Player Excuses and Playing the Victim

JKorr

Riejael wrote: »

Its not playing the victim. Its an old trend of some players to avoid having their worth in the game measured against others. So they play the 'I'm casual, I work for a living' card to denigrate better players in an effort to marginalize them. They believe by doing so makes them higher on the social scale and above comparison.

This started quite a ways back. I'm not sure why it has been allowed to continue. But when a player does this, it needs to be called out on it. When players see others ostracized for it, they'll take note and stop.

What about the players who don't really give a flip about having their "worth" in the game measured at all?

What difference does it make to you, if you know you're good, that "it has been allowed to continue"? Why would you ostracize players for this? Or is that like "put all the rabid pvp superhardcore immature bragging gits on ignore" thing? Or is your "worth" in the game tied to others being worse than you?

I pve; I've been here since psijic order days. None one of my characters is cp 561 or higher. It isn't that I work, or RL interferes. Its that I'm playing the game, and really don't care whether someone else is better than I am. I have alts, I have two accounts. I play more than one character. I have no overwhelming need to level to "over 9000". There are plenty of people who are tons better at the game than I am, and congrats to them for that. Doesn't affect my game in anyway. [the braggart/bullies/immature gits do bother me on zone chat, but that is taken care of with shutting off zone chat, or my ignore list.]

Florial

@AlMcFly It has been interesting reading though all the responses on this thread and I enjoyed your post. I do agree that this attitude slightly irritates as me as well. I've met numerous players throughout the years who seem to play---what I term---the martyr card. I guess "victim" also sums it up. What really bugs me is "I have a real life" comment. I don't have time to (insert excuse) make money, get gear, craft, run group content, etc. I wouldn't have engaged with the person but that is just me.

I'm a fairly casual player who also has been playing mostly since launch with a year long break and then return. I've done tons of quests, read the lore, pick flowers and mine ores, do dungeons, a bit of PvP, etc. I have 5 max level characters and am sitting at 630 CP or so (can't remember exactly). I pick away at the game a bit each day. I'm sympathetic to playing how you wish. But for the life of me, how do you play for 3 years and be level 27? That would be a true challenge unless your idea of playing is chatting in zone, playing the auction house, RPing, etc. If you can spend 45 minutes in zone chat on a regular basis, then there is time to play. The player must have different priorities than leveling. And shouldn't complain about it.

I am sympathetic though. If that is what the player enjoys doing, more power to them. I have a friend who has played WoW since launch. She RPs, does the fishing and cooking dailies every day on ALL her characters (has maxed out her character limit and even has a second account). The minute Darkmoon Faire comes around, she is there the first day and that is the high point for her. I would be ripping my eyes out with boredom but it keeps her entertained. It took her almost a year to venture into the new expansion with the Garrisons because she was afraid of the new content. Much of the game is unexplored for her. She never complains, enjoys the heck out of Azeroth and will play the game until the servers shut down. I do like seeing people enjoying an MMO at their own pace. But don't complain about it.... please.

Jeremy

AlMcFly wrote: »

I've always been a supporter of playing this game "how you want". I actually encourage people to take their time, enjoy the game, and not rush to endgame. Of all the trollish and detestable people in MMO's, I have to say that I dislike people who make excuses the most. Let me clarify:

I was watching a guy in Zone chat have a conversation when he said something that peaked my interest. He said "My main is only level 27, and I've been playing since the Psijic Order days." (Whatever that means.)

I consider myself a casual, but I played at launch, and had a Veteran character around the time Craglorn was released. I then left the game, only to return a few months ago. I started a brand new character, and my account is at CR 300. In all that, I don't think I'm hardcore. I literally took my time reading all quests again as I took them.

Now I was curious, and asked this guy in chat "Wow, are you only level 27 because you don't play the game a lot?" He immediately replied "Ah, such is the life of a working adult." In my head, I thought that was a [Snip] answer. I said, "Come on, I work 9am-5pm 5 days a week, some weekends, and I have a family. There must be another reason why you are such a low level?" He replied "Not everyone rushes to endgame." I was like "Dude, I'm not rushing at all, and was passed level 27 within three days of playing casually playing."

After a long and drawn out conversation, where he explained that he waived his right to 40 hour a week (essentially working 65 hour weeks), how he's an entrepreneur always working, and how he plays other games as well...I explain to him that ALL of these excuses are completely his choice, and nobody is thrusting these factors onto him. He is literally CHOOSING not to play the game, but he will die before he admits that he has had any choice in the matter, and "really wants to play this game more".

I don't even know why I wrote this in the forums, I just wanted to hear your thoughts about people who, in my opinion, play the victim card when they don't really have the right to.

[Edit to remove profanity]

I wouldn't consider reaching level 27 in 3 days casual playing.

But I do get your point. A lot of people use work/family and other real life responsibilities as an excuse as to why they don't have higher level characters or better gear when in truth it's simply because they choose not to play the game.