How Not to Have Bad Gaming Etiquette
Written by Jesse Rail, Former Student on Friday, December 4, 2015
When thinking about video games, do you picture a twelve-year old screaming at a screen while his/her mother cries in the corner? Or a grown adult wasting a hard earned paycheck on a “game” that is “just a waste of time?" If you do, you may be thinking about bad gaming etiquette.
Regardless of the game, certain behaviors are universally encouraged or discouraged in multi-player video games. In any game, players are generally encouraged to be polite and courteous to one another, and avoid excessive profanity and trash talk. Players are also expected to be friendly and welcoming to newcomers, and remember that their lack of skill or understanding of the game is only due to their lack of experience with the game. It is also a generally accepted rule that a game's events and outcomes should not be taken personally by the players.
Unfortunately most online gamers do not believe that these guidelines apply to them. They “put down” the noobs (new players) with insults and poor sportsmanship.
Trash-talk is a form of boast or insult. One example of trash talk is to say, “Get rekt (wrecked)," usually this is an okay thing to say in online competitive games such as Call of Duty, or Rocket League.
In most games, it is considered bad manners to quit before the game has ended, especially in games where a player's disconnect will trigger a spike in latency, which causes the other players to have to wait because of the lag. It is also considered bad manners to stay in a game after a clear victor has been decided because the victory requirement to destroy all of an opponent's forces is seen as a waste of the player's time. It is also considered bad etiquette to show up late or go AFK (away from keyboard) without the consent of teammates.
Regardless of game or genre all players should follow these basic guidelines.Doing so promotes a fun and competitive atmosphere for everyone. If you or someone else you know is not being a good sport, report them, and move along. Do not tolerate bad behavior.
