I couldn't agree with this thread more. It's also one of the reasons most alliances take at LEAST an hour after the set starting time to get their collective ass off the ground. I was gonna use this as an opportunity to vent a bit, but have tried to change it into something more positive, so hopefully something good will come of it. If appropriate, and if the qcdn powers that be allow it, perhaps I'll also post this on the events scheduling board.worded in an even more positive manner.
Anyway, among the things I would truly like to see happen with respect to quests/missions there are the following:
1. Read up on the mission or quest (know where we're going, who we're fighting, what kind of mob or mobs they are, what to bring, how to get there, etc.)
2. Be where you are supposed to be at the agreed-on time. "Really, I'll be at the Bastok airship in 3 minutes" - for someone showing they're in Zeruhm Mines with the wrong job on for a party that was supposed to take off 20 minutes ago from atop the Lower Jeuno AH - well, it's just not acceptable. It doesn't show very much thoughtfulness or regard for other people's time either.
3. Please start the mission or quest! (it's so MUCH fun to find out someone in your party hasn't done that when you're 3/4 of the way down Gustav Tunnel)
4. Have the normal gear for the mission/quest (e.g. Level 40 cap BCNM fights)
5. Have oils/powders. Even for mages with sneak/invis spells, as far as I'm concerned, any responsible person level 65 or higher should be carrying a stack of each around at all times. The places we go, and the magic aggro issues we face, just makes it effing prudent.
6. Have the other things you're supposed to have for the mission (e.g. unlit lanterns, special drops, etc. (unless farming the drops is an agreed on part of the quest).
7. Take part in the prep work. If farming something, such as animas, is a part of it, then please participate in a prior farming parties. Don't expect the rest of the party to carry you - it isn't very thoughtful.
8. During the party, including in particular while getting to and from the camp, stick with the party! Don't run off ahead of or away from the party and get yourself killed. Getting to or from the mission site is often harder than the mission itself. Running off means you're risking going the wrong way, and also risking getting killed. In effect, you are relying on your party to take the considerable time it takes to find you, tractor you (or kill mobs around you), raise you, wait for you to heal, rebuff you, etc. - in other words, to bail you out after you've done something completely unrelated to the task at hand. Please note, when people lag because they need to recast something or find a safe spot to use oils/powders, thats part of the deal - just please be sure to let others know what is going on. The point here is, everyone else is in the party to do a mission. That's the priority. Don't fuck around and waste everyone else's time.
9. Prior to the battle, take the time to make sure everyone's clear on the battle strategy and their part in it. Don't rush in to a battle that requires planning and coordination, before everyone's clear on things like what to watch for, what to do, etc. Not all parties need this, but a lot do, and its helpful to remind the blm, for example, to be ready to stun the mob when it uses Baleful Gaze or whatever, or to discuss in advance the order for people to use animas, etc. And party leaders, please be prepared with such a plan or be prepared to discuss it within the party to come up with an agreed-upon plan before the fight.
10. Try to stick to the plan when actually engaged (and yah, I know that plans often don't survive the first minutes of the fight - I just hate it when that's because someone's run off and done something dumb).
Some final words - First, I'm applying these to quests and missions, and not to xp pts, because in xp pts we're usually fighting the same types of mobs over and over. That doesn't mean that many, if not most, of these principles apply for xp pts - many do.
Second, many times I'm helping others do something else, and have to leave them because I've committed to others that I will be someplace at a certain time to do something. In those cases, I'll have always let the people I'm with know in advance that I have to leave at a certain time, and even if we're not done, or they are close to leveling, I just won't be able to stay. My usual line is that others know I expect them to be there on time - it would be really bad for me not to keep that same commitment myself.
Third - if you've "picked up" someone at the last minute, you can't expect them to have done all these things. Let them know what they need and give them the time to get those things. Oils/powders for 65+ should be the exception, but you'll have to ask.
And finally, yes, there have been times I haven't done all these things. Each time I've felt embarrassed (as I think I should), and, hopefully, I've learned from those times. They may be ideals - but living up to them as much as possible helps me get invited to do a lot of things.
Hopefully this can be of use to some. Enough preaching on my part.
Best regards,
The Right Reverend Father Firebrand
The (Hopefully Not Too Hypocritical) Pastor,
Church of the Immaculate Orgasm
Spiritual Guide to, and Conscience Guardian Of,
The Kink Link
And Bullshitter Extraordinaire
