Gaming, developers and communities. A rant.

drink less coffee.

I agree with several of your points and have often ranted similar to those who would hear it. 
 
It's why online games, for me, have become a pretty solo affair or I don't play online at all except with friends. People just like to make drama, it's the worst. When you do random groups in WoW be prepared to get shit talked by some random dude who doesn't like how you play. Especially if your playing a warrior or some kind of healer.  
 
I have similar problems with forums/communities however the ones I actually hang out on I've never known to be that way. Ya there's a few times this happens here on giant bomb, but I just ignore the trolling/flamebait responses I get anymore.  
 
I feel though, seeing the gaming community as the vocal minority is a bit near sighted. I mean not everyone is a dick. There's a lot of great people with positive things to talk about.  
 
As for DLC and what not, I have never bought DLC for anything that I can think of (unless it came with the game, like a Game of the year edition or something) but I would wager a lot of the people that do don't peruse video game forums. Or maybe they do and I just don't know of them (100% possible). 
 
I'll close my random thoughts with: Darksiders is great. This newest one is one of the best games I've played this year. I could give a rats ass what reviewers or anyone else thinks about it. I still say the first one is tedious, but they have greatly improved the second game and it's a hell of a lot of fun to play. 
 
Ok, i'll shut up now. I don't have time to fix my grammar so this is just going to look like I vomited my thoughts up- oh wells.

I was thinking this just today while being trolled in a dozen or so matches of League of Legends. I know people love their anonymity on the internet, but I'm leaning towards having to own up for your own jackassery instead of hiding behind a fake persona. Of course that leads to a whole lot of other problems, but a man can dream about sunshine and rainbows where everyone is chivalrous and respectful to one another win or lose.

Disagree with aspects of your rant (particularly reviews), but if nothing else it was fun to read.

One thing I will say is that I used to be like you, but then I took an arrow to the...I mean, then I hit a point where games, while still being important to me as a hobby, ceased being something that oozed into other aspects of my life (keeping in mind I used to write professionally about games as well)

I am by nature not a particularly emotional person, so that might be part of it as well, but getting older and caring less about the overall games industry and the opinions of everyone peripherally associated with it has allowed me to not give two fucks about DLC, developer PR bullshit, or idiots on forums or in servers; indeed, I generally just find it all kind of amusing in a detached kind of way and get back to playing games alone, with my wife, with my friends, or with ransoms hurling abuse at me.

Also, as an aside, the whole masturbation thing was a pretty amusing way to hook a reader, particularly given what the average age and gender of readers here will be.

@CornBREDX: I know what you mean, having played healer and tank almost all of my WoW playtime! Its immense you unthankful that role has become! 
I didn't mean to call the entire gaming community this bad but often when it comes to popular games its becoming harder and harder to find a decent topic just so you can discuss the fun points of a game!
 
@mangopup: Yep, we can still dream but I can't stop thinking its just terrible how much communities have degraded and the rest of us seem to somewhat accept it even.
Might not even be our place to do something about it but hot damn, its depressing as shit to see a fun simple game like that be ruined by it!
Besides it limits the fun and possible potential purchases for some players, because bots are quickly boring and random matches offer no fun at all.
If they did, people would play longer and perhaps buy more.
 
@Tim_the_Corsair: I must say its a somewhat strange experience to have people disagree wth a rant which was written 'in the moment'.
 
I'm feeling like I'm at that point now, finding my perfect balanc so to speak.
I wish I was a llittle more detached from all of it as you say you are but I'm just too fucking passionate.
Its a weakness sometimes but many people have told me its also my strong point.
Still working on my style and improving, but I'm glad some of it is still visible even in this angry rant! 
 
Oh and I didn't even mean to pull people in like that!
It just happened! All my blogs seem to have a tint of sexuality or likewise in it I've noticed.
Might need to look into that. xD

The worst thing about the gaming community recently was the whole Mass Effect 3 ending thing. I quite liked how ambiguous the ending was but I didn't like the different coloured endings like everyone else.

However a very large amount of the fanbase felt they have the right to demand a different ending to the game? That's complete bullshit and made me lose almost all of my respect for the online gaming community. That right there is why the larger gaming community sucks.

What is even worse is that EA buckled under the pressure. They should have some fucking integrity and stick by the product they released. Although they only expanded the ending rather then changing it the fact that it was so obviously due to the outcry shows that they have no respect for the writers. You don't demand changes to films or books and the fact that this actually worked is fucking insane.

And you're completely right about people shitting on solid games coming out. Much like how people are saying Darksiders is a Zelda clone others are calling Sleeping Dogs a GTA clone and that fucking pisses me off. It's very similar to Darksiders in that it's better than it's obvious inspiration yet it'll always be known as a derivative copy just because GTA was first. People seem to not want progress in their favorite genres unless it's by their favorite franchises like Zelda and GTA.

I kind of agree about the franchises but while the amount of them is stupid I do admit to being a sucker for a good franchise. While not yearly updates the Mass Effect, Uncharted, and FIght Night are some of my favorite games and all in all they don't massively improve previous installments yet I was there to buy them day one. So I'm probably a part of the problem.

Obviously you're pissed off by the negativity in gaming now and I agree. Although looking at what I just wrote it's pretty negative. So fuck me right?

Anyway I enjoyed reading your rant.

I didn't rage at Mass Effect 3, or its ending. I was simply content by the events that transpired throughout that game. However, what the fuck were they thinking using Jessica Chobot as a voice actor in a game with actual VA talent? Her delivery was flat and awkward, I could almost hear the director facepalming through the microphone. Luckily she never had to be encountered again. Otherwise ME3 was a decent game, I don't like Jessica Chobot though D:

@Tim_the_Corsair: Sorry but I am pretty sure I see what you did there. Well played if so haha 
 
And to be fair I enjoy reading that persons blogs too despite itself.

@TaliciaDragonsong: I'm sorry but your post is the kind of thing that reminds me why I started to stay away from a lot of the forums and users on this site. People suggest that you should write these things out, then ultimately delete them to vent your frustration. Maybe you should look into that.

I enjoyed reading this. I don't necessarily agree with all of it, but you've earned a follow at the least.

@TaliciaDragonsong:

Damn Woman, that was some rant. Conflicting emotions, conflicting desires and it still somehow all made sense. That is impressive!

Of course the hook at the beginning didn't hurt either.

I know how you feel on a lot of it, well not nearly as intensely as you do, but I get it. I've pretty much been a single player gamer since day one. No wonder your written pieces resonate with me, you play and select games almost the way I do!

The negativity of the internet gets me down sometimes and I need breaks from it periodically. But I refuse to let it chase me from I want to be. To me it's bullcrap that I should just have to accept that some people act like jerks on the internet. In my opinion they are the ones who should leave the forums, not me (unless I were to do something worthy of getting banned). The only way I know how to combat it is make sure I don't contribute it and I make myself be part of what I'd like it be. That's why I always try to comment on blogs, reviews etc that I think are well done. I want to encourage awesomeness and let people know that at least somebody appreciates it when they do something rad.

maybe what I do is a waste of time, but it makes me feel better anyway.

Personally I don't know how to fix online communication beyond trying be part of the solution and hoping I guess.

I agree online communities have some big time problems. It never was great even in the early days, but man it's out of control now. The sense of entitlement and more importantly sense of invulnerability everybody has whether they are commenter, company, customer etc all have is just disgusting. It's become cool to hate, which disgusts me, because hate is perhaps the uncoolest emotion known to man.

The way people treat each other in online games especially just ruins the games. I loved DotA when I first discovered and played only with rl friends for about a year, then when they lost interest I started playing with randoms. About two weeks later I quit, other than the occasional game with Computer AI bots.

I don't mind trash talking within some semblance of social norms but the complete lack of respect for other people is just gross. And they do that because they know no matter what they do, nothing will happen to them. You can throw out hate speech, you can bully, you can stalk people in online games and communities, because there's no repercussions for it.

A lot of people throw out the idea, well if no one was anonymous on the internet then we wouldn't have this problem. Personally I don't think that's true. I've seen my local newspaper try that and the Racists and crazies are more than happy to continue spouting off nonsense and feverishly attacking others who don't share their worldviews. I think what really lets people cut loose is because they know the worst thing that can happen to them is getting banned from a site.

I've thought about this topic a lot and an idea I've had lately of what may really help the situation is faces. What I mean by that, is video chat or things like it. There's a different social psychology you have when you actually have to look a person in the eye. There's subtext, body language , expressions etc. that text and voice only will never capture. Obviously it's not quite the same as being in person, but I bet more people might be a better if they actually have to see who they are communicating with. Most people have a natural empathy that would kick in and encourage some decency and civility. It's lot easier to be a jerk to somebody you don't have to look in the eye.

Or maybe not. Chat Roulette as funny as it was, wasn't exactly encouraging progress for online communication.

I dunno. Well hopefully someone will figure it out and help online games reach their potential. I can't tell you how much I miss the ole LAN party days of the late 90's early 2000's. That was so much fun! If only online could ever capture that feeling.

Until they do figure out a way to make online play not abusive, I'll happy grind away on my single player games like Dragon's Dogma (185 hours and counting!).

that's my really long winded way of saying I enjoyed your rant.

@Tim_the_Corsair:

Well played sir. Well played.

I try to avoid rubbernecking in that particular car crash of a blogger's blog, but sometimes I can't look away! The Lulz are too strong.

@TaliciaDragonsong:

I think you got a little Jay on you. Like him, you are really passionate in this post. But, like him, you may be a bit too passionate. You're response to the things you brought up seem really over the top. If these things are bothering you this much you might want to just play games in a vacuum away from communities or simply just stop playing games for a while. Games aren't worth the apparent frustration you're experiencing.

Cool story, bro.

@Napalm said:

Cool story, bro.

She ain't no bro.

@Video_Game_King said:

@Napalm said:

Cool story, bro.

She ain't no bro.

Broette*.

@Napalm said:

@Video_Game_King said:

@Napalm said:

Cool story, bro.

She ain't no bro.

Broette*.

I thought the term was girlbro.

@Video_Game_King said:

@Napalm said:

@Video_Game_King said:

@Napalm said:

Cool story, bro.

She ain't no bro.

Broette*.

I thought the term was girlbro.

Find me the sexual opposite of chap. Chapette? Chapetto?

@Napalm:

Lip.

@Video_Game_King said:

@Napalm:

Lip.

You're lying. That's a lie, right?

Oh well.

Riveting tale, lip.

lmao

@Napalm:

Trust me: there's a logic behind it.

I dont know why I even read the whole thing but I did.  Well, at least you managed to entertain me for a while so thanks for that?

I don't always read online rants about videogames, but when I do, I prefer the ones that call for improvement and greater optimism with a medium that is supposed to be fun.

This probably could do with less new lines after every sentence and perhaps less cursing and negativity that seems a bit ironic for a post on lessening hostility and encouraging greater optimism, but I generally liked the sentiment and hope some people might listen. :)

@TaliciaDragonsong: heh. Yeah, I guess I just believe impassioned rants are more useful than angry rants, but as you said, it was more of an expression of feeling than a real treatise on what needs to be done. Perhaps you can mull on these thoughts a bit more and write up something a bit less rant-y and more personal appeal-y.

And I think you should definitely do a Dutch version. I'm sure a few people on Giant Bomb would understand how filthy it is.

@TaliciaDragonsong: Ok this might sound weird but until this thread I always read your username as Tactical Dragonsong. And it's been so long that that's the only way i can think of it now :/

@TaliciaDragonsong: You're choosing to hang out and listen to the wrong communitie, if you don't like something then don't do it. The video game is the important part, don't let other people colour what the game gives to you. Come on down here and hang out with me and the rest of the cool people in the Cool Room.

That sounds supercreep, however, I stand by my words.

I thought/think Borderlands is a great game.

Not being funny, but this is a little hypocritical of you. I agree with some of your points, and I know that online people are just dicks. Its the greater internet dickwad theory. But your ranting and getting mad and saying everyone is being a dick and your being a bit of a dick yourself. I dont mean to cause offense, its just what I took away from the post.

Forums and internet chat rooms are the worst, calling you a dick for something you said or a liar when they cant prove otherwise just because they think you must be lying cause your on the interent. The review thing, its the reviewers opinion on the game, and I take it as such and still buy games if I think they look cool. I stopped reading film reviews though because the prevalance of 'if a movie isn't artistic, then it sucks' really got on my nerves, a film can be shit but great if that makes sense, same applies to games I think.

Hope I haven't annoyed you, you strike me as someone who can be a great friend or your worst enemy and I would rather have the friend side, but I just felt I had to call you out.

@TaliciaDragonsong: Good good.

@TaliciaDragonsong: Ah. I see. Well, not to give you your first negative response(well, I think the cray person and a few others beat me to it), but I've definitely seen a trend amongst many gamers today wherein they are more willing to post rants with decent thoughts at their heart than ever actually pursue those thoughts further and really make some kind of statement. Though, frankly, that's a reality of many interests today. People more willing to shout or hold a sign than make a real appeal and engage with others in a serious manner on things they are passionate about.

So, unfortunately, people just kind of perpetuate situations whereby they will have reason to shout again in the future. It's like people are more interested in venting their complaints than pursuing their complaints, you know? In an age where words are king, most of those words are just empty bluster. Isn't that a shame? While we may not regard ourselves as the kind of person to actually make an impact, it's people who feel like that but simply get over it which become those who do make the impact. Someone doesn't just have to be angry or blow off steam; they can actually influence others and make a difference in their corner of the world. Anger is easy, and passion is hard. But not -that- hard. With just a bit more focus, clarity, and depth, even an angry rant can become an impassioned plea worth people's notice. I wish more people would take that extra step for the sake of what they care about.

@TaliciaDragonsong: Touché.

@TaliciaDragonsong: Glad to hear GB could help reassure you a bit!

Though, heh, your separating of each sentence onto its own line is killing me. I'm not sure what it is, but my brain is breaking reading that. Not sure if it's a formatting thing or what, but on my screen, it looks like utter madness. It's a completely stupid thing to be bothered by, but it's definitely something sticking in my craw. ha.

I'm glad you do your blogs. Though, perhaps you could try on something more substantive? It sounds like you already do something similar, but, I mean, something with the passion of a post like this rant but with the substance of something you've thought out and edited for more than a hour or even a day. I can understand on the low attention span thing, but since you frequent a videogame site each day, you clearly have a recurring interest and interaction with these issues. So, you could do it.

If you do, please share it with the lovely people here at Giant Bomb. I will cordially agree and/or disagree with your points.

@TaliciaDragonsong said:

You guys all disgust me, everyday again.

Now see here y-...eh, y'know what, I guess I am actually kinda disgusting.

@TaliciaDragonsong: Glad to hear it. The little things in your everyday interactions are important, too, but presenting more thorough appeals to people can be great for a community dealing with any serious issues or disagreements. :)

(And my brain will survive that formatting. Somehow. ha. My previous reply to you was apparently my 1000th post on the account, too. Wild stuff. Woo Giant Bomb.)

@TaliciaDragonsong: Oh wow, you're the only person who has ever noticed that.

Here it is again, just for you!

I'll think about changing it back sometime (maybe with a Mann vs Machine remix!), as a gesture of friendship between our two nations.

@TaliciaDragonsong: heh. I can't stop! You gotta be you, and I gotta be me. ;)