Elmo's Guide To Surviving The Online Gaming Scene
Are you new to the world of online gaming or having problems coping with the childishness, foul language, harassment and general chaos that is a part of many gaming lobbies? This guide will help smooth your entry into the sometimes harsh reality that many gamers find so unappealing, We will discuss methods of eliminating the affect obnoxious players have on individuals and the games they play. We will also discuss the good points and bad points of joining a clan or non-clan group of players. Lastly, we will show you how to find the right clan or non-clan group to fit your playing time and personality. The reward of playing online and being an active participant in a game community is many. You will be amazed how many close friendships you will establish with people of all ages, nationalities, religions and social status.
Obnoxious Players and How To Get Rid of Them
There always seems to be one or more individuals or groups of players that can ruin the friendly atmosphere of a game lobby. Their methods are many: spamming, foul language, harassing messages directed at certain people, rumor spreading, escaping out of a game once it starts, and Team Killing (TKr's) and the occasional cheating.
What is a Spammer? A person who interrupts the ability of other players to communicate in a game lobby by rapidly filling the chat screen with words, phrases or other nonsense, making it difficult if not impossible to chat.
Stop Spamming, Foul Language and Harassment
1. Use the "ignore" command. Eliminating the offending player may be as easy as putting the him on "ignore". The Medieval Total War Gamespy lobby offers the command; #ignore player's name to ignore someone you find offensive. If your chat server does not offer this feature, contact the administrator or moderator and ask for it to be included.
2. Politely ask the player to stop. Sometimes a player in his eagerness to play, may spam to get someone to join his game, use foul language to get attention, or harass you to play with him. Asking him to stop will normally work with this type of offender.
3. Ignore the player as if he doesn't exist. Most obnoxious players are starved for attention and like it when they get a reaction out of someone in the lobby. When no reaction is given, the player will normally stop after a short period of time.
4. Use private chat. If your chat server has a private messaging command, you may chat with other players without having to use the main chat room and avoid the hassle..
5. In extreme cases, after all other methods have been tried and the behavior continues, you should contact the server administrator to request that this player be banned from the server.
Rumors are normally spread in a game's forum and often involve 2 or more clans accusing each of cheating, lying, or some other type of offense, Some players spread rumors to tarnish the image of a well respected player, and lastly some players are "Trolls".
What is a Troll? A "troll" is a player who posts in a game forum just to illicit a reaction from players. His posts are opinionated, rude, sarcastic, disagreeable, condescending and insulting. In reality, the player may not agree with anything he posts and may not even be a player of the game in question.
How to Stop Rumors
1. Ignore the forum posts and continue on with the discussion as if it never occurred. This may be very hard sometimes, but given the anonymity of the internet, it is a useless proposition to argue with this type of player or group. If you belong to a clan, you must realize that your actions are a reflection of your clan's image to others and if others see you arguing, cursing, and stooping to the level of the harassing player(s) they will think badly of your clan. It is a no win situation. If you ignore the argumentative player's posts, the player will eventually get tired of baiting you and stop.
2. Contact the forum moderators or administrator and have the player banned. If a player's posts are threatening in any way, or would be considered harassment by law, you should immediately contact the forum's administrator and have the player banned.
3. Change your online nickname and inform your trusted online friends of your new name. The internet's anonymity can work in your favor too.
The Escaper and Team Killer (TK'r) is more troublesome in some games than others. If you are playing in a game ladder or competition, the escaper or Team Killer can ruin the fun for all. In 2v2 and up team games it can be troublesome, because the Escaper or TK'r gives the advantage to the team with the most players left. Worse yet, the Escaper can put the game out of sync and everyone is dropped to the game lobby or their desktop.
How to Eliminate Escapers, Team Killers & Cheaters
1. Use the ban command. Some games offer you, as host, the ability to ban individual players from your games. Medieval Total War has the command: #ban player's name This command will ban the individual from joining your games in the future. If your game doesn't offer this feature, ask the server's administrators or the game's developers to add it.
2. Explain to the Escaper that his actions take the game out of sync and to please stay in the game until the end. He may be unaware that his escaping after losing is affecting the other players in the game. This will NOT work with the Team Killer since he already knows the consequences of his actions.
3. Keep a list of offending players. This is where being a member of a clan, with its own private forum, is invaluable. Most clans, keep a running list of Escapers, Team Killers, and suspected Cheaters. Once you have a list, refer to it often when you are hosting or playing. NOTE: It is normally against most game forum rules for players to make accusations about other players, whether they be true or not, so avoid this mistake at all costs. You will appear as a whiner and the forum moderators will be forced to discipline you.
4. Password your games. Most games allow a password to be used to keep undesirables out when you are hosting. Use private chat to invite players or have your friends become familiar with your normal passwords so they can join when you are hosting.
5. Boot/kick the player out of your game. Most games offer a "boot" command or a "kick" command. Medieval Total War uses the command: #kick player's name to take a player out of the game before it starts. Remember: Etiquette requires you to ask the player to leave first, if he doesn't, you may boot him without appearing a bad host.
Clans: Are They Right For You?
Joining a clan has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on an individual's personality, social tastes, and time for participating. Each clan has its own set of rules, codes of conduct, and other requirements for becoming a member and it is up to you to decide if they are right for you. Here are some of the items you should consider before joining a clan.
1. Do you enjoy playing team games or do you prefer playing 1v1? If you are more of a 1v1 player who doesn't like to depend on others to help you win, you should look for a clan which is more focused on individual performance and less on team play. Normally clans have both types of players, so make sure to ask one of the clan members about what they are looking for in a player. If you are not the type of player who likes to socialize, then joining a clan is probably not a good choice for you.
2. Is the average age level of clan members important to you? Some clans are started by players who are similar in age. You may feel more comfortable with a clan consisting of players similar in age who may have more in common with you than a younger/older group. A lot of times it is not the age that is important more than the maturity level of the clan members. I have seen a lot of older players act like children in the forums and games, while a lot of younger players have impressed me with their mature interactions with others.
3. Do you play just for fun and socializing, or are you more focused and want to be competitive with the top players in the community? You can do both if you like, but if you lean more to the competitive side, you will want to find a clan that can offer you the skill level you are looking for. Find out who the top players are and what clan they belong to, then participate in their forum and play with them often. If you like what you see, then say you would be interested in joining and would like to know the requirements. NOTE: Some clans only recruit at certain times and some do not accept players who request membership. Do not be offended by this. These rules were established to keep trouble makers out and to make sure that each new member's personality fits in with the rest of the clan. In the long run it is to your benefit the clan you are interested in is so particular about its members.
4. Do you prefer a clan with a large membership or do you want one that is smaller? If you are interested in a clan because you always want to have someone familiar to play with, then a larger clan may be the right fit for you. With its large membership, more than likely you will always have a known teammate to play with when you get online. If you want a more intimate relationship with your clan members, the smaller clan may be the one with which you will be most satisfied. Smaller clans are good for establishing close friendships but you have to realize, when a member leaves, it has a greater impact on the clan's survival than it would in a larger one.
5. How much participation are you willing and able to give to the clan? Some clans require you to play competitive matches, fight in clan battles, get involved in clan activities, participate in its forum, do game research or act as a trainer for new members. Some people enjoy a lot of clan duties, and some would prefer to have a casual participation in the everyday business of the clan's inner workings. If you enjoy being active in a clan, you will need to find one that is highly structured and has jobs set aside for each member. If you do not want to become involved as much, you need to find a clan that is less structured.
Given all of these considerations, if you decide you would like to be a member of a clan, the following is the proper way to go about it.
The Proper Way To Request Membership In A Clan
Once you have chosen a clan which you would like to join. You should do the following:
1. Play with a lot of the members and let them get to know you. Do not ask a member you have never played or chatted with, to allow you to join his clan. Most clans are paranoid about spies, trouble makers, etc. If they do not know you well, they will not consider you as a member. If you ask too many times they will see this as an attempt by an enemy clan spy trying to infiltrate their forum.
2. Participate in the public area of the clan's forum. If you are a veteran player or exceptionally talented, maybe offer some advice on tactics, strategy, game mechanics etc. Be careful not to appear condescending or a braggart, because that will alienate you quickly with many of the clan members. If you are fairly new to the game, then ask for advice or ask questions about which units to pick, what type of strategy to use or anything else game related. Most clan members will be happy to give you advice and will remember you in the game lobby. Also, remember to thank them for their help, since they took the time to answer your questions. Politeness goes a long way in making you a top choice for membership in most clans.
3. Conduct yourself in an honorable fashion when playing, and chatting in the game. Most clans have a code of conduct that they use to evaluate a player's worthiness. If they see you using foul language, whining about losing, accusing other players of cheating or just being obnoxious, they will eliminate you from consideration. Remember: Your conduct will reflect upon your clan's image.
4. If a clan member asks you to join his clan and you are considering joining a different clan, respectfully decline his offer and tell him you have not decided on a clan yet. Make sure you do not appear to be saying; his clan is unworthy of joining or show disrespect, because many members have close friends in other clans and they DO talk. If you make someone mad, he may have a friend in the clan you are interested in, and make sure to tell him about your attitude.
Hopefully, reading this has been of some benefit to you. We look forward to seeing you online and wish you the best of luck.
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