A Theory on "Toxicity"

I'm a casual player, and I love the game. I love the in-depth strategy, the rich utility of characters, and the endless combinations of interactions on the rift. Probably the greatest team-based strategy game ever created. I don't see myself getting as good or experienced as others, but I wish I could, because the game doesn't seem to lose it's playability, ever. There is one major concern that I thought relevant enough to take some time to write about. I thought maybe I could generate some discussion that would lead to some sort of positive reformation, and if not I think at least my curiosity will be satisfied from like-minded people.

I don't know if this is simply exclusive to my experience and I suspect its somewhat correlated to my low and amateur ranking, but the "toxicity" in this game is definitely something holding it back in my opinion. I think it discourages people who are either new or picking the game up again from continuing to play. These could be good people, or bad people. Sometimes it actually even inhibits people from playing very winnable games, causing distraction or simply frustration. Playing with a group of people you know is easily tolerable as "trash talking" communication is pretty much to be expected from opposing team, and is less frequent. Psychologically, it doesn't bother people as much hearing this from the people they are against, as opposed to the people they are trying to work with. The main issue here simply lies with inter-team communication. I've found linking a 3rd party voice chat pre-game often diffuses what could have been a ticking time bomb, as people gravitate towards more ambiguous and possibly aggressive personas behind typed words instead of through vocal chatting. In fact, voice communication may be a solution to this issue altogether. I think its important to offer some sort of solution when bringing up problems, so I figured I'd throw it in, even if futile. I have a fairly experience background in a variety of games that offer voice chat, and have never experienced anything even remotely close to the magnitude and frequency of this "toxicity" on this specific medium. I do realize that the competitive nature of the game, the time investment each game requires with no fair way to implement quitting or leaving and more are variables that dramatically change peoples emotional levels as well. All that being said, I think there is something else that is systematically implemented that can be altered to have a positive effect on this environment.

That is the reporting system. I, myself, cannot recall but a few games in what must amount to over 100 or so now where this topic was brought up in an aggressive way. From my observation, people tend to use this system not only as a tool to improve the community at large, but as a weapon or threat of one. It is beyond very often that I see someone falsely accusing another of action or words to the other team, or lobbying for a report for something unworthy of one by the definitions of developers themselves. I do realize that unsubstantiated reports lead to no punishment, and that false reports can be penalized and thus discouraged by force. However, I do not believe it is enough. I think it takes a strong-minded or simply uncaring person to either mute or ignore these baits, these charades and gymnastics I see in chat to try and illicit responses that may lead to reports themselves. I think it takes a saint to put up with this constant negative energy that pervades every losing side of the battle (yes I lose a lot I suck :)). While it is more prominent in losing, it has tendency to emit from really anyone who feels they are having a unsatisfactory individual performance. I think if someone is unhappy playing the game, they will either "flame" someone (which is reportable), or try to exercise their superiority by manufacturing a scenario where that report is created for the person/s they hold ill-will towards. This is a narrative that seems to strike and change entire game experiences. It can be simply annoying in the short run and debilitating in the long run. I think this also paradoxically makes people retaliate in more aggressive ways, as a sort of display of complete disregard and angst. I think its often just used as a tool for vindication from manipulative and negative people. I think that the majority of people who do receive punishment are simply more weak-minded and not necessarily as "toxic." I don't necessarily think those seeking vindication are even to blame, as it is natural to feel impulses like this in a competitive environment. Basically, the report system is like a game within the game. When the game no longer becomes of interest to people or becomes a negative experience from losing, they resort to permeating that experience into the realm of chat and communications. There it becomes a new game to see who can trigger the other the most and get a report. I think its a catch 22, or some similar paradigm. The reporting exists to eliminate players who have a negative impact onto the playing field, but the presence and potency has run rampant and is being used as a tool to bring everything into a negative connotation.

I know, if I or others can't handle this, we should simply walk away and stop playing. I think theres a chance a lot of people will choose to. I don't think those people should be told to leave, or have to change. Perhaps if reporting cannot be eliminated completely another solution could be to have an internal monitoring of how many reports a certain player generates in their games played, perhaps specifically just within their team. Someone with an abnormally high report frequency would indicate a person who draws this narrative in purposefully, and feels validation and vindication for their troubles. I think that is "toxic" , and should be worthy of some punishment. I realize verbally asking for false-based report and grieving is reportable, but its often subtle and I think uncontrollable to an extent. I simply think that its a vicious cycle. I've found it creeping into my thought processes as well. I have never seen or felt anything like it in a competitive environment.

One thing that makes me happy is I know the community on here for the most part likes to read and analyze these long boring rants, based on how many there are on here. So at least I know someone out there is wasting their time with this like I did. I'm interested to hear if any of you out there experience the same things, and If you feel the same or think I am completely off the mark on this.