ARENA BEHAVIOR

[shrapnel]

I'm all bitter and twisted today and feeling mightily peeved off about the behavior of some folks in the Air Attack arenas.

First let me say that, when I enter one of these arenas it's because I want to have fun playing the game and maybe, in the process, have some friendly banter with the other pilots. What I don't expect nor want is to have taunts, threats, false accusations and insults thrown around either at me or anyone else in the arena. Lately I've been seeing far too much of this and it's pissing me off.

I'm not one of the "ace" pilots. I don't have the time nor patience to make a deep study of plane characteristics and dynamics. Neither do I have the will to spend too much time learning complex turning, stalling etc techniques. So in short I'm just your average Joe with a wee bit of skill trying to have fun. I try not to get hung up on my statistics, my ratio etc and to this end I regularly reset my score and start again as a cadet. That way I can have fun without being desperate about kills nor anxious about how many times I die.

Others, I know, think differently about the game and I have no problem with that. They are more dedicated to the game than I am; they study it in depth and know exactly what speeds at what altitudes each plane can perform. They practice for hours on end how best to turn quickly, how to stall fight as they call it and any other techniques that will give them an advantage. Great... I applaud their enthusiasm and dedication. Many of them are real nice guys and helpful to new pilots; willing to pass on their skills. and they demonstrate good sportsmanship to both their peers and lesser skilled pilots alike. I like these pilots and get along well with them.

Then there are the others. The "aces" who have no tolerance for anyone less skilled, who always want the game played "their way." You see them constantly whining about being "spawned", being "b and z'd" or having their little one on one fights spoiled by a third party. And if, god forbid, they happen to be beaten in a fair fight they have an endless repertoire of excuses for why it happened; their opponent hacked or didn't fly in a way that suited them.  Well I have news for you spoilers; the game is there for all of us and each of us is entitled to play whatever way suits our level of skill, the type of plane we are flying and the mood we happen to be in as long as we obey the Code of Conduct. It doesn't exist for just the best pilots. I repeat it's for all of us and you need to learn to live with that or stay the hell out of the game.

And now the crux of my little tirade.  Whatever your views and opinions are about how the game should be played and what you think is "honorable" behavior etc. the playing arenas are not the place in which to air your grievances, taunt people, insult people nor threaten people with "targeting" etc. If you want to enter into verbal battles with those you disagree with you have a wide variety of options. If you think the rules are being broken, present your proof to the Admins. If you want to argue use PM's, e-mails, Team Speak Forums or even arrange to meet behind the hanger but don't ruin the game for everyone else with your juvenile rants in the arena.

I try to get along with everyone and I'm tolerant of the occasional little bursts of temper that occur from time to time. Heck we're all human but for some it has become standard operating procedure to vent their frustrations at every opportunity. When I'm personally faced with this type of behavior or observe it happening to others I usually try to defuse it with some diplomacy or humor. In the extreme I usually just leave the game but I'm beginning to think why should I have to leave and why should I have to patiently absorb the garbage that is sometimes thrown in my direction. It's time for some of you to learn the manners and behavior that your parents obviously neglected to instill in you.

[j69o]

EGO's EGO's EGO's  I concur Dr.Shrap trouble is there is not a whole lot we can do about it, other than blocking that pilot.
The plus side to this is, it is a sign that that AA is getting newer pilots in house and potential new squad members when they mature(if they ever mature).
J

[Tbar]

EGO's EGO's EGO's  I concur Dr.Shrap trouble is there is not a whole lot we can do about it, other than blocking that pilot.
The plus side to this is, it is a sign that that AA is getting newer pilots in house and potential new squad members when they mature(if they ever mature).
J

Your wrong as usual on all counts :)

There is something we can do about it.. .just what Scrapps just did. Peer pressure will count far more than any SysOp Ban as it does not change their behavior.

Scrapps.. if one goes thru the archives, one can find post after post from Tbar with almost the exact words you have used. I called upon the Squad Leaders to help put that "peer pressure" on offending members of their squadrons.

Many come.. but few stay. Why?

[Kujo]

 Dealing with others can be challenging but first of all for my self at least i try to keep an open mind.Like you said Shrap some times it is better to just leave if one can not remain positive.There are those that appear to need things in turmoil to maintain an edge something not any one here could change.
 One thing for sure i do believe Shrap is mature with a great deal of wisdom and does not mind voicing some opinions, possibly not exactly as i perceive some things but paying attention to what you have to say is not difficult. 

[j69o]

Your wrong as usual on all counts :)

   

[_TAC_ONE]

It's time for some of you to learn the manners and behavior that your parents obviously neglected to instill in you.

Abuse thought process.

There is something we can do about it.. .just what Scrapps just did. Peer pressure will count far more than any SysOp Ban as it does not change their behavior.

Scrapps.. if one goes thru the archives, one can find post after post from Tbar with almost the exact words you have used. I called upon the Squad Leaders to help put that "peer pressure" on offending members of their squadrons.

I do find this new found love of "Positive" peer pressure odd there is nothing positive about peer pressure.
What I think you are looking for is peer to peer accountability and being "self" critical.  

Many come.. but few stay. Why?

Antique game in a niche market.

[skullbonz]

   Don't let it get yourself worked up shrap. It takes all kinds of people to make a world. Life would be boring if we all just went with the flow,think of life as a challenge. It's a challenge to not lose your temper when interacting with many kinds of people.
   No banning or talk of such is neccessary in this instance. I handled the situation by listening to his complaints and talking him down. He has a problem with one kind of plane and has been asking for a long time for us not to use it. He has been asking since before I even began doing any of the fun events and he was met with attitudes whenever he brought it up. Although I agree the arena was no place to discuss it until now we have kept this on the ts or in pm's. I have a thing about cycling thru all 16 planes that the game offers and the only place that works is Equal Power. I feel that it keeps you in better touch with the game by learning how to use each plane's strengths and weaknesses to your advantage. By cycling thru all 16 planes the type of plane,both versions are only flown 2 times in a 16 week period.They are slow planes,but a few of us had a star,lol. I also believe that I should not waver from this practice for just a few that disagree. I have diffused it for now and I am thinking hard of just pm'ing him each time I use these planes again and he can choose himself wether or not he wants to come play with the rest of us.
     Please calm down folks.  

[_TAC_ONE]

  Don't let it get yourself worked up shrap. It takes all kinds of people to make a world. Life would be boring if we all just went with the flow,think of life as a challenge. It's a challenge to not lose your temper when interacting with many kinds of people.
   No banning or talk of such is neccessary in this instance. I handled the situation by listening to his complaints and talking him down. He has a problem with one kind of plane and has been asking for a long time for us not to use it. He has been asking since before I even began doing any of the fun events and he was met with attitudes whenever he brought it up. Although I agree the arena was no place to discuss it until now we have kept this on the ts or in pm's. I have a thing about cycling thru all 16 planes that the game offers and the only place that works is Equal Power. I feel that it keeps you in better touch with the game by learning how to use each plane's strengths and weaknesses to your advantage. By cycling thru all 16 planes the type of plane,both versions are only flown 2 times in a 16 week period.They are slow planes,but a few of us had a star,lol. I also believe that I should not waver from this practice for just a few that disagree. I have diffused it for now and I am thinking hard of just pm'ing him each time I use these planes again and he can choose himself wether or not he wants to come play with the rest of us.
     Please calm down folks.  

I have a pretty good feeling he is not just talking about one specific event. 

[shrapnel]

I can only end this by walking off shaking my head at Bonz for attempting to tie my post into a minor incident that he happened to be involved in but has little to do with my post. Sorry Bonz but it is wrong of you to try and attach an individual personality to my post which I deliberately made general without reference to any particular individuals.

The incident that you referred to was of minor significance and involved someone whom I have always respected and with whom I have always got along. The squabble between you and he was, to me, simply hilarious and of no real consequence. It certainly did not get me "worked up" as you suggest. If he or anyone else got worked up about it that is their problem but please don't attempt to make it mine.

My post has to do with several happenings in arenas of late and I deliberately avoided bringing personalities into it because it is a general observation about general behavior by several people. The behavior may begin with the utterances of a perpetual offender but often evolves into a situation where normally well behaved people get upset by the harassment and over react in their defense The last thing I wanted to do was mention specific people and start a flame war over who started what and who was justified in what they did or said.

 My post was mainly aimed at getting all of us to reflect on this and understand that there is room for many different personalities and playing styles. We cannot expect that everyone is going to play in a way that suits us and we certainly need to realize that everyone is entitled to play the game their own way as long as they follow the Code of Conduct.

Naming people resolves nothing as it only results in a hardening of attitude by those named, guilty or not. They would feel a need to justify themselves and come forward in their own defense thus turning it into a flame war of personalities; something I wanted to avoid. There is always more than one party involved in bad behavior; those who start it and those who feel a need to defend themselves but go too far in retaliation. All I'm saying is that the game arenas are no place for that.

[Tbar]

Shrap,

For what its worth, I understand what you are saying perfectly. I've been there, done that. I feel you are right.

[skullbonz]

    Then I sneak away with my tail between my legs. Carry on shrap.

[skullbonz]

   I must come back to this thread and ask this. In all your years shrap have you ever been able to change people with words? Have you ever been able to change people with anything? No I say. You never will and and it is not worth elevated blood pressure,fast heart rate or the headaches. By letting yourself get angry and posting a thread that more than likely the culprits of your anger will probably never see solve anything? Does it or did it change anything? No and the same people carry on just as they have been and not caring what any of us write about them. Of course there are us die-hard forum poster's that see our words then can not resist putting in our opinions which usually just leads to animosity between ourselves. The only thing these type of posts accomlpish is that it changes the friendships we form among ourselves,the die-hard forum posters. Meanwhile the so called egotistical bullies carry on as they have been. Is it worth it?

                                                                     

[shrapnel]

Yes.

[shrapnel]

That was the short answer, Bonzy but you may have been looking for more.

Yes you're right that words seldom change people's attitudes if these words are aimed at specific people. It makes them defensive and anxious to rationalize and defend their behavior. However I am absolutely certain that people's attitudes can be changed by them reading something that is not specifically aimed at them because they can accept what they read without acknowledging their own weakness. Can you say that you have never read anything or been told anything that changed your opinion or behavior? I doubt it.  

In any event, even if it has no impact on bad behavior, putting my fleeting irritation to words made me feel better and, as some have told me, made others feel better also. Nothing that happens in this virtual world is likely to give me a real headache or elevate my blood pressure. Only real life can do that for me. In this virtual world of ours, at least for me, words like anger mean a lot less than they would in real life.

Unfortunately it seems that you have been affected in a more lingering fashion; hence your need to keep pursuing it.  Let it go buddy, I'm still your friend and quite willing to die for you (in the virtual skies anyway  )

[j69o]

You know Shrap I think you got, naw hell you do have it!
If all this was reality, there would be a hell of a lot of gunfire going on, but this a virtual world, sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating and sometimes down right something that pisses us all off!
So we go on and play our games here, socialize and share thoughts, tis the net sir!
J