Why are younger squad leaders/commanders not taken seriously?

Scorch · Post by **Scorch** » 2008-01-23 01:53

Why does it happen? The other night on 7 gates i had someone quit my squad just because i was younger than they were. Do people just not like being commanded by someone younger than they are?

PlayPR! · Post by **PlayPR!** » 2008-01-23 01:57

Short answer, yes. I would assume that most people do not partiqularly enjoy being ordered around by some who could posibly younger than them. Personally I couldn't give a **** about the age of the squad leader in question, as long as he/she does their job well. And they don't say "dude" after every order they give.

zangoo · Post by **zangoo** » 2008-01-23 02:03

lol i am squad leader alot and i am young only 14, people seem to listen to me. but i always stay with my sl if he/she is leading good no matter what age he/she is.

Ironcomatose · Post by **Ironcomatose** » 2008-01-23 02:45

I used to get a little bit of that. Now not so much, maybe its just because people kind of recognize my name from all the games i play.

Post by **Ninja2dan** » 2008-01-23 03:15

I've been playing various online military games for several years. Steel Beasts, Operation Flashpoint, America's Army, just to name a couple. I would probably say that I might be considered one of the "older" players, even though I'm only 30.

To be honest, I often dislike having a commander or squad leader who is "young", but it also happens with many adults as well. Maybe I just take things too far, maybe I am looking more for a realism mod beyond what most casual players are looking for, maybe it's just habit. I know this is a game, it's for fun, yeah yeah yeah. I always find myself desiring more than I will probably find on such a game. Being prior service I am used to taking orders from someone who knows tactics, and many times I find myself in a squad where the SL wants to attack a platoon with a squad.

I have nothing against younger players, and I keep having to tell myself it's just a game and unless I swear in again, I probably will never find the level of realism that I dream of. I have known many players of online games thoughout the years that were great at leading and had a fair understanding of proper tactics, and I've known many older adults who couldn't tell their *** from a hand grenade.

Based on what I've seen, many of the older players just don't feel that a "little kid" has enough knowledge or skill to properly lead a squad. Many adults will give the younger players a chance, and see how well they do. If you do good, they'll stick around. But there will still be those that no matter how well you are doing, if you sound like your balls haven't dropped yet, they will probably leave your squad in favor of one with an older leader.

My suggestion is, don't take it personally. If they decide to leave, let them. That opens up a slot to someone who might actually prove a positive influence on the team. Just keep doing your job as best as you can, and the mature players in your squad will stick with you.

Razick · Post by **Razick** » 2008-01-23 03:23

Scorch wrote:Why does it happen? The other night on 7 gates i had someone quit my squad just because i was younger than they were. Do people just not like being commanded by someone younger than they are?

Because having a squeeky voice telling you what to do is fucking hilarious.

ConscriptVirus · Post by **ConscriptVirus** » 2008-01-23 03:57

and from experience...most (not all) kids younger than 14 like to screw around and arent mature enough to know that you shouldnt drop a JDAM on your team

WNxKenwayy · Post by **WNxKenwayy** » 2008-01-23 04:39

Stereotypes

That's why people don't like young squad leaders. The vast majority of them suck and are extremely annoying. Therefore we hedge our chances of a good squad leader by not playing with them. Its one less chance we take.

ralfidude · Post by **ralfidude** » 2008-01-23 04:43

to be honest it doesnt matter, but being led by a squeeky voice is halarious and not taken seriously. Goes with the fact that they usually know less, dont have the maturity that older players have and respect. I mean i let this kid be SL and he couldnt be more than 10 and jesus... i gave him a shot but he was just annoying... nobody would stand it.

+SiN+headhunter · Post by **+SiN+headhunter** » 2008-01-23 04:55

yes i hate ppl under 18 telling me what to do.

unrealalex · Post by **unrealalex** » 2008-01-23 05:36

WNxKenwayy wrote:Stereotypes

That's why people don't like young squad leaders. The vast majority of them suck and are extremely annoying. Therefore we hedge our chances of a good squad leader by not playing with them. Its one less chance we take.

x2
I was playing with an 11 year old as a squad leader a few days ago. His voice was kind of annoying to me, he was yelling, doing all this unnecesary stuff (ie. taking the game too seriously, I hate when people do that), didn't really know how to lead. It's understandble since he's young.... Some people were rude to him in the squad too. At least he's playing PR and not CS at that age

Heskey · Post by **Heskey** » 2008-01-23 08:46

When I was younger I used to fume at the abuse given to me whenever I used the microphone; but listening to younger gamers I understand now - It can REALLY hurt your ears.

But having said that, you find some mature young people, and you find (more) immature older people, so whoever my squad leader, I usually obey every order and do a good job, unless it's run by some foreign bloke constantly telling me to do whatever I'm already doing, but 'more' of it.

Post by **Rudd** » 2008-01-23 09:29

i don't mind younger players as SL, as long as they are good

I don't mind older players as SL, as long as they are good

Seriously though, if som1 is brave enough to take on the responsibility of SL, then they deserve a chance to prove themselves. If you think they are bad at it, be patient and explain- what happens usually is that the current SL recognises that this other guy is better and will offer the SL position

But when i'm in a "i want to play, but also want a laugh" I like to play with my own agegroup 18-21.

Post by **AfterDune** » 2008-01-23 09:29

Yeah. Whenever I'm in a squad with a younger person in it, it makes me lol a bit, hehe. No offense intended to our young ones though. My experience is they often do a good job, unlike many adults out there. But of course there are rotten apples everywhere.

Please be patient with people younger than you. After all, today's rookie is tomorrow's vet!

Lol, I once thought we had a young boy in the squad. It appeared to be a girl, haha. Don't come across girls that often, so that's always a "special" moment

.

Heskey · Post by **Heskey** » 2008-01-23 09:33

[R-CON]AfterDune wrote:Lol, I once thought we had a young boy in the squad. It appeared to be a girl, haha. Don't come across girls that often, so that's always a "special" moment .

Wasn't "Rachwellz" by any chance, was it?

Post by **AfterDune** » 2008-01-23 09:36

Heskey wrote:Wasn't "Rachwellz" by any chance, was it?

Nope. It's been a while, but if I remember correct it was WNxDreamweaver, aka..... DarkAngel (?) (not sure about the last nick)

El_Vikingo · Post by **El_Vikingo** » 2008-01-23 10:36

That's the one AD, a disgrace.

The simple answer is; it is assumed younger people are less experienced, which they are. Their logic just doesn't function.

We all have flaws, but it's the way we show them. Wasting assets and not preparing for what lies ahead is just a part of learning.

So kids, stay as an Squad Member until you have learned enough to consider yourself good (Don't be cocky like those we beat teh sh1t3 out of yesterday on Sunset and Jabal), and your voice breaks.

Michael_Denmark · Post by **Michael_Denmark** » 2008-01-23 11:13

Gentlemen, the problem about mixing young and old players is universal and very simple. Mixing the ages does not compute well. Cause different ages have different needs, even when it comes to First Person Shooters. They also tend to get bored differently too.

Almost every competitive activity on this planet has its participants divided up into minimum two target groups:

1: Junior

2: Senior

Some competitive activities use more than two groups. In example many local football clubs around the globe divides the participants up into 4-6 age groups.

In Project Reality all ages are mixed together, thus breaking this universal basic rule seems to be so extensive that it sometimes makes me/others wonder if it’s actually part of the very purpose.

And breaking that rule does create both frustrations and solutions out on those servers.

So besides of all the weekly frustrations I have also learned, around a year ago, that the evening rounds (GMT/PRT) has more older players than younger and consequently gets better from an old players point of view. They simply tend to get that more coordinated, slower paced and focused.

Regarding the “Most of your younger players are more mature than the older ones”…oh really? Well not my experience. Not at all!

Do mature younger players exist out there? Yes they do, but they are very rare. And mostly that young maturity is showing it self in 1:1 situations or 1:4. I have not really experienced it in 2:1 or above. And since I have played a round or two so far and played in the tournament too, I have experienced those situations.

It’s an…ambition – maybe in the end even a positive one too – trying to mix ages and cultures using one langue only in such a complex competitive activity, where 32 ranked players using different hard and software, sitting in different time zones, having military experience or not, using many different in-game tools (Example HAT/MG/Tank/FAV), having different expectations, different situational needs and trying/attempting to cooperate together.

Again. It’s an…ambition.

Imagine that someone ten years ago used the text above when suggesting such a game product to the board in the developer division of the cooperation and at the same time state it probably would become a success in the long run.

Think anyone would have believed that?

The problem is basically that there seems to be a problem of some degree when mixing up ages in a competitive activity. Maybe a more clear definition from the developer team regarding the primarily target group would help? Then again, maybe it won’t?

willgar · Post by **willgar** » 2008-01-23 11:17

El_Vikingo wrote:That's the one AD, a disgrace.

The simple answer is; it is assumed younger people are less experienced, which they are. Their logic just doesn't function.

We all have flaws, but it's the way we show them. Wasting assets and not preparing for what lies ahead is just a part of learning.

So kids, stay as an Squad Member until you have learned enough to consider yourself good (Don't be cocky like those we beat teh sh1t3 out of yesterday on Sunset and Jabal), and your voice breaks.

slightly off topic, but i was on IGI/Jabal yesterday and just before the end of round our SL left and we got a "young squad leader". His first instinct was to drive off from main base (without an officer kit) after a reminder, he got an officer kit then drove off leaving another squadie chasing after the vehicle while we tried to get him to stop over VoIP but he was insistent that we two should go right now.

The main problem/benefit of younger people as squad leaders is an intrinsic enthusiasm but in a game like PR, this needs to be tempered by a bit of patience. If you have been playing these type of games for a while, you can help by giving them useful advice or suggestion but you should still following bad orders that you know wont work...

Also last night, i joined a random squad with 3 clan members in it (something Swedish - SH or HS ) and after a few minutes, the sqeeky voiced squad leader killed another squad member and kicked him from the squad because he would not/or did not understand/follow an order...

Personally, i will follow anybody competent if it means i dont have to do the job myself. The best squad leader i have ever seen was a chap called Tanyushka in a game called PLanetside. This was all done without VoIP and after a year playing with him, it turns out that "Tany" was a 18 year old Russian girl - shocked the shit out of the entire outfit.