Rearrange Deck Chairs on the Titanic

[savingsoul]

That was sarcasm.

New hairstyles? NEW HAIRSTYLES?!?

Meanwhile, I have logged on so many times and waited for an LFM, only to give up in frustration, even when I post one.
There aren't any in my level range. I would be grateful for even that.
However, I remember back in the day when I was also actually able to match what I want to play (quest) and how I want to play (role).
Role? Did I just put "role" in a parenthetical? Yes, first because this is a ROLE-playing game.
Second, because *there is actually still a filter for classes in the LFM panel*!
Does anyone here remember when that filter actually worked? Does anyone actually remember in this RPG what a *role* is?

On a deep level, the lack of LFMs is destroying the mechanics of the game.
Support characters cannot support if there are no others in a party to support.
Even worse, if they happen to join a group where their role is already filled, whether they like it or not, they must either pike or compete with the other person in the same role. When it is a matter of competing for kills, it can be part of the fun. But when it is a matter of competing to provide heals or cc or tanking or buffs (esp. songs), it sucks. It is awkward and tense. This is the flip-side of the LFM filter for classes. When it is functioning properly, *people actually want you and your role in their group*.

This sort of undead status of the game, where a full balanced group is a rare thing, has systematically pushed people to favor self-sufficiency over synergy, soloist DPSing monocharacters over diverse and interdependent roles. It is leading to the death of any claim to being an RPG or, at least, to being D&D. Instead, we have "groups of soloists" who often have no appreciation for supportive or even specialized "dependent" DPS characters (like a powerful but fragile caster or rogue).

Earlier, like many people, I assumed that LFMs are substitutes for running with guildies or friends or friends in guilds.
But I realize now that is not true to my experience. Often, when I've run with others on a regular basis, it has been with one or two others, and we put up an LFM to fill up the group (with needed roles, back in the day; now we are lucky if we find anyone).
LFMs are complements for guilds and friends; they help them to play this game as well.

I think it is great that DDO has begun to address the server lag issues, and I hope that effort will make at least one server scale to accommodate a flourishing community. People don't care how old a game is anymore, as long as it is good. Dungeons & Dragons Online, by name, is the flagship of RPGs. It should actually be the flagship--by making it a priority to have an adequate server population.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go update my hairstyle.

[kpak01]

New hairstyles? NEW HAIRSTYLES?!?

Makes them money. Plenty of players care a lot about how their character looks. You know, role-playing.

Does anyone actually remember in this RPG what a *role* is?

Yes, I do, but I'm not sure you do. If you think it means "heals or cc or tanking or buffs", then, no, you don't.

What it actually means is, "I'm Clarita the Halfing. I was raised on a turnip farm in Talenta, but after a priest of the Sovereign Host saved my father's life, I became an acolyte. After I finished my training, I boarded a ship bound for Xendrik, to seek my fortune and spread the faith of the Sovereign Host." It means being "in character". The "role" is who your character is, not game statistics and abilities.

On a deep level, the lack of LFMs is destroying the mechanics of the game.
...
This sort of undead status of the game, where a full balanced group is a rare thing, has systematically pushed people to favor self-sufficiency over synergy, soloist DPSing monocharacters...

So, just because I disagreed with a couple of your side points, don't think that I disagree with you overall. Your main point here is spot on.

[KoobTheProud]

The DDO meta is a grindy over and over again affair.

Nobody actually looks to fill groups if that would detract from the speed of the process. Instead everybody runs the highest difficulty they can run solo and sometimes puts up LFM's in the process. Sometimes they will raise the difficulty the group runs on if the adds seem likely to support that.

The type of group you are looking for, one where everybody fills a role and plays off of each other, is just not available most of the time and likely will not be available in DDO Live moving forward.

Why?

Because DDO is all about DPS and insta-kills at this point. That's what keeps the grind moving along at an acceptable speed. The groups that do come together generally are a mix of DPS and IK's and they bother grouping because it is actually faster when you have several burn hot types in a group than solo as a burn hot type. You get to do more optionals as that group type splits up to complete secondary quests.

If you want a well-balanced group to play in you're going to have to put it together as an ongoing affair with like-minded players because you're going to get little or no support in that endeavor from the community at large.

I'm a strong proponent of a simpler server. Not a classic DDO experience but a server that omits many of the power layers that Live has at the moment. The primary reason I want that server type is that it would encourage the type of grouping you are looking for. I'm guessing that SSG isn't sure how they would make money off of that server type and thus they have little interest in exploring it.

[voxson5]

I want to go on a rant about how SSG isn't listening to the customers, and everything else like how prohibitively expensive character respeccing is, how confusing and the new player experience is, how off-putting the giant paywall to access content is, how shamefully underpromoted it is. But there will just be forum fanatics waving hammers and saying the company is the best thing ever and nothing could be done better.

I'm really bewildered at SSG most days. While they seem to .. lets just say, not make the right decisions... they do have an amazing art team.

Cosmetics, and I mean a real investment into providing cosmetics & storage & accessories, could be a boon for development support - assuming some of the income gets there.

le sigh.

[savingsoul]

Yes, I do, but I'm not sure you do. If you think it means "heals or cc or tanking or buffs", then, no, you don't.

What it actually means is, "I'm Clarita the Halfing. I was raised on a turnip farm in Talenta, but after a priest of the Sovereign Host saved my father's life, I became an acolyte. After I finished my training, I boarded a ship bound for Xendrik, to seek my fortune and spread the faith of the Sovereign Host." It means being "in character". The "role" is who your character is, not game statistics and abilities.

So, just because I disagreed with a couple of your side points, don't think that I disagree with you overall. Your main point here is spot on.

I don't think being "in character" is possible without some actual difference in your character beyond hair style. I mean, it is not as though people's stories have nothing to do with their class, abilities, skills, etc. The story is usually an explanation of the class, abilities, skills, etc.

[savingsoul]

The DDO meta is a grindy over and over again affair.

Nobody actually looks to fill groups if that would detract from the speed of the process. Instead everybody runs the highest difficulty they can run solo and sometimes puts up LFM's in the process. Sometimes they will raise the difficulty the group runs on if the adds seem likely to support that.

The type of group you are looking for, one where everybody fills a role and plays off of each other, is just not available most of the time and likely will not be available in DDO Live moving forward.

Why?

Because DDO is all about DPS and insta-kills at this point. That's what keeps the grind moving along at an acceptable speed. The groups that do come together generally are a mix of DPS and IK's and they bother grouping because it is actually faster when you have several burn hot types in a group than solo as a burn hot type. You get to do more optionals as that group type splits up to complete secondary quests.

If you want a well-balanced group to play in you're going to have to put it together as an ongoing affair with like-minded players because you're going to get little or no support in that endeavor from the community at large.

I'm a strong proponent of a simpler server. Not a classic DDO experience but a server that omits many of the power layers that Live has at the moment. The primary reason I want that server type is that it would encourage the type of grouping you are looking for. I'm guessing that SSG isn't sure how they would make money off of that server type and thus they have little interest in exploring it.

It is not as though the OP is proposing a "new dream" or something far-fetched. DDO actually did at one time work with balanced groups, and the whole attitude and sensibility around it was close to D&D. It just so happens that it was at the time when DDO was most flourishing. Coincidence?