So I have been back for about 2 weeks after around 5 years of ignoring the game. So far the changes I am seeing, while maybe surprising, have seemed ok to me. However there is one change that has me a bit concerned…
So, throughout me eve career the in game help chat has been something I have enjoyed participating in. I enjoy hanging out and helping people with topics I am familiar with. However since returning I have found that the help channels appear to have become extremely toxic and are at times downright hostile to people with legitimate questions. I am also seeing a lot of obviously experienced people coming in and asking nonsensical questions then trolling the people who are fooled into trying to answer their ‘questions’.
In the 2 weeks since I have been active again I have seen a GM in channel once, and he showed up when the channel was completely dead and shut down a couple people who were having an off topic discussion (but not trolling at all, and they were actually answering what questions did appear).
It bothers me that something I really loved about the game (general acceptance of newbros and the overall helpful attitude of vets) seems to have gone into serious decline.
I just had to make this post because of all the changes, this one concerns me the most, and it is not even something CCP screwed up…
If you’re talking specifically about the in-game channels (I’m assuming because you mentioned a GM appearing in them, and GMs don’t usually show up in their official capacities in chat channels outside of the game), then you’re just talking about the bottom barrel morons.
There are plenty of good nature’d vets still out there, though most of them aren’t going to be found idling in random chat channels in-game. You can find them on internal forums of established alliances, corporation chat helping out new recruits, working together on voice comms over Discord, Mumble or Teamspeak services, etc.
If you join an organized group, you’re more likely to find them. If you’re just wandering around public in-game chat channels, you won’t. You’re wandering around a public park complaining about why there aren’t more books while ignoring libraries full of them.
Actually, the point I am trying to get across is that things were not like this year’s ago. There was a general politeness and respect on those public chats that seems to have mostly evaporated. One of the things that drew me in and kept me playing back in 2005/6 was this attitude. Yeah if we see you in space we will scam/gank/persecute you to the fullest extent, but if you needed help the public channels were actually helpful and informative.
And the point I’m trying to get across is that it’s really dumb to expect things to remain the same for FIVE YEARS. People have moved on, they’ve found different groups and corporations to play with, they’re seeking different opportunities. These helpful vets are still around, just not in the same place you found them FIVE YEARS ago.
He isn’t saying it’s dumb for anyone to be helping, he is saying that some of the people there are toxic arseholes. Which is a bit like a lot of the comments I see on these forums. People are brave when behind a computer screen to think they can say what they like.
I guess it is dumb for me to be a little disappointed that the climate in those channels has changed so much from how it was from 2005 to 2014 when I was last active. I guess I am just a bit sad that one of the things I really liked about the community has changed.
If the official help channel has devolved that is unfortunate. During my initial stint from 2006-2011ish it was a very inviting and actually helpfully place.
If the community has lost a willingness to universally help new players in that channel I think something that did alot to help ease the games barrier’s of entry has been lost.
Well, that is indeed bad news to hear. Obviously that’s not helping with new player retention.
Probably the best thing to do is file a report on those characters, be specific with the info, such as names, days and time they’re usually online in chat. Also including a screenshot will help a lot.
At times I have helped out in rookie chat but it is a frustrating exercise sometimes. The channel does have a fair share of disruptive idiots and trolls especially at the weekends but there are some who try to be helpful. What is very annoying is those who have experience with one or 2 aspects of eve and set themselves up as experts across the board (often arrogantly), often giving dumb advice out and will argue it to death that they’re right.
tbh I’ve given up on rookie, if I have time I’ll help on “English Help”, on the whole it’s a bit more civilised, it’s a shame cos rookie help must be pretty confusing to rookies at times, exactly what they don’t need.
