Quote Originally Posted by Verlyn View Post
I think you should be encouraged to group with other people--not necessarily pug--to tackle difficult content. This is one of the core tenets of an MMORPG and it doesn't need to change. You know what the old adage is about what ain't broke. Someone above pointed out that DF (and pugging, by nature) is something of a lottery. You can't make difficult balance for a pug to take down. You need a group of people you can rely on.
Every other MMO wants to have a word with you.

PUGs/LFG add to the life of a game, or do you magically think the games were carried by the backbone of the statics. Hardcore statics and core raid groups have always been at the forefront and we won't get anywhere unless they do the stuff first, but you do realize that when one static had a member missing and they did a pick-up member, that's PUGing in its sense right? Seeing LFG or the PF alive with shouts for pick-up groups is a sign of a healthy game.

Come see me in a few years when your server becomes a ghost town devoid of this chat and find out how bleak that makes the future of a game feel; I can guarantee you not many new starters will stay long in a game, coming so late in its life, to find that it will be hard for them to start raiding.

99% of why my friends quit is because of this and it wasn't due to lack of effort.