So, the other day I got on Runescape to do some Slayer. Figured it was a good use of my Mad May Necklace and it’s my favorite way to train combat. Hoping to make both 99 Attack and Hitpoints before July. I have less than 1m xp to go in each.

Anyways, I log in to finish my greater demon task in Kuradal’s dungeon and within a minute a mage there with the polypore staff asks,

“Please hop.”

I say, “Why?”

Them, “I kill them really fast.”

And then we’re both quiet for awhile. We both go on killing them for a bit not hindering each other (there were plenty of greater demons there). Then he says,

“I kill 3 you kill 1 lol”

I say, “Yea, everyone knows these are weak to magic.”

I had also looked him up and he had 99 magic, so of course he’ll kill them faster than me with my whip and 81 strength. Mind you, I have 99 Defence, 98 Hitpoints, 98 Attack, and 92 Range. So it’s not like I was way below him. He was only a few levels higher than me.

Anyways, we both continued again for sometime without hindering each other. By now I had about 25 demons to go. Then I noticed he started attacking other demons before he was done with his current one (he was a good distance away from them so he was able to). By now you probably know where this is going.

In a few moments he sat down by a portal door and torch so that the demons couldn’t reach him.

Them, “I’ll be back in 5 minutes lol have fun”

“Right…” I thought to myself. He had half-killed all but one or two of the demons, obviously wanting me to waste my task and kill the rest. I only had 20 left, but why should I let him steal half my xp and all my drops? So I went to another world. Was only one guy on the new world and he didn’t have any problem with me being there. We were both killing them and there were still enough to support at least one more person (and this guy was about my level).

Once my task was finished I trotted out to Kuradal and asked for another one; Black Dragons. Cool, nice…whatever. Don’t mind them either way really. They’re easy enough to range with my ranged level though their drops are usually lacking. Those thoughts aside, I went to the bank, changed to my ranging gear and then home ported / waypointed to Taverly and went down into the dungeon.

I get to the black dragons and there’s one guy there. No problem, I can share the two spawns. Heck, you can only kill one at a time. So I settle into the spawn by the earth obelisk and get a good 10 kills in or so. I think the other guy talked to me a little but that was it. Didn’t even ask about the spawns, just did the usual thing of sticking to his spawn. After a few minutes a guy (girl actually, I think, that is, female character) came down and stood near me by the obelisk.

I can’t remember exactly how the conversation went but it was something like this.

Them, “Leave lol”

Me (while killing a dragon), “Why?

“You’re in my spot.”

Me (picking up my drop), “You could hop too.”

I attacked the dragon when it respawned, they didn’t even try.

“Nah lol don’t need to *****”

Me (picking up my drop, again), “I might leave if you were to ask.”

“Lol GTFO don’t need to ask :)”

Yes, they really did use a smiley face.

Me (attacking another yet again, this time they tried but failed), “Attitude like that won’t work.”

“***** your funny one lol”

Me (picking up my drop, for a third time, “Hmm, I have to go anyway. Guess you get the spot. Have fun.”

“Lol ****** have fun :)”

Dinner actually was ready, so I did need to go. Would have been funny to continue it though since he hadn’t beaten me yet. When I got back I logged onto to another world. Mind you, my normal home worlds are 48 and 138. I only hop when needed for certain things, like this. Anyways, I log onto the world and find two guys killing them, sharing spawns like normal. Since it was full I just move to another one. On that world I also find two but say a little something before leaving,

“Hmm, Black dragons are full tonight I guess.”

Them, “Huh?”

“I’ve been to a few worlds tonight and they’ve all been full.”

“Oh lol”

“Guess I’ll keep searching. Have fun.”

“k, lol”

And I log and jump to another world.

Next world I find two guys fighting them. One meleeing and one ranging. Everyone so far had been ranging them. The guy who was ranging said Hi so I said Hey back. We then talked a little bit about ranging. He said he was new to it and was impressed with my range level. He was level 80 range or so and 100 something combat, decent fella. We had a nice, quick, chat while he killed a few dragons. He asked for some tips so I gave him some. Namely, that he should use broad bolts instead of emerald tipped ones. We parted on good terms and I left.

Soon I found a world with no one and was able to hunt fine until I had to get off.

Moral?

So what’s the point of all this?
Well, it could be a number of things. I know most of you might be thinking that this is a game, so people are naturally rude, ignorant, and mean. But I would ask you, why? Why do they have to be? I’ve been playing Runescape for over 8 years and I’ve never acted like the majority do; swearing, insulting, etc. Granted, I was raised differently than most but I don’t think that’s entirely it. I know lots of people both in games and in real life who are courteous, respectful, and kind. Was I just lucky enough to find them and no one else has been able to find those kinds of people who they can model their mien after? It seems unlikely that the people are that rare and that I was that lucky. Specially since I never win anything, not even on the wheel of Failtune.

So why are people like that? Well I think it’s mainly because of the attitude in today’s world: Me, Me, Me (and sometimes Myself and I, too). Gotta be the first in line, gotta be the first to have the new phone, gotta be the first to have the new game, gotta this, gotta that. Do you? Do you have to kill that monster before me, or the other guy? Why is finishing YOUR task more important than Bob finishing HIS, or me finishing MINE? It’s like when someone speeds by you on the road. “Wow, is getting to that red stoplight half a second before me REALLY that helpful to you?”

Would you rather get to your goal 1% faster than me and be rude, mean, and obnoxious?
Or would you rather we finish at the same time, eh, maybe even you finished a little slower, BUT we had a nice, friendly, conversation and we’re even friends now. You know what as well? We both gave each other a t ip too and now we both play more efficiently.

Which would you rather do? Neither option is guaranteed (though the former is a very common thing everywhere nowadays).

But, does Runescape actually make this behavior worse? I don’t think so, specifically. I think Runescape, or almost any multiplayer game, just creates an outlet to allow that behavior to surface. Continued use of that behavior, though, makes it grow. Just as playing a sport more or playing a FPS more makes you better at it, so does continuing to use certain behavior or act a certain way make you more likely and ‘better’ (rather, more experienced) in that behavior.

Change?

Do the people that act that way want to change? Don’t know. I think it’s more of they don’t know they’re doing it, or don’t know people dislike it. Remember that old adadge, “Treat others as you would like to be treated”? Yeap, well it’s true. You get what you give. Give rudeness, arrogance, and jump into anger immediately, and you’ll get it back. Give kindness, politeness, and courtesy, and you’ll receive it back.

In Closing…

Now I might sound like an old fuddy duddy, but it works. Next time someone gets big mouthed with you just try being polite. It’ll drive them crazy trying to figure out how to reply and why you aren’t flaming them back. Trust me, their frustration at your calmness is almost worth it in and of itself.