Selecting need for loot

This problem could be easily avoided by bioware.

They could a) introduce need for a companion button. b) If they dont want it for some reason. A tip message in flashpoint loading screen explaining what is the norm of the loot system, but feel free to have discuss it with your group.

No, it could be avoided by players actually being fair instead of hiding behind a convention to be greedy. Don't make assumptions about what other characters 'need' - only the players of said character can be the true judge of that - and sort out loot rules before any problems arise.

I would say both of these examples are of people abusing the Need / Greed system.

Edit: To clarify. If you are a Commando needing on an aim gear when it's not an upgrade, that's worse than needing for a companion, because it is dishonest. At least if you said, "Can I need for my companion", it's straightforward

Yeah like that would ever work. You would have a complete anarchy at looting. And of course the nice guys would allways finish last. Sorry if you have only one when comp with same stats. Deal with it, or deal with the democracy.

But that is just the point. You are now ASSUMING that everyone knows and is on the same page. We both know that is not always the case. I also know that it is much easier for people to blame "the other guy" than it is to admit that maybe they might need to shoulder at least some of the fault or that they could have done something differently.

This "it's not my fault" syndome is demonstrated by the McDonald's lawsuit mentioned in an earlier thread. That woman refused to accept the responsibility and wanted to put the blame solely on McDonald's. Now at every McDonald's you'll see signs warning that the coffee is hot. These are there in order for McDonald's to protect themselves.

In my opinion, if I am not willing to take the 15 seconds to make sure that everyone else in my group is on the same page I am, then I forfeit my right to get bent out of shape when that person I ASSUMED was on the same page actually isn't. Heck, it may not even take 15 seconds. If you have a keyboard or mouse macro, it might only be a single keystroke.

Nonetheless there are swathes of players who do just this, almost as many as there are those of us who pass on primary stat gear when we don't need it. This is why I say the convention fails when it comes to 'fairness', although I understand that in spirit at least it attempts to be fair.

I don't get bent out of shape.

If someone Needs on a gear that is obviously not for their toon (i.e. Mercenary needing on Willpower gear) I will say "Need is for main stat upgrades"

In my experience, the player is likely to say, "Oh, ok"

On one occasion, the player gave a hostile response and was promptly vote-kicked.

Have you ever tried it? It always works for me when I run a FP for a chance of a specific drop, not because it is an upgrade but because I like the look, or it will be an upgrade for my companion. I declare it right at the beginning and so far have not had one refusal...though obviously I may not win the roll.

You may be right. I haven't run into this very much myself, but I'm not going to say it doesn't happen.

I still believe that by communicating the ideal behind the "Need is for main stat upgrades", people who aren't this way would be willing to cooperate. If everyone only used Need on main stat upgrades, every player in the game would have a better chance of upgrading their character. I think it's a good thing.

In my opinion, this is the 100% perfect solution. If you were to make your position known at the beginning of a flashpoint I was in, I would have no problem with it at all.

Edit: Actually, if I knew you were looking for a specific piece of loot that dropped in a flashpoint, I would probably Pass on it, just as a courtesy.

Well we seem more in agreement than not. Which is great, cus mods come and go, it's all about the look