The Solo disease?

[Azurus]

ok so a server is a group too? since everyone is under the banner of the same server even those who avoid other people like the plague are part of a group still since they are under there servers flag? great logic

[Kilta_Firelotus]

Hi, my name is thedevilsjester and I am a soloist.

I see a lot of hate for solo players in almost every MMORPG. I had hoped that FFXIV, being very solo friendly would be a haven for the soloist because we have been officially "accepted", unfortunately even those who defend solo players, do so with the back of their hand.

Solo players, apparently, only solo because they do not have time for larger/group content, or just cannot find a group to play with. It seems as if playing solo is some kind of ailment that we would all love to be cured of.

Its not. I play solo because I like to play solo. I have plenty of time on my hands, and could find a group easily if I wanted one. I don't. In fact, unless friends need help doing something, or I have no choice in the matter, I do not group at all, and will often turn groups down because I simply do not want to play with other people.

Why play an MMO then? Because off-line RPG's do not even come close to the splendour, size, and sheer awesomeness that MMORPG's do, and probably never will. And, even though, as a soloist, I like to play the game by myself, that doesn't mean that I want to play in a lifeless empty world. I want my game world populated, and to feel alive, I just don't want to play with anyone. If I have to put up with an occasional group to play in such a world, its a price I am willing to pay.

Sorry for the...rant, I just ran into too many "hate the soloist" topics today, and needed to vent!

Hopefully those who just cannot understand why someone would play solo (trust me, I feel the same way about groups), can take something from this to better understand a soloists reasons for playing an MMORPG.

Here is the topic that started it all. Point out where OP meant content. Point out where op stated he talks to the community.
Also point out why OP even started this post or give evidence of any topic that people declared that hate soloers... or rather in OP case, hate those who do not join parties.

So far All i see is a person with a chip on their shoulder who felt a need to declare who he is, and that he hates grouping and tried to avoid it.
(again grouping doesn't equal partying, as you can be in a group with out forming a party)

[Kilta_Firelotus]

ok so a server is a group too? since everyone is under the banner of the same server even those who avoid other people like the plague are part of a group still since they are under there servers flag? great logic

more of a community but ya. I get it just fine. do you? How can a person solo (aka play by themselves) with so many people are around and your not alone, unless you avoid people.

[Kilta_Firelotus]

Here is a valid question, why insult me for having a different opinion, or way of thinking? Just because I see things differently doesn't mean i do not understand things. I do not insult a person for their way of thinking, and I have never once took aperson post count and use it to insult someone.

As far as I'm concern OP had no reason to start a rant. As no one is hating him for soloing. a50 like count should be proof of that. But more importently no one cares. If someone is rude ignore them I've been told this many times, when I try to get ppl to understand me. (which they do not nor wish to.)

[Rentahamster]

Here is the topic that started it all. Point out where OP meant content.

Solo players, apparently, only solo because they do not have time for larger/group content, or just cannot find a group to play with. It seems as if playing solo is some kind of ailment that we would all love to be cured of.

Its not. I play solo because I like to play solo. I have plenty of time on my hands, and could find a group easily if I wanted one. I don't. In fact, unless friends need help doing something, or I have no choice in the matter, I do not group at all, and will often turn groups down because I simply do not want to play with other people.

"play" in this context obviously means battle and not chatting.

Point out where op stated he talks to the community.

Its not. I play solo because I like to play solo. I have plenty of time on my hands, and could find a group easily if I wanted one. I don't. In fact, unless friends need help doing something, or I have no choice in the matter, I do not group at all, and will often turn groups down because I simply do not want to play with other people.

Also point out why OP even started this post or give evidence of any topic that people declared that hate soloers... or rather in OP case, hate those who do not join parties.

The only reason someone needs to start a thread is because he wanted to. We don't need your permission to make threads that only you approve of.

(again grouping doesn't equal partying, as you can be in a group with out forming a party)

That is the definition that you are choosing to use that has NO RELEVANCE AT ALL to the current discussion because that is NOT AT ALL what we are talking about.

In this specific thread, which is discussing a very specific issue, grouping = party play. Hell, even in normal conversation, the default interpretation of "grouping" is "party play"

[Rentahamster]

Here is a valid question, why insult me for having a different opinion, or way of thinking?

Because you are derailing the thread discussion by arguing a point of conflict that is entirely of your own creation and that has nothing AT ALL to do with the issues the OP posted about.

If you want to have the discussion about the overall social aspects of MMO and how the social structures of Final Fantasy 14 contribute or take away from that, then make your own thread to discuss that.

THIS IS NOT THE THREAD FOR THAT DISCUSSION AS IT IS UNRELATED TO WHAT THE OP SAID.

If someone is rude ignore them I've been told this many times, when I try to get ppl to understand me. (which they do not nor wish to.)

The problem is not that people don't understand you. The problem is that you don't understand them (which I pointed out in a previous post showing you how the stuff the OP talked about completely flew over your head).

[thedevilsjester]

When MMOs first came out, highly inspired by DnD(a group based game), they were promoted as group games and only people ready for this group mechanic played them as this is what they wanted to play.

I argue a few points here. First that unless you polled every single person that played MMORPG's at the birth of the genre, then you cannot make this assumption. Second, I could as easily make the assumption that people (a large majority I would argue) originally played the group mechanic because they had no choice. And once MMORPG's started coming out that had less reliance on the group mechanic, they quickly jumped to those because the group mechanic was something that they didn't want. (Of course without polling those original people, my assumption would be just as flawed)

MMORPG's were never "highly inspired by D&D" (with of course the exception of DDO) they were not only inspired by, but almost exact copies of the game genre MUDs. They were, more or less, MUDs with graphics. And MUDs were almost exclusively solo games (I never played a mud that even allowed for a party mechanic, let alone encouraged one).

Then people got more and more impatient or whatever that made them think they should be able to solo everything, so they have been radically changing MMOs over the years.

Firstly no one (in this topic) has asked to solo everything or even have the slightest change made. I think a lot of groupers assume that all soloers want this simply because they have had a bad experience with a few reject soloers. Do not let some vocal pain in the neck minority colour your opinion of soloers as a whole.

Secondly it is not about impatience. A soloist by their nature doesn't simply want the game to be easier or faster (far from it, I want it to last forever, and be a challenge) a soloist just for the most part wants to play the game without utilising the party mechanic.

so i dont understand why one would avoid groups on an mmo considering that is their point

Where is it written that the purpose of an MMO is to group? This is not their point, it is your opinion.

Now they think they have the right to change an entire genre

No one here has requested that anything change.

[Azurus]

what came first DnD or MUDS? im pretty sure DnD did, but correct me if im wrong. I feel that MUDS were the link between the original RPGs like DnD and the mmos we have today.

[Azurus]

heres a direct paste from wikipedia,
Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D[1] or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997. It was derived from miniature wargames with a variation of the Chainmail game serving as the initial rule system.[2] D&D's publication is widely regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry.[3]
D&D departs from traditional wargaming and assigns each player a specific character to play instead of a military formation. These characters embark upon imaginary adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Master serves as the game's referee and storyteller, while also maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur. The characters form a party that interacts with the setting's inhabitants (and each other). Together they solve dilemmas, engage in battles and gather treasure and knowledge.[3] In the process the characters earn experience points to become increasingly powerful over a series of sessions.

A MUD (originally Multi-User Dungeon, with later variants Multi-User Dimension and Multi-User Domain),[1][2] pronounced /ˈmʌd/, is a multiplayer real-time virtual world described primarily in text. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat. Players can read or view descriptions of rooms, objects, other players, non-player characters, and actions performed in the virtual world. Players typically interact with each other and the world by typing commands that resemble a natural language.
Traditional MUDs implement a role-playing video game set in a fantasy world populated by fictional races and monsters, with players choosing classes in order to gain specific skills or powers. The object of this sort of game is to slay monsters, explore a fantasy world, complete quests, go on adventures, create a story by roleplaying, and advance the created character. Many MUDs were fashioned around the dice-rolling rules of the Dungeons & Dragons series of games.
research ftw

[Frisque]

It's like watching Bravo.... you want to turn it off but you can't look away....

Anyways:

If someone is rude ignore them I've been told this many times, when I try to get ppl to understand me. (which they do not nor wish to.)

But all in all I still think it is very rude to come to forum of an mmo say who you are, and stand on a soapbox and declare to everyone that you hate grouping, and avoid it whenever possible..

You've made it abundantly clear in your hundred-odd posts that you disagree with the OP and think he is rude. You could do your part to make the community a better place by taking your own (albeit second-hand) advice and just put the OP on your ignore list.

Just my $.02