How to not hate rebels, for Combine players.

[CreekMando]

The Problem
It is the undeniable truth of HL2RP that we are split down the middle. Loyalists versus slummers, Humans versus Aliens, Combine versus Rebels. Due to the nature of HL2RP, this is just how these things go, and truthfully, we can't help it. When I go out and I scour the forums, in game LOOC conversations, and discord chats, I see a trend emerging amongst Combine players. OOCly, rebels are seen as completely alien creatures, and rebel players as PK hungry, toxic, and metagamey. And when I go to the rebel side, I see the same thing. Combine characters are seen as being in the "cool kids club", and Combine players being seen usually as PK hungry, toxic, and metagamey. You did see what I did there, right?
If you didn't, that's okay. It's clear, we accuse each other of the same things over, and over, and over. What do we achieve? A more divided and polarized community. That is to say, we sit on opposite sides of a fence and throw trash at each other, rebels throw their trash, Combine throws it back. The divide between CP and Rebel is great and many need to acknowledge it.

What YOU can do.
The first, and primary solution is to play rebel and/or slummer for an extended period of time. If you do this, you are more likely to actually sit down and think about taking that toolkit or stack of junk from a guy during a search. Another core principle should be a no brainer, do to others what you would want done to yourself, and put yourself in the shoes of the person you're about to interact with. It's essential that we sit down and CARE about what other players may feel when you take beat the shit out of them for no good reason, or grab things from their inventory that aren't contraband. Remember, it's not rebel biased to not play a hardline edgecop. I would like to summarizze and add a few more details here..

1. Play rebel and/or slummer for an extended period of time.
2. Treat people how you'd want to be treated.
3. Put yourself in the shoes of others.
4. Don't get baited.
5. Try to make situations with rebels or slummers fun.
6. Don't ever think about being "rebel biased", only people who don't play rebel say that.

 

[RileyTheRoomba]

Both sux.

 

[CreekMando]

Both sux.

true

 

[Processed_Grain]

false, I want a perpetual toxic, hate filled death war against The Enemy at all costs. Both ic and ooc

 

[RedHotGinger]

My dude created a post about the concept of server unity and drew an official line straight down the middle in the next paragraph.

Simplified solution:
Don't be a dick
RP well
Value narrative over victory


We may all now get along.

 

[CreekMando]

My dude created a post about the concept of server unity and drew an official line straight down the middle in the next paragraph.

Simplified solution:
Don't be a dick
RP well
Value narrative over victory


We may all now get along.

Is that supposed to be a compliment or a criticism?

 

[RedHotGinger]

Is that supposed to be a compliment or a criticism?

eh, mostly critique?

I can get behind the sentiment, but there is a certain irony in admitting there is a divide between the player base, but then singling out only one side of that divide as the ones that need 'help.' Assuming there's no trace of poorly relayed irony to this post, that's just how it came off to me.

Rebel and Combine combat factions (Or those characters who are closely linked to them) exist in a separate reality from citizen and more passive RPers. Alot of this is fueled by paranoia and the constant fear that any willingness to 'slip' or 'be off guard' is going to result in a massive setback or PK. I really wouldn't imply one side is at the 'head' of this issue. Its brewed for literal years at this point. Such is my take anyway, and the solution is a mutual one, not specific.

 

[CreekMando]

eh, mostly critique?

I can get behind the sentiment, but there is a certain irony in admitting there is a divide between the player base, but then singling out only one side of that divide as the ones that need 'help.' Assuming there's no trace of poorly relayed irony to this post, that's just how it came off to me.

Rebel and Combine combat factions exist in a separate reality from citizen and more passive RPers. Alot of this is fueled by paranoia and the constant fear that any willingness to 'slip' or 'be off guard' is going to result in a massive setback or PK. I really wouldn't imply one side is at the 'head' of this issue. Its brewed for literal years at this point.

While writing this I did greatly consider this. Truthfully, it's not really something I can adress, you know?
It would do more bad than good for someone who really only does play Combine to tell the resistance that they have a problem. Not my place to say so. In the future I might make one about rebels, but I'd have to collect a lot of witness testimonies and go out there and continue to grind on my slummer myself.

Thanks for your thoughts, though. I knew this post would breed good discussion, and I was right.

 

[Knight]

Least self serving masturbatory rebel player

 

[Raptorian]

Least self serving masturbatory rebel player

creekmando? lmao

 

[AgathaL]

how is this an actual problem

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

I like based rebels and based combine mains

I hate cringe rebels and cringe combine mains

 

[Devistral]

Both rebels and combine have their issues
I don't need to pull up the tons of pk appeals cause some rebels were killing each other for tiny ic issues because they were pk hungry
But yes some combine players are pk hungry as well, when either side downs the opposition and manages to capture them you feel enthusiastic because that's what winning is, to an extent you can't blame the other side for being pk hungry

It's bad faith and good faith that distinguishes PKs; if you don't know how the opposition works

Though you are correct that the only way to truly understand the opposition is to play with the opposition and be in their shoes

However sometimes it's impossible to do so. Such as my bias against vortigaunt players, I have no idea what their lore is or how they work; yet I severely dislike the gameplay that I need to work with against them as a combine player. My problem here is I can't be in their shoes unless I apply and become a vortigaunt. This leads to me personally being PK hungry most of the time, including most of the CP faction, as capturing a free'd vortigaunt is rare and a difficult ordeal; making the PK feel worth it internally but not in good faith. It is why appeals exist as both sides have the right to argue their case and gain a valid conclusion that is fair.

 

[MazuzaM]

I played like both Scrombine and Bebel (Grr my bebel always dies!!!) and I've never got issued of OOC beefing, IC is IC and we're all different people from our chars
Every time I was PKd I was like cool with it and it people weren't in constant persuit of trying to PK me, it just fit my characters' storylines

 

[RileyTheRoomba]

My only beef is with shit rpers and they land on either side of the spectrum ... Watch yourselves.

 

[Botulism]

Wait, people actually have out-of-character hatred for how their characters act in a 20 year old video game? That's crazy.

 

[alessiodoomboy]

I fuckin ghate rebel;s

 

[George]

/me accidently drops his USP-45 onto the floor in front of the large crowd of people, seemingly not noticing. The unit would continue along his path, as if nothing had happened.

 

[ItsLiam]

However sometimes it's impossible to do so. Such as my bias against vortigaunt players, I have no idea what their lore is or how they work; yet I severely dislike the gameplay that I need to work with against them as a combine player. My problem here is I can't be in their shoes unless I apply and become a vortigaunt. This leads to me personally being PK hungry most of the time, including most of the CP faction, as capturing a free'd vortigaunt is rare and a difficult ordeal; making the PK feel worth it internally but not in good faith. It is why appeals exist as both sides have the right to argue their case and gain a valid conclusion that is fair.

Maybe just don't be PK hungry, lol? I remember when you were arguing that you were able to distinguish whether my shackles would be real or not by tugging hard on it... Like, there's literally 0 narrative created by doing it and yet, you still tried to do so. And for what reason? To ruin someone's fun? To get the dopamine of shithousing your way to capturing a freed Vortigaunt?

I don't understand why people go out of their way to ruin people's experience. We're a G-MOD HLRPG (G stands for Game) server, everyone is here to have fun and I don't understand why some people need to go out of their way to actively ruin it for somebody else just to feel this small bit of accomplishment.

Just play for fun, the server is much better if you don't take this shit so seriously (<-- Ironic coming from me)

 

[Devistral]

Maybe just don't be PK hungry, lol? I remember when you were arguing that you were able to distinguish whether my shackles would be real or not by tugging hard on it... Like, there's literally 0 narrative created by doing it and yet, you still tried to do so. And for what reason? To ruin someone's fun? To get the dopamine of shithousing your way to capturing a freed Vortigaunt?

I don't understand why people go out of their way to ruin people's experience. We're a G-MOD HLRPG (G stands for Game) server, everyone is here to have fun and I don't understand why some people need to go out of their way to actively ruin it for somebody else just to feel this small bit of accomplishment.

Just play for fun, the server is much better if you don't take this shit so seriously (<-- Ironic coming from me)

You've complained the most about all combine players yet do the most PK hungry things on your rebel against other rebels.

If you haven't noticed there weren't any regulations in place in-regards to checking shackles, that is how OTA did it for over a year and how I did it myself for over a year with no issues from the vortigaunt player.

If you also check regulations now, we can still check your shackles with zero narrative as code black bypasses protection; so you're just complaining more.