Visit the Kill Switch Master List for more information on these and other current known issues: https://forums.bhvr.com/dead-by-daylight/kb/articles/299-kill-switch-master-list
We encourage you to be as honest as possible in letting us know how you feel about the game. The information and answers provided are anonymous, not shared with any third-party, and will not be used for purposes other than survey analysis.
Access the survey HERE!
Dead by Daylight is very psychological and I wish more of the community understood that.
This is my first post on the forum so I apologize for the potential disaster this may be.
I'm no one special to the DBD community nor a insanely dedicated player but, DBD is a game I am very fond of and enjoy. I've been playing for a few years and have gained 660 hours as of this post so while I am no one of significance, I do like to think I have some experience.
While there is a LOT I'd like to discuss for DBD, Today I'd like to talk about something I haven't seen much coverage on. The Psychology of Dead by Daylight. As a whole the game is very psychological and I'm unsure if people account for that. I've played both Survivor and Killer evenly (probably Survivor more because I play with friends from time to time) and both sides can be very 'toxic' and very frustrating to play against. I cannot pin-point how the loop started but, as one side is continually toxic to the other, the other shall in turn become toxic.
As nerfs come and go involving these 'toxic' behaviors, the side affected by the nerf will say "See? This game is so X sided!" but again, it feels like they take the game only at face value and not consider the rest of the issue at hand. We've all been camped by a Killer right? Dealt with a teabagging Survivor? I'm sure that there are many people who play fair and kindly but, that Killer who just camped you? Probably has been through a handful of toxic Survivor matches. That Survivor who won't stop teabagging and pointing? Probably had a handful of games where the Killer focused them until death hook. Does it justify it? No. Does it explain it? Yes.
While I can't recall every nerf and buff applied to the game I can think of a few scenarios where which people will shame the devs for being "X sided." I just feel it would help if people thought for a moment, let's say, if they nerfed NOED, think less of the more toxic strategy that you've lost and more about how as a whole, the game may be healthier in the end because of it. While a nerf to a Killer is a buff to a Survivor, that doesn't necessarily mean as that Killer you are suddenly unviable. The very same to be said of Survivor mechanics.
Again, there's a lot more I'd like to talk about as far as DBD goes but I'd first like to see if my opinion is welcome or not. Thanks for reading if you have. Good Luck in the fog.
Comments
-
Killers are the source. Thats undeniable.
0 -
Good first post, unfortunately you can expect lots of responses like that one above ^^
29 -
I agree that toxic behavior can be caused previous toxic behavior, but I also think your builds can be influenced by previous matches as well. I mention builds because DS and NOED are considered toxic, but the only "toxic" thing about them is when they are abused.
If a killer gets gen rushed a lot (they may no be pressuring gen or maybe survivors are genrushing out of control) they may bring NOED to punish the genrush. Can NOED be abused by killers who just tunnel and refuse to pressure gens? Yes. Does it make NOED toxic? No. I believe NOED is fine as it is. Take time off gens to cleanse or be exposed in the late game.
If a survivor is tunneled a lot they may bring DS to punish the tunnel. Can DS be abused by survivors who are not being tunneled? Yes. Is DS toxic? Debatable. The only time where DS has no counterplay is in the endgame, where survivors with DS can crawl out with nothing the killer can do except maybe hook the survivor far from the exit gate.
5 -
Very interested in where this discussion goes, following this thread.
That first comment. LMFAO
11 -
Yes I can agree with this. Everyone is different of course and some more patient than others but, I'll admit I've done this with NOED and DS in the past. Heck, this week even. It's hard to recommend this game to less-patience folk sometimes. Thanks for adding this by the way!
2 -
I was just talking about this earlier in another thread lol
0 -
Whenever I come across a killer that runs Mori, noed and tunnels hard, I usually assume that the killer got bullied hard in their previous game. The same can be said for survivors with their perk choices.
There isn't much point in discussing the origin of this toxic whirlpool as it'll just turn into the chicken or the egg scenario.
But it is interesting that you bring up the psychological aspects of the game. Some survivors do the whole t-bagging and pointing to get a psychological edge over the killer making them mentally unbalanced and more likely to make mistakes, the intention isn't always to be purposefully toxic.
I've facecamped the first survivor as wraith (only the one hook) to make the survivors think that I'm gonna facecamp everyone for the rest of the game and it makes them uneasy to go for the unhooks even though I don't continue that strategy.
1 -
There isn't much point in discussing the origin of this toxic whirlpool as it'll just turn into the chicken or the egg scenario.
@ermsy Not really, no. There is an objective answer to the origin of the issue, it's just that most people don't like to hear it.
2 -
I became an ######### in this game because of survivors 🤷♂️
1 -
Is there an objective answer?
I'd assume it would be the survivor that tbagged and pointed because the last killer tunnelled and camped but he only did that because the last group of survivors bullied him while t-bagging and pointing but they only did that because the last killer....etc etc etc
1 -
Yes, there is. I've been here since launch and I know for a fact survivors started the toxicity. Then killers responded in kind. Now we're here.
3 -
Some players tend to not want to take a step back and analyse what's happened. It's that immediate sense of gratification they desire. The anger instilled from one crappy match carries on to the point they just wanna rage or "bully" others because they feel offended by what's happened to them.
It would be great if people take that step back from a gaming session if things have gone to the dogs, and attempt to understand what really happened. It's absolutely fine to feel angry, but to just pass this on doesn't shift the sense. Merely temporarily placates it, until it emerges because nothing has been learned.
Everyone has nightmare rounds. Just take a breath. And bravo to the op for bringing this up. Great topic!
2 -
Great first post. Bias and toxicity like in the first comment is unavoidable, but most of the community is very nice, respectful and chill.
3 -
I feel like we're so far into this vicous cycle of toxicity now, we can't get out. Not to say everyone who plays is toxic, but it's defintly influenced by matches. I'm guilty of it myself personally. I could have the worst match VS killer, and I'll be angry, make a build that will pretty much wipe a team, and in turn, they go to their next match feeling the same anger, and it continues. When I play now however, I try to show other players that not everyone is going to be like that. I'll keep matches fair, eg, no camping or tunneling. If I'm about to lose, so be it. I feel like if we just show that little bit of positivity each match, survivors and killers both would start to show it more in their matches. That's my hope anyways.
2 -
As someone who plays Killer and Survivor both at Rank 1, I think most of the “toxicity“ is just based on interpretation.
Killers have to juggle four Survivors and manage seven generators. If they’re slugging or “tunneling”, most of the time it’s for map pressure or an early kill. They’re just trying to win it usually isn’t anything personal, even if you feel like it is. It’s sometimes just part of normal gameplay
The only truly toxic stuff is outside of normal gameplay and doesn’t have any benefit to winning. Facecamping, T-Bagging, Flashlight Clicks for example.
Looping god windows, blinding, taking BT hits, bodyblocking, sabo etc aren’t toxic they’re normal gameplay that happens to make Killers mad
2 -
Forcing me to take bt hits does legit make me mad enough to tunnel lol
1 -
But it’s not “toxic” its just normal gameplay. They’re trying to win. It shouldn’t make you mad
Spending 60 minutes on the ground because the Killer is slugging for DS isn’t particularly fun either, but it shouldn’t make someone mad
2 -
It makes me mad because I'm going out of my way to go for the unhooker but the unhooked is doing everything in their power to get in my way.
You are right, that behavior isn't toxic but I find it hypocritical when that survivor that did everything to get my attention complains when I do give them my attention.
4 -
Me too.
0 -
You're right. If a Survivor forces the BT hit and then gets chased, they'll call you "toxic" even if it totally makes sense.
Survivor does something "toxic" so the Killer does something "toxic" so the Survivor does something "toxic" etc. When its actually just a bunch of plays, counterplays and counter-counterplays. Sometimes the game becomes so complex that it starts to feel like BS so it gets simplified to being "toxic"
If a Killer hits a recent unhook and slugs its "toxic" but if a Survivor takes a hit and has BT its "toxic" but if the Killer tunnels the BT hit its "toxic" but if the Survivor hops in a locker because they have DS its "toxic" etc
1 -
Really? The last time i said gg after a killer game i was told to drink the brightest thing under the sink.
2 -
Most of the issues come from the main mentality imo. A fair amount of the players stick to one role. They don't take into account what each role deals with. Killer can deal with good SWF teams, bad map rng etc. Survivors can deal with tunneling, face camping , lower skilled/new teammates as solo. If more people took the time to play each side, I think a decent amount of the toxic behavior would stop. I see a lot of killer mains that act like every SWF, or team they face are good tryhard players. Some survivors also feel a personal way when you decide to force a kill, or tunnel someone for pressure. I can say that in my 15 years of PC gaming, DBD is by far the worst community I have been a part of in regard to toxic chat and attitudes.
1 -
I don't understand the people who justify being toxic to one side because one side was toxic to them. I just can't understand the mentality you need to have for that to make sense, I was always taught two wrongs don't make a right. As a player, whenever I play one side and the other is attempting to ruin my game, do you know what I do? I continue playing the game like normal and move on, and if I do start to feel frustrated I simply stop playing for the day. Too many feel the need for vengeance, and too many lack empathy.
I wonder if people realize that when they decide to go into the next trial with the intent on making it a miserable experience for the other, simply because they were miserable last trial, if they understand they are facing different players. If someone slights you, it doesn't make sense to take it out on someone completely unrelated. They very well could be upstanding players, ones who just want to have fun, never make an attempt at being toxic, and may even have even shown some empathy for you. Yet it somehow makes sense for some to punish them all because someone else did something to offend them. Reminds me of my time in elementary school, when teachers would punish the whole class because one student misbehaved, where is the logic.
One last thing, I believe a psychologist or someone did a study on this game? They made a post about it which was an interesting read, should give it a read if you can find it.
1 -
I'm maining pyramid head solely for these kind of scenarios. I'll make sure those who dare to abuse DS and BT suffer.
0 -
I'm very interested in this! Will comment again if I find it. Thank you!
Edit: I found this https://www.reddit.com/r/deadbydaylight/comments/60j6se/hi_im_a_dead_by_daylight_player_and_psychologist/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
Post edited by LunaWater on0 -
I'm so sorry man. I'm ashamed to admit it but, one night I snapped and said something similar to another person (That's a whole other, personal, can of worms) and I think it's just easy for people online to let out all those emotions and act on bitter behaviors due to the anonymity of it all. In my years of playing I will say this- The end game chat is for nothing but bullying and banning said bullies.
0
