EVE General Discussion

They're like ants. Wait around long enough they'll find every crumb.

1) I won't screw my corp or corpies over
2) I won't screw over friends
3) I'll help nubes

Other than that fair game. I have no problem doing something to someone being stupid, like auto piloting.

I follow the same moral guidelines that I follow in RL. Personally I have never been able to take on the role of a bad guy in games, it simply fails to be fun. EVE being a social game, I found it gratifying to create long lasting friendships based on my RL moral code, especially since I just have to be, well, myself. I am always nice to people, helpful (with a healthy dose of paranoia), and I do not gank / scam / grief, or engage in any of the shadier playstyles. That is where I draw the line, even though I know that I do not have to. Does it bother me? Not at all. It has nothing to do with my public image either: as an Internet veteran, I know how ephemereal and insubstantial it is, even more so in an MMO.

Incidentally, a few people told me over the years that I was missing out on a lot of fun game content. The thing is, contrary to what those people believe, I am already having a lot of fun playing the game my own way, even after 7 years. Sure, I have been made fun of for liking activities such as mining or mission running. I learned how to ignore such opinions though, and stick to the friends I have which do not judge or try to convert me to their playstyles. Makes everything a lot easier.

Trolling, flaming, baiting etc have become the new norm of internet life. I have done it too, all the way back to USENET days.

I was being my usual asshat self on YT, and happened to flame on a video that a girl posted. I posted some rather rude and disrespectful comments, along with about a hundred other people who denigrated and demoralized this person. About a week or so later, I received a private message from the parents of said girl, who (without judgement) informed me that their daughter had committed suicide, and would not be replying to any of the comments.

Hammer to the head time, I have changed how I conduct myself in the online world. Words do hurt, do cause damage. Anyone denying said comment really should log off and go to watch the kids play at the park for a while and ponder what it means to be a human being.

I appreciate what EvE is, what it allows you to do. But always remember that these are people playing. If you RP the bad-guy, be able and willing to acknowledge your role as being such. It is just a role. Allow yourself, as a person, the ability to step away from that when it is required. Don't ever accept the situation where 'everyone else was doing it too' is an excuse.

Now go blow some **** stuff up.