Questions Regarding PuG-ing Experiences
By
Ad Astra,
Posted on: 2010-06-10 17:41 in Player Questions
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
Probably 75% of the time, maybe more.
2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs?
Maybe 10% of the time.
3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so?
I rarely have problems with this, and if I do... they tend to be weeded out.
4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)?
Most people I team with play fairly well.
5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them?
I maybe add a new friend from a PuG 1 out of 10 times.
6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG?
Rarely. Most people, I've found, are decent and want to have fun. Jerks tend to get themselves eliminated from the team.
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Most of the time I'm solo, but if and when I group, it's with a PuG unless I have joined a player-organized event team, such at a regular Saturday afternoon TF. Those teams are about half PuG (since anyone who signs up can join) and half known qualtity (since many of the "usual suspects" routinely show up)|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
In an average gaming week:
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? |
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| 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? |
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| 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? |
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| 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? |
But hinestly, unless we teamwipe each and every spawn, it's all good.
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| 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? |
I have never had a global friend invite me to team, except for those who are also on the global channel - the invite usually comes from the channel, not the friends list.
I personally I would not miss either friends list if they disappeared tomorrow.
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| 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
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| 6) Usually one person out of any given PuG is a complete jerk to me or someone else in the team. |
I haven't read thru the entire Rude Tells thread because it's so massive, so I don't know OP's reported experiences. But my own experience in the game is that if you don't set unreasonably high expectations of your teammates (which seems wise since we have a lot of people playing for only a few hours a week, and therefore not well-versed in each and every intricacy of the game's mechanics and how each mission runs) then you don't see jerks in every PuG out there. If you are seeing that many jerks, maybe you should step back at examine your own behavior to see what has caused you to perceive "jerkism" in the behavior of others.
Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!
Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon
"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."
I used to PuG all the time, then I got excited about themed teams and join the Repeat Offenders. Now, I still PuG on the rare occasion, but since there is pretty much always something going on with RO, I rarely need to. Main benefit of this is I know everybody and have teamed with them off and on for months and months, if not even years.
I hear some of you on the 'not enough time' factor. That's what kept me from getting involved in any 'group' for a long time. Luckily, there is no minimum involvement required.
Nothing wrong with teaming with strangers, sometimes you meet great people, but it's pretty easy to involved with some of the 'set groups' and coalitions out there that make doing so almost unnecessary.
Member of:
Repeat Offenders Network - The Largest Coalition Network in the Game, across Virtue, Freedom, Justice and Exalted. Open to all, check us out.
Current Team Project: Pending
1) I always team on PUGs. I don't solo, and don't maintain much of a friend list. Sometimes other people friend me and invite me back to teams, but I don't actively seek them.
2) Never. I always team with PUGs.
3) Most team members (on Virtue) are reasonably competent. They don't always do what I want, but for the most part they get the job done and seem to have fun as long as the action keeps moving. I do sometimes have problems with team leaders though, in particular, leaving the team standing around for long periods of time with no clear goal. (Team hint: if you are the team leader, keep your group constantly posted on what you are up to.)
4) Almost never. Although if the team needs something done they might need to be told. Example: the team is dying left and right and the Force Field character is not putting up shields.
5) Very rarely. I never look back at my friends list anyway, so the people I've added I've lost track within a few days. If I happen to remember a specific character I may say hi to them, but only after I've joined the team. I don't strike up conversations with people in-game.
6) I almost never end up with complete jerks. It has happened--one guy tried to grief-tp me off a cliff (apparently unaware I had hover) and another, by now infamous, jerk kicked me from a team mid-mission because I declined to join his super group (his reply: "Disappointing." /kick). On occasions when I've led a team, I've had to kick a team mate only once in two years.
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
Between soloing, friends, and pugs, I'd say teaming with friends and pugs is 50/50.
2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs?
I avoid the star like the plague so I rarely have this concern.
3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so?
As long as they are trying to help complete the mission I don't care much about how they participate. Of course "help" is open to interpretation.
4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)?
The only time I make comments like that is when someone is mooching or doing blatantly stupid things.
5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them?
Rarely if ever. I'd have to really hit it off with someone to put them on my friends list. More likely I'll get an operator to invite them to one of the Global Channels I'm in.
6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG?
It's not an uncommon experience, but for a long time now I've been participating in the "Rude Tells" thread and I've learned a lot about how to handle jerks without losing my temper from this dude named Psychoti, and I'd like to think that doing so has made me a better team mate/player.
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Less than 5% of the time. Last night, I joined the first PuG I'd been on in probably 3-4 weeks.|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
In an average gaming week:
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? |
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| 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? |
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| 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? |
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| 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? |
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| 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? |
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| 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
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About three times as often.|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
In an average gaming week:
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? |
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| 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? |
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| 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? |
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| 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? |
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| 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? |
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| 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
"Hmm, I guess I'm not as omniscient as I thought" -Gavin Runeblade.
I can be found, outside of paragon city here.
Thank you everyone at Paragon and on Virtue. When the lights go out in November, you'll find me on Razor Bunny.
A survey! Neat!
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
Pretty much all the time.
2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs?
The rest of the time.
3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so?
Always, pretty much. Sometimes a little tactical pointer comes in handy, like 'holds on the Sorcs, please', but rarely more.
4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)?
Rarely. Most PuGs are competent enough to go through your average mission with little to no trouble.
5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them?
I add to local friend list regularly, and occasionally Global.
6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG?
Complete jerks very rarely. Regular jerks are a daily occurence, and something I pay no heed to.
Do pick up groups with strangers from active global channels?
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1) 8/10 teams|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
People tell me I have the worst luck with PuGs. Sometimes it feels like that, but I also get pretty lucky meeting new people. So here's a few questions that I'd like to ask the rest of you.
In an average gaming week: 1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? As for me:. |
2) About 50/50 of the times I group witrh friends. A lotof time when i am teaming with friends I keep it small, but if we feel like a team of 8 (or bigger) we fill up with /search and boradcasters.
3) Most of time PUG members do the job fine. Sometimes I'll say a pull here ir there, or if on a TF/SF telling how I want to do the mission if I'm star. Mayhems are a big exception, they seem to go wrong most without a lot of communication.
5) Rarely, though I do make sure most people I pug with know about global channels.
6) Maybe once every few months or so. Once a week or so I'll roll my eyes at comments or think wtf but complete jerks are pretty rare in my play exerience - & no rude tell stories yet
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I spent significantly more time on PUGs than I spent solo or with friends, mostly because I prefer the group experience and because schedules mean I don't always get to play with my buddies. Notably I almost always make and lead PUGs myself rather than on relying on someone else's PUG.|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
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| 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? |
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| 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? |
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| 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? |
I generally find it best to tell people beforehand what you plan on doing. Either they're cool with and stay with you or they don't like your way of playing and join another PUG. It certainly beats the team breaking apart in the middle of something because of mixed expectations.
Remember people, communication is key!
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| 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? |
Of courese I also have to note I tend to completely forget who's who on my Global Friends list and completely stopped telling people to add me if they liked my team.
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| 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
TL;DR: I personally have mostly good PUG experiences.
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True, but it makes for some amazing stories to tell people. |
Originally Posted by Psychoti
People tell me I have the worst luck with PuGs.
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Le'see, to answer your questions...
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| 1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? |
The times I team with other players though, it's always a PuG. I don't really have any friends in-game, and I don't team with my SG much at all.
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| 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? |
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| 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? |
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| 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? |
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| 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? |
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| 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
Arc ID: 348998 - Becoming a villain
Arc ID: 373341 - To Save a Hero
Got Inf?
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Reading the OP's tales in 'Rude Tells', I think you'd classify any of them as jerks.|
Originally Posted by Ad Astra
I ...wonder if our definitions are radically different. Is a jerk someone who isn't using their powers in the "one and only true BEST way" instead of being a bit unfocussed? Is it someone who is abusive in chat to others on the team?
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Originally Posted by Ad Astra
I haven't read thru the entire Rude Tells thread because it's so massive, so I don't know OP's reported experiences. ... If you are seeing that many jerks, maybe you should step back at examine your own behavior to see what has caused you to perceive "jerkism" in the behavior of others.
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In an average gaming week:
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
Until recently I did this 100% of the time, as I ran my own (solo) SG and I liked to group.
In the last two months I've been with a very large SG and probably group with SG members 95% of the time now. But it's such a large SG that it often feels no different, I only know a handful of the regulars well. They recruit all the time so it's not unusual to team with people who are new and don't necessarily know what they're doing.
2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs?
Most teams these days are filled from the SG first and then anyone else that wants to join. Usually half the team is from my SG at least, but it's not an insular SG, they like to team with new people and find new people to invite to our SG.
3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so?
I've always felt that Virtue has a lot of people who PuG all the time and know what they're doing. You get the occasional annoying or idiotic player, but on the whole, my PuG experiences on Virtue have typically been good to very good.
There was one incident a week ago where two members of a PuG got into an argument with others on the team because one of the tanks didn't have taunt. (Seriously... we had two tanks, so what's the big deal? Not to mention I was playing an invul scrapper, I have a good taunt aura) They quit right in the middle of an AV fight. C'est la vie. I 1-starred them, we recruited new people, and we moved on.
Incidents like that are rare, but it's something at least that you can avoid when playing with your SG mates. For example, you know your friend with the kin troller doesn't have speed boost before you invite him... and you make jokes about it, instead of getting into a sudden argument or just being annoyed. ^_^
4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)?
I try to warn people when I know we should pull, because otherwise we're going to be fighting 2 or 3 groups at once. Usually it's too late anyway.
Other than that I don't try to tell people how to play. More likely I'll force people to play an up-tempo stlye just by charging in on my own if we're just standing around. But if I do that, I'm usually prepared to solo the full spawn if necessary. ^_^
5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them?
I tend not to. I think other people do this a lot more than I do; I suspect I get invited to teams a lot more often by people who remember me, than the other way around. But if I've teamed with people for a while then I like to global them... that's how I wound up in my current SG.
6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG?
Not very often, but see above.
my lil RWZ Challenge vid
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Sometimes I just want to shut my brain off and level up a bit. Sometimes I'm in a chatty mood. But if guildmates are on, I try to ask them to team first.|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
People tell me I have the worst luck with PuGs. Sometimes it feels like that, but I also get pretty lucky meeting new people. So here's a few questions that I'd like to ask the rest of you.
In an average gaming week: 1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? |
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| 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? |
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| 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? |
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| 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? |
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| 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? |
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| 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
Tales of Judgment. Also here, instead of that other place.
good luck D.B.B.
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
Almost always. I only have two friends (from RL) in the game and I don't run into them too often, maybe once out of five times playing.
2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs?
Don't think we ever have. A small group is be fine too.
3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so?
Pretty much always, it's been awhile since I ended up playing with a fool or two.
4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)?
I'm generally restricted to saying something like "yikes! I think we need to pull here" and that's about it and not that often either.
5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them?
Altitis keeps me from bothering.
6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG?
Once in a blue moon, I rarely run into jerks.
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1) 99.9% of the time. My friends list is largely made up of ghosts.|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
In an average gaming week:
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
2) See #1
3) Most of the time we roll along well, but there are the occasional problem teams.
4) Never. I might occasionally politely suggest, and I might cut my losses and leave, but I don't like to tell people how to play.
5) Almost never. It happened more often early on, but I've found the connections to be so ephemeral as to be largely pointless.
6) Rarely, but with ths many people it's bound to happen.
Goodbye may seem forever
Farewell is like the end
But in my heart's the memory
And there you'll always be
-- The Fox and the Hound
1) It depends on how you define PuG. I don't count the teams I join advertised in channels as PuGs even though I may not know all (or even most) of the other players.
I very rarely do a pure PuG now where I know no one on the team, usually I'll join something from the channels. So probably a real PuG once a week or even less.
Admittedly before I used the channels so much, and knew people on the servers I play, I PuG'd almost exclusively. I have had some really great times on them. Certainly more good than bad or I probably wouldn't have continued to sub when my SG mates unsub'd.
2) I will team with people I know almost every day and the team will be 'made up' with people who are PuG'd by the leader.
3) Most PuG members are actually pretty good.
PuG members can sometimes be too helpful - do too much without being asked. (Like unexpectedly pulling.)
I can be very hard on people, very critical. (Seriously I look back some days and think "Capa you moron".) Most of the teams take a couple of mobs to get it together then either gel or turn into a train wreck. The longer I've played, the more I've been able to identify train-wreck likelihood in advance and ... go to polish my Emu.
I don't even look at vet badges anymore. 72 month means nothing if they're new to the AT, are half-cut, or are the nine year old on dad's account. The no-vet badge means nothing if it's a second account of a long-term vet or someone who has started playing on the US servers after having an EU account for years..
The thing with a PuG is people don't know each other; they don't how how the other guys play. My friend never bothered if my stalker was in front of his brute because he knew that I would time assassin strike to hit early before the mob moved but after he had aggro. A PuG could think I'm a solo artist wandering across the map.
4) Rarely do I tell anyone what they should be doing. I like things to be right (I hate dying) but I always feel that I'm being bossy if I give instructions. So I don't. Which is dumb because I get annoyed when they don't do stuff. I feel it's the role of the star really.
If I'm tanking, I will ask people to follow the tank (one guy had four rules of tanking in his bio which I thought was awesome). If they don't I feel guilty if they die even if it isn't my fault.
5) I don't usually add PuG members to my global. Because I use the channels for teaming, it isn't such a big deal. (And I'm in hide a lot.) I DO use usernotes and stars a lot.
Having said that, one guy I now team with regularly, I met when we both went to help out another guy we didn't know with a mission. So you can develop good teaming possibilities from PuGs.
6) Very rarely have I seen an entire team of complete morons. Usually the team isn't gelling or the make up is wrong.
When it does happen, I find it is usually on an ITF (I actually stopped joining them for a month because I had a run of six utterly :censored: experiences).
I've been on teams of seven solo artists (briefly) which is incredibly frustrating. Or a stormy who jumps into a pack of mobs before an AoE gets to land.
Often the blame is squarely on the team leader than individual members though. Two examples:
- An ITF turning into a surprise master run on +2 "oh and can a 50 take the star, I'm 44". *head desk* I stupidly stayed until mission two.*
- A Shard TF put together by a guy on a tank who then offloaded the star to someone else and disappeared on mission 2 along with member 8. Of the six remaining, I was the only one with any healing ability (Emp) and we had two very brave scappers tag-teaming the alpha strikes with me trying to keep everyone alive. Yes we finished it successfully.
I really do apologize about the wall of text. 
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Saving CoX events/FB info
In an average gaming week:
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
Quite often. Most of the original SG's and VG's I belonged to have faded to lvl 50 retirement homes...
2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs?
Most of my friends list have retired or play much less than I do it seems...
3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so?
Most of the time...
4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)?
Rarely. And even if there is one or two bad apples I'll take up the slack if I can. If it's behavior I can't control I'll finish the mission to see if they are staying or getting the boot. If they remain, I'm out...
5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them?
Not often but sometimes...
6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG?
Rarely...
Spines/ D A lvl 50 Scrap, stone/wm lvl 50 tank, Kat/reg lvl 50 Scrap
Grav/Kin lvl 50 Cont, Fire/Enegry lvl 50 Blast
Warshade lvl 50, PB lvl 39, nightwidow lvl 50, crab lvl 42
plant/thorns lvl 50 dom, ice/fire lvl 40 dom, grav/nrg lvl 41 dom
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1. About 95% of the time. My global friends list is split about 80/20 between people who no longer regularly play the game and people who don't actually run missions on groups outside of their SG or solo.|
Originally Posted by Psychoti
In an average gaming week:
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends? 2) How often do you group with friends and fill the rest of the group with PuGs? 3) How often do your PuG members do what you feel needs to be done without being told to do so? 4) How often do you find yourself telling PuG members what you feel they should be doing (for the good of the current team/session)? 5) How often do you find yourself adding PuG members to your friends/global friends, and if those lists are full, using other methods of remembering them? 6) How often do you group with complete jerks in a PuG? |
2. Pretty much never. See #1.
3. A majority of the time. Let's say 80%. The game's not that complicated.
4. Very rarely. Only really in missions and TFs that are more complicated than the baseline--things like the final mission of the ITF, when a strategy of 'hit the bad guys a lot' won't necessarily work. In any situations like that, I tend to give as comprehensive of an explanation as I can.
5. Pretty much never, but I don't, as a rule, friend people unless I've talked with them quite a bit.
6. Jerks? Rarely, maybe 10% of the time. Idiots? About 60% of the time.
I should probably add the caveat that I run about half the PUGs I'm on, and I do have some standards for recruiting people. Bad spelling and such is okay, but I'll avoid really dumb search comments... and I do go for people flagged as LFT first, which tends to be a more experienced group. When joining, I'm far more likely to go for an informative, full sentence than 'grp lfm pst.'
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Originally Posted by Oedipus_Tex
another, by now infamous, jerk kicked me from a team mid-mission because I declined to join his super group (his reply: "Disappointing." /kick).
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Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
1) How often do you PuG instead of grouping within your SG or friends?
I just don't PuG that much anymore because I've been spoiled by my friends who've known all the stupid things I do to try and wipe the team and can still handle the over aggro and herding and rushed TFs. Most PuGs I'm either too bored or wiping the team and I'm too lazy and jaded to get them up to speed nowadays.