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[John Kowalski]

It's uncomfortable and keeps me from posting in a lot of threads i'd like to post in. Folks just don't seem to take pleasure in talking about games sometimes and instead resort to vacuous and hyperbolic statements. I assume most of them are just bullies to be honest.

Hyperbolic hate to match the hyperbolic claims and hype made by the respective developers/publishers or those games (AC:U, Destiny, Watchdogs, etc)

They have no one to blame but themselves

This has to be some kind of victim blaming.

 

[KuroPyonyo]

There is no such thing as a perfect....anything. Sometimes a game can have a lot of great things going for it...but a couple of flaws too. Its all about weighing if those flaws ruin the entire package for you...and that will be different for everyone.

Screen tearing and bad framerate for example isn't a problem for me but it might make a game unplayable for someone else. So for me the game (if that was all that was wrong with it) is great but for this other person it is shiiiiit.

Perfection doesn't exist..and never will. Some of my favorite games of all time have some flaws...it is just that they don't ruin the whole thing.

This is the exact type of hyperbole the OP was talking about. "overhyped shit" is waay too strong to be used for every or most games. In reality, these games simply did not meet YOUR expectations...that is all.

It should be obvious that when I write perfect, perfect for my tastes and requirements is implied, what other reference frame would you even use?
For example a racing game that does not have a rock solid 60fps is shit (for me). I dont care what great things might be there. I will not put up with something like this. Perfection is the abscence of flaws (that I care about).

You say hyperbole, I say your standards are far to low. Example: All console games that have mandatory patches can be dismissed as throw away trash.
Though the average consumer seemingly has no problem with such behavior.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

there is a strategy to avoiding gravitating to the sorts of threads given to produce hysterics.

Exactly. It takes some willpower at times but I've gotten to the point where I can read a thread topic and know that it's just going to be filled with shit. It's especially hard when the OP has intentionally phrased the topic in such a way as to get a rise out of people but I just ignore them, never click, and am happier for it. Just don't go in there.

Again, I'd pay for a "Ignore Thread" GAF Gold feature where I could look at a thread title and then immediately hide it from my view so that I never see it again. Some of the most annoying threads pop up over and over again so I can only imagine how much I could improve the signal-to-noise ratio here if I could hide those somehow.

 

[shinobi602]

It could get a little frustrating to read posts calling well made games "shit" or "garbage", but I've grown so accustomed to it that it doesn't bother me anymore. I'm super secure in what I like and don't like. Some of the best games I've played recently (Mass Effect trilogy, Bioshock Infinite, Skyrim, Halo 4, etc) have been hyperbolically criticized. Real easy to shrug it off to be honest.

 

[MCN]

I'm pretty certain I'm the only person on GAF to actually like Watch Dogs. I also absolutely adore Skyrim (PC version, naturally), which I think is somewhat akin to a war crime around here.

 

[DoubleTake]

It should be obvious that when I write perfect, perfect for my tastes and requirements is implied, what other reference frame would you even use?
For example a racing game that does not have a rock solid 60fps is shit (for me). I dont care what great things might be there. I will not put up with something like this. Perfection is the abscence of flaws (that I care about).

You say hyperbole, I say your standards are far to low. Example: All console games that have mandatory patches can be dismissed as throw away trash.
Though the average consumer seemingly has no problem with such behavior.

This is the internet, where people do not know you personally and arent always aware of what drives your frame of reference for perfection/shit. Adding qualifiers when you post is necessary so people dont think you are spewing out pointless drive-by posts. That is what shits up threads most of the time. People believing that others somehow know that they mean shit(for me) when there is no possible way for that to be true.

 

[EvB]

It get's to me

I get sick of reading regurgitated opinions from people who who no first hand experience with the thing they are talking about.
These kinds of threads are just a churning mess of misinformation and hyperbole.

What gets me even more is when these recycling opinions spill over into the real world, I've ended up having conversations with people who are spouting the same shit I read online and it being super clear that yet again they have had their opinion formed for them by someone else.

 

[Nafai1123]

People have the inherent nature to see things in black and white. Ergo, either something is shit or it's the best thing ever. It is quite annoying but I've learned to ignore it.

 

[Zoolader]

Let it go, let it goooooooooooo!

 

[flyinpiranha]

Yep. It's why I avoid a ton of game thread discussions now. I spend my time in the subscription tab more than anything. I'll delete them if gets to the point of vitriol which almost all do.

It's not that I can't "handle it" or that I disagree with people's tastes, I just feel like an old man in a room with a bunch of kids yelling and screaming about stupid shit trying to be that "drive by poster" that gets quoted over and over again.

Good discussion is still here, but I think the hyperbole actually makes me dumber reading it.

 

[JumpJeff84]

I'm pretty certain I'm the only person on GAF to actually like Watch Dogs. I also absolutely adore Skyrim (PC version, naturally), which I think is somewhat akin to a war crime around here.

I liked it. Didn't love it, but I enjoyed the 20 or so hours I put into it before I moved on to something else. It had some cool ideas.

 

[L Thammy]

This strikes me as more of an indictment of the discussions you read and participate in than anything broader; it's perfectly possible, even sticking just to GAF, to overwhelmingly have positive productive conversations about stuff. But there is a strategy to avoiding gravitating to the sorts of threads given to produce hysterics.

I think a big part of it is news. When people read something new, they're naturally going to have an emotional reaction right then and there, and that's going to exaggerate their statements, positive or negative. When you see a title and you're surprised by it, you should be aware that there's going to be a dearth any calm reactions for quite a while.

 

[TheSlySoul]

People have the inherent nature to see things in black and white. Ego, either something is shit or it's the best thing ever. It is quite annoying but I've learned to ignore it.

Pretty much.
People seem to ignore that something could be a 2/5, 3/5, or 4/5.
I mean did you see people lose their s**t over TP getting a 8.8/10?

 

[MastorofPuppetz]

The overwhelming majority of games we talk about, no matter how much you dislike them, are not garbage, shit, the worst game ever, and so on. I'm really getting fed up with how causally people can just call something shit, or even worse, dismiss those who may have a differing opinion than your own. I can't think of another medium aside from video games that generates this kind of hostility and cynicism towards the very thing people love. If I go into off topic and enter a book thread, there aren't countless dismissive posts that are just nothing but people shitting on something, or telling someone they are wrong for an opinion. If there's an Assassin's Creed thread, a Destiny thread, watchdogs thread, or pick any 'hated' game I can almost guarantee at least half the posts will be nothing but hyperbolic and grandiose shit talking and it's getting on my nerves. I know why people do it, it's easy and it gets noticed. It's much easier to just call something shit than it is to have a well thought out opinion on why a game is simply okay, disappointing, or maybe even just not for you.

There are ways to be critical without simply saying something is garbage or has no value, it just takes a little work. It's why, contrary to many here, I will value professional reviews and metacritic far more heavily than I will user opinion or neogaf users. There's only so many times I can read a game is awful garbage before I just tune it out and don't believe them. I guess the easy response is "well just don't come on gaf", and I may very well just do exactly that. Which would be a shame because for all of the shit talking and hostility, there can be great discussions to be had about games that you wont find anywhere else. I don't have many real life friends that talk about and care about games like I do, so gaf is really the only outlet I have to have conversations about games I would never be able to otherwise. I just wish I didn't have to wade through pages and pages of shit to get to an interesting post or stumble upon a conversation that isn't just a gang pile of "lets see how much awful shit we can say about 'x' game or 'x' company. I don't even think people mean or set out to do it either, because I've caught myself partaking in the very thing I'm talking about. Sometimes we get caught in the culture and it's hard to break free from it or notice you yourself are contributing to it.

Perhaps it's just something that is natural given how young video games are, and will be something, given the time, will naturally go away.

You learn to ignore it....seems game forums and the internet in general is rife with hyperbole, hate and negativity. People have no filters or boundaries online.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

This has to be some kind of victim blaming.

I feel like a thread could be made about the overuse and wrongful use of this term as well...

 

[On Demand]

This should be plastered to the top of the website. So much negativity could be avoided if folks just realized that they don't have to enter every thread and post whatever knee jerk reaction they have towards it.

That doesn't always work because in some threads others come in and stir it up.

The most notable to me is a thread discussion how a game looks on a console. It doesn't take too long for the usual PC gamers to come in and let everyone know it would look better on PC and consoles are worthless

 

[Scrabble]

May I introduce you to Sturgeon's law.
Nearly everything is overhyped shit. If you want my money and more importantly time you damn well deliver a perfect product and not some shit that might maybe somewhere have redeemable qualities.

Also why would you care what other people think about X? Videogames don't have feelings, it doesn't matter.

Finally happy people are quiet, angry people are loud. What point does it have to go into a thread and write "Yeah it's good, I enjoyed it"?

It doesn't bother me if people have differing opinions of a game than I do, I welcome diverse views and opinions, and am more than happy to have a conversation on why you didn't like something that I did. I want to read thoughtful criticisms, even if I don't personally feel the same way, but when people so hastily jump to calling something shit with no thought put into it, what good does that do? And I don't understand why someone saying "ya, I enjoyed this game" is a bad thing without merit. Someone expressing their enjoyment of something is just as valuable as someone expressing their dislike of something.

 

[jon bones]

You say hyperbole, I say your standards are far to low. Example: All console games that have mandatory patches can be dismissed as throw away trash.
Though the average consumer seemingly has no problem with such behavior.

i think this is exactly the kind of toxic, cringeworthy attitude this thread is about, highlighted by that classic last minute false sense of superiority bit that's so common amongst "gamers"

 

[ShapeGSX]

Hyperbolic statements are what make threads. If we all agreed and offered up middle of the road statements all day, this place would be pretty boring.

You don't have to agree to not make hyperbolic statements. It's called having a conversation.

 

[Mik317]

It should be obvious that when I write perfect, perfect for my tastes and requirements is implied, what other reference frame would you even use?
For example a racing game that does not have a rock solid 60fps is shit (for me). I dont care what great things might be there. I will not put up with something like this. Perfection is the abscence of flaws (that I care about).

You say hyperbole, I say your standards are far to low. Example: All console games that have mandatory patches can be dismissed as throw away trash.
Though the average consumer seemingly has no problem with such behavior.

My standards aren't too low...I simply just don't give a fuck about the things that ruin games for you.

It's called different tastes.

This is again..the exact kind of elitist bullshit that ruins GAF at times.

"oh you don't care about that?...well your standards are too low whereas I am the one standing against the awfulness that publishers are trying to drown you sheep in..."

Like really?

 

[ArkkAngel007]

Hyperbolic hate to match the hyperbolic claims and hype made by the respective developers/publishers or those games (AC:U, Destiny, Watchdogs, etc)

They have no one to blame but themselves

To a point where it's towards the devs/publishers and the specific things not matched. There is plenty of reasons for people on this board to be pissed off and cynical when it comes to this industry.

However, shit like in some of the Destiny-centric and other threads with the attitudes towards the players and where people are trying to hold the hyperbolic positions when they haven't even played the game or content they are throwing a fuss about? That's just unnecessary and sometimes downright disgusting.

 

[unapersson]

You learn to ignore it....seems game forums and the internet in general is rife with hyperbole, hate and negativity. People have no filters or boundaries online.

Gaf even has a convenient ignore feature which can help filter out some of the noise.

 

[MikeyB]

Most of the negativity falls into the realm of the "I don't like thing" comic. That said, I don't think that you should throw out all of the negativity because there is criticism that is valid independently of whether someone enjoys a game.

1. Deceptive marketing. In some way or form, bad marketing for games has been around forever. Remember Daikatana's ads? But was it flat-out lying? Bullshots are lies. Claiming that a demo version's graphics are as they will be once released, only to see a downgrade on release is a lie. This is a very basic consumer protection issue that is taken seriously in other industries, but less so here. It is a good reason to be upset.

2. Drip pricing. The free-to-play model and all its variants, including subscription services for content (different than subscription for access) and base games that obviously had DLC carved out of them are a form of drip pricing. You don't realize the full price of the good until you've begun or made the first transaction. This is another consumer protection problem addressed seriously in other industries (like hotels and airline pricing).

3. Broken content. If goods don't work, they should be fully refunded. Developers seem to be okay at this, if you manage to make a refund claim, but the process of making that claim is clearly less straightforward than a return counter at Home Depot. This should be made more straightforward.

4. Manufactured software obsolescence. Whether the player base dies or the hardware is no longer manufactured isn't the issue. I mean releasing a buggy game that relies on a day one patch (or an independently made patch) to work well at all on the appropriate hardware. These patches won't live online forever.

5. EULA. The terms in here are frankly ridiculous (we are basically purchasing licenses to use software that can be revoked at any time). That nobody has tackled this well in North America speaks volumes about how bad our IP law is and how far behind consumer protection is lagging.

These are legit consumer protection issues that seem to be increasingly widespread in the industry. People should be mad about them.

But whether you had fun? It's not like putting how many ounces of lentils are in a bag. Caveat emptor if you don't like them. Don't be mad if your neighbour turns out to love lentils.

That's why Classic Games Room is the only review I take seriously. The man loves games and you can tell from his enthusiasm what kind of fun you may be able to get out of the game.

 

[Khaos_Knight]

Hyperbolic hype just kills it for me, e.g. Bayonetta 2 and Destiny.

 

[jmood88]

Yes it does and it's why I avoid coming to this part of the site and gaming forums in general.

 

[Vizzeh]

Hyperbolic, such is life, or everyday life/humans, everything nowadays is sensationalised, As goes for quite alot of opinions when someone's differs from yours, it can be said in in passing conversations about going to the gym,"im not vain enough to workout".

As for gaming, when you have 1 console vs another console it is a breeding ground for it.
On PC threads I do not see it as much, there are generally good friendly recommendations for a good game in the steam thread for example, not "get the definitive ps4

Spoiler

or x1

edition, only way to play"

Constructive/positive conversations seemingly occur more when there are no tribalism. There are likely certain key names in thread titles that will hint to you that it will be a blood bath ignore or take it with a pinch of salt

 

[imBask]

You learn to ignore it....seems game forums and the internet in general is rife with hyperbole, hate and negativity. People have no filters or boundaries online.

Every forum is like that, it's not just gaming

you're spot on, I like your answer

 

[MCN]

This is again..the exact kind of elitist bullshit that ruins GAF at times.

"oh you don't care about that?...well your standards are too low whereas I am the one standing against the awfulness that publishers are trying to drown you sheep in..."

Like really?

This really is incredibly annoying.

 

[L Thammy]

On a related note, I think I've been less annoyed at negative hyperbole - since I've come to expect it - than positive hyperbole. There have been times when I've commented on how I'd like some aspect of a sequel to be improved because it wasn't very good in the original, and even explain why I think it was bad. Then I get fans jumping down my throat about how every part of the game is perfect and how dare I not enjoy myself.

 

[Air Zombie Meat]

Interesting how most of the posts in this thread are just taking issue with negativity. For me over the top praise and hyperbole is just as annoying.

 

[LookAtMeGo]

I used to let it get to me but then I realised not everyone is as hoplessly optimistic as I am. It is unforchunate when you happen to be excited about something and its hated on by the majority. But thats just the way she goes sometimes. You just have to learn to seperate mindless hate from legitimate criticism and engage people appropriately. Or just ignore the posts that bother you. Try not to get too emotionally invested in it, its just vidya games.

I'm guilty of getting a bit defensive from time to time but I don't let it upset me.

 

[antisoulless]

Hyperbolic hate to match the hyperbolic claims and hype made by the respective developers/publishers or those games (AC:U, Destiny, Watchdogs, etc)

They have no one to blame but themselves

You are actually justifying being unreasonable...

 

[Hoje0308]

What point does it have to go into a thread and write "Yeah it's good, I enjoyed it"?

You really don't expect people that registered for membership on a forum for enthusiasts to do just that? It happens often, and if you don't see that then it's pretty obvious what you're looking for.
As for you expecting games to be "perfect" just because you got sucked into the hype, well, the less said about that the better.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

the only thing that gets to me is people feeling the need to point out hyperbole.

i know it's not the worst game ever calm your shit.

 

[Parfait]

I just ignore it and play video games

 

[Uno Venova]

I just always thought it was funny how people need to make it known that they don't, or won't enjoy a series they have little interest in.

 

[imBask]

i'd also like to use this thread to criticize the lack of discussion on the first page of every thread. Neogaf is literally a competition of "who can post the witty first post" followed by 10 people quoting him with either a dot or a "close this thread"

 

[Poodlestrike]

Yeah, it gets pretty tiring some times. People treat a bad game or an unfulfilled promise like the dev/publisher murdered their dog. I mean, yeah, it's a 60 dollar purchase, but come on people.

 

[The Llama]

The older I get, the more hyperbole bothers me.

 

[Hoje0308]

Interesting how most of the posts in this thread are just taking issue with negativity. For me over the top praise and hyperbole is just as annoying.

Echo chambers are always annoying, but the added cynicism at the negative end of that spectrum compounds the issue.

 

[Bobs Big Boy]

The extreme passions also allow for intensive discussion that could only come with that kind of investment. It is a value for the place, just have to dismiss the misplaced enthusiasm for the hobby.

 

[shinobi602]

Interesting how most of the posts in this thread are just taking issue with negativity.

Well...that is what the thread's about...

 

[Tenck]

Not worth my time to take anything on Gaf seriously. I joined hoping to contribute to a community full of people who love to play video games. I got the exact same opposite.

I try to stick to a few communities, but even they're not safe. So now I just stick to OT and pretend everything is sarcasm.

 

[MikeyB]

Yeah, it gets pretty tiring some times. People treat a bad game or an unfulfilled promise like the dev/publisher murdered their dog. I mean, yeah, it's a 60 dollar purchase, but come on people.

If I can return a $5 screwdriver with no hassle other than providing a receipt and saying "it stripped after one use", then why should I not be able to return a game because it didn't do what they said it would do?

The bar for consumer protection in games is so ridiculously low.

 

[Mik317]

Interesting how most of the posts in this thread are just taking issue with negativity. For me over the top praise and hyperbole is just as annoying.

I don't mind it as much because who am I to tell someone to stop having fun or being hyped (even if they are setting themselves up for the fall) over something.

I also don't take most of the "ALL OVER MAH TEEETS" posts seriously and generally think of it as people just playing around. Nintendo Direct Threads for example are often filled with overhype and generally silly ass shit until the direct (and then quickly replaced with righteous anger lol).

Also those guys don't hijack threads with their bullshit. Hype generally stays in their own contained threads and it is generally easier to skip through because it is filler. Whereas the negative hyperbole often dictates where the thread goes as it is quoted and starts a pointless debate with no end until feelings are caught.

 

[Isurus]

It could get a little frustrating to read posts calling well made games "shit" or "garbage", but I've grown so accustomed to it that it doesn't bother me anymore. I'm super secure in what I like and don't like. Some of the best games I've played recently (Mass Effect trilogy, Bioshock Infinite, Skyrim, Halo 4, etc) have been hyperbolically criticized. Real easy to shrug it off to be honest.

I'm in the same boat. Some of my favorite games are ones that people trash on these forums but, at this point in my life, I really couldn't care less what the masses think. As I've gotten older, I've come to find that most people like to create drama. Whether it be at home, work, in forums, etc., they crave drama. I, for one, don't. So, I just avoid it as much as I can.

 

[L Thammy]

Well...that is what the thread's about...

And the past several threads complaining about hyperbole.

 

[Vizzeh]

The older I get, the more hyperbole bothers me.

Its possibly more, 'wisdom notices more off it' and how ridiculous it can be, rather than it not bothering you as much in youth (or when younger)

 

[gelf]

You don't have to agree to not make hyperbolic statements. It's called having a conversation.

That sums it up well. You can complain about something but you don't have to do it in a way that makes it sound like your boiling with rage over a videogame not being to your standards.

It's the rush to anger thats the biggest thing that bothers me. If I was a developer I would do my best to ignore all rage feedback and just look into the complaints from people who can voice dissatisfaction in a calm considered manner.

 

[threelights]

It gets to me, but not in a way to stop my enjoyment of the game. I usually come to forums to learn about games I didn't know about and to talk about the games I enjoy, so people that are constantly saying hyperboles and cynicism does bother me.

I hate reading rants about how people had some stupidly high or specific expectation for something and that expectation was not met. I hate reading posts about people thinking they are entitled to something when they are not. And then you have all the cynicism and hyperbole being stated as facts, and that is really awful.

So yeah, it does bother me. But I'm here for the rest, so I stay here and try to ignore the bad crap.