You’ve always been one to post interesting and thoughtful discussion topics and this one is no different. This whole topic you’ve brought up here is something I’ve noticed and been bothered by for a while myself.
Way back in Feral Heart’s early days I remember when roleplaying was extremely prevalent. Roleplaying in local was especially common, in fact that’s often how I joined roleplays and made friendships in the game. People roleplaying in local kept the chats active alive and interesting. Back then groups were more welcoming and people who weren’t even in the roleplay could often just jump right in simply cause the roleplay was being had openly in the local chat. If you weren’t in a mood to chat or roleplay it also gave you something to do by just sitting back and reading others’ fun roleplay adventures... a lot has changed. It just always seems like the Feral Heart of then and it’s community is very different to the one of now.
Now a large part of the roleplaying community has just gone or died off. A lot of the roleplay communitys’ death was thanks to the removal of general chat. Advertising lost its sense of ease and traction and with it changed the dynamic of the community and it’s “culture”. The game has become a lot less attractive for roleplayers and has become more of just a chat place. As a lot of the roleplayers “disappeared” it’s become far less common to new users and some old alike to see people roleplaying yet alone in general... so I can see why it seems unfamiliar and possibly “weird” to some who aren’t used to it.
I don’t think what was said to you there was very nice though... That kind of tone and attitude can really discourage others... I can only imagine a younger or more sensitive user dealing with that sort of reaction and taking it far less well. I don’t think these type of people really realize how much words like that can hurt a person and a community of users.
I agree that they could have taken a better approach if they didn’t like it and done as you said:
1.) Block the players temporarily
2.) Move away from their location
3.) Ignore it
4.) Turn off Local Chat
That’s the thing though, FH’s community has changed a lot. As years go by you get different sort of subcultures forming even in video games. Wherever there are groups of people of different ages and backgrounds interacting you’re going to get constant changes in the community. The simplest way to look at it is like meme culture and the coming and going of memes and or trends. FH itself and the subgroups of people and their interests in it are constantly subject to change... and while you have an ever changing community with a barely changing stagnant game you can start to see why conflicts begin.
The less of a roleplaying community we have, the less understanding and respect for it you have with newer and ever changing faces. It’s sort of like generations who grew up not having something and becoming adults who do not care for that something or show interest or understanding in it since they never really were exposed to it.
Then there’s the whole “cringe” culture thing now where some folks are especially comfortable making fun of or criticizing things they don’t understand or like.
It’s a pity really. If you or anyone else ever get harassed again though never hesitate to throw the screens and messages our way though. I do hope no one ever has a negative experience like this again. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with roleplaying in local especially if you’re not spamming the chat and being respectful about it.
