Isn't human nature fun. I'm one of the old crusty flight simmers thats been around for a while. Always liked aircraft. I used to bug my father to take me to the airport to watch stuff take off and land. I still get a rush from hearing an Alison or Packard Merlin V12.
I've played online stuff off and on, since before 2000-think AH had the "canyon lands" topography back then and yep, there were always those who sought some kind of extra advantage in the sim and those who would get really pissed and complain with four letter words online as well.
I think I originally started in something called 'Sky Fighters" by Don Hill. Used a mouse for controls on an ancient MAC puter. I still laugh about getting e-mails from little kids who wanted to know how to change the coding to their advantage. In other sims there were gang bangers and there were expert spawn campers as well. Some folks have a need to appear better or top dog I guess. I recently tried a 'free player' trial thingy from one of the competing sims , (you know the one with axis and allies) and to my amazement the players there are now paranoid about spies in the game. If they can't take a town then its got to be spies. Always someone else to blame or worry about for your own lack of success. I would think that the players must know by now that it is them that can make or break an online game. Maybe it's got to do with the later generation of first person shooters. Blast away and get points and that's it. In contrast I used to fly cyber planes around just for the pleasure of successfully taking off, going around and landing. An old fashioned concept I guess.
I recently built a new rig and thought about coming back to play but when I see the same old behavior is still around I'm not so sure I will. I have to say that, considering what I recently experienced with the other sim that HiTech has been pretty good about considering player suggestions , keeping the peace and coming up with some new stuff in the game but how can he and the staff deal with all player attitude stuff and keep working on development etc.
What ever happened to just plain old gaming fun?