Toxic community. Why so?

Swan Electro

Swan Electro
I haven't run across any other players, yet in the game. If you lot play like you post here, I think I'd Just assume give it a pass.

It seems like every time I visit this forum, there's some raging ... let's call it a "debate", going on. The fact that Someone recently felt inspired to make a thread called "The Positive 2.2 thread" speaks volumes.

It is, what it is. I have to wonder why, though.
It's really hard for me to believe that a game like this naturally attracted a toxic player base, and I definitely don't think that the people who are getting so hot here, are always that way. There's got to be something else at play.

Is this a new thing? From the language of the posts, I'd guess it's been going on long enough for the community to be thoroughly divided into adversarial groups several times over.

At this point, Has it just been generally accepted as the local etiquette, to meet opposition with nastynes?

Could it be something to do with the way the forum is arranged, or designed? Something else related? I don't know.

Maybe, it's something as simple as being a message board for a game with the word "Elite" in the title.
I wonder.

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some thoughts after reading pages 1 through 11:
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I think it's totally fair to say that "Toxic" over states most of what I'm noticing here. I don't really know a good short-hand to describe it, though it still seems beyond "robust debate" to me.

Many considered posts I've read in reply to this are also very telling of people who strive to understand others, and share perspective.

On the flip-side, I don't much respect the argument that "it's the internet". If it is, then it's a sad commentary on the people who it is comprised of (us). That's not my experience, and I don't buy it.
 
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Fishy

Fishy
This is an anonymous forum, on the Internet, for a multiplayer game whose features include PvP. Every single tiny little change part of the community requests treads on the toes of some other part of the community, which is provided with a safe, free-of-charge way to vent their frustration. I'm not sure how you'd expect anything else, is this your first mmo forum?
 

K-Rose

K-Rose
This isn't a toxic community at all trust me, if you look at the vast bulk of the posts, look across the sub-forums (Ships, Outfitting, Community Goal, Horizons, Engineers, Powerplay, Wings etc etc) most people are kind, helpful and have a sense of humour.

On the Reddit 99% of people again are good people.

Elite honestly has one of the best communities I've ever been part of in a game.:)

Granted we're in the honeymoon of Elite, where it's long enough after initial release to be have a fleshed out game, but not so far away that we're all tired of it but still playing. ;)
 

Der Zeitgeist

Der Zeitgeist
I think it's not so bad, actually. People only get vocal about things they care about. And they do care about Elite. The moderators in this forum let discussions play out, only intervening when things get really hostile.

And I like it that way, especially compared to other gaming communities, where every dissenting voice is immediately stifled.
 

DarthRavadge

D
Fishy said:
This is an anonymous forum, on the Internet, for a multiplayer game whose features include PvP. Every single tiny little change part of the community requests treads on the toes of some other part of the community, which is provided with a safe, free-of-charge way to vent their frustration. I'm not sure how you'd expect anything else, is this your first mmo forum?
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Couldn't have said it better.
Any forum is naturally going to attract the Ewarriors that are ticked off about something. The other 90%+ of the players that don't visit the forums are perfectly agreeable. We do have a few good ones here though ;)
 

Deadspin

Deadspin
Fishy's got it right, you've also got it right OP.

I also think age plays a huge role in it as well. You've got the original Elite gamers from 30 odd years ago butting heads with the newer crop of PC/Xbox gamers who are of an entirely different generation with differing POVs on how the game should be played, how the grind should be treated, etc.

I'm of a middle range, I guess? Born in the 80s and played single player games all throughout my childhood but generally gravitated towards and enjoy multiplayer online games more. There's an interesting mix of features in this game that try to stay true to the original while also trying to accommodate the newer generation and it seems to create a lot of tension here on the forums when a design implementation seems to favor one or the other.

I just enjoy arguing with people to make my days go by faster. If we ever cross paths in game I'll dip a wing in greetings and probably never look back.
 

BigFW

BigFW
babelfisch said:
It's all Frontiers fault because they removed offline mode. Or the Python nerf, can't remember. :)
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Whilst we are on the subject of Offline mode.....;)

It seems Elite draws a lot of 'views' on how things should be. This forum does truly bring out some great keyboards warriors. But there is still some nuggets of useful info.
Personally I seem to be happy with how FDev want to do things. What? No, stop throwing those rotten vegetables at me!

Anyway, offline mode... you just couldn't let it lie!
 

Batgut

Batgut
With the sheer potential this game has and the many disparate elements that come together to form it, I doubt it's even feasible to come close to pleasing everyone. Understandably, there will be some that feel they are being ignored (or worse) and as a result will take their complaints here, with varying degrees of civility. I think it's a far cry from toxic. Definitely an angry and vocal contingent, but overall this is one of the more optimistic, nice and helpful online communities I've been a part of - though that's more an indictment of others than a defence of the bad parts of this one.
 

Whitmann

Whitmann
It's not exclusive to Elite, or gaming even. It's the lack of face-to-face interaction so much of the modern world has, reducing the need for nuance, politeness, gesture, etc.
I do find it interesting that simply the act of being "present" - i.e. when you meet a random Cmdr in-game - seems to make a lot if difference in terms of how interaction goes, and of course the difference between on here and in game is that in game you're in some kind of immersive reality, where a message board is a step dissociated from "life", simulated or otherwise.
 

Winterwalker

Winterwalker
I don't think the community toxic .. passionate at times but that's cool. It's alive?
People are free to table things that bother them, makes for a better game in the end and on top of that, you've got the groups; fuel rats, canonn, pirates, drabble competitions, MANY more, all positive.

Don't have to rabbit on about ED being the best space game ever .. plainly it is and that's Frontier's fault!

And TJ's
 
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Ddraig

Ddraig
It is just people that cant enjoy anything because is not done tailored to their own needs.
Usually this happens just after a big patch, the changes are not ok for everyone and there is the issue with bugs that happen regardless what the developers do. So yeah, I do no think you should mind any of this toxicity and focus on the good. There are good people that is willing to help and advice free of charge. And usually Elite sub forums are way more constructive than the general ones.

Fly safe.
 

Ian Phillips

Volunteer Moderator
Ian Phillips
Considering that the player base is in the order of 1.5 million, statistically 1% of players become active on forums and of those 1% a few post occasional rants and a - literally - handful constantly post negatively on these forums.... That is one almight strong toxin you are experiencing!
 

Lycan_Bravo

L
Comes to a place dedicated to talking about the game and is surprised to see conversation about the game.

Yes people come to talk about the game on a game forum. Even the negative stuff. Things that are going well and are agreeable with the community don't foster much discussion because the majority of people nod their head and move on. If there is a topic to debate people debate it. This is common sense people, not a revolution on human social behaviour.

I think you haven't seen an actual toxic community before. This community is filled with people who are loyal to FDev to a fault, a very major faction indeed. They will white knight for this game for the silliest of issues and just assume someone is lying rather than bugs occurring. Just look at the page since 2.2 dropped.
 
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Shintai

Shintai
Michael Pel said:
You know how it goes - only those that are unhappy are vocal. If something works well for someone, they wont make a thread daily praising it. If they find it bad, they will complain daily until it gets fixed. I've met plenty of really nice people in-game, while most of this forum is self-entitled cancer. This is kind of hyperbole, but it's also true.
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^^ This :)
 

MassiveD

MassiveD
ED has one of the most sophisticated communities out there, not even exagerating.

If you want to see some really noxious communities, register on forums for Dota 2, or CS GO, and don't forget to - rash B cyka blyat
 
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