Group / LFM Suggestion...

[Joseph]

I like to make groups, and I like to lead them.

What I do not like is the constant management of the group interface when people drop, log, ragequit, etc. (I also do not like pikers you can't boot on a chain quest). It just cuts into play time, and adds a level of management that, really, should be optionally handled by the system.

No one I ever saw in Stormreach has changed their shorts since Korthos, and no one has ever starved to death or died of thirst, so micro management could be eliminated from other areas as well.

I would like to suggest a more dynamic group window. It would make it easier for everyone. Specifically, a simple checkbox to automatically update my group as to the quest I am on, and to auto fill it with appropriate members from my checked LFM selections.

That easy. It dynamically updates - refuses the guy who is too high level, and lets me focus on playing instead of managing a system that has not adapted to the player base and grown with the game.

[Airgeadlam]

Mmm... I think I'm not getting exactly what you want... Can you disclose the idea a bit? As in new functions or whatever? Thanks.

[Joseph]

I would like to suggest a more dynamic group window. It would make it easier for everyone. Specifically, a simple checkbox to automatically update my group as to the quest I am on, and to auto fill it with appropriate members from my checked LFM selections.

The meat of the opening post is above (though it would be nice to change my shorts in Stormreach - just saying).

I'll break it down by functions so that it is more clear.
Dynamic Group Window

• A window that updates itself based on party activities
• This would include the quest we are on (the system already knows this, or it can't track favor or XP)
• This would include the difficulty we have selected (the system also currently tracks this - how else to you get streaks, etc.)
• This would automatically add members who met the 'looking for members' option in the party window section.

By automate the system, and dynamic update, I am referencing functions that already exist in the game, that would make setting up a group that much easier.

Allowing this would let a number of players - in particular those players who enjoy playing the game with other people, as opposed to soloing, but find the necessary hassle of setting up a group to be an unpleasant experience:

• The party stands there (or runs on and finishes the dungeon before you update the group window)
• The group leader tries to figure out what the quest name is (because what they are named and what they are called are very different in a number of cases - Water Works of Lost Seekers?) - don't care - good, then add time for the group leader filling the party with people who did not read the LFM that it was premium content, then run there, only to find out they can't get in, then the group leader has to set up a new LFM window and start the process again.
• The group function is just a headache compared to what it could be (and should be).

In other words - they system as is severely lacks functionality that would not be impossible to update.

Certainly the majority of long time players would prefer new content, but any development team has people who deal with each facet of the game - one assumes the UI people are not writing content or building dungeons (no dev team I ever worked with had UI people doing anything other than UI).

Just my two cents. Likewise, Turbine is not new to this - they have had some extremely complicated systems at play in their older games (Asheron's Call, as an example), that tracked the total number of swings or casts a character made, and updated the character's abilities accordingly. DDO also has some extremely complicated systems.

Combat in DDO is on par with what I would have expected from Turbine - the DDO group interface is well off the mark, and hasn't received much (ever) in the way of updates.

Anyway, long post. Hope that was enough clarification.

[Symar-FangofLloth]

That sounds neat.
Although the auto-accept needs to be an option. Even though most things can be done with whomever, sometimes you don't want someone, or you'll forget to change what classes you need and someone hits join and it lets them in, or whatever.

[Jendrak]

As long as the don't pork the pooch like have the have done every other time they decide to "improve" an existing system i.e. force everyone to use it, i say cool but I really don't think its needed since the existing system works just fine.

[bloodnose13]

i think most problems with lfms would be fixed if quest name search/filter would be added to lfm creation window.

i dont get it, quest compendium has search. all types of bags have search, why that anoying lfm window lacks one