Regatta Freeloaders Again!

[Bessville]

Oh! Well, u learn something new every day, thx DD!

Messy, my problem with the helping thing is that we run a shared barn policy, which everyone agrees to. That means I will give away my very last of something to help someone in need. I feel confident to do so in the expectation that if I need that item before I can replace it, then my team will come to my aid if they possibly can. So waiting time for help even in our small co op is usually just seconds, particularly if it's for a regatta task. Clovers for me are just a bonus, not the point of the giving, if u see what I mean. But, horses for courses, as they say. But that's why it goes wrong if somebody asks for tonnes and gives little.. no quid pro quo.

[jary]

Thanks Bessville

[Township Adict]

Hi all

So we're a pretty new co-op and had a bit of an influx of members in the last few days...
Today we've had 2 new members, the first stayed for a few hours and left after a few brash comments (I understand there is a cultural difference in social language styles but it's not nice when people are bordering on rude...) and the second just joined and requested gold ore, had a bit of a confrontational back-and-forth with a current member from the same country and used a few identical words as the first new member, specifically 'oiii' ...
I'm wondering if anyone has seen people switching co-ops regularly to get valuable resources from other players?

I try not to be a suspicious person and I'm just getting into the swing of leading a co-op...am I being paranoid???
Thanks Townies 🤗🤓

[Firenze]

Many have shared thoughts on this! I’ll merge your question with this thread about Regatta Freeloaders. There’s also another discussion about when to kick members who don’t contribute.

[Starshine]

I think all coops have been hit with freeloaders at some point. At any request for a high-value item, I've jumped in and reminded members that they are under no obligation to fill any specific request, especially for valuable items like ore or jewelry. And I have kicked freeloaders. I do tend to keep an eye on new members, and had to get a little brusque with a new member who asked was it okay if he didn't help much? We have no regatta requirement but we do expect members to help each other, which is right in the coop description, so I suggested if he found helping a burden, he might want to start a solo coop, which he had not known was an option. (He has settled into a helpful player, so I guess he decided he likes helping. lol)

[Township Adict]

Thanks Firenze
Great name BTW, and awesome purple hair!

[Township Adict]

Hey Starshine (another great name!)
It's difficult, isn't it? I want to be a fair and kind team leader, so when members don't share or even say thanks to those who have helped them, it irks me...But I'm also aware that young players might ask for help but not help out so much, and I don't want to be mean to them...I also don't want to ask anyone their age! It's great that your new member pitches in now, when you've got great team players it's a much more enjoyable experience, and that's what it's all about in the end...

[Bessville]

Hey Starshine (another great name!)
It's difficult, isn't it? I want to be a fair and kind team leader, so when members don't share or even say thanks to those who have helped them, it irks me...But I'm also aware that young players might ask for help but not help out so much, and I don't want to be mean to them...I also don't want to ask anyone their age! It's great that your new member pitches in now, when you've got great team players it's a much more enjoyable experience, and that's what it's all about in the end...

I see no reason not to ask if somebody is over 16, or 18, or 21, or whatever age you consider the threshold you’re comfortable with. I would also say youth is no excuse for bad manners or lack of ability to read the room, so to speak.

It’s not mean to be firm about what expectations a team has, as regards any cooperative element of gameplay. In fact i’d argue that its the leader’s responsibility to their members.. I know I appreciate my leader’s clarity, as well as knowing she’ll step up and make rule tweaks if it’s needed or wanted by most. Being too reticent raises the question of what is the point of a leader’s role at all, imho. You can be firm, clear and fair, which improves everyone’s experience, without being unkind at all. If you don’t want to be a dictator, you can ask your current members what they think of each proposed rule, and then go with the majority view. But without rules or parameters of any kind you risk trying to blend people whose styles of play don’t match, which will never result in a happy or stable coop. Going entirely freestyle also is, in effect, asking people to cooperate on a task without telling them what the aim is. Not a fun situation imho. I’m saying ‘you’, but I just mean any leader btw.. bottom line, it’s okay if somebody doesn’t fit. They’ll find another coop where they do.

[Township Adict]

I see no reason not to ask if somebody is over 16, or 18, or 21, or whatever age you consider the threshold you’re comfortable with. I would also say youth is no excuse for bad manners or lack of ability to read the room, so to speak.

It’s not mean to be firm about what expectations a team has, as regards any cooperative element of gameplay. In fact i’d argue that its the leader’s responsibility to their members.. I know I appreciate my leader’s clarity, as well as knowing she’ll step up and make rule tweaks if it’s needed or wanted by most. Being too reticent raises the question of what is the point of a leader’s role at all, imho. You can be firm, clear and fair, which improves everyone’s experience, without being unkind at all. If you don’t want to be a dictator, you can ask your current members what they think of each proposed rule, and then go with the majority view. But without rules or parameters of any kind you risk trying to blend people whose styles of play don’t match, which will never result in a happy or stable coop. Going entirely freestyle also is, in effect, asking people to cooperate on a task without telling them what the aim is. Not a fun situation imho. I’m saying ‘you’, but I just mean any leader btw.. bottom line, it’s okay if somebody doesn’t fit. They’ll find another coop where they do.

Thanks for your candid advice Bessville,

I agree with what you say, absolutely. I've kicked people who weren't doing their bit and listened to members requests and acted accordingly in the best interest of the group as a whole...I definitely think I will have to become a bit more hardheaded when it comes to younger players, because you're right - as long as I'm being diplomatic they will ultimately be ok with being kicked and find a more suitable co-op...

Teething problems aside, I'm sure we'll get to a great balance soon!
Thanks again,
Wolvie

[Starshine]

I agree with Bessville too. Not everyone fits into every coop; that's why there are so many different coops with so many totally different rules. Furthermore, people's desires change over time. Some members who were initially very happy with our extremely relaxed approach, later decided they wanted to be part of a more competitive team. And I'm fine with that and wish them well. Maybe one day they will get tired of the pressure and want to come back; maybe they won't. But to allow someone to come into a coop and try to change what the existing members are happy with is IMNSHO a recipe for disaster. And yes, it's the leader's job to be hardheaded when necessary (again IMNSHO).