Why griefing is easier thanks to Bad Sport and passive mode

[blackrooster_]

I've posted this a couple of times in different threads, but decided to put my thoughts in one place so that I don't have to keep repeating myself.

 

While allowing people to enter passive mode and being labeled a bad sport is, arguably, a good idea in theory, there are definite flaws in the system. The biggest flaw for me is the way that a "griefer" can use these modes to actually grief people even worse than before.

 

For example, you can get into your personal vehicle, enter passive mode, and then hunt down people who are on foot. Bump into them over and over until they die. They can't shoot you since you're in passive mode and destroying your personal car will earn them a bad sport label. Yes, they can leave ... but in the mind of a griefer, this means they win, and they'll go to the next person.

If you really want to screw with players by using the options Rockstar has created to "protect" us, make a ridiculous vehicle your personal vehicle. Grab a minivan, station wagon, etc. ... something that no one in their right mind would make their personal vehicle ... and be sure not to modify it at all. Then head into a cluster of players and start shooting them or go into passive mode and crash into them. Even players who might normally avoid shooting cars because of the bad sport possibility are more likely to shoot you because who the heck would choose a crappy vehicle as their personal vehicle? Then once they destroy you, they'll get the bad sport label.

In addition to increased griefing, it also seems to negate the bounty system. If there's a bounty on your head, there's a good chance that whoever gets you will destroy your car. In fact, you can increase the chances of this happening by getting out and shooting up your car a bit, but not to the point of destroying, so that it will take less bullets from them to destroy it. And if you have two griefers in the same session, one could be the one to set the bounty with the sole purpose of goading someone into ultimateliy destroying your car and earning a bad sport designation.

Would this stuff work all the time? Of course not. Players always have the option to leave the session. But many wouldn't figure out what you're doing until they earned a bad sport label. Not that I would do anything like this, of course ... but some people will.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

I read that if you're in passive mode, but in your car, you can still get shot.

[BlaineCountyHooker]

I read that if you're in passive mode, but in your car, you can still get shot.

this is true

[GeorgeClinton]

I have been having bad experiences with greifing and bad sportsmanship as well. I don't get why destroying someone's personal vehicle is always bas sportsmanship; but shooting out someone's tires when they are doing something else is fine.

 

Someone gets a bounty on their head, I sticky them and run off. Bad Sportsmanship.

A group sees me starting a fight with a gang for trevor, they come through and shoot out my tires then proceed to camp me. Good sportsmanship.

 

Once I finally get into a car I follow them and sticky bomb them because they griefed me. Bad sportsmanship.

 

So every time you use a grenade or sticky bomb you need to think "well hey is that a personal vehicle because if it is I'm being a bad sport."

 

Being a pedestrian in a 4 v 1 fight and sticky bombing the car of 4 people is being a bad sport. Grouping up in 4's for the soul purpose of grieifing is just fine, but trying to stop them now that's when you have gone TOO far.

[FarVision]

Can you put a bounty on yourself?

[GraniteDevil]

Take it from me:

 

You can, without a doubt, without question, be killed in your car if you're in passive mode. I've been shotgunned once and sprayed another.

 

Hopefully, being a douchebag while in passive mode (or being a douche to someone in passive mode) somehow contributes to getting a dunce hat. I know a few players who deserve it.

[theadmiral]

I wrote my thesis on this and I agree

[Xbox1988]

face palm

 

half the OPs post is incorrect. you can die while in car with passive mode. idiot.

[SetPixels]

It would be better if there was an easier way to quickly change your settings on other players to avoid them in the future. The current setup has you in the menu system for awhile. Would be nice if there was an easy way to just "avoid" the last person who killed you in the future with a quick two click visit in the menu. Maybe they could use "avoids" to determine bad sport players... or a combination of avoid and activities so people couldn't game the system to grief a person into bad sport status. Avoid works for future games, but not the game you are in - however, it would simultaneously mute the player and give them a negative report so they couldn't follow you into the next session if you jump and you wouldn't have to deal with them again. I would use the feature all the time if it was easier and I would be able to get rid of young children yelling f**got and n***er. Rockstar could start grouping kids together and adults together and separate people who want to just run around and lobby kill from people who want to explore and cooperate.

 

Or even give us a system more direct and meaningful than mood - like "run and gun" or "friendly" or "adventure" or "mission" to group people better than they are grouped now. Their system will probably evolve as the community does.

[Banana Duck]

You can shoot from a bike while in passive mode, it starts counting down once you've shot as well