Valve Guy Says British Gamers Need to Speak Up

[Ph0t0n1c Ph34r]

Don't isolate Americans for our foul-mouthed douchebagery. I can name a few French-Canadain CS server admins who are real pricks.

I would also like to make a point that most Americans are not ignorant racists. It just so happens that the ones that ARE always seem to mange to get a headset. You would be suprised. The one thing Americans hate is other Americans. We hate eachother. And the French..but that goes without saying.

 

[Nickolai77]

I've only ever been taunted once for being British, and i played COD4 and 5 a lot online. I even had my clan tag as [ENG] most of the time. Perhaps you get more retards on XBL than you do on the Playstation Network?

Anyways, usually i don't talk for a number of reasons. One, having a conversation over a crackly microphone is rather difficult, it's like listening to a badly tuned radio. Two, i would rather concentrate on the game itself, and three sometimes i like to sit and listen to the radio banter whilst i quietly go about sniping people.

Listening to other people talk can be quite amusing, not only can be banter often by funny, their accents can also make me smile, or make my ears burn. Some American accents for instance i think sound quite cool, calm, relaxed and confident. Some American accents sound dumb and whiny, like a mop-head engine. It's harder to judge British accent's because thats what i'm used to, however some regional accents do stand out, and can sound plain retarded.

As a general rule though, it's mostly American's you hear online. This could be down to what Valve say's, or in fact it could be because, quite simply, there are more Americans than Brit's, so your likely to hear Americans than any other nationality. American conversations can be quite amusing, and you can have a laugh by listening to them. However, most of it is all rather "macho" and highly competitive talk which implies "omg look how awsome i am".

 

[oppp7]

I've heard people complain about all the little kids on Halo 3, but for the most part I enjoy talking to people.

 

[sarahvait]

Replace "go drink some tea" with "get back in the kitchen where you belong" and maybe Valve would understand why female gamers aren't big on using mics either.

I think this deserves an honourable mention. I hadn't thought of that.

It's either that or "are you hot? Are you single?" Christ, I just want to shoot somebody in the head, not hook up.

Yeah but, are you?
I kid. Seriously though it can be a bit unnerving when you've got 3 people talking away and you just want to play, but at the same time know you're going to have to talk to them. Especially if they're those aggressive loud types who yell 'VETO VETO. VETO YOU FUCKIN FAGS'

I absolutely know you're joking, but I love the logic of asking a woman if she's hot. Like she's going to say no, or even be hot if she says yes.

Makes you wonder what the reaction would be if they just outright said "No."

Hell, I think I would hit the point where I would just yell, "NO, ALRIGHT??!! I'm 300+ pounds with a dog face and need to be crane lifted just to use the restroom. Now stop trying to chat my ugly ass up and play the game!"

 

[Nickolai77]

I like the sneaky stereotype the author put in that article. I'm sure that foreign journalists/game bloggers have to by law make a reference to the 'stiff upper lip'! What of course he doesn't know is that we are all just silently judging you.

This^

Also, to any foregin journalists who think the British have stiff upper lips, i would like to invite to Liverpool on a friday night. I would then challenge them to find a single soul who has a "stiff upper lip" That old Victorian sterotype has long gone.

 

[Ph0t0n1c Ph34r]

I've never really heard anyone make fun of my Welsh friends on Live. Oddly enough, after playing with them so long, Ive picked up a few interesting flourishes to mycalready strange mix of Southern and Philedelphia accents ( As I learned English in Florida, and live north of Philedelphia. Honestly, you should listen to me speak. Everyone alway looks at ke funny when I say bag( I pronounce it Bay-G). Wait, I was ripped on for saying that.

 

[Veloxyll]

If you want more people to speak online: compress everyone's volume down to the same loudness (roughly). There's been a script to do it on Ventrilo for years now; and it's in game chat, there's no need for us to use the full range of our victim's speakers when we haven't spent 3 hours getting the volume just right so we're not quiet as a mouse or loud as a jet aircraft. It instantly removes the loud annoying people, and makes the quiet people just as loud. It's Win-Win for everyone.

 

[Sovvolf]

I used to talk all the time on XBL but I got asked if I was an Irish Mexican, if I know the Queen and if I like crumpets and tea... I don't even know what a fucking crumpet. Also there's the whole stupid Brit we can't understand what you say... or you don't speak English and the best... Why don't you just speak American like the rest of the world you stupid crumpet eating, bad teeth, tea drinking British fuck.... So tell me why I don't talk on XBL unless I'm in a party of people I know.

 

[DevilSShadoW]

I play TF2 with a lot of Brits. 80% of them are in love with the mic and won't shut up for a second.

 

[AliTheBrit]

No get it right


We don't speak to anyone but ourselves

For the most part, we only make an effort speaking when its with fellow Britons. And I'm glad, Why on earth would I care to speak to anyone else?!


Trust me, EVERY single game on Left 4 Dead I have been in which had all 4 players including me being British, we have had a good chat and communicated VERY well.

When you plonk a Brit in with, what is usually the case 3 Americans, then yeah, I don't want to speak to no idiot American thank you very much.

You make me sick to my stomach

Perfect example, about a month ago I was in a GTA IV online game

Two Americans where arguing, one was obviously Southern, the other obviously African-American

The southerner was being racist to the African-American, so I stepped in and told the Southerner to stop being racist etc. just tried to cool things down

And what happened? they both seemed to join together and attack me?! Seriously can china like nuke America or something? please?

 

[Booze Zombie]

Really?
Wow, I'm pretty noisy.

 

[Charli]

You can't make me
...

(Is fully aware of this problem among my fellow brits which is why me and the danish have a jolly old time on vent while the rest of them can do what they like, just listen then, see if I give a hoot)

I like to talk, even if it is about nonsense to fill the time, or something I need to alert my team/raid/party of quickly. It does help guys, use it. I don't particularly care if you sound like a doped up reject clown, if you can tell me somethings going down in .5 seconds without breaking your attack strategy to use the keyboard, I call that a very handy tool.

The US are much better at it, thats my first hand experience, you're very lucky if you find some chatty brits...who aren't drunk... and actually focused on the task at hand.

 

[ilion]

telepathy maybe?

 

[Little Duck]

I think Valve should look at this. Really I do.

Every single British gamer has this problem. I do to. Mind you I get round it with wit and sarcasm. I once had a whole yankee group shouting at me for a good 3 rounds, saying how much better they are army wise, country wise, all else wise. If you're not quick witted or don't want to go through insults every time you go online you shut up.

Me? Well I'm just looking for a fight.

 

[Little Duck]

I got made fun of for being american.

How many times? I'd say not more than once right?

What you're reading here is what we go through at least once every time we go on.

 

[Jzolr0708]

I'm American.... and the amount of prejudice in this thread makes me sad.


Yes, I know you don't want to get made fun of for your accent or even deal with that, but it gets very inconvenient to the group when you won't respond to any questions such as "You need that Medpack? Or can I take it" Or "You mind taking the outside, or should I?" on a finale.

 

[MrSnugglesworth]

I got made fun of for being american.

How many times? I'd say not more than once right?

What you're reading here is what we go through at least once every time we go on.

It was once.


By a little british kid.


He was like "Like eating those Hamburgers, don't you, you fat american *****"



I then proceeded to kick his ass at Halo.

 

[Radek1994]

Any one here play Garry's mod? If so you should know how many British kids talk on that game. All they do is yell and its really annoying.

 

[Little Duck]

I'm American.... and the amount of prejudice in this thread makes me sad.


Yes, I know you don't want to get made fun of for your accent or even deal with that, but it gets very inconvenient to the group when you won't respond to any questions such as "You need that Medpack? Or can I take it" Or "You mind taking the outside, or should I?" on a finale.

Mate, tricks of the trade. Be friendly. Be chatty at first. Tell jokes and try to invite in. Most Brits have anti yank barriers up, so we just ignore the yank speak. If people see you're friendly then we're more likely to talk, give and accept advice.