I spent a good amount of time over the weekend playing playing in pick up groups in order to meet some of the new folks in town. In honor of the movie coming out over the weekend, I decided to play 'Underdog' and 'Shoeshineboy' (I have no idea whether Shoeshineboy is in the movie, but he was in the cartoon, so I went with it). Overall I had a good time of it, and found some good people with similar styles of play -- and some with dis-similar styles of play.

Here are a couple of examples of how runs went.

Don't Be Shy. Ask Questions ... and don't be afraid to answer them honestly
I ran a pug for Chain of Flames as Underdog, listing it as 'Elite for Flagging and Favor'. A guildy I was with needed the end item and I for some reason needed the favor for the quest, so we figured why not add a few puggers and meet some new people. As we waiting for the group to fill we cleared to the quest entrance. Just as we finished shrining, the group filled up quickly. I got a couple of '/tell's asking what 'Flagging' was or what the quest was. Names popped into the 'Join' windows and I accept them. I got a '/tell' asking if I would allow a ranger and added that guy to fill out the group (rangers being a more than acceptable class, along with battle clerics or warforged).

I welcomed everyone and asked if they knew how to get to the quest. In response I got a 'yup' (ended up being an uber-l33t-type, but a patient one), a 'well, I think I can find it', and a 'it's been a while'. No problem. 'Wait at the entrance to the zone and I'll run you out', I replied. I recalled, re-entered, waited a minute for people to gather, and bang-o, we are in the quest. Meanwhile, the others waited patiently inside, not having started to clear.

Once everyone was inside, we buffed up, I asked if anyone had not run the quest before (and got no response), and we blasted ahead, slaughtering everything. When we came to traps, the rogues (a rogue/wizard and a ranger/rogue were in the party along with the full ranger) admitted to not knowings where the boxes were, asking for help, and the boxes were pointed out. Everyone worked well together without prodding, doing some self healing, throwing CC, or whatever was needed, without much need for explicit instructions. We did get the chests, and a couple of people pulled items they found interesting, even a few of the optionals, and got to the end door. The quest bugged (big surprise), and the key to the end room did not appear (we checked everywhere, include the wall it sometimes drops in). Talked to a GM. Waiting a bit, people searching everywhere for the errant key. Someone got lost and said so, and we go them back to the door. After a while the GM spawned the key, and we stomped through to the end.

So, people asked questions, answered questions, and worked together, blasting through the quest, getting some stuff they liked, and had a good time. If not for the quest bugging out, we would have been done the elite run as quickly as most any run on normal.

Don't Ask Questions if ...
As Scarsgaard points out in this thread, if the quest indicates 'Started' or 'Find it yourself' and you haven't done it, don't remember where it is in the zone, or are otherwise unprepared to try and solo the quest, stay away. You are setting youself up for a pleasureless experience if have any trouble finding it, aren't self-sufficient in all ways, and are not in it just for the raid flag it will give you, or the loot it might give. I ran with a pug like this on Shoeshineboy for Chain of Flames on normal (it was calling for a 6th and said 'Started ... find your own way'). Can never have enough 'Orbs' laying around, is my motto. Shoeshineboy has solo'd this one many a time so I know that I can make it out there if the zone isn't clear, and complete the dungeon if everyone else happens to be dead for some reason. I arrived at the quest, in progress but only just, synced up with the group, and fifteen minutes or whatever later, we were done. No stopping for chests, or optionals, just matching styles as needed, keeping ourselves healed and buffed (and buffiing others as we saw fit) and getting the quest done. Not a lot of talking went on, but we got done what we wanted to.


In both examples, communications was the key. During the run with Underdog I tried to answer any questions and ask questions in a way that allowed people to answer and not feel as though they would be dropped from the group if the answer was 'wrong'. On the Shoeshineboy, there was no need for much explicit communication because the LFM gave all the information that was needed -- there is a spot in a run where you can get a flagging item, but no one will hold your hand - don't be a newbie.

So, just because the quest is on elite, don't be afraid to ask questions. If you have never been to the quest givers on the Restless Isles quest being run and aren't sure how to get there, say so (rather than getting entirely lost and probably killed). You could get help, or you could get a 'find it or drop' response. If you get an answer you consider rude, or answers that otherwise don't fit with the playstyle you have in mind for that session, excuse yourself and drop the group. Everyone will better for it.

If you get into a group that clearly communicated to you that you need to know the quest, know it before accepting and if you can't find it or the pace it too frenzied for you, drop. Remember you are playing to have fun (you non-farmers anyway), and that your definition of fun may not match that of the people every group available.

The influx of people you don't know shakes up the safety you had before (this goes for people on every where; that safety of knowing who you like to play with or not play with, either by guild name or by character name). There are plenty enough people out there to find those that meet your playstyle. But if you aren't prepared to communicate (read, comprehend, listen, speak up), you may have a miserable time of it.

In my experience over the past few days, I've the merged version of Xoriat
to be a fun place, with a lot of good people.