This will be my final post. I will not respond to anyone, so save your insults. This is not intended to be received by Darkness, but for everyone else on this server and in this game.

There has been much debate about who was in the wrong, who threatened who, and ultimately who was at fault for the degrading relationship between myself, The Resistance, and Darkness.

I have been told that I am a toxic leader, amongst other things. I have been told that if I'm amendable and polite, that Darkness would be happy to set terms for war with me. Or that we could surrender and they wouldn't attack us. And that I am the bad guy for seeking to ruin the game for others, or run people off the server.

I have been chastised for not knowing server history dating back years. And ultimately, I have been vilified and made to be the bad guy.

I am going to share with you a few pieces of conversation that prove otherwise. I'll make a plea to the players of this server, and then you'll never hear from me again.



Cloud/Dark Demon has been extremely helpful, and offered to help The Resistance get setup on IRC and access to some of the tools others have in this game. I reluctantly accepted his help. The reason for my reluctance is that Demon is the leader of Darkness/Mercs and I didn't want anyone to be able to hold their help over our heads. Previous interactions with Demon had been great, however. And I was implored by others to accept the help, and told that Demon was a great guy.

Those things were all true. I want to publicly thank Demon for his assistance. He is a wonderful person, and a great representative of this community. I wish more new people had interactions with him, as opposed to others.



Over the past few days I had ceased communication on these boards, in game, and in private messages with all those that I felt had been harassing and aggressive toward me. I simply did not want to engage with any of them anymore, as I felt like the conversation was devolving into personal attacks and name calling. Perhaps I was at fault for this, perhaps I was not. I did not much care, I was just seeking to fix it. And I thought the best way to fix it was to cease the bickering and fighting, and to just play the game.

Symbolic was not happy about this, apparently.

Today he joined our private IRC chat room. I am going to post the contents of the conversation for all to see. I am doing this because I think it is important for everyone to be aware of how Symbolic, as the leader of Darkness, and the rest of Darkness, treat other people. This treatment has been the basis of my initial reaction and complaint, and continues to be.

Further, this treatment is a contributor to the dwindling of this game. For every person who is treated like this, that's one less person that sticks around and plays this game long term. And that's one more bot ya'll get to play with instead. I can't imagine this is something ANYONE wants.




[15:34:05] <BlackHole> Are you symbolic or bobby?!?
[15:34:26] <BlackHole> You're symbolic... right?
[15:38:12] <Symbolic> Yes
[15:38:17] <Symbolic> I am symbolic
[15:45:47] <BlackHole> Why are you here?
[15:47:43] <Symbolic> I wanted to see what demon set up for you guys
[15:47:55] <BlackHole> You have no business being here. Please leave and don't return.
[15:48:42] <Symbolic> I think we got off on the wrong foot man.
[15:48:54] <BlackHole> You bet we did.
[15:49:00] <BlackHole> Or I bet we did.
[15:49:10] <BlackHole> Someone bets we did. Basically, I'm saying, yes. We did. We are on the wrong foots.
[15:49:30] <Symbolic> Like opposite fonts?
[15:49:33] <Symbolic> Foots
[15:49:41] <BlackHole> Exactly.
[15:52:17] <Symbolic> Lol
[15:54:09] <BlackHole> Are we done here?
[16:00:26] <Symbolic> Hate will only burn you up. I could show you how to run this warbot
[16:00:33] <Symbolic> Or I could fluff off
[16:00:53] <Symbolic> I don't hold grudges.
[16:12:13] <Symbolic> Your choice blackhole
[16:12:29] <cloud-demon> Sup
[16:13:17] <cloud-demon> Symbolic
[16:13:58] <cloud-demon> Is my partner in crime
[16:14:00] <cloud-demon> BlackHole
[16:14:07] <cloud-demon> What’s good
[16:21:00] <BlackHole> Symbolic - I don't hate anyone in this context.
[16:22:41] <BlackHole> I have no interest in debating with you the merits of who should/could hold grudges against whom. I have removed myself from the conversation for a reason. I have not responded to any of your messages for a reason. I have no interest in engaging in any further dialogue with you. I think we've had enough of that on the forums, and I've learned my lesson.
[16:25:58] <BlackHole> Lastly - I do not need, nor want your help. I especially don't want the help of individuals who call me a toxic leader, or insult me publicly, as you and many in your team have. You have a right to those thoughts, and I will not seek to change your mind. But please know that I do not wish to engage in any way with people who feel that way about me, nor do I wish to be your charity case. I don't want your help. I don't need your help. Perhaps when we are at a point where you are no longer insulting me, and threatening me with 'well you can publicly surrender on these boards' we may be able to engage in more meaningful dialogue. But we clearly aren't at that point, as such, I have no desire to engage in any dialogue with you.
[16:26:29] <BlackHole> The only request I have is that you do not come back into our room. If you want to send me a message, you can do so privately on discord, or in game.
[16:31:02] <Symbolic> I never called you a toxic leader
[16:31:21] <Symbolic> You threatened us first
[16:32:05] <Symbolic> Those people acted on there own behalf
[16:33:59] <Symbolic> I was point out how your own post was triggering people to do what they where doing
[16:52:13] <cloud-demon> Ooo
[16:56:23] <BlackHole> Symbolic - I am done pleading my case, I have no desire to dispute or refute your statements. I've done that ad nasuem. We don't agree. That is why I have removed myself from the conversation.
[16:56:54] <BlackHole> If I am to blame, then I am to blame. I am rectifying that situation by ceasing communication with those that I have disputes with, you are included in 'those'.
[17:05:34] <Symbolic> No your just being a stubborn fluff. We thought helping you guys would change your mind and we could settle things
[17:05:49] <Symbolic> But I see thats not the case.
[17:33:50] <BlackHole> Symbolic - This is exhibit a. I get that you disagree with me. But I've been nothing but polite in this conversation. I've not personally insulted you, I've simply said we disagree and I do not wish to engage any further. Your reaction is to insult and name call me, again. This is precisely why I do not wish to engage any further. You're not being nice. You are being aggressive toward someone who doesn't want to see it your way. This is the foundation of our entire 'misunderstanding' and relationship. We do not see eye to eye. I am fine with that. I was hoping to have some fun in game, with that in mind. You are not fine with that. You (and most of your teammates) are looking to bully and name call me BECAUSE we disagree. You can tell me I'm wrong without calling me a stubborn fluff. You can tell me that you want to war with, without name calling and insulting. Well, maybe you can't, but you should be able to. Until you can do that, and until the rest of your clan can do that, I have nothing to say to any of you. Perhaps this is what you want, perhaps this is for the better. I thought I was bringing fun and levity to the game and the forums. But I got met with animosity at every turn. Yea, I know, you're going ot say I'm the one who as animous and aggressive and threatening. Again, we disagree. But I'm not the one name calling and insulting here. You are. Due to that. I'm done. Now please leave our room.
[17:34:27] <Symbolic> Make me
[17:34:49] <BlackHole> I'm happy to oblige.



I would like to bring attention to a few things in this conversation.

First and foremost, Symbolic continues to engage aggressively and personally insult me because I was not willing to agree with him and do things his way.

Second - Symbolic did indeed attempt to hold the 'help' over my head. His stated that he had hoped that if they helped us, we would change our minds, and see things their way. This is precisely why I didn't want the help to begin with.

Third - When it was clear that we weren't going to amicably resolve things, instead of acting like an adult, Symbolic acted like a child with the 'make me' remark. At the time I wasn't Op'd in the channel, and I assume he thought I didn't have the ability to actually kick him from the channel. He was wrong. I wish he would have just left willingly, but I had to kick/ban him since he would not.


This was not the end of it, however. After doing that, I received a few nice messages from Symbolic on discord.

Symbolic — Today at 6:02 PM
See you on the battle field, for sets to come. Good luck your gonna need it.
Thats not a threat, its a promise.
Cuda — Today at 6:16 PM
Anything else?
Symbolic — Today at 6:21 PM
No that about covers it. Just you at the bottom of my boot.
Cuda — Today at 6:22 PM
What is your intention? What if we don't want to fight anymore?
Are you going to continue to attack/harass us simply because I don't want to agree with you?
Symbolic — Today at 6:23 PM
Yep
Cuda — Today at 6:23 PM
And when will you stop?
Symbolic — Today at 6:23 PM
Intill I burn you out.
Cuda — Today at 6:23 PM
As in you want me to quit the game?
Symbolic — Today at 6:23 PM
Have fun.

So now Symbolic is telling me that he's going to beat us down for sets to come.

So all this time, we were the ones threatening, ruining the game, seeking to run people off the servers and ruin the game for people.

Yet it seems that wasn't/isn't the case at all. That's actually exactly what Symbolic is doing here.



The reality of the situation is Symbolic is everything I said he was, and this is absolute proof of that.


Now I don't have any illusion that a bunch of new players in their third round are going to easily defeat a well oiled machine. This will be an uphill battle that we will likely struggle with.


But that can change. It doesn't have to be this way. There have been many of you that have sought to keep myself and my team in the game. You've privately messaged me showing us support, asking us not to leave, telling me you're rooting for us, and ultimately hoping that we would stay in the game, because more players is better than less.


Here is my ask.

I'm asking veterans of this game to stand with me, stand with The Resistance, and help us fight back. If you're a member of Darkness but you disagree with this way of approaching new players, leave. Come join us. Help us create a new era in this game. One where we treat others with respect, encourage new players to stay, grow and learn, and where we keep disputes civil. There is nothing wrong with warring in this game. I think it's a really fun aspect of the game. But there absolutely is something wrong with personal attacks, insults, harassment, childish behavior, and ultimately seeking to ruin the game for others and run them out of the game.

This is exactly what Symbolic is admitting to doing, telling me he's going to do, and based on reading the histories has done to others in the past. This is even a violation of the in game rules, and Symbolic has openly admitted to seeking to violate them.

He is actively hurting this game. And I want that to stop.


Come join me. Don't just express your support in words, do it in actions. We need your help.



Are the players of this game going to allow this behavior to go unchecked? Is this how you want the game to be? Is this how you want interactions between players to be?

TL:DR

Yea I offerd you help, you spat in my face. Eat it.

Good riddance!

Watching Black Hole and Symba interact is like seeing Bill and Frank from The Last of Us episode 3.

I need to start Episode 1.

Most people talk fluff, and many players (people online in general?) will call you a name. I'd say this is fairly minor of all things, calling you stubborn. I forget why you were called a toxic leader, but honestly, you have to have a little thicker skin if you want to lead online. If it's not true, ignore it. If it's based on your in game actions, see it for what it is and see if you can improve - you seem like the type to learn from your enemies and prove them wrong in the future.

I think it's pretty clear they were offering you an olive branch, BH. Probably everyone acted a little juvenile but nothing stands out as the terrible offense you think it is. I hope they don't run you off, but if you don't want to pact out for peace, and you don't want to set some general terms of a war, then it kind of sounds like they're just giving you the only other option there is. If this isn't just your usual propaganda, I'd suggest you find a reasonable third party to mediate between you two - maybe it would just be to have whatever grinding war you want for a set or two and then re-evaluate. Maybe you each get your best 10 and find someone else on the server to police it. It's really up to you on whether you want to get better, quit the game / die on this hill because someone called you a stubborn fluff, or choose some other option. If you're not having fun though, taking a break is often the right answer. Good luck in whatever you decide.

I posted news and straight irrefutable facts from the 3 previous rounds. I tried recruiting this leader and his crew, got him deleted twice. Then I thought we was good and now it looks like we arent good and his darkness beef continues?

I officially give up on Black Hole. I guess I will wait to see him AB us OOP again and will turn him into a restart within a week if he so choose this path.

Good day and good set to you brother....

Gerdler come out too play!

You can lead a horse to water...

Stop trying to please people who don’t like you and embrace the joy of being the most annoying person they’ve ever met. 😊

I'm ordinarily a guy who stays focused and advocates for long winded posts because I think they're fun, but all that foot talk at the beginning just warmed me up. Galleri is probably hotter than a half-fluffed fox in a forest fire.

I don't see any personal attacks or whatever there. Just the normal ol' fluff talk anyone does in any game. Bro's just upsetty spaghetti. Hopefully some fun comes of it and he drops some more truth bombs in the future. I was having fun. Dude just needs a boogeyman to put himself on a straw man's heros arc. It's very dungeons and dragons.

Come back to the dark Dee!

I mean, if a boatmaker from Canada is the villain around here these days, I may just have to. Sheeeesh. lol

Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Philly over Chiefs? What's your prediction? They looked good against my 9ers!

I rebuild dump boxes and excavator buckets now!

Boats and hoes!

Lol, and yeah. Go birds! Keep blessing my lucky stars on my timing of getting into the sports bar industry at the absolute right time in Philly. As long as Hurts is healthy tho, Birds been the best team all year. They should win and the city will burn lol.

It's ok tho. As long as no one talks about black lives mattering, it won't even make the news how bad they fluff the city up next weekend haha.

It'll burn even by losing LOL, glad biz is booming brother!

We like boats and hoes, fast and slow cars and hot chicks

Fast boats and slow chicks.

Darkiness has always been toxic in team server. That dates back years. Worst one is Superflu he is the biggest virus left in this game.

Superflu is a good guy. He just playing the game, don’t hate the player…

Hellrush is the biggest noob in the game lol

Boats n Hoes

Black Hole on Jan 30th. I’ll never post again!

Feb 2nd post, post, post

Lol

Darkiness is back baby!