This post was inspired by another complaining about a KSer. I would like some opinions about when an apparent killsteal really is one and when it isn't. My view is that an accidental isn't really a killsteal; for example, shooting at a mob just as someone else starts shooting at it, and taking it down really quickly (perhaps by a lucky crit). Another time when it's excusable IMHO is when you find a partially dead mob (over 50% health left, or else it isn't an issue) with nobody else in sight. One can speculate about what happened; maybe the mob killed the other guy, maybe he had to leave suddenly to attend to RL matters, maybe a sudden disconnect. Opinions, please?
I think this may have been answered in the original thread. It's easy to accidentally shoot a mob someone else has tagged. I've done it a few times. Sometimes I don't pay proper attention to the healthbar of the mob. But if it's happening repeatedly then there is a problem. Communication with the other avatar can help clear things up one way or the other.
Its pretty obvious when its accidental and when its genuine KSing. Normal rational people will apologise when they realise they have ridden in on someone's mob and will make a conscious effort to stay out of another hunters way. Its possible to hunt in the same area as another hunter just by concentrating on a different direction to the other person. KS'ers don't make any of these efforts and will repeatedly do it, even going so far as to cut in front of others etc etc. Its pretty plain and obvious when its happening and the best you can do is try to bring it to their attention and if they continue, move somewhere else. If they follow and continue, keep your chat logs, take screenies or video and report them.
I agree, hunting with other green dots around, you can accidentally go for the same mob at the exact same time. On the occasions that happens, I let the mob decide who it wants to fight... if the mob runs to the other guy, then it's his mob since he's the one taking the hits (unless it's shared loot). I think this partly depends on the mob, its regen, hp, and how close it is to other mobs, how far from the revive, etc. Basically, if you think the hunter will be coming back in time to finish it off before it regenerates fully, then you should leave it alone.
I actually had a decent experience with a fellow hunter. My avatar was killed by an Oro Guardian, and the other hunter killed it. As I headed back to the area, the other hunter came up to me and gave me a share of the loot. I wasn't expecting anything at all, and I thought it was a very nice gesture.
I say its kill stealing the second time someone takes a mob from you. One time is accidental and you both realize you are too close together.. The second time there is no excuse IMO. Even if you are both on radar there are 360 degrees in the area to shoot into. If it happens a third time its yer own fault for being a dumbass and staying within shooting range of the other person. In the case that you ARE being harassed by a true kill stealer and that person follows you.. remove your armor and train them multiple times until they go away. They tend to leave when you start costing them money.
Personally if a mob is doing damage to another player and they've done some damage then I don't touch it. If it agro's me which happens a lot with some mobs and it's 100% HP then it's fair game, if it isn't I let the other player tag it and take it back. Anyone who's hunted atrax, atrox or spiders on Caly would have experienced it at least once. I usually leave an area if another player is there first and active. I might kill some in a group to get through but I normally just leave them to it as they found them first. The only time I break that rule is if they're mining and in the last two times that's happened I've globalled within a few kills, so if any miners want to try around the halix spawns I hunt they're quite welcome So far I've only seen it a couple of times and experienced it twice during a bot event on Caly a few years ago in vu9 where it was 10 hunters per mob and people were getting very frustrated with the lack of spawn.
Ksing is normally pretty clear and straight forward...at least to me. As many have said here, the occasional 'Oops' is going to happen. The two biggest things to me about the "oops" and the KS are as follows. If its an "Oops" situation...if you are the "oops"er, then be polite, say Sorry and make it clear you didn't steal the mob on purpose. I personally offer whatever loot I got to the other person, full value, because *I* made the mistake. Its far better to me to lost a bit of PED and gain a possible friend or at least not to ruin another players day with a bad taste. If I am the victim of an "oops", I again try to be polite, mostly ignore it and move on. Not like there aren't plenty of things to hunt right? If the other player says sorry or offers some loot, I will accept. In the case of KSing, to me its when someone KNOWS (or should know) that you are targeting the mob and deliberately starts shooting it. You can be sweating it, killing it, taming it..whatever. If you are focused on it and they come up and start shooting it, then they are at the least trying to KS it. Mind you, if you are running for the hills and they start, they are probably trying to save your life heh. In this case, normally there are only a few worthwhile options. First, ask POLITELY for them to stop. Normally (and sadly) this most often won't get you anywhere because any reasonably mature and intelligent person is going to know what they are doing before you ask them to stop doing it. If and when the first fails, the second is document it with screen shots, chat log, etc...however you want to do it. And then do one of the following two things... A) Try to out damage the KSer if you can by yourself, getting a team together...whatever. If you can do this, they will get frustrated and leave most likely. Don't get pulled into a troll flame war with them if you can at all avoid it. Just ignore them and beat them at killing things and let them spend THEIR ammo and repair helping you get loot. B) If you can't out damage them...then leave and find another spot to hunt. While this may leave a bad taste in your mouth, it still better to not have the aggravation and headache of dealing with the KSer(s) and finding another place to hunt the mod you want to hunt or another one. I've only had one run in with someone that was being a douche about this kind of stuff and we were in a sweat group on Nusuls. The lone problem child would hit the one we tagged...so we would just tag another and ignore his attempts to aggravate us. Eventually, he did get a bit under my skin but after a time he wandered off because others flat out told him he had been screen shotted and chat logged and the support ticket was given and while he laughed it off...he did seem to leave shortly thereafter. For whatever reason, I can't say but, he left and that was the only thing we really were concerned about.
I did this by accident with a Kadra, I said sorry in local chat and was even going to give that particular loot to that person that I got from the Kadra but he dispeared.
for me its only when someone clearly starts to shoot the same mob after uve alreadyshot a few bullets.. if i happen to start the same mob same time with someone else i shoot until its dead.. if the other did more dmg i wont bitch about it and dont count it as KS
