Where is the MMO in ESO

jimredtalon

I am struggling to find the MMO in ESO. Most, if not all, MMO's I have played in the past had plenty of parts that made it feel like I was part of a bigger game with lots of people but playing in this game. Let me simplify it, when I play other MMO's I feel like I'm on a bus ride to some epic place with all my friends. ESO feels like I am on a car ride were I pick up a few friends every now and then and give them a short lift while I am on my way some were else. So I ask you where is the MMO in ESO

awkwarrd

You see all those other people..
Right there.

loops73

awkwarrd wrote: »

You see all those other people..
Right there.

yeah we see them,but doing things with them is another story. ESO really does not encourage grouping that often.

KanedaSyndrome

I think the Angry Joe review highlighted some of the current faults and oversights of the PvE grouping experience outside group dungeons.

I hope these issues will be looked at.

dagnome

loops73 wrote: »

awkwarrd wrote: »

You see all those other people..
Right there.

yeah we see them,but doing things with them is another story. ESO really does not encourage grouping that often.

i disagree, ESO encourages grouping as often as YOU want. Find a guild, find friends there's plenty of content that can be run with a group (From questing to public and instanced dungeons) and TESO even gives an XP buff when you do run content with a few friends or guildes. I am a templar, i usually will go out of my way to help a stranger like when they are getting mauled down by a mob ill jump into the fray and heal them. I ran most content solo simply because i experienced the story during beta, but with adventure zones and trials right around the corner you'll have plenty of challenging group content readily available.

jimredtalon

dagnome wrote: »

loops73 wrote: »

awkwarrd wrote: »

You see all those other people..
Right there.

yeah we see them,but doing things with them is another story. ESO really does not encourage grouping that often.

i disagree, ESO encourages grouping as often as YOU want. Find a guild, find friends there's plenty of content that can be run with a group (From questing to public and instanced dungeons) and TESO even gives an XP buff when you do run content with a few friends or guildes. I am a templar, i usually will go out of my way to help a stranger like when they are getting mauled down by a mob ill jump into the fray and heal them. I ran most content solo simply because i experienced the story during beta, but with adventure zones and trials right around the corner you'll have plenty of challenging group content readily available.

Right, I get what your saying. But there is the issue of you will never be able to go back and help some one else, be it guild mate or friend, you cant without making a whole new character. Also the private group dungeons, which I think is an oxymoron, are few and far between and seem to be prone to bugs. Any hint of real group play is at the highest levels meaning one has to put in 150 hrs of grinding before you can experience it.

I would love to see some one do a head count of these private group dungeons and group friendly locations and compare it to SP content.

And guilds. They are held back on so may levels it hurts. Guild bank is small for 500 players. Guild store is slow and laggy. Guild message of the day is very restrictive on character numbers. About guild section also has this problem. And since you can have five guilds its hard to develop any guild loyalty.

neocomab16_ESO

the MMO takes place on the forums. Clearly not ingame because there are more than enough mechanics that surpress a possible correlation of fun and grouping.

GambitJ79b14_ESO

The end-game content (Trials & Adventure Zones) is supposed to require those "buss loads". And the only times I've ever had to fight a boss on my own is on those single-player instance quests like the first one the mages guild gives... Otherwise I'm always seeing others around helping.

But I would agree that questing with my friends is another story, for as much as they do encourage grouping - actually questing with them isn't so great. there's so many different choices my group often gets split up cause they picked a different response in talking to the NPC. sometimes we get phased too... so trying to keep track of each other and where we are in the quest is quite a headache.

fredarbonab14_ESO

If a game requires one to group, then its called 'force grouping', if it doesn't then its called 'no encouragement to group'. In this game, its up to YOU what you want to do. Your choice, not anyone else's.

Eris

Like any MMO it really is what you want it to be. You can solo stuff if you want, but some stuff is kind of hard to solo. I've shown up at battle grounds and worked with people to take down the bosses and such without needing to be in a group to do it. It is a team effort that could not be done alone, but without the need for grouping. I've been wandering around in areas and had people invite me to groups which worked pretty well when I joined. Really, it's as MM as you feel like being and it is certainly O.

jimredtalon

Eris wrote: »

Like any MMO it really is what you want it to be. You can solo stuff if you want, but some stuff is kind of hard to solo. I've shown up at battle grounds and worked with people to take down the bosses and such without needing to be in a group to do it. It is a team effort that could not be done alone, but without the need for grouping. I've been wandering around in areas and had people invite me to groups which worked pretty well when I joined. Really, it's as MM as you feel like being and it is certainly O.

I have no issue with the choice. Almost all MMO's I have played before gave you the ability to play solo. My issue is that unlike all other MMO's before it ESO discourages group play with so many inconveniences and makes it so much easier just to solo everything.

Thunder

loops73 wrote: »

yeah we see them,but doing things with them is another story. ESO really does not encourage grouping that often.

Bah, I've grouped with friends the majority of time I've been playing ESO. Perhaps it's you that don't encourage grouping.

Xithian

While I was never pushed into a group while leveling, I also did my fair share of running with other players. Many times I do this without grouping, just teaming up with someone to fight through an area. The XP and loot is not compromised when doing this so you aren't punished like in other games. I even take turn looting quest spawned nodes with people I'm not grouped with. More often than not they see this and do the same.

To me that is worth more than "being encouraged to group". Being able to just run up to random people and help, without hurting their progress or yours, should not be taken for granted.

I also stop to chat with people every now and then after we finish a particularly hard fight or such. No, I'm not talking about using Zone chat. Normally I have zone chat turned off. Either /say or /tell.

All in all, I feel that ESO is a step up in terms of letting you work with other people. It neither forces you to group nor punishes you for helping people when you aren't grouped.

Thunder

Xithian wrote: »

While I was never pushed into a group while leveling, I also did my fair share of running with other players. Many times I do this without grouping, just teaming up with someone to fight through an area. The XP and loot is not compromised when doing this so you aren't punished like in other games.

I've been calling this open world cooperative PVE. It's amazing how much people work together when you let them. Absolutely brilliant.

trahe

OP I think that I don't understand exactly what you are looking for. You mention guilds where there are lots of people, you mention dungeons where there are other people, you mention seeing and interacting with other people in every one of your posts. What do you think an MMO is? What I'm taking from your posts in this thread is that you expected something else in an MMO other than there being other people playing alongside you.

Xithian

Thunder wrote: »

I've been calling this open world cooperative PVE. It's amazing how much people work together when you let them. Absolutely brilliant.

Yup. Yesterday I was running through a veteran open dungeon next to someone. We were both charging into the mobs, but after a few pulls he saw how effective my stealth attack was and started pulling the mobs past me in the tight corridors so I could take them down after they ran by. We even duo'd a few of the V1^^^ boss mobs. It was fun, and no use of the actual party mechanic was required.

Drive-by healing is also fun (and even gives you full XP). I can't count how many times I've jumped into combat to help people that were losing a fight.

FrauPerchta

I'll second what Xithian said. I find this informal group dynamic a lot in ESO and at least to me I most often prefer it over a formal group since it seems that past few years in MMOs there's always someone in the group that's tries to use the group for their benefit rather than the group as a whole.

Lazarus_Long

I will say this about ESO: Before joining a group no one has ever asked me what skills are on my bar, how my stats points are spent, what my DPS is, what my critical % is, what kind of armor or weapon I am using, or what my mother's maiden blood type is.

In other words it's about people playing the game as much in their own style as possible.

I have yet to have hard time finding a group to be part of, even if they are not doing what I want to do. Most of the time if I want to do something else I just ask if the rest of the party wants to do it when we get done with our current quest. Usually at least one person says yes and that is half a party right there.

BKTHNDR

The social aspect of this game is no different than any other MMO. There are always people in zone chat LFG for something. There are plenty of people selling wares and rare weapons or looking to trade. You have the ability to join 5 guilds at once for Arkay's sake!

If you are having a problem with the social aspect of this game, then you need to look inward. You can't expect any MMO to make you be social. I don't even understand how this is a problem for anyone.

LarZen

The weakest part with ESO is the mmo part. Playing with others or content that encourages or leads others together are non existing or so bad it could be consider broken.

nhisso

OP is non sense. Every mmo has people whining that there isnt enough FORCED group content.

jimredtalon

yeah but this game has no MMO content just small scale multiplayer dungeons that are way too short and easy until you do the 150 hours to hit lvl50. There are many, many MMO's that do it far better on the MMO side. It's not that this game does not do it, its that it does it so much worse than anything else coming out in the near future that I can''t see it worth the work and the money to get to lvl 50.

rioinsigniab16_ESO

Personally, I don't see any discouragement to grouping. However, I'm not going to belittle what the OP has said, however I must ask if the OP has any suggestions that might remedy the situation as THEY see it.

Are they perhaps looking for a "mentor" and "deleveling" systems where high levelers can join with low levelers and vice versa?
Perhaps a means to halt XP gain when desired?

Whilst such systems and mechanics are often useful in MMO's to promote grouping, they don't define the term MMO. And likewise, the exclusion of such systems doesn't mean that such games *aren't* MMO's.

The simple fact is that the concept of "forced grouping" throughout the experience of an MMO has long since past. It has been left behind with EQ1 and the like. Bear in mind that Brad McQuaid (well known MMO developer) tried launching a kickstarter campaign for his new MMO which forced grouping. Ultimately it flopped. Now, that should tell you that perhaps the concept of "forced grouping" through an MMO is seen as an out-dated concept.

As a side note: I DO think that there could be more "private" dungeons. I'm sick of finding that half of the place has been emptied, or the boss has been killed, the moment I walk through the door. That spoils the experience for me.

Lazarus_Long

jimredtalon wrote: »

yeah but this game has no MMO content just small scale multiplayer dungeons that are way too short and easy until you do the 150 hours to hit lvl50. There are many, many MMO's that do it far better on the MMO side. It's not that this game does not do it, its that it does it so much worse than anything else coming out in the near future that I can''t see it worth the work and the money to get to lvl 50.

Well, I won't argue with you. You seem to be a rational adult and even if you are not you are still entitled to your own opinion.

Personally I have very few issues with the MMO content in the game.

rioinsigniab16_ESO

LarZen wrote: »

The weakest part with ESO is the mmo part. Playing with others or content that encourages or leads others together are non existing or so bad it could be consider broken.

Say what now?

You *can* play with others in practically every part of adventuring. The only bit that *doesn't* allow it is the "Harbourage" quest chain. But that's the only bit.

See the dungeons on the maps with the "+" against them? That means group based content. See the skull on the map? Yep, group based area. Could there be more? Sure, why not? But to say that group content is non existent is a gross exaggeration to the point of being a lie.

But let's play "devils advocate" here:
In your opinion, what should Zenimax do to correct things so that the game is more "MMO" to you?

Lazarus_Long

rioinsigniab16_ESO wrote: »

LarZen wrote: »

The weakest part with ESO is the mmo part. Playing with others or content that encourages or leads others together are non existing or so bad it could be consider broken.

...The only bit that *doesn't* allow it is the "Harbourage" quest chain. But that's the only bit.

Don't forget the solo parts of the Mage's Guild and the Fighter's Guild stories. I'm not trying to troll you, just saying.

Squints

There is plenty of MMO Aspect in ESO. I see gold farming bots and message everywhere.

loops73

dagnome wrote: »

loops73 wrote: »

awkwarrd wrote: »

You see all those other people..
Right there.

yeah we see them,but doing things with them is another story. ESO really does not encourage grouping that often.

i disagree, ESO encourages grouping as often as YOU want. Find a guild, find friends there's plenty of content that can be run with a group (From questing to public and instanced dungeons) and TESO even gives an XP buff when you do run content with a few friends or guildes. I am a templar, i usually will go out of my way to help a stranger like when they are getting mauled down by a mob ill jump into the fray and heal them. I ran most content solo simply because i experienced the story during beta, but with adventure zones and trials right around the corner you'll have plenty of challenging group content readily available.

none of the questing requires grouping,except for the few 10 minute dungeons.Guilds in this game are a joke,all they represent is a way to trade,because of a lack of a proper guild hall.Most of us wont be around for what just around the corner due to game breaking dupeing/bugs and bots.

rioinsigniab16_ESO

Lazarus_Long wrote: »

rioinsigniab16_ESO wrote: »

LarZen wrote: »

The weakest part with ESO is the mmo part. Playing with others or content that encourages or leads others together are non existing or so bad it could be consider broken.

...The only bit that *doesn't* allow it is the "Harbourage" quest chain. But that's the only bit.

Don't forget the solo parts of the Mage's Guild and the Fighter's Guild stories. I'm not trying to troll you, just saying.

Yep, you are correct there. But those parts are hardly a major portion of the total amount of gameplay.

jimredtalon

rioinsigniab16_ESO wrote: »

Personally, I don't see any discouragement to grouping. However, I'm not going to belittle what the OP has said, however I must ask if the OP has any suggestions that might remedy the situation as THEY see it.

Are they perhaps looking for a "mentor" and "deleveling" systems where high levelers can join with low levelers and vice versa?
Perhaps a means to halt XP gain when desired?

Whilst such systems and mechanics are often useful in MMO's to promote grouping, they don't define the term MMO. And likewise, the exclusion of such systems doesn't mean that such games *aren't* MMO's.

The simple fact is that the concept of "forced grouping" throughout the experience of an MMO has long since past. It has been left behind with EQ1 and the like. Brad McQuaid tried launched a kickstarter for his new MMO which forced grouping, and it flopped. That should tell you something.

As a side note: I DO think that there could be more "private" dungeons. I'm sick of finding that half of the place has been emptied, or the boss has been killed, the moment I walk through the door. That spoils the experience for me.

This is most likely why I will not be playing this game after my sub ends. I will come back to it though cause I hold out hope that they get things sorted and improve upon the good SP experience. I just think the way phasing and group mechanics work is so ingrained into the games function that it will be a big job for zenimax and they will need time, more time than I am willing to pay a sub and wait, to get it were I would prefer it. Its not unheard of for an MMO to release seeming unfinished, or have features left out for a later date, but I think they left out my favorite part of MMO's out this time for that later date. I was just wishing some one would help me out and let me know if I am just not seeing things right but after many posts from others I think I got it.

The MMO side is there, barely. Its there about like the player market and in game economy is there. Its there but its weak and needs work. So I will wait patiently and quietly and hope to see a change. Thanks for the help.

Etchesketch

Mmo in this game is mostly Bots playing together. They have no problem grouping.