DF zombies.

[Teslo]

This is the result of the character development and battle designs SE have chosen, no, not every MMO is like this, but in the last years more and more people play just to achieve a reward for their need of instant gratification, instead of playing contents because it's fun.

It's not the game what turned us into zombies, it is the player-base what turned MMOs in zombie making machines.

This is actually a pretty profound insight. lol You're absolutely right! The constant grind, the need for instant gratification... Dungeons and other game content could be designed VERY CAREFULLY with things like trap mechanics, cooperative play, or varied puzzles that everyone in the group needs to work together to figure out. But no, we get a straight shot through a pretty cave with a boss fight every 3rd, and 3 or 4 mob pulls that, when overgeared enough, can all be pulled together into one AOE spackfest.

The issue here is the old Cost vs. Reward argument, right? If content is carefully tooled to fit in with the carefully designed/thoughtful model, players will complain that the dungeon takes to long to complete, isn't any fun, is too difficult, etc. If it's too straightforward (As they currently are, in my honest opinion...) other players will complain that it's too easy/treadmill/lootfest/gear grind. Finding a balance is a very difficult thing to do, and I honestly don't think ANY MMO has found it. Ultimately it comes down to the rewards for the dungeon/challenge in the first place. I rather like the primal fights. I think these one-off fights are a really good addition to an MMO like this, where you can go in, not worry about trash, fight a badass boss with cool music and unique(?) mechanics, put the puzzle together, get a team together that can handle it, and get your loot. This is a wonderful wonderful thing. Unfortunately this concept is repeated throughout the game in it's current design models. Regular instances are treated like Primal fights that are inconveniently long, when they should be treated as something else entirely. Same with Coil and Crystal Tower. I do hope that the team finds a way of making dungeons far more unique, and offering rewards that are worth the wait and the effort.

To address the OP (Wow, this is turning in to a book. ><), I personally like to have fun in dungeons. I always attempt to at least greet my fellow DFfers, and if they engage me back I will attempt to make amusing comments and keep things lively. Not everyone appreciates this and I'm often rewarded with silence (And a total lack of commendations, which is poo because I think I'm freakin' hilarious and my DPS is always top-notch...). Other times it totally pays off and we all have a grand time (And forget, just for a moment, the insufferable Tomestone/Gear/Light/RNG Drop grind) that we're engaged in (And occasionally a handful of commendations!) If I have a friend along and we're able to banter back and forth a bit, it usually gets even the more tight-lipped zombies to mumble something other than Hello (Or "Braiiins" as the case may be!)

[zcrash970]

snip

I don't believe that has anything to deal with it. In my case, PS3/4 players tend to be the most chattiest players I know or encounter through the DF and I played on PS# and PS4, it's really easy and fast to type with the on screen keyboard. Some people are just slow at it, I guess.
While I wish there was different servers for languages, I see little point in them on a grand scale

But back to the OP, I am guilty of this too. I just run the DF to get my cap done. I have no interest in talking with random people that I am going to spend at the max 30 mins with and probably never see again. Plus, I am probably talking to one of my LSs or my FC.

[Xieveral]

When its unlikely you're to see that person again, I don't see the point in getting friendly.

[Eltaire]

(And a total lack of commendations, which is poo because I think I'm freakin' hilarious and my DPS is always top-notch...).

Funny that you mention this, as I've noticed a recent decline in the number of commendations that other players are giving out. I used to be awash in them, and now I am lucky to even get one. People just can't seem to be bothered to hand them out any more.

As for the OP - I agree. People that you DF with generally won't talk at all, which is also a shame - because the game is supposed to be fun, and socialising is supposed to be part of an MMO because it's "massively multiplayer" - not selfish singleplayer. I sometimes think that the people that are rude, or that speed run to get their pretty armour or weapons... perhaps they should be playing single player games... not this.

[Whimsicalalien]

Sometimes the least I wanna do is talk to strangers.

[Eye_Gore]

Funny that you mention this, as I've noticed a recent decline in the number of commendations that other players are giving out. I used to be awash in them, and now I am lucky to even get one. People just can't seem to be bothered to hand them out any more.

Most of the time people leave before I can even get the skip cutscene up at the end of the dungeon. I think on that Brayflox run I ended up with all the loot at the end.

[Eye_Gore]

Sometimes the least I wanna do is talk to strangers.

They are only strangers because no one will talk.

[Phe]

But back to the OP, I am guilty of this too. I just run the DF to get my cap done. I have no interest in talking with random people that I am going to spend at the max 30 mins with and probably never see again. Plus, I am probably talking to one of my LSs or my FC.

This.

But also in FFXI, i had random parties going on for 4 hours without saying a word, except
brb, re, wb.
people knew their job and wanted to get XP - end of story.

I think, at least for Expert Roulette there should be an option to go with people from the same server;
maybe there's more willingness for smalltalk when you know the conversation does not have to end with the dungeon,
and that you could actually do something again with those people.

[Teslo]

This.

But also in FFXI, i had random parties going on for 4 hours without saying a word, except
brb, re, wb.
people knew their job and wanted to get XP - end of story.

I think, at least for Expert Roulette there should be an option to go with people from the same server;
maybe there's more willingness for smalltalk when you know the conversation does not have to end with the dungeon,
and that you could actually do something again with those people.

I like seeing people from my server pop up in a DF. I always try to strike up a conversation with them (Unless they're someone I've seen making stupid comments, or have an overly stupid name. haha <.<; ).

When its unlikely you're to see that person again, I don't see the point in getting friendly.

I've made friends cross-server. It's unlikely that I'll ever see them again, and even if I do I might not remember who they are. But it's always nice when it happens! Comments like "You/You guys are awesome, what server are you on?" always make my day.

[Hocchi]

Don't know you, not interested in knowing you, just trying to get my shit done.
Less talking = more doing.