Too Much Hate. Too Much Drama.

[Strazdas]

first of all, there can never be too much drama.

the phenomenom is easy. if a person likes something, he is very likely keep it to himself and rarely talk about it. if a person dislikes something he is very likely tell everyone he can how much "This thing sucks and you should not use it". this simple reality has lead to the situation you are describing.

Also when you are cirticizing something, it is easy to write down flaws, comapre them, ect. while posts like "i loved it and i think its amazing" does not even go though the low content barier.

CapchA: om nom nom
team fortress reference? really?

 

[Rickin10]

I'll take an overwhelmingly negative forum over a complacent happy-clappy place any day. If you want a place to see a gaming world where everything is peachy simply head over to Ign any of the their similar flash-ad brethren where they will validate the pure awesomeness of gaming.

 

[rob_simple]

People are more inclined to give their opinions on a negative experience than a positive one, it's just human nature.

Think about it, if you stayed at a hotel and everything went fine, you'd most likely hand the key in at the end of the holiday and say, 'thanks, see you later,' but if there was a dead hooker in your room you'd tell the staff, you'd tell your friends, you'd go on Yell.com to leave a review, (I, no shit, once saw a guy complain about the food being boring at his hotel when it was a fucking buffet every night.)

I do know how you feel, but personally I've found a good solution is to go into these threads with an unassailable positivity and inform these people that it's not all doom and gloom.

Every time you see a thread about how all games are the same/dumbing down/for filthy casuals/trying to be CoD share your own experiences and, when possible, concrete proof of how this is not the case. The best way to fight ignorance is with the truth, let's not let the overly vocal minority ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[Nami nom noms]

Totally agree with the OP. Escapist used to be my first-stop on the internet, now it's just a rare check-in every few weeks. Some people here have become whiny, trollish and generally antagonistic.

 

[crotchdot]

It's a website devoted laregly to people who love gaming, and people get passionate about what they love.

And some of that negativity resulted in a reversal of Xbone DRM policies, so tough love is not always a bad thing (although I accept not agrees with me on that point).

 

[Dragonbums]

The hypocritical situation right now is that people are only interested in talking about negative things than interesting ones.

Most of the threads I have seen when I came here that got over 10,000 views and hundreds of comments tend to be "Nintendo Doom and Gloom" threads.

Console/console users are stupid threads

Xbone threads

Anita/feminist threads

and Yet another Third Party dev/AAA publisher are acting like fucking tools threads.

Meanwhile the non flammatory positive threads I can remember reaching the same popularity are Old Games You Used to Play but Can't Remember them.

and the E3 Stream thread of Sony and Microsoft.

That's about it.

All the other positive ones get kicked back to Oblivion because nobody cares about them.
Despite everyone clamoring for more positive threads. Nobody wants to comment in said threads

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

110% agree, OP. Been coming to the Escapist for years, and only recently have I cut back on discussion in the forums. Sure, I still visit everyday, but the overall quality of threads has noticeably declined, from my point of view.

I still jump into threads I find somewhat interesting, but it has been a very long time since we have had a truly worthwhile, fun topic to discuss.

 

[Hero of Lime]

I try my best to be as positive as I can be, for the most part anyway. I like commenting on threads that involve sharing things I like, or my favorite things. Even the positive threads have some spirited exchanges when people who have strong different opinions decide to clash. Negativity will always draw more attention unfortunately, it's a lousy mentality but we all share it.

 

[HardkorSB]

I've been reading this forum for a while. One of the key things I keep seeing on here is people arguing about games in general. And not always in a good, professional way. People care too much about what the public thinks of something. They always want to discuss what's wrong instead of what's right. They always want to discuss how the industry's screwed them over in some way. And I know saying that sounds hypocritical since I'm writing a topic that's pointing out what's wrong but in my defense, I don't do this often at all. And I feel if I don't say anything, no one's going to give this any thought for at least a very long time.

Nowadays, nobody wants to talk about the games themselves. What they liked. What they want to see in future games, etc. None of that. Why?

I know what you guys are gonna say. Yes, I have seen topics that aren't all negative but honestly now, which topic get's the most hits, hm? A topic about how the industry wants to suck away all our monies or a topic about a cool new feature or features of an upcoming game?

Who've we become? This whiny kid who complains whenever things don't go their way for any reason? Why can't we just 'chill'? For example, yeah, it sucks that the Kinect is bundled with the Xbox One but people would just NOT let it go for a while. Way too many needless impassioned arguments there. Too much unneeded drama.

Anyway, hope some people will read this with intelligence instead of saying the equivalent of 'lol no'. Be honest with yourselves.

TL;DR:

Maybe people complain because complaining about something is more interesting than praising it?
I mean, look at this topic. You're complaining about other people complaining. Why won't you make a topic about how wonderful people are? Why are you just concentrating on the negative aspects?

 

[StrangerQ]

If you think here is too much hate and negativity...
Well i suggest you will not go browsing /v/.
The worst i have seen on escapist and partly thanks to moderation has been only a small crystal glass of pure whine compared to whirlpool of insanity that is /v/ every day.

 

[scorptatious]

Things have been kinda negative here for quite a while.

I guess I can't blame people too much though. Things like the ME3 ending fiasco, SimCity, and the XBONE weren't exactly things to celebrate. Plus it wouldn't help just to ignore the bad things that happen in the industry. Still though, I wouldn't mind just a little more positivity in these forums.

snip

*clap clap clap*

Well said man. Well said.

 

[lacktheknack]

Oh yay, another thread whining about whining!

Let me get you some more!

I KEEP STARING BUT I CAN'T FIND THE SEAMS. O__O

OT: You're suffering "pessimist's bias". You notice when things go wrong, but not when they go right.

It's a REALLY pronounced effect. Usually, when someone complains that "the news never reports anything good anymore, only misery", you can pick up a newpaper and find half a dozen stories on good things within a few page turns. If you actually go look at the thread list, you'll see a whole bunch of threads that are actually dedicated to positive things in games you like.

For a perfect example of the phenomenon, Google statistics tests that people have done on XCOM: Enemy Unknown. You'll find that they all report a fair and balanced RNG. Then, go read any thread on XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and revel in the magic that is "ten people complaining that the RNG hates them and their entire family". While it's possible that one or two of them really do have the worst luck, it's far more likely that they just 1. don't understand what "randomness" is, and 2. have pessimist's bias.

 

[SonicWaffle]

CapchA: om nom nom
team fortress reference? really?

Isn't that a Sesame Street reference originally?

 

[happyninja42]

Who've we become? This whiny kid who complains whenever things don't go their way for any reason? Why can't we just 'chill'? For example, yeah, it sucks that the Kinect is bundled with the Xbox One but people would just NOT let it go for a while. Way too many needless impassioned arguments there. Too much unneeded drama.

TL;DR:

One thing to also consider about the nature of forums and such, is that it is a concentrated source of comments. So while sometimes it appears that it's nothing but people whining 24/7 about something. In a lot of cases, the reality is that you are seeing a collection of people making 1 complaint....that's it. The fact that several thousand people agree to dislike something, and happen to all express their one point on the matter doesn't turn them into "the whiny kid who complains whenever things don't go their way for any reason." a lot of them have made 1 comment, about 1 subject, that they dislike. That's hardly whining.

Now sure, there are plenty of posters who do nothing but flame-rage and the like, but there are plenty of us that
1. Don't read every forum topic (mostly because we don't care about every subject)
2. Don't reply to every topic we read (again because we're not that worried about it)
3. Post things that are not a complaint, and are in fact the opposite.


So no, I would have to disagree with your opinion that we're nothing but a bunch of whiny brats who do nothing but complain 24/7. The very nature of forums gravitates like minded opinions to a subject, which makes things look to be more one sided than they actually are.

 

[Something Amyss]

I've been reading this forum for a while. One of the key things I keep seeing on here is people arguing about games in general. And not always in a good, professional way. People care too much about what the public thinks of something. They always want to discuss what's wrong instead of what's right. They always want to discuss how the industry's screwed them over in some way. And I know saying that sounds hypocritical since I'm writing a topic that's pointing out what's wrong but in my defense, I don't do this often at all. And I feel if I don't say anything, no one's going to give this any thought for at least a very long time.

Nowadays, nobody wants to talk about the games themselves. What they liked. What they want to see in future games, etc. None of that. Why?

I know what you guys are gonna say. Yes, I have seen topics that aren't all negative but honestly now, which topic get's the most hits, hm? A topic about how the industry wants to suck away all our monies or a topic about a cool new feature or features of an upcoming game?

Who've we become? This whiny kid who complains whenever things don't go their way for any reason? Why can't we just 'chill'? For example, yeah, it sucks that the Kinect is bundled with the Xbox One but people would just NOT let it go for a while. Way too many needless impassioned arguments there. Too much unneeded drama.

Anyway, hope some people will read this with intelligence instead of saying the equivalent of 'lol no'. Be honest with yourselves.

TL;DR:

I'm not going top say "lolno" but I find it funny that rather than making a positive thread, you make a post to complain about complainers complaining. Isn't that a touch hypocritical?

 

[Arnoxthe1]

I always find this type of thread very interesting, because it's essentially some kind of "Stay Calm and Obey" kind of message. If negativity is spreading throughout the video game community on a massive scale, one might stop to wonder why.

Alright everyone, please listen up. This is important.

I'm NOT telling everyone to stick their heads in the sand. The opposite of it, actually. For example, if a publisher does something that you can't put up with as a gamer, simply don't give them your money. There is no need to write a thesis on the forums about how terrible that company is, how great gaming was back in the day, and so on.

You see something you don't like, don't indulge it with your money. Simple, easy, effective. If you find a topic that is questioning why a product is bad, you state so very clearly and logically. Make no fuss about it. Not to say that people don't already do this. Which brings me to my next point.

Some of you have also said that compared to other forums, this one isn't that bad. That's very true. However it could be BETTER. A lot better. And it wouldn't take that much work at all. I'm asking you all to be intelligent.

And to the people who tried to point out the hypocrisy in my topic, you're way too late in saying that. Please actually try to read the OP in whole next time. It already pointed that out and argued why it really wasn't.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Nowadays, nobody wants to talk about the games themselves. What they liked. What they want to see in future games, etc. None of that. Why?

Exactly. It's like, who cares if Nike is using child labor in SE Asia? Their shoes are actually quite comfortable!

Once you reach a certain level of social awareness, you start to look at the companies that make all the shiny baubles. And a lot of the big game developers are engaged in business practices and policies that some people find disturbing, offensive, and/or reprehensible.

Until they get their shit sorted out, there's little point in talking about the quality of their products.

Well, that's a bad example. Children making shoes in Asia compared to some rather large prices for game/console or poor quality or what have you? C'mon, give me a break. They don't compare.

 

[Foolery]

CapchA: om nom nom
team fortress reference? really?

Isn't that a Sesame Street reference originally?

Yup. Courtesy of the good ol' COOKIE MONSTA!

But anyway back on topic, yeah I agree with the OP. This is the most melodramatic forum I've ever been to. Haven't been here long so I can't make any long term judgements but a decent number of threads are just plain ridiculous.

Some examples.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.822202-Well-Square-you-finally-did-it-you-killed-Final-Fantasy-A-Rant
Aren't rants against the COC?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.821819-Uh-Oh-Sexism-in-Video-Games
Yeah, ok. Like we really needed another sexism thread.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.822356-Mainstream-Casual
Another exercise in futility.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.822236-Could-Nintendo-go-third-party
This topic has been done to death.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.822322-Why-have-video-games-become-cool
Not that different from the 'mainstream-casual' thread.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.822223-A-new-challenger-appears-for-the-most-inane-yet-successful-Kickstarter-scam
Troublemaking. Plain and simple.

I could go on. Fortunately the mods are pretty great around here and nip things in the bud before they get out of control.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Well, that's a bad example. Children making shoes in Asia compared to some rather large prices for game/console or poor quality or what have you? C'mon, give me a break. They don't compare.

So where do you draw the line then?

On one end of the spectrum you have Union Carbide gassing half a million people with methyl isocyanate and on the other end you have Electronic Arts refusing to pay overtime compensation to hundreds of employees.

At what point in that spectrum do you stop buying that company's products?

Dude, I'm not advocating shoddy business practices. Please read OP.

 

[Skops]

It's the internet, regardless where you go, people think it's cool to be constantly cynical. I won't sit here and claim I haven't done the same, we're all guilty of it, justified or not. For myself, some time ago I would be that guy that would just post negative, and overly critical things. And truthfully, I don't even know why. Like pointing out all the flaws in games was fun, but all it ended up doing was make me a bitter person.

So, over the last year or so, I just stopped coming here (daily) for the forums. Even my approach to video games is just for fun now. Getting overly critical about games like Call of Juarez: The Cartel just saps any amount of fun you could be having. If you look for flaws, you're going to find them. Some games this is more apparent than others.

A perfect example of why I stay away from the community for the most part now is in the Ultra Street Fighter 4 trailer thread. Seriously, not everything in this industry is made JUST FOR YOU, and regardless what you think of releasing "the same game 4 times", it's a successful business model and it keeps the online community alive and fresh.