14 DAY TRIAL // Side note
Editorial rants have become one of my favorite things about my job. I get to write what I feel, and hopefully offend someone. Not really, but it seems that this is what typically happens. One of my coworkers received his first death threat yesterday (no joke? yes he works at Softpedia) and I was a tad jealous? when will I write something that will get that much attention? I mean, it was an article on Firefox for Pete's sake, get a life man. It's not that I'd like to receive death threats per say, but I'm curious as to how a fanatic of a freakin Web browser can get so angry over an article to actually get so worked up. I mean, I thought death threats mostly came from sports fans. Some Seattleites are probably going crazy over some of the things being said about the Seahawks now, but you don't see them going overboard? As for Steelers fans, well, that's a different story (go here to see how crazy/stupid fans can be).
I'll stop digressing; let's talk Online Common Courtesy
Death threats aside, I came here to recap what I started writing about on my other editorial. Last time I wrote on how I think noobs are getting rough treatment when they try to play some FPS games. I think that for the most part this still goes on, but people are getting better (I'll continue this some other time, I have something new to rant about). I was fooling around online this week, looking for some servers when I decided to join an international German one. Luckily for me, most of them spoke English.
The main thing I liked about this server wasn't the fact that most people were actually good, or that the teams played together, what most stood out for me was the fact that there was "common courtesy." Something one doesn't find very often in pubs. This furthers my belief that A) it doesn't take that much extra effort to be nice to people and B) everyone's typically better off for it. I mean, I actually enjoy myself when people understand the saying that "there's no 'I' in TEAM."
Few words can equal big deeds
A few examples of common courtesy came to mind when I was playing with these foreigners. I actually had guys apologizing for team flashes, something that's pretty uncommon unless you're playing with your typical core group of online friends. Not only did they apologize for flashing, but they were actually apologetic when I died from not being covered. You might say to yourself, "hey, it's your fault for dying." Yes that's true, but I can come back and say that it's my team's fault for not covering me better (I know I can't always blame my team for my mistakes, don't misinterpret what I'm saying). But the fact that my own teammates recognized that they were role players in a team game was a pretty surprising realization.
This led me to believe that most of these guys on this server understood that they were all playing a "role" on the team. They figured out that it was their job to cover/defend/help you out and they expected you to do the same. Now I'm wondering why this doesn't happen in most pubs. Could it be because of the selfishness of some online gamers? Yes it could be. Could it be because of some stat? Yes it could be. Could it be that people just don't care enough to try and work together? It could be any and every of these things, but my main question is why are people so disinclined to actually try to be helpful.
I was on a server where people put their KD ratio's on the backburner and switched to the losing team when they needed help. I almost couldn't believe the selflessness that was going on in the pub I was playing on. The whole point of this rant is to ask if this is indeed a beginning of a new trend? Or a little oasis that I've found?
Here's a question for most online gamers? Am I wrong for thinking that this sort of thing doesn't happen as often as it should? Does it make a difference in the type of game you're playing? Or does it truly depend on the people themselves? I've noticed a lot less animosity from people and a lot less frustration when people put their egos and goals for stats aside and play together.
I hope people don't misconstrue what I'm saying because I typically enjoy myself when I win. I love winning, it's a way I have fun. But honestly, I'd prefer a challenge than a complete blowout. I prefer it when both teams are evenly matched and strategically sound, I thrive on having good teammates and working together for a common goal because I understand that it's a team game. I'd rather have a mediocre KD ratio and a great team than a great KD ratio and a crappy team? that doesn't mean I like having a mediocre KD ratio ;)
Yeah, ok I can join the winning team who's blowing out the competition 21-0, but I'd like it even more when the top 2 guys switch over to the losing side to even things up in order to make it a better experience. I mean, honestly, who doesn't like a challenge? Doesn't it get old to just whoop up on crappy teams (there are some exceptions)?
I hope the trends I've seen on this server spread to others because it would be a shame if every pub turns into a stat fest fiasco. Great you're 33-1, you've been spawn camping for the past 18 rounds, you can put your mouse in one set pixel and click every time you see movement, but does that make you a better player? Wow, big whoop you've got a better ratio than I do, but I repeat, it's a team game, you [expletive]!
If I'm the only one that cares about this topic, shout back, tell me I'm wrong, I'm idiotic, or maybe I've just been playing on the wrong servers. But somehow I think that I'm touching on something we've all had to deal with? something that will probably continue to go on because there are people out there that don't get what a team game is ultimately about.
