When did it get toxic like this?

Mrtoobyy · October 2021

I am currently at work working 24 hour shifts wich allows me to play during evenings. The thing is my mouse I have for my laptop here is really old and it has started losing connection for awhile.
About three minutes ago I tried a BG match and my mouse decied to give up and I wrote to the group "Sorry guys my mouse is broken that's why I can't attack or do anything"
Then a teammate wrote "Nobody cares..."
I mean I usually hear the regular DPS people blaming the team when they don't get good K/D ratio. It's been like that in every game I played, ALWAYS the dps people.... Same with guitar players in bands, it's always someone else fault. But this time I just wanted to let them know what was going on since it's GROUP play.

I've recieved plenty of hate whispers from opponents calling me very ugly words here in ESO cause I've beat them 1on1 but lately even the teammates complain about everything and I don't get it? I pretty much place 1-3rd place every match so it's not that I play bad all the time.
I've been here since beta and I am currently 33 years old. I always felt like ESO was a game where the playerbase were mature and maybe older than say WOW or CS. Those games have the worst toxic community I've ever witnessed.

[snip]
Is it that alot of kids/teenagers have started to play ESO?
Is it that they are just so tired of the state of the game? ( I am for sure but I NEVER write bad things to people"
Has it been like this in PVP since launch? I've only been serious about pvp the last 3 years but last year it has been extreme.

I have complained alot about the game lately in different threads etc. But one thing I've actually bragged about to friends and such is the playerbase here has been different from any other video game I've played. What the **** happened?

[Edited for Inappropriate Language]

colossalvoids · October 2021

Well they just don't care? Not sure they need any reasons for that, nothing offensive here.

MissHeartseekerx · October 2021

I've only recently started playing, the first few weeks, every single person I met was lovely, kind, and patient with me whilst I was learning. My friend also began playing at the same time, and she had the same experience. I'm unsure what happened, but we had our first "toxic" encounter around a week ago, and since then we've seen a fair whack of nastiness at least once a day, be it in BGs or dungeons.

To me it seems to be more about the time that we play - BGs can get nasty around 4-6am GMT, I am unsure when my friend got a load of rude comments in a dungeon, but I'd assume it was past midnight. Overall though, I'm still meeting a lot of nice people, especially in vet dungeons (aside from one instance) who are willing to slow down for this newbie and explain things if I do something wrong. I'm staying away from battlegrounds until deathmatch-only goes away, DM seems to bring out the worst in people.

Mrtoobyy · October 2021

colossalvoids wrote: »

Well they just don't care? Not sure they need any reasons for that, nothing offensive here.

Well that was the last thing that made post this thread but I also wrote that people write bad words [snip]". I would without a doubt say that is offensive. I rarely has seen anything that during PVE runs and never saw it when I started PVP, mind you I've only played PVP for three years

[edited to remove profantiy]

gariondavey · October 2021

Some people hate themselves and take it out on everyone else. Other people can be elitist jerks. Most of the people are pretty decent in games, as most of the people in society are decent. It's the 20 percent of a-holes who ruin it for everyone, in game and IRL. Kill them with kindness and carry on your merry way.

Khaleesi8688 · October 2021

The whole world has gotten that way, not just eso.

WhyMustItBe · October 2021

Sorry about your experience OP. I can't speak to the reasoning of your group but I have noticed that people seem to have a greater difficulty with comprehension these days. I think it is the byproduct of a propaganda-ravaged and polarized world that makes people quicker to ASSUME something means something. People are less willing to give people the benefit of the doubt and more likely to assume they are "one of them" or otherwise "bad." Quicker to fight and less willing to compromise.

Either the chaotic world has made us more desperate for validation or more paranoid of being attacked. But it is definitely a society-wide sickness not specific to games (certainly not just this one).

Regardless, it could be that your group members just assumed you were a leecher making excuses so they didn't get kicked. I don't know if it is a problem in this game, as BG's are comprised of far fewer players. But in WoW it was always an issue that people would join a BG just to sit at the starting area to leech victory/marks of honor and not actually participate in the fight, probably Youtubing or something, and often would post random things in chat so people thought they were trying, to avoid being kicked.

Your group might have simply (wrongly) assumed that is what you were doing.

Also, if I tried to work 24 hours straight I would literally die.

Minyassa · October 2021

You can expect BGs to be nasty while it's DMs-only. There is no team play required or wanted in DM, people are there to rack up a kill score on their own and that's it. These are the same people who were turning every other mode into DM so they have zero poops to give about anyone else. There is a certain mindset that goes with playing a game with one's only goal being to dominate every single other player, and it isn't compatible with normal social protocol.

gariondavey · October 2021

Minyassa wrote: »

You can expect BGs to be nasty while it's DMs-only. There is no team play required or wanted in DM, people are there to rack up a kill score on their own and that's it. These are the same people who were turning every other mode into DM so they have zero poops to give about anyone else. There is a certain mindset that goes with playing a game with one's only goal being to dominate every single other player, and it isn't compatible with normal social protocol.

I've seen like 0 toxicity in dm only. The toxicity I see in bgs is almost always from the objective games.

TequilaFire · October 2021

We have been surrounded by increasing toxicity in our daily lives, no wonder it spills over into social games and feeds.

Mrtoobyy · October 2021

First of all thanks for your input guys! And like Khaleesi8688 said it's maybe just the way the world is right now.
Here in Sweden the mentality has change alot that last 10-15 years and IMO to the worse

I can only imagine the impact it has if it is like that in bigger less sparse countries.

jaws343 · October 2021

"Nobody cares" is hardly a toxic response. I once had someone say they would report me for cheating because I killed them in cyrodil while they were riding their horse around a giant battle. That is far more toxic than any curse words or general apathy. Far more toxic because threatening to report people for completely acceptable actions is a nightmare.

Cursing in general isn't really toxic. There is a reason there is a profanity filter that can be toggled on or off. I curse all the time, it's just more fun to not be limited in speech by arbitrary rules and just speak/write freely.

WhyMustItBe · October 2021

The world is certainly out of balance. More wealth and technology to produce abundance by orders of magnitude than any time in human history, and less is making it down to the average person to improve their quality of life. In fact, we are rapidly back-sliding into despotism and slavery.

Meanwhile billionaires have run out of fingers to count their yachts and islands to compare their size with.

This has a real psychological impact on the vast majority of people being left behind by malignant greed.

jackiemanuel · October 2021

That's not an easy question to answer and i'm not entirely sure i'd accept the premise across the board. I've experienced some toxicity in eso but i don't consider the community toxic. My experience as a 48 y/o gamer is that games with multiplayer components naturally create competition. Competition generates emotion. Sometimes that leads to outbursts. I don't belittle anyone in chat nor do i condone it, but we see outbursts from time to time in all levels of competition whether it's middle school soccer, the NBA, or gaming.

We're also living in a world that's suffered a great deal during the pandemic. Everyone has been affected. Add to that the propaganda, algorithm driven outrage, and political polarization and I think people are more likely to lash out.

Like anything in life, try to accentuate the positive. If I can find some friends to play with in eso as a depressed person with high anxiety I believe anyone can. Good luck.

joseayalac · October 2021

I wouldn't take this small sample as a good representation, while there certainly are some childish and toxic players in game, I mostly meet players who are kind and helpful and also players that don't care at all about chat.

I play on PC NA btw.

Mrtoobyy · October 2021

jackiemanuel wrote: »

That's not an easy question to answer and i'm not entirely sure i'd accept the premise across the board. I've experienced some toxicity in eso but i don't consider the community toxic. My experience as a 48 y/o gamer is that games with multiplayer components naturally create competition. Competition generates emotion. Sometimes that leads to outbursts. I don't belittle anyone in chat nor do i condone it, but we see outbursts from time to time in all levels of competition whether it's middle school soccer, the NBA, or gaming.

We're also living in a world that's suffered a great deal during the pandemic. Everyone has been affected. Add to that the propaganda, algorithm driven outrage, and political polarization and I think people are more likely to lash out.

Like anything in life, try to accentuate the positive. If I can find some friends to play with in eso as a depressed person with high anxiety I believe anyone can. Good luck.

Yeah I really try to do that and I like being positive to one another, that's why I am working in the healthcare system. My main toon in ESO wich I play 85% of pvp with is a really good group carrier. He heals, he rez really fast and he buffs the group with nice stuff plus he is really good at DPS. My main "instrument" when it comes to music is singing and even though that is "frontman" position I always try make it so the song is what matters. Even if it means little to no singing.

Maybe it's age, life experinces, traumas but I can clearly say that I've become more cynical throughout the years.
I really appreciate you guys talking about life in general and not just toxic stuff in the game even though that's why I made the thread. It just proves that there STILL is great people playing this game!

MasterSpatula · October 2021

The jerks stand out more so you remember them better. There'll always be jerks.

And, let's face it, a lot of the people who get their joy from others' misery gravitate towards PVP. Not that that's the entire PVP community, but a lot of what ZOS has done lately in PVP has resulted in handing jerks opportunities to be terrible to people on a silver platter, so the PVP community is getting worse as the people with souls stay away. So it's hardly surprising you found a jerk in a BG.

But here's the question: Did one teammate write "nobody cares" or did all three? Let's assume it's just the one. Notice how one jerk stands out from the other two who were just doing their thing? It's hard, but try to remember that it's not that the majority are jerks; it's just that they're louder.

moo_2021 · October 2021

Mrtoobyy wrote: »

I've been here since beta and I am currently 33 years old. I always felt like ESO was a game where the playerbase were mature and maybe older than say WOW or CS. Those games have the worst toxic community I've ever witnessed.

I blame the game design.

People talk when they have too much idle time. Too much walking and waiting for respawn and can't even watch.

I played other FPS games for over 15yr and can't remember anyone would waste time complaining or chatting. There were funny voice commands like "oh you idi*t" and it's usually only things we spammed.

Folkb · October 2021

It became more prevalent about the time the toxin doctor outfit was released. 🙃

Grandchamp1989 · October 2021

I have felt it gotten that way since Greymoor.

More players from other genres coming to ESO, some carrying bad habits with them.
Then there was the global situation that hit pretty much everyone..

But yeah, sometimes things are getting weird.

Girl_Number8 · October 2021

Mrtoobyy wrote: »

colossalvoids wrote: »

Well they just don't care? Not sure they need any reasons for that, nothing offensive here.

Well that was the last thing that made post this thread but I also wrote that people write bad words [snip]". I would without a doubt say that is offensive. I rarely has seen anything that during PVE runs and never saw it when I started PVP, mind you I've only played PVP for three years

[edited to remove profantiy]

It is a video game~•

They’re not your irl friends or even guildies, so why even care about them in anyway....Cx

If someone is nice to you, be nice and maybe you might make a friend.

ResidentContrarian · October 2021

I blame the fact that everyone wants to be a streamta -- I mean streamer, and that they feel they must always win.

That's part of what's wrong with the game, that the community thinks that "fun" is winning at any cost.

Someone please bring back the PvP era where people actually thought otherwise and weren't attaching their actual pride and existence into a videogame.

jaws343 · October 2021

ResidentContrarian wrote: »

I blame the fact that everyone wants to be a streamta -- I mean streamer, and that they feel they must always win.

That's part of what's wrong with the game, that the community thinks that "fun" is winning at any cost.

Someone please bring back the PvP era where people actually thought otherwise and weren't attaching their actual pride and existence into a videogame.

I'm not a streamer, but if I am constantly losing a PVP, I am not having fun. Losing is not fun. Winning will always be more rewarding than losing.

BomblePants · October 2021

colossalvoids wrote: »

Well they just don't care? Not sure they need any reasons for that, nothing offensive here.

fastolfv_ESO wrote: »

i would avoid using the word toxic, its the go to for overly sensitive snowflakes to complain about normal human interaction. Not every interaction, especially on the internet is going to be friendly and most should be used to it

Shout out to the guys proving your point….

N3CR01 · October 2021

You oughta have been in the Call of Duty scene back in the day.
Don't think anything's been more toxic.
It's still pretty bad today.

omnidoh · October 2021

fastolfv_ESO wrote: »

i would avoid using the word toxic, its the go to for overly sensitive snowflakes to complain about normal human interaction. Not every interaction, especially on the internet is going to be friendly and most should be used to it

Couldn't agree more.
I'd be careful though about using derogatory terms like "Snowflake".
While an accurate description for post-2000 societal behavior, it can result in undesired consequences enacted by conscripted authority.

"Still, there's no reason we can't be civil." - King Leonidas

Mrtoobyy · October 2021

ResidentContrarian wrote: »

I blame the fact that everyone wants to be a streamta -- I mean streamer, and that they feel they must always win.

That's part of what's wrong with the game, that the community thinks that "fun" is winning at any cost.

Someone please bring back the PvP era where people actually thought otherwise and weren't attaching their actual pride and existence into a videogame.

That is how I feel as well. I mean winning is of course fun but having an "epic" match even if you still lost is way more satisfying to me than just winning for sake of it. I like having those "wow" moments and for me that is when you feel you evolve as a player wich happens to me when I face better players forcing me to adapt and evolve.

omnidoh wrote: »

fastolfv_ESO wrote: »

i would avoid using the word toxic, its the go to for overly sensitive snowflakes to complain about normal human interaction. Not every interaction, especially on the internet is going to be friendly and most should be used to it

Couldn't agree more.
I'd be careful though about using derogatory terms like "Snowflake".
While an accurate description for post-2000 societal behavior, it can result in undesired consequences enacted by conscripted authority.

"Still, there's no reason we can't be civil." - King Leonidas

I am really not a sensitive person, probably the opposite but I guess that cheating, abuse, lying and being deceived through the years has taken it's toll. Maybe it's time for me to take a break from online gaming atleast huh?

Celephantsylvius_Bornasfinmo · October 2021

It's probably younger kids just writing the same thing they've seen else where.
Give em a couple of years and the reality of life will hit them and maybe make them a bit more humble

Vhozek · October 2021

1 person = everyone
Toxic people are everywhere. You can't escape it. Some people also don't think saying "nobody cares" isn't toxic but you finding it toxic means that anyone can interpret anything as toxic, so in that sense, it is absolutely everywhere and at all times. Maybe nobody cares you can't attack because they know the dungeon will get finished anyways, with or without your damage, so then it is not a problem you can't attack -- nobody cares.

Celephantsylvius_Bornasfinmo · October 2021

Vhozek wrote: »

1 person = everyone
Toxic people are everywhere. You can't escape it. Some people also don't think saying "nobody cares" isn't toxic but you finding it toxic means that anyone can interpret anything as toxic, so in that sense, it is absolutely everywhere and at all times. Maybe nobody cares you can't attack because they know the dungeon will get finished anyways, with or without your damage, so then it is not a problem you can't attack -- nobody cares.

Well from the moment the person took the effort to open chat to write: 'No one cares'...I think it's a bit brow raising.
When you've got nothing good to say sometimes it's better to say..well 'nothing!'

It's not really an issue, OP. Let it slide and continue. Civility is a thing some people haven't grasped yet. Give it time

Pauwer · October 2021

Well, like since all bg is now deathmatch, there really is no need for group play in random bg groups. Of course if you go with buddies and talk and plan roles it's another issue. But while playing solo, i really don't think most players care about the group, only about the personal result.