EVE General Discussion

He's the right one to say so, because chances are that they are. Specifically, chances are that they are playing it wrong by assuming that “sandbox” means that they will be allowed to succeed at whatever they attempt and that anything that interrupts their road to greatness is the result of some kind of bug or game-breaking exploit.

It's not the activity that is “playing it wrong” — it's the assumptions and entitlement behind it, because those are, objectively, wrong. These incorrect assumptions will get the player killed. It's like assuming that, when you're playing minecraft, that bush-textured penismonster is nothing to be concerned with because, hey, it's a sandbox. This assumption is wrong, and playing the game without concerning yourself with means to protect you pretty house from creepers is to play the game wrong (well, unless you're playing EVE and minecraft as suicide or rebuild-for-the-fortyeleventh-time-simulators, but then you get the exact outcome you wanted so no-one will complain anyway).

If they made the right assumptions instead, they'd probably not get killed (or at least be far safer and present a much more tricky target). They can engage in the exact same activity without the same, wrong, assumptions and without the false sense of entitlement and as a direct result be far more successful and prosperous for it.

Oh, and to the OP. Nope, doesnt bother me one bit tbh (not that i have done a lot of suicide ganking in high sec, but it has happend a few times)
I take no offence to ppl in this game calling me whatever they want tbh, since i know this is a game in wich i can do whatever i want (within the rules ) and i find it quite amusing to see how some ppl can react to being killed.
I probably would have worried a bit more if i was a antisocial **** in rl. (but i would probably have been fired quite quickly then, since i work as a registerd nurse, while getting a masterdegree in intensive care)

People that allow their losses in a video game to cause them misery in their real life are the individuals that have issues.

Many people that frequently engage in "ganking" are attempting to ferret out these people and show them how truly meanless the loss of space pixels (that in no way actually belong to them in the first place) actually is.

If being bested in a video game causes you actual misery, seek help.

Someone posted a clinical list of the signs of actual sociopathy. That's all well and good when you are observing their actions in reality, however it falls down when you attempt to apply those rules to most any sort of game or sport.

Games and sports have their own intergal rule set that frequently has little to do with the behavioral rules we are expected to follow in our daily interactions.

In sports you are allowed to take actions that would get you arrested for assault in reality, in poker you are encouraged to decieve your opponents into losing large sums of money to you, in many video games you succeed by killing the enemy and/or destroying their infrastructure... which is exactly what we have in EVE.

Applying your definitions across the broad spectrum of various sports or games would lead you to believe that most professional athletes (and the people that enjoy watching them) and virtually all people that play video games are suffering one form of mental illness or another, often overtly exhibiting criminal behavior.

Obviously this is untrue, and your definitions of sociopathic behavior do not apply in these circumstances.

Not being able to make this distinction between appropriate behavior in a game/sports environment and appropriate behavior in your daily interations, to be unable to separate fantasy from reality, and the inability to cope with losing or suffering imaginary setbacks in a competitive game/sport IS an issue.

If you want to be concerned about someones mental state, that is where your focus should be.

You're a horrible evil person and a blight on this community. D:<

The most dangerously raging, vicious, hateful, and unprincipled people I've ever met in this game are also to be found among its biggest carebears.

I know right... I'm a vicious and territorial newbie carebear.

in real life i am a suicide bomber for the PLO and get a payout from Hamas each time i do a suicide gank, what i do in eve greatly influenced this career choice so i guess the 'sociopath' label fits

For many, it is the enjoyment of giving the "White Knights" a worthy adversary. People that have run role playing games of all sorts over the last few decades will freely tell you they spend the bulk of their time portraying bad guys for the enjoyment of others (and indirectly for themselves).

For others, it is the simple fact that "Bad Boys" have a certain undeniable cool factor.

Who wasn't a fan of Darth Vader as opposed to the whiney Luke Skywalker, or didn't angrily proclaimed "Han Solo shot first"?
Who didn't think Hanibal Lector was a facinating and brilliant psychopath?
Who can deny that Heath Ledgers portrayal of the Joker struck a chord, or for that matter didn't secretly identify in some way with the violent vigilante known as The Batman?

There is nothing wrong, ethically or psychologically, with portraying a bad guy in a fictional setting.

ITT Armchair psychologists hand out emotional disorders like a 1980's Psychiatrist handing out Ritalin.

MMO's, card games, and real life sports DO have one thing in common. They all have their own unique rules sets... rule sets that have little if anything to do with the rules we follow in our daily real life.

Suicide gankers are not breaking any of the rules of EVE, in fact the rules have been very carefully written and tweaked over the years to specifically allow it to happen.

While some would (understandably) think that I can walk on water, in fact I cannot. However I do not let the acquisition or loss of imaginary assets upset me in the slightest. My usual reaction to a loss is a simple "Well done"... exactly as it would be if I found myself in check mate, lost a hand at poker, or if I failed to outscore an opponent in a fencing match (it's been awhile).

I will say again, if you feel more than a momentary reaction of "Doh!" when you lose (or lose something) in a game or sport... if you feel uncontrollable rage or misery when this happens, you need to take a large step back from the activity.