Please Bioware: Add some incentive to get people to queue for Flashpoints.

I don't think I'd want the tank to tell me their rotation before every fight. I can understand that creating frustration - as a tank, you know your pull strategy. Just execute it.

Before a boss fight, depending on difficulty when I tank I may share my pull strategy/pro tips for that specific fight during the opening monologue. That's about it. Otherwise, get on with it

(1) There is an achievement for the heroics on each planet. Some people may want the achievments.

(2) Some people can do the heroic 2 with just them and a companion so they do it since it is right there.

There are three things they could do to boost participation IMO.

1) Solo (training) mode for flashpoints.

Much easier version of each flashpoint with standard world rewards that can be done only by solo players. Easy way to learn the layout and strategies beforehand. Rewards would range from pathetic to non existent.

2) Boost events for Healers and Tanks.

A boost would be applied, based on a systemwide announcement if que levels are low, that for X amount of time a boost will be applied to healers and/or tanks. The boost for tanks could be total health perhaps, for healers it could be more resource. Damage mitigation is another idea. Either way it makes the job easier for tanks and healers to promote them to que.

3) Suspend decay on equipment from damage/death

Again, an event that could be announced systemwide for X amount of time for specific flashpoints that would suspend decay on equipment from damage/health, making it much less prohibitive to run the flashpoint.

Finally, they could boost experience, com or alignment payout for flashpoints that are underutilized.

Unfortunately tank's/healer's job isn't that simple.

Healer must know the mechanics so it's important to tell them before the fight if healer is new. They must know when to Cleanse, they need to know who is going to take damage next ("dps stands in bad stuff, better throw a heal or two").

Tank must be aware of any patrolling mobs before and during the pull (you need to grab that mob before it attacks anyone else, usually the healer),

... they must know all the shortcuts, they must know how to position themselves so that other group members (especially healer) don't take damage, they must know CC capabilities of every class in group and how/when to utilize it.

It is actually the strongest argument for the root of your thread: DPS Queue time.

If one DPS played as a tank or Healer then that is -1DPS and +1Tank/Healer in the queue. But there are not that many people that play the game from all three angles anymore. We are seeing now an entire "generation" of DPS that only know how to DPS (or play the game in general) as it relates to TFPs.

Since we're comparing resumes, at 55 I have (pure tanks):
1x Jug, 1x Guardian, 1x Shadow, 1x Assassin and 1x Powertech (I also have a level 50 VG)
For dedicated Healers I have at 55:
1x Sorc, 1x Op 1x Commando and 1x Merc. (But I have a total of 4x Mercs at 55 and I change spec to suit the needs of the group - which means they are 98% of the time Healers).
I also have a Sent, Mara, Sling and Sniper at 55, but I never play these DPS role only toons.

So, while I don't have *every* tank and healer at 55, I feel like I have enough of a grasp on the situation to recommend to the average DPS player that they should roll a harder role if they want shorter times in the queue. Maybe do something to enhance the community and improve their experience rather than complain about their lot in life.

The "problems" you identify are not solvable by cross-server and/or any combination of your action items. Will it help? Who knows? Perhaps, to a point. But what incentive is there at 55 for a Tank to queue for any FP? Farming Iso-5?

Opening up cross-server queues *will* (without question) add to the pool of available DPS. The reality is, most tanks (and you should know this since you have them all) don't queue. If you target incentives at the "tank" population it *will* be abused by DPS in the same AC as the corresponding tank. Y0u still won't have actual tanks, you'll have a DPS that queued as a tank/DPS who is now getting more of a reward than say the sniper in your group simply because he has a tank tree assigned to him.

Next, cross-server queuing throws community accountability right out the window.
Ignore List: The ignore list on my tanks are a mile long because I consolidate them periodically. But how can I ignore someone on a different server to ensure that I never get GFd with them again? Can't be done.
Ninjas: With no community accountability Ninja'ing will skyrocket and you have no option to publicly shame them or again, ignore them.

The issues with the GF system, cannot be "fixed" by software designers. They are human issues. The GF itself isn't what keeps Tanks from queuing, it is the lunk-heads that you get grouped with.

Wrong. Everyone should be paying attention and have some situational awareness. If you're too dumb to move out of the way of a giant patrolling droid with a golden star on its head - you *really* need to start paying attention and using your WASD to move.

1) Folks that do not like the cost of dying or heavy damage, which tends to happen often in flashpoints (or at least it is perceived that way).

2) Folks that do not wish to que because they find it too difficult to either tank or heal the way the flashpoints are designed.

I'd also have to disagree to some extent your point about cross server queues ruining senses of accountability for a server. The way MMOs have evolved, the games have become so casual that a sense of community that may have existed in older MMOs in their heyday is gone.

Now you may have a few people you recognize on your server every now and then but tell me, do the majority of players (as it stands right now) even remember the names of the baddies they've grouped with after let's say...24 hours?

I'll answer that for you. No. Not unless someone has a name like Darth Vadorr or something that stands out. Hell you or I might but I guarantee you most don't. Not trying to start a fight but just pointing that out.

Lastly. I'd have to ask, and this is really a question to everyone: where are you guys playing that "most" or even a large portion of your DPS are morons that charge into everything without waiting for the tank. Not saying it doesnt happen but IME its way less than even 20% of the time.