Poll: How do you feel about younger gamers?

[Thamous]

"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought young than to open your mouth and remove all doubt".
Stupidity and assholerly don't age, that is to say people can be massive pricks at 62 just as easily as 13. Alas, the vocal minority of 13 year olds like to give the rest a bad rap. And in all honesty, I think I have heard maybe...3? annoying high pitched voices in my time gaming. The vast majority of people I end up muting sound like their over 20.

 

[darkfire613]

I think it should be maturity-based rather than age-based. I've been playing games online since I was 10 or 11 back in Star Wars Republic Commando, then when I got a 360 and Live when I was 14. I played the game, the few times I ever bothered to use voice chat I was quiet and respectful. But there are definitely other kids out there who weren't, and some adults who were even worse.

 

[ImprovizoR]

Some kids are normal, most aren't. Same with older people.

 

[Terminate421]

Currently, I am dissapointed. 6 Year olds keep getting the Latest Call of Duty.

 

[B.U.C.K]

as a 21 year old I say let them play!
...target practice, just kidding..
But undoubtedly; microphone banning should be included via a voting system..If a brat or anyone pisses the server off, you can initiate a vote to silence him for until the end of the match..

 

[Phenakist]

I maintain the principal of "Act the age on the box and I wont' care" I've no problems with young gamers playing games like 'Blops (for what little I play of it) or Reach, or whatever, so long as they don't ruin my fun or piss me off, I was one of them, most of us were, and I kept my mouth shut unless I had something useful to say, and didn't get any abuse, made a few friends along the way, good times... So you show me respect I'll give the same back, simple as.

On an observational note, I always have more fun with my friends my age (18), since we can strike the right balance of having fun and being team players and ultimatly winning. Essentially we have all the usual banter and laughs, but if there's any information worth passing on, it gets passed on, and then straight back to the banter. Whilst, when playing with significantly younger gamers it tends to be 90% screaming reaching supersonic levels, everytime they die, which happens alot, 'cause they're too busy throwing things around the room over the previous death...

But yes, respect me, I respect you, if you give me disrespect I disrespect you.

After thought: Mute button can be your best friend.

 

[viranimus]

I would offer a slightly different perspective. Given there is increasing signs (and studies are in fact being done) that are linking online gaming and addiction it does seem that perhaps one day in the future we might see such bans on the basis that it is a potential form of addiction.

Ive played MMOs with preteens who were just as competent and even tempered as any adult, however I have played many games with kids under the age of 16 who were obnoxious to the point that I would have no words to describe it.

Thing is, its all about the ratio, and honestly the ratio of obnoxious vs even tempered is dramatically skewed.

 

[Phlakes]

NGAAH YOU DAMN KIDS GET OFF MY GAMES

Anyway... No, I'm still going with that first part.

 

[Lightning Delight]

In my experience, most of the people who have been the most obnoxious online have been those that are around 12 or 13 years old. That being said, it isn't fair to make generalizations about an entire age group just because I have had the bad luck to run into morons. If you can behave yourself and refrain from shouting obscenities every 15 seconds, I don't care if you're 5 years old or 35 years old. Feel free to play.

 

[silver wolf009]

A good friend of mine once said, "If I were ever to raise a child, I would be very lenient about the material I allow them to consume, within reason. If my child proves to me that they can distinguish between fantasy and reality they may play whatever they wish to play. But if they ask for a mike before the age of fourteen, I am going to smack them."

I agree with this.

I guess as long as they behave then.

 

[FateOrFatality]

As long as they behave; the same as everyone else.

Hating someone based only on their age is a form of unjust discrimination, and is therefore unacceptable.

This entirely. I've not noticed any age group that doesn't have pricks about it, don't know why the younger ones get so much aggro for it.

Probably because of their voices. I care a lot less about an adult swearing over a mic than some kid screaming through one. It's just a matter of which one is more obnoxious (and more taxing on my ears).

However, despite that, I wouldn't want this to happen. I turn sixteen in two days, so it wouldn't effect me, but I would hate for someone similar to myself but younger to not be able to play online because of some annoyances. Besides, most games have a mute button now, so it's a tolerable annoyance.

 

[Sexy Devil]

Simply put, you guys are an easy target for those guys who want to place the blame on people who aren't even remotely similar to them for the poor quality of the online community. I've seen far more dickhead adults than I've seen dickhead kids on the multiplayer sector of most games. And I don't think it is right to punish everyone who behaves because a few people are tools.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

I try to respect them, but I so often see stupid brats who only play the most mainstream games with the best graphics. They are very allowed to like those games, but it makes me annoyed when they don't even take a glance at other games because they're "uncool". It's the kind of things that make me shake my cane at them and claim that it was better when I was young.

 

[Nikolaz72]

As the co-creator of a group for 14-year-old gamers, this is a topic that speaks to my soul. MY SOUL, BRO.
Most of us younger gamers are just like older gamers, with the same love of video games. The main difference is that a lot of us are not taken seriously.
Now, there is no denying it: some of us are schmucks. Usually, it's the kids who are trying too hard to be respected, and so are disrespectful. It's the same old peer-pressure "I want to be like you, and since you're a jerk to me, I'll be a jerk to you" escalation of conflict you get in any high school. Just more annoying. Thank goodness the mute button will always be there for us.

To be fair there are also gamers my age and older (the "gritty-real" demographic, if you'll excuse the HUGE generalization) that are also huge jerks online, (I find that they're mostly PC gamers don't wanna start a flame war, don't quote me on this.) or various series' of "that guy" to quote Mr. Croshaw. Obviously you'll get jerks everywhere (I had one of those elitist PC gamers as a floor mate, he wouldn't play anything newer than 2001 and shunned consoles before even picking up a controler a serious dick.)
I think it's just because high-pitched whiny voices stick out in our minds more, which is why you'll hear more people complain about them.

As someone who used to be a 14 year old gamer, I have no real problem with your demographic, just as long as there's a mute button when we're not in the same room and I can punch the aforementioned whiny douchebags in the face at any other time.

Oh I will quote you on it.

Thats an unfair and obviously almost non-existant stereotype you made there. Its almost as bad as the (Bro's dont Surf stereotype from Surf Ninja's) There would not be this many sales on Steam and in Retail Stores for PC if PC Elites didnt play new games. Im sorry, calling people who play old PC games The Elite. Gives them credit that they do not deserve. Rather, call them people stuck in the past.

Now I've met a lot of people on this forum who starts flamewars usually about PC'gamers (They are usually consoleplayers. Dont quote me on this) And I had a classmate not even half a year ago who called every PC gamer a retard for not using a controller and for spending more money on a gaming machine than he did. Usually pulling up arguements such as (Halo and Gears of War is must play) To which I answered (So Is Phoenix Wright and Civilization. Two things you will not find on a 360)

 

[Blinkwolf]

Honestly mics have made trolls out of everyone of us, orginally the mics where supoose to be used for better co-op playing togather and now its just bull rush to see who can be more insulting, and the few gamers out there who are actually polite and courteous enough to be modest in defeat thank you.

 

[Stall]

I have been playing MMOs since I was 13 (with SWG being my first), and have been playing online games as a whole since I was even younger (I think I remember playing Starcraft and WCII around the age of 10). I never spoke over a mic, and usually tried to act mature (which worked, as when I was honest about my age, most people seemed surprised). I can't really say kids shouldn't play games online in good faith, since I played games online at that age, maybe even younger than them. That being said however, most kids who play games don't have the same sense I did when I was that age. They are unabashedly loud and incredibly obnoxious. If people can't tell your age from the way you act alone, then play. But if you want to act obnoxious and loud, hell even confrontational over text to a point where your age shows, then you shouldn't be allowed to play.

 

[Okysho]

As the co-creator of a group for 14-year-old gamers, this is a topic that speaks to my soul. MY SOUL, BRO.
Most of us younger gamers are just like older gamers, with the same love of video games. The main difference is that a lot of us are not taken seriously.
Now, there is no denying it: some of us are schmucks. Usually, it's the kids who are trying too hard to be respected, and so are disrespectful. It's the same old peer-pressure "I want to be like you, and since you're a jerk to me, I'll be a jerk to you" escalation of conflict you get in any high school. Just more annoying. Thank goodness the mute button will always be there for us.

To be fair there are also gamers my age and older (the "gritty-real" demographic, if you'll excuse the HUGE generalization) that are also huge jerks online, (I find that they're mostly PC gamers don't wanna start a flame war, don't quote me on this.) or various series' of "that guy" to quote Mr. Croshaw. Obviously you'll get jerks everywhere (I had one of those elitist PC gamers as a floor mate, he wouldn't play anything newer than 2001 and shunned consoles before even picking up a controler a serious dick.)
I think it's just because high-pitched whiny voices stick out in our minds more, which is why you'll hear more people complain about them.

As someone who used to be a 14 year old gamer, I have no real problem with your demographic, just as long as there's a mute button when we're not in the same room and I can punch the aforementioned whiny douchebags in the face at any other time.

Oh I will quote you on it.

Thats an unfair and obviously almost non-existant stereotype you made there. Its almost as bad as the (Bro's dont Surf stereotype from Surf Ninja's) There would not be this many sales on Steam and in Retail Stores for PC if PC Elites didnt play new games. Im sorry, calling people who play old PC games The Elite. Gives them credit that they do not deserve. Rather, call them people stuck in the past.

Now I've met a lot of people on this forum who starts flamewars usually about PC'gamers (They are usually consoleplayers. Dont quote me on this) And I had a classmate not even half a year ago who called every PC gamer a retard for not using a controller and for spending more money on a gaming machine than he did. Usually pulling up arguements such as (Halo and Gears of War is must play) To which I answered (So Is Phoenix Wright and Civilization. Two things you will not find on a 360)

What does this have to do with...

I was making a point that no matter what age group you'll always get idiots. This was just the example that stuck out in my mind. I have nothing against PC gamers, in fact it's the only way I can play an FPS (fuck console aiming seriously!) unless they're jerks about it. I also had a floor mate (the same year) who did nothing but play X-box, but he wasn't bitter about PC games which is why it would have made a bad example.

When I said "don't quote me on this" I meant don't quote me on consoles vs. PCs. I'm indifferent to both. I don't even own an x-box (nor really a PC). I was simply making a point, that not only 12 year old screaming, neglected children are the only scum of the gaming world.

As for your classmate, I think that kind of behaviour warrants a smack across the head.

 

[Jason Fayers]

It would be nice to be able to set up age groups so you can play with people of a similar age, though I'm not sure you if you can do that or not. Either way I don't play online people tend to take it too seriously whiny kids; who clame 'teh haxor' if they loose, manchildren, and girls who have a point to prove arn't my idea of good company.

 

[Sandernista]

While I have found middle age gamers to be more civil, and a lot more fun to play with, I wouldn't wanna ban people from playing games!