https://gameshotline.org/​

So, I heard of this a while ago, and initially I thought it was for us, devs in our industry, but turns out it is for players.

Anyone have thoughts or experiences to share?

Would we in our industry want a hotline for this, but for developers?

GeneralJist said:
Would we in our industry want a hotline for this, but for developers?

I think such help misses to address the real problem, which is not the victim. Addressing the real problem would require some process involving all parties, an impartial fair judge, and consequence for regulation.
Such process has a high cost, and it can't be anonymous. So likely we won't get it. And even if, it won't cure a failing society, if the problem really is that big.

Btw, the video on the site mentions game developers too, if i've heard right. So maybe that's covered already within their reach.
And ofc. it's fine to offer psychological help. It can help those willing to discuss private issues with a stranger, which won't be many.

But from the industry perspective i do see a problem here. There is already enough press depicting games industry as a hot spot of harassment and social issues supported by missmanagement.
I'm not part of the industry, and can't tell how bad it is. But i don't believe it is worse than elsewhere.

And if i'm right with that, the problem is not specific to games. So why should we depict ourselves as a socially incompetent industry, eventually caring more about social problems or work conditions than about creating great products?
Why should our industry be the scapegoat for a failing society?

So no, i don't want a gaming harassment hotline. Give me just a harassment hotline, eventually specific to work, or social internet. This makes sense. Creating a association specific to games seems no good idea.

JoeJ said:
it won't cure a failing society,

That's a good point,

Handling these issues should take a policy approach, yet everywhere we look, things are falling apart.

Crime is up, disconnection from our fellow man is up more and more people are using games as a way to escape the issues they deal with from day to day, an entire generation of people are dependent and borderline addicted to their phones, some are apathetic to the suffering of their fellow man. No one seems to know what to do, or more importantly Genuinely care.

GeneralJist said:
No one seems to know what to do

Yeah, and sadly, this applies to pretty much anything.
I share the impression of depression you have just expressed. Everything seems going downhill.
Maybe people related to tech industry are more sensual to this right now. While noticing our progress slows down, we also realize our achievements are somewhat pointless and not really essential.
And with the only future perspective of achieving AI to take our jobs, a metaverse to distract us even more, or having virtual money… no wonder we have some motivation issues.

But i don't think we are entirely useless. People need bread and games. It's just that tech industry is past it's peak, which includes games, and we have to accept and execute the required recession although it hurts.
Regarding global depression, recently i've heard about the company Helios, working on an alternate approach of nuclear fusion. Another US tech promise leading nowhere? Maybe. But this one sounded reasonable, and gave me a spark of hope.

I think we need something like this. If we get it, it will enable us to do the right things. And our focus will shift from the bad things to the good things.
Harassment at work will still happen (and believe me - i have more personal experience with this than most). But humanity as a whole would feel better.

Modern gaming is appealing for the antisocial people. Gaming back then was about experiencing new type of adventures. Since 1998-1999, the internet, computers, smart devices slowly became cheap and mainstream. Everyone was able to afford it, and people started to use the internet for gathering new experiences, and meeting new people, organizing events, competitions, forming groups. After this, the mainstream gaming is changed as well, as it appealed to a different type of people: for the people who are failing in life, people who are antisocial, mentally unstable, unfit to the society. Now in gaming, the antisocial type of people are the overwhelming majority. I am of course not saying that every gamer is extremely antisocial, but the overwhelming majority is. But we can say the same from the social media as a whole, especially from the part of the social media which is connected with IT as a whole. As a developer, i just decide to ignore them. Of course its frustrating to get a spit on your face for your lifetime work and knowledge from a typical retarded gamer whose life is about clicking two on an icon, especially from someone who is, by every chance, has about only one third of your iq, or from failed and jeajlous developers who became sql slaves for minimal wage or something because they failed to understand what binary numbers are. But get used to it, because the critism always have some valid points, and as a developer, you must investigate it, and fix it if there is a real issue. And that will pull out the venomous teeth of the harrasser. First, be sure you are mentally okay, and your body is also in good shape. Yin and yang: healthy soul in healthy body. And simply ignore the negativity around you. Go working out a bit, be sure you have plenty of real life friends, and you will learn what type of parasites you have to ignore.

Geri said:
and you will learn what type of parasites you have to ignore.

Hmmm… maybe your ignorance is way better than my depression. :D

Besides, in case you are right with some things (and they may make some sense), then this eventually also means that the games industry IS a hotspot of social issues? And i'm just wrong with assuming it's the same everywhere?
I mean, devs are just gamers themselves, trying to make a profession out of their hobby.

Idk. But they idea that the internet is what went wrong with games is interesting. I never considered this.
But i have a related question, which bothers me for ages:

Why was there never a anti-internet-movement? I mean, there were Hippies, which protested against war. Other groups formed against nuclear power, racism, boy groups, capitalism, Jesus, superstition, literally anything.
But the internet was sucked up by anybody, with little concerns, worries, or doubts.

Though, likely that's just because the internet came at a time where the arrow pointed upwards for anybody, and it helped to accelerate globalization and increasing life standards even faster. So nobody had a reason to complain.
Just now that great time seems over. And we come up with all kinds of reasons explaining why things suck.
But we shouldn't do that. It does not help, and only increases the chance we get another Hitler wording such explanations loud enough to ignite the final fire…

Ok. I have tried it. But as you see, depression won again… <:\

JoeJ said:
Why was there never a anti-internet-movement?

Well, there is, but not exactly.

There are people who live off the grid.

Who are those people?

They don't like tech, like the Amish

GeneralJist said:
They don't like tech, like the Amish

Oh, yes. Obviously i can't hear their voices, being so focused on tech myself. : )

Did not know much about this culture, although their European origin surrounds my home.
Reading about them now feels strangely… cute : ) Very interesting.

JoeJ said:
also means that the games industry IS a hotspot of social issues? And i'm just wrong with assuming it's the same everywhere?

I don't think it is the same everywhere. According to my observations, the online + trendy type of areas are affected by the antisocial behavior. Gaming (+programming) as a whole, social media sites, the new and trendy language exchanges, most parts of the music industry, style, online video sites and circles, "influencers", traveling, food, tourism, writing, and things like that, are the hotspot for mental hospital incarnates.

But you are certainly going to experience significantly less on other type of fields, like dentists, tailors, lumberers, exchange rate speculators, welders, and so on. Because when they weld a little hole to their fingers themself by accident, they either quickly learn respect, or they wetting their pants and quickly leave that type of industry behind forever. Where having their skin in the risk is the requirement, there are not too much room to vomit with a toilet pump in their hands.

Geri said:
most parts of the music industry

That's where i come from. Explains why i think it's the same everywhere… \:D/ I still fail to understand the social issues which happened to me there, ruining my life and health.