DBD And Poor Mental Health
I've made a post about this a long time ago, but I genuinely think that this game is not for a good amount of people. The amount of hate and bitterness that I see from people sometimes makes me believe that they're one bad night on DBD away from doing something bad IRL.
I played against this streamer the other night, slugged us constantly and let us all bleed out with 4 flans and a red mori. Whatever, it happens every so often with some people, nothing new right? Well my random teammates recognized him and said in the chat that they looked forward to the VOD so they can see him freak out again. Okay, Ill do the same I guess, it has me curious. So and I take a peek into the VOD the next morning and I was worried for how angry and bitter this young kid was. Maybe like 17 or 18 years old, saying some of the most vile things ever that would get me banned on here if I repeat them. Sure this isn't anything new to online gaming, but I've been around a long time with online gaming and this was reeeeally bad.
I tried going into his stream the next chance I could to try to befriend him, I asked him to play together or talk sometime. He immediately lashed out and said "I don't play with no name losers. I'm the top Wraith on the leaderboards for a reason." and banned me. I tried, I guess :( (Also this game has leaderboards???)
I've noticed other things like people being afraid to play killer because survivors will bully them. Content creators, big ones, making entire careers out of toxicity to get a rise out of people or to show how good they are at the game by lobby dodging and recording numerous games until they bully the right people for YouTube. I think that's why I made my entire playstyle around being "Babysitter Steve" and making sure everyone lives, then die afterwards for the killer. Defend the killer if my team lashes out on the killer in endgame chat. Maybe I can help people feel nice after the game?
If a game is making you stressed out to the point where you feel like you're afraid of being bullied or feel the desire to be rotten to other people who are just trying to have a good time, please take a break. That kind of mentality isn't healthy. I just want everyone to stay happy and safe, heck Ill even take being content.
Comments
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I just wanna say that I commend you for trying to befriend that Wraith. That took selflessness.
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I probably should not be playing a game like this given my own mental state
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*Boots up DBD*
I regret everything
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Massive W for you for trying to be a good person.
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This game is designed to give the roller-coaster emotions of frustration and elation. I have only been able to play it with long breaks in-between goals achieved. I wonder if the redesign will change how it feels.
I would like for the devs to disable or allow us to disable the defeat music when people get sacrificed or the "entity hungers".
No need to rub salt in the wound.
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Ever seen the movie Crash? That’s the DBD community. Everyone perpetuating their stereotypes while treating each other like crap, which then causes a domino effect of the victims taking it out on someone else. It’s a never ending cycle.
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Good on you for trying. There is unfortunately a lot of angry people in the world, and I feel social media only makes it worse. I don't know enough about gaming and it's effects on mental health, but I hope at the very least it provides an outlet for his anger so he doesn't direct it at anybody in real life. It's why being hit repeatedly on hook doesn't overly bother me as a survivor, because it makes me wonder how angry the person on the other side of the screen is and if this is what maybe makes them feel better
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This is not the kind of game that should be played when in a bad mood. I can't tell you how many times I've lost it when trying to have a decent time as solo survivor. I've said some seriously bad stuff in my worst moments, but I never take that aggression out on people. The individual you're talking about will hopefully look back on his attitude someday and cringe. I know my face would be red if someone heard me at my worst.
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I definitely don't recommend playing this game if you are in a bad mood that's for sure
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You are overthinking it too much. Children like that are simply a sign of the current times.
You can find them and more like them raging over a burnt breakfast, a bad grade, a TV commercial, a girl saying no and pretty much anything. The effect of gaming induced frustration on their emotional imbalance is not that great and definitely not the cause.
If anything its better that they blow out some steam over the internet, rather than doing it IRL. Sadly they will likely grow up to be broken adultoids that mess up everything around them, but that hardly new.
Thumbs up to you for trying to make the game fun for everyone else. I try to do the same from the killer side, though I gotta tell you, it can be annoying to have a mule headed survivor that runs to the basement during EGC after you carry them to the exit gate xD. You shouldn't force the killer to kill you :p
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To be fair I think DBD doesn't cause it but it does make it worse.
Not the current times. Entitled children and adults for that matter is older then dirt. It's just more common to see it because of the Internet.
Having said that DBD's design certainly could take more steps to being less toxic. The fact that they wanted teabagging to look fluid speaks volumes as to what they think of toxicity. Then they are surprised at the amount of toxicity. Not everyone views such things as harmless 'smack talk'.
There's ways of integrating 'harmless' smack talk into the games design such as rewarding survivors for taunting, an action which could occasionally be used to earn bloodpoints in exchange for pointing them out to the killer when they are within a certain visible range and the killer gets points if they down them. Sure some might still get upset and you can't (and shouldn't) protect everyone but throwing up your hands and saying 'it's too hard' or 'it's harmless smack talk' just encourages negative behavior to continue.
Exhibit A.
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Using video games to escape. See the problem?
Also murder is part of the game and just accepted. They personally aren't getting murdered. I know there's no helping you and you won't understand my point of view but can you at least accept there are people different from yourself with different upbringings and 'origin' stories for lack of better word and different things which cause them distress. Think less of them if you want but keep such opinions and feel superior to yourself.
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I can't believe there are people who use "snowflake" unironically.
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I spent most of yesterday wondering if I died in the bathroom at work, how long would it take before someone noticed barring my wife and 3189 kids. If someone is getting triggered by this game to that level, they have ######### issues.
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Not just DbD
This is something that affects all games
does it make it right? no. but no need to single out DbD
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Big props to you for that. Also yeah, he made his own leader board I'd image, but hey. We all been there LOL
Seriously though, this game can be a TOXIC mess sometimes. Some people play it because they enjoy it, stream it because they enjoy it, and it causes people who simply lose what should be a friendly match to lash out. sometimes even going out of their way to find them on steam, see if they stream, see if they're live, ect. Sad. I've met a lot of great people playing so there's some good too :)
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The leaderboard is steam only, but it can be found at https://dbd.tricky.lol/
Used to be something like dbdontehnet, but they changed the domain for some reason.
I was top 75 on it for blight for a while but then I switched to epic games store
Post edited by SkeletalElite on1 -
Case in point- I just had 4 terrible solo queue games in a row and now I'm in a awful mood. I should have just continued my Silent Hill 2 playthrough instead.
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Thank you guys for the kind words!
I figured he wouldn't bite, but it definitely would've hung over my head if I didn't try.
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Steve Harrington would be proud of you, being the best mom to lost children I've ever seen after all. <3
But no, that was really kind of you. As someone who has struggled with their mental health in various ways over my life time, I can say video games have been an escape for me. But, it's what you bring to the table and make it. I've seen people be gross and negative with Stardew Valley. Probably one of the most wholesome games of all time, and yet they still managed it.
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There was an Asmogold video I watched where he was talking about Diablo Immortal and he said one of the truest things I've ever seen. He said that if a game is making the player base resentful, then the game will start dying quickly. He said there was a difference with being angry at the game, everyone gets angry, but when players start actively resenting a game then that game is dying. Resentful players are harder to bring back to the game and usually it spreads.
I linked the youtube video below where he talks about this and set it to start at the point-in-time where the resentment speech begins. It's only a couple of minutes long.
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Alot of swfs and survivors don't realize there's a person playing the role of killer. As a killer main myself the constant hate messages, teabagging, along with the stress of having to weigh out multiple things in the match does become overwhelming sometimes.
But I tell myself someone has to play that 1 role so 4 other people have a game they can play with their friends
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Big W post.
I try and have a similar mindset to you when I play; sticking up for my teammates and GG-ing the killer after the match. (And trying to avoid tunneling or camping as killer.)
Honestly, I have to agree that DbD is not that good for your mental health. Obviously it wavers from person to person, but most people I know cannot play DbD for that long without having to take a break. I admit there have been many times where I myself wanted to just go outside and break something.
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you"re to kind :))
thanks for being a helping hand, not much people out there like you!!
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OP, what you did was very cool. 👍🏾
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The game is the best thing I have (and have ever tried really) for venting out my negative emotions and thoughts but sometimes the really bad troll squads make me turn that inwards and I compulsively do a lot of damage, that why I can't stand the "Trolling killer is funny" attitude people have, it actually has real world blowback on my mental health and physical well-being.
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I agree completely. Video games are my way to have my alone time and escape my hectic life. Sometimes I come home mad, but saving people on DBD makes me feel so much better. It also makes me feel better knowing I might've had a chance of making someone's night better
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It's amazing how much better games would be if people didn't
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Good to speak up about this. People who say "grow thicker skin" havent dealt with or had a friend/family member deal with genuine mental health issues.
The bullying on this game can really get out of hand. Most wouldn't do it if they weren't behind a screen.
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I think what you do is pretty commendable, I mean, considering you don't really have to...that is awesome <3
The game at it's core is a PVP game, not meant to be about creating friendships with the killer and having ice cream while watching the sunset.
However, I do think that a sportsman-like attitude that could be had where actual real player friendships could begin, get lost in the many layers of issues that plague this game. That said, it doesn't mean that anyone should become angry at the world due to those issues. I think that is the point where you should check yourself... and if you can't then you should pursue a different environment because DBD's just isn't it.
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I know that feeling, it's the only game that gives me massive anxiety when I want to play killer because it's so frustrating and survivors are toxic.
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At least you tried to be kind which says a lot about you - lots of people wouldn’t have done that. We don’t know what’s going on in this persons life or their issues to make them behave like this.
I would recommend if they are using hateful or vile words that would be banned here, you should report them to Twitch. Live-streaming platforms have no place for hate and they will usually take action.
Not all content creators are like that, and with such a saturated area I think people are just trying to be different. Always vote with your (virtual) feet and find a community that welcomes you, lifts you up and makes you feel good. Sorry you had that experience.
PS babysitter Steve is so cute!
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