Game feels really Solo unfiendly

[Goettel.4389]

Easy, non-committal grouping with random others to beat open world group content is about as solo-friendly as MMOs get. GW2 does that best AFAIK.

[AliamRationem.5172]

@Healix.5819 said:GW2 was intended to be very solo friendly, but the game was also designed back when other MMOs weren't, which nowadays they're far more so than GW2. The original idea was based around the fact that most people play MMOs exclusively solo, so events were intended to draw people together to form groups without actually having to group. In other MMOs, the open world is generally like 90% solo content, with what used to be group quests now as public events. GW2 however puts a much larger focus on group events and requiring even larger groups. That isn't a problem however, but only as long as the maps remain legitimately active. As soon as people need to use LFG to participate, it has failed. ArenaNet could easily solve the population problem however by doing what MMOs tend to do nowadays and split the content, essentially making the entire map scale for 1+, while actual large events take place in their own area that you can queue in to at any time.

The funny thing about GW2 is how it was originally intended to be the MMO for those not wanting the tediousness of other MMOs, yet they've gone off in the opposite direction. Just imagine what masteries are going to be like for new players in a few years. Where other MMOs are getting rid of linear leveling, ArenaNet has added it.

When it actually happens, we'll worry about it. But people have been predicting this for years and it's never been an issue. It's megaserver. Unless the game population drops drastically, these maps will be populated.

Also, LFG is an effective tool for getting players where you want them. As are tags. I don't see how using these tools indicates failure.

[starhunter.6015]

I have solo'd HoT many times through, from the story to map comp. It is difficult and even a experienced player can be killed if you make a mistake or simply forget to pay attention to surroundings . That is what makes the HoT maps fun and a royal pain at same time.

[MattDu.7123]

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[Game of Bones.8975]

The open-world setting is so anyone may come and go from battles as they want.I drop in and help kill a mob when passing through (if I'm not on to somewhere more important).With drops going to everyone equally, you don't have to worry about loot scaling.

I have an easier time with some profession than others, the Reaper being the easiest to solo.

[AliamRationem.5172]

@MattDu.7123 said:I've just finished HoT and started season 3, I'm doing the story in order so no mounts yet and even though so far I've enjoyed HoT more that most of the other lands, I found it impossible to solo all of it. I had to change my playstyle and build quite a few times to get through difficult parts but there are still a lot of large sections(only finished two adventure in verdant brink) that i had to give up on and move past because there wasn't enough people on the maps (sometimes being asked to change map 3 times in an hour).Empty maps dont help but if there is a daily on one of the maps, I usually go back to that one because there is a nice community and most will come to help if there are lots of people on the map and you ask nicely.

Just FYI, when you're on a HoT map and repeatedly find yourself prompted to jump maps due to low population, it's usually because it's meta time and players are using LFG to get to a meta map. They leave behind low population instances.

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

@Ayrilana.1396 said:Is PoF really more solo friendly than HoT when ignoring HP’s? Assume that HoT had no metas and everything was it’s own self-contained event. Is it really any different than PoF? Both seem to have just has many events that require groups as there are that can be done solo.

It really isn't, IMO. The thing with all of the enemies in HoT is that they're one trick ponies, and they're all glass to boot. No matter which class I play, the strategy is basically the same for every single enemy in HoT:

Step 1: Walk up to themStep 2: Auto attack the enemy to deathEnd: Enemy dies before they can fire off a single dangerous attack.

I'm in full glass cannon, which is quite inefficient from a damage x durability product. This strategy works with very few exceptions, and with those exceptions I just need to avoid their single big gimmick attack and then I'm in the clear.

But in PoF, I've died more often there than I do in the jungle. The reasons for this are many:

A)The enemies have massive aggro and tethering ranges, as well as long ranged attacks. I am constantly chased and under fire.B)The enemies travel in massive packs. While in the jungle you fight two or 3 enemies at once, in PoF you're fighting in 7 or 8.C)The enemies themselves have one or two dangerous gimmicks, some of which are equally as damaging as those in HoT.

This creates an environment that is very glass cannon unfriendly. So, while I thrive in HoT, I find PoF to be quite a bit more difficult.