Being a "good guy" in the gaming community.

So, I've talked to a few friends of mine about this and was sorta curious what sort of approach most of you take.  Often times when playing online or even participating in an online community through vlogs, blogs, forums, message boards or whatever, people will say or do something the community finds unacceptable.  A lot of the times these actions are not illegal or truly "harmful", but can, for the most part, be seen as things to avoid if you possess common sense.
 
A style of game play in certain games would be one of these things.  Techniques that are "cheap" or generally annoying are very popular among the online gaming community, especially in the first-person shooter genre.  "Noob tubes" come to mind when I think of this and games like Modern Warfare 2 and even Black Ops, to an extent.  Most people despise the use of such things, yet the tactic is still used.
 
In forums, people "troll" or intentionally "flame" other uses to incite a response or provoke attention to themselves.  Good or bad attention, is good attention to people with this sort of mentality.  I understand the reasons behind why someone behaves in such a way, but what I'm curious about is how you react to it?
 
If someone is doing something annoying to you, online, how do you respond?  A few things I'd like to point out and that should be fresh in your mind as you consider this would be: the window of exposure to most people online is normally very brief unless you're in a very small community, together.  Most online personas are fairly anonymous.  Most offensive people will respond with more hostility when confronted.
 
This post isn't in response to anything I've experienced, but simply just a curiosity I've had.  Do you yell back at people?  Make fun of them?  Ignore them?  Leave the game lobby/thread where the person is?  Do you do the same things they do?  Do you do the opposite of what they do?
 
Personally, I simply go about my way trying to offend the least amount of people I can, while having the most fun I can.  I love playing games online and competing, but certain tactics will always prevail over others.  Fortunately, true competitive online play offers limitations on the things most people find annoying in public games.  On forums, I treat everyone like my neighbor.  Every person I speak to or reply to, could be the next person replying to me or speaking to me.  So if I treat them poorly, I can only assume I'll be treated the same way when it comes back around to me. 
 
A lot of these questions could be rhetoric or simply things to think about, but if you have answers, I'd be super curious to hear how you normally deal with people.  If you have a serious or even funny answer, I don't mind.  :)

In multiplayer, I mute anyone I deem as annoying, so I have a relatively peaceful experience. In forums, I don't bother arguing with trolls because it's pointless and leads to nowhere. I will occasionally take the time to make fun of them but most of the time I just ignore them.

I kind of have fun messing with trolls sometimes.

I just get more and more depressed at the state of the human race.

In terms of gameplay, if someone's being cheap or using stuff that's generally considered amateurish, I usually don't care.  It's all a fundamental part of the game.  However, I don't like cheaters - the original Halo comes to mind, when it seemed like everybody and their mother over my college's network took advantage of broken spots in maps to edge out the competition with sniper shots.  
 
As far as loud, annoying, or abrasive personalities in multiplayer, I try to ignore them or mute them.  Responding to them is just fuel on the fire.  If the option's available, I'll flag the user for whatever grievance was done, if it's necessary, but that's only if the person's been a real dick. 
 
As far as forums go, I'd like to think I'm a rational, decent individual, but we all have our moments of shittiness, and I'm certainly not an exception.  I try to maintain contact and converse with people online who seem genuinely decent and can put together a half-coherent sentence or two.  Beyond that, I pretty much avoid the obvious flame topics, and I usually try to stay out of non-site related topics unless they really interest me or have a certain degree of relevance in my own life.

In an Multiplayer game I mute people, in a forum I ether make a sarcastic comment or simply don't respond at all.

" I just get more and more depressed at the state of the human race. "

Fighting games fans have to deal with this a lot, but after years of thinking about this specifically, I've come to the assumption that "If it's in the game, do it. Keep doing it until someone comes up with a way to beat it." I feel like this relates a bit to the blog I just posted about trying to be nice on Xbox Live.

"  Personally, I simply go about my way trying to offend the least amount of people I can, while having the most fun I can.  I love playing games online and competing, but certain tactics will always prevail over others.  Fortunately, true competitive online play offers limitations on the things most people find annoying in public games.  On forums, I treat everyone like my neighbor.  Every person I speak to or reply to, could be the next person replying to me or speaking to me.  So if I treat them poorly, I can only assume I'll be treated the same way when it comes back around to me.   "  

I said it once and I'll say it again. No one on the PS3 has a mic and it's blissfully silent all the time.

Some really awesome responses here and few that made me grin.  I definitely didn't think of the fighting game community, but I'm sure this definitely applies.  
@GlenTennis said:

" Fighting games fans have to deal with this a lot, but after years of thinking about this specifically, I've come to the assumption that "If it's in the game, do it. Keep doing it until someone comes up with a way to beat it." I feel like this relates a bit to the blog I just posted about trying to be nice on Xbox Live. "
 

So, right now I play a lot of FIFA and if you play a lot of FIFA you know all the possible exploits (high pressure and stuff) If I notice someone exploiting against me I'll just send them a PM saying "exploiting isn't cool man" Usually they'll just keep going on their exploiting way and not bother with what I just said to them but once I had a dude quit on me after that and another time he scored 2 own goals and lost the game 2-1. Pretty interesting to see how people react once they know they've been caught.

" So, right now I play a lot of FIFA and if you play a lot of FIFA you know all the possible exploits (high pressure and stuff) If I notice someone exploiting against me I'll just send them a PM saying "exploiting isn't cool man" Usually they'll just keep going on their exploiting way and not bother with what I just said to them but once I had a dude quit on me after that and another time he scored 2 own goals and lost the game 2-1. Pretty interesting to see how people react once they know they've been caught. "

Well, I'll say this about Xbox Live and PSN and I wish it wasn't like this; when I come across someone who is polite and is genuinely using the mic to have a fun rather than just blurt out hateful comments -- I'm surprised. The second I hear a voice coming out of a mic I expect to hear something asinine or annoying, or a combination of the two.  But, I have been seen some people do very nice things for others while playing online and that gives me hope for both of these services. For example, while playing Left 4 Dead 2 I had a person go completely out of their way to give me a certain weapon that needed to be used in a certain area for an achievement without me even asking. I thought that was pretty cool of them, and I sent that person a message saying thank you. 
  
Personally, when playing online I just try to not make everyone else's experience bad or annoying. No cheating, and no saying anything heinous over voice chat. Though, sometimes I do feel as if I'm part of the problem -- because I normally don't report people over Xbox Live. I just feel it does nothing, because the people who are on Xbox Live to simply get under peoples' skin, even if banned will get back on the service. Always. Whenever I look at someones profile who is being obnoxious, they're account is almost always brand new -- indicative that they were banned at some point and simply keep using free trial cards to come back.

" @sharma55 said:

" So, right now I play a lot of FIFA and if you play a lot of FIFA you know all the possible exploits (high pressure and stuff) If I notice someone exploiting against me I'll just send them a PM saying "exploiting isn't cool man" Usually they'll just keep going on their exploiting way and not bother with what I just said to them but once I had a dude quit on me after that and another time he scored 2 own goals and lost the game 2-1. Pretty interesting to see how people react once they know they've been caught. "

Yeah, I never really understood the concept of cheating in multiplayer stuff.  Like, when a game has "cheats" built into the game, they can be fun to play with here and there, but exploiting is just bogus. "

I don't get mad at the players but the developers instead. As far as I am concerned, it is on the developers to balance the game properly and if they don't then I simply won't play said game.
 
Also, if anybody sends me an angry message I will either ignore them or send back the words "I love you".

I play games and act however I wish and what I believe to be right no matter what the ruling majority may believe to be acceptable or not. I was raised to believe that every human being has the right to say what they believe and to do whatever they wish to do as long as it does not prevent someone else from being able to do the same. Sadly this has caused me to be a very unpopular guy in a lot of situations, but I don't let it bother me because I'm doing and saying what I believe to be correct.
 
In the gaming world this applies to me playing games in whatever way is fun for me. In shooters this often means being the guy who likes to hang back in the shadows and camp in spots waiting for the right chance to strike. That to me is the fun in those games, and is how I enjoy playing them. No matter how many times I get screamed at or called everything but a white man I'm not changing who I am or how I enjoy playing those games because if I did I might as well just stop playing it because at that point it stops being enjoyable. And that's the reason we play games in the first place.
 
If I join a game where the lobby rules state no camping, then I do as the rules say and don't camp. By joining the game I agree that in this game these special rules supersede any kind of general etiquette or personal play style and that I agree to follow them by joining.

I don't play much as far as first person shooters go, I've found that playing them on my 360 is super annoying because I'm a lady. I don't have the patience to play with people I don't already know IRL (or at least have spoken to in the past) anymore because so many people are dumb about it. Sometimes in WoW there are creepers but it's never all that bad. I can solo most stuff or play with friends, so I've never had any issues with it. 
 
As far as forums go, there will always be trolls. I don't mind them, and as long as they aren't doing something insanely shady like finding and publishing my personal info, I don't really care. I even enjoy arguing my point, but if it's obvious someone is posting to be inflammatory, I'm not going to bother responding. I've never really gotten mad at the internet, but man I do like trying to be right. Maybe I'm part of the problem :D 
 
I usually try to treat everyone with respect, internet and real life. It probably isn't all that beneficial for me, but it's how I roll.

"but after years of thinking about this specifically, I've come to the assumption that "If it's in the game, do it. Keep doing it until someone comes up with a way to beat it.""

" I don't play much as far as first person shooters go, I've found that playing them on my 360 is super annoying because I'm a lady. I don't have the patience to play with people I don't already know IRL (or at least have spoken to in the past) anymore because so many people are dumb about it. Sometimes in WoW there are creepers but it's never all that bad. I can solo most stuff or play with friends, so I've never had any issues with it.  As far as forums go, there will always be trolls. I don't mind them, and as long as they aren't doing something insanely shady like finding and publishing my personal info, I don't really care. I even enjoy arguing my point, but if it's obvious someone is posting to be inflammatory, I'm not going to bother responding. I've never really gotten mad at the internet, but man I do like trying to be right. Maybe I'm part of the problem :D  I usually try to treat everyone with respect, internet and real life. It probably isn't all that beneficial for me, but it's how I roll. "

" I don't get mad at the players but the developers instead. As far as I am concerned, it is on the developers to balance the game properly and if they don't then I simply won't play said game.  Also, if anybody sends me an angry message I will either ignore them or send back the words "I love you". "

" I said it once and I'll say it again. No one on the PS3 has a mic and it's blissfully silent all the time. "

I guess the safe thing to do is assume that other people aren't thinking the exact same thing about your net persona, even though they are. The biggest constituency on the internet are people who think they're above the culture they soak themselves in.

" I kind of have fun messing with trolls sometimes. "

I wouldn't get mad at anyone online in a game or forum, I would simply laugh it off.

I've only once encountered someone truly hateful on PSN. I tried to kick his ass just to mess with him in a passive-aggressive sort of way,  but he was too good so I left the game.
 
I've had more positive experiences then bad though, there are always a few people that you can tell just from their style of play that they're a calm, peaceful person.

I don't buy into the whole "Noob Tubing" deal. If someone is getting kills in a legitimate fashion, then no one should complain about it. 

" I just get more and more depressed at the state of the human race. "

" I don't get mad at the players but the developers instead. As far as I am concerned, it is on the developers to balance the game properly and if they don't then I simply won't play said game.  Also, if anybody sends me an angry message I will either ignore them or send back the words "I love you". "

I have to agree.  It's not the place of the players, especially in a competitive environment, to police themselves.  The player's job is to try to win without cheating, and using things that are included in the game itself and don't require any outside assistance can't constitute cheating.  If a game is designed poorly, it's not the player's fault.

If people want to go off on their own little private servers and play non-competitive games with people who want to agree to that mess, that's their business.

" @trophyhunter said:

" I said it once and I'll say it again. No one on the PS3 has a mic and it's blissfully silent all the time. "

That's something I really dislike about playing games on the PS3 actually.  Yes, it means you don't have to listen to annoying 12 year olds..  but it also means you can't have genuinely fun chats with nice people either and it makes playing certain online games practically impossible.  MAG for example, is a game I think would have been much more successful on the Xbox because people would have been able to play it properly.  When nobody communicates it simply doesn't work and that's why the game flat out failed.  I've come across my fair share of douchebags on Live of course..  But it's very simple to just mute them. "

I TK loads of people who don't shutup...so does that make me a hero or savior?

I treat everyone the same way - I assume you are a decent person until proven otherwise. When it comes to competitive online multiplayer I don't tend to use cheap tactics because I don't think it shows any real skill. You might win the match but there's no satisfaction in it, personally.

I mute everybody online, and in the forums, I generally ignore the douches. I think it's safe to say that yes, we ARE better than some of these people. But for the most part, I see everyone else as equals.

I'm neutral.

I mute and then ignore them. It's as simple as that.

I tend to find that i keep to myself online. Not because i'm anti-social, but because i either have nothing nice ot say or rather everyone else has nothing nice to say. Cheap tactics are called "cheap" for a reason. While there is no problem with someone using cheap tactics, its bound to cause frustration to those who "take the higher moral path" and "play properly"

" I'm neutral. "

" @carlthenimrod said:

" I don't get mad at the players but the developers instead. As far as I am concerned, it is on the developers to balance the game properly and if they don't then I simply won't play said game.  Also, if anybody sends me an angry message I will either ignore them or send back the words "I love you". "

I have to agree.  It's not the place of the players, especially in a competitive environment, to police themselves.  The player's job is to try to win without cheating, and using things that are included in the game itself and don't require any outside assistance can't constitute cheating.  If a game is designed poorly, it's not the player's fault.

If people want to go off on their own little private servers and play non-competitive games with people who want to agree to that mess, that's their business.

"

That sort of mentality doesn't apply to real life, so why would it, in a community, apply to games exclusively?  

Your remark also sort of nullifies the word "cheating", given that if it can be done, one should do it.  If "cheating" can be done, it should be done, under that context.  Cheating using a mod or something, sure, your argument covers that.  But what about exploitation of bugs found in a game?  You're content with people accessing and using those against you and these are methods you employ to win your own games as well?

I stay away from internet debates now. They end up being pointless dribble that goes no where. As for gaming online, I report if necessary, get frustrated from certain tactics at times, but its efficient and it ends them at the top of the score chart so why wouldnt they do it? I do get annoyed when people on xbox live whine and bitch about noob tubing, only for the next round those very people doing that and only that, then have the nerve to brag about how well they did. It happens and you fuckers know who you are.

I often get into 'fights' on forums for having an opinion, which seems to be a little less of a problem on GB so far tho <3.
My profile background says the rest ^^.

Honestly, being a "good guy" online sucks, especially when I always have to be conscious of what I'm posting online. As a journalism student, I don't want something I say as a knee-jerk reaction to a troll keep me from getting an internship/job in the future. Now, I doubt my potential employer will look at Giant Bomb, but you just never know who will remember something. 
 
It's because of this I've completely eliminated cussing online and try to be passive-active (be active, but chose which topics I don't think can hurt my name). Yeah, the Cronkite School is making me paranoid.

In multiplayer, I will try to kill people. If a developer has placed a rocket launcher or grenade tube in a video game for players to use, I see no reasoning in restricting yourself in order to avoid "offending" people. I just don't care about people that much. Usually, on forums or the like, if you state an idea that is controversial, you may get a negative response. However, if your argument is both well thought out and well written, I see no reason for anyone else to feel angry at your opinion. For example, I think Ico sucks. That is a controversial opinion. However, I can structure an essay relativley easily that presents my findings and thoughts in a coherent manner.
 
In other words, calm down, and think logically.

@carlthenimrod

" Honestly, being a "good guy" online sucks, especially when I always have to be conscious of what I'm posting online. As a journalism student, I don't want something I say as a knee-jerk reaction to a troll keep me from getting an internship/job in the future. Now, I doubt my potential employer will look at Giant Bomb, but you just never know who will remember something.  It's because of this I've completely eliminated cussing online and try to be passive-active (be active, but chose which topics I don't think can hurt my name). Yeah, the Cronkite School is making me paranoid. "

@Dan64

" In multiplayer, I will try to kill people. If a developer has placed a rocket launcher or grenade tube in a video game for players to use, I see no reasoning in restricting yourself in order to avoid "offending" people. I just don't care about people that much. Usually, on forums or the like, if you state an idea that is controversial, you may get a negative response. However, if your argument is both well thought out and well written, I see no reason for anyone else to feel angry at your opinion. For example, I think Ico sucks. That is a controversial opinion. However, I can structure an essay relativley easily that presents my findings and thoughts in a coherent manner.  In other words, calm down, and think logically. "

If people are obviously trolling, playing like a dick, etc. I'll just ignore them, and it's easy for me to do. If I genuinely think that they're just that stupid, then I may have to say/do something. I just can't resist sometimes. Usually I keep it pretty low-key, though. 
 
And I'm not sure if you meant to compare the concept of the "noob tube" to forum trolling, but I don't find that comparison to be at all accurate. I'm one of those people that says: If it's in the game, it's meant to be used. If I choose to use what is considered by some a-holes to be a "noob weapon", it's only because I feel like using that weapon at the time or I think it will be most effective. /siderant

I'm nice to everyone and I play as legit as I can on games like Black Ops. Noob tubes are a no-no in my book. I sometimes jokingly say things to people on these forums, but it doesn't always go down too well. KaosAngel is definitely the most obvious. The amount of times I've said things to him about GT5 and he still takes it offensively. I wish there was a way to express sarcasm etc on the internetings.

The latter part of your post pertains to something which really only applies to the more juvenile elements of the gaming community. I believe that we all go through that phase of asinine and immature "troll" behaviour, bust most of us grow out of it (see Tycho's Greater Internet Fuckwad theory for reference to those whom this generalization excludes). 
 
The style of play that you refer to in the first part of your post is a somewhat more contentious area. I do not condemn anyone for their playing style on the basis that it exceeds some elusive preconception of the "spirit" of the game. As long as someone is not blatantly cheating (specifically: going outside the normal game mechanics), I don't take any personal issue with how they play. On the other hand, it would be nice to see more "teamwork" in games which imply some kind of team mechanic, but this is hardly something that you could expect as de riguer.  
 
I take a somewhat stoic approach to multiplayer gaming: I play in the way which is commensurate to my enjoyment of the experience - which, incidentally, involves teamwork and good sportsmanship - but I don't get infuriated with those who choose a more capricious or mundane approach to the game. 

Generally, I go out of my way to antagonize as few people on the internet as possible. In fact, there's exactly one time I can recall on these forums where I entered a serious shouting match with someone (on the relevance of the wiki vs the relevance of the editorial content, if I recall correctly), but if I'm called out or condescended by a troll, I will respond, with the intention of having the appearance of being the better person. Then again, I think everyone does that.
 
However, as someone who is both party and victim to the "If it's in the game it isn't cheap, unless it's gamebreakingly broken" argument, I figure that it's not in my interests to self-handicap, especially in a competitive multiplayer environment.  And, to be fair, they have made grenade launchers in Black Ops a far, far, far less attractive option than they were in MW2, where Scavenger/OMA+Danger Close made them astonishingly broken, though not nearly to the level of pre-patch 1887s. Those things were ridiculous.

" Techniques that are "cheap" or generally annoying are very popular among the online gaming community, especially in the first-person shooter genre.  "Noob tubes" come to mind when I think of this and games like Modern Warfare 2 and even Black Ops, to an extent.  Most people despise the use of such things, yet the tactic is still used. "