What is 'community' and how can Niantic 'help' it?

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  • Otrera35Otrera35 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    The definition of “community” presented above is deficient and does not present a comprehensive picture of what a community means because it centers on three elements which are the group, leader, and communication. A significant concept associated with the definition of community is culture. Community is a group of people who share the same interest, customs, and culture. If the culture of an existing community creates a helpful, respectful, and supportive atmosphere; it will earn the respect and support of its new/potential agents. If the culture of the community thrives on a toxic culture such as engaging in a witch hunt or embrace the “eat their young” mentality or orchestrating a charade and use the new agents to level up other agents; it earns the contempt and ire of its new/potential agents.  One cannot blame lone agents why they prefer to stay away from communities with a toxic culture. The Communities and Niantic need to address this concept to ensure the long-term viability of this game.

    Post edited by Otrera35 on
  • Are you saying that everyone in the Ingress Community shares the same culture? The Ingress Community itself is represented by many many cultures, and that is part of what makes us such a rich community. In the real world, my little local neighborhood I consider a community, but even here we don't all share the same culture. I've seen smaller sub-communities within Ingress exhibit toxic tendencies, but even there, not all the agents are toxic. I absolutely agree that toxicity is something that needs to be addressed within each local community experiencing it- I'm not sure that Niantic can address it at a global level.

    But I am interested to hear what steps you think Niantic could take to solve toxicity in some of the local communities - what are your suggestions for them? It sounds like wherever you are, you are having a pretty bad experience. That you were willing to speak up in public means you'd like to see a change. Are you the only agent in your area who sees the problem? Maybe there are others who feel as you do, and you could work together to make changes.

    If you were "in charge" and empowered to solve the problems you see - what specifically would you do? I think that was what this discussion thread was hoping to get to - practical suggestions for how to fix the problems you see.

  • Otrera35Otrera35 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    I brought up several issues and recommendations in different threads of the General section in this Community forum, but it was received negatively or strongly opposed by others. The communities and Niantic are not going to do anything about it.  So, what’s the point of bringing things up when you know the process is like beating up a dead horse? 

  • So, what’s the point of bringing things up when you know the process is like beating up a dead horse? 

    Because a declining community-base as well as toxic issues in some regions are still a problem that needs to be solved.

  • Otrera35Otrera35 ✭✭✭✭

    Your previous post showed that you have preconceived notions based on one side of the story associated with the issue of toxicity among communities out there. You have cited possible solutions as well. So, why ask a new agent whose opinions do not carry weight in this forum? Some new agents solved their dilemma on their own by finding good communities and create their adventures using this game. While other new agents just simply quit the game. Again, it all boils down to what a new agent can do for the community and Niantic and not the other way around. Think about what you can do for new and existing players, acknowledge that there is something wrong, and find solutions by listening to your client, and take action to make positive changes. Then, maybe you can earn client loyalty.

  • So, why ask a new agent whose opinions do not carry weight in this forum?

    Everyone's opinion adds information. Some may not be applicable in some situations, but everyone is welcome to voice them. People will argue, and disagree, based on their own situation, or how they interpret others, and that's fine, but everyone old and new has input.

    While other new agents just simply quit the game.

    These are the types of Agents that I'd personally like to keep interested in the game if possible, thus asking the question.

    Then, maybe you can earn client loyalty.

    Note that I am one of those 'clients'. I don't work for Niantic, and I'd like to see Niantic improve it's community relations too. The point of the post was to ask if others had any ideas on things that Niantic can do, and I suggested some of my own.

  • Otrera35Otrera35 ✭✭✭✭

    I believe you need to seek out agents who were "forced" out of the game as well so you can get the real picture of what is happening out there.

  • Sure, but I personally have no way of contacting them. Maybe Niantic can as they have more knowledge of who tried the game and stopped etc.

    All we can do here is discuss ideas on how we think we can help. If you don't think that can be done, that's fine, but it's not really constructive to simply say it can't be done, over and over.

  • Otrera35Otrera35 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    The thing speaks for itself. I do not need to reiterate further. Good luck with your endeavor and I hope you, the communities, and Niantic can prove that there is room for positive change and enact on it. For new agents out there, be wary of agents belonging to "communities" until they have been thoroughly checked because you never know they are "toxic" communities (applicable to both factions) and will try to set you up for failure.

    Post edited by Otrera35 on
  • VasatiVasati ✭✭✭

    In response to this, here is an idea. Provided one encounters the game, happens to actually want to play it, then it might be an idea to get friends involved. Then once a group of friends are involved, start seeking out a community. Because forcing ones friends to play is the fastest way to turn them off from playing.

    If you have few friends or if they just don't have interest in the game, then another option is entirely possible. When they begin again, attend something like an IFS or an event. Meet people who also play in your area without getting bound into the community in your area. If you like them and if they treat you well, then good. Maybe at that point you could start considering getting deeper into the community. But never, NEVER be afraid to get out if things start turning toxic. Even if that means having to go back to solo play.

    Because sadly, there will be toxic people. There will be jerks, aggressive and/or over serious players and worse. One should never force themselves to be around toxic people if it can be helped. If it cannot be helped, hopefully there will be more positive people in the community who will force the toxic player out.

    This is not a perfect solution. Things can always go awry when it comes to friendships and getting involved in communities. But it would be better to try to join a community, so the game doesn't get stale.

    (Any use of the word you is in a general sense and not aimed at the person quoted.

    I am not a standard bearer for Ingress Prime, nor am I an outstanding member of my local community or the greater Ingress community as a whole. I do however believe that for every toxic person and toxic group, there are two or three non-toxic people and groups out there who will gladly welcome you into the fold.)

  • GoblinGranateGoblinGranate ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2021

    What kind of friend would I be if I invited my firends to play knowing that they are going to be COMM molested, street pictured, data scrapped and prosecuted so they just feel uncomfortable and quit?

    How can I expect anyone with a bit of gaming culture to join a game where the chances of having fun are the same as just hanging out with friends?

    Sure, I could just invite and stay quiet, but the very second they start asking about what should I do? Tell lies? To my people? Who does that?

    Your solution treats "friends" like "sheeps" and I completely disagree on it.

    I'm one of those who miss the Recruited and would actually love to see all my firends playing by mi side, and that's why I still care for communities fair play, but I just won't trick anyone into the game knowing that any moment they can be intoxicated with no chance to fight it back.

  • Well, a good start is to create communities where toxicity isn't tolerated. In at least to regions I've lived during my Ingress time, a good community on one side has encouraged the other side to clean up their bad actors because otherwise there's too many people flipping to the other team "for the good community."

    A lot of communities would be far better served by "Lead by example" than "Demand someone fix it".

  • GoblinGranateGoblinGranate ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm gald you got that lucky in life (ingress), but over my place that just doesn't work. Our clean game effort does not "infect" the other team and most of agents on both sides decided to just leave instead of trying to fix it.

    And, btw, creating a new community was an already acomplished task before current situation. I even thought of changing sides just to repeat the process, although the plan was discarded.

    So, no, that is not a valid solution at this time.

  • VasatiVasati ✭✭✭


    Well then just tell no one to play. Let the game die then, if you think that that is going to happen eventually. But I'm not saying at any point to let your friends always play alone. Play with them as often as you could, within their comfort level. That isn't forcing them to play, and hopefully you'd have a good enough relationship with your friend that they'd tell you if they weren't enjoying themselves due to whatever reason.

    And try to be available if they have a problem, also within reason. So they'd have that support of knowing "Okay, this person in the COMMs is a total ****. I'll ask my friend who invited me to play if this is common and then base my decision to keep playing or not after finding out what I can." and then they could still have you to play alongside if they decide to keep going.

    You got the worst message possible out of my post. I'm not sure how, to be honest, unless you're deciding to see things with the 'glass half empty' POV. It could be you saw in my post "Then once a group of friends are involved, start seeking out a community. Because forcing ones friends to play is the fastest way to turn them off from playing." What I meant by that is, seek out a community and bring your friends along. Don't just ditch them to find their own community. That would be a pretty shitty thing to do.

    I have luckily never experienced a truly toxic moment in Ingress. I don't know how bad it is at other places. If you think your friends couldn't handle the toxic experience, or if you don't want to lead them into it, then don't invite them.

  • Otrera35Otrera35 ✭✭✭✭

    Hence, we cannot blame solo agents who prefer to stay away from toxic communities and are very wary of new communities they encounter because they had bad/traumatic experiences. Toxic experiences by Ingress players have been cited in other forums such as Reddit. Those solo agents are trying to enjoy the game by having fun and have their own adventures. Let them be happy and enjoy this aspect of the game. Lastly, let them decide when it's the right time for them to reach out to the new communities they found.

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