Is This Raining or Pouring?

One of the things I have noticed lately in the gaming blogosphere is the discussions of the WoW LFG system, the LoTR skirmishes, and the like. There is love and hate for various classes, with fingers pointing all over at who makes things go well or poorly. I cannot speak on the LoTR system, but in LFG you can select a "leader" box if you know your stuff, and supposedly this does something magical (up to and including extra rewards I have never seen). This feature is laughable. The biggest flaw is that folks that queue up in these systems have little respect for one another, and are not going to follow a leader anyhow.

This type of treatment is markedly different from how our Guild has operated over all of the games we have played. My title has been Grand Pooh-Bear, but I am more affectionately known as the cat herder. It has become my role to discern what tactics or abilities each PLAYER is best at, and to then utilize this knowledge to help our team limp its way to a goal. By knowing various class abilities, and then knowing how well my teammates can execute these abilities, I can form a plan in my brain that will eventually lead us to success. We are very trial and error, but over years of this system (demonstrating a willingness to lead my crew, to respect them as players and people and to listen to their input) they will follow this lead. There is very little, in any game, we have not been able to accomplish through this system.

Which leads me to my observation on the random systems. Players will follow a good tank that's chain pulling well, but is the tank "leading"? Or are they just blasting their way through to get it done ASAP, ignoring requests for mana, achievements, quest pick ups, etc? The random generator leads to, in my experience, more examples of people that are unwilling to listen and who feel they know better yet won't teach. Even if this doesn't lead to team wipes and frustration, it lends to a soulless and chilly experience.

However, you cannot lead people that refuse to be led or disrespect an attempt at leadership. Marking of targets is ignored, attempts to crowd control laughed at, followed by chaos as a gifted tank, healer, or ultra-aware DPS salvages disastrous situations. People attempting to lead are treated with derision and humiliated, rather than receiving a modicum of respect for demonstrating a willingness to try. It takes a brave soul to point out that the healer cannot keep up with a chain pull, or to try and salvage the remains of a potential rout in world PvP. Gamers seem to jump more on the badwagon of general asshattery and than to care about community or support.

Leading also requires awareness and a willingness to assert the needs of the group.Why is the instance run going poorly? Rather than find a new Earth tank to lumber in or vote-kick the warlock, take 30 seconds to figure out what's happening, and lead the team to a solution. Listen to their needs and what they're capable of doing. Watch for mistakes and be willing to point them out in a constructive, non-denigrating fashion. Regardless of the game, this system will work. If the players let it.

We had an experience the other night that drove home how lucky I am with our Guild. I am aware that I am a strong personality, and our Guild knows this. They poke fun at me regularly, but stand by me nonetheless because regardless of excitement levels or the "cat herding" mentality, I try to maintain a positive team atmosphere. Pairing up with another Guild for a raid, my leadership of our Guild was ignored, along with all of the knowledge of our group's strengths and weaknesses. Loot was handled oddly, and the officers in charge directed my team like we were going to listen to them with no feedback of our own. And our group's concerns were mostly unnoticed. We still had fun, for the most part, but the experience was not a family one like we're used to. We were not being "led", we were being dragged along by a skilled, high powered group of players. It diminished the experience for me.

Loot and rewards in any game are a reinforcer for playing. But why did you start playing in the first place? I evolved into a leader over time, developing relationships that make my game time fun. I don't need to lead every team, but I would like to see someone do a good job of it. And I think that gaming environments, like any other, need a good leader that cares about the group they are thrown in with, not just the extra few badges to get that next piece of gear. The leader is not the one with the Epic purples or the rarest Enhancements. They're the one that actually talks to you, and cares that there is a person struggling behind the avator on the screen and makes the game FUN. Don't act like an anonymous Douchbag. If you know your stuff, be a good leader. If you don't want to, then respect those that are willing to try.

-Real Big Kitty