By Chaz Hamilton
League Wars presents the heroes and their leagues an opportunity to show off their prowess on the battlefield. Two teams enter the battlefield each round. One comes out victorious and one defeated. That is the nature of competition. There is a winner and there is a loser.
Behind the scenes, there is a great deal that goes unseen to get to into creating a strong league. Leagues are not randomly assigned, they are built. And, given time, these leagues can become sources of friendship outside of the glitz and glamor on the battlefield.
One such example is the relationship between the Avengers. Recently, they have rallied around one of their members while he had dealt with some tough personal issues. They show support for him and even had a special gift made for him featuring the attached photo. Not only that, there have been several posts of AVENGER Comics covers shared on the Heroes Rising Players page that display art featuring the characters created by the players. Time and effort is spent on building a great team culture. Their "Hail Hydra" is shouted as a rallying cry between them.
Is this a status shared by only this one league? I hope not.
With the fun of fighting, I think it must also be considered that their are people behind the characters. Seeing a person only through an image on the screen or as a set of numbers to contribute to a league build sometimes causes people to be callous and not considerate of the other players in the game.
My concern is that some new players are lost in the shuffle and lose interest because they are not treated well. In fact, Ask "Auntie" Acid (A column by Krystal Fae in the Fiction Forum) has a post about the very subject of a new player trying to fit in and feeling shunned by existing players.
The truth is, not every player is out there to make friends or build lasting relationships. Some are out for themselves and what they can get for their character. The shiny new belt for their avatar. The kick-ass Power Cards. A new piece of gear. The self-satisfaction of being able to defeat others. Their league is cutthroat when it comes to booting members who aren't meeting the narrow standards of membership.
I can remember several complaints from players just before or after last league war who were unceremoniously sent packing without warning or notification.
What kind of reputation does your league have? Do it cull without warning or show respect to the player by giving notification first?
Online, as this game is played, it is often easier to make enemies than friends. And by friends, I do not mean those listed under your "FRIENDS" tab that give your character access to more usable powers. I mean friends you may converse with, share the fun of writing a collaborative story with, friends you share common interests outside of the game with, friends who might even send you that special surprise that makes your day or take the time out to wish you a Happy Birthday.
I cannot offer an exact explanation for why the Avengers seem to display such a tight bond as a group, as I am not a member. What I can say is I admire the loyalty they display. I am sure that the ties that bind them have been forged over time, but what other actions built their organization, I can only guess at what those might be.
What I can suggest is the following to help build better relationships with other players:
1) Communication is key. Use the various messaging systems in the game of on Facebook, but remember, it may take time for responses to return to you do to different time zones and personal schedules. In your leagues, make use of the Comm system to broadcast a message, or use a private message group chat on Facebook. Be clear with your messages to avoid poor communications that lead to confusion about plans, and if you don't understand something said, ask questions for clarity.
2) During league wars, Team Leaders can message their opponent team and wish them a good fight (the online version of a handshake). After the battle, be gracious and offer a message that acknowledges the effort during the battle. Showing respect earns respect.
3) Put some of yourself into the game. Participate in offered events, such as the Coloring or Fan-Fiction contests. Give praise to those who do by making a comment of appreciation, or hit the like button at least.
4) Know where the line is between "chest-thumping" and belittling is. There was a fair amount of back and forth and rip-poking after last league war about the whole issue of what GW stood for. Since then, I haven't seen many posts from that organization. Were some people offended and stopped communicating on the Players Page due to it?
5) Snark is often fun, but we should also remember as players to be kind. I have to say, that I am often very impress by those who help lower level players by stripping off their gear and giving away Bux to those who attack them. What can you do for the benefit of other players to keep the community growing? Are you doing it?
6) As always, treat others as you would like to be treated. It is easy to be less sensitive online, which means it takes more effort to ensure your actions are seen as you mean for them to be interpreted. What may seem simple to you might come off as dismissive to the recipient.
I'll get off my soapbox now and let you get back to your regularly scheduled gaming. I hope my thoughts inspire you to think about how we can continue to improve the community of the game and keep it around for years to come. Maybe even putting those thoughts into action.
As always, best of luck to all players and leagues during League Wars: Haunted Heroes.
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