Poll: Is it just me, or is gaming becoming a constant stream of complaining about things we get?

[BloatedGuppy]

It's not the ACT of doing so. It's the MANNER in which it's happening. It has crossed from "informing" to "whiny net-nerd rage".

Guy, that's your perception of it. There is no objective scale on which you can measure the volume of complaining, and decide which is valid, and which is "whining". Generally speaking, people LOVE complaining and being angry. Getting angry is a rush. It's cathartic. It floods us with dopamine. There's a reason people get addicted to outrage.

By the same token, we hate negativity in others. It irritates us. THEIR anger isn't flooding us with dopamine, they're just annoying us with their loud voices and strident opinions.

So when WE complain, it's noble and sensible and right and feels oh-so-good. When THEY complain, they're whiners and crybabies, and need to shut up already.

This is the primary reason that complaining about complaining is so hilarious. The hypocrisy has LEVELS.

Yes, companies are in it to make money. Yes, they sometimes try to screw the consumer. But, do you REALLY think that they are going to listen to a bunch of forum lurkers on the internet? No. No they are not. Especially with some of the childish, and some outright stupid, comments I've seen on this issue.

Yeah that's not how companies absorb feedback. It doesn't matter where the feedback comes from, and it doesn't matter if the feedback is erudite. If enough customers are outraged and angry, it doesn't matter if they're shouting or sipping tea...the company will perceive a threat to the bottom line and act accordingly. You like to THINK they're rolling their eyes because YOU'RE rolling your eyes, as discussed above. That's just your confirmation bias feeding your imagination colorful fables.

We the gamers need a unified voice. One that can speak intelligently on our behalf, because, let's face it, gamers aren't really known for their patience and ability to stay calm...

"Gamers" can't really be "known" for anything, other than their enthusiasm for games. If you think all gamers everywhere share universal personality traits then you are profoundly delusional.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

You know, when I start to question things...I keep on questioning. If I find I have a valid point, I'm going to keep exploring it regardless of the meaningless tags and labels thrown at me. Kinda learned that from this (not-so) gentleman...


Yeah, so I question. I question you. I question myself from time to time. And you know what?

I questioned Mass Effect 3. Let's not bullshit ourselves where the origin for this thread came from.

Know something else? I think without the diversity of other people's arguments, life would be a more shit place than it is now. Here's how I look at arguments: When I disagree with a rational person, I let reality be our final arbiter; if I am right, they will learn; if I am wrong, I will. One of us might win, but both of us will profit. Also, I've learned that because there are diffierent ideas, the world will expand; BUT, because there are different ideas, disputes will arise. Yet, I don't fear difference - I welcome it.

So there ya go. I question, and I will continue to question. So, if and when I find something that wish to question, I won't hesitate to make my opinion known.

 

[pointless vandalism]

EA was voted the worst company this year, when companies like BP and some certain financial institutions were royally screwing people. Seriously? BP spills millions of gallons of oil, into the water supplies; but EA takes the cake for shitty games and poor customer service? Really?

BP, as in the British company, correct? I really have no idea how a British company didn't receive the title "The worst company in America for 2012".

You catch what I'm saying right?

I also don't get why the BP got all that shit when it was an American manned oilrig, and all that. The BP just subsidized it.

It's like some rich guy getting flak because he gave a team of engineers a grant to build something, and they secretly made a death ray behind his back...

Leadership. The managers are always responsible for the workers doings. If they built the death ray, where in the chain of command was the final person "in the know"? The rig was owned by BP, it's their fault.

 

[Yopaz]

Not trolling, not flaming, just asking. It seems like, over the last few years, gamers have decided that, if they don't like something, they're going to start a petition, or boycott, or report the company to the BBB.

It's a constant stream of companies doing shit things, gamers complaining about the companies doing shit things, and then you complaining about the gamers complaining about the companies.

Yeah, game companies are the worst. EA is a lot worse than BP. All BP did was poison huge parts of our planet endangering wild life and agriculture. EA messed up the ending of Mass Effect 3. Clearly EA is a worse company.

 

[The Funslinger]

EA was voted the worst company this year, when companies like BP and some certain financial institutions were royally screwing people. Seriously? BP spills millions of gallons of oil, into the water supplies; but EA takes the cake for shitty games and poor customer service? Really?

BP, as in the British company, correct? I really have no idea how a British company didn't receive the title "The worst company in America for 2012".

You catch what I'm saying right?

I also don't get why the BP got all that shit when it was an American manned oilrig, and all that. The BP just subsidized it.

It's like some rich guy getting flak because he gave a team of engineers a grant to build something, and they secretly made a death ray behind his back...

Leadership. The managers are always responsible for the workers doings. If they built the death ray, where in the chain of command was the final person "in the know"? The rig was owned by BP, it's their fault.

I wouldn't call subsidizing something being its manager, though.

 

[Scorpid]

Gamers have the right to complain.
Companies are selling a product (PRODUCT!), not art. If you're making art, making something that really comes from your heart, you will NEVER make ANY promises as to what it would be like. Video game, at our current time, always promise certain things. All those little promises, only there to please the fans so they'd buy the game. Art has nothing to do with the fucking fans.
Just like you take your TV to the shop if it was broke or the salesman lied to you about its capabilities.
Video games are not art yet. At least, not AAA titles

Spoiler

And elitist indie prick developers.

I agree with part of your point. I think what we're seeing here is the argument of if Games are art or merely a product like a TV as you point out. I think our debate is developing from developers want games to be like art, and Publishers that treat games like products, sell them as products, and promise them like products. Which I believe where the heart of conflict is. Developers like Bioware for example want to include certain elements and themes that EA doesn't want, they want what their market research says is acceptable. I think once we have a strong indie market, the games are art crowd and the games are a product crowd shall separate and there will be alot less debate over it.

Perhaps games are today where film was in the 50's. We're just waiting for our niches to completely separate and production cost to shrink, so we can all have our own favored developers and publishers. For now though people that want strong story driven games have to awkwardly play the same games that people that want a cool multiplayer that they can sit down to play with their friends as they crack jokes and smell each others farts or do whatever people with actual friends do.

EDIT:SPEAKING OF WHICH! Wasteland 2 only has 4 days left for funding =O

 

[Risingblade]

Yup but if you don't have someone complaining you'll just end up getting taken advantage of.

 

[littlewisp]

I was with you for the first two sentences, but come on. You're upset that a not-that-harmful company won a joke award for a joke poll? Please. If that award was meant to be serious it wouldn't be a golden poo.

If you really want to bring awareness to the big bads of today then go out and share articles of journalistic integrity with everyone you know, and try to avoid supporting said companies. Complaining about a joke online poll because people had a sense of humor? Yeah, I'm not feeling it dude.

 

[Sagacious Zhu]

Criticizing products that we consume is not whining. Criticizing game companies is the only way for them to grow; companies who shield themselves and their writers from criticism eventually stagnate and start producing substandard work.

Movies aren't exempt from criticism. Art isn't exempt from criticism. Music isn't exempt from criticism. Games shouldn't be exempt from criticism.

 

[spartandude]

Criticizing products that we consume is not whining. Criticizing game companies is the only way for them to grow; companies who shield themselves and their writers from criticism eventually stagnate and start producing substandard work.

Movies aren't exempt from criticism. Art isn't exempt from criticism. Music isn't exempt from criticism. Games shouldn't be exempt from criticism.

Especially when games seem actually be the most expensive out of those

 

[peruvianskys]

Movies aren't exempt from criticism. Art isn't exempt from criticism. Music isn't exempt from criticism. Games shouldn't be exempt from criticism.

But when an movie doesn't end the way some people want it, you rarely see Roger Ebert calling the BBB.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

But when an movie doesn't end the way some people want it, you rarely see Roger Ebert calling the BBB.

Exactly how many people do you think called the BBB regarding ME3? Enough to qualify the OP's statement of "a constant stream"?

 

[Sagacious Zhu]

But when an movie doesn't end the way some people want it, you rarely see Roger Ebert calling the BBB.

Exactly how many people do you think called the BBB regarding ME3? Enough to qualify the OP's statement of "a constant stream"?

Movies also tend to have half-competent ad teams who don't make idiotic promises in their ad campaign that can later be proven empirically wrong.

 

[Thatrocketeer]

It's not the ACT of doing so. It's the MANNER in which it's happening. It has crossed from "informing" to "whiny net-nerd rage".

Really? Whiny nerd rage? Most of the reasons I've seen are far from the whiny nerd rage you're talking about. Hell, it's most of those complaining about the complaints that are more of the whiny nerd rage variant.

Yes, companies are in it to make money. Yes, they sometimes try to screw the consumer. But, do you REALLY think that they are going to listen to a bunch of forum lurkers on the internet? No. No they are not.

This is the reason why the people who aren't satisfied with the product are creating petitions, sending things to the BBB, and even sending the freaking cupcakes. They're tired of being screwed over and they're making their voice heard BECAUSE no one listens to the forum posts.

Especially with some of the childish, and some outright stupid, comments I've seen on this issue.

I'm sorry, what community have you been visiting? Youtube? Because as I've said, most of the comments I've seen regarding the complaints have been legitimate AND have reasons why they're complaining.

We the gamers need a unified voice. One that can speak intelligently on our behalf, because, let's face it, gamers aren't really known for their patience and ability to stay calm...

No. What we need to do is we need to stop the generalizations and stereotypes of what is a "gamer". Because, from my perspective, your definition and generalization of what is a gamer, is completely false.

 

[chadachada123]

I'm glad about this, personally. Gamers seem to be connected with developers far more than film buffs are connected with film studios, or avid readers are connected with their favourite authors, so we tend to give more feedback on things we like and don't like than with those other forms of entertainment. Although I don't always agree with the things that are complained about, I consider it a good thing overall. I certainly can't see it causing any harm, anyway.

Especially given the prices. If a film buff doesn't like a movie, then he wasted like $10, but if a gaming studio fucks over a bunch of people, each of THEM wasted a good $60. Additionally, pretty much every movie in existence can be watched for free on Youtube, in case a person disagrees with the pricing of a particular movie.

I agree that it's for an overall good.

 

[smokeyninjas]

As long as companies keep fucking people over they will keep getting complaining about it. What else do you expect?

 

[lord.jeff]

It happens because you can't please everyone, games add DLC the anti-DLC people complain, the game removes DLC the pro-DLC people complain, and when you have so many people complaining it gets taken as the voice of the whole group, when really it's just a small and different group each time. It also doesn't help that so many state there opinion as fact and with insults. Or we could try to fix are praise to whine ratio.

 

[Weaver]

It's always been like this, we now just have the internet to consolidate the rage.
Do you think the changes made in AD&D 2nd Edition were just automatically accepted by all D&D players?