Kinder, gentler players

[Scca]

Last night I was enjoying some rare air time.  I found a C-Hog lower than me, and I got a few good pings.  Someone else finished him off, then the rants started.  "Nice warp" he said on 200.  Concerned, I was actually warping, I asked "who".  He said "the 51, I heard hits for 10 seconds after I was in the tower".  Glad it wasn't me, I said "that's lag, not warp".  He then commenced to tell me what a "tard" I was for using my alt advantage, followed by a bunch of chest thumping and threats.  I am sorry I hurt his 6.8 K/D, but hey, war happens. 

This leads me to my wish.  I wish we had kinder and gentler players.  Lots of folks complain about people leaving the game for various reasons, but I think more would stay around if people were nice.  I got into this game because I thought it would be fun.  It is fun, but with so many people copping an attitude, I see why people are leaving, especially new folks.  When people start calling out folks, telling them to "f off" on 200, new people see this, and may wonder if this is the game for them.  Sure, detuning 200 would help me, but it's the new person I am thinking about.  They see this hatred, and they don't want to play in this sandbox.

While I too am sometimes guilty of saying things I shouldn't say, it's often in response to a few of these online hero's going off the rails.  I am going to commit to cleaning up my act, will you (the collective you that is)?

I try to approach this game like I would a pick-up game of football with friends.  Choose sides, some banter, but after the game we drink beer and complement people on their performance (nice catch dude, not "picktard!!!"). Because in the end, it's no one else's fault you are in the tower, but your own.

 

[Busher]

 

[Aspen]

Keep in mind some folks don't have a lot of success in real life.  When they log on they can find some and are also free to vent when things go bad for them. 

They are the ones that go to a weekend coed softball game and get in a shouting match with the ump, gloat when they crush one that was pitched by 65 year old Margie who runs the flower shop and do a burn out in their hand-me-down Delta 88 when they leave.

If they see your request it prompts them to do the opposite of what you want.  It shows that they had control of, or an effect on something and that is a rare thing for them.

[MrKrabs]

I feel a group hug coming on.

[Tilt]

Nice soldiers?

[Ratsy]

How many examples are there for learning civics in my life?  Classrooms (Nebraska and DOD schools), sports, church, the US Air Force are all examples of places for indoctrination to the golden rule.

I don't think that civics is taught in public schools any more.  It's primary tenants are that personal freedom only extends as far as the guy standing next to you, majority rules, and that freedom of speech is not a green light to be offensive.  All are concepts that are out of fashion these days.  America's loss.

In sports, breaking team rules got you kicked out.  No do-overs or probation like now.

I believe God measures believers on what they do when they think nobody is looking.  Church offers basic training for that.

In the Air Force the petty punishments given out for being offensive add up to self-misery.  It's easier to be pleasant.

I understand that these opportunities are not available to everybody nowadays.

Like it or not, the people that come into Aces High are being held to a standard set and (usually) enforced by the hosts.  But in no way should we expect an online game to be the enforcer of civic turpitude.  It's just a game, right?

Channel 200 is a mistake, I think.  I'd rather that those folks that like talking trash do it in front of all of us.  When they do, well, they can face the music based on the standards set for the rest of us.  But that is up to the owner of the business.  It has driven and will continue to drive new people out of the game, in my opinion.  While trash-talk might merely offend some of us, it actually hits the business bottom line.  It is what it is.

Krabby!  Stay over there with your hugs!   

Random thoughts.
 

[waystin2]

The Nicest Guy In Aces High approves of this post. 

[Chalenge]

Might as well wish for guns that shoot daisies and daffodils, or bombs that plant shrubbery, because it's not going to happen.

[Karnak]

Keep in mind some folks don't have a lot of success in real life. 

That is not an excuse.  I don't have a lot of success.  I am still nice to my fellow players, you know, other than shooting at them.

Online all we have is our name.  If we whine and complain and make excuses about why the other guy didn't really win, we tarnish the only thing we have.

If I am in a bad mood and I feel that I lost unfairly, well, I just don't say anything.  It isn't hard to do and my ego can take being beaten without having to make up reasons why I wasn't really beaten.

An aside on that, how can I learn and get better if I only make excuses in my mind as to why I didn't legitimately get beaten?

How many examples are there for learning civics in my life?  Classrooms (Nebraska and DOD schools), sports, church, the US Air Force are all examples of places for indoctrination to the golden rule.

I am an atheist who was never in the military.  Doesn't take any particular background to know how to treat other people, and people of all backgrounds fail at treating others respectfully.  There are no excuses.  No lack of success or particular upbringing excuses being a you know what.

[Scca]

Might as well wish for guns that shoot daisies and daffodils, or bombs that plant shrubbery, because it's not going to happen.

Not all wishes are granted, but with any luck, this post may get someone to reconsider how big a sphincter they are, and realize this game is about fun.  If you're not having fun, push away from the joystick. 

Oh, and big hugs to Krabby....

[ink]

That is not an excuse.  I don't have a lot of success.  I am still nice to my fellow players, you know, other than shooting at them.

Online all we have is our name.  If we whine and complain and make excuses about why the other guy didn't really win, we tarnish the only thing we have.

If I am in a bad mood and I feel that I lost unfairly, well, I just don't say anything.  It isn't hard to do and my ego can take being beaten without having to make up reasons why I wasn't really beaten.

An aside on that, how can I learn and get better if I only make excuses in my mind as to why I didn't legitimately get beaten?

I am an atheist who was never in the military.  Doesn't take any particular background to know how to treat other people, and people of all backgrounds fail at treating others respectfully.  There are no excuses.  No lack of success or particular upbringing excuses being a you know what.

QFT

except the Atheist part....


very well said!!!!!!!

[Ratsy]

I am an atheist who was never in the military.  Doesn't take any particular background to know how to treat other people, and people of all backgrounds fail at treating others respectfully.  There are no excuses.  No lack of success or particular upbringing excuses being a you know what.

I quite agree.  My examples were mine.

Giving respect in order to get it is a learned behavior, I think.  Another one that I might have used has to do with being a born-again Texan.  "Walking a straight line" is still a point of pride for a lot of people I know here.  That is something you know about based on your post.  It doesn't matter where a person learns civics.  I just think it's a learned behavior if you are willing to learn it.  Part of my point is that I couldn't escape learning civics because virtually every aspect of my early life demanded it and there are (should be) consequences if you don't walk a straight line (honesty, respect, courtesy, etc.).

 

[BuckShot]

I didn't know about 200 for about a year after I started. I tuned to it for ONE night... I've never had it on since. There is no reason for a beginner to be on 200.

I found out about it because someone said "Jeez Buck, what did you do? they're calling you a hacker on 200."

I can barely get my pc to work right so it was quite funny to me to be called a hacker.

[Scca]

I didn't know about 200 for about a year after I started. I tuned to it for ONE night... I've never had it on since. There is no reason for a beginner to be on 200.

I found out about it because someone said "Jeez Buck, what did you do? they're calling you a hacker on 200."

I can barely get my pc to work right so it was quite funny to me to be called a hacker.

When the banter is good natured, 200 is fun. But there is always "that guy" #killclubdork

[bustr]

During the last year in the closed alpha, we made ch200 the tune to VOX so everyone could talk cross country and compare bugs and other things. Wonder what would happen if the only cross country channel was a VOX only..... We are still doing it out of habit in the open alpha and testing the arenas stays fun.

We found having someone to talk to helped compare issues or helped answer questions and give advice on what alpha testing was about. Not everyone entering the alpha arena for the first time understood to just go out and try everything and look at everything they could find to stick their nose into. I hope now with the open alpha people don't forget to document the things they complained about on 200 VOX after they logoff. The place is too easy to get into MA mode and forget what you are there for....