ScottishViking

I am looking forward to future diplomatic misunderstandings with our new Japanese pilots! Fire up the Maelstrom's engine and arm the arties, lads! :)

"[Update: Apparently this article is too long for some to read, so let me summarize by saying we're only apologizing to our readers for the code of conduct violation. No apology at all is given to the Goons. Please read the article.]"

That is a very condescending message to send. As someone who did read the article and who disagrees with your response to the Goons/Mittani: The apologies amount to the same thing in effect. You can't tell me you would have made these changes and apologies had they not given you grief about it! It's not about your motives, it's about what the apology MEANS. By conceding -- wrongly -- that your writer had engaged in "cyber-bullying," you not only caved in to the demands of a known and self-acknowledged bully (and leader of a group of bullies), but you also tarnished the editorial integrity of your website. Besides the fact that the original article contained what was in retrospect an accurate depiction of events and characterization of the key players, the fact that you have demonstrated a willingness to retcon your own editorial (and opinion-based) material represents a fundamental flaw in your journalistic ethics.

Honestly, these apologies are unnecessary. I've followed these stories closely from the beginning, and not once did the Massively coverage strike me as either irresponsible or sensationalist. I'm extremely concerned about the possibility that Massively's editorial staff are now succumbing to pressure from the sources they cover based entirely on specious accusations -- sorry, counter-accusations -- of "cyber-bullying." In The Mittani's case, the term was accurate enough to warrant usage; his counter-claims that Massively was doing the same border on the absurd.

I sincerely hope that the decision to edit the original article was not made as a reaction to any threats or intimidation. That, more than anything, would harm the credibility of this site as a journalistic voice.

Any Goon who hunts this guy for the next month is a f*cking idiot. Seriously...they're just asking to get grief-banned.

I am an avid RPer. And where do you think I've found the best RPing in my MMO career?

EVE Online, a game which many people would describe as the anti-RP MMO.

It's hard to create strong RP environments. In some cases, you can't just build a space and say "Go!" This manifestly failed, in my opinion, in SWTOR. It does work in some games, like LOTRO, where the lore and the community has the will to make it work. But in the absence of that strong background, you really need to let your players carry the burden. RPing in EVE has been amazing DESPITE the powergamer-ganker-griefer coalitions and collections of sociopaths. In many ways, being united AGAINST these groups has worked in roleplaying's favour.

This isn't a vote for laissez-faire when it comes to RPing. I REALLY wish EVE had some stronger naming convention enforcement. (Right now, they only ban names which are outright offensive or which breach the terms of service.) But I do actually believe that "unofficial" RPing may be the only way to make it work. It worked in LOTRO (Landroval!), and it works in EVE. Don't see any reason why it can't work in GW2.

The Mittani/Mittens/Alex's big mistake was confusing IRL griefing with in-game griefing. It sucks that he was in a position where he could lose, but that is the tough breaks. I'm sure he is resilient enough to handle it, but it remains to be seen whether the Goons can respect this decision.

EVE doesn't really have a "community" per se. It has a "city" (to use the analogy), but its "communities" are many and varied. I am part of an RP community in EVE, and it is one of the most social and helpful around. But there are others, like some in nullsec, that are unforgiving, trash-talking, gank-traps. It really depends on where you choose your community, but there isn't one coherent community per se.

Also: Brendan, if this is your screenshot, does that mean you have Goons set neutral? Yikes! :) Set red!

Salvage drones: Yes. Yes please.