Please End Forced-Solo Play

GreySix · June 2014

Hard-Working Developers of ESO:

Solo play is cool, and folks should be allowed to play solo all throughout the game. But please give players the choice whether or not to do so, as you did advertize the game as play as you want.

Many of us purchased two (or more) copies of your game and two (or more) subscriptions, so that we could play cooperatively completely through the game. While sadly many cooperative players have left out of frustration, and their voices have gone silent (at least here), a few of us have remained and waited patiently for you to fix grouping to allow cooperative play where it is currently forced solo:

Main Story quests
Fighters Guild quests
Mages Guild quests

If necessary, feel free to increase the difficulty of the instances in which we choose to cooperatively play, but do allow us the choice to do so. We are patient, but we will eventually reach the point where abstaining from forced solo instances will wall us off from a significant portion of content. At that point, we too will grow silent, as we take our money elsewhere. We ask only that you enable the choice to cooperatively play throughout your game.

Thank you.

Anlaemar · June 2014

Ironicly, I see alot of posts such of this. However, I also see just as many threads raging about how they're forced to group due to difficulties. *shrug*

GreySix · June 2014

Anlaemar wrote: »

Ironicly, I see alot of posts such of this. However, I also see just as many threads raging about how they're forced to group due to difficulties. *shrug*

Don't believe grouping should be forced either. Are there instances that prohibit entering without a group, or are they just too difficult for a solo player?

Honest question - I really don't know the answer.

Mujuro · June 2014

I don't have any issue with 1-50 being "solo" play; it helps players learn the basic mechanics of the game. ZOS has already nerfed the "tougher" quest encounters down to nothing. By way of reference example: I did the FG Doshia quest on my first toon prior to the initial nerf and it took me 10 deaths to figure out how to beat her. On my 2nd toon, post-nerf, I dropped Doshia in 30 seconds without dying even once.

That said, the "forced" solo play on the VR maps is incredibly tedious to the point now that I avoid combat altogether whenever possible (VR9 Malabal Tor).

And what's making things worse with the latest patch is mobs breaking CC and gaining immunity from subsequent CC attempts, so unless you're able to burn down an entire set of critters in a go, good luck.

To close the loop, if you're having difficulty on the normal 1-50 maps with quests, you're in for an eye-opener once you hit VR.

GreySix · June 2014

Mujuro wrote: »

I don't have any issue with 1-50 being "solo" play; it helps players learn the basic mechanics of the game.

And you should be able to solo those instances, but I and others should be able to co-op them, since we purchased two copies of the game and two subscriptions, just for that purpose.

Mujuro wrote: »

ZOS has already nerfed the "tougher" quest encounters down to nothing.

Didn't ask for nerfing and don't want nerfing. Just want the option to co-op all content. Heck, make it six times as hard for those of us who co-op for all I care.

Mujuro wrote: »

That said, the "forced" solo play on the VR maps is incredibly tedious to the point now that I avoid combat altogether whenever possible (VR9 Malabal Tor).

Yeah, haven't made it that far, as that content is walled off behind forced-solo content.

Mujuro wrote: »

And what's making things worse with the latest patch is mobs breaking CC and gaining immunity from subsequent CC attempts, so unless you're able to burn down an entire set of critters in a go, good luck.

Lots of complaints about that, but really that's another topic entirely.

Elirienne · June 2014

No. Please end forced group play.

GreySix · June 2014

Elirienne wrote: »

No. Please end forced group play.

Forced anything in an MMO should never happen.

Leave the option to group or not entirely up to the players.

Elirienne · June 2014

GreySix wrote: »

Elirienne wrote: »

No. Please end forced group play.

Forced anything in an MMO should never happen.

Leave the option to group or not entirely up to the players.

True, but ther e is a difference though.

Every can play solo. Not everyone can play in groups. So forcing solo play does not stop you from playing the game (unless you just dont fancy), forcing group play can stop you from playing in its entirety.

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO · June 2014

Please end forced play styles, period. There are so many variations on how you could play this game, but very few of them are working at the moment.
"Play as you want" is a joke right now. But it doesn't have to stay that way.

fromtesonlineb16_ESO · June 2014

Elirienne wrote: »

No. Please end forced group play.

I agree but that's irrelevant to this thread, I also agree with those who say no playstyle should be forced on leveling on story content.

Obviously grouping is needed for optional stuff for the phat lewt fixated but nothing on the main path through a game should force or prevent either alternative.

GossiTheDog · June 2014

I don't think zenimax have ever said they plan to make the single-player quests multiplayer. There are some phasing changes on the cards, however those are to do with other world quests (where phasing breaks 'em).

GreySix · June 2014

Elirienne wrote: »

GreySix wrote: »

Elirienne wrote: »

No. Please end forced group play.

Forced anything in an MMO should never happen.

Leave the option to group or not entirely up to the players.

True, but ther e is a difference though.

Every can play solo. Not everyone can play in groups. So forcing solo play does not stop you from playing the game (unless you just dont fancy), forcing group play can stop you from playing in its entirety.

For many cooperative players, two players is really treated as one team (kind of like a marriage), so the closing off of game-play into forced-solo instances is a game-stopper.

For example, the only reason my wife and I subscribed to this game was so we could play cooperatively throughout the entirety of the game. If that is prohibited, we've no reason to continue subscribing. And there are (and were) many other like us who simply quit when discovering that roadblock, without bothering to post reasons on a forum - and we know ZOS didn't ask them why when they unsubscribed.

Isn't it in the best interests for ZOS to have a wide casual player base, inclusive of cooperative players like us, if they intend to retain their subscription-based MMO?

Finally, how would our choice to co-op adversely affect those who chose to solo the very same instances?

GreySix · June 2014

GossiTheDog wrote: »

I don't think zenimax have ever said they plan to make the single-player quests multiplayer.

And that's a real shame, if they continue sticking with that stance, since it will cause a great many players to simply unsubscribe. That can't be what the developers wanted.

GossiTheDog wrote: »

There are some phasing changes on the cards, however those are to do with other world quests (where phasing breaks 'em).

Really hoping they come to their senses and facilitate co-op play in the main quest line ... before we reach the point we don't want to reach.

GossiTheDog · June 2014

My take is the main quest, fighters guild and mages guild aren't much of the overall game content - with over 1000 quests in the game already it must be well under 10% - so I don't think it's that game breaking for most people.

Elirienne · June 2014

@GreySix I do not disagree with you, what I am saying is that you not *wanting* to play without your wife is a choice (ie, nothing is stopping you physically from doing it solo, you just make a choice not to) , me not *being able* to play a quest solo (because I fricking die) is not a choice, it's the lack of ability, I physically CANT.

So there is a difference.

No playstyle should be forced, but forcing solo play is not impacting your ability to play, forcing group play is.

I disagree with you on the main quest though. Allowing group play would just break the story. They would have to do a lot of work on it not to break it (which is surely doable).

GreySix · June 2014

GossiTheDog wrote: »

My take is the main quest, fighters guild and mages guild aren't much of the overall game content - with over 1000 quests in the game already it must be well under 10% - so I don't think it's that game breaking for most people.

But keep in mind that those few main story quests effectively wall off the vast majority of content, assuming co-op players see themselves forced into solo play and simply say, "What the hell is this?" Most of those folks won't (or didn't) come here to complain. They just unsubscribed.

But I return to the main point: How would our choice to co-op main story instances adversely impact those of you who chose to solo the same instances?

Evergnar · June 2014

It's too bad they can't instance the current solo content to adjust to the number of players in a group.

I still think raising the difficulty of solo content and allowing for at least one other player is a viable option. Just give solo players an NPC mercenary or two.

GreySix · June 2014

Elirienne wrote: »

@GreySix I do not disagree with you, what I am saying is that you not *wanting* to play without your wife is a choice (ie, nothing is stopping you physically from doing it solo, you just make a choice not to) , me not *being able* to play a quest solo (because I fricking die) is not a choice, it's the lack of ability, I physically CANT.

So there is a difference.

No playstyle should be forced, but forcing solo play is not impacting your ability to play, forcing group play is.

I disagree with you on the main quest though. Allowing group play would just break the story. They would have to do a lot of work on it not to break it (which is surely doable).

Your point holds validity, but understand that many have seen forced-soloing in this game, and they simply chose to walk away. That can't be good for the player base of a subscription MMO.

As to forced-soloing impacting my ability to play, yes it does. My wife will hit content she can't solo, and she'll say, "This is stupid. I'm done." She then stops playing.

When she stops playing, so do I, since the only reason I was playing was to cooperatively play with her. Now, multiply that by many more, and you see how that could adversely affect ESO's subscription base.

Elirienne · June 2014

@‌Greysix

"As to forced-soloing impacting my ability to play, yes it does. My wife will hit content she can't solo, and she'll say, "This is stupid. I'm done.""

That's not a solo/group issue though then, is it? It's a difficulty issue if one class/player can't solo stuff that should be soloable.

GreySix · June 2014

Elirienne wrote: »

@‌Greysix

"As to forced-soloing impacting my ability to play, yes it does. My wife will hit content she can't solo, and she'll say, "This is stupid. I'm done.""

That's not a solo/group issue though then, is it? It's a difficulty issue if one class/player can't solo stuff that should be soloable.

It is a casual player expecting cooperative play and when she doesn't see it available, rejecting the instance out of hand ... and eventually the game itself.

Do you not see how that, multiplied many times over, could be unhealthy for this MMO's subscription-based model? Surely, you're not pulling for this MMO to go F2P .... or are you?