#37 Ignore

Don't feel harassed, use any and all ignore features to make your playtime the best it can be!

Alludra the Mannerly Mage here doing her best to help you be the best player you can be!

And sometimes, even though we are totally awesome, we meet and run into those players who just plain...aren't.

Now we all try to be the bigger person, we all try to compromise, avoid or ignore these people politely. Maybe they are in our guild, an old friend who doesn't listen to the show, or maybe they are just some annoying guy who, for whatever reason, decided that you are going to be his best friend, punching bag, life coach or victim. Doesn't matter, we have ignore.

Now, everyone, I am going to make this clear: DON'T FEEL BAD FOR USING THE IGNORE FEATURE!

Seriously! Sometimes you just gotta block people! Your reasons, whatever they are, are your own, and never feel like you have to justify yourself. Not to your friends, guild mates, raid team or even the person you blocked! A block means I don't wanna talk to you!

And if they go around it, well report them to the mods, now we are in the harassment territory.

Seriously, don't be afraid of using the tools at your disposal, and don't let anyone try and make you feel bad if you want to get out of an uncomfortable situation. 

#36 Leveling

New expansions abound so how to head off the drama that can be caused by mismatching gameplay priorities.

Alludra the mannerly mage here helping you have fun!

One thing that can cause friction for a raiding team with a new expansion is leveling and gearing up speed. Some of your raiders may want to take their time and see the content at their own pace, other raiders want to burn through everything and gear as fast as possible to get back to end game progression. This can lead to conflicts and surprisingly, can be more trouble than the pre expansion doldrums!

So what to do?

To head off any in fighting make sure your raid team has discussed 'the gaming plan' before it actually becomes a problem. If it's already started and your team is at odds it's still not too late. Try and set a compromising time frame to level and gear up inside.

Remember, the key to compromise isn't making everyone happy, it's making neither person happy!

Even after the talk, unless your team is 100% on board, expect to lose some raiders,  but during an expansion's beginning is a great time to scout for new potential guildies and teammates. (Remember guys, when I said not to be rude? Yeah, it's for reasons like this!)

Leveling is just a new type of progression, be prepared, set a time frame and your guild, group, or team can make it through unscathed. 

#35 Achievements

Achievements don't vanish once you change characters, but why spend all your time arguing about it?

Alludra the mannerly mage here helping you be the best player you can be!

Something I love about world of warcraft's new expansion is the changes they have made to the achievement system! I am a huge fan of the fact that all my toons seem to have my achievements linked on them and I can work on progress on whichever character I am currently on. After all, I am the one that earned them, I should get to see how I am progressing!

SO I love hearing how I didn't actually earn them when I am playing on an alt.

Thanks random player for telling me that the weeks of wiping on various bosses working on progression don't matter because I have switched characters. What's that? The horseman's mount I spent four years earning and got on a lucky drop on the wrong toon shouldn't apply to the character I truly wanted it on? We shouldn't question the all knowing RNG's wisdom is that it?

Look guys, like it or not, I worked hard for all my achievements, no matter what character I earned them on. Yes, a level 4 isn't likely to be a loremaster, but for some of us, these are awesome perks we got for working so hard on our characters in the first place.

So what do you say we all live and let live and keep the pvp in the battlegrounds?

#34 Draaaamaaa

Playtime should be fun, not a constant nag fest by a friend who doesn't understand boundaries.

Alludra the mannerly mage here, helping you avoid those social pitfalls in mmo gaming.

One thing I enjoy about MMO gaming is hanging out with my friends over long distances, taking a break from life and in general hanging out and goofing around. SO don't you just love it when your guldmates decide to try and drag you into their drama?

Personally I love hearing how player x can't do the dishes, and won't help out around the house more. Please oh please fill my downtime explaining about everything thatn's wrong in your real life, ignoring the fact that I play to unwind.

What's that? You don't know why everyone's blocking you? Well maybe it's because people play games and don't want to be dragged into a never ending drama fest!

Look, as friends we all care when you are having a hard time, but hearing about real life aggro buttons can be draining on a friendship. And if you are dumping on your whole guild? Friends and strangers alike? Well maybe you should rethink what exactly vent means.

Because before too long, that greenwall might just be gone. 

#33 Burning bridges

How common courtesy can go a long way to helping you find friends in MMO's. The other players aren't your enemies guys. 

Alludra the mannerly mage here helping you avoid...awkward....ness

Tons of games are out right now, getting expansions, new content, or are just whole new experiences as a whole. This is a chance to make new friends and start new MMO adventures

I KNOW! LET'S BE RUDE!!

Seriously, you have no idea how many times I run an instance or pug with strangers and find that everyone is exceptionally rude, the guilded players, the unguilded players, the cross realm guys! Wow guys, way to win friends and influence people.

Whether you like it or not, you are together to meet a common goal, whether it is a dungeon, raid, World boss, or pvp event. I'm not saying you have to be best friends, but a bit of common courtesy would go a long way to making sure you don't accidentally burn some bridges.

Or you could sit there and insult everyone and wonder why you aren't getting any heals. I am sure that just means the healer, who is keeping everyone else topped of, just doesn't see you, standing in the fire and insulting everyone.

#32 Advice gone wrong

Alludra discusses what happens when advice is taken all wrong.

Alludra the mannerly mage here, helping you avoid those social missteps that can lead to no group invites.

Last week we spoke about conspiracies, and how you aren't the center of them. (sorry!) Now let's talk about the other side of that! no not being the center of a conspiracy, but taking my advice wrong.

Grouping up for the quests is fast, easy, and will get you out of those choke points in a zone, but grouping for a quest and then going afk, letting your team mates do all the work while you just soak up the xp is not only wrong, but it's a great way to get yourself black listed.

Don't be so lazy! Find a mob, kill a mob! Do your share of the work! That's the point of the game and teaches you how to play. Or you can be that guy who doesn't know how to play. I'm sure everyone would love that.  

#31 Expansions

We are back and talking expansions and typical conspiracy theories! (As in, no, you aren't the center of one!)