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Message: <blockquote data-quote="EzekielRaiden" data-source="post: 8984050" data-attributes="member: 6790260">One of the things people talk a lot about with FFXIV is how different its community is, compared to other MMOs. Most of it is "wow, this community is awesome!" A lesser, but still significant, chunk either recognizes that things aren't perfect or overreacts to the efforts to keep things positive. (I have my own theories about the kinds of people who have that overreaction...but that's speculative.) Even the critics agree that it is at least different from the vast majority of massively multiplayer games, though, so it's a good example.Some of this can be credited to the nature of the game. It tells a story, really quite a good one, and people who get through that story feel connected to one another. However, I absolutely agree that it wouldn't stay this positive if it weren't for the significant and sustained enforcement of the ToS/EULA/codes of conduct. Camaraderie is what encourages people to be actively and forwardly kind to one another, but actual punishment for people who behave poorly is incredibly important for curtailing the impulses in that direction.People like to bring up the iterated prisoner's dilemma as proof of various sorts of things. But what the prisoner's dilemma ignores--very intentionally, because that was the whole point of the thought experiment--is that punishing misbehavior enough actually does encourage people to congregate in the "never defect" category. In effect, you add a chance of really REALLY bad consequences for defection on either side, so if both defect, the odds of someone getting those consequences is high.If, above and beyond the iterated dilemma, we also have things which add extra costs for those who betray, betrayal becomes a weak strategy unless you can circumvent the extra costs. This is the mathematical justification for punitive justice, in addition to any further concerns about rehabilitation. In a world where a common authority consistently and fairly enforces rules of conduct, the well-behaved actually win. And when good behavior is the dominant strategy, you'll see almost everyone do it--the cynical because, no matter how much they might dislike it, it's better for them in the long run, and the genuine because they truly wish to do the right thing, whether or not it is rewarded.TL;DR: Evidence I've personally seen demonstrates your claim. Game communities organizing collectively give players a reason to choose to be good. That alone isn't enough. The central authority (company, organization, church, what-have-you) must also give people a reason to choose not to do bad things. When these work in tandem, a positive community often results. When the enforcement side is lacking, toxicity grows. When the community side is lacking, kindness disappears. If both are lacking...ouch.</blockquote>

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