A word about "rep-stealing"...

[seafox]

....I'd like to say something about 'rep-stealing.....the first time I ever played this game...years ago...nobody knew the term...we came into the game as pirates,,,not saints...we pillaged, we plundered me hearties, yo ho....everyone was fine with it...especially in a group place , like the forts...we figured out to crew up was best for all there....and no one threatened a "newb" who jumped into the fray....NO ONE PERSON...owns a target...they are public domain. If a person is questing,,,and they tp to a place indicated a target they need is...and usually all 4 to 20 targets they need are in that area....they have the right to go after said target..manytimes there are several other players also on that quest....YES...ITS AGGRAVATING!...I meself try to steer away from "rep stealing" if imma on a quiet server....otherwise,, if I'm there first I ask peeps to join me crew...or I may ask to join a crew(usually, you'll be asked if ye stand there...lol),,,on crowded servers it should be expected to be a frenzy...If ye be leveling and not just questing,,,don't go there,,,,go to a quiet server,,empty is best...questers know that to achieve 20 navy shoelaces its easier to group up...and to get the rp from the quest giver,,,and the rp from defeating an enemy is doublesweet...NEW players no nothing of 'rep'stealing'.....they are instructed by the quests to do whatever...and they get new weapons, which is awesome to them...and they want to use them....One of me other characters now belongs to a guild who belongs to a "guild"...and we train new players(I have four characters of me own to level...and I train mebbe five members at a time )...we teach them "manners" along with game stuff....I have been with a group of founders and 50's and still had mid-range, hyper-rude, narcissistic players arrive...jump an enemy and go ballistic when another plyr attacks that enemy..without even noticing whose around or whats going on.....NEWBS don't know, and won't respond to it even told that way.....I don't like hearing the whining in game...or out...but out is better...everyone vents....the game is set up for old and newcomers,,,,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....

[Edward Edgemenace]

How do you level cannon?

Option 1: Do it yourself. Extremely slow, extremely isolating, extremely boring. Up to 50 rep per minute.

Option 2: Overtly burden your friends/guild. If you have no conscience, this isn't a problem. Depending on their abilities, usually about 100 rep per minute.

Option 3: Alternate with a single other pirate, 1 cargo full run sailing, 1 cargo full run cannoning. Up to 70 rep per minute (minus frequent landing delays.)

Option 4: Public sailing. Get on a ship with 3 or 4 others all using round shot. Works for up to 5 minutes, at which time a level 40+ jumps on and alternates between rank 5 fury and rank 5 thunderbolt. 163 rep X 2 ships per minute becomes (maybe as much as) 15 rep per minute as the captain scrambles to find targets. AND DISNEY STILL WON'T LET CAPTAINS KICK THESE MALICIOUS MISCREANTS OFF THE SHIP. Remember - you yourself have seen this a hundred times - no matter how politely you explain it - no matter how many times you ask - no matter who (or how many) ask - they will 100% of the time continue rep stealing. Even if you explain to them that THEY could be getting about 300 rep per minute if they'd just try, they never ever do.

Option 5: ???

[ex8404]

Seafox, this is a touchy subject. Always has been.

First? One word: Paragraphs.

Second? In my opinion, there is simply no reason in the world to jump in and fight something that another pirate has started.* Go get your own. It is that simple. There are WAY too many bad guys to think you can only attack that which is already being attacked. It is rude, lazy and pointless.

*Does not include crews, BFFs, family or significant others.

[Sven Osymthe]

I agree with what you're saying, but there is still a limit to "rep stealing".

No one owns enemies, true. Quests send you to kill enemies, again, true. However, if a player is there to level, and there are multiple enemies of that kind there (which is always the case - excluding bosses), taking rep from that player to complete your quest is the right thing to do?

The real problem with "rep stealing", at least to me is, everyone that "rep steals" is either on a quest, or too low of a level to kill the enemy alone. If that is truly the case, asking for help makes more sense than taking someones rep, just so you can finish.

That being said.. there are some things that really have no reason concerning this. Such as, if you're on Padres, or Tormenta (or anywhere with high levels), and a player who is level 10 and lower comes (that isn't a "newb") and starts attacking.. well, I don't see the point there at all.

This is just my view on the matter, but there's really no "right" way to view this.

[seafox]

..I agreed its rude and aggravating, but as theres no prevention, work around it...the bombastic responses by some players to it have increased....and it spoils the enjoyment of the game for all the local players...and that is really my main point.

...I reiterate...why would a leveling player go to a crowded server and place where they know its going to happen? Everyone started out the same way....wanting to get their little not. level up and have lots of help doing it...lol...take a minute and think about what you did as a level one? level 5?...lets not be hypocritical...or uptight....

...Mebbe a thought bubble saying "Im leveling" would help....dunno, but prob not.

...The ship thing,,go to a public ship...expect "public"stuff...its a **** shoot...I sail with friends, guild or a captain I know and trust...a crew should respect his captain...too much whining there too...but not by just low level players...

...I mastered my cannon by lvl 26..on me level 49 playr and lvel 29 on Molly O,,,,never bored with it...but we all have weapons where leveling is a lil bit of drudge....

..Back to rep-stealing,,,advertising is at an all time high for POTCO...more new players are flooding in every day..not all rep stealers purposefully set out to target another players enemy....therefore,,why get verbally abusive in game where other players are nearby...especially new players??

Finish up and find a quieter server...complain to Disney.......teach the young players...set a good example...do good...or be a pirate...and when ye choose to be a pirate...expect the others around ye will be that way too...its still a Disney game when all is said and done...when I want to go all DK on someone...I don't do it there..

[Bug]

My answer to rep stealing is I usually just go to another server. I usually play quiet servers anyway. If it is a newer player I may politely explain what rep stealing is but if it is just someone being a jerk I just move on, no need to say anything.

[Sven Osymthe]

I reiterate...why would a leveling player go to a crowded server and place where they know its going to happen? Everyone started out the same way....wanting to get their little not. level up and have lots of help doing it...lol...take a minute and think about what you did as a level one? level 5?...lets not be hypocritical...or uptight....

The thing is 9 times out of 10 this occurs when you're on a quiet server, without the intention of dealing with this. It's just common sense not to go to a crowded server if your intentions are to be left alone.. unless of course it's test, where only two are available.

As Bug77 said, changing servers or offering assistance is the way to go. People are going to complain about it, and people are going to voice their opinions, as we have all done here. Even if it spoils the enjoyment of the game for local players, those effected by rep stealing have the right to voice their opinion, just as those whose game experience is ruined have the right to ignore it, and continue with the game.

[Basil Dreadflint]

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.

[seafox]

..In general, I've seen this subject in game causing grief....Specifically, however, this post started in response to an event that occurred this morning at Ft. Charles, very crowded(I tp'd to heal a new member), whereby a couple of kids standing to one side, got lambasted by an 'advanced' player, who surely wasn't getting any rep from a grey enemy...and he knew it... ...mebbe I left something out...in any case...I always post that I'm all for venting and opinions here...within the sites guidlines...

....a touchy subject it be...and I "touched" it for the reason that many people, not just members, will see it ..and some good would come of it...not to antagonize members here... for some reason, my thoughts on the subject got a little turned around...

The bottom line is rep-stealing is bad (all new players please take note!)...but harassment is against the code of conduct:
[QUOTE]The Pirates Online Code of Conduct:
Respect your fellow pirates - Pirates of the Caribbean Online does not tolerate any swearing, cheating, bullying or overt harassment toward other players. Disciplinary action will be taken should any one of these occur while playing./QUOTE]

[Sven Osymthe]

The bottom line is rep-stealing is bad (all new players please take note!)...but harassment is against the code of conduct

Couldn't agree more.

Just a note, you should report players such as the one you encountered. If the player asked them to stop, that's one thing. But bullying and harassment would fit that pirate perfectly.

[Captain]

I don't care about rep or rep stealing. I just don't like it when people are verbally rude to me or act like they're purposefully ignoring me. It's always funny to go on quests when my account is not being paid for and my name is gray; people ignore me all the time and say rude things and try to get me to go away from the battle. Then something like an Unlimited Weekend comes, and my name is gold again (because I'm a founder), and I'm treated way differently.

I don't know why people choose to be so rude. Everyone should be treated nicely.

[william kid]

Rep Stealing is a pain agreed but if you go to Fort Charles you are likely to find new pirates our young players and as stated above they are not aware of a problem. They at this point are just having fun swinging a sword around and have no idea what "rep" is so take it easy on them and teach if you can. I find rep stealing to be a a problem in 2 areas.

1. Kingshead: I will when working on staff or grenades find a quite server with nobody on it even if I have to go to 2 or more servers to do so. So when somebody runs in and starts staffing or grenading the group I'm working on I'll say something to them. I figure at this point they are far enough along to understand and simply don't care or hope I will leave if they don't. Fighting over the parade group is bad form leave if you find somebody there even if you've gone to more than one server.

2 Ships: If I am fighting a ship by broadsides or by cannon it drive me crazy when people sail by and shoot the ship I'm working on, at this point they are not even working on rep just taking pot shots at my target and dropping my rep. Once again not cool just sail by and let the player get what he is working for.

Tormenta and most other areas if they attack your target they are usually not a high enough level to be going after this bad guy and fate will soon catch up with them.

[JM Ohara]

Can't stand rep stealers. I play quiet servers in hopes of avoiding this. However sometimes you find it anyway. First, I'm gonna explain why rep stealing hurts you too. Do it again, I'm giving you full explicit warning that you will not be healed or revived. Continue, and depending on your level, I'm gonna leave you to crash an burn alone, or you're in really hot water. Cause I will pull out my biggest pirates an I will kill everything you touch before you get more than one hit, till you leave where I was first. (Sometimes it's fun to turn the tables on these jerks an let em see they won't get any rep off anything after stealing from me.)

I repeat though, I do play exclusively on quiet servers, and always give fair warning first. I don't get extreme till you do. (A note, I have seen entire guilds (no, I will not say who) whose entire policy seems to be to rep steal as much as they can. It stinks, but that's just how some people prefer to play. I steer clear of the server they frequent, and call it a day.)

[Swash]

There is no Rep stealing. Everyone pays for the game so how can someone steal something that is free to everyone. It's like me going up to someone, and breathing and then them saying "YOUR STEALING MY AIR".

[ex8404]

Originally Posted by Swash

There is no Rep stealing. Everyone pays for the game so how can someone steal something that is free to everyone. It's like me going up to someone, and breathing and then them saying "YOU'RE STEALING MY AIR".

Not Really. Every bullet, every grenade, every throwing knife I use is an investment in Rep. There is also my time and the fact that, 9 times out of 10, the rep stealer will also be asking for a Revive at some point.

Seriously. When I am engaged with a bad guy and there are three or four more like it standing around, why are you attacking mine? How lazy can a pirate be?

ON A SIDE NOTE: The rudeness is something that is generally pretty new. It happened on occasion but it wasn't quit as widespread as it is now. There is NO reason for a high level pirate to be in Fort Charles and certainly not swiping away at gray enemies. For what? 1-3 rep points? Go to Tormenta and leave Fort Charles to the Noobs. It was meant to be their's anyway.