Im interested in actually getting a feel of why people play as they do instead of biased assumptions.
Not a debate over what is "best", intended, etc or a blast at others playstyle, but instead personal reasons.
For Me
I play this game for fun. Throw whatever label you wish on me, but for myself I don't do random groups because it isn't fun, to me.
I doubt that most random pugs would find it "fun" when I do things like take ten minute posing and taking screenshots of things like the floating stone bridge in Riven Earth mid vanquish and waiting for all the minions to die to do so. I really like playing tourist and it drives most groups insane. I think I do a lot of things that would cause the average GW player to bang their head on the desk.
Since my first MMO in 2002 or so I have never found grouping to be fun nor have I really understood that. Just my take on it though.
I like to do a good job, and in groups I find myself no longer playing to my needs, but instead playing to serve the needs and goals of other people, and that becomes very stressful and pressuring to me. I play to escape stress and pressure.
In my case it is not at all about judging other people, disliking them, or being antisocial. It is just a choice to play in a manner that is most comfortable and enjoyable to me. I love GW because of that choice.
Grouping.. Why or Why not?
Lasai
BFG
Agreed. I rarely join a group for anything, unless it's absolutely necessary. With the 7-hero update, my choices in play are increased.
EPO Bot
I pug because if i want a good single player game i rather play Mass effect or something.
Zebideedee
I group mostly for fun, when I'm doing FoW or vanquishing, it's hero time, my heroes put up with phonecalls and snack/drink/tv breaks etc. It would have to be some pretty desperate people who would put up with that 
Sometimes I even start watching tv in a lengthy one and forget I'm mid vanq. etc. never heard one word of complaint from my heroes (although they probably hate me in their own way
).
Sometimes I even start watching tv in a lengthy one and forget I'm mid vanq. etc. never heard one word of complaint from my heroes (although they probably hate me in their own way
LostThing
Random groups...no, would rather not join them. Not much fun, people always thinking they know it all...just...bah.
That's why I team up with guildies whenever possible, never any problems, we know each others playstyles and whatnot and actually have the patience to wait for each other.
And for the rest...heroes!
That's why I team up with guildies whenever possible, never any problems, we know each others playstyles and whatnot and actually have the patience to wait for each other.
And for the rest...heroes!
Thrilla Killa
I don't do random groups simply because of the "bad taste it left in my mouth" from pre-hero times. Back during prophecies, if you weren't a monk, there would be a good chance you would be excluded from a group. You would sit there for literally hours "LFG" in outpost, and nothing would happen unless you got lucky, or you went with friends. It really turned me off from that type of gameplay. If i have no choice,and i absolutley need to get something done quick and real people is needed, then i would join if that was my only option. Other than that, i just use heroes and the occasional partner.
Nubarus
I stopped playing this game because I got sick and tired of the pvxwiki build players who force you to use a pvxwiki certified build or else you get kicked from the team.
I have been playing this game without any pvx build with great succes for years so I see no reason to change.
But most of my old guild and alliance who I used to team up with quit as well, and none of them where forcing build templates to anyone, if ppl asked for help we gave em advice, not forcing a build down their throat.
And with the 7 heroes the game (at least for me) got boring, I fly through HM mobs like they are made of wet newspaper.
The end of GW for me at least, GW2 I pass on as well.
So grouping killed the gameplay for me, at least with pugs, and not grouping with 7 heroes is boring.
I have been playing this game without any pvx build with great succes for years so I see no reason to change.
But most of my old guild and alliance who I used to team up with quit as well, and none of them where forcing build templates to anyone, if ppl asked for help we gave em advice, not forcing a build down their throat.
And with the 7 heroes the game (at least for me) got boring, I fly through HM mobs like they are made of wet newspaper.
The end of GW for me at least, GW2 I pass on as well.
So grouping killed the gameplay for me, at least with pugs, and not grouping with 7 heroes is boring.
enter_the_zone
I used to group with allies and friends, before they all went offline. Also used to pug for elite areas. I stopped random grouping for missions after the second mission in Prophecies. I can only tolerate so much failure because the monk is afk or the warrior is a nub who can't pull etc..
pingu666
i quite like teaming up with randoms, the shared experience etc, plus some proffessions are way better on a human than hero. rit and assassin for example. the games more fun. heros are better/only fair choice if you cant commit a certain amount of time for the mission/whatever
mr monk rupsie
Me and Monk of Dwaina monk pug-groups reguraly in PvE (vanquish) for the chips and giggles.
If you find a resonable group (sometimes its hard to find), then you can have a wonderfull experience.
The heroes is for me like a wtf-kind-of-build-is this team-setup (i am trying to use every possible elite of any proffesion), to create original builds, the ones i like are worthy to save ^^.
If you find a resonable group (sometimes its hard to find), then you can have a wonderfull experience.
The heroes is for me like a wtf-kind-of-build-is this team-setup (i am trying to use every possible elite of any proffesion), to create original builds, the ones i like are worthy to save ^^.
pingu666
on the builds thing, a number of rangers ive grouped with for example have barrage and a preporation (usealy rapid fire). so they have 2 skills which dont work together at all. and its in the skill description ffs. Its not a complex or picky thing like say order of the vampire.
Saint Scarlet
These days i generally do not group up with random people(maybe once in a while, if i'm bored, i'll feel sorry for someone and help them out). I've had a few too many bad experiences with people being aggro magnets, or just going afk halfway through something and not coming back. Yet i have found alot of friends through pugs in years gone by. Mostly nowadays the only grouping i do is with my alliance either when someones asking for help with something, or when me or another officer organizes one of our regular events.
I can understand why people lost interest in pugging, my personal bugbear with them has always been the PvX build or not allowed to join aspect. Yes certain skills are advantageous in areas(sometimes a must when doing certain things), but there are so many skill combos out there that mostly anything will work with common sense (i.e. wars running firestorm and meteor shower = not great).
I can understand why people lost interest in pugging, my personal bugbear with them has always been the PvX build or not allowed to join aspect. Yes certain skills are advantageous in areas(sometimes a must when doing certain things), but there are so many skill combos out there that mostly anything will work with common sense (i.e. wars running firestorm and meteor shower = not great).
ian1421
Theres always guys asking everyone to ping builds, I was kicked by a noob from Todays ZM for running ST on my Rit and he insisted I Remove Unfeeling Aura because its ''no use'' in the build, and we had 2 Rits already, heroed up, done in less that 20 mins. After that I went to do the same ZM on my Ranger, my heroes suck on it so I tryed to pug. 7/8 ppl, we need a monk, we had a imba, sum1 said get hero healer. I pinged my N/Rit Running Typical Modded Sabway build, the Cpt.Obvious SoS of the team mentioned Nec healers dont have Resto Runes on and completely suck and insisted he brought his monk hero with 60+ energy and no actual energy managment, and said he never runs outta energy . Ofc we almost wiped 3 times.. and that is why i don't like grouping.
Hobbs
I PuG FoWSC because it's fun to encounter different people and I don't really care if the team fails, i'm there because I like it, not to grind money. I don't PuG anything else because generally when I play other PvE my objective is to achieve something not just wandering around dying.
Essence Snow
I luv PuGing!....one of the best parts of this game imo. I have a great guild which I met most of the ppl from......wait for it.....PuGing. So I am always happy to PuG for the chance to meet more good ppl. I value the chance of meeting good ppl higher than the chance at failing. Ofc I reckon if I was more of an introvert I wouldn't have this mindset.
Angel Killuminati
I used to PUG often, obviously because henchmen were rubbish, but I would still battle with them if the need arose. With 7 heroes, I can customise me people exactly to the area I'm about to tackle, but obviously it needs some mico management with flagging etc - but some would say PUGS are even worse at agro control than heroes!
Grouping with others was great years ago, achieving something together, and you can't beat human intelligence for knowing where to stand and when to run out of meteor showers etc. Plus you could target different people at once - obviously not always good if you require quick damage to one target, but good to shut down multiple targets at once, with backfire, interupts and such skills.
Now I only ever venture out with 7 heroes and PUG with my guild only. Getting the Black Widow Spider from UW, being one recent example achieved with my Guild. I'd never do PUGS again because quite frankly I don't want the grief and have achieved everything I want to do in the game. I have no need to group up again. If I want to do something, I'll do it in my own time, when and where I want to, and 7 heroes allows me to do this - instead of arriving at empty outposts etc.
Having taken long breaks from the game at some stages, (not many) and not having any dedicated friends ever in the game (not because I'm a bad person, but because I simply have not met anybody in large groups and stayed in contact) I'm quite the little loner on GW, so 7 heroes suits me. I'd love to venture out with people, but the opportunities have not really presented themselves to me in abundance. I'm not sure who's fault that is or the reasons behind it.
Grouping with others was great years ago, achieving something together, and you can't beat human intelligence for knowing where to stand and when to run out of meteor showers etc. Plus you could target different people at once - obviously not always good if you require quick damage to one target, but good to shut down multiple targets at once, with backfire, interupts and such skills.
Now I only ever venture out with 7 heroes and PUG with my guild only. Getting the Black Widow Spider from UW, being one recent example achieved with my Guild. I'd never do PUGS again because quite frankly I don't want the grief and have achieved everything I want to do in the game. I have no need to group up again. If I want to do something, I'll do it in my own time, when and where I want to, and 7 heroes allows me to do this - instead of arriving at empty outposts etc.
Having taken long breaks from the game at some stages, (not many) and not having any dedicated friends ever in the game (not because I'm a bad person, but because I simply have not met anybody in large groups and stayed in contact) I'm quite the little loner on GW, so 7 heroes suits me. I'd love to venture out with people, but the opportunities have not really presented themselves to me in abundance. I'm not sure who's fault that is or the reasons behind it.
Don Zardeone
Other people slow me down. I kill stuff really fast and don't do the radar drawing mumbo jumbo.
I'm just like most other people in that I'm sure I'm smarter than them.
I still help noodles though. And people who ask me for help
I'm just like most other people in that I'm sure I'm smarter than them.
I still help noodles though. And people who ask me for help
Xenomortis
My heroes don't run shit bars.
PUGs exist so my Monk can get some practice when I'm bored.
PUGs exist so my Monk can get some practice when I'm bored.
ian1421
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Don Zardeone
Other people slow me down. I kill stuff really fast and don't do the radar drawing mumbo jumbo.
I'm just like most other people in that I'm sure I'm smarter than them. I still help noodles though. And people who ask me for help |
Chop it Off
I group with friends. Other then that, heros.
They don't afk, have to piss, have to eat, etc...
Pugs for me ended the day heros came out.
They don't afk, have to piss, have to eat, etc...
Pugs for me ended the day heros came out.
vader
I usually PUG for the Z-Missions. Other than that, its me and my heroes.
Lord Dagon
i never pug. heros dont rage at my ele using fire magic in HM, they do whatever i tell them, they dont throw themselves 3 aggro bubbles away while im killing, they dont go afk at key moments, they use skills when i tell them to, they maintain minion armies better then people, etc.
I could keep going on and on about that tho. Only time i bring real people is when im lonely and feel like tlaking to my friends. That and most of my freinds are in the "general pve" type player like me and not huge SCers, so they actually pay attention to my 4yrs of knowledge.
I could keep going on and on about that tho. Only time i bring real people is when im lonely and feel like tlaking to my friends. That and most of my freinds are in the "general pve" type player like me and not huge SCers, so they actually pay attention to my 4yrs of knowledge.
AlsPals
The only time pugging was at its best was always immediately after the release of a chapter, especially GW Vanilla. Nowadays, I 7 hero, and H/H before that. On the other hand, I do pug if someone needs help with a mission and asks in main chat, or for shits and giggles I pair up with a group and we run random stuff. Pugging is REALLY fun when you dont have a goal(like actually completing a mission) and everyone is ok with failing. I have had groups with no primary healers running around in HM cracking jokes in chat, and upon wiping, we do it all over again.
majoho
I haven't grouped since Factions aside from when I have offered to help some person having trouble doing something.
Cuilan
I'll use heroes to do something small or to get my character to somewhere. Some of my lesser used characters don't have all that many developed heroes and when I do use heroes I'm often not playing with my character...because I find hero groups to be mind numbingly boring. Macro-ing them takes away any fun that I could have when I could be interacting with a party normally instead of dragging a bunch of brainless bots around.
Most of the skilled players I've played with were from PUGs. Guilds are nice, but they're not always doing what you're doing.
For the most part I try to have people ping just to see what's all going on and if there's any issues. Sometimes I leave things alone and other times I'll make suggestions of skills or builds. That's not the same as jamming a "PvX" build down someone's throat.
Groups get things done and they'll often offer information or consumables. Some minority of players are a bit dumb or rude, but they can easily be spotted.
Basically heroes are a waste of my time.
Most of the skilled players I've played with were from PUGs. Guilds are nice, but they're not always doing what you're doing.
For the most part I try to have people ping just to see what's all going on and if there's any issues. Sometimes I leave things alone and other times I'll make suggestions of skills or builds. That's not the same as jamming a "PvX" build down someone's throat.
Groups get things done and they'll often offer information or consumables. Some minority of players are a bit dumb or rude, but they can easily be spotted.
Basically heroes are a waste of my time.
cosyfiep
I pug for areas that I have trouble doing by myself. (hm dungeons before 7 heroes). and a few elite areas. I dont do it any more since I got tired of changing my builds to fit whomever was the party leader---and yes my mesmer DOES use a bow--very effectively I might add 
my heroes never complain if I need to stop and take a phone call or short wc break, and they are always willing to play with me even at 4am my time when most of the americans are asleep.
my heroes never complain if I need to stop and take a phone call or short wc break, and they are always willing to play with me even at 4am my time when most of the americans are asleep.
Don Zardeone
I often like to do a vanquish that lasts several hours. I have a hotkey that does c-space and I just hit that every few reps or sets while I work out. Heroes generally do the rest. The build I use now isn't fun anyway. I run in, maybe finish one attack chain and then target dies. I move onto next target which is at 10% health and dies to simple autoattacks. So meh.
I'm thinking of multitasking like this when I watch a movie... but it may mess with my enjoyment of the movie... so probably not.
Can't work out when I'm with a pug. Thus, pugs make you fat.
I'm thinking of multitasking like this when I watch a movie... but it may mess with my enjoyment of the movie... so probably not.
Can't work out when I'm with a pug. Thus, pugs make you fat.
Aeronwen
my guildies never complain if I need to stop and take a phone call or short wc break, and they are always willing to play with me even at 4am my time
and they can carry on without me if i need to be away longer ^^
oh and their conversation is really entertaining.
We take any prof and any build - within reason, and if we have a balanced group so we know we can carry passangers we will take randoms. I have met some great people that way - and many become guildies
and they can carry on without me if i need to be away longer ^^
oh and their conversation is really entertaining.
We take any prof and any build - within reason, and if we have a balanced group so we know we can carry passangers we will take randoms. I have met some great people that way - and many become guildies
Nilator
For general PvE/HM(VQ's mainly) I will always 7 Hero it.
I do ZB+ZM if I feel like it with PuG's though.
I only PuG in HM when I'm on my monk though, I generally don't trust other monks because most try to run something that generally looks like random skills on a bar with mismatching attributes.
I do ZB+ZM if I feel like it with PuG's though.
I only PuG in HM when I'm on my monk though, I generally don't trust other monks because most try to run something that generally looks like random skills on a bar with mismatching attributes.
MisterB
Many PUGs seem to be afraid to leave an outpost without UA. That tells me they intend to fail, so I don't want to join.
garethporlest18
I used to PUG a lot, for fun back in the day. Not so much anymore, in fact, not at all. I mainly play with heroes because I move slow (on purpose) and that's the way I like to play.
TheGizzy
I'm a fairly anti-social introvert 99% of the time. I enjoy playing with my husband, best friend and a couple of awesome people I met via Guru from time-to-time, but personality-wise, I'm a loner. I can go weeks without talking to anyone but hubby/kids/best friend and not even notice it.
I enjoy playing with a group of friends who I know well and who know each other well... you know, the inside jokes, the chats about lifetheuniverseeverything, and where the dynamics are established. And in gaming, I tend to only play with friends who don't care if we die a lot.
My best friend has another friend he plays WoW with... I love the guy, he's sweet as hell... but he's a bit insane when it comes to gaming. I won't play with him. Partly because I don't want to put my best friend in a position of having to referee between the two of us when I tell him to suck dirt over his pissing and moaning about a missed spell, a party wipe, whatever. LOL
So yeah... I either play by myself, or play with people who are as laid-back about it as I am.
I don't find that in PuGs... and honestly, I spend my working hours dealing with whiny, self-entitled narcissistic gamers... I don't want to do it when I'm supposed to be off and relaxing, too.
I enjoy playing with a group of friends who I know well and who know each other well... you know, the inside jokes, the chats about lifetheuniverseeverything, and where the dynamics are established. And in gaming, I tend to only play with friends who don't care if we die a lot.
My best friend has another friend he plays WoW with... I love the guy, he's sweet as hell... but he's a bit insane when it comes to gaming. I won't play with him. Partly because I don't want to put my best friend in a position of having to referee between the two of us when I tell him to suck dirt over his pissing and moaning about a missed spell, a party wipe, whatever. LOL
So yeah... I either play by myself, or play with people who are as laid-back about it as I am.
I don't find that in PuGs... and honestly, I spend my working hours dealing with whiny, self-entitled narcissistic gamers... I don't want to do it when I'm supposed to be off and relaxing, too.
chilly willy
i dont pug because every single pug i joined besides the battle for lions arch group sucked major balls. also i hate people who insist on me needing to have an exact build. i would be fine with "someone needs a res" or "someone needs pain inverter or something" but "run this or get bent" is not fun to me. none of my builds suck they might be wierd but they never suck they always suit my gameplay and i outfit my heroes the same way. the first pvx builds i used were 2 man necroway with my cousin and 1 man sabway when by myself. since then i have learned to rock my own awesome builds that suit my style better. i love 7 heroes because i have complete control now. HM is now 100% doable the only problem i have is foundry but only because i dont care enough and the four horsemen in UW. also being able to get up and take a dump in the middle of a vanquish is nice. nature does happen dudes. all in all with the awesome 7 hero update i am checking off my bucket list for gw before gw2 comes out and loving the game again after my 4 month hiatus.
Horus Moonlight
Use to PuG back in the prophecy days when other players seemed to be sane. Nowadays, I either get "lol go PvX build or gtfo" or "I m ragner of death XxX wtch as slay my enmenies wit firestrom and my pet wolf of death XxX"
It's as if the players that represented the middle-ground all quit.
It's as if the players that represented the middle-ground all quit.
rusty89
I have 29 max titles and anything that involved fighting, such as vanquishing, missions, and dungeons, I did with heroes and henchman, just because it was easier. Now when I play, for the most part I'm just doing the zaishen stuff and I look for pugs just for a change of pace. But even with my KoBD title track displayed sometimes I still have trouble getting into a pug right away just because I'm playing a sin. So if it takes too long to find a group or I find a group and it fails, I'll just go ahead and use heroes.
Gabs88
I try pugs now and then, and they never do anything but let me down. I think unwakening waters is a prime example as it was ZB the other day. You go in with a pug, and it takes 15 minutes fighting around the entire map and killing every group. You go in with heroes, it takes 1 minute 10-30 secounds and youre done.
In general though, if the damage side of things was as easy to sort in a PUG as the healer side of things (LF HB + UA anyone?) things would improve drastically. But that still wouldnt be enough for most players to become good players.
Another large part of the problem is that many of the players playing in pugs are simply those that find it too hard to do the same content playing with heroes. Which I simply find ridicilous, because if anything. Pugs have a hundred times higher chance of failiure compared to a hero group on an equivilent mission
In general though, if the damage side of things was as easy to sort in a PUG as the healer side of things (LF HB + UA anyone?) things would improve drastically. But that still wouldnt be enough for most players to become good players.
Another large part of the problem is that many of the players playing in pugs are simply those that find it too hard to do the same content playing with heroes. Which I simply find ridicilous, because if anything. Pugs have a hundred times higher chance of failiure compared to a hero group on an equivilent mission
Trevino
I enjoy grouping even when i don't need to. I just like to interact while playing since my guild is sorta inactive >.>. Having the 7-hero group though is hella helpful on the other hand though.
Snorph
It has to do with who you pug with, and who you want. Just ask them, and only get those that want to play for fun, and not to be serious. I don't like serious players either, so I am very picky on who I take with me on a run.
Kurosaki129
I dont pug b/c when i play as a monk profession, i often get..
"HB or UA"?
If i say neither, i get this..
"Can you go UA or HB" ?
which pisses me off b/c whenever I run Healing Burst as an Elite, I get those questions, it really restricts what build i like to play.
I don't go with PUGs anymore now, since the 7 hero update. PUGs are so dis-organized and not to say the PUG leader itself just accept invites and doesn't bother looking at the party list where we had only 1 healer and alot of melees
It wastes my time, so i rather make the builds with my heros and do stuff with my guild.
"HB or UA"?
If i say neither, i get this..
"Can you go UA or HB" ?
which pisses me off b/c whenever I run Healing Burst as an Elite, I get those questions, it really restricts what build i like to play.
I don't go with PUGs anymore now, since the 7 hero update. PUGs are so dis-organized and not to say the PUG leader itself just accept invites and doesn't bother looking at the party list where we had only 1 healer and alot of melees
It wastes my time, so i rather make the builds with my heros and do stuff with my guild.
Snorph
And thats what its all about, play a build to you liking, not theirs, my point, I can carless if they don't like it or not. I play what I want and thats it. Name of the game is to be creative, not to do what they want you to do. I don't, they don't like it, oh well, no sweat off my back. I'll find another pug, 
Hit me up sometime, I'll pug with people just for fun.
Another thing I suggest, you can post here on the forums in the section looking for help, and post in here http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/p...ping-f269.html JUST FOR FUN,
You'll get alot of responses on here, I did. Helps alot.
Hit me up sometime, I'll pug with people just for fun.
Another thing I suggest, you can post here on the forums in the section looking for help, and post in here http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/p...ping-f269.html JUST FOR FUN,
You'll get alot of responses on here, I did. Helps alot.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kurosaki129
I dont pug b/c when i play as a monk profession, i often get..
"HB or UA"? If i say neither, i get this.. "Can you go UA or HB" ? which pisses me off b/c whenever I run Healing Burst as an Elite, I get those questions, it really restricts what build i like to play. I don't go with PUGs anymore now, since the 7 hero update. PUGs are so dis-organized and not to say the PUG leader itself just accept invites and doesn't bother looking at the party list where we had only 1 healer and alot of melees It wastes my time, so i rather make the builds with my heros and do stuff with my guild. |