Sunday, December 12th, 2010
Issue: 59   Editor: McAldarion


COLUMN: Trolling much? MarlonGotShot
TROLLING! An art to some but a nuisance to others. This internet phenomenon has taken a grip on the forums of Bootleggers and it is starting to show how it is affecting it more often. The trolls of Bootleggers are making a nice name for themselves among the community, however, the name is more infamous then anything else. So what is our solution? Do we kill the trolls? Or let them live in confined areas? Solutions are a plenty and so are the trolls.

The first idea that came to my mind is the BAN BAN BAN! Just get the moderators to whip out their ban sticks and ban the F***ing S**t out of all the trolls. However although the idea seems good in theory there are a lot of drawbacks. Firstly the fact that we would lose a good proportion of players in the game if we banned for everything and as we know players a scarce these days. Also, the game could lose a bit of fun factor. I am no fan of trolling but do have to admit those who are good at it get some laughs. So maybe a BAN BAN BAN attitude isn’t best.

Separate forums is another possible solution to our problem. Would telling all the Trolls to go into their own little forum to do what they do best, be best? I can’t see how it would not work. I mean give them a place to troll and such things that come with it and as long as they stick to rules set for them i.e. don’t troll in the Game Forum and what not. It should theoretically be ok. I believe there was a system like that before where players paid to get into the Crimson Forum to talk. A forum possibly free of trolls? A place for the players looking to rank an OC to call home? Seems good to me.

The other problem is how would trolls take this? Would they be like, “Cool we got a forum for us” or “Ok I don’t troll I don’t get banned” or the more likely “OMG SPAM TROLL EVERYTHING LOLZ.” The answer is more leaning to the latter of those. The problem is reaction to what happens, if they spam us and troll like no tomorrow the regular player of Bootleggers gets annoyed and then ups and leaves. Whereas if we completely stop trolls and Ban, another majority of the game leaves. It is a lose lose situation.

So a compromise has to be somehow met. Let the trolls do what they do as long as it doesn’t interfere with the game and regular players it's ok. Thus leaving me with the solution of separate forums. Either regulars pay to get into a non troll environment or trolls only troll in a certain forum. However I am sure a lot of others have better ideas on this. That is just my two cents. Feel free to comment and discuss and what not.