Can We Get Proper Social Tools/ LFG Panel?

Peekachu99 · March 2018

All these content additions and the QoL improvements can feel as slow as molasses in coming (search feature for guild stores—wherefore art thou?). I love that they’re adding new Trials and dungeons on a regular basis, but there needs to be better social tools to tackle them. This has come up in a few threads now, with people getting frustrated with ‘fake tanks’, ‘bad dps’ and ‘Trial eletists’, and the easiest solution is always to “form your own groups”. That’s a lovely idea, so how about giving us—especially console players, who have a paucity of options for grouping—something more than shouting in Craglorn and Discord. Let’s vote!

P.S. Just so we’re clear, and to keep the hyperbole in check, I’m not suggesting we add Vet Trials to Activity Finder. I’m suggesting a different interface altogether for people to communicate and form their own groups (in game).

Edit: FFXIV’s Party Finder (with images—click the areas to expand) for reference.

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Party_Finder

Grimm13 · March 2018

you reference an example in the fits poll option which to everyone not experienced to that game, has no clue what you are talking about. Examples should be in the bodied of the text, not in a poll.

edit: The tool should include the friends and blacklist in the finder function. Friends also queued at same time be weighted to be matched more likely and blacklisted to be excluded altogether.

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

Grimm13 wrote: »

you reference an example in the fits poll option which to everyone not experienced to that game, has no clue what you are talking about. Examples should be in the bodied of the text, not in a poll.

edit: The tool should include the friends and blacklist in the finder function. Friends also queued at same time be weighted to be matched more likely and blacklisted to be excluded altogether.

I’m pretty sure most people with an interest in online gaming and tackling high end PVE challenges know what an LFG panel should look like, and likely have seen or heard of FFXIV’s, too (which is flawless). Here’s the Cole’s notes version (also added to the poll).

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Party_Finder

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

Do note the number of options with FFXIV’s, which I think are key.

DieAlteHexe · March 2018

Peekachu99 wrote: »

Grimm13 wrote: »

you reference an example in the fits poll option which to everyone not experienced to that game, has no clue what you are talking about. Examples should be in the bodied of the text, not in a poll.

edit: The tool should include the friends and blacklist in the finder function. Friends also queued at same time be weighted to be matched more likely and blacklisted to be excluded altogether.

I’m pretty sure most people with an interest in online gaming and tackling high end PVE challenges know what an LFG panel should look like, and likely have seen or heard of FFXIV’s, too (which is flawless). Here’s the Cole’s notes version (also added to the poll).

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Party_Finder

Thanks for the link. Oh and I've never played any of the FF series, nor has anyone I know so...

That does look to be a good interface indeed.

Bevik · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

I can't believe the game is 4 years old and we have this Group Finder... Shame.

Aeph · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

Anything that keeps it out of zone chat is a good thing IMO.

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

DieAlteHexe wrote: »

Peekachu99 wrote: »

Grimm13 wrote: »

you reference an example in the fits poll option which to everyone not experienced to that game, has no clue what you are talking about. Examples should be in the bodied of the text, not in a poll.

edit: The tool should include the friends and blacklist in the finder function. Friends also queued at same time be weighted to be matched more likely and blacklisted to be excluded altogether.

I’m pretty sure most people with an interest in online gaming and tackling high end PVE challenges know what an LFG panel should look like, and likely have seen or heard of FFXIV’s, too (which is flawless). Here’s the Cole’s notes version (also added to the poll).

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Party_Finder

Thanks for the link. Oh and I've never played any of the FF series, nor has anyone I know so...

That does look to be a good interface indeed.

Haha fair enough. I was a die-hard anime/ FF junkie growing up so that game was like crack to me. It does set the gold standard for social tools, though, and has an incredible raiding scene as a result. If you want top-tier PVE and can deal with a slightly slower pace of combat, you should check it out. I just hate their progression system, even if everything else is pretty good—story is just about the best on the market, too. On par or better than ESO’s with really over-the-top set piece cinematic involving your toon.

TelvanniWizard · March 2018

I propose something else (please explain in your comment)

Give us trial group finder.

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

I’m really curious about the reasoning behind those saying “no”. Are you worried about resources being taken from elsewhere? Different teams work on different things, and UI creation wouldn’t (shouldn’t) be detracting from the development of content etc.

DieAlteHexe · March 2018

Peekachu99 wrote: »

DieAlteHexe wrote: »

Peekachu99 wrote: »

Grimm13 wrote: »

you reference an example in the fits poll option which to everyone not experienced to that game, has no clue what you are talking about. Examples should be in the bodied of the text, not in a poll.

edit: The tool should include the friends and blacklist in the finder function. Friends also queued at same time be weighted to be matched more likely and blacklisted to be excluded altogether.

I’m pretty sure most people with an interest in online gaming and tackling high end PVE challenges know what an LFG panel should look like, and likely have seen or heard of FFXIV’s, too (which is flawless). Here’s the Cole’s notes version (also added to the poll).

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Party_Finder

Thanks for the link. Oh and I've never played any of the FF series, nor has anyone I know so...

That does look to be a good interface indeed.

Haha fair enough. I was a die-hard anime/ FF junkie growing up so that game was like crack to me. It does set the gold standard for social tools, though, and has an incredible raiding scene as a result. If you want top-tier PVE and can deal with a slightly slower pace of combat, you should check it out. I just hate their progression system, even if everything else is pretty good—story is just about the best on the market, too. On par or better than ESO’s with really over-the-top set piece cinematic involving your toon.

Thanks for the added info (seriously).

One slight issue (I apologise in advance, again, seriously) but I am, how to put this, NOT a fan of anime. I know FF is a huge franchise and that many folk are hard-core fans but it's just not my thing.

That interface though...

NewBlacksmurf · March 2018

I propose something else (please explain in your comment)

1. i don’t want ESO to become pieces of every other popular game
2. I do agree the game needs to offer different but better tools to gather groups but your suggestions aren’t what i consider better. It’s just what another game did which i don’t think is best for this game. There is a lot about Final Fantasy that’s VERY different in terms of the UI and what you can see about others that this game intentionally doesn’t offer. I’m O K with most of it.

Consider there are better ways to offer solution other than copying another developers style ESPECIALLY when this developer cannot create and add grouping and social features because I believe this game should’ve been a bit more of what many consider a MMORPG game to be.

Another piece is MMORPG is just a role playing game on a server not X,Y and Z features and functions.

Kodrac · March 2018

Biased poll is biased. Who wouldn't want more features? Also, I hate anime with a passion so I have no idea what FF14's interface is like.

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

1. i don’t want ESO to become pieces of every other popular game
2. I do agree the game needs to offer different but better tools to gather groups but your suggestions aren’t what i consider better. It’s just what another game did which i don’t think is best for this game. There is a lot about Final Fantasy that’s VERY different in terms of the UI and what you can see about others that this game intentionally doesn’t offer. I’m O K with most of it.

Consider there are better ways to offer solution other than copying another developers style ESPECIALLY when this developer cannot create and add grouping and social features because I believe this game should’ve been a bit more of what many consider a MMORPG game to be.

Another piece is MMORPG is just a role playing game on a server not X,Y and Z features and functions.

Sometimes I feel like you just like to be contrary for the sake of it. I didn’t say: “copy FXIV down to the aesthetic and UI”. I suggested that as an ideal model of what a LFG interface should incorporate for FEATURES and not as what it should be verbatim and shoved into ESO. That would be ridiculous. This game is four years old now and leagues behind something as ancient as WoW in terms of how it brings people together. That’s it.

Edit: Also, regarding the bolded, if that were true we wouldn’t be playing a “massively multiplayer” game would we? Nor would we have dungeons, Trials or group PVP.

Apache_Kid · March 2018

I like to click things

One thing you are for sure correct about is that QoL achievements are slow as **** for console. PC has all the fluff already with the add-ons while us on console are still in the stone-age. I was so incredibly happy when i finished all my motif pages a few months back so i no longer had to permanently scar my eyeballs by searching traders for hours and hours. We just got a MINOR crafting interface upgrade at the smithing, clothing, and woodworking stations that were LONG over-due so I would imagine it is going to be a very long time before we get anything else like that.

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

Apache_Kid wrote: »

One thing you are for sure correct about is that QoL achievements are slow as **** for console. PC has all the fluff already with the add-ons while us on console are still in the stone-age. I was so incredibly happy when i finished all my motif pages a few months back so i no longer had to permanently scar my eyeballs by searching traders for hours and hours. We just got a MINOR crafting interface upgrade at the smithing, clothing, and woodworking stations that were LONG over-due so I would imagine it is going to be a very long time before we get anything else like that.

I’m on PC now, made the swap back a while ago, but I feel for my console brothers and sisters. That is ROUGH in comparison. One thing that I miss about console though was universal voice chat. Without a doubt that made pug groups so much better than on PC. Discord works, but you have to enter details and everyone needs an app. And really: anything that takes you out of the game for basic social functionality is bad design.

Danikat · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

I've never played FFXIV and had no idea about their grouping tools (OP: for future reference there are a lot of ESO players who have never played another MMO, and even those who have are unlikely to have played all of them, it's never a good idea to assume everyone else has the same experience and knowledge you do - always better to explain what you're proposing).

But looking at the link provided it seems like a more controlled version of what Guild Wars 2 has. In that game you can use the LFG tool for any content, and if you're starting a group you select the content you want to do from a list and then have a free text box to put up a short description of what you're doing/who you want to join you. So for example one person could select a dungeon, and say "path 2, experienced level 80 players only, warrior & mesmer needed" and another person could say "looking for other low levels to do story mode with me" and someone else could say "grinding tokens - any path - everyone welcome".

Then other people can see all the available groups and choose which they want to join, or create their own if none of them fit.

That choice is the important difference for me. With ESO's current system you're dumped into whichever group has a space and just have to hope they're planning to play the same way you are and will accept you. Add in the inevitable toxic players and you get a system that's only really suitable for max level players doing speed clears because anyone else is in danger of being not just kicked from groups but yelled at for "wasting their time" by attempting to use the tool to find a group that fits them.

Whereas if we could choose groups to join everyone could use it with minimal conflict - elitists would be able to specify exactly what they want and have a valid reason to kick people who didn't read the requirements and casual players could use the tool too without intruding on the elitists because they'd be making and joining completely separate listings.

Being able to use it for more than just dungeons would be an added bonus. I'd especially like to be able to use it for world bosses and public dungeon bosses, I never know if I'm hanging around waiting for someone else because I can't solo it while someone else is doing the exact same thing in a different copy of the map. This way we could find each other and take it down together.

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

Danikat wrote: »

I've never played FFXIV and had no idea about their grouping tools (OP: for future reference there are a lot of ESO players who have never played another MMO, and even those who have are unlikely to have played all of them, it's never a good idea to assume everyone else has the same experience and knowledge you do - always better to explain what you're proposing).

But looking at the link provided it seems like a more controlled version of what Guild Wars 2 has. In that game you can use the LFG tool for any content, and if you're starting a group you select the content you want to do from a list and then have a free text box to put up a short description of what you're doing/who you want to join you. So for example one person could select a dungeon, and say "path 2, experienced level 80 players only, warrior & mesmer needed" and another person could say "looking for other low levels to do story mode with me" and someone else could say "grinding tokens - any path - everyone welcome".

Then other people can see all the available groups and choose which they want to join, or create their own if none of them fit.

That choice is the important difference for me. With ESO's current system you're dumped into whichever group has a space and just have to hope they're planning to play the same way you are and will accept you. Add in the inevitable toxic players and you get a system that's only really suitable for max level players doing speed clears because anyone else is in danger of being not just kicked from groups but yelled at for "wasting their time" by attempting to use the tool to find a group that fits them.

Whereas if we could choose groups to join everyone could use it with minimal conflict - elitists would be able to specify exactly what they want and have a valid reason to kick people who didn't read the requirements and casual players could use the tool too without intruding on the elitists because they'd be making and joining completely separate listings.

Being able to use it for more than just dungeons would be an added bonus. I'd especially like to be able to use it for world bosses and public dungeon bosses, I never know if I'm hanging around waiting for someone else because I can't solo it while someone else is doing the exact same thing in a different copy of the map. This way we could find each other and take it down together.

Exactly. Choice is totally at the heart of a social experience. You want a full newb, bang-your-heads till you beat it Trial group? Awesome put that in the description and group with like minded people. You want a hardcore No Death run? Again, just put the proper CP/ meta (1 tank, 3 dps usually) and off you go. And thank you for bringing up GW2, which doesn’t have auto-grouping (and never will, apparently), though it does have a robust system for forming groups for every piece of content in the game.

NewBlacksmurf · March 2018

I propose something else (please explain in your comment)

Peekachu99 wrote: »

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

1. i don’t want ESO to become pieces of every other popular game
2. I do agree the game needs to offer different but better tools to gather groups but your suggestions aren’t what i consider better. It’s just what another game did which i don’t think is best for this game. There is a lot about Final Fantasy that’s VERY different in terms of the UI and what you can see about others that this game intentionally doesn’t offer. I’m O K with most of it.

Consider there are better ways to offer solution other than copying another developers style ESPECIALLY when this developer cannot create and add grouping and social features because I believe this game should’ve been a bit more of what many consider a MMORPG game to be.

Another piece is MMORPG is just a role playing game on a server not X,Y and Z features and functions.

Sometimes I feel like you just like to be contrary for the sake of it. I didn’t say: “copy FXIV down to the aesthetic and UI”. I suggested that as an ideal model of what a LFG interface should incorporate for FEATURES and not as what it should be verbatim and shoved into ESO. That would be ridiculous. This game is four years old now and leagues behind something as ancient as WoW in terms of how it brings people together. That’s it.

Edit: Also, regarding the bolded, if that were true we wouldn’t be playing a “massively multiplayer” game would we? Nor would we have dungeons, Trials or group PVP.

@Peekachu99

It’s interesting that you feel that way. Perhaps it should be more than obvious from my posts within this forum that I’m more interested in playing a game that doesn’t have the many familiriaties of the MMORPG genre. If so I’d not be here as I’d argue there are other games that do it better if that was my interest.

On this topic, I’m saying if it looks anything like what you’ve referenced, my point of view is No thanks.

Lastly, MMORPG does literally mean a RPG on a server. The fact is the acronym is Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.....it’s an RPG played on a server.

I’ve observed that a lot of people in this website seem to have experienced server rpgs during the times when WoW was being created and until it’s launch as well as during the many copying games to follow. The crowds who seems to jump from server rpg to server rpg for whatever rhyme or reason and come back making suggestions to change this as a result of another experience.

It’s important to me that this game stay different. The example even in a different UI is clutter.

I don’t want another version of Excel sheets online.

Edit typo’s

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

Peekachu99 wrote: »

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

1. i don’t want ESO to become pieces of every other popular game
2. I do agree the game needs to offer different but better tools to gather groups but your suggestions aren’t what i consider better. It’s just what another game did which i don’t think is best for this game. There is a lot about Final Fantasy that’s VERY different in terms of the UI and what you can see about others that this game intentionally doesn’t offer. I’m O K with most of it.

Consider there are better ways to offer solution other than copying another developers style ESPECIALLY when this developer cannot create and add grouping and social features because I believe this game should’ve been a bit more of what many consider a MMORPG game to be.

Another piece is MMORPG is just a role playing game on a server not X,Y and Z features and functions.

Sometimes I feel like you just like to be contrary for the sake of it. I didn’t say: “copy FXIV down to the aesthetic and UI”. I suggested that as an ideal model of what a LFG interface should incorporate for FEATURES and not as what it should be verbatim and shoved into ESO. That would be ridiculous. This game is four years old now and leagues behind something as ancient as WoW in terms of how it brings people together. That’s it.

Edit: Also, regarding the bolded, if that were true we wouldn’t be playing a “massively multiplayer” game would we? Nor would we have dungeons, Trials or group PVP.

@Peekachu99

It’s interesting that you feel that way. Perhaps it should be more than obvious from my posts within this forum that I’m more interested in playing a game that doesn’t have the many familiriaties of the MMORPG genre. If so I’d not be here as I’d argue there are other games that do it better if that was my interest.

On this topic, I’m saying if it looks anything like what you’ve referenced, my point of view is No thanks.

Lastly, MMORPG does literally mean a RPG on a server. The fact is the acronym is Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.....it’s an RPG played on a server.

I’ve observed that a lot of people in this website seem to have experienced server rpgs during the times when WoW was being created and until it’s launch as well as during the many copying games to follow. The crowds who seems to jump from server rpg to server rpg for whatever rhyme or reason and come back making suggestions to change this as a result of another experience.

It’s important to me that this game stay different. The example even in a different UI is clutter.

I don’t want another version of Excel sheets online.

Edit typo’s

I literally clarified, emphatically, that I was referencing the FEATURES a Party Finder should have, so I’ve no idea why you continue to belabour the point that it would ever look like FFXIV’s awful interface or implementation. Furthermore, if you were following the thread, you’d have read that such a specific example was requested as a reference by one of the respondents.

And I’m not sure why you’re slighting the intelligence of people who are seasoned with MMORPGS (going back as far as MUDs in my case). We’ve been around the block and have seen what works and what doesn’t. A game can maintain its identity and uniqueness while still adding certain tools to the game. Indeed the best game’s refine these systems in novel ways. Well made party finders, and to an extent matchmaking, exist in online games because people overwhelmingly desire them and because they have been shown, historically, to be great tools.

As an aside, the reason why you always seem so contentious to me is because you literally barge into a thread with some of the most polarizing opinions and then offer little to no argument or rebuke other than “I don’t like this and therefor it shouldn’t be”. I’ve never seen you change your opinion in the face of factual debate as far as I recall. Speak to something quantifiable that we can discuss. Feelings make terrible arguments.

Have a good weekend, and I really do mean that. Let’s do something other than continue to speak to each other since I don’t think we’ve ever agreed on anything in this forum

PlagueSD · March 2018

I propose something else (please explain in your comment)

Current system is fine. The only "enhancement" I'd recommend is the ability to not queue for "in progress" dungeons. That seems to be the biggest gripe among everyone using the group finder tool.

PlagueSD · March 2018

I propose something else (please explain in your comment)

Current system is fine. The only "enhancement" I'd recommend is the ability to not queue for "in progress" dungeons. That seems to be the biggest gripe among everyone using the group finder tool.

Danikat · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

Peekachu99 wrote: »

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

1. i don’t want ESO to become pieces of every other popular game
2. I do agree the game needs to offer different but better tools to gather groups but your suggestions aren’t what i consider better. It’s just what another game did which i don’t think is best for this game. There is a lot about Final Fantasy that’s VERY different in terms of the UI and what you can see about others that this game intentionally doesn’t offer. I’m O K with most of it.

Consider there are better ways to offer solution other than copying another developers style ESPECIALLY when this developer cannot create and add grouping and social features because I believe this game should’ve been a bit more of what many consider a MMORPG game to be.

Another piece is MMORPG is just a role playing game on a server not X,Y and Z features and functions.

Sometimes I feel like you just like to be contrary for the sake of it. I didn’t say: “copy FXIV down to the aesthetic and UI”. I suggested that as an ideal model of what a LFG interface should incorporate for FEATURES and not as what it should be verbatim and shoved into ESO. That would be ridiculous. This game is four years old now and leagues behind something as ancient as WoW in terms of how it brings people together. That’s it.

Edit: Also, regarding the bolded, if that were true we wouldn’t be playing a “massively multiplayer” game would we? Nor would we have dungeons, Trials or group PVP.

@Peekachu99

It’s interesting that you feel that way. Perhaps it should be more than obvious from my posts within this forum that I’m more interested in playing a game that doesn’t have the many familiriaties of the MMORPG genre. If so I’d not be here as I’d argue there are other games that do it better if that was my interest.

On this topic, I’m saying if it looks anything like what you’ve referenced, my point of view is No thanks.

Lastly, MMORPG does literally mean a RPG on a server. The fact is the acronym is Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.....it’s an RPG played on a server.

I’ve observed that a lot of people in this website seem to have experienced server rpgs during the times when WoW was being created and until it’s launch as well as during the many copying games to follow. The crowds who seems to jump from server rpg to server rpg for whatever rhyme or reason and come back making suggestions to change this as a result of another experience.

It’s important to me that this game stay different. The example even in a different UI is clutter.

I don’t want another version of Excel sheets online.

Edit typo’s

You're getting too hung up on how the UI looks in the OPs example rather than how the tool works. That would be like saying you don't think ESO should have dungeons because a previous game you played (or heard about) had dragons as dungeon bosses and that wouldn't work with the games lore.

They could include one aspect of the idea - letting players choose with group to join - without copying the entire thing exactly.

But if you're really struggling to get it here's a screenshot of Guild Wars 2's LFG window:

The left side is a list of game modes/areas so you can narrow down your search, the right side is where groups looking for players appear (you can hover over them to see the full description) or you can write your own which will appear in the list.

So there's at least 2 ways to achieve the same thing and I'm sure ZOS are quite capable of coming up with their own version of a non-automated grouping tool, just like they have for many other things.

Blevil · March 2018

I'm just looking for the most basic QoL improvements. An example is the queue indicator for cyrodil but nothing for dungeon finder. It would be nice to know what place in queue I am whether a dps or tank, I would like to know where in line I am. I remember the estimated time a while back but was soo inaccurate that I'm happy it got nerfed.

Peekachu99 · March 2018

I would like enhanced social features (i.e. FFXIV Party Finder/ Maker)

Blevil wrote: »

I'm just looking for the most basic QoL improvements. An example is the queue indicator for cyrodil but nothing for dungeon finder. It would be nice to know what place in queue I am whether a dps or tank, I would like to know where in line I am. I remember the estimated time a while back but was soo inaccurate that I'm happy it got nerfed.

Also log overdue. Really the whole grouping interface should be redesigned and tuned up. We haven’t had a single update to it since the fixes that made it less broken.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Can We Get Proper Social Tools/ LFG Panel?

Can We Get Proper Social Tools/ LFG Panel? 34 votes