min-maxing in online games promotes an environment of elitism that forces anyone who plays with the min-maxer to conform to a very narrow play-style; this by-default limits gameplay options for other players, and often leads to ridicule and negative experiences when the non-min-maxer does not have the “perfect build for tanking Odin” or whatever.
min-maxers are boa constrictors wrapped around innocent little field mice. the mice just want some cheese but the snakes are eating them alive and i am the mongoose
stop min-maxing. start max-mining.
discuss.
Min-maxing only affects others in a competitive environment, and it always will since competition will naturally gravitate toward the easiest to employ and most effective strategies to complete the goal and win. Which is what min-maxing is, really; just being efficient.
Video games with stat systems, online role playing games specifically, tend to turn into competitive games even if there is no PVP to be had. This is due to party composition, mostly; why take a less-than-perfect mage when you could take the perfect mage? When loot and numbers come into play, people get nitpicky, mean, and gatekeepy. The problem is that taking the less-than-perfect mage has no impact on content completion other than their damage numbers are slightly lower and it might take an extra minute to kill a boss; does this minor difference justify being denied a spot in a party? I would argue: no. Some would argue the opposite and I wouldn’t want to play video games with those people.