It isn't that I don't know the value of my own posts, it is that I am so used to seeing the usual suspects belittle those who are outside their own circle of ridiculers. It is always the same people who do all the mocking. I used to frequent this board all the time. I had an acct with many thousands of posts, but I got tired of being singled out. It gets tedious to see the same garbage all the time, I only come back once in a while and it has steadily gotten worse. To post what I did and not have it instantly degraded was a shock, it literally shocked me. It used to bother me alot, the amount of douchebaggery here, now, when it bothers me, I just leave the board. Which I am sure is what management wants, amiright? The sad part is, this board can still give me information about the game, whoever runs the bot actually does a pretty decent job, but the rest, bleh.

Anyways, feels like I am soapbox grandstanding now, so I am gonna go play LotRO now.

 

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Believe me, you're not the only person to recognize that situation. Most of us acknowledge it in private however, but we know the score too.


That said, don't let 'those' posters stop you from using the boards. I've said it before, been mocked, but I'll say it again: we're not all like that.


We know who's what here.


And they know who they are too.


Keep posting.

 

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Until there is a meaningful negative feedback mechanism, there's just no downside to those folks posting tripe -- like the FFA folks, negative replies from other users only feed their psychoses. (see: "your tears are delicious" posts, ad nauseum)

To that end, Blizzard appears to be attempting "meaningful negative feedback" with their new battle.net forums. It should be interesting watching that experiment.

 

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My problem with that is, Blizzard is the ultimate sellout now. I am just waiting to see what the catch is, how will they exploit the player base next. These new forums have to have some angle, I just don't see it yet.

 

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It's the "kindergarten courtyard hero" syndrome all over again, as I said recently in another thread.
Those guys seem think they are some kind of heroes here, rebels (without a cause), "real men", and they have a small clan of supporters too among which some members of this site's management. Of course, then it's easier to get away with their trolling and douchebag attitude.
Some fun things to do is to use their own weapons against them. When they reap what they sow, their reactions are always priceless and childishly stupid.

 

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Lot of exaggeration going on in this thread.

Few of you I considered to be more open minded and less judgmental...shame to see I was wrong.

 

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I want to think its boring, so I can quit and do something useful with that time. But right now, its too addicting.

 

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I said a long while back that I would never reply to you again, but I am reneging here to tell you how wrong you are.

The type of player you're talking about is the inevitable result of a non-FFA setting. For one simple reason, in a FFA environment players can police themselves. The protection provided by removing the ability to utilize in game mechanics to settle disputes leaves nothing but text based communication.

The real FFA player, the one you've apparently never taken the time to find out about, enjoys territory/resource control and having the ability to participate in politics and other in depth role-playing options that should be available in any fantasy world.

True FFA vets are generally older gamers, because there hasn't been anything that resembles FFA since the days of UO/AC. That was over a decade ago, most of us are in our 30's or older by now.

So yeah, while the rest of the hyenas are applauding your ignorance and you're sucking it up, just know that you couldn't have been more wrong.

EDIT: Now ignoring you again

 

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There are many reasons why all kinds of people like FFA servers. You can't generalize an entire group of people based on the way they like to play a PC game. Well... I guess you can... you did. But it's ignorant and unfair in any case.

On a related note, I highly doubt that the "personalities" on this board would be thought of in real life as they are on this board. Why? Because it is two different worlds. While "get thicker skin" may not be the most constructive comment to make, it has *some* validity. These are people you don't know and will most likely never meet making relatively anonymous comments that have no affect on your daily life. Remember that, and put the discussion in context. If you get that worked up over some random internet person's comments, then..... get a thicker skin. I am not trying to be a jerk, I just don't understand how it can truly bother anyone.

 

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There's a difference between FFA players and griefers. Griefers do not care about mechanics (except to abuse them to their advantage), or venue (except as a opportunity to exploit.) This occurs both in game and on forums.


And sadly, it is the griefers who also ruin play (and servers) for FFA players, as they do for PvE servers. And you can argue that FFA servers will attract them. I'd agree. Because the ability to grief is usually easier there. (edit: and yes, if left unchecked, or unpoliced by the general populace on those servers, can bring the server down.)


I agree in principle with decency. And being objective as much as possible. (And taking responsibility for being part of the problem or part of the solution.)


And for the most part, on the VN board, we police ourselves. Moderators are not heavy-handed, yet present. It's up to the community here to set the tone. I've been called on things in the past and accused of trolling and I appreciate the folks who do that, even the times when I've fallen in the trap of a troll (when I've known better and responded anyway.) I've had my run-ins, and there are some posters out here that just grate on me; I could find that anywhere, even on an extremely moderated forum where posters are being overly polite. Dealing with that is my responsibility. And when I don't do a good job with that, it's up to me to apologize, make right, whatever if I want to remain as part of the community. Or not. And have consequences. Reputation out here matters. That's the way the board is set up. And the mods do a fairly good job of containing personal attacks when heated discussions just get out of hand.


In the end, for the most part, I've found the VN board posters to be decent folk, who even in their trolling, bring data to the discussions out here. Sometimes because of their "trolling". The flagrant forum FFA has until now occurred mostly on the official forums as standard fare.


Reasonably, if babblingly yours,


-Trying to look at both sides.

 

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