still encourages socialization shouldn't baffle you. If it does, that's quite sad that you don't see the lack of socialization that is dominant in the game for your fellow players (and a killer to your game).

It doesn't baffle me. The lack of forced socialization is a good point. This way people who enjoy socializing can play the game; and those who don't can still play most part of it. The fact that someone chooses to not socialize don't take away any fun I have in my guild chat or with Friends that I (mindblown) made because I started to talk to them while doing an Heroic Scenario or Flex Groups on alts. They are missing the fun, but well, if they aren't socializing it's probably because they don't think the fun outweighs the burden. That's their choice and the game should support it.

Some examples:

- This girl I started talking to because she was nitpicking words in my "LFM HS - bring your undergeared alt!". Now a RealID friend to whom I talk about all sort of stuff.
- This guy that was looking for someone to fly him to Booty Bay (iirc) for 500g and I offered to do it by free. Now a RealID friend to whom I talk about all sort of stuff. Sadly stopped playing WoW and plays D3 on Softcore, so we can't really play together. We still talk anyway.
- This druid I met back in T14 during a LFR ToES run. He was curious about my Gemming choice and asked a few questions during LFR. I replied a few ones and offered my BattleTag so we could talk more. We still talk up to today.
- People I met through OpenRaid Achievement Runs that I still have on RealID and talk to.

None of these were through "forced" social interaction. We interacted because we wanted to. And that's how it should be, in my point of view.

[Computed Lamb]

It doesn't baffle me. The lack of forced socialization is a good point. This way people who enjoy socializing can play the game; and those who don't can still play most part of it. The fact that someone chooses to not socialize don't take away any fun I have in my guild chat or with Friends that I (mindblown) made because I started to talk to them while doing an Heroic Scenario or Flex Groups on alts. They are missing the fun, but well, if they aren't socializing it's probably because they don't think the fun outweighs the burden. That's their choice and the game should support it.

Some examples:

- This girl I started talking to because she was nitpicking words in my "LFM HS - bring your undergeared alt!". Now a RealID friend to whom I talk about all sort of stuff.
- This guy that was looking for someone to fly him to Booty Bay (iirc) for 500g and I offered to do it by free. Now a RealID friend to whom I talk about all sort of stuff. Sadly stopped playing WoW and plays D3 on Softcore, so we can't really play together. We still talk anyway.
- This druid I met back in T14 during a LFR ToES run. He was curious about my Gemming choice and asked a few questions during LFR. I replied a few ones and offered my BattleTag so we could talk more. We still talk up to today.
- People I met through OpenRaid Achievement Runs that I still have on RealID and talk to.

None of these were through "forced" social interaction. We interacted because we wanted to. And that's how it should be, in my point of view.

I think you're just trying to argue to argue or something because no where in my post did I say that interaction can and should be forced, or that you or anyone else should be required to talk to another player, or that you can't spark up random conversations/friends through trade chat. I was simply asking in which parts of the current inception of the game is social interaction encouraged through design. I stated that I could only identify 3 areas and was looking for more, or affirmation if my assumptions were correct. Nothing more.

[Pandapuncher]

If you have the gear for it pug. Hope you get into a guild group that is in need of one or two players. If you enjoy them and they like you, try to get in with em. There are decent players who are into the social aspect. By that I mean that they socialize amongst the guild members and chat. Sadly, and this is my experience, most guilds that are too into the social aspect lack the skill to get really far into raids at a fast pace. My friend was in a guild like that and my first guild was like that. My friend was still progressing in Mogu shan vaults during late ToT. Not even terrace or heart. My first guild was very social, but couldn't build a raid team even. The reason they get like that is because everyone is into the social, friendly aspect. Therefore they do not really want to boot anyone who may be under performing.

A good mix is out there I'm sure. My current guild is great for that, although we had serious recruitment issues through out MoP. Just have gear and pug. Other then that once you have the experience you might be able to find one, but you wouldn't really know how they are socially before hand.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm sorry but this is just flat out wrong. When I play in LFR on an alt, if I do, there is always social interaction to be had. More so in the LFG since its only five people. Ive met some really nice people that way. LFR and LFG are great social interaction tools, if you are willing to start it up and not just sit there QQing that no one is talking.

And then you never talked to them again because they aren't from your server

[Milkyz]

I think you're just trying to argue to argue or something because no where in my post did I say that interaction can and should be forced, or that you or anyone else should be required to talk to another player, or that you can't spark up random conversations/friends through trade chat. I was simply asking in which parts of the current inception of the game is social interaction encouraged through design. I stated that I could only identify 3 areas and was looking for more, or affirmation if my assumptions were correct. Nothing more.

Sorry about it. Your post gave me a bad impression due to the exaggeration on that "As the game is currently, pretty much 99% of the total content", so I was already posting on the assumption of a BC > MoP post.

You point out 3 areas (CMs, Normal Raiding and Heroic Raiding). So 5-man End Game Content and 10-25 End Game Content. How is that any different from how the game was before? Wasn't it only 5-man End Game Content (Heroic Dungeons) and 10-25 End Game content (Raiding) as well?

[Computed Lamb]

Wasn't it only 5-man End Game Content (Heroic Dungeons) and 10-25 End Game content (Raiding) as well?

No, because when compared to instances like TBC or WotlK, it was quite common to continuously bump into the same people over and over through questing and even group up together repeatedly (even if unplanned) for group quests that couldn't be solo'd as you progressed through the zones. Or, another example, in WotlK it was quite common for people to group for dailies. Most of the Icecrown ones encouraged grouping.

Before MoP/Cata, there were more than 3 ways to end up repeatedly bumping into/grouping with the same player (which naturally grew familiarity/further grouping/interaction/guild invites/etc).

[Milkyz]

No, because when compared to instances like TBC or WotlK, it was quite common to continuously bump into the same people over and over through questing and even group up together repeatedly (even if unplanned) for group quests that couldn't be solo'd as you progressed through the zones. Or, another example, in WotlK it was quite common for people to group for dailies. Most of the Icecrown ones encouraged grouping.

Before MoP/Cata, there were more than 3 ways to end up repeatedly bumping into/grouping with the same player (which naturally grew familiarity/further grouping/interaction/guild invites/etc).

I remember people grouping up for 5.0/5.1/5.2 dailies, also Molten Front on Cata (was it 4.2?). I grouped up for the dread 5.0 dailies (especially Valley of Eternal Blossoms), 5.1 dailies (when it wasn't inside that mine, played on a very unbalanced server so I'd skip it) and 5.2 as well (it was much faster to do it while in a group. As it was similar to Quel'danas, most of the server was there so grouping up was natural). I have few memories of Molten Front as I was on a break for most of Firelands, but I don't remember grouping up for it that often. People would often invite others to do that last part though (when it was fully open).

5.4 you end up running into people if you stay for long on Timeless Isle. Constant calling for Rare / Events timers often brings up topic of discussion while waiting for an spawn. Same when people are farming Shaohao reputation.

[Deleted]

there is no hope for social interaction after lfr, lfg and more craptools for the casuals

And this attitude just makes it worse.

[Deleted]

Let's see the other way around, what does the game do now, and what could the game do for you to encourage the social side?

Well, OP, you don't PvP.
But aside of arena, where "Just the Two of Us awesome bonding" was abandoned in favor of 3vs3 e-sport soccer teams, you can still queue togheter and save each others' lives in BG's and other jolly co-op, which still need your input. You won't get your jolly co-op in PvP by default by any means. So you don't miss much. Maybe in the future, Skirmish might help you put something togeter. At least it used to work for me back in the days, to find the one who had the synergy.

-There's still PvE. If you're not in a nice guild, things don't really go your way. Guild finder um... it didn't seem to work. Ppl advertise the old fashioned way though, you can find some nice ppl.
-LFR well... aside of random entertainment with random people, won't get you a buddy I think.
-Though I played as tank in LFR, and I think I nearly ended up friends with my other tank a few times. It's just you and your fellow tank, and sometimes you need to communicate, though I could really just solo-tank everything, but I like to let them do stuff as well.
-Guildie keeps getting paper tanks? No fear guildie in distress, your knight in bikini armor has arrived! LFR gives some bonding opportunities, even if it totally sucks. But it's way better than I anticipated when it came out.

-The other thing is Challenge Modes. I know some ppl just from trying to put togeter Challenge mode groups. Nothing helps you there though, you're totally on your own, like in PvP matchmaking.

-Raids are almost entirely guild-dependent. As a tank, at least, I'm friend with my other tank. I don't care about loot, tank is not like DPS, I don't need an arms race, I just need to be survivable enough. Tanking is so warm and fuzzy.

I don't know how else the game pushes people together.

What can the game do, though. Could have interfaces like guild finder, but guild finder has not seen much use. Scenarios are quite anti-social, with being able to just solo through as anything, and going further leads to:

It doesn't baffle me. The lack of forced socialization is a good point. This way people who enjoy socializing can play the game; and those who don't can still play most part of it. The fact that someone chooses to not socialize don't take away any fun I have in my guild chat or with Friends that I (mindblown) made because I started to talk to them while doing an Heroic Scenario or Flex Groups on alts. They are missing the fun, but well, if they aren't socializing it's probably because they don't think the fun outweighs the burden. That's their choice and the game should support it.

LFG and LFR did make things way less social though, however if I take an unbiased look at TBC after all this time. Nah it was a bit antisocial and unpractical back then too. Wouldn't bond you better than Challenge Modes. It was still putting a group togheter, but you had to fly to the stone. Also it took longer to find a group.

[DriveKnight]

once they remove lfg and lfr and i hope they do.

[NewOrleansTrolley]

Appreciate the response, but your reading comprehension failed.

I was asking what aspects of the game still encourage social interaction, not how to go out of my way to try and force connections with random people.

Do you think maybe it's you? For a dude asking for social interaction, you don't seem to know what it is. =/

[Halicia]

LFG and LFR did make things way less social though, however if I take an unbiased look at TBC after all this time. Nah it was a bit antisocial and unpractical back then too. Wouldn't bond you better than Challenge Modes. It was still putting a group togheter, but you had to fly to the stone. Also it took longer to find a group.

yeah, if people's idea of 'socialization' is being presented with a challenge they cant solo, and then finding random !#$@s to group up and overcome said challenge, while ignoring each other until they realize what a !@#$ the others are... it generally won't result in a pleasant game experience.

its kinda sad, but I've found real results for my guild once I make a point of reminding EVERY one that if you open up and be friendly, people will open up and be friendly in return. If you're faced with a big wall of anonymous names, noone's going to be the one to break the silence.