MMO Dungeon Finders/Random Matchmaking

[ro9ue]

Has the LFD tool in WoW ruined the MMO genre?

I'm being cynically exaggerative here but honestly do you think it essentially goes against the core of the genre? When I look at LFD, LFR, I see the beginning of the end of MMO community and social dynamics. I also see the outcome of progressing the genre further in that direction to basically lead to the Destiny formula: Shared main city, and instances. Even the zones are technically instances, they don't link like a seamless world does.

[TheFuse]

I think it's good. I don't want to go back to the TBC days of sitting in Shatt looking for a Heroic Steamvaults group for two hours. I had a guild, sure, but I was also in school so by time I was home/done with homework all of tanks in the guild had already run theirs for the week. And I don't think it's harming the social bit of the game at all. I've met more friends through LFR/LFD than I would have before their introduction because now I have more people to interact with. Sure, people don't talk in dungeons these days but they didn't either, not in my experience. There was always that one guy who would ask for a summon while everyone else flew to the instance and that was usually it, maybe a thank you for the group dropped at the end. But unless there was a wipe, the groups were almost silent.

[lawow74]

Overall I think tools like this help more than they hurt, especially if a game is structured around running on different servers. Even if it's not completely automated/one-click-and-go, being able to put up an ad for a group that anyone can see game-wide is a real time-saver.

I also think it's rather like Pandora's Box. Once that door was opened, there's no way you'll shut it again. Games that lack the feature will have players pester the developers in scores for it. Much like how players pestered the developers of GW 2 to give them raid content.

[dope_danny]

Depends on the game. There is one in FFXIV for example, but its largely there for max level jobs to run once a day for currency to give leveling jobs faster group finding. Though its just one option of things to do at endgame rather than some 'gear up solo for raids' deal.

If its some game where its like 70% of your endgame on repeat just for some gear drop then that becomes tedious, which makes people tetchy which leads to assholes and blowups.

It just needs to be part of a balanced diet of content so to speak.

[Halicia]

Because WoW is totally and singularly responsible for random matchmaking in online games.

[Twistedelmo]

I think it's bad.

However i do not mind it for Normal dungeons, but with the changes in mythics that you need to make your own group takes away the "EZ mode" of gearing / running dungeons. My hopes are to find myself a set group that runs Mythic+ ever so often which would lead to casual alt raid group like i had back in TBC with KZ and ZA.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

It helps a lot, especially those on low pop servers and when your friends are not on and when you actually want to play the game. People may not like it but it's better then sitting in trade chat hoping someone to invite you and they're the right role.

[Jtbrig7390]

It has pros and cons like anything else.

But I feel the pros far outweight the cons. Forced socializing is not social and I rather someone use these systems then to unsub.


As someone who has been playing since TBC and has delt with the guild/pug drama, If it wasn't for the LFG systems I would be done with WoW.

Only MMO I am ok with not having a matchmaking system (and it has one) is Runescape.

[unfilteredJW]

No harm. Can still make my own groups if I want.

[Skayaq]

The dungeon finder made it possible for me to spend a lot more time actually enjoying the game, rather than sitting around in a major city trying to find a group, so for me it's a good thing.

[Deleted]

Good. It allows players on smaller realms or players without guilds to focus more on playing the game, and less on searching. But I think there should also be challenging content for premade groups of a small size as an alternative. In the case of WoW, sadly that wasn't the case for quite some time with the introduction of the LFD tool.

[RoninaThorstone]

If you think that it has "ruined the genre" then you weren't around to look for groups for Diremaul.
Blizzard casualizing into farmville is what ruined the game. There's nothing wrong with a group finder that throws you into very hard content.

[May90]

I think rather the idea of endgame-focus is what ruined MMOs for me. I like open worlds, but I see little point in having an open world when everyone just rushes through it in order to get to the instanced endgame, leaving me alone in the world, playing essentially a single player RPG with lag, poor combat and grindy quests.

[Dezerte]

I think it's a matter of taste mostly.

[Coldkil]

I think they are a solution for an outdated structure and a new playerbase. With all the pros and cons of that.

It's all about where the "endgame" is. If best loot/rewards/coins/whatever is to be found in the open world, you'll have people all running throught that and farming the best spots amassing themselves in small zones, making the whole world less meaningful.

Dungeons/small group istnaces and raids need a premade setup - even if it's only in terms of roles. You either put effort in creating/gathering your party or you'll have someone to do it for you, be it your raid leader or Blizzard through some kind of tool.

The real issue is that most MMO delve in the outdated raid/big group endgame content which is fun but not for everyone. So either you have to cater to a miniority and promote the noiche of player with a niche game, or you appeal to the biggest part - which means all of them should have an easy access (doesn't mean easy content) to the endgame content.

But then the "PUG factor" kicks in; with most people just coming from solo play and having no interest in grouping up if not to get the best loot, then you either make it easy or groups simply crumble, given how easy is to jump into another group.

While grouping up shouldn't be anymore an hassle like it was 10 years ago (cause you'd spend more time asking than playing) the point is that a new player usually simply doesn't care about other people, but just wants HIS personal rewards. No matter what's needed to do to have them.

People don't do content because they don't want to spend time organizing/scheduling their playtime and just want quick "login/logout" experiences - as many shooters/pvp games have because you can play 1 game or 100 dpending on what you feel and if you have time with no repercussions. Most people just solo queue because they don't care about grouping up, even if it's going to be a better experience or may net more results.

[Baconeggcheese]

I think all convenience comes at a cost, its hard to say if its outright good or bad as opposed to *how* its designed to minimize the damage it causes.

[I Push Buttons]

People don't do content because they don't want to spend time organizing/scheduling their playtime and just want quick "login/logout" experiences - as many shooters/pvp games have because you can play 1 game or 100 dpending on what you feel and if you have time with no repercussions. Most people just solo queue because they don't care about grouping up, even if it's going to be a better experience or may net more results.

Pretty much how it is for me. I don't have a problem with raiding, groups, etc. I just don't like committing to a schedule.

I might feel perfectly fine raiding at the set time this week, but then the next week I might not want to raid at that time... I might log in at noon on a Saturday and feel like raiding, etc. I just don't want to raid on a schedule because if at any given point in that schedule I don't feel like raiding, I have to force myself to do something I don't want to do, which burns me out... Its a game, its meant to be fun and enjoyable and forcing myself to do something I have no interest in doing at that time is the opposite of that...

For the last couple months I have had more fun raiding than at any previous point in WoW because a good number of my buddies all got back into the game and they all wanted to raid... And we just call each other up and say "hey you wanna raid tonight" and we just raided whenever all five of us felt like it and pugged the remaining spots... We only got through Mythic Socrethar, but it was great because every time we raided we all genuinely wanted to be there.

[Coldkil]

Pretty much how it is for me. I don't have a problem with raiding, groups, etc. I just don't like committing to a schedule.

Which is becoming more and more common. There's nothing wrong with it - myself in first place included. I used to raid "seriously" up til WotLK, then IRL and other things started to come more and more prominently and now i'm wondering if (or better when) to buy a Steam Link to play my steam library on the couch.

Many people who was used to that shedule now simply cannot afford to follow it anymore.

Imho a new PvE-based MMO should be focused around small group "dungeons" (or whatever the implementation is) because while hardcore players will always be hardcore, managing a group of 4-5 friends is hell easier and usually funnier for the people involved. I personally would play the hell out of a game like this (basic wow structure, but with 5 man being te endgame with difficult and tightly tuned encounters and multiple dungeons per tier - like 6 or 7).

[Fencers]

I do not play World of Warcraft, but in other games with a LFG system for dungeons I have mostly had great experiences. Only a handful of times (if that) has a party member dropped and forced the rest to either continue undermanned or seek a new player. Which is no less common among other online games such as MOBAs, shooters, card games, etc.

There is no rule that says MMOs have to focus on 'social dynamics'. The primary expression of a video game is gameplay- everything is secondary and in service of gameplay expression. The idea that chatting it up with the healer prior to doing a content slice is crucial to a game or genre would need to be supported by the gameplay to be true. I can't think of many MMOs as such.