Who actually enjoys grinding?

[chaosdruid]

Most people would rather get what they want right now and minimal to no work to get it. This is why prostitution is a viable business, why steroids exist, and why credit card debt is the homewrecking plague it is today.

The purpose of grinding to max level is to teach you how to play your class so when you reach the end-game content you will be a productive member of the raid. FFXI's system of grinding with a group was most effective because it taught you how to play a singular role as you leveled. Unfortunately, it took far too long to get max level. Once you were about level 40 (about 1/5 of the way to 75 by raw xp) you knew how to play your class and the rest of the way to end-game was a long. . . repetitive. . . crab-killing festival of suck.

WoW had a good timeframe to get to max level. But because it pretty much forced you to grind alone (since the fastest xp is solo and instancing just gets you items that will be obsolete in a week) it was way boring and taught you nothing about how to play your role before endgame.

Hopefully Aion makes you grind in groups for about 1 summer's worth of time. That way you learn how to cooperate, and NCsoft doesn't insult my intelligence with a long learning period.

[birdman]

Originally Posted by chaosdruid

Most people would rather get what they want right now and minimal to no work to get it. This is why prostitution is a viable business, why steroids exist, and why credit card debt is the homewrecking plague it is today.

The purpose of grinding to max level is to teach you how to play your class so when you reach the end-game content you will be a productive member of the raid. FFXI's system of grinding with a group was most effective because it taught you how to play a singular role as you leveled. Unfortunately, it took far too long to get max level. Once you were about level 40 (about 1/5 of the way to 75 by raw xp) you knew how to play your class and the rest of the way to end-game was a long. . . repetitive. . . crab-killing festival of suck.

WoW had a good timeframe to get to max level. But because it pretty much forced you to grind alone (since the fastest xp is solo and instancing just gets you items that will be obsolete in a week) it was way boring and taught you nothing about how to play your role before endgame.

Hopefully Aion makes you grind in groups for about 1 summer's worth of time. That way you learn how to cooperate, and NCsoft doesn't insult my intelligence with a long learning period.

If it takes you a summer to learn a role then I don't think NCSoft has to insult anything to get the point across ;p.

Games can make grinding much more interesting, but they don't do it. I'm sorry, killing the same god damned monster until your max level isn't a game, it's a chore. That's why I didn't get into FFXI. I could tolerate L2's grind only because I knew that pvp was at the end of the tunnel. If a player can go from 1-60 in WoW and still be ridiculously inept, then there isn't much anyone can do.

[Night_Stalker]

I actually enjoy party grinding alot more than quests, but the trouble is you can never find a party in games that force you to do this. Party grinding froces you to learn your role, gives you a strong sense of teamwork/cooperation, and it's jsut plain fun to chat with your party while grinding some mobs.

I Hate grinding in WoW tohugh because If I simply grind mobs, I feel compelled to do quests (and rightly so, seeing as I wouldn't get any decent money or gear if I didn't).

Either way I'm happy, but I enjoy grinding for some weird reason

[Unforsaken87]

Blah grinding. I dont think that you should have to kill the same group of mobs 20 thousands times to reach one level. To me that is dull, repetitive and mindless. Its like your a zombie, and most of the time it is like a job. Chore is under rated. When you gotta play 20 to 30 hours a week to get a level or a half of a level its gotten to the piont where the game company just thinks that they have you under their control and you dont got a life outside of video games. I enjoy getting my xp solo and in groups. Depends on my mood, depends on the people who play the game. I tend to find quite a few people annoying in games. I hope that Aion lets players benefit from parties as well as solo play. In a equal manor.

[Ecronyte]

Grind on it's own isn't enjoyable. It isn't self sustaining. It is a hurdle we have to overcome to get what we want. Its not unlike a job, you may enjoy your work, but if there was no payoff at the end, the vast vast majority of us wouldn't be doing it.

Just as endless grind would be no fun. Neither would having everything handed to you instantly. The fun comes in the balance. There has to be plenty to do and plenty of ways to do it. You have to have a sense you are making some headway, and their has to be a measurable payoff at the end (L2's 60% crafts and long, unenjoyable, and often unrewarding quests ftl). Most people don't mind working for a reward. But when the work is incredibly hard, or incredibly long, most people will have a hard time finding the "fun".

[LethalEmbrace]

If im with people I enjoy playing with. Doesnt seem the phase me.

[Omegaforce]

Give me a case of pop and my music/vent and I can grind all day and night. Possibly add a partner to grind with (because I'm usually a healer and they're bad at grinding) and I'm a happy camper.

[Unforsaken87]

Originally Posted by Ecronyte

Grind on it's own isn't enjoyable. It isn't self sustaining. It is a hurdle we have to overcome to get what we want. Its not unlike a job, you may enjoy your work, but if there was no payoff at the end, the vast vast majority of us wouldn't be doing it.

Just as endless grind would be no fun. Neither would having everything handed to you instantly. The fun comes in the balance. There has to be plenty to do and plenty of ways to do it. You have to have a sense you are making some headway, and their has to be a measurable payoff at the end (L2's 60% crafts and long, unenjoyable, and often unrewarding quests ftl). Most people don't mind working for a reward. But when the work is incredibly hard, or incredibly long, most people will have a hard time finding the "fun".

I agree. Those 60% crafts were horrible. Along with those drop rates. Thats why I am glad to hear about the variety/plethora of quests, the crafting, and the fact it'll be a new game in which I can explore, make friends, etc. Friends, music ( and I love to watch tv ) during the grind helps.

[Necrosis]

I enjoy grinding, to the point that I consider things like quests and crafting to be in the way (depending on the game, they are unavoidable). Nobody enjoys grinding at first, it's a taste you have to acquire like beer or ******l fluids. Some will choose not to acquire the taste and they will never have the means to really understand.

[Unforsaken87]

Originally Posted by Necrosis

I enjoy grinding, to the point that I consider things like quests and crafting to be in the way (depending on the game, they are unavoidable). Nobody enjoys grinding at first, it's a taste you have to acquire like beer or ******l fluids. Some will choose not to acquire the taste and they will never have the means to really understand.

Isnt that true. Most of my RL friends dont understand why I like MMOs so much. The only thing that runs through their mind is the GRIND. Yet they play Halo. ( I dont get that, Halo, from what I saw, didnt change much either O.o )

[w1ngzer0]

everquests grind was fine. Wow's is too easy.

[Ipmia]

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

everquests grind was fine. Wow's is too easy.

grind doesnt make a game eazy or hard

and wow grind is not much different than l2 grind time consuption wize

[JunSakurada]

Grinding is dumb, not to say I enjoy having easy mode. I enjoy a challenge that requires skill, great pvp provides this. Grinding is a test of endurance nothing more, it requires no skill, no brainpower, no strategy, nothing. People still do manage to mess it up somehow, lol.

[jameinkaiser]

Originally Posted by JunSakurada

Grinding is dumb, not to say I enjoy having easy mode. I enjoy a challenge that requires skill, great pvp provides this. Grinding is a test of endurance nothing more, it requires no skill, no brainpower, no strategy, nothing. People still do manage to mess it up somehow, lol.

...................
hear hear

[Rizzmoe]

If you have to grind a lot doesn't separate the skilled ones from noobs in my opinion. It's just a timesink. The "13 years old WoW Player" also gets to max lvl soon or later... The only advantage is in the beginning of the game, you can see on first sight, who got a lot of time and who hasn't reached max lvl yet... Great...

But back to topic:

Sometimes I enjoy grinding: It's a little bit.... meditative