Breakfast Topic: Looking for...
by Elizabeth Harper 
Feb 3rd 2007 at 8:00AM
In the time it takes you to read this post, another hundred players will have posted on the official forums about the shiny new looking for group interface that rolled out with the 2.0 pre-BC patch (on the 9th of January). Blizzard told us to give the new LFG tool a chance -- after all, the system can't work if no one utilizes it -- but nearly a month later the steady stream of complaints hasn't stopped. At this point, are you still willing to give Blizzard's LFG system a chance, or have you resorted (like so many others have) to searching for groups over whatever channels are available to you?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Features
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Oblitherax Feb 3rd 2007 8:12AM
I was a bit optimistic at with the release of BC. I thought that perhaps nobody was using it because of the fact that pre-bc so many people were doing pvp. I thought that come BC so many people would want to do the new instances that the LFG system would be popular even if it was poorly designed.
Not so however.
I've tried to use it several times, and I've never once seen another person on the LFG besides myself.
So, it really just comes down to either putting a run together with my guild, which I'd always try to do anyhow (as we have about 70 people on their way through 60) or just looking in the general of the zone the instance is in.
Maximus Idious Feb 3rd 2007 8:21AM
It's gotten so bad that you basically either spam /2 or local channel.
Sometimes I am getting /w for invites to run something from strangers, i am assuming they just did /who 70 instead
Bernard Feb 3rd 2007 8:26AM
I think I'm one of the few guys around who likes the new LFG system. No more spamming in IF, and you can clearly see who wants to run an instance. It even automatically lets you form a group. Easier then this isn't possible, and you must be a complete retard if you don't know how to use it.
Like Blizzard says, if everybody would use it, it would be perfect.
jakob Feb 3rd 2007 9:00AM
On my server, a few people use it, at prime time there's a couple groups going... people also spam channels... I think the problem is that all people that join groups do so passively, and if they see someone asking for a group they choose when they see the spam... The system works great for people actively looking to join a group, but the passive people who may have decided to join when they see it spammed are left behind...
there's always /tell though, and that's been pretty good to me in the past.
I think the system would work best if it could be turned on/off, and was more passive. for instance, not everybody who is looking for a group always remembers to turn on the instances they want to go to in the lfg interface, I forget *all* the time. if I could say, turn it on to some setting like "always available for level appropriate instances", or "always availiable for 'inclusive' instaces but not 'exclusive' instances" it would work nicely. Typically, I am down for instances while leveling, they make it go faster(but I could pause it if time doesn't permit, or I *really* feel like doing some quests), but not everyone is, some prefer to solo/grind/quest all the time, or are in raid/instance running guilds and don't PUG, they could have it always set to not looking(except the times they are). This would give people who are making groups a better view of potential group mates. At least that's how I would improve the system... I suppose, this could be done with a mod easily enough, but not everyone uses mods for some reason that is lost to me, so it wouldn't help very much.
Hank Feb 3rd 2007 9:03AM
the biggest complaint I see about it is that it doesn't let you choose the classes you want to complete your group.
Jason Feb 3rd 2007 9:14AM
The LFG tool is far from perfect. However, I find the hypocrisy in WoW of those who won't use it absolutely appaling. People complained about the LFG channel nearly endlessly, going on and on about how it was full of spam and didn't work. Blizzard puts together a tool that works, as long as people use it.
What happens next? Everyone refuses to use it, and just complains non stop. So, no, you can't find a group with it. You'll never be able to find one with it as long as noone is using it. However, if you use it, then you'll have no issues finding a group. I was on the PTR it was tested; I used it a lot and loved it. Everyone I wound up in a group with loved it.
So why don't people use it now? I don't know. I don't really care. All I do know is that it works. It works well. People just need to shut up, use it and stop complaining about a system being broken when it's not, especially when they're the cause of it not working.
Seper Feb 3rd 2007 9:21AM
I have never found a good PUG. I went and ran an instance with a lvl 65 in my guild last night and even he was shady about playing his character. Ive given up on PUGs in general.
When I did use the LFG it worked great in most cases. There was always the 5 people you need.
Most people dont use it which is why it "sucks". Like any gamer they need to rant and rave about something and for some reason the general popultation of gamers does not like change. (even though its for the better)
Arianas Feb 3rd 2007 9:33AM
Well, I thought it was a good idea at first- still do, I suppose. It usually takes a combined effort of using the LFG panel and /1 general to find a PUG. Now a decent group...that's another story
Preach Feb 3rd 2007 12:51PM
I am very disappointed in it. It seems like very few people use it and on a low pop server like I am on (Ravenholdt) it makes it even harder to find an instance group.
itsbrandon Feb 3rd 2007 9:46AM
I liked the LFG tool. Notice Past-tense.
NO ONE USES IT! I mean, maybe a few people will use it to get an instance going, but usually it takes longer to fill the group with the LFG tool than it does /1 LFM. Which is too bad, because it had potential. But Blizzard introduced it much too late in the game. People have been used to typing /4 LFG WC and LFM LBRS for far too long. They go with what they know. Besides, that feeling you have of sitting there while the little eyeball is blinking at you, it just kinda wonder if it's working and if people really know you're out there.
It's also hard to find a healer or tank or dps or whatever to fill that one last spot. I've had the LFG tool create some crazy groups of cloth, and we're left kicking someone out to go find a tank...
I hope Blizzard doesn't give up, however, and find ways to improve the LFG tool. I'd hate to see the LFG channel return; it became a hive for lonely homophobic little boys to insult each other, and it was truly a disgusting place to be. People would use it as a giant, world wide chat room, and it made finding a group or filling that last spot even more difficult.
I hope people start using the tool (I continue to do so, and usually find myself very alone) and I hope they improve it. This is one time I hope they don't give in to the mob mentality.
taima Feb 3rd 2007 10:02AM
i like the LFG system.. only problem with it is that no one seems to use it, just like the meeting stones... i was questing around for 3hrs while waiting for a group.. i ended up getting a whisper from this guy who was randomly sending whispers to everyone on his /who list
TheGreatLarro Feb 3rd 2007 10:05AM
The one time I had used the interface, it worked very well. We ended up with odd party composition that somehow really worked... Ran ZF with one holy priest, one shadow priest, one warrior, and one mage. It took a while to assemble the group though...
wowinsider.qsh Feb 3rd 2007 10:06AM
I think the real issue is that the people who complain that it doesn't let them select are relying on the auto-join function. Very simple solution if you want to make the group yourself... don't auto-join! Uncheck that button and look through the pool of players/groups available and send tells! With the auto-join turned off, the system simply replaces the continual spamming, you simply flag yourself for what you're interested in and go.
The issue is getting people to turn that off and start handpicking party members, instead of just resorting to the old spammy method.
st23am Feb 3rd 2007 10:19AM
maybe its because I play on a role playing server, but I have used the new system every time I do an instance and have not had any problems what so ever. It has sped up finding a group for an instance significantly.
Prauche Feb 3rd 2007 10:46AM
Apparently all 10 people who use LFG have posted here. /sigh. People are sooooooo resistant to change. (For the record, I like LFG, I just don't normally need to use it.)
cloud Feb 3rd 2007 11:15AM
Its a worthless interface, instead of building a system around what people needed, blizzard just threw together some crap and called it a LFG interface just so they could tell everyone they had one for the xpac to sell more copies.
Not only does it limit what instances you can look for, it does not let people know what spec you are, there is a big difference between a holy priest/resto shammy and a shadow/DWing one when your looking for a healer. Same thing for a non feral druid when you are looking for a tank.
It is literally impossible to put a group together with the system which is why no one uses it.
It is still 100x easier to spam general or whisper people in the area of the appropriate level and class than to use this half-ass system.
Maybe if for once blizzard would stop and think before they did something it wouldn't be a massive fail. And honestly EVERYTHING blizzard does not related to new zones or quests or instances is a failure. They have no concept of balance or who their customor is and their customers needs. I really think they just don't care, or live in some fantasy land where they thought communism would have worked out.
White Rabbit Feb 3rd 2007 12:48PM
@ Cloud
Wow, more examples of morons bashing the LFG without actually using it themselves.
You can leave custom notes that show up next to your name. Just stick your spec in there and people will see it.
John Feb 3rd 2007 1:04PM
I thought it would be awesome, but then I realized that it auto-picks what instances you can even look for. So if I'm ONE level outside their suggested range for that dungeon, then I'm doomed to spamming over the chat channels for a group.
Jason Feb 3rd 2007 1:05PM
Having read through the comments, people need to start thinking about what they're saying. I continually see the same thing, over and over again:
I hate the LFG tool because noone uses it.
This isn't a problem with the tool. This is a problem with elitist jerks and others who want to maintain the pigeonhole stereotyped roles that have been established by the so-called 'hardcore'.
Wake up folks. There's nothing wrong with the tool; the problem is with everyone refusing to use it.
Sylythn Feb 3rd 2007 1:38PM
I just did give it a chance today, looking for BFD and SFK groups for my Paladin quest. There were 3 - count em, 3 of us looking for groups. The guy I kept getting grouped with would get tired of only looking for SFK once we were paired up - ungroup so he could look for multiples, only to pair up with me again. The other guy apparantly was not on friendly terms with the one I got paired up with, and wouldn't group with us.
So giving up on that, I switched to my lvl 62 warlock, who needs to run Scholo for the epic mount quest...guess what - I CAN'T LFG SCHOLO! Apparantly 62 is too leet for scholo, and the quest isn't a Group quest, so I can't look for help under that.
My assessment - LFG is an utterly useless system - even more so than the old LFG chat channel...and that makes me cringe.