Love playing the game, too old for the population.

[Caelien]

I usually have chat turned off completely...

 

Today i turned it on and some guy was calling a player all kinds of names and berating him because he spouted a few lines in spanish... on a europan server...

Luckily, most others chimed in against him.

 

That happens a lot on the Red Eclipse European server. Europe's servers only cater for four languages (English, German, French and Italian) so a lot of people, especially the Eastern Europeans, use the English speaking servers but still use their own language as it's easier for them to communicate with each other.

 

When that happens you always get a bunch of idiots telling them to "Speak English", citing the fact that it's an English server even though they could easily just ignore the foreign speakers. It seems some people find it far too

easy to be nasty instead of taking the time to think things through.

 

As for the general idiocy on General chat, I still think Penny Arcade explained it best

http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19

[chuixupu]

I've always seen juvenile behavior in general chats wherever I go...I ignore it, stick with my guild, who are all mostly in their thirties, some even 40s and 50s, youngest are mid 20's. A lot of MMO players are not all that young, they've been around and playing them for 10-15 years.

[chaosmadness]

So, I still enjoy playing quite a bit. However, the chat in fleet and just about every populated planet is so crass and juvenile that it is a turn-off to be around. Tonight I log into some junior high discussion about panties. No joke. I have gotten to the point where that sort of thing is no longer even remotely humorous.

 

TheBBP, welcome to MMO's games, but you have worst..I came from WoW and that its a pain.

[Lung_Tien_Lien]

That happens a lot on the Red Eclipse European server. Europe's servers only cater for four languages (English, German, French and Italian) so a lot of people, especially the Eastern Europeans, use the English speaking servers but still use their own language as it's easier for them to communicate with each other.

 

When that happens you always get a bunch of idiots telling them to "Speak English", citing the fact that it's an English server even though they could easily just ignore the foreign speakers. It seems some people find it far too

easy to be nasty instead of taking the time to think things through.

 

Yes, agreed. I guess it's not as common on US servers, but I see a lot of "omg write in enlgish!!!! its rude to use a language nobody else understands" on the Red Eclipse, too.

 

Arguing with people like that never goes anywhere at all (naturally), so I just turn off the chat these days. It's not worth the headache. I understand wanting to help people, but honestly, I'm growing tired of, "Where can I get a lightsaber?" "How do I pick an AC?" -> "How do I get back to the fleet?" "Where can I get a speeder?" and "Can anyone help me with [insert story mission]?" x 10.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Lung_Tien_Lien

[Juromaro]

Just wait until you get those people who link an item with anal or something just as annoying.

 

Had one guy on Ebon Hawk that did that for 8 hours straight. was ridiculous.

 

Also I've begun to notice the quality of players in personality, maturity and game skills(people who know how to play mmo) on my server has declined very fast over the last few weeks. I've had so many /headdesk moments that I'm taking a break from the game and letting my sub lapse for a month.

[AlrikFassbauer]

Regarding this "too old for the population" :

 

For me, I found 2 solutions to this :

 

- Switch instances with lower number of people, if possible. It can be really peaceful there.

- Go to planets with higher levels. Chat is almost dead there, but this also means that there is fewer "immature chat", too. At least in my experience.

 

 

 

 

Yes, agreed. I guess it's not as common on US servers, but I see a lot of "omg write in enlgish!!!! its rude to use a language nobody else understands" on the Red Eclipse, too.

 

I guess that this is common on *every* server.

 

People believe that

 

- English -speaking folks should stick to English-speaking folks and servers and actually speak English

- same goes for German (yes, I've seen discussions)

- and most likely French, too.

 

Bioware/EA imho made a huge mistake by limiting the servers to certain (few) languages, thus meaning to shut everyone out or adapt (and thus even implicitely forcing the dying out of languages !)

 

Me and a friend, we are both German, but use the English language often, too. We clearly wouldn't have *any* problems playing on English-language servers ... But she once wrote to me (after an discussion) that on English-language servers people are actually *very* rude towards other languages ! Insulting, harassments - everything what's against the TOS seems to be justified when it is going against users of other languages than English !

 

On "my" German-language server, one argued that using another language than German was actually violating the TOS and could lead to a ban. AND he sounded so serious that I strongly believe that he would have ENFORCED that !

 

Not only is it so that using the internet makes people letting go all of their civilized manners because no-one is able to see them, actually,

but the internet also seems to support some sort of "new racism" based on language.

 

People who are "multi-cultural" are on the loose, then. Because the others can easily "out-argue" them.

Edited June 26, 2013 by AlrikFassbauer

[Lung_Tien_Lien]

- Switch instances with lower number of people, if possible. It can be really peaceful there.

 

The chat is cross-instance, though. Otherwise I agree, I always pick the instances with the fewest people as well. I dislike having to stand around and wait for mobs to respawn.

 

 

I guess that this is common on *every* server.

 

People believe that

 

- English -speaking folks should stick to English-speaking folks and servers and actually speak English

- same goes for German (yes, I've seen discussions)

- and most likely French, too.

 

Bioware/EA imho made a huge mistake by limiting the servers to certain (few) languages, thus meaning to shut everyone out or adapt (and thus even implicitely forcing the dying out of languages !)

 

Me and a friend, we are both German, but use the English language often, too. We clearly wouldn't have *any* problems playing on English-language servers ... But she once wrote to me (after an discussion) that on English-language servers people are actually *very* rude towards other languages ! Insulting, harassments - everything what's against the TOS seems to be justified when it is going against users of other languages than English !

 

On "my" German-language server, one argued that using another language than German was actually violating the TOS and could lead to a ban. AND he sounded so serious that I strongly believe that he would have ENFORCED that !

 

Not only is it so that using the internet makes people letting go all of their civilized manners because no-one is able to see them, actually,

but the internet also seems to support some sort of "new racism" based on language.

 

People who are "multi-cultural" are on the loose, then. Because the others can easily "out-argue" them.

 

Yes, some people tend to start insulting others based on where they're from as soon as they either use their first language or merely mention where they're from. Thankfully I've never had any issues with that, but I've seen it happen. (Ich komm aus Österreich )

 

I can imagine that it's similar on the German and French servers - being narrow-minded isn't a trait that's exclusive to English-speakers after all. Of course, whenever someone mentions that they're female it seems people cannot resist the urge to comment, either, so it's not limited to language or nationality. (I also see quite a bit of dislike towards the US on the Red Eclipse.)

 

Oh well. The only real options are not playing or turning off the chat, people won't change just because we'd like them to.

[Zandoezan]

Man that was funny when i read it...

 

So much rage in this one. I approve.

[Truga]

So, I still enjoy playing quite a bit. However, the chat in fleet and just about every populated planet is so crass and juvenile that it is a turn-off to be around.

 

What I do is say something that isn't bad enough to get me reported, but still distasteful enough to kill any sort of conversation. Instant topic change.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Truga

[Sorenia]

I think the issue is that the 18-24 year olds are the loudest which makes them seem to be bigger group.

 

What matters is time spent actually playing. People in this age bracket have a larger amount of free time. Because of this when you're actually logged in the people in this age bracket make up a very large majority.

[Vassise]

So, I still enjoy playing quite a bit. However, the chat in fleet and just about every populated planet is so crass and juvenile that it is a turn-off to be around. Tonight I log into some junior high discussion about panties. No joke. I have gotten to the point where that sort of thing is no longer even remotely humorous.

 

If I turn off General Chat, I miss out on being able to help newer folks with their questions (helping folks is another fun part of the game for me) or any other legitimate discussion. I don't want to ignore all the folks, because I am sure that they aren't bad folks, I just don't want to be party to their public and juvenile idiocy.

 

I guess I am not really looking for a solution. Just venting.

 

Enjoy your night!

 

Are you upset because theres nothing you can do about it? I guess you're gonna have to live with it and accept that you're not in the main demographic. But that doesnt mean youre as better or worse than them.

[PlasmaJohn]

... but why is everyone older? Don't u have a truckload of responsibilities when ur older?

My job takes up a large chunk of my life but that's only about 10 hours a day (add in commute and lunch). I have a few weekly and monthly chores to deal with but those rarely require more than 2-3 hours per week.

 

My kids are old enough to entertain themselves and my wife has her own hobbies and interests. Of course we spend time together but not all of our free time. I can play for 3-5 hours a night when and if I care to.

[AlienEyeTX]

I just transferred all of my characters to an RP server. There's a little trolling, but it's 1000 times better than Harbinger. The douche-baggery is fast and furious on that server.

 

I play on Harbinger. I've had GC turned off for months and the game has been so much more enjoyable. Easy solution for a stupid problem.

[Deluged]

Anonimity. When people can say anything without any kind of repurcussions to them personally, it just seems to bring the worse out in people.

I don't know the demographic on who or what age group is the biggest offender. But I don't think its relegated to just the young-in-years folks playing.

 

But a little general chat moderation wouldn't hurt at times.

[JaxonLuxor]

Just start ignoring people and eventually you will weed them out of chat. I'm 40 and have played mmos since Ultima Online - unfortunately, this is nothing new. You just have to realize that within each mmo community there are niches. Old gamer guys, early teens, girl gamers, hardcore PVPs and probably a creeper or two playing out of their Chevy Astro van on someone else's wifi wearing a ball gag. Just figure out who you want to interact with and ignore the rest.

[Grayseven]

I am one of the "older men" in MMO gaming. Most of us have been computer users since the good old Trash 80 days and remember when 40 MB hard drives were the norm and that there would never be a need for Gigs (and then Tera's)...

 

The internet is a vile cesspit. It's a cesspit because it is anonymous. There are no real world consequences for most actions on the internet. You can violate the ToS of an online game so there are some limits but for the most part douchebaggery is the norm for certain people.

 

By certain people I mean children...of all ages. I've had RL friends who were some of the worst offenders of general chat d-baggery in WoW and they are, by day, working professionals who would never think of acting that way in real life.

 

Then you get the real children who think that "acting out" somehow makes them seem adult when in fact it is quite the opposite.

 

Your only real option is to use "Ignore" and "Report" for those particularly obnoxious violators of the ToS and to fight the urge to drop down to their level.

[Superman_AZ]

I agree completely. It forced me to turn off General Chat and only use Guild and Trade chat. The ONLY time I ever turn it back on, is if I need a group to complete a heroic. But, since purchasing modable gear, and getting bonus (and Double) XP, I usually just skip heroics and stick with class and side missions.

 

I'll turn 40 next year. I started in MMOs when I was 25 just after the launch of EverQuest. I spent the last 7 years playing World of Warcraft and am now coming back to SW:TOR after a year off from playing. It's a good game, and has great potential. I consciously chose not to have children, and now, if I want to play in an MMO, I have to deal with children (18 and under) every day in chat. So turning it off was my only option.

 

Good luck to you though. I certainly understand what you are going through.

[Jandi]

Even the most even-tempered and mature people act like complete idiots every now and then on the internet. I've seen it many times. I do it more often than I'd like to admit but it's so easy to get swept up in the moment and just trash someone. It's those momentary lapses in patience, temper or judgement that you see on the chats because if they did act normally, they wouldn't say anything.

 

The best way to handle it IMO is to just ignore it or not react as strongly as you would if someone said it face to face. Of course, if someone goes completely out of line you should report them even if you don't mind, but to teach them a lesson to check themselves in the future.

[Truga]

The internet is a vile cesspit. It's a cesspit because it is anonymous.

 

Because people in real life totally aren't rude all the time?

 

Sorry but your argument has been debunked before, and will be again, time after time. Anonymity has little to do with it, it's basic human decency. Or rather, the lack of it. Go into a dark alley of a bad neighbourhood someday, see how you won't get robbed/shot/beaten/raped because the criminal isn't anonymous. The only difference is, internet isn't divided by any kind of borders, so you meet all kinds of people from all kinds of communities everywhere.

 

That isn't to say all kinds of cesspits are the same, or that people who talk trash on the internet are all criminals or anything like that (I need to get this out before someone accuses me of doing it). Just that on the internet, there are no borders and anyone can be anywhere and everywhere. Most of the time you don't meet people who talk trash in real life. You just don't move in those circles, nor do you clearly see and listen to thousands of people talking to each other at the same time. I know, neither do I, so I don't meet those kinds of people IRL often. But that doesn't mean they don't exist.

 

Incidentally, these people (trash talkers) are also often the loudest, and if you actually read the general chat, you'll see 1-5 people (yes, some just talk trash with themselves) arguing about some stupid stuff, while there's 500 more people spread across instances who are silently facepalming and hitting report/ignore.

 

TL;DR, it has nothing to do with anonymity, but the fact that there are trash talking people on the planet, and as the number of people in one place goes up, so does the chance of there being two in the same place, and once one says something stupid, the other will respond and it goes downhill from there.

 

And no need to thank me for explaining.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Truga

[Pat-Rat]

I still remember electric typewriters. And payphones. Writing checks to pay bills. When gas was 70c a gallon. When Sprint was in long distance.

 

I am definitely too old for this games population lol.

 

Piffle,,,, I remember manual type writers, pay phones were a dime, people paid with cash for nearly everything, gas was 39c a gallon and AT&T was the only long distance phone company.

 

 

Yeah I'm that old. lol

Edited June 26, 2013 by Pat-Rat

[Chemmie]

It does somewhat depend on who you play with as well. I lead a 21+ age guild. I'd say our avg age is in the 30's. I'm 39. Also keep in mind that the typical male acts much less than their age when left alone. We have several females (no they are not single) in guild also to keep them from stepping too far over the line

Anyhow what I'm trying to say is find the right group and it won't matter all the immaturity in general chat, but you can still have fun and let loose when you want to.

[Grayseven]

Because people in real life totally aren't rude all the time?

 

Sorry but your argument has been debunked before, and will be again, time after time. Anonymity has little to do with it, it's basic human decency. Or rather, the lack of it. Go into a dark alley of a bad neighbourhood someday, see how you won't get robbed/shot/beaten/raped because the criminal isn't anonymous. The only difference is, internet isn't divided by any kind of borders, so you meet all kinds of people from all kinds of communities everywhere.

 

That isn't to say all kinds of cesspits are the same, or that people who talk trash on the internet are all criminals or anything like that (I need to get this out before someone accuses me of doing it). Just that on the internet, there are no borders and anyone can be anywhere and everywhere. Most of the time you don't meet people who talk trash in real life. You just don't move in those circles, nor do you clearly see and listen to thousands of people talking to each other at the same time. I know, neither do I, so I don't meet those kinds of people IRL often. But that doesn't mean they don't exist.

 

Incidentally, these people (trash talkers) are also often the loudest, and if you actually read the general chat, you'll see 1-5 people (yes, some just talk trash with themselves) arguing about some stupid stuff, while there's 500 more people spread across instances who are silently facepalming and hitting report/ignore.

 

TL;DR, it has nothing to do with anonymity, but the fact that there are trash talking people on the planet, and as the number of people in one place goes up, so does the chance of there being two in the same place, and once one says something stupid, the other will respond and it goes downhill from there.

 

And no need to thank me for explaining.

 

You are wrong. In real life, there are consequences to being rude. On the internet there are no consequences. The people who are rude on the internet are quite typically the kind of people who (for various reasons) would never think about saying the same things to someone face to face for fear of some sort of consequence or reprisal.

 

There are a few case studies on the topic that are pretty interesting reads:

http://users.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/overview.html

 

http://truecenterpublishing.com/psycyber/disinhibit.html

 

No need to thank me for proving you wrong.

[AlaricSevGirl]

Wow ***, I'm only 15, why the hell is everyone so much older than me? I have people in my guild who r f**king 20-30 years old (not really complaining cuz there awesome people) but why is everyone older? Don't u have a truckload of responsibilities when ur older?

 

They are? And how do you know they're doing that to 20 and 30 yr olds. /sarcasm

 

Now do you get why people think that it's the younger guys doing all the crap talk.

 

OP, if people need help, I have found that they will use say, or if you're on a planet with them and they see you, they'll ask. I get rid of the general channel as soon as my characters are created.

Edited June 26, 2013 by AlaricSevGirl

[Boccanon]

The average mmo gamer is still an 18-24 year old guy. That's changing, but not fast enough. On the internet, that's the Douchebag Demographic.

 

I would actually go so far and say that the general age is higher than that. Many of the gamers out there grew up when in the 1980's. I myself is born 1969 and I still havent been able to quit playin. (I havent really tried.. hehe)

But when some people go online it's like they forget how they should act. I bet many of the old-time-gamers wouldn't talk to people in rl the way they do when they are online. My point is that dont blame all the juvenile chat on the "younger" population.

[ShadessaWayland]

am a old player already above 30 + of age

 

and what i miss with the young gamers is respect to ea orther

its more a flame troll war on the chat then something normal

 

i dont mind some trolling but dam its keep going when alot of players start to ignore ea orther

its not what it use to be in the old days sadly

 

but stil i love to play some mmorpg