Suggestion: Add ‘Solo mode’ to dungeons

DaveMoeDee · November 2018

eklhaftb16_ESO wrote: »

There's no reason not to do it. It costs next to nothing, and it means opening the existing content to more players.

There could be three difficulties for the solo content: 1) story mode (delve-like easy, with overland-grade drops and one-time quest rewarding a cosmetic item related to the dungeon); 2) lone adventurer mode (dungeon-like difficult, rewards dungeon set drops) and finally 3) lone veteran mode (rewards monster helmets).

Trying to make the content challenging while soloable for DDs, healers, and tanks does cost a lot. It would require a lot of resources to tweak, test, and rebalance. As we see with vMA, it really favors certain builds.

And since they obviously wouldn't try to make it as challenging as vMA, max CP optimized build of the best type will still not be challenged since the content would also need to be clearable for lower level players and support builds.

Additional modes never cost next to nothing.

mairwen85 · November 2018

Juhasow wrote: »

mairwen85 wrote: »

Juhasow wrote: »

More then half of currently existing vet dungeons can be done solo. I doubt that any of people that requests for that solo mode actually completed them all so what is even the point of that discussion ? You want challenge ? Visit that dungeons instead of forum.

Editted to add: I appreciate what you're saying. Many of us are already doing this - - a real, considered alternative would, however, be a better option. What's the negative?

I strongly doubt that "many of You" completed even half of vet dungeons that can be soloed. That graphic You posted presents much better actual state of Your request which is basicly asking for something that is already in the game. The negative is : there are most important things in this game that developers should focus on then satysfying few special snowflakes and adding option to do something that is already doable.

Advocating that it is already in the game, albeit counter to the design and unofficial, supports that it could be made an official option without harming any other content. That moots your 'point', no? I am happy to continue soloing group content however, but am also in the knowledge that exactly that is what leads leads to nerfs under the false assumption that content needs to be made more challenging purely through handicapping players... Or they could simply make concrete what you are agreeing is already possible... There would certainly be less lag and performance issues in a solo instance.

Nothing current has to change. Next batch of content just could include some more imaginative solo content of the same quality as whatever group dungeons they have planned. If it weren't for the lack of quality endgame solo content threads like this would not exist.

AlnilamE · November 2018

BretonMage wrote: »

I really don't get why anyone would oppose this idea. Some of us like both ESO AND playing solo. If ZOS can give us an option for a solo mode without changing the other group modes, why should group players care? It wouldn't affect them at all. It's not as though you would suddenly lose huge swathes of the population to the dark nether solo regions; solo players will continue to play solo as we always have, but we'll just have more fun.

I would happily pay or subscribe for a solo mode.

Abigail wrote: »

BretonMage wrote: »

I really don't get why anyone would oppose this idea.

Because:
Many players have a last-decade notion that MMO means grouping to complete content.

Developers, mired in the same belief, mistakenly think a majority want group content.

Developers, with all the fervor of SJWs, think they're forwarding humanity by compelling disparate people into groups.

Game developers would do better if they provided players the means to participate as they please.

1. Go to door of dungeon
2. Make sure instance is set to desired level via group menu (Normal or Veteran)
3. Enter Dungeon
4. Voilà! Solo dungeon (exceptions apply where dungeon mechanics don't allow it. Void where prohibited).

Gilvoth · November 2018

a "solo dungeon mode" ?
sounds Awesome, i vote "Yes!"

if the do add this type of mode i do hope they will also add hirelings like we had in skyrim and morrowind and oblivion and also allow us to marry them as well.
it made the game MUCH more enjoyable and i know for a fact it would do the same for eso.

my vote = "Yes"
the sooner the better please

josiahva · November 2018

I am pretty sure ALL the vet dungeons, DLC or not can be soloed with the correct build if you care about that type of thing. I have seen videos of people soloing Dranos in vCoS...and his pin is certainly a multiplayer mechanic...if you can solo vCoS you can solo any of them(though I imagine some are a nightmare to do) but I do agree with the general sentiment...more solo difficult content would be nice.

Caligamy_ESO · November 2018

This would be fun but... I suspect it would just flat out kill the group finder queue (even worse than it already is) so it will never happen.

Abigail · November 2018

dwemer_paleologist wrote: »

if the do add this type of mode i do hope they will also add hirelings like we had in skyrim and morrowind and oblivion and also allow us to marry them as well.

That would be fun, wouldn't it?

The problem is the game is now, for the most part, all it's ever going to be. I've certainly added my wish lists in many forum threads, but I've little expectation any will come to fruition. Oh, sure, there will be a few more DLCs and minor expansions, but these have been locked in for years. ZOS will certainly add cosmetic items, mostly revenue producing, but don't look for major changes, like new skills, races or classes. The game's lifecycle is now in the profit stage, where everything is about keeping current players marginally happy enough to stay, getting former players back (with new zones/dungeons), and pulling in a few new players -- all at minimal cost outlay beyond what has been scheduled for a considerable time. At some point in the not too distant future any expenditures will be reduced to maintenance, with no new content whatsoever.

We can go on wishing for pie in the sky, but it's not going to happen.

Gilvoth · November 2018

Abigail wrote: »

dwemer_paleologist wrote: »

if the do add this type of mode i do hope they will also add hirelings like we had in skyrim and morrowind and oblivion and also allow us to marry them as well.

That would be fun, wouldn't it?

The problem is the game is now, for the most part, all it's ever going to be. I've certainly added my wish lists in many forum threads, but I've little expectation any will come to fruition. Oh, sure, there will be a few more DLCs and minor expansions, but these have been locked in for years. ZOS will certainly add cosmetic items, mostly revenue producing, but don't look for major changes, like new skills, races or classes. The game's lifecycle is now in the profit stage, where everything is about keeping current players marginally happy enough to stay, getting former players back (with new zones/dungeons), and pulling in a few new players -- all at minimal cost outlay beyond what has been scheduled for a considerable time. At some point in the not too distant future any expenditures will be reduced to maintenance, with no new content whatsoever.

We can go on wishing for pie in the sky, but it's not going to happen.

well that ...
seems, realistic.
a sobering thought indeed, and probably, true.

DarcyMardin · November 2018

Yes, please!!

ohaphazardo · November 2018

delete

Nolic1 · November 2018

Ok i would like to say the idea of a solo dungeon would be amazing soloing group dungeons gets boring and the reason why is it take me 30mins+ to finish most and then there are ones I can not solo do to needing someone else to flip a switch or save me from a one shot cause I am stunned. What i would like to see myself is Dungeons broken up to group size and yes only dungeons you want hard core group content go do trials they are they for that. As for what I was saying make dungeons scale on group size this way the difficulty varies based on that and so do mechanics and I know it can be done they did it in Lord of the Rings online long before this game was in its infancy stage. Also as many said even solo players love the social aspect and we like to group as well but its always nice to have a choice and many player I think are afraid this will ruin dungeons not like they aren't already with ether a fake tank or fake healer in them or none at all. So allowing them to scale from 1 to 4 should not be an issue and if many are worried about reward here do this.

Any Dungeon Normal
Solo= green drops
2-4 players blue drops

Veteran Dungeon
Solo,2= Blue drops
3-4=purple drops

Hard mode
Solo= Blue
2-3=Purple
4=gold

And sense hard mode is only the final boss this should not be a issue with reward cause as a 4 man you get gold drops on the final boss which only seems fair. But again it is not upto me or any of this to get put into the game but the dev team.

Acrolas · November 2018

I'd be all right with a Spectator mode. Instead of having to watch a video, you queue up to whichever dungeon you want on whichever difficulty, and can then cycle through the camera of any player in an existing instance of that dungeon/difficulty who has Spectator mode enabled so you can observe the fights and mechanics done correctly and probably in many instances, incorrectly.

Then you can run that group content yourself and get the rewards.

Abigail wrote: »

Many players have a last-decade notion that MMO means grouping to complete content.

Developers, mired in the same belief, mistakenly think a majority want group content.

Developers, with all the fervor of SJWs, think they're forwarding humanity by compelling disparate people into groups.

Game developers would do better if they provided players the means to participate as they please.

Have you ever considered for a moment that perhaps you're the biggest obstacle you face doing group content?

Finviuswe · November 2018

Would be pretty intents.

I'm a proponent of this. You've seen me solo a dungeon every now and then.

AcadianPaladin · November 2018

@Nolic1 I think this is a fine idea. The only change I'd make - and I think it is an important one - is to let the player(s) select the mode as they enter. I may be completely happy with no concerns about loot running solo in a solo instance. More elite players, however, might like the option of running the full 4-person difficulty solo for more challenge and better loot.

Overall, I confess that I am primarily a solo player. 'End game' for me means soloing a good number of non-DLC WBs and soloing between 6-10 of the non-DLC dungeons. I'd quite enjoy being able to solo a few more. I don't care about loot, I just enjoy solo crawling dungeons. In fact, I'd rather enter the game and go solo a dungeon than spend the same amount of time trying to coordinate the schedules of three other players instead of actually doing the dungeon. Join a big dungeon guild? No thanks; I don't want to spend time saying 'no' to others trying to coordinate my schedule. Go play Skyrim/Oblivion? Been there/done that (4k hours in each of those games). Both those SP games are simply too small to call 'home' for more than a few years. It is the nearly neverending mass and scale that draws me to ESO.

Abigail · November 2018

Acrolas wrote: »

Have you ever considered for a moment that perhaps you're the biggest obstacle you face doing group content?

Oh, absolutely, and I've said as much many times on this forum. I'm elderly and suffer all the typical infirmities, plus a few good ones tossed in. I don't trust myself to do group events. But it's deeper than that: after 20 years as a woman Marine I've had enough of childish behavior, male humor, and f-bombs punctuating every sentence. So, not only are most group dungeons beyond me, I really don't want to tolerate all the "joy" that goes along with them. Every solo artist has their reasons, those are mine, and they're most definitely an impediment of my own making.

So what? What's your point?

Acrolas · November 2018

Abigail wrote: »

So what? What's your point?

My point is, instead of pointing the finger at everyone else, create a guild that creates the type of atmosphere you would like to see while running group content. People will join it seeking the same thing. You'll get to maintain a behavior standard and be able to regularly find good assistance for the content you want to play.

I totally get being exasperated by humans in general. But I feel that wall you've built will melt a little when you see the happiness you could also help bring to others. And melt a little more when somebody gives their favorite new guildmaster an endearing nickname like Mama Abigail or however that would translate into the game.

I know it's a tough first few steps. But all acts of creation are.

Abigail · November 2018

Acrolas wrote: »

[C]reate a guild that creates the type of atmosphere you would like to see while running group content.

Thank you for the suggestion.

Meesha1170 · November 2018

I would love this for Falkreath Hold alone. No one ever wants to loot all those urns! It’s maddening since it’s such a great spot to farm furnishing recipes.

MornaBaine · November 2018

I love this idea so much. I mostly play the game solo as I enjoy questing and am not interested in end game. But I'd love for there to be more solo activities.

Tannus15 · November 2018

I'd like to see Solo, Duo, Group, because why not?

More options for more people is good.

Jeremy · November 2018

mjharper wrote: »

The last time there was any new content for high end solo play was Orsinium, with the Maelstrom Arena. In fact, that’s the ONLY content for high end solo play in the entirety of ESO. Everything else is (intentionally) easy overland content, PVP, or (increasingly) difficult group content.

For a challenge, solo players can attempt to do 4-player dungeons solo. But there’s several problems with this.
Firstly, many of those dungeons have mechanics which require more than one player, either to click switches, or to free a trapped player who cannot free themselves.

Secondly, the DLC dungeons have been pitched at increasing levels of difficulty, rendering them largely inaccessible even for players who are able to solo base-game dungeons on veteran difficulty

.
My suggested solution to this dearth of content for high end solo play is to add a ‘Solo mode’ to all dungeons.

Note: I am not recommending adjusting the difficulty of dungeons to suit solo players. Four-player dungeons could and should remain designed for 4 players. It is not my intention here to question the wisdom of setting DLC dungeons at ever-increasing levels of difficulty, excluding the majority of the player base.

Such a ‘Solo mode’ should be an alternate instance which can only be accessed by a single player. All mechanics which require multiple players should be revised, so that only one lever need be pulled, or permanent stuns receive limited durations or can be broken free from, and so on.

For difficulty, ‘Solo mode’ DLC dungeons could be pitched at about the same level as 4-player base-game dungeons. Base-game dungeons could remain at the same difficulty level, although with any group mechanics removed. There should, as a consequence, also be ‘Normal’ and ‘Veteran’ difficulties for ‘Solo mode’.

Alternatively, ‘Solo mode’ for base-game dungeons could also be set to a ‘bridging’ difficulty, perhaps with ‘Normal’ difficulty being at the level of public dungeons, but again, with only one player able to access them. ‘Veteran Solo mode’ for base-game dungeons could then be set to the level of Normal 4-player mode. This would preserve difficulty difference between base-game and DLC dungeons, while making the process of soloing more accessible for mid-tier players.

Obviously, dungeons which are completed on ‘Veteran Solo mode’ should also offer monster helms. And ‘Solo mode’ should also be an option for completing Undaunted pledges.

The aim here is to offer more content for solo players, while leaving the group content intact. It would also have the benefit of effectively adding value to the ESO+ subscription.

Thoughts?

It's tempting to support your idea. Especially seeing how brain dead easy the landscape on this game has become. So soloing dungeons is one of the few places you can actually get a decent challenge. But ultimately I'm going to have to decline.

I believe dungeons should remain a group activity, especially as it relates to doing the undaunted pledges etc. So I would actually go in the opposite direction, and would support adding more "group mechanics" and increasing the difficulty of dungeons so as to make them less friendly to soloers.

max_only · November 2018

Story Mode.

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/423339/story-mode

mjharper · November 2018

Jeremy wrote: »

mjharper wrote: »

The last time there was any new content for high end solo play was Orsinium, with the Maelstrom Arena. In fact, that’s the ONLY content for high end solo play in the entirety of ESO. Everything else is (intentionally) easy overland content, PVP, or (increasingly) difficult group content.

For a challenge, solo players can attempt to do 4-player dungeons solo. But there’s several problems with this.
Firstly, many of those dungeons have mechanics which require more than one player, either to click switches, or to free a trapped player who cannot free themselves.

Secondly, the DLC dungeons have been pitched at increasing levels of difficulty, rendering them largely inaccessible even for players who are able to solo base-game dungeons on veteran difficulty

.
My suggested solution to this dearth of content for high end solo play is to add a ‘Solo mode’ to all dungeons.

Note: I am not recommending adjusting the difficulty of dungeons to suit solo players. Four-player dungeons could and should remain designed for 4 players. It is not my intention here to question the wisdom of setting DLC dungeons at ever-increasing levels of difficulty, excluding the majority of the player base.

Such a ‘Solo mode’ should be an alternate instance which can only be accessed by a single player. All mechanics which require multiple players should be revised, so that only one lever need be pulled, or permanent stuns receive limited durations or can be broken free from, and so on.

For difficulty, ‘Solo mode’ DLC dungeons could be pitched at about the same level as 4-player base-game dungeons. Base-game dungeons could remain at the same difficulty level, although with any group mechanics removed. There should, as a consequence, also be ‘Normal’ and ‘Veteran’ difficulties for ‘Solo mode’.

Alternatively, ‘Solo mode’ for base-game dungeons could also be set to a ‘bridging’ difficulty, perhaps with ‘Normal’ difficulty being at the level of public dungeons, but again, with only one player able to access them. ‘Veteran Solo mode’ for base-game dungeons could then be set to the level of Normal 4-player mode. This would preserve difficulty difference between base-game and DLC dungeons, while making the process of soloing more accessible for mid-tier players.

Obviously, dungeons which are completed on ‘Veteran Solo mode’ should also offer monster helms. And ‘Solo mode’ should also be an option for completing Undaunted pledges.

The aim here is to offer more content for solo players, while leaving the group content intact. It would also have the benefit of effectively adding value to the ESO+ subscription.

Thoughts?

It's tempting to support your idea. Especially seeing how brain dead easy the landscape on this game has become. So soloing dungeons is one of the few places you can actually get a decent challenge. But ultimately I'm going to have to decline.

I believe dungeons should remain a group activity, especially as it relates to doing the undaunted pledges etc. So I would actually go in the opposite direction, and would support adding more "group mechanics" and increasing the difficulty of dungeons so as to make them less friendly to soloers.

Um, you agree that there isn't enough hard content for solo play, and your solution is to remove the only content that there is? Okay...

What could happen is that 'Solo mode' is added for explicit solo play, and then all dungeons have extra mechanics added to make the 4-player mode require 4 players. That could work I suppose.

But my original point was not to interfere with current dungeons at all, while offering a way to make them all soloable for those who want that. Increase player choice, rather than limiting it even further.

mjharper · November 2018

max_only wrote: »

Story Mode.

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/423339/story-mode

Story mode is all well and good, and I'd probably support that too. But my point here was also to address the lack of difficult content for high end solo players. Story mode would remove the challenge altogether; a 'Solo mode' as I proposed it would leave the challenge intact. There's no reason why we couldn't have both, but they're definitely not the same.

Witar · November 2018

Just no. Group dungeons are not even that hard.

mjharper · November 2018

Witar wrote: »

Just no. Group dungeons are not even that hard.

Nobody said anything about reducing the difficulty (of base-game dungeons, at least). What I said was that there should be a solo mode which removes the arbitrary 4-player mechanics such as levers or unbreakable stuns - which have nothing to do with difficulty at all.

EDIT: I did mention offering reduced difficulty as an alternative solution. But the core idea is not to reduce difficulty at all, except in the case of DLC dungeons.

munster1404 · November 2018

I'm not in any guild and I can't stand long queues. So a Solo/story mode will be perfect for my remaining magicka/stamina toons getting those elusive skill points in a more relaxed atmosphere. Only my tank characters have done the dungeons so far and I never got the opportunity to properly read the quest dialogues in PUGs either.

mairwen85 · November 2018

From all the posts for this idea, there is a general consensus that the dungeons as they exist are fine, and the newer ones which cater more and more to group play achieve their design goal. There is no dispute about that, and no call to lessen, gimp or nerf them - - the core suggestion is simply to add, or allow future dungeon design or revision to consider solo play that is not counter to the dungeon mechanics, difficulty, or design goal. Whether that means a new mode, alternative version, or purpose built content, and maybe a reward or merit system that acknowledges it.

I really dont understand why some people are so offended by the idea. Adding such a feature in no way diminishes group play or the effort vs achievement in completing it. The suggestion merely adds a new dimension to the available content which enriches end game for a large portion of the player base. VMA is the one shining example, and has been for too long.

eliisra · November 2018

BretonMage wrote: »

I really don't get why anyone would oppose this idea. Some of us like both ESO AND playing solo. If ZOS can give us an option for a solo mode without changing the other group modes, why should group players care? It wouldn't affect them at all. It's not as though you would suddenly lose huge swathes of the population to the dark nether solo regions; solo players will continue to play solo as we always have, but we'll just have more fun.

I would happily pay or subscribe for a solo mode.

They care because would be significantly harder to make groups. If a solo option was available, vast majority would go for that including non-solo'ers(like myself) that normally groups.

Mainly because less hassle and time sink for me to just jump in solo, compared to making a full group with correct roles and keeping the team together. Not to mention all the drama and toxicity you have to put up with in pugs.

I mean, who would willingly spend 20-30 minutes to make or find a group for daily quests, if they can breeze through the content solo? I sure as hell wouldn't lol. Sure, a tight group of friends&guildmates socializing might when everyone is online, but no one else.

Personally wouldn't mind though, if solo mode was properly balanced in terms of completion time and reward in a way that it wasn't the easier option. Would be nice if I get on late and everyone already did their daily dungeons. Being able to avoid pugs would be worth it, even if solo was much much slower with less drops.

Nolic1 · November 2018

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

@Nolic1 I think this is a fine idea. The only change I'd make - and I think it is an important one - is to let the player(s) select the mode as they enter. I may be completely happy with no concerns about loot running solo in a solo instance. More elite players, however, might like the option of running the full 4-person difficulty solo for more challenge and better loot.

Overall, I confess that I am primarily a solo player. 'End game' for me means soloing a good number of non-DLC WBs and soloing between 6-10 of the non-DLC dungeons. I'd quite enjoy being able to solo a few more. I don't care about loot, I just enjoy solo crawling dungeons. In fact, I'd rather enter the game and go solo a dungeon than spend the same amount of time trying to coordinate the schedules of three other players instead of actually doing the dungeon. Join a big dungeon guild? No thanks; I don't want to spend time saying 'no' to others trying to coordinate my schedule. Go play Skyrim/Oblivion? Been there/done that (4k hours in each of those games). Both those SP games are simply too small to call 'home' for more than a few years. It is the nearly neverending mass and scale that draws me to ESO.

Oh i 100% agree with you on the dungeon bit and the solo games of Elder Scrolls I am just going off what many others say about the idea of reward versus players in a dungeon.