Quote Originally Posted by Halvaard_Vidan View Post
The underlined makes me scratch my head...

There really is no "problem" with requiring A to do B.
The usual concept of an MMO is do do things in groups, when things first come out, everyone is interested and it's easy to make groups.
Afterwards you'll need *gasp* friends to help you get a group to get things done.

If you can't be bothered to find a Linkshell(or guild) where you can make friends, I don't see why anyone would stick around in any MMO.
I made a detailed effort trying to show why hard-check prerequisites have negative consequences for game development. It's very easy to understand, to me, how it could be difficult for those I mentioned to be able to meet prerequisites once the focus on the main content has shifted; and when that main content is no longer a primary focus. Linkshells and "player kindness" are not the end-all-be-all to poor design decisions; because when player-kindness fails companies lose game subscriptions. It's not necessary that player-kidness fails, but that it also imposes certain requirements on active linkshell members such as the following: the linkshell members must be online at the same time as the new player - have an adequate amount of play time to manage the content, aren't currently busy with content or scheduled to have content shortly. When these things don't match up the player who is behind has a very negative experience, feels that the game is insurmountable without being carried [i.e. lack of accomplishment], and is never going to be able to catch up. These things lose subscriptions because it's relying fully on the traditional community to get things done.