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Gaming Fat, Ugly or Slutty?

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by arcticstoat, 20 Jun 2011.

  1. Arioch

    Arioch What's a Dremel?

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    I would love to see some sort of searchable database on FUoS. As each submission comes in add it by gamertag, game, type of abuse (sexual, violent, etc.). Would make it much easier to find repeat offenders and would provide a handy tool for parents keeping tabs on their kids. (And where are the parents of these adolescents spewing filth on voice chat?)

    As a gamer, I understand that trashtalking is part of the game. If I stand in fire, if I miss the shot, if I pull threat, if I aggro the pat - feel free to flame away for those reasons. My gender, sexual preference, heritage, etc. has no discernible impact on my ability to play a game and should be left behind at the login screen.

    The personas we portray in our online communities are extensions of who we are in real life (hardcore role playing communities aside). No one that acts like an insufferable bigot in a game is all sweetness and light in the outside world. IMO, the more an individual gets away with undesirable behavior in an anonymous environment, the more likely they are to amplify those traits elsewhere. Allowing the behavior to continue without negative reinforcement will spill over in to the real world and we will all - gamers and non-gamers alike - suffer the consequences.
     
  2. azrael-

    azrael- I'm special...

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    Best command in CS/CZ ever: voice_enable 0.

    On another note, whatever one might think of the subject of this article it surely has caused some commotion and made people talk ...well, write anyway.
     
  3. wyx087

    wyx087 Homeworld 3 is happening!!

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    read the quote of my post.

    i was only expecting these comments to be more of "meh", or "ha this kid is so pathetic".
     
  4. FelixTech

    FelixTech Robot

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    I know I'm not a girl, but I'm amazed that there is such abuse doing the rounds. Gaming is about escapism and fantasy, and I think the lax political correctness on games goes hand in hand with that and I wouldn't have it any other way.

    I certainly don't make attacks on other players such as the degrading insults on here, but I certainly don't think players should be singled out for making sexist jokes if it is not at anyone's expense or made in malice. If people are well-mannered in their day to day life why shouldn't they be allowed to push the boundaries once they are online.

    I still to this day this it is ridiculous that one of my friends got banned from the largest group of servers on Day of Defeat Source for PRETENDING TO BE A NAZI, in a game where you are currently dressed as a Nazi and trying to shoot the U.S. army, and in a country where Nazism isn't illegal. Similarly if there was a group of skantily clad night-elves dancing round the town square, I would say a sexist joke would be quite appropriate.

    I guess my point is: everything in moderation.
     
  5. Bauul

    Bauul Sir Bongaminge

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    Personally I find women make infinitely better team mates than most men.

    Excellent article, I know it's been a long time coming. Kudos to you Joe for taking the time to help FUoS put it together. As with anything, the more people know about it, the more socially unacceptable it becomes, the less easy people find it to do.
     
  6. XXAOSICXX

    XXAOSICXX Minimodder

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    +1
     
  7. jimmyjj

    jimmyjj Minimodder

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    It IS possible to solve all of these problems.

    Zero tolerance from providers.

    If Microsoft or Blizzard or anyone else wanted to clamp down on this behaviour they could do it it with ease. Have a code of conduct - one strike is a warning two strikes is PERMANENT BAN.

    However, you will never see any of these companies taking such an approach as it will cost them money.

    There is nothing the community can do when companies will let inappropriate behaviour slide in pursuit of the mighty dollar.


    Do you think Microsoft would run a search for certain terms, permanent ban offenders and then send a communication to all users saying they have a new zero tolerance approach to this type of behaviour?

    Never.

    Because they would not ban paying customers unless they have absolutely no choice.

    All we can do is vote with our feet and support companies who provide a good experience and enforce a respectful environment.
     
  8. Eiffie

    Eiffie What's a Dremel?

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    If people are talking smack on you while you play either: A - Mute them, B - Play with "FRIENDS" you do have some of those right? C - Let your bullets, spells, and high brain power put them in their place by winning the game and getting on top of the scoreboard. If the smack talkers don't stop you can still mute them or find a new server/lobby/gametype and continue playing, the less time wasted on such child-like gamers is more time spent fragging friends and others who enjoy the game and are just looking for a good time. There are always gonna be crazy people out there who will threaten to track you down and beat you because of some random remark you made about the last game you played. Even good remarks like "GG" can get hateful words flying your way for no reason other than the person who sent it has a stick up their bum. I guess life just isn't so sunny for everyone and it's a shame they have to drag their darkness into the wonderful world of online gaming but hey, gaming IS life sometimes and it has it's ups and it's downs. You shouldn't let haters ruin your fun.
     
  9. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Not surprised, a majority of gamers haven't spoken to a girl in real life.

    That said, there's tw@s all over the web, you'll get abuse for anything that they can distinguish be it gender, race, nationality or whatever.

    Have to mute them, move on and don't give the little g!ts anymore fuel.
     
  10. FelixTech

    FelixTech Robot

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    It is not just a case of dollars, but rather numbers. I would imagine doing a large banning drive would increase the number female players and probably males too. However if the imbalance is such that there are 4 abusive people per female gamer quitting, then it would too risky for any company to do.
     
  11. tennisball

    tennisball [Insert witty comment here]

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    I had my cousin around a while ago, she wanted to play MW2; so we did.

    As soon as the lobby found out she was she, my Steam account was literately flooded with friend and chat requests.

    I was really shocked; this sort of thing was one of the reasons I thought PC was better.

    The TF2 server/steam group chat I regular has about 4 female gamers, but that doesn't really count IMO since anyone being a douche gets swiftly kicked and banned. They have said they've experienced similar happenings.

    The human race really can suck sometimes.
     
  12. sp4nky

    sp4nky BF3: Aardfrith WoT: McGubbins

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    I would imagine that a large number of female players have been turned off for life. Banning the loud-mouth twats wouldn't bring them back, more's the pity.
     
  13. CardJoe

    CardJoe Freelance Journalist

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  14. MSHunter

    MSHunter Minimodder

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    The problem with consoles is that you either don't know how or cant make a screenshot of such text and voice is a whole another ball game. Most large gaming companies take screenshot of such behaviour seriously and depending on the level of the comment or type of msg either, warn, temp ban or perm ban on the spot. Its all in the T.O.S.

    as an example here is EA's:
    http://tos.ea.com/legalapp/WEBTERMS/US/en/PC/#section11
     
  15. Shayper09

    Shayper09 Swimming in Deionized.

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    I actually know quite a few girls that play games, I went out with one for a while, and she was far from fat, ugly or slutty...

    It's just that some online gamers are absolute c****. I have a bit of banter with my female mates over XBL, or steam or indeed real life, but they know I'm just docking around and give it straight back, and we laugh about it. Normally in the pub later :).

    Case in point about some gamers being c****. The other day on XBL I was minding my own business, when suddenly a wild hacker appeared! Obviously being a hacker as he was insta killing everyone with headships pretty much at the same time... I voiced my displeasure, quite politely for me, and some young sounding Irish kid, with clan tag "PIRA" *sigh* then has a go at me, with some rather vitriolic words, for being... English. Hmm.

    But yeah, as I said, I would only banter with mates, anyone else online I would have the decorum to treat with respect, and any c**** get the mute button. And reported, for being the shites that they are :)
     
  16. d_stilgar

    d_stilgar Old School Modder

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    "our servers won't go down on you either," haha! I wouldn't expect a guy to get any kind of action if all he did was treat women like garbage, such as making rude comments while gaming.

    I usually try to defend girls when I'm on servers. Generally a simple, "hey, show some respect" does the trick. But of course, I only play on PC and only on certain servers where I'm a regular and my voice carries some weight. Still, those of us who aren't jerks need to represent all the men who respect women and want them to game with us.
     
  17. spiderm0nkey

    spiderm0nkey I'm a rare breed... A female!

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    If I didn't have a boyfriend, I wouldn't really have any friends that would want to game with me. They're more into shopping and all that sort of stuff. So you've gotta actually spend some time in the servers and take some of the abuse before you can make friends in-game if you don't have any gaming friends to start with.
     
  18. Subv3rse

    Subv3rse What's a Dremel?

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    Unfortunately it's not a recent problem either. The same sort of thing has existed since the '90s, with IRC (a/s/l anyone?) and through the early MMO's: UO, AO, DAoC, EQ, AC etc etc.

    Decent members of society didn't consider it appropriate then. Sure as hell shouldn't be now but as already stated, with the ease of which any device can get online these days, the cheaper costs of PC's (and consoles) and the new(ish) trend that everyone has a "right" to internet access the issues have also become more widespread.

    For those same reasons however it's also easier to expose those degenerates for what they are, and exposed they should be.

    Yes, some people will say "just deal with it" (my opinion: wrong). Others will say "but what can you do?", and consequently do nothing. A few will say "Not my problem".

    But it only takes one voice to make a stand against the trend of previously accepted "norms". Once in motion that idea can become a proverbial tsunami of awareness.

    If the "right" of the internet applies to everyone; if it's a right for the degenerates, it's absolutely, unequivocally a right for those who wish to enjoy themselves without "any" form of discrimination.

    FUoS and other such sites absolutely must remain within the public eye.
     
    Hex likes this.
  19. specofdust

    specofdust Banned

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    That is absolutely horrible and facist to boot. There is no way the internet should be disfigured into being somewhere people can go and never experience discrimination. Discrimination is part of free speech, be it eloquent or barbaric. To ensure discrimination can not be carried on is to remove the best thing about the internet and render it just another content delivery method.

    It saddens me that so many people are ready to throw away this utterly amazing invention, this invention so monumental that one which equals it's impact will probably not arrive for hundreds of years - in the name of not being insulted in the odd game server or not being made to feel uncomfortable when they visit a chatroom.

    It's nothing more than I don't like what you're saying so I want to take away your right to say it.
     
  20. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Only if the majority of people label it as socially inappropriate (and good luck with that).

    Social control is incredibly powerful. If anyone who makes a juvenile misogynist remark gets ridiculed and ostracised by the majority, that behaviour will stop pretty quickly. But that relies on a consistent response by the majority. It is not enough that it is in the public consciousness; people also have to disapprove. That is going to take some work.

    Sexism is still rife in certain types of computer game. Grand Theft Auto and Duke Nukem are parody, but many people are not smart enough to get that. Most war- or special forces-themed FPS are by their nature bereft of strong female characters. MMORPGs such as WoW have an abundance of female characters so there is less sexism, but arguably such games also attract a different crowd.

    So we are dealing with a crowd of people who are attracted to male-stereotyped games of violence. Want to make them more enlightened beings? I wish you luck. Me, I have decided that there's pubs you visit, and pubs you wouldn't. The only way to change the clientele of the latter is to get rid of the pub itself and force them to mix with the real world.
     
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