MMO etiquette for noobs.

[domokun1134]

I'm sure not the only one here who has very little experience playing MMO's and are unaware of the many conventions/unwritten rules that other experienced players already know instinctually. Obviously basic rules that apply in real life also apply to this game, such as carrying yourself maturely and trying to contribute equally to an effort. However it's the unwritten rules that I'm concerned about. What are the do's and dont's in PSO2? As a new player I don't want to step on any toes and I want to be well liked, particularly with the Japanese players whom we probably don't have the greatest reputation with already.

Likewise I also don't know enough to know when I myself am being slighted. Here's an example of a situation where I think someone did me wrong, but I'm not entirely sure.

I was on a solo quest with Afin (because hey, NPC's can be friends too right? :)) and we had come across a pretty big monster. I don't remember what it's name was but me and Afin were hacking at this thing for a really long time. It was a tough bastard. I had already used up all of my health packs just trying to stay alive during this fight.

Just as this thing was finally about to die, all of a sudden some guy comes along with his two NPC helpers, attacks it a few times, the monster dies and he peaces the fuck out, taking all the EXP points in the process. I was standing there like what the hell? Was this guy just a dick to me? Or is it my fault not password protecting the quest in the first place?

I myself have joined in on a quest in progress and started hacking away not realizing that I'm NOT part of their party and that I was in essence doing the same thing. To my noob mind this seems like a shitty thing to do, but maybe that's just the way it is? Who was right and wrong in this situation?

What are some other things that noobs unintentionally do that piss people off?

[Griffin]

Or perhaps he was just helping you while focusing on his own goal? You answered your own question when you mentioned "Password Protection".

Not everyone is out there to alienate you.

[GreenArcher]

He didn't take anything from you, everyone around the monsters gains the same benefit from killing it

[MissMalice]

Yeah, what GreenArcher said.

This might have been an issue if this were PSU or any other game where you need to hit the monster or get the killing blow on it to get full credit. On this game, everyone gets their own drops and generally everyone gets the same stuff with the exception of the lucky individual that gets a rare item. Though, it wouldn't really matter if that lucky person got 100 hits or 1 hit on the monster/boss.

The worst thing to worry about is stumbling upon the occasional hacker in the area, as you can get banned from being in their area and getting part of their EXP/loot/etc. Also, another minor annoyance is people who put you on follow and go AFK for long periods of time. But that won't be an issue for too much longer~

[gigawuts]

Seeing as the game was made for 12 players being in an area, nobody takes anybody else's exp or drops if they're nearby.

Maybe if you wanted the satisfaction of getting the kill solo, sure, I've done that a few times for fun. But if not, yeah, you literally ONLY benefit from other players' presences. Even if it's just one guy passing through, the spawns that wave increase, directly resulting in more exp and drops.

So what he did is how this game works. Neither of you were right or wrong. It would've been rude to not help, actually.

[domokun1134]

Here's where I'm confused then. When the monster died, I don't recall seeing the yellow " " EXP badge flash across the screen, so I believed that I didn't get any credit. If that's not the case and I just didn't notice it then I have no problem and appreciate the help. I was under the impression that different parties in the same quest are effectively competing against each other for EXP/drops. I usually play solo so I've never had the opportunity to notice this before.

[lagnarok]

He didn't take anything from you, everyone around the monsters gains the same benefit from killing it

Basically this. You get your own experience and item drops regardless of how many people are in MPA. I mean sure, yeah, maybe that guy came was "lucky" to just get the end result, but I'm sure he started attacking to only help you. You probably would be worse off if you don't help and ignore.

The only negative outcome of MPA with bosses would be if you die, no one happens to revive you, boss is far away, you go back to ship, and boss dies before you get back.

What's the do's and don't in Japanese community? Do's: communicate (saying thank you if you are revived, etc.), be team player (reviving otheres, healing, etc.)
Don't: Not doing the "do's" , not following the crowds in MPA, etc.

[Anduril]

I was actually pleasantly surprised the first time I entered a MPA and realized that you got EXP from being in proximity and that everyone gets their own drops.
My biggest issue has always been how to deal with certain emergency codes that I was unaware of; for example, I ran into my first Vol Dragon capture code alert, and never having seen one besides the Rappy one, I assumed that I was just supposed to keep killing it (there were about four other players doing the same). No one was saying anything about how to capture it until it had died and there was complaining. I felt like an idiot, so I went to find out what had to actually be done. Needless to say, I won't be making the same mistake.

[LinkKD]

Yeah, you probably missed the yellow exp going up from the boss.

The only way you would NOT get the exp is either if you were dead or too far away from it.

I guess what WOULD be a very dick thing to do would be like...you were fighting the boss for a long time, then guy arrives, you die, he spents one minute or so killing the boss without ressing you and kills the boss...then yes, you would lose the exp since you were dead.

and I said "one minute or so" because it happens that people kill the boss while you're being dead, not because they're dicks, but because you died right before the boss did and they didn't have time to realize you were dead...but a minute is more than enough time for someone to notice and do something about.

So if you're dead and there are people are around, it's usually good to dont be shy and ask for help ASAP, since you'll be losing any exp around while you're dead.

This is also a "Do"...whenever you see a person is dead, ress that person if you have a moon atomizer...especially if a code is about to end, so that person doesn't lose the exp from it.

Also, what other people mentioned here...to communicate, pay atention if people are talking to you, and if they are, what they're trying to say. I've had cases similar to Anduril's where people would keep attacking a monster meant to be capture, and I kept flooding and repeating "don't kill, it's code capture, stop hitting it" but people would seem to just ignore it, don't understand english, or just take a long while to realize they were being spoken to. (or on a fourth case that only happened once, they were just trolling really and killed the boss by themselves just to annoy the MP...can never understand <_> )

[Heat Haze]

The only way you wouldn't get EXP is if you were too far away, or dead. Also all drops that appear on screen are yours, and no one can take them. So you, and other players, don't have to worry about stealing/sniping/griefing about the items that appear.

As far as things like code capture goes, especially in organized MPA parties; most choose to fail the code and kill the thing as it is a giant waste of time to lure the thing for 1k EXP, when you can lolzergrush mobs and get the same amount of EXP you would from the code in a fraction of the time. Depending on the specific MPA, some choose to even fail the Protect Lillipan Code (By deliberately smacking it) when item hunting (as this code usually spawns nothing but Sparguns, Spardan A, and Sparzyles). This is especially true in JP parties.

Regarding etiquette, it should be self explanatory. Use a Moon whenever you can, do Code Rescue and don't leave them hanging, don't fail Code Present deliberately*, etc etc.

*Especially this. People will just hate you.

[Takatsuki]

- If you play a Force or Techer, it is common courtesy to use Resta (heal) after finishing up a Code to heal your group, even if they are not in your party. Also, cast Shifta (ATK Up) and Deband (DEF Up) just before starting a quest and just before entering a boss room.

- Also, if you play Force or Techer and you revive somebody, cast Resta on them as they're getting up so they don't have to waste Monomates to get back up to full health. Speaking of revives, always keep a full stock of Moon Atomizers on you just in case someone needs to be revived.

- If you play Ranger, you are expected to shoot Weak Bullet on boss's breakable points, as well as on normal enemies with higher HP like Ga Wonda.

- If you play Gunner, see above, but replace Weak Bullet with Chain Trigger.

- If you play Hunter, don't use Wired Lances or grabbing skills like Sword's Cruel Throw (this also applies to Fighter and skills like Scare Fugue) if you're in large Multi-Parties. All grabbing skills cause the enemy to teleport to you (enemies and players are more often that not in a completely different place on everyone's screens) which could make other players lose their target, and in some cases, they may have been able to kill them with whatever they were about to do, whereas your attack may not finish them off.

- Don't use the Photon Tree buffs unless you are contributing TP.

- Don't spam Symbol Arts in the lobby needlessly. One or two every so often is fine, but if a lot of people do it at once it can really clutter people's screens. Also, don't post any vulgar Symbol Arts like pictures of boobies (the latter can actually get you banned).

- Try not to speak in English in primarily Japanese Multi-parties. If you need to ask someone where the group is, type "pos?", which is the code to automatically display your position (i.e. typing <pos> if you're in B-2 will display "B-2").

- If you come across an Emergency Code, especially a Duel in a Multi-Party, and the others are not near you, throw a <pos> up.

- Try not to get hit by Code Avoids, especially the giant flying enemy ones. They can drop rare armor and if you get hit and fail the code, everyone in the map gets failed too.

- Try not to use NPC partners in populated blocks. They consume spaces in the 12 slot Multi-Party that could be used by actual players. If you want to use them, try going to a less populated block.

- Don't leech off of people. If you come across a Multi-Party spawning a bunch of enemies and getting tons of EXP and drops for you, make sure you're contributing to the killing, even if by chance the other players are much stronger than you and could easily wipe them out on their own.

[domokun1134]

This is VERY useful info Takatsuki. Thanks.

[Seraphus]

- If you play Hunter, don't use Wired Lances or grabbing skills like Sword's Cruel Throw (this also applies to Fighter and skills like Scare Fugue) if you're in large Multi-Parties. All grabbing skills cause the enemy to teleport to you (enemies and players are more often that not in a completely different place on everyone's screens) which could make other players lose their target, and in some cases, they may have been able to kill them with whatever they were about to do, whereas your attack may not finish them off.

- Try not to speak in English in primarily Japanese Multi-parties. If you need to ask someone where the group is, type "pos?", which is the code to automatically display your position (i.e. typing <pos> if you're in B-2 will display "B-2").



1. I don't agree except if the PA used doesn't kill an enemy with high HP Wondas (which current hold can do). I also find Zondeel to be less useful in captures when it is more reliable to just let the monster do a cooldown move.

2. Speak whatever you want. I've created plenty of MPA's that are primarily JPN and they welcome you or just laugh at you because you're foreign. But if they can't understand you then you probably should stop talking. Just don't ruin someone's MPA such as not staying with a group or killing an enemy, that everyone is obviously hunting for, alone.