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Adult chat option!

1
AuthorMessage
Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
I got reported for using "inappropriate" language, which is debatable, and I think that KI needs to realize that they have a lot of adult players. It's time we have the option to recognize each other and have a discreet way to communicate with one another. I know they are capable of doing this because they do it already with open chat and menu chat. It's time for an adult chat. This game has been around 10 years now and a lot of their players have essentially grown up, not to mention all of the older players that have played for 10 years. Please KI, give us a way for adults to recognize they are talking to an adult and allow us to have discreet conversations Just add a setting in our account info to verify birthday and then the option to enable adult chat. What's so hard about that

Armiger
Aug 03, 2014
2101
Jeremy Firestaff on Sep 30, 2018 wrote:
I got reported for using "inappropriate" language, which is debatable, and I think that KI needs to realize that they have a lot of adult players. It's time we have the option to recognize each other and have a discreet way to communicate with one another. I know they are capable of doing this because they do it already with open chat and menu chat. It's time for an adult chat. This game has been around 10 years now and a lot of their players have essentially grown up, not to mention all of the older players that have played for 10 years. Please KI, give us a way for adults to recognize they are talking to an adult and allow us to have discreet conversations Just add a setting in our account info to verify birthday and then the option to enable adult chat. What's so hard about that
I think a huge advantage/selling point for W101 is that it is 100% family friendly and kid-safe. KI already recognised their adult audience and catered for our needs/wants by providing open chat. Far from thinking they should further adapt chat parameters to allow adults to have 'discreet conversations' I think adults need to recognise that this is a children's game.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding what kind of things you think should be allowed in this 'discreet chat', but I really don't think swearing, lewd comments or vulgarities are appropriate in the Spiral at all...regardless of age. These kinds of things are the only things I can think of that we can't currently say, which is why I am jumping to what could appear extreme.

I imagine when W101 started the adults playing were predominantly parents. As such, they would likely have been keeping in mind the environment they wanted their children to be able to play in safely. We're now at a point where many of the children who were playing have now grown up and are neither children nor parents. Even though they no longer need protecting and do not have their own children to protect doesn't mean there should be exceptions made so they can say whatever they please. There are still children playing, there are still parents and the adults playing W101 have often made it their game of choice because of the clean, wholesome essence of the game.

I've literally never been unable to say anything I wanted to in open chat to someone else with open chat. I'm struggling to understand what can not be said...except for things I'd never want to hear or have said to me.

Survivor
Jan 04, 2018
15
I very much agree with this. It's not so much about allowing "inappropriate chats" but about giving adult players that freedom!

lvl 64

Delver
Oct 27, 2009
272
Victoria FireHeart on Sep 30, 2018 wrote:
I think a huge advantage/selling point for W101 is that it is 100% family friendly and kid-safe. KI already recognised their adult audience and catered for our needs/wants by providing open chat. Far from thinking they should further adapt chat parameters to allow adults to have 'discreet conversations' I think adults need to recognise that this is a children's game.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding what kind of things you think should be allowed in this 'discreet chat', but I really don't think swearing, lewd comments or vulgarities are appropriate in the Spiral at all...regardless of age. These kinds of things are the only things I can think of that we can't currently say, which is why I am jumping to what could appear extreme.

I imagine when W101 started the adults playing were predominantly parents. As such, they would likely have been keeping in mind the environment they wanted their children to be able to play in safely. We're now at a point where many of the children who were playing have now grown up and are neither children nor parents. Even though they no longer need protecting and do not have their own children to protect doesn't mean there should be exceptions made so they can say whatever they please. There are still children playing, there are still parents and the adults playing W101 have often made it their game of choice because of the clean, wholesome essence of the game.

I've literally never been unable to say anything I wanted to in open chat to someone else with open chat. I'm struggling to understand what can not be said...except for things I'd never want to hear or have said to me.
I like that they don't allow unlimited cursing. I would like them to have a bit larger dictionary of allowed words though. Some of us have large vocabularies and know poetic and uncommon words. Sometimes when making a joke (not insults here, just humorous wordplay), I can work the literal meaning through, but the pun gets lost if I have to pick other words to do so. Or maybe they consider that an anti-pun feature.

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
Victoria FireHeart on Sep 30, 2018 wrote:
I think a huge advantage/selling point for W101 is that it is 100% family friendly and kid-safe. KI already recognised their adult audience and catered for our needs/wants by providing open chat. Far from thinking they should further adapt chat parameters to allow adults to have 'discreet conversations' I think adults need to recognise that this is a children's game.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding what kind of things you think should be allowed in this 'discreet chat', but I really don't think swearing, lewd comments or vulgarities are appropriate in the Spiral at all...regardless of age. These kinds of things are the only things I can think of that we can't currently say, which is why I am jumping to what could appear extreme.

I imagine when W101 started the adults playing were predominantly parents. As such, they would likely have been keeping in mind the environment they wanted their children to be able to play in safely. We're now at a point where many of the children who were playing have now grown up and are neither children nor parents. Even though they no longer need protecting and do not have their own children to protect doesn't mean there should be exceptions made so they can say whatever they please. There are still children playing, there are still parents and the adults playing W101 have often made it their game of choice because of the clean, wholesome essence of the game.

I've literally never been unable to say anything I wanted to in open chat to someone else with open chat. I'm struggling to understand what can not be said...except for things I'd never want to hear or have said to me.
I don't know why people's minds automatically have to go to the negative in order to argue that's what an adults conversation would consist of. Like I said, I was reported and I obviously didn't use profanity, because you can't use profanity. Though, adults like to discuss a wide variety of things that may be inappropriate for children like politics, world issues, the state of our country, etc. Who knows, perhaps some of the mechanically inclined men that play want to discuss how to build something, or repair something in their home. I can't tell them what type of screw to use because that word is banned because of the negative meaning that can be associated with it. Same goes with the contraction He'll which actually means, he will. I can't say that I had to bend over yesterday to pick up something I dropped and hurt my back. But if adults are already getting reported for using language that the game does allow, then it's obvious there needs to be an adult chat. There are a lot of words we can't use and/or phrases and I can't list them all on here, obviously, because if they can't be said in game, why would they make it to the message boards? But if it's a kids game first and foremost, perhaps cash paying adults should find another game to play?!? I think it offers even more protection for kids to not be able to chat with adults, same goes for adults talking to kids. It would alleviate the mystery. I have met a lot of adults on this game and you have to ask how old they are to know if you're speaking to an adult. I don't want to give a kid the wrong idea by asking this question. KI puts their adult players in an awkward position with this. Make it to where everyone can enjoy it!

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
What difference does it make if an adult says a bad word, or two, or many, if it can't be seen by younger players? Really? They don't see a lot of things through open chat anyway, what's the harm in taking that extra step? Ki hasn't managed to keep kids safe from inappropriate chatting for quite some time now or people would not be getting reported, right? So take the extra step! Some people have had their accounts muted due to something that they said or did. I find this unfair and it's also counterproductive to business for KI.

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
Also, if I wanted to give a player my twitter page info, I can't say @ "anything" because it's not allowed. I can say she'll but I can't say he'll. Plus, there are words I can say in open chat that aren't appropriate for younger people. I won't list them here because that would be inappropriate considering everyone can read this, but I think you get the idea.

Delver
Oct 27, 2009
272
Jeremy Firestaff on Oct 1, 2018 wrote:
I don't know why people's minds automatically have to go to the negative in order to argue that's what an adults conversation would consist of. Like I said, I was reported and I obviously didn't use profanity, because you can't use profanity. Though, adults like to discuss a wide variety of things that may be inappropriate for children like politics, world issues, the state of our country, etc. Who knows, perhaps some of the mechanically inclined men that play want to discuss how to build something, or repair something in their home. I can't tell them what type of screw to use because that word is banned because of the negative meaning that can be associated with it. Same goes with the contraction He'll which actually means, he will. I can't say that I had to bend over yesterday to pick up something I dropped and hurt my back. But if adults are already getting reported for using language that the game does allow, then it's obvious there needs to be an adult chat. There are a lot of words we can't use and/or phrases and I can't list them all on here, obviously, because if they can't be said in game, why would they make it to the message boards? But if it's a kids game first and foremost, perhaps cash paying adults should find another game to play?!? I think it offers even more protection for kids to not be able to chat with adults, same goes for adults talking to kids. It would alleviate the mystery. I have met a lot of adults on this game and you have to ask how old they are to know if you're speaking to an adult. I don't want to give a kid the wrong idea by asking this question. KI puts their adult players in an awkward position with this. Make it to where everyone can enjoy it!
Some of the words you did mention used to be allowed, but were taken out because people were using them to curse around the filter. The way you use them may be appropriate, but others were very creative in how to let the little kids hear the bad stuff. The trolls make it worse for all of us.

Explorer
Apr 15, 2012
50
I also think some people fail to realize that some parents don't care, will allow their kids to get open chat, then they hear it, or the kid becomes upset at something, then the parents complain and report people.

So regardless how many ways they come up with to allow adults to chat discreetly, another adult will allow their child to get into the middle of it.

Delver
Dec 13, 2008
223
Jeremy Firestaff on Oct 1, 2018 wrote:
What difference does it make if an adult says a bad word, or two, or many, if it can't be seen by younger players? Really? They don't see a lot of things through open chat anyway, what's the harm in taking that extra step? Ki hasn't managed to keep kids safe from inappropriate chatting for quite some time now or people would not be getting reported, right? So take the extra step! Some people have had their accounts muted due to something that they said or did. I find this unfair and it's also counterproductive to business for KI.
This guy gets it...


Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
Healing Melody on Oct 4, 2018 wrote:
I also think some people fail to realize that some parents don't care, will allow their kids to get open chat, then they hear it, or the kid becomes upset at something, then the parents complain and report people.

So regardless how many ways they come up with to allow adults to chat discreetly, another adult will allow their child to get into the middle of it.
Well, if parents let their child do something, they have no room to complain. It's not my job to watch out for other people's children, it's a parents job to watch out for their own. If you don't want kids hearing something inappropriate, change the settings in their account.

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
Calamity Finch on Oct 3, 2018 wrote:
Some of the words you did mention used to be allowed, but were taken out because people were using them to curse around the filter. The way you use them may be appropriate, but others were very creative in how to let the little kids hear the bad stuff. The trolls make it worse for all of us.
Well if people want to butcher the language, it's beyond my control. What is in KI's control is to allow adult chat so those things become a non-issue. Parents can then choose what their children see. I just think KI needs to do this so they aren't constantly having to babysit millions of wizards!

Armiger
Aug 03, 2014
2101
In creating the Spiral, KingsIsle have created a virtual playground for kids and families in the online world. Everyone is welcome and we all work together to keep the Spiral safe, wholesome and fun for everyone to enjoy.

I was not incorrect to think you were proposing chat features that allow obscenities, your post is clear: 'What difference does it make if an adult says a bad word, or two, or many, if it can't be seen by younger players?' This is like suggesting society allow adults to hang out in a children's play area to behave the same as down the local pub instead of them sitting in a beer garden. IRL if adults do that it is considered anti-social behaviour and they will be removed from the park either by parents or police.

The Spiral is designed and made for children. If we, as adults, want to spend time there and join in then we need to be aware of that and respect it. If we'd rather be down the pub, so be it, go to the pub instead.

There is no way to prevent children from seeing/hearing anything that is allowed in game because even if they do not lie about their age to gain access, they WILL see it in videos posted online. It is essential for KI to maintain a safe environment throughout the game for them to keep their E10 rating, comply with COPPA regulations and perhaps most important of all, to keep their reputation and Unique Selling Point of being clean, family fun!

I'm not sure where the notion comes from that adults don't mind hearing obscenities since many of the adults playing W101 have specifically chosen it because we don't want to be surrounded by that kind of language. Of course there are occasions when someone breaks the Terms of Use and says something inappropriate, but we can report it and work together to keep the Spiral clean.

Typically, where there are issues with rule-breaking, the solution isn't to remove the rule, it is to make it more strict and introduce more harsh consequences. More words become red as more people misuse them.

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
One other quick thing, for those that say they like that KI doesn't allow adult chat because they don't want to see it, they don't have to. It's up to you whether or not of set your account to enable adult chat or not. Leave it on open chat if you don't want to see or join the conversation. It's just a silly argument to suggest that because you don't want to see something, when you don't have to, that it shouldn't be allowed. That's just selfish.

Explorer
Jan 10, 2012
85
Use Discord,, If you want unfiltered/uncensored chat with friends.
Faster easier safer open chat. Allows cut and pasting of strategies,
bosses cheat, ect, or just homework discussion, boy/girl friends.
Keeps KI kid friendly and safe.

Survivor
Feb 01, 2013
13
While I agree that Kingsisle should update the list of words / phrases we're allowed to say in open chat / moderated chat and closed chat, I don't think there's any need for an adult chat.

Is it frustrating not being able to use a swear word every once in a while to accurately describe my frustration? of course it is. But I understand that this game is supposed to be safe for very young children to play with their family and with other players from around the world. Trust me there are plenty of other ways to describe how pissed you are when you fail to kill a boss or get the stuff you want. I know. I've said them without getting in trouble.

It's true that there are a lot of adult players who are still playing this game after 10 years. But it's also true that there are still a lot of kids who are joining this game who have parents who want to make sure their kid isn't being exposed to adult language.

Even if you're making this argument that it's not just so players can use cuss words, there's still plenty of topics and things that are better left not being talked about on this game like politics, sexuality, and tragic events regarding murder or rape. That's not the kind of environment Kingsisle wants for their game or their users. You have the entire internet at your disposal with countless social media sites for you to use whatever language you want when you're talking about this game. So if you want things a little more catered to adults for this game I recommend joining a group online that talks about it or start making posts on your social media about it.

Survivor
Jul 03, 2011
43
adult chat?? tell them to stop muting first.
many people got muted with those only 10 words allowed in the open chat, so how about the adult chat, will it contain 11 words in its dictionary?? so a higher chance of getting muted faster.

Survivor
Jul 03, 2011
43
RainSiren on Oct 5, 2018 wrote:
While I agree that Kingsisle should update the list of words / phrases we're allowed to say in open chat / moderated chat and closed chat, I don't think there's any need for an adult chat.

Is it frustrating not being able to use a swear word every once in a while to accurately describe my frustration? of course it is. But I understand that this game is supposed to be safe for very young children to play with their family and with other players from around the world. Trust me there are plenty of other ways to describe how pissed you are when you fail to kill a boss or get the stuff you want. I know. I've said them without getting in trouble.

It's true that there are a lot of adult players who are still playing this game after 10 years. But it's also true that there are still a lot of kids who are joining this game who have parents who want to make sure their kid isn't being exposed to adult language.

Even if you're making this argument that it's not just so players can use cuss words, there's still plenty of topics and things that are better left not being talked about on this game like politics, sexuality, and tragic events regarding murder or rape. That's not the kind of environment Kingsisle wants for their game or their users. You have the entire internet at your disposal with countless social media sites for you to use whatever language you want when you're talking about this game. So if you want things a little more catered to adults for this game I recommend joining a group online that talks about it or start making posts on your social media about it.
lets be clear, kids, which i agree that they must be in safe, they have the filtered chat which is exposed that you can type numbers like, too or tree or fourth fifth sixth etc.
you can even say some of bad words in puzzling some other words and stuff.
this is the bigger problem than the open chat which the kids cant even see, they see dots.
so i suggest, open chat must be more opened because kids cant see it anyways, and filtered must be closed and restricted more of puzzling words.

Astrologist
Aug 23, 2016
1059
Victoria, Rainsiren

THANK YOU for stating it quite so eloquently.

Wizard101 is first and foremost a game designed for children. As such KI is going to err well on the side of caution to abide by COPPA. That so many adults find comfort and solace in this world speaks more to our desires to leave the "adult" world behind for an hour or two than it does to "KI needs to amend their chat so we can discuss 'Adult' topics."

I deal with "Adult" too much in meat space. I want to be a Young Wizard for an hour or two.

Steven 125
Christopher 11
The Ghoststalker Bros.

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
Victoria FireHeart on Oct 5, 2018 wrote:
In creating the Spiral, KingsIsle have created a virtual playground for kids and families in the online world. Everyone is welcome and we all work together to keep the Spiral safe, wholesome and fun for everyone to enjoy.

I was not incorrect to think you were proposing chat features that allow obscenities, your post is clear: 'What difference does it make if an adult says a bad word, or two, or many, if it can't be seen by younger players?' This is like suggesting society allow adults to hang out in a children's play area to behave the same as down the local pub instead of them sitting in a beer garden. IRL if adults do that it is considered anti-social behaviour and they will be removed from the park either by parents or police.

The Spiral is designed and made for children. If we, as adults, want to spend time there and join in then we need to be aware of that and respect it. If we'd rather be down the pub, so be it, go to the pub instead.

There is no way to prevent children from seeing/hearing anything that is allowed in game because even if they do not lie about their age to gain access, they WILL see it in videos posted online. It is essential for KI to maintain a safe environment throughout the game for them to keep their E10 rating, comply with COPPA regulations and perhaps most important of all, to keep their reputation and Unique Selling Point of being clean, family fun!

I'm not sure where the notion comes from that adults don't mind hearing obscenities since many of the adults playing W101 have specifically chosen it because we don't want to be surrounded by that kind of language. Of course there are occasions when someone breaks the Terms of Use and says something inappropriate, but we can report it and work together to keep the Spiral clean.

Typically, where there are issues with rule-breaking, the solution isn't to remove the rule, it is to make it more strict and introduce more harsh consequences. More words become red as more people misuse them.
That's a really terrible argument. It's almost as if you all obtusely ignore the fact that you don't have to see it. It doesn't matter that some people consider it a child's game first and foremost because it isn't strictly kids that play it. Adult chat would still be a protected form of chat. Young players that don't have open chat don't see what players with open chat say, now do they? This could also apply to adult chat, meaning, players without adult chat would not see what players with adult chat say. This would help with your concerns about people abusing open chat anyway, giving you less people to worry about tattling on. You can go on living in your protected bubble while other players can say what they want, without you ever having to see it.

You would probably notice a big decline in the abuse of open chat because more players would be able to say what they want without you ever having to read it. It only makes sense. Let's be clear, if adults don't want to hear (read) something they may typically find inappropriate, they don't have to enable adult chat, it's that simple. And speaking of videos posted online, that is not wizard101's problem and if you've seen most of the videos online, then you'd know that most of the people/kids commenting during the video use offensive language during the video anyway, which makes your argument moot.

Also, it is nothing like adults being allowed to hang out in a child's play area in real life and just say anything you want. What I'm suggesting would be like being in a child's area and having to use invisible sign language in front of them. The kids would never see it!

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
Yeah, so many of you keep ignoring the fact that it would be a discreet form of chat meaning, you'd have to enable adult chat to have to see any of the stuff you're so concerned about. It's almost as if you just want to argue for the sake of arguing, which is counterproductive. So, can one of you explain how a private chat that can't be seen by other players without that form of private chat, is harmful to other players? Anyone? And no, see it on YouTube doesn't count as most of the people that post video's on YouTube use profanity in their dialogue, meaning, kids hear it anyway if they're watching those video's.

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
"Even if you're making this argument that it's not just so players can use cuss words, there's still plenty of topics and things that are better left not being talked about on this game like politics, sexuality, and tragic events regarding murder or rape. That's not the kind of environment Kingsisle wants for their game or their users."

That's a personal opinion and not a good argument when you're talking about a chat option you don't have to enable. You may not want to discuss some of these things but that doesn't mean other players don't. I've reported very few people in my time playing because I believe people should be able to say what they want to say. Though, I have reported a few. Had I been able to respond, in kind, to the people making bad comments, without me having to fear my account getting suspended, I probably wouldn't have reported them at all. Remember, people don't like tattletales and KI needs to quit playing parent to their adult players. I really couldn't care less what some of your opinions are because you're just arguing to argue. All I care about is what KI thinks and I think, regarding this topic, they need to address it on this post!

Defender
Sep 15, 2013
136
I sent a letter it Ki in regard to this thread. They basically said no, without directly saying no. So bye! You kids enjoy your game!

Explorer
Jul 12, 2016
55
no offense at all, but most of the wizard101 players are young and shouldn't be influenced by language that's a little too mature for them; profanity is not cool, I'm actually glad kingsisle doesn't allow it because I wouldn't either; I'm gonna go and say you're making a bolder out of a pebble; the ability to be allowed to say stuff like that really isn't that great of a thing. it may bug you that the game doesn't allow profanity, but it's just the way it is. what I just said is practically the reason I'm proud to be one of wizard101's players; every realm would be full all the time if everyone played and loved wizard101 as much as I do; the day I started playing it was the best day of my life, nothing else came anywhere close

Astrologist
Feb 28, 2014
1113
Safety for kids is a huge concern. It's also Kingsisle's concern to maintain their games family friendly of all ages. Meaning Adults can be offended by what you say. Swearing, locker room and gutter talk can offend Adult just as well as kids. Bare in mind Wizard101 and Pirate101 is shared by many, many different people. What you think may be ok to say, may be inappropriate and a turn off for others. That's not friendly. Sure, those who don't want to hear that kind of talk can click the ignore button. But why should players limit themselves by ignoring just so you can talk filth? Is that game friendly? We can't always get our way. It's selfish to those who think they can.

1