Locking mounts behind group events = bad for late-comers

[BlueJin.4127]

@gateless gate.8406 said:Use the LFG, use mapchat, ask your guilds... and then wait. Yes, it may take 15 minutes to get your first helper for one of these events. Those seeking instant gratification and instant rewards may have to stick to the raptor. It is a fine mount for any level of player.

This is another problem, I think. Being an MMO, some things will require groups. Getting a group can sometimes take time. Sure, we all have moments when we want things NOW! But we can’t expect everything to be insta-solo-able in an MMO. The few group things in mount collections are very modest and shouldn’t take more than days to get a group for, if you take the time to learn how. And none of the group stuff are so hard that casual players are locked out from doing. While I’m not an MMO veteran, I think the mount collections and specialization collections in this game are very modest and casual friendly compared to what I’ve done in other games.

[Zoid.2568]

The griffon quests were fun. I like it.

[kharmin.7683]

@Tai Kratos.3247 said:I'm stuck on the bounties / group events as well, and I can't seem to get past it. People make lots of suggestions, but few are helpful:I was stuck on a few bounties, too. I had to wait for them to be dailies. There was no lack of players doing them then.

[Danikat.8537]

@"Tai Kratos.3247" said:I'm stuck on the bounties / group events as well, and I can't seem to get past it. People make lots of suggestions, but few are helpful:

• Use the LFG - Nobody is making groups for bounties / Griffon collection events. I've made my own groups, and nobody joins.
• Join a Guild - I never joined a guild in GW1 and I haven't in this game. I think I should be able to play the game how I want. This isn't about being "antisocial" or playing the game solo, because I do play with people. But I just don't join guilds, and I don't think something as central as a flying mount should be barred behind joining an active guild.

I tried asking people in a map for help, nobody responded. I even triggered an event right next to a commander tag on a populated map. People just ran around the event and ignored it. So I can't ask beforehand and get help to start the event, and I can't start the event and hope people join. Neither seems effective.

If they like having major parts locked behind group events, they should at least offer some sort of long-winded second path to get the item. Like, charge me lots of gold for it or something. Sure, that's also a terrible solution, but at least I know I can reliably get it at some point.

1) What section are you putting your LFG messages in? Last time I met someone who had this problem they were using the achievement category, which I don't think I've ever seen anyone use. It's best to put it in the section for the map you're on, since those are the most active so there's more chance of people seeing it.

2) Make sure your message is clear - include the name of the bounty and say it's for the griffon. It doesn't have to be the full name - for example you can just say Deadhouse or Warden Jabari instead of 'Free Emara and the other prisoners. Defeat Warden Jabari' - but people will want to know what they'll be doing if they join your group so they know if it's something they can actually help with or not.

(I've seen 'help with griffon' requests range from "please help me kill this 1 bounty" to "please lead me to every egg on the map and provide mesmer portals to them" to "please give me as much gold as possible to go towards the items".)

3) Allow time for people to see the message and join the group. How much time depends on how busy the game/map is. It will be quicker at peak times and even quicker when that map is one of the dailies for events or bounties. At other times it might be very slow. Also don't forget to repeat the message in map chat every so often, in case new people have entered the map since the last time you posted it.

Alternatively let us know whether you're on the NA or EU servers and when you're likely to be online and we can come and help you.

Edit: And yeah, starting an event on top of an existing squad is unlikely to work. Squads are typically formed for a specific purpose and the commander won't want to drop what they were doing just because a new event started or they risk people quitting the squad because it's not what they signed up for. Imagine it from the other side - you finally join a squad to kill the legendary Facet and then the champion hydra spawned and the squad suddenly forgets about the Facet and goes to chase the hydra. Would you be happy, or would you decide another attempt failed and go looking for a squad that's actually going to do what you want?

[BigBragg.8354]

I've successfully pulled of the Elon Riverlands event three times this month. Once for myself in the quest for the griffon, once for a friend in her quest for it, and once for a random player in their quest for the griffon. Just use the grouping tools at hand. Should take only a couple tries to get it done with LFG, map chat, and tags.

[Tekoneiric.6817]

I'm of mixed opinion on the mounts. I tend to play a lot so I got my mounts fairly quick and feel the thrill of achievement at getting them based on my effort but I can also understand how difficult it can be on new players or those that only play a hour or two here and there. I think it's fairly easy to get most of the mounts but I think new players shouldn't have to jump from personal story to PoF story which is years along in Tyria type just to get the raptor. It's like reading a few pages of book 1 then jumping to book 6 for something then back to book 4 for something else.

The development of the game has kind of locked in the storyline in a wibbly wobbly timey wimey format that new players have to follow to get things they paid for as part of the expansions otherwise they have to wait for a very long time to take the slow path in the story. I think jumping around looses enjoyment for the player. New players typically won't know where to jump to get stuff without guides.

In lieu of making the personal story and other story content adaptable to expansions which would take considerable resources I think the best way would have been in the form of some kind of in between content that was outside the normal story flow. Basically where it didn't matter if the player did it at the start to get the mounts and gliding or further down the storyline.

The griffon and beetle mount acquisition are very unfriendly towards the new and extremely casual player at all as they are so far down the story for them. While they shouldn't be easy; they also shouldn't be out of reach for some players. People don't always have time to spend on the game like some of us do.

[Head Kracker.4790]

My biggest issue with the Griffon mount has and always been locked behind a 3 part story then requires 250 gold. Now overall I didn't mind the gold for the springer or the 4 for the skimmer. The 20 for the Jackal was kinda steep I thought but still within the could get with a bit of effort/doing dailies. Locking Griff behind the story is fine since it means you have to do something to unlock and I'm decently ok with doing achieves to unlock things such as for my roller beetle. But 25 gold for 10 trade contracts? That's insulting I can make 10 trade contracts easy just by playing 15 minutes. I will concede that getting some of the parts for the underlying achieves from metas can be frustrating but then I tend to plan of attack my achievements.

[BigBragg.8354]

@Tekoneiric.6817 said:

The development of the game has kind of locked in the storyline in a wibbly wobbly timey wimey format that new players have to follow to get things they paid for as part of the expansions otherwise they have to wait for a very long time to take the slow path in the story. I think jumping around looses enjoyment for the player. New players typically won't know where to jump to get stuff without guides.

But some of the best stories are told out of order, just ask The Doctor and River.

[kharmin.7683]

@Head Kracker.4790 said:My biggest issue with the Griffon mount has and always been locked behind a 3 part story then requires 250 gold. Now overall I didn't mind the gold for the springer or the 4 for the skimmer. The 20 for the Jackal was kinda steep I thought but still within the could get with a bit of effort/doing dailies. Locking Griff behind the story is fine since it means you have to do something to unlock and I'm decently ok with doing achieves to unlock things such as for my roller beetle. But 25 gold for 10 trade contracts? That's insulting I can make 10 trade contracts easy just by playing 15 minutes. I will concede that getting some of the parts for the underlying achieves from metas can be frustrating but then I tend to plan of attack my achievements.

Well, the griffon is an optional mount. I get what you're saying, but for me it was nice to be able to choose to go after it or not. At the time, I didn't have the gold for it but it didn't gate me from finishing the content.

[CharterforGw.3149]

@Khisanth.2948 said:

@Ayakaru.6583 said:Most group events are easily doable with 5-10 people.Just make an LFG post, ask for some hands in the guild.

The gryffon is a good mount, some effort is ecpected into acquiring it.

Overestimating the numbers required is a common problem. Only a handful of stuff actually requires large numbers.

Sometimes it's actually easier with fewer numbers, because of how the scaling works. Especially during Living world season 1. Damage sponges everywhere.

[Khisanth.2948]

@CharterforGw.3149 said:

@Khisanth.2948 said:

@Ayakaru.6583 said:Most group events are easily doable with 5-10 people.Just make an LFG post, ask for some hands in the guild.

The gryffon is a good mount, some effort is ecpected into acquiring it.

Overestimating the numbers required is a common problem. Only a handful of stuff actually requires large numbers.

Sometimes it's actually easier with fewer numbers, because of how the scaling works. Especially during Living world season 1. Damage sponges everywhere.

VB patriarch is the perfect example. Less annoying to solo than to have another person show up. Horrible scaling on the shield.

[Biff.5312]

I didn't get my griffon until months after it came out. I simply asked for help.

[Ayrilana.1396]

It’s an MMO, not a single player game, so it’s expected that some things will require group play in order to achieve.

Every group activity required for either mount can be accomplished through LFG and by asking for help in map chat.

Both mounts are optional in that you’re not locked out of content by not having them other than races/adventures made specifically for them.

[Nostromo.4126]

And here we are in Aug 2020. I just completed To Kill A God finally with my necro Reaper (after the 1st couple downs it was easy once I worked out the 'trick' :).So I start the Griffon quest chain right away, go get all the eggs in the 1st zone, buy a couple 25gp components, easy so far, right? Then I see the final requirement for the zone: kill a Legendary bounty boss (Corrupted something or other). Got the bounty after 20 mins of waiting for it to respawn on board. Go all the way the NE of zone where he's found under the pyramid, while asking for assist. One guys shows up (thanks mate - you know who you are!). We proceed to get royally spanked. The only other assist is smarta**s in chat telling me ' you need at least 10 ppl for a legendary'. Thanks for nothing ANet. Yet another completely personal, individual quest chain polluted with random, excessively difficult group content. Even if I wait for Crystal Oasis bounties to come up as part of the Dailies, I guarantee very few peeps will make it to the far NE of the zone to attempt a Legendary boss, just to get their daily. Far easier to just wait for a Tazula easybeat close to town, bleh. Yes, I could beg ppl to come help (almost certain someone will either grab the bounty early or trigger the boss early, b4 most peeps arrive, which is game over when you only have 5 mins or so to beat him!); I could try & organise my Guild to do the event, if I ask very nicely (my guild is in NA TZ, so no good to me in Aus, except on weekends sigh*...). Whatever I do it won't feel like my accomplishment, when I have 100 other players to carry me. Nice going ANet. All the other mounts were completely soloable (from memory), so maybe I'll just skip the Griffon & go for the Skyclaw folks...?

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I see Legendary Bounties in the LFG often. Especially Facet; is that the one you want?

[flog.3485]

@Nostromo.4126 said:And here we are in Aug 2020. I just completed To Kill A God finally with my necro Reaper (after the 1st couple downs it was easy once I worked out the 'trick' :).So I start the Griffon quest chain right away, go get all the eggs in the 1st zone, buy a couple 25gp components, easy so far, right? Then I see the final requirement for the zone: kill a Legendary bounty boss (Corrupted something or other). Got the bounty after 20 mins of waiting for it to respawn on board. Go all the way the NE of zone where he's found under the pyramid, while asking for assist. One guys shows up (thanks mate - you know who you are!). We proceed to get royally spanked. The only other assist is smarta**s in chat telling me ' you need at least 10 ppl for a legendary'. Thanks for nothing ANet. Yet another completely personal, individual quest chain polluted with random, excessively difficult group content. Even if I wait for Crystal Oasis bounties to come up as part of the Dailies, I guarantee very few peeps will make it to the far NE of the zone to attempt a Legendary boss, just to get their daily. Far easier to just wait for a Tazula easybeat close to town, bleh. Yes, I could beg ppl to come help (almost certain someone will either grab the bounty early or trigger the boss early, b4 most peeps arrive, which is game over when you only have 5 mins or so to beat him!); I could try & organise my Guild to do the event, if I ask very nicely (my guild is in NA TZ, so no good to me in Aus, except on weekends sigh*...). Whatever I do it won't feel like my accomplishment, when I have 100 other players to carry me. Nice going ANet. All the other mounts were completely soloable (from memory), so maybe I'll just skip the Griffon & go for the Skyclaw folks...?

It can’t be a personal, individual quest chain. Getting the griffin was never part of the story.

[Nostromo.4126]

@Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:I see Legendary Bounties in the LFG often. Especially Facet; is that the one you want?

Yeah, Corrupted Facet legendary bounty. I'll have to try & organise a PUG via LFG next time I have an hour to kill.

[kharmin.7683]

Never seen Facet take an hour when using LFG. Maybe it's the time that you're on?

[Nostromo.4126]

@kharmin.7683 said:Never seen Facet take an hour when using LFG. Maybe it's the time that you're on?

More than likely being in Aus. I'd have to try for a US prime time over the weekend I guess...Sat night west coast maybe...?

[Tere.4759]

@Nostromo.4126 said:And here we are in Aug 2020. I just completed To Kill A God finally with my necro Reaper (after the 1st couple downs it was easy once I worked out the 'trick' :).So I start the Griffon quest chain right away, go get all the eggs in the 1st zone, buy a couple 25gp components, easy so far, right? Then I see the final requirement for the zone: kill a Legendary bounty boss (Corrupted something or other). Got the bounty after 20 mins of waiting for it to respawn on board. Go all the way the NE of zone where he's found under the pyramid, while asking for assist. One guys shows up (thanks mate - you know who you are!). We proceed to get royally spanked. The only other assist is smarta**s in chat telling me ' you need at least 10 ppl for a legendary'. Thanks for nothing ANet. Yet another completely personal, individual quest chain polluted with random, excessively difficult group content. Even if I wait for Crystal Oasis bounties to come up as part of the Dailies, I guarantee very few peeps will make it to the far NE of the zone to attempt a Legendary boss, just to get their daily. Far easier to just wait for a Tazula easybeat close to town, bleh. Yes, I could beg ppl to come help (almost certain someone will either grab the bounty early or trigger the boss early, b4 most peeps arrive, which is game over when you only have 5 mins or so to beat him!); I could try & organise my Guild to do the event, if I ask very nicely (my guild is in NA TZ, so no good to me in Aus, except on weekends sigh*...). Whatever I do it won't feel like my accomplishment, when I have 100 other players to carry me. Nice going ANet. All the other mounts were completely soloable (from memory), so maybe I'll just skip the Griffon & go for the Skyclaw folks...?

You have to do it prime time on weekends. I had no problems getting it done. There is always a bounty train going around.