How to treat new players

[TUXs]

respect goes both ways tho. being considerate and putting in the effort to contribute in group content is important.

 

people arent entitled to be carried. but at the same time, people should be willing to teach AND willing to listen and learn.

 

in many cases, people take advice negatively. i have no problem teaching a new player but there's a limit too. sometimes they are just unable to play at all. sometimes they are unwilling to listen.

 

Agreed!

 

But then again, some are just new, some are shy, some are oblivious, some are just kids, some have just had a horrible day...at the end of the night, this is just a game you play to have fun...so relax...the jerks show themselves soon enough, the others are simply a part of online play.

[Thoronmir]

We have struck upon the main reason I shun group content. I consider myself an above-average (at least) Sage. I likely suck at other classes, but I rock the Sage/Sorcerer. Up until a Sage reaches the point where he needs to complete group content to acquire better gear, I keep my boys well-equipped (mostly through my cadre of capped out crafters in all trades). I use buffs, medicinals, etc., for tough fights. As a solo player, I had to learn my class to survive tackling Heroic-2s (and a few Heroic-4s) on level. Qyzen and Khem would testify that I am, at least, an above-average Sage/Sorc.

 

The only Operation I've ever joined was the one time I helped beat the Coruscant World Boss. And I know nothing about actual OPs. I've never run a FP past Mandalorian Raiders. I believe I understand my character's abilities and role well enough that I could readily grasp the appropriate tactics. I'm neither stupid, slow, nor twitchy (i.e., impatient). I accept instruction well and (having spent decades involved in team sports during my life) believe in teamwork. I also believe that there is a "most efficient" (for those who disdain saying it is the "best") way to play this game, and I derive enjoyment from completing tasks in the most efficient manner. I'm the guy who wants to spend five (or even ten) minutes discussing strategy for the upcoming fight; I'm not the guy who insists on rushing into it.

 

But the reward for group play never outweighs the burden. Not in PUGs at least. I like to gamble. I love Vegas. But the GF Roulette Wheel of Despair is, in my opinion, a sucker bet. Suddenly, this game ... this method of recreation and relaxation ... has become a chore. I have had fun running PUG FPs (mostly Athis and Hammer), but far too rarely to convince me to endure the other times. To endure the impatient Twitches ("let's rush through it and laugh if we die") ... the Tactics Tyrants ... let's not overlook ninja looters, who cast a pall on everyone's fun ... the stubborn ignorance of "I like my wrong information better than your right advice, so I will ignore your tips" ... and the myriad other players who have, in this and other MMOs, driven me from group content.

 

This is not a SWTOR thing, and it is not a generational thing. I disavowed raiding in WOW nearly a decade ago for these same reasons. Group Content simply does not appeal to me. It has nothing to do with the content; it has everything to do with the group.

[Orizuru]

We have struck upon the main reason I shun group content. I consider myself an above-average (at least) Sage. I likely suck at other classes, but I rock the Sage/Sorcerer. Up until a Sage reaches the point where he needs to complete group content to acquire better gear, I keep my boys well-equipped (mostly through my cadre of capped out crafters in all trades). I use buffs, medicinals, etc., for tough fights. As a solo player, I had to learn my class to survive tackling Heroic-2s (and a few Heroic-4s) on level. Qyzen and Khem would testify that I am, at least, an above-average Sage/Sorc.

 

The only Operation I've ever joined was the one time I helped beat the Coruscant World Boss. And I know nothing about actual OPs. I've never run a FP past Mandalorian Raiders. I believe I understand my character's abilities and role well enough that I could readily grasp the appropriate tactics. I'm neither stupid, slow, nor twitchy (i.e., impatient). I accept instruction well and (having spent decades involved in team sports during my life) believe in teamwork. I also believe that there is a "most efficient" (for those who disdain saying it is the "best") way to play this game, and I derive enjoyment from completing tasks in the most efficient manner. I'm the guy who wants to spend five (or even ten) minutes discussing strategy for the upcoming fight; I'm not the guy who insists on rushing into it.

 

But the reward for group play never outweighs the burden. Not in PUGs at least. I like to gamble. I love Vegas. But the GF Roulette Wheel of Despair is, in my opinion, a sucker bet. Suddenly, this game ... this method of recreation and relaxation ... has become a chore. I have had fun running PUG FPs (mostly Athis and Hammer), but far too rarely to convince me to endure the other times. To endure the impatient Twitches ("let's rush through it and laugh if we die") ... the Tactics Tyrants ... let's not overlook ninja looters, who cast a pall on everyone's fun ... the stubborn ignorance of "I like my wrong information better than your right advice, so I will ignore your tips" ... and the myriad other players who have, in this and other MMOs, driven me from group content.

 

This is not a SWTOR thing, and it is not a generational thing. I disavowed raiding in WOW nearly a decade ago for these same reasons. Group Content simply does not appeal to me. It has nothing to do with the content; it has everything to do with the group.

 

A good guild should be able to help you get into Operations without the impatient twitches and tactical tyrants problems. I know my guild does SM Ops twice a week for the sole purpose of helping players learn the content and mechanics of group play. We move as fast or as slow as the group allows and encourage everyone to play the class they want to play, even if it makes the group dynamic less than ideal. Most of us have 5+ level 60's in Ops level gear, so we can adjust the more veteran players around the less experienced ones to ensure we have a well balanced group.

 

We also have weekly progression runs as well where the requirements are a bit more strict, but even those runs tend to be fairly relaxed compared to a lot of the hardcore progression groups. The trade off for this is we have a lower rate of success than those hardcore groups, but we are ok with that.

 

Not every player finds the experience in my guild to be the same as the one I have had though. And this is something I think is true in all guilds and is often over-looked by a great many players. A guild is more than just a group of people who run group content together. We have shared interests and goals. We have personalities that compliment each other. And most of all, we are all friends. Some of us are friends outside the game, and many more are people we have met in the game. When people start viewing the guild as just a group of people to run content with, then the guild group becomes no different than any PUG and the chemistry that allows everyone to have fun is diminished.

 

If you want to run Ops, I highly recommend finding a guild that you have this kind of chemistry with. You may even already have one. Even if they aren't running Ops already, its never too late to start. There are plenty of youtube videos that can help you learn what is needed. If the videos don't work for you, then maybe you can find a guild that is short a player or two and can include some people from your guild and help them learn. Once you have a few in your guild who know the content, then they can help others and get an Ops team going in your guild. Its not easy to get started, and the failures will likely outnumber the successes, but there is never anything wrong with trying.

[Thoronmir]

A good guild should be able to help you get into Operations without the impatient twitches and tactical tyrants problems.

An astute comment. I actually typed a paragraph about my Guild, but deleted it before posting since I was focused on PUGs. A good Guild makes everything better.

 

I have a good Guild and they run OPs and FPs. They have offered to teach me, but I always demur. But that has more to do with the Sisyphean nature of Raiding (in my opinion). We raid to acquire gear so we can raid. I can't bring myself to do most dailies more than once. Once I roll that boulder to the top of the hill, I want it to stay there.

[spoe]

I am one of those "L2P scrub" people and I will remain that way. When I tell a tank, you need to face the boss away from us, and he sits there jacking it to Miley Cyrus photos instead of moving at all, then I get angry and lash out. MMORPGS are not some new fad that just showed up, they have been around for 15+ years. Most tanking mechanics are the same throughout all games, hold agro on boss, keep others safe from it. 101 classwork right there, and people cannot even grasp that concept.

 

So yeah, don't join a FP with me if you have no idea how to play your class, I will rant and cuss you out so you rage quit. IDGAF

 

You have a lot of anger. You should keep a close eye on your blood pressure just in case. Aneurysms are invisible until they pop.

[spoe]

I'm at work so I can't describe the horribad experience in great detail but I'll sum it up.

I recently returned to the game after a long hiatus and I'm leveling up both a Healer (Smuggler ) and a tank (Guardian) which is my main. I was running Hammer Station with a friend that has only just now discovered the fun of MMORPG'S so I decided I was going to play my healer in the flashpoint, to avoid him being screamed at for standing in the fire etc like most news do. I figured if I'm healing I won't scream about it I'll just heal him and let him know he needs to move, etc in a more friendly manner.

 

Well lo and behold we're rolling through this dungeon and the Shadow is not tanking well at all. In fact, the random sage in our group is tanking every mob. Not because he's pulling before the tank but because the tank is so horribad. Finally after the sage literally tanked the first two bosses I finally asked the Tank if he was taunting and whatnot. He responds with, "What's a taunt?". I literally facepalmed IRL.

 

Anyway we all took a second to explain basic tanking mechanics to the wannabe tank and he ended up swapping to his tanking saber stance and actually began to use tanking abilities and we wound up completing the flashpoint with him actually tanking the bosses and it went relatively smoothly.

 

Sometimes it's worth taking a second to explain things before you assume they're one of those noobs that ignore advice and don't want to learn.

 

Thank you for sharing this. A LOT of people forget that new people join MMO communities all the time. Now, because you took the time to explain things, that Shadow might start researching his role. He may even turn into a quality tank one day.

[spoe]

Geezus...some of you are ridiculous. You seem to be forgetting that this is a GAME. Be more appreciative of the people who you group with because they are a part of your shrinking community...don't be the reason people give up on this game.

 

I totally agree. I know it is burdensome at times; I know it gets old explaining things all the time, but the other option is sundown. If you've ever loved an MMO and been there in the moments before it went offline, moments before when people are yelling "Goodbye!" and "Noooooo!", if you've ever watched in the chat box "Server Shutdown in 5 minutes," then you know.

 

Again, try your best not to be a douche. Be a teacher and a learner at the same time for the greater sake of a continuing community of gamers who enjoy the SW universe.