If you want to sign up for Star Citizen, I’d appreciate you using my referral code (STAR-SFCP-2TJ4); we’ll both get free shit for it, and if you buy a game package during the free-fly (which ends Dec. 3) we both get extra free shit!
There’s a certain irony in someone like me – a gamer who almost always plays solo – making the claim that communities in games matter, but hear me out; This isn’t a new position for me, and just to affirm it, I actually work in the online community space for a living.
I’ve been a chronically ill and chronically online individual for a very long time now. I’m 42 years old, and have frequently found unique relationships online. The days of IRC were an adventure, for sure; While you would be able to interact with a lot of interesting people in online communities, there was also a lot of toxicity (look up – but DON’T LOOK AT – Goatse).
Modern online communities aren’t all that different now, but they are still relevant, and – in the online gaming space – a frequent source of positivity.
I play Star Citizen. I have been a backer since 2017. Star Citizen is the perfect example of the duality of online communities, and how – like in meatspace – curating your circle of folks you interact with makes it an exceptionally positive experience.
There’s a general guideline when you play Star Citizen: Hit F12 (or, in my case, ) as soon as you log in to save your sanity. In some ways this is absolutely true; There can be some horrific opinions that get expressed – like an infected anus – in SC’s chat. That’s why – when I’m focusing on something specific – I tend to toggle chat off so I can focus and not get pissed off at some bigot spouting verbal diarrhea.
I instead find my community in Star Citizen from outside areas. YouTube, online forums, and even SC’s official Spectrum forum are usable sources for building relationships. Orgs are also great; I myself finally joined an org this week (LGBT Org FTW), but even non-members can benefit from some orgs.
As an example, an org was giving away golden tickets before the 4.0 wipe (when they would disappear); These golden tickets could be redeemed so you could buy the (then exclusive) Anvil F8C Lightning fighter.
The F8C? That was my favorite fighter in the game, and I still hadn’t found a golden ticket.
They hooked me up, no questions asked, no favors required, no membership needed.
Probably more incredibly is something that happened just a week ago to me.
I was talking with some folks about the Asgard ship, and how I was going to start saving my aUEC (the currency in Star Citizen) to pick one up in-game.
A person messaged me and offered to outright gift me a pledge – paid for with real money – for the Asgard. I of course accepted, and anxiously awaited this gift.
Not only did they give me a goddamned Asgard, but they gave me the Asgard + Nova Tank & Valhalla paint package that was even more limited in availability (and somewhere around $400 USD).. So, when I say I have a tonk, I mean I literally have the tonk in the hero of this piece (which, I have to say, makes me fucking giggle every time I drive it, even though SC doesn’t really have much gameplay for tanks yet).
The value of community in online games doesn’t even have to be related to such grand gestures; I’ve written about this previously on Ghost Gamer News about how coop gameplay benefits solo players.
I myself have given a number of rides across the ‘verse, warned (and been warned) of bugged ASOP terminal locations where the NPC guards are going fucking apeshit shooting all over the place, and even occasionally tossed some credits to randos in the chat who are just a little short of picking up that brand new ship in-game.
These interactions far outweigh the toxicity that most online games tend to have, and given that we’re in the holiday season.. Maybe take a moment to interact with your fellow gamers?
Even if it’s something as small as unmuting chat for a bit and answering a newbie’s questions, these interactions help foster a much more positive space and drown out the bad shit.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a tonk to giggle in.