EA117's possible hidden stiffy

[BlinkofanEye]

Hey guys, was just chatting with Tona on mChat and figured it'd be easier for people to track convo and chime in - or not - here. I'll try to be as concise as possible.

So BD got banned (I think banned? or just kicked? anyways) and I think that was overdue; he was ignoring pretty much everyone's requests to tone it down with his chat spamming in which he talked to himself and I guess didn't play and even team switch. Fine. Great. Long overdue IMO. Though I respect the admin's process, whatever that was, and what they do to help keep this best-DC-server online. Thank you admins. I've enjoyed gaming on here more than I've ever enjoyed it anywhere before.

I also am someone who chats a bunch in game, though I try to respect it when other people ask me to tone it down, and even look to see if I'm going overboard (even if nobody is explicitly telling me that.) That's all good, people have different tolerances for game chat, and of course this can differ depending on who's playing any given night. Like, I might chat more if it's just a small group and 2-3 other players and I are sharing things than when it's obvious nobody is really chatting except for me and it feels like I'm just blah-ing my thoughts out into game chat.

Ok - don't want people to misinterpret this is critiquing the admins or the rules, so let me repeat very plainly:
-Banning/kicking BD = great, appropriate
-Blink paying attention to when his in-game chat is over the top for others = great, appropriate

That being said...I took a 2 or so month break from playing recently, and just came back...maybe a month ago? Since then, I have noticed something similar to what BD shared in the unban thread: that there was a change in the "feel" of the in game chat, and that it feels like people are more "stiff" about there being chat at all, or at least chat that isn't strictly here-and-now related. Maybe this is just me - someone who chats more than the average person on the server wants - noticing that the in game chat is not a good outlet for connecting with people about life, how that game's round is going, or whatever. I know that people in the past have certainly expressed on this forum and in-game that I chat too much for them. But I also have to wonder if there's something else going on...like it feels like quite the jump from what I remember, so I naturally wonder what's changed. I ask myself: How does this relate to the BD situation? Are people just tired of unchecked chat abuse? How does it relate to the somewhat newly instilled (from months ago) rules about being more respectful in chat/forum/mchat? I also was gone for quite a while, even to the point that players who I really missed (like Cyberdemon and Wildcard) returned to the fray (which is awesome.) So I just wonder if I'm missing some new development that other people experienced and I didn't, or if there's some sort of dynamic going on that isn't immediately apparent to the people involved. Like just to spitball, maybe (MAYBE, I'm not saying this is what is happening) it's like what happens when one individual in a group is super annoying and so others in the group unconsciously try to avoid behavior that's like that person (in this case: BD or me or whomever...) maybe because they don't want to reinforce that person's annoying behavior, or because they don't want to be associated with that person, etc. etc.

Anywho, just putting this out there. Thanks for all the good times guys. It feels really special to have been part of keeping this game going for so long. We should have like a 20 year party or something in 2024...we could all get drunk and chat spam!

[tonawandares]

Responding "as a player" not an Admin...
I dislike the constant roll of unnecessary chat because it clogs up my view of the field of play. Much like the constant map voting.
It's extremely annoying.
The in-game chat is fine when it is associated with gameplay and of course, it serves as the seasoning of a fun night of playing when done moderately and respectfully.

We have two viable options for social chatting while playing, namely, Team Speak and Discord. I don't ever use them and never have because of the location of my system, which is in a closet directly across from our bedroom. If I'm talking...my wife ain't sleeping...if she ain't sleeping, she will be very cranky.

I personally haven't noticed any change in the attitude regarding chat on this server. But, if it exists, perhaps it can be attributed more to the fewer numbers of players these days than a measurable change...in other words, it's just more noticeable due to fewer numbers. Either that, or it is COVID related.

~ tona

[BlinkofanEye]

Hrm, yeah I didn't think about the COVID thing. Plus summer I guess things are quieter too. Last night we had a sudden huge influx on Nas too, which was nice (although it kept me up way too late!)

Sorry the in game chat bugs you. Hrm. I really prefer the text chatting as opposed to voice chat...somehow the voice chat feels weird to me, like crossing into some in-between real (not in-person real, but also not as anonymous as in-game chat) where my social anxieties play out more and it's more comfortable for me with in-game chat. Plus I don't really like to listen to people voice chat while playing, but I don't mind at all reading 3 or so lines of text and sifting through for relevant info about that round or about the players themselves.

[BangBangOw<CP*SF>]

I mean if BD would just play while chatting it’s not the end of the world.

But he literally doesn’t move for 20 minutes at a time lmao

I’ll chat plenty and probably too much sometimes, but I multi task and am never just sitting around…

[Trench]

Agreed that the problem and enforcement with GBD started once this "chat" was combined with then staying idle & not playing, in order to purely chat. Along with later then adding "and I'll team switch mid-game, even though I've been sitting here idle and not helping the team I'm on."

That's "the line that was crossed", and enforcement finally started for his chat, the idleness, and the team-switching. Even though prior to this, we had mostly been tolerating and ignoring the chat spam alone.

As to why other players "do not tend to have the same problem", my guess would be it's because they are chatting while playing. Meaning there is a natural "limiter" to their chat, because they are equally or more busy playing, and equally or more busy communicating with their team. They maybe have time to chat in small windows, such as while making their player auto-walk, or during straight-line vehicle travel, or while waiting for respawn.

So if there was "one thing to watch for", that's what I would say it is: If you find yourself frequently ceasing your game play in order to just chat, there might be something excessive about your chat use. Keep playing, and whatever amount you're able to chat is probably the reasonable amount.

[tonawandares]

Hrm, yeah I didn't think about the COVID thing. Plus summer I guess things are quieter too. Last night we had a sudden huge influx on Nas too, which was nice (although it kept me up way too late!)

Sorry the in game chat bugs you. Hrm. I really prefer the text chatting as opposed to voice chat...somehow the voice chat feels weird to me, like crossing into some in-between real (not in-person real, but also not as anonymous as in-game chat) where my social anxieties play out more and it's more comfortable for me with in-game chat. Plus I don't really like to listen to people voice chat while playing, but I don't mind at all reading 3 or so lines of text and sifting through for relevant info about that round or about the players themselves.

Ha... if only three or four lines of chat were the issue, but I don't want to deteriorate this thread before it has a chance.
I do not like voice chat either. not only is it a disruption for my wife, but how am I to maintain a fictitious character of a fat, indian chick (feather, not dot) if they are listening to my real voice.

~ tona

[jolly_giada]

Blink -- all I have to say is thanks for making me laugh so much whenever you join on I look forward to gaming and laughing as my arms heal and I can return.

J

[HairyRussianDude]

Some players don't care about chat, some are old and cranky and extra cranky when they're coming down off their viagra and don't like any chat, some are inbetween.
There is no hard line of "this is too much chat", it really comes down to many variables coming together in a particular moment and causing a disruption.

I can't speak for the admin team, but personally I don't care about chat. Its easy just to not look to my left while I'm playing if I'm absorbed in the game.
I'm not going to pick on anyone in particular for the sake of this thread, but sometimes some players bombard the chat box with illegible gibberish. Due to the limited amount of messages on the screen at once, this both interrupts those looking for "Blink is hiding in that building" and those who are simply socializing.

Blink, I don't find that you talk too much and really never have. Sometimes in the past it was just your content, which you had no problem cutting out when asked to do so. Chat away man.

EDIT: And thank you for creating a thread rather than keeping this going in mchat.

[Otto Kontrol]

Coming from one of those old cranky guys (sitting 24/7 in a wheelchair when you used to walk will do that to you), I personally hate the constant chatting and drunken comments that go on sometimes. Sure I will make a comment here or there when appropriate but I am with tona in that it makes it hard to see the game. I have enough trouble just playing the game, it makes it even harder if I am also trying to see if anything important was written.

oTTo

[BlinkofanEye]

As to why other players "do not tend to have the same problem", my guess would be it's because they are chatting while playing. Meaning there is a natural "limiter" to their chat, because they are equally or more busy playing, and equally or more busy communicating with their team. They maybe have time to chat in small windows, such as while making their player auto-walk, or during straight-line vehicle travel, or while waiting for respawn.

Unfortunately that somehow doesn't apply to me as I can pretty much seamlessly chat in the middle of a firefight or while capping the flag or flying...lol. Tona can fly. BBO and Fluff can fight infantry (and not just in Nas,) Trench and Cyber and a few others can SMAW, Otto can snipe, and Blink...can chat while playing haha

Ha... if only three or four lines of chat were the issue, but I don't want to deteriorate this thread before it has a chance.
I do not like voice chat either. not only is it a disruption for my wife, but how am I to maintain a fictitious character of a fat, indian chick (feather, not dot) if they are listening to my real voice.

~ tona

Tona I just meant the three lines at any given time. But yeah, sometimes people's chats run long I hear ya. Also, your "I don't want people to hear my voice" thing, serious or not, is actually why I don't like voice chat. It's like hearing this radio host for years and getting this picture of who he is through his voice and then you actually see him and it's like, seriously? Except I'm the weird radio host...

Jolly thanks for being yumered

I'm not going to pick on anyone in particular for the sake of this thread, but sometimes some players bombard the chat box with illegible gibberish. Due to the limited amount of messages on the screen at once, this both interrupts those looking for "Blink is hiding in that building" and those who are simply socializing.

Yeah unfortunately I can totally relate to Brain Damage with the alcohol + late night DC'ing combo. I felt no qualms whatsoever while holding you guys hostage to my spewing bullshit. Really glad I ditched that habit.

And I don't hide in buildings. I play phallically.

EDIT: Thanks to all who chimed in.
EDIT 2: Why am I writing edit?

[Otto Kontrol]

I take issue with the comment "Otto can snipe,". I DEFEND! Some maps I use a rifle, some maps I use RPG/SMAW and some maps I use an AK/M16. In all cases, I am just trying to keep the flag where it belongs .

J/K - I do appreciate the shout out though!

oTTo

[DEATH]

just putting my 2 cents out there:

I always enjoy a good time in the game and chat, as you emphasized over and over, the decision about GBD is overdue. When I play, for some reason, I always play to win, but with room for fun, chatting with y'all keep the game dynamic and I love it. But after few games with GBD, it is annoying and makes me wanna just quit the game when he is AFK but chatting and we are losing, it is probably just me, but I play to win and gets super annoyed otherwise, unless it is a fair game (i.e. all players of equal contribution to the teams), sheeesh, I can tell when my team gonna lose according to my team tactics and who is on both teams.

With that being said, I always feel free to chat, not necessarily strictly about the game, I even talked about myself and what I do and gave a solid history about who I am the other night, and it was all fun, but at the same time I was playing and making call outs to my teammates, at that time I believe it was Trench and someone else. In my field, the pharmacy world, when treating a patient, we always look at the risk vs. benefit and try our best to balance it for the positive outcome, which leads to my next point, I don't think the admins are any strict but they are more likely looking at players like myself and think "are we doing DEATH a service or disservice if we let this happen over and over again? how can we maintain a rapport with him to not have him go to another server?"

To summarize the above, I feel the server is the greatest of all time and sincerely appreciate the work that has been put into it from the admins and the players.

P.S. I have not played this game since prob 2010, and hence can't contribute to how the environment or the climate of the server has changed over the past few months.

[BlinkofanEye]

Awwww I missed DEATH share time!

Funny story: Last night I was a bit more buzzed and talkative than usual because I just got home from hospital after 6.5 days there. I'm in Berlin and am writing some long chat message about something surely very important, and I see DEATH coming and shooting at me from other team and am like...just...gotta..finish...my...message. And I send it and then kill you. HHahahaa. Punkt!