Newbie Snubbing

[______________Gerinn]

I do drive-bys of expertise buffs. You get no creds from me, you won't even SEE me 99% of the time... but you'll be hitting a lot suddenly... 20 points in ATK for a level 3 is insane.

[Supersoly]

Indeed..if only all n00bs could see that 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999% of the high(er) lvl population will help with buffs and advice all the time, and very rarely with cash/item demands. If u just gotta beg though, do it nicely.

[_____Poweredge|vault]

I'm in the fortunate position of playing soldiers as my two mains, so I rarely get mugged for buffs. If I do, then they're free.

As for cash... it depends. If they are polite, then yeap, I'll help. The ones I avoid are the "OI!" people that seem to think that just because you have and they have not, they can demand. In such cases I just ignore them completely.

The other thing I tend to do is, when I'm in areas where low-level people are, and I have some spare time on my hands, I'll wait til someone comes over to ask for advice. I'll ask a few questions, then hit them with "Is this your first char?". If it is, then my next 8 hours are taken up... everything from making a basic set of implants, armour, guns, belt, NCU, cash, nanos.. the lot. The result of this isn't only that I feel good for helping someone out, but the person I'm helping gains confidence.

I'll also guide them to the various web sites for maps of the cities, and other points of interest. Also, I'll stay with them until they level, then spend half an hour going through all the skills associated with their class.

I tend to stick with soldiers mainly for doing this, as I know the way a soldier works like the back of my hand, so it's easy giving good, solid advice. If the person is a different class, then I'll usually ask a few of my friends that are the same class as them to get in touch to offer advice.

The ones that really annoy me are the ones that come over to you begging for cash, when they're dressed in a complete set of Miiir.

One last point to remember. For all those that say "when I was young, I had to do it the hard way". Just remember that just because you may be a pioneer, doesn't mean you have to carry a chip on your shoulder. Just remember that there is a person behind that toon, and that they have feelings too. Being rude to them just makes the whole situation worse, and being here (in AO) before them, doesn't make you any more important.

[___________Domongier]

I do a lot of drive-bys myself, like Gerinn.

Oddly enough, I run into a lot of newbies who've somehow left the backyard before they were really ready to be out and about... frustrated at their difficulty in doing missions, they'll walk up and ask if I can fill them in a bit.

That's my big fun, and I'll drop almost anything I'm doing in order to help them out, 'cause it comes around in the long run.

One of my favorite pasttimes is to, rather than simply give 'X' buff/money/gear to a newbie... offer to follow them around on a mission or two - not touching anything, just offering advice and pointers, and only stepping in if they've managed to get themselves into serious difficulties.

They get the help they need, and they get the satifaction of having earned it.

Of course... if they ROLEPLAY... then I'm in heaven. Y'know those 'useless' items that you find occasionally, like the RubiKa Collectibles, or the Wonderful Statue of the Goddess Buffy Summers? If the newbie shows a desire to roleplay, and really needs some gear, and I've got a friend online... I send them on a courier mission - payment being any reasonable gear of their choice.

But if I'm *really* feeling wacky.... I hop in my Yalm and dive-bomb newbies in Tir, /shouting AHHHHHHHHH!!! and ZOOOOOOOOOOM!!! before I slam into the pavement next to them. After dusting myself off and handing them a 2-3k "Survival Money", I admonish them never to try to single-handedly take on the cannons in Clon****.

I'm just imagining those newbie's now, when they get their own Yalms and head out to do danger missions... and see the cannons for the first time...

[EDIT: Dscaper was posting at the same time as me, so I just read what was posted... and a hearty amen from me. ]

[_____________Punkbum]

Originally posted by Dscaper
I'm in the fortunate position of playing soldiers as my two mains, so I rarely get mugged for buffs. If I do, then they're free.

Wait till you are 130+

"can i get riot control plz?"
"can i get the +30 fling buff plz?"

If i have enough time i tell 'em yes, but i need infuse/moochams/wrangle to cast it
riot control is almost selfbuffeable now :P

But if someone asks me for a reflect shield i will cast it, allways with some exeptions (i hardly ever buff omni's)

/macro essence /tell %t can i get an essence plz?
and
/macro critbuff /tell %t can i get VS or LMA plz?

[_____Poweredge|vault]

Originally posted by Punkbum


Wait till you are 130+

Well... you will race to L130 won't you. (j/k)

[AkodoReign]

If I have it I tend to give it being level 34 i have a ton of expertise's. mc,ts,fs,fa,burst,rifle,pistol,etc.. I never charge unless someone gives it to me on their own accord. (tips etc). I think its the greatest thing to bost a noob up 20 points so they can put on a shotgun that they found.

[Wingto]

I am quite happy to hand out buffs with my characters to any newbie that asks

With my MA I tend to goto the newbie areas in Omni and just run round buffing and healing people, as well as converting the monster parts into plasma for them.

I also give away Trade SKill treatment kits (ql1 - ql5) to fellow MA's.

I also like running into the swamp on full defence then casting bad blood on all the lizard things there and run screaming HELP HELP back into the main newbie area

I even give away belts and NCU's sometimes

But back onto the main topic whenever I have been playing a lowbie and asked for buffs from high level chars I have either always got the buff or been refused with an explantion. The trick is to ask politely and if they say no thank them anyway. I have had a couple of people give me a tell later asking me if I still want that buff, after they had said no earlier

[______________DocNec]

I do NOT snub anyone. I buff anyone for free.. even back when SFA was horribly rare.. I've yet to charge for it.

Don't generalize because of a few bad encounters.. that's like me complaining that all lowbies are beggars and should be muted.

[Mharc]

Personally, I think all lowbies are beggars.
They should all be muted.

[_____Poweredge|vault]

I'm still a lowbie at L102 and L97...

It isn't the level that makes a beggar, it's the person behind it.

[hhli-china]

I don't snub newbies... but I *DO* snub those who just whine and complain and expect something just because you're higher level.
I don't mind helping, but I do mind getting 40 tells about how implants work, and I've given them some websites to look at and I get "but I don't have time to go there, tell me please".

Sorry, I don't have time to sit and explain what is almost unexplainable to a newbie
Implants are extremely complicated to the newborn AO entrant, and reading is the best solution. I don't mind helping, again, but whining needs to stop if you want help

[________________Gwos]

Did you know you can trade with mobs? I really enjoy going to the backyards and trading 5kcr to a mob that some newbie is fighting. Then they /shout "Holy @#$%! I just got 5000 credits from this Leet!" And watch the mad dash to rampant killing begin. The trade doesn't always stick if someone is not attacking the mob, so I wait until the mob is attacked.

However, I can usually tell a real newbie from an alt by how they move and act in the game. If I'm pretty sure they are not an alt I will respond and help out however I can. I remember I once gave light tank armor to a newbie to sell for cash. About a month later I got a tell from her saying she just got it equipped. I can't believe she hung on to it.

[_____________Taldrin]

If they are polite I'll always help them out, be that cash, buffs, spare items, or advice. I will not help those that stand in my face and yell 'I need money!!!!1'

Now and then I'll goto Tir backyard 1 when I'm bored. I'll sit there and answer any questions that come up, offer expertise buffs, and hand out small gifts. Makes a nice change from BS missions that's for sure

[Tboo]

I knew you were humanitarian Dscaper, but hadn't quite realized the extent of it :-) The problem is that now all those poor little soldiers will all be HGB users! I'll have to try to get to some of them before you and teach them about novas and flashpoints and OMHH :-)

Like everyone else, I favor politeness, on both the asking and the giving ends. I buff whatever I can on request, and have often spent time now and then dispensing my wisdom, such as it is, to newer players. If folks tip me afterwards I say thanks, and when they ask if it is enough I say it's great. If they just say thanks and wave that's fine too.

If I am selling something and some lower level player wants it but can't afford it, I will often cut them some slack, and if I only get 1/10 of the value of the item, well, I can always go find something else to sell.

The two things I will never do no matter how politely I am asked are give strangers money or power level lower level players. In the former case I explain that omni-tek has acheived 100% employment, and direct them to the nearest mission terminal. I explain to them that begging in the streets is an embarrasment for the corporation, and if they are loyal they should avoid it. For the latter (thankfully more rare) occurance I tend to express my displeasure a bit more forcefully.

For a game this complex it really is balanced pretty well to provide greater and greater challenges and rewards as one gains levels, and as any GM knows from the first time they stray into monty hall territory, you need to keep the rewards in check or they will lose their value. If you give low level players substantial (for them) amounts of cash or the equivalent you really aren't doing them any favor.

- Tboo

[__________PaulyShore]

If a newb asks me for creds, I'll give them to the newb IF it's within reason. Something like 40k is a helluva lotta creds for someone who is just starting, but it's chickensh*t to me at this point.

HOWEVER, what really bugs me is when newbs (or low lvl chars in general) ask me for outrageous sums. I actually had a lvl 6 character ask me for 2 MILLION credits... at the time I barely even had over one million. Another time, a lvl 8 (or something) char asked me for 500k. Wtf does a title lvl 1 char need with that many creds??? And I'll be damned if I give any creds to a title lvl 1 char who has the luxury of buying themself some nice Miiir clothing!

I try to help out genuine newbs who don't know the best way to make cash and are struggling with a new game... not spoiled children. When I started out the game, I was very surprised by how stingy people were with credits... especially at higher lvls since I knew that somehow (magically) people were able to get more money at higher lvls. Having that extra 3k for the rifle that had just popped out in the store that was luckily just the right quality lvl would have made a REALLY big difference.


----edit:
And some ppl wonder why traders get so pissy about giving wrangles all the time... the misconception that traders make tons of money doesn't help either.

[RoboKa]

I will gladly give instruction, buffs or advice.
I can't remember the last time I accepted a tip for making implants.
I have even hand led low level strangers to locations they can't find.
I have given away loot to people that can use it, but never if solicited, only if I have it and I run across the right person.

I will never give anything to anyone who just askes for freebies!
I will never give away credits for nothing.

Handouts teach the wrong lessons! They encourage sloth, indolence and spiritual apathy! Teach people how to make their way instead.

from: The Books of Alssya, Lady of Eden, 13.7
And David said, "Verily, verily, if you give Rubikan Newbies some credits, they'll buy one of those stupid little wiggly road cars. If you teach Rubikan Newbies to kill monsters, loot their parts and turn the parts into serum to sell, they'll have Yalmahas for life!

p.s.

• I have never asked anyone for credits and I have refused offers of cash or loans!
• I have never asked for material handouts (although I have accepted gifts and team loot distributions).
• I have never asked for a buff and not offered donation in return (accept in team or if the buffer has refused tips 5 times in a row, in which case I still stick around to offer thanks)!

Great David, It's only polite!

[_____Poweredge|vault]

Originally posted by Tboo
I knew you were humanitarian Dscaper, but hadn't quite realized the extent of it :-) The problem is that now all those poor little soldiers will all be HGB users! I'll have to try to get to some of them before you and teach them about novas and flashpoints and OMHH :-)

It's already begun... given away a QL30, 60, 101, 131 and 161 already.

[_______________Kwerk]

I don't even respond to any request for credits. I earned mine and believe everyone else should also.
I don't ask for buffs except when I'm in a team and then I usually don't have to ask.
As an Martial Artist with a Taichi I get /tells often from noobs about my weapon. I don't mind at all taking a few minutes to chat and offer what advice I can. If the person is polite I'll dig around in my packs to see if they have something they can use. The appreciation is usually quite gratifying.
I still remember all the high levs that have taked the time to answer my noobie questions and even tossed me a buff or an item and even some credits just to be nice.

[Zarrot]

Preface: I am not high level but the story relates to how a higher level player treated me...

My first introduction to the game was someone running up to talk with me and giving me a piece of equiptment. This happened twice with 2 different characters. Nothing crazy...but at level 3 a Belt and NCU is really nice. I was very excited and happy about this on both occasions(different equitpment). And it set the tone for how I wanted to interact with others. I made sure that when I out grew that NCU belt I found someone to give it to and it didn't end up in a shop. I also usually go to a mission terminal and throw around buffs before I log out. I find that I end up with a lot of equiptment that sells for next to nothing and I would rather give it away and make someones day than sell it. I find an unguilded low level charater and hand it out. (I figure if your in a guild your getting enough free stuff from your guild mates.) Even if one out of every 10 people feels the same way about this that I did I think it is worth it.

So just like in RL some people are friendly and some aren't. I have seen many people in the Chat channels offer to escort a lost soul somewhere and I have never had a question go unanswered.