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

[Jim_Berry]

In fact, I have never once been in a dungeon where I saw a mentor give a single piece of useful, kind advice to another player.

Even before the Mentor thing, I would, especially as a tank and saw bonus, would stop just outside the boss room to give simple explanations. I have no keyboard, so the typing is moderately slow. However, you get people who feel that if they engage, it'll trigger me to act, in which it does. Sadly, the new person mess up a mechanic then he becomes an idiot.

After a while, I just stopped trying, because if I'm on healer, dps, or tank, others will pull regardless of where I'm standing. Just yesterday, I typed, "Wait!". As I was typing, the tank still pulled after like 3 seconds. When I mentioned that I was trying to explain something, he said that it's not our fault that the newb is a newb. The tank had a crown.

[FinaSel]

Even before the Mentor thing, I would, especially as a tank and saw bonus, would stop just outside the boss room to give simple explanations. ... When I mentioned that I was trying to explain something, he said that it's not our fault that the newb is a newb. The tank had a crown.

I wish I were in parties with more people like yourself. I don't mind if the run takes a little longer because someone is trying to explain something. I think it's better to make sure everyone knows the mechanics if there is a newcomer than to rush in and have a wipe.

I always read about the battle strategy online before attempting it in the game. But I also always say "This is my first time here" when it is. And only ONE time did anyone actually stop before the boss to explain something.

Fortunately I always prepare before running in, so things usually go smoothly.

But of all people, it should be mentors who take time to make sure a player knows what they are doing. If they don't like doing that, then why be a mentor? Isn't that what mentors are supposed to do?

[FabricioRF]

How cute!

I love your sig.

[ruskie]

You seriously have not noticed that even if you play well as a dps you wil not get a recommendation, maybe for good glamour but thats it, healers and tanks get automatic recommendation as a thanks for letting dps in the dungeon though.

Most of my 1700+ commis I've gotten by playing bard. I'm always amazed when I leave a duty with a commi. Then I wonder what I'm doing? Maybe someone notices I DPS well, maybe someone notices I sing songs when needed, maybe someone appreciates I say hi when I enter, maybe someone appreciates I try to explain things if someone is struggling with things, maybe I stand up for the person that is being bullied, maybe that I do mechanics correct(so many people fail at this).

I tend to commi by order of preference: no one > person that amused me the most > person that did good

So no not hard to get commis.

[Lone-wolfe-02]

Only those who have done A8s should be mentors. /sarcasm

[Sida]

The most noticeable improvement they did I to current mentor system, even if only to one part of it, was to make the participation to the Novice Network an opt-in for every mentor. After that, what I've noticed, all the mentors in that network at least in my server are the sort that's in the right place to help people. Those who just wear the grown but don't want the network.. I just don't count as mentors, even if few of them might have good intentions.

[Rivaille]

I honestly wish that SE is taking the mentor-system out of the game until it is fixed. Which means it has to be more useful than this.

I have to admit that I am also wearing a crown, but ever since this system got implemented I am actually busier to teach ‘mentors’ than actual newbies.
First of all, I do not know what the chat looks like right now since I turned the mentor-chat off fairly early because it was more used as a chat between mentors. And it was a brag-feast on my server for a while… So no clue if that has gotten better, in the very end.

Secondly, most people with a crown automatically think they are great.
Has anyone of you ever tried to tell a mentor how their main-class is played correctly? Because I had to.
Starts with mentors dying to every simple mechanic to actual Lv60 Darkknights who don’t even have provoke and think they will do just fine in Lv60-content.

I am honestly trying not to tell people how they should play their classes unless it’s a newbie – but whenever I see a mentor doing a bad job I just interfere.
And, from my experience, mentors usually don’t even accept advices because they think they already perform well enough.
No, instead they start flaming you for giving them actual advices how to make their life easier.
I am not even saying that I do know anything, but since I am a progress-raider I do know how to play my classes properly.
I am currently progressing through A8S, and I am generally raiding and playing ever since First Coil – so let’s just say I have some great experience in this game in general since I am an veteran player.

I have no idea how to fix; but by now I am just so extremely tired seeing Mentors floating all roulettes but having no actual clue how to play their classes/this game.
At this point I might also take my crown off because I do not want to part of this group anymore.
I simply cannot see 98% of all mentors to actually be helpful to any new player.
Urgh, and I just came out of a DF-group where other mentors pulled the boss without giving me the chance to explain it to the new person who never did it before.
The reason why I became a Mentor in the first place is because I actually do love to help new players, at least when my time can afford it.
I mean, even before this system came out I also offered people to ask me for any tanking advices.
But this system is right now nothing but a joke.

[Eloah]

I haven't read every post, but I think the mentor system is okay for now, could there be some improvements, maybe, but it seems to work as intended. Any issues people might be seeing now might be more server issues than anything else. On Siren after they made mentor participation optional, we only have like 20 mentor in the channel at a time, those are people who want to be there, and genuinely want to help the novices. But trust me there are plenty of people who have the crown and aren't in the channel, either because they haven't figured out how to come back in or they just want the crown icon, like who cares. The Siren Novice Network has been great since the participation change, the only isse we have is bots, bots EVERYWHERE, lol?

[Eidolon]

But this system is right now nothing but a joke.

Tell me, what exactly do you expect this system to do?

Right now, the Mentor System has, as far as I can see, two purposes:

1) It identifies players that are potentially willing to help with guidance or assistance for new and veteran players.
2) It offers a method of universal communication between new and mentor players via the mentor network.

However, people like you who complain it's "Broken" are probably the biggest part of the problem. In and of itself, the Mentor system is fufilling both these purposes. Does it have an issue in that there might be some people who just want the crown? Sure. But there won't be a system that'll prevent that. Because in the end, even if they used a giant phallic shaped object, someone out there would still want it.

[Cidel]

...snip...

I have no idea how to fix... Mentors....

The best idea I've seen thus far was to get rid of the crown (seriously, an "M" like in XI would've sufficed) and any tangible rewards/achievements. Boom. The "status"-seekers and reward seekers are gone for the most part.