How to Invite Another Player

[Star-ranger]

I don't know about other folks out there, but for my wife and I there are certain acceptable protocols for people inviting us to play with them. If you've been having problems inviting folks and having them accept here are some tips for possibly getting better results.

 

WHAT NOT TO DO:

 

• Don't send me a random, out of the blue, invite. That's bad manners. I don't know you from Adam, or Eve, and I don't know if I want to yet. First contact is important. If you simply throw out an invite without introducing yourself more often than not I'll simply decline and be on my way. In fact I can't remember a time I've accepted a random invite in any MMO. If you can't be bothered to talk to me first, don't bother to invite me.
  
• Don't stalk. Following around somebody and watching them for an extended period without talking to them is creepy and annoying. I'm 99.9999% sure I would never be interested in teaming or be interested in being invited to a guild by a creepy stalker.
  
• Don't ninja mission nodes, chests, or resource nodes while I'm fighting the MOBs guarding them. Swooping in and taking a goal I'm fighting for means you have a snowballs chance in Hades of inviting and my joining you after.
  
• Unless i"m about to die, do not interfere in my combat. I'm killing MOBs to get XP, some random player intruding while I'm healthy is poor manners. Team members, of course should help out (and are expected to).
  
• Don't be gross, profane, tacky, spoiled, needy, or rude.
  

 

 

WHAT TO Do:

• Introduce yourself: 'Hi, I"m <insert your name here> would you be interested in teaming for a while?' OR 'Hi, I'm <insert your name here> I could use some help with <insert mission> would you be interested?" OR "Hi, my guild <insert name here> is looking for new members, would you be interested? I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you might have about it.'
  
• My wife and I are a team. If you're inviting us to a guild, court us. The last thing we want to do is join a guild and then be left to our selves not knowing anybody in the guild. If we're joining a guild, there better be characters our level working themselves up and willing to team, there also needs to be guild activities, meetings, RP, PvP, etc., and people willing to include me and my wife in those activities...i.e. folks had better be friendly. If you and your guild are not willing to become a friendly regular part of our gaming experience, the answer will always be 'Thank you, No'.
  
• Before you invite us to join your guild, invite me and my wife to go on a couple of missions with you and some of your guild mates. That way we can see if we fit in. Again not interested in gaming with folks we don't feel comfortable with.
  
• Some times No means No; and sometimes it means 'I'm right in the middle of doing something else and am too preoccupied to respond appropriately. If you've introduced yourself and we've talked about your guild, or teamed together for a tough mission, I may not be ready to make a commitment at that time but after thinking about it, I may be willing to give it a go. If you just randomly spammed me an invite, then No means No. My wife and I are fun people. If we have a number of positive contacts from folks and feel a good rapport developing, then eventually the answer will most likely be yes. In any case be friendly and persistent, as opposed to annoying and persistent, and that will eventually win the day.
  
• Writing our character names down and making friendly contacts on multiple days will go a long way toward winning us over. We enjoy good banter and humor, that's very attractive.
  

 

 

 

The reason I wrote this is because for the last few months I haven't received on decent invite. I figured that most people who have been putting out the random invites simply don't understand.

[Icestar]

Nice read for all players

 

I get those random invites from time to time, sometimes from players way below my level. I do not mind helping but some needs to learn to ask first.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Icestar

[PLynkes]

An invite without a chat introduction when both of you are stood in front of a clickable or a quest enemy with a respawn time is perfectly fine, in my opinion.

 

It's just about the only time I accept them.

Edited July 29, 2015 by PLynkes

[Icestar]

An invite without a chat introduction when both of you are stood in front of a clickable or a quest enemy with a respawn time is perfectly fine, in my opinion.

 

It's just about the only time I accept them.

 

Yes like the dailys on Yavin, I agree no introduction is needed there if it is a mutrual objective. If it is a random invite without a word I never accept.

[DocDAM]

An invite without a chat introduction when both of you are stood in front of a clickable or a quest enemy with a respawn time is perfectly fine, in my opinion.

 

It's just about the only time I accept them.

Thirded. I was just typing same and you two beat me to it.

 

If instead I started typing a why I want to group, it spawns, they start, I'm hosed.

[Bobs_YourUncle]

I accepted a random invite once, we ended up having a group of 4 and just went around alderaan doing each others quests. Idk, I do find it rude and I've declined every other group invite. Personally Im here to play solo mainly and regular questing is already easy. What really annoys the piss out of me is the players that begin spamming me invites because I guess they are mad I dared decline the random invite? Sad that there are probably 5 or 6 players on my ignore list in game just for that.

[DocDAM]

I got a random invite on Yavin 4, I declined. Immediately typed why (“I’m on last node and done with area”).

 

Auto-response: You are on XXX’s ignore list. LOL!

[branmakmuffin]

It took that huge WOT to say "Don't ninja invite?"

 

Unless i"m about to die, do not interfere in my combat. I'm killing MOBs to get XP, some random player intruding while I'm healthy is poor manners.

So you're OK when people "help" under your terms. The proper reply to players like you regarding situations like this is "Single-player games are that way." ----------------------->

 

That said, speaking for myself, in part because of players like you, I never help players, no matter how much their character is taking it on the chin (and in my experience the vast majority of players accept that it they aggroed it, it's their problem to deal with).

Edited July 29, 2015 by branmakmuffin

[MillionsKNives]

I'll usually accept the random invite. I ask why, and then almost invariably tell the dude to stop random inviting people and leave. I figure hopefully some of them will get the hint that people don't like that.

[Muljo_Stpho]

Unless i"m about to die, do not interfere in my combat. I'm killing MOBs to get XP, some random player intruding while I'm healthy is poor manners. Team members, of course should help out (and are expected to).[/i]

 

Technically this point is kind of irrelevant. Other MMOs might work like this (so I've heard, I haven't gotten into any besides this one) but in this game all that matters is the first hit. You (or someone in your group) could get the first hit in and then someone else can deal 99% of the damage, and you'll get the xp and loot from it while they'll get nothing. It is pointless for someone who isn't grouped with you to be helping with your fights if you've got it under control, but so long as they don't get first hit on anything they aren't actually taking anything away from you.

 

About the xp though, honestly it's more about the big payouts from the mission turn-ins than the slow grind of kill xp anyway. You shouldn't be counting on kills for leveling (unless you notice that you've landed just under a level-up after a turn-in and you're just looking to get just enough to finish off the level). I haven't kept track to analyze it or anything, but I'm certain that even with rest xp the total xp gained from a generous number of kills (no skipping bonus missions) on a planet (especially when you get out of the lower level planets, like past Nar Shaddaa maybe) would probably be less than the xp gained from one typical mission turn-in. It's some small fraction of everything you've gained on the planet, at any rate.

[branmakmuffin]

Technically this point is kind of irrelevant. Other MMOs might work like this (so I've heard, I haven't gotten into any besides this one) but in this game all that matters is the first hit. You (or someone in your group) could get the first hit in and then someone else can deal 99% of the damage, and you'll get the xp and loot from it while they'll get nothing. It is pointless for someone who isn't grouped with you to be helping with your fights if you've got it under control, but so long as they don't get first hit on anything they aren't actually taking anything away from you

This is true. I forget to consider that the OP might be coming from older games where it was possible to "kill steal" (at least I have heard it was possible).

[TUXs]

[*]Unless i"m about to die, do not interfere in my combat. I'm killing MOBs to get XP, some random player intruding while I'm healthy is poor manners.

LOL! I help when I feel it's prudent...rather than dictating when I can help you, just say "thank you". As long as you hit the mob 1st, you get full credit and XP for it. So really...just say "thanks".

[Barleron]

I would also add... If you're going to ask for help with a difficult class story battle, wait until you are close to the actual point in the chapter where the difficult battle will occur. I don't want to run around with someone to do all the easy stuff leading up to the hard part if I'm responding to a "help me with this difficult battle." I expect to be able to jump in, help you with a tough fight and then move on. Hopefully other people feel this way, and I'm not just having jerk thoughts. Edited July 29, 2015 by Barleron

[Icestar]

I would also add... If you're going to ask for help with a difficult class story battle, wait until you are close to the actual point in the chapter where the difficult battle will occur. I don't want to run around with someone to do all the easy stuff leading up to the hard part if I'm responding to a "help me with this difficult battle." I expect to be able to jump in, help you with a tough fight and then move on. Hopefully other people feel this way, and I'm not just having jerk thoughts.

 

If this happens I ask what they need help with, usually I am familiar with the quest since I have done most of them many times. It depends if I got the time or not to help with the entire quest, if I do not I ask them to say when they are at the final difficult boss.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Icestar

[SwatDelta]

[*]Unless i"m about to die, do not interfere in my combat. I'm killing MOBs to get XP, some random player intruding while I'm healthy is poor manners. Team members, of course should help out (and are expected to).

[/i]

 

I remember one time after completing the Rak dailies on Tat I found a player about to be killed by a mob. Naturally I went and killed the mob, and moved on. A couple seconds later I get whispers from the guy telling me to stop showing off (I was on a 60) followed by a string of obscenities He then said he reported me for harassment and then he put me on ignore. I dunno, it just kinda bothers me that that's the kind of response I get from ( at least in my point of view) helping a guy out. Has this happened to anyone? Lol

[royhenderson]

so many loners in this game. If you are invited you should feel empowered. You are popular. Rejoice and accept your destiny

[Star-ranger]

[

Technically this point is kind of irrelevant. Other MMOs might work like this (so I've heard, I haven't gotten into any besides this one) but in this game all that matters is the first hit. You (or someone in your group) could get the first hit in and then someone else can deal 99% of the damage, and you'll get the xp and loot from it while they'll get nothing. It is pointless for someone who isn't grouped with you to be helping with your fights if you've got it under control, but so long as they don't get first hit on anything they aren't actually taking anything away from you.

 

About the xp though, honestly it's more about the big payouts from the mission turn-ins than the slow grind of kill xp anyway. You shouldn't be counting on kills for leveling (unless you notice that you've landed just under a level-up after a turn-in and you're just looking to get just enough to finish off the level). I haven't kept track to analyze it or anything, but I'm certain that even with rest xp the total xp gained from a generous number of kills (no skipping bonus missions) on a planet (especially when you get out of the lower level planets, like past Nar Shaddaa maybe) would probably be less than the xp gained from one typical mission turn-in. It's some small fraction of everything you've gained on the planet, at any rate.

 

Yes yes XP is not really the point here, although it can be. Example: you use single target attack to pull a group, and a well meaning 'uninvited assistant' lays down an AOE hitting the rest of the group. Since they 'tagged' the other MOBs first they get credit for them, even through they're agro'd on you.

 

As I said, not really the point though. The real point is more like you're sitting in Mickie D's with a thingy of french fries, and some stranger comes through and nabs a few of them on the way past. In the over all scheme of the universe I'm not going to miss those fries. And considering the nutritional value of said fries, I might even be better off not eating them. That's not the point. The point is a stranger violated my personal space.

 

I feel the same way when I'm in perfect health and somebody inserts themselves uninvited into my combat situation. I want the satisfaction of killing 'my' MOBs myself. I like killing them, it's like eating french fries. And when somebody comes along and takes my kills, however well meaning, well that's like stealing my french fries.

 

Do I ever insert myself uninvited into combat situations? I try to avoid doing so, but sometimes it happens by accident: auto-targeting for example, or I inadvertently target a stealthed character's combat before they strike, or I mistake another character for my partner and attack what they're attacking. In those cases I back off once I've discovered my mistake and apologize.

 

If I am going to volunteer assistance uninvited it's generally in the nature of : 1) The other player is nearly dead and their opponent is not 2) I heal them if I'm on one of my healers 3) If the player is out numbered I might stun or hang up one of their opponents, 4) Or, clear the spawn point after they go down so they have a clear area to rez in. But mostly I don't interfere.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Star-ranger

[Andryah]

I'll usually accept the random invite. I ask why, and then almost invariably tell the dude to stop random inviting people and leave. I figure hopefully some of them will get the hint that people don't like that.

 

I keep all invites disabled in this game. If they want to group.. they need to actually chat with me. If they can't be bothered to do so, I can't be bothered to help them out with something.

 

Flip side.. if someone chats me up and is polite, I will invite them and we will sally forward on what ever the task is.

 

I love the ability to set invites to "auto-decline". Once in a while.. someone will keep spamming an invite and it is hilarious to watch the auto-decline notices rolling in the chat frame.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Andryah

[MSchuyler]

so many loners in this game. If you are invited you should feel empowered. You are popular. Rejoice and accept your destiny

 

I am not invited because I am popular. I am invited because I'm a higher level, which will result in said Inviter getting comms and credits because of my efforts rather than theirs. As a result they will learn nothing.

 

I will sometimes "help" someone, whether they have asked me or not, because they are dithering and I have to wait for them to get my turn. It's not because I'm seeing them struggle, which they are, but because they are slowing me down. So if I can pop off their Boss and get them out of the way, I can get my own task done and be back in the stronghold before they know what happened to their fight.

 

Yeah, I'm a loner. Either lead, or follow, or get out of the way. I LIKE it that way!

 

I love the ability to set invites to "auto-decline". Once in a while.. someone will keep spamming an invite and it is hilarious to watch the auto-decline notices rolling in the chat frame.

 

The other thing you can do is if they invite you, don;t decline immediately. Just keep it open and finish your business. Then "accept" and disappear. (Quick travel or whatever.) Then see how long it takes them to disband the group. If all else fails and they hang on, just logout!

Edited July 30, 2015 by MSchuyler

[dethslovinembrac]

I'll throw out a random invite if its a quest objective that I know a few of us are going to be waiting on (to alleviate the wait time for al). Other than that, no, and invites to me will be ignored.

[CKNORTH]

Lately I have been running low level characters around, while I am running I click on people and see that there is A Lot of new people who have not played either on the server I am on or are new to the game, possible new to the MMO Scene. how do I know? well, most the time they have 0 buffs, so while I am on foot or even mounted I will buff people that I see who do not have any. Thanks BW for the run mount ability it is proving quite useful!!

 

As for random invites there is an option to turning invites off, I use that mostly because if you can't say "hello" I need some help, most the time I just think its a spammer. it might be more work than just hitting decline, but it saves on those odd times someone decides to spam the invite.

 

if I see someone in the area questing I will see if they need help by clicking them and checking the life bar or for buffs. if they are Stacked I just go about my business, but if they are about to bite it I will always intervene to help out. it honestly takes 0 effort to be nice to people... and it helps when people ask others if they like the game. I guess I am old fashioned in thinking common courtesy and being Helpful is something that is quite rare these days...

[rocsharr]

I love the "loose xp cause to OP for it" bs. I played an inquisitor that leveled pretty much most of its 1 thru 54th level (current level) with 60s, no issues on xp cause 1) all bonuses were made, the end result of the mission is what really mattered not the individual creatures or enemies that needed killed.

 

 

That said, I help other players quite often on killing their targets. I wait till they attacked first before firing and usually monitor health of enemy to be sure it was being hit and not happen to be an add. The first hit deal works. I do this so many times I know I have never taken anything from anyone as they get it. So far, each one of them thanked me after or was happy about it. Nothing being taken away from the person at all besides the amount of time it takes to kill that target. Not sure why OP and couple other people seem to have issues with people aiding on kills, its really a loss of time on the one helping than anything lost on the one being helped. Nonsensical unless someone is dileberately trying to take something from another player, and as stated, pretty difficult to do on this game.

 

 

I do agree about the random invite stuff though.

[PiiTarr]

I have taken to running with auto-decline enabled for group invites most of the time because a pet peeve of mine is getting an invite to group while I am in the middle of combat. This happened to me just the other day while running a bounty mission, because I'd disabled auto-decline in order to help someone earlier on a different character and had forgotten to turn it back on. If someone asks and I have the time, I'll help, but I'm with some of the other posters in declining to help if the invite is sent first without asking, (or sent immediately after the question is asked, before I've had a chance to respond).

[Beltane]

I always help someone kill the boss in a quest or daily area if they engage it ahead of me. I consider it to be good manners rather than standing there and staring at the fight, to make it go faster.

 

It never occurred to me that could be seen as rude til this thread... lol

[Zharik]

I always help someone kill the boss in a quest or daily area if they engage it ahead of me. I consider it to be good manners rather than standing there and staring at the fight, to make it go faster.

 

It never occurred to me that could be seen as rude til this thread... lol

 

Also makes the respawn timer start faster.

 

Thought I think that the OP was more referring to "lower than level 60 areas".