Key Quest Rage

[eightbitdimwit]

So I lurk on the main Key Quest forums, and I've noticed a lot of negativity. There's always complaint boards about quitters, stories of people mailing each other with angry messages, suggestions that all quitters should be banned and anytime someone disconnects you should report them in -

 

And I can't help but think, "All this over a Neopets board game? One riddled with errors at that?"

 

I play online games regularly so aggression isn't exactly new to me, but this is one of the last places I expected to find it, especially in these quantities. What's your take on all this? Is all this seething justifiable, or is it a little overboard? Can you take Key Quest and Neopets "too seriously," when you're lashing out at other players?

 

I run Key Quest on a decent computer with a great connection, and even I can't avoid getting booted from games now and then. Without any options to reconnect or refresh, I'm helpless if anything goes wrong. Needless to say I've gotten my fair share of angry messages and report threats directed at me personally, all over minor errors during the middle and early phases of an online game that was designed to be lighthearted and fun. Frustration while gaming is unavoidable, but I think there's a point at which a community becomes so riddled with it that it pushes people apart instead of bringing them together.

[Wembly]

I agree that for the majority of people, their seething is ridiculously exaggerated. At the same time, I understand frustration that people quit. I legitimately played played 7 games in a row one time with most of the games getting through about 15 minutes of play before the other people quit because I was going to win the gold key. :grrr: That was a giant waste of over an hour of my life...

[Alice ☮]

I never get angry when someone quits on me. I do, however, report every single offender. I also only play other green-faced players. And for the record, I don't think that people's agression/anger is unreasonable. I've seen stories of people who were playing 30+ minute games and got quit on as they were going through the door. It's understandable, because not only does it rob them of their rightfully deserved NPs and prizes, it's also a huge waste of time. Most of us can't be on Neopets 24/7, so the time that we do get is valuable.

[Aalnius]

right i have a fairly bad connection at uni so i do risk getting disconnects if someone else in my accom decides to stream movies whilst im playing, but so far i havn't been booted, but i'd find it really unfair if i decided to play keyquest got booted because my connection went and then someone reported me and i got frozen because at the end of the day the prizes for keyquest arn't amazing and if you get so angry about an online gamei think you should probably not play them. also i've had people quit on me on keyquest but i didn't rage and report him i just brushed it off and went to another match

[lils]

if your connection is bad enough that it might make you get booted, i personally think you should just resist and not play. less raging directed at you. play when you have a better connection.

[xSummer]

I do believe that they should get punishment for it. I see it as a form of scamming because if you are about to win and they leave they are scamming you from a key. Also that's time wasted. I only play with friends but even so I haven't played in a year. Prizes were awful for me.

[Batman]

I have a slightly different mentality when playing key quest. I completely understand why people will get mad. When you spend over an hour playing a few games and right as your about to win they leave that is just plain rude. I don't play super often because I get annoyed when it happens. But when someone does leave I just block them. That way I don't have to talk to them ever again and if i start a new game and they show up I can just leave and not have to deal with it (before the game starts of course). I really don't understand the point in leaving a game 1. you don't get anything for your time 2. you are cheating someone else out of there time/prizes 3. it lowers your smiley color so less people will want to play against you. Oh well to each his own i guess.

[Alice ☮]

I just wanted to add a comment about the "unfairness" of people getting booted for valid reasons.

 

Firstly, a typical KQ game can last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes or more. The odds that my opponent should be booted when I'm about to win, and not any time before or after that, are slim. So in my book, anyone who quits when I'm about to win gets reported regardless of neomailed explanations or excuses.

 

Secondly, even if, by chance, they DID get booted when I was about to win, and it was just a very unfortunate accident, it is safe to assume that this doesn't happen often. If it doesn't happen often, then my report will probably stand alone, and have no negative impact on whomever I was playing.

 

Thirdly, if it was NOT an accident, then it probably DOES happen often. And my report will simply be one of many. One of many reports that will lead to them getting warned, suspended, or frozen for their offenses.

 

Lastly, if your computer is SO bad that it boots you out when your opponent is about to win OFTEN, then I can only imagine that you must hardly get through any games at all. If this is the case, then perhaps KQ is not the game for you, since you're time-to-NP ratio is probably very low.

 

These are my views on Key Quest. I don't really care how anyone else handles being quit on, but I will exercise my right to report whenever I see fit.

[Yung]

This entire topic is just the reason for the fact I am in a KQ guild rather than a BD guild. I can play only others in the guild as there are enough of us active almost 24/7 to ensure non-quitter matches. Alternatively you can always go to the KQ forum and make a thread requesting a non-quitter partner. This is a pretty successful way to ensure that whoever you are playing does not quit on you.

[xpinksugarxprincessx]

I admit that I often get booted from KeyQuest, especially when the mini games come up. I rarely, if ever, get angry at people when they quit/are booted from the game and if I'm booted, I always send a neomail apologizing, not because I'm afraid they'll report me but because I feel it's a polite thing to do.

 

The only time I've ever gotten angry at somebody was when it was the very last turn, I was going into the door and they quit at that exact second. I don't feel there's any explanation for that although several were given on the boards, for instance only wanting gold keys. That's not a fair way to play.

 

And I don't think you can take this too seriously because it's taking up valuable time I could be using for something else. I take that 20 minutes I play for nothing seriously. ;)

[barkie]

I also am guilty of being angry when I am playing my last move for a gold key after having been losing the whole game time and the other player leaves the game. I now have a list of the ones that have done this to me and so if they come up as opponents I just leave before the game starts. On a brighter note I once managed to move only a total of 10 spaces for a whole game and the person I was playing neomailed me to say thank you for not quitting on her. I have had computer woes in a game myself, but I always try to neomail the other(s) and explain.I think that if we work on the way we would like to be treated, it would not include quitting when we cannot win..Most of the Quitters cannot be neomailed as it is set to NFs only or the user is under 13 etc

[BabylonianShadows93]

I just wanted to add a comment about the "unfairness" of people getting booted for valid reasons.

 

Firstly, a typical KQ game can last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes or more. The odds that my opponent should be booted when I'm about to win, and not any time before or after that, are slim. So in my book, anyone who quits when I'm about to win gets reported regardless of neomailed explanations or excuses.

 

Secondly, even if, by chance, they DID get booted when I was about to win, and it was just a very unfortunate accident, it is safe to assume that this doesn't happen often. If it doesn't happen often, then my report will probably stand alone, and have no negative impact on whomever I was playing.

 

Thirdly, if it was NOT an accident, then it probably DOES happen often. And my report will simply be one of many. One of many reports that will lead to them getting warned, suspended, or frozen for their offenses.

 

Lastly, if your computer is SO bad that it boots you out when your opponent is about to win OFTEN, then I can only imagine that you must hardly get through any games at all. If this is the case, then perhaps KQ is not the game for you, since you're time-to-NP ratio is probably very low.

 

These are my views on Key Quest. I don't really care how anyone else handles being quit on, but I will exercise my right to report whenever I see fit.

 

I completely agree with this. If they just quit just before I go through the door, I immediately assume they were sore losers and didn't want to admit that they lost. I once went against the same person in two games and they quit those two times. I don't think that's just a mere coincidence. I report them if its obvious that they quit because they weren't going to get a gold key. I agree with everyone else who believe that they should get punished.

[Lozzie]

I play on a very bad connection, so I do not play Key Quest often. However, when I do, thusfar I've had no specific problems of getting booted from the game, but I am always worried that it'll happen. If it were to, though, I would like to think that it would be a very slim chance that it happens right at the last second of the game, and more likely to happen part of the way through it.

 

 

if your connection is bad enough that it might make you get booted, i personally think you should just resist and not play. less raging directed at you. play when you have a better connection.

Just because you have a bad connection, regardless of your time to np ratio, if you enjoy playing it when why on earth should you be removed of that right? Not everyone can afford a good computer or more so a good internet connection.

However, if that is to happen often, then I would recommend posting on the forum looking for people to play, but warning that there is a likelihood of you getting disconnected. Then, whoever chooses to play you is aware of this, and won't mistaken it for cheating.

 

Afterall, what I can't seem to understand with people who do quit right at the very end of the game, it's not just the other person's time that you are wasting, but your own. By just letting the game complete, you can collect neopoints, and in a 5 key, 2 player game, the least you will get is a silver key, and you can still recieve some decent amount of np from the prizes you recieve for that. Afterall, each day you are only limited by the keys that you use, not the keys you collect?

 

At the end of the day, I do believe that if it happens to you specificially as you are winning, you are within your right to report them. That way if the person who quit is a regular offender, then something will be done about it. If they are not and it happened coincidentally, then it's only one report against you thus is likely nothing will come of it.

 

Me, personally, I like to set games up with people, so I'm in constant contact with them over the boards/neomail before/after our games. That way if something does go wrong, we can work it out. Playing with strangers, you don't always understand what they are doing/ what is going on, so misconceptions can occur if someone loses connection/quits the game.

 

Although there are a lot of people who intentionally quit, which leads to frustrated players, if you don't want it to happen then set up a game with someone else who doesn't want it to happen (there are plenty people complaining about it on the boards to do so). I also believe there are far too many players because of this, who are too trigger happy with the report button, and even if the person who quits is winning, or even after less than one move, will still report them because "OMGZ they quit on me/wasted my time".

 

 

At the end of the day what I'm trying to say is, yes. Quitters are bad. But the people against quitters can also be just as bad, and be ignorant to the fact that yes, internet browsers can crash and other things, especially with such a high demanding game.

[SurrealSadi]

The only time I ever quit in KeyQuest is when the computer I'm using decides that running the game is a hassle and I can barely play the mini games. Basically, if I want to play, I have to play right away when I get on the computer or laptop.

[Miriam]

I quit before (twice) out of anger...I was a Key Quest noob back then but now I know better. It's so frustrating when people quit on me so I can't imagine what I made others feel...

[BabylonianShadows93]

I quit before (twice) out of anger...I was a Key Quest noob back then but now I know better. It's so frustrating when people quit on me so I can't imagine what I made others feel...

 

I think almost everyone has done it at least once but once you experience it for yourself, you understand how it feels to spend your time on the game for nothing...especially when it happens to you on a daily basis. <_<

 

Sorry about the double post. My computer is being mean to me today. >.<

 

Neomysterion edit: Taken care of.

[BreathofAir]

I have a pretty slow connection and once I was playing with someone (and I was losing) then my computer disconnected. But then I neomailed the person I was playing with to explain so usually if it's by accident, I neomail them.

 

But yes, I have rage quit once or twice because it just gets to frustrating. LOL

[Vivies]

I almost wish they would take the mini games out of Key Quest. It's such an annoyance, but it guess it ups the ante.

[poisonouschicken]

I hate the mini games.

 

I quit once due to a bad connection and the person wouldn't stop neomailing me with thinly veiled insults even after I explained the situation. Honestly.

[barkie]

Where and how do I report those that quit as I am taking my last square to home in Keyquest I am not sure what link I should use...

[Sakabato]

I really despise the mini-games as well, it is why I'm bad at it.

[ChrystalAOH]

Key Quest seems to be laggier than most online games for me. I've played many FPS without lag but KQ still lags more than them D:

[Zorse]

I feel that a lot of the rage comes from frustration from the game. There are so many problems with the game (at least for me anyway), along with the fact that people want to play 10 games a day which can take forever while playing with strangers. Add players being sour and quitting because they're not going to win, and you get some extremely frustrated players. Most people don't have time to spend hours just trying to get a few keys, so I completely understand where their frustration comes from. Time is an important thing and it's just not fun to have it wasted, even if you're just playing a game.

 

The frustration just isn't worth it to me. I have a friend who I play with only. So much easier- fast games, no rage. :) I feel like I'm doing nothing but wasting my time playing with strangers, so I just don't. I wish more people would get KQ buddies or join a KQ guild than to experience the frustration of trying to play with random users.

 

I just want to say- I have a brand new computer with normally solid connection. KQ disconnects me and freezes on me for no apparent reason all the time. I've been disconnected many times seconds before the game was about to end. Just because someone disconnects in front of a door doesn't mean they did it on purpose. KQ itself frustrates me, because it's the only game that lags for me and the only game I have problems with (except for the glitches in habitarium of course).

[Vocaloid Marshmallow]

Keyquest just has inexorable lag most times. Mostly when the mini-games start.

 

To be honest, I have, myself, sent quite a few messages dealing with quitting.

But I've also received them by a lot.

I don't think it wrong or anything but it is sometimes annoying.

 

Most games on Keyquest are annoying. And the feeling of constant losing in these mini-games brings up the idea of quitting.

And we can't help but get Neomailed with an 'angry message.'

 

Even the choicest of computers with the best internet connections face lag.

 

Like Zorse has said, we all want to exhaust our plays for the day and playing the game is quite lengthy and that could also be one of the reasons for our sudden anger.

[massy]

I can completely understand the rage and frustration that goes along with Keyquest. Sometimes it runs great, you get great opponents and it's all lovely. Then other days it lags, getting through even one game is frustrating without people quitting. Obviously people get booted and can't help it - but it's usually pretty obvious when someone has quit because they're losing (and I always think...why? Surely silver is better than no key at all...they are wasting their own time too...). And then when Neopets 'protects' these people by not allowing you to out them or even take it up with them...how are you supposed to vent?

 

There's a few minigames that they really should just scrap...they just don't work at all. It's always a case of the winner being whoever it happens to work for and has nothing to do with ability...at all.