<?xml version="1.0"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd">
<channel>
<title>Massively</title>
<link>http://massively.joystiq.com</link>
<description>Massively</description>
<image>
<url>http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif</url>
<title>Massively</title>
<link>http://massively.joystiq.com</link>
</image>
<language>en-us</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.</copyright>
<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Potential avenues for MMO companies to deal with griefers]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/potential-avenues-for-mmo-companies-to-deal-with-griefers/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/potential-avenues-for-mmo-companies-to-deal-with-griefers/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/potential-avenues-for-mmo-companies-to-deal-with-griefers/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/game-mechanics/" rel="tag">Game mechanics</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2009/05/grieffacepalm225.jpg" />Ah, the MMO griefer. Most of us have encountered them, or been them, at some point. It can be frustrating to deal with but griefing in MMOs is enabled by the very nature of most online interaction -- anonymity -- and there's not much that can be done about that. Or is there? Much has been written on eliminating griefing before, and will continue to be written we're sure, but <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Allen%20Varney">Allen Varney at The Escapist</a> has a different take on handling griefers. <br /><br />Varney writes, <em>"The motive to block and frustrate griefers masks what might be a great opportunity. Can we distract would-be griefers? Can we make the game so unpleasant for them they leave voluntarily? Sure. But go further: Could we turn griefers, despite themselves, to productive ends?"</em> His article "<a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_200/6032-Wanted-Ganked-or-Alive">Wanted: Ganked or Alive</a>" points out how the behavior of griefers is something that can be predicted and exploited.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/potential-avenues-for-mmo-companies-to-deal-with-griefers/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Potential avenues for MMO companies to deal with griefers</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/potential-avenues-for-mmo-companies-to-deal-with-griefers/">Potential avenues for MMO companies to deal with griefers</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Tue, 05 May 2009 17:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_200/6032-Wanted-Ganked-or-Alive>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/potential-avenues-for-mmo-companies-to-deal-with-griefers/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1537286/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/potential-avenues-for-mmo-companies-to-deal-with-griefers/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>age-of-conan</category><category>allen-varney</category><category>eve-online</category><category>game-mechanics</category><category>grief</category><category>griefer</category><category>griefers</category><category>mmo-industry</category><category>opinion</category><category>the-escapist</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[James Egan]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2009 17:00:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
