Game Dynamics Results

This survey focused on group formation, group duration, leader emergence, leadership factors and other in-game dynamics. Of 335 responses to this survey, 90% were male, 10% were female.

Group Formation (Back to Top)

Do you usually initiate invitations or are you usually invited by someone?

Of 31 female responses:

- 16 are usually invited.

- 3 usually invite.

- 12 do half/half

Using a sample of 31 males:

- 15 are usually invited.

- 9 usually invite.

- 7 do half/half

Group Duration (Back to Top)

Do you usually group with the same people or different people? How often do you group with someone more than once?

Of 31 females, 18 usually group with the same people. Females tend to group with a smaller number of people.

Of a sample of 31 males, 8 usually group with the same people. Men tend to group with a larger number of people.

Loot Order (Back to Top)

Is there a perfect loot order or loot arrangement?

1)    Alpha Loot

personally i like alpha with a certain monetary value set before moving on

Yes, alpha looting directed by the group leader.  This way if a  person is not following the order the leader can boot them to make  a point.

2)    Randomized Loot (typing “/random 100”)

No.  The MOST fair I've encountered has been /random 1 100 but ensuring that no person walks away with more than one item

The /random command is the only real fair way to do it.  In that everyone has a chance to loot the item.  Once you've looted an item, you are out of all special loots until all else have one.  In my guild format though often the loot will go to who needs it and will use it.  If there is more than one person who fits this criteria, those few will random for it.  After those that need one each get one, then the others will be able to get one to sell/trade to other players. 

3)    Honor Loot

people grab whatever, and if someone needs something, then give it to them... this is great as long as nobody is greedy.

Honor loot (take whatever you need, just don't get greedy) on normal  mobs is my favorite. When we have a special spawn to kill, we usually  /random for it.

4)    Depends

Honor loot works best when there's nothing special being fought.  If something with good loot is being fought, then random looting is best.  If something REALLY big is being fought, then I would prefer the merit system or randomization.

For most looting, Free For All with the rule of don't be greedy seems  best.  Random on the good things is also a nice idea.  Alpha loot and  the like involve someone keeping track of whose turn it is, and I  have yet to meet someone who can do that well for extended periods of  time.

Leadership (Back to Top)

How often are you the leader of a group?

Of the 31 female responses:

- 6 usually lead

- 4 do it 50% of the times

- 21 seldom lead

Of a sample of 31 males:

- 10 usually lead

- 9 do it 50% of the times

- 12 seldom lead

Leadership Factors (Back to Top)

Do you feel that a particular class or kind of character usually leads the group?

1)    Melee Classes

Generally tanks lead.

Tanks are the best leaders.

Warrior-types most often.

I feel that tank types who will be pullers tend to have a better overview of how a battle should go, and, unless someone else has a lot of experience in the area where we are hunting, I look to them to lead.

2)    Experience

Mostly the oldest (in group time), or the highest level, but normally someone steps up and announces he will lead, because he/she  is in for a long playing session anyway.

usually just the most experienced

3)    No in-game factors

No...leaders are usually based on the personality of the real person behind the keyboard...I am a very open, vocal person, therefor, I usually initiate a group and just start inviting the people to join me when we all meet up.

No, it is the person behind the character, I play a monk, rogue, druid, cleric, bard, SK, enchanter and have played them all to 50, and I have always lead the group.

No, usually a personality type.  The person willing to type a lot, keep communication up and with the knowledge of the game to who what is safe and not safe for the group.

Goal-Driven / Spontaneous (Back to Top)

How goal-oriented is your EQ adventuring, or do you prefer to be spontaneous when you play?

Of 31 women, 6 are usually goal-oriented

Of a sample of 31 men, 10 are usually goal-oriented.

Examples of Goal-Driven Answers:

I want to level, I care about nothing else.  All my RL friends are 15+ levels  higher than me.  I want to catch up so I can hunt with them.

i set goals. like what items by which lvl. i group my goals by 5 lvls.

I usually log on with some form of gaol (such as get 1 bub of exp in 2 hours) but I usally just log on and whatever happens happens.

Examples of Non-Goal-Driven Answers:

I usually want to have a good time and enjoy playing rather than worry about items and levels.

Spontaneous is the way to go for me.  If we decide to hunt in Unrest then we hop on the boat. 

I'm spontaneous and I help my friends when they need me !

Game Dynamics Discussion (Back to Top)

Many respondents seemed to agree that melee classes tend to be the leaders of the group, citing in-game reasons such as they are ones who initiate combat, who are at the fore-front of combat and usually the ones who pull mobs. A smaller number of respondents, on the other hand, argue that these in-game factors don’t matter and that it is the player’s personality that matters in the end. Since most people observe that melee classes tend to lead, we are left with two kinds of answers. Either melee classes usually lead because in-game factors facilitate these classes into becoming leaders regardless of player personality, or because certain player personalities prefer to be a melee class and drift towards leadership positions in the game.

Noticing that many out-game female stereotypes carry into the game, we might be tempted to opt for the latter option. For example, we notice that female players, when compared with male players, are less likely to start a group, are less likely to lead a group, but tend to group more often with a smaller circle of friends. But this is not convincing evidence because we also know that most female players tend to play female characters in the game, so it may not be an out-game factor.

On the other hand, we know from the Meta-Character survey that different characters do indeed promote different kinds of personalities. It would make sense that melee types are more vocal and aggressive in the game because the game necessitates them being at the fore-front of every battle.

But some respondents give evidence that personality does matter. For example:

I am usually invited by people, because I don't really want to be in charge of a group, I don't want to let people down

I am usually invited because I do not want the responsibility of being a leader in this game

We come to a point where we are forced to admit that both must influence the outcome of leadership emergence – that certain personalities tend to be leaders, and that melee classes also tend to be leaders. We expect that both influence the likelihood that a character becomes the leader of a group, but that neither is necessary. One respondent’s answer makes this point well:

Prefer others invite.  I am a manager at work, and like to relax while I play.  Sometimes when its not coming together I take initiative but prefer not to in game.

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