What a Gnome can’t do with words, a fish can show in action.
- Ever wondered why 10 apparently organized BG players die one by one when leaving a node?
- Ever wondered why one guy gets to the next node and looks back to see 2 others dying midfield/on the road, and the others haven’t left the starting position?
- Ever wondered why you hesitate when one guy charges off, but not when 2 or 3 do?
These fish can tell you.
Well, these fish and the researchers studying them.
It’s a totally non-wow related video. It goes for about 6 minutes and you will catch the action of the fish about 4.09 minutes in… but if you do skip, you will miss out on the WHY.
Catalyst: Follow the Leader (08/04/2010)
As a bonus.. none of these 3 are YouTube clips, so you may be able to sneak a peek at work!
So, what do I make of this?
It probably explains 50% of those BGs I thought we would win because someone is calling the shots… But for some reason we don’t.
When there is one leader and only one leader, our “groupthink” doesn’t kick in. We are still distrustful of the advice.
However when there are two leaders echoing the same strategy and instructions, our hesitation drops and we charge in for the kill.
I have seen this a lot in SotA. The simple strat repeated by 2-4 people and the group follow.
Swimming from rock to rock
When one guy charges for LM a couple more might run 1/2 way before turning back – assuming the 1st guy doesn’t stop 1/2 way as well.
If 2-3 people charge off to LM, the rest follow.
When people are looking for a base to head to, they see the safety of large numbers at ST, their mind is made and they charge there… Right into a trap.
They aren’t teammates, they are teammate’s ghosts waiting to spawn at the grave yard.
Confirmation may be all that is required
In an EotS the other day I called out in frustration at the mass of guppies at the flag.
Someone called out for a suggest from the “coach”
I told them to go get FRR.
They went!
I think this is one of those cases where the guppies wanted instruction and leadership, but it needed to be groupthink.
That simple interaction between the other player and myself was enough to push all the fish in one direction.
I failed to capitalize on that moment. My brain was fried from so many lost BGs and my faith in my fellow players dulled to the point that I didn’t pick them up and direct them again.
If you are in a BG and you agree with the strat suggested – support it – out loud.
Better yet, if you have something to add to the strat – add it.
Your little piece of support for an idea, a strategy, a call to support a node, will turn in the groupthink and people will rally to your call.
One last example…
Arathi Basin is about to begin and someone throws out the standard 5/5/5 strategy. Not the best, but it could be worse (ie. No strat, no direction).
The only thing added to the discussion was that I noticed that we had 1 DK, but he wasn’t in the BS group.
I quickly said:
DK, you go with BS group – path of frost up – straight across the water
When the gates opened, the 15 people split perfectly for our destinations – including the DK who altered his target for the BS to get 5 people there before the Horde.
The guppies got a confirmation from a 2nd that a strat was to be followed and they did.
Did we win?
Do I really need to answer that?
Gnomer and Out!
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http://gnomeaggedon.net/2010/04/13/fish-explain-battleground-behavior-better-than-i-do/
So true so true. I’ve seen AB won and lost in this way. Once when I was the leader and said 3 players go to the mine to help and everyone else stay put, they actually did it. Most of the group was surprised and to top it off we won.
I think the biggest issue is that whoever is normally leader portrays everyone as a PVP noob and issues orders with the mentality built in. Players tune them out fast.
I must say I haven’t seen too much “noob slinging” lately.. but you are right…
A Leader that knows EVERYTHING will be ignored, especially if they lead with a big stick.
A leader that is polite and leads with both successes and praise for those successes will usually inspire.
I’ve generally found that the people who call other people PvP noobs (or better still PvEtards) are the last ones to volunteer a strategy unless its “just lose fast, and hope the next BG isn’t full of kids”
/wave Chastity
Yeah, I love the “let em cap, let’s lose fast” attitude… NOT!
I’ve even seen that on multiple occasions before the gates even open.
The first rule of BGs: The person who talks the most is doing the least.
The second rule: Any insults thrown at your own team are only there to try to hide just how much you truly freaking suck.
OMG have you been in the same BG’s as me? The fish analogy is so true it’s scary!
It’s a small world and I dare say that BGs just follow human nature… Of course if you are looking for me, I’m the one racing down the tunnel to the preditor fish
I, too, was disturbed watching the fish.
Maybe we need to build a Y shaped funnel leading out of the preparation areas so we can identify the “experts” quickly.
LOL. Nice one gnomey!
Usually I read BG strats posted by 1 individual at the start of the BG and either (a) roll my eyes when they are totally incorrect (perhaps it’s a joke? sarcasm?) or (b) recognise it as a pretty standard strategy and assume everyone already knows it.
Either way, I never jump in and provide support over chat to a strategy. I’m going to make an effort to do that next time.
I really, really need to knock up some macros.. just a couple of lines.. but something.
be warned… this self proclaimed expert is as, if not more, likely to head towards that predator fish… of course if you come with me, there is a chance we will take it, and the node.
In EoTS tonight I asked:
Response:
Someone else:
BTW: with the servers coming down, it went like this…
10 minutes till shutdown – 17 minutes till Alliance win
7 minutes till shutdown – 19 minutes till Horde win
3.30 till shutdown – 6.50 minutes till Alliance win
2 minutes till shutdown – 2.30 minutes till Alliance win
30 seconds till shutdown – Alliance win!
So I have a beef with you, Mr. Balls of Very Big Gnomish Fire.
What are you doing in the BGs? You’re supposed to be on vacation.
Ohhhh ummmm…
I wasn’t playing the BeeGees, I promise…
Ohh, not the classic disco band… I got myself a little confused then…
I promise I was just there for research purposes…
No…
Staying alive…
Staying alive…
Ah Ah Ah Ah Staaayyyiiinngg Aaaallliiivvveeee-iiivvveeee
Yeaaaahh….
Do you really want to make a warlock grumpy?
You know from a Mage’s perspective that is quite tempting… Almost a requirement in fact 😉
To which I say, do you want more BeeGees? You know they are Australia’s (adopted) sons… I grew up with those little boys on tv…
Whether you’re a brother,
Or whether you’re a mother,
You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Maybe a little Night Fever…
Then I get night fever, night fever
We know how to do it
Gimme that night fever, night fever
We know how to show it
This is excellent. Really, really excellent. I think I need to dive back into my psychology textbooks and find more reasons why people do the dumb (and smart) things they do.
I hereby christen this Gnomeaggedon’s Fishy Quorum Rule: One person can’t lead a BG, but two can.
I fear it isn’t as conclusive as I would have liked…
Now if they has been Gnomes… Or at least clown fish… Proof positive.
Excellent points, supporting a strat out loud can go a long way. In SotA, for instance, it’s starting to become standard practice in our Battlegroup to have one person call out “Focus on green gate” or “Ranged get in the passenger seat of the demos and CC” and having 2 or 3 other people repeat “GREEN” and “Ranged CC”.
And lord that video was eery-reminiscent of almost every AB I’ve ever been in…
Yeah I have been impressed at how many people call out short, simple, yet clear instructions in SotA.
I also think this is the prime example in BGs where confirmation of tactics carries weight.
As for the video… I should have utilized my uber MSpaint skills and drawn some AB landmarks on the screenshot, because it really does explain it better than I ever could… Maybe I will when I get home tonight… I’m missing my “drowning man”
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