How is play your way working out?

[Mystfit]

<h3>Destiny of Velious Content Updates Include: *</h3><ul><li><p>Play YOUR way in Skyshrine instances with solo, normal and challenge group modes</p></li></ul><p>**</p><p>So, how much of the update is tweaked with the different modes? Not taking into account overlaond questing, which as a rule is solo.</p><p>As a duo-er (4 with mercs) or if I were to want to solo, will I see 10% of the instances, 25%? or more?When I read this line, I had hopes that I, as someone who doesn't group outside my own family, woud ahve a chance to experience more then the small sliver I've been able to see in DOV. Now, I think..after poking around a bit... I may have gotten myself too excited <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[songrider]

<p>Yup, we are also a duo-only family playing group.</p><p>Last expansion had very little "mini-group" content for us.  We have ok gear because we buy SLR raid gear when we can.  Tough mobs are fine, but heavily scripted encounters makes much of the content unavailable to us.</p><p>We were (and still are) hoping this GU has some content to keep us "mini-group" and "duo-group" players playing. </p><p>We really hope that there is a movement towards "Play your way"...</p>

[Landiin]

There is tons for things to do for solo and small groups to do in this game including in the latest game content. But on to your question; no you will not be able to do the heroic/raid content solo sorry you'll need to stick with the solo content. "Play it your way" Doesn't mean you get to solo the heroic/raid content sorry.

[Chronus1]

<p>You'll be able to do the 3 solo instances over and over and maybe a few bosses in the first heroic (being dps light would be a huge problem on multiple bosses) as well as contested heroic as a duo with mercs. </p><p>Heroic players will get to do the 3 em heroics of the same place as well as underdepths and probably 1 group the contested x2 raptor.</p><p>Raiders will get to do all of that, plus hardmodes plus raids(if they aren't bugged to heck and back). Probably farm the contested raptor so much that nobody else will see it though.</p>

[katalmach]

<p><cite>Toranx@Crushbone wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>There is tons for things to do for solo and small groups to do in this game including in the latest game content. But on to your question; no you will not be able to do the heroic/raid content solo sorry you'll need to stick with the solo content. "Play it your way" Doesn't mean you get to solo the heroic/raid content sorry.</blockquote><p>Well, that's just nonsense. When cap was 50, we duoed Sol Eye, Obelisk of Lost Souls, Miragul's Menagerie, Icespire Summit and all the Lavastorm instances. When cap was 60, we duoed Living Tombs, Silent City, Shimmering Citadel, Hidden Cache, Clefts, Nest and all the other little instances (Cazel and PP were too tough at first, but the rest was doable). When cap was 70 we duoed Sanctum, PoA, Nest and Den. Need I go on? Fact is, nearly every expansion and tier in the lifespan of this game has had more small group content than Velious.</p><p>I have never asked to be able to solo current heroic/raid content. However, it would be nice if there was heroic content that was doable for small groups. You know, like how Sanctum and Nest and Library were - fun and, for a duo, challenging zones with reasonably good loot. NOT like Drunder or Kael Drakkel, and NOT like fetch quests for othmir.</p><p>Solo content is boring because it's trivial, and it's even more boring to duo solo content. I want a challenge! Something that sits neatly in between the boredom of solo quests and the big fat roadblock of over-scripted, dps-checking heroic instances.</p>

[Mystfit]

<p>I wouldnt expect to do a heroic dungeon solo/duo (nor get the same rewards), however, by their advertizement,</p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">Play YOUR way in Skyshrine instances with solo, normal and challenge group modes</span></em></p><p>my expectation was that they had worke dout a method to allow dungeons (ALL dungeons) to scale depending on how many players were in the zone, similar to how the diffuculty scales in the player-made dungeons.</p><p>I also expected quests that usually ended up a raid only mode, would have a gorup mode:</p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">Experience endgame storyline events with Heroic Group and Raid instances</span></em></p><p>**</p><p>A few scattered zones was not what I was hoping for, but was expected.</p><p>LOTRO has an interesting mechanism of allowing two palyers to experience group content in their epic storyline arc with some sort of buff. I'd hoped to see that cme here. AGAIN, with dimishing rewards.</p><p>***</p><p>Well, that's just nonsense. When cap was 50, we duoed Sol Eye, Obelisk of Lost Souls, Miragul's Menagerie, Icespire Summit and all the Lavastorm instances. When cap was 60, we duoed Living Tombs, Silent City, Shimmering Citadel, Hidden Cache, Clefts, Nest and all the other little instances (Cazel and PP were too tough at first, but the rest was doable). When cap was 70 we duoed Sanctum, PoA, Nest and Den. Need I go on? Fact is, nearly every expansion and tier in the lifespan of this game has had more small group content than Velious.</p><p>**</p><p>This!! I never felt so blocked out of so much content before. But, I've been told it's my fault for playing this way and I accept that, but DON'T encourage people to think there's a chance, when it's a fairly limited feature.</p>

[Deago]

<p>The idea of the 4-team groups is great imho.  If they dumb down zones for those however they will create a zzzzz mode for 6 player runs.  In that case the only real option is to create new zones for duos. </p><p>Maybe ^^ for duo and ^^^ for 6 ...course that brings in the question of loot which would not please eveybody regardless of how you approach that one hehe.</p>

[Tigerr]

Problem is, assuming they use resources to tune content for a select few.. Then the people that solo will complain that the rewards are not enough and they cannot continue in progression because the solo rewards are not good enough... Doubt they'll dumb down zones as it'll be a snooze fest ( like someone mentioned) for anyone that groups .

[darwich]

<p>harder zones should get better rewards.. no way a duo should get the same rewards as a full raid.. or full group... just not reasonable to expect it..</p><p>Edit- This coming from a NON raider who usually duo's with his wife!</p>

[Necrotherian]

<p><cite>Tigerr wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>Problem is, assuming they use resources to tune content for a select few.. Then the people that solo will complain that the rewards are not enough and they cannot continue in progression because the solo rewards are not good enough... Doubt they'll dumb down zones as it'll be a snooze fest ( like someone mentioned) for anyone that groups . </blockquote><p>Maybe they could make it to where it scales, have the gear scale along with it, but put a slight chance for the next higher gear in so that there is a possibility of improving one's gear through this method.  Kinda like the chance to drop Fabled gear that exists in zones designed for 6-man groups. </p><p>For the DoV zones, the breakdown could be similar to the following:</p><p>Great Divide group zones - Duo mode yields slightly better than Great Divide (it won't let me use the acronym, lol) Othmir quested gear.  Rare gear drops slightly better than EW Othmir quested gear.</p><p>Eastern Wastes group zones - Duo mode yields slightly better than EW Othmir quested gear.  Rare gear drops slightly better than Ry'Gorr quested gear. (<strong>Not the <em>shard</em> gear, the <em>quested</em> gear.</strong>)</p><p>Wakening Lands group zones - Duo mode yields slightly better than WL Combine quested gear.  Rare drops slightly better than that of the next higher solo quest hub (the name escapes me at the moment).</p><p>That way, they would have progression, but not at the expense of larger groups.</p>

[CoLD MeTaL]

<p><cite>Mystfit wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>...</p></blockquote><p>Never believe an $OE blurb, they are intentionally built to be misleading.  I expected solo content, but since you can't level past 90 with so much aa it won't be playing 'my way' at all.</p>

[Yimway]

<p><cite>CoLD MeTaL wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Never believe an $OE blurb, they are intentionally built to be misleading.  I expected solo content, but since you can't level past 90 with so much aa it won't be playing 'my way' at all.</p></blockquote><p>Keep in mind, the decision to make this requirement was to directly combat people like yourself going into new content and stating it was impossible to play.</p>

[Cloudrat]

<p><span style="font-size: small;">Playing  whose way?   </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;">Who is this  Your  guy whose way we are supposed to be playing?  Did he want to be named Yore and couldn't get it so spelled it Your?</span></p>

[CoLD MeTaL]

<p><cite>Atan@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>CoLD MeTaL wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Never believe an $OE blurb, they are intentionally built to be misleading.  I expected solo content, but since you can't level past 90 with so much aa it won't be playing 'my way' at all.</p></blockquote><p>Keep in mind, the decision to make this requirement was to directly combat people like yourself going into new content and stating it was impossible to play. </p></blockquote><p>If so this is the complete wrong tack as gear matters more than AA.  critmit was the problem, now lack of population is simply the problem.  critmit was around too long, and its removal proves it was bad.</p><p>min/maxers blow through a zone and call it easy because they are sporting gear far above anything that drops in the zone.  That they continue to listen to and cater to min maxers is why the populations r dropping.</p>

[Yimway]

<p><cite>CoLD MeTaL wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>If so this is the complete wrong tack as gear matters more than AA.  critmit was the problem, now lack of population is simply the problem.  critmit was around too long, and its removal proves it was bad.</p><p>min/maxers blow through a zone and call it easy because they are sporting gear far above anything that drops in the zone.  That they continue to listen to and cater to min maxers is why the populations r dropping.</p></blockquote><p>You're wrong, but if it comforts you to believe that, then wrap up in that blanket.</p><p>We killed the DoV raid content at launch wearing nothing more than PQ or equivelant gear.  We defeated pre-nerfed dungeons in gear less than what was rewarded from those dungeons.  We did the orriginal lord bob in PQ gear before his multiple nerfs and won.</p><p>Its cause we had the aa and we had the skill, the gear only makes it faster.  The skill without the AA would not have made it possible.</p><p>Certainly you have to recognize there is significant differences between any class when Person A has his heroic tree filled and all useful endlines from the other 3 trees when compared to person B who has 150 aa and no relevant end lines and no heroic tree.</p><p>It isn't possible to design content that is appropriately challenged for Person A and still killable by Person B.  So requireing people to get to a reasonable barrier of entry before proceeding is a viable way of providing appropriate challenge of new content.</p><p>Personally, I look forward to new overland and heroic content that potentially wont be facerolled.</p>

[CoLD MeTaL]

<p><cite>Atan@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>....</cite> </p></blockquote><p>While the end trees were certainly useful, perhaps necessary.  Your have a raid /group force that is used to doing things together working together handling scripts etc.  This does not exist in the PuG world.  EQ2 should stop trying to sell itself as a 'casual friendly' game if they are designing content is not PuG friendly.  Where ACT and guildconnect are virtaully required apps to complete content.  PuGing will not be affected by 280aa.  Everything in this game is gear oriented.  People will NOT group with you with low gear (that means if you aren't 'raid geared'<img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" />.  I do have chars with 320 aa, and it doesn't matter because 200crit is not enough for people to let you group with them.  If you ask "How can I get more crit", "Buying loots" is always the answer.  People right now expect you to solo to 90/320, then BUY gear, then they will let you group with them.  As a raider you already have groups/raids from the people you know (I am not saying that this is without 'any' effort, but certainly not major effort).</p><p>I hope you get what you want, no really I do.   At least this change is $OE being honest that they no longer want casuals, hopefully more will come so we can verify their direction.</p>

[Tigerr]

<p>I really dont get it... Do people want content THAT much easier??... You do realize why people rag on the "casuals" right?... This game is sooooo easy that it really does not require much more than PAYING ATTENTION to be decent at it. Just willingness to learn and drive is enough to play this game, seriously.. Raiders dont sit there for 10 hours a day "practicing our skills". The content as of right now, all the way through EoW is tuned for mediocre people.... EoW being top. What you are asking is WAYYYYY below "standard" playstyle. I mean, It is NOT hard to get a PUG together (filled with people that WANT to learn) and succeed, it really isint. Eq2 should not be facerollable.. I shouldn't be able to log in and get 24 tanks and run an x4. This is play it your way, if you put some effort into it. Eq2 is not a job before someone chimes in with that, it really is NOT that hard, thats why asking for more nerfs is just idiotic. There really has to be a level of how hard stuff is, and honestly.. I think Sony has it pretty accurate at the moment. The content is very PuG friendly. You said it yourself, its about working together and working out scripts... If people cannot do that, they should not be in a raid. Because the people that cannot do that, have Heroic zones to go to, tuned to faceroll, just for them. I'm not trying to come off like a "hater" but... its the way it is. Raids do not require gear to do ( atleast not anymore ) .. They only require people willing to learn, crap that is easily killed isint fun. Seriously, stop the whole "noone caresss about usss" Heroic content is there for you to faceroll... Raid content (EM) is there for anyone willing to pay attention for 45min... I've seen PuGs do 4/5 sullons and 2 in Tallons. Its veryyy much possible. (before someone says "WE DONT HAVE TIME TO SPEND 8 HOURS LEARNINGGG" An average raider logs in for maybe 2 hours 2-3 nights a week , doesnt take much skill to work together.</p><p>Also, on the topic of "no groups will take me"... No amount of nerfing, and making stuff facerollable is going to help if the majority of the players simply prefer to group with experienced players. It is the way the community is, some prefer to be around those who know what they are doing. Some are willing to help. Nothing that sony can do that will change that. Every game has progression, you want to wear lvl 5 crafter gear and solo epics, download WoW</p>

[Raffir]

<p>No matter what SOE does, they'll never please everyone.</p><p>That said, I have never thought that I should be able to solo, duo or even trio upper level raid zones.  Its a "Raid Zone"...if you want to see it, take the time to learn your toon and go join a Guild thats raiding where you want to go.</p><p>I'm not a raider either.</p><p>Raf</p>