To Zerg or not to Zerg, that is the question

Rylana · June 2014

Call me a pedant, call me a nitpicker, call me a noob, ive been called worse.

But I am getting annoyed with the term "zerg" as it is used in this game. I dont even know how it got used this way, if I am honest. I suppose someone in beta started using it in zone chat and it just caught on, but those of you who use it to describe all groups of players really should find another term.

What a zerg is: A uncoordinated large group of low or undergeared players that rely purely on numbers to win a fight.

What a zerg is not: Any group that does not fit every piece of criteria above.

Therefore, an organized, voicecommed group of 24 players all or mostly high level with good solid gear and a plan is not a zerg.

galiumb16_ESO · June 2014

Not to burst your bubble, but there is a lot of definitions of the term zerg and it is because everyone uses the term and they all play at different scales. This makes the term different for each of us. You apparently play at a raid level. I play at a group level. To me you are most likely a zerg. A solo'er might view 10 as a zerg.

An organized group of 24 players doesn't have to be a zerg, but it most often is because the overall skill of a group is on a curve, the more people the less overall skill. The tactical abilities and use of synergies of a group is also reduced as you grow in numbers. At 24, the group may have a good leader and be organized, but it is most often a game of follow the leader. There are exceptions of course.

It doesn't matter if you agree with my definition, just like it doesn't matter what I think of yours, because ultimately no one owns the term.

jpp · June 2014

In ESO zerg in it's original meaning of random players party is to be smashed by few times smaller coordinated team. If 24 players (or two raids) are in organized team they might be called a zerg that wipes a map, but it is completely different situation.
Fortunately game some how prohibits bigger teams, so coordination of more then 24 people is hard and we do not see whole server team of 200 people.

rich_nicholsonb16_ESO · June 2014

if you take other mmo's and there group size which range from 4-8, a zerg is multi groups who run together rolling everything for easy mode success. In Daoc the group size was 8 and we considered a zerg as 24+ ppl thats 3 full groups. So i do consider 24 as a zerg even if its only a full group in eso.
I've said many times that 24 is just far too many to have in a group i really wish they would change it. Everytime i see a full group sticking close together and spamming heals it just reminds me of that ghost zerg in Lord of the Rings, a green blob running over everything.

Just my opinion, if it changes im happy if it stay like it is i'll still be happy as i think it's a good game.

Snit · June 2014

Huge Group PvP is always less interesting and less reliant on skill than small to medium fights. A tightly packed group of 24 spamming Pulsar isn't fun to fight, and it's not even fun to be part of.

Games shouldn't make mobs/ zergs/ hordes the path of least resistance to points and rank.

Leafmint · June 2014

Rylana wrote: »

Call me a pedant, call me a nitpicker, call me a noob, ive been called worse.

There is a broadway song in there

Mojomonkeyman · June 2014

galiumb16_ESO wrote: »

Not to burst your bubble, but there is a lot of definitions of the term zerg and it is because everyone uses the term and they all play at different scales. This makes the term different for each of us. You apparently play at a raid level. I play at a group level. To me you are most likely a zerg. A solo'er might view 10 as a zerg.

An organized group of 24 players doesn't have to be a zerg, but it most often is because the overall skill of a group is on a curve, the more people the less overall skill. The tactical abilities and use of synergies of a group is also reduced as you grow in numbers. At 24, the group may have a good leader and be organized, but it is most often a game of follow the leader. There are exceptions of course.

It doesn't matter if you agree with my definition, just like it doesn't matter what I think of yours, because ultimately no one owns the term.

I`m surprised there are still some people left who share that opinion with me.

Happy hunting.

Permafrost · June 2014

I know I've been a well-documented source of championing the definition of zerg that the OP resists, so it is good to see there are still other like-minded people running around.

Zerg still exists from the MMO generation when we co-opted the term from Starcraft and used it to describe any force that wins via numbers. It had nothing to do with coordination. In fact, if you are not coordinating in some type of swarm then you’re less of a zerg and just a smattering of a “metric crap-ton” of people.

If you have 24 people running around, on Teamspeak, splitting and executing maneuvers you are still probably a zerg if you’re consistently going up against smaller groups who don’t want to hide in any more than 4-8 people.

yelloweyedemon · June 2014

Zerg has nothing to do with gear or how well organized the group is. Zerg is having a considerably large group in pvp, that relies on numbers and AoE spam to win. Zero player skill required, since everyone can click 1,2,3 that affects a radius of enemies and do some damage.

Most players seem to "like" being in zergs since you can just follow the train and get APs

RedTalon · June 2014

Zerging doesn't matter your gear or the like, if you moving has one large force even if your not grouped with everyone your a zerg.

TheVindelator · July 2014

Zerg has evolved to mean a big group.

After all, Zerg always evolve.

yelloweyedemon · July 2014

TheVindelator wrote: »

Zerg has evolved to mean a big group.

After all, Zerg always evolve.

But the zergbabies always remain the same!

Halrloprillalar · July 2014

Snit wrote: »

Huge Group PvP is always less interesting and less reliant on skill than small to medium fights. A tightly packed group of 24 spamming Pulsar isn't fun to fight, and it's not even fun to be part of.

Games shouldn't make mobs/ zergs/ hordes the path of least resistance to points and rank.

It is fun when you are surprise ramming a much larger force. There is no sense in running into another impulse blob head on.

Groups are only worth the AP if you can kill a lot of people, after all

kewl · July 2014

Organized small group runs are fun. But noting beats the adrenalin rush of a keep zerg.

"Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn. Forth, Eorlingas!"