Character
Dealing with new players
Public
Heya loves!
So yesterday I ended up in a group for a 50 dungeon with at least one new player. This new player was a bard and with another bard in group, one can tell who is doing what merely by watching there character movements.
It is pretty easy to tell when you have a problem in dps region of the group. When it takes nearly two minutes to clear 4-5 mobs for example. If this is happening, one needs to ask what can I do better.
After noticing this pattern all the way to through the first boss, I kept my eye on said dps and figured out one was not doing much but auto attacks.
Rather then get on said person or be rude, I marked them with a chain. This aggravated them asking why? I did not answer, because in my mind they probably know why. But to clarify, in my mind, the chain is to acknowledge the weak link in the group.
Now normally I would ask questions to said person like... why haven’t I seen this and that? Why are your dots not on this mob? Why are you not tossing out aoes or why are you not using songs. The reason I have stopped doing this is because of how often said stuff is not appreciated and often looked upon as “bullying” in such means.
What I have to state is, when I marked said player, I started noticing them do more, following the 2nd boss. Perhaps this was because they were marked and now people might be paying attention to them, or perhaps they realized they could be doing a better job. None the less it was efficient.
Had they asked if they could do something to make things better or they needed help learning then I would have been willing to help. However due to SEs little policy in groups, no one talks to each other anymore then Hi and/or gg for fear or lack of care for anyone anymore.
I question however if this was the wrong thing to do. I could see others using this abusively rather then a means to pay attention to someone whom potentially needs attending. So was it the best means? Or should I have stopped everything and explained to them how to play?
In my experience, most times, if not seeking help, new players dismiss and complain none stop till the group is over if you tell them how to play.
In this manner, no one argued. And I think someone started forcing themselves to do more. Be it true or not, I’m not sure but I think it might have helped a bit.
How would you normally handle a new player? Normally I try to be embracing and supportively. However recently I have seen that as not very well appreciated.
I mean you didn't yell at them, so there's that. But they did get the Scarlet letter seared upon their cranium. Was it effective over coaching them? In this case yes. I would ( for science ) like to see how receptive future newbies/uninformed react to your method. Please keep us updated Espy!
Quiet Alpha may work for some, humiliate others.
Personally I type out instruction, eg: Please use your AOE ability [Rain of Death]for 3 or more mobs. If they ignore me I passive aggressively type "Or don't use your AOE". ( Which would be the equivalent of marking them as the weakest link imo ). Is it effective? Sometimes, other times it invokes angst. Have I accomplished anything? Yes. They have information, what they choose to do with it is up to them. IF I have incited their curiosity to verify my information on google, BIG WIN.
love it!
Now now Espy, let's get 1 thing straight: this BRD you marked with the chain is not a new player. He is a bad player. We have to be clear about this.
If someone chooses to just auto-attack, regardless of how long they have played, even if they are Ultimate Legend, 99% parses in Savage, etc etc. that still makes them a bad player. Not because their dps output is low, but because their attitude is, "why should I do more? why should I care?"
Bad players such as these often have a double standard. They want people to be patient with them, yet they themselves do not display the same patience to learn how to play their job well and understand the mechanics. They want others to be considerate to them, yet they do not care for the enjoyment of their teammates at all. They often say that the game is meant to be fun and they won't improve their gameplay, because it is a chore. Then, they make playing with them a chore for others!
I have a lot of patience for someone who is genuinely new and trying their best. If they are putting in effort, I'll definitely spend effort to help them, too.
On the other hand, I don't really care to deal with people like the BRD in your post, who are simply not trying at all. I would just leave. Penalty means nothing to me, I can always do something else.
This is also why I prefer playing in Savage. Most players who do this content are willing to put in effort, and even the ones who play poorly and have low dps are usually trying their best, too.
PF is less hesitant to kick such players, and you don't need to explain yourself to any GM for doing so.
I did not want to oust as a lazy player because they had a green leaf over there head and they did watch cutscenes. This does not mean they were new. What I also tried to think about was the fact that they may not have finished there job quests up to that point. In which case, they are unfit to be in snowcloak but none the less they may not know that
Have them learn by doing, if they see something is wrong, you can point it out to them, be prepared if they decide to be defensive and abusive, in that case, votekick. Be fair, but firm, and prepare to defend your stance if they decide to take it up with the red knights. It comes with being a veteran and a mentor.
On a personal note, I did like running Snowcloak solo unsynched. It's essentially how I got my Cleric WHM glamour which has remained in my dresser to this day as a reminder of what job I started out with more than three years ago.
hello I'm a new player I would like some help, please
