I was in my first Alliance War with my new Alliance over the weekend. I will not name names, or anything, because it appears nothing will be done about it. I just want you, as a company, to understand the ramifications of it.
We were all given set orders of when to hit and at what times. It was a very solid strategy, and one that some of the highest levels of the leadership in the group agreed with.
I was “clean up”, due to the fact that I did not have high point heroes on my team, and I had worked closely with the tactician to improve in a short period of time. Plus, I have been playing for a few years now, and I feel that I know how to “board play” extremely well, even with low-level heroes.
On Sunday, I was in the battle with the rest of the group when things started to suddenly turn “south”. First, someone asked why ,if I’m the level I am at, why dont I have higher point characters on my team? I did take some offense, only for the fact that I cant afford to put the money into the game as the rest of the group obviously has, and I had to explain I made some bad choices at the beginning, mainly because I had never played a game like this before. Then, I was being question as to who’s orders I was listening to, as some of the people (of all levels, whether it be co-leaders down to members), did not want to go by the strategy set in place that would guarantee a win. I was pushed to the point of finally using my low point characters, which was all I had left, and attack a team that was low in points, but I still had no chance in winning against. After repeated attempts, I showed my anger in how I was treated, and people stating that they didn’t want to listen to me complain because they did not want the drama, or threats of being kicked out of the alliance for standing up for myself, fell onto deaf ears. I was alone, and this was the third alliance that I have been in since playing this game.
I like this game. I don’t want to have to stop because of what happened, but after an hour or two, I realized I was bullied.
I’m 42. I have been bullied most of my life. For the last several years, I have been treated for mental disorders because of it. Fifteen or more years i believe. Lately, my conditioned has worsened to where i have PTSD. I’m being treated by both counselors and psychiatrists, and I’m on several medications. Since yesterday, I ended up having another PTSD episode, one of many I have had over several years, but only a few times in the last month have been due to the treatment from players in this game.
The particular PTSD episode had been brewing for several months, but had I not been treated unfairly in the game, I might have been able to avoid it. After 7:00pm CST last night, I could no longer handle sounds, and I have not spoken a word, except in this form–on screen or on paper.
Do not misunderstand. I am not blaming Small Giant Games or its main company, Zynga. I blame the treatment in the game, as well as the rest of my time battling this.
You have an area called “Peer Support” in the chat. There is no support there or anywhere else. I merely want you, the developer, who may have a general understanding of bullying and mental disorders, but to hear it first hand would make it more clear as to what really happens to a person who gets bullied. Sure, some people do worse, and I have been there, but I don’t want to quit this game after I have invested the time, and a little bit of money, into it.
I just thought hearing it would maybe clear things up and maybe figure better ways of trying to deal with it. I am currently still with the alliance, and they continue to be rude or mean, so I will not say anything any longer in chat. I have been asked to stay by the tactician, who has become a mentor and a friend, for this next war. After that, I may leave the alliance. I am only there now because it is the only way to advance in the game. Plus, the three alliances I have been in have all treated people unfairly. There does not seem to be nice people in the game.
That, unfortunately, is a shame.
