Curse

Zhou Feng · Oct 19, 2005, 07:47 AM // 07:47

Ahh yes the solo vs anti solo debate continues. I still say its so simple: Reward party farming, but dont "nerf" solo ones either just make it less rewarding then party farming.

Solo Farming X% chance
Part Farming X%*Y OR X%+Y% bonus per team unit

plastichead · Nov 06, 2005, 07:09 AM // 07:09

/signed

stop punnishing me for being in a group, increase the rate of drops when in a HUMAN party, (not henchies)

Loralai · Nov 07, 2005, 12:14 PM // 12:14

Quote:

stop punnishing me for being in a group, increase the rate of drops when in a HUMAN party, (not henchies)

Well, this brings forth another can of worms. What's wrong with using henchies? I'm sorry, but when I bought the game, while it says "Free Online Play," nowhere did it specify that I HAD to join PUGs. Henchmen were put in the game for a reason, the same reason that EVERY online game puts them there...there are always loners. But those loners also BUY GAMES.

I agree that the drop rates in groups need to be altered, I grant you that. I have seen the disproportion there and agree that it is a change that needs to be implemented. But what I don't understand is why so many people are so against soloing of anykind (pure solo builds or those like me who may from time to time take my ranger out with a hench only party).

And a pre-emptive strike here...to those who come back with the worn and tired "it's a MMORPG game and continue to specify multiplayer." This moniker does NOT imply that I have to play with groups. It implies that many people play it online and that there is an online community, that's it. Sure teamplay is great and probably part of the developers' plan, but I daresay they never intended for everyone to always play with a PUG. If so, eliminate henchmen, add auto grouping in mission areas, and make minimum team number requirements before being able to leave towns or outposts.

I paid for the game just like everyone else. As long as there are henchmen, I have the right to play with them as opposed to getting one of those dreaded horrifying PUGs.

EagleEye33 · Nov 07, 2005, 01:05 PM // 13:05

flying solo with henchies are a group, its the ones who go actually alone are the solos who ppl hate. Right now soloist dont bother me too much cause some I know do it for armor (the expensive ones of course), and if there selling weapons and crap I usually dont buy it because I can probably find it myself by the time I make the amount they want. "Patience is a Virtue"

Pompeyfan · Nov 07, 2005, 02:24 PM // 14:24

I too think the drop rates for groups should be better than they are, personnally I prefer questing with a group rather than solo farming as I find it tedious, but surely the solution is simple - when there's a rare drop like a gold or ecto then one the same is allocatted to everyone in the party, this way people can still solo if they so choose, but those in groups aren't penalished for being in a group, because as it stands the allocations are unfair anyway - one person could get 4 or 5 good drops a trip and the rest nothing.

I'm not saying make the rare drops common, just give everyone in the party the same drop when it happens - eg. Smite drops 1 ecto for a solo player, 5 for a group of 5 trappers, 8 for a group of 8 doing the quests. No one is then penalished for the way they choose/prefer to play the game. Shouldn't be hard to implement as quest item drops are done this way.

Pandora's box · Nov 07, 2005, 06:50 PM // 18:50

I think itemdrops are only 1 aspect of soloing. I like to solo because its exiting to find a build that works. And it makes me feel more like being in charge

A better hench AI would be usefull too. When I get to a mission, lets say Thunderkeep, I want to do it at once, instantly, without any delay, and I want it to be over in an hour, not having to repeat it for whatever reason. For me the need of gathering a party necessary to advance to the next part of the map is one of the worst things in the game. So I solo as much as I can. And when I solo I like to have my party as small as possible. Yes, its nice to find some stuff too

When reading Anet responses on this topic I generally see these comments:
-Soloing is ok as long as it it does not spoil the economy.
-Builds may never get so strong that they domminate pvp games.

I would counter this with:
-Economy is only important if there are great items to obtain, something this game does not have. The solutions build in to solve the ruined rune economy (monk solo build) seem to work well, and can eventually be repeated.
-Most solo builds are no good at all in pvp. In fact we are talking about differend games.

So lets start treating pvp and pve as differend games. Remove the tons of counter magic poisoning monster groups and start using the maps to create some fun. Add mini dungeons, allow players to discover hidden places, add NPC's, little villages, and so on. Make it more like a rpg adventure. Allow players to find some solo builds... Builds that don't mess up pvp. Developpers in control: Build up instead of nerfing!

MarineCorpsDude · Nov 11, 2005, 03:39 PM // 15:39

After reading so many responses in this thread and several other around the Net I have to agree with the Anti-nerf persuasion. I agree that there are some glitches on skills that actually did not work as intended. Fix those. I grant you that.

I am not an elite player. I do have a level 20 warior/monk that I constantly change my skill set on depending on the types of creatures I'm going to be fighting (PVE). IF I can solo an area I usually do simply becasue the XP and drops are so much better that way. Also, while henchies do serve a purpose they cannot get you through every mission. Or if they can I simply do not know how to control them well enough yet. At any rate... If one joins a party and does missions or just explores the world outside the towns, one will notice that "joe bob" seems to get a ton of the better items (i was that joe bob once) while "GI Jane" (* those names were completely made up) is healing or fighting for scraps. That should be fixed. Don't take away from the players that are aspiring to keep the game interesting for themselves by making that oh so powerful character to solo with. Every super powerful build has a huge weakness. That's why you can set up your skills depending on the area you are in and the creatures you will be up against.

Sadly I will have to say that if they keep nerfing the skills and builds that are proven to be effective, I will discontinue my playing of guild wars. So far I have created a monk that can solo some simple area though he is still very young. I made him because I needed a break from the usual hack and slash play style of my warrior. Now they are steadily making the monk less and less effective. I don't mind switching skills out and changing/adapting my build, but lets be reasonable.

Stop wasting peoples time by cripling those VERY hard earned and time consuming builds we know and love just because other people abuse them to some extent.

I'm just a causual player and by no means elite. I play for fun but I have a goal of what I want my chars to be. I'm already starting to see my goals fading away. It takes too long to make/build that perfect Char. Who has the time to reinvent when they find something that works for their playing style?

Just my 2 cents.