[Issue 44] Three Ways to be the Exemplary Tanker

[Phoenix-Warbird 1,329]

Let me start by saying that I am in no way ‘exemplary’ in this game. However, I have seen many tankers that have clearly set good examples of how to communicate and play wisely - here, I’ve compiled some of the rules that make up their awesomeness.


1. Be a team player

Sure, not all of us are infinitely skilled at battling, but there are quite a few little things you could do to help a teammate... you know, other than the norms: knocking off an enemy’s shot when you can, healing with your Isida, following your clan’s strategies to cooperate, et cetera.

 

I'd personally guess that about half of tankers play selfishly in team games; roughly a quarter are good teammates; nearly the same amount, maybe a fifth, don't seem to know what they're doing (let's call this the 'facepalm-worthy' class); and the remaining tiny proportion of tankers would actually go out of their way for a few seconds to help a specific tanker, slightly surpassing their 'good' teammates. This estimate is mine, yours could be different - yours could even be the complete opposite, but I’ll base my advice off my own point of view.

I’d label myself part of the ‘facepalm-worthy’ class in general, and maybe ‘good teammate’ or sometimes even ‘selfish’, depending on my mood. In XP/BP, for example, I pretty much just drive around, shooting, trying to capture the flag and all, not exactly watching out for my teammates a great deal. I used to be all selfish. For example, if I saw two enemy tanks rolling in and I knew that one of them was 1 shot to kill while the other was 2, I’d shoot the one with more health so that I could get more points... despite the fact that the 1-shot Railgun was about to release its charge on my unsuspecting teammate. I felt that, because a shot would benefit me, it must be a ‘good’ move to make. But I’d also been in the position of my poor teammate, and it’s not a nice feeling when your teammate doesn’t really care about proper teamwork when you actually do, heh.

Of course, that was only a little example - there are much, much bigger mistakes that can be made when you only care about yourself, and I’m sure we’ve all consciously done something selfish that cost us. I tend to see way too many players who don’t understand that helping your teammates is technically helping yourself, so be a team player!

 

2. Show respect

(yawn) Yeah, yeah... follow the Rules, don’t be mean, I’ve heard it all, blah blah blah.
Yeah, no.
Showing respect doesn’t simply mean trying not to get a ban, or even just saying ‘hi how r u’.

Firstly, something that is too often forgotten is the ability to respect oneself. Strong tankers ought to wage battles against their opponents instead of wars within themselves.




Then, there’s respect to be directed outwards. The exemplary tanker knows how to lose and not be a loser; how to win and not get cocky; how to bring others up and not down.



Now, we’ve all heard the saying ‘It’s just a game’ - sure, it’s a game, but that does not mean it’s good to throw insults around and such. That phrase is used most commonly as an excuse for carelessness and disregard for others. Why not just be nice? If you see someone make a good shot, it’s easy to go ahead and tell them it was a good shot. If someone makes a bad shot, you really don’t have to be loud about it. Obviously people can sometimes be too self-centered to accept that advice. A word to them: it does not make you look good to rage over someone else’s bad aim or something - it is just a game after all. And that is how to use that phrase without making it an excuse.

Of course, respect isn’t only to be shown in chat.
Here are some examples:

• If your heavy tank is meant to camp, be a friendly tanker and park it where it isn’t blocking the way too much.
• If the other team has 3 players and you have 4, you can give them a break and not capture that flag you’re holding.
• If you choose to join a Fire-Wasp battle and they agree that ‘If a goldbox falls, no killing, just pushing’... then please, don’t be that hy6 with a dinky paint driving up to the growing pile of unbearably weak-looking Wasps underneath the goldbox and letting your Thunder splash-kill them all and then digging up the goldbox buried under their rusty corpses while they’re all angrily spamming you in chat, which you only realise once you’re about to hit Enter to send your ‘:DDDD got it!!’ ...Huh? What do you mean that was really specific? I don’t know what you’re talking about...

 

Last but certainly not least:

 

3. Seek fun

What are your favourite things about Tanki? You might be a competitive player, aiming for the top with your clan or by yourself. You might enjoy making new friends and being an active community member. Whatever your interests are - and whether you know it or not - you play Tanki for a reason. So focus on the good things that keep you here.

Think about any goals you might have when you battle: to improve your gameplay, to complete a mission, to win… the purpose of doing those things is ultimately to have some fun. No matter where you turn in Tanki, the purpose of playing is always to have fun. It’s OK if you don’t succeed in reaching or surpassing your goals in the game - we all know we can try again. But will you? Or do you think the effort isn’t worth the potential of having that satisfaction?



Many tankers simply complain about how they’re having a bad time in Tanki or elsewhere, and that’s a perfectly natural response to something that did not go their way - and we all do it. But the exemplary tanker would try to be happy for the person who got the goldbox right in front of them, rather than putting themselves or the lucky catcher down. If you decide to spend time on Tanki, it’s your choice. In fact, by playing, you might just be stating that you would rather be online than elsewhere. If you’re not having fun, you can easily decide to log off for a bit. Just try not to prevent others from having fun if you aren’t, because part of being an exemplary tanker is letting others get the positive outcomes they deserve.

It can be hard to have fun if things go wrong a lot but hey, you were fortunate enough in the first place to even have the opportunity to relax and play Tanki! You might as well make the most of your play, because there’s no point if you don’t maximise the fun factor. A tanker who makes good use of their free time is one who plays while putting a spotlight on the good things that happen or can happen; a tanker who is after enjoyment and won’t settle for anything less. Seek and you shall find!

~~~

That marks the end of my advice. Keep these guidelines in mind as you move forward in your Tanki career, and hopefully you can make use of at least some of the stuff I've suggested to make your game experience both more rewarding and more enjoyable. Feel free to share your thoughts below!

Edited January 4, 2016 by Phoenix-Warbird

[Flexoo 6,980]

Nice start Phoenix, expecting some other great articles of this standard from you, keep up and welcome to newspaper team.

[Supernatural 2,053]

Nice to see you as a reporter, and you started with an awesome article :)

[rothro3 50]

Well done, and well spoken.  A good reminder to all of us who rage quit from druggers or missed gold boxes(I plead guilty) to relax and actually enjoy the game.

[Quarks 2,255]

Well done, waiting for that useful battle tricks one.

 

 

 

I would like to mention that in the process of taking this shot, I had offered to help with the article. you are welcome :P

[The.Skilled.Legend 1,459]

PhoBird's a Reporter? :o Nicee

 

Well written Article! :)

[canadarules 1,938]

shouldn't this be called are you a true tanker?

[Quarks 2,255]

PhoBird's a Reporter? :o Nicee

 

Well written Article! :)

ikr

[I.Devastation 2,053]

pho mad so old message went bye-bye

gj tho

Edited December 5, 2015 by I.Devastation

[HichigoShiiro 4,378]

Well its a good start, kid.  :rolleyes:

[MandolinMarc 874]

Nice start Pho!

 

You've got a very distinct writing style -- you don't use any direct humor, yet your writing feels light and candid. Don't let anyone change that. In other words, don't start forcing direct humor into your writing because you see that technique used well by another reporter with a different writing style.

[Supernatural 2,053]

...don't start forcing direct humor into your writing because you see that technique used well by another reporter with a different writing style.

Umm, who could that be...

 

my love sonofwhatever3

 

[sirogo 3,624]

Good start, hope to see other articles from you!

[Destrod 2,634]

Nice article mate! We have great expectations from you in future :)

[KillerGnat 3,135]

Great. Gl with future articles.

[Phoenix-Warbird 1,329]

Thanks guys ^.^ and sorry for liking everything above XD

 

shouldn't this be called are you a true tanker?

That would work too, but I never thought of it

[Quarks 2,255]

I am surprised you liked mine, but oh well.

[phoenixes 13]

Congratulation sibling, Phoenix Family proud of you! :)

[Hex 11,520]

One word. Awesome.

 

Moreover, the newspaper should have articles like this, good job! ;)

[celroti 133]

The way it started promised better than the last one.I loved be a team player rather than seek fun because some guys (IMO) have fun time only in parkour

[b.b.b.1986 0]

as a player of tanki game,that was a true what u say,respect for this player or reporter

[Sleek 43]

Congrats on becoming a reporter  :)

[r_zossuperman0 0]

i like the person who made that article

[bury104 0]

Spoken with an "Arnold Scharzenegger" accent:

 

Ya, dis all bull****!  

How can I be caalm when enemies shooot at you?!  When I come from the GYM, my hands are so tired  that I press all keyboard keys in SLOW MOTION.  Dat not guut !!!  ... and I often explode on battlefield ... and then my mind explodes too !!!

Yes, I get angry, and I keep hitting the keyboard, even after when the battle is finished.  I  H.A.T.E.  these noobs with shafts, rails, isida ... etc, because I can NEVER win a battle 1 vs 10  enemy tanks.  (Annoying!).

I already broke 2 keyboards playing TankiOnline !

Aaargh !!! ... umm !! ... Grrr !! ...

 

(imagine an ARNOLD SCHARZENEGGER voice impersonation)

[MJROCKS05 428]

Congrats on becoming d new reporter.... Looking forward to your articles

Good Luck :)

Edited December 10, 2015 by MJROCKS05