Why people are ending up at high level and not having a clue.

[stainer]

Something dawned on me the other day.

I have been leveling a FvS healer. Since I already have capped toons, I am not really taking time to run all the quests. I am basically jumping into farming groups with TR's when I get the chance. I have noticed a lot of brand new players doing this too. They are leveling to high level before they learn how to work with a group properly. They are thinking that the only way to beat a dungeon is run behind the WF Sorc with squigglies by his name to a door and wait for him to lay down the firewall. I am here to tell you youngin's that stops working pretty much after Gianthold. Suddenly, surprise, they flag for Shroud and their world is rocked.

Is their a solution for this? I don't think so. I really think that is where a lot of the problem with clueless players lays. You can drag behind a good party with a couple of TR's, not contribute and level fairly quickly. This is not good for a brand new player.

Before anyone says anything, my being clueless is different. It stems from apathy.

[ArichValtrahn]

Pretty simple. They dont read the forums and the game doesnt teach them. The solution is to build aspects into the game that teach techniques. Make good gear easier to get.

[Kadran]

Is their a solution for this?

As the "WF Sorc with squigglies" make it your duty to NOT level these new folks. Run solo, or with guildies and make them earn their exp the old fashioned way.

Or bring back the death penalty. :-D

[Belwaar]

Pretty simple. They dont read the forums and the game doesnt teach them. The solution is to build aspects into the game that teach techniques. Make good gear easier to get.

This is one of the most ignorant things I've ever read on here. How about you use your common sense and figure things out? This game's already been dumbed down enough. You don't need to read the forums to figure out that running into a trap on elite is stupid. You don't need to read the forums to figure out when mobs are vulnerable or immune to certain spells. It's called experience, and I don't mean XP. You learn by playing the game and figuring things out.

"Make good gear easier to get"...Wow.

[stainer]

As the "WF Sorc with squigglies" make it your duty to NOT level these new folks. Run solo, or with guildies and make them earn their exp the old fashioned way.

Or bring back the death penalty. :-D

I am with you on that, but there are some very good WF TR's that are in small guilds, or wanting to run some quests that are not able to be solo'd. I am not trying to blame the TR's. They have every right to play how they want. It would be impossible to vet everyone that joined a group. Plus, there are people like me, leveling alts that are perfectly ok skipping ahead. I would hate to see the gravy train dry up.

[Kadran]

I would hate to see the gravy train dry up.

But would you hate it more than a ton of newbs at the end game? Those are the options.

I'm in a VERY small guild myself, so I can understand and appreciate the difficulties it presents. In the end, it's my choice. Just as it's your choice to hand free exp to new players.

I joined an LFM for Coal Chamber last night marked, "Coal Chamber. IP. Know the quest. BYOH." I was the last spot, and only 3 players were already inside, but the other 2 were in the Vale. I was coming from the Twelve, and they were headed out of Meridia. We crossed paths, as I ran invisible to the Coal Chamber, and they kept running (dragging everything) to Running with the Devils. The 3 players inside were not very far in, and decided it best to regroup without the new players and run CC with 4 people.

Now, I want to make it clear we didn't regroup w/o them to be rude, or because we think we're better than anyone else. We regrouped w/o them because they clearly didn't meet the criteria of the LFM and did not deserve to be dragged threw CC for free flagging and exp. We did our civil duty!

[ConnorMacLoad]

Pretty simple. They dont read the forums and the game doesnt teach them. The solution is to build aspects into the game that teach techniques. Make good gear easier to get.

I am not too sure if this is kind of what you are talking about, but it is already built into the game. My thoughts are that people just give 2 $hits cause in all other MMO's it is about slamming the cap ASAP!!!

What I mean by built into the game? Talk to the people in the town. There are a few in korthos IIRC, and I think there are some in stormreach as well. they teach you tactics, and things. For instance, I did not know about flanking until the chap in korthos told me. Problem is, you have to take the time to talk to everyone and learn the game, in order to take advantage of this. So what is the real problem?

Spoiled rotten little brats who want everything spoon fed to them, then they get bored of the game and go to another one.

[Emili]

As the "WF Sorc with squigglies" make it your duty to NOT level these new folks. Run solo, or with guildies and make them earn their exp the old fashioned way.

Or bring back the death penalty. :-D

Blah, While supposively may be a bloody handsome WF ... all that cha and everythin' .... most likely follow the "WF Wiz with squigglies" am sure he be getting an Ivy league education and will still bring home the bacon long after you've grown too many tree-rings 'bout your trunk, withered some of that cha away and the little half-forged saplings all uprooted to move on.

Then again suppose one's furrow fertile and wet and kept you planted there would not be so bad.

[Disavowed]

But would you hate it more than a ton of newbs at the end game? Those are the options.

I'm in a VERY small guild myself, so I can understand and appreciate the difficulties it presents. In the end, it's my choice. Just as it's your choice to hand free exp to new players.

I joined an LFM for Coal Chamber last night marked, "Coal Chamber. IP. Know the quest. BYOH." I was the last spot, and only 3 players were already inside, but the other 2 were in the Vale. I was coming from the Twelve, and they were headed out of Meridia. We crossed paths, as I ran invisible to the Coal Chamber, and they kept running (dragging everything) to Running with the Devils. The 3 players inside were not very far in, and decided it best to regroup without the new players and run CC with 4 people.

Now, I want to make it clear we didn't regroup w/o them to be rude, or because we think we're better than anyone else. We regrouped w/o them because they clearly didn't meet the criteria of the LFM and did not deserve to be dragged threw CC for free flagging and exp. We did our civil duty!

+1 to you

[DiAGO77]

Ok man don't write us all off . You wouldn't believe what I have had to do to get a raid kit and I am not even finished yet !I did my research and I read on here often . I am currently lv15 and believe me I have seen some ridiculous people when I 1st started and I avoid them because they are still playing ,but some of us are trying to get raid worthy , ask questions, and follow the lead .This game has some of the most rigged B S I have ever seen for loot and drops . Turbine basically hides the fact that certain really nice items exist because you have to go to everywhere BUT DDO online to find out about it . I know I am supposed to say I am new if I join up into a quest ,if I have never done it before ,but don't hold it against me becasue you'll only need to tell me something once and I got it . I know my role for the most part , just not the maps and quests . I think some people carrying the L337 attitude are causing themselves thier own grief because then the d bags won't say they are new to something and I got some more news for ya , pretty soon these morons will have the squigglies .
You need to take stronger action against the d bags man, because they all stared when I did and they are leveling fast , ask a question about the vital part of the quest if they aren't TR or something like that weed them out .
Then you can force them to realise that they are gonna have to earn thier keep and some respect .
My 2 cents ,
have a better one

[Eladiun]

Put "No Newbs" in the LFM and be considered a bad guy for doing them a favor. Really though there is no solution but time. Those that want to learn will those that don't will eventually leave the game...things will find a natural balance.

[stainer]

Ok man don't write us all off . You wouldn't believe what I have had to do to get a raid kit and I am not even finished yet! I am currently lv15 and believe me I have seen some ridiculous people when I 1st started but some of us are trying to get raid worthy but this game has some of the most rigged B S I have ever seen for loot and drops . Turbine basically hides the fact that certain really nice items exist because you have to go to everywhere BUT DDO online to find out about it . I know I am supposed to say I am knew if I join up into a quest ,if I have never done it before ,but don't hold it against me becasue you'll only need to tell me something once and I got it . I know my role for the most part , just not the maps and quests . I think some people carrying the L337 attitude are causing themselves thier own grief because then the ******s won't say they are new to something .
My 2 cents ,
have a better one

You are who I am not talking about. It was not that long ago I was learning the game. That is the point, you are learning the game. You are not mad rushing to level 20. You have time to get level appropriate gear. I think it took me 3 months to cap my first toon, and 6 months to feel comfortable with a lot of the game. I just paid attention and asked questions. I told people that I was new. I still have quests that I don't know well. I was running my 2nd SoS with the guild this past week and I couldn't figure out why I took so much cold damage on the end boss. DOH! It was the mephits powering him. Also, I recently discovered autorun is the devil. So, it takes time to learn the game. Leveling your first character to 20 in 2 weeks robs you of your ability to learn some of the finer points.

[Chai]

Something dawned on me the other day.

I have been leveling a FvS healer. Since I already have capped toons, I am not really taking time to run all the quests. I am basically jumping into farming groups with TR's when I get the chance. I have noticed a lot of brand new players doing this too. They are leveling to high level before they learn how to work with a group properly. They are thinking that the only way to beat a dungeon is run behind the WF Sorc with squigglies by his name to a door and wait for him to lay down the firewall. I am here to tell you youngin's that stops working pretty much after Gianthold. Suddenly, surprise, they flag for Shroud and their world is rocked.

Naaah. The easier epic quests get soloed like this as well, sometimes with pikers at the door. The free ride goes all the way up the food chain.

Noobs get rocked in raids because they are different than 6 man quests, in that you need everyone to be on the same page, and have a clue about gear. When dying = mob getting alot of HP back, pileons = fail.

There are level 20 rogues with 8 starting con, 140 hp, cha and int out the wazoo, and a huge attitude about people giving them advice. I saw 2 of these in the reaver the other day - likely a husband / wife combo. Its a good thing the caster and FvS did ~95% of the heavy lifting in here. The one hit rogue did in one raid what I couldnt do in 20 - and pulled madstone boots. Office pool, how many times will he die after his rage wears off per week? How many times will he die per week trying to get the rage to proc, since you have to take hits to do so?

[Timjc86]

They are thinking that the only way to beat a dungeon is run behind the WF Sorc with squigglies by his name to a door and wait for him to lay down the firewall.

That sounds like how I leveled most of my characters, minus the squigglies.

[Chai]

Put "No Newbs" in the LFM and be considered a bad guy for doing them a favor. Really though there is no solution but time. Those that want to learn will those that don't will eventually leave the game...things will find a natural balance.

Those who can, do

Those who cant do, teach

Those who cant do or teach, work for the government...

/runs

[Slink]

Ok, here is a prime example of which I heard just last night:

20 Sorc brags about his polar ray hitting for 80-200.
Laughter errupted throughout the group.
This is vs a mob succeptible to cold.

Back to OP:
I caught wind of this long before EU even got here.
Everyone wanted DDO to remain and preferred to see it become succesful.
Not one year ago, was a mass exodus bout this time of year.
Had it not been for the closed beta, could have been much worse.

When EU went live, I soon thereafter switched to Orien one reason being, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

DDO has become the success most wanted to see but everyone knows nothing is free.
The cost has been a huge influx of inexperienced players believing that their characters are awesome and nothing could surpass what they deem as uber.

Would be best if all the 'hey I am handing out free **** in korthos/harbor' would never have happened.
Nothing was learned by those on the recieving end.
This promotes the 'take' attitude which honestly brings the worst people/results in most circumstances.
Want players to become better?
Make them earn it.

In time, Khyber's namesake of the 'pug capital' will come around.
Until then, expect ALOT more of the same.

[MeliCat]

From my own personal experience of getting my barbarian to level 20 (my first toon to get there) without following anyone with squiggles... um... it's perfectly possible to get to level 20 and be clueless still and missing the most basic of stuff. (er... like an underwater action item for example... GFL item... the 20hps from GH favor... etc, etc...)

better newbie overall guide needed i think. one that doesn't bombard with lots of info that you are not able to absorb when you first start but kind of a list of things to target - a walk through if you will (sort of). i started one a while back.. was going to rewrite it... still add to my offline copy... i probably should just paste it up... probably get ignored in 2 days but meh. i actually found it personally helpful to write... and i did it from a first time through and first MMO perspective... i think vets forget a lot of stuff which is obvious to them but not to someone who has just started.

[mws2970]

It really is a shame that noobs ruin things for us newbs. There are those of us who actually try to do our best, pull our weight and be useful.

I have one capped toon who has some decent raid gear. I wouldn't have gotten there without asking lots of questions of lots of vets. I wouldn't have gotten there without listening to those vets when they gave advice and constructive criticism. Yes, I was a noob once too, but you can become a newb! It's really not all that difficult, really! If I can do it, so can other noobs!

Just remember, have fun! It's a fun GAME!

[Missing_Minds]

Pretty simple. They dont read the forums and the game doesnt teach them. The solution is to build aspects into the game that teach techniques. Make good gear easier to get.

No.. just don't make good gear easier to get. I'd rather people actually use brain cells and think. Thinking and learning how to think will help them so much more in the long run.

That is the problem with standard MMOs. You do the quest, you get the gear for your class, and you use it because it is obviously better than what you had. So many games followed this formula.

Then they come to DDO.. and guess what... it doesn't follow that formula. Their world is rocked because suddenly the game is "hard". Compare Final Fantasy from days of old to what is out there now. You sit down and run though it. Challenge just really isn't there. You are given everything. Back in my day, you had to grind and work for it. You had to take the time to level else you'd just be pwned. Not so any more... It becomes a game of how fast can I get bored with a game, vs. taking the time to slowly chew and enjoy every bite.

[Renvar]

Pretty simple. They dont read the forums and the game doesnt teach them. The solution is to build aspects into the game that teach techniques. Make good gear easier to get.

Ummm...Exactly how much easier would you like it to be? All raid loot available for sale in the store?

How hard is it to run quests to get gear and sell the stuff you don't need so that you can pick up the missing pieces on the brokers, AH or via trades? Raid loot is just a matter of doing the runs. Shroud crafting is even easier.

Sorry. Gotta disagree.