So I logged on with Cyberman 8 and nobody else from the group was on server. So I decided to head to Recluse's Victory. The high level PVP Zone. I was looking forward to giving this a go since I had gotten Focussed Accuracy as a power. I already had good perception, and figured this would make me far less of an easy Stalker Kill. I've actually been right so far. They -can- still kill me. But they really have to -work- for it now. I can see them coming with much greater reliability.
Not what I was going to talk about actually, but just to give you an idea of what drew me there. I wanted to see if any teams were going, see if we could take down some AVs, maybe get some badges. But a big part of it boils down to "FINALLY I have a fair chance against the blasted Stalkers! Let's see how this works!"
So I'm in there zooming around looking for anything interesting to do. I see a Brute taking down some Longbow. Hmm... Tough, but maybe if I pop elude at the right time I could make a go of this. I engaged him...
He runs.
Bwah?
Understand, now, that a Brute in the hands of a competent player just should not NEED to run. They, like Tankers, are the epitome of toe-to-toe combat. This is confusing and irritating behavior.
So I put him on "follow" and give chase. He will NOT fight me.
But he does keep going back to those Longbow guys and keeps trying to kill them. I stopped to watch him for a bit. Asked someone else what the deal was.
"Oh him? He's one of those Chinese farmers. He's farming infamy and salvage."
Oh really...? (slow burn begins)
I'm well acquainted with Farmers in WoW and the jacked up prices in the auction houses.
But more importantly, I'm all of a sudden INCENSED about this. Combination of tiredness. A sore throat, and simply the idea that what was once a game seemingly largely free from all of the "economy crap". Plus the idea that the only reason this guy is a Brute is not because it's the best way for this guy to PVP, but the best PROTECTION that a farmer could get in this zone. He could pound me into paste with the right combination of moves, but he runs because he is more interested in milking the system then fighting.
Oh it is SO on! I'm dogging this guy mercilessly.
I figure out quickly that going toe to toe isn't going to be the best option under normal circumstances. Everytime I engage he runs. And if he can't get rid of me (and he CAN'T, because Cyberman 8 is LITERALLY the fastest thing in that Zone!) he'll look for a group of high end NPCs to sit in so they'll do his dirty work for him. This just makes me madder.
I also figure out that he wants to snag the Arachnos Heavy Bots because it's the only real way he can effectively "bot farm" the system.
I can't consistently throw down with him because he'll move into NPCs or just keep running.
But I CAN make it devilishly hard for him to snag a heavy. Because it's like any other "glowie" click. If you get hit while doing it, it interrupts you and you have to start over.
And I can even keep him from effectively using one even if he does have it by dogging it instead of him. If I pop elude, I can bash on the thing and neither the Bot or him can hit me while I take it to pieces.
So I'm on him like glue. I even stop fighting him. Just standing there in his face, daring him to do something if he stops in any location. "C'mon big guy! Take a shot!" If he moves, I'm with him. If he goes for a heavy, I'm there to short circuit his plans.
He never said one word to anyone. I don't know if he even knew English or not. Nobody on hero or villain side saw him type anything.
This proceeds for a couple of hours. Yes. I said HOURS. He was very persistent. But I was not to be denied. I even got people on both Hero and Villain sides to help out. Villains would take Heavies so that he couldn't take them. Or report when he was AFKing in the base waiting for me to leave. He finally decided to leave in the middle of the zone while he was over by the tram by using the Base or Pocket D transporter and we denied him even that! He had to leave by scurrying at top speed to the villain base with me hot on his heels all the way until I had to pull up short before getting "droned". I watched him leave and checked that he was gone for real by checking the /whoall command. I didn't see him again in any case.
I think I may have put a rather noticeable dent in his quota for the evening. Two whole hours and he didn't get crap done. I spent another hour doing the same thing to a "pal" of his who who showed up doing the same thing. This one was actually kinda feisty and would fight me. But ultimately he wanted me gone so he could go back to farming and I wouldn't let him. He finally ran as well.
Thing is... I actually had a -fun- time doing this. I am not by nature a bully, but the thought of a couple of guys in some sweatshop in Asia somewhere swearing at their monitors...
Well. I have to admit it filled me with positively SAVAGE glee.
This worries me just a bit. I'm wondering if I was being an utterly COLOSSAL prick about this? Or am I on the side of the angels?
Mind you, this isn't something I would do on any consistent basis. I've usually got -much- better things I can do with my time. This is not something I really want to commit to.
But if I go back there and see them or someone like them again under similar circumstances? Oh yeah... "No farming for YOU tonight!"
-Logan
-----------------
"Wake up! Time for SCIENCE!"
-Adam Savage
-----------------
Not what I was going to talk about actually, but just to give you an idea of what drew me there. I wanted to see if any teams were going, see if we could take down some AVs, maybe get some badges. But a big part of it boils down to "FINALLY I have a fair chance against the blasted Stalkers! Let's see how this works!"
So I'm in there zooming around looking for anything interesting to do. I see a Brute taking down some Longbow. Hmm... Tough, but maybe if I pop elude at the right time I could make a go of this. I engaged him...
He runs.
Bwah?
Understand, now, that a Brute in the hands of a competent player just should not NEED to run. They, like Tankers, are the epitome of toe-to-toe combat. This is confusing and irritating behavior.
So I put him on "follow" and give chase. He will NOT fight me.
But he does keep going back to those Longbow guys and keeps trying to kill them. I stopped to watch him for a bit. Asked someone else what the deal was.
"Oh him? He's one of those Chinese farmers. He's farming infamy and salvage."
Oh really...? (slow burn begins)
I'm well acquainted with Farmers in WoW and the jacked up prices in the auction houses.
But more importantly, I'm all of a sudden INCENSED about this. Combination of tiredness. A sore throat, and simply the idea that what was once a game seemingly largely free from all of the "economy crap". Plus the idea that the only reason this guy is a Brute is not because it's the best way for this guy to PVP, but the best PROTECTION that a farmer could get in this zone. He could pound me into paste with the right combination of moves, but he runs because he is more interested in milking the system then fighting.
Oh it is SO on! I'm dogging this guy mercilessly.
I figure out quickly that going toe to toe isn't going to be the best option under normal circumstances. Everytime I engage he runs. And if he can't get rid of me (and he CAN'T, because Cyberman 8 is LITERALLY the fastest thing in that Zone!) he'll look for a group of high end NPCs to sit in so they'll do his dirty work for him. This just makes me madder.
I also figure out that he wants to snag the Arachnos Heavy Bots because it's the only real way he can effectively "bot farm" the system.
I can't consistently throw down with him because he'll move into NPCs or just keep running.
But I CAN make it devilishly hard for him to snag a heavy. Because it's like any other "glowie" click. If you get hit while doing it, it interrupts you and you have to start over.
And I can even keep him from effectively using one even if he does have it by dogging it instead of him. If I pop elude, I can bash on the thing and neither the Bot or him can hit me while I take it to pieces.
So I'm on him like glue. I even stop fighting him. Just standing there in his face, daring him to do something if he stops in any location. "C'mon big guy! Take a shot!" If he moves, I'm with him. If he goes for a heavy, I'm there to short circuit his plans.
He never said one word to anyone. I don't know if he even knew English or not. Nobody on hero or villain side saw him type anything.
This proceeds for a couple of hours. Yes. I said HOURS. He was very persistent. But I was not to be denied. I even got people on both Hero and Villain sides to help out. Villains would take Heavies so that he couldn't take them. Or report when he was AFKing in the base waiting for me to leave. He finally decided to leave in the middle of the zone while he was over by the tram by using the Base or Pocket D transporter and we denied him even that! He had to leave by scurrying at top speed to the villain base with me hot on his heels all the way until I had to pull up short before getting "droned". I watched him leave and checked that he was gone for real by checking the /whoall command. I didn't see him again in any case.
I think I may have put a rather noticeable dent in his quota for the evening. Two whole hours and he didn't get crap done. I spent another hour doing the same thing to a "pal" of his who who showed up doing the same thing. This one was actually kinda feisty and would fight me. But ultimately he wanted me gone so he could go back to farming and I wouldn't let him. He finally ran as well.
Thing is... I actually had a -fun- time doing this. I am not by nature a bully, but the thought of a couple of guys in some sweatshop in Asia somewhere swearing at their monitors...
Well. I have to admit it filled me with positively SAVAGE glee.
This worries me just a bit. I'm wondering if I was being an utterly COLOSSAL prick about this? Or am I on the side of the angels?
Mind you, this isn't something I would do on any consistent basis. I've usually got -much- better things I can do with my time. This is not something I really want to commit to.
But if I go back there and see them or someone like them again under similar circumstances? Oh yeah... "No farming for YOU tonight!"
-Logan
-----------------
"Wake up! Time for SCIENCE!"
-Adam Savage
-----------------