42 replies to this topic

[Clint Steel]

I'm not happy that so many people's names have suddenly been changed to Mechwarrior#. Some of these people have put real money into their accounts and I don't think its right.

I understand that some people found these names offensive, and there should be some way to deal with that, however, personally I find it offensive that I'm not allowed to see the name that others prefer to go by.

To accommodate all I have a suggestion of a system that should be implemented:

If you find a players name offensive, you would simply right click on it while loading (like you do now to report players) there would be a check box that states "Censor Name" When checked, the server would calculate a name as it does now, such as "Mechwarrior 1234." This name will only be shown to you (the one who checked the box).

Further, there could be a database that keeps track of what names have been censored. In the game options there would be a check box to hide names that others have censored as well. There could be a threshold of 2-5 censor requests if you want to make the feature a bit more robust.

[Bilbo]

The auto censorship should have been implemented at account creation at the beginning. There would have been no need for name changes down the line.

[Alan Davion]

I don't mean to sound rude, but if these people didn't want other people getting offended at their name and filing complaints, maybe they shouldn't have used that name in the first place? They made their choice, now they have to deal with the consequences.

I've not filed complaints on anyone's name here in MWO, but I've filed plenty on XBox Live, of course at the same time you're dealing with a long of young, not so bright kids on XBL. Six one, half-dozen the other.

The unfortunate facts of life my friend.

[CygnusX7]

It's as if you guys share a really thick book with every imaginable thing to complain about in MWO.
You open the book... Look for the next item to complain about and create a thread.

Edited by CygnusX7, 30 November 2015 - 10:38 AM.

[Felicitatem Parco]

I do not see how Automated Name Censorship would work to stop names that are from religious sources, news headlines, war zones, or focused on individuals or members of a group. Or even just silly names.

How is an automated censor program going to intercept the pilot name "Your Mother's Wet Bits" ? None of those words are offensive enough on their own to be banned.

Edited by Prosperity Park, 30 November 2015 - 10:43 AM.

[Raggedyman]

Bilbo, on 30 November 2015 - 10:33 AM, said:

The auto censorship should have been implemented at account creation at the beginning. There would have been no need for name changes down the line.

A nightmare to do, an absolute nightmare. You either have specific word matching (which means 'arse' would be blocked but "arz' wouldn't) which can be got around or fuzzy rules which means legitimate names get blocked ( 'funkytown' becomes a no no, for example). And inevitably some poor sod ends up having to vet the maybes, which is soul crushing.

This is before having to work out what is an isn't offensive, and I'd rather they spent their time fixing the game

Edited by Raggedyman, 30 November 2015 - 11:15 AM.

[Bilbo]

Raggedyman, on 30 November 2015 - 11:11 AM, said:

A nightmare to do, an absolute nightmare. You either have specific word matching (which means 'arse' would be blocked but "arz' wouldn't) which can be got around or fuzzy rules which means legitimate names get blocked ( 'funkytown' becomes a no no, for example). And inevitably some poor sod ends up having to vet the maybes, which is soul crushing.

This is before having to work out what is an isn't offensive, and I'd rather they spent their time fixing the game

I don't care one way or another, but anyone I've seen actually get their name changed should have known it would happen as soon as someone bothered to report it. It's pretty easy to report it now, so I would expect an uptick in these numbered mechwarriors for a some time to come.

[627]

[Sandpit]

Clint Steel, on 30 November 2015 - 10:26 AM, said:

I'm not happy that so many people's names have suddenly been changed to Mechwarrior#. Some of these people have put real money into their accounts and I don't think its right.

I understand that some people found these names offensive, and there should be some way to deal with that, however, personally I find it offensive that I'm not allowed to see the name that others prefer to go by.

To accommodate all I have a suggestion of a system that should be implemented:

If you find a players name offensive, you would simply right click on it while loading (like you do now to report players) there would be a check box that states "Censor Name" When checked, the server would calculate a name as it does now, such as "Mechwarrior 1234." This name will only be shown to you (the one who checked the box).

Further, there could be a database that keeps track of what names have been censored. In the game options there would be a check box to hide names that others have censored as well. There could be a threshold of 2-5 censor requests if you want to make the feature a bit more robust.

Here's an idea instead.

Take ownership and responsibility for something they did. They chose to make a name (in most cases) that they knew was going to be unacceptable, belligerent, vulgar, etc. or at the VERY least questionable.

Instead of asking a company to hard code something like this because "I don't mind the vulgarity", why not do it like this and people who don't know how to act in public start learning a few life lessons. Your rights end where mine begin. If you don't want your call sign to be "Mechwarrior #123", then don't choose "Tube snake licker" for your call sign.

EDIT
P.S.
The player who liked your post is the perfect example.

Edited by Sandpit, 30 November 2015 - 12:32 PM.

[sycocys]

Bilbo, on 30 November 2015 - 11:56 AM, said:

I don't care one way or another, but anyone I've seen actually get their name changed should have known it would happen as soon as someone bothered to report it. It's pretty easy to report it now, so I would expect an uptick in these numbered mechwarriors for a some time to come.

Before - unless it was a truly offensive name and the player was a complete d-bag it just wasn't worth the time to screencap and send in an email.
Now - couple clicks and offensive names start to disappear.

And exactly what Bilbo said - if you don't choose an offensive name, you don't get it wiped.

[Herr Vorragend]

Pgi should give them a chance to get a new name. Cultures are different and so are the jokes. In Germany there is a saying "names are sound and smoke". In English its "what's in a name?".

This is the internet and you often will have to do with strange humor or childish behavior. So what? Get over it and move on.

[Clint Steel]

Sandpit, on 30 November 2015 - 12:28 PM, said:

Here's an idea instead.

Take ownership and responsibility for something they did. They chose to make a name (in most cases) that they knew was going to be unacceptable, belligerent, vulgar, etc. or at the VERY least questionable.

Instead of asking a company to hard code something like this because "I don't mind the vulgarity", why not do it like this and people who don't know how to act in public start learning a few life lessons. Your rights end where mine begin. If you don't want your call sign to be "Mechwarrior #123", then don't choose "Tube snake licker" for your call sign.

EDIT
P.S.
The player who liked your post is the perfect example.

There are going to be many degrees in which someone might find something offensive, aside from the simple trolling some do.

How is the system I suggest not good for all. I would bet that it would even save PGI money due to the time it will save their customer support, particularly when MWO hits steam.

[Bilbo]

Herr Vorragend, on 30 November 2015 - 12:46 PM, said:

Pgi should give them a chance to get a new name. Cultures are different and so are the jokes. In Germany there is a saying "names are sound and smoke". In English its "what's in a name?".

This is the internet and you often will have to do with strange humor or childish behavior. So what? Get over it and move on.

If previous complaints about name changes are to be believed, they do get the opportunity if they bother to check their email.

[Sandpit]

Herr Vorragend, on 30 November 2015 - 12:46 PM, said:

Pgi should give them a chance to get a new name. Cultures are different and so are the jokes. In Germany there is a saying "names are sound and smoke". In English its "what's in a name?".

This is the internet and you often will have to do with strange humor or childish behavior. So what? Get over it and move on.

Who said they don't? I'm fairly positive that if those players emailed support, they would work out something to allow them to pick a new call sign.
As far as what's in a name? It's not the name in most cases, it's people using vulgarity, etc. against the rules in the name of "being creative" and using the excuse of "It's just a call sign" to bypass rules that are in place to make the game a little more kid and family friendly in most cases.

It's not a matter of me, or you, or that guy over there being personally offended. It's about a company having told you in their ToS that it would not be acceptable and choosing to break that rule (or test the limits) and then paying the consequences for it.

Don't make this into a creativity, censorship, free speech, or any other nonsense. This is quite simply people who wanted to be "cute" with their call signs, choose words and meanings that broke the rules, and are now punished fo rit.

Clint Steel, on 30 November 2015 - 12:48 PM, said:

There are going to be many degrees in which someone might find something offensive, aside from the simple trolling some do.

How is the system I suggest not good for all. I would bet that it would even save PGI money due to the time it will save their customer support, particularly when MWO hits steam.

There are several posts in this thread that explain why.
It's cumbersome
It's not needed
It's a drain on resources that could be spent elsewhere
It's a pain in the butt to code
It isn't going to be effective against non-vulgar words put together in a vulgar manner
"You moms wet bits" ring a bell?
They already have a system in place.
The system works (obviously based on this very thread)

I have nothing against an automated system personally, but doing so in the name of

Quote

[color=#959595]I find it offensive that I'm not allowed to see the name that others prefer to go by[/color]

is silly and a waste of resources when there's already a system in place that works just as effectively.

[Sjorpha]

I think there is a bit of a european vs american culture clash going on as well, in europe it's extremely difficult to cross these lines and you would generally not be censored for simple profanity or sexual things, you basically have to be explicitly racist or something to warrant censorship.

But in american forums and games I see relatively mild profanity censored all the time, just like they often seem strangely anxious about showing genetalia in movies. I mean the censorship on these forums is pretty extreme with very innocent words being censored, I often write something and see the *** and think why the actual **** is THAT censored?

Edited by Sjorpha, 30 November 2015 - 01:10 PM.

[Raggedyman]

Bilbo, on 30 November 2015 - 11:56 AM, said:

I don't care one way or another, but anyone I've seen actually get their name changed should have known it would happen as soon as someone bothered to report it. It's pretty easy to report it now, so I would expect an uptick in these numbered mechwarriors for a some time to come.

Totally agreed, and I always chuckle when I see someone with a number going "but I'm telling you, it wasn't that bad. Honest!"

[Raggedyman]

Sandpit, on 30 November 2015 - 12:53 PM, said:

Don't make this into a creativity, censorship, free speech, or any other nonsense. This is quite simply people who wanted to be "cute" with their call signs, choose words and meanings that broke the rules, and are now punished fo rit.

But if I don't get to call my toon "SheepFecker900KillTheRacialEpithet" then how am I expected to go PEWPEWPEW??
Is not the whole of western civilisation based on me being able to upset other people whilst playing a computer game??

[Sjorpha]

Sandpit, on 30 November 2015 - 12:28 PM, said:

The player who liked your post is the perfect example.

It wouldn't surprise me if someone made that account only to like that post.

But yes it is a perfect example of the different perspectives, for example I have absolutely no idea what would make that name offensive enough to be censored. The word {LT-MOB-25} I suppose? I mean, I respect that this is a game played a lot in NA and that culture sets the rules, that's ok, but a european game probably wouldn't censor that name. From my perspective a single synonym for penis can't make something offensive on it's own.

Edit: "{LT-MOB-25}"? Lol, that's a pretty funny way to censor I have to admit

Edit2: Oh, I see that penis is ok? At least on the forums. So would "Rockwithmypenisout" be an ok name by US standards or would it be considered offensive too?

Edited by Sjorpha, 30 November 2015 - 01:34 PM.

[totgeboren]

Everyone has the right to be offended by whatever they choose (I am offended by stuff on a daily basis), but I never understood why people just assume they have the right to force everyone else abide by their preferences?

Personally I am honestly a bit offended that they even have a censorship system in place, especially for such trivial stuff as mild profanity.
But it's PGIs game, they can of course do what they want, but to me the censoring of stuff that does not encourage violence or physically hurt anyone is a bit like when you see crazy islamists demanding that everyone else follow their rules, because otherwise they are 'offended'. What a load of *censored*!

[jss78]

I'll just point out that if you know languages other than English, there are some pretty ... colourful usernames out there. I don't really mind, and will certainly not report someone for anything but outright hateful/racist stuff, as long as they're being good sports in-game.

I agree there's a huge cultural gap at around the Atlantic, as far as seeing specific bits of human anatomy as threatening vs. harmless.