Cata - more group-oriented than previous expansions/versions

[Sukurachi]

My sense is that Cataclysm will be seriously more group-oriented than any of the previous gameplay for World of Warcraft.

In a way, this disappoints me, as I am almost uniquely a solo/duo player.

Even from the sound of things on various fora, the new zones will be difficult if you are not equipped with gear that is mostly dungeon or BG epics.

Is this other peoples' sense as well? or am I maybe reading too much into this?

[Teigan]

No, I'm getting the same feeling. From the new pet buffs/debuffs to the content I've heard about. I leveled up my first toon completely solo, so I know where you are coming from with the appeal of solo play. Wasn't till I joined Petopians that I stopped being so much of a recluse. But, I like being able to do stuff on my own, just me and my trusty pet. I hope that isn't being taken away, but I wonder if it is.

[Sukurachi]

I even have my own guild... technically, there are 4 people in it. One is my husband, the other two are a couple of friends from Nevada I know through professional channels.

I don't like the idea of strangers in the guild. I hate drama.

But all that means is that we won't have access to all the cool guild leveling rewards in Cata. Which is a shame.

[Sarayana]

Well, don't forget that they're still adjusting everything to do with combat - how hard we hit, how hard the mobs hit, what our stats will be like, etc. etc. I wouldn't assume the need for high-end gear for the last two zones is necessarily going live. They might even adjust it after going live.

That being said, I do think Blizz is really emphasising the mmo aspect of the game. Perhaps not so much in terms of requirements for general leveling and such, but in terms of rewards, definitely.

[Cryptography]

Join petopians then. Friendly people who are unlikely to have too much drama!

[Sukurachi]

I'm already in Petopians, Horde side.
But my main and all my toons are on The Scryers, where I have 6 level 80s, and at least another 6 level 70+, along with every craft either at cap, or nearly so.

[Worba]

My sense is that Cataclysm will be seriously more group-oriented than any of the previous gameplay for World of Warcraft.

In a way, this disappoints me, as I am almost uniquely a solo/duo player.

Even from the sound of things on various fora, the new zones will be difficult if you are not equipped with gear that is mostly dungeon or BG epics.

Is this other peoples' sense as well? or am I maybe reading too much into this?

I'm not in beta so I can only speculate however that being said your post definitely resonates with me but probably not in the exact same way...

I love to solo and always have. I also do a fair amount of grouping (taking a rest for now but for a while I was doing 2-3 per day avg) but solo'ing is really what I prefer... and I've long felt that solo zones were way too easy.

I don't want to be forced to group to encounter difficulty; sure, group events should always yield better rewards and all that, but at least give me a reasonable amount of solo areas that still take work to complete... and which don't cease to become challenging just because I have a moderate amount of 5 man gear either.

[Bellatryx]

I think things are still being ironed out.. someone very wise on MMO-Champion said that the beta we're seeing isn't exactly anywhere close to the dev's beta. I also assume that blizzard knows that people soloing and striking it out on their own is their bread and butter, most other games do force you to have a fair amount of grouping to achieve your goal.. I'm sure they know that they'd lose most of their casual players if they made such a change.

[Kalliope]

LK was the soloing expansion, so why not have Cata swing it back the other way? This IS an MMO after all.

That said, I don't think Blizzard is going to take away solo play. Giving experience for gathering nodes is not exactly going to buff a group.

Consider that all of these guild perks are just that: perks. They are not necessary for playing the game. If you want to do big group-oriented things in game (raiding/rated bgs), then you may actually truly benefit from the perks (a free post-wipe raid res sounds lovely in that regard), but smaller guilds shouldn't actually need them. They're bonuses.

[cowmuflage]

WHat Kalliope said. You don't need those guild rewards they're bonuses not game winning things. Really some of the things you get would proberly be wasted on a small guild like the raid rez etc

[Bellatryx]

I thought there was an article or comment somewhere that stated that guild leveling isn't purely going to be about raid progression so that more casual guilds are able to reap the benefits.. but maybe i'm wrong.

I hope this is the case. I'm all about playing in groups but it's seriously hard to find someone who would be willing to play the exact same times you are.

[cowmuflage]

yeah you don't need to raid to get the perks but i was just saying about the people complaining that well some of the bigger perks would be a waste on a small guild cos well they are not made for them. ya dig?

[Kalliope]

That's a good point. The theory is that the stuff that needs raiding/bging groups to unlock will be useless to a guild that doesn't do those things en masse. The focus on "top contributors" to a guild was removed, so everyone can earn rep equally. If people are focusing on the OOHSHINY rewards only open to hardcore raiders/pvpers, well, those would have been out of reach, even if they'd just been listed among the achievements, y'know? Just because these things are suddenly listed as "guild rewards," the effort put in to get them would be the same. Same deal, just a different presentation.

[Slickrock]

Remember, there are adding things like exp from gathering to help those who solo and aren't as much into raiding and such.

My goal is to find a decent sized guild, and sit back quietly and do my thing, still contributing to the guild achievments but at the same time getting those benefits. I might try to get in a raiding guild as a non-raiding member for the experience benefits.

[Lisaara]

I like solos and groups but I think it's a little too soon to call it out as being group-oriented.

[Sukurachi]

Remember, there are adding things like exp from gathering to help those who solo and aren't as much into raiding and such.

I find that experience, per se, is not the difficult thing. I've gotten a good dozen toons to 70+, six of them to 80. So experience isn't the make-or-break factor here.

I'm mildly disappointed (but understanding in a way as well) that so many of the "perks" they are adding (things that are not game-changing, but more "for fun") appear to be group-related.

[Nakari]

The thing is, a lot of people think WotLK was a bit too "solo-friendly", or to be more precise "guild-unfriendly" (and I happen to agree with them). Because of the dungeon finder, much more accessible raids even for PUGs, and very good gear buyable from emblems, a solo player could achieve much more than ever before in WoW. I don't think that's a bad thing per se, but it devalued the importance of guilds a abit, which they now try to bring back with the guild perk system. You still don't need to be in a guild to do x, but you get some bonuses when you are - which IMO is fine.

[Sarayana]

"guild-unfriendly"

I couldn't agree more. There seems to have been a massive decline in guild loyalty in Wrath. I definitely look forward to this system, where you're rewarded for loyalty but not in a game-breaking way that forces you to stay if you're unhappy (or to join a guild if you prefer to be solo).

[Kalliope]

"guild-unfriendly"

I couldn't agree more. There seems to have been a massive decline in guild loyalty in Wrath. I definitely look forward to this system, where you're rewarded for loyalty but not in a game-breaking way that forces you to stay if you're unhappy (or to join a guild if you prefer to be solo).

Seconded.

[Slickrock]

And it's going to make choosing a guild all the more important.

My last real raiding guild was taken over by 17-year-old pricks. Quality of vent and my opprotunities in the guild went down fast.

I will likely try to negotiate with a raiding guild to become a non-raiding member, and hide in a corner and do my thing.

WTB mature guild on my server.