More groups!

[Tash 1]

<p>I believe there is a minor issue with that is to few groups. Often enough you can see lots of players looking for groups, people that probably would make a good group if they did group up. And even more there are a lot of players lurking waiting for some one to call out for more.</p><p>I think this might due to that many peoples don't start groups but prefer to follow instead of lead. So how about some rewards for those who starts group and thus activates lots of others?</p><p>Wouldn't it be nice if the group leader did get a exp bonus of 2% per group member. And a extra 2% from money loot per member?</p><p>Maybe this would lead to more peoples wanting to start groups?</p><p>/Hugs Tash</p>

[Rokaab]

<p>Although this may help some times, there is one problem with it, for example:</p><p>Group leader: group lf healer in whatever zone for whatever</p><p>Healer: I can help but if I do I want leadership, otherwise I'm not coming</p><p>Then the person whos done all the organising has the choice of do I take the only healer whos free but give up all the bonus's I shoulda got or wait and hope for someone else (who may insist on leadership as well anyways). Ok, this wouldnt always happen, but I bet it would happen sometimes.</p>

[FireDragon]

Maybe just an in general xp bonus for group members?  Like, 1% for every other group member.  That way a full group gets a 5% bonus as if mentored?

[Tarlok]

<p>I personaly don't need an incentive to group as unless I am short on time I will usually group up with folks if they ask.  Honestly though adding a bonous in would hardly be noticed as its when I am solo that I am watching my xp bar the most.</p><p> The fun of grouping up to do a quest is enough of a reward though.</p>

[Tash 1]

<p>Think I dint make my point clear.<img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />There seem to be a lot of peoples that like to group but there is many that don't set up groups but just wait to get an invitation. This was just as a thought of reward for peoples that organise things that others benefits for.</p><p>About a healer that just join if he get rewarded. Doh! there will always be idiots. That would probably be the same healer that asks for gold in order to join.</p><p>About that the exp raise will hardly be noticed. Its always a question about balance. </p><p>/Hugs Tash </p>

[Wingrider01]

<cite>Karial@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Maybe just an in general xp bonus for group members?  Like, 1% for every other group member.  That way a full group gets a 5% bonus as if mentored?</blockquote>believe that is already in place. Simple solution, can't find a group = bite the bullet and start one, works 100 percent of the time for me

[simpwrx02]

<cite>Tash 123 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Think I dint make my point clear.<img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />There seem to be a lot of peoples that like to group but there is many that don't set up groups but just wait to get an invitation. This was just as a thought of reward for peoples that organise things that others benefits for.</p><p>About a healer that just join if he get rewarded. Doh! there will always be idiots. That would probably be the same healer that asks for gold in order to join.</p><p>About that the exp raise will hardly be noticed. Its always a question about balance. </p><p>/Hugs Tash </p></blockquote><p>It is hard to make a group it seems because no one want to go through the effort of organizing one.  It isnt like it is hard to form a group, but when you are the leader of a group and still forming it up, you ( well I do) feel like you are wasting peoples time if youcant get a group put together with in 10-20 minutes.  I found that if you have one fo the 2 key pieces to a group either tank or healer as a buddy it becomes much easier to form a group.  Out of the 2 or 3 peeps you always group with have the same person always be the one asking for more to join, that way you get a rep for making good solid groups and peeps will remmeber the name and will be more likely to join.  </p><p>Doing this for a few weeks you get to know a good amount of peeps and you can send tells to the ones you have a good time with to see what they are doing and now you have a nice little circle of friends to group up with you.  Of course this creates the same problem for other players as you just effectively removed a few players from going to that random PuG.</p><p>Also with the number of players in guilds that have many level 70 players most are likely to try to keep groups with in the guild as it will be easier to form and you have a clue as to thier potential.  </p><p>An exp bonus would just be over the top imho as it is pretty easy to level right now, even at level 50+ you gain a level about every 3-4 hours of grouping if not faster, and lower levels it is even faster.</p>

[Alienor]

<cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite></cite> Simple solution, can't find a group = bite the bullet and start one, works 100 percent of the time for me</blockquote>Does not work for me at all. Last time I was begging for 2h in the 60 channel for a SoS or breeding ground group, and that was during prime time. It is also useless to try to find a group on mornings. I think the lack of marketing and advertising of the game has not really contributed to the player base. 2 years ago I can remember of Antonica 1+2 or even last year a BB1-3, where those zones today are just abandoned. With the upcoming increase of the world's size it will get even more difficult to find players in the then "old" zones. It is not as bad as Vanguard with it's huge continent and small player base, but sometimes I feel lonely and it is very hard to find company for the tasks you would like to do. Note: What works for you does not have to work for everyone else and is not necessarily no problem.

[phoenixshard]

<cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Karial@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Maybe just an in general xp bonus for group members?  Like, 1% for every other group member.  That way a full group gets a 5% bonus as if mentored?</blockquote>believe that is already in place. Simple solution, can't find a group = bite the bullet and start one, works 100 percent of the time for me</blockquote>I agree 100%.  If you are LFG and aren't getting invites, you should take the initiative to start one up, your reward should be that you have the group you wanted, there should be no bonus for leading a group.  If there was, you would see less grouping with everyone wanting to be the leader and no one wanting to be a rank and file member.

[Wingrider01]

<cite>Alienor wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite></cite>Simple solution, can't find a group = bite the bullet and start one, works 100 percent of the time for me</blockquote>Does not work for me at all. Last time I was begging for 2h in the 60 channel for a SoS or breeding ground group, and that was during prime time. It is also useless to try to find a group on mornings. I think the lack of marketing and advertising of the game has not really contributed to the player base. 2 years ago I can remember of Antonica 1+2 or even last year a BB1-3, where those zones today are just abandoned. With the upcoming increase of the world's size it will get even more difficult to find players in the then "old" zones. It is not as bad as Vanguard with it's huge continent and small player base, but sometimes I feel lonely and it is very hard to find company for the tasks you would like to do. Note: What works for you does not have to work for everyone else and is not necessarily no problem.</blockquote>Why restrict to only those two zones - flexibility helps also, personally if the zone has mobs that give expierence, it is acceptable.

[Sunlei]

<cite>Tash 123 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I believe there is a minor issue with that is to few groups. Often enough you can see lots of players looking for groups, people that probably would make a good group if they did group up. And even more there are a lot of players lurking waiting for some one to call out for more.</p><p>I think this might due to that many peoples don't start groups but prefer to follow instead of lead. So how about some rewards for those who starts group and thus activates lots of others?</p><p>Wouldn't it be nice if the group leader did get a exp bonus of 2% per group member. And a extra 2% from money loot per member?</p><p>Maybe this would lead to more peoples wanting to start groups?</p><p>/Hugs Tash</p></blockquote> There is a exp. bonus for groups, there are also bonus exp. for some zones. If you can get someone to mentor to you, even if they drop one lvl you can get an aditional 5% exp. Make a group get 2 or 3 people to mentor you and go into a dungeon. That's a huge exp. bonus for playing the leadership role.

[Morgane]

<cite>Tash 123 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Think I dint make my point clear.<img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />There seem to be a lot of peoples that like to group but there is many that don't set up groups but just wait to get an invitation. This was just as a thought of reward for peoples that organise things that others benefits for.</p></blockquote><p>Yeah, I think you are right, Tash. I see lots of folks with the LFG tag up but not many people actively starting groups and I'd guess that you're right again in that they are less willing to lead the group. I know that I prefer to follow... my sucky sense of direction follows me from RL into the game and when I lead a group I tend to do alot of "Oops... sorry... wrong way... hang on... lemme look at the map..." <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /> </p><p>Having said that... if you want to group badly enough and aren't having any success, then I guess a person just has to get over their aversion to leading and start up a group. </p>

[interstellarmatter]

<p>How about creating a new faction in each city that represents some sort of leadership role within the city.  If you are the leader of a group, you get a small % of SP and faction points for your group's kills.  It earns you reputation because you are in a leadership position fighting for your city. Just like the other city factions, you can obtain titles and fluff stuff from the faction.</p><p>That way, not everyone would be interested but those who were would be trying to get together groups every night.  Kind of like the people like me who become obsessed in doing writs, would be obsessed in getting groups together for the rewards.</p>

[Finora]

<cite>Tash 123 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I believe there is a minor issue with that is to few groups. Often enough you can see lots of players looking for groups, people that probably would make a good group if they did group up. And even more there are a lot of players lurking waiting for some one to call out for more.</p><p>I think this might due to that many peoples don't start groups but prefer to follow instead of lead. So how about some rewards for those who starts group and thus activates lots of others?</p><p>Wouldn't it be nice if the group leader did get a exp bonus of 2% per group member. And a extra 2% from money loot per member?</p><p>Maybe this would lead to more peoples wanting to start groups?</p><p>/Hugs Tash</p></blockquote><p>Blech  no. Then you'll have everyone trying to start thier OWN group so they are the ones that get the bonus an you'll end up with the same problem.</p><p>If you can't find a group that needs more, get busy and form one.  I've yet to have a problem doing that, I've yet to see anyone in guild have a problem doing that. The only issues I've seen encountered by people willing to bite the bullet and form their own group was lack of a specific class they wanted.</p>

[Leatherneck]

<cite>Tash 123 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Think I dint make my point clear.<img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />There seem to be a lot of peoples that like to group but there is many that don't set up groups but just wait to get an invitation. <b>This was just as a thought of reward for peoples that organise things that others benefits for.</b></p><p>About a healer that just join if he get rewarded. Doh! there will always be idiots. That would probably be the same healer that asks for gold in order to join.</p><p>About that the exp raise will hardly be noticed. Its always a question about balance. </p><p>/Hugs Tash </p></blockquote>There already is a benefit...they get a group while the more timid folks who are not willing to put together a group won't.

[StormCinder]

<p>I think part of the LFG problem stems from new players' concerns about being in a group.  You never see a group advertising for new players...come group and learn your role.</p><p>There are often threads about how "Most SKs don't know how to hold aggro" or healers that don't know an AOE from a PST.</p><p>Heck, a lot of new players don't know what MT or DPS means, let alone which classes belong to which.  I remember wondering for a while if my Warden was eligible to apply for a "LFM healer" position.</p><p>I understand, that if you're headed out for a tough instance, you don't want to train up a group of new players on this sort of thing, but it wouldn't hurt, if you're having trouble finding a level appropriate group to set up a training group and groom some future PUGgers.</p><p>SC</p><p>BTW, if anyone can point me to a good tutorial on how an SK can hold [Removed for Content] aggro in a group, PST--I've been "that guy" people write about in those SK threads. <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>

[Gladiia]

<p>I know that 'most' of the time it is easy for me to get groups.  Even in the morning when it isn't prime time.  That's me actually being the one setting up the group.  This isn't 100% of the time, I have been known to take 30-60 minutes getting a group going sometimes, but usually, its a 10-20 minute process.</p><p>These threads come up, and there are always some people that say 'well good for you, it doesn't work for me.'  Well, the truth is, it didn't use to work for me either.  Like anything else, getting a group together quickly and efficiently takes practice.  Know where you are going.  Know what your minimum level is going to be.  Put the group info on LFG.  Send chat messages once ever few minutes (not too often - dont get ignored --- and not so infrequent, as it slows down the process).  Send those message to both the level approprate chat, AND level 1-9 chat.  Check the LFG window VERY OFTEN.  Healers and tanks get snagged off of here almost as fast as they go LFG sometimes - don't miss them.  You actually have to refresh the LFG window to see what has changed, it isn't automatic.  </p><p>There are lots of other tips for putting groups together.  These are some of the more useful-in-all-situations ones.  If it takes you 2 hours to get a group together tonight, but you keep trying anyway, the next time it probably won't take 90 mintues - and the time after that maybe 60....practice makes perfect.  If you aren't getting better at making groups quickly, then something you are doing has to change.  </p><p>On the opposite end, I see people trying to form groups that I would never group with.  People that ask for more every 5 seconds....nonstop....never ask for more less than a minute after a request UNLESS YOU FILLED A VITAL ROLE like tank or healer - because letting everyone know this might get your group together MUCH faster.  People that are rude "come on mofos, lets go kill this bastage.  you people suck, wheres my group?"  </p><p>So again, if you have a hard time getting groups, just bite the bullet, and be the one that forms them - you will get better, and faster at this.  And if you don't get better or faster, then change your tactics.</p>

[tass]

lol if anyone is advertising for a grp its a miracle. Well besides for unrest or something like that. Otherwise I have to set up my own grp. And if theirs not enough lfg (usually about 14 server wide tops) I send a yell out in channel, if no reply I say the hell with it. Usually its the hell with it that prevails most days. Though if some grp actually uses the lfm command and it shows up in the lfg tool, (thats about 3 grps tops on their) then ive got a shot at a grp, unless its out of level range then im just screwed.

[Kordran]

<p>The last thing I'd say that this game needs is a faster way to level. It's at the point now where (in my personal opinion), it's fairly ridiculous. The only way that you can even complete a lot of the content as it is, is to disable your combat XP.</p><p>One of the tough things with grouping is that now it's entirely optional, particularly at the lower levels. There's virtually zero need to group, so a lot of folks just aren't inclined to do it. Of the grouping that does go on, it seems a lot of it is very WoW-ish. In other words, temporary groups that are formed to complete a specific step in a quest for example, and then disbands. Nature of the beast, I suppose.</p><p>SoE could favor grouping more by lowering XP rates for soloing and completing non-heroic quests, and reinstating things like access quests. The problem is, there would be a huge uproar over it and I don't doubt that players would quit playing. Obviously not what they'd be interested in doing.</p>

[Tash 1]

<p>Seem it is very easy to get sidetracks into this.</p><p>It is not about that if it is hard for a certain player to find a group or not.Nor is it about getting more exp and level faster.</p><p>So far it seems most people agree that there are too few group leaders that set up groups and call out for more. The suggestion about a special leader faction sounded really great. I don't know how it would work but it did sound fun. </p><p>The underlying meaning with this thread was. How do we encourage players to take the leading part and not just have everyone lining up like sheep's? I can honestly not se a big problem in having 20 groups looking for more just because a lot of peoples want to lead them.</p><p>If peoples feel that it is bad now. Just wait until the expansion with ten more levels and an even wider world to spread the players thin in.</p><p>Sidenot: I know that in AoL there was this groups system that increased the drop rate and dps etc the longer the group did stick together. That was kind of nice.<img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p><p>/Hugs Tash</p>

[Arython]

For whatever reason players don't seem to get the LFG system.  Either they don't like it, or don't know how to use it.  Perhaps they feel it's not working to find them groups?Personally here is what I would like to see.  <b>Auto LFG</b>When you start EQ2 you will be presented with a LFG configuration screen.  You can set it to be like now where you LFG manually.  Or you can set it for auto join.  The way auto join works is that groups can set their filters according to the class/level they are looking for.  As wide or narrow a requirement as they want.  The system will automatically search for closest match for players tagged LFG.  If it finds a match it will pop-up a window to the group leader asking if they want to invite the player.  If yes the player will then see a pop-up window asking if they would like to join.  If yes then they join the group.Options can be configured so that no confirmation is needed by the group leader (will take automatically) or by the player.  Obviously you can set it so that both parties need to confirm or just auto accept.  You can also have an auto group create option where several LFG people can be joined together automatically.The thing is with a system like this the more options the better so that for some it can fully automated.  For others it can be confirmation or turn off so it's fully manual.

[stgninja]

Reading this reminded me of back in EQ Live where they had something along the lines of "leadership AAs", I can't remember exactly all of them, maybe someone with a better memory can clear this up.  Maybe something like that could encourage more people to be leaders in groups?