Halo, Taunting, and Getting Butt-Hurt

BustaMike · August 28, 2003, 12:39

For a while now, my friends and I have tried to make it a habit to play a few Halo CTF and deathmatch games every Wed. We usually manage to grab 8 or more people, and the games are generally good.

When I asked one of my friends whether or not he was coming last night, he said no. He said he wasn't having fun because the rest of us need to grow up. Apparantly, he wasn't happy with the level of taunting going on last week. I find this ridiculous. While there was trash talking going on, it was all in good fun, and in no way intended to be malicious or mean. For example, someone gets killed trying to steal the flag and whines that their ghost (vehicle) got stuck. So we yell back something to the degree of "waaa waa waa I died and I need an excuse." Over the course of several hours there were probably 2 or 3 exchanges like this, by my standards relatively low trash talking for a competitive game.

So my question is, what do you guys think of trash talking? Is my friend just being a big baby like most of ust think he is, or should a game like this really be played with no taunting?

Harry Seldon · August 28, 2003, 13:23

When we play Halo, we scream things about each other's mothers, wifes/husbands, threaten to kill each other, etc. I can think of only once when it actually came to blows. After a few minutes we were all happily playing again. If your friend says you need to "grow up," I'd translate that as "I'm getting my ass kicked and I don't like to lose." You're better off without him. Taunting is integral to all MP games and many times a successful strategy for keeping your opponent off-guard.

BustaMike · August 28, 2003, 13:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Seldon
When we play Halo, we scream things about each other's mothers, wifes/husbands, threaten to kill each other, etc. I can think of only once when it actually came to blows. After a few minutes we were all happily playing again. If your friend says you need to "grow up," I'd translate that as "I'm getting my ass kicked and I don't like to lose." You're better off without him. Taunting is integral to all MP games and many times a successful strategy for keeping your opponent off-guard.

That is exactly what I think

. Maybe he needs to play a noncompetitive game like Mario Sunshine or something

.

General Ludd · August 28, 2003, 13:54

Some people play for fun, some people play for ego.

Harry Seldon · August 28, 2003, 14:14

What are you saying? That being competitive is playing for ego? Or were you just defending Mario Sunshine?

Traianvs · August 28, 2003, 14:46

me thinks he's a ***** if he considers that trashtalking

I know a lot worse.. in my fav online game SoF1 there's arseholes spamming the server constantly, stfu-ing, omg-ing and **** you wallhacker-ing nearly 100% of the time I play...

I think he hasn't got much experience with multiplayer games

Zero · August 28, 2003, 14:52

Trash talking is fine in competitive games.

I personally dont trash talk. I actually do the reverse and trash talk to myself about how crappy my performance was and how gay that execution happened to luckily hit the opponent etc.. while im flawlessly defeating my opponent. My friend is the opposite, he trash talks you to death, even if he just got humiliated, he will find a way to trash talk to you and find a way to lower yuour ego.

Either way, one should have freedom to do whatever it is they want to do when playing the game. If it bothers you, maybe you suck or you shouldnt be playing with that individual that bothers you.

half of the fun in MP games is mind ****ing. Banning trash talk takes alot away from mind games.

PS more ppl get annoyed by me than my friend.

General Ludd · August 28, 2003, 15:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Seldon
What are you saying? That being competitive is playing for ego?

Yes, obviously.

EDIT: If that's what you want to call competitive, anyways. You don't have to act like an ass to "play competitively". There is such thing as being a good sport.

DinoDoc · August 28, 2003, 15:44

Quote:

Originally posted by BustaMike
For a while now, my friends and I have tried to make it a habit to play a few Halo CTF and deathmatch games every Wed.

Play Rockets on the Prisoner Map.

Harry Seldon · August 28, 2003, 16:01

Why would you play anything but rockets? That is a good one, though. I also like to play Battle Creek and Rat Race with rockets, too. Don't forget unlimited grenades!

Quote:

There is such thing as being a good sport.

I accept my humiliation in defeat and am more than willing to help a less skilled player. I don't think trash talking has anything to do with being a good sport. Go back to Mario Sunshine.

BustaMike · August 28, 2003, 16:24

Rockets are ok. We usually play shotguns and warthogs on Blood Gulch or shotguns and ghosts on Sidewinder. As long as sniper's are off it's all good (though I wish there was a way to take away sniper rifles and keep the pistol).

Quote:

I accept my humiliation in defeat and am more than willing to help a less skilled player. I don't think trash talking has anything to do with being a good sport. Go back to Mario Sunshine.

Ha, seems I don't even need to post new stuff since I can just agree with you

. Right on!

DrSpike · August 29, 2003, 07:40

Sounds to me like your friend should play the Sims or something similar.

rah · August 29, 2003, 10:06

As long as it doesn't become personal, taunting and trash talking is one of the enjoyable aspects of MP games. Trash talking or gloating to an AI, is not quite as satisfying.

DrSpike · August 29, 2003, 10:11

Though it is somewhat scarier when the comp tells you to stfu you stupid n00b.

rah · August 29, 2003, 11:12

There were a couple of games that were programmed with some decent insults for the player when they lost or did something silly. Always humorous.

Harry Seldon · August 29, 2003, 11:13

Unreal was pretty good.

DrSpike · August 29, 2003, 11:36

I have to say there is a good deal of taunting in my MP games, but no butt-hurting. Perhaps a more careful choice of words might be advisable.

Sarxis · August 29, 2003, 13:29

In-game taunts are a major turn-off for me. Yes, enough to make me quit playing the game.

I had to go through this with Tribes2. Fortunately, the engine in T2 allowed some modders to make taunt blockers.

Harry Seldon · August 29, 2003, 14:03

Quote:

I have to say there is a good deal of taunting in my MP games, but no butt-hurting.

No butt hurting? So you never had any sore losers?

Nubclear · August 29, 2003, 16:18

It's fine by me, so long as the person has SOME humility and I enjoy their company.

rah · August 29, 2003, 17:22

Yes, it's easier if you're familiar with the other players and can easily sort out what's personal and what's just HOT AIR>

Zero · August 29, 2003, 17:28

I dont think there would be any merit in winning if the person didnt trash talk. There's nothing like forcing a trash talker to stop talking the talk and walk the walk.

DrSpike · August 29, 2003, 18:01

Agreed. Shutting them up by thrashing them is the best strategy.

Verto · August 29, 2003, 19:19

"Trash talking" is the greatest feature of MP games. Your friend is a wuss, or he was no good and wanted a way out of losing.

BustaMike · August 29, 2003, 19:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Seldon
Unreal was pretty good.

It was ok, but the autotaunt got annoying sometimes. Speaking of Unreal taunts, why did everyone say "You fight like Nollie" all the time? I have no idea what that refers to.

Quote:

"Trash talking" is the greatest feature of MP games. Your friend is a wuss, or he was no good and wanted a way out of losing.

See, that's the thing. He's not the best player, but he's certainly better than a good portion of the other people we play with. My theory is that he just can't handle losing. Originally he used to play with some other people. Some of those people still play, but my close group of friends that plays consistently now is quite a bit better than that other group. I think maybe he used to beat up on the old group, got used to it, and now just can't handle it when he loses.

General Ludd · August 29, 2003, 19:46

I didn't realise Apolyton was home to all these annoying "quaker" types that ruin online games.

Trash talking is the reason I don't play any online FPS games anymore, it's like playing with a bunch of snotty 6 year olds all the time.

DrSpike · August 29, 2003, 20:19

Surely you don't want to waste good Sims-playing time posting here with us snotty 6 year olds.

General Ludd · August 29, 2003, 20:51

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
Surely you don't want to waste good Sims-playing time posting here with us snotty 6 year olds.

Nope, I'll go back to my war-sim WW2online now, and play with the adults.

Nubclear · August 30, 2003, 00:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Osweld
I didn't realise Apolyton was home to all these annoying "quaker" types that ruin online games.

Trash talking is the reason I don't play any online FPS games anymore, it's like playing with a bunch of snotty 6 year olds all the time.

I'm not sure why everyone is attacking you with the "Sims" and "Mario Sunshine" routine.

Paul Hanson · August 30, 2003, 06:53

Me and my mates often play linkup games on Halo, and the one thing that really pisses me off is when people congratulate their team-mates in a really over the top fashion, as if to taunt the other side. Aside from that, I also have a mate who takes it a little too seriously - that can seriously spoil the fun of everyone else, who are basically playing for a laugh rather than to win, because none of us are particularly good at the game.