Let's talk about pirate manners and pet peeves

[pixiewytch]

I've been seeing quite a few posts lately about pirate issues and since we are all desperately playing games to get more credits this seems like a good time to bring it up.

I'm not a great pirates player. I probably lose as many games as I win but since my computer will never allow me to get past 200K on fireworks this has been my most lucrative way to get credits. So I've been playing a lot of pirates lately. For the most part I really enjoy it but it occurred to me yesterday that I needed to take a break before burning out when I was ready to yell at people on the screen.

So how about a pirate vent? I don't want to make this a whining and complaining thing, just an fyi about things that make the game unpleasant for some of us and well, in my opinion are just plain rude.

Someone else has already mentioned in another thread about leaving the game. This sucks, especially if the person who leaves is your only other team player and all of a sudden you realize they have been replaced by the computer which isn't exactly a teamplayer (more on that next). I know there are debates over why people leave the game and I agree that I'm sure there are sometimes legitimate reasons. I have a small child at home and it has maybe happened to me once that I can recall. However, I'm talking about people who simply announce "I'm leaving" with no explanation and you are high and dry. Surely you have a moment to type some reason quickly or maybe a sorry, have to go so you aren't giving out personal info. Just a quick one word apology makes you sound a little sympathetic for going which is why I get the impression that a lot of people are just doing it for selfish reasons. I don't see any excuse for it and it's just plain rude.

Now this one is more of a personal preference thing so I don't expect everyone to agree, just part of my own vent. I don't like playing the computers. I hate joining a team only to have them suddenly add a bunch of computers and start the game. First off, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you get fewer credits this way? Secondly, I just don't like playing with them. So if someone adds a computer I just leave the game and kindly explain to them that I don't like playing computers. Sometimes they don't give me a chance to leave.Now this is an individual thing. My husband loves to play the computers and refuses to play the new pirates game at all because of the changes. I on the other hand don't harmonize well with them. I feel that it is like playing a complacent team member. Sure, they are pretty good and I'm almost certain to get killed by one if it is on the other team, lol, but if it's on my team it doesn't seem to do much of anything but hang back and do its own thing.

Booting. Some people are in such a hurry to start a game that they don't mind booting a surplus team member to do it. Again, this seems to be a matter of poor etiquette to me. I always try not to join a team with an already even number of players but sometimes it happens by accident or sometimes, even better, the game starter adds a bunch of its own people, switches team players around, and then boots you off with no explanation. Communication is key here. If someone asked me in the lobby if I would mind joining another team for whatever reason, I would totally appreciate that and honor their request but there seems to be no common courtesy here. Even when I ask why I was booted nobody gives an answer. That irritates me even more. Then I've had team members ask me to boot an excess player who joined at the last minute. I kindly explain to them that I don't like to boot. It isn't going to kill me to wait another minute for someone else to join so that person can play, is it?

LOL. Okay, I say lol from time to time but honestly, nothing irritates me more than dead team members going "lol" over and over in the game. Are they laughing at me? Is there an inside joke I'm missing? What exactly is so funny? Again, this probably irritates me more than some..

and speaking of dead team members, there is nothing wrong with a little gentle guidance to your still alive teammates but please remember that you have already died which doesn't exactly make you a better player than your alive team mate you are criticizing through yelling, pleading, etc. We know that we need to "go", "shoot", and even that we suck in that particular game if it isn't going well. Just have some manners and try to have a little compassion. Nobody is perfect, including you. Try to keep the commands and lol's to a minimum, or better yet, if that player sucks so bad, why don't you go and discuss it with your team member after the game in your guest room to get it all out instead of humiliating the player in the game?

Okay, and I'm not so irritated but almost amused at the people who yell "cheaters" as soon as someone else wins the game. Is there a way to legitimately cheat in the game that I'm not aware of or do some people feel the only way to justify their losing is to accuse the other team of cheating? I suspect the latter myself.

Now this is a technical one but I'm sure I'm not alone. If there are more than two players per team my computer doesn't handle the memory well. The first time I shoot at a ship, my ship starts going around in circles despite what direction I have chosen, in the meantime giving my opponents time to kill me before my computer recovers from the lag so that I have regained control again. I'm not sure if there is a way to control or fix this but I'm open to all suggestions.

Last of all, how in the heck are some of these ships so fast? Is there some secret I haven't been let in on or is it just better computer proficiency? Yes, I understand that you may choose a ship with increased speed but the black pearl is the fastest and I have seen plenty of players whose ships move more swiftly than that. How? Naturally they have an edge over everyone else. This is one of the reasons my husband preferred playing the old game with computers. He claims that too many ships are faster (again, even with choosing the black pearl) and that this is an unfair advantage. Btw- this is coming from someone who is a much, much better player than I am and won every prize at each level for the old game in a matter of days. So maybe there is somehow cheating involved? Or again, perhaps it is an individual computer issue. It just mystifies me.

Please take all of this in jest and feel free to add to it or comment. It's been a long credit accumulating week and I needed to get some of that off my chest. Maybe this will help others to commiserate as well and not feel so alone.

I still love the game and I'm sure I'll be at it for most of the day again!

 

[Iris]

Great Points and well said:

LOL. Okay, I say lol from time to time but honestly, nothing irritates me more than dead team members going "lol" over and over in the game. Are they laughing at me? Is there an inside joke I'm missing? What exactly is so funny? Again, this probably irritates me more than some..

This also bothers me sometimes. I too often wonder if they are just doing it because they are bored or something else.

and speaking of dead team members, there is nothing wrong with a little gentle guidance to your still alive teammates but please remember that you have already died which doesn't exactly make you a better player than your alive team mate you are criticizing through yelling, pleading, etc. We know that we need to "go", "shoot", and even that we suck in that particular game if it isn't going well. Just have some manners and try to have a little compassion. Nobody is perfect, including you. Try to keep the commands and lol's to a minimum, or better yet, if that player sucks so bad, why don't you go and discuss it with your team member after the game in your guest room to get it all out instead of humiliating the player in the game?

I am especially amazed when my fellow team player who has already blown up tells me I am a "dumbo" or that I "stink" yet I am the one who is still playing. They try to tell me to shoot, or get the gold which quite frankly I know how to do and that other player cannot possibly know if I am low on health or cannons. This also bothers me as it makes it difficult to move in the upper screen because it is filled with chat bubbles and sometimes I can't even see where I am going.

Okay, and I'm not so irritated but almost amused at the people who yell "cheaters" as soon as someone else wins the game. Is there a way to legitimately cheat in the game that I'm not aware of or do some people feel the only way to justify their losing is to accuse the other team of cheating? I suspect the latter myself.

Actually this does irrate me. I was called a "cheater" several times yesterday when I would successfully blow up an opponent. How on earth am I cheating? Just because I killed the other ship, that makes me a cheater? Along with this was a few people telling me to "stop running". I mean really, how could they know that I was low on ammo or that I needed health. They took my movements to indicate that I was just running back and forth and I was constantly being yelled at for it by the other player. Of course they said nothing when I finally got them with a good shot.

Pirates................sigh..................

 

[threeboysmom]

and speaking of dead team members, there is nothing wrong with a little gentle guidance to your still alive teammates but please remember that you have already died which doesn't exactly make you a better player than your alive team mate

This sentence has me cracking up! SO FUNNY! And yet so true! It's ALWAYS the first player to sink that has the most "helpful" comments during the game!

You've raised some excellent points.

I also refuse to play with computer ships. You don't get as many credits with them because you can't take their gold when you shoot them... So you may be getting the win, but not the credits.

My BIGGEST pet peeve is the losing team cancelling the game. I can't count the number of times I have won the second round only to find out I won't get the "win" because the other team cancelled the game at the very end when they realized they were losing. GR!! I'm normally a very laid back person, but this happening over and over makes me want to reach through my computer screen and literally throttle the person. OK, deep breath. You're all seeing my dark side now, but seriously, WHY do they have to do that to the winning team. Is there another explanation that I'm not aware of other than being a poor sport?

 

[Dudezeke]

I agree with you on all of those topics, but sometimes in the heat of the game you don't notice where anything is, such as gold. They may tell oyu that so that you know that you can get it. I have won many games because of the advice of my teammates.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

Booting. Some people are in such a hurry to start a game that they don't mind booting a surplus team member to do it. Again, this seems to be a matter of poor etiquette to me. I always try not to join a team with an already even number of players but sometimes it happens by accident or sometimes, even better, the game starter adds a bunch of its own people, switches team players around, and then boots you off with no explanation. Communication is key here. If someone asked me in the lobby if I would mind joining another team for whatever reason, I would totally appreciate that and honor their request but there seems to be no common courtesy here. Even when I ask why I was booted nobody gives an answer. That irritates me even more. Then I've had team members ask me to boot an excess player who joined at the last minute. I kindly explain to them that I don't like to boot. It isn't going to kill me to wait another minute for someone else to join so that person can play, is it?

When I want to play computer players, I boot people, I play alone and like it that way, when someone adds themselves, even on my side, I am more likely to loose the game because I do my own thing. So I boot. My biggest pet peeve is that, half the time, they ADD THEMSELVES BACK IN!

 

[pixiewytch]

Well, do you explain to them that they are being booted because you prefer computer players? Again, I see nothing wrong with that if you are up front. If you don't tell them some people may not understand that.

 

[Pirate-Emery]

I consider myself to be decent at Pirates, but I find I am always going up against two people who are really good, and my teammate is lacking.


If I am the first to die, it usually means that I was quick out of the starting blocks and went up against both of them at the same time. I usually kill one of them in that moment, but I myself may go the way of the dodo. To think that the better player is the one that lives the longest is poppycock: lifespan does not matter in this game. Usually I have rather good luck and I can survive and kill both, but there are nights when I just sign off because I am not playing up to par.


I know I'm going to be the target of much flaming when I post this next sentence, but I feel I must say it:

I usually prefer AI teammates over some of those that I am usually paired with. I lose a game because they have absolutely no idea what's going on. HOWEVER, the key thing that I've learned is to NEVER EVER try to reprimand them. Shake your head on the other side of the computer, inwardly curse your luck, but never post anything in game as to insult the other player. It is neither helpful nor going to help you win the match.


But I have had an instance where someone said I "sock," it was a three-on-three CTF: my speci-a-lity.

Now, when it comes to CTF, the "rules" change very much so. If you are a Wicked Wench, you are most likely to guard, and let the other players try to get the flag. People who know me, know that I love to blow the "bejeezus" out of their little ships, so I guard.

Some dude, who shall remain nameless, went off to get the flag with someone else while I guarded, effectively killing off one other player. But, lo, the dude and the other were killed by the other team's flag guards, so I am forced off my perch to go get the flag. Now, let me remind you, the Wicked Wench is an amazingly slow vehicle. I am unable to beat out the Black Pearl that raced towards my flag, around the other side of the island.

I am scolded and reprimanded from my teammate because I'm obviously not good enough to play one on three.

 

[Narnian_Princess]

I agree with you completely. Generally when I play (which is relatively rare since I TOTALLY STINK at Pirates) everyone is nice, but I get booted a lot, and that annoys me. It's like the other person is saying, "You're not good enough to play with me."

When I "die" I do shout, "go pirates!" or "go royal!" or even "go [insert name here]!", but I'm being encouraging, not degrading. And I only say something after the thing I said before is off the top of the screen.

Once I was the only person on a team that wasn't dead, and I was running around trying to pick up health because I had only one left. Unfortunately, it was during a game of Capture the Flag, and while I was grabbing health, the other team took our flag and started sailing to base with it. That person was in a faster ship, so I took off in pursuit but couldn't catch up. The other player on my team said, "your such a dumbo princess" and I was shocked. Then the dead player on the other team said "that wasn't nice!" but I was still so upset that before the next level began I left the game out of sheer spite for the other player. I know that was mean of me, and I lost my credits, but I didn't really care. I didn't play Pirates again for the rest of the day. So yeah, rude people infuriate me.

But let me say that about 78% of the time my Pirates game experiences are good (except for the part where I lose, lol ).

 

[mtlhddoc2]

Well, do you explain to them that they are being booted because you prefer computer players? Again, I see nothing wrong with that if you are up front. If you don't tell them some people may not understand that.

Why should I have to tell them anything? They joined my game as I was loading in the AI players. I boot, finish what I am doing and then start the game. I do not talk. I am busy doing other things. Like trying to win games of pirates for the keys. In the time it takes me to "tell them upfront" I could have won another game. I can beat any level of pirates in about 40 seconds when I play alone.

Which bring me to my other PPP (pirates pet peeve). People who think they have a right to join your game. I started the game, I decide who I play with, period. If VMK did not want that, they would not have the "boot" feature.

 

[pixiewytch]

I consider myself to be decent at Pirates, but I find I am always going up against two people who are really good, and my teammate is lacking.


If I am the first to die, it usually means that I was quick out of the starting blocks and went up against both of them at the same time. I usually kill one of them in that moment, but I myself may go the way of the dodo. To think that the better player is the one that lives the longest is poppycock: lifespan does not matter in this game. Usually I have rather good luck and I can survive and kill both, but there are nights when I just sign off because I am not playing up to par.

I just want to clarify that I don't believe that the last player standing on a team is necessarily the better player at all. I know for a fact there are times when I was left simply because my other team members met up with its opponents before I did. I am saying though that it seems ironic to me to assume that you should give the other player direction as if you have some sort of authority when you are no longer in the game, especially when there is name calling or ridiculing involved.


I know I'm going to be the target of much flaming when I post this next sentence, but I feel I must say it:

I usually prefer AI teammates over some of those that I am usually paired with. I lose a game because they have absolutely no idea what's going on. HOWEVER, the key thing that I've learned is to NEVER EVER try to reprimand them. Shake your head on the other side of the computer, inwardly curse your luck, but never post anything in game as to insult the other player. It is neither helpful nor going to help you win the match.

I just wanted to address the whole teammates who have absolutely no idea what is going on thing. I'm sure there are many of those out there. Some of us though know exactly what we are doing but have computer issues going on. I know sometimes my system gets bogged down because of too many players or there is a lag and sometimes like I said in my previous post my ship is going around and around in circles. It isn't because I don't know what I'm doing. My ship just isn't going in the direction or firing where my finger on the mouse is telling it to. I've even thought to myself, "man, I must look like a freaking idiot right now" but honestly, I feel like I have little control over the situation when that happens.


NarnianPrincess, I think it's positive to encourage other players like you had mentioned. I was more referring to people who simply say, "go!" or "shoot!" or "get the gold!" as if you are clueless. The tone in those phrases are much different than simply being the cheerleader for the team.

 

[pixiewytch]

Why should I have to tell them anything? They joined my game as I was loading in the AI players. I boot, finish what I am doing and then start the game. I do not talk. I am busy doing other things. Like trying to win games of pirates for the keys. In the time it takes me to "tell them upfront" I could have won another game. I can beat any level of pirates in about 40 seconds when I play alone.

Which bring me to my other PPP (pirates pet peeve). People who think they have a right to join your game. I started the game, I decide who I play with, period. If VMK did not want that, they would not have the "boot" feature.

Wow. I'm not saying that anyone should force you to do anything. It is just a simple act of kindness and consideration.

 

[TinkerFairy]

I've noticed a lot more attitude in pirates in the past few days.

A girl yesterday was complaining about the screen freezing and how laggy it was, all I typed was :

"You're not the only on"

Meaning of course that I was having horrible lag and freezing, and I had heard others complain.
She replied to that with :

"*** Off"

And that isn't a lot to leave to the imagination.

Most people are still polite, or just don't say much, but every now and again I get into a game with a person/people, who have a horrible attitude.

 

[peasy]

The fast ships are the Black Pearl..and they ARE fast..hard to maneuver though. I'm just trying to figure out a way to practice this game without making my team mates suffer. I feel horrible when someone pairs up with me and I play like poop. My only recourse has been to play a game right after it and let them be my opponent. ROFL I'm pretty sure Peacefully was a receipient of both scenarios last night...

 

[mtlhddoc2]

Wow. I'm not saying that anyone should force you to do anything. It is just a simple act of kindness and consideration.

If that is the case, then the reverse should be true, if you see a player adding AIs to their game, then you should ask before joining. After all, it is just a simple act of kindness and consideration.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

"I was more referring to people who simply say, "go!" or "shoot!" or "get the gold!" as if you are clueless. The tone in those phrases are much different than simply being the cheerleader for the team."


Wow, I really think you have a very low opinion of people if you think anytime someone says something like that they are deriding you. When playing with others, I often say "go!" after I die, it is meant as encouragement. And "get the gold" well, half nthe time you do not even know it pops up so that is a helpful phrase. And I do believe it is meant as such 99% of the time.

Think about it, if you are at a football game and the running back breaks a tackle, how often do you hear someone shout "Run!" - the running back knows what to do, it is an encouragement, nothing more. The player does not run off the field and say "Do you think I dont know what I am doing?" - no, not at all.

 

[Iris]

Sadly the people who feel the need to "cheer" me on add some colorful words:

"Go you fool"

"You stink, get the gold fool"

"You creep, shoot!"

"Go you dumbo!"

Now, I think that is a little more than harmless encouragement.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

Yes Iris, of course it is, but that is not what she was complaining about.

 

[Maleficent2]

Being a pirate game player(basically I play it all the time-if you need me and I am in the game I am usually playing pirates)

I think some are taking things alittle to personal and alittle too much to heart.

Up until this week(got a new computer and now I have FREE highspeed ) and even when I play on it dial up I still am not having the crash problems I had with old computer ...being that if I played with more than two on two players I crashed. So I booted tried to inform players why they were being booted but I think some times they may have not seen it or missed it and felt I was rude or mean. Sorry if that was any of you but I was not being either...it was just a fact of life for me boot or die.

some other reasons for boots:

playing with friends
playing a quest

sure there are others also.

Dead players talking in the game....

not all LOL are laughing at you they can be directed at ones self or just showing enjoyment of watching the game.

you can not tell inflections and sometimes "go!" means just "Yes! Woot! go! "and nothing more....now "go you fool" is rude and uncalled for and no need for that kind of talk in the game at all. As is "you stink" or anything else like that.


while I agree with you about players who leave saying before they go "I quit" or " I am leaving" are rude and have no business in my opinion playing pirates either.

Other times the leaving can be as simple as a disconnection or crash.

Maybe the key here is playing with other DIS members and playing "DIS Rules"


Mal

 

[Adventuredaz]

When I want to play computer players, I boot people, I play alone and like it that way, when someone adds themselves, even on my side, I am more likely to loose the game because I do my own thing. So I boot. My biggest pet peeve is that, half the time, they ADD THEMSELVES BACK IN!

Agreed Doc, yesterday I was playing for keys a t a loss and a few times people insisted on playing add boot add boot when it was clear what My intentions were. Usually if I left a player on my side they screwed it up because playing AI is very different from regular players - Yes easy, but also easy to screw up. I am a pretty good player, I just really did not fell like real games yesterday this key business has me pretty wound up and other players rudeness just got to me I decided for the entire day I would just throw credits down the can, still ended up about 5 grand ahead. There are some real good players and I know many and usually am up to the challange, but if you see someone adding AI and they give you the boot why join again and again just to agitate them.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Simple:

Dont sit on the flag.

Is it cheating? Technically no.

Is it really really really bad form? Yes.