A while back someone made a thread mentioning how they wished PF had some different settings for when they were trying to farm things which allowed the requirement of more than one clear to join. I don't remember it exactly but between that being in the back of my mind and all the talk of the differences in playstyle lately I've been thinking... can we do something like this for DF?
As a caveat there is already a 15 page thread titled "elitism and casualism" and if you'd like to discuss the merits or downsides of either please head over there, that's not what this thread is for. This is my attempt to put a band aid on what I see as a bad bad thing many people encounter on a daily basis.
The way I see it we have three main groups of players in the game for the purposes of content we fill (on NA/EU at least) via DF. We've got people who expect big pulls and competence(Group A), people who tend to go with the flow of wherever they're thrown (Group B) and people who will expect things to be taken slowly (Group C). I'm trying to not use any disparaging language for any of the groups here, hence generic names.
Group A and Group C don't get along great. Whether you've got a tank from Group A doing fullpulls but dps or a healer from other groups unable to keep up or maybe a pair of players from A or C who will vote kick other players who don't play like them at the end of the day people have different standards that they're holding other players to whether that's by expecting competence or expecting for their own incompetence to be catered to.
So I was thinking what if these preferences could be flagged in DF, similar to being willing to join in progress?
Yes, players with only one or the other side chosen would invariably experience longer queues - that would be a trade they'd be consciously making. The game would default to both options chosen but at some point later on (perhaps around 50, as things begin to open up?) there would just be a reminder to select whichever you'd prefer.
This would have basically zero impact on the Group B people, they'd have both selected by default and they'd still be able to be paired with anyone. For people selecting only A or C they could have their preferences accepted by their teammates and, if those teammates didn't actually want to play that way, they'd have an actually valid reason for vote kicking instead of falling back on the old "differing playstyles" but being unable to fully articulate the issue in chat.
You joined a Group C party and will only chain pull? Well, that's now a viable reason to kick you. You joined Group A but you're a zero dps healer? Gurl, bye.
Let me be very clear - I wish that artificial barriers between sections of the playerbase weren't a thing I was considering. If we were all able to just talk to each other and give/take advice like normal people while adjusting and respecting those around us this wouldn't be an issue. Sadly... we can't. Or don't. I'm not sure which.
SE has created a game that basically has two separate games going on within it - that is their mistake. You can't put content like TEA in the game and expect the people completing it to also be willing to sit in their 'expert' roulette for thirty minutes because internet strangers want to take things slow. Conflict will arise. I think this is a way to cut out some of that friction and let us all play the game we want instead of playing the game we may be forced to by others.
And just because I'm sure it'll be one of the first responses - yes, I'm aware everyone could just accept everyone they get paired with in DF no matter what. I'm sorry that I've got a full time job and don't haves a limitless amount of time to spend carrying people through basic content. If you want to do that third would not inhibit you directly in any way, it would only reduction your exposure to "elitism" which very much seems like something you guys would like.
So... thoughts? Alternative ideas? I'm curious.
Continue reading...
As a caveat there is already a 15 page thread titled "elitism and casualism" and if you'd like to discuss the merits or downsides of either please head over there, that's not what this thread is for. This is my attempt to put a band aid on what I see as a bad bad thing many people encounter on a daily basis.
The way I see it we have three main groups of players in the game for the purposes of content we fill (on NA/EU at least) via DF. We've got people who expect big pulls and competence(Group A), people who tend to go with the flow of wherever they're thrown (Group B) and people who will expect things to be taken slowly (Group C). I'm trying to not use any disparaging language for any of the groups here, hence generic names.
Group A and Group C don't get along great. Whether you've got a tank from Group A doing fullpulls but dps or a healer from other groups unable to keep up or maybe a pair of players from A or C who will vote kick other players who don't play like them at the end of the day people have different standards that they're holding other players to whether that's by expecting competence or expecting for their own incompetence to be catered to.
So I was thinking what if these preferences could be flagged in DF, similar to being willing to join in progress?
Yes, players with only one or the other side chosen would invariably experience longer queues - that would be a trade they'd be consciously making. The game would default to both options chosen but at some point later on (perhaps around 50, as things begin to open up?) there would just be a reminder to select whichever you'd prefer.
This would have basically zero impact on the Group B people, they'd have both selected by default and they'd still be able to be paired with anyone. For people selecting only A or C they could have their preferences accepted by their teammates and, if those teammates didn't actually want to play that way, they'd have an actually valid reason for vote kicking instead of falling back on the old "differing playstyles" but being unable to fully articulate the issue in chat.
You joined a Group C party and will only chain pull? Well, that's now a viable reason to kick you. You joined Group A but you're a zero dps healer? Gurl, bye.
Let me be very clear - I wish that artificial barriers between sections of the playerbase weren't a thing I was considering. If we were all able to just talk to each other and give/take advice like normal people while adjusting and respecting those around us this wouldn't be an issue. Sadly... we can't. Or don't. I'm not sure which.
SE has created a game that basically has two separate games going on within it - that is their mistake. You can't put content like TEA in the game and expect the people completing it to also be willing to sit in their 'expert' roulette for thirty minutes because internet strangers want to take things slow. Conflict will arise. I think this is a way to cut out some of that friction and let us all play the game we want instead of playing the game we may be forced to by others.
And just because I'm sure it'll be one of the first responses - yes, I'm aware everyone could just accept everyone they get paired with in DF no matter what. I'm sorry that I've got a full time job and don't haves a limitless amount of time to spend carrying people through basic content. If you want to do that third would not inhibit you directly in any way, it would only reduction your exposure to "elitism" which very much seems like something you guys would like.
So... thoughts? Alternative ideas? I'm curious.
Continue reading...