Help To Stop The Verbal Abuse On TT
by FATMAN (FH) · in ThinkTanks · 12/27/2003 (9:03 pm) · 27 replies
HI TO ALL THAT READ THIS
as you are all aware there is too much verbal abuse going on in thinktank.recently there has been a number of cases where regular members who will be namless for now have verbally abused and harrassed young children and other players .this must be stopped
you all might say why are young children playing tt? so far as im aware of there is no age limit to stop them from playing. you might also say why dont their parents use the child safety filter? ill ask you this why should they have to use them.the game is designed for in game chat not verbal abuse.
what i am asking from all tt members is to send an email to
havefun@garagegames.com
asking them to sort this problem out within the game by designing a suitable in game lock to stop any foul language being used. at the moment garagegames and thinktank are aware of this problem but it is not their number 1 priority. which from what i have seen it should be their number 1 priority.
one suggestion that has been made is to take a screen shot and email it to them ,so they can see for themselves who the offenders are.
so please help to put a stop to this abuse, then we can all get back to playing an enjoyable game of thinktank without any abuse.
so please email your suggestions or screenshots to
havefun@garagegames.com
as you are all aware there is too much verbal abuse going on in thinktank.recently there has been a number of cases where regular members who will be namless for now have verbally abused and harrassed young children and other players .this must be stopped
you all might say why are young children playing tt? so far as im aware of there is no age limit to stop them from playing. you might also say why dont their parents use the child safety filter? ill ask you this why should they have to use them.the game is designed for in game chat not verbal abuse.
what i am asking from all tt members is to send an email to
havefun@garagegames.com
asking them to sort this problem out within the game by designing a suitable in game lock to stop any foul language being used. at the moment garagegames and thinktank are aware of this problem but it is not their number 1 priority. which from what i have seen it should be their number 1 priority.
one suggestion that has been made is to take a screen shot and email it to them ,so they can see for themselves who the offenders are.
so please help to put a stop to this abuse, then we can all get back to playing an enjoyable game of thinktank without any abuse.
so please email your suggestions or screenshots to
havefun@garagegames.com
#2
The child-safe feature works, but is too extreme for some people and as has been pointed out does leave the person missing out on the full experience.
However, as far as auto-mated 'blanking out' of foul language goes, this is by no means easy. Take the word 'music' for example (in place of using a vulgar word in the example) an individual could type this as 'music', 'MUS1C', '|\/|usic', 'MU5IC', 'MU51C' and so on. Trying to allow for every possible combination, and also checking every word used in a chat message against such an infinite-possiblities list would be pretty computer-intensive.
If you take the approach where users can be automatically silenced if they are reported as offensive (so that they cannot speak in any game) then you run the risks of them masqueraging as regular players and thus getting them silenced.
Perhaps a voting system where if enough players in a game vote to silence someone, then they are silenced and prevented from using chat, but then you would still need a majority of players to do that, and have already been witness to the language anyway. Might as well just use the 'ignore' feature that 56k Lagman is developing.
It is not an easy problem to fix, and its a problem (as ever) that is caused by a very small minority of the community (are those I refer to even considered a part of the community?) ruining it for the rest of us.
-Z-
12/28/2003 (1:18 am)
I have/and use a 'silence' option in the server admin tools I am working on for self-hosted games, and 56k Lagman is also developing an ignore script which people will be able to use on foul-mouthed individuals.The child-safe feature works, but is too extreme for some people and as has been pointed out does leave the person missing out on the full experience.
However, as far as auto-mated 'blanking out' of foul language goes, this is by no means easy. Take the word 'music' for example (in place of using a vulgar word in the example) an individual could type this as 'music', 'MUS1C', '|\/|usic', 'MU5IC', 'MU51C' and so on. Trying to allow for every possible combination, and also checking every word used in a chat message against such an infinite-possiblities list would be pretty computer-intensive.
If you take the approach where users can be automatically silenced if they are reported as offensive (so that they cannot speak in any game) then you run the risks of them masqueraging as regular players and thus getting them silenced.
Perhaps a voting system where if enough players in a game vote to silence someone, then they are silenced and prevented from using chat, but then you would still need a majority of players to do that, and have already been witness to the language anyway. Might as well just use the 'ignore' feature that 56k Lagman is developing.
It is not an easy problem to fix, and its a problem (as ever) that is caused by a very small minority of the community (are those I refer to even considered a part of the community?) ruining it for the rest of us.
-Z-
#3
Other than disabling chat altogether in the demo (which would hurt sales) we cannot stop anyone from just loading up the demo and blurting out whatever they want.
We have no power or ability to permanantly kill their registration on all the distribution channels and killing thier registration code would not prevent them from purchasing another copy with a different name (if they were intent on abuse).
We are aware of the situation. In games we have worked on in the past, text filtering our replacement did not stop the problem (see -Z-'s notes above).
We plan to include ignore functionality in a future update. We will think about bad word filtering, but our opinion at this point is that adding this feature does not really solve the problem.
We are open to suggestions for possible solutions to this problem (which is a problem all online games have).
I want to point out that we do HAVE an option (the child safe filter) and although it is not optimal, it does solve the problem.
12/28/2003 (1:37 am)
Quote:BraveTree should take immediate action to permanantly or temporarily kick out the offender
Other than disabling chat altogether in the demo (which would hurt sales) we cannot stop anyone from just loading up the demo and blurting out whatever they want.
We have no power or ability to permanantly kill their registration on all the distribution channels and killing thier registration code would not prevent them from purchasing another copy with a different name (if they were intent on abuse).
We are aware of the situation. In games we have worked on in the past, text filtering our replacement did not stop the problem (see -Z-'s notes above).
We plan to include ignore functionality in a future update. We will think about bad word filtering, but our opinion at this point is that adding this feature does not really solve the problem.
We are open to suggestions for possible solutions to this problem (which is a problem all online games have).
I want to point out that we do HAVE an option (the child safe filter) and although it is not optimal, it does solve the problem.
#4
If killing the registration is not the answer. Maybe blocking off the IP is !
12/28/2003 (4:20 am)
The usurpation of identity is also a problem on TT, which in turn makes it difficult to silence the foul mouthed players (see -z- post). Can't this be fixed? In the vast majority of sites you can't take up other people's names.If killing the registration is not the answer. Maybe blocking off the IP is !
#5
--Ishbuu [Bot]
12/28/2003 (7:25 am)
Cutting off someones IP would work if some people didnt have dial up which im pretty sure changes every time you connect. Only a comment though... an "ignore" scriupt would be very nice and would probably fix things.... Seems that we will just have to live with it for now...--Ishbuu [Bot]
#6
Hey, Im only 9 here. Dont Abuse me. I was working on a mod with Sword (<====={==O) and someone found out the pass and told us we liked haveing phone $#X With Each Other! I Dont know even what that is! Also to add to that, i had an "Imposter" going around the other day who told everyone that i was a @!@#$er! OMG!
I thought maybe You could put a little tank in front of the swere, it would be cute and bleep it out. or a filter that says "If you swere/Abuse again, you will be kicked" Would be nice.
Also for the point of the "I want the game for free" aspect.
People Have given out reg codes, i can't name who, Here is a thread that covers "CZK" handing them out:Here
I Can't beleve this! Also, i have heard of a Crack for TT somwhere (Dunno).
Whew! That Was Tiering!
---
Racer
12/28/2003 (7:45 am)
Quote:you all might say why are young children playing TT?
Hey, Im only 9 here. Dont Abuse me. I was working on a mod with Sword (<====={==O) and someone found out the pass and told us we liked haveing phone $#X With Each Other! I Dont know even what that is! Also to add to that, i had an "Imposter" going around the other day who told everyone that i was a @!@#$er! OMG!
I thought maybe You could put a little tank in front of the swere, it would be cute and bleep it out. or a filter that says "If you swere/Abuse again, you will be kicked" Would be nice.
Also for the point of the "I want the game for free" aspect.
People Have given out reg codes, i can't name who, Here is a thread that covers "CZK" handing them out:Here
I Can't beleve this! Also, i have heard of a Crack for TT somwhere (Dunno).
Whew! That Was Tiering!
---
Racer
#7
Mute would allow players to turn off chat from selected players. If a player is being abusive just mute him and continue playing. Simple and effective.
Votekick is an option my current favorite game America's Army. Type "votekick playername reason" and a message is sent to all players asking them to vote to kick the offending player. If enough people (more than half the players in the game) vote the person is ejected from the game. If you can't get enough votes in the allotted time (around 1 min) the vote ends and the person stays in the game. This allows users to self-police their games and get rid of players that are truly offensive.
12/28/2003 (7:59 am)
From experience in other games bad word filtering is generally not very effective but it is still worth adding in a filter with the most common words. (Perhaps a user customizable list.) It is always amusing to see messages like "You **** **** ****" Two other options are a mute function and a vote-kick function.Mute would allow players to turn off chat from selected players. If a player is being abusive just mute him and continue playing. Simple and effective.
Votekick is an option my current favorite game America's Army. Type "votekick playername reason" and a message is sent to all players asking them to vote to kick the offending player. If enough people (more than half the players in the game) vote the person is ejected from the game. If you can't get enough votes in the allotted time (around 1 min) the vote ends and the person stays in the game. This allows users to self-police their games and get rid of players that are truly offensive.
#8
I think everything should be tied into our registration key (that is already available online.) On the same page with the registration key, there should be a simple HTML form that allows us to choose up to five names (just like in the game). At that point, tho options start to open up for accountability to that user. There should also be a simple database that checks the existing names against the new users proposed names to eliminate duplicates or copycats.
Then if we apply one of the methods listed above (vote, mute, etc) to that person, it becomes part of record for their registration number. After a certain amount of voted infractions, they get a warning, then finally they get cut off (for a day, week, month forever?).
This would require GarageGames to have TT do a quick check of the online registration key database when the user is logging in. If the user has been banned, they cannot get into a game.
As an added bonus to GarageGames, there will be no stolen registration keys. Duplicates will be discovered immediately since the online Reg Key database becomes part of the process instead of just an information resource.
As many of you know, I have been victimized in the chat window as well with grotesque attacks because I am a woman. I am all for something being done to rid ourselves of the lowlife bottomfeeders out there. This is a GAME and I hate that a minority can hold us all hostage with the chat window.
Also, we can be harrassed through the use of tank names. I have had my name copied by a person that was angry at me, then they play as me when I am not around, but they play dirty and foul mouthed. This is another form of injustice that should be fixed.
I hope GG is reading here. There are options that help the community out AND at the same time can make more money for GG by not allowing pirated reg numbers.
TG
12/28/2003 (8:33 am)
This suggestion is all based on GarageGames willingness to crack the code a bit, but they will also make more money because pirated registration keys would no longer work.I think everything should be tied into our registration key (that is already available online.) On the same page with the registration key, there should be a simple HTML form that allows us to choose up to five names (just like in the game). At that point, tho options start to open up for accountability to that user. There should also be a simple database that checks the existing names against the new users proposed names to eliminate duplicates or copycats.
Then if we apply one of the methods listed above (vote, mute, etc) to that person, it becomes part of record for their registration number. After a certain amount of voted infractions, they get a warning, then finally they get cut off (for a day, week, month forever?).
This would require GarageGames to have TT do a quick check of the online registration key database when the user is logging in. If the user has been banned, they cannot get into a game.
As an added bonus to GarageGames, there will be no stolen registration keys. Duplicates will be discovered immediately since the online Reg Key database becomes part of the process instead of just an information resource.
As many of you know, I have been victimized in the chat window as well with grotesque attacks because I am a woman. I am all for something being done to rid ourselves of the lowlife bottomfeeders out there. This is a GAME and I hate that a minority can hold us all hostage with the chat window.
Also, we can be harrassed through the use of tank names. I have had my name copied by a person that was angry at me, then they play as me when I am not around, but they play dirty and foul mouthed. This is another form of injustice that should be fixed.
I hope GG is reading here. There are options that help the community out AND at the same time can make more money for GG by not allowing pirated reg numbers.
TG
#9
We can add the ability to have a unique user ID with registration in-game.. and have the game keep track of the IDs (preventing identity spoofing) but this will not allow us to revoke someone's ownership priveledges nor will it prevent someone from choosing a new name.
I personally am opposed to vote-kick, as I have seen it abused (in a bad way) in the past (several really good players getting kicked for 'cheating' when everyone thought they could not possibly be that good), but if the community demands it, then we will consider adding it.
Keeps the ideas coming. We know that at some point a solution is needed, but implementing one is not as trivial as one might think.
12/28/2003 (8:52 am)
Please note that ThinkTanks is also being distributed on Shockwave.com, RealArcade, and Reflxive Arcade (and a few other places) and all of these Digital Rights Management solutions are different and many do not support such additional functionality. We can add the ability to have a unique user ID with registration in-game.. and have the game keep track of the IDs (preventing identity spoofing) but this will not allow us to revoke someone's ownership priveledges nor will it prevent someone from choosing a new name.
I personally am opposed to vote-kick, as I have seen it abused (in a bad way) in the past (several really good players getting kicked for 'cheating' when everyone thought they could not possibly be that good), but if the community demands it, then we will consider adding it.
Keeps the ideas coming. We know that at some point a solution is needed, but implementing one is not as trivial as one might think.
#10
The Mute / Ignore feature would solve the harassment problem. 9 out of 10 times, the harasser will leave or give up when no one is paying attention or responding to them. But that should go both ways. When we mute someone, they shouldn't be able to see what we're talking about either.
I see the potential for abuse of the Vote Kick feature. What's going to happen when all the regulars start voting Demo's out just because they don't know the ropes? I'll tell ya, sales will drop!
Also, I think it's unfair to the minority of campers. I look at campers as an extra obstacle and appreciate the challenge of trying to get around them. But there are a lot of scrummers who don't agree with me. I don't think it's fair that someone should get kicked because the other players don't agree with their strategy.
I do like the idea of a vote kick feature in Team Modes, but one can only be kicked by their own teammates. That'll help weed out all the losers in BM who go around killing their own teammates.
Although another way to handle that would be to do what -Z- did in CTF and actually take points away from someone for killing their own teammate in BM.
12/28/2003 (9:08 am)
I agree with the Mute / Ignore feature but not the vote kick feature.The Mute / Ignore feature would solve the harassment problem. 9 out of 10 times, the harasser will leave or give up when no one is paying attention or responding to them. But that should go both ways. When we mute someone, they shouldn't be able to see what we're talking about either.
I see the potential for abuse of the Vote Kick feature. What's going to happen when all the regulars start voting Demo's out just because they don't know the ropes? I'll tell ya, sales will drop!
Also, I think it's unfair to the minority of campers. I look at campers as an extra obstacle and appreciate the challenge of trying to get around them. But there are a lot of scrummers who don't agree with me. I don't think it's fair that someone should get kicked because the other players don't agree with their strategy.
I do like the idea of a vote kick feature in Team Modes, but one can only be kicked by their own teammates. That'll help weed out all the losers in BM who go around killing their own teammates.
Although another way to handle that would be to do what -Z- did in CTF and actually take points away from someone for killing their own teammate in BM.
#11
I can see the vote-kick feature being abused. Here's a scenario: Let's say there are only 4 human players in a Scrum game, and several bots. Player 1 decides he/she doesn't like player 4, for whatever stupid reason, so he puts out a vote to the other 3 players (I assume here BOTS cannot vote!). If majority rules, then it only takes one other player to agree with Player 1 and BAM, Player 4 is kicked. Not fair IMHO.
I DO agree with having a MUTE feature. I feel that would be handy and serve the purpose, at least for the most part. I don't know that anything can be done about obnoxious players who play nastily, except possibly the recommendation of vote-kick in team modes only, by teammates only as FreeLoader suggests.
Hopefully something can be done about all of this at some point.
OM
12/28/2003 (9:38 am)
Joe and FreeLoader, I agree with both your assessments.I can see the vote-kick feature being abused. Here's a scenario: Let's say there are only 4 human players in a Scrum game, and several bots. Player 1 decides he/she doesn't like player 4, for whatever stupid reason, so he puts out a vote to the other 3 players (I assume here BOTS cannot vote!). If majority rules, then it only takes one other player to agree with Player 1 and BAM, Player 4 is kicked. Not fair IMHO.
I DO agree with having a MUTE feature. I feel that would be handy and serve the purpose, at least for the most part. I don't know that anything can be done about obnoxious players who play nastily, except possibly the recommendation of vote-kick in team modes only, by teammates only as FreeLoader suggests.
Hopefully something can be done about all of this at some point.
OM
#12
The way I deal with abuse, online, is using the ignore function. Yes, there is an ignore function. It's called ignore. Simple. Just don't pay abusers any attention. I'm not promising that they'll go away, or anything, but at least you can just stop bothering with them. The best way to deal with these kinds of people is not to try and ask them to stop, not to try and out-argue them, not to try and logically prove them wrong, but simple to ignore them. If there's someone who is spamming the chat with profanity and/or other unwanted speech, then either ignore or leave. Usually they won't be so persistant that they'll fallow you, and if they do, go to a CTF server and trick them into getting banned. It's easy enough to run circles around most of these people.
By the way, I'm thirteen. And I've heard worse stuff, on average, at school than with TT.
Besides, if I'm going to have to learn new cuss words, I'd rather learn them online where I can easily leave than in person where I can't.
*
" *: **** "
12/28/2003 (11:33 am)
Hehe..The way I deal with abuse, online, is using the ignore function. Yes, there is an ignore function. It's called ignore. Simple. Just don't pay abusers any attention. I'm not promising that they'll go away, or anything, but at least you can just stop bothering with them. The best way to deal with these kinds of people is not to try and ask them to stop, not to try and out-argue them, not to try and logically prove them wrong, but simple to ignore them. If there's someone who is spamming the chat with profanity and/or other unwanted speech, then either ignore or leave. Usually they won't be so persistant that they'll fallow you, and if they do, go to a CTF server and trick them into getting banned. It's easy enough to run circles around most of these people.
By the way, I'm thirteen. And I've heard worse stuff, on average, at school than with TT.
Besides, if I'm going to have to learn new cuss words, I'd rather learn them online where I can easily leave than in person where I can't.
*
" *: **** "
#13
Refer to:
www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=13195
for the previous discussion.
A mute function would certainly be useful, and appropriate.
I also support Vote Off, not only as a way to deal with verbal abuse but as a way to handle game spoilers. I concur that Vote Off may be abused. If abuse of Vote Off becomes a problem the option can always be removed..
The creation of a Locker Room , optionally visible from within a game, might also help to alleviate the problem. If players had a place to meet where they could arrange games and perhaps set a game local Keep Out list, the influence of offensive player could be reduced.
sluggy
12/28/2003 (12:13 pm)
This is not a new problem here on TTanks.Refer to:
www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=13195
for the previous discussion.
A mute function would certainly be useful, and appropriate.
I also support Vote Off, not only as a way to deal with verbal abuse but as a way to handle game spoilers. I concur that Vote Off may be abused. If abuse of Vote Off becomes a problem the option can always be removed..
The creation of a Locker Room , optionally visible from within a game, might also help to alleviate the problem. If players had a place to meet where they could arrange games and perhaps set a game local Keep Out list, the influence of offensive player could be reduced.
sluggy
#14
No vote off!
I saw someone chasing "X" around through servers the other night, Fatman.
jfh
12/28/2003 (12:40 pm)
Yeah, but name something other than Locker Room. Yick!No vote off!
I saw someone chasing "X" around through servers the other night, Fatman.
jfh
#15
as we are all aware children do play tt
you also say to ignore the chat but this is easier said than done. these obscene words still come up on the screen for children to read as a friend has experienced himself . his 7 year old was playing tt with him monitoring what they were doing when a tt member who will be namless for now, who knew how old this child is made suggestions to this child about ANAL SEX so his child asked him what ANAL SEX was which put him into an awkward situation so therfore he has done what you have suggested by monitoring his child which proves that you can not expect a child to ignore what has been put on the screen especially when they see their name mentioned.
i ask you all if you see this happening to take a screen shot and email it to garagegames at
havefun@garagegames.com
so they can see it for themselves
please keep posting on here your suggestions and also email them to the above address
lets hope we can stamp this problem out once and for all .
12/28/2003 (12:43 pm)
Hi all , thank you all for your responses to this situation . as several of you have made comments about children playing tt and their parents not monitoring there activities online as a parent myself it is impossible to watch what they are doing 24/7 so therfore you cant lay the blame on the parents. the blame is to be put on the offenders as we are all aware children do play tt
you also say to ignore the chat but this is easier said than done. these obscene words still come up on the screen for children to read as a friend has experienced himself . his 7 year old was playing tt with him monitoring what they were doing when a tt member who will be namless for now, who knew how old this child is made suggestions to this child about ANAL SEX so his child asked him what ANAL SEX was which put him into an awkward situation so therfore he has done what you have suggested by monitoring his child which proves that you can not expect a child to ignore what has been put on the screen especially when they see their name mentioned.
i ask you all if you see this happening to take a screen shot and email it to garagegames at
havefun@garagegames.com
so they can see it for themselves
please keep posting on here your suggestions and also email them to the above address
lets hope we can stamp this problem out once and for all .
#16
12/28/2003 (12:46 pm)
Jim harris are you implying that i was chasing x the other night
#17
Ignore/mute seems like an obvious fix that will solve 90% of the problem and I hope it is incorporated into the game.
A Team/World chat option that lets you talk only to teammates or to everone would also be nice.
12/28/2003 (1:23 pm)
Vote kick can, is, and will be abused but overall it is a positive. If set up properly you need a majority of the players to sucessfully kick someone and this helps curb the abuse. It's not perfect but it does help.Ignore/mute seems like an obvious fix that will solve 90% of the problem and I hope it is incorporated into the game.
A Team/World chat option that lets you talk only to teammates or to everone would also be nice.
#19
when a player with that name chats it looks like this
Devestator
12/28/2003 (4:35 pm)
I have a different idea how bout u can put up a little screene it tt and type in a player's name.when a player with that name chats it looks like this
Devestator
Stan
A lot of kids are playing TT and it is not fair that they should be penalized for a few so called adults that can't behave like one. Regarding the chat, it is just as fun for a kid to interract while playing as it is for us adults. There must be a better answer to stopping kids from being exposed to sick people, than just cancelling the chat.
BraveTree should take the responsability to warn players that abusive language will NO longer be tolerated. All players should know how to take screen shots and use it whenever reading offensive messages and send them to the Company. BraveTree should take immediate action to permanantly or temporarily kick out the offender, depending on the gravity of the issue. The point is that the sanction should be a good enough deterrent to drastically minimize the risk of further incidents.
This is not complicated, it can be implemented rapidly and it should without delay.
In addition, the games should be monitored more often or a transcript of all chats recorded, so that any foul language to a child would leave a trace that can be tracked down.
Lets clean up TT for every parent's peace of mind.
PS: Some adult women have also been harrassed in the past, it is no more acceptable.