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Solo Player Experience

ScalelyticsScalelytics Member, Alpha Two
in General Discussion
How good is the player experience for solo players? Do we have some indications on that?

Comments

  • neuroguyneuroguy Member, Alpha Two
    Yeah they've explicitly said the game will not be designed for solo players. There will be lots of things you can do solo, but the main attractions are not made for solo. I'm sure someone will chime in with more details/links.
  • JustVineJustVine Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    We don't really have a strong indicators since the games focus will be party and pvx play, however the Alpha 1 experience for solo play was pretty good other than the stale mobs which will certainly improve. You got a really good xp rate for challenging fights. Group play had a xp modifier so they needed to fight even stronger enemies to get the same rate but with obviously more tools at their disposal. I felt like the xp incentives were at a pretty good spot for the group vs solo experience and you were not heavily punished for being solo from that perspective. Groups could clear things faster than solo, so obviously there will be some discrepancy.
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  • ScalelyticsScalelytics Member, Alpha Two
    edited March 2022
    I just don't like to be forced to play with other people. An increase in experience is a good way to balance solo playing. Obviously it's a MMORPG so playing with multiple people is to be expected. But not being able to play properly because you have to play alone for a while sounds sad to me.
  • neuroguyneuroguy Member, Alpha Two
    Elyon wrote: »
    I just don't like to be forced to play with other people. An increase in experience is a good way to balance solo playing. Obviously it's a MMORPG so playing with multiple people is to be expected. But not being able to play properly because you have to play alone for a while sounds sad to me.

    Yeah to clarify, it all depends on how you define solo vs group play. For example participating in a castle siege without being in a party beforehand is something I would still consider group play, but you are not at all forced to join comms for the siege or to follow anyone's directions so in a sense you can be 'solo'. Probably a relevant link: https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Group_dynamics
  • ScalelyticsScalelytics Member, Alpha Two
    neuroguy wrote: »
    Elyon wrote: »
    I just don't like to be forced to play with other people. An increase in experience is a good way to balance solo playing. Obviously it's a MMORPG so playing with multiple people is to be expected. But not being able to play properly because you have to play alone for a while sounds sad to me.

    Yeah to clarify, it all depends on how you define solo vs group play. For example participating in a castle siege without being in a party beforehand is something I would still consider group play, but you are not at all forced to join comms for the siege or to follow anyone's directions so in a sense you can be 'solo'. Probably a relevant link: https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Group_dynamics

    Thank you a lot. The information in the wiki answears all my questions.
  • SirChancelotSirChancelot Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I know it's an MMO and there are things a solo player can't do like sieges, raid bosses, etc... But I really hope there is good content or systems in place to keep solo players engaged long term too.
  • George_BlackGeorge_Black Member, Intrepid Pack, Alpha Two
    I just dont see how 1 person should be able to accomplish what many people would have to work together for.

    The OP said that a boost in xp would be a good way to balance solo play. This isnt reasonable.
  • VoxtriumVoxtrium Member, Alpha Two
    @George_Black There has to be EXP scaling based on the number of players, otherwise 40 people can grind the same location for exp and all get exp from the mob
  • George_BlackGeorge_Black Member, Intrepid Pack, Alpha Two
    edited April 2022
    QuiQSilver wrote: »
    @George_Black There has to be EXP scaling based on the number of players, otherwise 40 people can grind the same location for exp and all get exp from the mob

    A group of people in the same party let's say 6 get the xp from the mob split equally between them.
    Some games give a tiny bonus for a full capacity party.

    If a player kills that mob alone, that player will get 100% of the xp but it will take a lot longer to take it down than if a group would.

    If a player, that doesnt belong to the group of 6 mentioned above, attacks the same mob, the xp given by that mob will be less for the group that surely did the vast majority of the work. That is a cause for PK.

    If a group of 24 ppl, most likely from the same guild, split in 3 parties and occupy an area, they will kill all the mobs and others will have to move away or PvP for the area.



    Now...... why should a solo player get a special boost in XP?


    Also, do you think that 40 ppl, unrelated to each other, would peacefuly Lv up in the same area? What purpose does your comment serve?
  • George_BlackGeorge_Black Member, Intrepid Pack, Alpha Two
    And one more thing...

    Mid-high to high lv gaming will have tough mobs that requires people to form parties, in order to take down for a food Lving progress.

    If solo players choose to fight alone, then they should find a place to kill easy, high lv mobs, alone. But why give them a boost?
    Why shouldnt the solo player take A LOT MORE time to reach what real mmo players seek from a meaningful mmo?

    Arent there games for solo people? Arent there even MMOs for solo people?
  • McMackMuckMcMackMuck Member
    In Alpha 1, IIRC, there was a quest line that had a string of solo quest tasks followed by a final group task to complete it.

    Some were a little annoyed with that unexpected change of requirement. If implemented correctly it could be a good method to encourage players (with largely solo play experiences and expectations - MMO solo play? LOL) to work together on some tasks.
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  • superhero6785superhero6785 Member, Alpha Two
    edited April 2022
    If you're looking for a solo experience, AoC is not your game. They want to get back to the roots of what it meant to play an "MMORPG". Primarily, the Massively Multiplayer aspect. While you will be able to do some things solo, the primary driver for the game will be a multiplayer experience and in many areas they will be forcing cooperation with others. Even in the crafting system you will be dependent upon other players who specialize in 2 of the 3 Gathering/Processing/Crafting fields, as you will only be able to master one. So you will quite literally be locked out of end-game crafting if you do not work with others. They've also said many best-in-slot items will be found in World Bosses, which you will never be able to get drops from as a solo player since loot-rights will be based on which party does the most damage, and a solo player will never out-damage a full party.
  • bloodprophetbloodprophet Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Feels kind of like asking " Can I play D&D by myself."
    Sure you can, but what's the point? All the best stuff in game and the stories after come from group play.
    Most people never listen. They are just waiting on you to quit making noise so they can.
  • ScalelyticsScalelytics Member, Alpha Two
    The point of this question is that you shouldn't need a friend group to play the game. Playing with other people in general is fine. You just shouldn't be forced to wait for your friends to get home so that you are able to play the game. And by reading the wiki I realized that the game also has Solo Player Experiences. It isn't meant in a way to say that I wanna be able to out damage a whole party myself. Even though that doesn't sound bad to me lol. In a balanced way of course.
  • CawwCaww Member, Alpha Two
    How well mostly solo players do will also be affected by the ease and quality of the pickup groups available. I hope the mechanisms and community make this a real thing again given how so many people will not do PUGs anymore (for all the right reasons).
  • Downfall89Downfall89 Member, Alpha Two
    I just hope i will be able do explore and find cool things alone when my guild is asleep.
  • ContortzzContortzz Member, Alpha Two
    Im happy to explore and team up with others for all aspects of the game, id just like to build my own lil shack in the woods for when I want to go solo for a bit.
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  • CROW3CROW3 Member, Alpha Two
    I think Ashes is going to be fairly friendly to a solo experience. There are a ton of things to do and explore. Just keep in mind that there is a ton of content that is made easier and/or accessible only to groups / raids / guilds etc.

    As with the real everyday, if you set your own goals with realistic constraints Ashes will be an amazing experience. Most of my play will most likely be solo, even belonging to a guild. It's just the nature of balancing my life.
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  • WhiskyWhisky Member, Alpha Two
    There are literally thousands of games out there for people that love to solo. This game has been from the start, a group game and I hope it remains that way, with very little focus on solo players.

    I totally disagree with the notion that a solo player should be able to do content a group does just at a slower rate. Sorry, I know people love the lone wolf playstyle but as I said before, there are plenty of games out there that support that.
  • CaerylCaeryl Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I can appreciate wanting to experience a game solo, but Ashes is not that kind of game. It’s primary content is player-driven. Nodes will get sacked, bosses fought over, big raids kept open-world, and rare resource sources highly contested.

    You’re going to have to establish rapport with players at some point if you want to really take on all the game’s content, that’s just how MMOs are, and Ashes especially is doubling down on that, hopefully for the better.
  • DygzDygz Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited April 2022
    Ashes is designed for solo players as well as group players.
    Also, solo is not synonymous with non-social.
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