"It's just a game.."

I just wanna post this thread for certain people to read. The people I am aiming it to are the narrow minded ones who flame people when they post a complaint about other people in the game.

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I recently read through that "I scammed him" thread, and was a bit shocked at how many people said "Oh get over it it's just a game you take things way too seriously" to all the people who thought it was outrageous.

Thing is guys, I don't know what gives you the idea that anyone can act whatever way they like on a computer game, that somehow it shields your rudeness or immaturity. If you flame or scam or basically act like a jerk, there is NO reason why people shouldn't respond as if it were to their faces.
It's a computer game, yeah.. but there are REAL people sittin behind the keyboards.
If someone takes offence at something you say that's out of order, don't you dare fob them off by saying "It's only a game". Really does annoy me and a few people I'm sure. We don't all turn into robots when we play, we're all human beings and we should all treat people with politeness and respect.

One other thing I read was someone said something along the lines of "I act totally different in real life than I do on here." That may be true as in being more confident as opposed to being shy, but when it comes to being a complete rude sonofa.. if you are capable of it on a computer game then you are capable of it period. So don't weasel out of admitting you can be an ignorant jerk, just accept that you can be like that.

It really isn't clever treating people like dirt, the guys who get off on it are sadder than they think. It takes more of a personality to be respected and yeah, none of you may actually care if things you say offend other people and that's fine. But don't you dare make excuses for yourself.. that it's the person's fault for taking it too seriously/to heart.

If you wanna act like a d*ck, then for GOD'S sake be a man about it and take responsability for your actions.

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FACT: Calling someone's mother a fat b*tch in Guild Wars... is the same as calling her that to their face. You may not care being called a rude bastard, but I'm sure none of you want to be accused of being so THICK you don't understand simple stuff like this. Don't be so uneducated not to realise. Thank you.

Broader minds will lesson flaming and insulting in the Game and Forums.

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Edit: Oh, just wanted to add. In reference to the people who basically thought the guy who got scammed should get over it etc... yeah, it may have been a game but the time we spend ON the game is REAL time.
What is with people thinking sitting in front of a computer transports you to a parallel dimension?
I'm sure you'd just LOVE to have 8 hours of your day wasted...

Fact. Its just a video game, if i kill your character in guild wars do you think im going to kill you in real life?

Even smack talk such as ima blank your mom and other immature comments are just in game stuff. We are so uptight in real life that finnally a video game lets our immature side come out when we want to.

You think insulting someone through a computer is different than say.. over the phone or to their face?

Lol... ^^^ example of the sort of person I was talking about

The internet is not a place to let all your frustrations out in a rude and disorganized manner. If you cannot control yourself around others, even on the internet, then you need to change. Insulting or cheating someone on the internet is only vaguely less harmful than doing so in real life. Killing another person's character in consensual pvp is an entirely different matter.

Mistress, you said it, and I wish more people thought like you. It's like how people use a "role playing" game to be a jerk--not exactly a "role" when you consider how rude and extreme people take it. "Role playing" in such cases is just some immature kid's excuse to say what they're already thinking under the safety or illusion of "it's just a game." Same with fighting and Guild Wars and general etiquette on-line while playing.

Having said that, those who already agree with you (like myself) are already more courteous and considerate. Those who aren't won't start to be now. That's because that part of their personality (brain?) that doesn't see the reasoning of this is the same part that doesn't want to hear it. Courtesy is too much work for some people, and they think of a game as the opposite of work (which is true), so courtesy, schmourtesy.

Me, if they're going to be rude, they may as well be open about it so I can ignore them immediately instead of learning the truth later. I've been on a successful arena team when suddenly the "best behavior" dropped with the intoxication of our consecutive wins, and I instantly felt guilty by association just to hear some of the junk coming from my teammates. Oy.

Like life, we can't win. Kids will be kids, especially, and will rationalize away their behavior (see HellRaiser's remarks already). We can only hope, ignore, and team with the like-minded.

You dont get it, its just a game if i make fun of some one in a game im only doing it in a game. I dont know that person in real life. The most immature man i met in my life was the most wisest man any of you will ever meet.

- confusious.

HellRaiser, you are definitely of a simple mind.

If you're saying that it's ok to be a jerk, scam, and insult people online because it's "not real life", then you're just hidding behind the internet because you know it's wrong to do those thing in real life. You're just brave online because the person behind the other computer can't reach out and smack you!

Hear hear, Eyahl! I have been a member of online gaming communities for almost 10 years now and I am STILL amazed at the brazen behavior people engage in on the Internet. Perhaps I am just odd in that I always try to remember that there is a living breathing human behind that cartoon character and that my words, whether for good or ill, have an effect on them. To mock someone, to call them names, to curse at them, to insult their race, their families, their nation, etc. etc. etc. is not something I would do to their face and certainly not something I should do online either.

As I said in a post a bit earlier: I am a 40 something school teacher and I am horrified by the things that have been said to and about me. I warrant that these people, most of them anyhow, would never dare speak to me that way if we stood face to face.

I am a firm believer in the "Do unto others..." thing both in real life and in my online life. I just wish others felt that way too.

Example, and I'm brave for stating this cos it's a tender spot for me sometimes due to bullying.

As most of you can see by my avatar, I have red hair. When people use it to insult me, I get insulted.
I put it to you, Hellraiser, if you were to make fun of me via my red headeness on Guild Wars... why in god's name would I NOT take offence, just because it's a game?

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Edit: I DARE you to be that narrow minded to say it's my fault for taking offence... go on, I know you want to

Scamming some one in a game doesnt mean im going to scam them in real life. If i kill you in guildwars doesnt mean im going to kill you in real life.

See people like you are the exact reason why the greatest game in the world ultima online became a fairyland. Because you all wanted it to be a super mature world. Grow a sence of humor, if some one really hurts your feelings taht bad in a online video game then click your computers power button before you become another trench coat mafia.

hmmmm

How the hell do i know you have red hair just cause your character has red hair, thats a lame insult any way.

look under the persons name genius

Prime example of what I know most people can't stand. That he claims he has the right to treat people how he wants and if we don't like it it's OUR problem and WE have to leave.

W....tf.

I thank you Hellraiser for replying to this thread so everyone can see:

Exhibit A - Hellraiser

Simple, before you act like a jerk in game, and flame/scam/call someone MF, imagine he might be your neighbour... that is 2m+/100kg+ and doesn't take such talk kindly That would certainly make some people think twice before doing such things.
"It's just a game" is not an excuse for being a jerk, but some people do it, because it makes them feel... er, what is that term in english... "big strong and cool internet badass" that would never act that way in real life. And that's not only games, same with various forums and other Internet based activities. You're anonymous, no one can punish you for it(can you get banned for going overboard with that in game?), so it's "safe".

" Grow a sence of humor, if some one really hurts your feelings taht bad in a online video game then click your computers power button before you become another trench coat mafia."

My "sence" of humor doesn't include listening to people call me "n00b faker SoB" over Internet and scammers, trying to cheat my out of my virtual gold. So what if it is "just a game", I spend lots of time to get that X platinum and now you robbed me - that time was wasted.

Edit, missed that one:
"We are so uptight in real life that finnally a video game lets our immature side come out when we want to."
So, if it doesn't have namecalling, it is "uptight"? There's a difference between not being "uptight" and being a jerk, you know.

You still dont understand that its just a video game!!. Prince rurik insults all char he sees, do the charr have the right to call him immature then ban him from the videogame?

NO! Immaturity is the strong point of a video game. No one wants all mature people what kind of fun is that? Problem is people dont tell it like it is these days and just because i made fun of you in a video game and you go crying to your mom means that you just need to quit online gaming. Because if you cant handle insults and immaturity in a online game how the hell are you making it in the real world?

You're only partially right. Because, in fact, you did scam them out of the time it took them to get the item/gold that you just scammed them out of, to be game specific. You, in fact, did scam them in real life. Thereby ruining, on any level, someone elses gameplay experience.

People like you are the reason why we have to have threads like this to remind us that any 12 year-old (or mental equivilent) can, and most often times will, ruin someone elses game experience and call it fun. Super-Mature world? No. But I would like to have a bit of respect for the other person's time when a transaction is taking place.

Why don't you grow a sense of pride instead? Something that values everyone's right to play a game without someone else ruining it for them. It's only a game... you're right... But that doesn't mean that you can do anything you want. It's just that simple.

She means if i made fun of her online character smart guy.

your mom goes to college, yadda yadda, some other profanity...etc random spurts of "noob" , "your mom!" etc...more spurts MF'er yadda yadda.....

im hurt man calling me smart guy stings

I do respect people online but when i want to call some one a noob or make fun of their moms i have their right. As you have the right to complement i have the right to insult. This is not done in real life because in real life we have laws and people now a days will either fight you or kill you in real life if you go to far with insults.

In a online game you are behind a computer. Plus if i call you a noob in which you are role playing your character in a mmorpg iam not really calling you a Noob in real life.

Honestly grow up. =)

woah and you calling me genius really makes me want to get a rope and commit suicide.

"I do respect people online but when i want to call some one a noob or make fun of their moms i have their right."

No, you have no right. And certainly not "their" right.

"Honestly grow up. =)"

Oh, the irony.

To make it bit more constructive - so, you believe that just because "it's a game", you *have right* to act like you want. Last time I checked, there are even rules with character names - and if you started some racist crap ingame, who knows, you might get banned as well. It's not "I paid for this game I can call everyone I want $#%#%".

btw, I suggest slowing down with insults on both sides(mine too^^), it will only make this thread closed

Hellraiser, you are confusing immaturity with blatent insults. Please turn your brain on, many thanks.

Little note, no-one and I repeat NO-ONE should have to endure insults from the likes of you. You seem to have grown up thinking:

Person A: You fat bastard!
Person B: Hey, that hurt my feelings!
Person A: Then stay the **** indoors, ***hole!

In fact it's:

Person A: You fat bastard!
Person B: Hey, that hurt my feelings!
Person A: Sorry, I shouldn't have said it

...Doi

No I'm not I'm talking about ME.. smart guy.


Okay, the slanging between Hellraiser and the rest of us stops

Here
_______________________________

Have it out with him in PM.
I think everyone's realised he has a poor frame of mind.

Back to serious opinions.

I dont take insults in online games serious... why? because its a make believe world. Just as if iam dreaming and a guy calls me a retard in my dream. Am i going to take offence to that in real life? NO! because its not real. The online world is not a real place.

Guild wars is not a real place, its a fantasy mmorpg and if some one insults me iam not going to cry at my desk top in real life.

Insults in real life face to face hurt because they are about YOU the person and what that person is thinking about you. No one cares what they think about you in the online world. Wtf...

didnt you say if i saw your character and it had red hair and i made fun of it for having red hair it would be insulting you because you had red hair in real life.

Then i said (pay attention) that how the hell did i know you had red hair in real life

Then the other smart guy said look under her forum name genius

Then i said she was talking about her in game character.

Then you said some jibberish.

"No one cares what they think about you in the online world."

That's "I" don't care what they think about me. Not everyone is like you. It's not like people go crying when they are called "noob", but it doesn't mean they enjoy it. Thankfully, there's ignore function for such people.

I suspect that this thread will shortly be locked. Engaging HellRaiser isn't going to make the point we, who manage to be civil both IRL and IG, are trying to make.

As the_veil said earlier: Having said that, those who already agree with you (like myself) are already more courteous and considerate. Those who aren't won't start to be now. That's because that part of their personality (brain?) that doesn't see the reasoning of this is the same part that doesn't want to hear it. Courtesy is too much work for some people, and they think of a game as the opposite of work (which is true), so courtesy, schmourtesy.

I think that we need to stick to the topic and leave HellRaiser to his own thoughts on the subject. Truly one of the most effective ways to shut down those who spoil our IG and forum fun is to simply ignore them.

Trust me, this isn't easy for me either but it works. *shrugs*

I dont enjoy or get mad about it because it was a make believe insult in a fantasy online game.

Case in center if you cant handle the online world that means you cant handle the real world your only solution = suicide.

You have no right to insult, actually. I believe that the EULA has a clause about that, in fact. Especially, if your insult involves racial epithets, or cursing. Too many people believe that just because I don't know your name, or where you live, that it gives you the "right" to say whatever strikes you as funny. Even if it is at my expense. There couldn't be anything further from the truth.

Grow up? You're talking about "having the right" to act like a 2 year-old, and you're telling people to grow up? I understand that people want to have fun. This is a game after all. But fun isn't ruining someone elses game experience. Period. Shouting the odd "N00blar" statement every now and again isn't the same as running a string of insults together that are uncalled for. Especially at a new player. Everyone was new once. Everyone had to learn somehow. Being new shouldn't be anything to be sorry for. This should be a team experience with good sportsmanship.

So, I would ask you to grow up. Because I have already.

It's amazing how brazen some people will be when they think they can't be reached. That is why the internet is so lacking in general tact. Hell, even the wild west wasn't this wild.

People hardly ever behave the same way while on and off of the net. It's the only place where young or old are in more or less equal footing, and identities can change at the drop of a hat. Of course kids have less at stake and are less considerate of their actions and their ramifications than someone more mature. For their part the "mature" need to accept this and move on when they cross swords with the "immature." Although it would be nice if you could "ground" someone for being a jackass online.

I know of the post you're discussing. I read the whole post as well as the victim's on gamefaqs. One of the reasons (and there are several) I left SWG is the community started to falter when suddenly it wasn't that difficult to become a jedi. It seemed that almost everyone became totally selfish and didn't mind scamming others to climb the rank structure. The sense of "hooking each other up" was lost.

Part of the reason some of us play mmorpgs, particularly Guid Wars, is the sense of community. It's a way to meet all kinds of different people and, in this case, from all over the world without having to actually pay for the long distance phone bill, airfare, etc. When the system is abused in this manner, it's a real kick in the face and a major step backward in the online community.

The most dangerous people in the world are those who don't know they don't know. Scary stuff. The scammer has no idea.

"Case in center if you cant handle the online world that means you cant handle the real world your only solution = suicide."

Didn't you just say that online world and real world are two different things? And now you're saying that the opposite?

And that's it for me - there's is no way to convince such people to change their mind, so I won't bother trying.

I know his *laughs* points of view are frustrating, but yes please no more posts regarding him. People like him aren't worth it.

Back onto the point, I do think too many people see computer games as a fantasty world. We don't all play as a fantasty character. I know my char doesn't have my name but I do play as myself. I talk as I do normally. She has my personality.
Now, I accept that some people role play and don't want to give up their real names etc.. I think the RP's need to be a little more open minded in the other direction.

if guild wars > life, and guild wars is only a game, does that make my life a game?

Are you kidding me ? How are YOU not calling the OTHER person a noob in real life? The CHARACTER is not playing HIMSELF. A PERSON behind the keyboard is controlling it. You are not insulting the CHARACTER. You are insulting the PERSON behind the character. Do you know why people dont insult people at lans? They dont for the simple fact that they'll get their asses kicked. Lans actually have a good sense of maturity since people are there face to face. They are not behind a shroud. It's called maturity. YOU need to grow up. Also, there ARE rules against this. It's called The rules of conduct stated by arena.net.
Rule #1 states "While playing Guild Wars, you must respect the rights of others and their rights to play and enjoy the game. To this end, you may not defraud, harass, threaten, or cause distress and/or unwanted attention to other players."
You do not have the right to speak however you choose.

I hate to take Hellraiser's side here 'n all, but it is just a game.

...priceless

"if guild wars > life, and guild wars is only a game, does that make my life a game?"

Nah, it isn't nearly as time consuming as other MMORPGs(let's ignore if it is one). In them, you spent so much time playing, that you actually *live* in the online world