I agree with many of the comments about the window size and screen space is already at a premium with all the gadgets and windows. If I had to create something to improve the LFG/LFM window, here's how I'd have it work. Create a new channel that could be enabled or disabled. When someone turns on the LFG flag using a typed command like /LFG or in the Persona Window with a checkbox, an immediate message is sent to the channel saying the toon name, level, and adventure class is available. If that person joins a group or they turn off the LFG flag (using same methods as above, then a message is sent to the channel saying that toon name, level, and adventure class are no longer available. A new button or something on the group window should allow the group leader to set the Looking for More option which would bring up a window to allow them to select classes and levels they are looking for. This would then post an immediate message in the chat window indicating the group leader is looking for those classes and levels and the zone they are working. The message would also have a link (maybe by groupleader name) to the group so that people interested in joining can see the classes and levels aleady in the group. I would be easier for people to see who is and is not looking for a group and for players to see which groups are looking for a toon they might have and can send the group leader a tell. Just a thought i had on how to improve it.
I use this now and again/ Or, to be precise, I *attempt* to use it; because, as others have said, its basically dead due to lack of participation. Perversely, it seems that if I use /lfg, I will not succeed in getting a group. Yet, if I am not LFG, I will get random request tells to join a group! I think many of the issues at work here have been covered by other posters. The exponential increase in character capability with AAs and gear is a big problem, coupled with impatience and the demand to have perfect groups. I've got a couple of toon that are reasonably well kitted out and are viable members for most instances in the game. I also have several alts that are a bit punier... but would still be a very fine companion for someone that just needs a hand with some heroic content or would just like some company. There really ought to be something between solo and full group instances. So how about a couple of checkboxes to define your playstyle/s. e.g. 'Hardcore' and 'Mellow'. If you check hardcore it means you want min/maxed toons or groups for minimum time to complete the task. You expect everyone to know their class and the instance etc. If you check the Mellow box it means you are happy to duo a bit, or help a newb understand their class, or take a few deaths trying to do an instance with a sub optimal group. Personally I find that more fun that racing through a zone with the mobs dieing before my first spell completes casting. I would classify myself mostly as the latter (although I can hold my own in a hardocre group on some of my toons). I'd bet good money there are a fair few other 'mellow' folks around who would use the lfg tool if they thought it would hook them up with other like minded people rather than impatient/elitist/insulting/arrogant types. You know, the types that make you swear off pick up groups...
I think culturally EQ2 depends less on LFG than on friends and guilds. Personally, I use the heck out of my friends list. Once someone makes my friends list I use EQ2 players to also add any alts they have publiclly listed so I can ask them if they are interested in groups even if they are playing other characters (useful these days when so many people have reached max level / max AA and are often on alts). Having said that - I would MUCH prefer enhancements to the friends, guild roster, and search windows than to the LFG window. Friends: Primary amoung these - the ability to tag friends as "global" meaning all your toons can see that friend, or "local" meaning only the character who added the friend can see them. It is currently a massive pain trying to configure and maintain your friends list as global across all characters you play. Also, automatically adding class and guild information to people listed in your friends list would be a wonderful feature (I have to add class notes because people sometimes play roleplaying or anon, I think if at the time they are added to your friends list they are not in these two statuses - then the info should permanently auto-populate). Currently I have to store that info in the notes area which makes seeing other real notes cumbersome. Guild: Would like to see the ability to associate characters. What I mean by this is that you could associate characters owned by the same person and have them display together (I'm thinking hierarchy, click main toon and then an "associate" button and specify which other guilded toons to associate. But there are a dozen ways this could be built and function.) Search: Add an indicator of which toons are returned in a search that are also on your friends list or in your guild. For example if I search for all level 80 Assassins on my server. The search results would have maybe an asterisk by ones on my friends list and a plus by ones in my guild (or color coded) or something. To help keep me sane while looking for that last class specific person I need to round out a group.
I never use the LFG window. I like it as a tool in case i ever do though... I just never have a need for it with my play style. I like to solo. If i need a group, i have 2 guilds i can ask. Plus i have the guild's OOC chat channels to ask on if I'm in a toon that isn't guilded with them. I don't even use the level channels because I've never had any luck getting someone to notice me on those.
JadePaladin wrote: /agree!!!!!! I love this idea. It gives a special WW channel that everyone can use and would spam it when someone turns on LFG or even LFW too!
People are used to spamming a channel for groups, it's not effective but it's what they do, heck AB server has a RPLFG channel that roleplayers use! Suggestions (liberally pinched from other posts): * Create a LFG Channel, remove ability to directly 'talk' to the channel (i.e. you can't just /5 80 Wiz lfg" * Create a LFW Channel, remove ability to directly 'talk' to the channel (i.e. you can't just /6 60 WW lfg" * /LFG will flag a person as looking for group and post a message in the LFG channel " is looking for a group." * /LFW will flag a person as looking for work and post a message in the LFW channel " is looking for work." * doing /LFG again will remove the flag and post a message in the LFG channel " is no longer looking for a group." * doing /LFW again will remove the flag and post a message in the LFW channel " is no longer looking for work." * /LFG will work as above but append a message " is looking for a group: TSO Instances" * /LFW will work as above but append a message " is looking for a work: Can do epic updates and grobb recipes" * /LFG will flag an alt on the same account as being /LFG * /LFW will flag an alt on the same account as being /LFW * /LFG does the same for alts with a message * /LFW does the same for alts with a message * Both LFG and LFW flag you automatically without popping up a confirmation box and are persistant, i.e. the character appears on LFG and LFW whenever any character on the account is in use. * Group leaders (well anybody really) can monitor the channel and/or type /LFM to browse all currently /LFG /LFW people. * All three work independently, you can be LFG and LFW at the same time, and while using those you can checkout /LFM and potentally invite other LFG and LFW people to group with you. * Massively merge the level chat channels, most are empty other than LFG messages, only 1-9 (typically newbie or trash talk depending on your server) and 70-79 are used, even 80 is generally empty. Since cap is moving to 90 I would suggest a 1-30, 31-60 and 61-90 chat. The key here is that people can continue 'spamming a channel' but are now browsable by group leaders. Having LFW as well covers crafters who just want to offer their services and those looking for crafting instances. This only covers one half of the problem, supply of group members... It doesn't cover the other half which is getting people to start a group in the first place, this is actually a large problem with the current chat channel spamming method - some people just spam all day and don't want to be the one who actually starts the group and decides where to go. To this end, perhaps incentives are needed to get people to go into /LFM and invite people via that tool (instead of just inviting people they see on the channels - any channels). * Invites via /LFM offer the target of the invite the ability to port directly to the nearest rezz point to the person sending the invite (not port them straight to person as this would rather diminish the guild strategist and other such tools) * Other suggestions I haven't thought of yet... The idea of showing quest info, available instances etc etc is nice, but most likely an overkill that the vast majority of people won't use.
/1 80 temp lfg <is the fastest way for me to get a group. I couldn't imagine anything faster or easier to use.
The problem doesn't rest solely with the LFG window, but with the concept of server-wide chat channels. In EQ1, we used LFG so other players across zones could know that we were LFG. So if you needed a class for a group you /who all lfg and see a bard in Velketor's Labyrinth half a continent away, then you send him a tell. Most people would be LFG within the zone or near the instance of which they wanted to group in because you could only shout or ooc that you were LFG within the confines of that zone. With worldwide chat, /who all lfg isn't a useful tool when anyone of a proper level range across the entire server can see you stating you are LFG. The function is made archaic and useless due to worldwide chat channels.
As others have stated, most people use roleplay+anonymous flags to avoid spam from plat sellers. There was months on end where the anon+rp combo was the only effective means to reduce the spam so it became habit for almost everyone. Most people do not like filling out a survey when they want to simply LFG. The default "lfg" should require nothing more than typing "lfg" Something as simple as "/lfg2" could be added to allow people who desire it, access to the popup window where they can enter additional information, and these people will show up with an asterisk or some kind of marker (color, italic, bold, some kind of indicator...) to indicate that they have additional information available on lfg searches. I will go as far to say that the current LFG popup window was never needed, but now it is in, it should not be removed. It would be nice if "/lfg" returned to its original form. The only real adjustment needed was so that anyone who is LFG, will have their class and level shown on any LFG searches, regardless of anon or rp tags (it does not need to show their current zone if they are rp/anon).
Well i was thinking of a more robust lfg system i use to use it a long time ago but now a days i only look for a group in either 70 to 79 or the Norrathtrade channel on splitpaw. ♦ Since many of us have more than 1 character no matter the level for me i have 3 level 80 characters and 1 level 60 i would love more features to include these characters and not just the one i happen to be playing atm. Options to include myth, AA amount and level of spells. What kind of group your looking for either XP, AA Grinding, Instance Runs, PU Raids etc. A way to save all this info into a template so i only need to set it up once unless i have a new character to add to the list so when i log on a character i can type /LFG and everything i picked is there for people to look at. An option to list all of your characters, Levels, Myth, AA, Type of character Troub, SK, Chanter etc. ♦ Another addition to the LFG window is expanding the Groups that need players. even when i first was using the current lfg window not many groups used this feature. Automatically place groups that do not have 6 people in them on a list in this window. Once the group reaches 6 people or the group zones into the intended target zone they this group can be removed from the group looking for more automatically, If someone in the group has to go or goes link dead and does not return then the group leader can turn on looking for more to fill the open slot and get relisted on the group looking for more window. Have and option in this case for the leader to provide information as in 1 name down, 2 named down, on final boss etc. ♦ Give a popup to the group leader when a group is formed. Allow for an option to pick what classes this group is still in need of via Check boxes and when someone is invited and joins that is off that list that check is automatically removed. An option to Provide the target intended for this group, 2 sharder, hotzone, xp grind, plus a drop down list of all areas of the group leaders level range to pick from might be good or a line to type it yourself. an option for listing the group as a Guild Group many guilds run groups together strictly and do not want to be listed on the lfg window and get random tells from people when they are not looking for people. ♦ Add a section for Pick up Raids many people run pick up raids to WoE, Kurns and many other places. Have options to list what the raids target is, how many people needed and classes, Level range, gear and aa requirements if the raid leader has them. Finally have options to save everything in templates that can be saved and loaded quickly so people can go /lfg quickly and not have to set things up each time. same for groups looking for more people and raid leaders.
I'm not sure if it's been put out there, but a groundbreaking system I've seen in a game is "open groups". It really doesn't sound like much but its awesome when doing open world objectives and you see a group of maybe 5 people doing the same thing, say questing for example, so you just click on them and as long as they haven't disabled open group you can just click into their group. I mean if you both get the updates it doesn't matter much who's in your group, you don't even have to work together even though you likely would. Obviously you have to be able to disable that function but it should be default on, and the group leader can still do the old /kick. This promotes grouping with people that may have a language barrier or too much pride to ask someone for help doing tedious things like killing tigers in KJ for example, but if I happen along and see you doing what I may have a quest for, why not join you. I'm not sure it'd be the most awesome thing ever but I never heard anyone say anything but good things about it. If you don't like it just change it in group options
Im a fan of the game .. DDO .. 's LFG window, shows who is currently in the group what classes they are and what classes they will accept and a general note of what they are looking to do. then they can send a request to the group to join and they can either accept it or decline it, or ignore it With options to display certain level ranges, so if your on an alt, you can see groups in differant level ranges if you want, or only groups that pertain to your teir
World of Warcraft, the most loved and hated mmorpg probably, implemented something amazing in patch 3.3. They replaced the LFG tool with the new Dungeon Finder tool. What's good about it? Everything. See, WoW realized that people, especially at low levels, have a hard time finding groups to do instances/dungeons even with WoW's incredible population. This was confirmed when they first started Battlegrounds, so they implemented battle groups, groups of servers that work together or something and pull players from these servers to start battleground scenarios, like you're doing with the upcoming expansion. So, someone at WoW realized this is an amazing feature so they implemented this into instances. Now people can que up for various instances in their level range and play to their hearts content. WoW implemented the tool so that it is as good as it gets. It has set loot rules, it requires voting for kicking a player, it has a timer on it to prevent people from joining and leaving immediately, etc. Also, the one thing that has made me move over to WoW now is, it has saved the player TIME. Everyone knows the difficulties associated with finding people for groups, and many know that it can take 30-40min trying to find a darn group. Only then to have people that were in the group from the beginning leave because they didnt realize it was going to take an hour to even get started. With the dungeon finder tool, I can work on any quest or look at the broker/auction house even, and que myself for an instance from any where. As soon as it pops, I'm teleported to the instance and good to go. When I am done with the instance, I am teleported back to where I was originally, the exact spot, even flying on a silly gryphon. Yes, you can say they made the game less hardcore and even more babyish than EQ2 or whatever. The point is, it is an amazing feature, and for those of us that like running instances like crazy all day, would be in heaven with this tool if it was implemented into EQ2. Please Devs, level a toon to 15 in WoW and experience this tool.
micahjames wrote: What that person said ^ Recently I took WoW up on some free play time. I have Never liked WoW for a variety of reasons (none of which have anything to do with this thread) and still don't - that being said, I respect some things they have brought to the table as far as mechanics or thought processes go- the day I took them up happened to be the day After patch 3.3, and I wholly agree that their cross server dungeon finder is a superb feature. I do not use EQ2's lfg feature - there is no point to it - no one goes there on either side of the equation in its current form. Chat channels are EQ2's most efficient lfg tool at this time. I too agree that EQ2, and pretty much any MMO, should take a good look at this feature. It would be great for shard runs, group dungeons..I would probably avoid it for anything above x2 though.
I along with a bunch miss /lfg and being done with it the window is nice but its to much /who all lfg ftw
micahjames wrote: QFE I think the days of LFG have come and gone. You're far more effective doing a chat post than using LFG. So what is far more useful would be to provide a way for users looking to do a dungeon find themselfs and automate it... as the Dungeon Finder tool.
I never ever use this window as almost no one... In short: please bring back good old /LFG command easy and simple... ppl used it that days...
Yep you should definately do something along the lines of WoW's dungeon finder. TBH I just started playing WoW as a secondary mmo on the back of the dungeon finder tool alone (i'm an instance hound big time!!)
I too rarely use the LFG tool, only time is if i cant find someone in the chat channels ill check if someone is hiding on the LFG tool. Me, like many others, would love to see a dungeon finder tool something on the way of WoW's and with this cross server battlegrounds comin into play it shouldnt be too hard to incoroporate something like that in the mix. Throw in a way to search for crafting instances in that tool also and you got nothing but win. P.S. - I would try to get this one out the door also if you are thinking about it as normally a few months after expansion people tend to get burnout from doing alot and then tend to fall by the wayside. If you can introduce a tool like this i think it would keep peeps around alot longer.
