Post by 78 on Aug 1, 2018 21:05:02 GMT -5
This is in response to concerns I see popping up from members of let's call it the warhammer online private server community. Claims of APO being filled with toxic people, the Azarael return thread giving a platform for the ingrates of the RoR community, etc...
The players on APO are the very same that were on RoR, nothing about them changed only how they were controlled, their freedom. The staff on RoR, before Az left, when he left, and again under his return work towards in their own words "Creating a family-fun atmosphere". But we know this means nothing, they will use their power to punish players based on their own personal set of preferences as to how someone should act on their server. This means, and we know that one GM or staff member may have a completely different view of certain things and will give drastically different punishments based on nothing but their own will. Enabled by their server terms of use extremely vague wording to do this. They have since shed the "don't be a dick" rule for... the exact same thing, now with a more friendly title.
This creates an atmosphere of suppression, where players are not allowed to express themselves how they want in fear of being banned from the game the love. "Put your head down, don't talk in game, and..." seems to be advice that pops up often for players on RoR. With it having a monopoly on WAR servers this is what I personally did. I barely ever talked in game or engaged with anyone outside my guild discord. I felt uneasy in RvR/Scenarios against GMs/Staff knowing that if i show any kind of showboating or excitement it may be taken the wrong way and id end up with an angry man on the other end asking why I emoted him just waiting to for me to slip up and say something that could be construed as disrespectful so I could be mooned or vacationed.
Now that players, have outlets in game, on the forums etc... to express themselves how they really feel without a filter, without the threat of ban you see what the community really is. And it's no surprise that it's no different than the vast majority of other gaming communities. Yes the freedom of speech means there's going to be some racist or sexist talk/jokes and some trolling, some heated arguments etc..., and I'm really here to tell you that's a very low price to pay compared to what many go through on RoR.
The guy who calls you a "fucking cunt" in a PM after you made him mad in a scenario has no power to do anything, in fact you can just put him on ignore and go about your life. But the staff abuse on RoR has much worse consequences, they have the power to pull the plug on your account, bully you, force you to act in a certain way.
Free speech is something that anyone should prefer over the control RoR has on its playerbase. If you want the community to engage and give feedback on how they really feel, if you want the old in game rivalries, hating each other guts, the great shitposting, the friends you wouldn't make otherwise, and of course not feeling like you are below someone just because they are part of the staff it is needed 100%.
If it turns out we are all toxic assholes, thieves, hackers and cheaters... so be it. I'd rather be that than oppressed zombies afraid to say anything.
The players on APO are the very same that were on RoR, nothing about them changed only how they were controlled, their freedom. The staff on RoR, before Az left, when he left, and again under his return work towards in their own words "Creating a family-fun atmosphere". But we know this means nothing, they will use their power to punish players based on their own personal set of preferences as to how someone should act on their server. This means, and we know that one GM or staff member may have a completely different view of certain things and will give drastically different punishments based on nothing but their own will. Enabled by their server terms of use extremely vague wording to do this. They have since shed the "don't be a dick" rule for... the exact same thing, now with a more friendly title.
This creates an atmosphere of suppression, where players are not allowed to express themselves how they want in fear of being banned from the game the love. "Put your head down, don't talk in game, and..." seems to be advice that pops up often for players on RoR. With it having a monopoly on WAR servers this is what I personally did. I barely ever talked in game or engaged with anyone outside my guild discord. I felt uneasy in RvR/Scenarios against GMs/Staff knowing that if i show any kind of showboating or excitement it may be taken the wrong way and id end up with an angry man on the other end asking why I emoted him just waiting to for me to slip up and say something that could be construed as disrespectful so I could be mooned or vacationed.
Now that players, have outlets in game, on the forums etc... to express themselves how they really feel without a filter, without the threat of ban you see what the community really is. And it's no surprise that it's no different than the vast majority of other gaming communities. Yes the freedom of speech means there's going to be some racist or sexist talk/jokes and some trolling, some heated arguments etc..., and I'm really here to tell you that's a very low price to pay compared to what many go through on RoR.
The guy who calls you a "fucking cunt" in a PM after you made him mad in a scenario has no power to do anything, in fact you can just put him on ignore and go about your life. But the staff abuse on RoR has much worse consequences, they have the power to pull the plug on your account, bully you, force you to act in a certain way.
Free speech is something that anyone should prefer over the control RoR has on its playerbase. If you want the community to engage and give feedback on how they really feel, if you want the old in game rivalries, hating each other guts, the great shitposting, the friends you wouldn't make otherwise, and of course not feeling like you are below someone just because they are part of the staff it is needed 100%.
If it turns out we are all toxic assholes, thieves, hackers and cheaters... so be it. I'd rather be that than oppressed zombies afraid to say anything.
