Happy to sign the new social contract, but here's the thing

Community General Discussion
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As stated in the title, I am happy to sign the new social contract. In fact, I welcome anything that encourages community and positive emotional experiences in gaming (anywhere really, tbf). No need for hurtful rhetoric or behavior.

But, the thing is, this needs to be followed up with solid game design decisions that go beyond superficial symbolism. For a long time, WoW game design has encouraged acrimony amongst it’s player base. /spit emote is an easy example of dehumanizing behavior that has long been encouraged in the game. It’s removal was one of a thousand steps Blizz needs to take to try to encourage its existing base to be better, but Blizz needs to go much further. This applies to both discouraging negative behavior and encouraging positive behavior through game design and choices Blizz make.

This applies to it’s current player base to be better, retain those players that have that mindset, as well as build a new player base with the same type of mindset.

I’m not a FFXIV fan but I have heard/read many accounts of deliberate FFXIV game design decisions and features that encourage positive player behavior (the sprout system, for instance). It seems their lead game designer is acutely aware of how game design matters when it comes to player behavior. Blizz needs to step it up in the same manner.

This should apply to instanced content (raids, dungeons, arenas, and battlegrounds), but moreover should be applied to their open world content and their newly formed open world team.

I’m a veteran of this game for 17 years, and have been playing Blizz games for 24 years. I came back to Shadowlands after not getting any characters to max level with the initial go around (first time ever) to give it another try. I have been pleasantly surprised at how much fun I am having.

That said, I have noticed there’s very few people out in the world, whether it be Azeroth, Outland, Draenor, or even Shadowlands. I see people in cities and around portals, for the most part. And in an MMORPG this is just shameful and reflective of bad design.

WoW should not be a lobby game, full stop, but that’s what it has become, seemingly.

So, if we are going to “turn the page” in terms of player behavior, Blizz needs to “turn the page” on its game design choices up and down the board to encourage a vibrant, robust living MMO game space full of positive emotional and social experiences.

If it does that, it will likely further succeed.

If it doesn’t, it will likely further dwindle.

And as a parting shot, I know there’s a certain mindset that believes that player behavior, good, bad, or otherwise is beyond Blizz’s influence or their game design choices, but I vehemently disagree. If you recruit bad behavior and reward it, that’s what you will see and what you will get. The contrary is also true. If you recruit good behavior and reward it, through game design choices, that’s what you will see.

TLDR version:

The new social contract is overall a good thing and I’m happy to sign, but Blizz needs to do their part as well. This applies to both just general congenial behavior (i.e. treating fellow players and fans/customers with respect and kindness) but also to fundamental game design concepts that encourages a vibrant MMORPG game space full of positive and engaging social experiences. How we got to where we are now is a reflection of many game decisions made over many years and it’s time for Blizz to correct course.

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Yes and yet this game retains cannibalism. :man_shrugging:

But what if I want to enslave a demon and then sacrifice it to empower myself?

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If we force people to be nicer they will be nicer. Yeah that isn’t going to work out the way you think it will. Sarcasm isn’t detectable through algorithms. Neither is replacing words with something that is commonly understood to replace that word.

You increase people being toxic by ingraining this behavior in the culture and common communication. It becomes part of the game. This is what toxic behavior looks like in your world: “That amazing gnome stepped in the happy puddle, which caused us all to take the joyful walk back so we could have another friendly encounter with the boss. Good luck everyone on the amazing gnome not standing in the happy puddle again!”

Put people on ignore you don’t like. Done and done.

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I don’t agree with everything you’ve laid out, OP, but I do agree with the sentiment.

The game design definitely needs to encourage cooperative play instead of the “me me me, now now now” design it’s had for the past 3 expansions.

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While I am indifferent to the social contract, I do agree that parts of the game’s design work against the contract.

The original design for The Maw and the Eye of the Jailer, for example, encouraged the exact opposite of “assist other players you encounter in the world.”

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You already have. Since the first time you booted up the game.

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I really find this pathetic. People are so weak today.

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No harm in signing it again, even if it is symbolic or just a reminder for us to do our best.

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Why is it okay to cannibalise another player but not /spit on them? why is it okay to mind control them to their death or put uncontrollable fear in them or asphyxiate them or turn them into an animal?

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Right? Blizz designs a grindy game with a million systems, who has time to stop and help someone else? I can’t even mount up here for Pete’s sake!

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Am i the only one who thinks this game really isnt all that toxic? There are some real doodooheads in places like trade chat or current end game zone sure but for the most part, people are generally neutral to pleasant to be around. I think trying to force people to be nice will just result in cliques forming that dont let anyone new in.

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For sure. Trade a little bit, but the majority of the toxicity is here on the forums. And the real toxic people are the ones asking for all these drastic changes

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You have a really bad premise. People weren’t always out and about even before the “lobby” days (which really you mean LFG). Many people sat in cities and rode around on mounts and later did loops around Shatt because they had nothing to do. Sometimes they talked in general/trade chats and sometimes they didn’t. No different than today.

Your issue is with the hyper competitive aspsect of the game and the type of players that tends to breed and attract. Back when the game could be played by one of those pecking bird toys, you could objectively suck as a gamer but still be a worthwhile body in a dungeon or raid because the skill floor and ceiling were essentially the same thing and that is VERY much not the case today and the stakes for failing are even higher than ever.

The natural result is a playerbase like we get. Doesn’t help too that the leadership are also made up of no life tryhard gamers (or has been ones) and the corporation that bought Blizzard was deep into the emerging e-sport world too.

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Tryhards such a funny insult to me. Like, the person saying it is pointing out that the person is investing effort into something they consider a waste of time. “Haha! Youre such a tryhard wasting your life on this game!” Said the wow player to the wow player.

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In your example, the correct “insult” would be a no life. A tryhard is someone who, drumroll, tries hard. You can have people no life tryhard this game and have your own opinions on if that kind of dedication and effort is worth the perceived costs just like they can have a different take and neither is wrong.

You’re the one inferring it as an insult as well.

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You’re not alone. People will leave a group at the first sign of struggle but that’s both because they can get another group easily … and so can you. People aren’t really that toxic and if they are, well, the ignore button is a click away. Why isn’t that an option?

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To me there seems to be a clear moral difference between playing a fantasy game employing mechanics that fit the motif and hurling an unnecessary degrading insult at your opponent.

Think of it this way: A hard hit on a football field is expected but spitting on the wide receiver you just tackled is evidently bad sportsmanship.

You can’t see the corollary here?

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I like how you think there’s an option to sign. It’s “agree to this, or don’t play our game.”

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I’ve played the game since 2005. It feels very different. The success of Classic’s initial release seems testimony to that. People seem to thirst for Classic’s sense of a shared world that has somehow been lost. Even Ion pays mention to this in his recent interviews (i.e. addressing the concerns of the “silent majority” who want more meaningful open world content).

But yes, to some extent I am saying that the game being focused on and designed around hyper competitive play has been part of what has contributed to toxicity and the players it tends to breed and attract. You are spot on here. There needs to be balance. I am saying if Blizz wants a better social experience, then it needs to address these design issues. It can’t be just be on the players’ part.

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Thimbul…well written, well said. Thank you for taking the time to submit
/Bows in Respect

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