What if WoW were to implement a "buddy system" of sorts?

[aldahar]

While WoW may never recapture it's former glory, it seems to me that part of the appeal during its heyday was less about the game itself and more about the social world that prospered in Azeroth.

Sure, the game was great. But lots of games were great before WoW, and there are some great games out there right now. So how did WoW reach not only the pinnacle, but then remain there for nearly a decade?

I would argue that a large portion of the fanbase was more interested in visiting with their group of friends and/or their guild, and the game simply served much like any other RL hangout would, only it was available 24/7 (well, excluding Tuesdays for 1/2 the day). That aspect has been lost for a long time now. I believe it's because Blizzard missed one key element in their various iterations to gameplay over the years. They introduced LFR, which is a huge win for players who want to see content but aren't hardcore. They homogenized so much between classes that you could roll anything and largely be successful at whatever quest or chore you were pursuing. Another win, in my book. But as with all change, there is some level of tradeoff. They gave casual players accessibility and hardcores Mythic/Mythic +. Alt lovers could build an army of 'toons. Transmog makes those who care look great. Finally, maybe WoW has simply run its course, as all things do.

Still...how about adding a buddy system? Let's say you enter an instance or even LFR as a pug. Everyone you run with is somewhat "linked" to you, much like the old days of a Raid ID was. In a given period of time, or possibly indefinitely, when you group with that person and run instanced content or even WQ's, you gain a multiplier of some type. Could be for loot ilvl, improvement to a key stat, or simply gold for finishing said content. This would likely encourage more regular grouping, and some people, in spite of themselves, may even forge those in-game friendships that help enliven the game itself.

I've been off WoW for a bit recently returned, so maybe they already do this and I'm just lagging. Or maybe I'm thinking of how I sometimes have to manipulate my kids into decisions that they would have rebuffed independently but come to appreciate later. Either way, I have always believed that WoW wasn't great because of WoW; it was great because of the people inside the game.

[Lucetia]

you gain a multiplier of some type. Could be for loot ilvl, improvement to a key stat, or simply gold for finishing said content. This would likely encourage more regular grouping, and some people, in spite of themselves, may even forge those in-game friendships that help enliven the game itself.

So a system that will be easily abused and cause negative repercussions overall?

[Big Thanks]

Anything to try and make this game more social is welcomed.

I dont know why....but being antisocial in WoW is so common that even i feel weirded out by trying to start a random conversation.
Unless im on an RP server. Those are awesome

[Mokrath]

This type of things happens all the time during Timewalking and Dungeon week to me.
Rando group that meshes well together, we keep queueing to knock out 4 or 5 dungeons. Benefit is instant queue times and knowing everyone can get it done smoothly.
I think the LFD tool did, or maybe still does, reward bonuses for pre-made groups. Not sure, but saving queue times and headaches is already a great benefit and happens spontaneously quite often.

[Triceron]

Systems are meant to be exploited and gamed.

The best solution is to go back to a sandbox and let people play how they want to play, and just support the game with more open ended content. You can't really add systems that enforce good grouping. That stuff is grassroots and has to be driven by the community.

[draugril]

How about two-headed ogres for a real buddy system?

[Amnaught]

So a system that will be easily abused and cause negative repercussions overall?

Tie the multiplier to time spent while grouped.

Allow a limited number of buddies.

Problem solved.

[Relapses]

"WTS buddy boost 200k, PST for more info"

-coming to the LFG approximately .0006 milliseconds after this idea implemented

[Mokrath]

"WTS buddy boost 200k, PST for more info"

-coming to the LFG approximately .0006 milliseconds after this idea implemented

I think you can pre-order the runs already!

[arkanon]

So a system that will be easily abused and cause negative repercussions overall?

Honestly this was my first thought as well - it would be abused heavily, and immedaitely.

[muto]

Anything to try and make this game more social is welcomed.

I dont know why....but being antisocial in WoW is so common that even i feel weirded out by trying to start a random conversation.
Unless im on an RP server. Those are awesome

Cross-realm, and group-finder killed social interaction, because now people can be dickheads and not be punished for it. Back before cross-realm if people were dicks to people on their server they would avoid them.

Honestly if they want to improve social interaction they should merge more servers, and remove group finder. Force people to actually interact with each other through communication if they want to get into groups, and not just press a “sign up” button. It will also lessen toxicity, because like I said before people can’t be dicks and get away with it.

[Tehalbino]

Game doesn't have a social problem. It's just an individual player issue that they are either oblivious or just cannot come to terms that they are terrible at the game. Sometimes it's bad enough to the point where you get enough of these types of players together where they are unable to clear basic easy content.

Nobody that is successful in this game has these issues that are constantly brought up here. Don't ever bother helping somebody that can't be arsed to help themselves.

[Biomega]

Anything to try and make this game more social is welcomed.

Is it, though? And welcome by whom?

There's a reason many systems have shifted away from being based in social interaction - it's what people prefer. It makes it easier to divide the game into modular chunks of content that can be completed in various ways, and therefore fit various player expectations, preferences, and schedules. Some are more easily separated from the social, some still require it to varying degrees. What it boils down to is, in effect, streamlining of the experience: it's gaming first and foremost, with social parts strewn in as needed and as desired.

Sometimes you just want to get your dungeon done, or complete LFR for a legendary recipe or quest or whatever, and you don't want it to take 20 minutes of chatting up a group of people to ask them if they maybe kinda wanna do stuff. That's disrespecting your time, and theirs. Those who do want to socialize still have many avenues available to them, from guilds to Discords, to whatever other form of extraneous or internal platform. But those who do not are no longer forced into it, and it's much easier to have social be opt-in rather than the reverse.

Yes, the social aspect used to be a big part of the game during its earlier years. But things change. I just want to enjoy myself playing the actual game, not playing a chatroom with game moments thrown in. Those who do want that can still do it - heck, even at the highest echelons of raiding, social banter etc. is a big part of the experience.

[Baine]

Anything to try and make this game more social is welcomed.

I dont know why....but being antisocial in WoW is so common that even i feel weirded out by trying to start a random conversation.
Unless im on an RP server. Those are awesome

I am one of those anti social. Not because I dislike people, but because most, if not all games I play are single player. So I am not used to really coopérative play. I have no problem teaming to do a WQ or down an elite mob, but I have no interest to participate more socially. But I don't mind to add incentives for those who want that kind of help.

[KrayZ33]

I don't quite get it.
That's a "guild" isn't it?

What would the buddy system achieve, other than building groups inside groups.

This isn't helping.
If you want players to help other players you should make it a "one time reward per player" thing - and not add a system that would exclude even more people because all of a sudden, you can't find a group due to other players already having a buddy bonus with someone else.

i.e. what you need is something like this: "enhance your vault by X itemlevel (up to the usual +15 maximum) by playing M+ with 10 different players" or something like that. Or unlock another vault slot by doing so with the lowest key/raid done that way.

But even that wouldn't get you invited to every group imaginable, in the end, it's still you vs 600 other DPS trying to get into the same group.

[leorana]

Cross-realm, and group-finder killed social interaction, because now people can be dickheads and not be punished for it. Back before cross-realm if people were dicks to people on their server they would avoid them.

Honestly if they want to improve social interaction they should merge more servers, and remove group finder. Force people to actually interact with each other through communication if they want to get into groups, and not just press a “sign up” button. It will also lessen toxicity, because like I said before people can’t be dicks and get away with it.

Nothing is wrong with the 'sign up' button. Beats the hell outta recruiting on trade, flying to said dungeon, fail, disband or need to replace so travel back and post on trade again....


You should open the 'sign up' option to all activities - yet limit it to same server/s so eventually everyone knows everyone and can blacklist toxic and ninjas accordingly.

[Crimson Spears]

I've seen enough of the wow community to know that outside of mythic raiders, people with io above 2.1k and 2.2+ pvp rating I want nothing to do with them and they want nothing to do with me.

Find your own community.

[Azerate]

That would do exactly nothing for the people who don't want to group with others.

People have this weird fetish about forcing others to socialize. Just stop. People who want to play with others have great environment to do that in wow, and those who don't want to can play the game in peace as well. Also, there is already enough advantages coming from actually networking from other players as opposed to playing solo. One could argue much greater than some measly gear drop boosts.

Cross-realm, and group-finder killed social interaction, because now people can be dickheads and not be punished for it. Back before cross-realm if people were dicks to people on their server they would avoid them.

And we have the 'bubble' argument again. No one effin knew anyone except for people in the top guilds between each other. The solution to toxicity is swift action from Blizzard, not going back to prehistoric systems that impair players' ability to group up for content efficiently.

[MoanaLisa]

I dont know why....but being antisocial in WoW is so common that even i feel weirded out by trying to start a random conversation.
Unless im on an RP server. Those are awesome

In some respects playing WoW for a lot of people has become a kind of hymn to efficiency. Friends aren't efficient. Shooting the shit with players in an instance? Not efficient. Kind of difficult to talk when go-go-go is the norm. That's not the only reason and probably not the main one but it's pretty pervasive and a player only needs to be shut down X number of times (depending on how thick-skinned they are) before they either quit or refuse to connect with other strangers.

If you think about it, doing rather difficult things with total strangers we'll likely never see again is not how we operate our lives in real life. Blizzard has doubled-, tripled-, and quadrupled-down on the idea over the years. I understand why they feel they must but to my mind being shoved into situations with strangers is about as anti-social as it gets. I still have a few friends that play and a couple of family members and they are the only people I ever engage with. I'm open to a guild in the right situation but a good social guild is difficult to find.

Something like guilds and communities are the only way out of that but Blizzard accidentally crippled guilds back in Cataclysm and while I thought their in-game communities stuff was a good start, they've never really supported it. Hell, they've barely mentioned it.

[FelPlague]

So a system that will be easily abused and cause negative repercussions overall?

the only way i could see thsi happenng is if for example in weekly timewalking you got double timewalking badges if you stay with yoru group for another run, or have it give a higher chance to drop various mounts.

but then even that opens for 'easily abused and negivitive reprecussions" by simply cheesing to play with friends and still getting the benefit.
and alos getting mad at people who say they have to go, ragin and yelling and cussing them out cause now youve lost your buff...