Problem: The Mentor requirements cater to players who have no business being Mentors.

[Whiteroom]

How many new players does this apply to? It's not in any way even remotely comparable to the number of mentors currently abusing the system. 99.99% of new players would never think to do something like that, and those few who do can be easily reported.

As for buying mentor commendations or using alts, no one would go to such lengths when they can just be a good mentor and not have to worry about it. You may as well say that regular commendations shouldn't exist because they can also be sold.

In short, I think you're the one who didn't think it through enough.

Regular commendations, or lack of recieving them, do not remove you from a program you have already met the criteria to join.

Also commendations are traded all the time. There is win trading and selling all over this game. TT for one, trial and raid sells for another. You are talking about creating a system to kick people out of a program within the game, that would be extremely easy to abuse, so it would happen. As far as the lenghts people would go to, look at how salty not meeting the simple requirements has made you, if you feel that strongly about being a mentor, others would to.

[Shug]

I've seen some jerk mentors in roulettes. If you don't want to mentor 24/7, don't wear the crown 24/7.

[FoxyAreku]

I think it's good to have these requirements. People who have played all roles to 60 are more likely to have an understanding of how the roles work.

The only problem I have with it is that I was able to become a mentor without having a tank, since I craft. It's just odd to me that crafting mentors are considered the exact same as battle mentors.

[Nektulos-Tuor]

Wait, you people are bringing Qualifications and comparing this to real life?

Who would the guy hire, the guy with 3 qualifications or 6? 3 of course.

The boss can get away hiring the guy to do the same job for half the way! Ever heard of being "overqualified" for a Job? Happens a LOT!

[Ageofwar]

I do really feel that the Mentor system is not working as intended and is more of a badge of honor rather that indicating to new players that these players are willing to help you.

it might just be me but i swear the people who have the mentor icon showing are more likely to ragequit either right off the bat or after 1 wipe from hard content if there are new people there

[CGMidlander]

it might just be me but i swear the people who have the mentor icon showing are more likely to ragequit either right off the bat or after 1 wipe from hard content if there are new people there

Mentors are people, just like non-mentors. Given the low barriers for mentorship, there's not really anything that would select for a positive/negative personality.

[Alberel]

If we're honest here there is no player metric in the game that could be used to truly determine who would make a good mentor. The requirements we have at present are just a gauge of time played and rudimentary experience in each group role. The only feasible solution I can see is some mentor equivalent of commendations that allow sprouts to rate good mentors; maybe even give those with higher commend counts priority access to the channel. Of course even THAT could be abused if not implemented with some foresight.

I still think we would do well to give it a little more time to see how the mentor chat settles down on each server though.

[Scott]

THe mentor system is a little bit tricky.
At the moment it caters more to the people who want it for the achievment and not because they want to help.
I think the Mentor system in FFXI was ok. Everyone and his mother was able to become a Mentor, but only the people who really wanted to help became Mentors because there was nothing to achieve from beeing a mentor other than beeing helpful to other players.
I think the mentor system as it is now is a little bit flawed, but not so terrible. But I hope they revisit the idea of giving out Achievmentrewards.
Mentoring should be all about helping others and not collecting shiney new Glamours and titels for yourself.

[CGMidlander]

The only feasible solution I can see is some mentor equivalent of commendations that allow sprouts to rate good mentors; maybe even give those with higher commend counts priority access to the channel.

What do newbies know about good mentoring? They only thing they can rate is "niceness", which isn't the sole factor in determining a good mentor.

[Synrin]

I absolutely agree with the OP.