Curse

Shimus DarkRaven · Dec 12, 2005, 11:06 PM // 23:06

First off, let me say I don't claim to be a master at finding "Excellent Pick-up Groups" but here is how to make the experience so much more enjoyable.

Fact 1: PUG's are the only other way aside from Henchmen/friends/guildies/Soloing to get something you need accomplished.

Fact 2: The people can range in all skill levels from experienced to new.

With those in mind, here we go:

So you're looking for a Pick-up Group to finish <insert random mission name here> huh? You're in luck! With just a couple steps, you can maximize your play-time without those lousy folks who complain and then leave the mission 3/4 the way through it.

How, you ask? Simple. Behind these "random players" is a real life, you and me type of everyday situation. Some people will just be bad; this has to be acknowledged. Some people will be moderate to great as well. But always keep in mind that they are still "people" and not just a tool for you to accomplish your mission.

What do I mean? I mean breaking the ice, developing some nice conversation, getting to, dare I say, getting to KNOW these people. This is where most people would complain that they, "Don't have the time". If this was the case, these people should not be using PUGS to accomplish anything. If the first four options of getting guildies, friends, henchmen, or soloing didn't work, this your last choice. Granted; for some people they prefer PUGS to henchmen, or guildies and whatnot. But, I stray from the topic at hand!

By getting to know these people, if just briefly, you already have an advantage some others don't: Communication. Through this wonderful word called communication, you can accurately judge who knows what, and establish a firm leader, even if it is not the group leader at hand.

Yes; there will be times when you get those people who just grouptalk, "GOGOGOGOGOGO" and stuff along those lines, and you don't need those people to begin with. A person looking to enjoy a PUG and get past the mission/quest at hand, will listen and be receptive. Yes; this is a rarity with some people as the quality of players right now, but I assure you, It can be done, and I usually do it on a nightly basis, just to help people.

Through a firm leadership, you've already tackled another two questions: Where and How. As a firm leader will know what to do, he/she will then know how to maximize success. A good PUG and an enjoyable one revolve around having a knowledgeable leader.

Now that those two problems are done, now you can focus on your individual roles. Through "Communication" by talking to the leader of the group, you should ask "what is the best to bring along for this mission". The leader should then, since he/she knows what's going down how to answer such a question. Through answering these questions, the groupmates then should alter accordingly, not just "Bringing in such-and-such a build and that's it".

For Example: I was on the wild missions, I was not the group leader, but they <the people in the group> looked around for someone who knew mission/bonus. I willingly aquired the role leading half-way through the mission, and we weren't doing too bad until the monk runs, aggroes about 15 centaur, and then proceeds to pull them back, die, and then they wiped us. When we asked why he didn't heal, he replied, "I'm a Warrior, not a monk" ...I about gagged when I repeated to the group that his primary was monk. I'm not saying Monk/Warriors are bad by any stretch, but when you're the only monk in a group, everyone expects you to heal. Obviously, for this group, communication was a problem, and we all paid for it.

Mentioned above, this is the perfect example of what "not" to do. We lacked communication, and obviously we paid with that by a button that said, "Return to Outpost".

Now, back on topic, if you just break the ice with the people, find out how they're doing, ask them what they're bringing along, it can solve 75% of the problems that evolve later on in any said mission. Thus, I highly discourage any leader to prematurely hit the "Enter Mission" button. Find out what your groupmates are doing, what their skills are, and "suggest" what they bring.

Just following the above mentioned, it sounds like a lot, but I guarantee you myself, that if you just inquire, "How's the weather" or "how are you folks tonight" will infinitely increase the quality of your pick-up group, communication is key. While it sounds like a lot to do, this can eaisly be accomplished with five to ten minutes, and five to ten minutes to secure a win on a mission is a small price to pay.

Thanks for reading.

--The Shim

FrogDevourer · Dec 13, 2005, 10:58 AM // 10:58

I trust you're not familiar with Makkert's article.
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...ide-id1571.php

Shimus DarkRaven · Dec 13, 2005, 07:32 PM // 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrogDevourer

I trust you're not familiar with Makkert's article.
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...ide-id1571.php

Nope, had no clue. Thanks for the insight, though! I appreciate it.

--The Shim