Ethics in Alliance Moving

Gmax101

This is not a MERC thread.

It is a genuine query about the unwritten rules of Alliance behaviour that are almost certainly there but not available to the average player without LINE.

I was in an extremely casual alliance that did not provide the alliance rewards I wanted for the effort I put in to PVE events, and also there were a couple of players who wanted to go one a different side in the Civil Ware events

I had been in there for probably best part of 6 months... but things had gone quiet in terms of chat, and there was no concerted effort on PVE, which I enjoy.

So I left and applied to a Top 100 PVE alliance and also posted on the "Civil War Recruitment" Thread.

While I didn't hear back straight away from the Alliance I petitioned (after all people have lives and I am very clear on my MPQ goals and they are not necessarily uber competitive... so figured I was not up to the required standard roster wise)

Two Aliiances approached me, and I selected one to join. Which was awesome... and they seem like a very solid bunch of guys/gals...

Then the Alliance I petitioned got back to me with an offer...

so I guess my question is, how much of a tinykitty move is it to leave an alliance I joined very recently to go to a top 100 PVE alliance?

(Please note that I have told both the contacts in the relevant alliances of the situation by PM prior to typing this, so if they read this first... note I have been up front with you guys)

In fact, I would fully understand if either one of them (or both) decide I am more trouble than I am worth... (although I do get progression in every PVE, so numbers alone make me a reasonable recruit... even if I never top 10, and I have been known to throw down cash at times too...)

But what are the community rules...?

I know MERCs exist, but that doesn't hugely appeal... so would moving (IF that is what I end up doing) be the tinykitty move I think it is....?

Dudemon

Do what is best for you. Just communicate and tell the truth.

They'll get over it. People come and go all the time.

Dudemon

PeterGibbons316

You should leave without thinking twice, and join the alliance you wanted to join in the first place. You are still several days before the event starts, and you have done nothing that should make you feel any loyalty to them. People merc in and out all the time, and finding someone to replace you really won't be much of an issue for them.

MarvelMan

Disclaimer: Im not active in moving alliances, having gotten very lucky with my stops, so Im probably not the best source....

I think that as long as you are upfront with your goals, your communication, etc and make sure that where you end up is a good fit....do what you must. The cooperative aspect of the game isnt really there outside Line, and you can keep in touch with any "friends" youve made from past alliances there. People come and go, making alliances rise and fall. Dont let the falls take you if you still enjoy the game.

Natsufan01

Just communicate, and leave. You've only been there a couple days, noone will really mind in the alliance you leave. Just say something so they know what's going on. Kind of like leaving a job really, noone (except friends you've made) are really going to care about you leaving, but the polite and respectful thing to do is let them know, instead of just leaving and never coming back.

JVReal

I don't think you'll last long in the T100 alliance without using LINE. The in-game communication SUCKS!

T100 alliances that I am aware of all use LINE to communicate so they know where each player stands with each event, and its easier to express yourself, whether you are pushing one event over the other, etc. Most T100 Alliances use the in-game chat wall for nothing more than requesting TU's.

If you choose to continue without LINE, I would recommend you stay with the more casual alliance you are currently in.

In-game communication sucks and sometimes messages don't appear unless you've force closed the app and reopened it.

Jarvind

I'd do it. You're a stranger on the internet. Any hurt feelings will be fleeting.

huktonfonix

The way I see it, outside of buyer's clubs, alliances are about two things:

1) relationships with your fellow gamers

2) pooled efforts toward event rewards

On the first point, every situation will be different. Maybe you were in a random alliance of strangers, and no one will particularly care whether you stay or go. Maybe you were in an alliance of real life friends that you ditched without a word in order to get better event rewards, and they'll be angry at you at the bar on Friday. Maybe you explained it to your friends, and they totally understand that you're way more serious about the game than they are. The only "ethics" that I would think would apply here would be the same ones you would apply to any interpersonal relationships, and not really related to the game itself at all.

Point two is what seems more worthwhile to discuss. The game is set up so that alliances get out of it what their players put in, so if you've been putting in efforts at or above what most of your alliance is doing and thus not getting rewards proportionate to your efforts, I think you're totally justified to skip to another alliance whenever you want. If you're brand new to alliance, there's really no investment yet on either side, so again I don't see that you owe them anything or hurt them in any way by leaving right away.

From a gameplay perspective, I think the only things that would bother me would be if someone either left an alliance mid-event, when the alliance was counting on their score for a certain placement or if someone had been mooching off of an alliance for some time and then left without contributing (ex: you go on vacation for a month, the other 19 carry you and let you collect rewards, and then you drop as soon as you're ready to play competitively again).

Outside of that, I'd say do what you want and you shouldn't really cause anyone any harm.

Blahahah

I'm in a similar problem, but not for a similar reason.

I'm in a relatively low-level alliance, but I'm a whale so me and I think one or two other people are carrying the other 13.
That being said, it's not a tedious task. I rather enjoy helping my alliance-mates get better rewards and grow into the game faster.
Naturally, if I left for whatever reason, their progression might be affected. Thus, I've decided to stay despite being offered to join better-equipped alliances.

I was faced with the problem you had. Offered into a much better alliance, I had to choose between my morals and self-imposed obligation to better my current allies, or to my own self-improvement and the chance to make new allies, at the risk of becoming a burden of sorts to them if I did not meet their standards.

I chose to stay, and I won't say it was the right choice or the wrong choice. It was simply what seemed best to me.
That is how you should decide these things: What do you feel is best to you? Not about impressions, simply about the trade-off.

TxMoose

JVReal wrote:

I don't think you'll last long in the T100 alliance without using LINE. The in-game communication SUCKS!

T100 alliances that I am aware of all use LINE to communicate so they know where each player stands with each event, and its easier to express yourself, whether you are pushing one event over the other, etc. Most T100 Alliances use the in-game chat wall for nothing more than requesting TU's.

If you choose to continue without LINE, I would recommend you stay with the more casual alliance you are currently in.

In-game communication sucks and sometimes messages don't appear unless you've force closed the app and reopened it.

nah - just advertise you're not a line user. be honest and communicate your intentions - that's way more valuable than being a line user. you can get in way higher than t100 without being forced into lining up I have no doubt that line is more effective and easier in certain aspect but I don't think its 'required' by all.

I survive between forum pms and in-game just fine. granted I was more established when I made my most recent step-up. all that said, I've never been in a pve-focused alliance, always pvp (although the alliance family does fine with pves), so ymmv.

jgomes32

I left the alliance i was in since my first week during Drax's event. Posted here and got replies from 2 top 50 alliances. Then i just left.

It was supposed to be a top 100 alliance (specially for new character events) and that never happened. Everytime before a new event start i tried to talk them up to push for top 100 and while we had a strong start we would quickly drop finishing somewhere 100-150. And inactive old players were always safe despite sometimes getting 0 points.

I felt a little bad later, the active players were very nice in the chat and helped me a lot when i first started. I just got tired of pushing beyond top progression while half the alliance didn't even bother to achieve top progression.

mpqr7

In many top alliances, in-game chat isn't allowed. It's only allowed for specifying what team-ups you want. The rest of the chat happens in your group on Line.

Also, as long as you communicate, no one will be upset with you for moving alliances. And make sure you move in a way that gives them a reasonable amount of time to replace you. For instance, don't leave right as an important event is ending, or with Civil War where you are tied to that alliance the whole event, don't leave right after it starts.. well you get my point. Leaving is fine, but just give them time to make up for your loss.

mazerat

Ultimately this is a game and once it stops being fun then it's no longer a game--it's work that you don't get paid for. As long as you're not directly hurting anyone else (like joining an alliance and then leaving 30 minutes before an event ends), do what makes you happy.

Hopefully the alliance you end up choosing is a magical wonderland of puppies and unicorns. But if you're there for a few events and something just isn't feeling right to you, then don't be afraid to try a different alliance until you do find one that's a great fit.

Also there's a lot of people saying "Line Line Line" for some reason but I'm in a top-100 PvE alliance and the rank and file don't use Line at all. We hit our requirements and that's that. The commanders use it for coordination I'm sure but unless you're hardcore about slice sniping then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

HaywireII

I'm in a Top 100 PvE alliance and I think a lot of people in my alliance don't even know what Line is, let alone use it. If you're playing story mode how much coordination do you need? Everyone does their clears every 8 hours and grinds at the end. I had always thought Line was for PvP focused alliances.

I will also say you should go with that first alliance you applied to. Be polite to everyone and apologize to the other alliance but I see at least one person come and go every few weeks so it's not that big a deal if you don't stay in the other alliance. They will find another player who wants top 100.

Pongie

LINE is more important in a bigger family of alliance. If it's not a multiple alliance group, LINE isn't really required. With LINE, you can post messages and move between alliance in the family. Whereas in game chat, you lose the chat as soon as you leave.

ClydeFrog76

Send flowers to make sure.

Phumade

mpqr7 wrote:

or with Civil War where you are tied to that alliance the whole event, don't leave right after it starts.. well you get my point. Leaving is fine, but just give them time to make up for your loss.

As a point of information. You can actually leave the alliance once Civil war starts. The score is locked in and you will continue to earn points for that alliance no matter where you are located when the event ends.


In regular pve, the only time that really matters is when the event ends. The boss events are just regular pve's in reverse. The only time that really matters is the "Start". Thats when your locked into the alliance. After that you can do buy club, go independent rejoin your old pvp alliance. blah blah blah.

Xenoberyll

mazerat wrote:

Also there's a lot of people saying "Line Line Line" for some reason but I'm in a top-100 PvE alliance and the rank and file don't use Line at all. We hit our requirements and that's that. The commanders use it for coordination I'm sure but unless you're hardcore about slice sniping then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Line is a **** app anyway. I use it from time to time but it's by no means necessary to become top 100. We're using Facebook messenger mostly, some use the in game chat and others have talked last, when they were looking to join.

Calnexin

jgomes32 wrote:

It was supposed to be a top 100 alliance (specially for new character events) and that never happened. Everytime before a new event start i tried to talk them up to push for top 100 and while we had a strong start we would quickly drop finishing somewhere 100-150. And inactive old players were always safe despite sometimes getting 0 points.

You got hosed. That alliance is poorly managed. I'm in a T100 and the commanders are vigilant. They're calling out the non-scorers and heavily considering mercs for the lowest tier players. I haven't been in it very long, but I'm confident we'll place at least T100, possibly T50 if we can stomach the Hulk grind. At least 8 members have already reached max progression and we've still got about 36 hours until it ends.

Linkster79

Calnexin wrote:

jgomes32 wrote:

It was supposed to be a top 100 alliance (specially for new character events) and that never happened. Everytime before a new event start i tried to talk them up to push for top 100 and while we had a strong start we would quickly drop finishing somewhere 100-150. And inactive old players were always safe despite sometimes getting 0 points.

You got hosed. That alliance is poorly managed. I'm in a T100 and the commanders are vigilant. They're calling out the non-scorers and heavily considering mercs for the lowest tier players. I haven't been in it very long, but I'm confident we'll place at least T100, possibly T50 if we can stomach the Hulk grind. At least 8 members have already reached max progression and we've still got about 36 hours until it ends.

This is why the OP should have no qualms about just leaving. These alliances will have no issue with booting out those who are seen to not be pulling their weight and replacing them with mercenaries. To some alliances placement is everything, loyalty is nothing.

Jack0fAllGames

To the players that don't use Line while being in an alliance that does (even if not required), I would bet good money that your commander(s) either actively dislike you or at best don't care about you.
It's not the only messenger app and you can even run a successful alliance without any extra apps, but they are a fairly essential resource for almost every competitive group that uses one.