The "Go Solo It" fever

[Shinjikoto]

Often times when I am bored, I will respond to a random shout I see in a city. Then, I amaze the person I'm with by soloing it. Even level capped missions like 2-3 Dragon and 5-1 Skeleton fight (God I wish these weren't uncapping) I would tag along and solo it for the person, then tell them that with experience they'd be able to solo it for themselves.

Too often though.. someone will Flist me after helping them, and then begins the parasitic relationship where I am expected to be there at the person's beck and call when they or a friend of theirs needs a mission done.

Helping out too much makes you a doormat. Asking for help too much makes you a leech.
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I agree that if someone is expecting anyone to be at their beck and call then they need a reality check and should learn to be self sufficient in order to continue playing a game like this. That sounds extremely rude and annoying. But this, at least on my server, is definitely a rare condition. Either that or the person that is being asked help of is far too agreeable at the beginning and everyone ends up wrongly believing that they enjoy helping 24/7.
As far as people's motivations for wanting help, I don't think its fair to assume why people want help then label it right or wrong, or call it obsessive and dumb. That's unnecessary. Its a game. People want to play the way they want to play. They may want to take their time and enjoy everything the game has to offer, they may want to rush through and just do endgame stuff, they may just enjoy running around killing stuff with other people as a form of socialization. Any way that a person chooses to play is fine because it doesn't matter to anyone else, its a personal choice, and if someone enjoys company when playing an MMO and wants some help along the way, I can't find anything wrong with asking for it if they are being respectful when going about it. If they aren't, screw em.

[Cupofnoodles]

I believe in karma on this game and i'll help someone out when needed. For instance I wanted VE hairpin, I went BST/THF (charm pull ftw) and got it the first five minutes I was out there (using PH to pop it). I killed it and got my hairpin. As I'm killing it this RDM starts yelling at me I been hunting it for 3 day and blah blah blah. I thought no problem I'll help out. I killed that thing about 5 more times with no drop for the rdm, but I helped her out. I as bored and figured I'll help because I would have like some help from a person that knows what they are doing when I was first started. Any comments?

[Beowolf]

help someone...then tell them to "pay it forward" good movie genious concept.

[Cupofnoodles]

shameless bump cause i wanna here what ppl think about my theory on helping ppl

[Krashport]

Okay first and foremost, this is *not* a thread to complain or troll or anything, so if you disagree with my ideas simply say so and why, without raging on me for whatever reason. This is just a topic I did discuss with friends in game lately and felt like sharing my opinion to others.
On second place, please do not use this thread to troll or complain either, I don't like that kind of stuff as it would make the thread not constructive in anyway.
And lastly, forgive my possible grammar errors, English is not my first language.

Okay so with FFXI population decreasing SE has done great things to assist the new players in achieving goals that would once require far greater numbers and longer time (like CoP, exping, and soon dynamis) and I really appreciated all of this, but I still do notice something's wrong.

Often I have to watch poor newbies getting their requests of help bashed by higher level players who will tell them to get their things done on their own, with the now abused answer "go solo it".

A fair example was this BLU newcomer who, at lv40, asked for help to go through promies so he could reach Tavnazia and try learn Refueling and other blu spells in a few levels, these were the answers he got.
"you can solo promy now lol"
"but I'm only 40"
"then grind to 60 and then go solo it"
"I would like to get Refueling before 60 if possible"
"then grind another job to 60 and then go solo it"
Am I the only one that thinks this sounds a bit wrong? And this is just one example.

Even as a high level player I have experienced this kind of treatment, in particular with VNMs. Many times I'd ask for help only to be replied with
"grind nin to 90 and go solo it"
Well, even if I had 90 nin, it is not always possible to job change. some trials require killing VNMs while equipping the choosen weapon, and what if my trial weapon doesn't allow me to go as a job that can solo the VNM?

I've noticed this as well, The only reason why these players do this is: "I'm assuming"

Me.) I Would gladly help any member new, old or elitist. Odin /Poke me! ^^b

1.) Cause they joined the game under RL friends and those friends PL'ed them all the way up, Had them leech w/in Abyssea, Those RL friends thought they we're doing good, But the lack of having their friend that their PL'in, Having let them leech not teaching them the right tools they need to play the game as to make new friends along the way.

2.) Joining a new MMO after leaving one can that a toll on a person, <Stop for a min and think back when you 1st logged in> You didn't know anything about this MMO as to what you heard or read about outside the game, Being new some players can come off abit hard, I've done it.. "Hard as to want everything right away"

3.) All members play at a totally different pace, Some think that FFXI is just Leveling to cap and get the best gear. Me I personally think its more then just that, Lack of a better word. "I do it all"?

4.) Some members don't realize that this MMO is Global which can in time be the BIG issue, not able to explain yourself clearly, That person your telling would do that "goodbye byebye good..bye byebye.... bye"

5.) Sad to say, There are "Some" members out there that don't play well w/ others, and just like to keep to themselves. Also there are Linkshells that only work w/in and just out for themselves. "This will fall into "Some" elitist Members"

Now this is not a thread to cuss out people who won't help out. We all pay RL money for this game and spend our real time and would like to do it while having fun, without having to costantly work for other's benefit, but the main meaning of MMORPG implies cooperation (massive multiplayer part in particular) and I feel this part of the game is being forgotten lately.

So to finally get to the point, I would like SE to find a way to incentivate people in repeating some things for a new gain, so that others can get assistance and at the same time the helpers can be rewarded with more than the simple satisfaction of helping someone in need (since sadly seems to be no longer enough for most).

SE did something like that by adding exp rewards to CoP mission BCs for those that would repeat them a long time ago. But maybe something more could be done.

An idea could be a substantial gil reward from defeating a VNM or mission BC or anything else, but I feel that would end up abused by potential RMTs.

Post any suggestion to help here, and again please no raging, I come in peace^^;

I approve this message! ^

[Alderin]

Agreed to a certain extent...

Everyone has goals in which they would like to achieve that is simply not solo'able - especially for newcommers. The prime example I have are the lower level limit break quests which require you to go out and kill mobs that are much higher level then you. Even farming a testimony by yourself can be quite difficult for your first time round - without a higher level job.

These used to be done in masses - When the first limit break quests came out you used to do it in parties / alliances as at this stage no one was a higher level in order to be able to go solo it for you.

There is one mentality I do not agree with here and that is a level 30 asking to go "help" them with the Tenzen or Airship fight etc. The low level player is not assisting with this case and essentially should be asking "Can someone finish my add-on for me while I sit back and watch."

I believe that if you are in a position where you cannot solo something in order to proceed with the race to a higher level - then yes you should ask for help. I am sure the guys in my LS would help out - however if you wish to simply let other people do your quests for you, or essentially play your game for you - you have no standpoint here and shouldn't be attempting to do it.

If you can't at least be any degree of help in regards to doing something (eg. Trying to finish CoP at level 30, or something else) then you truly aren't asking for "help" you are asking for someone to do it for you.

Sure, if you are stuck and need help - ask for it.. You won't get flamed in my shell, in fact I am sure you will get a few volunteers. However if you are at a level that you shouldn't be attempting to do something - then get to a level where you can before asking.

The player that you mentioned in your original circumstance is just selfish, obviously gets things given to him or has had an easy ride to 90 and doesn't have any sort of mentality that does the community any good. Unfortunately this game is pretty much based on end-game stuff now, and the newer player is obviously getting the short straw on this one due to the idea that this game is "Abyssea or GTFO."

In short, I won't play your game for you - however if you are truly stuck and need to get past the mission/quest in order to continue your race to lvl 90 then sure I will help.. However the key-word there is "help" and not "do it for you".

[Hajieelkhe]

This thread struck a note in me... I totally agree with the OP. Since less people are playing ffxi, there are less people left that are willing to help. Don't get me wrong, I think of myself as quite an accomplished player, with reasonable experience. I've gotten lots of help from my LS, and other players outside of my LS. I've helped other players too, though I feel myself getting agitated when getting requests from totally new players that haven't even heard of or used ffxiclopedia or anything of the like.

But I was there too... I threw away beastman seals like every other newbie ><. I never thought I'd get my first level 75 job until I was challenged by another player, and then grinded my way to the top. Nor did I believe I would ever kick Maat's ass at the first try on my RDM.

Though the happiest I ever felt was when I met my now best mate in ffxi. Always quick to help and we even tried to have a promy static when it still was hard ><;

So I propose to all of you... hmmm. I'm on Ramuh server, soon to be Bahamut. Anyone that wish to help newcomers, contact me (Hajieelkhe) and you can all get a pearl. And to all of you newbies as well, you're always welcome to join us.

There will be no pressure, if you want to help, come help. If you need help, just ask. Though if you don't even know what you're talking about, we will ask you to do research. (Though there will be exceptions ^^)


I'll be posting this on New Player Guidance as well

/ Haji

[Khajit]

I generally don't mind helping out with some stuff or at least used to not mind but it honestly gets irritating when I see lv 90 people bitching at me to go help me with a mob they could kill on their own 30~40 levels earlier and cursing at me for having the audacity to say they need to just do it his or herself. When asking for help be clear on if you need some other thing that actually does require 2 people because if I have to deal with nonsense that you refuse to actually say you need help on before I tell you to do it yourself then you basically just lied to me and everyone else about what you needed and the people that would help on the doors or multi person locks are going to ignore the person shouting for things they need no help with as far as the information given tells them.