Humble Request: Add Story (a.k.a. Easy) Mode

[Makeda]

In every MMO I see a section of people that insist on asking for a 'solo player' mode. I feel they do not get what an MMO is about.

That said, I can understand where they come from in FFXIV and ESO - games that historically were mostly solo game and now also have 2 and 1 MMO each.

But this is still an MMO... and it reminds me of how I see this even in a game like Overwatch - where there is a regularly occurring set of posts asking for a PvE mode... for a 'first person shooter' game...

This is, at it's heart, a team player activity. It is not meant to be played solo. If you really want a solo game, an MMO is not the right choice for you.

I am on the flip side of this... the only game I ever really played before finding MMOs in 2005 was Civilization. I cannot sit through a solo game...

Take your game format for what it is - and figure out what you like - before you spend your money. There is a pile of old games from the 90s in my house, because it took me several purchases to realize I could not do solo games... I'd play for a few hours and get bored...

If you already know you don't like group games... PLEASE try to figure that out before you buy one... Take it as advice from someone who wasted a lot of money when they were younger before they figured out it wasn't worth it... No matter how cool the title looks... figure out that you don't like the format BEFORE you buy. That's why I haven't bought a single player game since 1999. Not even new versions of Civilization past maybe 2001 (only because it was advertising multiplayer modes, but they didn't turn out so good back on dialup).

You bought FFXIV... it isn't for you. That's one failed purchase - $50 or less. Took me over $500 before I stopped buying solo games. Don't do it again if you don't like group play. Move on to FFV - I wish I could join you there, but that's a solo game. Not for me, it's for you.

[Penthea]

I don't see what the harm in this is.

What OP is asking for isn't accomplished with a simple tweak. It would require a gigantic amount of content to be retuned. This would create a large amount of additional work for the devs, which would take their time away from maintaining current content and creating new content. Considering it's under such tiny demand, it would be wasteful for the devs to spend time on it.

MMO Massive Multiplayer Online..nowhere does it say MMOMAG (Massive Multiplayer Online Must Always Group)

If you want to get that pedantic about it, the word MMO also doesn't state that you are able to do everything solo.

[MsQi]

nowhere does it say MMOMAG (Massive Multiplayer Online Must Always Group)

A large chunk of this game is solo content.

Options are nice but in communal situations options can quickly become norms. Since this is connected to a foundational gameplay aspect you have to be careful how this affects the community. Human beings have a tendency to take the path of least resistance regardless if it's the best thing for themselves or the people around them. The health of an mmo depends on social aspects. When there is an option to have a completely solo experience you run the risk of a large portion of the player base choosing to no longer participate, even those who are only mildly annoyed at group content.

[KisaiTenshi]

I don't see what the harm in this is. I really don't. I would have liked that too as with a slow internet connection, dungeons are very difficult towards the end of the story line with all the AOE by the ton. And what is harming you personally? Nothing. You could still continue to play just like you always have. Options are just that, options. MMO Massive Multiplayer Online..nowhere does it say MMOMAG (Massive Multiplayer Online Must Always Group) Give people options. Don't like it? Don't do it that way. It was brought up as a request for options, not a demand to change the whole game.

Yeah, however if you've paid attention to this form, people get screamed at for being "lazy", so there would be pushback against this just like there was against the jump pots and job completion pots.

What OP is asking for isn't accomplished with a simple tweak. It would require a gigantic amount of content to be retuned. This would create a large amount of additional work for the devs, which would take their time away from maintaining current content and creating new content. Considering it's under such tiny demand, it would be wasteful for the devs to spend time on it.

Not necessarily. There is a minimum ilevel tickbox, and an undersized party tickbox, there can just as easily be a "god mode" tickbox that sets the echo to 100,000%. The only issue really is the goal was to see the mechanics, because you're not going to see any of it if you can flatten everything in one hit. That said, that would be the wrong solution anyway since what you really want is the command missions to actually teach a solo player how to play that duty and not simply stand in AOE's taking damage like the AI players tend to do.

There's actually an interesting opportunity here IF SE manages to let players re-play all the solo duties/quests (w/o experience/items/rewards) as well. By setting some kind of "replay mode", players could either do these fights again (eg the MSQ fights, job fights) or just set "review mode" and have it set the echo to a level that prevents any damage from being taken so the player could take their time, set camera angles, record things without the UI elements lit up, etc.

But it certainly would not be any fun if you could do this to content you have not completed. By which I'm saying it is a MMO game, and if you only care about the story or RP'ing in the game, you should still be required to unlock content by playing the game as designed, otherwise there's not any point in playing it at all.

[Sylvina]

What OP is asking for isn't accomplished with a simple tweak. It would require a gigantic amount of content to be retuned. This would create a large amount of additional work for the devs, which would take their time away from maintaining current content and creating new content. Considering it's under such tiny demand, it would be wasteful for the devs to spend time on it.



If you want to get that pedantic about it, the word MMO also doesn't state that you are able to do everything solo.

Neither does it say one should always be forced to group. there should be plenty of content for both playstyles.

[Penthea]

Not necessarily. There is a minimum ilevel tickbox, and an undersized party tickbox

There are some mechanics in msq dungeon bosses that require multiple players to do in order to succeed. Adjusting for these wouldn't be as simple as a flat damage decrease unless the damage is reduced so much that no mechanics matter. Reducing to that degree would make every boss feel the same, which would actually take away from the story.

there can just as easily be a "god mode" tickbox that sets the echo to 100,000%.

If someone wants a god mode but wants to experience a story, I suggest they read a book or watch a film instead. Clearly games are not for them if they don't want the burden of mechanics forcing them to try new things or improve.

Neither does it say one should always be forced to group. there should be plenty of content for both playstyles.

But there is.

You can solo loads of game content, some of it is even designed for solo. And on the flip side there is content intended for groups.

[KisaiTenshi]

There are some mechanics in msq dungeon bosses that require multiple players to do in order to succeed. Adjusting for these wouldn't be as simple as a flat damage decrease unless the damage is reduced so much that no mechanics matter. Reducing to that degree would make every boss feel the same, which would actually take away from the story.

The only mechanic in the entire game that doesn't allow any solo play are mechanics that are essentially exclusive to the 24-player content where the group is separated into two or three paths. You can not do Labyrinth of the Ancients or Weeping City of Mhach solo because there are mechanics that require a minimum of 4 players per party ("pads!")

Fetter/bind/frozen/paralysis/petrified all time out, except for a few cases like the one in Shiva extreme (Akh Afah Amphitheatre (Extreme)) which doesn't, thus you just sit there until you die, which can be a long time.

Yes, there are mechanics that probably need a time-out that currently do not for them to be 100% solo-able, but on the list of "what isn't soloable" only "The Aery" comes up, and that is again, due to a fetter mechanic. Yet like in Amdapor Keep Hard, you can push past it eventually if you can do enough damage, but that isn't really any fun if you can skip the mechanics entirely. Having a fetter timeout is required for those mechanics, because those mechanics should otherwise kill you if you were at the gear level that was released when the content was released, but with the level 70 gear on level 50/60 content, it should just knock you down for 90% of the HP (which is what Titan Extreme does) and you either heal or get knocked out by the next attack.

Like just to point back to the OP, the intent may be to "play everything solo" but one should not be rewarded for playing solo. At best, I'd only agree with allowing solo play of group content that was completed without undersized party ever been used. Because undersized party options already accomplish this. If you want "easy mode, solo play" it would have to be done with content that was already completed, otherwise -everyone- would just pick it to complete the content, and have no reason to ever play it as designed without a greater reward. It's the marshmallow effect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanfo...low_experiment

[Penthea]

The only mechanic in the entire game that doesn't allow any solo play are mechanics that are essentially exclusive to the 24-player content

There are group stack markers in several msq dungeons. In the Great Gubul Library you need to have several people stand on the circles to prevent adds from spawning on the last boss. In Haukke Manor on the last boss you can't deactivate all the lanterns on your own before they cause considerable damage. You can't tank the second boss in Stone Vigil and interact with the canon at the same time because damage from the boss interrupts you. On the last boss of the Anti-Tower you get turned into a doll and you can't get turned back unless you're dpsed down by other players. Both Titan and Susano trap players in a rock that need to be dpsed down by other players.

All the above are in the msq.

For the msq to be able to be soloed in its entirety, boss mechanics would either have to be tweaked to not require groups or they would have to be nerfed so much for them to be meaningless.

[Aylis]

Don't do it again if you don't like group play. Move on to FFV - I wish I could join you there, but that's a solo game. Not for me, it's for you.

Though it is possible to enjoy both group play and solo play. MMO's can satisfy both sides of the spectrum and is why most try to find a happy medium between the two. The term MMO is often taken out of context. All it really means is you're sharing the same world with other players all doing their own things. Even in the early days there was never a rule that said "you must play with everyone and others 24/7"

Speaking as someone who enjoys both. The solo side of me stays with MMO's. It's a one time purchase for the game and is a constantly evolving world that doesn't end when the end screen is reached and the game then goes on the shelf to collect dust. The multiplayer side of me enjoys spending time in the worlds with friends and enjoying the game that way. It's the best of both worlds.

[TaleraRistain]

Totally feel your pain on this.....cutscene skipping peer pressure is a thing..and it's an utterly stupid thing.

Because how dare you hold up the time of 3 other players. But you also can't have those parts of the MSQ be solo. Oh no, you have to group and you *will* play the way others expect you to or you should understand they'll "call you out" on having your own preferences.

I've been rallying for years that MSQ should be solo. Dungeons can be optional group content. Then those who enjoy dungeons are in there with like-minded people who want to be there, and those who don't want to be there still get to enjoy the story.