Cross-faction trash talking on carebear alts
by Mike Schramm 
Sep 5th 2007 at 11:03AM
blueskydei on WoW LJ learned the best reason for doing PvP on a PvE server: cross-faction trash talking. Yep, there's nothing more classy than getting ganked (or ganking), and then logging on to a different toon just to start something up. I'm embarrassed to say that I've been a part of it before-- I can't remember if it was me that logged to chat with a gnome Rogue that I started fighting with, or if he logged in to chat with me, but either way it, as usual, didn't end well: threats of level 70 alts ensued, and I even had one of his guildies sending trash talk tells to me. Ah, carebear PvP.Is there a way to avoid this? And even if there is, do we want to? As frustrating as random ganking can be, cross-faction trash talking is a weird but strangely effective way of getting back-- you may not be able to actually take on that high level Mage that took out your accidentally flagged lowbie alt, but at least you can give him a good talking to, right?
As you can probably tell, I'm not proud that I did it, and 90% of the time, I just give up and move on. Logging out to temporarily break Blizzard's language barrier is more trouble than it is anything else, so these days even if I am unfairly ganked, I just shrug and move on. But every once in a while, you can't help but log an alt and give that guy a piece of your mind.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, PvP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Smurk Sep 5th 2007 11:26AM
This post reminds me that, in my opinion, the inability of the factions to communicate with each other will be one of the features that kills WOW (one day, in the semi-distant future).
Slayblaze Sep 5th 2007 11:39AM
Well if cross faction chat ever WAS enabled then it better have its own channel so it can be turned off and ignored. I shudder to think of the inanity that would ensue if full cross faction chat became a reality.
God, the general chat even WITHIN faction is so incredibly juvenile and ridiculous as it is now that to have cross faction added to it really WOULD kill the game imo.
CVJ Sep 5th 2007 11:47AM
@2 I totally agree with you on that one, not having the ability to talk cross faction prevents this but also makes the other side seem not "real" I guess.
I used to have two accounts on my pvp server because I wanted to play horde as well as alliance. I was getting corpse camped by a horde rogue, I logged in my horde alt and told him I was going to lunch so he might be waiting a while. "Oh um yeah...uh sorry" was his answer. People act sheepish or childish but either way not being able to communicate allows people to do what they want without fear of retribution.
Trunade Sep 5th 2007 11:46AM
Resolution Simple: /ignore
YPEELS40 Sep 5th 2007 12:00PM
I use to be the guy ganking lowbies and logging on a trial account to talk to horde. Pvp On a pvp server
Candina@WH Sep 5th 2007 12:00PM
On this topic. I have been thinking for a while, why not make alliance/horde languages secondary skills you can 'level' up? Eventually getting to the point whre you can actually communicate with 'the enemy' people. Something like /dwarven Go F' yourself. At a low level it comes out 'me love you long time short stuff' ;-)
What do people think?
Mythor Sep 5th 2007 12:03PM
"But every once in a while, you can't help but log an alt and give that guy a piece of your mind."
You can help it if you're not a douchebag?
Every time you do it to someone you're just encouraging them to both continue doing whatever it was that made you respond in that manner in the first place, and encouraging others to do what you do next time something happens to them.
Doing it 10% of the time is 10% too often. I don't expect one person not doing it anymore will magically solve the problem, but if you're aware that it *is* a problem, why would you perpetuate it?
Trinh Sep 5th 2007 12:11PM
how do you even get ganked on a pve server in the first place.
Ryan Squires Sep 5th 2007 12:25PM
Join a PvP server, where you can't have cross-faction alts. Problem solved.
Melenor Sep 5th 2007 12:18PM
@5: interesting concept, but we all know it'd never float with Blizzard.
@6: they've now made it where you can't whisper people if you're not on their friends list with trial accounts.
@7: sounds like you play Horde - you're so angry.
simplehiker Sep 5th 2007 12:18PM
I can't think of anything more lame for you to do while sitting in your mother's basement. Occasionally on the PVP server I play we get 3111t D00dz that has 2 accounts just so he can login and talk trash about WG or something equally as lame. All it does is seal the deal that your a total douche bag.
Chubtug Sep 14th 2007 9:19AM
"But every once in a while, you can't help but log an alt and give that guy a piece of your mind."
Sorry Mike, I have no such urge to text anyone on the opposing side.
Next time you lose fight to someone who jumps in while you're fighting something else, or outlevels or outnumbers you, just remember that they probably *NEED* that advantage.
Truth is, if someone logged on claiming to be the alt/bud of some alliance I just killed, to whine, insult, cry or whatever, I would be laughing my rear off. That's nothing more than positive reinforcement for the action.
The .001% of the time that the other side has anything even remotely insightful to say, it doesn't make up for hearing 99.999% of the verbal tripe you have to endure.
andrea Sep 5th 2007 12:30PM
while i am not usually flagged on a pve server, many time i have an escort nps, who is flagged, get killed near completion. interestingly, if i log onto the other faction and thank them for being a jerk -- they are not on, they log off to run away and hide.
so, i dunno if cross faction talking would make a pvp server worse -- but seems people might avoid ganking more if they thought someone could publicly call them a puss for it.
Scadam Sep 5th 2007 12:52PM
"how do you even get ganked on a pve server in the first place."
It's quite avoidable, but here's a popular trick the alliance children use on my server:
- Challenge horde member to a duel
- Cancel/lose duel and immediately flag yourself
- Hordies next attack flags him
- Pathetic friends dogpile the hordie
Sadly most people will refuse to accept cross-faction duel requests anymore. Duels used to be the only way to make mouthy alliance put up or shut up. Nothing beat dropping a duel flag on a hopping spitting alliance member and watching him realize he has no testicles after all. Unfortunately they've found a way to turn duels into the norm for alliance pvp - if it isn't 3v1 we're too scared to fight...
Crypt King Sep 5th 2007 1:01PM
@ Scadam
"how do you even get ganked on a pve server in the first place."
It's quite avoidable, but here's a popular trick the horde children use on my server:
- Challenge alliance member to a duel
- Cancel/lose duel and immediately flag yourself
- Alliance next attack flags him
- Pathetic friends dogpile the alliance member
Sadly most people will refuse to accept cross-faction duel requests anymore. Duels used to be the only way to make mouthy horde put up or shut up. Nothing beat dropping a duel flag on a hopping spitting horde member and watching him realize he has no testicles after all. Unfortunately they've found a way to turn duels into the norm for horde pvp - if it isn't 3v1 we're too scared to fight...
Yeah have the same thing on my server, and the reason I don't duel cross-faction Horde. God I love the elitest Honorable Horde vs. Alliance BS
Crypt King Sep 5th 2007 1:03PM
Oh and to add, they had Cross-Faction in Beta for a bit, and removed it to reduce the ability to Trash Talk.
Scylloga Sep 5th 2007 2:09PM
On my serve (rppvp) there are severeal people with access/have multiple accounts. So the trash talk doesnt stop just becasue its a pvp server.
fo example about a week ago a friend was on her level 19 twink in org goofing off in a deviate delight line dance when a guy whispers to her "any last words?" Se respond with "yeah get to 70 noob." And wit htat she was one shotted and the rogue vanished and went back into hiding.
It was run flaring everything in site and causing him to have to run around and not be able to talk trash on his alt. Eventually he was killed too many times and logged out.
Sealink Sep 5th 2007 2:25PM
I have used trial account alts to cross-faction thank other players for not owning my face. I play a holy support-specced undead priest, and I leveled her as such. Soloing was difficult. I like to MC buff Alliance, and now that I'm level 70, I like to hunt lowbies and buff them. I'm a carebear, but I know that my random acts of carebear will be remembered longer than "that @#$! that camped me"- there's zillions of those and I'm probably the only carebear that's helped them.
Strongmark on Arthas Sep 5th 2007 3:03PM
No, pvp servers should not have cross faction chat. That is why PVE servers exist. So you can logon to the other side and harrass people.
World PVP should be encouraged, but if anything, I would prefer that there is some sort of penalty for killing someone 10+ levels below you. If your enemy is grey, the gank should be penalized. Only because you know you will win the battle. Unless you suck that much. I guess you could get ganged up on... I dunno, I hate getting ganked, but there are ways for retribution in my eyes.
Karl Sep 5th 2007 4:19PM
Its funny listening to a person talk trash on WoW. I usually imagine a 600lb, 25-yr old 5'3" virgin with pimples talking about how absolutely badass he is, while wheezing for breath because he just got too excited while typing.