Why the Pocket D Stigma?

No matter where I go in relation to City of Heroes/Villains, I see everyone that starts a comment about Pocket D, whether good or not, gets a response of some kind about how Pocket D is a festering filth hole that is nothing but sex, drugs and violence. Now, I go to the D frequently as my characters. Either to people watch or to actively RP myself, and I have NEVER seen this open sex people claim, ever, not even a mistell (Though I have in other zones). I have seen only two instances of people peddling/receiving/using illegal substances (And one of them was with my own character) and I have seen a few amount of violence (Which I do disagree with, what with the blatant pop up that says there's no fighting).

But, Despite my own anecdotal evidence, I keep hearing people say these things happen, frequently, like several times a day. I play randomly, and even more random when I go to the D, from the morning, afternoon, night, late night, I go at all times over the week, so it's not me just playing off hours or some nonsense like this. But It just gets on my nerves, especially when there's a new RPer and the first suggestion is to 'never go to the D', overall shrinking the pool for those who do RP there, and giving it a reputation, I believe, that is ill deserved.

What I really want to know is, what experiences do you all, as people of virtue, have there to give it such a bad reputation, or is this just a running joke I saw too much and got tired of seeing?

With Love,
Me! <3

There's a surprising amount of crossover between these two kinds of people:

Those who claim Pocket D is a cesspool of cyberers and other nonsense.

Those who RP in Pocket D all the time, and are completely isolated inside their cliques.

Funnily enough, the cyberers are usually nice enough to find a private corner somewhere away from the crowd and communicate in team chat. If anything gives the D a bad reputation in my eyes, it's the cliques and the troublemakers.

My experience there, limited though it has been, is that you are part of a clique or you might as well not even bother going inside.

was never interested to spend a lot of time in a zone with few to zero missions attached to it

How am I biased Quinz? Not seeing the connection there.

Ahhh, ok. Was just confused. I have not really seen any ERP in the D, but then I am not there a ton either, unless the ski chalet is open.

You'll find people engaging in odd things in every zone but when you have alot of people in close quarters (Aka pocket D ) its alot harder not to overhear conversations that could give you grey hairs , misstells that make your eyes twitch , broadcast chat that is sometimes nonsensical ..sometimes griefalottapus .


(the above is from a pvp zone and was caught by some friends no matter where you go ...well strangeness abounds ))

with <3 me

ps

I hang out at the D when not grinding out levels , I generally rp with a close circle of contacts (not that we keep others out perse but im usually hanging out with these people because their company is enjoyed and my time is limited and I prefer to invest my time in this manner )

But you just said THAt didn't happen in the D. Infact I was got a proposition for ERP in the streets with my low level blaster as she was zappign things to hit 5 or get invited to a sewer team. So... Yeah... The game itself has that but it's apparently NOTORIOUS in the D, according to the rumors and such... So off here and there things, it happens in all MMOs I noticed.

You'll find people engaging in odd things in every zone but when you have alot of people in close quarters (Aka pocket D ) its alot harder not to overhear conversations that could give you grey hairs , misstells that make your eyes twitch , broadcast chat that is sometimes nonsensical ..sometimes griefalottapus .

I actually have a character in Rogue Entertainment and nobody has ever propositioned me before, so I don't know what you guys are going on about. Maybe it's because I usually make sensibly-dressed and clothed heroines instead of catgirls or half-naked chicks...

you really want people to post a example for each time they have overheard something explicit , or been propositioned for adult activities in the D ?

it seems like alot of effort just to convice you of something thats not overly important to me

Not a fan of the D - at all. I use it mostly now to coalesce a small group to PvP in cross-faction.

I have been propositioned in bizarre ways, told to "shut up" because my character dared to RP with some friends openly - or my favorite, a tell of "I think you are the biggest jerk on the Virtue forum". Really? Not even a "hello" first?

That said, I respect the fact the D provides social-RP, party-RP and other kinds of RP for a lot of players out there. I also know it has cliques, but I think all role players eventually gravitate to people they are comfortable with and share similar styles and tastes. Cliques are human nature.

So let the D, be the D. Cyber exists in all MMOs, I think the most positive thing I can say about the D is some of those who use the D for this purpose are not ashamed of it, and I don't think they should be. I admire that. We're all entitled to enjoy the game in our own way. And has already been stated, most RPers in the D are not there for this reason, there's all kinds of other RP at the D.

The "stigma" exists for the same reason that people gossiped about Boo Radley, the same reason why Tom Waits wondered "What's he building in there?" People gossip and spread rumor and create stigmas because they lack anything in their interesting lives/characters to talk about. People gossip, let them, sadly its what some people do.

Yeah, I don't like the D. But I'll defend it any chance I get, because I expect those who frequent the D, would defend my RP style and methods just as fervently. The more we role players watch out for one another and support one another, the better the server is.

And what's great about Virtue is that mutual respect for one another is pretty much the norm. I feel welcome here (and I am not an easy person to tolerate), and I think any server that tolerates all types and kinds of players is stronger for it.

psssh you have alot of work to do if you wanna even come close to being the biggest jerk !

Imagine if there was only one bar in your town, that everyone who wanted to hang out somewhere went to.

Yeah, it's exactly like that. You get good people and bad people.

It's a bar, what do you expect?

There will always be more people hanging out there than in the Midnighter library. So where are you going to meet people at, the library or the bar?