I play a bright wizard in WAR. For months folks complained about an ability called Rain of Fire (an AOE ability). Used in conjunction with a few broken tactics it was simply lethal when multiple BWs stacked these — a game changer. It wasn’t in my rotation so I rarely used it. Despite all the clamor I chose not to use ad nauseum knowing what it could do. I caught some flack from friends but to me it wasn’t me actually playing well, rather I was using something that wasn’t working properly and winning because of that.

Many BWs relied on this spell and often that was all they’d use. It wasn’t banned by Mythic but was surely broken yet plenty of BWs spammed it to death. It’s been fixed but the other faction was screaming to high heaven about it — the player community crying out about something everyone knew wasn’t working as intended. Some folks take that road and justify it by what you said … it’s within the game and not labeled an exploit, so it’s okay.

Especially when they start getting massive flak they should think about it.

This is when jerks engage dick-mode and even try to justify their behaviour by writing a research paper about it. Really, someone from his own university should rip this paper apart, it is a shame to academia.

I don’t rightly know, but I also think it’s safe to assume studies by groups/analysts/individuals have already studied this aspect(maybe even to death).

I would have found this much more interesting 5 years ago.

I read his article and well … what can you say. He didn’t play the way others in game felt he should play. And in the end they shunned him from the community even though he stayed within the bounds of the game’s design.

I’ve never played CoX but I’m assuming it is primarily PvE by the fact that players would farm in the PvP zone rather than actually PvP. He tried to make them PvP and for the most part they didn’t like it. He beat them using a tactic frowned upon but still within the rules of the game. Whether it showed high level of skill the end result was: he won. That’s the point of the zone, right?

I’m sure every MMO has a few players that others do not like. Those that “need” on every loot drop even if it’s not for their class. Healers who don’t heal or rez players lying right at their feet. Players who always seem to beat other players (they must be hacking).

Was an interesting read and shows the diverse reactions players have responding to Twixt.