Possible Rise in Harassment/Grief of RPers?

[Warren Castille]

I was like that once. Young, sharp-minded, full of piss and vinegar and wanting to set the world on fire.

 

Then I realized no matter how funny or witty or clever or brilliant or snarky or whatever I was, it's wasted time and effort on someone who thinks "lel ur mom /mandervilledance" is a proper retort.

 

I salute your fire, however useless it will ultimately prove to be.

[Kage]

Maybe it potentially bothers me because I am easily trolled.

 

Like I'm really troll fodder. D:

 

Also, train wrecks. Trolls are like train wrecks to me. Or people on the internet who are -wrong-.

[Zhavi]

That would be feeding the troll.

 

Even if it is, that's my point -- their antics feed me. If they're going to be there, I might as well include them in the rp how I want them to. The thing about people is, they're going to do what they want to do. Ignoring doesn't always work; the satisfaction from that sometimes comes from knowing that they're being provocative. Ignoring is, in and of itself, a reaction.

 

If they want to have fun with me, fine. I'll have fun with them. We both win.

 

And, sometimes, occasionally, treating things with humor and lightheartedness rather than coldness and anger -- (edit ) as I and some I have known have felt in the past and acted upon (/edit) -- nets you converts. Sometimes.

 

edit - it's not piss and vinegar. It's humor and practicality.

[Jancis]

Well I don't want to be mistaken for being angry or having hatred. It's fine that people want to have fun; it's fine that I don't want to have that kind of fun. If it's an annoyance, then you don't have to play with them.

 

I'm not saying to automatically just blacklist someone because they do a flash mob on a friend and bounce around talking about spoons off and on. But if someone keeps spamming the same line over and over no one has to put up with it out of the sake that they're being nice.

 

Passively ignoring, blacklisting and not paying attention to them takes far less effort than trying to convert. It is an action, no doubt, but don't make it out to be like it's something vindictive or mean. Don't make it out like it's callous and jaded. It really isn't; just don't want anyone to be fooled they're making a difference in changing someone's opinion. People who convert over to role playing will because they see role play happening around them not affected by grief antics. They'll be quiet and spectate rather than do everything they can to disrupt. They'll re-roll or find people to engage with and their name will start coming off of blacklists.

 

Last man standing, time and time again, is the person who doesn't feed the troll, not the counter-troll.

[ArmachiA]

It's happened in some games I've been in before, generally the trolls stay where they are when the rp community moves, because they also start thinking of that area as their home turf. It's just a possibility people will try to branch out, which I'm all for. I think rp is too confined in Ul'dah anyway.

[Zhavi]

Well I don't want to be mistaken for being angry or having hatred. It's fine that people want to have fun; it's fine that I don't want to have that kind of fun. If it's an annoyance, then you don't have to play with them.

 

I'm not saying to automatically just blacklist someone because they do a flash mob on a friend and bounce around talking about spoons off and on. But if someone keeps spamming the same line over and over no one has to put up with it out of the sake that they're being nice.

 

Passively ignoring, blacklisting and not paying attention to them takes far less effort than trying to convert. It is an action, no doubt, but don't make it out to be like it's something vindictive or mean. Don't make it out like it's callous and jaded. It really isn't; just don't want anyone to be fooled they're making a difference in changing someone's opinion. People who convert over to role playing will because they see role play happening around them not affected by grief antics. They'll be quiet and spectate rather than do everything they can to disrupt. They'll re-roll or find people to engage with and their name will start coming off of blacklists.

 

Last man standing, time and time again, is the person who doesn't feed the troll, not the counter-troll.

 

Pardon, I did not intend to imply cold-shouldering or anger on anyone's part here; I was pulling directly from prior experiences and did not correctly phrase it.

 

That said, it does not take any extra effort for me to use a description or name on a npc part that was already going to happen. NPCs happen frequently in my rps. I greatly enjoy weaving them in and out depending on scene. And, honestly I don't care if there are trolls there or not. It's no different to me then when someone starts attempting a conversation with me when I'm in the middle of reading a book. It is my option.

 

I don't think there is a best or an only. Trolls are as diverse a group as rpers themselves are. They're people too.

[TheLastCandle]

That would be feeding the troll.

 

Even if it is, that's my point -- their antics feed me. If they're going to be there, I might as well include them in the rp how I want them to. The thing about people is, they're going to do what they want to do. Ignoring doesn't always work; the satisfaction from that sometimes comes from knowing that they're being provocative. Ignoring is, in and of itself, a reaction.

 

If they want to have fun with me, fine. I'll have fun with them. We both win.

 

And, sometimes, occasionally, treating things with humor and lightheartedness rather than coldness and anger nets you converts. Sometimes.

 

edit - it's not piss and vinegar. It's humor and practicality.

 

Sometimes, if it's just a little ribbing, or say.. those types who dance on your table while you're RPing with someone, I'll play along with what I call "mock RP." Acknowledging them and at the same time letting them know they're not getting a rise out of me. Example:

 

Kendha'to Burwani remains blithely unaware of the Lalafell dancing on his table, perhaps having had too much to drink to consider it anything more than a Morbol Wine induced hallucination. "Why's th' room spinnin'," he wonders aloud in a soft murmur, before his face hits the table with a THUNK.

 

Lalafell in question had a laugh and suddenly I made a new OOC friend. Now we run hardmodes and shit together, and he's stopped buggin' RPers out of respect for me. *shrugs* I only have one person on my blacklist who is not a gil seller. And that person is a roleplayer.

 

Most people are here to have fun playing the game. A lot of other players think RPers in general are ERPers only interested in impaling women on their Titan Spears. Even more, in my experience, are surprised when they discover that some of us - gasp! - have a sense of humor and don't take things so seriously when we're "trolled." I'm not saying anybody in this thread doesn't have a sense of humor, and I'm not saying that some of these people trollin' you are not genuinely unapologetic asswipes who can't and won't be swayed. I'm just saying that sometimes it's worth a try.

[Aya]

I am quick to black list at even a hint of griefing so it does not really bother me

[Crisiet]

So long as the troll in question isn't being overly offensive, I often play along. Lala-Troll came up to Cris trying to sell him drugs and Cris reacted accordingly. It was hilarious and after the exchange he let me be. As has been said, many are just people having what they consider to be a laugh. When they get too much or if they are/become nasty, I blacklist them so they don't clog up my chat. 

 

They're not worth getting mad at imo.

[Coatleque]

I am quick to black list at even a hint of griefing so it does not really bother me

 

But who would dare to grief Miss Aya?

These are sad times indeed

[Warren Castille]

I am quick to black list at even a hint of griefing so it does not really bother me

 

But who would dare to grief Miss Aya?

These are sad times indeed

 

That's it. Burn it down.

 

[video=youtube]

[Tiergan]

This has come up amongst my FC, because of a bit of trolling that happened a few days ago. My answer to trolling has always been one of two responses:

 

1) Joke and laugh it off. Kill the troll with kindness.

 

Most trolls, if they're not just goofing off and trying to get some laughs, are trying to get a rise out of you and piss you off. This is why ignoring doesn't always work because somewhere in their minds, they're either imagining you stewing angrily in your computer chair or are holding out to see how long it takes for you to break. It's also why getting angry, telling them you're going to report them, or slipping in any kind of insult is like tossing blood in shark-infested waters. They want to get you mad, and you are giving them the attention they're craving.

 

By laughing it off and joking around with them, or engaging in funny 'mock RP' like LastCandle mentioned, you give them the opposite of what they're looking for. If on top of that, you stay as friendly and kind as possible while dealing with them, some trolls will actually start to feel a little bad about trolling you because you'll seem like a pretty cool person who isn't getting their panties in a twist over a few pelvic thrust emotes.

 

It's just like how Kendha'to wound up with his new lalafell buddy - trolls are people too. If you respond to their vinegar with sugar, they might laugh and decide you're pretty neat. Besides - laughing at your problem is probably much healthier than stewing angrily over it, yeah?

 

2) If you can't joke/laugh it off - ignore them.

 

Just like everyone says, ignore'em, blacklist'em, do what you need to do to get them out of your mind. Just don't rise to their bait or try to be the internet tough guy. You'll get them to just redouble their efforts.

[Maril]

Just recently we had griefers come into our house to grief RP in the middle of the night (which is US primetime, we're europeans)

As a result we've now given all ranks above trial rank the ability to shut guest access off in case of griefers in the future. Though it doesn't toss them out (I wish you could toss out specific people) it does mean they can't bring in more people. 

In some cases I go as far as reporting and contacting the leader of their FC to let them know about their shenanigans, and in some of those cases this has lead to them being kicked from their FC etc, but I've yet to see anyone get any length of ban from the GM's.

[Melkire]

1) Joke and laugh it off.  Kill the troll with kindness.  

 

Most trolls, if they're not just goofing off and trying to get some laughs, are trying to get a rise out of you and piss you off.  This is why ignoring doesn't always work because somewhere in their minds, they're either imagining you stewing angrily in your computer chair or are holding out to see how long it takes for you to break.  It's also why getting angry, telling them you're going to report them, or slipping in any kind of insult is like tossing blood in shark-infested waters.  They want to get you mad, and you are giving them the attention they're craving.

 

By laughing it off and joking around with them, or engaging in funny 'mock RP' like LastCandle mentioned, you give them the opposite of what they're looking for.  If on top of that, you stay as friendly and kind as possible while dealing with them, some trolls will actually start to feel a little bad about trolling you because you'll seem like a pretty cool person who isn't getting their panties in a twist over a few pelvic thrust emotes.

 

It's just like how Kendha'to wound up with his new lalafell buddy - trolls are people too.  If you respond to their vinegar with sugar, they might laugh and decide you're pretty neat.  Besides - laughing at your problem is probably much healthier than stewing angrily over it, yeah?

 

This.

 

I'll share a little story with you guys:

 

Was seated at one of the tables in the Quicksand once, engaged in a RP session with some fellow FC members. Out of nowhere, a male Lalafell (who shall go unnamed, despite the fact that I think he's awesome and despite the fact that he's since fantasia'd) came out of nowhere, poked Osric in the shoulder, started crying, and hopped into his lap. Spontaneous as could possibly be.

 

So I rolled with it, and after some encouragement over Vent my fellow FC members did, too. Reaction: "Uh, hello, little guy... we're, uh, kind of in the middle of a meeting... could you please move?"

 

Cue more tearing up. Cue hug. Cue Lalafell falling asleep in Osric's lap. Queue Osric slipping out from under him and leaving him asleep on the chair like a toddler/cat. Cue Lalafell waking up, tearing up AGAIN, and following Osric to his latest chair. Cue Osric pointing him towards a FC member. Cue FC member threatening to kick him all the way to Vesper Bay should the Lala even THINK about lapsitting them. Cue Lalafell hopping back into Osric's lap.

 

When we finally concluded business and made to leave, the Lala followed us to the door and hugged Osric's leg.

 

It was clearly trolling.

 

But a little bit of sugar in response to the vinegar resulted in an experience that was amazingly hilarious, and hilariously amazing.

 

(Doubly so considering that that was the meeting where Osric agreed to work as a manwhore for a while)

 

So yeah.

[Nyx Ashkala]

To be honest, having played WoW since 2006 and been on every RP realm known to man... You can't back down or the RPers will be stepped on. I came from a server where RPers were made fun of and bashed on despite the fact that it was an RP server. OFFICIALLY even.

 

However, that does not mean fighting back per say. If you leave, they'll just migrate with you. Don't move. Just rotate.

 

RP one day in Limsa, move back to Uldah, and then maybe hit Gridania.

 

But never give them the upper hand. If they keep talking to you, blacklist them. If they sit on you, emote spam you, whatever...Don't move. Ignore them.

 

The easiest way to kill a troll is to pretend it doesn't exist... And believe me, I know it's harder to do than it sounds. I'm a red-headed, Scottish creature that don't need no man! xP

[FreelanceWizard]

Thankfully, I've not had to deal with much trolling/griefing beyond the usual table dancing -- maybe it's because I do most of my RP these days in the field, in Limsa, or in Mist? However, I have to second Tiergan's advice. Playing along usually deflates a troll, causing them to run off or resort to easily ignored (and /ignored) tactics, and can sometimes actually turn a person on to RP -- or reveal that they're just trying to break into RP and don't know how. If you can't figure out how to respond, or if they get ugly or downright annoying, you can always resort to the blacklist. XIV is nice in that you can even turn off other player spell effects, which neutralizes one of the griefer's major tools.

 

It's best not to leave if you can avoid it; as annoying as griefers are, if an RP location stays strong, they'll eventually get bored and leave. Back in CoH, griefers consistently tried to squish RP in Pocket D and Atlas Park, and the fact that the RPers stood their ground meant that these efforts eventually waned or got to the point where they were more hilarious than annoying (male strippers in Pocket D, for instance ).

[Enzo]

Fun fact! Troll in Japanese is Arashi! (荒らし)

I just respond by calling them a Kitchen! Err! I meant noob, Chuubou (厨房) which also happens to mean kitchen...

[Devereau]

So long as the troll in question isn't being overly offensive, I often play along. Lala-Troll came up to Cris trying to sell him drugs and Cris reacted accordingly. It was hilarious and after the exchange he let me be. As has been said, many are just people having what they consider to be a laugh. When they get too much or if they are/become nasty, I blacklist them so they don't clog up my chat. 

 

They're not worth getting mad at imo.

 

This.

 

I have a bit of an odd approach with people like this. Though there are some nasty trolls out of the bunch (I seemed to come across them more in Gilga than here, oddly,) generally, they're just people kind of screwing around on the internet too. It's always good to remember that. Generally the more of a rise someone gets, or the more that happens, the more it draws someone to be around.

 

I'm not always IC, and I spend a lot of time up in the wee hours, usually spacing out. Perhaps I've an odd approach. I've noticed the people occasionally dipping in and out of some areas, maybe being a little abrasive. I went out of my way to humour them, and get to know them a little, too. Found they're not all that bad to talk to OOCly, made them a few things, just generally shot the shit. Added a few on a friend list.

 

I've never had an issue with people like that (in that main group) since holding out an olive branch. Most of the time, it's that wall or the combative nature that encourages people to be terrible (on both accounts.)

 

As said previously, a little kindness (usually) gets you further than anger. Mind you, there will ALWAYS be the deviants, the lone sort, but typically, people who are of a large group, just enjoying a server in their own way, aren't going to look to cause a war.

[Aya]

Awww Coatleque hehe

 

I unfortunately spend most of my RP time where it is most prevalent, and I really doubt that positive engagement would produce positive results in cases where groups are present with the intention of disrupting and trolling RP: the power of peer pressure and group reinforcement easily overpowering any sense of guilt that may be engendered. 

It has always seemed best to me to just black list and ignore these folks, so that their antics do not interfere with the RP that I am enjoying (which is the reason I am there anyway).  I find it very easy to avoid any sort of visual shenanigans, because generally I focus on the textual details as the really "canon" interaction, with visuals as added flavor (since its so easy to have things screwed up by misclicks and the like anyway).

 

In the case of an individual attempting to be annoying, I can see positive engagement as being much more effective, and even enjoyable! 

 

Regardless, I never see the need to respond with anger or frustration, even if those are called for they will only serve to reinforce the behavior so what good could it do? ^^

 

And oh yeah... Limsa has Pirates! You're not likely to catch Aya moving there to escape shenanigans!

[FreelanceWizard]

Agreed -- if it's actually an organized group (such as ones from certain web sites), yeah, the only viable response is to blacklist them all and possibly report harassment to the GMs.

[Kage]

I've turned most special effects off. Unfortunately emotes are ones that I sorta really love in my RP so chat filters themselves just get... no.

 

The only thing I can't get away from are the sound effects!

[Aya]

I've turned most special effects off. Unfortunately emotes are ones that I sorta really love in my RP so chat filters themselves just get... no.

 

The only thing I can't get away from are the sound effects!

I play without sound usually :-X

[TheLastCandle]

And oh yeah... Limsa has Pirates! You're not likely to catch Aya moving there to escape shenanigans!

 

Ul'dah has only fine, upstanding citizens!

[Zhavi]

And oh yeah... Limsa has Pirates! You're not likely to catch Aya moving there to escape shenanigans!

 

Ul'dah has only fine, upstanding citizens!

 

You know, we totally need some of those to play villain to all our upstanding (albeit scruffy) heroes.

[FreelanceWizard]

Ul'dah has only "fine," "upstanding" citizens!

 

FTFY.