And, as all good things must, we come to an end. The end of Epic's
holiday give-away, that is. Was it a good thing? Well, there were a
lot of free games. Although maybe even calling it 'a lot' is being
overly generous. Let's just say: there were some free games. But
that's it for now. Epic's going back to their weekly schedule after
this. Can't say I'm disappointed. It's exhausting making all these
announcements!

* Hell Let Loose
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hell-let-loose-03f036
On the one hand, it's a realistic WW2 first-person shooter,
the sort we haven't really seen in a while (honestly, the last
one I remember was "Day of Defeat", anybody else play that?).
Sure, it's an old trope, but it's been a bit since a game like
that has come around, so I wouldn't mind playing it again, with
modern bells-n-whistles. But on the other hand, it's online PVP
only, and with quite a toxic community, so I'm in no rush to
give it a try. What to do, what to do? Maybe... add the game to
the library and just not play it? It's the best of both worlds,
I tell ya!

Is that a way to end a marathon give-away or not? No, really; I'm
asking you. Is that how it should have ended, you think? Anyway, take
your time on this one; you have a full week to claim it, if you want.

Claimed! See you all in a week with another free Epic game. Happy new year too! ;)

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

> And, as all good things must, we come to an end. The end of Epic's
> holiday give-away, that is. Was it a good thing? Well, there were a
> lot of free games. Although maybe even calling it 'a lot' is being
> overly generous. Let's just say: there were some free games. But
> that's it for now. Epic's going back to their weekly schedule after
> this. Can't say I'm disappointed. It's exhausting making all these
> announcements!

> * Hell Let Loose
> https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hell-let-loose-03f036
> On the one hand, it's a realistic WW2 first-person shooter,
> the sort we haven't really seen in a while (honestly, the last
> one I remember was "Day of Defeat", anybody else play that?).
> Sure, it's an old trope, but it's been a bit since a game like
> that has come around, so I wouldn't mind playing it again, with
> modern bells-n-whistles. But on the other hand, it's online PVP
> only, and with quite a toxic community, so I'm in no rush to
> give it a try. What to do, what to do? Maybe... add the game to
> the library and just not play it? It's the best of both worlds,
> I tell ya!

> Is that a way to end a marathon give-away or not? No, really; I'm
> asking you. Is that how it should have ended, you think? Anyway, take
> your time on this one; you have a full week to claim it, if you want.

--
"There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." --Proverbs 21:30. :) NY, but bad end & start 4 this old ant achy tummy since last nite. :(
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )

On Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:06:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

>Is that a way to end a marathon give-away or not? No, really; I'm
>asking you. Is that how it should have ended, you think? Anyway, take
>your time on this one; you have a full week to claim it, if you want.

I'll claim it right now and never play it. Thank you Spalls!

Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:06:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

> >Is that a way to end a marathon give-away or not? No, really; I'm
> >asking you. Is that how it should have ended, you think? Anyway, take
> >your time on this one; you have a full week to claim it, if you want.

> I'll claim it right now and never play it. Thank you Spalls!

Like me. :P
--
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires..." --Ephesians 4:22. It's hard 2 let go of the oldies. Still recovering from :) NYE achy tummy. :(
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )

On Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:06:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>And, as all good things must, we come to an end. The end of Epic's
>holiday give-away, that is. Was it a good thing? Well, there were a
>lot of free games. Although maybe even calling it 'a lot' is being
>overly generous. Let's just say: there were some free games. But
>that's it for now. Epic's going back to their weekly schedule after
>this. Can't say I'm disappointed. It's exhausting making all these
>announcements!
>
>
>* Hell Let Loose
>https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hell-let-loose-03f036
> On the one hand, it's a realistic WW2 first-person shooter,
> the sort we haven't really seen in a while (honestly, the last
> one I remember was "Day of Defeat", anybody else play that?).
> Sure, it's an old trope, but it's been a bit since a game like
> that has come around, so I wouldn't mind playing it again, with
> modern bells-n-whistles. But on the other hand, it's online PVP
> only, and with quite a toxic community, so I'm in no rush to
> give it a try.

How do you know the community is toxic if you haven't even tried
playing it?

This might be worth a read..
https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/comments/1az7osz/why_is_the_community_so_toxic/

Often what's perceived as "toxic" in multiplayer games is simply a
level of "not to my personal liking" that noobs experience when they
briefly try a new competitive online game, but do so with unrealistic
expectations or attitudes.

Competitive multiplayer games (particularly ones that attempt to
submerse the player in a feeling of historical or realistic war
tactics) are not really designed for an audience that wants a "safe
place" where everyone farts rainbows and rides unicorns.

When you have large numbers of people communicating in a game that's
designed for teamwork, there are a number of dynamics that are often
required in order to cull the number of douchebags that haven't
invested time to learn the games culture but have already made up
their mind what that game is... so they join and start trying to play
it "their way", treating it like its their own little gaming world
that they've created through being over exposed to single player games
and not understanding how things work in competitive multiplayer
environments. It's really a per-game thing that varies from title to
title, but generally the more teamwork a game requires, the more there
will be a social expectation in the game to learn to play as a proper
team member and the natural corrections that come with it.

I've found that type of expectation usually what most noobs mean when
they describe a game as "toxic". Either that or the game wasn't made
safe for their consumption by Sweet Baby Inc.

On 1/4/2025 2:57 AM, Rin Stowleigh wrote:
> On Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:06:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> And, as all good things must, we come to an end. The end of Epic's
>> holiday give-away, that is. Was it a good thing? Well, there were a
>> lot of free games. Although maybe even calling it 'a lot' is being
>> overly generous. Let's just say: there were some free games. But
>> that's it for now. Epic's going back to their weekly schedule after
>> this. Can't say I'm disappointed. It's exhausting making all these
>> announcements!
>>
>>
>> * Hell Let Loose
>> https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hell-let-loose-03f036
>> On the one hand, it's a realistic WW2 first-person shooter,
>> the sort we haven't really seen in a while (honestly, the last
>> one I remember was "Day of Defeat", anybody else play that?).
>> Sure, it's an old trope, but it's been a bit since a game like
>> that has come around, so I wouldn't mind playing it again, with
>> modern bells-n-whistles. But on the other hand, it's online PVP
>> only, and with quite a toxic community, so I'm in no rush to
>> give it a try.
>
> How do you know the community is toxic if you haven't even tried
> playing it?
>
> This might be worth a read..
> https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/comments/1az7osz/why_is_the_community_so_toxic/
>
> Often what's perceived as "toxic" in multiplayer games is simply a
> level of "not to my personal liking" that noobs experience when they
> briefly try a new competitive online game, but do so with unrealistic
> expectations or attitudes.
>
> Competitive multiplayer games (particularly ones that attempt to
> submerse the player in a feeling of historical or realistic war
> tactics) are not really designed for an audience that wants a "safe
> place" where everyone farts rainbows and rides unicorns.
>
> When you have large numbers of people communicating in a game that's
> designed for teamwork, there are a number of dynamics that are often
> required in order to cull the number of douchebags that haven't
> invested time to learn the games culture but have already made up
> their mind what that game is... so they join and start trying to play
> it "their way", treating it like its their own little gaming world
> that they've created through being over exposed to single player games
> and not understanding how things work in competitive multiplayer
> environments. It's really a per-game thing that varies from title to
> title, but generally the more teamwork a game requires, the more there
> will be a social expectation in the game to learn to play as a proper
> team member and the natural corrections that come with it.
>
> I've found that type of expectation usually what most noobs mean when
> they describe a game as "toxic". Either that or the game wasn't made
> safe for their consumption by Sweet Baby Inc.

All of which boils down to "Play it our way or else". And how are new
players supposed to invest the time to learn the approved way if they
are immediately being ostracized for not already knowing the approved way?

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On Sat, 4 Jan 2025 10:05:26 -0800, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

>On 1/4/2025 2:57 AM, Rin Stowleigh wrote:
>> On Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:06:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
>> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> And, as all good things must, we come to an end. The end of Epic's
>>> holiday give-away, that is. Was it a good thing? Well, there were a
>>> lot of free games. Although maybe even calling it 'a lot' is being
>>> overly generous. Let's just say: there were some free games. But
>>> that's it for now. Epic's going back to their weekly schedule after
>>> this. Can't say I'm disappointed. It's exhausting making all these
>>> announcements!
>>>
>>>
>>> * Hell Let Loose
>>> https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hell-let-loose-03f036
>>> On the one hand, it's a realistic WW2 first-person shooter,
>>> the sort we haven't really seen in a while (honestly, the last
>>> one I remember was "Day of Defeat", anybody else play that?).
>>> Sure, it's an old trope, but it's been a bit since a game like
>>> that has come around, so I wouldn't mind playing it again, with
>>> modern bells-n-whistles. But on the other hand, it's online PVP
>>> only, and with quite a toxic community, so I'm in no rush to
>>> give it a try.
>>
>> How do you know the community is toxic if you haven't even tried
>> playing it?
>>
>> This might be worth a read..
>> https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/comments/1az7osz/why_is_the_community_so_toxic/
>>
>> Often what's perceived as "toxic" in multiplayer games is simply a
>> level of "not to my personal liking" that noobs experience when they
>> briefly try a new competitive online game, but do so with unrealistic
>> expectations or attitudes.
>>
>> Competitive multiplayer games (particularly ones that attempt to
>> submerse the player in a feeling of historical or realistic war
>> tactics) are not really designed for an audience that wants a "safe
>> place" where everyone farts rainbows and rides unicorns.
>>
>> When you have large numbers of people communicating in a game that's
>> designed for teamwork, there are a number of dynamics that are often
>> required in order to cull the number of douchebags that haven't
>> invested time to learn the games culture but have already made up
>> their mind what that game is... so they join and start trying to play
>> it "their way", treating it like its their own little gaming world
>> that they've created through being over exposed to single player games
>> and not understanding how things work in competitive multiplayer
>> environments. It's really a per-game thing that varies from title to
>> title, but generally the more teamwork a game requires, the more there
>> will be a social expectation in the game to learn to play as a proper
>> team member and the natural corrections that come with it.
>>
>> I've found that type of expectation usually what most noobs mean when
>> they describe a game as "toxic". Either that or the game wasn't made
>> safe for their consumption by Sweet Baby Inc.
>
>All of which boils down to "Play it our way or else". And how are new
>players supposed to invest the time to learn the approved way if they
>are immediately being ostracized for not already knowing the approved way?

By investing time to learn how to be an effective team member before
publicly making an ass out of themselves.

I've been playing these games since they existed and have never seen
hostility toward noobs. Only clueless noobs, know-it-all-noobs,
snow-flake noobs and similar malignants.

Did you read the reddit thread? It's like any other form of teamwork
in life. If you go waltzing into any new social group expecting them
all to conform to your norms, you'll be disappointed. If you do this
consistently throughout your life, you'll just end up a lonely social
reject.