I give up on party in this game.

Why not allow multiple loot types? If you set your group to FFA, it's FFA. If you set your group to a personal loot, it's not.

Then join the party with the loot type you prefer.

I only played with my friend during the stress test, for three reasons I suppose. In order: I dislike playing with randoms, there's no real way to find a group, and I didn't want to battle for loot.

I like to play with other people but playing with people you don't know is shit. Me and my friend always share loot, even if there's something we both want the one that picked it up might give it to the other. But when you're in a group with random people they're usually dicks and wont even let you have things they wont use half of the time.

This is pretty much the reason I don't group with people so often.

Yeah to have a piece of loot that i really really wanted goto another random stranger is no beuno!

As with many of us, I'm a huge fan of D2 and played it for about 10 years on and off. The fact is, the game is one of the most amazing save for the fact that there is FFA loot. They are changing this in D3 and that is one of the big reasons I'm excited for that game. I was really hoping for the new individual loot system in this game because it sounds so good, but in interviews Chris has said they will do what they can to keep a FFA loot system in the mix. I think it is inevitable and I wish it weren't, but I'll still have fun with this game and will most likely continue to solo like I did in D2.

I will say I like the idea of a party leader choice of the way drops work, though IMO having a individual drop system for default league and then maybe the current FFA system for ones like Hardcore and Cutthroat might not be a bad idea.

Main reason why I didn't team up with anyone was that I wanted to learn about the game and that meant I often stopped to analyze the skilltree/gems, read quest texts or analyzing maps. Of course a lot of time also went into the inventory-tetris and moving between town and back to sell stuff.

Had I partied up with others that are similar the time spent on all that would have added up, had I got someone that only wants to power through the areas I'd be left behind. It also didn't help much to have FFA loot and no friends playing.

I'm sure in the final release things will be different and I'd love to play with friends.

really? its great

IF you think the party is flawed try being the stone and stick of the back when that comes around you will know that frost witch, summoner spell and skill grid taken along drift

I don't party generally because I like to go at my own pace, and not feel forced. The whole game feels like a race to kill the next monster in a party.

Party play is pretty good with someone you know, but with randoms I often find the two play speeds to be too different.

Just want to throw my name into the camp that refuses to PUG with FFA looting. When open beta starts if FFA loot is still the only looting option I will either continue to only group with friends or solo.

Why don't simply make a vote about this to clearly see what ppl think?
It could be like this:

What loot system do you prefer?

a., FFA
b., individual
c., other (explain in post)

Let it go for 1-2 weeks and see the results.