Azaroth

Brian “Psychochild” Green, currently one of my FAVOURITE online game development bloggers because I’m sure he’ll link my blog ANY DAY NOW, recently made a post in defense of Dr. Bartle.

My understanding is that there’s been some unpleasantness over at Lum’s site, caused generally by a cantankerous Second Life player and all those who really, really hate her.

At some point she also said some mean things about Dr. Bartle. I wouldn’t know exactly what was said, because my eyes sort of glaze over when I see a post with 400 comments. They say that death and taxes are the only certain thing in life, but I’ll assure you that they’re far less certain for me than the fact that I’ll never sit down and read through 400 comments on a blog.

Anyway, Brian sums things up nicely like this:

Those that engage in personal attacks may be able to generate over 400 comments on a developer’s blog, but few people are going to take those arguments seriously.

I remember reading about the original UO ecology system on Raph’s website quite some time ago. Basically, animals and monsters would seek to fulfill their basic desires and then move on to attempt filling their personal need for something a little more extravagant. They were coded to first look for food, then shelter, then maybe something a bit shiny.

My point is that this illustrates my problem with Brian’s post.

See, internet loudmouths are coded in much the same fashion. Most of the time, these people are out to fulfill a basic need. Attention. What comes after that really isn’t of concern to them while they’re seeking attention. Although it may dawn upon them that they’d like to be taken seriously at some point - a lot of the time, it ain’t right now.

I can only speak from personal experience obviously, but I can tell you that within a large community there will always be shameless attention seekers. Some of them will have very little about themselves to actually merit the attention they desire. Naturally, taking aim at the most public and visible person and blowing as much shit out their ass as they possibly can is the shortest route to filling their bellies.

Of course that description conjures up an obscene image and an entirely new name for internet trolls, but moving on.

It may seem odd. But the only other possible way I can explain it is by telling you that these people actually believe the garbage they’re saying. That’s just swapping one insanity plea for another, however.