Boards›Player Behavior

"Feeding" is not an insult

The Ecdysiast·5/11/2017, 8:37:30 PM·5 votes·765 views

If you by chance don't now normal video game terminology, and find it offensive when someone points out the fact you are feeding, then you need to go onto google and search up all the terms you're unfamiliar with for such games.

Examples of phrases that are by no means toxic or reportable, "bot is feeding," "the enemy bot lane is fed" "our top laner fed the enemy's" "the jungler has fed a lane"

There is only one objective meaning to these words: someone was killed by an enemy multiple times.

Any assumption that this implies harassment is completely subjective, and not admissible as reason to report a player. You are responsible for any emotions that arise from your incorrect interpretation of clear gaming terms. It also makes you look like a pansy when you whine about it.

Edit: To address the counterargument that it's harassment if it's used that way: no, it is not. Even if used in conjunction with other things, like, "wow, you should uninstall the game and kys," then the mention that they fed is still not the part that is harassment. If a player is mentioning k/d/a in an attempt to hurt someone's feelings, then it's most likely other things they say will in fact be against the rules. But simply mentioning it is by no means harassment. And here's the nail in the coffin as proof that it doesn't just become harassment because you feel it is: https://support.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/201752884-Reporting-a-Player "2) DO NOT REPORT A SUMMONER FOR USING STRONG BUT NON-DEROGATORY TERMS TO EMPHASIZE AN EVENT IN THE GAME" The example given is, "that tower fucked my harder than the entire Demacian navy."

Repeating the fact does not make it derogatory. Additional words may be derogatory, like if you add to it by saying, "you fucking suck at Tristana, how did you feed an adc Darius?" But "Tristana fed Darius," is not. Riot removed the Spam report a while ago, so even spamming dragon's respawn timer when your jungler missed the smite is not harassment. Even if your jungler thinks it is.

38 Comments

Makior725/11/2017, 8:43:58 PM4 votes

Context is important too thought. For instance if someone says our top fed, that is factual yes and by itself not an insult. But when it is stated repeatedly throughout a match as is often the case, that can definitely be harassment.

MagicFlyingLlama5/11/2017, 9:23:04 PM3 votes

It is an insult when it is used as one.

Semantics wont get anyone off the hook if they are flaming or harassing someone.

Blåbæret5/11/2017, 8:40:38 PM3 votes

Agree.

Chønklord5/12/2017, 3:55:47 PM2 votes

While I sort of agree with some of your assessment in this post, it's still a very fine and delicate line. Most of the time, pointing out a teammate is feeding is a form of harassment, or becomes harassment.

The reason why, is because there generally no good, valid reason to point out a teammate has been feeding the enemy (unintentionally) to the team or that player.

Now, I do agree with the part of communicating with the team about an enemy player being 'fed', but there's really no reason to start saying the source of the feeding.

It's essentially finger pointing / shaming / blaming.

Jo0o5/11/2017, 8:50:17 PM2 votes

You're broadly correct, but that doesn't mean it can't piss somebody off.

If I'm 0/3 or 0/4 and getting camped, pointing out that I'm feeding could be tilting and doesn't especially help me out.

I mean, what's your intent at pointing out that somebody is feeding? If there's a strategic purpose for sharing that information, then by all means. But if you just want to make somebody feel bad while outside the reach of the report system... then you're kinda a dick.

GreatWhiteNorth5/13/2017, 7:39:10 PM1 votes

Wow. Someone deleted my post!

In bronze, I've experienced consistent comebacks from this behaviour. Sometimes it even leads to the jungler ganking the feeding person's lane so they can recover their farming somewhat.

The point is, people who get mad over descriptions of their mistakes are missing the point - these things help the team to coordinate a recovery and the team then will often come up with a solution once the problem is known.

Thresh (support)> Looks like Swain fed Yasuo. (Pings danger on top)

Warwick> Swain just hug turret. (planning to gank but needs easy one cause swain is fed. Remember people don't have much time to type)

Top backs off, avoiding making Swain's life worse.

Now imagine if Swain decides that this communication has anything to do with him, personally. He decides to int, flame and throw. This is toxic. And frankly, people who think they need to carry every game tend to engage in this behaviour either way.

If Swain is sane and listens to Warwick, then warwick is able to set up a strong gank due to swain being by his turret. It doesn't matter who gets the kill, Swain will get time to freefarm and close that gap. And a fed warwick on a cocky yasuo can gank lanes that are doing better and turn the tide of the game.

GreatWhiteNorth5/13/2017, 11:54:24 AM1 votes

I might add that mentioning that I fed, or someone else fed warns others to counterbuild, etc. This is the primary use.