Grouping etiquette

[roadrunnerNM]

Unlike some other MMO's I've played, SWTOR usually requires every team member to click on whatever. OK, I've learned my lesson about that. But tonight, I was in a four-person group, and accidentally aggroed some mobs on our way to the next mission objective. I was behind the rest of the team, and no one came back to help me; so I died. Apparently I missed some mission objectives in the time it took me to revive and make my way back to the team. So I didn't get credit for the mission, and no one gave a ****, they just took off. It was a Heroic 4; so there was no way I could finish on my own. I was a bit upset by this behaviour, and it's kind of soured me on grouping. Please tell me this isn't the norm.

[Darthshnooky]

It isn't the norm with my experiences. Did you express to them that you were being attacked, died, and needed to do the objective still? A little communication can go a long way. That said, if they just ignored you and didn't care about what you needed; well some people are jerks. Just find another group and try it again.

 

Better yet, find a guild you like with some good people and grouping will become a breeze.

[paul_preib]

With a pug group I like to toss a "hey how's it going?" "On my way" etc. when first grouping up and heading to the flashpoint.

 

Getting responses back to such things (what the response is) can go a long ways to telling you right away about your group and sets the tone to me.

 

 

That doesn't mean quiet folks are guaranteed to be jerks but it does give you something of a pre-set notion.

 

 

 

In general anytime you have dialog (asking a question, asking to hold up just a sec, etc.) you can use responses early to gauge the group. And if they advertise from the start that you'll have to spacebar your way through all conversations also tells you they are there for fast loot and may be competent but not likely to be patient or have great grouping etiquette.

[Tintagel]

Only come across this a couple of times so far(touches wood), but as a healer if they leave me to die, they normally appear at the respawn point next to me 30 seconds later

[Zorpen]

EDIT: Damn, wrong topic, lol. Edited January 17, 2012 by Zorpen

[Rigwit]

I'm notorious for having bad luck with pickup groups, so it happens to me a lot. Often also people dropping the group once they're finished with their own quests, regardless of what the rest of the group still has left.

 

I pretty much stick to guild groups and solo play (even though I hate soloing in MMO's) for now, in the hopes it'll get better at some point, when those who didn't really want to play in the first place stop playing.

[Bobshabob]

For the most part I've found most PUG groups fairly reasonable. Once or twice i've have people drop for one reason or another but soon managed to replace them if need be. I think the rule is dont let 1 group sour your experience of grouping and give it a few more tries. Or like others have said, ask around a social friendly guild and there will normally be people in there more than happy to help.

[FlyingGroundhog]

Well it depends on the group, sometimes you will find some very nice people.

 

I remember I was doing this class quest with a guy, and he only got the objective done for some reason. We did it twice, and so he was willing to do it twice for me. Very nice of him

[Erevan_Kindelar]

I have found PUGs that cross the whole range, but in most cases the bad behaviour is by people who have learned that from other groups in SWTOR, not because that is what the person naturally does - they see other people dropping from groups, ignoring party members, being "me me me me", and because they have relatively light experience of grouping and MMOs in general, they pick that up as the norm.

 

After a bit of a leture (which I always do at the start of the group now, especially when I am the group leader) about Need vs Greed, sticking together, completing all content, party roles (tank, dps, and me as healer typically), and the general group etiquette, a few drop out with "meh, you are not my mother" comments. Those would typically drop out anyway, so they are not really missed, and it usually takes a minute or two to replace them.

 

Those who stay and who do a good job generally go on my Friends list, and if they are unguilded I tend to /w them about my guild.

[DalrisThane]

Deleted. No point. Everyone is TLDR these days. +See Sig. Edited March 31, 2013 by DalrisThane

[Lammy]

I don’t think I will ever group again.

 

I’ve only ever soloed in TOR, and Esseles was my first try at a group. I actually bent the truth saying TOR was my first MMO, because I’ve played City of Heroes but soloed 90% of it, if you don’t count being babysat by my wife’s Level 50 character. But, in a chat channel, it’s easier to be simpler, so I put on the newb hat proudly.

 

I told people the above on the general chat. I told people in the group. I’m on a roleplaying server, so I assumed I’d get the chance to be in character, wander, figure out what all the group command were. Or at the very least, people would understand if I wasn’t competent, let alone a powergamer. Every single group member went “sure” and proceeded to run at breakneck speed. I couldn’t keep up, speed to tactics wise.

 

The leader just went unresponsive at the first boss fight. So, the first group disintegrated as people just logged off and quit with no notice. I tried to continue solo as a L10 and was kicked in the teeth… badly.

 

So, I made a second group, again, was very clear that I’d never grouped, and I had JUST found out some of the group commands for chat. (I’d been whispering this whole time to each of the 2-3 other people. I didn’t expect there wouldn’t be a groupsay option whether or not you were grouped like in CoH). People argued about tactics, speed, spacebar-ing, and left.

 

Fine, third time is the charm. I grouped with another person, and, with companions out, we tried it. Since the chat channel was busy, I missed most if not all of his commands. I also didn’t know most of his sayings “Summon your comp” was something foreign to me, and since I was getting my noggin handed to me by 4 bad guys, I was going to ask him later. I’ve never dismissed my companion, so, even if I knew what he was saying, I still have no idea how to summon a companion.

 

Then, after he left abruptly, he proceeded to /tell (whisper, whatever it is) that Esseles is the easiest flashpoint of the game, that I’d never get anywhere unless I could do flashpoints as “that’s all there is at game end”, and got no reply when I mentioned I was new, it was overwhelmingly fast, and I missed his grouptalk in the channel spam.

 

That was 3 for 3. That was it. I deleted my character, just to reroll the exact same one, with the exact same choices, if only to do a “fresh start” where I would never group again. That way, the 2-3 levels I got during those Esseles run, I’d get legit in single player. Heck, I just wanted Kotor 3, not an MMO anyways.

 

Let me be clear = 99% of the problems were my fault. I admit that. I’m not a good player. I’m slow and easily confused.

 

But I thought that, telling everyone this was my first MMO, first group ever, and that I was on a roleplaying server (presumably, where the point is to be in character, and not worry about stats, speed, etc…) would give me some slack.

 

Nope. I was made to feel like pond scum infected toe fungus. And any /whispers I did or posts directly to people got me replies that I was “a carebear” etc…

 

I’m sure there’s tons of really nice people out there. But, this post is addressing people that wanted Kotor 3 and wanted to try the MMO aspects of this game = Don’t. Just don’t. Pretend there is no Social vendor, no PvP vendor. That “they don’t serve my kind around here.” It’ll be less frustrating.

 

And if you risk it and you do great at MMOs, awesome. I’m glad for you. But me, personally, I come to TOR for a game, not a reminder on how certain parts of humanity… really likes to tear people a new one...

 

It's an unfortunate experience you had, but one not uncommon with MMO's. my advice for you would be to find a nice player to group with out in the world, and gain some experience in running with a group of just 2 (with companions) before launching into a flashpoint.

 

Flashpoints by their nature are designed to test groups, and as such demand an understanding of the mechanics not just of your own character, but also everyone elses, the NPC's, the game itself and of course the controls used in companions and groupchat.

It is no fault of your own that you have yet to learn this, but neither can it be expected of other players to teach you from the ground up in these instances; one of the most trying things in any multiplayer game is trying to run a group instance with one party member who simply doesn't know what to do.

 

So why do they run flashpoints at all? well when it works, it's very fun, and an experience like no other. You're a super team able to overcome any challenge and obstacle, and it's certainly a rewarding experience at times; one that you can share yourself with only a little practice!

 

So as a quick bit of advice to you:

 

1. Don't give up just yet, but try and make some friends in the game world, ask if anyone would simply like to run through planet content together, at a leisurely pace. Ask for advice on things you don't know how to do.

 

2. check the codex/help for control issues such as summoning companions and party chat, if you don't know how to do something check it out there first, people tend to be more forgiving to those who can solve problems on their own initiative (though sometimes you just need help from someone else, and theres no harm in that).

 

3. Once you feel a bit better about the basics of grouping, try a 2+ Heroic. These are practice for the flashpoints, and generally simpler and shorter. In addition to testing your skills alongside a fellow player you will gain some pretty good rewards and a hefty dose of XP. After you feel happy with the 2+ you can try a 4 person heroic, which is only a small step away from a flashpoint, and then you will know you are ready.

 

Hope this helps; just don't write it all off yet. Grouping can be extremely fun.

[Rigwit]

I don’t think I will ever group again.

 

I’ve only ever soloed in TOR, and Esseles was my first try at a group. I actually bent the truth saying TOR was my first MMO, because I’ve played City of Heroes but soloed 90% of it, if you don’t count being babysat by my wife’s Level 50 character. But, in a chat channel, it’s easier to be simpler, so I put on the newb hat proudly.

 

I told people the above on the general chat. I told people in the group. I’m on a roleplaying server, so I assumed I’d get the chance to be in character, wander, figure out what all the group command were. Or at the very least, people would understand if I wasn’t competent, let alone a powergamer. Every single group member went “sure” and proceeded to run at breakneck speed. I couldn’t keep up, speed to tactics wise.

 

The leader just went unresponsive at the first boss fight. So, the first group disintegrated as people just logged off and quit with no notice. I tried to continue solo as a L10 and was kicked in the teeth… badly.

 

So, I made a second group, again, was very clear that I’d never grouped, and I had JUST found out some of the group commands for chat. (I’d been whispering this whole time to each of the 2-3 other people. I didn’t expect there wouldn’t be a groupsay option whether or not you were grouped like in CoH). People argued about tactics, speed, spacebar-ing, and left.

 

Fine, third time is the charm. I grouped with another person, and, with companions out, we tried it. Since the chat channel was busy, I missed most if not all of his commands. I also didn’t know most of his sayings “Summon your comp” was something foreign to me, and since I was getting my noggin handed to me by 4 bad guys, I was going to ask him later. I’ve never dismissed my companion, so, even if I knew what he was saying, I still have no idea how to summon a companion.

 

Then, after he left abruptly, he proceeded to /tell (whisper, whatever it is) that Esseles is the easiest flashpoint of the game, that I’d never get anywhere unless I could do flashpoints as “that’s all there is at game end”, and got no reply when I mentioned I was new, it was overwhelmingly fast, and I missed his grouptalk in the channel spam.

 

That was 3 for 3. That was it. I deleted my character, just to reroll the exact same one, with the exact same choices, if only to do a “fresh start” where I would never group again. That way, the 2-3 levels I got during those Esseles run, I’d get legit in single player. Heck, I just wanted Kotor 3, not an MMO anyways.

 

Let me be clear = 99% of the problems were my fault. I admit that. I’m not a good player. I’m slow and easily confused.

 

But I thought that, telling everyone this was my first MMO, first group ever, and that I was on a roleplaying server (presumably, where the point is to be in character, and not worry about stats, speed, etc…) would give me some slack.

 

Nope. I was made to feel like pond scum infected toe fungus. And any /whispers I did or posts directly to people got me replies that I was “a carebear” etc…

 

I’m sure there’s tons of really nice people out there. But, this post is addressing people that wanted Kotor 3 and wanted to try the MMO aspects of this game = Don’t. Just don’t. Pretend there is no Social vendor, no PvP vendor. That “they don’t serve my kind around here.” It’ll be less frustrating.

 

And if you risk it and you do great at MMOs, awesome. I’m glad for you. But me, personally, I come to TOR for a game, not a reminder on how certain parts of humanity… really likes to tear people a new one...

 

 

People tend to forget that they too were once newbies and didn't know how to play. They did some raiding, and now they think they're better than those who haven't done raiding.

 

I've done my fair share of raiding, I've had a good amount of good gear, but I've never belittled anyone for being new to a game or the MMO genre. In fact, I prefer helping new players out, because they're usually a lot more thankful, and you end up with some great in-game friends.

 

As for the RP aspect, I have to say when I'm in a group doing either flash points or heroics, I hardly ever RP. I tend to concentrate on keeping people healed so much that everything else just passes me by

[JamieKirby]

When i am grouped i always look out for group members, though it does sometimes cause a dip in my dps, but its worth it, since when you are looking out for them, when you really don't need to, it shows respect and all that.

 

but i have grouped with some players like that, i personally think bioware should put this behaviour as a bannable offence, but thats just me.

 

When i see a party members' health going down, i find out where they are and just pounce, i get thanks 90% of the time, the 10% are those that deep down know that they would have died, but just can't admit it.

[DalrisThane]

Deleted. No point. Everyone is TLDR these days. +See Sig. Edited March 31, 2013 by DalrisThane

[Darthshnooky]

Thank you for the kind words and the advice. I’ll do my best to follow it.

 

Let me be clear again, though, most of this was my fault. I know that. I was not competent. Mostly, things were going way too fast. Having read the online manual once or twice, I thought that a “roleplay server” was one where few people cared about the items or the challenge, but that the overwhelming emphasis was the story, running around, looking at the great atmosphere, scenery, etc…

 

I do now get a greater appreciation of the frustration of those people, that played with a Jedi Guardian (me), expecting a bodyguard, and getting a flake instead.

 

I think my time soloing City of Heroes did me harm here. In that game, when they say “Must have 2 players”, they don’t mean “because it’s tough but maybe if you’re higher level than the mission, you can do it alone”. They mean because there’s a “click 2 glowing items simultaneously that are 2-3 map levels apart” i.e. IMPOSSIBLE to finish alone, which is when my wife logged in, ran to the appropriate spot, and clicked within 1 second of me.

 

Anyhow, thank you all for restoring my faith in people. I’ll step away from the game for a bit just to get the bad event out of my head, and I’ll do the steps you mentioned (grouping for planet stories, then heroics, looking at codex the whole time, etc…).

 

I appreciate your kind words, your help, and thanks again.

 

If you want a regular PvE server and not RP, come roll on Imperial side on Shadowhand and I would be happy to help you out. Send me a private message here if you want to, if not -- no offense taken. There are other folks out there who are friendly and helpful, just keep looking.

 

Sure, you can take the blame for not knowing what you are doing, but the other people in your group were just awful as well. I've ran with plenty of newbies in many games and there's just a way to work with them, help them, and teach them as you play together. It's just part of the social experience.

 

Just like going to a bar; you might meet someone who spits on you and punches you in the face, but you might meet someone who buys the first round and introduces you to his friends. You got the first bunch; but the second option really is out there.

[Grendel_Prime]

I've been lucky so far, but maybe people just respect a healer more. However, like every other aspect of the Internet there is a degree of anonymity with a MMO that brings out negative aspects of people's personalities. The main thing is to not give up and not take it personal. Some folks are jerks about things (my pet peeve is just charging ahead without the group, but hanging back as the healer fixes that pretty quick) and its unfortunate.

 

Its why our guild is small, but all local friends. It means we know each other and if someone does do something that smacks of jerkiness, well we know where they live:)

 

So, if feasible see if you have any friends who are playing and go from there. If not, come to Elysium and look up Feryl or Deena (my Republic characters) and I'll be glad to help as I can.

[DalrisThane]

Deleted. No point. Everyone is TLDR these days. +See Sig. Edited March 31, 2013 by DalrisThane

[roadrunnerNM]

Thanks for all the nice responses and advice. I will definitely be looking to join a guild. It's just too hit-and-miss with PUGs. Dalris Thane, I sympathize - I've played video games for years, but playing MMO's made me realize I'm not really that good at it. As for what a drag it is with players not knowing what to do ... I have lots of general gaming experience, including a few MMO's, but this is my first SWTOR character and I only started playing four days ago. Of course I don't know exactly how to do the mission objectives - it's my first time through! There must be a lot of other people in the same boat; so people who've been playing since pre-launch (what, a whole 5 weeks?) should remember that. No, that's not aimed at any of you nice people in this thread - just a general observation.

[CFourPO]

Rude people are rude. Still, I know I'm not alone in wanting a more easily customizable UI so that I actually notice when my party is chatting. I am just so used to having it in a certain place, in a certain color from years of CoH, that it is muscle memory at this point.

 

I was in a similar situation as you in a pick up group, and someone had missed an objective. I actually didnt notice that they said anything until I had run halfway out of the instance. I ran back to help and we did it as did another but the 4th person said "thank you all great team" and quit. Their parting words made me think they had not noticed the requests for assistance, but I don't know.

[WolfGangFox]

Rude people are rude. Still, I know I'm not alone in wanting a more easily customizable UI so that I actually notice when my party is chatting. I am just so used to having it in a certain place, in a certain color from years of CoH, that it is muscle memory at this point.

 

I was in a similar situation as you in a pick up group, and someone had missed an objective. I actually didnt notice that they said anything until I had run halfway out of the instance. I ran back to help and we did it as did another but the 4th person said "thank you all great team" and quit. Their parting words made me think they had not noticed the requests for assistance, but I don't know.

 

The chat window is the only thing that you can customize... wish the rest could but this is how.

 

To move it around anywhere you want, click and drag the chat tab you want to move. It will unlock from it's default location and you can move it to where you want to.

 

Their will be a sideways arrow in the bottom right corner of the chat window. If you click and drag this you can change the size of the chat window.

 

If you right click the chat tab you can make a new one or modify the existing one. If you make a new one you will have to set it up by right clicking the new tab and modifying it.

 

In the modification of the tab you can select what you want to see, like only group chat or guild or general or system... their are actually quite a few options in hear. To turn these on or off click the box to the right side of the description.. filled yellow for on or empty box for off.

 

The other thing you can do is change the color of the text that is displayed in the chat tab you are modifying. Click on the collord box to the left of the discription and you can change the color you want. This box will show the color of the text it is currently set at.

 

this is a good video on making your own chat channel

 

Hope this helps you out a little

[GaBacon]

I am one of the best people to pug with. I am the guy that will greet everyone at the beggining and try and get a feel for the group. Most of the time i will get nice responses and then i go in to our strategy and so on. It's when i get no responses and then all of a sudden the group starts running foward with no regard when i say "UH OH" this is gonna be work. I realy don't understand that kind of behavior but o well. In my experience when this happens it turns out that i am not playing with English speaking people and they have a hard time trying to understand the test let alone me and my strategy

[CFourPO]

The chat window is the only thing that you can customize... wish the rest could but this is how.

 

To move it around anywhere you want, click and drag the chat tab you want to move. It will unlock from it's default location and you can move it to where you want to.

 

Their will be a sideways arrow in the bottom right corner of the chat window. If you click and drag this you can change the size of the chat window.

 

If you right click the chat tab you can make a new one or modify the existing one. If you make a new one you will have to set it up by right clicking the new tab and modifying it.

 

In the modification of the tab you can select what you want to see, like only group chat or guild or general or system... their are actually quite a few options in hear. To turn these on or off click the box to the right side of the description.. filled yellow for on or empty box for off.

 

The other thing you can do is change the color of the text that is displayed in the chat tab you are modifying. Click on the collord box to the left of the discription and you can change the color you want. This box will show the color of the text it is currently set at.

 

this is a good video on making your own chat channel

 

Hope this helps you out a little

 

Yes, thank you for your helpful response. The issue is I want to put it where other UI elements are that I can't move. Admittedly, I am spoiled by the great CoH UI and hampered by my own in grained habits.

[WolfGangFox]

Yes, thank you for your helpful response. The issue is I want to put it where other UI elements are that I can't move. Admittedly, I am spoiled by the great CoH UI and hampered by my own in grained habits.

 

ya unfortunately you cannot move everything around. But it did let me get the chat widow close to where to me it should be. Which helps me out a lot. At least i see it most of the time compared to before i had to actively think about it.

[JediTev]

I wanna add my $.02 here. I'm definately a noob at this game and the whole MMO world in general. I'm not much into stuff like WOW or Skyrim or any of those fantasy games. I love sci-fi and a die hard Star Wars fan.

 

I made a Jedi Knight character and I've had some great help since I've been on here. I came to a point in my story that I couldn't pass. i was told I was too low of a level to pass it at that point. (Hey, what can I say I'm a hard charger and left Tython at lvl 9 which I came to find out was a bad idea, lol). So I had to figure out how to level up, well, I tried the qued flashpoints and couldn't move for crap in them nor could i leave the start area and was booted. Not fun. Then one i came in at the end and my team lost before I could do anything. That happened twice.

 

Then I tried Esseles, the first group I had was great, very helpful and understanding and chatty too. But I had server issues and I decided to leave the group as I was slowing everyone down. The second group I had was with two other characters. One who actually got ticked off when I helped him out. (hey, I thought this was about team work) Then, get this, he wanted to challenge me to a duel!!! (He was a level 22 Jedi Consular and I was only lvl 12 jedi, needless to say I declined) Shortly after that he left, the other guy and I started chatting and he went and got some friends to help us finish and we made it thru!!!

 

I helped out someone else on finishing one of their missions, who, when they got what they wanted, which was to defeat a boss, the disbanded to group. Oh, well, whatever. Anyway, I want to do more now and I'm learning more and more every time I log into the game. Something you can try is side missions, there's one I really liked was the mission to fix items for the Gree. It's way in the back of the Senate towers in a room on the right side of that long hallway. It's worth the time to do, it's 4 missions in one and lots of XP, creds, and goodies!!!

 

Good luck to you out there and main thing to remember about this is to HAVE FUN!!! Just look around and talk to the NPCs and see what you can do.

[artyewok]

I've had remarkable luck so far with groups. Every group I've been in has either been quiet, yet cordial, or downright fantastic.

 

I'm sure that streak will break sooner or later.

 

One group was three Sith Sorcerers and one Sith Assassin. So. Much. Lightning. Another one was three of us, all mature players who listened to the same music and rolled through a bunch of stuff on Balmorra because it was fun.

 

I keep tabs on general chat, and try to avoid the nasty people from there when grouping and that seems to have worked wonders.