I love to socialize, but I have found that many mmo's these days allow loopholes for players to exploit often leading to destructive community game play.
I wouldn't say this is all the players fault.. I think some responsibility is with the devs too, but my point is that if developers design a game that rewards people for selfish behavior well then it's probably going to happen and it hurts the community. Soon enough the good guys realize that playing it right reaps no rewards and become jaded, untrusting people. Some even play long enough to become the villian. =P
Generally it depends most on my playtime. If I know I won't be able to play long I generally keep to myself and solo a bit if possible, play an alt, mess with cosmetics - whatever - and avoid interactions beyond saying hi to the guild, etc. If I know I have time to play I have no problem going out into the world and finding me a group to hunt with for a few hours.
Friends-wise I take it pretty... naturally I guess? I don't go out of my way to stockpile people on the friends list. I just group up a lot and once in awhile its like, 'hey this guys pretty cool i'mma see if he wants to be friends' or i'll have someone else say they want to add me.
THAT SAID this makes me a pretty sad lonely person on newer MMOs that don't really have groups outside of random dungeon finders to talk to new people :(
I think I am social but I end up applying biases that can hinder me somewhat.
What I mean is, I have an idea to do something and it needs a full group, can't be done with just 4 kind of thing. I've read up on it and I think can run the group and give information. So I will ask random people to join and help me and I explain the strats on the way what I think are good for the fight. The fragile moment is when we first start as a group and finding all the spots we need to be in, positioning, what spells might be better- that sort of thing, but if we can make it past that initial time I feel it loosens up a bit and I can act as people in that environment and working to achieve the goal. If we get through a few scrapes and succeed! I think to myself hey this is a good group, can I add you to friends and then go on.
But here's the thing, if I want to do something else I will think of these friends but say- oh this may not be worthy of their time, for they were really good- and not ask them. Unless I am in a "hard" camp or area and I will call on them in a second.
Kilsin said:How social are you in MMORPGs, do you keep to yourself and a handful of private family and friends or do you enjoy meeting new people and engaging with your fellow gamers? #PRF #MMORPG #MMO #communitymatters
I am very social in my MMORPGs. I honestly can't keep to myself, I feel like playing with others builds something so much greater.
-Todd
I've made good friends from MMOs outside of the game but have never met anybody personally. Sort of a shame because I've met some truly great ppl too.
But in game I think a lot know that it's the social aspect that draws me in the most. I love playing with other people and I love making friends and virtual enemies alike. I'm not really big into single player games/experiences. If I'm online you can almost gaurantee you'll find me in a group. No matter if I've only been online for 10 minutes or if I've only an hour to play. And if I don't have anything personal to do you can usually find me helping out others no matter who they are, what lvl they are, or what content they are completing. I'd rather help a stranger 15 lvls lower than me complete content I've already completed than craft or harvest. lol I didn't really level harvesting in VG until I was max level and I only did it so I could help out others with group harvesting. Don't think I've harvested in any other game >.<
Another social aspect of MMOs that's not everybody's fortay is voice chat and I'd have it no other way. One fond memory of one of my favorite guilds I've been apart of is most raiding guilds I've been in the atmosphere is usually to keep generally quiet and listen to the raid leaders/officers while working on progression and even times while farming. But my favorite was Unforgiven in VG where we could work on progression, get things accomplished, and crack jokes and laugh and tell stories for hours in voice chat without a hitch. It was like an online party every night and we would raid and we got busy. Some of my best memories from MMO gaming lay with that guild :'-)
Chogar said:
I use global/zone chat to get something accomplished (LFG or selling/buying an item as an example) not to strike up a conversation about the latest and greatest topic currently being discussed.
While in groups I am more social and will fill the silence with conversation if needed; however, I am still not a chatty person about out of game items.
I'm the same way. Possible I'm much more of a social person than you in MMOs but I don't really socialize much via public chat channels. I prefer making friends and the personal connections that come with em.
Being social is my daily MEAT. I can't allow private friends, family, or even guilds to prevent me from meeting as many people as possible. I'm typically the person that calls LFG or asks for help due to knowing how to write creative dialog...I never say the same thing twice, and it works.
I also try to make my current group have a fun time. It may be fireworks, cakes, too many drinks, jumping, using weird spells, or being absurdly humorous. Sometimes I give away things and make a game out of it. There's a lot of things I do in order to have a moment with as many people as possible.
So really, I just want to have a party with everyone. Modern games do make it harder.
The older I get (I'm not that old to begin with) the more reclusive and introverted I am lol. When I think of bringing back meaningful communication in MMORPGs I think of having content that encourages that, whatever that content be. I'm not going to just run up to Ipwnunub just to say hello. If he or she is doing something that I have a similar interest in (whether I need it done as well, there's a puzzle, he or she is in danger, or he or she has discovered something), I will converse. My small talk days are long behind me.
Kilsin said:How social are you in MMORPGs, do you keep to yourself and a handful of private family and friends or do you enjoy meeting new people and engaging with your fellow gamers? #PRF #MMORPG #MMO #communitymatters
I'm social. I am the kind of person to seek out groups, join guilds, creat events. I find it fun to work together in these games and you have to be social to get the best benefits from pantheon I believe.
Sadly I can say I'm not as social as I was when I was younger in MMO's. I'm not sure if it's solely because I've become more socialy anxious, or if the general community of MMO's over the years has deteriorated, but I do very much enjoy when I find a group or guild of good people I can be social with. I'm hoping Pantheon will have the great community (which is the case I've seen so far on the forums) to help this feeling thrive in me :D