[Poll] The Practice of Needing for Companions and Community

[Asung]

Hey SWTOR players,

 

Link to the poll http://poll.pollcode.com/0oMb

 

I have been reading a lot about the debate regarding rolling need in flashpoints to gear up companions. To answer the question on if it is a acceptable practice or not we really need to see how the community feels about it. There has been a few arguments for and against the practice of rolling need for companions, but it is clear that both sides (for and against) believe that they are speaking on behalf of the community.

 

A good way to settle this once and for all would be to conduct a poll. This will produce two possibilities.

 

A) People who need for their companions and argue that there are no consequences that errode their reputation on the server will finally see how others feel about their actions. If true followers of this practice likely will understand that their practice is frowned upon and will adversely effect how others view them.

 

B) People who argue that players should not roll need for companions when other player characters in the flashpoint could use the upgrade may see that the community believes that the practice for rolling only for items that the player character needs is outdated. If the commuinity show through the poll that they are open to rolling need then it evident that the practice of only rolling need for gear going to player characters are as old and outdated as dinosaurs.

 

 

 

For those of you that are not familiar with this debate here is the overview.

 

Argument against rolling need for companions when other players in the party need it

 

-Argues that it is extremely greedy that some players roll need for their companions when others in the party that contributed to obtaining the loot need it for their character.

 

-Argues that companions do not contribute to obtaining the loot in a flashpoint most of the time and thus do not take precedence regarding needing loot over other players

 

-Argues that rolling need for companions deteriorates the community and will result in a collapse in the loot system if everyone rolls need for their companions because each player has five companions. Invariably a player could 'need' any drop because atleast one of their companions could use it. Also problematic because this would make loot harder to obtain for an average player

 

Arguement in favour of rolling need for companions

-Argues that companions are extensions of character and thus should be eligible to roll for their loot.

 

-Argues that each member in a group contributes equally and each member regardless of if they have a utility for the item has a "right" to roll on whatever they please.

 

-Argues that the practice of only rolling need for gear for a player character is old and outdated and not applicable to SWTOR.

 

-Argues that other players in the community really do not care if they roll need for items on the companions and it has no bearing on how others percieve them.

-Argues that they have special circumstances because they are unable to solo-quest without their companion being geared.

 

This game is a community game, I am tired of people talking about the feelings and positions of the community on behalf of each other.

 

I am personally against rolling need for companions when others could use it, but I think it is important to see how the community actually feels about it.

 

Hopefully (and I suspect) these results from the poll will deter and discourage people from rolling need for their companions when it could go to a player that actually needs it. I say this because if they know it is not acceptable in the eyes of the community they will stop doing it or else they may have a hard time finding a group when they are /ignored.

 

Please vote and help the community come to a consensus to stop this silly debate.

http://poll.pollcode.com/0oMb

Edited January 6, 2012 by Asung

[Asung]

Support the community and please put an end to the pointless bickering by voting.

[Ecrulis]

only time Ive ever rolled need for my companion is if no one else in the group is going to use it

[LasherC]

I don't know how relevant a poll will be, as only a small portion of the player base actually uses the forums.

 

Personally, I'd never roll need for a companion if anyone else needs it. If everyone else rolls greed, I most certainly will.

Edited January 6, 2012 by LasherC

[Asung]

I don't know how relevant a poll will be, as only a small portion of the player base actually uses the forums.

 

Personally, I'd never roll need for a companion if anyone else needs it. If everyone else rolls greed, I most certainly will.

 

I agree, but maybe the poll will get it through the thick heads of those who want to need for companions that other players do not like them and will not group with them if we can show them how few people agree with them.

[Xeropointe]

Your wording on the poll answers could come off a bit confusing.

[SecretSpy]

Rolling need for your companions can get out of control very quickly. By the time you hit lvl 50 you can have 5 different companions to choose from! This means that for virtually any piece of gear that drops, you can claim that one of your companions "needs" it. Honestly if people started going this route, everyone would start rolling need literally all the time, and the Need-Greed-Pass system would have no purpose. Common sense dictates that players have top priority, and companions get the leftovers.

[Cordelia]

Player NEED always comes first. Needing for your companion is unacceptable if a player needs it. The only time I would think it OK is if the whole group agreed it was Fine.

[Oappo]

Player NEED always comes first. Needing for your companion is unacceptable if a player needs it. The only time I would think it OK is if the whole group agreed it was Fine.

 

This.

Unless you plan to Solo everything and never play with a group, companions aren't too important. Idk how big World PvP is, but you will not need it for warzones and I doubt you'd have companions in Operations.

[Phyreblade]

Honestly, what bugs me about rolling on items for companions is simply that there isn't really an item, in the game, that a player can't use for some companion sometime.

 

I mean, my heavy armor-wearing Bounty Hunter has a couple companions who use "cunning" enough that medium or light armor items are worth grabbing. Likewise, my medium armor-wearing Smuggler has companions who use "aim" on heavy armor items, too. I have to build up and gear out my healing companions, my tank companions, my dps companions, regardless of character I'm playing, because they all have such NEEDS.

 

So there isn't really going to be a time I honestly can't at all use any item that drops. Somehow, someway, one of my characters somewhere could really benefit from using it. So then it becomes a question of when DON'T I roll need, if that's the case?

 

I was running around in a Heroic group with a fellow who rolled NEED on every single thing that dropped. Finally, I asked him why he'd rolled on something he very obviously couldn't even use. When he said it was for one of his companions, I then asked why he'd rolled on something earlier that I knew none of his companions could've used, and he replied that his Bounty Hunter character could use it. Truth is, he was correct. But I still reminded him that MY Bounty Hunter could've used it and was running in the same group he was, to boot, and then pointed out MY companion(s) of MY multiple characters could've used the myriad items he'd needed on already. And then I dropped from the group. I figured I had better ways to spend my time than to waste it running around gearing up someone else's character(s).

 

Most often, when I'm in a group and see something drop that I would like to roll on for one of my companions, I simply ask if it's okay that I roll on it. If one of the other players says it's a personal upgrade, I respect that. I once won a "greed" roll on a vanguard helm in a group with two vanguards, simply because neither one of them needed it personally and all three of us had companions that could've used it -- hehe, my Corso wore it for almost ten levels.

 

I think it only depends on good communication between players in the group. Those who fail to truly tell me what they're looking for from the group and just greedily grab up every possible bit of loot from the effort will not be players I play with. That's MY choice and MY ignore list to utilize. And I do. 'Nuff said.

[Asung]

Honestly, what bugs me about rolling on items for companions is simply that there isn't really an item, in the game, that a player can't use for some companion sometime.

 

I mean, my heavy armor-wearing Bounty Hunter has a couple companions who use "cunning" enough that medium or light armor items are worth grabbing. Likewise, my medium armor-wearing Smuggler has companions who use "aim" on heavy armor items, too. I have to build up and gear out my healing companions, my tank companions, my dps companions, regardless of character I'm playing, because they all have such NEEDS.

 

So there isn't really going to be a time I honestly can't at all use any item that drops. Somehow, someway, one of my characters somewhere could really benefit from using it. So then it becomes a question of when DON'T I roll need, if that's the case?

 

I was running around in a Heroic group with a fellow who rolled NEED on every single thing that dropped. Finally, I asked him why he'd rolled on something he very obviously couldn't even use. When he said it was for one of his companions, I then asked why he'd rolled on something earlier that I knew none of his companions could've used, and he replied that his Bounty Hunter character could use it. Truth is, he was correct. But I still reminded him that MY Bounty Hunter could've used it and was running in the same group he was, to boot, and then pointed out MY companion(s) of MY multiple characters could've used the myriad items he'd needed on already. And then I dropped from the group. I figured I had better ways to spend my time than to waste it running around gearing up someone else's character(s).

 

Most often, when I'm in a group and see something drop that I would like to roll on for one of my companions, I simply ask if it's okay that I roll on it. If one of the other players says it's a personal upgrade, I respect that. I once won a "greed" roll on a vanguard helm in a group with two vanguards, simply because neither one of them needed it personally and all three of us had companions that could've used it -- hehe, my Corso wore it for almost ten levels.

 

I think it only depends on good communication between players in the group. Those who fail to truly tell me what they're looking for from the group and just greedily grab up every possible bit of loot from the effort will not be players I play with. That's MY choice and MY ignore list to utilize. And I do. 'Nuff said.

 

I support that completely. It is up to vigilant players to snub greedy needers for their companions when they see them so that they will not popup everywhere!

[Tychoides]

Honestly, what bugs me about rolling on items for companions is simply that there isn't really an item, in the game, that a player can't use for some companion sometime.

 

I mean, my heavy armor-wearing Bounty Hunter has a couple companions who use "cunning" enough that medium or light armor items are worth grabbing. Likewise, my medium armor-wearing Smuggler has companions who use "aim" on heavy armor items, too. I have to build up and gear out my healing companions, my tank companions, my dps companions, regardless of character I'm playing, because they all have such NEEDS.

 

So there isn't really going to be a time I honestly can't at all use any item that drops. Somehow, someway, one of my characters somewhere could really benefit from using it. So then it becomes a question of when DON'T I roll need, if that's the case?

 

I was running around in a Heroic group with a fellow who rolled NEED on every single thing that dropped. Finally, I asked him why he'd rolled on something he very obviously couldn't even use. When he said it was for one of his companions, I then asked why he'd rolled on something earlier that I knew none of his companions could've used, and he replied that his Bounty Hunter character could use it. Truth is, he was correct. But I still reminded him that MY Bounty Hunter could've used it and was running in the same group he was, to boot, and then pointed out MY companion(s) of MY multiple characters could've used the myriad items he'd needed on already. And then I dropped from the group. I figured I had better ways to spend my time than to waste it running around gearing up someone else's character(s).

 

Most often, when I'm in a group and see something drop that I would like to roll on for one of my companions, I simply ask if it's okay that I roll on it. If one of the other players says it's a personal upgrade, I respect that. I once won a "greed" roll on a vanguard helm in a group with two vanguards, simply because neither one of them needed it personally and all three of us had companions that could've used it -- hehe, my Corso wore it for almost ten levels.

 

I think it only depends on good communication between players in the group. Those who fail to truly tell me what they're looking for from the group and just greedily grab up every possible bit of loot from the effort will not be players I play with. That's MY choice and MY ignore list to utilize. And I do. 'Nuff said.

 

This is a reasonable analysis of the situation. You are obviously a courteous person and a team player.

 

Sadly, it won't make a bit of different to the greedy people that think this is OK.

 

Kind of ironic it's the greedy people hitting "Need" instead of "Greed" though...

Edited January 6, 2012 by Tychoides