Is it that difficult to understand?

When I take a look at some discussions around raids and their difficulties I get very angry. Not because of the fact that forums often turn into a nightmare called "Trolliwood", no, it's more about the fact that there is a serious lack of empathy out there.

For example: Last day someone wrote about his wish to make raids easier. He wrote why and he wrote some ideas how to achieve what he would like to have. No rant, no personal attacks, no "damnit, raiders / progamers!", nothing. But the very first answer was: "L2P, LOL!".

I already mentioned my very complex fantasy. I don't have any control about it, no, the imagination seems to work on its own and suddenly I am thinking about a guy sitting in his room, with a big red head, eating chips, spitting them away and writing on the keyboard the only letters not covered by pieces of chips. Sometimes I also think about the stereotype of a gangster with some heavy gold collars writing with a 9mm. Or about the guy of the movie "Swordfish" who has a 9mm at his head and a woman deeper providing him a ....job while he tries to hack into the FBI computer.

Beside that I am starting to wonder why people are not able to provide ideas or arguments, reasons why the idea isn't that good. There may be people out there who read those questions very often, but the one guy they're ranting on perhaps asked it the first time. And who the hell use the search function in a forum which seems to be the verbal version of Dresden '45?

Well, anyways, let's clarify one thing: Yes, World of Warcraft is a MMO and that also means grouping. "Also", because "Massive Multiplayer" doesn't necessarily mean "Massive Grouping", but it means having a shared experience with others. This can happen via chat, via grouping, via auction house or trading, via roleplay and so on.

I am often wondering how a 25 men hardcore raid in which nobody really talks beside the raid facts and start to rant if someone's dps isn't that high as he expected, well, how these raids are more "MM" than five men helping each other by giving hints and being happy about achieving a goal: together, not because the e-peen of one is much greater than the one of someone else.

But that's another topic.

The fact that someone asks for an easier raid to get more people into the "boat" just to have it easier to form groups plus achieving something isn't that bad. And yes, people could mention the fact that there is already a "normal" and a "heroic" mode. But some "normals" are much harder than other "normals" and the only "fine adjustment" of the player is to be able to choose between two modes, nothing more. The designer is the one with the fine adjustments and this often happens months after release, in which non-pro-guilds often already got frustrated while the others being able to partially clean zones already are frustrated by "lowering" the achievements they hit by clearing the content pre-nerf.

The guys that really don't care that much and often are the first to post comments like "L2P, LOL" are the ones doing the heroic versions, so at last they shouldn't care about others doing content he or she does not prefer to ever do. Do not forget: the "heroics" also provide better loot and other achievements.

If someone of the "normal group" asks for more fine adjustment options, why the heck is it that difficult to understand or accept?

But that's not the only fact. Last time someone wrote that he fears that Blizzard would nerf every instance as it happened on WotLK. Not only he didn't mention the fact that everyone had to learn the boss dances and that nobody rushed through the heroic raids like a locomotive, but he also "forgot" to write, that many guilds didn't fully clear the heroic content, even with five more levels.

So in other words: If people want to have better and easier access to content they wouldn't ever see, then it's not that bad to simply accept what they want. It might cause a bad feeling for the guys thinking that raids should be an exclusive club mediterranee, but Blizzard is already on its process to provide everyone at least the normal "access" to take a look at these content pieces.

And guys, honestly: Many players in raid guilds put their pants on the same way as the guys they judge by not being in raid guilds. I often hear from raid guilds that the new guy they let in is the worst player they always seen. But as he learnt - and that's the difference - and got better equipment - that's another point - he is able to provide a good potion of DPS / healing / off-tanking.
So don't think those guys are all overpowered progamers, they often have other targets, put in more efforts and have another focus than you. Perhaps. And then, on the other hand, in a item centered World of Warcraft everyone can be a winner by only having a better gear - no matter if it's PVE or PVP content. But that's another story.

What bothers me much more is the fact that not only a few of those gamers often have a terrible lack in empathy and patience. Not all, but it seems that this group attracts those kind of people. That makes me really angry, like it made me angry regarding to the example I provided.

And of course it won't be the last time I will read this stuff and ask myself: Is it that difficult to understand?