Story Mode Instnaces Without Blue Loot - Learn Dungeons, Raids, BGs

[Hayatoo]

Heya!

So with such a good AI as it exist nowadays,
It's finally time for story mode instances!

The idea is you get NPC group-mates to run an instance - dungeon, raid, or BGs for the first time:

-Entirely optional: you can start grouping up right away, without ever touching completing this feature.

-No blues drop whatsoever, only the very same green levelling ilevel gear you would otherwise get through questing.

-No mount, pet, or any other vanity item dropping in this mode.

-No cheevos, and especially no world firsts - this is your private story after all.

-It exists for learning and taking in the story at your own personal pace.

-Same difficulty as normal instances but with NPCs like in Exile's Reach dungeon.

-Learn the story and the mechanics until you feel ready to be grouped with other players.

-And most importantly finish any instance quests on your own without waiting! Does not apply to repeatable quests like dailies etc.

After that it's time to dive in, have fun and grind the instances with friends and pugs as many times as you like

[LordVargK]

Before inventing and AI for dungeons Blizz should just remove dungeon quests.

Like wtf, why do you even want to play an multiplayer game?

[ONCHEhap]

Would be a much better alternative than LFR,as LFR essentially boils down to having 15 AFK players and 5 players doing 80% of the group's DPS.

Story Mode would allow you to see the story while having to actually play (of course I wouldn't expect it to be hard,but at least it'd require the player to pay attention)

[Hayatoo]

Story Mode would allow you to see the story while having to actually play (of course I wouldn't expect it to be hard,but at least it'd require the player to pay attention)

Exactly the right sentiment Though LFR must should absolutely still exist as the step right after completing this feature.

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The goal is to ease even more players into playing with others.

Who knows, maybe they just don't know it yet how good it feels to play this wonderful game with friends yet.

[fatgunn]

Why would you want to play an MMO and then go through this much trouble to avoid other players? LFR fills a "story mode" enough, this is completely unnecessary.

[Hayatoo]

Before inventing and AI for dungeons Blizz should just remove dungeon quests.

Like wtf, why do you even want to play an multiplayer game?

I get your sentiment and story mode instances would solve this problem for you

There are also those however who like to quest together, so they can still stick to the current system.

Absolutely everyone wins

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Why would you want to play an MMO and then go through this much trouble to avoid other players? LFR fills a "story mode" enough, this is completely unnecessary.

No, sadly the story itself is lost in "transition" still, if you get a bad group and can't pay attention to it.
Not to mention the negative first impression you get from running dungeons in the current state of events.

Story mode exists for the lore, without having to rely on anyone. you would also not be disadvantaged in any way whatsoever with this feature, as regualr dungeons still woudl serve their current purpose. This feature would quite literally not affect you in the slightest

[LordVargK]

I get your sentiment and story mode instances would solve this problem for you

There are also those however who like to quest together, so they can still stick to the current system.

Absolutely everyone wins

Yeah no. Because the MMO crowd doesn't. Dev time is used for a pure single player feature instead of using it for MMO features. If someone is just interested in the story then can watch a let's play.

[Hayatoo]

Yeah no. Because the MMO crowd doesn't. Dev time is used for a pure single player feature instead of using it for MMO features. If someone is just interested in the story then can watch a let's play.

So you think watching a single player story is the same as actually playing it?
Even better: Why don't you read it then?

The point is there is no RPG without a single player story, you might as well play a moba otherwise.

If you seriously don't see the difference, I do feel pity for folks like you :/

[crakerjack]

Gunna have to say no. WoW is an mmorpg. If you want a single player RPG, there are better options out there.

[fatgunn]

No, sadly the story itself is lost in "transition" still, if you get a bad group and can't pay attention to it.
Not to mention the negative first impression you get from running dungeons in the current state of events.

Story mode exists for the lore, without having to rely on anyone. you would also not be disadvantaged in any way whatsoever with this feature, as regualr dungeons still woudl serve their current purpose. This feature would quite literally not affect you in the slightest

It effects everyone. It's dev time and money wasted on a feature that is only useful for people who are too scared of other players to even do an lfr. It makes lfr/dungeon queues longer by lowering the player pool.

Honestly I don't even understand how someone who would use this even got started playing an mmo. Feels like the thought that other people exist in the world would be too much for them.

[Hayatoo]

Gunna have to say no. WoW is an mmorpg. If you want a single player RPG, there are better options out there.

Seeing as there is literally 0 change involved to running instances for the sake of gear progression.

Hmm honest question: What are you afraid of if this feature gets implemented?

[lordjust]

Would be a much better alternative than LFR,as LFR essentially boils down to having 15 AFK players and 5 players doing 80% of the group's DPS.

Story Mode would allow you to see the story while having to actually play (of course I wouldn't expect it to be hard,but at least it'd require the player to pay attention)

With the changes made to LFR in Shadowlands you actually need to do mechanics to finish the fights. Huntsman first dog insta kills you if you don't soak the damage with at least another person, second dog does a lot of damage and has a lot of HP so you need to cc it for the debuff. Lasers on Devourer can kill your whole raid if people dont move. Darkvein could be cheesed, Kealthas can be cheesed, Xymox you need to move the seeds and run away from the sword in p3, Council you need to interupt Frieda, do the dance, run together with you partner, kill the attendes to remove the shield and so on.

All mechanics from normal are in LFR in an easier version and need to be done to kill the bosses. On huntsman the dog can be cc to like 100 stacks or so, devourer has only 2 beams and 2 people who can't be healed, Darkvein the canisters drain automatically every 25% boss HP and there are only 2 balls to cut instead of 3 (but still 3 people who are connected), Xymox are 2 seeds instead of 4, Kealthas is exactly the same with less HP to heal and council is the same with less HP per boss.

As for the idea of even easier dungeons, in my opinion normal dungeons are easy enough. There aren't that many mechanics to begin with and from normal to heroic to mythic it's only one new mechanic per boss and not every boss even gets new mechanics on higher difficulties.

[Amnaught]

Id rather them have scenario versions of old end-of-expansion raids to capstone off your Timewalking Campaign at level 50....

So you still queue for them, or join them with friends, but like the Broken Shore or Battle for Lordaeron, the number of players is irrelevant.

[crakerjack]

Seeing as there is literally 0 change involved to running instances for the sake of gear progression.

Hmm honest question: What are you afraid of if this feature gets implemented?

What's wrong with just queuing for the dungeon like everyone else? It's only a 10-15 min wait average.

[LordVargK]

So you think watching a single player story is the same as actually playing it?
Even better: Why don't you read it then?

The point is there is no RPG without a single player story, you might as well play a moba otherwise.

If you seriously don't see the difference, I do feel pity for folks like you :/

Yes, if you play WoW solely for the story you might as well watch it. Or watch nobbel, etc.

And of course there are roleplaying games without a single player story. Most pen and paper RPGs are not single player and the very definition of RPG. The correct way would be to remove all single player story and embrace the MMO format. Because otherwise the story makes little sense anyways, since the player is not really a part of it.

[mojusk]

good idea on paper.
but unfortunately the vast majority wont spend their time bettering themselves, especially if theres no reward for it.

[Gourbaak]

Is it the anti lfr thread of the day ?

[Ninix]

Why would you want to play an MMO and then go through this much trouble to avoid other players? LFR fills a "story mode" enough, this is completely unnecessary.

Story ode you can see 2 months after release.
Completely irrelevant.

[Hayatoo]

Yes, if you play WoW solely for the story you might as well watch it. Or watch nobbel, etc.

And of course there are roleplaying games without a single player story. Most pen and paper RPGs are not single player and the very definition of RPG. The correct way would be to remove all single player story and embrace the MMO format. Because otherwise the story makes little sense anyways, since the player is not really a part of it.

Once again, repeat after me watching is =/= playing. It is not your char, not your transmog, not your choices, not your build etc. come on that's not that hard to grasp.
Just like if you watch some random dude playing Witcher 3, it's not your story, in WoW it isn't either if you just watch.

So when did WoW become a pen and paper game?
And even there, any RPG needs to have a single player story to keep the individual entertained. Something unique to the player, otherwise the whole game falls apart and is no longer an RPG.

I agree that the mmo elements need to be dialled up as well though.

Everquest Next tried to do something like a multiplayer story but that game sadly never materialized.

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What's wrong with just queuing for the dungeon like everyone else? It's only a 10-15 min wait average.

Who said you can't do that? You don't have to use this feature. Read my OP.

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good idea on paper.
but unfortunately the vast majority wont spend their time bettering themselves, especially if theres no reward for it.

If not then not, its their loss really, Story mode instances are like a quest, you complete it once, no reason for you to go back.

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It effects everyone. It's dev time and money wasted on a feature that is only useful for people who are too scared of other players to even do an lfr. It makes lfr/dungeon queues longer by lowering the player pool.

Honestly I don't even understand how someone who would use this even got started playing an mmo. Feels like the thought that other people exist in the world would be too much for them.

The AI is ready. Have you played the Exile's Reach dungeon? Implementing it takes no longer than any other scripted quests of which there are literalyl tohusands in the game already so the dev time and money factor is entirely irrelevant. This is what they do anyway.

Different strokes for different folks, many people find enjoyment in the story of an mmo, since they don't have to save, and is just an easy way to relax, or whatever their reason is.

Why would it lower the pool?
Think about it: it would increase the pool, because people with social anxiety would better queue up for player dungeons automatically, because there is absolutely reason to revisit the story by themselves since they know it already.

Not hard to figure out.

[Mysterymask]

Think about it: it would increase the pool, because people with social anxiety would better queue up for player dungeons automatically, because there is absolutely reason to revisit the story by themselves since they know it already.

Umm kinda half assed knowing the dungeon doesnt help people with social anxiety because the root cause of them not queing (OTHER PEOPLE) is still there