One of my biggest concerns is can the solo player, through minimal group experience get the "Top Tier" shit and stay relevant?
I get joining the pick up raids, joining groups to do missions and even being part of a huge army to get the best stuff fast. The real question is do I need 20 good buddies to attain the good stuff? I love the ideas of armies and coop, do not get me wrong. I just find my play time / style is more solo. I don't want some "officer" defining my play time, when I need to be on and what I need to do. Should being in an army be an advantage, Hell yes! Should it stop people like myself and others from attaining the "good Stuff". Hell no!
I played EQ for 10+ years. I was in a high end guild for most of it. You HAD to be to get the good stuff. This really took away from the fun I found out later. DKP points, raid attendance and getting pissed on by a select few could get you kicked in no time. This stuff was bullshit and was so stressful. I had retired with the best gear and had 3 accounts twinked out. Times were good. BUT, when new content came out I found I fell behind the curve fast with no real way to catch up. The non-raid stuff was far inferior to the raiding gear. I had no desire to fulfill more guild requirements to "get back in the game" and didn't want to play old content to death, this eventually led to quitting I game I enjoyed for so long.
Firefall, in the beginning was not anything like my above experience. My son and I could go anywhere do anything. So long as I played nice in the "SANDBOX" with others to attain goals and resources, things were great. I felt I could still do it at my own pace with others, not having to be held captive by a "guild". I met so many other people like me with the same goals and interests, it was natural to fight side by side with them. We bonded and it was awesome, but when their playtime was down or mine, there was no worries, cause there was more people like us in armies or not to pick up the slack.
TLDR; Please do not make it a so armies are the only way to access the elite shit while those who do not want to go that route have no chance of attaining the same "power". I am not saying "solo" players should be able to do what an army is capable of in the same time frame. But there should be a way for the solo guys to keep up with extensive long drawn out methods and the occasional pick up group for him to stay relevant.
I get joining the pick up raids, joining groups to do missions and even being part of a huge army to get the best stuff fast. The real question is do I need 20 good buddies to attain the good stuff? I love the ideas of armies and coop, do not get me wrong. I just find my play time / style is more solo. I don't want some "officer" defining my play time, when I need to be on and what I need to do. Should being in an army be an advantage, Hell yes! Should it stop people like myself and others from attaining the "good Stuff". Hell no!
I played EQ for 10+ years. I was in a high end guild for most of it. You HAD to be to get the good stuff. This really took away from the fun I found out later. DKP points, raid attendance and getting pissed on by a select few could get you kicked in no time. This stuff was bullshit and was so stressful. I had retired with the best gear and had 3 accounts twinked out. Times were good. BUT, when new content came out I found I fell behind the curve fast with no real way to catch up. The non-raid stuff was far inferior to the raiding gear. I had no desire to fulfill more guild requirements to "get back in the game" and didn't want to play old content to death, this eventually led to quitting I game I enjoyed for so long.
Firefall, in the beginning was not anything like my above experience. My son and I could go anywhere do anything. So long as I played nice in the "SANDBOX" with others to attain goals and resources, things were great. I felt I could still do it at my own pace with others, not having to be held captive by a "guild". I met so many other people like me with the same goals and interests, it was natural to fight side by side with them. We bonded and it was awesome, but when their playtime was down or mine, there was no worries, cause there was more people like us in armies or not to pick up the slack.
TLDR; Please do not make it a so armies are the only way to access the elite shit while those who do not want to go that route have no chance of attaining the same "power". I am not saying "solo" players should be able to do what an army is capable of in the same time frame. But there should be a way for the solo guys to keep up with extensive long drawn out methods and the occasional pick up group for him to stay relevant.
