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[Column] General: Top Ways to be a Better Person in MMOs
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
MMORPGs are perceived as being full of awful and terrible people. Whether it be an elitist that makes you feel terrible for being new to a game, or just a simple troll that makes everything insufferable, it’s seemingly impossible to play a single game for than a couple of hours without running into some of these players.
Read more of David Jagneaux's The List: Top Ways to be a Better Person in MMOs.
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Comments
#1 is absolutely not worded correctly. If we were to look at social norms we'd see people doing nasty troll things in games all the time. It's not a positive instruction. We'd see attacking other players to get their stuff all the time (because no game with FFA PVP ever has a good enough police system) , we'd see character bashing of those who are different like ldbt, we'd see toxic behavior like class discrimination in groups, gearscore, etc. Much of the time the behavior online is goaded along by the design of the game. Developers themselves allow for certain kinds of behavior (like event griefing in GW2 for example) by their very design flaws. So really, this last one isn't the best wording, and the behavior of the players often has alot to do with the developers themselves and types of rules they have (or rules they break because they don't want to actually stand up for anything ethical in their game design).
Good points.
Not gonna happen though. It is what it is.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
1. Treat others how you want to be treated. Seriously, if you wanted to be treated with respect, you have to respect the person you are wanting the treatment from.
2. You teach others how to treat you. If you go into random fits of violence or name calling, people will treat as someone who tends to go into wild bouts of violence. If you act decently, people will treat you as someone who acts decently. If you act friendly, people will treat you as someone who is friendly. Easy concept.
Golden Rule above all others: Don't be an asshole. This one is very simple, yet so very hard for many to accomplish.
I disagree with #3.
I think nice comments about someone's looks are usually appreciated even if it's just a character.
Thanks David well thought out and I have worked to be a proponent for strong communities. I say it's not impossible. It just takes more of us taking a bit more time to "slow down" as a pandarian NPC would tell us!
Random acts of kindness do exist and are such a wonderful way to bring people together, even it's just a few. http://metaversemodsquad.com/glitch-commits-one-final-act-of-random-kindness-and-senseless-beauty/ This is an example of the final day at Glitch a short lived, but well loved mmo.
Here's an example a blogger wanted to share about her guild in Neverwinter; http://inksandscribbles.com/random-act-of-kindness-online/
I'm a pretty rough and tough kinda guy, used to be an athlete in my younger days and my dad was an Army drill sergeant during WW 2 then a paratrooper when that was kinda scary and new and football coach during my youth. Thus I grew up being taught to be a man and be a leader and take charge and that being emotional was too feminine. Well, I assure you, I'm not that way, things and events in my life have taught me many lessons. This story is of ALL the ways a community unites for the benefit and caring of real life people in suffering is one of the most touching I have ever read. Many of you folks on this forum may very well be tied to this event that happened not so long ago on a server in EverQuest 2. If you skipped the past two url's I urge all of you to read this one; http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/17/the-tattered-notebook-the-touching-story-of-ribbitribbit-and-th/
I find myself tearing up every time I read this account so well written by Karen Bryan.
How you present yourself in-game does matter and doing kind things for people unselfishly really does feel good inside!
Alyn
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
John Lennon
Skipped the most important one
1. Stop cheating
I know you are saying it jokingly, but for many people this is a truth, sadly.
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
I don't know which social norms you want to see acted upon; mostly I see them being followed, if a bit less masked in intent.
1. Ostracize those with any difference to you whatsoever
2. Group up to make fun of the selected recipients of out-group treatment
3. Promote yourself above all else, and those you know personally secondly, screw everyone else
4. Berate failure in any capacity in the pursuit of #3
I don't see any of those as good things, but they are most certainly the social norms now. I think we'd be better off in game communities if fewer people followed the 'social norms'.
While I appreciate your article, it falls short on credibility.
I really don't know how you can justify telling MMO communities how they should get their houses in order when the forums on MMORPG.com are a cesspool of negativity and bad behavior. Pot, meet kettle?
Actions speak louder than words. Set an example and then I might value your opinion.
Point in case to the first post....
don't forget:
a) capslock.... pretend it doesn't even exist
b) don't be racist. even against BrBrBr
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
Dwight D Eisenhower
My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud.
Henry Rollins