Epat's Vent
Epatrick — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 03:26
So, an interesting trend has started to appear in our vent channels, nifty little things called "phantoms" they join channels silently, alert no one to their presence and provide all sorts of numlicious gossip to those who use them in channels with unwary users.
My view : This is akin to picking up a telephone in your house quietly so that you can hear what people are saying on the line. If you phantom into a channel, you know you're not part of the conversation. You didn't knock on the door to their chat. They don't know you're there. You're eavesdropping. It's rude. if you want to listen to them, go into the effing channel as yourself and not your phantom. say "hey guys, watcha talking about"? Not everything is fluffy bunnies and happy gnome punting. if they want to include you in the convo, they will, if not, they'll politely ask you to leave the channel so they can continue their discussion in private.
I'm not one to take out my frustrations in public, so sometimes I go into a private channel and complain about things that I don't really care about to people that I trust to keep their mouth shut and just listen. They know I'm not serious when I'm ranting. They know I don't mean the sometimes downright nasty things that I say because, let's face it, we all have horrible thoughts that sometimes we just need to let out in a non constructive way. I make really bad jokes that have no foundation in seriousness, but a phantom doesn't know that. A phantom only knows that things are being said about so and so.
There are only a few acceptable uses of thee phantom in my opinion:
1. monitoring a raid in case they need you while doing other things (i.e. pvping, running an instance, what have you)
2. going into a music channel as a phantom to listen to w/e the dj in there is playing.
Vent is supposed to be a fun happy place where we get to talk to people around the world by the grace of our wonderful administrator and guild support. It should not be used as a "big brother" or "gossip gathering" device. You may think that this has something to do with the posts in recent other blogs, and it does, but I've had phantoms hear things I've said and had to call them out when I notice them phantoming in channel. Sometimes they come in right after, other times they skulk away and pretend they weren't there.
We're going to end this
garreth — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 09:23We're going to end this conversation right here:
Shi: Don't be a dick. Don't phantom. Plain and simple. You're an officer, not a Director in the Department of Homeguild Security. I am uncomfortable with the little back-biting cliques the break off immediately after raid to go to their own vent channels and gossip, but your not going to fix these by phantoming them. This is at the top of the list of people skills we need to work on.
Epat: I sense an ever-increasing dissatisfaction within you about other guildies and Downfall as a whole. Look deep and ask why you play. Go work out the shit you have with others. You're pretty much the most core guy we have, I'd hate to see others ruin WoW (and Downfall) for you in their moment of ass-headed-ness.
Jas: Think before you open your goddamned mouth for once. You're probably the most brilliant girl I've had the pleasure of hearing the word "cunt" from, but you need to stop, think, and ask yourself if what you're saying is doing any good for anyone. I can understand your knee-jerk, self-defensive stance at being phantomed on. However, it's like a burgler being outraged for not being read his Miranda rights: you got busted, quit feigning outrage.
Aidin: I think you got the shit end of the stick here, but to actually take any offense at anything Jas says is like getting mad at a puppy for pooping on your floor.
Summary: Phantoming BAD. I'm asking Star to remove the feature from our Vent server so it's not even an issue anymore. What I ask in return is that those who need to unload in another channel, please do... but I ask that you consider what greater good you're achieving. We all need to blow off steam. We all need to get away from various guildies who annoy the fuck out of us. But, do the right thing.
I understand what Shihli is
TK28 — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 09:22I understand what Shihli is trying to say, but first off and foremost just because it did happen doesn't mean it will happen again. I have personally talk to many of people over vent and after their rant or statements or feelings we were able to resolve it, and in some way share certain opinions. If I see someone Phantoming in on a private conversation of mine I'll fucking let them know. Most importantly just because you can Phantom doesnt mean you should there are some people that have always done it and will remain nameless and some such as Aidin who uses it like once and some fucked up shit happens.
Ok I'll admit it I was the
Shinzwei — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 09:06Ok I'll admit it I was the warlock. Or was I the random rogue? Yu hlp mi kiil wulf I gve yu refreshing spring water plees wulf iis curb stompin my face in.
All I will say about the
Shihli — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 08:25All I will say about the matter is this:
If you're truly venting and you're going to say something - anything - that can be misconstrued by ANY audience as offensive to anyone in the guild (be it truly malicious or not), you NEED to think twice about saying it, as recent posts on the website demonstrate.
Granted, yes - people phantoming channels and what have you is akin to eavesdropping and it's rude to those people that want to have a conversation/vent. On the other hand, there are numerous groups of people that will drop away into their own channel for hours on end, almost immediately after raids or what not are completed. The last time I saw this behavior was back when Sabon, Akuhime, and the rest of those guys were around. It led to a rift being formed within the guild, a clique, that didn't resolve itself until the whole lot of them /gquit.
And yes, I know, two of them came back.
In short, while I agree with the eavesdropping statements, I am also a huge fan of the idea that you shouldn't be saying ANYTHING that you may ever have to qualify to another guildie.
If you crack a joke that can be viewed as mean and offensive towards another guildie, and you get called on it - you'd better be fucking prepared to pay the price for it.
My Father always told me
Grasen — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 09:07My Father always told me growing up, Never say something about someone you wouldnt say to their face. One way or another it will often git back to them. Like Aidin says. She never uses phantoms. But if you go around being incognito you cant be surprised when it's done back to you.
On a side note and completally irrivaliant, Off to try and gather customers for my lawn and landscape business. Wish me luck.
I kind of liken phantoming
Karli — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 07:56I kind of liken phantoming to snooping through your significant other's diary. When you go looking for trouble, you're going to find it. I'm sure there have been things said when I'm not around that had I heard it, I probably would have blown a fuse. But seeking things out is more or less masochistic. I prefer to be happy in my ignorance.
it's PK... Don't get me
Aidin — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 07:38it's PK...
Don't get me wrong..I agree that people phatoming your channel for the shear reason of eavesdropping is wrong. I rarely see phatoms so I didn't know it was a huge issue. I'm only stating that my reasons were pure.
If this is a huge epidemic as everyone seems to think it is there's a very simple solution. We don't use phatoms for raid, turn them off.
who is this tk28
Frollo — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 06:42who is this tk28 ?
frollo
"I'm gettn hitched Bitch!"
tk48 is pkmaster
Ghli — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 07:37tk48 is pkmaster
I must say I clearly agree
TK28 — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 06:40I must say I clearly agree with Epat on this one. I've seen people Phantom into my conversation and just try to fucking listen to what I'm saying, and I'm not going to name anyone. If you wanna know what I'm talking about ask me.
"This particular night there
Aidin — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 06:13"This particular night there was a silly warlock whispering the entire
guild about killing his "wulf" and a random rogue whispering us the
same type of sillyness. I was simply attempting to flush them out, PLAYING YOUR GAME."
When you chose to play silly games with people you are opening yourself up for people to play back with you, there is nothing underhanded about it.
I share the exact same
Cisper — Tue, 03/11/2008 - 04:57I share the exact same contention as Epat.