I will write a review of Update 46: The Sun Parade! in a later post, but for now I want to discuss the very best and slightly not-so-best things about a new game update.
One thing all MilMonauts love is a game update. A new update means new quests, new avatar bling, sometimes some new critters to kill, maybe a new island or world area, and if we are very lucky (as is the case of this event) some new medals to earn. And when a update is launched, an inevitable flurry of activity occurs in game. You see regular players in and out of the islands pursing the next quest and the more casual players logging back in to take part because they were waiting for something new to do in the game. In many ways, a new update is like a family reunion of sorts...the return of friends new and old, all back to take part. Aside from the anticipation of seeing what the new update provides players, it is the reunion that can also make an update something to look forward to.
Yet, it is that very flurry of activity that brings about the one negative aspect of a new update, and that is, my avid readers: bad player behavior. In the excitement and frenzy associated with a new update, likewise follows a lack of general courtesy among players. Now we know that Aunty A lectures a great deal about good/bad behavior, but I think it is interesting to evaluate specific conditions in which encourage some less favorable player activity.
Although I am currently battling some rogue stomach virus, I did log on to the game yesterday to check out the new quests and get a head start on helping the amazing WickyWiki's game Wiki for the update (somehow that sentence could have used some more W words for a more pure alliterative effect, maybe I will write a poem later). Despite my previous experience with the heightened activity a new update brings, I was a little overwhelmed yesterday (probably overwhelmed due to said virus). But it did not take long before I had to put on the Junior GM hat and roll up my sleeves to mediate disputes and get involved a slight dispute myself.
For some, a new update is not just a new cool thing to accomplish in the game, but with this update being an event update (limited time for completion, approximately month-long if history repeats itself) there is among some players an overwhelming need to be the first to complete all the tasks so they can brag about their achievement in the forum or to their friends. However, to complete all the new quests and medals first (or very quickly) when there are a lot of people playing necessarily leads to players "jumping in" or "stealing" loot and kills from players who were already in that place attempting the same goal. Result: a lot of bad exchanges between players.
It amazes me that players I know to be helpful and generous in other aspects of playing the game are just of guilty of inspiring ire among others because they jumped in on some other player. This I witnessed yesterday, and found myself getting angry with players for doing the same to yours truly. I know it is always exciting to get something new offered to the players, but is it worth the risk of making others angry and forever associating you with that behavior? Yet I feel it is equally appalling that if you are asked to stop for a moment so someone can finish what they working on before you showed up, the "jumping in" player refuses to acknowledge the request or starts engaging in insulting the other player because no one has claim to any one thing in the game. While there is truth in the latter, it still does not show respect for the other players.
While trying to collect my Songbird Feathers from Songbirds on Nikonos Island (love the birds, BTW, green IS my favorite color), another player started using their bow in what I refer to as the "sniper attack" on birds I was attacking. Now how did Aunty A handle her frustration with said player? Well, quite simply, I stopped, moved off to the side and in chat told the player that I did not appreciate them doing that and did they not see that I was busy killing those birds? Initially the player defended his actions, claiming that anyone can kill anything, that the game was open. While I agreed with his statement, I then responded that it just was not a terribly nice behavior and that most assuredly would not like the same done to him. The exchange proceeded along the lines that he is free to do as he wants. So, to illustrate my point (by and by, I wrote what I intended to do and the proceeded), I pulled out my bag my excellent Legendary Bow which is a smidgen faster than his bow and and picked off a couple of birds in the field before his bow could get them. After I made my point, I then queried him whether that was irritating to him or not?
Lo and behold, dear readers! The player in question apologized and explained that his mood was black due to another player doing to him earlier in the day what he had done to me. So we talked about this some more, and in the end he wrote, "I wish more players were like you." The double bonus was I made a new game friend, and the triple bonus, we came to the agreement to divide the field we were at and both of us were able to finish our respective quests. No bad words were exchanged, no insults, just two players who want to play the game and have fun.
So the maxim of the day fellow players: Do unto others as you would like done unto you. Have fun with the new event, but don't let your need to be "first" alienate other players. We all want to complete the quests, however the event will eventually end and if you continue to be a long-time player, remember your interaction with others is remembered and no one wants to be thought of poorly.
No comments:
Post a Comment