The GW Community - whats wrong?

I didn't say the idea was a particularly good one...

Ok. This isn't as true as it may seem, there is not a good way to dump someone who is a problem without having good communication paths with the other people in your team. Of course, if you are in a guild, that is easy, but this scenerio happened on many occasions:

My friends and I would have 2-4 people, and we'd invite another 2-4 people to play along. Unfortunately, one of those 4 we invited turned out to be problems. So, we'd have to _break_ the team, and reconvene in a particular district to drop the fella. That sucked, especially when you were 1/2 way through the mission when you got tired of all the profanity/stupidity. Further, trying to get those innocent 1-3 people to join back with you was difficult.

Perhaps a 'kick' button (for the team leader) would be useful. Perhaps in a mission, it would even replace the dead-beat with a henchman of the same class?

P.S. Now that you mention it, I was actually a bit rude during one of the tombs matches. I was trying to be funny, but the other team took it the wrong way ;( Worse, I didn't say anything when we won -- a good game would have been much more appropriate. Thanks for reminding me that manners apply on-line.

Well not enough people remember that in a mmorpg you are playing with people, not just npc's.

Yes, you can. I spent most of the weekend doing the earlier missions just as you described, helping people who were having trouble to find the mission objectives. I've never made it past the D'Alessio Seaboard mission because I enjoy helping others with the earlier missions. Part of this is because I remember how frustrated I was getting from asking questions and never getting any responses. Everytime I see someone asking a question I can answer I'll answer it. Last month I spent several hours just running people to the Census. Since I didn't start a new character this month, I had no idea where it was, or if it was even a quest any more. I also really liked the fact that a lot of the maps had changed, although it was pretty confusing at first. If anyone wants help with anything next month, send me a private message and I'll give you my in game name.

I spent around 1/4 of my time on the begining levels this weekend. I got no xp, but helped a few noobs get past the begining levels. I remember how tough it was originally for me to figure things out.

I helped a few less experienced (lower level) characters through earlier missions so I could farm and pick up a few odds and ends...I didn't get much "stuff" out of it, but one of them gave me some silver dye from a drop...It was one of those feel-good moves you make once in a while for the momentary glory of it and the praise of the few...

Later though, what a mess! I couldn't get to Lion's Arch...VERY frustrating...Mostly issues with people just not working together as a team...lots of running blindly into the fray (or unneccissarily causing the fray to start with)...How many times can you tell someone to kill the sorcerrers who are making the minions FIRST. I thought Rangers called shots for a reason...Would you beleive I finally gave up on "live" groups for an hour and ran with all henchies to find the sweet spots...On average, I got farther with four bots than with five "live" folks...something to be said for AI that does its job, eh?

Overall, folks were friendly and some of them were very entertaining...I got a real sense (on more than one occasion) of what it would be like to see The Three Stooges in the land of GW...I actually waited for 15 minutes to finish a dragon run while two of my teammates bickered over the price of a hammer that dropped...It was assigned to a character who couldn't use it and insisted on selling it for top dollar...uh, "gold peice"...because it said in the info that it was worth 120gp...the warrior wouldn't move on until the sale was complete...I was temped to fire an arrow at a dragon or two just to increase the urgency of the situation, but it started to get funny:

elementalist: "c'mon ladies, let's get going already..."
me: "really, can't you wait til we get there?"
warrior:"You don't understand...this is IMPORTANT...I could SO pwn with that hammer..." *turns back to necro* "50gp is better than you'll get for it from an outfitter..."
dragon: *yawns*
mesmer:"brb...gotta pee"
me: "me too...and get more coffee"
*five minutes later*
warrior: "Dude, seriously...60gp and that's my final offer."
*monk smites dragon...fight is on...*
necro: but it's worth 120"
*dragons (4) pound monk silly*
warrior: "I only have 70..."
necro: "ok...i'll take 90 for it"
me: "a little help here..."
*monk runs...dies*
me:"wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww" *got confused and tried to run while messaging...died*

you get the idea...STUPIDITY=entertainment, from the right perspective...thank you, devs, for secondary monks with res.

I really enjoyed this BWE. Well, to be honest it was my first BWE (tx to those *** Euro-sellers). I played with a group of friends from another MMORPG (or whatever) and I must admit, GW community is friendly.

Of course you have the lil' kids spamming "DEAD N00b" after they won at the arena and the Sell&Spam-sellers in every city, but on the whole I think this isn't such a bad community. Almost every city I visited, I saw little "LFG". Why? Cause most of the time ppl were inviting eachother into groups and starting missions. Yes, there were some stupid groups ("I'm targeting BIG HORDE OF MONSTERS" - while 2 ele and a monk were recharging energy), but most of them were fun. In one group someone even asked me if they could see the entire cinema-thing halfway the mission, cause they missed it last times. At the end I found out that it was possible to complete a mission with a 60pct death penalty

If I would compare this game with others I played: D2/UO (aka Hackers Heaven), Knight Online (getting spammed in Turkish is quite an experience) and my last RPG-experience Conquer Online (CO: see a community go downhill in a year ) I must say that GuildWars lived up to my expectations. No looting or KSing, just some very few curses and all in all a great game and community.

I have to agree on that one, i also played multiple online games, mostly RTS tho, If you compare the GW-community with Starcraft and other RTS online gamecommunities, you will find that the GW-community is relatively friendly. As some stated allready, there will always be a bunch of guys who think they own the place and start flaming everybody...

The problems described here are pretty much a function of human nature and will be found in pretty much any online game.

You do have to be aware of a certain silent segment of the population. A lot of guilds, (mine included) communicate almost entirely on teamspeak and rarely even look at the chat interface. So that's a lot of quality people that you aren't hearing from. (and probably won't unless you join the guild)

Eventually though, one way or another, you will build up some sort of social support structure. You'll find those decent, like-minded individuals that you can have fun playing with. Then you can pretty much ignore the Suckmuppets and l337 []D [] []v[] []D pains in the arses and just have a good time playing with people that you know and respect.

If the GW community at large isn't up to standard for you, then find a bunch of people that feel the same way and make it better (at least for yourselves)

I think you honestly nailed it on the head Romak. The people who are doing this are not used to a team setting. Let's face it (especially in FPS games) there are those player, those good players, those Great players. And the Great player tend to be the ones who make the win. This I've seen happens in most RPG's too (the higher the lvl the more expectation). This game however not only asks for characters to work cooperatively but DEMANDS it. If you want to run in front of the team and do your own thing then you have doomed your team. As everyone previously said, there are some really great teams (and many sucky ones), noone has encountered this type of game before (except maybe AD&D players... the board type) and doesn't know what to expect or do. But this problem will only disappear when those accept it, or log off... and if they want to fight by themselves there is that ability in GW too.

Lansing Kai Don

P.S. I think most of the vulgar language comes out of frustration... which if they ever stop and think about it... is what makes games great games (noone plays an easy game long... unless it is freakin hilarious).

P.P.S Sorry for the choppy sentence structure, replying at work

i will be helping out for 2 simple reasons

1 i enjoy it

2 the more people who are helped and find out they like the game instead of dropping it in frustration and go on to tell their friends

*here is a good game, join me* is one or more sales to keep the game going instead of bankrupt

i win both ways

It's simple ...really....


No matter what online game you play (I've played D2 up to now..same thing there), you are ALWAYS going to run into this sort of game player.

Just learn to sort them out and be done with them. True..during something like these BWE they will be the majority, but that will not hold for long. Upon release of the game..a good number of them will be gone. Their own frustrations at not being able to do anything because even though they "know everything" yet can't accomplish anything will sour them to the actual game. Not a problem. It just means that soon enough I'll be able to find more players like me. Though I have zero experience in PvP , you get the same thing running PvE. All good things take time. Be willing to take it to find the right ones to run with and enjoy the company. And above all..be willing to listen once in a while. I've run with a few warrior or mage types that mistook this for a typical onliner more than once....(rush the group of baddies like your a god and smite them).....they died VERY quickly and painfully...
Myself; I didn't die..hang back call out a target or two..make them come to me then wipe them out at my own leisure.

All online games require a certain level of "wading" boots awareness
(if you're mature enough to understand that..you're mature enough to give a go at running with in my book)....

This past BWE I made a new character, met a few people..about 3/4 I disregarded, and genrally had a great deal of fun

I did create my own guild..but purely to know how to do it..and because like minded PvE people may be encouraged to join in the future..but otherwise..I didn't really run into too many trash problems because I didn't let them be an issue to me.

First of all....I'm sorry but I can't answer what's wrong with the community but I noticed it too...last BWE, my very first ones I started playing and once i reached around LvL 6 I decided to enter the Academy....didn't know that it'd warp me away and I wouldn't be able to go back...well then the good part started, the PvP and the Grawl-Mission, I really REALLY enjoyed the short PvP and when I arrived in the other town I was wondering where to do PvP there since I was very addicted...sad thing I had to run through 5 districts and spam for help till I found ONE person willing to lead me to the Arena and really help me....quite sad, still the greatest game ever

You really have to understand that the type of game your playing has an impact on determining the community you deal with. Were not going to see the same kind of arrogance you have in most traditional mmorpgs but its not going to be the kind of "quick chat" u get in alot of FPS. This game is different from every game really, so im guessing the community will be different than most other games.

Just like the battlenet community evolved into what it is known for, this game, in its own time will develop its own unique community. I guess all you can do is wait and see.

.02

isnt it a wonderful feeling when the bottom sinks just that tiny bit and a small edge allows a trickle of cold water in before you can backpedal?

Glad I am not alone, HotSnack.

Since I am a N/R, I usually rise the corpses. My 9th and 10th times through Gates were very pleasant and quick. We barely stopped and only one person ever died (we were attacked by 5 drakes at the same time ).

I really have to agree here. Since GW is a game also for the casual gamer, you should also expect to find people who come on to play for a little bit of PvP -- and that means fast, intense, and then, you go back to your life. Unfortunately, when I go into cities, I don't stand around waiting for questions.. I almost never even look at chat, since it's mostly market spam. When I set foot in cities, it's usually because I need a skill, item, or some other clear objective that I'm there for. And then I leave.

I chat and fool around in the GH.

This might not seem very friendly, but at the same time, I really doubt that anyone screams, "STFU U NEWB.." and all other pleasant things like that. I find that people tend to be pretty independent on this game. And, especially with the incredible wealth of information not only on this site, but also in the abundance of well-made GW fansites out there, you can pretty much get every question answered if you just bother to look.

I might be a bit harsh here, but I've always had a habit of searching for things first before asking (unless I'm in a great rush), and well, unfortunately, I tend to expect the same of others. It might be a bit cold.. but it's nothing personal, and independence isn't a bad thing. I could stand around answering questions all day long in Ascalon, or they can just go to GWG and read the articles in that new players' center. It's like that saying of "give a man a fish, and he'll be full for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you'll feed him for life."

Just my .02 also.. or rather, it's probably already been a dollar.

Guys,

Thanks so much for all that replied. You gave me some great ideas.

FYI - I am a Guild Leader with about 20 great people in it (Dark Knightz). I just wish people would listen to (or help) others that are truly good people.

I guess I will just wait to see how this pans out and play the RETAIL game.

I just wish there was a way to have your Guild members join you in the Arena - meaning you can select who goes with you into battle...it then would truly be a "Guild War"...just my .02 cents.

Thanks,

FUBAR

Well you could come on really early when no one is playing and then have your guild slaughter themselves

Just an idea.

Why not just GvG? You can have plenty of wars with another guild, but only on a 1 guild vs 1 guild basis. And I'm glad to hear that you have a great guild -- but just to throw another two cents in (I'm running out of change..).. the forums are a great way to meet people, also. I just said in another post that everytime I go to LA, I see someone that I recognize from one of the fansites. It's incredibly eerie, but at the same time, rather nice to have a community like that -- even if it's a bit hard to break through in the beginning. The shortcut? Forums!

P.S.. LOL Kiwi..