The Life of a Solo Player

[TheLordSpode]

So far in Tom Clancy's The Division,

I've had an extraordinary time. I've leveled a character up to 30, acquired some great gear (although not quite endgame), and have completed almost all side missions/encounters, etc. However in this chaotic setting I am truly alone when it comes to the Dark Zone. Unable to play with friends as they do not own this game, and matchmaking pairing me with people who seem like they have just recently learned where the analog sticks are. Now it's not all bad. I do occasionally have decent loot for extraction, yet there's always that one moment where I approach an extraction with a full team following close behind. This is probably my fault for assuming the majority would act the same, but as a social person I obviously try to talk and interact with those around me. What do I get in return? A blast to the face when that shining rope falls down for extraction. I just wish there was SOMETHING that could protect against this in extraction. I realize it is a part of the PVP aspect of the game, but why should I even bother with fighting enemies for loot when someone else could bring their team along and steal it from me? I hope I'm not the only one frustrated with this.

To clarify this is not me crying for Ubisoft to change something in their game, just a rant.

 

[f3nn3x_nor]

Nice write up, and I'm in the same situation, but more by choice... I have maxed out my PVE char, completed most of the missions on hard, solo, and taken my time going trough the story of the game. I have joined up with some uplay friends, and done the dailies Same goes for the DZ, I'm at rank 28 now, and 90% of that progression i have done solo. I have been killed by rogues twice at extraction, and I have run with random people. Running the DZ solo forces you to take on the gameplay a whole other way, imho, you need to use more tactics to get trough, and the tension is real when extracting. 

So to the issue at hand, extracting, and protection. I really get what you are saying, but for me, its part of the excitement. Those 90secs is harsh, either from NPCs spawning or other players. But if you feel unsafe or get a bad feeling about the extraction, don't do it. Leave and try a different site I get that the frustration is real, but thats PvP for you  

So from a fellow lone wolf, build a tank, i got about 85k in health and 50k in DPS, i've built my char to take a hit

 

[Blazzen67]

this is what Ubisoft/massive have been advertising since the very beginning. this type of PvP. do not trust anyone except people you know. keep your head on a swivel, and if you insist on going into the dark zone solo, you do so at your own risk. This isnt anything new if you have been following the game for a long time. there are tactics available to you. Like f3nn3x_nor wrote as one example, do a build that can take a lot of damage, put down turrets right before the helicopter arrives, put down aid stations, use the shield special ability to help you take damage, take defensive positions. i could go on and on.  there are ways to survive solo in the dark zone, you just have to experiment to what works best for you.

 

[LittleSkittle39]

Get a good head set, stay in the cut, think like a ninja, pulse is your friend.  If you see a group take cover, if they see you, never stop running.  Playing like this can feel slow paced but I feel like I'm actually alone in a war zone.  

 

[RSharpe95]

I'm currently level 30, DZ rank 50 and did it all solo. I've only done two challenge modes right before hitting 50, because it was the only time I felt my gear was good enough to make the attempt. I now have level 31 gold equipment in all slots (although it's not the most optimized build) and a primary and secondary gold weapon. 

Soloing is possible in this game, but it's slower and more work. Especially in the DZ. The best advice I have is to rank up in the DZ as much as possible before level 30, since it gets much harder once you hit that cap. There are far more players on the servers at level 30, and they will probably have better equipment than you. I ranked up 35 levels before 30, and did the last 15 at 30. That was the biggest grind for me. Especially since I lost 30k DZ xp in the span of 5 bad minutes at level 48. 

 

[Slicksnoopy]

If people want to steal my gear while extracting  whatever its part of the game. But shouldnt they have to then summon their own helicopter? Makes no sense that people from my JTF/Base fly in to extract my gear but then take another rogue agents gear and now there is no chance to get your gear back because they extracted on your helicopter. Why have a minute and a half extraction timer if they dont have to wait for it?

 

[Blazzen67]

If people want to steal my gear while extracting  whatever its part of the game. But shouldnt they have to then summon their own helicopter? Makes no sense that people from my JTF/Base fly in to extract my gear but then take another rogue agents gear and now there is no chance to get your gear back because they extracted on your helicopter. Why have a minute and a half extraction timer if they dont have to wait for it?

well, i kinda agree here...a rogue agent shouldn't be allowed to extract anything, they should have to wait till their rogue timer runs out.after all, they are a rogue agent.  that would kinda balance the scales a little bit and maybe curb that action of them ambushing extracting players. also give the killed players time to come back and exact revenge and get their stuff back. I think that is a good idea to suggest to Ubisoft on their forums.

 

[goofycaca]

Most of my experience in the DZ has been pretty good.  I've run into a couple of PK groups (they never seem to run solo) but most groups and agents have been very hands off.  You tag along or they do, work together for a while and no tears shed when you go your separate ways.  Nobody has popped me at the extraction site once the chopper has arrives, my biggest issue has been some moron walking into my field of fire and causing me to go rogue.  Why am I the a-hole because you're too stupid to keep from walking infront of a machine gun?

 

[Zalkin67]

it´s hard to be alone in the game .. but I think most of the players co-op when meeting enemys in the DZ

 

[raaymann]

well, i kinda agree here...a rogue agent shouldn't be allowed to extract anything, they should have to wait till their rogue timer runs out.after all, they are a rogue agent.  that would kinda balance the scales a little bit and maybe curb that action of them ambushing extracting players. also give the killed players time to come back and exact revenge and get their stuff back. I think that is a good idea to suggest to Ubisoft on their forums.

I disagree completely with your comment Blazzen, not trying to flame, just my two cents. Curbing anything will ruin the game, that would take the excitement away from the whole "Dark Zone" feel. You're supposed to feel alone, that anxiety waiting for that helicopter to come because you have a yellow sitting in your bag is killer.  But that is what makes this game so much fun for so many people. Everyone wants to feel that excitement. Of course not everyone will come out victorious in the end but that's the "dark zone" for you.

Also, for one, if you are extracting (solo of course) and you see a group come up, why stay? It's your fault for losing your stuff and dying. This game makes you think strategically, so be logical. Can you fight your way through 4 people? 

I also have been in instances where i had a group of 4, and my team has run into groups of 8. Yes i know you can't get into a party of 8, but these guys were helping each other. i lost all my good items and had a couple HE items as well. 

 

[Blazzen67]

I disagree completely with your comment Blazzen, not trying to flame, just my two cents. Curbing anything will ruin the game, that would take the excitement away from the whole "Dark Zone" feel. You're supposed to feel alone, that anxiety waiting for that helicopter to come because you have a yellow sitting in your bag is killer.  But that is what makes this game so much fun for so many people. Everyone wants to feel that excitement. Of course not everyone will come out victorious in the end but that's the "dark zone" for you.

Also, for one, if you are extracting (solo of course) and you see a group come up, why stay? It's your fault for losing your stuff and dying. This game makes you think strategically, so be logical. Can you fight your way through 4 people? 

I also have been in instances where i had a group of 4, and my team has run into groups of 8. Yes i know you can't get into a party of 8, but these guys were helping each other. i lost all my good items and had a couple HE items as well. 

i understand what you are saying but  in my opinion ambushing the moment right when someone is attempting to hook up the yellow bag is a cowardly act. but let that be what it is, doesn't bother me all that much.  that's actually beside the point im trying to make..if you play this game going by the story of the game, being rogue is going against the directive 51 order, you basically become the thing you are there to fight against, a enemy of the agency you belong to. . thats why you get warnings right when you go rogue. you become disavowed by the agency. why should a rogue be rewarded with an extraction by the same agency you just became an enemy of? makes zero sense if you stick to the narrative of the game. after all, a rogue cant use the safe houses, why should they be able to use the helicopters?  Rogues should have to wait till there timer runs out before they are allowed to extract. im sticking to that opinion, and to me, it doesn't ruin the game at all, not in the slightest,  in fact, it makes it that much more intense for the rogues. they should feel as much heat as they can get for turning their back on the agency...  and as for your comment "can you fight off 4 people"..go look at my post " For all those complaining about the DZ"  that video will show you it can be done

 

[Superiorpen]

Gotta be very careful when you're playing solo. I do tend to talk to others, but you can't trust them. Usually I will move from extraction to extraction looking for one that is completely empty, and if somebody shows up I will wait for them to extract first. Usually, though, nobody shows up. You just gotta get lucky with the timing.

 

[x Risky Kill]

The DZ servers only have 24 people max in them, there's a lot of extraction points. If you're playing solo it never hurts to run to a less busy site. 

Also rogue's being able to extract is ridiculous, not only thematically but also mechanically. If they can't use our safehouses why should they be able to use or helicopters? Bologna. That's what it is.

 

[Blazzen67]

The DZ servers only have 24 people max in them, there's a lot of extraction points. If you're playing solo it never hurts to run to a less busy site. 

Also rogue's being able to extract is ridiculous, not only thematically but also mechanically. If they can't use our safehouses why should they be able to use or helicopters? Bologna. That's what it is.

finally, someone agrees with me

 

[Superiorpen]

If they can't use our safehouses why should they be able to use or helicopters? Bologna. That's what it is.

Obviously  the green poison is the cause of this. The pilot can't tell the difference between agents...

 

[Blazzen67]

Gotta be very careful when you're playing solo. I do tend to talk to others, but you can't trust them. Usually I will move from extraction to extraction looking for one that is completely empty, and if somebody shows up I will wait for them to extract first. Usually, though, nobody shows up. You just gotta get lucky with the timing.

or when the rope falls, hit "survivor link" right when you are about to extract..that should buy enough time to get your loot out. don't know if that would work, haven't tried it myself

 

[Superiorpen]

or when the rope falls, hit "survivor link" right when you are about to extract..that should buy enough time to get your loot out. don't know if that would work, haven't tried it myself

Never thought of that, good point...