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Frustration and Agony in MMORPGsFor other players, the insensitive nature of other players in a particular event was painful because it was associated with an attack on their self-worth both in the game and in real life. My boyfriend and my two closest online friends and I were hunting giants in Rathe Mountains when a warrior asked if he and his partner could join us. We talked it over in group and decided that would be okay for a while, so our leader invited them into the group. I was playing my enchanter at the time, and his partner turned out to be an enchanter, a level higher than I was. I was medding up after buffing the group and switching my spells back to hunting/guarding spells, when the new enchanter started casting everything I had just cast, overwriting everything I had done, telling the group what to do and commenting on how they obviously hadn't had a chanter with them who knew how to take care of their group and they were lucky he was there, he'd make sure they didn't get into TOO much trouble. He started bossing them all around and trying to tell them what spells to cast and who to go where and telling me to just sit back and stay out of the way. I disbanded and headed for the zone, in tears of frustration. I had always felt that I had something to offer my group, that I could be an effective part of any group, as I had a variety of skills and spell lines and knew how to use all of them. To be overwritten, pushed aside, and belittled was unbearable. The rest of my original group also disbanded and followed me, preferring to hunt with me elsewhere and ignore his Out Of Character berating our leaving them, but to this day I still doubt whether I really can, really do, contribute my group. I always have to try harder, do more, because so very little of what I do is really visible... unless you're standing in a crowd of mezzed mobs waiting their patient turns to die, what a chanter does is simply grease the skids, and that's so hard to see ... and so rarely appreciated. I had never doubted my usefulness, until then. And even now, knowing I can be overwritten and cast aside as negligible, leaves me uneasy. Knowing how cruel others can be in casting people aside as useless, negligible ... and how badly that hurts, though you can't see the tears ... has left me unwilling to tolerate people in my groups speaking badly to or about others. My groups all operate on the Thumper Principle - 'if you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all.' =) i keep hoping the concept is contagious. :-\ [EQ, f, 36] My first and most beloved character is a paladin. Being who I am, I prefer to solo - a hard thing to do sometimes. Loving the game, I purchased a second computer and account to two box. I moved the cleric I had to second account and once she was high enough, the 'twins' soared to the high 40's easily. My guild is a small family guild of soloers. Some 10 or so characters were reaching the 50 mark at roughly the same time. The cleric was always in demand, sigh. I should have seen the problems coming. When cleric was 40 and pally 46 (estimate of level - can't remember exact details), our guild started having mini raids. These were 8 to 12 players strong, PoP had just been released and we needed practice grouping, working on tactics, using raid window, loot for armor upgrades, etc. My paladin showed up for a 45+ raid (cleric too low). She was the only tank option. We had a 55 shammy and 2 druids over 52 for healers. I explained my tank strategy and the drawbacks of a paladin (takes longer to get aggro). I made a hotkey to call for assist. The shaman was pulling with slow so I asked the druids to root the mob near me to help me get aggro (and save shaman from needing more healing). Despite multiple pleas for them to wait, all would immediately jump the mob. Naturally, we could not keep the heals up and my paladin could not get aggro. Casters simply attract attention when they cast before the tank has time to hurt the mob. I had talked on guild forum about how hard it was for my paladin to get in groups. No one wanted a not good enough tank or inadequate healer (both were excuses given me by groups looking for members). About 10 minutes into the raid, one of my guild mates said 'we need a real tank.' I held my breath. Not one of my mates backed me up. The guild leader (one of the druids) took maybe a minute to offer his 42 warrior. (this was a 45+ only raid, guildies who weren't high enough were turned down) 2 others said sure. I stated, one last time, that I could get and hold aggro if they would let me call for assist before attacking the mobs. Yet again, I was ignored. The tank was logged on and when he arrived, I told all goodnight and jogged back to a safe zone. I was crying too hard to play. My own guild didn't want me. Now that time has passed, I realize that I was in a real life low spot but the betrayal still stings. See, despite their assurance that I play my paladin well ... when I show up with pally, they say 'but we really need a cleric.' It got worse the higher the cleric got. I finally moved my paladin to the higher fee server and have found welcome there. Now my problem is - I like the people in both guilds (old one cleric is still in and new one pally has joined). I feel some loyalty to the old guild but also a lot of who knows what to call this mass of negative feeling. Do I dare move cleric to Stormhammer? I enjoy playing her but now that the pally is welcomed, even requested - I'm gritting my teeth when I log onto my old server. If I move the cleric will the new guild prefer her more? (yes, clerics are in great demand on at least 4 servers, sigh, lol) [EQ, F, 41]
Comments
Notice that all these interactions have been in EQ. Granted I never played EQ but I always hear people tell me how horrible game play was in that game and lack of respect/morals people had once in game. I find it sad that people ran around and do this. This is why I enjoy MMO's now a days with PvP servers or whatever. I have a problem with people or they hurt guildmates I can go out and kill them. Granted, I usually don't kill people but I will ask them to leave from the camp or whatever. Also it seems that 'younger' people seem to be the ones that are involved in most of these incidents. Also some mature people can't act like 14 year olds but usually it's the younger group that cause/are in most of these problems. I have to say though, every game will have bad apples, but the way EQ was setup there was to many in the first place. Way games are now is that your either part of a giant realm or your just against everyone which is a good and bad thing. Most loyalties are made and you really have to trust the people you are with. Even more so when your in a game lik DAoC, which I must say is some of the best people you will meet for giant realms. Posted by: Daegus on June 27, 2003 1:15 PM
EQ is the only MMORPG I have ever played, so it is the only experience I have. Both of the stories listed above have happened to me, which goes to show that it is indeed a common thing. Everquest is indeed a frustrating environment, but it is also immensely rewarding in the friendships that are also developed. It seems to be all about which one is more important in the long run... quit EQ to avoid the ever-common moron and abandon your friendships? The friendships have outweighed the morons for me so far (3 years nearly)... we'll see how it goes. Posted by: Veneas on June 28, 2003 5:19 AM
Boy, this is a loaded question! I'd file this topic under Jerry Springer show ideas..."Got a gripe with a griefer? Confront them live on Jerry!" Posted by: Jawbreaker on June 30, 2003 2:36 PM
Ive been playing for everquest for years..When i get mad at a group or a player i tend to log my monk on and train them. Sometimes when i am bored ill just do it for fun.. Posted by: Tsear on July 2, 2003 5:43 AM
I quit EQ about a year and 8 months ago and it was the best thing I ever did. Besides being a huge waste of my time, I found the anger and frustration I would build up in the game from things like the incidents mentioned above and/or dying after a lengthy stretch of xp gain or getting Pkd at the most inopportune times would spill out into real life. The more I played, the more easily irritated and angry I would become over things that would normally be no big deal.I once wigged out so far as to call the police one night to ask them if I would be liable if I smashed a car illegally parked in my parking space with a bat! Can you say "lost perspective"?Now that I've quit,tranquilty has returned and all the 'non-existent adventures chasing non-existent treasures with people I don't actually know' in the world can give me that. Posted by: on July 9, 2003 12:18 AM
I have played EQ awhile on and off and I have found something out about it. It's alot like High school how the popular kids ( high levels ) and the losers ( Newbies ) dont much speak and the high levels make fun of the newbies because they dont have the right gear or what not they most times wont even answer the newbies because they think they're better I find it kinda funny and sad that people think they're better cus they spend more time on a game then other people..... Posted by: Raelador on July 9, 2003 11:45 AM
I am a higher lvl pally and I have to say pallys have some of the best aggro in the game. As for the horrible people in EQ.... in genral people are nice. there are some ass holes but I have more trouble with people in the real world. As for the newbie/high lvl thing, I think that if a high lvl won't speak to a low lvl they are forgetting they used to be like that "newb" and maybee if your worried they are gonna be a bad player you should give them some tips. Posted by: Cinrac on July 21, 2003 6:06 PM
People do things all the time to annoy one another all the time in this game, EQ, but none have had the effect on me as my past encounter with a character that will remain nameless and guildless (punishment has been served via GM). While runningthe barbeque one afternoon i got the great idea that i would spend my hard earned plat and have a Tae Ew Tunic made, about 7K in total for the components. i did everything i needed to do, then started to /auction for a GM smither. WOW!! i got a tell right away. this is great, I'm gonna rule with this new tunic. We go to PoK and meet at the smithers shop...... I think you know where this is going. I give him the stuff and he goes LD. Posted by: Todd on July 28, 2003 12:06 PM
What strange people you are! This is not real life, where in order to get away from someone who is irritating you have to jump through all sorts of hoops and such. A co-worker is being a total arse? Too bad! Maybe if you tell your boss in the right way that he has the social and intellectual deftness of an inebriated pacaderm, he will be removed from your life. Don't count on it. On the other hand, EQ you can talk to other people if you want... if ignore doesn't work, like you get tormented by trains or kill-stealing or what have you, you can go to another zone. For example, as PoP zones are where all the people who want to xp as fast fast as possible are, and no one there has the gumption to take fun risks, I prefer to go to Sebilis. It may sound or look as though you won't be able to get a group there but... I still remember the first group I got in there. Was charm-soloing at necro, and a group comes in and sees what's going on. Did they push aside the lowbie chanter who is all by himself and takes five minutes to kill a single blue mob? No, I hear, "Charm soloing?" Yep. "That's outrageous!! A 51 chanter charm-soloing here?! Join my group else I spank you." I don't even have to exaggerate. This happened, and it was cool. Enter the right environment, surround yourself with people whose personalities will nurture your own. At this point the longest I stay irritated at anyone in EQ is for less than a minute. I kid you not. "omg your pet casted ice comet... sweet..." Posted by: Nobbynob on September 7, 2003 4:34 PM
Seriously, if you are having trouble with people on EQ then maybe you should get a nice PKer to relieve you of some stress(although you might become what you hated most..) or you could not let them get under your skin and remember its juist a game and those who make fun or hurt people are probaly diseased midgets or other low lifes in the REAL world. So GL with EQ and try not to go crazy ')> :) Posted by: Advent_Child on June 24, 2004 9:09 AM
EVE online is the only game i've played (online), and have seen and read all kind of miserable behaviours. As mixed PvP non PvP unique space, as politic,militar and economic game have seen how ppl just wanted to kill me ("Kill you later" is my favorite), harass me , or just scam me . When ppl speaks in local chats nobody answers him usually, unless you know him... just for the case you get in troubel. All in all I love that game :) .. unless its quite paranoid indeed Posted by: Iņigo on July 24, 2004 12:23 PM
Ah just forgot it We had a piramid too .. The guy erned loads of money and desappeared Posted by: Iņigo on July 24, 2004 12:24 PM
Hey Nick, I was looking for answers to a question that intrigued me and I was about to send e-mails to the psychologists who study media effects on video games, but I believe your first-hand experience and knowledge would provide more insight. Posted by: janarius on March 12, 2007 7:16 AM
Hey Janarius - I don't think there's enough research on MMOs in particular to answer that question. I guess I'd also add that given the differences between MMOs and FPS games, it seems more fruitful (and provocative) to explore whether leadership skills, communication skills, or long-term planning mentality transfer. Posted by: Nick Yee on March 12, 2007 11:49 PM
Quite right, I guess that what's the U.S. army is counting on when they released their free FPS game. Posted by: janarius on March 13, 2007 6:31 AM
For me EQ was much more of an investment time and effort wise than WoW has been, so I reacted worse to bad behaviour in EQ than WoW. WoW is much less time consuming and less punishing for failures so I can easily switch groups or leave an area. As for the aggressive behaviour tied to video games question. I think that any study about the influence of violence in video games should be paired with a study on the level of interaction between the children being studied and their parents. Posted by: Arcoslippy on August 14, 2007 12:29 AM
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