Ninja inviting is a no-no
by Mike Schramm 
Sep 6th 2007 at 6:00PM
I can't really say I'm surprised to the response to the question Calipsa asked. But what I am surprised by is why she asked it: she wanted to know if sending group or even guild invites without whispering first was rude, and players responded overwhelmingly that it was. Why did she think it wasn't? There's almost nothing more confusing than receiving a random group or guild invite, and considering that even spammers are using group invites to spam, it's just not something you want to do.Now maybe she meant just whether a whisper was necessary or not. If a player is marked LFG, or they're a guildie you know is available for a group, or they've just shouted out "LFG for group quests" in a chat channel, then I'd say they're fair game for a ninja invite. You don't need to actually whisper them and confirm everything you do (well, it's still nice to do, but in those cases, I'd say you don't need to).
But yes, invites out of the blue are a no-no. Rude, maybe, annoying, yes, and usually a waste of time for both parties.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Tips, Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Odds and ends
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Lex Sep 6th 2007 6:14PM
I tend to be one of those people who puts together pugs through lfg. I always whisper first, but I don't really wait for a response anymore before sending an invite. I just do it to make clear that I'm not a spammer.
/t x SV?
/invite x
So far no one's complained, and most people accept if they're still lfg.
Super Guest Man 9000 Sep 6th 2007 6:11PM
Well I can think of two instances where ninja inviting even while in the LFG tool isn't good. If someones is looking for 3 separate groups then sending them an invite randomly doesn't really tell them what instance you're running. Also inviting someone and then going "R U XXXX SPEC?!" is annoying as well. I tank on my druid and heal on my pally and I make it a point to put such comments into the comment section of the LFG tool but I still get "HAY WHUT SPEC IZ U!?"
Dan Sep 6th 2007 6:32PM
Random group invites to people who are nowhere near you is a no-no, sure. But if I'm five feet away from someone else who is clearly doing the same quest, and it would make it easier for both of us to do it grouped, there's no need to whisper first. The intention is clear, and I can see that the inviter is a level 70 standing next to me, not a level 1 named Asdjkasdai in another zone.
Gabby Sep 6th 2007 6:36PM
I think it is highly rude to ninja invite! I do not doubt that many people believe so, I have even found add on's that help you avoid ninja invites. And what happened to looking at the armory to find out some one's spec?? Since I am an enhancement shaman I get "nvr mind" ALL the time. Now a days if I get the "WHUT SPEC IZ U??" I reply "www.wowarmory.com" lol. Normally if out grinding specific NPC's for a quest I generally like to do it alone. Unless there is a particularly hard quest and it would make my life much easier with help. If I happen to be scoping out an NPC, or an escort quest that I find I might have trouble with if some one is in the area I might say "you need him/her too?" and take it from there. And maybe even add that I asked just so I don't ninja the NPC in case they need him. I hate having to wait for respawns!So I try to avoid doing that to other people. But if someone happens to be standing by killing the same thing you are, and ninja invites, I decline and run away and find something else to do I hate it so much.
shmooo Sep 6th 2007 6:37PM
I'm guilty of sometimes accidentally sending a random invite. In the list of functions 'invite' is right after 'inspect' and sometimes I slip. I always apologize and I've had people do the same to me.
When actually inviting, yes I always talk to the person first.
Dirtyboy Sep 6th 2007 6:47PM
It always happens when I'm going through mail or in the auction house...
Dipstick Sep 6th 2007 6:48PM
Yeh, it's pretty funny to watch people squirm when they've obviously tried to click 'inspect' and actually clicked invite instead. I always accept those group invites :D
And I've done it a few times myself as well :P
Dave Sep 6th 2007 6:51PM
I don't really care about the rudeness or implied rudeness of invites like these... but it shows the intelligence and communication level of the people who are doing it.
If you can't be bothered to send a simple "hey, I've got 4 for xx instance, are you ready to roll?" kind of message or something explaining who you are without my having to figure it out, I'm not sure of your ability to either understand the instance or even worse lead people through it if they don't undestand it. PUG's being what they are... I prefer someone with at least a minor amount of communication skills.
So, I just use them as an idiot test. It works fairly well for the most part.
Benjamin Sep 6th 2007 7:12PM
I do it almost daily in the Skettis area for the escort quest. If I am camping the spawn waiting and another horde lands near me I always send an invite without asking. It is obvious what I am doing, and for that annoying daily quest you want to get in on a group that is already waiting vs waiting for respawn after the fact.
Coherent Sep 6th 2007 8:07PM
It is OCCASIONALLY not rude to send an unannounced group invite. For example: You're killing a quest boss and just before the final blows someone comes galloping up and stares helplessly at you.
DUH, HE NEEDS TO KILL THE QUEST BOSS TOO! So you quickly shoot him an invite. You kill the boss, and everybody goes away happy.
Ken Lydell Sep 6th 2007 8:12PM
Invitations from the blue are noobish nonsense that abates as a character levels up. I have in the past used an addon that can automatically block party invitations, duel invitations, guild charter signing invitations and invitations to join guilds. My lower level toons block all four. I enable guild invitations when my alts hit L20. I selectively enable party invitations when I want to run an instance. This works out very well.
I take pains to make party invitations inviting. "/t SM Cat?" doesn't cut the mustard. "We are looking for a healer for our SM Cathedral run. Would you be interested in joining us?" It doesn't take that long to type a message of that length. When looking for a healer don't guess that the pali, priest, druid or shaman you are inviting has a healing spec. Make it clear that you are looking for a healer. If you want a Prot Warrior or Pali, make that clear up front.
Laurens Holst Sep 6th 2007 8:13PM
I hate being invited without a whisper and acknowledgement first. Very often I am doing other things while in the LFG channel, and I might just be making plans to go to another dungeon. A random invite from someone you don’t know is pretty annoying then.
And, as someone else said, if you’re listed for three dungeons, a random invite could mean any of them. Also, it might be a spammer.
I cancel and ignore any random invites. And I’m sure I’m not the only one. You wanna invite without whispering first? It’s you who is going to end up on a lot of ignore lists, or gets a ‘no’ where he could have gotten a ‘yes’ if you had the decency to show a little common courtesy by whispering first.
Paul Sep 6th 2007 8:19PM
i agree with 9, if i'm standing in front of a quest spawn, i'll send an invite without saying anything.
I stopped worrying about it b/c every time I apologized afterward for the whisper-less invite, the reply was always, "i figured out what was up, no worries."
Shakespear Sep 6th 2007 8:34PM
I joined a guild just so I wouldnt have to put up with guild/charter invites.
Will Sep 6th 2007 9:19PM
@14 I can beat that. I started a whole guild just so no one would bother me with guild/charter invites.
G Sep 6th 2007 9:28PM
Dan and Benjamin make good points. If you are standing next to someone and obviously after the same objective, it's almost rude *not* to invite the person. If you don't group up, one of you will lose. And if the objective has just repopped, there is no time for pleasantries. The few times I've done this, I always get a "Thanks, I was thinking the same thing" after we finish the fight/escort/whatever.
hart_ducha Sep 6th 2007 9:38PM
Even my bank is in a bankers' guild to block random ginvites. When I first started playing, the ninja group invites confused and annoyed me. I think they happen most from kids, and when I say "kids," I mean people under 12 or so. Incidentally, I've noticed the ninja invites are a lot more prevalent in the Alliance starting zones than the Horde ones - except for the blood elves. In some of the situations mentioned, like the Skettis escort quest, I can see where this is acceptable. But in general, if I'm not in a group, I don't want to be. The only time I'll ninja-vite is if someone is looking for directions in general chat, and I'm standing where they need to be.
Green Armadillo Sep 6th 2007 9:54PM
I actually joined a guild on an alt solely because the guy doing the recruiting took the time to ask me before sending a guild invite, and even asked me a few questions beforehand. I don't want to be in any guild that takes people without any idea who they are.
As to blind group invites, use common sense. Yes if you're camping a quest boss and someone else arrives moment before the respawn, send the invite. Otherwise you should almost always ask.
Laukidh Sep 6th 2007 11:21PM
My pally is often looking for multiple instances, so getting a random invite is a bit annoying. Not nearly as much as when I broadcast 'tankadin LFG xxx', get an invite, then get asked my spec only to find we have three tanks and no heals (happened more than once).
Heraclea Sep 7th 2007 12:06AM
I invite anyone of my faction in the neighbourhood that I see when I am about to take the Escape from Skettis quest. I figure an unsolicited invite is a lesser evil than ningeing the victim, which happens too often. Anybody looking or fighting is likelier than not to be insterested.