I honestly do not know if it is the anti-social communities, the sheep-like behavior of the majority who follow the vocal anti-social trolls who belittle friendly people or any form of conversation, or the game design making communication absolete.

Any MMORPG I have played in the last 5 years is exactly the same.

You talk in global chat about something relevant to the game, genre, or just for conversation sake. Four people immediately tell you to shut up in a very anti-social fashion, isntantly discouraging anyone from talking, being friendly, or participating in the conversation. Sheeple either join the anti-social trolls in bashing the socializer(s) or stay out of the conversation due to the fact that they will become a target for anti-social behavior (insults, rude attacks, trolling) if they join in on the conersation. 99% of players regardless of social involvement never even read the chat and continue their mindless grind and single-player or guild-inclusive experience.

That sums up MMORPG communities. If you aren't spamming "WTS/WTB [item]" or "LFG [dungeon content]" then you're ostracized for talking.

Want to ask a question? "Google it moron."

Want to talk about an element of the game? "Go back to WoW."

Want to talk about what you want in the genre? "Go back to WoW."

Game too frustrating due to flaws in balance or bad game design? "This isn't EZ mode. Go back to WoW."

Like the game but want to talk about the parts you dislike? "If you don't like it, quit."

Love the game but want help in an aspect of the game? "You suck. Google it."

Can't find a group? "Stop spamming chat. It's because you suck and no one likes you."

Want to disagree with someone? "Go do the world a favor and kill yourself."

^^^^ All of this because you wanted to be social, have a conversation, speak your mind, or ask a simple question that takes seconds to answer.

Why havve a community when you can google everything?

Why talk at all when you could be shutting up and playing the game?

Why socialize in a MMORPG? Didn't you know this is a singleplayer game?

I'm social in MMORPGs. It seems like all the people around me are social.

Maybe people don't like you or something.

OP... You are such an unhappy camper. You hate the forums here, the people that post here, and the people in games you play. Look at your post. Seriously, it reads like some depressed and “needy" plea for attention or comfort. You want a more friendly social gaming experience? Fine, go become part of the right guild for you to make some pals and stop expecting general global chat to be kitty play land. I can’t tell what games you are playing to make any recommendations in that regard or tell what you like but that would be another topic for another forum section anyway.

I've always felt like the amount of social interaction in a game depended on me, not the game. Once you get outside of actual talking to people for the sake of talking to people, then I can see where a lot of the interaction depends on the game itself.

I think it's a mistake to depend on the MMORPG to be a primary social hub. They are primitive compared to what else is available. Way back in the day, they might have been cutting edge, but only because other available online social channels didn't really exist unless you were into some weird stuff. Now there are other social channels available, and they've advanced far beyond what MMORPG offer.

So...my advice is to get over it and move on.

Didn't you just post that same post in a different thread on this same topic????

Why yes, yes you did.

Community is a direct result of design in these games.

As an example, I personally think the solo 'no group grouping' trend that we are seeing in newer MMOs (Rift, GW2, and now apparently TES) is extremely damaging to the formation of it.

But... saying that, you cannot ignore the fact that these supposedly *social* games are played by a lot of socially retarded people. Maybe that's a core contradiction in their nature.

I do though, I admit, think the 'google it' people are dicks.

Originally posted by Tamanous
Or find the massive multi-page thread on this same subject posted only weeks ago.

Amd earlier this morning...

Big part is that the community has become so populated with people without that roleplay past.  Now I'm not saying they don't roleplay, but that social aspect so prevalent in old RPG pen n paper games.

Second is the younger generation which is really part of my first point.

Thriving social media elsewhere.  Before you didn't really have these sites so an online game with others was also enticing for the social bonds you could make.

Finally, design catering to the points above.

Originally posted by grimal

Finally, design catering to the points above.

 

And there has still has never been, and never will,  be game design that forces people to play nice and all get along on the internet.

That seems to require teachers supervising the playgrounds in large numbers.

easy solution

read this out loud enough times that it sinks in.

"Everybody has the right to speak, and everybody has the right to NOT listen. "

If you don't want to hear people say things you don't like, stop listening. Block them, ignore them, or whatever you need to do.

If people don't want to hear you, they can enjoy the same right, so if you want to be listened to, make sure it's something people want to hear.  (notice the way I put that. It falls right along with if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all)

There are alot of people that may disagree with me on that. I'll probably ignore them.   :-)

2 words: Ask Nice.

I personally dont believe this is true I dont play too often and some players have gone out of their way to help me, in exchange for nothing, maybe they were bored or maybe they were roleplaying or maybe they were showing off or maybe they are just very cool people, maybe helping other random players feels more real than doing an actual quest for some npcs. I even have a small group of friends that trust me with their most expensive gear and teach me how to be a better player, everytime I play I ask at least 5 different questions to them about the game.

I have helped some players myself and even if they end up taking advantage of me, I still will keep doing it because I dont want to become a bitter old person who hates everyone that is different and takes every harsh word in an awkward and deeply personal level. I will keep being myself and helping others and being generous whenever I feel like it and I will take everything, good and bad, because that builds character and every single thing is part of the experience. 

Maybe you have it all wrong maybe the helpful guys are not waiting around for you and checking the world chat in search for players in distress, maybe they are already helping others that respectfully whisper them when they are not busy or AFK and hey maybe even talk to them about other stuff that is relevant but not directly related to the things they need.

It's the trolls, which is for some reason so cool and funny. IMO they should be taxed for breeding and oxygen.

Most the time it's flaming now a days, and people are just calling it trolling.

This leaves a player looking for an in game community having to look to RP servers, which end up being infested with pervs. Naturally, you just end up in a guild of like minded folks and keep to your group.

OP, have you stopped to consider the idea that maybe it's not the games that are anti-social, but rather it's you who lack social skills?

Games are just systems. They can't be 'social'. They can just support / allow social behavior. Most of these games at least allow it, some support it better than others. However, look at some of the things you're posting in the OP.

Can you imagine seeing that same thing posted over and over again x 100? It reads like an ad campaign. Half of the things you are apparently posting are asking other people to do work for you. A complete stranger. For no benefit to themselves. That's not the way generally works. Best case scenario you may find a few people (especially during the early years of a game) willing to help you out. But what do you think happens once they've helped out 1000 players just like you? They eventually get tired of answering the same questions over, and over again, and would rather see more useful things in general chat.

This is where it pays to have friends. Make friends in these games. Be nice, be patient, try going out of your way to help others for a change, instead of always expecting people to go out of their way to help you.

You can't have a good community, without players actively keeping it that way. As such, you can't expect a community to automatically cater to your every query, just because you asked. Games don't make communities good, friendly, or social. They simple provide an environment within which such communities can live. If you want strong social games, then do your part to be more social yourself. Golden rule, bud.

Here is my two cents on the subject...take it as you will.

I've been playing MMORPG's forever now, as I'm sure all of us have. I've met some awesome people down the line, many friendships fall apart and are forgotten when we game jump, etc. Of the million years I've spent gaming, I've collected about 3 friends who have continued to game jump with me. So, what do this have to do with being anti-social? Well...it all boils down to the most people in the MMORPG community being idiots.

This is why I don't talk to people, and for the most part; why my friends don't as well. We have come to the conclusion that everyone sucks and cannot grasp rules, trends, gameplay etc that well. While you guys may be cool people, our enjoyment from games comes from overcoming challenges so we stick to our super tightly knit group and do not branch out.

Maybe it is this way for others, maybe I'm just coming off as an elitist prick or whatever - which is not my intent. But the vast majority of players just...straight blow and I don't want to play with people who wipe us in dungeons, die to common mobs in pve, don't do shit during boss fights and don't back us up in PVP..

Therefore, I am silent.

Note - this does not mean I will ignore you. I will even still play with you, but I will never ever talk to you first or seek you out.

Originally posted by aesperus

OP, have you stopped to consider the idea that maybe it's not the games that are anti-social, but rather it's you who lack social skills?

That might work, except for the fact I am an extremely lovable person with highly developed social skills...so much so that it is my career field IRL which I excel at.

Perhaps I would wonder, "Is it me?" if I were not given endless compliments and recommendations based on my friendliness, optimistic view, and kindness I show to most people.

Note that I say "Most People". I am also someone who teaches children and teenagers at my job other skills such as Leadership, standing up for others, resisting bullies, confronting irrational thought, and building confidence.

I may be a very kind, friendly person normally, but to anti-social behavior such as idiots, irrational thought, bad logic, ignorant teaching, bullying, or general stupidity: I stand up very firmly and say G.T.F.O. I can be very blunt and decisive, telling others off in front of others and explaining why. I always do this while listening to them, in case they have something to say to defend themselves when they make what is mostly a skewed view of reality based off of their asinine assumptions or twisted perspective.

x[mod edit]

Seeing as how in MMORPG's, I am the first to speak to be social and do so in a friendly, positive manner, and automatically receive several anti-social remarks the moment I do, it cannot possibly be me. It may not always be as bad as someone telling you to go kill yourself because you asked what unknowingly was an obvious question (Ex. "Where is the bank?" when it is the tallest building in the city.) Yet these things do occur, and very, very few people step in to defend others when they are being trolled by anti-social "Google it, Moron" or "Do us all a favor and go kill yourself." child-adults.

Originally posted by Asgardx

Here is my two cents on the subject...take it as you will.

 

I've been playing MMORPG's forever now, as I'm sure all of us have. I've met some awesome people down the line, many friendships fall apart and are forgotten when we game jump, etc. Of the million years I've spent gaming, I've collected about 3 friends who have continued to game jump with me. So, what do this have to do with being anti-social? Well...it all boils down to the most people in the MMORPG community being idiots.

This is why I don't talk to people, and for the most part; why my friends don't as well. We have come to the conclusion that everyone sucks and cannot grasp rules, trends, gameplay etc that well. While you guys may be cool people, our enjoyment from games comes from overcoming challenges so we stick to our super tightly knit group and do not branch out.

Maybe it is this way for others, maybe I'm just coming off as an elitist prick or whatever - which is not my intent. But the vast majority of players just...straight blow and I don't want to play with people who wipe us in dungeons, die to common mobs in pve, don't do shit during boss fights and don't back us up in PVP..

Therefore, I am silent.

Note - this does not mean I will ignore you. I will even still play with you, but I will never ever talk to you first or seek you out.

Compounded with the fact so many are anti-social, nasty individuals online, I can definitely see why communities remain silent.

It would not surprise me if every MMORPG community was comprised of two types of people: Nasty, Stupid Children (who can be adults, but I label them as children due to their child-like mind) and people who are sick of or want to avoid said nasty, stupid children.

Anti-Social Behavior (Trolling, Rude Behavior, Nasty Attacks) can cause what would normally be Social Behavior (friendliness, talkative people) to seem Anti-Social (silent).

In the end, it only makes sense why the only two people talking are idiots: the real idiots and the people insane enough to try talking sense to the real idiots. The former for being irrational, hateful, nasty children. The latter being those who oppose bullying, nasty attitudes, or stupidity.

It only makes sense why 99% of people are silent: They're busy playing, in Guild chat, in private VOIP, Trolling, Defending against Trolls, or trying to avoid the Trolls.

My greatest question is "At what percentage are each?"

[mod edit]

 LOL..

Originally posted by Kiljaedenas
Wow...either we're only getting a very one-sided version of the story and you were a complete tool in those chat channels, or you're playing some rather odd games. Most MMOs I've played have not been that bad, my favorite Eve Online is the complete opposite.

I have never played EVE Online, and although the above statements are all very common, they are not all going to be stated everytime you ask a question. However, you WILL see these statements, and you WILL always see these TYPES of remarks in more populated games.

Try playing a few games of League of Legend, spend a day in World of Warcraft, or start chatting about any PvP topic in GW2's Heart of the Mist.

Do this for a few days, and I would be shocked if you aren't told to commit suicide IRL at least once.