Your thoughts: what's the right attitude for PvP?

[Videri]

Dear Red99,
I have seen several posts by newer Red99 players admitting reluctance to attack other players. Some people feel that attacking another player will be perceived as cruel, or that they will be hated for it. Some of these posters go on to criticize themselves for being "too nice" or "not cut out for Red." However, we all came here to experience EQ PvP, so I believe there is a way for any motivated player to participate in PvP without feeling guilty. And I think we all want more players on Red PvPing with each other! So, Red99ers, I ask you to share your viewpoints. What is the proper attitude for PvP?

I will quote the most insightful responses and edit them into this very post. The most thoughtful responders will receive Fake Internet Points!!!

Here are some prompts to help organize your thoughts:
• What helpful words would you have for these "too nice" players?
• Is it cruel or unsportsmanlike to attack another player unprovoked?
• Is it possible for a nice person to participate actively in PvP without guilt?
• If you roll on Red, do you have to go around killing people and you're super duper lame if you don't murder at least one person every time you log on?
• While each player can have his or her own moral boundaries around PvP...what constitutes honorable and dishonorable PvP to you?
• what is your attitude or mindset when it comes to PvP?

• What about all the trash talk and humiliation that goes on in OOC and elsewhere? How does a new player be undisturbed by this?
• Do our records on the r99pvp.com leaderboard matter?

inb4 "go back to blue." Let's have some intelligent discourse here, folks. Can YOU write something so goog I will quote it for generations of Red99ers to read? Right here in this post, above all the trash-digging, mudslinging, and pottymouth that is likely to follow?? Don't you know Fake Internet Points are at stake???

Pras Red99!
Videri

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Here are most insightful and helpful responses so far. Keep posting, people, and share what you've learned.

Originally Posted by Genedin [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You can have whatever pvp attitude you want. Never mistake your attitude to be someone else's. Always always expect that new person in zone will attack you and be ready, then you never get butt hurt over getting ganked and can still make friends if they don't.

Originally Posted by Cecily [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So far it's been expect an unexpected CR whenever. Do what you can to survive PvP. Run if you have to, but fight if you can. And most of all, don't take it personally. Should be able to handle red if you can deal with that.

Originally Posted by Swish [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Attack on sight, have a laugh about it afterwards... win or lose.

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I started putting some of this in bold, but I realized Colgate's post is gem after gem:

Originally Posted by Colgate [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

p sure it doesn't really matter and that's the beauty of a pvp server; people will fall into their own role

on some live servers, some people would adopt an "anti-PK" mindset which seemed to be very popular

on red99, it appears a vocal minority of players are instead of a "PK" mindset and warp what the culture appears to be, and if you don't attack someone on sight, it makes you a "bluebie faggot"

personally, i usually don't attack someone unless they're of a specific rival guild or have attacked me in the past; i really don't find much fun in fighting new/undergeared players

diplomacy and social interaction can go a long way on this server, so just randomly attacking everyone and acting like a douchebag will likely come back to bite you later on; people will remember how you act

that being said, i think anyone who rolls on a pvp server should fully expect a lot of players to attack them for no reason other than to kill and/or grief them to some extent and if you can't handle it, this isn't the server for you

Originally Posted by FaithlessKR [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

• What helpful words would you have for these "too nice" players?
Play the game how you feel comfortable playing it, don't bend to the majority will just to fit in. I'd say at least half of this game is politics, so not attacking another player, if for a good reason, can benefit you a lot of the time.
• Is it cruel or unsportsmanlike to attack another player unprovoked?
Not at all
• Is it possible for a nice person to participate actively in PvP without guilt?
I consider myself to be an overly nice person, and I feel very little guilt while pvping. Granted on the live days I was a complete dick and I've had time to reflect on that in the last 15 years.
• If you roll on Red, do you have to go around killing people and you're super duper lame if you don't murder at least one person every time you log on?
See my first response, though I personally feel extremely lame if I log off without killing anyone.
• While each player can have his or her own moral boundaries around PvP...what constitutes honorable and dishonorable PvP to you?
The only dishonorable PvP is the PvP conducted while blatently breaking the server ruleset.
• what is your attitude or mindset when it comes to PvP?
Bring it on

This is going great so far. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]