Hello, I wanted to discuss today about low self esteem and the Graal community with it's trolling and dis-respect to the new players. Though it can improve new player's skill in Dev.
So when I started playing in the Early 2009, I actually faced a lot of "cyber-bullies on UN and Era". Eventually when I actually became more better to the game (and wasn't a "noob" anymore), I started to work as a LAT for my first time in the small server called Nerv. Before Nerv started, all it was were 9-11 year old iPhone players trying to build a server with around 8 GP's and like 5 LAT's. When I first came in, I was pretty excited and motivated by my work. When I started learning more from other servers I did realize we did have a powerful Manager/Server owner from Nerv named Forkk. Sooner did I realize he's quite mean and offensive some times. Though he did like my level design which is where my Dev work was born, it later then replaced all of the Dev Crew except GFX and Scripters. I convinced Forkk to fire the GP's as there were no point to them other then harassing the players with 100AP and 20 health (on boots) killing random players. After that, I faced many challenges going within the server. Many trolls actually visited the server trying to prove "Oh, I'm a Global Dev, ****ing noob, get out of graal where you belong". Though I was more angry then hurt, my self-esteem was never ruined or driven down as it is just a game. Though these trolls could chase you off Graal, later extincting the Dev community. These trolls obviously have nothing better to do in their real life, that they have to "bully" others in their small fantasy online game eating some pork chop. The team of Nerv was Me, Forkk, Entrok, (and his cousin, I forgot his name). We did have competition with other servers trying to out-dev us, but they eventually fell apart a couple of months before Nerv did. Nerv was probably the best server I worked on, and it did teach me a lot. I faced a lot of Trolls who were very "experienced", unfortunately very unfriendly and too full of criticism. One of these "trolls" did offer to help me improve my Level design on my server by working with me there when Forkk hired him, but It was also a nightmare is some ways. He mostly improved my outside detail.
Later after Nerv failed, I was a newbie manager on the Server called Xazier AKA Gwfcctennis, where the Owner was a complete idiot (no offence man). He hired random GP's and random staff all together. He hired 7-11 year olds that was his "GF", who turned out to be some dude. I was then criticized by random trolls again, and again but they didn't help too much this time. They say "WTF IS THIS ****, LOL WHAT A MANAGER YOU ARE, HAAH NOOB DEV.". I explain that the server is not even close to being complete, but I didn't know how to make it staff only which was a problem for me. I did know how to hire good staff though, but I wasn't too well knowledged with the RC.
After helping many iPhone user related servers which were the easiest to be hired to and probably the best servers to improve your work on as a Junior Dev, I did improve actually. Later in 2010, I started to work with Mattkan, and Forkk again too on a server named Cypheria. I recently became inactive and so did Forkk (also known as Forkkus :P). My reason was to help work on Kingdoms iPhone which I thought would be pretty exciting. It turned out it was boring and hard. The head Level designer thought my work was not too bad, but I did have a rough time working there. It was really time consuming. The levels have to be perfect and detailed, with the use of LOTS of images.
I became inactive for the starting of School, came back again around Christmas, then became inactive again since I already lost my job there for being too inactive. I was told I should re-apply but I didn't feel it was right for me to work there, along with being scared of the Head LAT for some reason.
Now here I am with much knowledge from Criticism and the use of Images from GK iPhone, I can make my own levels without anyone's help. I felt like working again with Mattkan on his server - Dev Morning where I hope to improve even more with Scripting more then leveling. Right now it's not a big serious project. Me, Mattkan, Marluxio (He's a big idiot, but a nice GFX haha), and Doctor (I forgot his nickname.. Implement I think).
I am awaiting more trolls to log on, and help me improve my work even more.
My point is, Trolls can be actually good AND bad, it depends on who's trolling on you and how they handle the bridge. I was a hard worker and still am, but some Dev's aren't as confident and get chased off into just being a player, migrating to another game with a better community of people.
I'm not sure if there is some sort of report system for reporting harassing trolls, but there should be. Maybe from email?
Before:
After:
BTW: I deleted my levels folder so clear up space, but It turns out lots of images I used for the levels didn't appear so I think I forgot to upload most of those to the Image folder which I'l be currently doing. So you'd see lots of tile errors. But this isn't in the Dev forum to be criticized so never mind.