Curse

wilebill · Jun 06, 2006, 05:30 PM // 17:30

Right after GW's retail release I was in Piken Square, when a lvl 20 asked me if I used an axe. And yes, I said, I did; expecting him to try to sell me something. But no! He gave me, for free, a wonderful gold axe, that I needed another couple of attrib levels to use. The only payment he wanted, he said, was for me to give new players something free now and again.

And that axe really made the game for me. Since then, I've given away a lot of free stuff, and always try to answer questions. But there is a line. I will not run newbs, I will not give them gold, I will not do a quest for them or help them on quests.

Sir Skullcrasher · Jun 06, 2006, 06:52 PM // 18:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilebill

Right after GW's retail release I was in Piken Square, when a lvl 20 asked me if I used an axe. And yes, I said, I did; expecting him to try to sell me something. But no! He gave me, for free, a wonderful gold axe, that I needed another couple of attrib levels to use. The only payment he wanted, he said, was for me to give new players something free now and again.

And that axe really made the game for me. Since then, I've given away a lot of free stuff, and always try to answer questions. But there is a line. I will not run newbs, I will not give them gold, I will not do a quest for them or help them on quests.

I remember that i tried to ran a noobie from courthouse to yak bend once. I was bored so i offered free run for him. Took him half way point than he log off on me. Kind of funny that the run is free yet he/she didn't feel like staying around till i get them to yak bend.

Don Zardeone · Jun 06, 2006, 06:59 PM // 18:59

Back when I played Runescape (long long time ago, some here were'nt even born back then -_-) I used to give people a pickaxe whenever they asked for money.

"here's a pickaxe, there's a rock, go swing your pick at the rock and make $$"
The sad thing is that I found out that a lot of the noobs aren't noobs. They just stand there begging for money all day. Give them a pickaxe and they'll come asking for more pickaxes.
I asked one why he didn't go mine and he thanked me for the axe and the ores that we mined. Then he told me he'd rather beg for it than to work for it. Begging = working for something to them.

In fact, there are beg-farmers out there. They beg for money but they do it all day long and with several people. They have a large friendslist of morons who give people free stuff.
The sad part about this one is that they probably make more money than a normal farmer.

Something else. Giving people free stuff is bad since you're not helping them. In fact, you're damaging them.

Several clans I was a member in (GW and elsehwere), people yelled at me or even kicked me out for selling stuff to newbs in the clan... "GUILDIES GET FREE STUFF"

I'm pretty sure that if I let them pay for materials (at guildprice but still enough to give me a profit) is helping them more than giving it to them for free. Not only do they learn how the trading works, they also get a feel for value.

Giving stuff to newbs MAKES YOU A BAD BAD EVIL PERSON
shame on you

Give tips only. Or a pickaxe..

Ken Dei · Jun 06, 2006, 07:01 PM // 19:01

Alrighty, I never actually expected so many responses so fast, still reading through them. But what I have gotten from the community as a whole is the following:

Information
-Standard information: Acceptable
-Class choices: Send them to the Forums, or guide them carefully for a good while.
-Skill Locations/Maps: Send them to the Forums.

Items:
-Blues/Purples: Acceptable, if not max.
-Golds/Greens: Acceptable, if not max, and with guidance.
-Buying Runes/Armor: Not Acceptable

Gold:
-Small amounts less then 100gp: Iffy, do so with caution.
-Larger amounts: Not Acceptable.

Serivices:
-Running: Not Acceptable
-Assisting with quests: Acceptable, if the quest is very hard.
-Power Leveling: Not Acceptable

zelira · Jun 06, 2006, 07:35 PM // 19:35

I'd usually answer questions asked in local if i know the answer and they didn't use any words that would get filtered or any words to get around the filter. I really don't give a red or green engine if you can't @$#*& find the boss to cap SS or SoJ.

I will give out weapons to people, however that only happens after I played with them for at least a mission or quest. I don't stand around town, looking for low level characters. Harder and harder to tell who's actually new. One time, I helped out a few friends for the Iron Mine bonus, added a few pickups and finished it. I had a nice conversation with one of the pickups and helped him and his grandpa with THK and went to cap Charge! with the two of them. I had a FDS drop for me and the grandson wanted it, so I gave it to him. I gave grandpa a IDS, till this day the grandson won't let me forget it and grandpa is waving the IDS proudly.

I only advertise runs if I'm already running a guildie or friend and I never accept tips.

For helping with low lvl missions, I try not to do that at all. They can't learn anything if my minions are higher lvl than them.

white wolfgang · Jun 06, 2006, 08:27 PM // 20:27

I never give gold but have given away plenty of Misc stuff.
I don't use dye so when I would get some I would just advert free dye.
Gave a blue dye to a female warrior,who was very greatful.
Guess what 2 months later she started a guild and I am in it.
It's a great way to meet new friends. I can't remember all of them but I find a little help goes a long way in making people feel like this is a community.
It lets people know that we all aren't a bunch of greedy jerks who enjoy scribbling penises on the mini map. Do something helpful to someone and just ask in return that they "pay it forward"

Phrozenflame · Jun 06, 2006, 08:28 PM // 20:28

i just help em when the ask any question on main chat or if someone needs lil bit of gold, once i paid someone 50 g to open up his vault, he gave me back 1k :O

and i help em with prices so they dont get robbed by pro traders in ascalon.

Evilsod · Jun 06, 2006, 08:39 PM // 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Zardeone

Back when I played Runescape (long long time ago, some here were'nt even born back then -_-) I used to give people a pickaxe whenever they asked for money.

Something else. Giving people free stuff is bad since you're not helping them. In fact, you're damaging them.

*snickers at Runescape*

As for giving away free stuff, i was in ToA earlier before we had the favour and some random ele decided he'd clear out the crap in his storage and started giving away free stuff. 3 minutes later he'd ran out and decided to give 1 last item out to the first ranger to reach him

After 2 minutes or there been no rangers i went n got mine... he gave me a 14^50 Shadow Bow. Tbh i might actually customise it and throw a Vampiric mod on it and use it for barraging

After doing a ton of chest runs you have no idea how much crap i'm now holding. 15% enchanted, in stance, vs hexed foes, Shadow Bows, Chaos Axes, you name it. Most of it will either end up at a trader or flogged for 1k each. I could just go to Ascalon and give them noobs, but the problem is, which ones a noob? At the mere mention of a rare skin people are jumping on it hoping for a profit.

Wyvern, i think i may have done Ruins of Surmia more time than this whole forum put together... I think i did the bonus about 10 times the first time i reached it. I kept thinking i was getting exp

Cjlr · Jun 06, 2006, 10:25 PM // 22:25

God, how I wish they'd implemented the gate system properly. For that matter, I wish it'd been included in Prophecies. Not as it exists, mind you. As it exists it merely stifles people. But, with a slight revision, it would be the answer.

Keep track of visitation account-wide. For the first round of a given campaign towns, missions, and outposts must be unlocked through quest progression (in the same manner as Factions now). Once you have visited a given location, it becomes available (indirectly, of course) to all of the other characters on your account. First-timers go through properly; everyone else can pick and choose their game the second, third, fourth, etc, time through.

I know, I know, I'm a genius. But, I suppose I should actually talk about the thread, too.

Helping newbies, eh? It's like that old saying: "Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day." Wait, that wasn't it... "Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime."

Handing out free greens and rares is all well and good, but it really isn't. If you don't learn to play the game at the start, you'll have real problems when you get into the mid- and late-game (not to mention PvP). After all, knowledge corrupts. I mean power. Knowledge is power.

eternal pho · Jun 06, 2006, 10:32 PM // 22:32

I find it humorous when ppl beg endlessly, perhaps for 20 mins, for 100-500g when you could just kill a couple mobs outside for that..but then they get all agitated.

LifeInfusion · Jun 07, 2006, 04:01 AM // 04:01

What's that phrase again?

I think it went something along the lines that if you teach them what to do it is better than spoonfeeding with resources like money.

Anyway giving new players the best of items isn't a good idea because they end up getting scammed by players that know prices.

Honking Donkey · Jun 07, 2006, 05:31 AM // 05:31

A while back i in piken square. At the time i was wearing an undyed 15k Ascalon Armor. A particular warrior took interest in my armor and asked me how to get gold and i answered. He then asked me how i got the gold in my armor and i gave him a painstakenly detailed answer. (As in I told him the difference between my 15k ascalon and his 1.5 ascalon). That took a while to answer. He then asked me to do it to his armor. I told him to scroll up but he wouldnt stop bugging me >_<

He asked me to help him with the ashes quest. I agreed since i was doing it too. I took him and 2 other newbies. I brandished an IDS and he kept trying to open a trade window asking me if he could buy it off me. I told him the weapon was customized and he cant use it. He then PM'd me and still offered!

At this point i was pretty irritated but since i needed to finish this quest i just gritted my teeth and ignored him.

Lurid · Jun 07, 2006, 07:14 AM // 07:14

I usually help newbies, especially those in guild and what not, as often as possible. Unless they are just begging and what not. Alot of the times though I offer some advice, then link them to sites such as this and Guild Wiki. As personally I find it more helpful (to me atleast) to not have someone holding my hand, but to rather teach my self more or less.

Stabber · Jun 07, 2006, 07:29 AM // 07:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

What's that phrase again?

I think it went something along the lines that if you teach them what to do it is better than spoonfeeding with resources like money.

Unfortunately, there are no catchable fish in Tyria/Cantha. (No, Scuttle Fish don't count.)

Tijger · Jun 07, 2006, 07:48 AM // 07:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cjlr

Handing out free greens and rares is all well and good, but it really isn't. If you don't learn to play the game at the start, you'll have real problems when you get into the mid- and late-game (not to mention PvP). After all, knowledge corrupts. I mean power. Knowledge is power.

Hm..well, a Kole's Gauntlet or Torment is totally useless to me, selling it is a laughable idea nowadays so I prefer to give someone who's new at the game an item he can actually use to get better at the game.

Having +30 HP wont turn newbies into godlike players but it might help them survive a battle once or twice instead of just getting frustrated and quitting.
Quite often on Tombs runs we take someone with us who hasnt done it before, if that person does not happen to get a green I'll happily give him one, it doesnt change their skills or makes them become godlike, its just a nice gesture.

I dont help beggars but I have helped he occasional "I need 30g to get into storage" at Shing Jea, all of them paid it back even when I said they didnt have to.

milias · Jun 07, 2006, 03:12 PM // 15:12

Personally, I answer questions whenever I can, but I do not give to beggers, at least not anymore. Beggers in real life may have good reasons, like disability or bad luck, but in-game? Ugh...it pisses me off just thinking about it, the fact that someone is unwilling to spend a little time to earn the little gold they need for armor and whatnot. Sometimes people will even beg for money to get their FoW armor! That to me, is simply ludicrous...

I sitll give out free stuff, but only to guildies, and players in low-level areas, who do not beg.

Avarre · Jun 07, 2006, 03:17 PM // 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

What's that phrase again?

I think it went something along the lines that if you teach them what to do it is better than spoonfeeding with resources like money.

Anyway giving new players the best of items isn't a good idea because they end up getting scammed by players that know prices.

You mean the one that goes like:

Give a man fire and he's warm for a day,
Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.

I always liked that one better, for some reason. I can just see a newbie, in RP sense, setting himself on fire with firestorm after learning it from the skill trainer.

I try to always help with information... but I need to play the game too (something that it seems I barely do anymore), so I can't alwayss be a mobile guildwiki.

sdliddo · Jun 07, 2006, 03:56 PM // 15:56

I try to help newbies cuz somone did the same for me. If its quests that i know is hard i'd help as long as im not doing anything. Painful truth for people with limited time is that helping comes at inopportune times.

I'm always willing to help with questions and all that. Help newbies when I know someone is scamming them. All that.

I always believe it helps prove to others that there are more players out there willing to help others than those scamming them.

AxeMe · Jun 07, 2006, 04:01 PM // 16:01

I try to help when someone asks a question in local - especially when many of the answers are wrong.

With friends, I'm glad to help with a run, or a quest, or even gold or items.

I used to give away stuff to people I do not know. However, that ended up sort of like it does when you feed pigeons. I started getting requests for more both from them and their friends. Weirdly, people who were grateful for help the first time around, would end up getting angry when I wouldn't give them more money or an item later. So I no longer give stuff to strangers - sort of sad, but it's easier than dealing with messages curtly asking for more stuff.

I have seldom helped - other than with real friends - power level or running, for the reasons others have stated here.

The Shadow · Jun 07, 2006, 08:56 PM // 20:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Dei

-Should the more experienced players lend their help to those new to the game?

I help noobs quite a bit. I let them know that I am following and that they will instigate the fights. I only really step in and whoop on people if the battle seems to be going south. I offer tips on builds and let them have the majority of the drop (because, let's face it, low-level stuff ain't worth that much anyways).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Dei

-Are we causing detriment to the quality of players by doing so?

If you can play smart and let them learn... then no. If you fight their battles for them and just kick all the baddies in the teeth while the "noob" runs around collecting money and drop, then yeah. People gotta learn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Dei

-And finally, in the event that you support aiding newbies, what limits/standards of help should be unofficially abided by, amoung those that choose to help out?

um... don't whisper me every 5 minutes when you need to be run, or just want more help, or basically monopolize my playing time. I mean, I got a game to play too..