Griefer
A griefer is a player in a multiplayer video game that purposely irritates and harasses other players.
Overview
A griefer is a player who does things in a game to deliberately cause grief for their own enjoyment. Such players are a particular nuisance in online gaming communities, since they often cannot be deterred by penalties related to in-game goals. The term originated in the early 1990s, when online games were growing in popularity. [1]
Exact griefing methods differ from game to game. Common methods include:
- Intentional friendly fire
- Using third-party hack programs
- Falsely accusing others of griefing behavior
- Written and/or verbal insults
- Exploitation of unintended game mechanics
- Stealing other player's items and/or experience
- Spamming
- Spawn camping
- Acting out-of-character in a role-play setting
- Saying or doing something just to irritate, upset, or otherwise harass someone
- Purposely not assisting the team (i.e. feeding, wasting key game elements)
Combating griefers
Griefing was originally tolerated by game developers, but the practice has come under scrutiny. Many subscription-based games actively oppose griefers, since they drive away business.[2]It is common for developers to release server-side upgrades and patches to annul griefing methods. Other companies, such as Blizzard Entertainment, have resorted to mass bannings in order to bring griefers to heel. [3] Many online games employ gamemasters that reprimand offenders. Others have opted for a crowdsourcing approach, where players can report griefing. Malicious players are then red-flagged, and are then dealt with at a gamemaster's discretion. As many as 25% of customer support calls to companies operating online games deal specifically with griefing. [4]
See also
References
- ^ Martin Davis (Thursday June 15, 2006), Gamers don't want any more grief, The Guardian
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Pham, Alex. (September 2, 2002) Los Angeles Times Online Bullies Give Grief to Gamers. Section: Main News; Page 1.
- ^ {{citation|url=http://infoceptor.net/site/news/archives/news-archive-12-2003.shtml |title=Blizzard disbands STAB and BSer|author=Frostbyte|date=Sunday December 21, 2003
- ^ Davies, Martin. (June 15, 2006)The Guardian [1]
External links
- Globe and Mail: Frontier justice: Can virtual worlds be civilized?
- "Ready, set, game: Learn how to keep video gaming safe and fun."
- Documented incident of griefing during a virtual interview, see also Anshe Chung
- Research Paper on griefing. To view this PDF paper, the host website requires a subscription to the digital library.
- "Feature: The Griefer Within", GamePro.
- Mutilated Furries, Flying Phalluses: Put the Blame on Griefers,, WIRED MAGAZINE: ISSUE 16.02
- Griefer Madness: Terrorizing Virtual Worlds
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