What is the Deal?Follow

What is the deal with people sending random invites?

Look, I get it. LotRO is an incredibly friendly place where just about anyone and everyone you come across is a pretty darn cool person. Heck, just the other day I had someone mail me practically a full Armour set just because they thought I could use it. I've only had two or three random conversations with the sender, but they were cool enough to hook up some nice armor for me for no reason other than to be a cool person.

But the random invites to join fellowships really bug me. Its like I get in my car in a parking lot and some stranger just hops in the passenger seat. I know its only a game we're playing but it weirds me out. How about a simple, "Hello. What quests are you on?...Oh, me too, wanna group up?" For some reason, that would totally alleviate the 'Help, I need an adult!' feeling I get from random invites.

Plus, how about just some common courtesy? In the real world, it is customary to introduce yourself to a person before you go off gallivanting away.

Why can't you just say hello?

I concur. Although I can usually tolerate (and, at times, might even accept) a blind Fellowship invite. If we're both standing near a quest spot and it's pretty obvious we're both after the same thing, I won't stand on protocol.

But Kinships are another matter. Consider the word ... KINship ... connotes "family" right? If a blind Fellowship invitation is akin to a stranger hopping in your car on the off chance you're both traveling the same direction, a blind Kinship invitation more resembles that anonymous passenger dragging you to the altar and expecting you to bind your (albeit, in-game) fate with theirs.

I don't harrangue those who dispense invitations like they were doling out toothpicks at a steakhouse, but I find that "No" button pretty darn quick and leave it at that. Also, I never feel the need to explain why I declined such a charming invitation. Afterall, they made no effort to convince me to join in the first place.

Blind kinship invites? What kin is that?

We usually discuss things in Kin chat before any grouping unless like in some blind-invites it is pretty obvious what the deal is.

Blind-random-invites are annoying but I usually send them a tell AFTER I decline the first invite asking what they are doing. Usually they can be shown the light about blind invites.

I have had a few keep spamming invites, I mean really after the first 3 declines you might get the message, so /ignore...

Preferred ettiquette:

If you do see someone you want to group with, send a tell or /say if they are standing right next to you. If you do not get a response in a reasonable amount of time (1 minute?), consider them a no. It is possible they might not understand English.

And don't give them attitude if they decline hehe...