The inevitable has happened...

...I've found something to complain about!

Warning: Potential wall of text.

Ok, so I'm a "mature" gamer (42 years old, been gaming since the VCS2600 and tried pretty much everything open to the home user) and I'm pretty thick skinned. Nothing shocks me, I'm almost impossible to offend and I have an evil sense of humour.

However, there's one thing that tends to annoy the hell out of me when gaming:- Talking utter crap, hurling abuse or being generally offensive in chat/game.

Why do it?

If I think someone is being less than clever, I don't call them an idiot. Far more constructive to tell them (politely) why I think they're being less than clever and offer a potential fix.

Additionally, if I see someone spouting abuse or offensive language, I'll usually ask them to cut it out or to take their flame-war to PM/whisper. In other online games, this will usually cause more abuse (like pouring petrol onto flames) and increase the trollish and obnoxious activities of the person in question. For example, try asking a question in WoW chat (PvP server) then sit back and watch as a tidal wave of abuse comes flooding in or be buried in an avalanche of trollish answers.

Again, why do it?

Isn't it better to help other players?

Anyway, to my point/complaint:- Are 3G going to allow abusive, inflamatory or offensive content in chat? Is it acceptable to name your character(s) so that they cleverly* contain expletives?

Is global chat in PoE going to be another troll-fest just like so many other games?

In closing:-

1) I understand that chat-filters exist but they're easily (and often) circumvented. Chat-filters are as effective as a chocolate frying pan.

2) I understand that chat can be turned off. A nice way to miss out on potential trades, parties, general information etc. A $100 solution to a $10 problem.

3) Ignore function. In WoW (best frame of reference I have) it was restricted to a set number of players and was rapidly filled before becoming useless. Also, you'd spend most of your time adding players to the list instead of playing.

4) Community. The single greatest asset any game has. Trolling, flaming, abuse and offense are the best ways to decay an online community to the point of no return and its been instrumental in the downfall of many games for myself and several of my guildmates.

More often than not, this type of post will be spun around and thrown back at the poster. I'll be vilified for my comments, told to develop a thicker skin etc.

Yes, I'm the problem...



* Sarcasm

I heard...could be wrong...that some players will be given moderator status ingame when it comes to the chat.

I think that they have plans for chat - 24/7 chat moderation...

"

BJSV wrote:

I think that they have plans for chat - 24/7 chat moderation...

This would be very good, after all the chat is there for all of us and it should be kept resonable. I hide it most of the time, but almost every time I do open it there is just a lot of rubbish and trash talk.

I just wish I could resize it and change the huge arse fonts that are there now for some that are better for the higher defs. then I could at least keep it open.

good man realizes whats been causing problems to the already horrendous gaming industry and thats exactly why :P

btw, your guild and my guild should work together :)

PM me if you're interested ^.^

I asked Chris if there were going to be player moderators about 10 months ago in chat and I believe the answer was yes. Like I said, a long time ago and someone with an up to date answer would be great!

"

Murgustrum wrote:

1) I understand that chat-filters exist but they're easily (and often) circumvented. Chat-filters are as effective as a chocolate frying pan.

2) I understand that chat can be turned off. A nice way to miss out on potential trades, parties, general information etc. A $100 solution to a $10 problem.

3) Ignore function. In WoW (best frame of reference I have) it was restricted to a set number of players and was rapidly filled before becoming useless. Also, you'd spend most of your time adding players to the list instead of playing.

4) Community. The single greatest asset any game has. Trolling, flaming, abuse and offense are the best ways to decay an online community to the point of no return and its been instrumental in the downfall of many games for myself and several of my guildmates.

1. Agreed. Ever played Lord of the Rings Online? Awesome game, awesome community. Mostly. The strange part is the chat-filter. Why bann words like 'window'? I know it's an OS, but come on. :p Chat-filters seems like a good idea, but they hardly ever work in practice.

2. Chat could be switched off, yes, but if so, how do you plan on making friends and all that? I don't usually make friends in MMORPGs for various reasons, but when I do, it's either though groups or through general chat. Also, General chat can be quite entertaining when you're bored and just looking for a fun time. Shutting it off means shutting off a vital part of the game for most people.

3.Ignore could work, but a) it can't have a limited number of players, b) we need to be able to ban the player's account, not just the character, and c) we need to be able to set a note why the player was banned. I ban some for abuse and all that, but some simply for spamming too much. I want to keep the abuser ignored, but I do want to give the spammer a second chance a few days later. But if I have 50 people on my Ignore-list, how can I know which one I ignored for what reason?

4. Couldn't agree more. Ever played Guild Wars? I did, and I wanted to enjoy it. I really did. But the first time I started it, I had the first guy on my Ignore-list after five minutes. I'm not kidding. I logged in, he took great offense in my name for some reason (it was a normal, English name) and started whining on and on about it. I tried to tell him he might have the wrong person, but that just made him even angrier. And don't forget trying to send helpful tips to people. Sometimes they are happy and thanks you. Other times, they get really angry and act like you did something rude to their hamster, or something. I have no idea why. If you can't even send a helpful advice to a stranger, there's something seriously wrong somewhere. The point is I quit Guild Wars entirely because of the horrible community. The game was decent and all that, but I couldn't take all the whining. And don't get me started on Heroes of I-Hate-Newbies... uh, I mean Heroes of Newert...

I have to be honest with you, if you can't learn to ignore/not be offended then the internet might not be for you. I hear what you are saying but its one of those things that just go with the territory.

"

Atom920 wrote:

I have to be honest with you, if you can't learn to ignore/not be offended then the internet might not be for you. I hear what you are saying but its one of those things that just go with the territory.

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear.

I'm not offended by trolling, abusive language etc. I'm far too long in the tooth to let simple name calling offend me.

I'm annoyed by it!

It clogs up the chat channels, serves no positive purpose, irritates people and has a demonstrably negative impact upon the community as a whole. Thats why I made this post.

Again, sorry if my opening post didn't clearly make that distinction.

As for the net not being for me...

I'm not talking about the net, I'm talking about chat in PoE. It may come with the territory in relation to general internet activities but thats not to say 3G have to allow it in PoE.

Their game, their rules.

Having said that, if 3G stated that chat would be 100% free of rules (anything goes), I would still play but would have chat disabled. This action would effectively turn the game into an (almost) single player affair. This in turn would greatly reduce the longevity of the game for me.

Community is everything to me y'see.

"

Atom920 wrote:

I have to be honest with you, if you can't learn to ignore/not be offended then the internet might not be for you. I hear what you are saying but its one of those things that just go with the territory.

It only goes with the territory because we're all so used to ineffective moderation.

I agree with OP, I'm 24 and would rather not have to deal with kids running their mouth online. Swearing's fine every now and again, but there's no need for members of the community to be rude to one another just for the sake of being rude.