A word about "rep-stealing"...

[seafox]

..Nice to hear from ye Dolnor....and Ahoy to ye...

[JM Ohara]

Originally Posted by Edward Edgemenace

Rep stealing is when you are prevented from earning the rep you expect to from mobs you have found and set up. For example, if you find a quiet server with an unused Kingshead field, call the 7 over so that you can smoke them for decent rep, it is rep stealing if someone comes along and takes "your" mob out with 1 shot of flaming skull. Who does Disney penalize for that rep stealing? The rude high level player stealing the rep, or you, who now have to spend 7 to 30 minutes finding a new server?

It is blinding ignorance to claim that basic members even *can* steal rep. The damage point from their weapons is at BEST insignificant.

If I'm staffing it nading or with my staff at KH, and I've been there a while, an someone comes to me and ASKS (have not yet ever been asked) if we can take turns or something I would be the first to say go ahead, knock yourself out. Same thing when I'm working the thralls in menta. I don't mind at all having other people in the pool, and will even crew with you, but what's wrong with wanting to level on my own guys?

Why am I so adamant about rep stealing and wanting to take out my own guys?

Could it be the time I was at Kingshead staffing it to level my staff when the guys were still red, and a whole crew came to just flaming skull them from me? When I said we can take turns they said sure, then when it was my turn again they did the same thing? (BTW all members of the same guild not one of them said maybe we shouldn't.)

Could it be because of the players (and this happened more than once) who random tp to me then start killing everything I touch? Though in that case I'm gonna tp away an unfriend you so fast your head will spin.

Maybe it was last week, when I was fighting in the thrall pool minding my own with my crew. Another guy comes, takes on one of our guys. I asked him to stop, so he very politely went to the other side by the waterfall and wacked away. No harm no problem. He brought a crew for the waterfall side. Still not a big deal as while they would come to the bigger pool they were not touching the guys we were fighting. No harm done. Till his buddy comes and starts rep stealing off my crew, despite his friend right there. To the point that even the second crew was calling him out. (Oh and dude was from the same exact guild as the guys on Kings. Without fail every time I run into one perticular guild they rep steal from me then laugh in my face. I've learned if I see them it's best to leave the server, they ain't worth the fight. But does it make their actions right? Not a chance.)

If people come start rep stealing from me, are asked not to and stop, then yeah, I'm likely to invite you to a crew to get extra rep. In fact I tried to crew the first guy in the thrall pool but he had a crew already. On big guys we can take turns, I'll heal you you heal me. I don't mind at all. It's the random people who do this then laugh at you that I mind big time.

Why are some people willing to share nicely and take turns, while others are just plain rude enough to do things they know not to and laugh at you for it. (Unrelated example, about 2 weeks ago a basic low level started shooting me when I had just logged in, and by default been dropped on a semi busy server. I asked him if he knew it was considered rude. He looked at me, without shooting a second, said, yeah, that's why it's fun, and shot me again. My response was simply, oh, a rude pirate, and I tpd to my regular server.) The point being this dude fully admitted he knew he was rude but found it funny. THOSE are the people I have a problem with. Those are the ones who will come find you on quiet servers just to mess with you. Inevitably those are the ones who find me. That's just my cursed black luck, oh well. If you're being polite I will share, I will crew with you, I will fight with you, no problem. If I see you more than once, and we crew or fight together you might even get a friend request from me. I do NOT tolerate jerks for fun. And that was my whole point.

[seafox]

Aye, most have agreed that rude behaviour is evil......and yes , there are 'trolls'...we got ye...

But, there are ways to deal with it...and not using offensive language, or threats, etc., like some players do.... as it really doesn't help...and can lead to banning...and that was what I originally spoke to...the response to 'rep stealing' and the concept...

I know I still get very new players who just jump in...cause they want to fight and don't know advanced players have 'etiquette' rules for them to follow...and a lot of them have really bad manners, but they seem to get weeded out early on...

.the rudest ones will always attach themselves like leeches to a higher level plr/ or a player who is working really hard, or has best weapon...makes it really easy on them....I just wait til they put in their couple of licks and I quit fighting...specially bosses...lol...they get knocked on their heineken... Sometimes, they show a lil more respect...sometimes, not...

I crew everyone, basic, low-level , or paid....if they don't crew, and don't play nice...I tell crew imma tp'ing to another server, and which one and where...and it all works out...less stressful...unless, I've found a prime loot drop area...then I feel the burn..

and the bottom line is its still a game where enemies, and quest items, technically belong to everyone in the game....but we can make a difference in how players interact and all of the players can have a better game experience.

[Red Nations]

Originally Posted by Basil Dreadflint View Post
I allow rep stealing. ONCE. If I find that someone is doing it again and again, I have my own tactic. I attack the enemy, and then let the rep stealer get their swipe in. Then I stop fighting and just keep myself alive, while letting the enemy turn onto the rep stealer. I don't offer aid, heal, or revive.

I learned to not attack enemies way above my ability by finding out what level I could defeat, and what level I couldn't. I let rep stealers do the same.

On the other hand, if someone asks to join me, or politely takes turns, or asks for crew, or if I could help them because they are on a quest; then I am the first to help out. Let's face it, I haven't forgotten how much help I was given when I first started out.

I'm with you on this Basil this is pretty much my take on this. If I'm questing and I jump in on something I need for the quest I aplologize and explain I needed it for my quest, I don't follow them around and continue attacking their targets. I don't mind taking turns fighting bosses and healing while the other player fights. I spend a good deal of time seeking out quiet servers and resent it when one or a group shows up jumping my targets, especially after I've gone through multiple server changes finding an area to myself.

Rep stealing is when you are prevented from earning the rep you expect to from mobs you have found and set up. For example, if you find a quiet server with an unused Kingshead field, call the 7 over so that you can smoke them for decent rep, it is rep stealing if someone comes along and takes "your" mob out with 1 shot of flaming skull. Who does Disney penalize for that rep stealing? The rude high level player stealing the rep, or you, who now have to spend 7 to 30 minutes finding a new server?

Aye I remember many times working Kingshead back when we used to work the glitch on the hill above the parade ground for grenades. Spending the time searching out and finding a quiet server only to have one or more people with staffs show up and take over the parade ground. When I got staff I remember going to kinghead and always looking up on the hill to see if anyone was practicing grenades before going out to level staff.

Here is what goes through my mind when some guy does this to me:

* Too lazy to get the Seabeard next to mine.
* Too weak to get his own Seabeard.
* Too needy to play without being noticed, even for being a pratt.
* Too rude to say "Hi" or "Want to crew up?" or anything other than "Heal Me!"
* Might be unaware that it is just bad manners.
* Might be aware that it IS just bad manners but doesn't care.


Anyway, I usually just go elsewhere. Life is too short to deal with the ill-mannered.

This pretty well defines them.

[titanic95594]

I got the same problem noobs follow me everywhere! Its annoying to.

[Red Nations]

Not all of them are noobs, Some of them are fairly high levels, Some just don't know any better and, for some of them they use it as a form of harrassment following other players around and interfereing with them in order to harrass.

[Samarah]

Wow...I just got to level 30 yesterday and until now I was not aware of rep stealing. Anytime anyone comes along and starts fighting an enemy I am fighting I always figured they were trying to help me so I say ty. lol!
Same when I am out sailing and battling a ship, when another ship comes along and helps me take out the ship I am battling I am always grateful..I never get angry. I didnt know it was possible to steal rep. I usually fight alone and crew up only during invasions, so I guess I dont know the main rules or code of conduct.

[seafox]

Samarah, you make my day...thank you But some 'gamers' lose their cool over it with other players was really the whole start of the thread and both sides got a chance to vent...there should be game etiquette as some players are mean people, so they can get downright ugly ingame(even threatening chat), and follow other players , 'aggressively' to steal rep....I am glad you haven't experienced that...

On the other side of the coin,,we have the "I own this Boss/enemy, go away!", attitude of some players...lol.....again, I'm glad you are easy going....that helps set the tone wherever you are for the group...Imma big proponent of teaching by example.


On an up note,,,I seem to see less issue over it among groups now...hope thats the trend.

[Cruise]

I try to always look for a quiet server when I am sailing or fighting to rep. Usually I can find Darkhart alone on a quiet one for a while. I get slightly annoyed when others arrive and just start swinging away with out as much as "would you mind". I always ask first if I see a group after the same thing.

As for sailing, I am trying to rep up my sailing - originally maxed out until the new levels came out. I always go to a quiet server to attack high level ships. I use both cannons and broadsides for higher rep and tend to take out the sails first then use broadsides which reps up both cannons and sailing. I guess I get really annoyed when I see other ships and plenty of other enemy ships but the other ship decides to ram the same ship I am after - When there are plenty of others to go after, even the same type as I am getting. I think this is just downright lazy on that ships part and rude. Why go after the ship I am sinking? Why can't they just go after another if there are a bunch right there.

This is happening A LOT lately that I noticed. No courtesy at all when it comes to this.

[Robmac7777]

Just Sticking my 2 cents in for a second time,

Try to be understanding of players that don't follow the "unwritten" rules regarding rep stealing. If we turn them away from the game, then what have we accomplished? In no way does POTCO reference The Way of the Jedi, but try to keep that in mind.

Walk the higher path.

IMHO,

Rob

[Edward Edgemenace]

Originally Posted by Robmac7777

Just Sticking my 2 cents in for a second time,

Try to be understanding of players that don't follow the "unwritten" rules regarding rep stealing. If we turn them away from the game, then what have we accomplished? In no way does POTCO reference The Way of the Jedi, but try to keep that in mind.

Walk the higher path.

IMHO,

Rob

I don't know that anyone is turning them away from the game. Each time this familiar topic arises here, more people learn that it is considered rude. It's an education thing, for POF'ers to look at it maybe in a new way.

Disney is to blame for having rep-stealing programmed in as an integral part of the game. And perhaps, one might conclude that only people very comfortable with rep-stealing, stick around? (I don't agree with that conclusion.) Since Disney doesn't do much of anything, to encourage non-rep-stealing play when in those situations then only Disney can be blamed for people acting in a rude way, in those situations.

The most obvious thing I can see Disney fixing to lessen this problem, is to restore the teleport feature properly. You should be able to change servers when on Kingshead or Tormenta (or any island) and not be penalized by having to sail back there AGAIN. The game already has most of that code in place; why it doesn't work correctly is quite a mystery. (Yes, logging out or going to jail, you should return to port of call, but not merely switching servers to avoid a rude player.)

The other major major major thing Disney could do, which would require an astonishingly little amount of programming, is allow captains to boot players off their ships in regular sailing, not just privateering. The feature has not caused any grief in all the time it has been available in privateering.

When very polite people are lead to do seemingly rude things because of the game's inherent rep-stealing design, it is bad for everyone. Educating people on what rep-stealing actually is, can alleviate some of bad juju in those situations. If someone doesn't even know they are "rep-stealing" they can start things off on the wrong foot. Granted, usually rep-stealers are rude people overall. But sometimes it is simply someone who just doesn't know, or thinks they are "helping" defeat a nasty enemy.

Summertime sees a huge influx of very young, new pirates. So from now until about September, be prepared to see a log more of this...

[Captain Sureshot]

Originally Posted by Robmac7777

Just Sticking my 2 cents in for a second time,

Try to be understanding of players that don't follow the "unwritten" rules regarding rep stealing. If we turn them away from the game, then what have we accomplished? In no way does POTCO reference The Way of the Jedi, but try to keep that in mind.

Walk the higher path.

IMHO,

Rob

I agree. There seems to be some type of supposed entitlement a few pirates exhibit when someone else "steals" their rep, and all of a sudden it is ok for the "offended" pirate to be rude or harass the other pirate. IMO being rude because someone else is rude is hypocrisy, but that's just me lol. I imagine a few younger or new pirates were turned off the game by the obviously rude behavior of someone they didn't even realize they had "stolen" rep from.

As far as POTCO is concerned, rep stealing: not in and of itself a violation of the TOU; harassment: always a definite violation of the TOU.

Imagine that not everyone who plays the game (1) is like you (2) understands exactly how you're playing the game (3) thinks you are in a position over them that they should heed your instructions on how they should play the game (4) realizes that they are on your private server... oh, wait a second, there are no private servers (in the live game) because this is an MMOG: Massive MULTI-PLAYER Online Game. If you want a private server, you could try to contact Disney. They probably would be hesitant, but if they would acquiesce you probably couldn't afford it lol.

Originally Posted by seafox

anyone who thinks they are better than anyone,,,in game ,,,or out ain't fooling this pirate...or Disney(I'll say it again, "..it is what it is")....if ye be bored, take a break to have some RL fun...try to remember what its like to be a new player.....or a kid...coming into this exciting game....

umm, yeah, what seafox said.

[Dog Firestack]

One thing about not being able to boot for actual real sailing. They MIGHT I repeat MIGHT not do it because of people misusing it. They might just boot off everybody they sea or if they get some full royals they boot off everybody on the ship so they just wasted their time. This might be the ONLY reason why they won't do this, or they're just lazy to hit a fwe buttons to let it happen.

[Edward Edgemenace]

Originally Posted by Dog Firestack

One thing about not being able to boot for actual real sailing. They MIGHT I repeat MIGHT not do it because of people misusing it. They might just boot off everybody they sea or if they get some full royals they boot off everybody on the ship so they just wasted their time. This might be the ONLY reason why they won't do this, or they're just lazy to hit a fwe buttons to let it happen.

I agree - they might not do it because of those fears. Yet those same fears have not played out in privateering.

[My2Cents]

I have heard these type of "issues" in many other online games. Wizard 101, for example. To Quest in that game, you usually are tasked to defeat X number of baddies. But then some other beastlord level 50 comes in a cremates the baddies before you even pick your spell/weapon. Rep/XP stealing. That is annoying. But in PotCO, I believe since it is possible to double team on a stronger baddy, we pirates should take advantage of that. Two level 15's can probably take down a level 19 and such. They both get the Rep Points. We must take baby steps. The newcomers/noobs will level quite quickly if the higher levels allow them to double team on more difficult bad guys. Then, when they are high enough level to fend for themselves, we let them go. Only THEN, may we higher levels politely ask the noobs to please leave us alone. If they deny, well, simply train somewhere else. It is as simple as that.