DO ppl still PUG?

chowmein69

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2007

i dont pug...

arcady

arcady

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2006

San Francisco native

Mo/P

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryant Again
To that I say: To each his own. I have *much* more fun than having to play henchies than with a person who doesn't know what they're doing at all.
If I only played to win and master the game, I'd play Zelda or Oblivion or some other offline game.

I enjoy the game and the community, not the victory.

Bryant Again

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by arcady
If I only played to win and master the game, I'd play Zelda or Oblivion or some other offline game.

I enjoy the game and the community, not the victory.
That's good, you play how you want, enjoy what you want. The same can be said for me. Saying, however, "this is what enjoyment is" is not too good. If it was unintentional to say such, then np.

Dallcingi

Dallcingi

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

USA

The Black Parades [死人死]

Mo/

I PUG HA lol

Thunder79

Thunder79

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2006

Chaos Rising

People still PUG...it's mostly people who don't have heroes (only really seen in prophecies and factions), people who are solo and can't build a complete Hero group due to the asinine limitation (henchmen aren't equipped for high end areas so to complete those areas they are forced to group), and people who want to play with others but haven't found a good guild or don't have friends to play with.

If I had a choice of all the options: play with guildies, play with a pug (which usually have the traits described in the quote below), play with h/h...I would no doubt play with guildies...but I don't have that option...and given the remaining options I pick H/H over PUGs whenever I can.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yang_Whirlwind
Thank you Anet for not forcing me to play with people with attitude problems, short attention spans and no patience! (unless I actually feel like doing so!)
yeah too bad that doesn't apply to solo players...we're still forced to group with those people in certain areas.

People should have the option to play how they want...they should not be forced into PUGs in ANY areas...even elite areas. They built this game to cater towards solo players...they need to finish the damn job. People who want to PUG can PUG all they want...just don't force people who don't want to PUG to party with the idiots that make up the majority of PUGs.

Lord Sojar

Lord Sojar

The Fallen One

Join Date: Dec 2005

Oblivion

Irrelevant

Mo/Me

I tried having an open mind about Pugging, but my brains kept falling out...

Neo Nugget

Neo Nugget

Site Contributor

Join Date: Jan 2006

R/

I usually have to go afk for a few min at a time.....pugs don't like it when i do that.

But Vekk, Ogden and Pyre are cool and let me

Dirty Savage

Dirty Savage

Academy Page

Join Date: Nov 2005

Saskatchewan

Believe me, I would love to play with actual human players but I just don't have the time to sit there whilst the team desperately spams for a monk or a MM or what have you. I have no time for people who die once and suddenly decide that victory in the mission/quest is no longer attainable and promptly leave. Heroes/henchmen don't give a rat's ass if I roll a skill bar that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, nor do they care if I need to leave for 5 minutes to go make a sandwich.

So no, I don't PUG.

nugzta

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

IMO PuG should die because most the time they simply dont reflect any teamwork which this game is based on. Encourage people to join the right guilds for those who care about social interaction. For those who dont they can have their 7 heroes and henchies.

pumpkin pie

pumpkin pie

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jul 2006

behind you

bumble bee

E/

i just did several hours ago, was trying to hard mode gates of kryta, and theres a level 9 players, who has invited a level 16 a level 12 et ceteras, I thought that it wouldn't take long to do, so why not help.

long story short 3 players remains at the end, one left, one die constantly, one left after the bonus are acquired. so why do I pug-ged? for the fun of it and when I feel like it and notforceduponwithanoheroeshenchiesweekend.


Just for info:
good players pug too, i met a player who obviously can do HM dungeons alone after I did the run with them, they was searching for party for a long time in town "party search for flame temple (i think), any profession" the way they was advertising seem to me that they didn't know what build to use for that area, so i thought I help. Boy, was I wrong! lol they practically kill all the mobs alone with the 3 heroes he took along, I only had to pick up my drops and occasionally help cast ss ... and I got my Murakai's Blade then.

darkknightkain

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2007

P/W

Pug? The age of me pugging ended when Nightfall introduced GRIND.

Countless times got kicked only because I haven't grinded as much of those lightbringer points as the next person.

Heroes/Henchmen, they are just about the only thing left in GW.

Wretchman Drake

Wretchman Drake

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2005

Charr Carvings and [BeeR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Str0b0
Sorry but this sounds like the rant of someone who lacked the ability to come up with synergetic builds as opposed to any sort of elitism on anyone's part. I hate it for you but if you have a curse necro build that uses Depravity or or lingering curse as an elite then yeah I'm kicking you out of my group because you won't add damage or wide range party support which is what PvE is all about. The only factors for successful PvE is having enough damage to kill fast and enough support to keep enemy damage low. If you meet those two requirements then you win. It is as simple as that. If you want to try zany builds either play solo or play RA.

At this point the community as a whole has matured enough that if you do PUG then odds are you have at least one knowledgeable player in your group and any knowledgeable player can look at a build and tell if it is crap or not. that being said I do PUG but I'm not about to waste the limited time I have each day to play on a group full of incompetence. I play to win and at this point in the game I don't think it is too much to ask for people to come up with builds that actually work.

Not all successful builds have to be cookie cutter builds but there are a few skills that are just generally accepted as being more useful either for support or damage. This does not constitute elitism. What it does constitute is people having the rather common ability to read a skill description and do math. If the damage or healing numbers are bigger and the penalties do not offset the gain from the skill then they tend to make the smart choice and use that skill. This game has a large but limited skillset. That means that inevitably people will find the skills that do the most damage with the least penalty and they will make builds around those skills. There are simply some skills in game that complement these skills and thus are cookie cutter builds born. These builds work. That is simple fact. People like to win. That is also simple fact.

Your question/rant is baseless since the very nature of the game system encourages the players to discriminate between certain skills for PvE and PvP play. If you want to run some poorly conceived build then go for it but you have to realize no one wants to waste time on your experiment when they have their own characters to deal with. The way you make it sound it is impossible to get a group these days. That's not true. I PUG'd most of GWEN. The problem is you are unwilling to compromise to make a team dynamic work and instead seem to want everyone to adapt to you. You can't tell me that in WoW you don't have some goober before the raid telling everyone what to bring along. I've seen the video, heard the audio from Vent and Teamspeak. It happens there too and if you can't bring the right buffs, DOTs, or damage spells then you get kicked out of the raid group.
I got a 70 mage on Burning Legion in WoW, and my PUGS are actually smart... I just get the classes I want for the lvl range and if their gear isn't laughable it's safe to assume they aren't stupid.

But in GW, yes I can see the point of view from everyone. Most PUGS are just full of idiots bringing Mending and Heal Other, maybe Flare. If only there was a way to educate 90% of the game population on how complex builds can run...

P.S.

Heroic Mode (WoW) notice: http://cyndre.blogspot.com/2007/03/h...-dungeons.html
Hard Mode (GW) notice: http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10133163

Gaile released info about Hard Mode almost a month AFTER Heroic Mode was mentioned. Not to mention GW now has report feature, deserter (punish rage quiters), REPUTATION with races (wtf...), dances to say the least, KILROY... Sorry, I couldn't help it. I know WoW isn't 100% original, but at least it doesn't blatantly steal other game's functionalities to the very detail. Not to mention GW also bases ALOT of its material off many other things... (see guild wiki trivias)

blue.rellik

blue.rellik

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2007

Melbourne, Australia

None

W/

I try to give PUGing a chance but honestly the majority of GW players are morons. I tried a few missions for Elona in HM but I found out that it's much easier with H/H since they listen to what you say and bring somewhat decent skillbars

Other day I tried to join a PUG for Selvetarm but all the idiots there were telling me to go Obsidian Tank, I argued back and forth but the majority there (whose skill bars sucked anyway) and then just thought 'screw this, I'm better off with my heroes and henchies) and just left and completed the dungeons with heroes and henchies.

Zahr Dalsk

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Aug 2007

Canada

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wretchman Drake
I know WoW isn't 100% original, but at least it doesn't blatantly steal other game's functionalities to the very detail.
True, that. It doesn't steal functionality, it steals setting and background lore

On PUGs... I'd help them in low-level areas, particularly new players in Shing Jea Monastery and would help not-that-capable alliance members in most areas, but in a difficult place such as Underworld I'd only settle for guild members.

bungusmaximus

bungusmaximus

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guild Of Handicrafted Products [MaSS]

W/Mo

I PUG elite areas and missions when I happen to be around when someone needs help. I just like to do missions that I already have just because I'm bored, in that case there's usually 4 spots open for people that have trouble making it through. When I got my own hero setup I can even add a blind puppy and still get masters reward so why not :P

the_jos

the_jos

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2006

Hard Mode Legion [HML]

N/

Yes, I still PUG.
However, only normal mode storyline or the easy HM missions.

The elite areas, harder HM missions and vanquish are no-pug for me.
However, I don't mind taking a 'random stranger' in a team with several guildies/friends for those things.
Just not in a role that is vital.

Looking at failure, it's 90% because of bad play and 10% bad skills in Normal Mode.
That's why I observe the party leader a lot when I join a PUG.
How does he handle the 'gogogogogogo' type of players.
What kind of people does he invite and does the team look like it could make it.

In Hard Mode, things are somewhat different.
People are judged based on their skillbar.
That's not because I want a cookie cutter build all the time.
However, when someone has a cookie cutter build, I'm sure he can play it or learn to play it fast. He most probably will not be a total burden to the team.
If someone has a different build and explains why he runs it, it shows knowledge of the area/game, which is worth more than a cookie cutter build.

When I join a Hard Mode PUG in an easy area, I look more for skill and how people lead and follow. And how they behave in general.
This determines whether or not I keep in contact with them for other Hard Mode stuff.

upier

upier

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Done.

[JUNK]

Quote:
Originally Posted by YunSooJin
short answer: yes
long answer: no
This is officially one of the best posts I have ever read!
Basically what he said.

arcady

arcady

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2006

San Francisco native

Mo/P

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryant Again
Saying, however, "this is what enjoyment is" is not too good. If it was unintentional to say such, then np.
It was intentional.

I see no logical reason why I should couch what I say in a manner to pre-predict your particular preferences rather than my own.

That said, sure, we have different opinions. But don't correct the way I state mine.

cellardweller

cellardweller

Likes naked dance offs

Join Date: Aug 2005

The Older Gamers [TOG]

Pve is easy enough that even with the most fundamentally flawed (or even empty) skillbar, the party will succeed most of the time so I've never had a problem with sub par players. The reason I stopped pugging after the first time through prophesies was simply because the number of redengines in the general gw population reached critical mass.

Bryant Again

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by cellardweller
Pve is easy enough that even with the most fundamentally flawed (or even empty) skillbar, the party will succeed most of the time so I've never had a problem with sub par players.
This is where it's hard to draw the line in terms of "suckiness", and what it takes to be good at Guild Wars. Is it known what you will encounter that will help you prevail, regardless of build? Is it strictly the build itself that determines the outcome? Most of the time I consider it to be the latter, but there have been occassions where I've proved myself wrong (like when we got Masters on Nundu Bay with no monks and a level 6 Melonni.)

Quote:
Originally Posted by arcady
But don't correct the way I state mine.
Uh I will if it's incorrect. You're saying "this is what enjoyment is". Quite obviously, not everyone considers that enjoyment. So if you're going to consider that a broad statement that can be applied to everyone, you're wrong.

Darko_UK

Darko_UK

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2007

England

R/

Took me 7 goes to get to the forgemaster with PUGS, Took me 1 try to get to the forgemaster and clear fow with my friend and our heroes.

Skill > Time

I don't have time to waste playing with people who have not learnt the basics of the game yet, Sorry but I don't get enjoyment from losing over and over.

Although apparently - This makes me a bad bad man.

dunky_g

dunky_g

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2005

[SNOW]

i dont pug
not because i dont want to
its because they usually suck

anonymous

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

I won't pug until pugs become better than heros. Only time I pug is pvp, anything else is friends/heros.

mage767

mage767

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2006

USA

LOVE

Me/E

I PUG depending on the situation.

If a complete stranger wants to join me in a HM run (area or mission), he has to display me his most prestigious PvE title (it could be a Protector, Cartographer, Guardian, etc). I feel this is the only way to gauge one's experience. Yes, I even include mesmer/sin/para players who have one of those titles - since there is a VERY good chance a dumb player cannot earn those titles. For those included, we usually work a build that will synergize with the entire group.

LB/SS titles don't impress me at all. They are quite easy to farm. NO strategy whatsoever. How can I say you earned that LB8 by doing DOA/Torment or Ruins of Shajala farming run? A title for killing Mallyx would have been a clear winner.

Bottom line: if you want to pug with me and I'm the leader - get ready to show-off your hard-earned titles.

Sorry if I'm being an ego-idiot, but I don't want to pug with people 2 standard deviations from my skill level (guildies excluded).

SuperDave

SuperDave

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2006

South Africa

Forever Knights

Mo/

I still PUG... Even if it is really painful sometimes. I was busy completing my second Dungeon Guide and had only the Veiled Threat quest to do in Rragars Menagerie. I h\h through all the other dungeons and decided to try this with a PUG. I tried to do this with no less then 9 different groups. We failed each time. I then took my tried and trusted h/h team and we aced it first time.

Now, to get to the point. Which was more effective? Hero/Hench obviously. Which did I enjoy most? The PUGs by far.

Nemo the Capitalist

Nemo the Capitalist

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2006

Trust me you dont want to know my Chasms of Despair

Zaishen Brotherhood

N/Me

with dialup conenction i dont pug.....mean to ppl with cable dsl etc im a burden

JoeKnowMo

JoeKnowMo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Oct 2005

Wessst Siiide, USA

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
Now, to get to the point. Which was more effective? Hero/Hench obviously. Which did I enjoy most? The PUGs by far.
If you can h/h areas, you need to take a leadership role in the PUG. That means checking skill bars, establishing pulling and aggro control, giving advice as needed, and so on. I know this is easier said than done, but PUGs usually fail when they don't have an experienced, capable leader.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo the Capitalist
with dialup conenction i dont pug.....mean to ppl with cable dsl etc im a burden
How so? Just do a -image overnight so you have all files downloaded and decompressed. You should be fine in PvE on dialup. It works fine for me.

doinchi

doinchi

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Singapore

Sheperd of Souls

W/Mo

I PUG most of the time, and I don't find it all that troublesome. I've had a really great time with PUGs.

Chances are there are probably 1 or 2 less skilled players in the group who need a hand with their builds. As a group we just see what we can do and try our best. If we get wiped, we stick together and try again with a different build.

For me, playing with Heros and Henchies takes away the fun of the game. If I liked that, I'd be playing Single Player RPGs like Oblivion. (It is singleplayer right?)

Abedeus

Abedeus

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jan 2007

Niflheim

R/

Since last summer, I promised I will never, ever again PuG in pve. I tried to do Ring of Fire mission with my monk (LoD Healer). Got a nuker with Double Dragon, Flare, Immolation and a nuker or two. Not THAT bad. Then a wammo with Healing Breeze, Defy Pain and few other junky skills. Healer's Boon Moonk, but he didn't have anything like Glyph of Lesser Energy, even if he had Extinguish and Heal Party -.- . A Ranger with pet + bow, totally useless build in those areas. And a Minion Master, not that bad build. And we filled the gap with my heroes.

Okay, we start. None rushes at Mursaat? Wow, cool. Everyone attacks Jade Bows/Armors and they have infused armor? Even better. But what's that? Necro sees a CHEST!!!! AND HE AGGROES 3 GROUPS OF JADE'S JUST TO GET A CHEST!!! We kill them (barely). We get past one more spawn, get to cave with Ettins...

And guess what? Necro tries to aggro them, instead of our warrior... And better thing, he doesn't go back after luring. He just stands in the lava and wands them... Elementalist gets closer, Warrior too. They start attacking, Ranger tries to do any damage, but he fails. Necro dies, none wants to rez him... I must do it (Rebirth), he gets transfered to safety... And guess what? HE RUSHES TO THE LAVA AGAIN!! AND HE DIES! And we tried for 10 minutes to kill ONE ettin, because people didn't know how to call a target or, when I called one, attack it. Monk ragequitted, Ranger too. And I also did.

Them I tried to do mission with heroes and henches. 15 minutes later I killed last Mursaat mob. Huzzah for PuGs?

cyberjanet

cyberjanet

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2007

The Netherlands

Rich Mahogany

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yang_Whirlwind
Thank you Anet for not forcing me to play with people with attitude problems, short attention spans and no patience! (unless I actually feel like doing so!)
Hear hear! And hear again!

That's the problem with PUGs. Attitude. If the quest/mission fails, everyone sux, they have crappy builds, etc etc. That's got nothing to do with it. A good group assesses mistakes and tries again, and doesn't point fingers and try to spread blame.

Generally I find that people who like using heroes and henchies have a better attitude.

bungusmaximus

bungusmaximus

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guild Of Handicrafted Products [MaSS]

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberjanet

Generally I find that people who like using heroes and henchies have a better attitude.
Or they have a bad attitude but they don't want it to show, there are days I'd rather not PUG because I know I'm going to be an ass to people when I do.

tipiak

tipiak

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2006

Hellsace

F*ck Yeah Ion Cannons [dBal]

W/

I still PUG because it can be so much fun : yesterday i went to the cathedral of flames. We were 2 W and the other one was the typical wamo mending aggro whatever appears on radar. -60DP in 10 minutes. I was rofl. But not a single player complained about it. They even gave winter candy canes for him. It was great.

Rushin Roulette

Rushin Roulette

Forge Runner

Join Date: Sep 2007

Right here

Ende

I dont usually join only player pugs.... but every now and then I join one to see if standards have rissen in the mean time.
Did my test yesterday with my wammo (although I dont have any Mo skills on my bar anymore apart from Rebirth... for obvious reasons)

Results in the second to last mission in Nightfall;

players from top to bottom

1. AoB Derv leader... charges in forgets his enchants regularily or casts the damaging AoE enchants before battle, died about 5 times before we reached the 3rd mob

2. Ranger... places favorable winds and starts using touch skills only (tried telling me the quest is impossible with 2 palyers and 6 heros just before)

3. me goes in pulls agro and trys to keep it (works pretty good because of player 4... works really badly because of player 5)

4. Monk Healer/prot good alround monk who actually did a great job considering.

5. Monk protmonk keeps up all prot enchants really well.... on himself only adn does a really good Leeroy impression solo halfway accross the map... took us ages to get to him and res him before he rinses and repeats.

6. Curses Necro did a good job I think, but had to dissconnect a few mins before the big partywipe finale... lucky guy

7. Ele tried to follow monk 5 in who is doing the best Leeroy impression, but failed miserably due to the fact that he didnt have the prot spells of the monk and was solely devoted to fire as it seemed.

8. Prot monk was a great coward and kept running away at the first sign of a foe (must have played the bunnyquest in GWEN previously) causing all of his enchants to break after a few seconds because he went out of range.

With this party we managed to seal a whole 2 rifts in that quest before being partywiped.

Lesson of the day; it was a real fun run seeing that players can and will beat any NPC in terms of amusing situations.

In the end I went together with the healer/prot monk and our 6 heros and got the bonus on that mission and the final with ease.

Disclaimer: I know that was NM... but untill yesterday I didnt have access to HM Elona anyways.

bungusmaximus

bungusmaximus

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guild Of Handicrafted Products [MaSS]

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rushin Roulette

Results in the second to last mission in Nightfall;
For the sake of all that is sexy, NEVER pug GoM, it will make you pull hair. Since I am bald, it made me pull beard :P

Thundro

Thundro

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Guardians of Divinity

Mo/W

Quote:
Originally Posted by mage767
I PUG depending on the situation.

If a complete stranger wants to join me in a HM run (area or mission), he has to display me his most prestigious PvE title (it could be a Protector, Cartographer, Guardian, etc). I feel this is the only way to gauge one's experience. Yes, I even include mesmer/sin/para players who have one of those titles - since there is a VERY good chance a dumb player cannot earn those titles. For those included, we usually work a build that will synergize with the entire group.

LB/SS titles don't impress me at all. They are quite easy to farm. NO strategy whatsoever. How can I say you earned that LB8 by doing DOA/Torment or Ruins of Shajala farming run? A title for killing Mallyx would have been a clear winner.

Bottom line: if you want to pug with me and I'm the leader - get ready to show-off your hard-earned titles.

Sorry if I'm being an ego-idiot, but I don't want to pug with people 2 standard deviations from my skill level (guildies excluded).
You sir are a genius. I'm certainly going to try this next time.
However this may be the easiest way to determine some skill it is still hard to recognise the new players skill. As we all know there are new players with considerable skill.

As for the question in general: Do I PUG? Yes, of course. I still hope that heroes will be banned just so that people are forced to PUG again. I miss the great Prophecies days.

SotiCoto

SotiCoto

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2007

Drazach Thicket

Temple of Zhen Xianren [Sifu]

Just what is a "ppl" anyway? Is it some sort of mushroom? Or perhaps a foreign word from a language that doesn't need vowels?

Etta

Etta

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2006

Mancland, British Empire

Do people still PUG?

Some do, some don't. Those who do, most of them end up QQ on guru and make a "OMG PUG is faking gobshit!" thread.

Xeeron

Xeeron

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2006

Strike Force

Of course I still do Pugs. Even in Gate of Madness (just breezed through it with a pug 3 days ago).

There is one and really only one rule for participating in pick up groups. EVERYONE has to show their skill bar. Once you see their skill bar, you know how good they are. Keep the good ones, tell the moderatly bad ones to bring a few other skills, kick the horrible ones.

- Xeeron

D8tura

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2006

no pretty much sums it up unless my friends i always play with are on teamspeak

as petty and evil as the majority of GW community is i'll put up with alesia and her cohorts

boxterduke

boxterduke

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

Walking the ruins of Ascalon

DVDF

Me/

I have not pugged in ages.

Please explain to me how can I get masters reward from grand court mission in NF with a h/h team and wipe with a pug or me not accpeted into a group to kill Varesh since I'm a Mesmer and then trying it h/h and getting masters and then going back to town to find the same people still filling out the group.

H/H or guldies for me.