Curse

Twilight Doll · May 24, 2005, 04:38 PM // 16:38

I'm going to have to agree with the many players here. GW lacks any sense of community. The only reason you would associate with others is trading or adventure to get a quest/mission done. Most missions tend to use pugs. I came from FFXI.

"LFG", you have no idea how detested this group of words or acronym is.

I feel degraded when I have to use it.

BChan · May 24, 2005, 04:44 PM // 16:44

Personnally, having one big board, ala WoW boards, is a joke. Also in Shadowbane, joke. Anything which has large PvP or Fanbois is spelling doom by having them on a official board.

As for the sense of community TrenchSoul i think has it pegged. You have to look for a guild that will meet what you are looking for. If it isn't don't feel obligated to stay. I think too many people do that. If you don't like the small community you have joined, take it upon yourself to find one that will. That bit of ownership should help ya out

Shagsbeard · May 24, 2005, 04:55 PM // 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dax

.

This game is a beautiful single player game with some online PvP at the moment.... I'm getting the itch to back to WoW....

This sums it up well. What we're seeing in this thread and many others like it is the exodus of MMORPG players. People who play this game hoping to turn it into DAoC or god forbid EQ are disappointed that it's not just a shiny version of their game. What this game has done, is one up Diablo II. It's got much the same flavor of that highly successful game, but adds enough to it that it will excell on its own merit. Diablo II has extra-game communities, and so too will GW. It will not develop a global ingame community since there's no reason for one. This is not a community based game.

Wishing it were is a pointless excersise. I like the game for what it is, but trying to make it into what you expected it to be is futile. Play this game, or go play something else. I'm not saying that in a mean spirited way, just good sound advice. I don't play games that I don't enjoy, nor should you.

Garias Whitanian · May 24, 2005, 05:07 PM // 17:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shagsbeard

Wishing it was is a pointless exercise. I like the game for what it is, but trying to change it into something you expected it to be is futile. Play this game, or go play something else. I'm not saying that in a mean spirited way, just good sound advice. I don't play games that I don't enjoy, nor should you.

Nobodys trying to change the game I was pointing out that its difficult to get anything out of the multiplayer aspect of this game in the early parts, for a good few hours and,say what you will, people have bought a MMORPG and would perhaps like to play it that way.

Im not putting everybody in the same boat, everyones met decent people they get along with, but fools are in the majority. You seem to think m talking about having village fayres and cake baking competitions

Khrysyl · May 24, 2005, 05:13 PM // 17:13

But what about people who do enjoy the game, but still feel that there is something missing?

Is it so wrong for those who feel that gap in their experience to try to fill it in, perhaps by trying to encourage the growth of a community ingame?

Andrelle · May 24, 2005, 05:44 PM // 17:44

I don't think its wrong to try to fill the gap in a person's gaming experience by wanting to build or belong to an in-game community. What I do think is wrong is relying on a video game (or the internet in general) as a main source to fill the loneliness a person may feel. I don't think online "friendships" should be used to fill the void in someone's life. I think they're fine in their own context. Make friends in the game to quest with and increase your entertainment value, sure. Make friends in the game because you're feeling lonely IRL is not very wise.

I just think people need to take a step back and understand why they are playing. Are you specifically playing to make lasting friendships or find the love of your life? With a few exceptions, I think anyone who plays with those objectives in mind is in for one heck of a disappointment.

Just try to keep things in perspective and you'll have a much better gaming experience. You might not worry so much about the lonliness you believe is staring back at you from the other side of the monitor. Go quest with a few henchman if you can't find anybody else.

DismalClown · May 24, 2005, 09:17 PM // 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by BChan

Personnally, having one big board, ala WoW boards, is a joke. Also in Shadowbane, joke. Anything which has large PvP or Fanbois is spelling doom by having them on a official board.

As for the sense of community TrenchSoul i think has it pegged. You have to look for a guild that will meet what you are looking for. If it isn't don't feel obligated to stay. I think too many people do that. If you don't like the small community you have joined, take it upon yourself to find one that will. That bit of ownership should help ya out

I agree. The WoW and CoH boards were for the most part very negative. Basicly it's just a bunch of players telling the devs how the improve the game. Mostly what classes are too overpowered and need to be nerfed.

I'm a firm believer in game devs not listing to players about how to change the game. The devs are the professional game makers, not us. I don't tell my doctor or my car mechanic what to do.

Garias Whitanian · May 24, 2005, 09:36 PM // 21:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrelle

I don't think its wrong to try to fill the gap in a person's gaming experience by wanting to build or belong to an in-game community. What I do think is wrong is relying on a video game (or the internet in general) as a main source to fill the loneliness a person may feel. I don't think online "friendships" should be used to fill the void in someone's life. I think they're fine in their own context. Make friends in the game to quest with and increase your entertainment value, sure. Make friends in the game because you're feeling lonely IRL is not very wise.

I just think people need to take a step back and understand why they are playing. Are you specifically playing to make lasting friendships or find the love of your life? With a few exceptions, I think anyone who plays with those objectives in mind is in for one heck of a disappointment.

Just try to keep things in perspective and you'll have a much better gaming experience. You might not worry so much about the lonliness you believe is staring back at you from the other side of the monitor. Go quest with a few henchman if you can't find anybody else.

Nice to see the art of writing condescending rubbish is still alive and kicking

Khrysyl · May 24, 2005, 09:40 PM // 21:40

Thanks Andrelle, my husband and son will both be very pleased to know that I have decided to follow your advice.

CtrlAltDel · May 24, 2005, 09:42 PM // 21:42

GW is what you make of it, you can play it in an isolationist form, or you can extend yourself and participate in the 'community' that is in place.

Offering those lower items you dont want, for very cheap or free to newer players, helping people with quests, etc.

It is what you make it.

Red Locust · May 24, 2005, 09:44 PM // 21:44

join the american server, we all speak english and we have the favor of the gods more often than europe :P

Jia Xu · May 24, 2005, 09:46 PM // 21:46

Just as a help for those of you dissatisfied with your guilds due to uncaring members / leetzor style players, always remember that you aren't losing out by leaving this guild. it doesnt penalise you, and i know a lot of people who want to move to a guild more like ours (really strong community due to us running together for ages, we have accepted a lot of GW recruits into our warm bosum

) but dont want to be guildless.

I know that there are a lot of Diablo-esque scammers and so forth out there, but this is all due to the fact that there are prats out there. The best advice i can give to the forum as a whole would be to create a Topic where people can find names of people who would be willing to help out in PvE and so forth. Just to ensure that we get mature people to game with us.

<goes off to do it now>

Andrelle · May 24, 2005, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khrysyl

Thanks Andrelle, my husband and son will both be very pleased to know that I have decided to follow your advice.

LOL! Glad I could help.

j/k.

Perhaps my post was a bit condescending. Sorry for that. I just don't see how mmorpgs offer any real sense of community. Online relationships, friendships, communites, etc. are too abstract. At least, for me.

Dax · May 25, 2005, 01:26 AM // 01:26

Yes since this game is not really a MMORPG in the true sense it's hard for me atleast to get in the spirit of things. When I think of community, I don't really think of it in terms of relationships, friends, ect... but rather a sort of eco-system where people are dependant on one another through crafting, farming and questing. If you're in a town or outpost you really feel like you're in one, some sort of immersion factor. I don't get a that feeling in GW, but that's probably because I'm probably expecting more than I should.

It's convienient that areas are instanced so you don't have to worry about other parties, but I sorta miss seeing people around. And sure it's nice not having to run to each area, as you can just zone to them from the map....but then again where's the fun in that?

Anyhow I'm sure this thread has almost run itself into the ground, but thats my 2 cents.

Swarnt Brightstar · May 25, 2005, 01:30 AM // 01:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by kowboi22

I totally agree. I'm post Sear and it's a joke. I finally got into a Guild and I get no help whatsoever. I ask for a little help so that I can get the experience from a hard quest in order for me to get better, but does that cause anyone to rush forward? No. I get asked " Can you help me first? Or What can I trade you?" How is this any sort of "guild" when everyone treats everyone else like an outsider. I got more help from a non- english speaking ranger then anyone else in this game. If I have to pay fees for a better playing experience I will. This free stuff obviously allows all the little kids to get it and be immature buggers to everyone because it's funny. I'm going back to WOW

I'm a 'little kid' if you will (11) but quite frankly I'm more mature than half the teenagers-my own experience-! Also, yeah you got a point with the guilds

... besides the point not all 'little kids' are immature! Just the ones who are... well... Immature

DrSLUGFly · May 25, 2005, 04:53 AM // 04:53

The biggest problem with immature little kids is this (and listen well Swarnt Brightstar, our 11 year old friend), the biggest problem with immature little kids is that many of them are 16, 18, 20 or even 30 years old! Granted, the chances of someone being ignorant and an idiot at a later age is smaller since they have more experience, but most people stop emotionally aging by the time they're 13 or 14. It's like perma-puberty.

Divinus · May 25, 2005, 05:11 AM // 05:11

The first guild I joined was pure crap. Rarely did anyone ever say anything in guild chat except when they needed an item or wanted you to help them.

This new guild I joined (Eternal Knights) is great. Everyone is always chatting and having fun. It's a blast. Makes the game SO much better to be in a guild with good people.

Cindare Sunstriker · May 25, 2005, 06:34 AM // 06:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dax

I'm really trying to enjoy this game, but so far to be honest I've played it with henchman entirely and I see no reason to party up with players unless it is for PvP. Towns are just props for people standing around (or dancing) begging for parties or items. Thanks to the chat sytem with no audio cues when someone whispers to you I usually miss people. I've had no problem with completing quests with the henchies, but they don't laugh at my jokes.

This game is a beautiful single player game with some online PvP at the moment.... I'm getting the itch to back to WoW....

My partner and I are seriously enjoying the game for the simple reason that we can choose just to do what we like and not have to worry about bothering anyone or having them bother us.

We've spent about two weeks in the 'new player lands' just exploring and playing different classes to see which we prefer, and trying out combinations and such. At the moment, we're working on getting materials up for our 'mains' so when we move to the ruins, we can get upgrades to armor right away, then lather, rinse, and repeat the exploration and fun in the new area.

We both lead guilds in other games (EQ, Shadowbane, Horizons) and are really enjoying not having to rely on anyone else for a change.

While we both are disappointed there are not more roleplaying areas (e.g., taverns, etc.), we understand the slant isn't really as much roleplaying as it seemed in the marketing (e.g., roleplaying vs pvp intended less to mean "roleplay" as "pve" -- an unfortunate choice in terminology), and we're ok with it, since the NPCs are great roleplayers and we can invent our own fun.

With all that said, I agree there is no 'community' in the game. If you're not playing with someone you know, or in a guild, it is a very transient feeling. The common areas get no real respect because everyone knows it is a temporary stop to either pick up new quests, sell, re-arrange skills, or hawk sales.

On the other hand, there is great community on forums such as this, which is also something of a rarity in my experience (general forums as opposed to guild specific ones, with general ones like this tending more to rough-housing than help). I'm very pleased to find a place like Guild Wars Guru up and running and, from all appearances, very healthy.

Whew. This has run longer than expected. I'll end as soon as I remember my purpose in posting.. hm... oh, yes, to say that the type of game NCSoft has created with Guildwars is not conducive to 'community' in the sense I think the initial poster means... simply because there is no real 'common goal' outside the ones established for PvPing.

Pardon me if I missed making sense along the way. It's late here.