Curse

Alaris · Nov 27, 2006, 05:56 PM // 17:56

Have an alternative way to start missions, a "cue", where players are matched up in groups randomly instead of having to form groups. Many impulsive players (like me) want to play with others, but want to avoid the trouble of forming a group (and the delays when "leaders" start being choosy / slow).

As a bonus, this feature could somehow also try to form heteregenous groups when it can, or include some of the more requested types like monks, warriors, elementalists, to form balanced groups. This would work well for missions where there are enough individuals joining, as the delay for waiting for specific classes would be fairly small.

Drop-outs might be an issue, so to avoid that, you could either replace drop-outs with Henchmen, or simply keep a copy of the character that entered the game and have the computer play it as best as it can.

Again, the emphasis here is for quick play, to eliminate the delays in getting groups, and as such those who want well-balanced groups can still do so the regular way.

Comments appreciated.

Zedd Kun · Nov 27, 2006, 06:00 PM // 18:00

Hmm, maybe a good idea. But a bit troublesome if you get on team with 7 warriors and rangers because there are no others in the mission that moment tho.

Epinephrine · Nov 27, 2006, 06:09 PM // 18:09

It's a "queue", and a neat idea, though it'd likely end up being exactly like RA, with people dropping when they didn't like the look of the group etc.

Too bad, heroes have basically killed multiplayer stuff. Between henchies and heroes one can stomp through nearly anything. As much fun as heroes can be I think they're the worst thing ANet has done.

Antheus · Nov 27, 2006, 06:36 PM // 18:36

If you can create a group out of random members, the mission is soloable (i.e., don't need henchies or heroes).

But most importantly, class does not a group member make. A warrior, elementalist and monk are not a balanced group. A stance tank warrior, a warder and smite monk are a completely useless group for an even remotely challenging content.

As for difficult missions (Realm of Torment, Ring of Fire, Vizunah Square): if you can pass them with random group (5 D, 1 E, 2 P or 1 W, 3 Ri, Me, Mo, R) then props to you.

There's a reason why leaders are picky.

Alaris · Nov 27, 2006, 07:26 PM // 19:26

It's up to ANet to design a good AI to determine what would be a good group. It could be based on skill choice rather than profession, with skills classified as damage / effect / heal / interrupt / etc. Anything they do put in will be an improvement over going completely random, thus making this idea more useful.

Leaders are choosy and for a reason, of course, but some of us just want to try it without delay. There should be something that caters to these players too. Besides, if we find that the cue method does not give good groups for the missions, there is always the "usual" option.

As for dropping out, I agree, that is a potential problem. But this problem exists even for regular games. I like the idea of replacing the drop-outs with either a NPC copy, of even a henchmen with roughly the same role.

These ideas would certainly make me join groups more often rather than use henchmen and heroes all the time, as I am sure other players would too.

Clawdius_Talonious · Nov 27, 2006, 08:24 PM // 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antheus

There's a reason why leaders are picky.

Yep, as one of those picky leaders I know it. I was doing Abbadon's Gate again to get my Primeval armor, and I figured I'd be nice and group up some of the people who seemed coheirent. I got everyone gathered together and builds co-ordinated and then we went into the mission. We were using my hero monks, and when Abbadon started to rear his ugly head I flagged away and spammed a ping on the compass. My group proceeded to slowly wander back toward the point I was pinging, a few died, including myself (torment claw spawned and got me). I flagged the heroes to follow the team back up the right side, where they all proceeded to go in before attempting to res and died. This was a balanced group of people who seemed to be decent (at least decent enough to get to Abbadon's Gate, right?)...

They left the group, I took henchies and got experts time by myself. The heroes and henchies actually listen when you flag them back away from Abbadon

I don't think that your idea has much merit, because as it's been stated, you'll end up with teams that aren't balanced and are composed of people who will ragequit and such.

/notsigned.

Div · Nov 27, 2006, 08:29 PM // 20:29

"Organized" pug groups are often bad enough as it is, and making it random will just bring the quality of play down to hell...not to mention all the dropouts and quitters

«Ripskin · Nov 27, 2006, 09:46 PM // 21:46

Nah... this would give such an unbalanced group.. just like the RA...

And also like the RA, NO MONKS!!!

leoknight · Nov 28, 2006, 11:49 AM // 11:49

Random pick up group isn't going to work on mission. While having the option to get random group it mights help you from putting up frustration of other being team abused against you because you are assassin, mesmer, or whatever your profession that they will think you are not important for the mission. However, most good players are those team abusing one or they'll just go with Heroes and/or henchman. What really help to reduce the team abusing from players is to get rid of those timing-base mission. Beside as other have mention about random Pug mostly ended unbalanced group.

Antheus · Nov 28, 2006, 01:32 PM // 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clawdius_Talonious

Yep, as one of those picky leaders I know it. I was doing Abbadon's Gate again to get my Primeval armor, and I figured I'd be nice and group up some of the people who seemed coheirent. I got everyone gathered together and builds co-ordinated and then we went into the mission. We were using my hero monks, and when Abbadon started to rear his ugly head I flagged away and spammed a ping on the compass. My group proceeded to slowly wander back toward the point I was pinging, a few died, including myself (torment claw spawned and got me). I flagged the heroes to follow the team back up the right side, where they all proceeded to go in before attempting to res and died. This was a balanced group of people who seemed to be decent (at least decent enough to get to Abbadon's Gate, right?)...

Why are you flagging them. That's too much effort, and when you flag them, they stop healing.

Bring two LoD/extinguish hero healers. Then stop worrying about the group or anything else. The only thing you do in that mission, is control the heros. Let others kill. Move around to keep heroes moving and they'll follow you. Disable all of their skills except LoD, mend condition and another single person heal. Anything more and they get confused.

Well before abaddon shuts down (after those 20 seconds), run back up to the bridge. This way, when your party is retreating, you can spam LoD without getting hit by AoE.

Also, have everyone bring a rez signet and rez signet only. If you need to rez more than 8 people between killing those monoliths, you'll fail in the first place.

Alaris · Nov 28, 2006, 03:14 PM // 15:14

I see conflicting answers to my original posts, which can be summed up as:

1) Random teams are no good. You want a way for "cued" missions or RA's to select teams that are more balanced. -- This is not so much a problem with my idea (because I did propose that they need to do this), but rather a problem they should have solved in RA's in the first place.

2) Henchies & heroes do stupid things. So do people. And Abaddon's mouth (or whatever mission you can think of) is tough. -- I'm not sure how this is relevant to this thread

3) Picky leaders could save themselves the trouble and go for cued missions IF there was a good way AI to select a well-balanced team. Again, this needs to be implemented in RAs anyways. -- BTW, this work is in vain if those individuals joining the team don't follow commands, and risks of quitting etc are present nevertheless.

4) Cues will definately alleviate the frustration from players playing less-requested / less-popular classes, as they can now get in cued mission games.