God even typing "Solo focused MMO's" makes my skin crawl.
no one asks you to play them
Did i somehow imply that someone had asked me to play them? I was simply expressing my displeasure at the fact that we can even type "solo focused MMO". 10 years ago i would have never thought in a million years someone would even utter the phrase in a sentence.
wait ... you find displeasure in entertainment products that others enjoy and you will never touch?
So do you find displeasure in the existence of movies you do not like, and novels you do not read too?
Narius you're falling off your game big time bro. I never said, or in any way implied any of that. You're simply projecting your bullshit onto my post. All i said was "I", thats me, and only me, was expressing my displeasure at the fact those words can even be uttered.
Whether or not other people are enjoying said solo focused MMO's is irrelevant. For the record, i don't really give a shit. Ill give you more examples, i hate harry potter, think its stupid. Same thing with Anime. But i literally don't care if there are people out there who enjoy it. I may think they're idiots, but they have a right to enjoy things they enjoy.
Trying to equate me finding displeasure at the state of MMO's to meaning i find displeasure at their mere existence is ridiculous.
Up your game man, seriously.
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."
Basically clicking away text windows ruins every MMO, try to have fun instead of rushing things. Without story and lore all there is left is a bunch of mechanics. Reply Add Multi-Quote
THE OP IS JOKING AND BEING SARCASTIC. he has been on this site since 2009 and has had about 1000 posts. He is just trolling lol. He is being uber sarcastic.
IMPORTANT: Please keep all replies to my posts about GAMING. Please no negative or backhanded comments directed at me personally. If you are going to post a reply that includes how you feel about me, please don't bother replying & just ignore my post instead. I'm on this forum to talk about GAMING. Thank you.
Originally posted by time007 THE OP IS JOKING AND BEING SARCASTIC. he has been on this site since 2009 and has had about 1000 posts. He is just trolling lol. He is being uber sarcastic.
Because people who have been here a while don't ever look for new games? O_o
wait ... you find displeasure in entertainment products that others enjoy and you will never touch?
So do you find displeasure in the existence of movies you do not like, and novels you do not read too?
Why not? Ain't that what all the MMO Gamers do toward the MMORPGers even mentioning that an MMORPG actually get made?
Because since lots of entertainment products are not produced for you, you will find lots of displeasure? That sounds like a losing strategy to me. Why not just find the entertainment you like, and enjoy?
Which is exactly what I do.
Ahhh, you're one of those. You know exactly why we cringe at the sound of someone asking for a solo focused MMORPG, you are just flaming. You have been around these boards long enough to know that many long time MMO fans hate that the genre has become so solo centric. You say go find a game that suits us, well that's the problem now isn't it? They just don't make them anymore now do they?
They make plenty of games that require grouping, just not for the leveling path. Which considering that... the OP's question is kind of legitimate (serious or not). Few games do offer much solo content past that leveling path, it is kinda strange when you think about it, one group hates group content, one hates solo content, yet to fully enjoy today's games you have to put up with both at some point in the game. Kinda alienates both sides in the end...
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
A better question is, what MMORPG isn't solo focused now days? Even with the most group centric MMORPG's now days, only 10% ish of the content is group based, leaving 90% of the game soloable.
After I spend 50 hours gonig through the tutorial and reach level cap. There are no longer any solo content left.
The only thing I can do is dungeons, raids, arenas, realm vs realm, world events, and pvp. Those are all group content.
Is there any mmorpg that actually have solo content after 50 hours of tutorial?
I can see your frustration, most MMOs have 95% solocontent until you hit levelcap when it drops down to close to zero.
Sucks for us groupers as well, I wish there were some games with the entire game focused for one of the groups instead of all of them just annoying people prefering one or the other.
Anyways, try the original Guildwars, it is old but good and the henchmen/hero mechanics allows you to run the entire game solo, some things do get slightly harder but you can solo all PvE content.
After I spend 50 hours gonig through the tutorial and reach level cap. There are no longer any solo content left.
The only thing I can do is dungeons, raids, arenas, realm vs realm, world events, and pvp. Those are all group content.
Is there any mmorpg that actually have solo content after 50 hours of tutorial?
MMOs should never be Solo Focused. If thats what you want Single Player games are for you. Its like saying I want to play Football alone. You cannot play football alone its a TEAM sport. If you want a sport you can do alone try running.
Play a "Massively Multiplayer" game just to play by your self. Brilliant, ....ing Brilliant!
Lemme go to this car show with my motorcycle real quick.
Lemme order some chicken at a steak house.
Lemme put a motor on my sail boat.
Lemme be a ....ing moron and have people tell me its alright.
Re evaluate your self, if you play mmos to have a single player experience you need to be put down.
Massively Multiplayer games can have many solo people playing in the same world and interacting without "grouping" to have fun. Some of the "draws" to these persistent online games (that you can't find in traditional offline single player games) to Solo players are:
* They have content that is constantly updated. New goals, new items, new enemies, new areas, more story.
* Their accomplishments can be meaningful to their friends (even if done separately). They can help their friends with gifts of items they don't need, or money, or whatever. (Some MMOs even have world goals that can be worked on by the entire population regardless of being solo or in groups)
* They have the option of grouping to take on challenges that are too difficult at their level of progression alone, if they want to progress faster.
* Usually there is an economy in MMO games that some people like to take part in.
* They like to socialize over chat channels while they do their own thing.
* Many are "Free to play" , compared to the expense of buying new games.
Reasons for Solo Play despite options to group:
* They might be shy.
* might not like others foul language, choice of jokes
* Don't like the expectations placed on them, just using games to relax and are less demanding of perfection which makes "raid" content far too tiresome.
* Lack of communication skills on their part, on others' parts.
* Their schedules do not allow them to regularly meet for planned gaming sessions. (or even play at the same time) and they may have to leave abruptly.
* Satisfaction of accomplishments done alone that most only achieve in groups.
* Don't want to form "friendships" with strangers online, and none of their offline friends play the same game.
* Don't want to be forced into guilds/clans and all the drama that comes with it.
None of the reasons to Solo are in opposition to playing an online game, if they're not forced to group. Personally, I'd very gladly play an MMORPG that focused on solo while allowing groups. All the pros of offline games, with the benefits of online.
Grouping should be something fun that people want to engage in, not something forced upon people. Have friends you want to play with, GREAT. No content should be locked behind forced group content. There should be alternative means to acquire any items, even if they're just alternative items with identical stats that can be crafted (where gathering the ingredients is also solo) or quested solo.
So yeah, the whole "MMO"-game-means-always-playing-together" argument has no legs in my book.
After I spend 50 hours gonig through the tutorial and reach level cap. There are no longer any solo content left.
The only thing I can do is dungeons, raids, arenas, realm vs realm, world events, and pvp. Those are all group content.
Is there any mmorpg that actually have solo content after 50 hours of tutorial?
I can see your frustration, most MMOs have 95% solocontent until you hit levelcap when it drops down to close to zero.
Sucks for us groupers as well, I wish there were some games with the entire game focused for one of the groups instead of all of them just annoying people prefering one or the other.
Anyways, try the original Guildwars, it is old but good and the henchmen/hero mechanics allows you to run the entire game solo, some things do get slightly harder but you can solo all PvE content.
I remember trying GW when GW2 was in development and realising I could solo everything with henchmen,I said on these forums something like (what is the point of an MMORPG where you can solo everything?,I don't even class this game as an MMORPG' and got flamed by GW fanboys and said I was a liar.I remember you being in the 'debate' lol
After I spend 50 hours gonig through the tutorial and reach level cap. There are no longer any solo content left.
The only thing I can do is dungeons, raids, arenas, realm vs realm, world events, and pvp. Those are all group content.
Is there any mmorpg that actually have solo content after 50 hours of tutorial?
MMOs should never be Solo Focused. If thats what you want Single Player games are for you. Its like saying I want to play Football alone. You cannot play football alone its a TEAM sport. If you want a sport you can do alone try running.
Two different things unless it's a football MMO... everyone doesn't play every game the same way. Whatever game I want to play is for me and it's up to me how I want to play it.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Play a "Massively Multiplayer" game just to play by your self. Brilliant, ....ing Brilliant!
Lemme go to this car show with my motorcycle real quick.
Lemme order some chicken at a steak house.
Lemme put a motor on my sail boat.
Lemme be a ....ing moron and have people tell me its alright.
Re evaluate your self, if you play mmos to have a single player experience you need to be put down.
Massively Multiplayer games can have many solo people playing in the same world and interacting without "grouping" to have fun. Some of the "draws" to these persistent online games (that you can't find in traditional offline single player games) to Solo players are:
* They have content that is constantly updated. New goals, new items, new enemies, new areas, more story.
* Their accomplishments can be meaningful to their friends (even if done separately). They can help their friends with gifts of items they don't need, or money, or whatever. (Some MMOs even have world goals that can be worked on by the entire population regardless of being solo or in groups)
* They have the option of grouping to take on challenges that are too difficult at their level of progression alone, if they want to progress faster.
* Usually there is an economy in MMO games that some people like to take part in.
* They like to socialize over chat channels while they do their own thing.
* Many are "Free to play" , compared to the expense of buying new games.
Reasons for Solo Play despite options to group:
* They might be shy.
* might not like others foul language, choice of jokes
* Don't like the expectations placed on them, just using games to relax and are less demanding of perfection which makes "raid" content far too tiresome.
* Lack of communication skills on their part, on others' parts.
* Their schedules do not allow them to regularly meet for planned gaming sessions. (or even play at the same time) and they may have to leave abruptly.
* Satisfaction of accomplishments done alone that most only achieve in groups.
* Don't want to form "friendships" with strangers online, and none of their offline friends play the same game.
* Don't want to be forced into guilds/clans and all the drama that comes with it.
None of the reasons to Solo are in opposition to playing an online game, if they're not forced to group. Personally, I'd very gladly play an MMORPG that focused on solo while allowing groups. All the pros of offline games, with the benefits of online.
Grouping should be something fun that people want to engage in, not something forced upon people. Have friends you want to play with, GREAT. No content should be locked behind forced group content. There should be alternative means to acquire any items, even if they're just alternative items with identical stats that can be crafted (where gathering the ingredients is also solo) or quested solo.
So yeah, the whole "MMO"-game-means-always-playing-together" argument has no legs in my book.
+1 Maybe I don't want to kill stuff at all. Maybe I just want to craft and run my business, grouping not required for that. UO, SWG, and a lot of other games had solo stuff from the start so how can people say MMORPG's are only meant for grouping when clearly by design they're not.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Play a "Massively Multiplayer" game just to play by your self. Brilliant, ....ing Brilliant!
Lemme go to this car show with my motorcycle real quick.
Lemme order some chicken at a steak house.
Lemme put a motor on my sail boat.
Lemme be a ....ing moron and have people tell me its alright.
Re evaluate your self, if you play mmos to have a single player experience you need to be put down.
Massively Multiplayer games can have many solo people playing in the same world and interacting without "grouping" to have fun. Some of the "draws" to these persistent online games (that you can't find in traditional offline single player games) to Solo players are:
* They have content that is constantly updated. New goals, new items, new enemies, new areas, more story.
* Their accomplishments can be meaningful to their friends (even if done separately). They can help their friends with gifts of items they don't need, or money, or whatever. (Some MMOs even have world goals that can be worked on by the entire population regardless of being solo or in groups)
* They have the option of grouping to take on challenges that are too difficult at their level of progression alone, if they want to progress faster.
* Usually there is an economy in MMO games that some people like to take part in.
* They like to socialize over chat channels while they do their own thing.
* Many are "Free to play" , compared to the expense of buying new games.
Reasons for Solo Play despite options to group:
* They might be shy.
* might not like others foul language, choice of jokes
* Don't like the expectations placed on them, just using games to relax and are less demanding of perfection which makes "raid" content far too tiresome.
* Lack of communication skills on their part, on others' parts.
* Their schedules do not allow them to regularly meet for planned gaming sessions. (or even play at the same time) and they may have to leave abruptly.
* Satisfaction of accomplishments done alone that most only achieve in groups.
* Don't want to form "friendships" with strangers online, and none of their offline friends play the same game.
* Don't want to be forced into guilds/clans and all the drama that comes with it.
None of the reasons to Solo are in opposition to playing an online game, if they're not forced to group. Personally, I'd very gladly play an MMORPG that focused on solo while allowing groups. All the pros of offline games, with the benefits of online.
Grouping should be something fun that people want to engage in, not something forced upon people. Have friends you want to play with, GREAT. No content should be locked behind forced group content. There should be alternative means to acquire any items, even if they're just alternative items with identical stats that can be crafted (where gathering the ingredients is also solo) or quested solo.
So yeah, the whole "MMO"-game-means-always-playing-together" argument has no legs in my book.
This post makes me think you have never played a actual mmo, not any of this new crap label mmo, a game where you need to depend on others for most but not everything, a game that take effort to achieve something, not just log in once a week to stay on par with everyone else... And you seem to want to roll about every type of possible gamer into one game and make a cluster fuck to try and make everyone happy and call that abomination a MMO just because you CAN if you wanna, have the option to talk to someone other then your self or party to do a mission even though it would probably be easier to finish it by your self? I'm sorry but that doesn't sound like a mmo to me. Sounds like a game for the brain dead that gets their jollys by mashing a few buttons and seeing a big sparkly CONGRADUATIONS you solo killed this like everyone else, heres EPICS! Come back next week to feel good again!
Anytime someone wants to make a MMO SOLO that defeats the purpose of MMO does it not? If you want a single player lobby game great (ex. skyforge) but to call these mmos and to come to a mmo thread looking for a solo game that is just fucked up.
All of my observations are from personal experience or others I have seen in my travels.
I started online gaming by playing MUDs (helped run a MUD for a few years).
Since I could only afford one subscription MMO each month, I chose FFXI. (liked the series as the basis, but they butchered Dragoon, and for years, Monk was unwanted for parties... my favorite two jobs made me an outcast)
I've played FFXI for... well, since the month prior to the 2nd expansion release... how many years is that?(still have a character with several max level jobs. 40-60man raids? been there, done that, hated that. forced grouping just to level? been there, done that, hated that. Forced groups just to see the storyline? been there, done that, hated that. (especially when the rest of the party doesn't care about the story and they spam past all the dialogue and are waiting on you to start a battle).
But, FFXI also had amazing world-population based objectives and activities that anyone could partake in. Beastman attacks on a city, A war in the past, colonization of a wild land... massive group activities you could do solo or in groups. And that's just a few. The problem was they never rewarded those activities appropriately to maintain population interest, gating all the really good stuff behind forced group content *sigh*. So even though they were fun activities, they became simply diversions or methods of gaining levels that could be done faster elsewhere. I had high hopes.
I used to have a static group to play with and completed several expansion storylines, but they've all moved on, so I've let my subscription lapse for a few months - since nothing worthwhile as regards my goals, can be done solo.) They've changed from lateral progression to "Item level gear" progression that requires groups to attain... so, essentially, you get gear to level up now, and can't get that gear without fighting bosses that require groups... blech.
I've played numerous FreeToPlay games such as Ultima Online, Atlantica Online, Anarchy Online, TERA (just started and I love the combat, but my laptop doesn't), and Rappelz.
I've experienced plenty of different MMOs, with plenty of solo content, plenty of grouped content, group reliant content... and I think there are plenty of ways to make grouping satisfying in a game where you can solo to make the same progress as grouped players, just at your own pace.
Grouping has to be made fun and rewarding... (FFXI had skillchains which for many years required multiple skills used by different party members to create bursts of damage... this encouraged group play. Didn't need that to solo, but it benefited groups.) I would expand on the abilities that can chain, and grant other bonuses for teams working together. I would suggest an experience bonus to groups, rather than a penalty, like some grouping games... sure grouping makes it easier to kill enemies, but groups take TONS of time to organize and are constantly disturbed, disbanded, delayed, etc, by different party member's outside lives.
I would also say, the Tank/Healer/Damage trinity needs to DIE. Most of my problems with forced grouping comes from needing specific roles for the group to succeed. Without those roles, you might as well not leave town... so you don't leave town, and you stand around all day, only to play for half an hour and everyone disbands... yeah... the reality of forced grouping in MOST games I've played.
ANYWAY... Solo content is GOOD for MMOs. Group content is GOOD for MMOs. Forced either way is BAD for MMOs.
I'll keep looking for a dev group that gets it right, and hope they present a world I'd like to play in with classes or abilities that I'd like to use. (Watch some western or zombie apocalypse MMOrpg get it right and I can't stand the setting...)
Comments
Narius you're falling off your game big time bro. I never said, or in any way implied any of that. You're simply projecting your bullshit onto my post. All i said was "I", thats me, and only me, was expressing my displeasure at the fact those words can even be uttered.
Whether or not other people are enjoying said solo focused MMO's is irrelevant. For the record, i don't really give a shit. Ill give you more examples, i hate harry potter, think its stupid. Same thing with Anime. But i literally don't care if there are people out there who enjoy it. I may think they're idiots, but they have a right to enjoy things they enjoy.
Trying to equate me finding displeasure at the state of MMO's to meaning i find displeasure at their mere existence is ridiculous.
Up your game man, seriously.
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Maple story.
Have fun.
Basically clicking away text windows ruins every MMO, try to have fun instead of rushing things. Without story and lore all there is left is a bunch of mechanics.
Reply
Add Multi-Quote
Because people who have been here a while don't ever look for new games? O_o
They make plenty of games that require grouping, just not for the leveling path. Which considering that... the OP's question is kind of legitimate (serious or not). Few games do offer much solo content past that leveling path, it is kinda strange when you think about it, one group hates group content, one hates solo content, yet to fully enjoy today's games you have to put up with both at some point in the game. Kinda alienates both sides in the end...
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
because of the IP & gameplay? There is no reason to discriminate against the game just because it is a MMO.
Hedonismbot: Your latest performance was as delectable as dipping my bottom over and over into a bath of the silkiest oils and creams.
I can see your frustration, most MMOs have 95% solocontent until you hit levelcap when it drops down to close to zero.
Sucks for us groupers as well, I wish there were some games with the entire game focused for one of the groups instead of all of them just annoying people prefering one or the other.
Anyways, try the original Guildwars, it is old but good and the henchmen/hero mechanics allows you to run the entire game solo, some things do get slightly harder but you can solo all PvE content.
"I am my connectome" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HA7GwKXfJB0
Play a "Massively Multiplayer" game just to play by your self. Brilliant, Fucking Brilliant!
Lemme go to this car show with my motorcycle real quick.
Lemme order some chicken at a steak house.
Lemme put a motor on my sail boat.
Lemme be a fucking moron and have people tell me its alright.
Re evaluate your self, if you play mmos to have a single player experience you need to be put down.
MMOs should never be Solo Focused. If thats what you want Single Player games are for you. Its like saying I want to play Football alone. You cannot play football alone its a TEAM sport. If you want a sport you can do alone try running.
Massively Multiplayer games can have many solo people playing in the same world and interacting without "grouping" to have fun. Some of the "draws" to these persistent online games (that you can't find in traditional offline single player games) to Solo players are:
* They have content that is constantly updated. New goals, new items, new enemies, new areas, more story.
* Their accomplishments can be meaningful to their friends (even if done separately). They can help their friends with gifts of items they don't need, or money, or whatever. (Some MMOs even have world goals that can be worked on by the entire population regardless of being solo or in groups)
* They have the option of grouping to take on challenges that are too difficult at their level of progression alone, if they want to progress faster.
* Usually there is an economy in MMO games that some people like to take part in.
* They like to socialize over chat channels while they do their own thing.
* Many are "Free to play" , compared to the expense of buying new games.
Reasons for Solo Play despite options to group:
* They might be shy.
* might not like others foul language, choice of jokes
* Don't like the expectations placed on them, just using games to relax and are less demanding of perfection which makes "raid" content far too tiresome.
* Lack of communication skills on their part, on others' parts.
* Their schedules do not allow them to regularly meet for planned gaming sessions. (or even play at the same time) and they may have to leave abruptly.
* Satisfaction of accomplishments done alone that most only achieve in groups.
* Don't want to form "friendships" with strangers online, and none of their offline friends play the same game.
* Don't want to be forced into guilds/clans and all the drama that comes with it.
None of the reasons to Solo are in opposition to playing an online game, if they're not forced to group. Personally, I'd very gladly play an MMORPG that focused on solo while allowing groups. All the pros of offline games, with the benefits of online.
Grouping should be something fun that people want to engage in, not something forced upon people. Have friends you want to play with, GREAT. No content should be locked behind forced group content. There should be alternative means to acquire any items, even if they're just alternative items with identical stats that can be crafted (where gathering the ingredients is also solo) or quested solo.
So yeah, the whole "MMO"-game-means-always-playing-together" argument has no legs in my book.
I remember trying GW when GW2 was in development and realising I could solo everything with henchmen,I said on these forums something like (what is the point of an MMORPG where you can solo everything?,I don't even class this game as an MMORPG' and got flamed by GW fanboys and said I was a liar.I remember you being in the 'debate' lol
Two different things unless it's a football MMO... everyone doesn't play every game the same way. Whatever game I want to play is for me and it's up to me how I want to play it.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
+1 Maybe I don't want to kill stuff at all. Maybe I just want to craft and run my business, grouping not required for that. UO, SWG, and a lot of other games had solo stuff from the start so how can people say MMORPG's are only meant for grouping when clearly by design they're not.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
This post makes me think you have never played a actual mmo, not any of this new crap label mmo, a game where you need to depend on others for most but not everything, a game that take effort to achieve something, not just log in once a week to stay on par with everyone else... And you seem to want to roll about every type of possible gamer into one game and make a cluster fuck to try and make everyone happy and call that abomination a MMO just because you CAN if you wanna, have the option to talk to someone other then your self or party to do a mission even though it would probably be easier to finish it by your self? I'm sorry but that doesn't sound like a mmo to me. Sounds like a game for the brain dead that gets their jollys by mashing a few buttons and seeing a big sparkly CONGRADUATIONS you solo killed this like everyone else, heres EPICS! Come back next week to feel good again!
Anytime someone wants to make a MMO SOLO that defeats the purpose of MMO does it not? If you want a single player lobby game great (ex. skyforge) but to call these mmos and to come to a mmo thread looking for a solo game that is just fucked up.
All of my observations are from personal experience or others I have seen in my travels.
I started online gaming by playing MUDs (helped run a MUD for a few years).
Since I could only afford one subscription MMO each month, I chose FFXI. (liked the series as the basis, but they butchered Dragoon, and for years, Monk was unwanted for parties... my favorite two jobs made me an outcast)
I've played FFXI for... well, since the month prior to the 2nd expansion release... how many years is that?(still have a character with several max level jobs. 40-60man raids? been there, done that, hated that. forced grouping just to level? been there, done that, hated that. Forced groups just to see the storyline? been there, done that, hated that. (especially when the rest of the party doesn't care about the story and they spam past all the dialogue and are waiting on you to start a battle).
But, FFXI also had amazing world-population based objectives and activities that anyone could partake in. Beastman attacks on a city, A war in the past, colonization of a wild land... massive group activities you could do solo or in groups. And that's just a few. The problem was they never rewarded those activities appropriately to maintain population interest, gating all the really good stuff behind forced group content *sigh*. So even though they were fun activities, they became simply diversions or methods of gaining levels that could be done faster elsewhere. I had high hopes.
I used to have a static group to play with and completed several expansion storylines, but they've all moved on, so I've let my subscription lapse for a few months - since nothing worthwhile as regards my goals, can be done solo.) They've changed from lateral progression to "Item level gear" progression that requires groups to attain... so, essentially, you get gear to level up now, and can't get that gear without fighting bosses that require groups... blech.
I've played numerous FreeToPlay games such as Ultima Online, Atlantica Online, Anarchy Online, TERA (just started and I love the combat, but my laptop doesn't), and Rappelz.
I've experienced plenty of different MMOs, with plenty of solo content, plenty of grouped content, group reliant content... and I think there are plenty of ways to make grouping satisfying in a game where you can solo to make the same progress as grouped players, just at your own pace.
Grouping has to be made fun and rewarding... (FFXI had skillchains which for many years required multiple skills used by different party members to create bursts of damage... this encouraged group play. Didn't need that to solo, but it benefited groups.) I would expand on the abilities that can chain, and grant other bonuses for teams working together. I would suggest an experience bonus to groups, rather than a penalty, like some grouping games... sure grouping makes it easier to kill enemies, but groups take TONS of time to organize and are constantly disturbed, disbanded, delayed, etc, by different party member's outside lives.
I would also say, the Tank/Healer/Damage trinity needs to DIE. Most of my problems with forced grouping comes from needing specific roles for the group to succeed. Without those roles, you might as well not leave town... so you don't leave town, and you stand around all day, only to play for half an hour and everyone disbands... yeah... the reality of forced grouping in MOST games I've played.
ANYWAY... Solo content is GOOD for MMOs. Group content is GOOD for MMOs. Forced either way is BAD for MMOs.
I'll keep looking for a dev group that gets it right, and hope they present a world I'd like to play in with classes or abilities that I'd like to use. (Watch some western or zombie apocalypse MMOrpg get it right and I can't stand the setting...)