The LFG Tool.

[kelika2]

Skip to the TL:DR if you want, but I am starting this suggestion with a story.

 

Maybe an hour~ ago I started a DinB with a level 19.

At first I thought the entire group would be level 19 and the default level 20 of the trial's enemies would be a nice +1 exp bonus.  Folks would keep their level 24 power and it would be all smiles.

 

But no.  I was level 20 sidekicked up beyond my level as the leader and starter of the "trial", and leader after the "trial" started.

 

Now,

TL:DR but somehow more R, I suggest that the devs apply this to ALL Task/Strike Force content to the LFG Tool with some additives:

Never enable "Lock Content to Group", sounds OP for that one dude who came in seconds before the final blow in the final mission came to be, but this is rare and uncommon.

Keep the max/min level of the task/strike force to its original.  ex: Silver Mantis Strike Force at level 25.  folks higher are level 25, and an example level 21s who join at bumped to level 25.  leaders notoriety has ZERO EFFECT on the task forces/trials levels from the LFG Tool.

 

NEW MECHANIC IF POSSIBLE:

People who log out or disconnect for any reason are auto removed, please keep in mind this is how the old exemplar system worked for exemplarees.

While this sounds harsh, most task force content in this game is short or common

 

++++++++++++++++++++++

 

WHY LIKE THIS?!

 

Because of the set levels of the LFG Tool this can allow traditionalists to form their own groups by hand to set the enemies level to their own liking.

So a player-made group can still form their own +4 ITFs, BUT, people using the LFG tool, say a buncha mid 40s, can do a level 50 ITF.

Or

If you have weather/family/etc you can log out for WHATEVER reason.

 

 

Extreme Request:

This can also apply to Ouro missions.

WHY?!

Old task forces also applying the WST Bonus.  Or someone left during the Freakolympics.

 

---

Afterthought:

The LFG can teleport/rip you from your solo instance if it pops

 

Edited June 16 by kelika2
---

[Rudra]

1 hour ago, kelika2 said:

People who log out or disconnect for any reason are auto removed,

I oppose this part. With the frequency with which I've been disconnected from the game or someone I was teamed with was disconnected because of our connection, being forced out of the TF/SF and so not being able to finish what we started when we get back on seems unfair to me.

 

(Edit: Actually, I oppose a few other parts too, but some of those, like the auto-remove someone from their solo mission I'm kind of but not really sure that can't be done. So the auto-remove others just because they had a DC is going to be my focus.)

Edited June 16 by Rudra

[Greycat]

2 hours ago, kelika2 said:

NEW MECHANIC IF POSSIBLE:

People who log out or disconnect for any reason are auto removed, please keep in mind this is how the old exemplar system worked for exemplarees.

While this sounds harsh, most task force content in this game is short or common

 

What does the length of the content have to do with "screw you for not having a perfect internet connection and power 24/7/365?" If anything this would be less reason for ever using the LFG tool. Potentially punishing both the person who DC'd *and* the rest of the team.

 

2 hours ago, kelika2 said:

Extreme Request:

This can also apply to Ouro missions.

WHY?!

Old task forces also applying the WST Bonus.  Or someone left during the Freakolympics.

 

 

Absolutely not. It would be frustrating enough (and was with the old exemp/sk feature) to lose the ability to finish team content because, oh, your power blipped for 30 seconds. Lived through those days, lost (much longer to get at the time) TF rewards partway through the last mission because of it more than once.  Adding that "feature" to Ouro missions, which you might be *playing solo?* Especially running through older, long content? Hell no.

 

2 hours ago, kelika2 said:

Keep the max/min level of the task/strike force to its original.  ex: Silver Mantis Strike Force at level 25.  folks higher are level 25, and an example level 21s who join at bumped to level 25.  leaders notoriety has ZERO EFFECT on the task forces/trials levels from the LFG Tool.

 

 

Counterproposal -

If you're reworking LFG, put in two things.

A "Proposing group" (IE, I really want to run Yin, I'm going to propose a Yin group and people can see someone's looking for it - multiple people proposing can be lumped into the same group) and a "notoriety" option that can be filtered. So if I want to run Yin, but I'm only level 22 and don't want to deal with +4 enemies, I can set that to zero or one or whatever I feel like and be matched with like minded people.

[Uun]

4 hours ago, kelika2 said:

NEW MECHANIC IF POSSIBLE:

People who log out or disconnect for any reason are auto removed, please keep in mind this is how the old exemplar system worked for exemplarees.

While this sounds harsh, most task force content in this game is short or common

Absolutely not. Other than dropped connections, there are actually reasons that people might want to intentionally spread a TF over multiple sessions. I have a weekly group that plays on Monday nights from 7-9pm. There have been multiple occasions where we've started a TF or Ouro arc but were unable to finish by 9pm (when one of the members goes to work). We all log off without quitting the team and finish the following Monday.

[kelika2]

9 hours ago, Greycat said:

What does the length of the content have to do with

Not much progress lost.  and the more common situation would be is if someone logged off for whatever reason.

 

9 hours ago, Greycat said:

Absolutely not. It would be frustrating enough (and was with the old exemp/sk feature) to lose the ability to finish team content because, oh, your power blipped for 30 seconds.

then you lost like 15 or so minutes of time?  still got the exp leading up to the super rare blip.

 

9 hours ago, Greycat said:

Counterproposal -

If you're reworking LFG, put in two things.

A "Proposing group" (IE, I really want to run Yin, I'm going to propose a Yin group and people can see someone's looking for it - multiple people proposing can be lumped into the same group) and a "notoriety" option that can be filtered. So if I want to run Yin, but I'm only level 22 and don't want to deal with +4 enemies, I can set that to zero or one or whatever I feel like and be matched with like minded people.

I dont want to say homecoming has a small playerbase, but that is an extreme amount of variables for match making for the current population

also if you were level 22, you would get auto sk'ed up to 25. does not matter who the leader is

[kelika2]

7 hours ago, Uun said:

Absolutely not. Other than dropped connections, there are actually reasons that people might want to intentionally spread a TF over multiple sessions. I have a weekly group that plays on Monday nights from 7-9pm. There have been multiple occasions where we've started a TF or Ouro arc but were unable to finish by 9pm (when one of the members goes to work). We all log off without quitting the team and finish the following Monday.

why would you use the lfg tool if you had a premade?

[Rudra]

18 minutes ago, kelika2 said:

then you lost like 15 or so minutes of time?  still got the exp leading up to the super rare blip.

And now you have to wait until you can either recruit enough people to try again and hope you don't DC again or find another team to try again and hope you don't DC again. Because nothing screams fun in a game more than trying to do something and constantly having to start over without getting to the end through no fault of your own.

 

Edit: Or what about friends with very limited play time but have something come up during the TF/SF, such as one of their children got hurt, so you all pause the TF/SF until the next time they are on, only now you have to completely start over and hope they don't have another family emergency during their very limited play time?

Edited June 16 by Rudra

[Frozen Burn]

The current system is as it is for quality of life and ease of gameplay, and to fix many of the issues you are trying to put back in.  No thanks.

[lemming]

Honestly, I'm not sure what your story has to do with the suggestion?  Yes, some TFs and Trials set your level.

 

Dropping people because of logging out is a major change from the beginning.   And as Rudra has said, it eliminates groupings that want to take it slow, it completely invalidates someone that has any sort of reason for interrupted networks.  AND YOU WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO OURO ARCS!?

As someone who was dealing with a dodgy connection last week, that would have meant my not going thru an ouro arc since I would have had to restart multiple times from the beginning of the arc, instead of just a mission or two.

 

And the bit of "This is how exemplars worked originally"?   There was a reason for that to be eliminated by the much better SK system.

[kelika2]

1 hour ago, lemming said:

Honestly, I'm not sure what your story has to do with the suggestion?  Yes, some TFs and Trials set your level.

its locking task forces to a certain level when using through the LFG tool no matter whos using it.  A level 8 leader for posi will mean a level 8 posi.  but if used the tool everyone would be level 15.

 

1 hour ago, lemming said:

And as Rudra has said

I have him on ignore and i begged and pleaded with him to stop replying to me and my threads a few times.  please dont play telephone

 

1 hour ago, lemming said:

As someone who was dealing with a dodgy connection last week, that would have meant my not going thru an ouro arc since I would have had to restart multiple times from the beginning of the arc, instead of just a mission or two.

Because this is the LFG tool this is to make room for people who do drop for the whole thing.  since there is no smart device that can tell whos going to be gone for the rest of the event or who went offline for 5 seconds, just boot for the rest.

 

Now, you seem to not realize I am talking about people using the lfg tool, not forming groups by hand which will not effect the way things are now

these are proposed changes to using the lfg tool, a total revamp.

you form your own group by hand?  you can still log off for 5 seconds and nothing bad will happen

you use the lfg tool and gatta go for whatever reason?  boot

[Rudra]

59 minutes ago, kelika2 said:

you use the lfg tool and gatta go for whatever reason?  boot

And if you use the LFG tool and your connection goes flaky, boot? That is still a massive problem. You are still electing to kick people not because they decide they don't have time or because they are causing problems, but because something else is interfering with their ability to stay online.

 

Edit: For that matter, does the game even differentiate between how players joined a team? Like it knows this person on the team joined because (s)he/they used the LFG tool, this one joined because (s)he/they announced "LFG" on Broadcast, this one joined by sending the team leader a tell and getting invited, this one joined because (s)he/they were standing near the team leader at the rally point, and this one joined because (s)he/they are friends with the team leader and they were planning on doing this TF/SF together in the first place?

Edited June 16 by Rudra

[Greycat]

54 minutes ago, kelika2 said:

I have him on ignore and i begged and pleaded with him to stop replying to me and my threads a few times.  please dont play telephone

 

You don't get to dictate who can reply to you or your threads in a public forum.

And how is anyone else supposed to know who you have on ignore?

 

You've got them on ignore. You've done what you're supposed to. Leave it at that.

 

 

55 minutes ago, kelika2 said:

Now, you seem to not realize I am talking about people using the lfg tool, not forming groups by hand which will not effect the way things are now

these are proposed changes to using the lfg tool, a total revamp.

you form your own group by hand?  you can still log off for 5 seconds and nothing bad will happen

you use the lfg tool and gatta go for whatever reason?  boot

 

How often do people join a group via LFG and "drop for the whole thing," as you mention? I can't think of a single instance of that happening. Yet you're proposing a draconian solution that would punish people that *lose connection for a moment.* (One that, again, was dropped on Live.)   I've had people just standing around talking disconnect suddenly, then appear running back up to the group 5 minutes later. If they were in a group running - well, *any* TF, regardless of length, why should they be punished for something like that?

 

Mind you, there are a *lot* of reasons for someone to be dropped. Fortunately I don't think anyone much is on dialup any more, since picking up the phone was infamous for that. But things can knock you offline you're completely unaware of. Yes, storms - which don't have to be right by you to affect the infrastructure your connection goes over. Network hiccups. Someone tripping over a network cable. Kid throws a ball and just happens to hit the power switch for the router. Brief power flickers for any number of reasons (Get a UPS, folks. Be like me and get a couple, make sure your router and modem are plugged in as well!)

 

The only outcome I can see coming of this, if it were to be implemented, would be player frustration and even *fewer* people using LFG as anything but a fast transport. I'd say that'd outweigh the level locking for a *lot* of people.

[kelika2]

41 minutes ago, Greycat said:

You don't get to dictate who can reply to you or your threads in a public forum.

And how is anyone else supposed to know who you have on ignore?

yeah but asking and begging should get something if someone is relentlessly bothering you.  I legit did not expect this outburst from you when it comes to borderline harassment

 

because of this i did not read the rest of your post and i will add you to ignore as well

[Uun]

16 hours ago, kelika2 said:

why would you use the lfg tool if you had a premade?

I misunderstood your suggestion. I thought you were suggesting a change in how TF levels were set and logoffs worked. As currently implemented, the LFG tool (Team-Up Teleporter) only launches specific instanced content (DFB, DIB, Summer Blockbuster, Lord Winter's Realm, Dr. Kane's House of Horrors, Rikti Mother Ship Raid and all Incarnate Trials). Other TFs, Trials and SSAs are not instanced and the LFG tool only teleports you to the contact. This is unlikely to change, as it would require each and every TF, Trial and SSA in the game to be rewritten. 

[kelika2]

4 hours ago, Uun said:

 This is unlikely to change, as it would require each and every TF, Trial and SSA in the game to be rewritten. 

Trials teleport you into the instance.

That alone would be a huge attraction because if you start Yin with 4 or 5, and its not locked there is a high chance someone will come along a few enemy groups in

[Uun]

1 hour ago, kelika2 said:

Trials teleport you into the instance.

That alone would be a huge attraction because if you start Yin with 4 or 5, and its not locked there is a high chance someone will come along a few enemy groups in

It doesn't work that way. Other than those I listed above, all the TFs, Trials and SSAs work like door missions (or transit missions). Changing them to teleport the team into an instance would be a massive undertaking.