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Has any online community gone to shit faster than Overwatch's?
- Thread starter Skel1ingt0n
- Start date
T
thepotatoman
Unconfirmed Member
One thing that makes Overwatch toxicity worse is the fact that your only information about your teammates is the killfeed and medal status, so it's a lot easier for people to blame their teammates when things go bad even when the problem maybe is themselves. It makes the toxicity more frequent.
Also 6 man teams is one extra chance at getting a toxic person on your team.
it's probably a little easier to solo carry a team overall in dota too, as long as there's no gigantic feeders. Especially with the last hit mechanics for minions.
I didn't know there was a keyboard shortcut for muting. Thank you so much, this'll make the plane ride much less grating without having to open the options menu each match!
Having played Dota 2 for almost 6 years now, the game is extremely good at punishing players for behavior. 90% of the time when I have reported someone for something that was clearly intentional feeding, chat abuse, ability abuse, etc, I quickly get a notification usually in an hour that action was taken.
If someone is playing badly, having a bad game, whatever, and not doing it on purpose, even if his team manages to rally all 9 other people in the game to report them, that isn't going to get any action taken against them. Part of the reason that doesn't work is that it typically looks for patterns, and reports only count once per game if I am not mistaken.
There is also a hidden toxicity index for players. This is taken into account when someone gets reported.
Every 20 games you get shown a conduct report that tells you how many commends you have gotten, how many times you have been reported if it's over 3, and how many games you abandoned out of your last 20.
Dota has a lot of toxic players, but it's methods for dealing with them are very effective.
Kremzeek
Member
Yup, I've never experienced any toxicity because there is no text chat and I never talk with randoms.
Orochinagis
Member
More than LoL?
Garrett Hawke
Member
I feel like I play a different game to yall because I havent touched competitive since season 3. Its time to let-go.jpg of competitive.
In quick play, if you meet someone crappy, you only have to suffer them for a few minutes. In quick play, team comps have more flexibility because people arent rigidly conforming to The MetaTM. In quick play, you can have a much larger impact as a single hero due to less teams having team-strategies. In quick play, if you lose, you arent punished at all.
Seriously. Turn off all chat (text chat should be off by default imo) and play quick play and suddenly Overwatch doesnt seem any more or less toxic than any other game. Competitive is the real problem here, and I consider the fact that quickplay goes to shit whenever a season ends to be definitive proof.
In quick play, if you meet someone crappy, you only have to suffer them for a few minutes. In quick play, team comps have more flexibility because people arent rigidly conforming to The MetaTM. In quick play, you can have a much larger impact as a single hero due to less teams having team-strategies. In quick play, if you lose, you arent punished at all.
Seriously. Turn off all chat (text chat should be off by default imo) and play quick play and suddenly Overwatch doesnt seem any more or less toxic than any other game. Competitive is the real problem here, and I consider the fact that quickplay goes to shit whenever a season ends to be definitive proof.
Yui's Empire
Member
The thing is, you got a bad teammate or some toxic behaviour in Rocket League? You can report it in a second, mute the person, and the match will be over in a few minutes anyway. You're in ranked and the other guy quits? Free quitting to you, and the matchmaking gives you a new match in seconds.
In Overwatch, matchmaking is usually quick but sometimes takes a couple minutes. You might then be waiting for players while playing some TDM basically with no risks or rewards. This can take minutes when you're unlucky. Then the whole select your character and the screwing around in the spawn. Someone gets one shotted, quits, you gotta wait a bit for the game to decide what to do, but sometime the match is aborted after a bit. Back to the start. Or it goes on but you already know you'll lose, you just push through an unfun match that might still take a while. It makes quitters, AFKs, idiots more relevant as they have a much longer effect on your game.
In Overwatch, matchmaking is usually quick but sometimes takes a couple minutes. You might then be waiting for players while playing some TDM basically with no risks or rewards. This can take minutes when you're unlucky. Then the whole select your character and the screwing around in the spawn. Someone gets one shotted, quits, you gotta wait a bit for the game to decide what to do, but sometime the match is aborted after a bit. Back to the start. Or it goes on but you already know you'll lose, you just push through an unfun match that might still take a while. It makes quitters, AFKs, idiots more relevant as they have a much longer effect on your game.
FatCatAttack
Member
I have around 2.6k hours of dota and Overwatch is way worse with regards to toxicity. It seems counter intuitive because dota games on average are so much longer, you would think being stuck with assholes for 40 minutes to an hour is much worse. But what happens is, is in Overwatch you just get a constant barrage of assholes over several games in the same amount of time. In a long dota game you can sometimes build a connection with your assholes. You or them make a nice play for example and give each other a "well played."
While friendliness is not likely to develop, something resembling a grudging respect or tolerance would form. In Overwatch the chapped booty buns often begins in the spawn room and the game is over when the rage gasm is at its height. Then the cycle starts anew. There's lots of reason why Overwatch is a toxic mess but the cliff notes version is that it's
1. Overly team dependent.
2. Obscures critical information that let's players make informed decisions (i.e. no scoreboard)
3. Extremely contradictory design goals between fluff and mechanics that don't work. You are ostensibly suppose to swap heroes and treat them almost as callously as you would treat a gun in an fps. A mere tool. But everything about the game's marketing, lore, movies, skins, and so on is designed so people identify and fall in love with characters...some of which you can't play without getting screamed at by the aforementioned assholes.
As far as another game that quickly collapsed into a toxic soup: Monday Night Combat--specifically the PC version.
MNC was so promising but the developer failed to do anything about the trolls flaming people or do something about the severe balance problems the game had. It was a third person arena shooter moba where you killed bots and enemy players for cash to "level up" your skills and eventually push the lane hard enough where your bots could disable the enemy team's moneyball. Killing the moneyball was essentially like destroying the enemy ancient in Dota. MNC had a huge issue with the sniper class. On XBOX it wasn't that great but on the PC with mouse and keyboard it was truly ridiculous
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwvc7zmcN8g
This dude, a guy named "Hentai Tentacle Rape," and another named VVVVVVV were everywhere and probably scared away hundreds of people. MNC sniper used a semi automatic rifle that could one hit KO the entire cast with no charge up time. The fat reticle was meaningless since tryhards just put a blue tac on their monitor so they could quickscope quickly and accurately. This was one of the few times I went on the official forums for any game and I BEGGED them to do something about it and had to deal with all the goofy ass sniper pickers talking about their "skillcap."
The game also had the saltiest person I've ever seen in a game: LLama. After all these years I still remember this dude. The only person I've seen to get mad no matter what happened. If he won he got mad. If he lost he got mad. He played the MNC equivalent of genji and spent half the match saying the most vile shit imaginable in chat while afk in a corner somewhere. Every time the matcher searched I would clench my ass in anticipation this turd would be in my game. There were other dirtbags as well but this guy was the only one I remembered by name. They all scared away players.
Between these two things a promising game that could have been a smash hit was strangled in its crib. It came out at the perfect time during a major dry spell in TF2 updates when people were hungry for something different.
Yesterday in a comp game I was D.VA and was on team chat
Halfway through the game our Zarya said: can you let go of D.VA? She's my main and all. I switched immediately to Bastion (defense) and he only picked D.VA very late in the round.
Next round on attack I picked Zen and he constantly kept saying: why do we have a Zen and Ana? What use is Zen ult? I don't understand why we have a Zen.
At that point I wanted to throw so hard. Why pick on your teammates just because we are not going Mercy and pocket healing you? If I go Mercy I kniw I will do worse.
Near the end he said thanks Zen because he finally realized that I can heal his ass without a Mercy and won.
Halfway through the game our Zarya said: can you let go of D.VA? She's my main and all. I switched immediately to Bastion (defense) and he only picked D.VA very late in the round.
Next round on attack I picked Zen and he constantly kept saying: why do we have a Zen and Ana? What use is Zen ult? I don't understand why we have a Zen.
At that point I wanted to throw so hard. Why pick on your teammates just because we are not going Mercy and pocket healing you? If I go Mercy I kniw I will do worse.
Near the end he said thanks Zen because he finally realized that I can heal his ass without a Mercy and won.
Lol no at all. Or I dont know for sure cause EU Overwatch is more funny than toxic, but US servers cant be as bad as that.
fluffydelusions
Member
No way.
Rickenslacker
Banned
People bring up that a lot of online games suffer from having to be around terrible people, and that's true, but I think Overwatch is a pretty unique case at least in the FPS space. It's a game that's team dependent to a fault, but also gives you the tools to be paranoid and tilted off the bat.
There's a lot of judgement that Blizzard freely offers up to you towards your teammates and the match you're in right as you enter. You see the aggregate SR of the teams -- oh, my team has a lower SR average, thanks Blizzard); the ranks of everyone are immediately shown -- oh, my team only has two masters players, the enemy team has three, thanks Blizzard; and you can easily peek into your team's and opponent's profiles -- oh, I have Mercy mains on my team and they don't, and this person was a Silver last season, thanks Blizzard, this match is already over. Compare this to, say, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive where when you get matched into a competitive game, the ranks and stats of your team and opponents are effectively hidden, only surfaced at the end of a match. This at least lets has the player needing to put some trust in the situation they've been placed in as opposed to having the data to make kneejerk assumptions.
There's a lot of judgement that Blizzard freely offers up to you towards your teammates and the match you're in right as you enter. You see the aggregate SR of the teams -- oh, my team has a lower SR average, thanks Blizzard); the ranks of everyone are immediately shown -- oh, my team only has two masters players, the enemy team has three, thanks Blizzard; and you can easily peek into your team's and opponent's profiles -- oh, I have Mercy mains on my team and they don't, and this person was a Silver last season, thanks Blizzard, this match is already over. Compare this to, say, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive where when you get matched into a competitive game, the ranks and stats of your team and opponents are effectively hidden, only surfaced at the end of a match. This at least lets has the player needing to put some trust in the situation they've been placed in as opposed to having the data to make kneejerk assumptions.
I'd agree with you, though any death in Dota 2 has far more impact, I'd argue. In Overwatch it's a resapwn delay and that's about it. The consequence in Dota 2 is that the enemy who killed you now received bonus exp and gold — your death has made them stronger, and thus harder to kill. There's a lot more avenues for players to get red in the head over someone. Pick a bad hero for the situation in Overwatch? Switch in the safe room. Dota 2? Locked in. No going back. It's way, way more information dense and a lot of toxicity spawns from this I think.
Ah, cool, that's interesting and good to hear!
Welcome to MOBAs in general outside of HoTS to be fair.
Yeah I've recently uninstalled and never plan on going back. I don't mind the toxicity, it doesn't phase me and it's not like I'll encounter random dickhead #4928324 again... But the lack of teamwork and communication in every game + the cringeworthy fandom just makes me dislike Overwatch. /shrug
I've played competitive games for long enough to know from the start that while it was fun, the community would tank as it gradually got larger and more competitive. Ultimately I quit the scene early because it felt like it was really pushing competitive scene with focus on team work. To me, it was a recipe for the worst and simply not what I am looking for when it comes to gaming. It is a little sad when I think about it that a fun game is essentially ruined because I like nothing from the competitive scene. I still enjoy the moment to moment gameplay and the heroes and all that but the focus is just not for me any more. You might argue that quick play mode exists but the mode is useless when the gameplay and focus of the game is forcing competitive teamwork.
As far as the speed in which it went down. I don't know, I think online gaming has just become more and more toxic over the years. I think the amount of exposure to this toxic behaviour just enables it to spread like wildfire. Maybe they are trying to copy what they see online or impress their friends on stream, I don't know. I guess it could also just be that there are a lot more people gaming online these days so of course there are more assholes too.
As far as the speed in which it went down. I don't know, I think online gaming has just become more and more toxic over the years. I think the amount of exposure to this toxic behaviour just enables it to spread like wildfire. Maybe they are trying to copy what they see online or impress their friends on stream, I don't know. I guess it could also just be that there are a lot more people gaming online these days so of course there are more assholes too.
hanspampel
Banned
Are you implying it wasn't the same at the start?
Because that is clearly not the case
Because that is clearly not the case
TacoMasters
Member
Rainbow Six: Siege is a contender.
XANDER CAGE
Member
Overwatch's toxicity problem isn't even the worst in Blizzard's library, let alone online in general. I think it's just more visible because of the game's up-front friendly vibe + its much broader audience compared to many shooters.
The internet as a whole has a toxicity problem, and I didn't think Overwatch was only full of saints. Shit bags use twitter, play games, discuss sports, n post on neogaf. Could all of that stuff be better and should it better? Sure, but to me the good stuff out weights the shit heels. Plus my solution to most online games is get a crew n play with a crew.
LoL has gotten a lot better over the years. It's far from perfect, but it's much better than the early years. I haven't played Overwatch much beyond free weekends, but the game seems more team dependent than LoL.
Greedings
Member
I actually think mystery heroes is the best game type. It essentially forces coordination and usually provides a better team comp than people can be relied upon to choose themselves.
I've stopped overwatch though, not because of the community, I don't use a mic because fuck that, but because it's a game about team work, where no one ever wants to work as a team.
I'd rather just player Titanfall, or Destiny PvE, where it's either easy enough to not worry about team work, or team work is absolutely mandatory.
Craymen Edge
Member
I mean, I played COD 4 on xbox 360. It started bad and got worse.
I suppose it's a good thing I never played past the beta, which I did enjoy, but didn't feel I would get my money's worth out of a full purchase, being just a multiplayer only game and all.
But yeah, I can easily see myself getting turned off my such a toxic, overly competitive community if it's as bad as you make it out to be. The same happened to me with Left 4 Dead 2, which has a very strangely competitive player base. Quite toxic. Like all Valve games, to be honest.
But yeah, I can easily see myself getting turned off my such a toxic, overly competitive community if it's as bad as you make it out to be. The same happened to me with Left 4 Dead 2, which has a very strangely competitive player base. Quite toxic. Like all Valve games, to be honest.
eBay Huckster
Member
how has league of legends only been mentioned in this thread once
Yeah Mystery Heroes is chill as hell, even in text chat. I guess when you remove the meta component everyone calms down because RNG becomes the common enemy ("why did no one pick healer" vs "why won't the game spawn me as healer!").
Woo-Fu
Banned
All of them go to shit at about the same speed relative to their size. There is probably a universal constant involved. (It isn't the game, it is the people.)
Pretending like one group of players is worse than the others is silly.
Overwatch does have a number of features that makes the problems more obvious than they are in some other games, though. The stakes are higher in any team game where one player can throw a match for an entire team.
Pretending like one group of players is worse than the others is silly.
Overwatch does have a number of features that makes the problems more obvious than they are in some other games, though. The stakes are higher in any team game where one player can throw a match for an entire team.
chugen
Member
use ctrl+m too. mute all game sounds
Most multiplayer competitive games don't go out of their way to talk about how their innovative design "solves toxicity."
what the fuck
I think it suffered the same fate as any multiplayer game, as the community balances out and becomes a core then toxicity rises especially when Competitive elements are added that include rank as no one can blame themselves for a misplay and even if they are having an off game they end up trolling/being abusive.
Toxicity spreads like wildfire as well, if one players acts this way then this guy will, then this guy etc etc. It is one of the games that has a large voice comm usage as well on PC which a lot of games don't as people stick to Discord and what not.
Shame but it is how the competitive multiplayer games are, hell it is how the internet is for the most part, just not quite as spontaneous. Nice to see Blizzard approaching this issue head on and discussing it rather than just tweaking values in the background hoping to ban the toxic playerbase.
Toxicity spreads like wildfire as well, if one players acts this way then this guy will, then this guy etc etc. It is one of the games that has a large voice comm usage as well on PC which a lot of games don't as people stick to Discord and what not.
Shame but it is how the competitive multiplayer games are, hell it is how the internet is for the most part, just not quite as spontaneous. Nice to see Blizzard approaching this issue head on and discussing it rather than just tweaking values in the background hoping to ban the toxic playerbase.
Patrick S.
Banned
What I don't understand about Overwatch, and what makes me nervous about playing it, is this whole "TEAMWORK TEAMWORK, WHY DID YOU PICK HANZO YOU LAME FUCK? OH NO YOU DON'T KNOW HOT TO PLAY TRACER GO AND DIE" shit.
Like, if the objective of the match is to be around some payload while it's moving towards its destination, what does it matter if I'm shooting guys with Hanzo, or Tracer, or however the hell the different characters are called? As long as I'm killing dudes I should be good, right?
Like, if the objective of the match is to be around some payload while it's moving towards its destination, what does it matter if I'm shooting guys with Hanzo, or Tracer, or however the hell the different characters are called? As long as I'm killing dudes I should be good, right?
Dark Ninja
Member
I've been thinking about uninstalling recently due to the Mercy changes. Just because people play the character the way you don't like they changed her. Fuck off. Almost at level 600 might be a good place to stop.
The matchmaking can be complete garbage too
The matchmaking can be complete garbage too
The problem is that most people playing Hanzo or WIdow on lower ranks are anything but the objective playing type.
new Mercy is superior and more engaging. Don't know what your problems is except for her not being that easy to play anymore. You also get more rezz in a game now than before. Glad that there is no stupid mass rezz anymore which hampered the fun of team plays.
Kittehkraken
Member
I haven't found much toxicity in Arcade Mode. Normally nobody even talks. But the matchmaking times can be like 5 minutes on PC, if not more.
I doubt i'll ever touch Competitive Overwatch again. Nothing but toxic teammates and quitters. Fuck that.
I doubt i'll ever touch Competitive Overwatch again. Nothing but toxic teammates and quitters. Fuck that.
Because there's only one sniper who offers any actual team comp, Ana. Unfortunately she's been nerfed to Lunar Colony and back.
Hanzo and Widow players normally hang back, and offer nothing other than someone to get headshots or SKATTAHHH random rooms for sweet one hit kills.
Sorry, I'm a Pharah main. I'm traumatised.
yanipheonu
Member
I figured it was classic Internet Fuckwad Theory.
Exacerbated by Overwatch's large audience and competitive mode.
Exacerbated by Overwatch's large audience and competitive mode.
I had somebody accuse me of pocketing my friend as Mercy the other day. I just told him to fuck off. I guess that makes me toxic too but I'm not taking that kind of shit when the whole team was playing pretty poorly. I wasn't pocketing anybody either, I was just having an off game. People act so bloody entitled and they accuse you of a throwing the game when things aren't going well.
Overall though I don't think Overwatch on PC is too bad though. I've only had maybe one or two times where I got bullied and they sounded like 12 year olds. It's pretty sobering when you realise you share a hobby with children.
Overall though I don't think Overwatch on PC is too bad though. I've only had maybe one or two times where I got bullied and they sounded like 12 year olds. It's pretty sobering when you realise you share a hobby with children.