Breakfast Topic: Is it possible to be too helpful in game?
The kindness of strangers takes on a new twist in Azeroth when you consider the awkward position of players who are attempting to enjoy content with which they specifically do not want assistance. An interesting conversation in the comments of this week's Random Acts of Uberness examined the case of a helpful hunter who swooped down to assist another player kill a rare.
"I personally hate it when I get help when attempting to take out rare spawns from random people," wrote kageokami. "I am usually testing myself to see of I can take them out (no matter where I am in my leveling progression). If of same faction I appriciate a 'whisper' first (need help ... want help)." Kageokami checks the other player's health bars before jumping in with an assist, he noted, or shoots over a quick whisper to ask if help's needed if the player is from the same faction.
"I don't know about you guys, but if I'm soloing something rather difficult, I don't have time to respond to whispers, and would find THAT to be unwelcome," replied The Dog. "... If you want to test yourself, go somewhere that there's not many around (I'm sure that helper that annoyed you won't follow you), or go to the Proving Grounds."
"Different Rares have different mechanics that are easier or harder for different classes to solo," countered kageokami. "I use them for my personal amusement. Don't you ever go rare hunting? Yeah there are those of us that do that. It's part of our 'fun.'"
I think I'd have to agree with kageokami; I don't really want help with something I've engaged out in the world -- the challenge, after all, is the very reason I'm there. Arjuana offered what might be the way to strike a balance. "Running towards me with 10% hp or less is the cue to give a hand," he concluded. "Get a lot of /salute and /bow that way." And the final punch: "The faster he kills, the faster it respawns."
Do you have issues dodging overly helpful players out in the game world -- or, on the other side of the coin, do you ever wonder if the help you've lent was perhaps unwanted?
