Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Dungeon Finder/Looking For Group System
ArchivedUser
Guest
Hey guys, there was a discussion in the Discord about Dungeon Finder and the pros/cons of a system like Dungeon Finder. Some of the cons to it are that it sometimes spurns social engagement. A pro is that it makes it ten times easier to run through a dungeon. I was thinking about all of my D&D campaigns and how they start out. Immediately I thought, "A tavern!". Maybe instead of a menu option in the game for LFG/Dungeon Finder there could be taverns spread out across a Node that allow you to use the LFG/Dungeon Finder feature in a more social way. For example, you walk into a tavern that is for Lvl 10-20 dungeons, you go to the board in the back of the room, and look at all of the people wanting groups for specific dungeons. Once you select a listing on the board you get thrown into a chat room, get acquainted with your party, and then embark on your journey. If you don't think you mesh well with your party feel free to abandon the party and start the search all over again.
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Comments
Put in too much convenience like LFD and people stop playing most of the game.
Although a LFG thing should be added, but not a dungeon finder like in WoW, more like the group finder like the world quests in WoW.
While the tavern idea is nice there are also other quest hubs to gather at - These could be small clearings/campsites that could grow with the dominant node up to roadside taverns or even a small village. Useful for the players just wanting to group up for a particularly difficult quest as well a small gathering areas for those looking for RP. And should the world be as dynamic as presented then these quest hubs could grow or shrink, change, or even disappear due to the actions and/or inactions of the players.
Depending on how fast an average player can level (one level per zone? one level per quest line? etc) will determine the necessity of a LFD tool. Of course, in the very earliest days after launch finding a group should not be a problem so this is something the devs could easily push towards the back of the queue.
Or, at the very least, have the LFD feature only be triggered once you are at the dungeon itself. That way, you still need to make the trek.
Exploration and travel makes the game fun. Especially if this is an open world pvp game, and you might have to fight off bandits on your way to the dungeon.
Basically This. If this game has a Dungeon Finder. I WILL NOT PLAY PERIOD. I already play a game with a Dungeon finder that is called FFXIV. There is 0 community there because of it but Why the hell would I go from One Game to Another Game with a Dungeon finder? I will tell you I will not. Many people I know that would play Ashes will not as will not as well because you are just copying and pasting WOW in the Ashes of Creation Skin. Its time to STOP bringing up MMORPG killing tools like Dungeon Finders.
If anything Just make FFFXIVs Party finder but add in a way for a player to post themselves looking for a group. Groups need to be organic and people need to talk to each other when forming a group. No I am not suggesting spamming chat, but I am saying add tools that do not Automate grouping period. If you do that there is no reason for people to leave games that already do this crap for a game that is doing the same think with a new skin.
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Why cant you use a Non Automated Group Finder tool to make a group and socialize with people. No I am not talking about a chat channel spamming. I am talking about Party Browsers and looking for Party Browsers. People can list themselves as looking for a group and groups can look for members. Why do you need LFD?
People the are here in Ashes of Creation DO NOT WANT THE SAME OLD CRAP OF THE LAST 10 YEARS. We want Dungeons that require CC, Teamwork and Support classes and add to that Dungeons that are 60+ minutes long. Also we want Dungeons that are not spammed so we get X amount of stones a week to get our gear.
We want Dungeons that are done for fun not done for gear. That means now LFD because the people who use this tool will consistently complain that stuff is too hard. Just look at Square Enix's get togethers that Duty Finder content is too hard when it is already so mindlessly easy you just have to get out of the avoidable damage and do the dance to kill the boss. No these people want to stand there and whack a mold the boss.
Ashes MUST be different for people to want to come here, not be the same old game that every Wannabe MMORPG player wants to come to. I understand people have time limits. I am married and have 3 kids. I know exactly what it is like to not have time to do things in game. BUT that does not make me want easy stuff in Ashes.
What I want is Tough content that will take time, that does not have a gear treadmill attached to it like FFXIV or WOW. I want Dungeons that require me to put together a group though commutation not the press of a button. I want to bring Support classes. I want to only do 1 or 2 a week because they consume time to do. I also want save points so if stuff comes up my group and I can just pick up where we left off.
Anything less will just make this game like ever other game out there.
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Yea having a way to list groups and list yourself as someone looking for a group is a lot better way to go. It also slows down the dungeon grind which a lot of people here do not want. Yes we do want dungeons but we want them to be something that is special to do not 10 minute rinse and repeat as they are today. Not every day a person should do a dungeon. A good way to fix that is force them to make pre-made groups, if they have a group of friends that can do that; Good for them.
For me the demise of the server community in WoW partially died when they introduced the LFD system...
They latest LFG tool is much better though, its easier to find a party without the need to spam trade chat, but there is no automation involved and you still need to travel to the dungeon as it should be!
For me the demise of the server community in WoW partially died when they introduced the LFD system…
They latest LFG tool is much better though, its easier to find a party without the need to spam trade chat, but there is no automation involved and you still need to travel to the dungeon as it should be!
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Also if the design of the game is not a treadmill where one needs to spam dungeons for gear there is 0 need for a Automated Grouping tool. Dungeons should be geared towards a good place to get crafting mats that makes higher level or stronger items, A good amount of Gold and cosmetic\Glamour items so you can change the look of your gear. Yes some gear should drop off the bosses and mobs; BUT it should be the same gear crafters make that you can find on player vendors or player auction houses. So if you get items you cannot use you can just sell it, make the gold then buy yourself the gear you want. Gear out of dungeons should be just if you got a piece you can use great if not sell it and buy what you want.
If you do this and have item decay where gear breaks. The currency of the game will constantly be changing hands and making gold to buy what you want/need will never be a problem. We need to go back to SWG's gear/crafting/Item Decay system. If we do that we will have a good game.
I am alright however, with Dungeon Finders, like in Final Fantasy 14, provided you cannot q for them inside a city, or away from the dungeon, thus taking away the 'lack of community' feel that comes with people afk waiting for dungeons in cities.
The fact is though, sometimes there are not enough people online to pre-make a party with. And we all know how annoying/frustrating and drama filled static groups can be. And how /difficult/ it can be to find one. People are stingy, and will not bring people with them if they dislike them, or see them as noobish.
I think if there is going to be a Dungeon Finder (where you are paired randomly with people) then you should have to start that finder at the dungeon itself, that way when you get to the dungeon, you might actually find other people looking for groups.
This still allows communication between players, but also allows those playing at awkward times to do the dungeons they need to do through random pairing.
Furthermore, you'll still have the option to specifically look for parties through some type of Party Finder (Which I think would be neat if you had to walk up to a local signpost and read a list of parties ;D +1 to immersion )
I think that in the way I described here, it allows for what people seem to be asking for in this thread, and if people wish to use a dungeon finder method, they will have to actively walk out of town and make the journey to the dungeon, in order to join up for a random q that may or may not be across servers.
You are actively making the decision to join a random party, rather than put one together yourself.
I am alright however, with Dungeon Finders, like in Final Fantasy 14, provided you cannot q for them inside a city, or away from the dungeon, thus taking away the ‘lack of community’ feel that comes with people afk waiting for dungeons in cities.
The fact is though, sometimes there are not enough people online to pre-make a party with. And we all know how annoying/frustrating and drama filled static groups can be. And how /difficult/ it can be to find one. People are stingy, and will not bring people with them if they dislike them, or see them as noobish.
I think if there is going to be a Dungeon Finder (where you are paired randomly with people) then you should have to start that finder at the dungeon itself, that way when you get to the dungeon, you might actually find other people looking for groups.
This still allows communication between players, but also allows those playing at awkward times to do the dungeons they need to do through random pairing.
Furthermore, you’ll still have the option to specifically look for parties through some type of Party Finder (Which I think would be neat if you had to walk up to a local signpost and read a list of parties ;D +1 to immersion )
I think that in the way I described here, it allows for what people seem to be asking for in this thread, and if people wish to use a dungeon finder method, they will have to actively walk out of town and make the journey to the dungeon, in order to join up for a random q that may or may not be across servers.
You are actively making the decision to join a random party, rather than put one together yourself.
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First if you have ANY automated grouping tool in the game even server only the community will not exist period. Take SWTOR for example, they have a several only Dungeon Finder and there is 0 community. Yet When there was no community Everyone knew the best guilds to join even if odd hours that did dungeons. The problem is Today people Lack acceptance that it is their responsibility to find friends that play the same time as they do. I have friends that worked 3rd shift so ended up playing on AU/NZ servers. That is just the way things should be. There is 0 reason ever to have a Dungeon Finder tool, Especially when people are fighting to make it so dungeons are done for other reasons than GEAR. If you dont have to do Dungeons like you do i n FFXIV to cap stones every fucking week, then if you dont do a dungeon you still can get the gear you just buy it with Gold.
If you really want to do the dungeon you wait until there is a time when you can do it with friends.