How do Grumpy Overwatch players think? What is our philosophy on play? When you write down team culture, you aren’t defining it—you’re uncovering it. These are the values that we sorta collectively agree on. They’re not rules that people get punished for breaking, but they’re ideals that we all are aiming for.
About Being Grumpy
The whole Grumpy thing is tongue-in-cheek. It came partly from OldGrumpyDad's PSN handle, and partly because we're adults playing on console: when annoying kids would join our games, we'd get tilted and grumpy. But we're not toxic players, we aren't angry or hurtful. We're grumpy in the style of "young punks: get off my lawn".
Five Principles
These are our principles right now. They’re always open to dicussion and revision. We all come together to make this environment.
We play the heroes that bring the most value for the situation and we try hard. We're usually taking it seriously. If we feel like goofing off, we'll go to the arcade and play mystery heroes or no limit. But if it's Quick Play or Competitive, we're playing to win. We might be learning a new hero in Quick Play or trying a new tactic. It might not be working. But we're not throwing or sabotaging. We're trying to finde new and different ways to win.
We all have things to learn and we all want to be better than we are. We're always trying to learn: from each other, from expert videos, from watching the league, or just from practice. We don't get mad when someone points out a mistake or offers a suggestion. Nobody is the best, but everyone is trying to be their best.
We value good call-outs and responses to them. We try to make our calls meaningful. We listen to our teammates.¹ We also don't usually group up or play with people who lack voice communications. Communications is important to winning.
It's not ironic that being nice is important to *grumpy* overwatch players. Toxic behaviour sucks for everyone. We don't blame teammates. We don't verbally attack teammates. No trolling. We don't pout and pick a lame hero because someone picked our favourite hero. We might ask someone to play a different hero if it isn't working, but at the end of the day their hero is their choice. Sometimes we screw up and say something we shouldn't. We apologise and we forgive. Nobody's perfect.
We try to agree on some basic strategies, or at least some general idea of how we're going to attack or defend. We all pull in the same direction. It also means we need to flex. Fill in the things that the team needs. Play the hero that you get the most value from, but if you can fill a need (healing, hit scan, shield, flanking) do it. This could also be said "No mavericks". Nobody goes off and just "does their own thing."
Day to Day
What does this mean in our day-to-day play? It just means this is what we strive for. You’ll hear it in the debrief after a match. You’ll hear it in the grouping up in spawn or the coordinating of ultimates. And you’ll hear it in talking back to people who mess up. Because we all do. Someone running in alone? Someone criticising their teammates who are genuinely trying? We push back. Don’t do that. We forgive. Aspire to be better.
Stay Grumpy.¹ When SteggySaurusRex calls "Reaper behind!" don't just stand there. (Looking at you, OldGrumpyDad)