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Author Topic: Faith in humanity...  (Read 6723 times)

Kagus

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Faith in humanity...
« on: July 08, 2008, 05:02:07 am »

*Sigh*...  Sometimes, I feel that the human race is entirely too random for its own good.

I am a member of the PVKII forums, a source mod centered around three teams from varying eras.  I joined up so that I could send a message to the development team informing them that they had incorrectly labeled a certain weapon in the game.  Long story short, they still haven't changed it and I'm still registered.

Now, the PVKII forums weren't a particularly happy place to be back then.  It's gone downhill from there.

All the worst parts have been emphasized, and all the best parts have moved on.  The place is a madhouse, and it hates itself furiously. 

I was inspired to make this post for a few reasons, two of which are related to PVKII, the third being utterly unrelated to anything.  I will put that one at the bottom of the post.

The first, main, and biggest reason is this post. 
If the world ever excepts this as humor, I will wander away and live on a goat farm in the mountains, somewhere far from the rampant buggery that will be human "civilization".  And that's not even the first time he's done it.

Hmm.  It appears someone has locked the thread.  Well, yay.  The last thread wasn't locked, and the discussion carried on for a few pages. 


The second would be the postings of the user "ParaSwarm" in this thread.

Why do I feel particularly wronged by one person's overinflated ego?  Because I happened to talk with the guy before, and he seemed like the only sane fruit from the bunch. 

We talked about how the PVKII forums were going sour, how certain users were bigoted assholes, and other such topics.  He seemed like a nice enough guy, with his head set relatively straight on his shoulders.  I introduced him to Dwarf Fortress (although I don't think it's actually taken hold just yet).

It's a viewpoint like his that makes me fully appreciate just how nice it is to have a game philosophy of "losing is fun".  We take pride in our most spectacular losses, and nobody pays much attention to the slaughtering of an entire world in adventure mode, or the repelling of three successive sieges in fort mode.  We emphasize the times when things go so incredibly wrong you can only laugh at them, and treat the massive displays of skill as simple day-to-day business.

ParaSwarm is an administrator to a relatively popular server that runs PVKII.  He has previously come under suspicion from the server's owner for driving people away with his excessive killing of the other players.

When the (somewhat rare) occasion where I am good at a game comes up, I make no mention of it.  If a newer player challenges me, I try to impart as much knowledge as possible, and then give myself a handicap so that they have a chance to use what I've just taught them. 

KDR's (Kill to Death Ratios) mean nothing to me.  The only time seeing a KDR will change my opinion of a player is when they keep checking it during a game.  My opinion will not be moved towards respect.

Is it really necessary for people to strive so hard for personal glory?  I recall the times I played Battlefield 2 online, and everyone on my team killed each other in order to get in the fighter jet.  No cohesion, just a bunch of guys killing their own team so that they personally get the big guns. 

He's also done some other things which I do not particularly agree with...  But there's no need to bring them up.


And the third reason is the fact that somebody put a screenshot from a different game into the Gamespot 'Sins of a Solar Empire' image collection.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/sinsofasolarempire/images.html?tag=tabs%3Bimages&page=3

It's in the January 10th section.  A bunch of bowmen fending off some sort of medieval siege.  I have no idea what game that comes from, but it looks kinda cool.  If anyone knows the origin of that peculiar picture, do let me know.


There's no real reason for this thread to exist, I just happened to have a lot on my mind, and I felt the need to let some of it off.  Do forgive me my arrogance, and whatever other personality faults were expressed by the writing of this post.

Bullion

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2008, 06:06:46 am »

Come here Kagus, you need a hug.
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umiman

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2008, 06:39:02 am »

Usually, when I get fed up with people, I type out a 9,000 word essay, recheck it a few times for grammar and logical inconsistencies, then delete the whole thing. Works wonders. You should try it.

There's the benefit of it not revealing weakness to those who know you too.

p.s: No idea what game that's from.

McDoomhammer

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2008, 06:52:26 am »

Usually, when I get fed up with people, I type out a 9,000 word essay, recheck it a few times for grammar and logical inconsistencies, then delete the whole thing. Works wonders. You should try it.

There's the benefit of it not revealing weakness to those who know you too.

p.s: No idea what game that's from.

Now I'm going to wonder if you really do that, or just want to see if you can get someone to waste a few hours of their life on deleting 9000 words...
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a1s

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2008, 07:10:58 am »

many people do it, just maybe not with 9000 word essays. Haven't you ever deleted a page worth of post just because you no longer felt he need to post it?
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umiman

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2008, 08:02:07 am »

Sometimes people just want to empty out what's in their hearts. After you write everything out and reread it a few times, usually you yourself will realise how futile and ridiculous the whole thing is (and realise the costs of voicing out that opinion).

That's how it works for me. I just type a lot and very fast. Instead of spending weeks or months trying to repair a relationship after a sudden outburst, I spend an hour or so typing and deleting. If you have your own way of anger management, feel free to share.

I have another method of anger management too, if you're curious. It involves a sofa, a computer, and the entire Dragonball Z anime collection.

Nilocy

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2008, 08:07:15 am »

When things like that get me down I try to avoid thinking about them too much and spend time thinking about all the good things we've done. Works a charm. Although i do share your points about humanity being a bit too random sometimes for its own good. And yes, you do need a hug. And i have no idea what that game is. And sins of a solar empire is a very good game, do you have it?

@ umiman. Never really tried that sort of anger management, but i if i have a problem or someone i usally talk to them, hardly ever in RL cause i feel it gets far to personal. That where IM/emailing comes in handy, its just the right amount of impersonal. Or taking my anger out on games, its quite amazing how good you feel after shouting at some young children over xbox live is. (Don't take that the wrong way :P)
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LeoLeonardoIII

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2008, 09:51:13 am »

"Then we'll fight in the shade"
"Um, but their arrows are burning"
"Then we'll fight by candlelight"
And then he grabbed the Spartan and began to dance with him.

As for the faith in humanity part, remember that you're looking at a small sample that is not representative of humanity. Just as you would be depressed if all you saw were the contents of a maximum security prison, of course you'll be depressed if all you consider is the contents of a forum. A more wretched hive of scum and villainy you'll never find.
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Cthulhu

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2008, 09:54:03 am »

I have another method of anger management too, if you're curious. It involves a sofa, a computer, and the entire Dragonball Z anime collection.

Suicide?
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McDoomhammer

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2008, 10:27:09 am »

I have indeed deleted something I've written out.  It's just that it's usually not more than a short story's worth- never a disseration :)
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LeoLeonardoIII

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2008, 11:06:22 am »

I have another method of anger management too, if you're curious. It involves a sofa, a computer, six bottles of Sun Peak Peach flavoured Boone's, a bottle of lotion, your mom, and the entire Dragonball Z anime collection.

Fixed.
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Fishersalwaysdie

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2008, 05:28:27 pm »

What is this faith you speak of and how can I acquire some?
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Torak

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2008, 05:48:51 pm »

The archers in that picture look so familiar, it almost reminds me of Savage, it might be a picture from Savage 2.
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Keiseth

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2008, 05:50:36 pm »

Every time I hear about that forum I become increasingly happy to be on this one.

I've done what Umiman said, writing out a long message and deleting it, several times. I've read in two different places, of that being an effective way to vent. Apparently Mark Twain wrote out several scathing letters that never made it to the mail, as his wife quietly took them. People don't handle criticism at all, no matter how nicely you convey it or how pure your intentions are. No matter who they are, they'll feel like you're attacking them for no reason.

...well, there are a few exceptions, but that's usually how it goes.
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Kagus

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Re: Faith in humanity...
« Reply #14 on: July 08, 2008, 08:07:09 pm »

Yeah, I normally just do the write - delete process.  However, this was around three in the morning, and I guess my reasoning abilities were not fully up to snuff.

I also wrote a private message to the mod who locked that thread.  Haven't heard back from him yet.


As for the archers, I have no idea...  The graphics and camera angle make it look like a cutscene, but the wonky way the arrows are shown makes it seem more like in-game play...  And that can't possibly be Savage.  Can you imagine that many people performing a coordinated effort?  The only time you can get folks together like that is when it's a behemoth rush.

Actually, Savage is pretty good about cohesion...  Normally.   But there are just too many players, and I don't think Savage 2 uses NPC's to boost teams.  Just look at the horde that;s attacking the walls, there are far too many people down there for a multiplayer game like Savage 2.  I think it's some sort of RTS.

It looks cool though.  And no, I don't have Sins of a Solar Empire...  I've played a little bit of the demo though, and I'm seriously considering purchasing it.
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