Beginners guide to buff begging

[Peep]

This is my opinion on how you should go about getting buffs. I am sure many will agree with me and by the same token many will disagree. What prompted me to write this is that I pay a subscription to play the game not just so I can buff you. I don’t mind buffing people but there is a small but significant number of ungrateful people who seem determined to spoil my game play. This has forced me to use another character to lfg for my mp so I can avoid the aggravation.

What buff do I need?
Click here to find out what buff you need and who can cast it on you.
Go to the “Item Type” pull down menu and select “Nanos”
Go to the “Item Affects” pull down menu and select “Agility”
Click “Search”

You will see a number of Nanos show up, some are self only, some are debuffs.
There are only 3 here that will do you any good.
Click on each one and have a look.

There are a few things to look for here:

Flag – DefaultTarget (if you see this then it is a self only buff and cannot be cast on others, no good to you)
NCUcost – 43 (make sure you have enough NCU for the buff)
Requirements
to use
Self VisualProfession == Adventurer
Self Level >= 195
Self PsychologicalModification >= 775
Self SensoryImprovement >= 775
(you will need a very high level Adventurer, notice how it says “VisualProfession” this means an agent could cast it too)

Now check out Feline Grace buff, Agent, 17 NCU, only 252 PM SI needed so the Agent does not need to be that high, level 50 should be safe. Ok check you have 17 NCU free now lets go find a level 50+ agent to hassle. *buff will only last for 30 minutes so be ready.

Finding your target
A good place is where the higher levels gather to look for a team, if you are clan then Tir just outside the South Gate. Another is the shopping channel, try not to spam and be prepared to tip for the service.
You can use the list command to see if your targeted profession is about, /list agen 50 200. (see /list help for instructions on how to use) Or target people and press “T” until you find the profession you are after.

Shopping Channel
If you see someone advertising on shopping channel offering to buff you for tips please remember that the only reason they are doing this is to make some money so keep that in mind when it comes to tipping time.

Stalking the Target
For the most part your target will be a high level player 120+ and for them the novelty of buffing people has long worn off. They will buff you for a number of reasons, they know they will need a buff someday too, they don’t want to end up on some ones black list, it is the fastest way to be rid of you or just for the money. (Heard some do it just to be nice, but that might just be a nasty rumour)

The idea here is to make things as easy as possible for the buffer so stand in front of them so they know where you are, if they do give you the buff they will need to be able to target you. (if you typed /list and don’t know where they are see below).

If you are in a yalm or car get out of it or stay in it, do not ask then start do get out as you cannot be buffed while changing state.

Make sure you have the NCU free!!


The /Tell
This is what it all comes down to and everyone has a different idea on how this should be done so whatever you do someone will not be happy. Some find abbreviations offensive especially “leet speak” as in “moch me plz” others want the request in vicinity others in a /tell.

I think the most important thing here is to get everything you want across in just one tell while still being polite about it. This way they do not have to even type in a reply if they don’t wish to.


/macro buffme /tell %t hi, sorry to trouble you but could I get MC and TS mochams please.


I would copy and paste that macro, stand in front of the person, target them and hit the macro, this should work most of the time. Of course this will not satisfy everyone but then what will?


The /List Approach
Be very careful here as this is one of the best ways to get on someone’s /ignore list.
If you found the type of character you are looking for on /list but don’t know where they are I would alt – tab while running around hoping to spot them. If you need the buff that bad and are willing to run the risk, offer money “/tell persononlist hi, sorry to be a bother but found your name on /list and need TS MC mochams bad, will pay 500k can you help me please?” and keep you fingers crossed, if you are very lucky they will even refuse the tip too. Unfortunately you would have to be extremely lucky to find any high level MP not /anon due to being hassled via /list.


The Tip
If you are a newbie one of the first things you need to understand is that a huge amount like 200k is just a token amount to a 125+ character. I am going to come at this from the buffers point of view.

No matter what anyone tells you the majority of people want tips for their buffs, if only for the opportunity to refuse the buff so they get the nice warn fuzzy feeling “see I not only buffed you but didn’t charge you”. Anyone who disagrees with this is probably a level 50 engineer (no offence to the engis out there) and there will be those that will disagree, you cannot make everyone happy no matter how hard you try.

For the most part if you are under 75 and don’t look like a “twink” your tip will not be accepted but at least you offered. So what do you tip? There are no hard and fast rules here but if you are level 180 and you offer 5k guess what you can do with it.

Under 50: 1k – 10k
Between 50 – 100: 10k – 50k
Between 100 – 200: 50k – 500k (I wouldn’t pay more than 500k for normal buffs)

This of course should increase depending on how much hassle the buffer needs to go to. You will never know if your tip will be accepted, if the buffer is broke at the time then the chances are it will be. In my experience only about 1 in 10 people even bother to tip about the same ratio of people that don’t even say thank you, so it about evens up. If more people tipped I believe buffs would be a lot easier to come by.

Bye Bye
Don’t forget to say thank you maybe even throw in a /bow. Now time to make clean get away.

A True Story
Happened recently see if you can spot the mistakes.
(only the names have been changed to protect the noob)


Noob>hi
Hi

here we go

Noob> can you moch
Yes
Noob> can you cast moch on me plz
Yes
What sort?
Noob> MC TS
I can’t see you
Noob>where are you?

*(see below)

Tir SG
Noob> whats SG?
Tir outside the South Gate
Noob> omw
Noob> I’m here where are you?
On the path

spots Noob casts TS but no NCU for MC

not enough ncu
Noob> try now

casts MC

Noob runs away, never to be seen again. Not even so much as a thankyou! (added to never buff again list).
*normally I would stop here and do one of two things: ignore them and if they continue bugging me /ignore them for real or “this is your lucky day if you can find me you win a free buff”, “cool, so where are you?”, “ahh if I told you that would be cheating”. I must have been in a really good mood that day with Noob.

To Sum it all up

• Be prepared, know what you need and the NCU it will take up.
• Stand in front of the buffer before you ask, don’t made them look for you.
• Give all the info in the first tell don’t make them drag it out of you.
• Tips are appreciated even if they are not accepted, at least say thank you.

[_____________Dredsel]

Bravo...seems to be a few threads around in various forums on this subject but I do believe this one needs a big fat sticky right here on the nOOb forum. Nice write up Tink.

[_______________Nikki]

deserves a sticky I find most people really appreciate a full sentence when you ask for a buff, and abbreviations don't go over well. I even had someone once ask me to use vicinity next time because buff begging tells clog the temporary buddy list.

However, sometimes you won't get a response if vicinity is used. So I didn't listen to that

And, to the buffers, just remember we were all that noob once. I remember not tipping sometimes when I was a total n00b because I was just clueless and scared of the interaction.

p.s. once I dragged an MP from a hiding spot in a rock for PM/SI mochies :X I saw the meatball floating near it sounds like the rudest thing ever but I made him laugh and I tipped him well Just be nice and friendly and you'll get your buff !

[_____________oohbaby]

I use the list trick a lot. What I do is first decide what it is I need and who it is I am likely to get it from. If I need a real low level wrangle then my target is a trader but not just any trader. I dont want to use the big guns unless I absolutly have to. I try and determine what would be the likly level of the character I need to get the buff from would need to be. Then I usually use this line and so far its been about 90 percent effective. "Hey (bob) can I be a leech and bum a wrangle off you." That line usually signafies that not only do I know you can cast the buff but that I am already admitting that I am a total loser and have no choice but to beg a buff off you. It seems to do the trick. I never ask someone if they can cast something. It will give them an out and you dont want to do that. "Hey (bob) can you cast wrangle?" (ql 200 bob) "um no sorry i dont have that yet." me - "ok (bob) thanks anyway (mumble - F-ing lier)." The only time I ask someone if they can cast a nano is if I am unsure of what quality player I am looking for. If that person casts it for me then I got lucky but I usually only ask to learn. I can use that lesson on the next guy and that way I will know that that person will be of sufficient level to cast the nano. If your a clanner by far the best location for buffs is outside Tir at the South Gate. Thats where most high level players hang out and just because you might be a level 1 character doesnt mean its your main character. For all they know you have 12 other characters of ql 200 so act is if. Act as if you are an alt even if your not.

For those of you that dont want to give alts then the most polite thing you should do is not answer. That to me is the universal sign for - no go away. For the rest of you if someone doesnt answer, dont send tells over and over and over again. Take the hint, move on, and find another player to get a buff from. If you dont get it tonight....oh well! Get it tomorrow. No sence in beating the game tonight anyway when you can do it tomorrow.

[willothefist]

I have a couple of simple rules when asking for buffs - be polite, ask in full sentences, know what I'm asking for, and if I have to use the /list and /tell method, I open with an apology for the uninvited /tell. Most of the time, I get a polite response and the buff I'm looking for, and I always offer a payment of 25K as a thank you.

The only toon I have that gets buff requests is my trader, and I work on the same principle as above - if someone's polite, asks in a proper sentence, and respects the fact that I'm not in the game just to provide them with buffing services then I'll buff them with pleasure. I don't ask for tips, but if someone's polite enough to offer one, I'll accept it. There are few things worse than getting a blind /tell "wranglez plz" from someone who's at the other end of the zone and doesn't know what they need.

True story.

Player 1 "runz plz"
me (fixer) "ok!"
I then run figure 8's around ent BB and the whompas 3 times before stopping in my original place.
player 1 "excuse me, could I get a run buff please?"
Me "sure"
Player 1 get his buff, an NCU buff, and my best HoT.

Player 2 "runz plz"
me "ok!"
Figure 8's around BB and whompa's.
Player 2 "*$&*%&*£*"

[didymus]

Nice guide!
Seeing as this guide may get sticky,
I suppose throwing in a few thoughts on wrangles might help some too.


Wrangles
Etiquette, use and how they work.

Wrangles are temporary buffs that traders can cast.
Many traders get a tad bitter over their time in AO, because the buff is sought after by many,
and a lot of newcomers don't know how the wrangles work. They can't be blamed, of course,
but it often leads to annoying situations for the trader. A lot of traders
commonly avoid places with people because of this.

( Yes, agents in false profession can also cast, but it's probably the rudest thing you can ask one for, so don't )

Confusing as wrangles may be to new people ..
This post should help you get it right and make sure you get what you want
out of your future wrangles.


How do they work?

There are two lines of wrangles :

Skill Wrangler - temporarily buffs one person.
Team Skill Wrangler - temporarily buffs all team members.

Both of these lines of wrangles will put up all your attack skills such as rifle, shotgun, heavy weapons, etc.
They will also put up all your nano skills, such as Time & Space, Psychological Modifications, etc.
Wrangles stack with every other buff.

None of the lines put up special skills like aimed shot and burst!

The different wrangles will go as low as 3 (skill wrangler) and 10 (Team Skill Wrangler)
at the lowest and buff for different values depending on the wrangle up to 131 (Skill Wrangler) and 132 (Team Skill Wrangler).

Important : When the trader is buffing you, his/her own nano skills and weapon skills will decrease.
They will decrease more than it will up yours, so a after a trader has wrangled you,
he/she might have her skills lowered enough to be incapable of casting the wrangle
over again unless the wrangle you needed was a low one for his/her level.

A wrangle lasts for three minutes, and after that, he/she will have his/her skills back to normal.


Prepare for Wrangle!

Because the wrangle only last 3 minutes, it should be the last thing
on the buffing agenda. Also remember that if you have a weapon that has specials like fling shot,
wrangles won't up the special skills. If you're going to equip a new weapon,
it is crucial that your special skill is high enough to meet the demand
from the weapon before the wrangling takes place.

Also take care that your new weapon/pet won't be OEd once the 3 minute duration wears off!

After getting all your buffs, check your skills. Find out how many points you are missing.
Then check your NCU. Find out wether you have enough NCU to take the wrangle you want.

You can check the Skill Wrangles and Team Skill Wrangles here.
( Link to auno.org, if anyone's got a better, please post so I can edit )

When you're ready for wrangle .....


Find a trader!

First off, /anon is a trader's friend, so /list won't usually work ..

If you want a wrangle, go to a place where there are mobs.
For clanners, head outside South Gate. In order to get their skills high enough
to cast the big wrangles, traders usually have to drain other mobs.
This means they run nanos to take the skills from mobs in order to raise their own.
On a place without any mobs, it will usually be impossible for a trader
to give you the higher wrangles without a change of location.
If mobs are around, traders should be able to wrangle you at least up to their
level in skills, provided they have taken the time to get the wrangle you request.

If you find a trader in a place where there are no mobs, you'll have to stick closely
to the etiquette guide if the wrangle's too high for the trader to cast without draining.

When you find a trader in an area with many people, don't send the request in a tell.
Chances are the trader is getting requests from many other people, and it gets
very annoying and frustrating trying to communicate with people who want wrangles
in addition to tells from other people. Just ask in vicinity instead ..


I found a trader!

You've found the trader and are about to specify your needs.
Tell the trader how big wrangle you need.

Often, traders deal with many would-be-wrangled at a time and it's easier
for them to gather the people who need wrangles in a team and do a team wrangle
than it is having to wrangle one at a time as traders usually can only wrangle once
every 3 minutes. If you're in a team yourself, it's much preferred if you leave your
team temporarily instead of inviting the trader to your team. Traders hate that.

Traders also hate leaving their teams to give team wrangles to others,
so if they are in a team, you should ask for a Skill Wrangler instead of Team Skill Wrangler.


I'm about to get wrangled! Where's the trader?

In order to cast the higher wrangles, traders usually have to drain mobs.
Don't worry, you'll get your wrangle soon, the trader's just gone away
to get his/her skills up and will be back in a minute or two.

Just follow the trader's lead. Often, you will be asked to stand your ground and not run off.
Do so and don't feel offended when the trader runs off just after asking ..


Post Wrangled

You got the wrangle. Now, do what you have to do and do it quick.
You only get 3 minutes, remember?
If you screw up now, you'll have to ask the trader again or ask another trader
and meanwhile, your buffs can go out,
so be prepared for making the most out of these three minutes.

After wrangling, said trader might not be able to wrangle again for another 3 minutes.


Doing all this, you and traders should avoid these common frustrations :

• Wrangled player hasn't got the buffs needed prior to wrangle.
• Wrangled player notices he/she didn't have enough NCU.
• Wrangled player didn't realise wrangles don't put up specials.
• Wrangled player gets surprised when 3 minutes over, he/she is OEd.
• Trader has to travel to someplace with mobs to wrangle one person
• Trader can't find person to wrangle because he/she disappears when trader drains
• Trader wrangles one after another using plenty of time because would-be-wrangled don't accept or ask for team invite.
• Trader gets asked for wrangles by players who just want to "see how high their skills will go".

It once took me nearly two hours to satisfy one would-be-wrangled.
It didn't matter much, though, because I was handing them out for free anyways,
but this player didn't know how they worked and frequently had to go and ask
for different buffs, get new imps in, etc. etc. etc. between the times he got wrangles ..

He got it right in the end, though ..


Edit :

Sheesh! Never thought I'd write this much ..
Bored at work, and it just came on it's own accord ..

Thanks to Willothefist for a rather important correction.
*hides in a corner*

[willothefist]

/me bows, and tips his hat in respect to Didymus for a great wrangle guide.

To err is human, but to admit you've err'd is the mark of a great human.

[didymus]

Originally posted by WilloTheFist
sorry, but I have to correct something here. Team skill wranglers DO increase nano skills.

http://www.aodb.info/showitem.asp?AOID=121227

Other than that, a great wrangle guide.

Sheesh!

Most of my knowledge now stems from the memory of the nanoprogram's description ..
I'm quite sure it only mentions upping attack skills and doesn't have a list of the skills buffed like the Skill Wrangler Line.

Thank you for the correction, Willo, I'll see to it that it gets corrected!

[Xezeor]

EXXANZ PLZ

[Rozcc]

Is it possible to advance in this game and have a well equipped character that can survive at the appropriate levels by just relying on IP and self-buffs when choosing equipment and weapons, or is it the expectation that everyone will be overequipped to the max and the game is balanced with that expectation?

I'm level 47 now, I just made myself a full set of level 50ish implants, and I'm grouping with people who say they're in their 40's with ql90 implants..

Am I doing something wrong?

[willothefist]

Originally posted by Ruuk
Is it possible to advance in this game and have a well equipped character that can survive at the appropriate levels by just relying on IP and self-buffs when choosing equipment and weapons, or is it the expectation that everyone will be overequipped to the max and the game is balanced with that expectation?

I'm level 47 now, I just made myself a full set of level 50ish implants, and I'm grouping with people who say they're in their 40's with ql90 implants..

Am I doing something wrong?

You're not doing ANYTHING wrong. It is completely feasable to be self supporting IP and buff-wise in the PvM side of the game, and just because it's possible to optimise a toon to the max doesn't mean that you have to.

Twinking/optimising really comes into it's own for PvP, but for PvM it doesn't make that much difference in the long run. Sure it's nice in PvM, but it's not essential. The players who are level 40 with 90 imps are probably well supported by alts, or using hand me down guild imps.

Some people change implants every 10 levels or so, but that's just too much stress for me. I go with 70-75's at level 20-23, 110-125's at level 50-60, and I'll be going with 200's at level 110-120 when I finally get a toon that high!

[_________________Zak]

Originally posted by Ruuk


Am I doing something wrong?

Not at all - it's exactly as WilloTheFist said.....i would just add a few things though

It is of course possible to go through the game self buffed - and as an MA/Soldier/Advent/Fixer etc you can team with people and they either won't notice that you aren't "twinked" to the max or they won't really care.

When it comes to classes with a very specifc and very needed role:

Docs, Calmers, Tanks. I would say that...yes...you can still go self equipped - but you might find that you and possibly your team are disappointed with your performance. It's always best to tell your team how good you are. So when you join that lvl 50 ish team as a doc or calmer and they say "great lets do a ql 150 mission!!" Just tell them that you'd prefer something lower as you can't calm that high, or can't keep people alive in missions that high

Don't get me wrong when i say disappointed...what i mean is....if im a calmer - I want to be able to calm as high as possible - So I will take the time to get buffs to put higher implants on. But at the earlier levels I don't go over the top - you can't always be at your best...because every lvl your skills go up - and it would take 90% of your game time up if you "twinked" yourself all the time.

My advice to a truly new player would be NOT to play an enf, doc or any kind of calmer as your FIRST character.

Play something that supports with dmg. Adv, fixer, soldier, MA etc Use that character to learn the game, to earn some money and then if a calmer or doc is your preference - go for it.

About implants. At lvl 47 - it's perfectly fine for you to use ql 50 implants - i would say though...that there are quite a few easy to get buffs that could have you in ql 70-90 implants. It's not as hard as it might seem at first - it just requires a bit of planning.

One other class i would mention is engineers - Engineers tend to have a hard time finding teams....and more than any other class they are asked how good their weapon (i.e their bot) is. My soldier only gets asked what gun he's using by other soldiers in the team.....my engineer would often be asked what lvl his bot is BEFORE i got an invite into a team. I would say that if you intend to self buff yourself.....engineer is only a good choice if you intend to solo.

[_____________Rapella]

My opinion on the self-sufficiency is that just because you got some help in an exchange (be it social or monetary or trade) doesn't mean you aren't self sufficient. At some point that person (or someone of the same class) may need your help too.

MMORPG means 'Massively Multiplayer' -- it *is* a part of the game to be buffed/helped by others. Otherwise this would be Neverwinter Nights or a Final Fantasy Console game (pre version XI).

Nothing wrong with being self sufficient, but it will get harder as you progress. If you look at the nano-skill breakdown it's assumed you will have implants of at least your level as you progress, but it is not possible to self-install self-QL implants later in the game - you will need a Doc to assist you at the higher levels.

That's just one example, but I'd easily say that 80% of this game's appeal is the other people.

[______________Jimmyd]

For what its worth, I always ask in /say for buffs. I might use a /list to find the names of people who are likely to be able to help but I never send them an unsolicited tell for a buff. My usual route is to find someone able to cast the buff, stand in front of them and ask very politely in /say so they don't have to clean yet another name off of their friends list.

Another thing I try and make a habit of doing if I can is to find the lowest level that can cast the buff I am looking for. When I was lower lvl I buff begged, but now cash is nowhere near as much of an issue so I always tip fairly well. I figure the lower levels have way more of a cash flow problem then the higher levels.

[Vepr]

Originally posted by Ruuk
I'm level 47 now, I just made myself a full set of level 50ish implants, and I'm grouping with people who say they're in their 40's with ql90 implants..

Am I doing something wrong?

First, the game is balanced such that if you try to "do it alone", self-buffed and such, you're going to advance at a much slower and more frustrating rate.

This is not to say you have to twink yourself like mad, but you better know about things like the doctor's "SFA" (Superior First Aid) which adds +80 treatment. Just SFA and a Treatment Experise (+20) can help you get into a nice set of implants. Oh, and don't forget the Omni-med suit, which can easily be bought in omni shops and adds about +78 total to treatment.

Now if you WANT to twink, you can do things like add +int pistols, biomet armor, and a bunch of other tricks to squeeze as many points into treatment as possible. Then, with "stepping implants", and a lot of planning, you can get into some really really nice implants. But that is for the "advanced" player, and is not really required. It's nice, but not required, and you need a lot of knowledge about the game mechanics and how things affect each other to make it work.

Also, there is no rule that says all your implants need to be the same level. Most professions have three or four implants which are critical to them, and the rest can be upgraded whenever you get a chance. For example, engineers need MattCreate, Time&Space, MatterMet and intelligence. An engineer should have the highest implants possible with those skills. Everything else is only secondary in importance.

So, if you're only using the +20 treatment expertise to get into your implants, you're going to have problems. At the very least, you should be using SFA for +80 and an omni-med suit for +78. With the bonus given by the surgery clinic (+100) that is +278 treatment.

Every player should know about this, and that alone will be enough to get you into a good set of implants.

Oh, and do yourself a favor and get 'nanonanny', which really helps when you're planning your implants.

-Vepr

[TemplarRed]

Originally posted by Ruuk
Is it possible to advance in this game and have a well equipped character that can survive at the appropriate levels by just relying on IP and self-buffs when choosing equipment and weapons, or is it the expectation that everyone will be overequipped to the max and the game is balanced with that expectation?

I'm level 47 now, I just made myself a full set of level 50ish implants, and I'm grouping with people who say they're in their 40's with ql90 implants..

Am I doing something wrong?

In attempt to put this into perspective:

If you chose to only use gear that was self-equippable via your means/your buffs alone; without any outside help, then:

Your character will probably never be able to use a set of ql 200 implants (even at level 200)...

your character will probably never be able to wear ql 200 (or ql 200-equivalent) armor (even at level 200), and...

your character will probably never be able to use many ql 200 weapons (even at level 200).

Exceptions exist: If your chosen profession is able to buff treatment, base abilities or weapon skills, then you should be able to self-equip your ql 200 (respectively) implants, armor or weapon... at or before level 200.

The other responses sum it up nicely. If nothing else, the game was geared toward encouraging player-teamwork. But there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to go about playing, despite what anyone might say; if you choose to level to 200 using only self-equippable items, then that's your prerogative. I doubt that this has ever been done before... I wouldn't say that it's easy or practical, but I'm sure that it's possible.

[____________Buelothe]

No matter what anyone tells you the majority of people want tips for their buffs,


This is very true. It doesn't matter that I have 15M I would still take a token tip if it was offered. Nano rechargers cost money and I'm actually spending money on you to buff you. However I got a tip in 1-5% of all cases before the novelty of buffing twinks totally wore off. Now it doesn't matter what you do, if your not on my team or in my guild I will completely ignore buff requests.

When someone says "Hi" to me I always reply though, someday someone might actually want to start a conversation and isn't after buffs or money.

So pay your token tip and avoid that the remaining MPs/Traders etc will do like me.

- Playing a 144 MP

[willothefist]

Originally posted by Buelothe
No matter what anyone tells you the majority of people want tips for their buffs,


This is very true.
---------- Snip -------------

So pay your token tip and avoid that the remaining MPs/Traders etc will do like me.

Agreed. Even if you only offer 5K, 10K, 25K, whatever, the fact that you've offered shows respect and consideration for the other player.

[_________TheDaliKama]

Bump for teh buffing goodness! This should definetly be rooted.

Most of what is said here is very important for buff beggers. I see far to many "SFA plz" shouts and other less polite buff begs. What is so hard about full sentences? Are the 3 extra characters in "please" to much to ask for? And what about "ty"? What is that supposed to mean? If your to pressed for time to not say a gracious "Thank you"...well, I don't know what that means, but you should. Now, for my next nit to pick...

The bits on /tell versus /v could be argued over for a whole 10 pages, but I guess it depends on your experience. It seems most people have vicinity turned off, as I only really get a rise out of them if I send a polite tell. (Except Bagsy on RK2, DO NOT /TELL HIM, use /v) The key is a polite tell. Once you send a tell, they can reply in a vicinity chat without adding you to their friends list, which seems to be ok to most people. (Except Bagsy!) If someone tells you otherwise, remember it for future interactions with that person. You can't second guess everyone, a /tell is not the end of the world. On the other hand, "plz" is the end of the world.

As far as tipping goes, personally I don't do it unless it's special. However, I am always respectful, polite, and never ask more than once. I give out quick buffs to polite people, I would hope they do the same. I find if everyone really did expect or demand a tip, the whole community experience would go south. Personally, I tip for any buff that takes more than 5 seconds of their time, like team buffs, or any player I visit twice for buffs in the same month if I can rememeber. I use tips in special cases to indicate extreme appreciation, such as finally getting buffed after an hour of wandering. Granted they may have dropped a few hundred credit worth of nano on you, but remember that if they just stand there long enough, it comes back for free. And to all buffers demanding tips, if you must have a tip to feel good about helping someone, don't buff, unless you state your only buffing for tips. Look at the occasional tip as someone who really needed you when you came along.

In the end, I'm sure most people are surprised enough to see a polite buff request, which should be the norm instead of the exception. Tips should be the exception, not the rule. I mean, if tips became the norm, how would you show more gratitude than that? Erotic dances are about the only thing that come to mind. But that's just my opinion. Granted, I'm not begged a lot, but I still think it would be nicer if everyone just helped out.

P.S. - No offense to Bagsy, he is a very cool Doc and was very polite in correcting my mistake.

[____________Buelothe]

Originally posted by TheDaliKama
As far as tipping goes, personally I don't do it unless it's special.

Three posters here have claimed that they would like a token tip for ALL buffs. Hardly anyone can make a living on tips so we are talking about a token - a real sign that you liked it, talking is cheap. Sure everyone can make beginner misstakes by not understanding the importance of tipping. My first character had finally scraped up enough cash to buy implants by grueling solo missions. When I asked the doc how much a SFA was worth and he said 100k I didn't have that much. That made me feel bad.

The way it feels now it's like a buff terminal. Pull the lever and out comes a mochams. It can be debated back and forth whether to use vicinity or tells but the reason that not so many responds to shouts is that they don't really want to buff you. With a direct tell they feel they have to since they are afraid you will remember them and give you a bad name otherwise.

As a MP I have tried all types of responses in the following order to buff begging and none of them are satisfactory.

1. Buff everyone that asks. Hardly anyone tips voluntary and I feel like a vending machine (that works for free).
2. Demand money up front. 99% of all people laughs at me.
3. Roleplay about it. "Do you seek knowledge in the creations of matter?" Not many cares about RP - it got old fast
4. Verbally refuse to buff with explanation of why - 50% of cases it gives a f¤%k you a¤%¤e. The other 50% understands what I'm talking about.
5. No response at all - the most offensive response I think but thats where I am.


If more people had payed me early on I might have stopped at the first response. And besides, if you want MP buffs why not get one on your team?