Are People getting ruder and ruder?

[Pirate J]

I mean It's just getting ridiculous now I ask people to join my guild (Very Nicely) and I asked a friend who I play with and level up with lots and he said NO I WOULD NEVER JOIN THAT GUILD ITS A GIRLS GUILD AND PIRATES ISN'T EVEN SPELT RIGHT and I said well its because of the other guild and we had to spilt up and he then went Awww isn't that sad? I nearly threw my PC out the window at that point I then said Thanks for being such a great friend and he said NP and then I deleted him. And this happens over and over and over. And even when they are the GM of their guild I wish them good luck with their guild and they are still rude! And some of the adults are even worse with a incident that happened with my friend and a adult I'm shocked at what happened. What has caused all this rudeness?!

[Crestshot]

The cause of it? Some people are just rude. Some see others being rude so they go, "Ok, I can act like that and not get in trouble with Disney." Others go, "I don't care what people think of me, it's just a game, so I'll act however I want." To be quite honest, the only way you can figure out what's behind it is to get into the mind of one of these people. I, for one, don't want to venture there.

[Eliza Creststeel]

I do find it interesting that some people have that 'I'm anonymous so I can be obnoxious' attitude.

But, for me - your persona's reputation is ALL you have in game. Few pirates know me outside of the game, so why would someone want to damage their fragile online image by acting like that.

And once you've branded yourself like that - its very hard to recover.

[Captain Del]

Thank you!

Back when I firsted joined PotCO, people were ALOT nicer to random folks on the street than now. If you ask for help, or if they simply saw you needed help, they would be glad to take time out of their playing-time to help you, no matter what level they were. Now? Your lucky if you can get people to leave their little cliques and just say "Hi."

I'm not sure anybody can make judgement on why this is happening, because in every case, it must be different. But there are a lot of broad possibilities. To name just a few:

• "Pirate Nativism" - Some pirates that may be in the higher levels, or have been with the game longer, like to look down on newer pirates. This is DEFINATELY not the case with the majority of older players, but it is out there.
• Unawareness - Remember when you were back in Elementary School? Where the kids would say things that could hurt somebodies feelings flat out, like "Your ugly" or "You smell"? Well, some of those kids, believe it or not, may be playing PotCO (because lets face it, you know that parents will let their kids play games that aren't appropiate to their age according to the rating.) And of course, these kids are impressional. They see words used like "Noob" and "Stupid," they pick up on them, and then they volley them back to others.
• It's the Internet - A lot of people think that they are invincible when they're hidden behind a computer-generated avatar. They can say what they want, do what they want, and it won't affect them. "If I can do it, then I'll do it." Thats just some peoples mentallity.

Just a few of the scenarios.

And why is it growing? Also, unable to fully define. But it may either because its spreading to other players - or that the game is spreading to people.

Back when I joined, the game was a lot less populated than it is today. And the majority of those players were nice. Of course, there were "bad seeds." Now, lets look at it as a fraction. Say the ratio of good-to-bad with the old population was 3:1. Now, the game has multipled sufficently. So, lets multiply that fraction by 4, just as an example. That makes it 12:4. So both of them went up, but there are more "bad seeds" out there in that wide spectrum. So as the game grows, they might be growing as well.

Just possibilities. But either way, it's a problem.

[Buck Seahawk]

I have had a lot of experience with rude people on the game. I believe that many on the game just want to be rude so people will be rude to them and cause more drama. This is not always the case though...

[Bella]

Im old my Pirate is old and my guild is old. Im old and cranky. Thats why LOL

No really. I have seen this as well. Back "in the day" so to speak the rudeness was mainly limited to those in their late 20 and early 30. The late 30's and 40's usually had calmed down by then.

Now the rudeness is no longer limited to those levels but , I have seen more and more high level pirates being rude. Not a good thing for the game as a whole. I find myself staying on quiet servers and mainly ignoring most players whom are not a DW. However I will go out of my way to say Hi to any guild I see active here on POF.

Overall I thing most of the older croud who have played for years shy away from "noobs" so to speak because we find it tedious helping those whom refuse to help themselves. EVERYONE was a noob once and they should do well to remember that. However, when you have a pirate that is rude in asking for help it is not hard to refuse. Now again there are many many new players that may need the extra push to finish their quest.

Instead of killing the brigand for them why not show them how to use their weapons and skills to do so. Or even just heal them.

Ok dissertation over.

Oh one last thing, just be polite you never know if that level one has a few dozen 50 or not....

[KeeperOfTheCode]

Originally Posted by Bella

Im old my Pirate is old and my guild is old. Im old and cranky. Thats why LOL

Oh one last thing, just be polite you never know if that level one has a few dozen 50 or not....

First, you didn't seem that old, but it might explain the rust on your cutlass...

Secondly, that's not a good reason to be polite. You should be polite to level fives and tens, not just because they might have higher levels.

Personally, I think that most of you are right. I also think however, that the cause is simpler. Some people just want to attack and destroy; wither and tear down. And the fact that you're behind an avatar? That's just a bonus.

Another possiblity is that people just are too independent now, or act like it.
The fact is, back when the game was just beginning, the Caribbean was a wide, dangerous place. People could depend on each other, and would watch each-other's backs in the great unknown expanses of the game. Now the blank edges of the map have been drawn in, and pirates have adopted a 'I know what's out there. I can do it on my own! Get out of my way! I don't want your help!' thought process. This is turn has led to paranoia, and finally, the game started unraveling. This attitude of 'I want all of it for myself; I don't want your help." has to stop. Here's something we have to face; these people need our help.

If you find someone like this, try to talk to them. It's hard, I know. Well maybe I don't, as I'm better at getting into people's head than most. The point is, get to know them better. Help them. Maybe someday they'll return the favor.

Break the ice. Sometimes it's worth it.

[ex8404]

Rudeness isn't a POTCO thing. It is an internet thing, a "kid" thing and it is becoming a USA thing.

People have been rude on the internet for years. It is nothing new and it strikes me as a bit naive to be surprised by it. It exists for a lot of reasons.

First and foremost, it exists because we are all happily anonymous. Anonymity breeds confidence. Anybody can be a tough guy when know one knows who they are. And no matter how well you think you "know" someone, you really don't. Not on the Internet anyway.

You know me (or not) as ex8404. What does that say about me? How old am I? What is my gender? Why do I call myself "ex8404" and not by a piratey sounding name?

Another reason it happens is that the last couple of generations have been raised by their televisions. And on TV, being rude or anti-social is considered funny. being rude becomes a "learned behavior" and some of us less rude people have to bear the brunt.

(because lets face it, you know that parents will let their kids play games that aren't appropiate to their age according to the rating.)

The game is 10+. What kids are you talking about? 3? 7? 9? Trust me. If an 8 year-old is on the computer, he has heard the word noob and didn't learn it on POTCO.

The thing that strikes me as most naive though is this concept of "friends." Internet-only friends are not your friends. If I am on your friends list and you know me as ex8404 or Jim Squidbones or whatever, I am NOT your friend. Want me to prove it? Ask me to borrow $10 or help you move a sofa. Try walking into my house and helping yourself to a cold drink out of my fridge. If someone can do that? They're friends. Oh...and knowing THEIR REAL NAMES helps.

Someone said, "Be nice, the noob might have a bunch of level 50s." And? Are they going to come over TP my yard? Respect is not a number, it's a way of life. A way of life that we are losing.

Pirate J? You were disrespected by a stranger. Not a "friend" because "virtual' friends" are just that. Strangers. You did the right thing. Take him off your list and forget about him. And don't take such offense at such a silly comment. "THAT GUILD ITS A GIRLS GUILD..." could be followed up with, "...AND GIRLS ARE ICKY!" Why get so worked up over what a child says?

Semper Fidelis.

[Jackfiresteel]

I really hate people who are rude. I hate the people who want help and this is how they "ask": "Help me" "Heal me". I mean how hard is it just to add a "please, can you help?" its pretty simple.

[angel 4ever]

i agree plz would be nice once and a while jeez if someone is nice to u the least u can do is be nice back come on ppl "cant we all just get along" lol

[MacIronhawk]

I'm really not affected by all of these problems. I like to stay away from drama and any time I even hear things that I know will end up in silly misunderstandings or fights, I tend to leave.

If people wouldn't put up with dumb arguments, POTCO would be a lot nicer place, but there are people that just LOVE to nitpick and hurt others feelings.

Also, I want to comment on the people think they're invincible on the internet thing. This is so true. When there's no face behind the avatar, you think you can do whatever you want without any consequences.

The fact is, when you don't have someone at your front door playing the same game as you, you don't care. If nothing will happen to you when you do something against Disneys rules other than a ban, that's it.

What's the big deal about hurting someone's feelings over the internet if nothing in my real life will happen?(sarcasm)

We'll never be able to change the way people act on the internet. It's their choice and we can't do much about it other than report them so they're never on the game again.

[bartholomew bladeroberts]

I agree and I always make sure to add please and such when i need help

[Olgarlenn]

I agree when i first joined i feel like there were alot more nice people to help you out.

[seafox]

I think that there are still a lot of nice people to help you out. But its kinda like trying to walk out onto a sidewalk in NYC during the noon rush hour

I have RL friends who play...I know the faces behind their avatars...so I look for the person behind the avatar, its just a habit. I have met a lot of unhappy peeps, also, who want to make everyone else that way, just like school days, which someone mentioned.

In any case, I decided I would keep trying to find the person behind the avie because it helps them to become more personal than impersonal in-game, and if I can help one player want to help another, or show a new player the ropes so they are anchored to our game, then the junk players are just no-seeums, buzzing around and gettin waved aside.

[The Skirata Clan]

I add everyone. i don't mind. Also I stay as far away as possible form The A Servers and those that are Ideal.

I guess that's why I have never bother with this problem.