Bullying people, in online gaming..

[Boneasse]

Right-o. First of all, they reason I didn't use the 'swear-words' in my subject, was because I didn't want anyone to take offense and get my thread locked . Before we start I'd also like to say that this may be one of those threads where you may count on the internet anonymity to be your friend, if you speak your honest opinion (which I hope you will).

I just came from a gaming session with a couple of friends in Heroes of Newerth. When we play that, we usually sit 3 guys on skype (it's 5 vs 5 in-game) and don't talk much to the other players.

Our team was winning, and 4 members on the other team were all blaming this one guy who was doing a pretty descent job, by any standards. However, using all-talk and all-chat they were harassing this guy in ways I've rarely seen in online gaming. I can't even begin to comprehend how they could talk that way to someone they didn't know or anything. It actually ended with him, quitting, at which point they all taunted him and called him a noob.

Now, having described why I'm making this post, here's my questions for you:

*Do you, or have you at any point had a similar experience?

*How would you react if this had happened to you online?
- Would you talk back?
- Ignore?
- Leave?
- Report?

*Have you ever participated in any such activities against another online player?

*Have you ever used curse/swearwords at people, not intending it to be a joke?

*If you were to come across an instance where this happened to someone you were playing with, let's call it a friend, would you defend that person?

*What's your general take on bullying/harassing/using racial slur, against people online? Is it alright, or are they just pussies if they can't handle it?

You don't have to answer all the questions of course. One of two will suffice I'm just trying to draw a general picture here

[EDIT] Of course I'm not just talking about Heroes of Newerth here, but online gaming in general.

[EDIT2] Give a description of one of your experiences if you please, being the bullied or the bully, (as some have already done). I can promise you, you're not the only one

 

[Jark212]

It's recommended to Report and move on, don't feed them, they feed off it...

I've encountered quite a few trolls (recovering /b/tard myself, just follow the above and don't provoke them...

 

[Srkkl]

I only bully when they start shit, and if they start shit they better finish it. However I usually just laugh at them and turn off my mic/mute person, or leave the game. Especially when they challenge me to a 1v1 and I kick their ass, when that happens I make fun of them to no end, mainly because they walked into it. But if somone is doing bad on my team I turn off the mic and say stuff to myself about them, I don't make fun of them for sucking at a game thats just stupid.

 

[ArcWinter]

I never start it, and usually ignore it, however at the phrase "goddamn Jew" I tend to flip the fuck out.

'Cause I'm Jewish, or at least close enough to be extremely offended.

 

[Kuchinawa212]

*Do you, or have you at any point had a similar experience?
A couple of times and it's not worth repeating

*How would you react if this had happened to you online?
- Would you talk back?
- Ignore?
- Leave?
- Report?
Report and ignore, and mute
*Have you ever participated in any such activities against another online player?
never
*If you were to come across an instance where this happened to someone you were playing with, let's call it a friend, would you defend that person?nah as they would mute and report as well

*What's your general take on bullying/harassing/using racial slur, against people online? Is it alright, or are they just pussies if they can't handle it? Saying swears and big statements doesn't make you look tough and smart, just makes you look like you don't have the intelligence to come up with something so you stick to racial slurs

 

[Booze Zombie]

I've gotten angry at people, told them how amazingly annoying and stupid what they're doing is, but normaly, they claim that they're doing it on purpose.

Plenty of times, if you piss me off, I don't care if I know you or not, you're getting some verbal abuse.

Sure thing, assuming it wasn't something malicious that caused their problem.

I'm not a fan of racial slurs or "bullying", but telling someone who's being a complete moron that they're a "fucking moron" is incredible stress relief.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

Another example of Penny Arcade's Greater Internet Fuckwad theory at work. They only do that because of the audience.

 

[Random Argument Man]

You might want to change that title.


I played DOTA and this happened at each game. Beleive me, they all hated each other. I layed a few jokes to defend the players.

A guy once said "Your defenses are so weak. They're like vaginas! We always rape you". They didn't had a dent in their defense. I replied with "If our defense are virginas, then you must be a virgin".

It was funny at the time. Now, it's just bad taste.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Now, having described why I'm making this post, here's my questions for you:

*Do you, or have you at any point had a similar experience?

Not that I know of.

*How would you react if this had happened to you online?
- Would you talk back?
- Ignore?
- Leave?
- Report?

Any of those. Depending on severity and creativity of the assholes, I would either blow them off, mock them back, or just leave and report because I don't have to put up with that shit.

*Have you ever participated in any such activities against another online player?

No. I find the idea pointless at best, incredibly reprehensible at worst.

*If you were to come across an instance where this happened to someone you were playing with, let's call it a friend, would you defend that person?

They wouldn't need to be a friend. If they were anyone not acting like an utter tool, friend or enemy, I would say something.

*What's your general take on bullying/harassing/using racial slur, against people online? Is it alright, or are they just pussies if they can't handle it?

Life's too short to deal with utter fuckwads, especially if you're trying to do something you enjoy and not engaging in bullying, yourself. Wastes of sperm will rarely be anything but in an online environment, so I can't blame anyone for wanting to avoid them.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

I have a mic and don't even conenct it, and if someone starts talking crap I just mute them, that is of course, if the game allows it. It's real easy for douches like that to talk tough to someone on the internet when in real life they wouldn't even dare talk to that person to even say something nice, ethugs will always be around, there's no way around it, except by not having voice chat functionality in the game, but then again, you would have to read a wall of profanities instead of hearing it. It's lose-lose.

 

[-Drifter-]

I never started it, however at the phrase "goddamn Jew" I tend to flip the fuck out.

Do the other players ogle you to calm you down?

On topic, no, no, yes, it's not alright, but you shouldn't take it to seriously. They're just a bunch of people throwing around nasty words that hold no real significance.

 

[randomsix]

I've only ever cursed at griefers, but when somebody gets a beef with me, I try to stay classy. Bad language is so overused that it doesn't impact most people online anymore, but a completely clean insult can sometimes cut to the quick.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Meh.

They're idiots. On an internet line.

Not worth getting worked up over.

 

[Joa_Belgium]

*Do you, or have you at any point had a similar experience?

*How would you react if this had happened to you online?
- Would you talk back?
- Ignore?
- Leave?
- Report?

*Have you ever participated in any such activities against another online player?

*Have you ever used curse/swearwords at people, not intending it to be a joke?

*If you were to come across an instance where this happened to someone you were playing with, let's call it a friend, would you defend that person?

*What's your general take on bullying/harassing/using racial slur, against people online? Is it alright, or are they just pussies if they can't handle it?

Alright, to answer these questions briefly:

*I have never been in a situation like that, on either sides.

*If it would happen to me, I'd just search for the Mute button (ingame or on the TV if the first option doesn't apply). They're entitled to their opinion, no matter how lame or ridiculous it may sound. I just don't want to hear it constantly from a bunch of spastic retards who think they've accomplished everything in life. I'm just out to have a good time while I'm gaming. I'd probably report them as well, mostly to just screw them over.

*I've never used cursewords at people online. It's just not done.

*If it would happen to a friend I'm playing with, I'd tell him not to bother at first. But if the situation gets out of hand, I would step in and tell them to go get a life.

*Bullying, harassing and racial slur is never justified online. Anonimity doesn't mean you can say whatever you please. Luckily there's a Report button for any creeps/douchebags online.

 

[Vandineo]

well, noob, thats what we call a troll, and how you get over it (cause it was probably you that got flamed) is either you flame back, eventually starting a flame war, mute the troll, or go cry and be emo... you choose...

 

[DannyBoy451]

Right-o. First of all, they reason I didn't use the 'swear-words' in my subject, was because I didn't want anyone to take offense and get my thread locked

I take issue with this attitude.

By deliberatly not including profanity where it is relevant, you are saying that you do not believe anyone reading this is mature enough to deal with seeing profanity, I find that far more offensive than having to read profanity.

OT: I really don't care what people say to me on the internet, mostly because it's the fucking internet

 

[ArcWinter]

I never started it, however at the phrase "goddamn Jew" I tend to flip the fuck out.

Do the other players ogle you to calm you down?

On topic, no, no, yes, it's not alright, but you shouldn't take it to seriously. They're just a bunch of people throwing around nasty words that hold no real significance.

No, their imagination is not nearly high enough. I'm pretty sure they can't believe how shitty their imagination is.

Also on topic, right, except that sometimes it just feels nice to be really angry. For good reason, as well.

 

[Boneasse]

well, noob, thats what we call a troll, and how you get over it (cause it was probably you that got flamed) is either you flame back, eventually starting a flame war, mute the troll, or go cry and be emo... you choose...

Obvious troll is obvious. And no, it wasn't me But if you don't belive me, you don't believe me, and that's that.