Dealing with ignorant users and moderators regarding game mechanics

Question

In an online browser game targeted at children but equally played by adults, countless times I've been talked to with disdain and authoritative disbelief.

This happens when I try and help other players (and even moderators) understand the specifics of game mechanics better by showing exact mathematical formulas and concise but complete explanations of certain mechanics.

In most cases, my formulas and research flies in the face of the 'slap dash' explanation given by the administrators of the game, with their explanations clearly being inaccurate but being thought of as 'good enough' by most players.

Other times, my research goes against the 'research' by other players, even though I can prove my own findings and show why theirs are wrong. In all cases, I am treated with ridicule, disbelief, and often as a trouble maker and a liar by all players, and many moderators outright ignore and undermine my efforts to help.

In the end, I've given up. When threads regarding the specifics of these gameplay mechanics turn up on the forums posted by players in need I sometimes reply, but usually the threads get filled up with incorrect information by other players and staff. I've turned to just putting all of my research on my player page, in easy to copy formulas and verbose explanations. I'm not sure what else to do.

It's quite possible the administrators don't want such exact information so public, but if that's the case they could at least talk to me about it.

Answer 1

What are you trying to achieve here? I imagine you're hoping to participate in a discussion where your ideas and research are reviewed and discussed by peers in a fair and balanced way. I think you're trying to do this because you believe your ideas will help the community as a whole.

It sounds like there's some element of subjectivity or at least difference of opinion that isn't black and white. Handling this difference well is perhaps more helpful to the community than whether your findings are right and accepted by others.

Handling difference involves listening to other ideas with respect and consideration and responding fairly. It also means presenting your ideas with some amount of humility.

Your objective shouldn't be to "deal with ignorant users" but it should be to help create an environment where users listen to each other and are prepared to review the evidence fairly. If you focused on creating a discussion with that ethos, perhaps your argumentwould have more of a fair hearing. Since you have strong evidence in your favour, it sounds like all you need is an environment where people are willing to listen.

Ultimately, you should ask yourself, "Am I contributing to an environment where people really listen to ideas that challenge their own?"