4 replies to this topic

[MSGSapper]

I am relatively new to MWO and have had some very negative experiences with spectator text comments while trying to play. Either spectator text comments should be totally disabled, after all they are supposedly DEAD, or the still living player should have the option with one key to disable seeing those comments quickly and easily.

FYI I disable VOIP as a matter of default since some players simply don't know how to restrain their language or behave themselves while online with others. Of course this is a problem throughout the Internet, not just here.

In my experience there is nothing braver then a person who knows he can say whatever he likes and get away with it since he is anonymous. My background, click on my MSGSapper name if you want to see it, should indicate to you that I am no novice to the online world and have been with it since the days of the BBS when I designed several online BBS games (in the very early 1990s) during my spare time.

Until very recently with this game I did not play ANY online Internet games because of bad experiences with human players well over 10 years ago with the old empire online game. That was my first, and last, non-military Internet online game until about a month ago when I decided to take a chance and try out MWO, since I have been a MechWarrior/BattleTech fan since the 1980s. I had read a number of messages online from folks who quit playing MWO because they got tired of bad behavior while playing, but despite that I decided to give it a try anyway. MWO needs to ensure that other players cannot ruin fun for others by ensuring that we have the capability to disable human-to-human text or voice when needed. When people like me leave the game or consider doing so, and I have spent a fair amount on this game already, the company behind MWO loses potential revenue.

It is always sad when folks are forced to give up something fun because of ill treatment by others. Because I have disabled VOIP I have missed a lot of the bad behavior thankfully and it has been fun until fairly recently with a number of text posts from spectators who were very critical, and even insulting about my play style, loadout, etc with no way it appears for me to quickly and easily disable them. For those of you who do this bad behavior, which is really unnecessary, it ruins the fun for everyone else. Just because you can say something doesn't mean you have to. Try a little restraint and respect with folks you don't know personally. The bottom line here folks is that I come here to have fun and get away from bad human behavior for a few hours - not to experience it here.

Every player has his own individual style of playing, as do I, and this is often based on their strengths and limitations. Something some of you don't seem to understand. Being 62, and retired, my reflexes are no longer up to the task of one-on-one combat with your average kid who can probably run circles around me and have done so, because of much better and younger reflexes. My eye sight is also not as good as it used to be which has forced me to curtail some activities I have previously enjoyed. Thank god for enhanced zoom in MWO! I don't know what I would do without it. Such is life when you get older. Add all this up and brawling with your average 12 year old probably won't work out well for me, and hasn't the few times I have tried it. On the other hand if I can see them coming soon enough they are most likely dead.

On the plus being retired U.S. Army I bring strong Armored team oriented tactical experience to the game and am learning to adapt this to MWO style warfare, and there are differences I am finding out I have to get used to. Not every Tank/APC tactic works here, although many do.
Since someone asked, my mechs tend to be equipped to provide heavy fire support and long range sniping - and I am pretty good at it. As a result I have a huge number of assisted kills, instead of single kills, and don't mind helping others, even if it means not being number one in that match. I also quietly watch the back of others even when they aren't doing that themselves for others - and many of them don't. The fact that my 85 ton assault mech (Marauder IIC with ECM, ARTEMIS LRMs, UAC10, ERPPC, enhanced zoom and much else for supporting fire, finding targets and defending others) is loaded out for something other then one-on-one brawling seems to offend some folks but works out very well for me and provides needed heavy fire support and target spotting at critical moments for others. Even if others don't like it that is my way of playing and will stay that way out of necessity because of my limitations.

I have spectated myself, and often, and as a rule try NOT to distract the players that I am spectating as often they are in heated combat. Just good manners here. I have found that silent spectating is instructive and I have picked up a few useful tactics and equipment options from doing so. I do not think however it is fair in the game for players who are supposedly DEAD to offer hints to the still living. Not very realistic to say the least.

Either MWO should offer a one button option to disable spectator comments so that the still living player does not see them if that player chooses to, or disable them entirely. I do NOT appreciate being distracted while I am playing even if the spectators themselves think they are being helpful. As someone else said in another thread regarding spectator comments; if I am reading your comments I am NOT focusing on the task at hand. Maybe you should keep that in mind.

I didn't mean to be lengthy here but I wanted to get folks to understand all the issues here fully around this request for a new feature.

Bob

[B L O O D W I T C H]

MSGSapper, on 19 March 2017 - 11:11 AM, said:

I do NOT appreciate being distracted while I am playing even if the spectators themselves think they are being helpful. As someone else said in another thread regarding spectator comments; if I am reading your comments I am NOT focusing on the task at hand. Maybe you should keep that in mind.

"I do NOT appreciate being distracted while I am playing (very poorly) even if the spectators themselves think they are being helpful.

"As someone else said in another thread regarding spectator comments; if I am reading your comments I am NOT focusing on the task at hand. Maybe you should keep that in mind."

Like we said in the other thread, it wouldn't be an issue in the first place if you wouldn't decide to turn off voip.

This is a group game, bud. cutting all communications with your team just because you can't handle being called out for playing bad is not the way to go.
Not fun for you, and certainly not fun for your team.

[MSGSapper]

Toha Heavy Industries, on 19 March 2017 - 12:45 PM, said:

"I do NOT appreciate being distracted while I am playing (very poorly) even if the spectators themselves think they are being helpful.

"As someone else said in another thread regarding spectator comments; if I am reading your comments I am NOT focusing on the task at hand. Maybe you should keep that in mind."

Like we said in the other thread, it wouldn't be an issue in the first place if you wouldn't decide to turn off voip.

This is a group game, bud. cutting all communications with your team just because you can't handle being called out for playing bad is not the way to go.
Not fun for you, and certainly not fun for your team.

I am only talking about spectator comments here in this request. I do turn off VOIP, because it is distracting and players often cannot or will not show restrain in their language, but I do and will allow text from still alive players to occur. It is more about distraction then anything else. Maybe you think your spectator comments are helpful but not everyone else may agree.

My question to spectators is what makes you think that someone else WANTS your views on their own play or do you think you have the right, no matter what, to make such comments? Also are spectators, who are DEAD because of choices THEY made, so good they can decide what is good play or not on the part of someone else?

Communications from DEAD players is not terribly realistic either, something you did not address. In any case it should be up to each and every individual player to decide for themselves if they want to hear from spectators such as you or not and I think that is a reasonable request.

Bob

[B L O O D W I T C H]

MSGSapper, on 19 March 2017 - 01:10 PM, said:

I am only talking about spectator comments here in this request. I do turn off VOIP, because it is distracting and players often cannot or will not show restrain in their language, but I do and will allow text from still alive players to occur. It is more about distraction then anything else. Maybe you think your spectator comments are helpful but not everyone else may agree.

My question to spectators is what makes you think that someone else WANTS your views on their own play or do you think you have the right, no matter what, to make such comments? Also are spectators, who are DEAD because of choices THEY made, so good they can decide what is good play or not on the part of someone else?

Communications from DEAD players is not terribly realistic either, something you did not address. In any case it should be up to each and every individual player to decide for themselves if they want to hear from spectators such as you or not and I think that is a reasonable request.

Bob

Dear bob, spectators usually had contact with the enemy and therefor are in possession of information you do not have.
You intentionally gimp yourself and more importently, you gimp your team (with your playstyle and refusal of communication) obviously you get called out for it.

Also pretty sure it has little to do with your immersion level that a "dead" player can comment on your playstyle.
At least be honest and say as it is, you don't want folks to comment on your playstyle while they witness it 1st person.

Ah, giant rompy stompy robot battles are not terribly realistic in the first place.
I honestly recommend you try to play (and communicate) with your team instead of doing your own thing. Your problem is your ego.

That said, even if you play intentionally bad. Feel free to report players who can't watch their language but don't punish players who simply want to help you or even less just want to play with you. You should really get away from your singleplayer mentality, it will improve your experience a lot.

[Trenchbird]

Alright, don't think of the pilots as actually "Dead". Think of them as being in an otherwise inoperable battlemech.

After all, a Mech completely lacking legs can still shoot at the enemy on tabletop; Emergency backup power for communication in a world where fighting on random planets is likely a common thing; A pilot really isn't 100% dead in the board game unless everything on the mech exploded, they died of explosion feedback, screwed up on ejection or they got headshotted to death.

But if you want to completely ignore my notice that a four-man wolfpack of Arctic Cheetahs is coming for you and your slow, ponderous "L33T Sniper" butt, by all means, turn off that chat and VOIP. I'll enjoy spectating and watching you die from your own hubris.