I was a Mentor. Now I am just a Crafting Mentor because I don't have 1500 coms.

[Saefinn]

Whilst I think the OP is taking a little far, I agree that 1500 comms is a bit silly.

They're not a good measurement of how good or how respectable somebody is. People with loads of comms can be terrible mentors and those with fewer comms can be great ones. And people get comms for all sorts of reasons and may not get comms for all sorts of reasons.

For example: I mostly group with friends for stuff and that takes away a lot of opportunity to get comms, I've always been happy to mentor people and help them learn things in game, but because I do my roulette with friends after 6 years of playing the game, I'm only close to 1500 comms. I also play on 3 characters, so I actually have more than 1500 but the sub 1500 is on my original character. So collectively I have plenty of comms. With this requirement it probably then makes more sense to make comms an account wide thing.

But also fortunately I don't care too much about the title because its more of an ego boost rather than something to signify this person is going to be helpful or constructive. However, it is nice to have.

[Vidu]

Whilst I think the OP is taking a little far, I agree that 1500 comms is a bit silly.

They're not a good measurement of how good or how respectable somebody is. People with loads of comms can be terrible mentors and those with fewer comms can be great ones. And people get comms for all sorts of reasons and may not get comms for all sorts of reasons.

They are the best measurement of how " well liked" or "well aspected" - or maybe even to stick with your choice of word: respectable - a person is we have, though. They're not ideal but they're the only thing that reflects at least a little bit what other people thought about you - something that isnt all that unimportant to being a mentor.

Honestly, looking at threads like this I feel this new requirement is working out really well: Everyone who complained in the fashion the OP did so far was probably not all that intrested in being a good mentor to begin with, since thats something you can be without that little crown next to your name. Those who lost their crown, but arent upset about it and just accept it are probably not that invested in proper mentoring aswell.
And those who are working to get it back and are queueing solo instead of with friends to increase their chances are filling up queues.

If you want to keep mentoring, you can do that - you dont need the crown for that.

[RyuSaarva]

Agreed. Remove it entirely is the best solution, rather than bandaid fixes like comm requirements.

You know it's a bad system when I can still become a mentor right now if I wanted to. I never mentor anybody. In fact I was starting arguments in the new raid with people who were wasting time explaining fights.

how is square going to check if you are helping anyone?
personal interviews and square hiring someone to monitor you for months?

[SturmChurro]

how is square going to check if you are helping anyone?
personal interviews and square hiring someone to monitor you for months?

They can't. So removing it entirely is the best solution.

[Kobalos]

Being a mentor isn't about the crown - It's about helping new players. I have just shy of 1300 coms but I don't feel the need to become a mentor again - I found most folks just used it as a status symbol you can still help new players and have access to the novice network I do believe.

[Granyala]

Get rid of the mentor system entirely!

Pretty much. When I want to help, I help. When I am in the mood to explain, I explain.
No need for some arbitrary reward or E-Peen status.

[PyurBlue]

They are the best measurement of how " well liked" or "well aspected" - or maybe even to stick with your choice of word: respectable - a person is we have, though. They're not ideal but they're the only thing that reflects at least a little bit what other people thought about you - something that isnt all that unimportant to being a mentor.

Isn't this the problem though? We all know comms don't tell you if someone will be a good mentor, so why are they so vital to the selection process? If they are only vague indicators of quality, then they should be a minor part of the selection criteria. Also remember that along with comms, a combat mentor needs to run duties. In the old system you could have 300 comms and not qualify for mentor.

Honestly, looking at threads like this I feel this new requirement is working out really well: Everyone who complained in the fashion the OP did so far was probably not all that intrested in being a good mentor to begin with, since thats something you can be without that little crown next to your name. Those who lost their crown, but arent upset about it and just accept it are probably not that invested in proper mentoring aswell.
And those who are working to get it back and are queueing solo instead of with friends to increase their chances are filling up queues.

At the same time, I see a lot of helpful mentors in the NN that have the limited status for what seems like no reason. The only difference that really sticks out for me is that sprouts wanting to return as mentors now have a bigger hurdle to overcome, which is a double edged sword. Some genuinely want to mentor after seeing how helpful the NN is, though some just want the chat.

If you want to keep mentoring, you can do that - you dont need the crown for that.

Anyone genuinely interested in helping other players will want the NN though, although a crafting mentor would still be able to access that.

[Floortank]

OP's post is utterly wrong, but it says that he was mentor for two years, not subbed for two years. C'mon people, pay attention.

(This actually suggests he's been playing a lot longer than two years and doesn't qualify for mentor. Yow.)

[MrKusakabe]

They are the best measurement of how " well liked" or "well aspected" - or maybe even to stick with your choice of word: respectable - a person is we have, though. They're not ideal but they're the only thing that reflects at least a little bit what other people thought about you - something that isnt all that unimportant to being a mentor.

Actually, I do not think so at all. Whenever I am running a dungeon with my cousin (I as Red Mage, he as Black Mage) and it's a 4-man, we almost never get a commendation, so the tank(s) and healer(s) are trading. So the profession matters already. DPS have low impact as there are too many to stand out and we have low individual regocnition: We do not get spanked by all sorts of mobs and we don't heal and ressurect (actually, if I think about that...) and all that. Look, I am sure that once you ressurect a person as a healer - your dedicated profession - people will give you a commendation, as a kind of "Thank you" or "Sorry for your trouble" sort of thing.

Apart from that, being nice does not actually matter. In a shi..truckload of dungeons, I have typed my butt off to explain and ask who's the sprout and all that, and I get almost no commendation for that, so I eventually stopped that again, especially since "being nice" often tends to turn away the speedrunners and you are the suddenly the bad guy for slowing down the whole thing. Heck, they even run into boss rooms while I, as Scholar and thus a mandatory part of survival, still explain, and I am a quick typer. So "being nice" is surely not a thing either.

People do not even talk because they have no keyboard attached and "selecting a player for a commendation is a PITA with a controller" according to some poster here that I read earlier this day. They also leave immediately so I think they don't bother at all.

In the end, there is still the gender and looks going on as well. I can't complain as I get my commendations, maybe like 0.7/dungeon or something, slowly but steady, but I am at like far off the numbers you guys pull off here despite being Scholar and nice and helpful and patient, too. Especially when people actually talk and/or listen. But who want's to recommend that "male DPS potatoe" when there is a Viera tank or that "UwU Kaaawaiii gamer gurl" White Mage to select? Look at these forums and certain threads, the species is a hindrance (granted I do it myself, but I also do not claim it's easy to collect commendations).

If you really believe the world judges people for their behaviour, you are "a bit" naive. -- You also can observe that on the forums right here. Especially you, Vidu, can almost type whatever you want and in whatever words you wish, you have your reputation and your stand. If a 1st-timer would say the exact same thing, he would get only a fraction of your upvotes if he is a generic, blonde, male Hyur. I bet 20€ on that.




Sincerely,

[Vidu]

Actually, I do not think so at all. Whenever I am running a dungeon with my cousin (I as Red Mage, he as Black Mage) and it's a 4-man, we almost never get a commendation, so the tank(s) and healer(s) are trading. So the profession matters already. DPS have low impact as there are too many to stand out and we have low individual regocnition: We do not get spanked by all sorts of mobs and we don't heal and ressurect (actually, if I think about that...) and all that. Look, I am sure that once you ressurect a person as a healer - your dedicated profession - people will give you a commendation, as a kind of "Thank you" or "Sorry for your trouble" sort of thing.

Apart from that, being nice does not actually matter. In a shi..truckload of dungeons, I have typed my butt off to explain and ask who's the sprout and all that, and I get almost no commendation for that, so I eventually stopped that again, especially since "being nice" often tends to turn away the speedrunners and you are the suddenly the bad guy for slowing down the whole thing. Heck, they even run into boss rooms while I, as Scholar and thus a mandatory part of survival, still explain, and I am a quick typer. So "being nice" is surely not a thing either.


People do not even talk because they have no keyboard attached and "selecting a player for a commendation is a PITA with a controller" according to some poster here that I read earlier this day. They also leave immediately so I think they don't bother at all.

In the end, there is still the gender and looks going on as well. I can't complain as I get my commendations, maybe like 0.7/dungeon or something, slowly but steady, but I am at like far off the numbers you guys pull off here despite being Scholar and nice and helpful and patient, too. Especially when people actually talk and/or listen. But who want's to recommend that "male DPS potatoe" when there is a Viera tank or that "UwU Kaaawaiii gamer gurl" White Mage to select? Look at these forums and certain threads, the species is a hindrance (granted I do it myself, but I also do not claim it's easy to collect commendations).

If you really believe the world judges people for their behaviour, you are "a bit" naive. -- You also can observe that on the forums right here. Especially you, Vidu, can almost type whatever you want and in whatever words you wish, you have your reputation and your stand. If a 1st-timer would say the exact same thing, he would get only a fraction of your upvotes if he is a generic, blonde, male Hyur. I bet 20€ on that.




Sincerely,

"The best we have" =/= "Its good"

I didnt say it was a "good measurment", I said its the best - and only - we have. We can agree on it not being a "good" one, but please tell me: What better option do we have? What other system do we have in game that can be checked by the system to tell wether or not you're someone other people might enjoy having around to do a dungeon with?

I am well aware that people give out commendation for all sorts of reasons and that you're more likely to get one if you're the tank or the healer so obviously they're not really a measurment of how nice or helpful or knowledgeable you are, but they're the only thing that gives at least a hint about wether or not other people thought playing with you was a good experience (even if only because you being the tank allowed them to finally enter the dungeon or because they went "aawww!" seeing that you picked a cute name/character/outfit).

And while its pretty likely that you can gather this amount of commendations without being overly friendly, helpful or extremly skilled, simply by playing and acting decent enough (Hi, AoE, Goodbye) just because someone likes your character/name/job (or because you're the last person around), I doubt you'll earn many commendations by being a jerk - so at least it could serve as a filter to block that type of person.

We can obviously think about putting other system in place - but just as the commendations they have their pros and cons.
Two ideas I remember seeing are these:
1) Have people earn special "mentor commendations", so to speak - something handed out by other players the same way as commendations, but seperate from them. You'd either need to earn a certain amount of them to even become a mentor OR earn a certain amount in a given timeframe to stay a mentor. Players would be asked to give out those commendations to people who they think should be mentors.
I think its pretty obvious that this would have similar problems to our current commendations: People are already having different ideas about what a mentor should be and do, aswell as people just not handing them out at all because they dont want to bother or they're not actually following the request and dont hand them out to someone they think would be a good mentor but just to the person whos playing the tank.
2) Have some official review-system - for example, have the GMs (or someone similar) review wether or not someone should be a mentor. First of all that would require a massive time investment on their part and even then, what would they go by? A 5-minute-interview in which someone could act like the nicestes person in the world so you'd only weed out those who arent smart enough to present themselves from their best side during this?

I really dont think that theres a great solution here - but I also dont think that we need to bin the whole system just because it isnt perfect or because it isnt what someone expected or wanted it to be. Its not like its really hurting anyone - unless someone can explain to me why its more hurtful when someone with a crown next to their name is being a jerk...