Just another thought:
Let's suppose that every single player on Steam games suddenly becomes "Mr Nice Guy"...
Steam goes out of business because it no longer makes money?
I can hear it now... "Hey! I'm an arse so you don't have to pay for this game... Gimme some slack 'cos I'm doing you a favour."
If "good guys" get the games for free or at below cost value, Steam will only be making a profit from those it deems to be unworthy. If you go along with that idea then it's not such a big leap to consider this.
If Steam's profits drop because of good players then they will have to move the bar on what it considers to be "good". So in future it will become more and more difficult to be put in the "good guy" class. How would you feel if you're an average player with an average ranking suddenly to learn that because there's too many "great players" that you now have to be considered less than clean?
Another thing to be considered is new players who aren't good at a game. These "elite" players from atop their high and mighty positions could/probably would mark down these people because they are obviously "noobs" and should be kept in their places. Now, it's an easy jump to think that Steam would give more credence to reports from players with a high rating. This makes me think of a saying which I can't remember who said it but it goes like "Just because it's popular doesn't make it right."
I really can see this getting way out of hand and mostly because of clannish behaviour by certain groups of players. If you join a server which has a large percentage of players who regularly play together, virtually anything you do will be considered "bad form" simply because you can not fit in with the teams tactics. Or perhaps the lobby throws you into a random server which has a majority of players who speak a certain language... I've been there myself when I've been kicked simply because I didn't speak the language spoken by the rest of the players. I didn't ask to go to the specific server in most cases and when I did it was a public server without any set rules regarding language. Under Steams rules, all those finding themselves in that situation would be penalised simply because the game put them in a server which was filled with closed-minded people (who would probably be highly ranked because their mates would constantly rate them high).
Another problem could become prevalent is when abuse reports are filled by both parties in a dispute. If a new or average player has a spat with a highly ranked player and both file complaints stating the "he started it and I never said a word", I can see that it would be very easy to take the report by the higher ranked player as true and penalise the other summarily.
And finally, I can see local trading standards or their equivalent having a dickie-fit. Any shop keepers/workers in these forums? Yes? well... try this...
For just one day, ask each customer to pay a different price for their purchases and say either "Oh, I'm sorry but there's a lot of people who don't like you... You must pay an extra 25 percent for your groceries." and then, when that customer is still in your shop say to the next customer. "Oh, hello... Yes, you are well liked in this neighbourhood, you can have your shopping for free... In fact, here's a tenner for your troubles!"
You might need to keep the police on speed-dial for when the riots begin.
Let's suppose that every single player on Steam games suddenly becomes "Mr Nice Guy"...
Steam goes out of business because it no longer makes money?
I can hear it now... "Hey! I'm an arse so you don't have to pay for this game... Gimme some slack 'cos I'm doing you a favour."
If "good guys" get the games for free or at below cost value, Steam will only be making a profit from those it deems to be unworthy. If you go along with that idea then it's not such a big leap to consider this.
If Steam's profits drop because of good players then they will have to move the bar on what it considers to be "good". So in future it will become more and more difficult to be put in the "good guy" class. How would you feel if you're an average player with an average ranking suddenly to learn that because there's too many "great players" that you now have to be considered less than clean?
Another thing to be considered is new players who aren't good at a game. These "elite" players from atop their high and mighty positions could/probably would mark down these people because they are obviously "noobs" and should be kept in their places. Now, it's an easy jump to think that Steam would give more credence to reports from players with a high rating. This makes me think of a saying which I can't remember who said it but it goes like "Just because it's popular doesn't make it right."
I really can see this getting way out of hand and mostly because of clannish behaviour by certain groups of players. If you join a server which has a large percentage of players who regularly play together, virtually anything you do will be considered "bad form" simply because you can not fit in with the teams tactics. Or perhaps the lobby throws you into a random server which has a majority of players who speak a certain language... I've been there myself when I've been kicked simply because I didn't speak the language spoken by the rest of the players. I didn't ask to go to the specific server in most cases and when I did it was a public server without any set rules regarding language. Under Steams rules, all those finding themselves in that situation would be penalised simply because the game put them in a server which was filled with closed-minded people (who would probably be highly ranked because their mates would constantly rate them high).
Another problem could become prevalent is when abuse reports are filled by both parties in a dispute. If a new or average player has a spat with a highly ranked player and both file complaints stating the "he started it and I never said a word", I can see that it would be very easy to take the report by the higher ranked player as true and penalise the other summarily.
And finally, I can see local trading standards or their equivalent having a dickie-fit. Any shop keepers/workers in these forums? Yes? well... try this...
For just one day, ask each customer to pay a different price for their purchases and say either "Oh, I'm sorry but there's a lot of people who don't like you... You must pay an extra 25 percent for your groceries." and then, when that customer is still in your shop say to the next customer. "Oh, hello... Yes, you are well liked in this neighbourhood, you can have your shopping for free... In fact, here's a tenner for your troubles!"
You might need to keep the police on speed-dial for when the riots begin.
