Target stealing - Not a rant, just a general gauge of feeling

[Stoofa]

I'm under no illusion that anything in the game, be it a MOB or a chest is "mine".

Until I've killed the enemy, harvested the node, picked up the mission item or physically opened the chest it is open to all.

However I've always played the game so that if I see someone about to attack or actually attacking, I leave alone. If I notice they are getting beaten I'll jump in and attempt to save.

The same goes with nodes/chests/etc. If someone is clearing the area around one then I'll leave it for them. They have worked for that chest or node and so they deserve it.

In the Blackhole area I play by the same rules. If someone is taking out targets near a mission pick-up item, then they can take the items. If someone is leaping in to combat I don't jump in and attempt to steal the target.

 

One could argue that when spawn rates were bad in BH people did steal. I just found grouping up meant you still got your missions done.

So when I mad a sarcastic comment when someone ran over and stole the mission item I'd just cleared and then attacked targets I was already in combat with I was greeted with:

"First time in Black Hole is it?"

"No I replied, I just don't take mission items or kills from other people. I don't generally play like a bit of an idiot"

"You think" was the reply "It's how we all play here">

 

Now I don't. But am I the only one? Does anyone else here think it is just a free for all. Take what you want and when you want it? Or do you play closer to the way I do?

I won't name names - but if the Guildmaster of Light Revolution wants to comment on the general guild policy on playing a little like a **** I'd love to hear it

[Panthian]

I think you are right, most of the time its down right moronic, most of the time they take the ground spawn you cleared or are clearing knowingly when there is a free one 2 steps away from them.

Not to mention if me fight a quest mob and ask me to group I will, we both get the quest done alot faster and easier.

 

That said most ground spawns and mobs respawn too fast to bother to make a big deal out of it. When I do run into people like that I remind myself of 2 movies..

Dodgeball : Im better then you and know it.

**** in boots: Im better then this.

 

If people want to be jerks np, just means they give perpouse to Force cloak.

[phillynew]

I've run into some of the rudest people in the world while doing the dailys. APEX in particular pissed me off one day as not once but 3 time different members of their guild stole a security chest from me while I was fighting a champion. What I did is look up the guild in the whois and add every member to my ignore list, when I'm recruiting for a pug ops run and they can't whisper me they won't know why but I will.

[AbyssusVeho]

It happens. BW came out with a game that appeals to older generations, and we don't tolerate that hide behind the cyber curtain disrespect. They should come up with a d bag rating system that binds to your name and title bar. What I find funny is, they usually are tough guys on the net only, so you do have to feel sorry for them that they have to get their feelings of domination online only. Imagine going thru life with no redeeming qualities.....

[Argure]

You do realize that in the Black Hole there are multiple stages? More often than not I'm clearing a group and not even on the second stage yet. In which case I couldn't give two sh*ts about the box.

 

Conversely, if I see a chest glowing blue I'll take it - even if there's someone fighting next to it, for exactly that reason. If they did need it, it's a 0,5s cast to destroy it and kill the pack later. If someone doesn't do that, oh well, too bad, so sad.

[Talahar]

What I've learned by being burned too many times is to not wait until I've cleared the mobs to grab the mission item.

Sick your Companion on the group, grab the item, mop up. Don't give other people the opportunity to steal the item,

and they can't.

 

Doesn't always work, but when you can, do it.

 

Personally, I still won't swoop in and steal other people's prizes, I'm better than that.

But leaving myself open to the (in)decency of other players just leads to disappointment.

[Panthian]

You do realize that in the Black Hole there are multiple stages? More often than not I'm clearing a group and not even on the second stage yet. In which case I couldn't give two sh*ts about the box.

 

Conversely, if I see a chest glowing blue I'll take it - even if there's someone fighting next to it, for exactly that reason. If they did need it, it's a 0,5s cast to destroy it and kill the pack later. If someone doesn't do that, oh well, too bad, so sad.

 

So you chose to steal, they may not be on the next phase but you dont bother to find out either.

You could have just.. taken the box 2 steps away.

 

Ironic enough, reading your own statement you DO care if someone rushed and takes the box when you ARE on that stage.

[Elysith]

@Stoofa:

 

I do like you with one exception:

 

Concerning Black Holes boxes. Although I did as you describe at first, I do not anymore when the place is busy and that it is hard and annoying to find a box to smash.

 

Not because I want to "steal" the box, but simply because there is more chance that the current player fighting near the box will not use it for two reasons:

 

Firstly for example on the Republic sides, most quest related crates are guarded by 2 NPC (one Silver and one Normal). And you need to kill like 8 groups for the part of the quest asking you to bash boxes starts.

So you have about 7/8 chance that the guy currently fighting at the box, will in fact not use the box.

 

And secondly most players that do indeed need the box, will start by hitting the box first before cleaning the NPC (or before running away from them )

 

Of course if I notice that the player is getting the "quest update" animation, I will just move on and let him get the box.

 

One thing you did not mention is map trigger like boss spawns, such as in Black Hole. I just wait in queue for my turn. Sadly there is lot of people that just attempt to use the trigger as soon as they arrive, regardless of the people currently waiting. Now I have started to add such individual on Ignore list. But the Ignore list can't grow that big

Edited November 22, 2012 by Elysith

[Grammarye]

I tend to play in a manner that is for the context available. If a player is clearly fighting mobs or about to and is going to win, I'll leave well alone. Same goes for rare spawns or mission items, although I have been known to pop in and grab a mission item without actually realising that someone else was waiting for it. Usually in that case I'll wait and help out clearing until it respawns.

 

By comparison, if a player is having trouble then not only will I heal them if I can but I'll take free targets or attack their grey targets, because I'd rather not stand there and let a fellow player die when I could help. Same goes for if a player and I are near a champion or boss and they decide to attack. I couldn't care less if I get the XP - I'd rather have fun and help out than just say 'your funeral'.

 

I do miss the GW2 model having played it, where none of this matters and your contribution is all that is considered - there is almost no way to target steal in such a game.

[veyl]

The only time this is annoying is World Bosses and it was much worse when they were all on longer respawn times.

 

Everything else? Who cares, it respawns fast enough to not bother with causing a scene. You can just quietly remember to yourself that -insert name here- is a Dbag and they'll never raid with you or you'll slaughter them repeatedly during a WZ should your paths cross.

[Darvus]

A lot of it just boils down to rude and selfish people. I add them to ignore, as well. However, I too have noticed that some guilds seem to do this as a regular thing. There are unfortunately, people like that out there.

[Argure]

So you chose to steal, they may not be on the next phase but you dont bother to find out either.

You could have just.. taken the box 2 steps away.

 

Ironic enough, reading your own statement you DO care if someone rushed and takes the box when you ARE on that stage.

 

Do you honestly expect me to ask every time "are you gonna take that box?" F**k that. It's minimal effort (and common sense) to simply click the box before starting on the group. If someone does not do that, I simply assume that a) they're not on that phase yet and it doesn't matter or b) they are idiots, in which case I don't really care.

[Rafaman]

As a general rule, I don't do it. Irrespective of what other people do. It is not acceptable. Black hole is not an issue for me because the respawns are fast. I can wait and see if the player grabs the spawn. If they do I move on.

 

It is not ok to steal spawns. Not in the slightest, anywhere. But the real issue is that some find it acceptable. And, what is more troublesome is that some don't even know why it is wrong. But... I suppose we can say the same about things outside of this game as well. It seems good manners and common decency are passe... and that is the world we live in.

 

I would argue that as a player you should stop doing it and not contribute to the problem. Do it for yourself. Show that you understand and aspire to a common etiquette that is more than you thinking of yourself.

Edited November 22, 2012 by Rafaman

[Panthian]

I tend to play in a manner that is for the context available. If a player is clearly fighting mobs or about to and is going to win, I'll leave well alone. Same goes for rare spawns or mission items, although I have been known to pop in and grab a mission item without actually realising that someone else was waiting for it. Usually in that case I'll wait and help out clearing until it respawns.

 

By comparison, if a player is having trouble then not only will I heal them if I can but I'll take free targets or attack their grey targets, because I'd rather not stand there and let a fellow player die when I could help. Same goes for if a player and I are near a champion or boss and they decide to attack. I couldn't care less if I get the XP - I'd rather have fun and help out than just say 'your funeral'.

.

 

Thats pretty much what I do, I try to be civil but we all sometimes both intentional as well as un-intentional grab a quest item or mob someone else was working on.

Most of the time it really doesnt cost me anything to be civil and or the honorable thing, those 5 seconds I lost wont make nor break me.

And if I do run into someone who is being an.. *** , Ill shrug it off and asume it was an accident (or use forcecloak), I dont want to have the feeling I have to keep looking over my shoulder.

[Englefield]

I have to agree with you OP. It's a shame because normally decent players will do the same thing, they'll have to in order to get on with questing. I absolutely loved how GW2 completely illiminated that type of behaviour.

[Valethar]

They should come up with a d bag rating system that binds to your name and title bar.

 

Funny story.. Back in the day, Shadowbane had something like this. It didn't show up in the name, but when you inspected a person, you could see how many people gave them white or black marks. Get enough of the black one, you couldn't get in groups or guilds, because everyone could inspect you to see it, and everyone got one vote. The only way to clear it was to delete the character and start over.

[Panthian]

Do you honestly expect me to ask every time "are you gonna take that box?" F**k that. It's minimal effort (and common sense) to simply click the box before starting on the group. If someone does not do that, I simply assume that a) they're not on that phase yet and it doesn't matter or b) they are idiots, in which case I don't really care.

 

Its no efford to move to the box 2 steps away from it either, I have yet to run into an area where there where no alternative nodes/mobs to take. But by all means do as you please, you chose to act like D, I chose to be civil.

[Darvus]

Do you honestly expect me to ask every time "are you gonna take that box?" F**k that. It's minimal effort (and common sense) to simply click the box before starting on the group. If someone does not do that, I simply assume that a) they're not on that phase yet and it doesn't matter or b) they are idiots, in which case I don't really care.

 

By all means, do as you please. I realize some people just choose to be rude. In my opinion, this attitude says a good bit about you, and possibly even your guild.

[Bunions]

It amazes me how people are able to complain so much about this sort of thing happening. I played EQ where kill-stealing was a MUCH huger problem, not to mention the possibility of getting trained. You could literally be camping something for hours and someone could steal your spawn.

 

Anyway, I agree with what was said before....how hard is it to protect yourself by clicking the box or looting the chest before you kill the mobs? If you live by that rule then you'll rarely get stolen from, therefore eliminating any sort of problem. Even in the worst case scenario, where you just weren't quick enough, you have to wait what......an extra 30 seconds?

Also, I was under the impression that the second you attacked a mob it became locked to you, so no one can steal your experience or loot from that mob unless you die.

 

There are so many other major bugs/problems with this game that need to be addressed, and I believe that the system to cut down on any sort of "stealing" is actually really well done in this game.

[Bobinator]

I just love the ability to hit a target and have other people hit the same target AND we both get credit and LOOT!

 

I'm too spoiled thanks to GW2.

[Klarick]

Conversely, if I see a chest glowing blue I'll take it - even if there's someone fighting next to it,

 

I have found that this is NOT the behaviour of most players in SWTOR. Argure, and his WoW attitude and playstyle, are the exception and not the rule. I have found that SWTOR has a more mature audience than other MMO's in general. Dont get me wrong, I have also ran into plenty of children like Argure, but I have ran into far more mature and respectfull players in this game.

[Bleeters]

The only times I've tagged a free enemy in a group or run in and used a quest objective whilst they're killing are on people who've just done the exact same thing to me, until I'm equal with what they originally took. Then they go on ignore.

 

Other than that, I just leave people to whatever they're doing.

[Spatology]

Curse them out for stealing nodes/chest/mobs, they need to know that its not ok. People who behave like this in games are either 9 years old or deserve an *** kicking IRL.

[venomlash]

You're absolutely right, OP.

 

My rule is that if someone is fighting mobs guarding some objective I want, I hang around until they're done (maybe helping them out if they're having trouble). Then I wait to see if they go for the objective. If they do, it's theirs fair and square. If they start moving away from it, or engage another group, I nip in and grab it, since they've shown disinterest in it.

 

One thing I have noticed, though, is that Imp side is way worse than Pub. Ninjitsu is a rarity on my Pub characters, but when I play my Imp alts, I can't get through a zone without running into a loot ninja.

Edited November 22, 2012 by venomlash

[vinchii]

Totally agree with OP.

 

Although in all the time I have played only once has someone blatantly looted a chest while I cleared the last of the surrounding mob. In general, I find most players know the game ettiquete and respect each other.

 

But, personnaly I feel a sense of pride and enjoyment in playing fair, as I am sure most do.