[Video] Something happened to me in Guild Wars 2 that changed my view on group Content!

[RobAceT.2480]

Hi everyone

Please allow me to spare a few moments of your time to talk about a small video I created for my fledgling YouTube channel based on something that happened to me while playing through Twilight Arbor last night.

 

During a dungeon run on Twilight Arbor's explorable Aetherpath last night, I experienced something I have never seen in the game in all my years of playing. Something happened with the party that I was with that changed how I fundamentally look at grouped content in the game. So much so that I really do believe that many players are missing out on experiences in these cooperative modes and how the multiplayer aspect of the game's design really doesn't help with this matter. 

I've detailed my further thoughts in the video below and would love to know what everyone thinks on this as I know it's a talking point in the community and I'm sure there are far better people out their to talk about it than me. But still if your interested maybe take a look at the video, it's only a few minutes long.
 

 

[Rogue.8235]

That's a great experience!

I used to have similar experiences many times.  The key is the mindset people bring into the group.  One problem of online games is that the players tend to be reward-oriented only, B.F. Skinner style.  A group of players the bring this mindset into the group will get frustrated if the rewards aren't attained quickly so they can move on to the next reward.

What I did with my groups, and when I used to do open world commander tag stuff, is to immediately set the tone of of amicable small talk slowwly steered towards joyful learning.  It's The small talk is important to develop the sense of being part of a friendly team and to help coax people out of their shells.  The next is to turn that same cheerful tone towards solving the dungeon mechanic.  

It's extremely important that the dungeon mechanic is brought up and discussed in the same levity as the small talk.  You don't want the mechanics to be associated with anything else other than friendly small talk.  Bringing the conversation to mechanics will set up the group to teach/learn together.

I did the same thing with my commander tag in the open world, back when Orr temple events were very involved content.  Friendly chatter leading to friendly commanding and coordination.

 

Unfortunately, now that I'm blind I don't really have a way to spontaneously communicate with players in the game as it is completely visual.  I have come across something else, though.

 

Once I'm able to communicate how my blind vision works, people sometimes adapt to me to help me in the game.  I have light perception and motion perception, but my central vision (details) is pretty much gone.  What some have figured out is that if they dress their characters in the brightest glowing armor, I can actually follow them.  And they actually pay attention to me in-game to make sure I can keep up.  I have never experienced this in any other game as most players think I'm trolling or get frustrated with me because it's hard for me to keep up with a group that I can't see.  Only in GW2 has this sort of behavior arisen.

 

I wish games gave me a way to communicate in-game without having to coordinate the use of third party software for speech.  As it stands, almost every game limits itself to visual only communication.  It's really cool that GW2 players have found a way around it for me.

 

Thanks for sharing this.