Scapegoat
Active Member
Hello.
I would like to start off by saying that I truly appreciate the existence of Vault F4's servers. In my opinion, of the few servers available to play on in TF2C, Vault F4's are the only ones worth their salt with the consistent player base, map selection, and low ping. Plenty of fun, memorable moments had throughout my playtime, so thank you all for maintaining such a space.
I'm not sure if the "Help & Support" forum category is the proper area to post this in, but I've no clue where else to cathartically list my woes about a large chunk of players, and a handful of the administration staff.
While in the vocal minority, I think that there is a decent subset of players within the tiny TF2C community who are tired of the flagrant pro-(concept/ideology/identity) players with their sprays, slogans, etc. Too often have I seen players come in and start fraternizing with one another instead of playing the game, taking up a slot and using the place as a chat room where they'll drunkenly flirt, cattily gossip, and plaster their beliefs on the walls. You can't leave the server and join a place without them as there's only 4 servers in the entirety of TF2C. You can't do anything about the sprays if the moderation doesn't find a problem with them despite their arguably divisive nature. You can't simply mute the player, as all-talk is enabled and other players will be busy prattling away back and forth thus taking their focus and leaving you without context, maybe even leaving you to interrupt the conversation and upset the general vibe.
I don't care what it is that you as an individual believe in, so long as you're not bringing it to an unaffiliated area. If you're considered LGBTQ+, you may frequent your in-groups, Twitter, ResetEras, etc. If you're considered traditionally bigoted you may frequent your in-groups, anonymous imageboards, Stormfront, etc. This is not to make assumptions about where anybody goes, but rather an observation on how people congregate- the audiences certain atmospheres attract.
Outside of what I've personally witnessed in game throughout a number of hours, I checked the Vault F4 forums to try and gauge the climate of the moderation and player base.
To quote the One-man show VintagePC: "We strive to create an inclusive environment because people have enough shit and harassment to deal with in real life - and it'd be nice if they had a place that was free from all of that, if only to escape for an hour or two."
It's a perfectly agreeable sentiment, even if in practice it's upheld by a moderation with a weighted bias towards the status quo of who's currently considered marginalized, the LGBTQ+ and FURRIES as I've witnessed! It would be laughable if it weren't so sad, to assume that either of these groups (both of which I'd be considered a part of) need preferential treatment considering the extremely small, < 100~ player base of TF2C.
The goal of inclusivity is admirable for the very reason of small player count, something to strive towards regardless of size. That being said, I think by allowing a certain kind of rhetoric and imagery like "UwU"-ing, or "(Concept) rights!", flags, etc- you're ignoring how cognitively dissonant it is considering the neutrality of playing a video game. When reading that quote above about having a place free from all of the things we deal with in real life, the specific groups a lot of the community and staff have in mind when they mean "inclusive" are also a part of the things everyone deals with in real life.
I'm not suggesting that Billy Bob should be able to say all of the slurs he wants towards people or spray derogatory things on the walls (even though I think that the people who make up the niche community of TF2C are mature enough to handle that themselves on an individual basis), but that the reins should either be loosened a bit to allow a broader audience to comfortably call Vault F4 their home- warts and all, or that an admittedly cold, sort of "don't ask, don't tell" policy is enforced towards EVERYTHING political, identity-based, etc (the latter being preferred).
We're playing a game about rivaling mercenaries in the 60s with a timeless cartoon-like style, please for the love of goodness stop trying to shove your beliefs into everything.
Be it Christian, Satanic, Agnostic, LGBTQ+, Cishet, Nazi, Anarchist, Communistic, Libertarian, Authoritative, White, Black, Ideological, "Bigoted", "Inclusive", etc- it's just ridiculous to tout or spray. Be it pro or anti whatever, surely there is an alternative, more fulfilling way to express yourself.
If you have to express yourself in a way that includes your furry sona, at least do it without a flag for the same reason you wouldn't want someone spraying their anime waifu with a MAGA hat, it's distracting and takes the spirit away from a version of the game all about preserving the old-timey feel.
Don't spray Discord messages from community members in such a way that draws ire towards them either, it's despicable.
Even if you may disagree with how I've presented things, the last bullet point of rule number 5 states: "Intentionally starting drama or bringing up controversial subjects to start arguments". By the very nature of gender, sexuality, race, and beliefs included in everything previously lamented about comes identity politics, and what better way to stir the pot and start drama than politics?
I don't really know any of the other players that well despite seeing them regularly and I am content as such. While within the community I will never go out of my way to message them or join any Discord, merely enjoying their presence in the moment and treating others respectfully in the way I wish to be treated.
Regardless of how this post is vocally perceived and followed up upon, I know that there will be those who will silently agree and thank me for saying all of this, making themselves feel a little less crazy with everyone seemingly content to keep these issues unaddressed despite the likelihood of nothing changing overall.
After all, surely there are no problems to address when people are too afraid to have fingers pointed at them and socially shunned into complacency, lest they be exiled from 2 of the possible 4 places to gather.
Surely a lot of you mean well, but it does not excuse how tone-deaf it all is.
I would like to start off by saying that I truly appreciate the existence of Vault F4's servers. In my opinion, of the few servers available to play on in TF2C, Vault F4's are the only ones worth their salt with the consistent player base, map selection, and low ping. Plenty of fun, memorable moments had throughout my playtime, so thank you all for maintaining such a space.
I'm not sure if the "Help & Support" forum category is the proper area to post this in, but I've no clue where else to cathartically list my woes about a large chunk of players, and a handful of the administration staff.
While in the vocal minority, I think that there is a decent subset of players within the tiny TF2C community who are tired of the flagrant pro-(concept/ideology/identity) players with their sprays, slogans, etc. Too often have I seen players come in and start fraternizing with one another instead of playing the game, taking up a slot and using the place as a chat room where they'll drunkenly flirt, cattily gossip, and plaster their beliefs on the walls. You can't leave the server and join a place without them as there's only 4 servers in the entirety of TF2C. You can't do anything about the sprays if the moderation doesn't find a problem with them despite their arguably divisive nature. You can't simply mute the player, as all-talk is enabled and other players will be busy prattling away back and forth thus taking their focus and leaving you without context, maybe even leaving you to interrupt the conversation and upset the general vibe.
I don't care what it is that you as an individual believe in, so long as you're not bringing it to an unaffiliated area. If you're considered LGBTQ+, you may frequent your in-groups, Twitter, ResetEras, etc. If you're considered traditionally bigoted you may frequent your in-groups, anonymous imageboards, Stormfront, etc. This is not to make assumptions about where anybody goes, but rather an observation on how people congregate- the audiences certain atmospheres attract.
Outside of what I've personally witnessed in game throughout a number of hours, I checked the Vault F4 forums to try and gauge the climate of the moderation and player base.
To quote the One-man show VintagePC: "We strive to create an inclusive environment because people have enough shit and harassment to deal with in real life - and it'd be nice if they had a place that was free from all of that, if only to escape for an hour or two."
It's a perfectly agreeable sentiment, even if in practice it's upheld by a moderation with a weighted bias towards the status quo of who's currently considered marginalized, the LGBTQ+ and FURRIES as I've witnessed! It would be laughable if it weren't so sad, to assume that either of these groups (both of which I'd be considered a part of) need preferential treatment considering the extremely small, < 100~ player base of TF2C.
The goal of inclusivity is admirable for the very reason of small player count, something to strive towards regardless of size. That being said, I think by allowing a certain kind of rhetoric and imagery like "UwU"-ing, or "(Concept) rights!", flags, etc- you're ignoring how cognitively dissonant it is considering the neutrality of playing a video game. When reading that quote above about having a place free from all of the things we deal with in real life, the specific groups a lot of the community and staff have in mind when they mean "inclusive" are also a part of the things everyone deals with in real life.
I'm not suggesting that Billy Bob should be able to say all of the slurs he wants towards people or spray derogatory things on the walls (even though I think that the people who make up the niche community of TF2C are mature enough to handle that themselves on an individual basis), but that the reins should either be loosened a bit to allow a broader audience to comfortably call Vault F4 their home- warts and all, or that an admittedly cold, sort of "don't ask, don't tell" policy is enforced towards EVERYTHING political, identity-based, etc (the latter being preferred).
We're playing a game about rivaling mercenaries in the 60s with a timeless cartoon-like style, please for the love of goodness stop trying to shove your beliefs into everything.
Be it Christian, Satanic, Agnostic, LGBTQ+, Cishet, Nazi, Anarchist, Communistic, Libertarian, Authoritative, White, Black, Ideological, "Bigoted", "Inclusive", etc- it's just ridiculous to tout or spray. Be it pro or anti whatever, surely there is an alternative, more fulfilling way to express yourself.
If you have to express yourself in a way that includes your furry sona, at least do it without a flag for the same reason you wouldn't want someone spraying their anime waifu with a MAGA hat, it's distracting and takes the spirit away from a version of the game all about preserving the old-timey feel.
Don't spray Discord messages from community members in such a way that draws ire towards them either, it's despicable.
Even if you may disagree with how I've presented things, the last bullet point of rule number 5 states: "Intentionally starting drama or bringing up controversial subjects to start arguments". By the very nature of gender, sexuality, race, and beliefs included in everything previously lamented about comes identity politics, and what better way to stir the pot and start drama than politics?
I don't really know any of the other players that well despite seeing them regularly and I am content as such. While within the community I will never go out of my way to message them or join any Discord, merely enjoying their presence in the moment and treating others respectfully in the way I wish to be treated.
Regardless of how this post is vocally perceived and followed up upon, I know that there will be those who will silently agree and thank me for saying all of this, making themselves feel a little less crazy with everyone seemingly content to keep these issues unaddressed despite the likelihood of nothing changing overall.
After all, surely there are no problems to address when people are too afraid to have fingers pointed at them and socially shunned into complacency, lest they be exiled from 2 of the possible 4 places to gather.
Surely a lot of you mean well, but it does not excuse how tone-deaf it all is.
