Is the dungeon finder broken YES or NO?!

pecheckler · March 2015

For hours there have been arguments in zone chat debating between the group finder just being "broke" and it not working because "nobody uses it".

Which is it?

I have confirmed with nearly 15 people this evening that they have been queued for hours for veteran dungeons and not getting matched with anyone. The dungeon finder used to work great in the couple months after launch when I played previously. What has happened?

We cannot be expected to stand around in a town's zone chat manually searching for players. Such tediousness hasn't been part of MMO games in 10 years.

Edit 04/25 : Nearly a month ago I received a non-canned response to a customer support ticket regarding issues with the group finder taking hours to find players. Normally the response is just to them telling me to type /bug and report the issue then they close my ticket. This time I received what I consider actual acknowledgement of the problem and a request for more information. I'll let you be the judge (see spoiler). Note I did lots of testing with other players and replied answering the questions which were asked of me but then the next day when I received yet another identical copy-pasted response from a different customer service representative just asking me to submit a /bug report again instead of someone acknowledging receipt of my troubleshooting steps. Talk about some seriously horrible customer support.

Response By Email (Lindsay) (03/31/2015 04:16 PM)
Greetings!

Thanks for contacting us regarding the issue you are encountering with the Group Finding Tool. I would be more than happy to provide you with some additional information regarding this feature.

Some players may experience an issue when using the Looking for Group function in which they never succeed in finding a group. This can occur when players either do not have a role selected when they begin the search or they start a search with one role but then attempt to change to another before the search ends. Players can bypass this issue by selecting their desired role before they begin a Looking for Group search and not switching to another role before the search completes.
If you're not able to form any group using the tool, can you please provide the following information so it can be submitted to the developers for the investigation.
What role(s) you picked
What activity you chose, and in which location if applicable
Your class and level
Were you queued for PvP at the same time
This is currently a known issue that our team continues to work on. We appreciate your patience while we work on this. If you have any additional questions, don't hesitate to let us know and we would be more than happy to help out with those as well.

Warm Regards,
Lindsay
The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited Team

You can find information regarding The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited and tons more on our official support page at https://help.elderscrollsonline.com/ !

Natjur · March 2015

In the LFG options, you can mark yourself as Healer, tank or dps

BUT you can also leave all three off and if I do that, I have never got a group. (I am am guessing a lot of people do that by mistake as its the DEFAULT setting and therefore never get a group)

On the other side, when I marked myself as Tank, healer and DPS, I got a group instantly. (as the tank)

They should change it so you can't turn off all three options (have the DPS one always on) Still I think the LFG tool need a lot of work anyway, as its never been good

Xjcon · March 2015

If you confirmed with those people that they were in the group finder for that long, why not just get 3 others out of those folks and just start your own group?

Zorvan · March 2015

The simple answer is yes.

pecheckler · March 2015

Xjcon wrote: »

If you confirmed with those people that they were in the group finder for that long, why not just get 3 others out of those folks and just start your own group?

Because we shouldn't have too. Such misery should be reserved for the most experienced players who want to hand-pick the most well geared and experienced players.

Most of us simply want to logon, click queue, and be placed in a dungeon's entrance with 3 other appropriately geared players and have some fun. If we need to wait a bit, that's fine. The group finder should allow us to solo quest in remote areas whilst queued for a dungeon group, thus avoiding the need to stand in a congested area looking for players in zone chat. If this group finder mechanism isn't working than i'm afraid this game is doomed (again).

Natjur wrote: »

In the LFG options, you can mark yourself as Healer, tank or dps

BUT you can also leave all three off and if I do that, I have never got a group. (I am am guessing a lot of people do that by mistake as its the DEFAULT setting and therefore never get a group)

On the other side, when I marked myself as Tank, healer and DPS, I got a group instantly. (as the tank)

They should change it so you can't turn off all three options (have the DPS one always on) Still I think the LFG tool need a lot of work anyway, as its never been good

I've been queued as tank + dps for now nearly 3 full hours. Nothing. I understand that healers and especially tanks should receive quicker groups (tank was instant for me for 2 months after launch). It no longer works.

Natjur · March 2015

If they add more options, like level range of the player your looking for, more might use it.
Doing the daily vet pledges can be a little hard getting a group sometimes since you want a V12+ group for better loot.

I would prefer when you mark yourself in the LFG tool, it just adds you to a list that anyone can see and they know your looking for that instance and therefore can message you.

Xjcon · March 2015

I didn't stand around while trying to find groups, I tried the group finder and when it barely even found 1 person in an hour I just started doing it myself, odds are the zone you are in will have other like minded people looking to do the same thing you want to, and if you occasionally type something in zone chat others will respond.

BigM · March 2015

Don't worry LFG is on the fix list for the last year. I'm sure it will be fixed soon.

pecheckler · March 2015

BigM wrote: »

Don't worry LFG is on the fix list for the last year. I'm sure it will be fixed soon.

Is that sarcasm or has there been an actual unsuccessful effort by the developer?

Valymer · March 2015

pecheckler wrote: »

BigM wrote: »

Don't worry LFG is on the fix list for the last year. I'm sure it will be fixed soon.

Is that sarcasm or has there been an actual unsuccessful effort by the developer?

Little bit of both, I'm afraid.

Flamescale · March 2015

Xjcon wrote: »

I didn't stand around while trying to find groups, I tried the group finder and when it barely even found 1 person in an hour I just started doing it myself, odds are the zone you are in will have other like minded people looking to do the same thing you want to, and if you occasionally type something in zone chat others will respond.

That's great, dude. Except we're not here to debate the merits of using the group finder versus using zone chat. It is a feature that is still in the game and is supposed to be working.

Malmai · March 2015

Flamescale wrote: »

Xjcon wrote: »

I didn't stand around while trying to find groups, I tried the group finder and when it barely even found 1 person in an hour I just started doing it myself, odds are the zone you are in will have other like minded people looking to do the same thing you want to, and if you occasionally type something in zone chat others will respond.

That's great, dude. Except we're not here to debate the merits of using the group finder versus using zone chat. It is a feature that is still in the game and is supposed to be working.

Jp jp jp, working as intended. Grouping is overrated for ZoS you don't need that...

Locke_ESO · March 2015

It does seem to work but part of the problem in actually getting a group through it is the variety of options combined with the amount of people who think it doesn't ever work or who think they will get a low quality group from it.

Personally I would echo what others have said in that I've never had a problem finding a group for the content I wanted to do by using /zone chat.

NovaShadow · March 2015

I personally don't know a single person that uses the group finder to find a group. It's all done through guild/zone chat. I also have never used it and unless it becomes actually useful I probably never will.

Whenever I need a group for something I just use zone chat and it works more often than not.

Valymer · March 2015

NovaShadow wrote: »

I personally don't know a single person that uses the group finder to find a group. It's all done through guild/zone chat. I also have never used it and unless it becomes actually useful I probably never will.

Whenever I need a group for something I just use zone chat and it works more often than not.

Imagine a game-wide "zone chat." If the group finder can't be fixed, then they should add a universal LFG channel (optional of course).

In fact, just let us create our own channels and we can do it ourselves, just like we did in Everquest.

Troneon · March 2015

Never played a game with a LFG tool to be broken for this long a time...ever.

wOOOOt_of_SD · March 2015

it never worked for me =(

Razzak · March 2015

Ever since 1.5, grouping tool has not been not working. Or, it barely is. It might be working for certain players, in certain zones or at certain time of the day, but in general, it's not. I've been playing three months quite heavily, since 1.5 and usually had it searching in the background. Guess how many groups I found during that time? None.

The sad truth of the matter is, ZOS is aware of that. But they are either unwilling or incapable of fixing it. My guess is they could fix it, but will wait for console release. They might try to release ESO on consoles without working grouping tool and wait to see how the reaction will be. If that crowd accepts they have to use alternate methods of finding a group, we will be expected to do so as well. If they start making a fuss about it, ZOS will make a fix for consoles, that will later be copied to PC.
Other option is that they are, or have been, already working on a proper, working grouping tool for consoles, and we will get it after they had a chance to test it. Meaning after beta test for consoles on consoles or after console launch.

There have been numerous threads and posts about this in the past five months, but barely any official comments. Which should give you an idea of how important this problem is for ZOS.

ragespell · March 2015

+1 for a working/better LFG tool

It's boring as hell to have to stay in deshaan 20 minutes to find a group in zone chat, just jumping around and casting the random mutagen.
I'm a veteran 14 so there aren't many place where I can find an appropriate group.

And no, just using the zone chat doesn't give you e better chance to find a good group: more often than not you'll play with people who doesn't have a clue (the kind of people who stands in red *** and starts screaming "without a templar healer we aren't gonna make it")

Sorry for my bad english.

Rosveen · March 2015

NovaShadow wrote: »

I personally don't know a single person that uses the group finder to find a group. It's all done through guild/zone chat. I also have never used it and unless it becomes actually useful I probably never will.

Whenever I need a group for something I just use zone chat and it works more often than not.

Everything is done in zone chat because the LFG tool has been broken for so long we learned to never use it. Believe me, I'd much rather use the tool than stand around and shout in chat - especially with my lower level characters. I used to do it often back when ESO was first released. But I just have no choice anymore.

pecheckler · March 2015

If Zenimax lacks the competence to fix their LFG tool then they should add a UI bulletin board in-game so players can search a database of players looking to participate in certain content.

c0rp · March 2015

Just to test it, I queued for the normal pledge last night as a dps....sat in it for about 5 hours with no results.

alainjbrennanb16_ESO · March 2015

pecheckler wrote: »

If Zenimax lacks the competence to fix their LFG tool then they should add a UI bulletin board in-game so players can search a database of players looking to participate in certain content.

that brings in elitists behaver, which is already in the game, the group finder is not used because of elitist behaver and rage quitting, simple answer to it is to use a reward system, ie: you get a reward like in wow or ffxiv but not until u finish the dungeon and after say 20 dungeons done by group finder you get an elite gear not sellable or obtained by any or means

Valymer · March 2015

alainjbrennanb16_ESO wrote: »

pecheckler wrote: »

If Zenimax lacks the competence to fix their LFG tool then they should add a UI bulletin board in-game so players can search a database of players looking to participate in certain content.

that brings in elitists behaver, which is already in the game, the group finder is not used because of elitist behaver and rage quitting, simple answer to it is to use a reward system, ie: you get a reward like in wow or ffxiv but not until u finish the dungeon and after say 20 dungeons done by group finder you get an elite gear not sellable or obtained by any or means

You mean more elitist than the person who asked me how much dps I can do after I said LFG in zone chat?

The group finder is not used because it doesn't work. I am fully behind your idea of rewarding its use like in ffxiv, though. But first it would have to actually be able to build groups.

MyNegation · March 2015

used it several times both as tank and healer. (have dk tank and temp healer)
the DPS people arrive immediately but the tank/healer are still rare so i shout in the /zone.
at least for low levels.

Drachenfier · March 2015

Just put in a standard group finder (WoW, Rift, SWTOR) and be done with all of this.

c0rp · March 2015

No one will use it, until there is a reward for doing so. Only then, will we know if it is actually working. I dont know how many times zos needs to be told this before they do something about it.

HeroOfNone · March 2015

The "LFG Group" tool does work, but it's poorly implimented. When using it, the tool will search for anyone in your level looking to do the same content Based on hesler, tank, or dps roles. If you're VR 14 looking to do veteran spindleclutch it will group you with another VR 14 that queued for spindleclutch. If another VR 14 signs up for veteran fungal grotto you will not be grouped with them. If you sign up for all rolls, expect that you could take up a role for a tank when you didn't mean to, snd you'll only get dps and healer options from there on in. If you selected no roles however don't expect it to pick you up

BigM · March 2015

Troneon wrote: »

Never played a game with a LFG tool to be broken for this long a time...ever.

I remember when Turbine didn't have chat working in Asheron's Call two for over a year.

Izzban · March 2015

Group finder does not work properly. The main argument of those who think it works fine is that those who use it don't know how to use it properly. It's not surprising that those same players defending the group finder also don't regularly use it.

So:

- group finder works fine
- you are too stupid to use it
- I could use it but I have my own groups
- I used it once last year and my healer got a group in 3 seconds

Before you come here and say GF works fine, grab your VR14 DPS, turn on group finder for the gold pledge. Do this for a week at various times of the day. Then come post your results.

If the problem is that too few players use it, then it still doesn't work to find a group!

BigM · March 2015

Izzban wrote: »

Group finder does not work properly. The main argument of those who think it works fine is that those who use it don't know how to use it properly. It's not surprising that those same players defending the group finder also don't regularly use it.

So:

- group finder works fine
- you are too stupid to use it
- I could use it but I have my own groups
- I used it once last year and my healer got a group in 3 seconds

Before you come here and say GF works fine, grab your VR14 DPS, turn on group finder for the gold pledge. Do this for a week at various times of the day. Then come post your results.

If the problem is that too few players use it, then it still doesn't work to find a group!

I remember when it took 3 seconds to get a group and it was working great.It doesn't work like that now. But hey lets add stuff to game like they were doing during the sub period and then shock us where you redid the whole game and made it B2P and still haven't fixed the LFG. Yep I see this as a great thing.