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FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 10:10 AM
This is my first post. I have been playing since last year. Some things I would like to see would be for people who lead teams and organize quests; (Hope they are not redundant)

1) Team leader rating system. (If you lead a team in battle, your team should vote on your ability as a leader). This would motivate leaders to wait for newbies, control the team and and ensure team success. It would also thin the herd of poor leaders who do not care about teamwork! Leaders can also get incentives.

2) No one should be allowed to enter a quest until the team leader does first! This avoids toons opening quests before everyone can gather and also curbs running ahead of the quest or entering at the wrong chapter.

3) People could volunteer to create a (trainer toon or tour guide toon). They would be given a trainer label for all newbies to identify and help them navigate early on. They would be given an office at a tavern where they would wait for a newbie to contact them. This could help with retainability with new recruits.

Rated Leaders and newbie trainers can help!

The_Cataclysm
07-05-2007, 10:14 AM
1. No.

2. No.

tihocan
07-05-2007, 10:36 AM
I also vote against 1 and 2. Point 3 can be done without extra logistics, using the grouping options and hanging around in newbie taverns.

Lorien_the_First_One
07-05-2007, 10:42 AM
The reality is, except in the case of RAIDs, the team leader is no one special. In fact they often don't even lead in the quest. They are just the one that started the group.

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 11:45 AM
1. No.

2. No.


Great responses! Well thought out and good advice! I especially enjoyed the detail. How did Jack-in-the-Box let you off to write this?

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 11:46 AM
I also vote against 1 and 2. Point 3 can be done without extra logistics, using the grouping options and hanging around in newbie taverns.

I wasn't asking for your vote. It was a mere suggestion. Its people like you that are reason why membership are low.

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 11:51 AM
The reality is, except in the case of RAIDs, the team leader is no one special. In fact they often don't even lead in the quest. They are just the one that started the group.

This is utterly incorrect. A team leader initiates the quest and is looked at as a leader in battle and other issues. Maybe when you lead it doesn't mean anything but when I lead it does.

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 12:38 PM
um.. no

please tell me what you're trying to accomplish here...

Lorien_the_First_One
07-05-2007, 12:43 PM
This is utterly incorrect. A team leader initiates the quest and is looked at as a leader in battle and other issues. Maybe when you lead it doesn't mean anything but when I lead it does.

LMAO...um ok... I'm glad you are so full of yourself.

I can imagine what people are saying behind your back.

If you have the star (and no that doesn't make you leader) and I disagree with what you are doing, i ignore you. Period. And I guarenteee that if I or others speak up and clearly know the quest better or have better ideas the party will follow the true leader and not the one with the star.

I guess if you think the star is so special and you get DC'd for a second you figure that means someone else is now the unquestionable god of the quest for the remainder of the quest right? I mean they have the star now...

Lorien_the_First_One
07-05-2007, 12:44 PM
I wasn't asking for your vote. It was a mere suggestion. Its people like you that are reason why membership are low.

Pot meet kettle

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 12:46 PM
Pot meet kettle

except this kettle has one, white, glove...

uh oh

Avonwey
07-05-2007, 12:47 PM
I wasn't asking for your vote. It was a mere suggestion. Its people like you that are reason why membership are low.

Gee, and here I am thinking its Turbine's ADD development strategy:

"... and for level 16, I envision DDO having at least twenty or thirt-"

"Hey guys, we just got the Lord of the Ring license!"

"Last one off the DDO floor, don't forget to turn out the lights!"

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 12:52 PM
um.. no

please tell me what you're trying to accomplish here...

I am making a suggestion to the development team that they can retain memberships by having trainers walk newbies through level 1. The way to do this is have a designated trainer at each tavern at various times. Too often, a newbie quits never to return because of a lack of training and help from fellow players.

Leaders of groups have alot of responsibility to organize and gather party members. Sending multiple /tells to get the right mix and controlling the masses. They should be rated so that the good leaders can be rewarded for their efforts. Players know a good leader and flock to that person when they post quests. Helping people find the right quest giver etc...

I guess this development forum is being run by a handful of "know-it-alls" who wont even dignify posts with complete sentences. Ideas and suggestions (no matter how absurd) should be welcomed and not discouraged by forum control freaks. The last time I checked, this development forum is open to all ideas and your behavior discourages particpants willing to post new ideas.

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 12:57 PM
I am making a suggestion to the development team that they can retain memberships by having trainers walk newbies through level 1. The way to do this is have a designated trainer at each tavern at various times. Too often, a newbie quits never to return because of a lack of training and help from fellow players.

Leaders of groups have alot of responsibility to organize and gather party members. Sending multiple /tells to get the right mix and controlling the masses. They should be rated so that the good leaders can be rewarded for their efforts. Players know a good leader and flock to that person when they post quests. Helping people find the right quest giver etc...

I guess this development forum is being run by a handful of "know-it-alls" who wont even dignify posts with complete sentences. Ideas and suggestions (no matter how absurd) should be welcomed and not discouraged by forum control freaks. The last time I checked, this development forum is open to all ideas and your behavior discourages particpants willing to post new ideas.

while your intentions are most definitely correct and your mentality seems to be sound... i hardly think it's very "dignified" of you to assume, just because someone 100% completely disagrees with your idea, that they lack the ability to form complete sentences and the like.

turbine's answer to your idea here is called "solo quests"

if someone gets frustrated cuz they cant find a good quest-leader... they have 2 good options...

1) drop group and find another
2) deal with it

if they cant do 1 of those 2 things... they aren't cut out to play mmo's in general

and i hardly think as many people "try the game and leave the game" simply cuz they can't get an "amazing" group leader as you lead on here - i guess we'd need to see some number to back up either assertion (oops, was that word too big for me?).

seriously though, step off of your self-proclaimed pedastal and realize.. if the first 3 people that respond to your thread all say the same basic thing ("no") then they're probably right, and they dont feel like spelling out why you're wrong (well, maybe not wrong... simply misguided).

(was that a suitable answer? sir?)

Gennerik
07-05-2007, 12:58 PM
1) The problem with this is that you already have a number of people that won't ever start a group, just because they don't feel like getting the party together. They may know the quest like the back of their hand (or better) and it becomes immediately evident once they get in the quest and start directing everything, but because they don't want to have to worry about gettign 4 or 5 other people together, abhor the star. You've also got people that start a group and invite a "guide" character that does know the quest. The leader doesn't necessarily have to lead the group through a quest.

And if you're going to have party leader ratings, you might as well have member ratings as well. "This person doesn't stay with the group, even when asked/told", "Always off on their own killing things", "Preoccupied with nothing but the kill count", blah, blah, blah. Then you get people with low ratings that nobody ever wants to group with, meaning that they'll never get the chance to improve. Not to mention the new players that get hammered because they haven't perfected every nuance of the game yet.

Bottom line, if you want to rate someone, use your friend's list.

2) Not really that bad, but I really don't see any point. Just because everyone can't enter the quest until the leader does doesn't prevent people from running off on their own. In the cases where the leader isn't really leading the group, it also means that people can still go in without the actual leader-sans-star gets there.

3) This can be done just as easily by the LFM or the LFG messages. If you're interested in helping new players, just put that in your message, and see what happens.

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 01:03 PM
while your intentions are most definitely correct and your mentality seems to be sound... i hardly think it's very "dignified" of you to assume, just because someone 100% completely disagrees with your idea, that they lack the ability to form complete sentences and the like.

turbine's answer to your idea here is called "solo quests"

if someone gets frustrated cuz they cant find a good quest-leader... they have 2 good options...

1) drop group and find another
2) deal with it

if they cant do 1 of those 2 things... they aren't cut out to play mmo's in general

and i hardly think as many people "try the game and leave the game" simply cuz they can't get an "amazing" group leader as you lead on here - i guess we'd need to see some number to back up either assertion (oops, was that word too big for me?).

seriously though, step off of your self-proclaimed pedastal and realize.. if the first 3 people that respond to your thread all say the same basic thing ("no") then they're probably right, and they dont feel like spelling out why you're wrong (well, maybe not wrong... simply misguided).

(was that a suitable answer? sir?)


NO!

Swordalot
07-05-2007, 01:06 PM
A) Do not tell anyone they are the reason membership is low. Period. You know it's not true; the reasons are varied and numerous; saying so is pure jackassery.
B) Team leader rating system? What? How would that help? All those idiot leaders would have to do is group with friends or guildies who'd rate them highly. And who really cares what others think of a leader, it's how I feel about them that matters. Being party leader and being "team leader" have nothing to do with one and other. And, matter of fact, a majority of parties I've been in had no one leader. We were more a sovereign collection of independents working together toward a common goal.
C) There're plenty of help-tips, resources, and generally helpful people. I don't know about you, but sitting around waiting for a newbie to ask me for help is not a proactive way to enjoy this game. If you wanna help the newbs, repeatedly create new characters and run the Goodblades' series on normal through elite. I guarantee they won't be level one any more.

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 01:10 PM
NO!

your capacity to "move on" is astounding good sir.

Swordalot
07-05-2007, 01:12 PM
1) No.
2) No.
Great responses! Well thought out and good advice! I especially enjoyed the detail. How did Jack-in-the-Box let you off to write this?


No


Pot, meet kettle.

Yar.

Freeman
07-05-2007, 01:19 PM
1. No. Pointless.
2. No. Only keeps regular members in line, but the person with the star is just as likely to screw up.
3. I'm not sitting around in case someone needs help. If you have a question, look it up on the boards, ask another player, it doesn't matter how you do it, but be pro-active about it. I've had strangers send me tells with questions before, and I always answer them nicely. I've encouraged others to do the same on these boards. Others already do what you say, and I've seen in in the LFM many times. It may not be as prevalent on other servers though, so I can't speak for them.

Okay, I considered answering with only one word, but I tend to be wordy, so I just couldn't do it.

Shyver
07-05-2007, 01:28 PM
pure jackassery.


New favorite comment. :D

Shecky
07-05-2007, 01:30 PM
I am making a suggestion to the development team that they can retain memberships by having trainers walk newbies through level 1. The way to do this is have a designated trainer at each tavern at various times. Too often, a newbie quits never to return because of a lack of training and help from fellow players.

Leaders of groups have alot of responsibility to organize and gather party members. Sending multiple /tells to get the right mix and controlling the masses. They should be rated so that the good leaders can be rewarded for their efforts. Players know a good leader and flock to that person when they post quests. Helping people find the right quest giver etc...

I guess this development forum is being run by a handful of "know-it-alls" who wont even dignify posts with complete sentences. Ideas and suggestions (no matter how absurd) should be welcomed and not discouraged by forum control freaks. The last time I checked, this development forum is open to all ideas and your behavior discourages particpants willing to post new ideas.

Um, one of those people who slap with the epithet of "know-it-all" is one of the greatest contributors to player knowledge around. Check Cat's "All threads started by" bit and find out how far wrong you are about him and other people.

Hint: Use the Search function across the window's top menu bar. Find out how much these things have ALREADY been discussed (answer: to death, ad nauseam, etc.) and dismissed for GOOD reasons before you start getting your back up. In other words, find out if your idea IS new before heralding it as such.

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 01:41 PM
"Great Spirits Always Encounter Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds"

Albert Einstein

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 01:43 PM
A) Do not tell anyone they are the reason membership is low. Period. You know it's not true; the reasons are varied and numerous; saying so is pure jackassery.

Real classy reply.

KoboldKiller
07-05-2007, 01:44 PM
I do see where your getting at with this but it can be resolved with a little effort on the players part. i have had many questions answered in game and on the forums. I have also answered many questions in game for others.

FattyArbuckle
07-05-2007, 01:47 PM
1. No. Pointless.
I'm not sitting around in case someone needs help.

Thank you for not helping anyone. Your comment shows who you really are.

apollojuly
07-05-2007, 01:48 PM
It's a race to see who gets here first - the Cube or the Kobold.

Freeman
07-05-2007, 01:49 PM
Thank you for not helping anyone. Your comment shows who you really are.

LOL, no wonder people don't bother posting complete sentences. You don't read through to the end anyway. I'm well aware of who I am, as are others. I think they've figured out who you are also...

Oh, and I'm betting we get the Cube. He's been fairly hungry lately.

Inkblack
07-05-2007, 01:52 PM
You may be interested in this post, which describes the Stormreach Assistance program.

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=45999

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 02:14 PM
"Great Spirits Always Encounter Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds"

Albert Einstein

oh give it a rest already

rofl, i'm so quoting you on that, for as long as i play ddo.

Gennerik
07-05-2007, 02:15 PM
"Great Spirits Always Encounter Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds"

Albert Einstein

"Sometimes a bad idea is just that." -- Me

I may not be as famous as Albert Einstein, but you can still quote me.

[EDIT] Also, FattyArbuckle, being that you're new to the forums, just because you have an idea and other people don't agree with it doesn't mean that you should go immediately into offensive mode and start flaming them. Not everyone feels like going in-depth when expressing their opinions, especially when topics have been discussed before (or very similar topics). It's like you're trying to start a flamewar on your own post, and that's a good way to get infraction points.

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 02:20 PM
"Sometimes a bad idea is just that." -- Me

I may not be as famous as Albert Einstein, but you can still quote me.

i think i will

thank you for adding to my up and coming quote page.

Swordalot
07-05-2007, 02:39 PM
Real classy reply.
Don't see what wasn't "classy" about it (other than 'jackassery'), nor the need to be "classy." I'm very frank with how I feel; I don't sugar-coat.
You insinuated that you could pinpoint the reason membership isn't in the billions to one person. This is false. So I stated, so it shall be read, and so it was writ.
And you can quote me on that, if'n you like.

KoboldKiller
07-05-2007, 02:40 PM
i think i will

thank you for adding to my up and coming quote page.

I have another quote for you, (probably get points for it), "There are no bad ideas, unless it's not mine"

Zor_Prime
07-05-2007, 02:46 PM
1) Team leader rating system. (If you lead a team in battle, your team should vote on your ability as a leader). This would motivate leaders to wait for newbies, control the team and and ensure team success. It would also thin the herd of poor leaders who do not care about teamwork! Leaders can also get incentives.


I disagree with this. I think this could turn into a new way to grief. In addition, it would discourage people from putting up those first LFMs. Also, another poster pointed out that the person who leads the group is often not the same person who put up the LFM. This is especially true with raids.




2) No one should be allowed to enter a quest until the team leader does first! This avoids toons opening quests before everyone can gather and also curbs running ahead of the quest or entering at the wrong chapter.


I can't agree with this one either. At the least, this would impact favor runs - For one, you wouldn't get the possible convenience of having someone open on elite who isn't the leader. Yes, you can switch leaders but that means you would be constantly (with respect to favor runs) changing LFM control and such. Also, you wouldn't be able to use the old "go ahead and start clearing...I'll catch up..." if it is the leader who needs to run off and grab scrolls, potions, etc.

Also, if someone runs ahead all the time, this change would only halt that until the leader enters. Once they are inside, they will zerg no matter what. What I am saying is that as an anti-zerg fix, the best thing is for the leader to simply state such at the beginning. This is usually pretty effective.




3) People could volunteer to create a (trainer toon or tour guide toon). They would be given a trainer label for all newbies to identify and help them navigate early on. They would be given an office at a tavern where they would wait for a newbie to contact them. This could help with retainability with new recruits.

Rated Leaders and newbie trainers can help!


I see the idea here. Maybe and advisor mode or something....

Raithe
07-05-2007, 03:37 PM
I don't think the OP contained particularly bad ideas nor do I think they have been discussed before to any tremendous degree. I remember a thread talking about rating other players a long time ago, but this particular thread is more about rating just the leader of a group... something that would definitely have some benefits.

One of the threads I created a while back was about the same people creating groups on a server, over and over again, who 1) really didn't have a clue what they were doing, and 2) were creating them because they wanted to mitigate their own incompetence in playing the game - inviting only those classes to join that they thought would be able to accomplish the quest for them. Having a rating system would discourage this type of behavior, as many people would avoid joining a group that didn't have a qualified leader posting the LFM.

I would make it so the rating system could only be positive, however. The group leader could accept or decline any positive rating that was issued, and players could rescind any positive feedback that they themselves posted. People could simply use the ratings mechanic to determine if the group leader was liked by any of the characters they know and respect. It would be pretty foolproof.

I don't care much about the advisor issue. I think that 95% of the fun of a new game is figuring out the mechanics and learning to play the game better, basically on your own. Asking questions is not taboo by any means, either.

KristovK
07-05-2007, 04:07 PM
As already pointed out, any system that allows people to vote on another's ability or lack thereof would quickly be abused to hells and back. Guilds would automatically rate their own players at top and anyone else as bottom, especially a 'rival' guild and it's members. It'd make this system totally worthless, so why bother in the first place.

Leader has to enter first...why? I've had party leaders enter the wrong sequence of a multi-part quest more times then I can count, so it definately ain't gonna help with that. And zergers are gonna zerg no matter what you do. My cleric is very blunt, you run off then your ass WILL die alone....doesn't discourage anyone until they've died and I refuse to waste mana or scrolls on raising them...at which point someone takes them to a shrine and they rez themselves...big deal. Zergers zerg...can't stop it, can't control it.

As far as helping newbs to the game...well...you DID do the starter quest in Smuggler's Rest didn't you? Did you pay attention to what was being told to you in that? How about the 4 little class type quests there as well? Didn't pay attention to them huh...if you bothered with them. These all give instructions for new players, from how to move to how to fight to how to interact with the enviroment and casting spells and even turning undead, along with finding secret doors and traps, disabling traps and picking locks. Oddly enough ALL the basics are covered...people just don't bother to do them or pay attention if they do them. Nothing new there, people don't bother to read instruction manuals, why should they be expected to pay attention to built in ingame systems that mimic those?

And there IS a setup for players to help other players ingame, the Stormreach Advisors or whatever it's called. Turbine actually started that up last year, I still see people doing it on occassion, done it myself more then a few times. It does happen that those of us who've been playing a while give help and directions and tips and tricks...we just don't do it when the people asking are being rude...

Raithe
07-05-2007, 04:57 PM
Guilds would automatically rate their own players at top

Which would actually give people a reason to join a guild. Right now, I've been in 3 different ones that provided me with not a single benefit.


and anyone else as bottom, especially a 'rival' guild and it's members.

Which is why you allow whoever is being rated to reject a particular rating.

It should be noted that people are already discriminated against because of offhand comments in general and party chat. Rating systems are in effect. Making it a part of the game mechanics might make it a little more accessible and orderly.

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 05:51 PM
I have another quote for you, (probably get points for it), "There are no bad ideas, unless it's not mine"

i prefer:

"there are no stupid questions, but there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots."

:D

oh, and the previous 4 posts were well worded... thank you for being polite where i chose to be sarcastic and humorous :cool:

Conejo
07-05-2007, 06:05 PM
Its people like you that are reason why membership are low.

are you sure it isn't your exceptionally poor attitude towards anyone who disagrees with you?

we could look at all your posts, and then we could compare them to quantity and quality of tihocan's, if you'd like.

AEschyl
07-05-2007, 06:10 PM
are you sure it isn't your exceptionally poor attitude towards anyone who disagrees with you?

we could look at all your posts, and then we could compare them to quantity and quality of tihocan's, if you'd like.

omg do it do it

blah, we're just beating a dead horse now.. i think this is my cue to exit stage left.

Rokurgepta
07-05-2007, 06:23 PM
"Great Spirits Always Encounter Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds"

Albert Einstein

I cant believe you just compared either your idea or yourself to Albert Einstein.

Personally i dont think too many new players want to be lead around by the hand or trained as you put it. I loved my starting days when i knew nothing and blindly went into things. Having a trainer to lead me around would have ruined it for me.

Lorien_the_First_One
07-05-2007, 07:10 PM
It's a race to see who gets here first - the Cube or the Kobold.

Go CUBE!

Conejo
07-05-2007, 11:08 PM
Go CUBE!

go banana!

Dkmafia
07-06-2007, 12:25 AM
I am making a suggestion to the development team that they can retain memberships by having trainers walk newbies through level 1. The way to do this is have a designated trainer at each tavern at various times. Too often, a newbie quits never to return because of a lack of training and help from fellow players.

Leaders of groups have alot of responsibility to organize and gather party members. Sending multiple /tells to get the right mix and controlling the masses. They should be rated so that the good leaders can be rewarded for their efforts. Players know a good leader and flock to that person when they post quests. Helping people find the right quest giver etc...

I guess this development forum is being run by a handful of "know-it-alls" who wont even dignify posts with complete sentences. Ideas and suggestions (no matter how absurd) should be welcomed and not discouraged by forum control freaks. The last time I checked, this development forum is open to all ideas and your behavior discourages particpants willing to post new ideas.

Lack of training? If they game gets any easier for noobies they will make lvl14 in less then 4 days and know even less about how to play the **** char.. No ! It's bad enough already 99% of DDO has NO IDEA what they are doing. This will only hurt membership. The people that play this game competently already have little patients for noobs because the game allows them to ease through it with no skill needed, so we have to teach them WAY to much.

Leaders of groups .. lol .. See above comment. Most people, again, have no idea what they are doing and/or how to utilize other classes. Is the leader the guy with the highest kill count? or the guy that memorized the quest? or the guy that had the forsite to put up an LFM?

You are more then welcome to suggest and we are more then welcome to say NO. To be honest, I think your idea will hurt new players and discourage them from starting groups. Only reason I think some of them even get to level is hiding in groups carried by other players.

Uska
07-06-2007, 12:31 AM
Sorry I dont think this has any worth

Uska
07-06-2007, 12:34 AM
I wasn't asking for your vote. It was a mere suggestion. Its people like you that are reason why membership are low.

Your attacks dont help and your ideas arent any good and not needed like was said a group leader is just the person who started the group except for in the warded chest raids where they decide who gets the loot.

Uska
07-06-2007, 12:35 AM
This is utterly incorrect. A team leader initiates the quest and is looked at as a leader in battle and other issues. Maybe when you lead it doesn't mean anything but when I lead it does.

A lot of the groups I join the so called leader then goes who knows this quest or doesnt do much of anything and I dont think I would follow you anywhere your to bossy sorry.

Uska
07-06-2007, 12:38 AM
"Sometimes a bad idea is just that." -- Me

I may not be as famous as Albert Einstein, but you can still quote me.

[EDIT] Also, FattyArbuckle, being that you're new to the forums, just because you have an idea and other people don't agree with it doesn't mean that you should go immediately into offensive mode and start flaming them. Not everyone feels like going in-depth when expressing their opinions, especially when topics have been discussed before (or very similar topics). It's like you're trying to start a flamewar on your own post, and that's a good way to get infraction points.

I like that can I use that?

Shecky
07-06-2007, 06:09 AM
i prefer:

"there are no stupid questions, but there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots."

This I like!

Gennerik
07-06-2007, 07:20 AM
I like that can I use that?

Sure thing!

tihocan
07-06-2007, 09:38 AM
I wasn't asking for your vote. It was a mere suggestion. Its people like you that are reason why membership are low.
And I was just saying I didn't like your suggestion. I didn't give more details because I was on a hurry. I could elaborate more now but it looks like the thread is derailing.
When you post suggestions in this forum, you should expect some people to express their opinion about it.

Ziggy
07-06-2007, 09:48 AM
NO!
see this post.
http://forums.ddo.com/showpost.php?p=1228545&postcount=5
and now i can
say rating members is a silly idea, use your friends list to figure out who you want to group with. dont depend on others to do it for you.

THe "leader" of the group is normally the first person to put up the LFM. just means he logged on a few seconds earlier.

NameisToad
07-06-2007, 09:58 AM
This is my first post. I have been playing since last year. Some things I would like to see would be for people who lead teams and organize quests; (Hope they are not redundant)

Good morning, Mr. Arbuckle. I'm glad you've chosen to join us on the forums.



1) Team leader rating system. (If you lead a team in battle, your team should vote on your ability as a leader). This would motivate leaders to wait for newbies, control the team and and ensure team success. It would also thin the herd of poor leaders who do not care about teamwork! Leaders can also get incentives.

As has been stated by previous posters, this "plan" would be very easy to abuse for those people who choose to abuse everything. It is an interesting thought, and the suggestion (made in this thread) that only positive votes would be counted and any vote could be rejected by the person being voted on might make it useful, but I think it is superfluous.

I know that when I am looking to join a group, I look at the people already in that group and make my decision based on what I know of the people in the group. If I know that I have no fun playing in a group with a certain player, I don't join, and the leader doesn't come into that equasion at all. If I know nothing about any of the players, I am happy to give them a mission or two, and find out what types of players they are. Your system would give me information to decide between two different leaders if I knew no one in either group, but I don't think I would take the time to read anything in depth when I can find out for myself by joining the group and giving them a shot to prove who and what they are.


2) No one should be allowed to enter a quest until the team leader does first! This avoids toons opening quests before everyone can gather and also curbs running ahead of the quest or entering at the wrong chapter.

I really dislike this idea. I frequently find myself in a group that plans on running a mission in "a couple minutes" and I will run some other (much shorter) mission while I'm waiting. I solo a lot, and waiting on groups is one of the things I wish wasn't so huge a part of DDO.


3) People could volunteer to create a (trainer toon or tour guide toon). They would be given a trainer label for all newbies to identify and help them navigate early on. They would be given an office at a tavern where they would wait for a newbie to contact them. This could help with retainability with new recruits.

Rated Leaders and newbie trainers can help!

Waiting for a "newbie" to contact you, looking for help, is never the best way to provide help. Hang out where the newer players are and look for the people who wander around lost. Send those players a tell and ask them what help they might want. You'll be much more effective, and you'll give the new player a much better feeling about the community.

Don't tell them what they need, though. Ask them what help they'd like to have. Many players like to explore the functionality on thier own up to a point, and they don't want you ruining their chance to explore it. Others like to "earn" their stuff, so they don't want a higher-level character gifting them better gear. You might be surprised how many of us there are who don't want a huge amount of help, but would like just a question or two answered or a cleric to follow us through a mission healing.