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Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Ashes of Creation for the solo player? Or?
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It just seems that the flux of this game is gravitating more and more towards grouping activities. All I hear is "don't go out there alone or else you might get ambushed, or soloing won't get you top gear unless your raiding (40 players) with a traditional loot system".
It just seems that the most OP pvp players will be the one's who actually get the best gear from doing group content like WoW style by being part of a large guild. As I pvp'er, am I going to be viable if I just play solo and find my own gear? What about solo dungeons? DO they even exist in this game and what do they have to offer? I know it's too early for theory crafting and that there are no separate PVP gear vs PVE, but there is still going to be gear that will help your build.
It just seems that the most OP pvp players will be the one's who actually get the best gear from doing group content like WoW style by being part of a large guild. As I pvp'er, am I going to be viable if I just play solo and find my own gear? What about solo dungeons? DO they even exist in this game and what do they have to offer? I know it's too early for theory crafting and that there are no separate PVP gear vs PVE, but there is still going to be gear that will help your build.
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To answer your question, you might be able to progress in some areas of the game by yourself, but the majority of progression content will probably be revolving around group activities. It is honestly to early to tell, but that is the direction they are taking right now.
Like you said, there will not be a separation between pvp and pve gear. This means that it will be more like ESO, where you are more free to build against players based on stats, instead of building separate sets based around specific pvp stats.
I know I'm rambling at this point, but to finish it off, the most geared players in this setting should be those in the hardcore/high end guilds that dedicate their time and effort into completing difficult raids/world boss kills/etc. However, from what I have gathered, the crafted gear in the game will be on par or perhaps better than dungeon/raid drops. Personally, I think they will probably make it so if you are going for a cleric staff that focuses on mana regen and healing, the crafted staff works better. If you are a dps cleric, maybe staff X from raid X works better for your build. I imagine it will be something like that.
To sum up, eventually you will need to play with people and socialize. I don't think they will have many, if any, solo dungeons. Solo players will probably have a rude awakening when jumping into AoC compared to players that are used to playing in groups/raids.
I think a big push for this game is the idea of how MMOs used to be or rather, how you need a sense of community to thrive. Sure you can be a loner, but there's gonna be some big bad creatures out there who will drop nice shinies that take strategy and teamwork to take down. I guess what I am saying is: should there be a way to get best gear solo, when others need to work as a group to obtain it?
I understand your desire to be the lone wolf so to speak, and maybe there will be a way to incorporate getting items for players killed ect. But once again, just because you want to travel solo, quest solo and explore solo, does not mitigate the abilities of parties that will be out there. Groups will simply be better equipped to fight whats out in Verra.
Feel free to solo, but at your own disadvantage.
Something to note, it's very doable to be with a guild to obtain high gear or other things, and go do solo quests and content as well. I think in most every game I have played the people who make a name for themselves in solo play, have also done group play in order to get the gear they need to succeed in solo play. Why would group if you could attain same or better gear alone?
Shoot, even in PvP settings, forming groups for raids or planned battlegrounds is better than footing it alone- to allow coordination.
I'd like to find a casual guild for AoC. One that doesn't have set times and days that you have to be on. My schedule doesn't allow that for the most part. I work 2nd shift so that affects my gaming schedule. Sometimes I can only be on for 30-45 minutes so I'm not going to join a group knowing I will probably have to bail. That's one reason I do tend to solo quite a bit more than I used to. Hopefully I'll find my niche in AoC and be able to have fun and contribute to the community.
I will be making a nice group of like-minded people and just having fun. I'll definitely be running dungeons and pvping and crafting and exploring and tackling world bosses and raiding, but all from a fairly laidback position. I don't expect anyone to play a certain amount or in a certain way, I don't.
I don't want specific content to be added for solo players though, especially dungeons. The main thing I am looking forward to in Ashes is the community - having to rely on being part of a greater whole.
I know it sounds harsh when people say "if you don't want to group with other people, then play something other than an MMO", but honestly, this is really the only answer.
Sure we are all going to play on our own at some points (I'll spend an hour just gathering by myself to relax) but I don't want there to be any content tailored to the solo player. This is one of the things that has ruined the MMO landscape.
Once content is tuned for solo players, those in groups - the intended market of the MMO - just completely breeze through it. Challenge is eroded and community quickly devolves because no one needs each other.
Ashes is trying to make MMOs great again, and this means community and connecting with other people. I get why this can be a scary prospect for some people, who have not been used to doing this in real life or online, but it really isn't a bad thing.
If we all embrace the concept I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised at how much fun playing in a community can be. Don't judge Ashes by the current yardstick of toxic MMO communities. This is a fresh start.
A new life awaits you in Verra, a chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure.
I suspect you will find a great many guilds with that sentiment my friend
The reason so many MMORPG have failed over the years is they went solo play, made the game too convenient and too easy. To quick to level, where crafting became obsolete cause you would out grow the gear you crafted to fast which eventually in most games made crafting pointless. Basically the MMORPG that the younger generations are playing are used to all the things that are wrong with MMORPG because of big companies ruining the Genre.
These days everyone wants to have the best gear and have it now. They want to be end level. Beginner and mid level zones are ghost towns. This system does not work and is the reason why most of these games fail. I imagine in the beginning it started with more the players being at fault by want more while doing less and game companies followed suit make games easier, making game more solo oriented, rushing levels till people would progress faster than they could come up with content. All the effort put into creating amazing beginner and mid level content would be passed by cause everyone is in a rush to get to the end.
MMORPG are meant to be social games where you get to know people and the community and when it was done right people would play the game for 10+ years. So now with things like Kickstarter Developers are able to make games they know people want not what people think they want, for a change. They are able to make games the way they want not according to what Investors want based on market research on what makes quick money rather than what makes a good game.
But there is no reason why a good MMORPG can;t be both solo and group. In EQ1 you could easily solo or group. But as solo you would progress a lot slower cause you would be forced to fight weaker mobs and often 1 maybe 2 at a time so loot would not be great for you level compared to grouping and taking on mobs stronger for you level than you could do on your own.
Basically the stronger the mob is than the level you are at the better loot you will get the more people you have in group the stronger the mobs you fight can be. I think once people that have never played a classic MMORPG will find out they like it and will be like OMG this is what I have been missing this whole time.
The MMOs of old focused on group play and didn't cater to casuals because casuals were a very very small minority back then. Once the MMO appeal came to be, casuals started flocking to them, thus demanding for an easier time, and the companies saw that they would be their biggest cash cow. Thus all of this instant gratification in MMOs came to be.
It sucks, I miss the days when it took half a year to max the level of one class.
Quality of MMO isn't even secondary, it is way down there in the list.
Guild wars, fight for ownership of guild castles, having steady group of people you play together with and that are always ready to help you with your caravan transports or to aid you when you get attacked while chopping wood or picking herbs.
Sure you will be able to find random pugs for dungeons, get mercenaries to protect your caravans,... but it will definitely be harder if you are not in guild.
While the games were more focused on group play I had no issues soloing when I wanted to, nor playing more casual when I couldn't play as much. It was fun testing your skill to take on things one probably shouldn't solo.
If a game is fun it isn't grind. Meaningless grind normally came from FTP PTW games, where they want the grind to be tidius so you spend money to avoid it.
When something takes time and effort to earn it gets appreciated more. To many people these days have gotten used to instant gratification where each advancement becomes meaningless almost instantly.
Companies moving away from some of the traditional systems is what made the current games boring and meaningful. They don't want you to earn something they want you to pay for it.
People are still playing the traditional games even with low graphics cause the newer games just lack any meaning. filled with PTW and Micro Transactions and they are abiding their time waiting for a new game worth playing with some of the older traditional systems but with some new progressive ideas.
Just because a game is developed more towards group play does not mean it looks down on solo play or that solo play is not possible. Same goes for casual players as well. Unfortunately Trolls come on both side of the fence. People should be respectful of how others chose to play.
I have played many of the older styles MMO; Group or Solo and Casual or Hard Core. They were more group focused but had no issue playing solo when I wanted to or did not have the time to group. It was fun taking on challenges that would normally be difficult for a solo player, allowing a person to push their skills to the limits. Have had as much fun playing casual and hard core depending on my RL commitments.
Game communities have gotten way to toxic people should be respecting each other and never presume to tel others how they should or should not play. People should also communicate respectfully with each other sharing ideas and having discussions not forcing their ideas on each other.
A lot of rift between people who want to play solo, group, casual or hardcore happens because they forget how to communicate and often try to dictate and judge. This is not what communities are about. I made a lot of friends in game communities where we were mostly on the opposites sides of a discussion but we always respected each other.
This is what we should be building in AOC
I've had my casual periods and my hard core periods. Often I join a guild that matches the way I play that I have time for.
Could look for a Family/Progressive guild. One with people that have a demanding profession and or family and have limited time to play. Often understanding of situations like these. Often are filled with very nice and helpful people. This is the Family aspect. Progressive means they they also are very skilled players that work towards end game content. Leaning more towards Family than Progressive.
So there is hope my friend