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As a 28 year old, sometimes I do feel annoyed or intimidated by the younger gamers who have a whole lot more time to sink in to getting good at these games. I don't think it's a recent occurrence, though.
Here are a few reasons why you may feel that things have changed for the worse, and that you are getting old:
You aren't playing PSO, you're playing a shooter. Games like Phantasy Star Online had a relatively more relaxed atmosphere about them, partly due to the calming influence of the cross asian / american servers. You'll find that the worst players are the North American teens. I hate to sound prejudiced, but it's true. And they're mostly interested in Call of Duty, Halo. Anything visceral, fast, and violent, with which you can quickly accrue skill, vicariously living through your avatar, enacting your pent up rage fantasies. Heck, even Team Fortress 2, with its less realistic look and slower gameplay, has better behaved people. Leave the FPS genre for a while, with the exception of the overpopular World of Warcraft, and you'll find that people are generally nicer and more relaxed, because there's not this atmosphere of uncaring competitiveness. I'm not saying that people on Project Gotham Racing 4 or Burnout Paradise won't bitch you out occasionally, but in general, they're better behaved.
Voice chat. Voice chat makes a huge difference. Not only does it allow aggressive players a more direct means of confronting you, it also clues you in to age. It's easier to laugh off a text insult than someone screaming profanities or racial slurts at you over the headset. And you realize just how young some of the players are due to their pre-cracking voices, which just makes you feel creepy. (Like this one time I was playing Burnout Paradise with a 9 year old. They trying to catch a predator or what?)
Increased availability of internet play to younger players. As with the above example, the increased presence of broadband connections, and the relative comfort that families now have with integrating the internet into their lives mean that younger players can get online. Back in the 90s, it involved using weird add-on programs and tying up a phone line. Now it's wifi, no wires, no hassles. So yeah, you will be seeing an increase in younger players online.
I have found that I enjoy playing Team Fortress 2 on the 360 more, even if I'm a relative noob at it. People are willing to teach you how to play, for the most part. I'm still terrible though.
Here are a few reasons why you may feel that things have changed for the worse, and that you are getting old:
You aren't playing PSO, you're playing a shooter. Games like Phantasy Star Online had a relatively more relaxed atmosphere about them, partly due to the calming influence of the cross asian / american servers. You'll find that the worst players are the North American teens. I hate to sound prejudiced, but it's true. And they're mostly interested in Call of Duty, Halo. Anything visceral, fast, and violent, with which you can quickly accrue skill, vicariously living through your avatar, enacting your pent up rage fantasies. Heck, even Team Fortress 2, with its less realistic look and slower gameplay, has better behaved people. Leave the FPS genre for a while, with the exception of the overpopular World of Warcraft, and you'll find that people are generally nicer and more relaxed, because there's not this atmosphere of uncaring competitiveness. I'm not saying that people on Project Gotham Racing 4 or Burnout Paradise won't bitch you out occasionally, but in general, they're better behaved.
Voice chat. Voice chat makes a huge difference. Not only does it allow aggressive players a more direct means of confronting you, it also clues you in to age. It's easier to laugh off a text insult than someone screaming profanities or racial slurts at you over the headset. And you realize just how young some of the players are due to their pre-cracking voices, which just makes you feel creepy. (Like this one time I was playing Burnout Paradise with a 9 year old. They trying to catch a predator or what?)
Increased availability of internet play to younger players. As with the above example, the increased presence of broadband connections, and the relative comfort that families now have with integrating the internet into their lives mean that younger players can get online. Back in the 90s, it involved using weird add-on programs and tying up a phone line. Now it's wifi, no wires, no hassles. So yeah, you will be seeing an increase in younger players online.
I have found that I enjoy playing Team Fortress 2 on the 360 more, even if I'm a relative noob at it. People are willing to teach you how to play, for the most part. I'm still terrible though.
@ Koobert
I completely agree with you. I often resort to the "mute everyone not on your friend's list" setting on my 360. But I usually turn it off within a few days because it often gets old playing a game that uses voice chat so crucially (I most often play hardcore search and destroy on COD4), when I can't actually communicate with anyone I'm playing with.
The sad is the fact I have to resort to the above. I understand that there are a few bad apples in every game, but it's hard for me to play more than a few games without have people team-kill, scream, or be racist. I try to avoid this by playing with a full team of friends, but that's not always possible.
I guess I'll have to learn to deal with it, as XBL will undoubtedly get more popular and more accessible, meaning there will be more and more racism, team-killing, and screaming.
I completely agree with you. I often resort to the "mute everyone not on your friend's list" setting on my 360. But I usually turn it off within a few days because it often gets old playing a game that uses voice chat so crucially (I most often play hardcore search and destroy on COD4), when I can't actually communicate with anyone I'm playing with.
The sad is the fact I have to resort to the above. I understand that there are a few bad apples in every game, but it's hard for me to play more than a few games without have people team-kill, scream, or be racist. I try to avoid this by playing with a full team of friends, but that's not always possible.
I guess I'll have to learn to deal with it, as XBL will undoubtedly get more popular and more accessible, meaning there will be more and more racism, team-killing, and screaming.
I recommend joining the FNF, because then if people are loud, racist assholes, you know where to find them, and deal swift justice.
I really agree with you, and while im only 17, I cant really disagree with you when said youths appear in the games screaming over their mic. Nowadays if i actually play halo 3, I try to play campaign with my friends or if I have to play an online match, I mute everybody at the start of the game. Sure, this may ruin any tactical advantage, but at the same time I have peace of mind that no prick is gonna scream "BOOM HEADSHOT!" accompanied by a whole lot of random static and words that frankly, do not exist.
About the old thing, I wouldnt say it was the fact of being too old, its just that they need to enforce the actual age that you can play these games. Will give parents their nieve peace of mind, and will make the more mature gamer demographic a lot happier.
Good luck with the gaming, dont give it up ! =D
About the old thing, I wouldnt say it was the fact of being too old, its just that they need to enforce the actual age that you can play these games. Will give parents their nieve peace of mind, and will make the more mature gamer demographic a lot happier.
Good luck with the gaming, dont give it up ! =D
Dude I totally agree with you its happened to Halo 2, 3, Gears of War and now to COD 4. Its a plague that must be stopped before its gets to the point where theres only these little assholes, because everyone else is so pissed off and annoyed by them they just dont wanna play anymore. WE NEED A CURE!!!!!
Go back an play an older game (since your poor, don't download a not rom) that's got a good rep. I was in a huge lull a little while ago, and as soon as I popped Popful Mail in I felt better about life overall, and way better about vidja gaems. GO back and try an Earthbound or a Lunar, thats what usually works for me.
old guys are sexy.
I got my ass handed to me in Mario Party by my little cousins, and I felt old, too. Like the zone I could tap into as a child was gone, irredeemable. Then I cried. Then I realized that when I was young I wanted to be old.
So I smoked, drank, and muffled my sorrows in between my girlfriend's breasts. I think we win.
I got my ass handed to me in Mario Party by my little cousins, and I felt old, too. Like the zone I could tap into as a child was gone, irredeemable. Then I cried. Then I realized that when I was young I wanted to be old.
So I smoked, drank, and muffled my sorrows in between my girlfriend's breasts. I think we win.
You are so not old dude.
I think its just a matter of realizing that the perfect world wherein a bunch of respectable gents get onto X-Box Live and have a whitebread good time (See the Mountain Dew Gamer Fuel adds for the most neutral X-Box Live experience ever asserted in commericial capacity), doesn't exist. You've been had. Its gone. I'm sorry. Its all gone.
DRAAAAAAAAAAAIIINAGGGE!!
But seriously, not an age thing. Its just X-box Live. MMO's tend to have a more reasonable crowd, though there's always a few jerks in any online scenario-like someone said.
I think its just a matter of realizing that the perfect world wherein a bunch of respectable gents get onto X-Box Live and have a whitebread good time (See the Mountain Dew Gamer Fuel adds for the most neutral X-Box Live experience ever asserted in commericial capacity), doesn't exist. You've been had. Its gone. I'm sorry. Its all gone.
DRAAAAAAAAAAAIIINAGGGE!!
But seriously, not an age thing. Its just X-box Live. MMO's tend to have a more reasonable crowd, though there's always a few jerks in any online scenario-like someone said.
Just remember that you were an irritating little kid once, and you thought you knew it all. We all did.
They will grow up and realize that the internet cannot protect their stupid behavior forever.
They will grow up and realize that the internet cannot protect their stupid behavior forever.
I was in a match of Halo 3 yesterday and theyre was the really annoying kid saying "hey man what the hell you doing?" everytime i was driving the warthog with him in it. then he constantly got in the way, shouted down the mic and eventually he team killed me, so I booted him from the game and filed complaint lol! Im so mature.
