Forming Teams :: is it too scary to lead/recuit?

[UltraAlt]

I know that you all have seen it.

 

There are far more people that will join a team than will run one.

There are far more team leaders that will only lead a team if they know the people on the team.

 

I've always wondered why people are so hesitant to try try to use the LFG to recruit.

 

What's the worse that can happen?

1) No one joins

No big loss. Try again later on or at another time.

2) A player joins and then quits

Oh, well. Their loss. Or you didn't make it clear enough what your team was going to be about doing.

3) You recruit a jerk.

Put them on ignore and/or kick them from the team if you really have to.

4) You are trying to get a Event, Taskforce, etc going and not enough people join

It happens. I usually don't give it more than 10 minutes. Many don't even want to sit around doing nothing for that long, and I really don't blame them.

 

When people recruit, they generally have the same kind of format.

 

[what will the team be doing]. [What level of characters am I looking for]. send tell for invite. LF#M (looking for # more - where # = the number of players you are looking for)

 

Some people abbreviate things. I think that's a bit snarky, but to each their own. By writing it out you will attract more players.

 

example of initial messages :: 

Citadel TF. level 25+. send tell for invite.

Hollows mission team. Level 10 - open to all. Send tell for invite

 

Example of follow up messages when team size is 8 and currently have 5 on team ::

Citadel TF. level 25+. send tell for invite. LF3M

Hollows mission team. Level 10 - open to all. Send tell for invite. LF3M

 

taskforces, events, etc. close so you can't recruit, but normal mission/streets-sweeping teams can keep recruiting until full and recruit again when you team empties out.

When running a normal mission/street-sweeping team, I wouldn't send a recruit message more than once every 5 minutes or so.

 

I know there are plenty of players that solo or are busy marketing, slotting, leveling, making bases, etc., but I do think that the game and community is stronger when we have more people actively recruiting so that new players have skilled players to game with .... and I'm not talking about recruiting for farms and power-leveling a new player (I personally think this is detrimental to the game, the community, and the new player's gaming experience and longevity in the City). I'm talking about recruiting for teams that are going to run taskforce and missions with the goal of leveling up, creating a challenge, creating a learning group, and, of course, have fun.

 

So sometimes you also need to make it clear when running a taskforce, event, etc if it is going to be a Speed/stealth or for XP. 

If you state it up front, no one should complain. They know what they are getting into and should respect that the leader is recruiting for that - and that that leader has taken the time to do the recruiting for that team.

 

I think is pretty much being a jerk to get recruited to at TF and then asking for the star because you are the 50.

Want the star? Do the recruiting yourself. Don't steal the star from the person that had the motivation to recruit and did (what apparently is) the hard work of recruiting the team.

This kind of behavior - team stealing - will stop some that had tried to recruit from trying to recruit in the future.

 

I'm not going to say that I always recruit when I'm on. I don't.

But I do try to fill my teams when I do run teams.

 

Everyone enjoys the game in their own way. That is a good thing.

I love this game and want to share that enjoyment with the other players in the CITY.

[TemporalVileTerror]

Related to:  https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/27213-star-allergies-causes-means-to-address/

[Snarky]

too annoying

[Greycat]

5 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

I think is pretty much being a jerk to get recruited to at TF and then asking for the star because you are the 50.

Want the star? Do the recruiting yourself. Don't steal the star from the person that had the motivation to recruit and did (what apparently is) the hard work of recruiting the team.

This kind of behavior - team stealing - will stop some that had tried to recruit from trying to recruit in the future.

 

 

Most recruiting I do is for short term things - typically monster hunting teams. If I *am* recruiting for that, yes, I'll confirm with whoever's highest and give them the star. Or if someone asks and they're higher (and it'll help,) absolutely - since at least for GM hunts, I want people at full power.

 

TFs? I rarely recruit since I'm doing my own thing at my own pace, but if I do and I'm not at a high enough level everyone should be fully powered at for it, or close to, I'll see if it matters to anyone else. As long as they don't suddenly turn it into a "rush everything, finish the TF in 5 minutes" run.

[Snarky]

6 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

I think is pretty much being a jerk to get recruited to at TF and then asking for the star because you are the 50.

Want the star? Do the recruiting yourself. Don't steal the star from the person that had the motivation to recruit and did (what apparently is) the hard work of recruiting the team.

This kind of behavior - team stealing - will stop some that had tried to recruit from trying to recruit in the future.

 

Yeah, this paragraph really starts to bring clarity to why I avoid leading.  Even attempting to explain logic and common sense here will start with crayons. I can somewhat handle it on the boards where I can think about my replies.  In game?  It is like being on a freeway doing 60 and someone cuts you off "because you werent driving right"

 

Passing the star to the person who is high enough level so everyone gets max powers for the TF is SOP (this means standard operating procedure)  It is NOT team stealing.  If the 50 wanted a team, trust me, they could get a team.  I reluctantly take the star in such situations.  Before recent changes it used to mean more work as well, when the TF leader had to do a lot of running around in some TFs.  

 

But you will no doubt take my attempts at common sense and standard play as a personal attack and referendum on possible hygiene issues.  It is not.  

 

This is why I avoid leading.  The misconceptions and drama are not worth the pay (nothing)

[Shred Monkey]

6 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

This kind of behavior - team stealing - will stop some that had tried to recruit from trying to recruit in the future.

 

Team stealing?  What color is the sky in your world?

Edited April 7, 2021 by Shred Monkey

[Oubliette_Red]

I'm just terrible at explaining things when it involves typing.

 

[UltraAlt]

1 hour ago, Shred Monkey said:

Team stealing?  What color is the sky in your world?

 

what?

You've never been on a team where someone that is below level 50 was running the team and a level 50 comes on the team and insists that they are given the star because they want to have access to more of your powers?

 

I see this kind of behavior all the time. It's obnoxious.

[Bunmaster]

I form teams about half the time, other times just want to jump in and kill arrest bad guys. You could say i am just lazy half the time.

[UltraAlt]

I know that you all have seen it.

 

There are far more people that will join a team rather than trying to recruit one.

There are far more team leaders that will only lead a team if they know the people on the team (on their friends list).

 

I've always wondered why people are so hesitant run/recruit/lead PUGs (Pickup groups).

 

What is the fear of the Star?

[iBot]

Personally I think this falls under the category of "solution in search of a problem."  Why does OP care about others' feelings on leading teams?  If I want to run a team, I'll run a team.  If I don't, then I won't.  It really is no more complicated than that.  As for people joining a team then immediately trying to take it over there is a solution: kick.  It is my team and I'll decide what I want to do with it.  If they don't like it they are free to go make a team on their own.  Course, I have probably run a PuG twice in the entire time CoH has been back since I'm lucky enough that my SG from Live is active and thriving.  And moving the star to the highest whenever we TF is SOP for us.

 

 

[SeraphimKensai]

If I'm leading the team and I do quite often especially for TFs, I feel as the team leader I'm responsible for the team's fun. I'm a min/maxer by nature and I find myself pretty critical of my teammates actions if I'm perceiving that they are impacting the team's fun. That said I understand that fun is subjective so I try to advertise with objective details (like speed, calling out named npcs required as the mission begins). I personally like to play by what I call the ABCO's (always be completing objectives) of CoH.

 

I also drink, probably more than I should, but I'm a combat vet and a blacksmith. That said I try not to call out a fellow teammates actions unless it seriously jeopardizes the team, but I'm an asshole and will from time to time play a drinking game where I drink due to what I perceive as negative outcomes of my fellow teammates. The more I drink the more likely I am to start indiscriminately giving people the boot.

 

Because of all that, I try to more often than not just join a team, knock out the objectives and roll with it, as then I don't feel responsible for everyone's fun.

Edited April 7, 2021 by SeraphimKensai

[Shred Monkey]

1 hour ago, UltraAlt said:

 

what?

You've never been on a team where someone that is below level 50 was running the team and a level 50 comes on the team and insists that they are given the star because they want to have access to more of your powers?

 

I see this kind of behavior all the time. It's obnoxious.

Yeah.. I see it all the time.  Passing the star to initiate the TF so the players can be at the level cap for the TF is obviously the most intelligent thing to do.  It's not team stealing.  You're still the leader.  Calling it team stealing and obnoxious makes you sound like you live in a paranoid delusion.

[COH Radgen]

I've always been quite happy to recruit and lead a team but my time is often limited to an hour, maybe two, at a time.  I feel it's a disservice to recruit a team to run two or three missions.  I've also joined teams/tf's as a 50 where a lower level player was leading and have no qualms about running my character at that lower level...it happens all the time for many task forces anyway since there's an upper level cap.  I've also been passed the star without me asking for it if I'm higher level and it makes sense for the content.  I'm good to roll with it either way since I go to the City to have fun and I can have fun even if the team is getting wiped, so long as there isn't a bunch of snarky finger-pointing.

Edited April 7, 2021 by COH Radgen

[tidge]

On most of my lvl 50s, I enjoy playing lower-level content (beyond TF/SF) that I would otherwise have to use Ouroboros for... and I don't always want to sign people (myself included) up for an entire arc. For those situations, I always "follow".

 

If it is a TF or SF, I'll recruit... BUT... I am somewhat impatient when recruiting for TFs:

• We've all done them before, so it isn't as if there are many enjoyable surprises (see below)
• I won't "wait for eight", unless the team raises a fuss when I suggest starting with fewer

"Enjoyable surprises" fit into diverse categories:

• Sometimes team composition surprises me, typically only on smaller squads.... but I don't recruit based on AT (and I kinda hate it when I see this in LFG)
• I actually LIKE seeing the team split up on "defeat all" missions. I can take-or-leave "stealth to end" team splits. Many of my characters can do it, so can many other players. meh.
• With a couple of full-kit lvl 50s on a low-level TF, it can be a lot of fun to run them at +4. With a full team of lvl 50s in low-level content, it is practically mandatory (for fun!) I want to see how other players PLAY, not how fast we can get the end-of-mission fanfare.

[GuardianSaint]

I'm similar to CoH Radgen in that I play often, but only for short periods of time.  I feel it would be a disservice to assemble a team, run two missions and then leave.  If I am on for an hour or more, I will attempt to recruit a team.  And for reasons I don't understand myself, I am much more likely to recruit for SF/TF than a radio mission team.  Perhaps it has something to do with the idea that it is a temporary gathering of folks for a shared goal with a defined beginning and end.

[Ironblade]

12 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

example of initial messages :: 

Citadel TF. level 25+. send tell for invite.

And Citadel is always the example.  😛

 

Back on live, someone was recruiting for a Citadel TF.  I wasn't interested and paid no attention to the broadcast.  They sent me a tell asking if I wanted to do the Citadel TF.  I said, "No thanks."  They then proceeded to send a tell informing me that, as a player in an MMO, it was my obligation to team with people.

[Grindingsucks]

5 hours ago, Snarky said:

Yeah, this paragraph really starts to bring clarity to why I avoid leading.  Even attempting to explain logic and common sense here will start with crayons. I can somewhat handle it on the boards where I can think about my replies.  In game?  It is like being on a freeway doing 60 and someone cuts you off "because you werent driving right"

 

Passing the star to the person who is high enough level so everyone gets max powers for the TF is SOP (this means standard operating procedure)  It is NOT team stealing.  If the 50 wanted a team, trust me, they could get a team.  I reluctantly take the star in such situations.  Before recent changes it used to mean more work as well, when the TF leader had to do a lot of running around in some TFs.  

 

But you will no doubt take my attempts at common sense and standard play as a personal attack and referendum on possible hygiene issues.  It is not.  

 

This is why I avoid leading.  The misconceptions and drama are not worth the pay (nothing)

 

SOP is primarily why I don't lead teams.  I don't generally want to play a character with lvl 50 power, or with other characters that are lvl 50.

 

I'm looking to have (and share) a very particular kind of team combat experience and I don't think I can really convey what it is that I'm looking for (or, what I'm offering- if you want to think of it that way) in a 3 sentence LFG soundbite.  Besides which, 99% of the people cruising for a PUG (those being the SOP'ers) wouldn't be interested in what I'm offering, anyway, so what's the point?

 

While I generally agree with your points, I don't agree that they are "common sense", at least where the new player is concerned.  This is why being a leader requires a certain amount of patience, diplomacy, and the ability to explain/teach concepts (including SOP, if you subscribe to such) that are second nature to the veteran player. 

 

If one hasn't got those qualities, it's probably best not to be in the leadership position, anyway.

[Grindingsucks]

Quote

They then proceeded to send a tell informing me that, as a player in an MMO, it was my obligation to team with people.

 Hilarious.

[MTeague]

1 hour ago, Grindingsucks said:

SOP is primarily why I don't lead teams.  I don't generally want to play a character with lvl 50 power, or with other characters that are lvl 50.

100% agree.  14-30 is my preferred teaming range. High enough everyone has a few powers, and your character feels like they've earned a little bit of street cred, but no crashless T9's on a rotation obliterating everything, no incarnates popping Barrier or Clarion on a rotation, etc.  The team usually has to work together instead of being a roaming murderball that just annihilates everything without resistance. 

 

1 hour ago, Grindingsucks said:

I don't think I can really convey what it is that I'm looking for (or, what I'm offering- if you want to think of it that way) in a 3 sentence LFG soundbite.

 

I tend to say "mid-level story arc / tip mission teams".

[Sovera]

Team stealing... ow.

 

I can imagine joining a group for a Manti, see the leader is 30 and say 'Hey, let me have the star so we'll be at 35' and get an exasperated, 'Ffs, team *stealers!*'

[Grindingsucks]

1 hour ago, MTeague said:

100% agree.  14-30 is my preferred teaming range. High enough everyone has a few powers, and your character feels like they've earned a little bit of street cred, but no crashless T9's on a rotation obliterating everything, no incarnates popping Barrier or Clarion on a rotation, etc.  The team usually has to work together instead of being a roaming murderball that just annihilates everything without resistance. 

 

 

I tend to say "mid-level story arc / tip mission teams".

 

Well, unfortunately for me, my preferences are somewhat more complex than that, I'm afraid.  I've started my own super group to try to address the issue, though.  Hopefully, it will pan out.  🙂

[SuperPlyx]

I been team leading pretty regularly here lately, mainly lvl50 redside , since I have just absolutely feel in love with my new Dom.

 

While I do get a friend or two to join it is always just PUG teams. I just spam LFG chat and hope for the best. Torchbearer people know of my LFG nonsense to try and get teammates

 

And for the most part it all works out. The difficulty may need to be adjusted as you go. A lot of the time start it as a team of 4 and add as we go.

I find it interesting how a team can struggle and yet add one teammate and completely change how well the team works. 

 

Team lead is not hard to do, like anything the more you do it the better you get at it. Or at the least get more comfortable with it.

 

 

[Snarky]

3 hours ago, Ironblade said:

And Citadel is always the example.  😛

 

Back on live, someone was recruiting for a Citadel TF.  I wasn't interested and paid no attention to the broadcast.  They sent me a tell asking if I wanted to do the Citadel TF.  I said, "No thanks."  They then proceeded to send a tell informing me that, as a player in an MMO, it was my obligation to team with people.

I would be tempted to join the TF.  I wouldn't.  I don't want to troll the poor souls that were just trying to join a TF.  But it would be so tempting to join and then just start doing the oddest things I could think of.  riding elevators up and down.  agroing mobs then running madly to the end of the mission all the while asking "what do i do?"  So many ideas....

[Snarky]

4 minutes ago, SuperPlyx said:

I been team leading pretty regularly here lately, mainly lvl50 redside , since I have just absolutely feel in love with my new Dom.

 

While I do get a friend or two to join it is always just PUG teams. I just spam LFG chat and hope for the best. Torchbearer people know of my LFG nonsense to try and get teammates

 

And for the most part it all works out. The difficulty may need to be adjusted as you go. A lot of the time start it as a team of 4 and add as we go.

I find it interesting how a team can struggle and yet add one teammate and completely change how well the team works. 

 

Team lead is not hard to do, like anything the more you do it the better you get at it. Or at the least get more comfortable with it.

 

 

Thank you.  Love some Redside teams.