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Everyday you see guides, tips, and strategies compiled to help people play a better hero, or maybe hone in on a specific role. I'd like to take this to arguably the most GAME BREAKING occurance in games, and how to ensure not only that it wont happen to you, but maybe deter potential issues.
Morale is, quite simply put, how your team, or an individual feels (ie. confidence, loyalty, even enthusiasm.) about the game, their team, and the tasks ahead,
How this all starts?:
Anyone whose played Hon long enough, knows you run into "bad mannered" players. Some times, these occurrences are unavoidable. You'll get rude, mad, un-cooperative players, and yes, this will potentially and often cost you the game. But more often then not, these players are antagonized the entire game, via name calling, vote kicks, hell, maybe even depending on what heroes you've got, you tossed him into the other team to piss him off more! Now while this may feel satisfying for the time being, you've literally just added to the problem. Or maybe you've got a player, on the brink of frustration, that's playingetc. for the team, with 5ck 14mins in, 3 levels lower then the rest of his team, just trying to afford wards, counter wards, and be there when needed. 30mins into this game, hes 1-6, and while your team is being stomped, someone says something along the lines of, "GG FEEDER WITCH, PLANT, NOOB, U SUCK!!! FFSDSFDS!!". I can almost guarantee 2 things are about to occur, 1 being that an argument will begin, about how said support is just trying to do his job and maybe if said carry or whoever is complaining did better at his role, they wouldn't be in this situation, and 2, the MORALE of the team will drop because of this flame war that begins. I'm sure you've all seen one go down, whether you were part of it or not, meanwhile as people fight with each other, your base is pushed, kongor is killed, an enemy carry free farms a lane, or even something as simple as now you've got 2 angry players who will probably bicker back and forth the rest of the game, you've just SEVERELY hurt your chances at winning the game, and I guarantee you've also just lowered your enjoyment, because after all, this is a game inst it?
What to really do:
Now while that incoherent baby cries about someone on his team with a less then positive score, lets look at what could of been done to prevent this from happening, and give some basic guidelines to keep Team Morale High, and eliminate these flame war cancers to your team.
- Make Intelligent picks
Game Modes are designed with time at the Hero Selection screen, and contrary to popular belief, its not just to imagine how Empath looks under her robe, or see how many heroes you can right click before time runs out. Teams that are planned out, typically have a better success rate. What do you need? Support, Initiation, carry, Find whose playing what, and fulfill the required roles.
- Communicate
From Start to finish, talk to your teammates when possible. Yes, not everyone uses a mic or hears sound, yes, not everyone speaks your language, but make an attempt to talk and help out. From the hero selection where you should be discussing whose playing what, to the decision on who wards, who monkeys, can someone upgrade the courier right off the bat? whose playing in what lane? Communication is VITAL to success. If all else fails...pings are universal.
- Be Polite!
Lets take a Scenario. In both cases you're playing mid as hag, your bottom lane really needs a gank, in instance one, one player says to you. "Mid is noob, no ganks we lose." In all honesty, what that person is trying to express is "hey we really need a gank down here to even the odds up a bit, can you please come down?" Which one of those two Dialogues would you rather receive as the mid hag? Even I know when someone would rather complain, cry, and belittle me, I'm not going to be very interested in helping them too soon, whether their right or not. Politeness is an excellent way to keep down frustration, and to keep the temperature cool on that flame war that could erupt at any genocide, or bad play. Being polite can also mean being supportive, if someone comes down to gank for you, or maybe just dies in lane, rather then dropping a "...wtf", or "gg feed" how about "nice try" or "ahhh so close :\" Being polite and supportive will show your teammates not only that you're not a egotistical ball of douche, but that you're interested in their play and success as well.
- Enjoy the Game!
This can mean all kinds of things. Have a laugh! If a enemy Behemoth ports in, ults, and your entire team looks like they were just squished under a giant cow wielding a tree, laugh about it. Don't toss up a concede, and when its voted against AFK the rest of the game, or Blame your teammate for not landing a cc to stop him. Or maybe your having an off day, dropping points faster then dropping panties at a sorority house party. Its still just a game, switch it up, play a NO stats as your favorite hero, or maybe take a hero with one dedicated role, and try something off the wall with him. Whats that? Pyro with a shroud so you can just come out and ult people and Run? that sounds hilarious. But don't do this at everyone's expense in a MM game, play a no stats. Just think, wouldn't you be frustrated if someone was doing this while you were trying to win? Maybe it'll be the worst idea ever, or maybe it'll be really fun and successful, but hopefully it'll get you out of your rut, and make you realize, "oh yeah! this is just a game on the internet!" Chances are if you're enjoying yourself, being polite, mannered, communicating, and everything else that promotes good team play will just come naturally!
Finally, try to..
- PLAY SMART
Try to play with some common sense. Pay attention to your mini map, chat, pings, everything that could somehow or another benefit your survival, farm, and chances to win. Be aware of ward placements, counter wards, heroes that could be kongorin'g early, roamers, HERO LEVELS. If a hero likejust hit 6, its a good idea to let your team know, especially that junglin'g legionnaire whose got 25hp and living on the edge! Or how about this: Your the carry, your team is pushing top lane trying to take a tower, while you farm bottom, and suddenly 4 of the defenders at top go missing. 10 seconds go by and no sign of them, yet your still farming away, living a care free life. You probably should of Backed up about 5 seconds ago, because wards or not, your about to be ganked 4v1. or perhaps your soloing against 2 heroes, you have a clear level advantage, but the other 2 heroes happen to have 2 stuns or heavy nukes. Dont aim for kills, aim to survive, maintain a level advantage, and be ready when your team decides to come gank for you, or you to gank for them! If you cant get in range to last hit every single creep without being nuked and stunned to death, you probably shouldn't go for creep kills, and just try to maintain experience in the lane! Be an advocate in your own survival and success! Carrying things like TP's are huge as well. Not only can they get you somewhere to defend quickly, but if your being attacked and no one can stun you, its a great way to escape death rather then just trying to fog and outrun them
In closing, I really hope this thread will be reviewed and read just for what it is, a guide to helping people maintain a fun gaming environment. So many losses have been washed away simply because simple rules like I reviewed never crossed anyone's mind, and too many games have been Over before they started due to flame wars and nonsense. Enjoy your time in Newerth, and try to enjoy the company you have, rather then playing a 9v1
Last edited by Sinthetic; 02-21-2011 at 03:25 PM.
i wish that every single player on HoN had to read this before even start playing
Well done
Originally Posted by lDaRkNeSsl
thanks. I really appreciate it. Contrary to belief it took a little while to make this, even though I found I wanted to go more in depth then I did ahah
Check my guide on TEAM MORALE here:
Excellent thread, most people acknowledge that this community has issues but it is nice to read something that doesn't oversimplify it to a "be nice" or attempt to validate it by claiming "lawlz it is the internet l2 grow skin". Well done sir +1
Excellent job indeed though in theory everything seems golden.
In reality its hard to keep your cool if there are some extremely irritating factors in play.
But thumbs up anyway
If your confidence breaks, so shall you.
nice one
"The doomwhale was a large aquatic animal and the most dangerous predator of Safehold.
These pure carnivores were known to run to as much as one hundred feet in length. Each doomwhale required a huge range, and encounters with them were rare, as they seldom bothered with a prey as small as humans. Doomwhales would eat almost anything, including even the largest krakens. They were known, on extremely rare occasions, to attack merchant ships and even war galleys."
Hay I was that 1-6 witch lololololololol, thanks mang
I agree with the thread, it's a good one.
But actually following this ingame is so incredibly hard at times haha.
In the end I don't think it's a very big problem, though. At least I know that I personally actually enjoy a bit of flaming just to vent some anger over other things, maybe it's just me and I'm a horrible person though.
And it's very easily solved by playing with friends.
But yeah, definitely agree with you, OP.
Sticky?!
Thanks for the input everyone btw
and yes, you were that 1-6 witch
Check my guide on TEAM MORALE here:
Good, but surely going to be overlooked, post!
I feel the main issue with respect in this game is that the mass majority only "likes" you and will joke with you if you are killing the enemy team left and right. I personally like to try to form friendships on online games, but in HoN that simply is impossible unless i'm 2000/0/123 as Hellbringer. I understand that the game is serious, Hell I like to win too, but people on this game especially seem more interested in defending their own lackluster skills than actually trying to make a friend and potential future ally. Just my seven cents.
-Rapterz:fors:
:jera:
:chro:
Easiest way to win pubs is to go mid with a ganker and demoralize one specific player on the enemy team. Nymphs can only take getting one shot so many times before team rage happens usually leading to an early concede.
so trueand more often than not, if the team wasn't raging at each other they'd still be in the game!
Check my guide on TEAM MORALE here:
I completely agree with OP but I seriously have so much fun messing with ragers.
6800/6800 sir,
Can we get this stickied or what?
Check my guide on TEAM MORALE here:
Gotta love making people rage on the enemy team indeed. Someone should make a guide to "How to infuse anger on the other team!".
How to flame people in a way that will spark anger between other team like:
"I loved how little help you got there"
"Ha! WS could have stunned but didn't, I'll remember to add him after this, what a buddy"
"Must be hard getting such bad players in MM - I'm happy I'm not on your team".
Any comment like this should spark at least one guy on the other team to rage and as this guide says: Rage on your team: bad - rage on the enemy team: good.
Come to think of it, if someone had spectacular skill in abusing this, it would counter relative bad skill, by having an impact on games in the favor of your team..
Didn't everyone know this before they read it? No ofcourse they didn't, but everything is just too obvious. Good thing that someone typed this down, I've lost count on how many games I've turned around by stopping a flame war on my team and making everyone to cooperate. I've also lost count on how many games have been lost because I wasn't able to turn the tide, or for that matter, people raged at me with noone to support me (aka stop the rage).
Everyone
Don't forget the ever popular "Nice KS" - say this to opponents and encourage what they're already thinking, never EVER say it to your teammates, no matter how blatant. Dead opponents are dead opponents.
Also fun, if your opponents take their team drama to the all chat, either pick a side and comment accordingly (quickly! don't waste too much time typing!), or say something like "Game going bad, everyone quick blame each other!"
haha dirty but so true ;p
Check my guide on TEAM MORALE here:
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