Lootmaster: The Greatest Abuse tool.

[Shamirah]

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It's not mandatory. It's better to have the option rather than not.

If people steal the loots, you can report them.

[Hrist_Althea]

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It's not mandatory. It's better to have the option rather than not.

If people steal the loots, you can report them.

I very much doubt you will be able to report them since the GM will just say that there is a big message telling you that the group has been set to Lootmaster.

As far as not joining groups that have this setting, you know it will be abused as often times people are so desperate for a clear that they will agree to almost anything.
Its just another tool for exploitation, plain and simple.

[Atoli]

people are so desperate for a clear that they will agree to almost anything.

In that case you go in for the clear, though, not for the loot, right?
Of course, everyone has their own way of doing things, but when I'm the newbie in a party to get the clear while others are farming it, even if I don't fail any mechanics and don't die or anything, on that clear run, I don't loot anyway. Mainly out of respect - I already get the clear out of the run, if I also take the loot, the experienced ones will get nothing for helping me getting the clear

[Ashkendor]

As far as not joining groups that have this setting, you know it will be abused as often times people are so desperate for a clear that they will agree to almost anything.
Its just another tool for exploitation, plain and simple.

How does being "desperate for a clear" even figure into it? The Lootmaster rule seems like something to be used specifically if you're farming for drops. I dunno about you, but if I'm farming for drops I'm not looking to "exploit" people that haven't cleared the instance yet. If someone's joining a farm party because they're "desperate for a clear", they're indulging in a fair bit of abuse themselves in my opinion. If someone does have it up on a clear party or a learning party or whatever, then just don't join it if you don't like the rules that are set up. Make your own party with a different loot rule.

A lot of people keep responding with, "If you don't like the loot rules, don't join the group." That's not really a rational response. It can and will be abused. There are a lot of statics that are a man or two short and use the DF to fill out. Many of them will abuse the mechanic so the DF players don't get anything.

It doesn't work if you're picking up randoms with Duty Finder.

There are a lot of PF groups that are mostly guildmates or friends and they'll abuse the mechanic to prevent randoms from getting stuff.

On the flip side, I've had pugs ninja loot from my static. Sure you can report the behavior but it doesn't change the fact that a static member lost out on loot that was rightfully theirs because someone rolled when they shouldn't have.

It's easy to say, "just don't join those groups", but the problem is that they will be the norm, not the exception. Humans are inherently greedy and selfish, and that shows even more prominently in online games.

You're right. That's why there's always the possibility that someone who joins a 7/8 static and basically begs for a clear (I've been to 4% but just haven't been able to clear it, please take me anyway I promise I won't mess up!) will just Need on all the loot and bail. Lootmaster protects the other seven people from a random that has very little to lose by ninja looting.

The benefits of lootmaster don't really outweigh the negatives.

That all depends on your point of view.

[Darra]

.
As far as not joining groups that have this setting, you know it will be abused as often times people are so desperate for a clear that they will agree to almost anything.
Its just another tool for exploitation, plain and simple.

Most people use a car to travel from point A to point B. A very tiny % of people use a car to deliberately run someone over. Should we therefore ban the manufacture and sale of cars, just because a very tiny % will be assholes with them? If you answered that question with a "no", then there you have it, quit bitching about what ifs in a video game. It's not like there's any full proof system when humans are involved so all systems will have flaws and be abused.

[Kaedan94]

Most people use a car to travel from point A to point B. A very tiny % of people use a car to deliberately run someone over. Should we therefore ban the manufacture and sale of cars, just because a very tiny % will be assholes with them? If you answered that question with a "no", then there you have it, quit bitching about what ifs in a video game. It's not like there's any full proof system when humans are involved so all systems will have flaws and be abused.

Except your analogy is wrong. It's not a "very tiny %". With other MMOs as indication, it will be the norm.

[Darra]

Except your analogy is wrong. It's not a "very tiny %". With other MMOs as indication, it will be the norm.

Prove it, give me actual proof that this is the case. I could sit here and claim role playing is "the norm" on Balmung, and give you the impression that most people there do so, when in fact, I'm offering no proof this is the case. Everything you say is conjecture, you're assuming that most people are assholes and want to abuse a system that hasn't even been implemented and isn't even mandatory. You really do have a poor outlook on the population as a whole.