test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Single player MMO? Say it isn't so.

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Ok, I have a serious question for the community, and perhaps the devs. It seems that quite a few individuals want to see STFs made soloable. But it begs the question....why play an MMO if you want all content soloable? I, for one, wanted to take a break from STO and played Dragon Age 2. It was quite the ride and I enjoyed it, but I came back to STO to do missions with fleetmates and perhaps a pug or two. The thing is, some people on here who have "single player" mindset want to make raids soloable "for the good of everyone". Is this really for the good of the community? We have fleet actions, pvp and stfs for group play, its true. But seems to me that most group activities cater to endgamers rather than encourage grouping from the start.

Champions Online has gotten one thing right, it tried to foster an air of cooperation from the start in its beginning zone with a group mission there. STO could learn a lesson from this and make it so that, at the very least, every rank from Lt. to Capt has its own STF/STFs that provides some type of reward so as to further the cause of teamplay. This way, the odds of someone not teaming til their first STF is minimized...any thoughts?
Post edited by Unknown User on
«13456710

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    STF's for each rank? I LIKE THIS.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Some people will be anti-social or not be willing to put forth any effort to get an item they want from group content no matter how fun a game developer makes their MMO. That is why you hear these "ideas" for "solo STFs".

    If these people would focus as much energy into finding a good group of like minded people to run STFs with as they do whining and crying on the forums about how they cannot get their Borg gear, they would have run all the STFs successfully 100 times over by now.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    If a select few people think STF's are just way too hard, then I guess they are also the ones who want the instant "I WIN" button and everything handed out for free, with minimal effort and time.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Introducing group content earlier would be nice.

    Both STFs and Fleet Actions throughout the tiers would be great, slowly ramping up the difficulty and puzzle-aspect over the levels. WoW does a good job with instance finders, RIFTs does a great job with public raids, etc.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    STO does have something like Champions Online's Crisis missions. They're called Fleet Actions. Unfortunately, like Crisis missions, they neither require nor foster teaming up in any way. Sure, you're in the same mission with other players and you're fighting the same stuff. But the players get more and better rewards if they remain solo.

    And I don't see a real problem with making STFs soloable. You do not have to have forced teaming in order to enjoy teaming for stuff.

    In order to foster teaming in both Fleet Actions and soloable STFs (if they are really considering changing them, which somehow I doubt), they should use the Career based Accolades approach as they did with the new Romulan Featured Series. I haven't seen as many PUGs in this game anywhere as much as I have for the Featured Series Accolades.


    :cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    i think there should always be a mix of stuff for teams and for solo to cater to everybody but i think the problems with task forces are they are not geared towards teams. they are geared towards teams who like crazy hard missions. why they did not just make them like normal missions just longer and needing teams is beyond me. im not sure why that extra level of difficulty was needed but thats just me.

    i personally would like solo task forces simply because im not a teamer and id like to play a version on my own (apart from pvp and fleet actions which i enjoy but thats more like playing with passers by than real teaming). it seems like we are not going to get single stf versions now but we might at least get an easier version for pugs to do.

    i do think teaming should reward player more than solo to encourage them to team. better loot, accolades etc is a good way to do it.

    now to answer your question as to why do people play an mmo as single players? i would have thought that was obvious. because we enjoy the game.

    i dont specifically want to play an mmo. i want to play star trek game. it just happens to have other player on the same sever. if they made a single player game of sto that has the same size, gameplay and content updates i would happily play that.

    some easier lower level task forces would be a good idea to build up player familiarity of them. every 10 levels should have a task force and there should be more fleet actions with the ability to form 10 or 20 man teams.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    The beauty of STO is that you can play almost every mission or episode solo or teamed. The only "current" exceptions to that are the STF's which require a 5-player team. I for one would like to see the STF's able to be soloed OR teamed.

    Here's my reasoning:

    1. I don't always have the time to devote several hours to running the STF. I'd like to be able to treat it like a patrol where I can come back to it anytime I want to.

    2. I really don't want to sit around for hours waiting on a full party to be put together to run an STF. I'd like to be able to dive into when I can and choose to do so. I don't want to start an STF and then have someone get called away to dinner or have to go to bed right in the middle of a big fight.

    3. I really don't care to "PuG" any mission, episode or STF because of the associated "PuG" drama which reduces my entertainment and enjoyment immensely. I don't want to "carry" someone else or be "carried" thru the mission.

    4. My character is a starship captain that is given missions to do that my character and their away team should be able to successfully complete. I shouldn't have to find 4 other captains and then become a member of some other captains' away team in order to complete a mission.

    5. MMO's that mandate or dictate that only groups can perform certain missions or experience certain environments tend to alienate a small segment of the playerbase.

    I know and understand all of the arguments that everyone puts forth about this being an MMO. Just keep this one little thing in mind - I'm me, not you. You're you, not me. I may enjoy STO more by playing it on my own just as much as you enjoy it more playing with 4 buds. :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    i dont specifically want to play an mmo. i want to play star trek game. it just happens to have other player on the same sever. if they made a single player game of sto that has the same size, gameplay and content updates i would happily play that..
    I just wanted to write exactly the same.

    I play STO not because it's a MMO but because it's a STAR Trek Game. Don't get me wrong i like to chat with other players i love to fight along them in Deep Space Encounters and Fleet Actions but i hate to be subliminal forced to use some kind of voice chat (which ruins ANY kind of immersion) therefore i don't do STFs.

    People enjoy soloing in MMOs for the same reason some people are naturally less socially interactive in real life, its a preference. I personally hate having to rely on people all the time, the majority of the time I have an agenda for the day and I want to see it met at my own pace. By the same token, just because someone largely enjoys their own company more-often than not, it doesn't mean the person doesn't respect and enjoy the social aspects when he/she chooses to participate in them.


    Thank you for reading.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Pyryck wrote:
    Here's my reasoning:

    Why do you bother playing a MMO if you really do not want to team with others?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Pyryck wrote:
    The beauty of STO is that you can play almost every mission or episode solo or teamed. The only "current" exceptions to that are the STF's which require a 5-player team. I for one would like to see the STF's able to be soloed OR teamed.

    Here's my reasoning:

    1. I don't always have the time to devote several hours to running the STF. I'd like to be able to treat it like a patrol where I can come back to it anytime I want to.

    2. I really don't want to sit around for hours waiting on a full party to be put together to run an STF. I'd like to be able to dive into when I can and choose to do so. I don't want to start an STF and then have someone get called away to dinner or have to go to bed right in the middle of a big fight.

    3. I really don't care to "PuG" any mission, episode or STF because of the associated "PuG" drama which reduces my entertainment and enjoyment immensely. I don't want to "carry" someone else or be "carried" thru the mission.

    4. My character is a starship captain that is given missions to do that my character and their away team should be able to successfully complete. I shouldn't have to find 4 other captains and then become a member of some other captains' away team in order to complete a mission.

    5. MMO's that mandate or dictate that only groups can perform certain missions or experience certain environments tend to alienate a small segment of the playerbase.

    I know and understand all of the arguments that everyone puts forth about this being an MMO. Just keep this one little thing in mind - I'm me, not you. You're you, not me. I may enjoy STO more by playing it on my own just as much as you enjoy it more playing with 4 buds. :)
    just /signed


    Thank you for reading.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Yreodred wrote:
    By the same token, just because someone largely enjoys their own company more-often than not, it doesn't mean the person doesn't respect and enjoy the social aspects when he/she chooses to participate in them.

    So what you are saying is, it is ok to team up with others... just not for STFs because you do not feel like it. Right. Got it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Still, there has to be some group-only content to cater to that other part of the player base.

    Some of us like Masssively Multiplayer Online RPGs; others of us like Sometimes Single-player RPGs.

    We have to cater to both and right now, the lion's share of missions are solo-able.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Why do you bother playing a MMO if you really do not want to team with others?

    Why do you care if people don't want to play with you? Personally I just don't have an interest in the stfs, I don't feel like using voice chat, I do other things while I play, so I don't need the hassle of having to deal with a group. If I need to avert my attention from the game I do so at will affecting only myself.

    If they make a solo version of stfs, great, if they don't that is fine too. I'd like to see more fleet actions, they are fun to me and you can drop in or out of them as you need to. I had really enjoyed the first week or so of the breen daily missions before something changed the teaming, when you could play the Kelvani Belt over and over with different people. That was short and fun, but I still have no idea what changed the open teaming, after that patch it never worked again. I don't want to do story missions with people, but the quick simple stuff like the space dailies with open teaming was great.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    CapnBludd wrote: »
    Why do you care if people don't want to play with you?

    That is not why I was asking at all. That should be rather obvious as the discussion is more along the lines of "I want the STF gear, but do not want to team up with others to get it."

    This is a MMO, which means there is going to be certain areas of content geared toward teams and if you want to experience that content, you will need a team. That should not come as a surprise to anyone.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    I don't mind teaming for STFs it's the process of teaming for them I don't like. On the KDF side it can take an hour or more on the weekend to get a PuG team together (even then I have had to use a fleet channel to fill out the ranks). Personally I'd like them more if teams could be made of both KDF and Feds, this would reduce wait for start times and allow for interesting combinations. I'd also like the ability to use sector space zone chat while in the mission so if a leaver comes someone doesn't have to hop out of the mission.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Some people will be anti-social or not be willing to put forth any effort to get an item they want from group content no matter how fun a game developer makes their MMO. That is why you hear these "ideas" for "solo STFs".

    If these people would focus as much energy into finding a good group of like minded people to run STFs with as they do whining and crying on the forums about how they cannot get their Borg gear, they would have run all the STFs successfully 100 times over by now.

    I have neither whined nor cried on the forums about not getting Borg gear. I have posted on another thread about making STF's soloable before however. I'll make the same argument here as I did there:

    When I sign on to play at night, I usually have no more than 2 hours to play. Generally to find a PUG, it takes half that time. Then, as has been beat to death on other threads, a group who has no idea or only one person who has an idea of what you are doing (which is usually the best you can do PUG-ing it) it takes many hours of grinding to complete one STF. Sounds kinda like that excludes players like me, not on purpose, of course, but I'm still excluded none the less.

    One more point to take into consideration is that I and players like me pay a sub just like you, why should I be excluded from content just because I don't have the time to do it all at once? That is basically what you are saying.

    As far as Borg gear goes, whatever, man. I am not really that broken up about not having it. If it makes you feel better, how about blue gear instead of Borg unique stuff if you solo the STF?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    CapnBludd wrote: »
    Why do you care if people don't want to play with you? Personally I just don't have an interest in the stfs, I don't feel like using voice chat, I do other things while I play, so I don't need the hassle of having to deal with a group. If I need to avert my attention from the game I do so at will affecting only myself.

    If they make a solo version of stfs, great, if they don't that is fine too. I'd like to see more fleet actions, they are fun to me and you can drop in or out of them as you need to. I had really enjoyed the first week or so of the breen daily missions before something changed the teaming, when you could play the Kelvani Belt over and over with different people. That was short and fun, but I still have no idea what changed the open teaming, after that patch it never worked again. I don't want to do story missions with people, but the quick simple stuff like the space dailies with open teaming was great.

    I agree with many points on this. I love Fleet actions, it is great cooperative PVE fun, and in a way, Passive PVP (Captain with highest score wins). Make some new, harder PVE Fleet Actions, with great rewards for 1st - 3rd. If the rewards Bind on equip, have low EC value, while still being highly desirable (Hey I would LOVE a Fleet action option for winning Borg Gear!!) and people were highly rewarded for supporting (healing / buffing), it would bring new life into some of the quieter fleet actions, and or new ones!

    I often do spend hours doing these, and like the freedom of dropping out if needed. Being locked in for a dedicated STF is simply not something I can do with my casual gaming time.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    QuanManChu wrote:
    why play an MMO if you want all content soloable?

    Perhaps this is due to players who enjoy this game due to the fact it's (in my opinion) the best Star Trek game ever. Personally I could care less about it being a MMO, that doesn't mean anything to me. I'm here for the Star Trek.

    In terms of playing with a group or alone, I've noticed a few differences in play style. When teamed up, it's basically a race between objectives skipping dialog boxes and trying to pound through it as fast as possible. I'm no longer the hero of the story but just another person on the map trying to pull my own weight and contribute to the team.

    When playing alone, I go at my own pace, immerse myself in the story and surroundings and am the "hero" of the mission. I can order my BOs around and really have the feel of being the "Captain".

    I don't see either style of play as being good or bad, just different. Those who prefer to team up and pound through the missions can do that, those who prefer to immerse themselves into the role of captain and enjoy their surroundings can do that too.

    Every mission in the game can be played teamed up with friends. Just because it's not required to run every mission on a team, doesn't make it a single player game. It just makes it a game people can play however they want which I think is a good thing.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Why do you bother playing a MMO if you really do not want to team with others?

    You see, the beauty of playing an MMO is that you have the OPTION to socialize or indulge in a PuG group or be in a Fleet/Guild. I like to have that option available for when the mood strikes but I loathe being forced to play with other players just to experience some content. I've experienced far too many bad or crappy or dictatorial attitudes in my online gaming adventures and that has led to my exercising my right of choice as to who and when and where I interact with other human beings while playing online.

    I've subscribed to STO to play a game set in the Star Trek Universe that happens to be an MMO. I'm not subscribed to an MMO to be Shard-Warriors bestest bud or whipping boy while we tag-team other players in our starships. :)

    I play many characters that are captains of their own ships sent out to do missions. I enjoy immensely the opportunity to revisit "command" of a ship and crew (having experienced it first hand IRL).

    Perhaps now you can better understand my stance on playing MMO's, STO and wanting STF's to have a "solo" option? ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    CapnBludd wrote: »
    Why do you care if people don't want to play with you? Personally I just don't have an interest in the stfs, I don't feel like using voice chat, I do other things while I play, so I don't need the hassle of having to deal with a group. If I need to avert my attention from the game I do so at will affecting only myself.

    If they make a solo version of stfs, great, if they don't that is fine too. I'd like to see more fleet actions, they are fun to me and you can drop in or out of them as you need to. I had really enjoyed the first week or so of the breen daily missions before something changed the teaming, when you could play the Kelvani Belt over and over with different people. That was short and fun, but I still have no idea what changed the open teaming, after that patch it never worked again. I don't want to do story missions with people, but the quick simple stuff like the space dailies with open teaming was great.


    I can't speak for anyone else but I turned off my Open Teaming because I got sick and tired of getting teamed with jacktards that sat at the spawn points mooching off of my hard work. If they want the mission reward they can earn it themselves or find some other TRIBBLE that's dumb enough to do all the work for them.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    That is not why I was asking at all. That should be rather obvious as the discussion is more along the lines of "I want the STF gear, but do not want to team up with others to get it."

    This is a MMO, which means there is going to be certain areas of content geared toward teams and if you want to experience that content, you will need a team. That should not come as a surprise to anyone.

    I really don't care if I never get the STF gear, it doesn't bother me in the least. I've done the raiding/guild thing and grew tired of it, and I love how this game lets me do what I want with a crew of my own. I'm not pushing for solo versions of the stfs, but if they happen then I'll do them. I no longer enjoy doing stuff at someone else's pace is what it boils down to really. Some day I might feel like doing an stf, but I don't see that day being here soon.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Elric71 wrote: »
    Generally to find a PUG, it takes half that time. Then, as has been beat to death on other threads, a group who has no idea or only one person who has an idea of what you are doing (which is usually the best you can do PUG-ing it) it takes many hours of grinding to complete one STF. Sounds kinda like that excludes players like me, not on purpose, of course, but I'm still excluded none the less.

    I do not have a wealth of time to play either. Believe me, I hear you when it comes to PuGs. I have been there and done that in this and may other games. Rather than waste time with them, what is the harm in finding a Fleet? Ours has the STFs on daily runs. If you have a group of experienced people who know what to do, the STFs do not take long at all.
    One more point to take into consideration is that I and players like me pay a sub just like you, why should I be excluded from content just because I don't have the time to do it all at once? That is basically what you are saying.

    No, what you are saying is that you want access to content that others like myself (who are paying subs just like you) are willing to put forth the time and effort to do. If they allow for "solo STFs", they mind as well shut the servers down and sell STO as a console game.

    Honestly, the best advice I can give is to stop trying to PuG STFs and find an experienced fleet. You are more than welcome to send an in-game friend invite and our fleet will be happy to take you along on a STF run if we have room, which we often do.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    So from what I'm reading about this thread it seems like this.

    "I want the Borg gear yet I hate finding teams because I'm not social at all."
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Trueheart wrote:
    Perhaps this is due to players who enjoy this game due to the fact it's (in my opinion) the best Star Trek game ever. Personally I could care less about it being a MMO, that doesn't mean anything to me. I'm here for the Star Trek.

    In terms of playing with a group or alone, I've noticed a few differences in play style. When teamed up, it's basically a race between objectives skipping dialog boxes and trying to pound through it as fast as possible. I'm no longer the hero of the story but just another person on the map trying to pull my own weight and contribute to the team.

    When playing alone, I go at my own pace, immerse myself in the story and surroundings and am the "hero" of the mission. I can order my BOs around and really have the feel of being the "Captain".

    I don't see either style of play as being good or bad, just different. Those who prefer to team up and pound through the missions can do that, those who prefer to immerse themselves into the role of captain and enjoy their surroundings can do that too.

    Every mission in the game can be played teamed up with friends. Just because it's not required to run every mission on a team, doesn't make it a single player game. It just makes it a game people can play however they want which I think is a good thing.

    I have no problem with the way STF's are at the moment...even though I can't do them...

    My only comment to really add here is that..,

    Approximately 99.95% of the shows/movies within the STAR TREK Mythos, were about ONE CAPTAIN and HIS CREW...

    Not FLEETS or Teams of Captains...

    THAT is the Main Reason I Love This Game...

    ...because I, CAN BE THAT ONE CAPTAIN... :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    "I want the Borg gear yet I hate finding teams because I'm not social at all."

    I would not say that is entirely true. Some have said they want to do things at their own pace or really just want to experience the content and do not care about the reward. Those are legitimate arguments for sure.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    DaveyNY wrote: »
    ...because I, CAN BE THAT ONE CAPTAIN... :D

    That one Captain going at it in the face of all odds: with the 200 other captains waiting for the daily to unlock! :p
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    That one Captain going at it in the face of all odds: with the 200 other captains waiting for the daily to unlock! :p

    LoL.. As long as they are BEHIND ME... that's fine. :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Isn't swtor taking the route of being mostly soloable as well?

    Seems like an odd trend for mmos to take, since it will negate the Massively Multiplayer part of the game a bit.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    DaveyNY wrote: »
    LoL.. As long as they are BEHIND ME... that's fine. :D
    Not if this grizzly dude has anything to say:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Pyryck wrote:
    I've experienced far too many bad or crappy or dictatorial attitudes in my online gaming adventures and that has led to my exercising my right of choice as to who and when and where I interact with other human beings while playing online.

    That is perfectly reasonable. Craptaculuar guilds was a major reason for my dislike of WoW.

    Yes, you do have options to team when you want to. I also very much understand the desire to solo. 99% of the time I am soloing. I only team up with friends or Fleet members who need a hand or for STFs.

    99.99% of your STO career can be done solo. Asking you to step out of your shell for 4 missions out of however many STO has is not too much to ask IMO.
Sign In or Register to comment.