Salvage scheduling problems, any tips?

[Zubuis]

Heres what my linkshell does. Granted it is my linkshell and not a "Static", so im not sure if it pertains to the op at all but I will post a novel anyway. Maybe it will generate some other ideas about how to improve your salvage scheduling.

I'll just give a bit of background on how our Salvage system works.

In our linkshell what we do is we give people lotting choices on individual pieces (initially you get a 1,2,3) from salvage as well as a main/secondary which acts as catch all for pieces that no one has as a choice. As your attendance gets higher it will unlock more lotting choices for you (4,5,6, etc choice). Lotting tends to go 1>2>3>4>5>6 etc > main > secondary.

Now what our linkshell does is we ask who all wants to do salvage (often 12-24 people) and based upon who wants to go and what their choices are we put people in different groups based upon the particular zones. So people end up getting put in different groups all the time, playing with different people.

One of the reasons we do it like this is because it allows everyone who wants to do salvage an opportunity to go. People when recruited into the linkshell arent left out because theres no room in a certain salvage static or one new person gets into superstar static A while another new person gets craptastic static B. One of the good things about doing it this way too is that Salvage tends to create divisions within your linkshell if people are only playing with certain people in certain groups. It is also nice because you can go groups of 2-4 based on the zone where peoples lotting choices are. Also nice because you can put all the people who need a certain 25 from a boss on the same run.

The downside to this of course is that its not as efficient really doing it in static and sometimes its just funner playing with people in a static if you enjoy their company more. When I say efficient wise I mean like as in the People get used to playing with same people, it makes passing cells n stuff alot easier because people have a better idea of how it goes without it having to be said. Other problem is that, sometimes you will tend to get stuck more with weaker links in your groups because your basically allowing anyone in your linkshell to participate. Also is just harder to keep track of alot of ppl rather than 7.

Our linkshell used to have static groups, but we started doing it a different way,as posted above. Reason I brought it up is because I think its been easier to schedule, since we started doing it this way. Just because a bigger group has more flexibility and its easier to mix and match to make the groups work. Also because people tend to quit FFXI or there playtime deviates as time goes on, I think it is a bit smoother of a transition rather than always trying to patch and stitch your static everytime someone doesnt show up or quits or w/e.

If you have 7 people, you really have less flexibility. If any two people have RL stuff to deal with or a certain job cant make it, it potentially really messes up your group. But with the way we do it, we can pretty much always make it work because a bigger group is more flexible and people can fill in for others when they arent there. It is also nice because you dont have to rely on people 100% of the time, and people can just go out and watch a movie or something without feeling they arent letting down their static.

Not sure if anything I posted made sense . Not saying any one way is better than the other. Is pro's/con's to different types of systems. Just tossing out some other ideas of how some linkshells handle scheduling problems.

[tylerderdin4]

Well we have a small group 6-10 max, and I started a kool thing with our ls is ALL Random and highest picks a zone of their choice! Then goes down the line from there. So at least every1 gets a fair share in ls. We use to spam the crap of certain zones but sum peeps would bitch. now since every1 gets a crack of a zone we r more teamworkish and puts more incentive. plus if any gets 35 piece any day they would have to wait till their next turn or if we pick the zone. This works best cause more variety and spunk. damn i hate BEES with passion 3-40 but still. and we will work in bosses and 35's all week, everyday. But good luck all, we all need dorps

[Sqwunk]

For us we do an alternate week schedule. For instance we do SSR/Zay every other day one week alternating which path we take in SSR. and the next week we do Bhaf/Arra.

Also to Ahlah I don't really see how Frog Chorus is a problem, unless the charm lasts for 5 minutes for you guys. We usually do 1f, Imp, 4f, 5f, 6f and we get charmed once, maybe twice a run.

[Amele]

I found 9 people to be about ideal. every zone is still easy to do with 9 but if two people miss you've still got enough people to trash every zone with (3 mages, 2 dd/tank, dd, thf) provided you have a good job mix.

going with 6 is good too but I usually feel like I'm missing something not having that 7th guy (usually a blm or rng).

I used to run what was basically the OP's system, but at that level it devolves into /point. so I switched over to a relational system, which cleaned up all the arguments rather nicely.

as for scheduling, I'm a dick and plan everything the night of so people can't skip zones they don't like. I tend to focus on completing pieces regardless of who has the drop but my group is good enough that we're always doing multiple nm's+boss (except for zhayolm 15s heh; anyone have any success doing 5FN or mega after a 4FN?)

relational is like eqdkp/points, but divides instead of subtracts, makes it a less front-loaded and therefore fairer system.

[drwaffles]

My shell has two groups - an NA-time group and an EU/JP-time group. The NA group is a lot more tightly-knit and akin to the "static" setup that someone mentioned earlier, and the EU/JP group (that I help run) is the complete opposite due to the attitude of my LS leader towards Salvage. Basically he'll publically announce that we're going to do a run within the next hour or so (i.e. there's no set time), and he'll never turn away anyone that asks to come.

As such, we have roughly... 15-20 people that do Salvage with us intermittently, usually between 6 and 10 people per run. This means our setup is always different every day as well as people's jobs. Whilst I'm not personally a fan of this type of organisation, it works out ok due in part to the fact that most of the members who run with us regularly are good players, and also because the LS leader is an extremely capable leader, and both he and I are very well-versed in all aspects of Salvage.

The proof is in the pudding, though - the NA group upgrades pieces at a far greater rate than we do (they've upgraded I think 5-6 full sets, 3 of those being Morrigan's). Although this can be attributed to an extent to their often ludicrous level of luck when it comes to level 35 piece drops (they've gotten shit like 5 Macha's Cuffs in one run, several Macha's Coats and so on), it's obvious that the fact that their team's setup and scheduling has greatly contributed to their increased efficiency over the group that's almost like an "LS Salvage pickup".

[tymora]

My group has ~14 people. Not everyone can make it all the time.
We started off at 7 runs a week (yah lol), then slowly reduced to the current 5 runs per week.

14 people is good especially when you get 2 of every key job. (2 BRD, 2 RDM, 2 THF...etc)

When you get 12+ people, split runs, 6 to each zone. If you lack a key job, consider sending one group to some place like Bhaflau to do rampart farming. Give and take some objectives, you may not be able to do bosses some runs but after a few months, you'll be tossing 25s anyway.

For our case, we split when we have 11+. We get someone to d box a mule to enter a zone like Zhayolm where we can hit all the frogs with just 5.

When we get 9-10 people where we can't split, we let some people sit out if they are low on points, have nothing to lot or just wish to take a break. With 14 available bodies, it is really really rare for a run to get canceled if someone can't make it.

Due to the initial spam of runs, most of our core members have what they wanted so those who come less frequently (and recruited later) are able to get what they need too. Some drops like Usukane body still have a long line though. (Screw that turtle)

Schedule-wise, we just cycle through all the zones in turn. We just did a 3 x SSR run though since we severely lack drops from there at the moment.

[ringthree]

Less is more!

All I can say is take care of your core members, and work the new ones in over time, you can't please everyone. The new guys will understand that Salvage is a marathon, not a 40yd dash. If your group as a whole would like to see more return tho, I'd say you'd need to add another run per week given your circumstances.

Constantly switching out of a zone sometimes is counter-productive. You don't give your group a chance to learn the zone as best they can, and do it efficiently enough to full clear it consistently. If you have different people coming to Salvage each time as well, this makes it that much more difficult.

Salvage is repetition, and paying attention. The only problem I have with people is if they do not learn to be better in the future, and then require the same instruction over and over. If they can't handle that then you need to move on to someone else.

[Waef]

The obvious solution is let the people you WANT to keep know it, and just tell everyone else you're breaking the shell. Make a new one with only the good people, and then you've got an efficient group.