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United States15536 Posts
Hey there TL! Today's Monday, so it's time for another post from the N3rd Dimension! And this week, it's about something I'm sure you're all familiar with: RAGING. And also, why you SHOULDN'T FUCKING DO IT! Enjoy!
Alright people. It’s time to cut to the chase. There’s some BULLSHIT going on right now. Some SERIOUS bullshit. What I’m talking about is the kind of fuckery that keeps us from world peace. That explains why bombs fall in the Middle East. Or why we have no cure for cancer. We’re talking about the kind of ignorance and evil that results in severe karmic backlash throughout the whole world.
I’m talking about in-game raging, of course.
What did YOU think I was talking about?
It’s a problem. Have you ever played a multiplayer game (not even necessarily competitive) without muting everyone involved? If the answer is yes, you’ve probably gotten screamed and cursed at for something. You might have even been the one to flip out at someone in the game, snapping at your teammate who can’t help to save their life (and, consequently, is always dying). Maybe that even seems reasonable to you; if you can’t have fun in a game because one person is ruining it, it makes some sense to be angry with them. I suppose. Everyone gets frustrated or annoyed sometimes. Here’s the thing though. This is what rage on Internet games looks like:
NOT PRETTY, IS IT? We’ll ignore the blatant racism and homophobia that are the contents of these insults (for now) because those are part of a much larger and less nerd-focused problem. But the cause of many of these insults is what’s important here. Why do these people say these terrible things? Well, it’s related to what I said above: people feel as if they are prevented from having fun. But that’s not really the case most of the time. What people are really complaining about are losing and teammates sucking.
Breaking news, assholes: IT’S OKAY TO SUCK AND LOSE.
Let me break this down.
Point Number One (A): It’s Just A Game. Everyone’s heard this argument before. It was probably the source of much contention between yourself and your parents when you were young and took everything, especially games, very seriously. Or so you think. This is a different argument. You’re in one game of MANY that you have and will inevitably play. It’s inconsequential. Which means you shouldn’t become so irrationally angry that you feel the need to act like a monstrous douchebag. Even if it’s your job (as in the case of eSports professional players), you don’t have an excuse to start raging at whomever when you start losing. This tends to be a problem on player streams, when A) the player is not in a competitive setting and so nothing is on the line, and B) you’re getting paid to be an entertainer. It’s as if a circus clown decided to start making loud, pointed racist remarks to the lion trainer because the lion knocked over the clown car. (read: un-fucking-acceptable, particularly with its influence on the viewers) It’s one game. Stop flipping out.
Point Number One (B): You’re Not Taking the Game Seriously. As I said, I’m not telling you that the game isn’t important. Quite the contrary. Because getting irrationally angry about your teammates during a game means you’re ignoring the most important part of playing a competitive game well: yourself. Blaming your allies and freaking out when they fuck up usually means you’re ignoring your own performance, which, by the way, needs work. No. Trust me. It does. You can always get better, and if you think you’re good, you are not as good as you could be. In fact, being diligent about self-improvement is one of the best ways to fix raging. Instead of going off the handle because your top laner fed, or that one kid keeps dropping the flag, or your paladin doesn’t tank properly, think about what you could’ve done to save them or otherwise tip the scales in your favor. When you consider that, you will find ways to make yourself good enough that you can carry people who would otherwise bring you down. It’s not easy, but it’s a great idea.
Point Number Two: Everyone Is Bad Once. So you’ve been playing them game for years. You know it inside and out. You’re hot shit. And you’re raging at this scrub on your team who doesn’t know every little damn thing that you do. Hey, here’s a question: do you not recall LEARNING THE GAME YOURSELF?! This one mystifies me. Everyone had to start somewhere. Everyone, dammit. And, most likely, when YOU started, you were ALSO really, really bad. So just fucking stop it. Try to be helpful. Criticism is not a BAD thing unless you sound like an asshole when you do it. Shockingly, people actually improve when you genuinely try to help them. Weird, right? You know what helps no one? CALLING THEM A FAGGOT. This. Doesn’t. Make. Them. Better. It also makes you a worse person, so you should stop. Like. Now. Finally, if you’re freaking out like this, chances are you’re probably not as good as you think you are (see above). So drop it. You’re cocking it up for everyone.
Point Number Three: You’re Playing With Real People. There’s an oft-discussed dissociation between real life and the Internet in which, for some reason (read: anonymity), people think its okay to become complete monsters online. Let’s do a thought exercise, shall we? There’s a kid in your class who gets a D on a test. You get an A on that test. It’s not like the kid is lazy; you know he tried REALLY hard. Do you approach the kid and dump venomous hate on him for his failure? How about another? As a 6 year old, do you curse out a 2 year old for not walking as well as you do? If the answer to either of these questions is no, then WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING BEING A DICK ONLINE?! Because it’s the SAME DAMN THING. People have feelings, and, if you are not devoid of humanity, maybe try and think on that before you act like a complete ass. Oh, and if you answered yes to either of the above, then seek either therapy or a gun barrel, because you are ruining everything you touch.
Surprising no one, I’m sure, the inspiration for this post comes from my experience with eSports-titles, like Starcraft 2, DotA2, and League of Legends, though it can obviously extend to all multiplayer games (hey there, console FPSes and fighters!). Within these games there are… specifics. The relationship between the MOBA titles, DotA2 and League of Legends, is fraught with some intense rage issues linked to elitism. To sum it up, DotA2 players tend to hate the shit outta LoL players for playing a “no-skill game.” My God. It’s to the point where you have to specifically avoid saying that you play League of Legends in a DotA2 game or you get shat on for the next 40 minutes. Ugh. Gross. Of course, this just begets anger from the League of Legends community, which solves absolutely nothing. A similar incident also happened between the newly grown Starcraft 2 community and the Brood War die-hards when the sequel hit shelves. Sigh. You know, if you’re an eSports fan, it’s time to start realizing that in-fighting is helping no one, and the best way to improve the universal eSports scene is cooperation. But good luck getting that message through.
Since this atmosphere of hate and bickering emerges FAR too often, I am overjoyed when game developers commit to ending toxic behavior and include features to encourage a healthy community. Though it is not primarily competitive, Guild Wars 2 is one title that has committed from day one to maintaining a wholesome population, banning players with offensive names, who make racist or other bigoted remarks, and who utilize game-breaking exploits which trivialize the accomplishments of dedicated players. Halo 4, a title which resides in one of the most virulent internet environments, XBox Live, publicly committed to punishing players for sexist insults (and good luck to them). League of Legends, in spite of all the malignant hate it contains, possesses some of the best systems for improving the in-game experience. One such system is the Tribunal, by which players can recommend to punish other players who have been reported for various in-game offenses. Another is the Honor Initiative, which enables players to label their teammates and opponents as decent human beings. As the sufficiently Honored receive cosmetic indications of their reputation, the community has improved moderately in search of such rewards (and hopefully more at later dates).
But, in the end, this should not be hard. We’re not talking about religion or government or ANYTHING CONTROVERSIAL here. It’s a GAME. You’re supposed to be having fun. Maybe that’s what people are really forgetting. Whether you’re trying to practice a competitive game or relax with a simple one, you should stay happy. You should improve the game for yourself and others. You. Should. Be. NICE.
You can read more of my ridiculous rants and more at the N3rd Dimension.
  
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You are taking what people that rage write too literal. No, they dont really think you are a faggot or whatever they come up with. The most important aspect of their game is themselves you are quite right about that - but they are far from ignoring it. I think the vast majority of rage thrown at you or at teammates is in its core anger with oneself. You and the teammates are just an outlet, just as the surrounding furniture and gaming peripherals are. Its still a childish and idiotic thing to spew nonsense at others when you are mad at yourself, but being mad at yourself for playing badly is pretty normal imo. You just have to keep it in reasonable boundaries. Nobody gets better at a game if he is just as happy with being defeated as with winning.
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Ridiculous indeed lol. your school teacher-esque rant is more painful to read than most of the bm i get. If angry, bad mannered people bother you that much, follow your own advice and take advantage of SC2's privacy features.
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United States15536 Posts
On January 08 2013 09:00 diehilde wrote:
You are taking what people that rage write too literal. No, they dont really think you are a faggot or whatever they come up with. The most important aspect of their game is themselves you are quite right about that - but they are far from ignoring it. I think the vast majority of rage thrown at you or at teammates is in its core anger with oneself. You and the teammates are just an outlet, just as the surrounding furniture and gaming peripherals are. Its still a childish and idiotic thing to spew nonsense at others when you are mad at yourself, but being mad at yourself for playing badly is pretty normal imo. You just have to keep it in reasonable boundaries. Nobody gets better at a game if he is just as happy with being defeated as with winning.
I'm pretty pissed at myself when I lose, but that doesn't mean I should be taking it out on other people. Yes, being upset at your own performance is key to improvement. No, you shouldn't be flinging shit at people. And, unfortunately, I think just as many people get angry because they thing they're perfect but their teammates are the bad ones. Which is counterproductive AND asshole-y.
On January 08 2013 09:45 Harrad wrote:
Ridiculous indeed lol. your school teacher-esque rant is more painful to read than most of the bm i get. If angry, bad mannered people bother you that much, follow your own advice and take advantage of SC2's privacy features.
What's wrong with expecting people to act like in real life online? And what is gained by anyone with BM? It's great that it doesn't bother you, but why should it happen at all? Even trash talk is one thing, but racism? Homophobia? How is there an excuse for any of that?
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I actually like how we're free to BM, just the joy of how much annoyance I caused someone over the internet on a game is great. Without BM, i wouldn't ever know. Dont take what they say literally ever, just remember that they are just typing anything randomly hateful out of annoyance.
I should make a list of hilarious BM to use when I lose. Maybe ill be posted in the BM thread = P
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People act online like they do in real life. Ever watch a real sport and see after the play fouls. Also if you get offended at BM then go play board games.
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I learned that if I play for the sake of being the best in the game, it makes losing for me even harder to take. In the end, as long as I know I am just playing it for the sake of fun, I wouldn't mind being a low league player.
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I feel the same way not in the sense that it offends me but that I find it quite annoying. Though I know due to anonymity and lack of repercussion on the internet it will never cease so I just live with people acting stupid. I really hate how the internet is my favourite place to be, but at the same time the most horrible depths of logic hell.
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>step on a lego
This guy knows how to have fun.
Or, I would have so much fun with that guy. I skimmed over, but did you play him again?
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On January 08 2013 09:56 AsmodeusXI wrote:Show nested quote +On January 08 2013 09:45 Harrad wrote:
Ridiculous indeed lol. your school teacher-esque rant is more painful to read than most of the bm i get. If angry, bad mannered people bother you that much, follow your own advice and take advantage of SC2's privacy features. What's wrong with expecting people to act like in real life online? And what is gained by anyone with BM? It's great that it doesn't bother you, but why should it happen at all? Even trash talk is one thing, but racism? Homophobia? How is there an excuse for any of that?
I'm not saying it doesn't bother me, I've just accepted it as a fact of (online) life. I don't let it get under my skin. Mostly because I realize that 90% of ragers are just venting and not seeking to insult me personally. For every mannered person there's about ten jerks who have trouble keeping their ego in check, online AND offline. That's just how it is.The reason people show their "dark side" more often online than in real life is because online it's easier to dehumanize the other person when they're just pixels in a game.
The reason I think your rant is rather pointless is because no one appreciates being preached at like that, especially not in such a condescending, aggressive tone. You can't fight fire with fire.
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You should start by stopping the BM yourself. What's with taunting him about easy wins and such?
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You have spent your entire post talking about why our anger is irrational. When gamers get angry, regardless of the reason, they need some outlet for their anger. For these gamers, this outlet involves, as you point out, irrationally yelling and cursing other gamers.
Overall, I think your post would have been more beneficial if you discussed ways to express our anger in a more subtle or acceptable way (which gamers need to work on) rather than explaining the irrational causes of our anger (which gamers kinda already know).
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The fact is that asmodeus is right, but apparently you guys think it is ok to say things that would constitute a penalty for verbal assault if done in public lol. Yeah, BM is part of the system, but that does not make it acceptable. The fact that people cannot control themselves over the internet is not something that we should take this seriously, nor something we should defend.
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United States15536 Posts
On January 08 2013 11:48 willoc wrote:
You should start by stopping the BM yourself. What's with taunting him about easy wins and such?
Not my BM. Taken from the Confusing BM Thread in SC2 GD. I didn't take the time to SS something from what I've played. 
On January 08 2013 12:03 TheBigO wrote:
You have spent your entire post talking about why our anger is irrational. When gamers get angry, regardless of the reason, they need some outlet for their anger. For these gamers, this outlet involves, as you point out, irrationally yelling and cursing other gamers.
Overall, I think your post would have been more beneficial if you discussed ways to express our anger in a more subtle or acceptable way (which gamers need to work on) rather than explaining the irrational causes of our anger (which gamers kinda already know).
I mean, it's not about why the anger is irrational. Sometimes you're frustrated about the game. I'm angry that people think BMing like this is okay. The post is about why being cruel and awful to people is not okay. You're free to be angry, but you shouldn't be taking out that anger on others, especially not in such an offensive way.
On January 08 2013 11:10 Harrad wrote:Show nested quote +On January 08 2013 09:56 AsmodeusXI wrote:On January 08 2013 09:45 Harrad wrote:
Ridiculous indeed lol. your school teacher-esque rant is more painful to read than most of the bm i get. If angry, bad mannered people bother you that much, follow your own advice and take advantage of SC2's privacy features. What's wrong with expecting people to act like in real life online? And what is gained by anyone with BM? It's great that it doesn't bother you, but why should it happen at all? Even trash talk is one thing, but racism? Homophobia? How is there an excuse for any of that? I'm not saying it doesn't bother me, I've just accepted it as a fact of (online) life. I don't let it get under my skin. Mostly because I realize that 90% of ragers are just venting and not seeking to insult me personally. For every mannered person there's about ten jerks who have trouble keeping their ego in check, online AND offline. That's just how it is.The reason people show their "dark side" more often online than in real life is because online it's easier to dehumanize the other person when they're just pixels in a game. The reason I think your rant is rather pointless is because no one appreciates being preached at like that, especially not in such a condescending, aggressive tone. You can't fight fire with fire.
But the point is we shouldn't accept it. We should be angry that it happens. And we should show it. I don't let it get to me either, but that doesn't stop me from noticing that it's horrible. We shouldn't expect the worst from people; we should want them to do better. Even if you think they won't.
And the rant? Rage-comedy makes for more entertaining media. I haven't gotten to write a rant post in a while. But most importantly, I (try) not to be mean to the PEOPLE who do this, just at their actions. Unfortunately, I doubt that came across. Oh well. Still have much to improve.
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I have come across this so many times of players raging online when things aren't going the way that they want it to. I have raged myself, plenty of times, but I keep it offline. Some players are not worried about the criticism, but others don't handle it that well to such an extent that they don't even want to play the game anymore. Now, I know some will say that such people shouldn't be playing online if they can't handle the heat, and I agree to some extent, but at the same time I have to agree that it is much better if we just leave a "gg" or even try helping one that is having some trouble getting into the game, because it is true, we all had to go through the n00b levels of playing before we became advanced and (some) pro players.
Very good post AsmodeusXI
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Stepping on Legos doesn't really hurt. What really hurts is stepping on a toy road cone.
+ Show Spoiler +
I wince even thinking about it. It was terrible, and I never want my children to own any toys that essentially spikes coming out of the ground. I don't think calling someone a "faggot" makes you automatically a homophobe, though. Yeah, it's hurtful to call gay people faggots, because it's hurtful to call anyone a faggot. Unfortunately, somehow, I often end up on the delivering side of the rage. When I snap out of it, I realize that I just said some really messed-up stuff. It's a very loathsome part of human nature that our anger turns us into monsters sometimes. I'm proud to say, though, that I'm getting better at being more mature and responsible with managing my ire, even though I've recently slipped up a bit. 
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/UYyPz.png)
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