I don’t feel like gaming tonight, so I thought I’d continue with my hair-brained theories on why so many TF2 players are jerks.
Call me crazy, but I think a lot of TF2 players are multiplayer noobs. By “noobs” I don’t mean that they lack game skill, but they lack the understanding that comes with having played team based games for years. When you play these types of games long enough, you realize that there just might be a good reason why your team wasn’t there helping you in your heroic moment of anguish and self sacrifice, immolated on a capture point swarming with enemies. I had to explain to comrades twice in a map the other day, that I would have loved to help them, or respond, but I was in respawn, or I was miles away from where they bit the dust.
(great example of the problem. This is a spray found on the internets)
I have another one. Bear with me. No one wants to admit that the psychotic lady who says “YOU FAIL!!” has any effect on their play. I mean, it’s just a game, right? Or how about when that dude dominates you every round, the music plays, the boxing gloves appear. I think, whether anyone is conscious of it or if anyone will admit it or not, there is a certain psychological pressure that is amplified by the game itself.
Anyway you slice it, it’s still just a game. Players need to separate their personal need for a game to validate their ego, from the hilarious reality of the thing. It’s all pixels and happy colors.
June 8th, 2008 - 8:58 pm
I completely agree. Your second to last paragraph gives more evidence of my theory in that most the jerks you find in TF2 are mostly jerks there because that is the only place they have to vent. They are in reality probably the least likely person to ever do such a thing in real life because they know they would be whooped on so hard they would be gaming like it was 1999.
It all boils down to: “A lot of people like to be jerks on the internet because they think they can get away with it with no repercussions whatsoever.”
June 8th, 2008 - 9:42 pm
Truly. We need more admins, and regulars who know how to promote a positive atmosphere. I remember how Lord_Nobuo would respond when someone got the best of him sniping, or maybe they were mad at him for “dominating” them - he’d joke around and use humor to defuse it. I need to use that tactic.
Nobuo was the originator of what we used to call the “Gentleman’s Sniper Match” when the numbers were low on FNF TFC.
June 9th, 2008 - 1:04 am
Absolutely right… but there are just aren’t enough admins to patrol all servers at all times of the day, and ISPs with their own gaming servers (i.e. where most of the traffic in any given game goes) only allow for a few admins per server because of policy or whatever.
June 9th, 2008 - 1:05 am
Oh, and I love that spray, heh. I would have loved to have been able to use it a number of times in the last week or so.
June 9th, 2008 - 9:22 am
Just don’t use it on FNF. Not recommended.
June 11th, 2008 - 12:37 pm
I’d like to add a little insight to this. First let me say that I started playing on FNF exclusively because I like the casual, good-natured atmosphere. I think those qualities are important characteristics for having a good time.
That said, I am one of those people that gets overly frustrated when things are going badly. My wife will be the first to tell you that I curse at the game (off-mic) on a fairly regular basis. I agree that there is something about TF2 that attracts more unsportsmanlike conduct. I get frustrated a lot less often on DoD:S than I do playing TF2. Here are some of my thoughts on the causes:
- I agree that the psycholgical effects of the in-game voice and the “you failed” attitude cause some of it.
- I think it is much easier to get unweighted teams on TF2, and hence there is a lot more steamrolling. Steamrolling isn’t fun for anyone, and it is especially demoralizing for the loser. Usually when that happens I start looking for ways to even things out such as changing classes to counter whatever they are doing. However, if I look at my team and we’ve got 50% snipers, it’s pretty obvious what the problem is. In that situation I would tend to make a comment (probably sounding frustrated) that some snipers switch classes. I think you would probably consider that non-positive behavior. However, I would argue that those snipers who aren’t playing as a team are just as detrimental, if not more, to the fun of the rest of the team than my frustration is.
I started thinking of some more ideas, but I think it all comes down to this: TF2 requires teamwork for success. When you’re on a bad team, you’re going to lose, and there’s not much you can do about it. Cheerleading isn’t going to help much when what you really need are some different character classes and a new strategy (and maybe some team mixing when you’ve got too many superstars on one team). I guess it really comes down to a feeling of helplessness that leads to frustration, which leads to “jerky” behavior.
Finally I’d just like to say that I personally don’t mind people venting some frustration. When I’m really frustrated, it often makes me feel a little better when someone else points out my team’s clear lack of ability. For example, I think your “Epic Fail” spray is hilarious. If someone sprayed that after we got steamrolled, I would probably start laughing instead of what I’d normally do, which is to silently curse my team as the next round started. Sometimes making fun of yourself can take some of the sting away from a horrible loss.
After that diatribe I’d conclude by saying that I’m certainly not advocating bad behavior (once again - that’s why I like FNF), but I do think that you may be being a little hard on people…
June 11th, 2008 - 10:57 pm
I agree 100%…brilliant post, Niebs. Humor is definitely needed when you’re getting crushed constantly. I still think you can, in a nice way, offer suggestions or even make requests of people who are playing a useless class (for the situation) without resorting to negativity. Like you admitted, I’m no stranger to sounding like a jerk when I get frustrated too (moreso than you, I’m sure).
I’d say an admission of “Gosh, we suck. lol” is a long ways away from “my team sucks” or somesuch.