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Trolling 101: Top Annoying Ways to Grief in Games

Trolling 101: Top Annoying Ways to Grief in Games

Trolling can be an absolutely terrible thing. Some people just like to cheat or harass or whatever in order to upset other people. That is a behavior I cannot condone but trolling or, as it is sometimes known, griefing isn’t always a malicious activity. Sometimes, when done right, it can be entertaining for all involved and can highlight the perks of playing games online in general. So, if you’re going to troll, at least be a little clever about it and, if someone is profoundly upset, just stop; there’s no need to be a jerk if someone feels like your joke is too much at their expense. Here are some examples of good ways to grief.

Use Unconventional Distractions

Use Unconventional Distractions

Team Fortress 2 , a multiplayer game with no real stakes, is a great place to grief and this has been proven time and time again. The Youtube channel, V. TeamGRN shows us a perfect example of clever griefing in a video entitled “Team Fortress 2 Griefing: Hot Girl Backstabbing.”

In the video, the gamers use custom sprays to paint surfaces with pictures of women. When players stop to look at the picture, they are subsequently stabbed in the back by a cunning spy player. The best part about this griefing is that the “victims” are entirely to blame; they fell for the bait. The technique should theoretically work with any compelling image, though, so if you want to steer clear of bikini models, you still have options.

Play as Hanzo (or Other Unloved Characters)

Play as Hanzo (or Other Unloved Characters)

It may not be as true as it once was but when Overwatch was first released, Hanzo was a character considered far outside the game’s meta; he simply didn’t stack up to other character picks. In a team based game, players can get quite annoyed at players who pick Hanzo.

The thing is, though, that gamers don’t owe anything to one another when it comes to playing certain characters. Play Hanzo to your heart’s content if you really want to. But, because of Hanzo’s reputation, a great way to troll is to play Hanzo and then play extremely well as him. In fact, outperforming as “bad characters” is an incredibly satisfying way to troll others who want to police how others have fun. Troll the whole damn meta if you want to.

Videogamedunkey on Youtube is a prime example of this. He’ll play a support character offensively in Youtube, go out of his way to perform visually interesting, comical kills, and, yes, even play Hanzo.

Play Hide and Seek

Play Hide and Seek

Some games allow players to blend into their environments which, as far as I am concerned, is fair play. In the Dark Souls franchise, there are spells that allow players to shapeshift into the form of environmental objects. While hiding and/or seeking, tension can be raised for both players. It’s an interesting mechanic.

Watching an unwanted invader search laboriously for you, a man disguised as a pot, before ultimately giving up is fun. And if you have a good sense of humor, it can also be pretty fun to get pushed over a cliffside by said pot. It’s surprising, unusual, and no real reason to get upset.

Play Dumb

Play Dumb

There is no shame in being bad at a video game, although there are some out there who would liken online ineptitude to a crime like murder. It’s ridiculous how mad some people can get for honest mistakes in games. League of Legends or various MMORPG’s can be a breeding ground for toxicity and hatred and, while adding fuel to the fire is maybe not the best thing, the people who are most likely to freak out on another player are always going to find something to be upset about.

My suggestion? Play dumb. Make silly mistakes. Watch them freak out over a game. Don’t take it to an insane length that inconveniences everybody but, hey, if there is a genuine opportunity for some foolish comedy, why not take it? My only caveat is that you only choose to troll people who are already being jerks. Like, for example, if they’re bullying someone on your team or another player, why not draw focus from that player onto yourself? It might even make that poor person’s day better.

Improvised Theatrics

Improvised Theatrics

When my wife first fired up Sea of Thieves , she wasn’t sure what to do. It’s not the most comfortable situation to be in when you’re dropped into the middle of a multiplayer session. Almost immediately, a kid began yelling at her to get on the boat; there was 0 patience to be had. Soon after, the kid began loudly squeaking at his father for “5 more minutes” of play time. The drama unfolded from there, all the while his avatar was flailing about in front of my wife’s character. We did not have a mic plugged in but, even if we did, we probably would have said nothing. It was fun to watch the scene play out before us.

What I’m suggesting here is that you enact your own dramatic scenes like this with your friends or, if you don’t have friends, over the mic with an imaginary third party. Players can have a voyeur side and catching these random, surprising glimpses into someone else’s life can be engaging and, often times, comical. Maybe an old and ridiculous feud is unearthed in a game’s text chat between you and a friendly co-conspirator. Perhaps a couple’s spat? Who knows? The premise is yours to make, the characters, yours to write. And so long as you err on the side of caution and get a feel for the room, everybody can have a bit of fun at the expense of totally imaginary people you’ve made up.

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