I have had quite a lot of people come to me recently saying how they're really upset with the culture here on the forums and in game.
It has got me thinking about some stuff.
I think we're vile to each other here... Utterly insensitive, cruel, dismissive, agressive, nasty, childish -and- condecending.
This needs to change.
Here is where I think the problem lies. We share this space, it may be virtual, but all the people who inhabit it are real, with real thoughts, insecurities, and emotion.
It is very -very- easy to forget that when you look at a paragraph of text someone has written, or the avatar they use, or their ship ingame, which is just a bunch of pixels after all. That distances us from the real person behind it all, and makes it a lot easier to be unpleasent and dismissive to them. I know I fall into this trap and it makes me geniunely sad.
This is something I think we all need to remember. When you're here, and roleplaying, or looking at the forums, remember that there is a real human behind every last letter, or movement of a ship.
This doesn't mean we can't disagree, but when we do we should treat the other people around with dignity and respect, for their veiws and standpoint. If we forget this we are, as a community, completely screwed.
I am saying this because I like this community, and many people in it have become friends of mine that I would stay in contact with long after either I leave, or the community fades.
None of us should ever forget how human everyone else here is.
Peace.
Joe.
EDIT: I'm not saying this from a doom-mongering "disco is falling apart... oh woe and strife" point of veiw. It's not.
I agree and will probably copy my reply to one of the other posts here, as it applies so well to this as well.
Quote:People forget that when people first get here many are first ime MP players. They don't know about the forums yet sometimes, they find out when they get on the mod. I know, I've been helping loads of them in game. Others come from other established mods that if you have checked others out you know are DIFFERENT AS DAY AND NIGHT. these people too need to be guided at first. This I know by having a RAW member come here trying to find a place to bring his faction. He was almost ready to give up on Disco because he got flamed when he got into NY and nobody took the time to actually talk to him. I spent HOURS flying with him that night and teaching him about Disco, and talking him into taking a while to learn the area before trying to set up a faction. He will be a good addition, and might bring some good people with him....NOW. Had I done nothing they wouldn't ever have returned. Thats a disgrace to all the hard work put into this community.
People we all come here for our reasons. Some for power that they get from leading a faction or a wing. Others for relaxation and some true fun in our characters. But each for our own reasons. You and I have the right AND Priviledge of flying here. However it is YOUR DUTY to do that with enough decency to put out a good face for our community. When you don't you don't just make YOU look like a fool, but all of the people here, even us that have the part that remembers being new and trying to figure everything out. It was daunting to say the least. Give these new and low level ships a chance, you never know who it might be in that starflea. It could be the guy that made a great mod trying to find somewhere to bring his skills. It could be me. Or it could be some kid sitting at a desk somewhere that JUST finished the single player mod and FINALLY got the guts to go online and try with the big boys.
What would you think if you were that kid if your first time launching you accidentally ran into one of the jerks that sit RIGHT IN FRONT OF MANHATTAN DOCKING RINGS and you died. So of course you launch again, and this time you get out. Only now you made the guy you ran into mad and he starts talking mean to you. You don't even know how to respond. That makes him think you ignored him so he shoots and blows you up.....Sound familiar? This crap happens ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. Its about time to make a rule to sanction the idiots without the decency to remember its a game, and you don't know it all.
' Wrote:You know, this is the kind of post where you read through it, blinking obtrusively at the screen because you're afraid your contacts are going to fall out from staring at the screen so much, click the "Add Reply" Button, then hit back and go to Flood, come back again, read the first line, and write something silly, because you know that you're guilty of doing some of the things that the poster has noted in the post, and that the post hold a variety of truths in it....
' Wrote:Maybe you should check when did I came here, and when Tenacity came here. Then you will notice a little difference.
As well, I doubt you have any character in Liberty, the main target of everyone of his complaints, whine. His goal is to make the life of liberty lawful players miserable, and he certainly means it. Read his posts a bit, you will see. Note how much of his roleplay consists in putting his finger in everything including liberty player. Notice how he treated every liberty ship I've proposed as bad and that an enemy of liberty or another should get a more "powerful version of it". Notice his post in this thread.
You are sick of bickering, but I'm sick of someone who is indeed killing a game that was suposed to be an escape to me. So much that I am writting an incredibly complex story to get a character I like out of Liberty.
At this point, I agree; Liberty is a hellhole.
Xing, this is pretty much what Joe was talking about. Even if someone else is rude to you, just pick up your trousers, wade through the mud he has thrown, and walk away. Yes, it's hard. It's very hard, but when you do it, I ensure you that you will feel like a better person.
I'll tell you now that if you let someone else make you hate your character's role so much that you stop enjoying that role, that you are letting them win the imaginary fight for your enjoyment. Before you say anything, I would like to say that I do have a character in Liberty, and I have been on the bad side of the spectrum (I can haz Battlecruisers outside Alcatraz?), and the same has happened to Zelot (Different situation, but it still let a bitter taste). Furthermore, everytime we log onto our characters who we believe have the greatest, most fun role in the game, someone complains about what we do, be it on the forums, ingame, or on Skype. Honestly, it got to the point where it almost drove me away from this server, and this was before the current 'problems' of Discovery when it comes to courtesy and RP strictness.
The point is, don't ever let anyone do that to you. If you know what you do is something you love to do, don't let anyone take that love away from you. At the end of the day, you'll know that you're right for doing whatever you did, and if you aren't, there is always a PM button for an apology. Again, an apology might be hard, especially to someone you have friction with, but you can do it, and it will make you feel like a better person (again). Also, if you think I am just giving you a load of fish (CARP!), you can ask either Dab or Tenacity, both of whom I have apologized to for acting so abrasively towards them, although it was several months ago. For a more recent apology, ask Kurraine, to whom I apologized on Skype for opening a floodgate of rude opinions to his feedback thread, though I stand by my points in it....
Anyway, those are the points I would like to make. Off to sleepytown I go!
[8:32:45 PM] Dusty Lens: Oh no, let me get that. Hello? Oh it's my grandma. She says to be roleplay.
[12:49:19 AM] Elgatodiablo: You know its nice that you have all that proof and all, Bacon... but I just don't believe you.
This is rather interesting, on all multiplayer gaming communities I have seen folks do it. Its just human behavior so nothing wrong there.
For those who think this is awful or not good or whatever I assure you Discovery community is waaaaay better than lots of other communities I have seen.
If are really concerned about someones attacks against you in-game / on forums get to know the real person behind those characters, then you shall see its just a matter of different views.
[\JG/]BugsBunny
Information, the first principle of warfare, must form the foundation of all your efforts. Know, of course, thine enemy. But in knowing him do not forget above all to know thyself. The commander who embraces this totality of battle shall win even with inferior force.
Quote:Oh come on akumabito... if you're going to try and insult someone at least put some effort into it you ****in noob.
* watches sensible thread becoming derailed
Serious business indeed. If you can't respect people on the forums like Joe says, then at least stop acting like a child and taking something some guy wrote on a webpage as if he was offending your mother. A large majority here wants pure fun when they come here, without actual hostilities that they probably have to deal with outside of these forums. And while I usually do advocate having your own opinion, if you can't talk about it in a way that doesn't absolutely upset the balance of the entire forum, then simply don't do it at all.
As I can tell, this thread has been spammed, taken completely off topic, and are those flames I see licking out from under? Cool this thread down, or I *WILL* do it for you.
Boss, that means quit spamming General Discussion threads. Seriously.
Tenacity, I don't care if there are filters on this board, you stop swearing. While we're at it, listen to Joe and stop trolling.
Dennis Jameson, Noobl3t; keep it civil, eh? Nothing too personal, nothing too mean.
When in doubt, take your hand of the keyboard... read a new thread, come back. If you still think you MIGHT be going to far. Delete and start over. If you still don't think you can be civil, don't post. Play the game, blow someone up, or hell... Go outside.
I have a few of self-imposed rules when it comes to games:
- One game at a time on my comp that I actively play.
- Play when the fam is otherwise occupied or sleeping (wife, 3 kids & a dog)
- Work at having fun on it.
I don't really like being up later after a busy day and coming on to the one hobby I allow myself simply to play and have fun and then be pursued or harassed by immature players who just want others to be discomforted by them.
I have played on a really good mmo with a great community and it doesn't have to be this way.
Problem is when immaturity is the standard, then it sucks.
The advice my mom and dad would give is, "Grow up". Sadly that's an option that requires mature choice.
You can't tell the immature, "Be mature" just gets them mad. But you can tell by people's responses who is mature and who isn't. Find the people here who you see mature character in and hang around with them. It will be a lot more fun then.
Why is it when a thread is made trying to make a positive difference to the way we go about things here it ends up being a perfect example of what needs changing.
Thank you Virus for your little intervention back there.
Please, if you're gunna say something in this thread, read and re-read thefirst post. Make sure you really understand the purpose of it, before you say anything.
i find that thread utterly funny - as it perfectly describes exactly the point... along with all the actors involved. we have the usual "/signed" people and the whole thread went about the way so many other threads went... what more prove does one need