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Vivaldy

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Post: 44781095_1 created on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:47:58 +0000
Posted: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:47:58 +0000

LIVING AMONGST THE OUTLAW PUPS
{{a guide to zOMG etiquette}}

User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.

This guide is complete.
I have no plans to write more for this guide until the chapter 2.
I play zOMG on a mule now, good luck looking for me.

Wow, I can't believe I'm writing a zOMG guide!
Yes, that's right; a guide on etiquette.

It seems for every great experience I've had with another Gaian, I've had three nasty surprises. Some players don't understand that being under-leveled is not an insult, that stop means stop and crews aren't free rides. I assumed that this was common sense -- which explains why I became so frustrated, I sat down and wrote a guide about MMO manners.

This guide is intended to give players new and old a general idea of what is and is not frowned upon within zOMG. Secondly, it is also intended to provoke discussion about how these "rules" are made/decided.

The guide is divided into three main parts: Battle Etiquette, Crew Etiquette and Forum Etiquette. Each section is organized into topics, which are then summarized in orange. The summaries will also be listed at the top of the section for quick reference. More will be added as needed.

If you would like to contribute a relevant anecdote or quote, or add a convention I might have missed, post in BOLD ORANGE FONT.
Additionally, feel free to link this guide in your clan/guild/guide <3 the more the merrier!

Brushfire Fairytale

I was going to silently mock this thread until just now, when I crewed up with a very kind, helpful user who was a big fan of in-game etiquette. It really does make the game a lot better! surprised

Vivaldy

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Post: 44781095_2 created on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:48:54 +0000
Posted: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:48:54 +0000

Battle Benevolence

{{tl;dr}}
1) DO NOT fight someone else's monster. If you want to help, heal or buff from a distance.
2) You are responsible for the monsters you aggro.
3) Do not fight monsters in crew-camped screens. If you are camping solo, be prepared to share the screen -- start a crew or move.
4) Don't steal crates or chests.

- - - - -

Interfering in another player's fight
The most common disagreements happen when players intervene in others' battles. Not all interference is malevolent -- the interrupter often believes s/he is helping, not hurting.

boisterously_silent

I agree that it's difficult to tell when somebody is in trouble with large groups of Animated around them, and when they're just waiting for Dervish to cool down so they can pwn everything in the surrounding area with one shot.

If I'm pretty sure they're in trouble, and I want to help, instead of interfering by going in close and attacking their attackers, I just heal them from a distance with Bandage. That way, they're still the ones that get credit for the kills, and are less likely to die in the process.

Four times out of five, I get a "thank you" afterward. 3nodding

Healing and buffing is the best way to help out (not to mention it adds you to the monster's "hate list" -- meaning you will have a chance at a drop without decreasing the original player's odds!)

Remember to use PLAYER INFO. This will tell you 1 of 2 things:
a) How close a user is to being dazed or exhausted
b) How strong they are (stats, Charge Level and Total Charge; even the rings they are holding.)
This will tell you whether someone is being raped by lawn gnomes, or is simply orb farming.

This has been my BIGGEST grievance with un-crewed players, (begin rant) scream because I've had more than one user come charging into my fight and then ARGUED afterward that I had no right to ask them not to. I've had users claim they were merely helping me out, while others acknowledged their rude behavior but argued they were excused because __________.
I have even been interrupted in a one-on-one fight with a monster, in the middle of a screen with MULTIPLE unoccupied Animated loafing about. This unparalleled lack of civility was followed by an accusation that I was hoarding all the monsters to myself.
Users like these are infuriating and can really bring down the game experience for everyone. User Image

(end rant).

Summary: 9 times out of 10, wading into someone else's battle is a bad idea. If you want to help, heal or buff from a distance.

Aggroing Monsters

Similarly, just as it is rude to interfere in another player's fight, it is equally rude to force other players to fight your battles.

SporkMaster5000

Don't drag your quest bosses to some other, stronger crew. I was farming lanterns with a crew and we got both the taiko nexus and lantern nexus dragged onto our screen, which then killed about half of the crew. I don't know if this was someone woefully underprepared running scared or an a*****e intentionally dragging their quest monster to the crew to be killed for them (which i suspect, the person who brought it in certainly seemed to know where they were going).

If you can't hack it, or couldn't put together your own crew, the other players are not your personal army! get dazed, go back to the null chamber and suck it up.

Then there are players who deliberately direct and unleash monsters onto other for lack of direct KOs. The most infamous of these are the Cherry Fluffs. Some players consider this a sport and justify their actions because their victims were "under-leveled n00bs". NOTHING justifies bullying weaker players. NO ONE has the right to decide who can and who cannot play on a map. If the player really is sub-level, kindly redirect them to the appropriate level; if they continue to be a hassle, ignore them. The map will convince them to move -- in the meantime, keep your monsters to yourself.

Aggro'd Boss monsters are often used against farming crews in order to clear them from a screen. Similar to a tantrum, it is the most childish method of resolving "conflict". Protip: don't be a ******** douche. Bosses are now instanced, which eliminates this problem.

Summary: Be responsible for the monsters you aggro. NEVER force other players to fight (or die) for you.

Camping & Farming
"Camping" is a type of orb farming where crews or players wait on a screen for monsters to respawn so they can kill them for potential drops. Etiquette here is a bit fluid, as some crews are touchier than others. In general, camped crews request that other players stay away.

On a solo basis, camping etiquette becomes even murkier. Ideally, a solo player could camp a screen without interference, but some days the servers are packed. I recommend either starting a crew with local players, moving to another screen/server, or heading back to the null chamber to jump layers. Laying claim to an entire screen as a solo player is selfish, especially if it is a major area. I once ran across a player camped at the crossroads of the Zen Garden's Shrine who verbally harassed any users who came near, accusing them of all but systematically "scaring away HIS monsters and lagging up HIS camp", as if all the players had made a pact to rain on his picnic. No s**t Sherlock, what do you expect when you camp at the bottleneck of the map?

Valheita

I'm probably going to sound like a horribly rude little nooblet, but I disagree with the camping. Nothing gives you the right to claim an area as your own.

I believe in certain situations camping IS rude (EX: camping a quest), but that requests from a camping crew should be respected whether you agree with the practice or not. Staying in the screen just to be a buttwipe is churlish and counterproductive to both parties. Remember, loot drop rates INCREASE with larger crews, but will DECREASE if a bunch of solo players are slaughtering monsters in the same area (See LOOT!).

Heads up -- if your crew dies, the spot is fair game (duh).

Summary: Do not fight monsters in crew-camped screens, with the exception of quest screens (EX: Gnome Forts). If your crew is camping a screen, remain courteous but firm when asking other players to move.

If you are camping solo, be prepared to share the screen -- start a new crew if you want to stay in the area, move to another server if you don't.

LOOT!
Loot Drops are based on one's chances of getting a drop and the amount of damage dealt to a monster by one user; see as follows:

Qixter

a) Let's say a monster has a 4% chance to drop an item when you are soloing it.

b) If you are in a Crew, then when that monster dies, every person in your Crew gets that same regular 4% chance to get the item from that monster. This means that multiple people in your Crew could ALL get that same item...so being in a Crew is a very effective way of hunting for loot. Plus, you get loot while in the Crew whether you did damage or not. You just have to be *hated* by the monster, even a little bit, in order to get rewarded. You get on a hate list by attacking the monster, healing someone the monster hates, debuffing the monster, being close to the monster, and other things.

c) If multiple people are fighting the same monster, and they are NOT in a Crew, then we keep track of the amount of damage done by each person, and we give you a chance for the item, but that chance is scaled by the amount of damage you do. For example: If you did 50% of the damage to the monster mentioned above, then the chance that you would get the item would be 4% * 50% = 2%. In essence, this means that you are compensated for the job that you did.

d) Lastly, if multiple Crews are attacking a monster, then they follow the same rules as "c", with each Crew being treated like an individual player. In other words, the amount of damage done by the Crew is used to determine the modifier on the standard loot drops, just like in "c" above.

There is no incentive to traditional kill stealing in zOMG. It boggles the mind why people try anyway.

RE: Crates & Treasure Chests

Shima Shinji

If you accidentally come up on someone's crate, or you get there at the same time as someone else, CREW them before you open up the crate. Everyone in the crew of the person who opens the crate will get rewards, and it's only fair to reward them for helping you, even if you didn't want it.

Kairu2468

I know what you mean. At least twice in the past 24 hours, me and a crew would be clearing a room for the crate/chest, and some user would sneek in. First time some girl walked over while killing the doll, and just as we kill her, opens the chest and pulls the "I didn't know what was in it!" routine.

If you don't know what something is, and other users are right there..... Ask?

Summary: Don't steal.

Vivaldy

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Post: 44781095_3 created on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:50:05 +0000
Posted: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:50:05 +0000

Crew Courtesies

{{tl;dr}}
6) Have a purpose for your crew. Do not spam users with invites.
7) Work as a team.
8) If you need stronger players to complete a quest, you need to go back and earn orbs.
9) Say goodbye when you leave the crew.

- - - - -

Joining/Forming a Crew
When joining or forming a crew, the goal of the crew should be clear before invites are sent.

UPC Leen

don't send out utterly random and unexplained crew invites. In the past few days, I've gotten quite a few invites for no reason. Usually the person isn't even in my area, nor do I see them in the chatbox saying "I'm recruiting people" or something. (Neither of these factors would really change my point however.) I once had someone sort of explain the motive some people probably have:

Person: Why does everyone keep rejecting my crew invites?
Me: Generally because we have no need at the time and/or did not request to be in one.
Person: But you're in the "looking for crew" list.

So yeah...if I don't know why you're inviting me, then just don't.

The ONLY exception to spamming invites is:

Seraphor

While that's fair for the most part, not being in a crew can be incredibly stupid.
I'm often farming orbs, when someone else will come up and start killing the same enemies I am.
This halves each of our drop rates.(on average)
I may not have time to start chatting them up first, so I'll send out a quick invite and hope they have some basic understanding of how the game works.

Personall, I always reject random invites unless I am talking to the sender (crew leader).
I always reject spam invites.
If you can't be bothered to talk to me first, you're probably just interested in my charge level, and I don't like moochers.

Summary: Have a purpose for your crew. DO NOT spam users with invites.

Communication and Teamwork

In a crew, you should always be thinking about the group goal (score orbs, kill the boss, explore the map, etc). The best crews are the ones where members talk to each other and work together as a team. When you fight the Animated, you should be thinking, "who is going to heal/buff the team, and who is going to fight the monster? How will each person fight; from a distance, or direct contact? Most importantly, how can I help my teammates?"

KeiFujimi

When forming a crew, it's not just the crew leader's responsibility to make a strategy.
Those who have certain rings, such as defibrillate, should make themselves known.
When the entire crew knows who the healers are, versus the main attackers,
they know who to protect.

Rorek Orobus

Also the crew problem, I have had the same problem, people joining crews and then going off doing their own thing. In the DMP, I had a crew, was helping them out with the OMGWTF. And one person ran off ignoring the monsters and got the crate before everyone was on screen.

Its annoying how little respect some people have towards their own crew members.

A Story Worth Telling

This guide is great! It needed to be said. Okay, I have some more things to say about etiquette in crews:
I don't mind helping out players with a lower CL who want to finish their quests. Other people did it for me. What I do mind, however, is overconfident players who think they know how to do things and just run on in.
The way I see it is if I offer to help out less experienced, lower CL players with a quest I've already finished, they should listen to my advice. I'm talking specifically about people running on to the screen with the boss monster and starting the fight when no one else in the crew is ready! Before moving into a big fight, I think it's important that all crew members communicate, make sure everyone is healed, buffed, and ready, and then all go in at once. Think of it as ambushing the monster instead of slowly trickling in people to fight. Which do you think will overwhelm the monster faster?
In a lot of ways, good strategy and effective communication has more to do with a crew's success than even their charge levels. It's amazing what a little crew can do if they all work together.

footnote; please Please PLEASE use local/crew chat to communicate with your crew wink

Summary: Work as a team. Don't abandon crewmates. Keep in touch. Remember, crews are optional. If you can't work together, or you need to do something else, you are always free to leave (bringing us to;)

Freeloaders and Mooches
We all need a little help from time to time, especially against bosses (that's why we crew, right?). Stronger players will often help fight a boss they already beat, attracted by the challenge or loot. However, having a high-level member in your crew does not mean you can slack off. They joined the crew to have fun, not do all the hard work for you.

On the other hand are unprepared players who somehow ended up at the same point you did. Having led several runs on the Katsumi's Doll quest (Minimum CL Rank 3.0, Recommended Rank 3.5+), I've been pestered by CL 2.2's, 1.7's, and even a 1.0 (read, no ring charges at all) to join my crew. A crew should work as team, and the team is compromised when members are not on equal footing.

silvia lin

I have to agree with people trying to take on bosses they're not yet ready for and then wondering why they get slaughtered. I tried to take on Katsumi's doll when I was at sometling like 2.8, got slaughtered with the rest of my crew, and took that as a sign that I neeeded to level up, not that the boss was overpowered and it was unfair of the people who did have a good CL for the boss not to babysit me.

Honestly though, I do wonder how workable it is to try and rush through the objectives and not take time to level. It seems to me like that's only workable if you continually rely on the rest of your crew to cover your butt and constantly heal you. I'm nearly CL4, I can barely even walk around Bass'ken by myself without being eaten alive by Wolf Pups, and yet I've seen people far lower-leveled than I am manage to get exactly where I am largely by leaning rather heavily on their crews. That's going to get less and less workable the further on in the game they progress and either way they're likely to have to do a lot of seriously tedious grinding to get their levels up at some point. Wouldn't it make more sense to just do it as you go along?

Remember -- not ALL low-levelled players are slackers. Even if you are weaker, you can still help heal and buff your crewmates. Don't stand by the sidelines! Pull your weight, as much as you can, and everyone will benefit.

Summary: Being declined from a questing crew because you are under-leveled is NOT an insult, but a reminder. If you need stronger players to complete a quest, you need to go back and earn more orbs. With the repeatable quests, raising your CL is easier than ever.Help weaker players by directing them to easier areas and suggesting ways to earn orbs.

Leaving a Crew*, **
People leave crews for different reasons; they've found another crew, or because the crew doesn't have the same goals. Feel free to leave at any time, but at the very least say goodbye You wouldn't suddenly walk away during a conversation with another person, would you? Frankly, it's rude -- especially if someone leaves during a tough quest or battle without warning. In zOMG, the size of your crew can affect how successful you are; some bosses are unbeatable without a full complement. Even during a tough battle, a simple, "sorry, I'm going" is better than not saying anything at all.

SporkMaster5000

If you're the leader of the crew, and the crew hasn't all decided to disband for one reason or another, change the leader before you leave. I know it's not hard to disband and reform a new crew, but it is annoying and unnecessary, especially if you've become scattered for some reason or another. it's not hard to pick someone at random, and click the change leader button, and will save the rest of your crew some hassle after you're gone.

* This rule is much more relaxed post-quest/battle.

** Several players have reminded me that some players leave crews due to technical difficulties. If you do not plan on restarting the game or cannot find your crew when you return, I recommend leaving comments to your crewmates to tidy up loose ends 3nodding It's the small courtesies that build your reputation and will help you get crews in the future.

Summary: Say goodbye.

Vivaldy

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Post: 44781095_4 created on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:51:53 +0000
Posted: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:51:53 +0000

Forum Friendliness

{{tl;dr}}
10) Don't b***h.
11) Don't b***h.
12) Don't b***h.

Constructive vs. Destructive Criticism
Understand when you post a thread that Qix and the devs have their hands full and often cannot address every issue on their agenda. Being irate and rude will not make them work faster, harder or more efficiently.

Understand when you post a response to the thread that other players are human, not stupid (though some may argue little difference). It's easy to get frustrated with the game and with each other.

Criticism should always be intended to aid or inform.

Trolling
Definition: posting inflammatory s**t over the internet in order to anger, annoy, or disgust others. [See GD]

Some users have a higher tolerance for trolls than others. Understand that trolls are only looking for angry responses -- even if you have a perfectly valid counterargument, the user is fishing for "OMG how can you say that you asswipe". The best policy is to ignore the user entirely -- repeated offenders should be added to your ignore list.

sidenote: I've always found it amusing that a GD reg like myself wrote an etiquette guide.

SUCK IT UP IT'S BETA.
See point 10.

Vivaldy

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Post: 44781095_5 created on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:52:40 +0000
Posted: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:52:40 +0000

OTHER

Social Graces

Mind your Ps and Qs -- not everyone likes cursing. Additionally (do I really have to write this out?), racial or sexual slurs are completely inappropriate. You can and most likely will be reported for them. On a milder note, chatspeak and l33tspeak won't get you reported, but just like in the forums, most Gaians look down on heavy abusers of the English language.

Ungoliath

1] Defib is the best way to get friends. If you can Defib someone, do it.
2] A little bit of help always work, but check the info player. I mean...I got HP check when i was full O_O
3] Thanks, Please and Sorry. Learn those words and use them wisely.
4] Everybody gets that it's hard to fast-type something, but try to chat in the most clearer way you can. Will help you when you look for a crew.

-Le Chien Chat-

Try not to barge in on people's conversations. Yes this is common sense... But hell, even the manners in the real world can help

LightSakura

Its really hard to say who is good or not anymore, since everyone can be a bit childish sometimes, but a lot of the time x.x people who aren't mature are always childish.

For the people who are rude to you, just ^_^ be gentle.
For the people that swear at you, just report them.
But for the people that steal your stuff, o.O Karma will get them.

Indulge In Words

Don't make assumptions.

I think this is what peeves me the most.
I think a lot of players automatically assume things based on their own experiences-
solo campers are low level loners, crew people are low level cling ons,
users with low CL stink, users with high CL are assholes, etc,.
The one that gets me the most is the assumption
that someone surrounded by creatures definitely needs help. >>"
I'm the type that loves luring the monsters and go at it with two or three at a time,
but I'm always careful to make sure I'm not in too deep.
Half the time though, someone with a higher CL than I will
sweep in and take them all out "for me." D:
Its definitely a nice gesture, but after a while, it gets annoying.
So checking a person's life first is definitely a good idea,
or aiding from afar.
Another fix is to be more open to others,
and think about the possible reactions to your actions. :3

Chatting

A Name Not Taken

When talking, please use the chat mode that involves the least number of irrelevant people.

When ReCrewting, use area chat
When talking to people nearby, use local chat
When talking to your crew, use crew chat
When talking to people nearby or your crew, do NOT use area chat.

Using the right chat options is plain courtesy. It's frustrating trying to swim through lines of unnecessary chat -- like trying to have a conversation in a gymnasium full of people all shouting at each other from other sides of the room.

Remember, you can switch modes using the colored bars under the text area.
WHITE is for local (that screen), PINK is for area (the whole map), BLUE is for crew, and GREEN is for clan.
YELLOW denotes what mode you currently have selected.

You can even carry on a private conversation with another player by "whispering" to them; type "/w username" before your message. If they have spaces, try /w user+name or /w user_name. Make sure the username is spelled correctly, otherwise you'll blab your private message over whichever mode you currently have enabled.

In addition, you can switch tabs in order to view different modes of chat.

The Goof Game

KeiFujimi

Another bit of courtesy on the Villiage Greens would involve the Goof game.
It can be difficult for newer players to understand.
Sometimes a player will swoop in, kill a monster, hit their ball, and leave.
It's not that they're trying to be rude or kill steal, they just want a low time on the Goof score.
It doesn't excuse that person from kill stealing, but just be aware that it may happen.
The nicest thing to do is just avoid the player and their ball.

For a detailed explanation of the goof game, follow this elegant and finely-crafted link.

animejosse

If you see someone playing Goof, DO NOT INVITE THEM. If they decline they'll have to restart the course since the teleportation causes them to lose their ball. Very annoying and unnecessary.

Naturally there are players who randomly invite Goof players SIMPLY for this reason User Image

The Fountain Game

Sakiawana

If there is a crew trying for the record, it can get annoying, when other people (not in the crew) decide to walk over the fountain buttons. First time, You'll get a warning, then you'll get attacked, and finaly transported, I know this, but it still can distract the players. Specially when you have 6 seconds to repeat the sequence.

For Solo Members
Would other player please try and make an effort to avoid walking through the fountain area when the buttons around the fountain are flashing, as it means there is a game on. Please walk around the fountain as to help the fluidity of the game. It is hard enough without having people walk through. (It's like if you see someone taking a picture, you walk around them).

For Crew Members
The Fountain Game is made for 4 people. If you are a crew of 5 or 6, then remember that each game 1-2 people will have to sit out. Don't try to take another position. Talk with your crew before you start the next round, and see if someone wants to take a round off.
This game is about team work, so support each other, take responsibility for your actions, say sorry when you accidentally press your button out of sequence, and the game should be enjoyable for all members.

:3 I'm a fan of the fountain game.

Pumpkin Fluffs

Dale-Panza

Ooo, Handy guide!
I haven't run into many of these sort of issues, but I know during the halloween event it was annoying/rude when people would run up and kill my pumpkin fluffs before I could even react to them. D: (Barton was pretty Laggy around all of those pumpkin areas, for me.) I think I only got to fight one or two pumpkins during the whole event. D: And it seemed like some Gaians were actually camping out by the pumpkins, waiting for others to trigger new fluffs. gonk

"Don't swoop in and take someone else's pumpkin fluff. D:" (Or other future hard-to-trigger event creatures.)

SporkMaster5000

Shureilia

Oddly enough, I've summoned pumpkin fluffs and left them alone because I already have a gumball, and when someone else kills it I still get a notice that I just found pumpkin guts. Is it possible that gumballs still go to the person that summoned it, even if they didn't kill it?

i was under the impression that pumpkin fluff rewards only ever go to the person who summons them, which is the only reason why i would randomly snipe others' fluffs. i too have gotten the pumpkin guts message when i didn't do anything.

Falcon Samilka

To be "considered" for getting the gumball, you have to have it hate on you. I've walked passed one before, someone else killed it, I didn't summon it, and ohaipumpkin-gut-message.

???
REGARDLESS, camping around pumpkins (& crates!) for other players' treats is greedy.

Closed Beta & zETA Testers
CLARIFICATION:
Closed Beta = original 6OOO testers
zETA = second wave of 1OO,OOO players

The words "I'm zETA" and "I'm right" should never appear in the same sentence. As a former Closed Beta, I was fortunate to be among the first to experience zOMG -- however, it is nothing more (SHOULD be nothing more) than nostalgic pride. Former testers should be especially careful with their signature images. Testing was a privilege, not a right. You did not earn it or merit it, you were chosen.

On the flipside, there is no reason to attack former testers. Oftentimes, we know what we are talking about -- we share our experiences to help. Hating on zETAs and Closed Betas exposes you to be a weak, jealous and petty individual.