Too many people seem to be unaware that LFG even exists. Some of those who do know that it exists, have created a custom "lfg" (notice the caps?) that is almost always empty and then they argue with people saying "lfg" is dead! well, duhhh, they're not using the OFFICIAL "LFG" found on the edit tab but that fake one... of course it will be dead.
I agree, I find it really odd that it's not on by default or even mentioned in a tutorial. I played this game for years before I discovered the official LFG channel.. Really made things like bounties a little less frustrating. Then again.. it's been somewhat of a haven from the gold spammers... if only the DB credit sellers and SM Carry Scammers didn't know about it... Also think the game could benefit from a Mentor type system like FF14 has. Players that have experience can opt to be come mentors and have a special channel to help new players. Mentors actually have to maintain a certain level of reputation and op/raid experience to maintain mentor status so you don't get a bunch of jerks or know nothings. It doesn't come with anything other than a in game title and the enjoyment of helping out new players.
Such a great feature and it's not even mentioned in passing. As you stated, there are players that have been around for years and have no idea LFG is a thing, It should be on by default; I really don't understand why it isn't. As for the gold sellers/scammers, yeah they ruin everything, i probably block 10 on a daily basis. It's crazy!
Years ago they felt that having LFG on by default (which it used to be) would confuse new players. This was of course during a period when messages would literally fly by you because there was moving too fast with the amount of messages. That was then. They really do need to put it back on default so that new and returning players alike can communicate with each other. Some people left the game back when people had to be in specific phases or locations in order to reach some players. LFG cuts through all of that. Gold sellers and such are an unfortunate plague that came from the PC side (not blaming PC players...just saying the PS side didn't have them here until we merged). What you can blame all players for is using their services. If nobody used them they wouldn't be here like cockroaches.
Or, they could've added a new default tab for Lfg only. Like any sane person does it by themselfes nowadays. I guess it was just easier to erase it than change it for the better.
I don't believe caps/nocaps matters. I think you can call the tab whatever you want as long as you check the content for the official 'Looking for Group' chat content entry. I know I have 2 tabs that show LFG content...one is 'LFG', the other is not. Both show the same messages, just one that's all I have in it, the other is a mix of LFG/League/Group/Tells. I do however agree that the LFG should be a default tab along with 'Default', 'Combat', 'Loot' we get out of the box. That tab could only have the LFG posts or maybe be a mirror of 'Default' with the LFG added...I believe this is how 'Default' used to be before they removed LFG from that tab....probably because it was overwhelming for new players....I know it was for me on day 1. Personally one of the first things I do on a new setup is to add 'LFG' and 'Trade' tabs and put that stuff in those....basic maintenance 101, but yeah many new people might not know about it.
The caps matters in this case. I have both channels, the official found on edit, and one where i simply joined a custom lfg channel. both are different populated by different people. This is how and why i figured out there's tons of people arguing that lfg is dead... because they are not using the official one. The custom one where you type lfg to join will show different messages than the one where you have to edit tabs and select it from the same list where TRADE and others are. I do remember LFG used to be on by default many many years ago; i just never figured out why it was removed.... and still dont.
It really needs to be put back on by default. You have people not doing feat runs because they can't get into content because of long queues. Well, when you have 10 years of content and people are looking to run all sorts of different things at different hours it'll be hard to connect those players together. If they see LFG and see people trying to form groups for older content they can answer the call. Can't do any of that if LFG is off by default and they have no one showing them how to turn it on.
Yea, I think it was something to do with not wanting to overwhelm a new player with chat that seems confusing, but personally I think it should be in by default as well
Was discussing with a friend the other day and I think more than anything what's needed is a better means of getting additional basic, in-game, tutorial-grade information. It's a bit hit or miss, with some systems being very well conveyed and other sometimes more fundamental systems having limited or no conveyance. Most MMOs tend to hold players' hands a bit too much early on but DCUO tends to take it a bit too far to the opposite extreme, especially ever since the counter system tutorial was removed from the Brainic Ship intro.
Well, I humbly disagree; I like the option of using the LFG chat when I want to and not have it on default, which would force me to hide it. I do not see the benefit of having it on default; I think it will make LFG worse because more players will use it like Shout chat than LFG chat. Besides, many players who advertise grouping in LFG are looking for players with characters at or near max for missions that dont need it. I have always been a fan of the mentoring/tour guide system that some games have. I think that the tutorial/ in-game pop-ups should inform players about the LFG channel and its uses; let the player decide when he/she wants to use LFG; there is no need to make it default.
As long as it's in a separate tab (like Combat and Loot already are) I'd agree it should be there. In the 'default' tab, it can be a mess. it's 100x easier to find a different tab (I think I did it by mistake when first starting) that already exists vs going into settings and MAKING one...correctly...then using it. I'd actually suggest one for LFG and one for Trade, especially as those 2 chats are unavailable to F2P players with the chat restrictions now, that traffic shoved into default will be even less use.
You are talking about 2 different things. One is a new 'tab' one is a 'custom channel'. I can make a channel called 'Group Chat' and it will not automatically have 'group chat' messages in it. A new chat tab is just one where you can assign what test chat comes across. You can make 3 new tabs "LFG" "lfg" and "ELEFFGEE" and if you select the 'Looking for Group' entry in the options (a game standard chat entry...not defined by you or me), it will appear in all 3 tabs. And yes, if they have a custom channel named 'lfg' or 'LFG', unless anyone else has and uses it, it will indeed be dead. I'd guess that the 'LFG is dead' reference might point more to the Villain side where the 'official' LFG is pretty dead most nights...unless you are buying gold. Join/Create is for custom channels. On these 'channels' the caps/lower does matter and has to match. Generally used for voice, but you CAN make it so that you see that custom channel typed messages in your chat tabs...other people can also see them if they have the channel. The whole game CANNOT see them, but they can see 'Looking for Group' messages if selected in their chat tab options. And I'd guess LFG was removed from the default tab setup because it made the tab a bit daunting for new players. Personally It was what led me to know about controlling chat tabs when I was new, because I went in to figure out how to turn the traffic OFF. What the heck did I know as a level 12 noob about Gates or Prime or FOS2? I was just trying to figure out how to beat Bruno Mannhiem in the temple of crime.
Well.... THAT was my point since the very start.... people are joining a custom LFG channel that is not the OFFICIAL LFG channel. I thought I made that clear. Joining a custom LFG or lfg or ELEFFGEE as you say is not the same as activating the LFG that is found when editing tabs... I thought that much was clear.
Maybe a bit ToMAto-ToMAto (that just doesn't work when written out). The thing is there is no 'official' LFG channel. LFG is NOT a channel. Channels you 'join' are for chat...voice chat... Yes, you can also see things typed in them, but you don't even need to create anything...just go into the existing 'default' chat tab you have and add the line for 'Looking for Group'. That line cannot be activated in any channel...no matter how it's named. I know what you are saying...I guess what I'm saying is it's even simpler than you are pointing out. You may be right on on front though, someone out there might be 'adding' a custom channel and calling it LFG, just expecting to see something....as you say....they will not.
