How to convince people to play support roles

Players that queue for both damage and support role, but that once inside the session decline to play the role for which they have been selected, is a well known problem in this game, called lately, by more than a few, "DpS Universe Online".
The available option to enter sessions only if all roles are covered is made useless by those people.

So, here is a good way to bring people to queue for the role they really mean to play or to bring them to finally play the role for which they are selected: if the player selected to play in a raid as a support role doesn't change his role accordingly within the first 60 seconds, he will be automatically kicked from the session, unless the role is covered by another player within the time-frame. This automatism, differently from the normal "kick" started by a player, will act even during a fight or in spite of the loot selection.

If during the game-play, the player that covers the role instead of the one that was actually selected to do it, decides to revert back to DpS, the countdown will start again and will be stopped only when another player replaces him, otherwise the guy that queued as a support role will be kicked from the session and another person will be selected.

This script will not act with a preformed team, so that if a group of players decide to play a session without a support role, they will be free to do so. It would only influence PuG groups and only people that actually queue and are selected for a support role.

What do you think about that?

Seems a bit complicated and inevitiably lead to a glitch

I think that people are scared to play support roles. They got all blame if things goes bad.
Dps got it too, but imo when you have learned how to dps good. You are basically safe against kicking or name calling. No need to learn each instance as for tank example.

I like it. But once someone covers the support role, the onus needs to be on that person if the timer starts again. No reneging on deals or secretly reverting to get someone kicked because you don't like them.

I like it, but then you get those complainers who walk in with "it makes armories useless then, blah blah blah".

But I'd say a better fix is "get rid of dual queues". You pick one, the other becomes locked. Or better yet, force you into the role you queued up for and you can't switch until at least the first boss dies.

I do not understand why so many posts on forums about this.
Why?

The lack of support role is bothering you?

Just accept the fact that play in supporting role sucks.

I also play in support roles, but I prefer play as dps.

they just need to break thier armory, like mine currently is on dps side, so all they can do is play support lol

I can play both roles and I always play the role for which I am selected. Preventing dual queues would force me to choose a role even before knowing the composition of the team. Not convenient.

The problem with this is that if I discover, let's say, that the actual controller can't play his role, I would not be able to have him switch to DpS and cover the role with my own character. I would have no other choice than to kick him; perhaps switching roles would had been the perfect solution, but with that kind of fix, I couldn't discover it.

That's absolutely subjective. For instance I find extremely boring playing as a damage, especially since the introduction of the AM. The only character I happily play as DpS is my Celestial one, because it's more strategic and harder to use.
The majority of the DpS powers have no real strategy: it's just a mindless sequence of 1-2-3-4-5 rinse and repeat. That sucks.

I also play damage, but I prefer to play support roles.

A support role is necessary every time the team is not OP for the session. It doesn't merely bothers me... it makes almost impossible to play certain raids, operations or alerts! Try to play Trigon Prison with a CR 86 team without a healer or a tank...

You have to play support role out of pure enjoyment. Main reason why I only play healer role if I am with my league or with friends. There is no incentive for playing as a support role. No extra cash, no extra marks, no extra chance at rare loot. Nothing.

There is no way to convince people to play support roles, until devs create such as to the likings of many other MMOs. Until then people will continue to wait 30min -2 hours shouting for a tank/troll/healer.

However since 5-1-1-1 has taken over. I dont think devs straying from that difficulty would help the game.

I didn't say to remove kicking in that circumstance, but I'd love to go into a queue and NOT deal with the "controller" and "healer" not doing what they signed up for, especially since role-less sucks (and personally, I feel it should be exclusive to Legends PVE. The "luxury" of it has worn out).

I wouldn't really consider it 'subjective' when every western MMO has this problem about a lack of support roles in trinity style games. Again, pick a trinity game, it'll have the same problem. So there is something in general about it being either less fun, way too stressful or dealing with the problematic community who are pushing people away. Let's also be honest... Tanks and Healers have way less wiggle room for mistakes and it becomes obvious when they do mess up or they're not able to keep up. Controllers will be basically auto-reminded the moment someone's poor dips and they're getting pissy about it. Someone always has to chime in to let them know you're messing up.

However, I agree that DPS, and well, anyone shouldn't get a free ride with cheating the system by queing for a faster role spots by clicking what they have no intention to do. I think a far simpler solution would be something to the effect of having both a DPS CR and a Support Role CR. Basically if you don't have enough CR to que for your role, you can't even click the button. Let's face it, the people who actually bothered to get two sets of gears, are likely the ones who would be willing to switch roles. Don't even let them jump in line and if they're still doing it at that point, you know they're looking for a free ride and with the ignore system + vote kick, it'll be an obvious reason that they need be tossed to the curb.

DPS Universe Online = DUO
DCUO = DPS-Centric Universe Online
DCUO = DPS Crazed Universe Online

Don't forget that 'C'. :-}


As to the idea, I kinda like it. I also think it would be nice if the developers provided extra rewards to players who play non-dps roles for more than 80% of an instance. An extra reward box with a rare style found in the style vendor in the Watchtower would be nice.

Nothing can be done, if you play support, you do so until you realize that most people aren't worth supporting and pugs at large expect the world while generally sucking, that's when you start only healing/trolling/tanking for your league; Circle of support as i call it

if both roles show up next to their names they qued for two roles. if a role is missing ask them to change. i refuse to go on and volunter to leave. a min is no big loss. some of the time i just play a bit and kick said player. if we tolerate it it will continue. you dont want the devs restricting all of us when we can police this.

I like ur idea. This grinds my gears to no end I have balanced roles picked for a reason if u don't want to play ur support role then que up with that checked off and ur que would actually be faster and it won't upset the group I'm queing for.
I think one good thing they can ninja nerf this is by putting the role options toggle to the other way so if I have mine set for a. Balance group and u come in and don't switch to ur role I won't feel bad about giving you da boot.

Honestly I walk into the mission dps. I see what everyone else is. If its not to many healers I switch. It gets frustrating now being the only healer with no controllers. I dont group up I walk in. If you wanna win you do whats right snd switch to your role.

How about, if you queue up for both roles it assigns the role you can play in order to get loot. Otherwise just queue up for one role only.

That would be unfair, because many times I am selected as a DpS, but then the guy that plays the support role asks if someone could take his place, so that he could go damage. I always say yes, because I prefer to play as a controller, healer or tank. It's not a case that I have a character for each role.

There is no incentive to play as DpS neither. I can't explain why people think playing the damage role is funnier, but I guess it's just a matter of personal tastes. I feel the DpS role doesn't require the same amount of finesse and strategic approach that the support roles demand instead.

There it is you just answered your own question. The incentive for playing dps is not having to require finesse, strategy or weight that support roles carry. A dps just sits there, does burn, and enjoys the ride. You dont have to worry about other players playing as a dps, that is your incentive.