[MUD-Dev] Reach out and bitch at someone

[Jack Doolan]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Green" <brian at psychochild.org>
To: <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 5:10 PM
Subject: [MUD-Dev] Reach out and bitch at someone


> Here's something I've been wondering for a while.  Why do players feel
> it is acceptable to abuse administrators of MUDs?
>
> In many player complaints, they always seem to throw out the phrase "I
> pay for this" or "I pay your salary!" when they talk to administrators
> and CS representatives of commercial games.  This perplexes me, because
> you rarely see this happening with sane people in other situations.
>
> If I read a novel that I didn't like, I don't contact the author and
> say, "Look, buddy, I didn't like that book of yours.  I bought it, so
> I'm paying your salary.  Next time, you better darn well write a book
> *I* do like!"  If I were to run up to a McDonald's employee and yell, "I
> ASKED FOR EXTRA PICKLES.  GO BACK THERE AND BRING BACK EXTRA PICKLES,
> BEEYOTCH!!!!1!!" my friends would have a special name for me: "asshole".
>
> If I were to continuously call up Romero and whine about how I didn't
> like Daikatana, I'd probably quickly be facing a restraining order.
> (Maybe this isn't the best example, because this might be
> happening....)  Yet, players seem to think the above behavior all seems
> acceptable when dealing with online developers.
>
> Why is this?  Is it because of the relatively easy access to company
> spokespeople/developers?  Is it because of the time and money investment
> that players feel they need to make?  Is it because online anonymity
> provides a buffer to be more rude to others?
>
> Admittedly, the vocal rude people are in the minority in MUDs, but they
> seem to be a bit more common than in other areas of entertainment.
> Wondering what other people think.
>
> --
> "And I now wait / to shake the hand of fate...."  -"Defender", Manowar
>      Brian Green, brian at psychochild.org  aka  Psychochild
>        |\      _,,,---,,_      *=* Morpheus, my kitten, says "Hi!" *=*
>  ZZzz  /,`.-'`'    -.  ;-;;,_
>       |,4-  ) )-,_..;\ (  `'-'  "Ritalin Cures Next Picasso"
>      '---''(_/--'  `-'\_)               -The_Onion_, August 4th, 1999
>


Well the biggest factor would have to be anonymity and the maturity level of
the player I believe.

Having been a volunteer CS for UO I have to say the people that where
blatantly rude, either didn't understand there problem and therefore had
finally become frustrated enough that the most desirable release would be at
the company or a representative of.

Then they're where the other type that are sick of the game and are ready to
quit anyway. So they go about getting themselves removed.

I think the maturity level of the player, plays a big part in them resorting
to abusing an admin. The more mature the person the less likely are they to
be in category two. Where as category one where more than likely to be
older, yet not necessarily more of a mature player. The younger players
where more likely to understand the game mechanics and therefore keep them
out of category one.

I think generally speaking being anonymous and in most cases more hassle
than it is worth to track down, younger immature styled players tend to work
on that principle, I have found. It's by no means a hard and fast rule,
however it's a pattern that wouldn't be too hard to document.

As we grow older our respect for our fellow man grows in most of us and we
have a better understanding of our consequences for our actions and
therefore tend to be less abusive. One would hope J

Well that's my take on it anyway.

Shane.





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