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Shakatra

Kindness vs competition in MMO's

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This holds true for all MMO's, not just for Wurm. Self-absorption (not sure which other word to use - I hope it doesn't offend anyone) is more commonplace than the spirit of kindness; the spirit of actively seeking out opportunities to help others. What do you guys think about this? Can you share any moments when you witnessed, or were on the receiving end of genuine kindness on the part of another in Wurm, etc?

 

I will never forget, to the day that I die, the person I met in one MMO. We were in the same guild (faction). He had something rare about him. Whenever I turned around, he was helping one person after another, never discriminating between older players and newbies. Volunteering to give away this, or teach how to do that, or show something, or write lengthy guides with no self-interest. In my years of exploring virtual worlds, he is the only player who has left me in awe. How much he cared for other players! How genuinely nice, concerned, authentic he was. I'll never find him again. This was years ago and he left the game to concentrate on other things. I tend to be spiritual... I felt he was more developed in some spiritual sense than the others. Everyone is on a different leg of their journey - some are here to be helped, and others are here to help. But I would give up all the grinding and the race to be #1, if I could experience that again, or witness something like that again. That's my story.

 

Anyone want to share theirs? Thoughts?

Edited by Shakatra
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Most people are just versions of their 'real' selves online.

Given the anonymity online, many people can end up being a 'worse version' of themselves as they know they can get away with it.

 

Pretty rare to meet people in person who are kind with their time and money, never mind online.

 

I have found Wurm to be one of the nicest communities of people...plenty of people here are very generous with their time and even their silvers.

 

Sadly, not everyone is friendly, kind or considerate.

Edited by Kerry
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We had, and still have, a lot of great people, some are in the staff devoting a lot of their free time to help out for no rewards, some are anonymous and will just give you a hand when you need it. Be it for a horse, a most needed healing, or those free imps at the impalongs.

 

Being totally devoted to help others is hard, and i never seen anyone able to do it all the time without burning themselves out. Humans tend to be greedy by nature, games where the wealth is so tied to real currency doesn't help either. Devoting your free time to help others,  in the case of wurm, will cost you money be it only your premium time running away.

 

You can have kindness and selflessness, and the later is harder to find around. Are you helping out because the others need your help... or because you can use the extra skills. Are you handing out a horse because you have too much... or because that new guy really need it.  Are you helping because you want to be loved or doing it out of self-interest. Motivations behind the acts are where we can judge how kind/selfless something is... and who are we to judge when we want to be kind ?

 

I've seen the two ends, genuine people helping out, and others abusing you with a large smile and pretending to be your friend. MMos are like real life, everyone isn't rotten nor a saint, you can see some helping others and some doing their own business.

 

As for myself, well, i don't know, it's more a matter of doing the right thing at the right time, a moral compass that might not be seen as kind of selfless but neither evil or abusive.

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I have met nothing but kindness in Wurm. Perhaps I have been very lucky but I think Wurm players are (on the whole) a close-knit group and appreciate what it is like for new players (and old) at times.

 

I remember my first two days in Wurm (on Independence) when I was totally lost and floundering in my attempts of fathom out the game. A player in local came up to me and took me 'under his wing'. That player (who I will always remember) sadly left Wurm a few months after this. As a result of his assistance and advice, I have played now for almost 5 years with four characters mainly as premium players. My point here is that helping fellow players does lead to a better experience for all and does of course also help swell player numbers or at least maintain numbers to a level that makes further development possible.

 

I have seen some really outstanding help from CA members (and others in that channel) towards newer players. Those who are helped often mention the outstanding experience of playing Wurm compared to other games that they have played in the past. Wurm may not have as many players as some games but it does tend to have quality- that is something that we should all be proud to be a part of.

 

Myself? Well, I suppose I am more of a quiet person but I do like to help anyone despite not being a master at anything yet. I can say one thing however, and that is when I do help someone (no matter in how minor a way it is) it makes me happier and it makes me feel more of a part of Wurm.  

 

 

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The options are not merely just kindness versus competition, at least in terms of pure black and white.

 

For example, someone may act kind or helpful as long as it gets them something (Heh I can be a real cynic). Some are even fairly decent at playing a really long game of investing a little "kindness" for some future possible benefit.

 

Another possibility are old players who become emotionally burnt out and less likely to be open to newer players coming into a group. See similar in military units with heavy casualties over time.

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A tender topic, more in an *ouchie's* sort of way though. I find it a fine line between being helpful and taken advantage of within these virtual types of worlds. True enough as well that the anonymity provided by the internet can make it more difficult to realize who you are dealing with. Yet time reveals all, especially a person's character, so with patience all will be uncovered.

 

My approach is to let time do the unveiling and the more in sync with the other person that I am the more kindness will be shown. In the meantime I am perfectly fine with having little to do with "questionable" virtual representations of others. Still, it doesn't hurt to offer a helping hand when the other is not demanding or expecting of it.

 

=Ayes=

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Most of the time I've found people to be really nice and helpful in Wurm. The hardest part about nice MMOs is, as in the OP, when people eventually do part ways and you never talk to someone again. It's a weird cycle of becoming good friends with people one month but never seeing them again the next.

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I definitely agree with most of the posts above. Compared to the other MMOs that I've played, Wurm has some of the nicest people.

 

I was looking for a thread to share today's little gem, and this one is perfect... I'm very new to Wurm. I joined this past weekend, and it's been a bit of a struggle-bus. I'm in the middle of making a home base, and I've got wood piles and unfinished things everywhere. Today, when I logged in, someone had left a bunch of goods in front of my door! Awesome neighbors. 

 

Edited by Szeve
I accidentally a word.
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Self-absorbtion, selfishness, sense of entitlement, all those kind of things are indeed very common in online games, especially where people are complete strangers. There is little to no sense of connection to the people on the other side of the screen. Seen it in soooo many games now where I can actually play some MMOs almost as a single player game.

 

Generally I find that the kind of player I tend to associate with are those who can just enjoy the journey and not be worried about whats at the end. Its one of the reasons I've always loved Wurm so much, at its best its so very much a collaborative effort.

 

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I like my mmo's with a dose of kindness, and a small dash of smartass. ;)  I save my competitive nature for Moba's.

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