So I recently made a brand new knight to try out the new T1 content. Little did I realize how many bad groups I would find in T1. The first two times I ran the boss levels in T1, I started in a group of 4. Both times, by the time I got to the boss, all three other players had dropped out of the group due to constantly dying and reviving. Both times I had to play the final two levels by myself. The other players would constantly be killing themselves on explosive boxes, spikes, thorns... it seemed like they kept finding new and novel ways to kill themselves. (And no, these were not T3 players just messing around).
Anyways, both times I did these runs, I sat around for 15-20 minutes on the last level before the boss just waiting and hoping someone else would join to help with the boss as I was still in all proto gear. Both times, I had to fight the boss alone as no one joined the group. As this was 1 day after the new update went in, I have a really hard time believing it was because no one was joining groups. Was there some kind of update that went in that doesn't allow people to join groups after the first 3 or 4 levels? Had I been a brand new player, I can promise that experience would have really turned me off from the game. As I had already come so far, I didn't want to give up, so I foolishly tried to fight the boss in nothing but proto gear. After a VERY long fight, I somehow finally won with 1/2 a bar of health left without reviving. If you were wondering if it is possible to solo Snarlbolax in all proto gear, the answer is yes, but it isn't easy.
So, now I am back to choosing to solo those levels as it is just way less of a headache then trying to get into a decent group.
Has anyone else had that same experience and does anyone know if people can still join your group a couple levels before the boss? If not, especially on T1, that should be changed.
I think the problem is it'll always join you into the most shallow depth that has an open party (at least it seems like this is how it works). Right after the patch almost everyone was running T1 on that gate which means there were probably infinite parties in depths 1-3 with open parties that gobbled up everyone that was trying to join a game.
Friend people who you play with that are decent and build up a list of reliable knights to call upon otherwise continue to solo because party play is really hit or miss, especially in T1.