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Chat Filter

AuthorMessage
Survivor
Sep 03, 2008
4
I totally hate and dissagree the filtered chat!
C`mon,i`m not talking about dirty words.We are not all english I suppose.
I am from Romania,maybe I find some romanian people and I want to talk to them in romanian.There are people who don`t know so much english.
Another problem is that we can`t write numbers.Maybe we want to say our damage.In an online game,my opinion,is that numbers are used a lot lol!

Don`t you guys want to talk in your language with your friends...and since there is not shout channel..

If you can do something about this would be much better.

Survivor
Jul 30, 2008
9
Well, I can see the difficulty in creating filtered chat for various languages -- that would require an awful lot of work.

But I have to agree on the number filter. The number filter is completely useless. I understand the reasoning behind it, i.e. not giving away ages and personal information, but this is an rpg -- numbers are absolutely vital to gameplay.

What's more, players have *already* figured out a system around this: they use 'won' for one, 'too' for 'two', 'tree' for 'three', etc. I have found myself doing this frequently when trying to discuss the number of enemies, number of floors in a building, amount of damage, amount of health, etc. All the number filter does is make us feel stupid for purposely misspelling what we're trying to say and force us to waste time while trying to figure out a way to phrase something appropriately.

I implore the Wizard 101 gurus to remove the number filter as it clearly does more harm than good. Rules are instituted for the majority, not the minority of players, and the majority of the players are clearly ignoring this silly, silly rule so that they may play the game reasonably. (And they are *not* using it to give out personal info, I might add. I have yet to see a single person doing so.)

I would also ask that the 'allowed words dictionary' be looked into. I was trying to tell a player to hug the walls as much as possible when traveling through the sunken city instance, and it took me about 3 tries before I found wording that worked. It seems that an awful lot of completely innocuous words are filtered out.


Survivor
Aug 22, 2008
3
I also suggest this filter gets fixed. It is getting abnormally silly to talk to anyone, and to King's Isle a warning that should be heeded: If players complain about this here, they likely will complain vocally elsewhere, to friends, to people they know, to forums, and so on. If this game gets those kinds of complaints, people will spread it, and less people will join!

Chatting is important in games! Communication is key in battle, and you can not sit there and attempt it while you have a timer. Filtered chat only makes sense for strangers, but for friends and especially true friends, hardly so!

Please fix this or look at it! This system will make people stay away from the game, and ultimately remove a lot of your profit!

Survivor
Sep 03, 2008
42
PLEASE add in a way to disable the chat filter.

Yes! Please do something. I don't see why we can't disable the filter. It seems like an ok thing if you worry about your kids talking to the wrong people but for the adults playing this is just silly.

I do have fun sometimes trying to figure out how to get a point across but mostly it is just hindering my game play with other players.

I soloed through the first two worlds because it was easyer than trying to talk to people.

Also, please add Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to the list of OK words!

Survivor
Sep 04, 2008
12
All things considered I'd rather have a chat filter that was too strict than not enough. Go read the trade channel on any server on WoW and if you still disagree...well maybe you should stick with WoW. Frankly the chat filter is one of the reasons I'm playing this game, as is the case with many others.

Being able to have unfiltered chat with "true friends" might not be a horrible idea but a game that is designed for younger players will also attract people LOOKING for younger players to talk unfiltered with so I'd rather not open that door really.

As for the numbers filter, maybe this is the wrong game for you if stats and numbers are that important. Also arguing that just because people have gotten around the safeguards they should be removed entirely isn't a good reason. I think that Kingsisle could expand the menu chat to make it so you can report how much damage you just did and suchlike. It'd be nice if they could make some sort of combat log so people could just look at that (that'd be nice too because I never notice how much XP some monster just gave me and wish I could look back and see).

As for lifebrinks dire warning about the games' profits, well hopefully making a $ isn't the number one concern of this company. That's certainly Blizzard's goal and the reason I can't stand them as a company.

Defender
Aug 02, 2008
176
Qumil wrote:
PLEASE add in a way to disable the chat filter.

Yes! Please do something. I don't see why we can't disable the filter. It seems like an ok thing if you worry about your kids talking to the wrong people but for the adults playing this is just silly.

I do have fun sometimes trying to figure out how to get a point across but mostly it is just hindering my game play with other players.

I soloed through the first two worlds because it was easyer than trying to talk to people.

Also, please add Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to the list of OK words!


LOL!!!

This would take some kind of way to PROVING that you ARE
indeed an adult. when someone (if ever) comes up with a 100%
way to do this for an online game, because this is a kids game.
and most likely has been licenced as such also. so I wouldn't count
on being able to type numbers any time soon.

All though I could be wrong.

Survivor
Jul 30, 2008
9
Look, I have no issues with there being a chat filter in general; yes, I've played WoW and I know how annoying it can be. I'm fine with blocking out naughty words and such. My only complaint is blocking out numbers, particularly in an rpg, does more harm than good.

If stats and numbers are *not* important to you, why on earth are you requesting a combat log? Numbers are important to everyone, especially for simple things like how many items you still need to get in a fetch quest when working with someone else or how much longer you intend to play. Point of fact, numbers come up all the time. I pointed out the fact that players have worked out ways around the number filter because clearly it isn't working as intended and Kings Isle could well be called out on it.

As for proving someone is an adult, here's a simple way: adults have credit cards. For anyone with a paid account, and *only* those with a paid account, allow a second filter option that's a little more lenient, allowing things like numbers, but still no naughty words. Making the second filter option character specific would allow parents to use one option while their kids use another. Then everybody's happy.

Explorer
Aug 25, 2008
52
Qumil wrote:
PLEASE add in a way to disable the chat filter.

Yes! Please do something. I don't see why we can't disable the filter. It seems like an ok thing if you worry about your kids talking to the wrong people but for the adults playing this is just silly.

No, keep the filter.

I am an adult, I am not a parent, but nonetheless ... I feel that a chat filter is the right thing to do, to make an environment that Parents can feel comfortable about their kids participating in.

We adults have alternate means of communication available to us. You know what my girlfriend and I did? We set up a Ventrilo server. Less than US$5 per month for a small one (up to 10 people on at once). The client is free, and it works fine while Wiz101 is running.

While I think some of the things that are forbidden (e.g. "Hamburger" and "slightly") are silly, and some of the things that are allowed can be more than a little risque (yesterday, my girlfriend saw Phoenix cast for the first time, and ALMOST said "I have phoenix envy", but realised what that could be mistaken for, and said "awesome phoenix" instead) ...

... I still think the filter, in some form, is absolutely appropriate and necessary, and should never be somethign that can be turned off.

Survivor
Aug 22, 2008
3
@gmpax

Look, if you want the chat filter on for you and other people, that is fine. But demanding that others need to subscribe to that same thing is silly. Why would some people not having a chat filter affect anyone with the filter on? Parents have the final say in the matter, so if some people have the filter off, it still keeps whatever they are saying from anyone else's view.

So tell me, how is that unacceptable?

Explorer
Aug 25, 2008
52
lifesbrink wrote:
So tell me, how is that unacceptable?

Too many parents nowadays display a degree of apathy that is to me apalling. They treat television and video games as childcare services, and never bestir themselves to think about what their child is being exposed to.

These are the parents that buy M-rated games for their 10 and 12 year olds, and then weeks later complain that the games are full of violence, drug and alcohol use, nudity, and so on. Parents, IOW, who didn't bother to even check the rating of the game.

Those same parents would turn on the completely-unfiltered chat for their child, without for even a moment considering their own child's maturity level or readiness for such unrestricted communication in an online environment.

These kids will then be at serious risk to either (a) be unruly, misbehaving brats whose abuse of Unrestricted Chat would lessen the usefulness and fun for everyone else using it ......... or (b) get themselves into dangerous situations, e.g. by revealing more real-world information about their identity and location than they should, to precisely the wrong person.

If you're an adult, you already have alternate means of communication available to you. As I said ... get a Ventrilo or Teamspeak server, and an inexpensive headset (under US$5/month for the server, and maybe US$10 for a cheap headset). The others in your usual group would need headsets too, of course. Poof, unrestricted chat via VOIP protocols. If you want your child and his/her real-world friends to be able to chat unrestrictedly while playing Wiz101 together ... the same solution applies.

If you're not an adult, then IMO you're really not in a position to be arguing against the use of Filtered Chat, anyway. Talk to your parents first, and get them to come here - or, get them to buy you that headset, and set up a VOIP-server rental for you.

Survivor
Sep 03, 2008
42
All the worry of filtered chat I understand but if you pay for a subscription with a credit card you must be 18 (I think, well I certainly had no credit card before that age) so I still feel there should be a way to disable it. I can't communicate freely due to the heavy handed filter.

I ran a quest last night and we fought a mob named H.G. Wells and I could not even comment on the humor of it with out going into some elaborite round about way because H.G. was filtered.

I just feel the filter is WAY too restrictive. Dial it back a notch please. It's like a spell checker with a mean streak!
I Am Bored is filtered but not I am board.
Oddly, I was free to express myself in saying "I hate this chat filter."

:x

As for people bringing up wow trade chats etc, there is really no central chat system here, you can only talk to people near you or on your friends list as far as I know so if something is bothering you it's not hard to switch worlds with a click of a button so I fail to see how a less restrictive chat filter will change this.

aint is filtered and so is =/

Survivor
Sep 03, 2008
42
gmpax wrote:
Qumil wrote:
PLEASE add in a way to disable the chat filter.

Yes! Please do something. I don't see why we can't disable the filter. It seems like an ok thing if you worry about your kids talking to the wrong people but for the adults playing this is just silly.

No, keep the filter.

I am an adult, I am not a parent, but nonetheless ... I feel that a chat filter is the right thing to do, to make an environment that Parents can feel comfortable about their kids participating in.

We adults have alternate means of communication available to us. You know what my girlfriend and I did? We set up a Ventrilo server. Less than US$5 per month for a small one (up to 10 people on at once). The client is free, and it works fine while Wiz101 is running.

While I think some of the things that are forbidden (e.g. "Hamburger" and "slightly") are silly, and some of the things that are allowed can be more than a little risque (yesterday, my girlfriend saw Phoenix cast for the first time, and ALMOST said "I have phoenix envy", but realised what that could be mistaken for, and said "awesome phoenix" instead) ...

... I still think the filter, in some form, is absolutely appropriate and necessary, and should never be somethign that can be turned off.


Why should I be forced to have a filter because you like it? Simply keep it on if they were to allow us to turn it off.

As others have stated you must prove you are an adult to subscribe so there is already a check in place. I'm ok with bad words being filtered, I find it a little totalitarian (bet that word is filtered too!) but I can express myself with out the use of any foul language. I just resent not being able to say things like "we fought H.G Wells" "AFK phone" or "I am bored."

I can say last night but if I leave out the space lastnight is filtered.

Survivor
Sep 03, 2008
42
gmpax wrote:
lifesbrink wrote:
So tell me, how is that unacceptable?

Too many parents nowadays display a degree of apathy that is to me apalling. They treat television and video games as childcare services, and never bestir themselves to think about what their child is being exposed to.

These are the parents that buy M-rated games for their 10 and 12 year olds, and then weeks later complain that the games are full of violence, drug and alcohol use, nudity, and so on. Parents, IOW, who didn't bother to even check the rating of the game.

Those same parents would turn on the completely-unfiltered chat for their child, without for even a moment considering their own child's maturity level or readiness for such unrestricted communication in an online environment.

These kids will then be at serious risk to either (a) be unruly, misbehaving brats whose abuse of Unrestricted Chat would lessen the usefulness and fun for everyone else using it ......... or (b) get themselves into dangerous situations, e.g. by revealing more real-world information about their identity and location than they should, to precisely the wrong person.

If you're an adult, you already have alternate means of communication available to you. As I said ... get a Ventrilo or Teamspeak server, and an inexpensive headset (under US$5/month for the server, and maybe US$10 for a cheap headset). The others in your usual group would need headsets too, of course. Poof, unrestricted chat via VOIP protocols. If you want your child and his/her real-world friends to be able to chat unrestrictedly while playing Wiz101 together ... the same solution applies.

If you're not an adult, then IMO you're really not in a position to be arguing against the use of Filtered Chat, anyway. Talk to your parents first, and get them to come here - or, get them to buy you that headset, and set up a VOIP-server rental for you.


So I make friends with some folks in game and decide I want a vent server....how the heck do I give them the info??

You bring up some scary issues with the lack of concern some parents may or may not have for their children but you get into a murkey grey area when you decide to force your ideals on other people. Again, I don't need to curse to enjoy the game but I would like a little more freedom to express myself.

Survivor
Jul 30, 2008
9
Yes, there are some scary parents out there, no argument about that. But what is being suggested is that, because there are a few bad parents out there, it is the game's responsibility to do their job and make things more difficult and awkward for everybody else. Sorry, but I don't buy that.

The only thing the game has to do is make sure that the kids don't have ready access to change something like a filter setting. Parents are going to do what they want -- if want their kid using highly restrictive chat, they will set it as such. If they want to change the setting so their kid can talk openly, they will do so.

Again, you have to have a credit card to set up an account, meaning you have to be an adult. What we're talking about is policing the behavior of adults, not their kids.

Survivor
Sep 03, 2008
42
Explorer
Aug 25, 2008
52
Well, obviously at this juncture, my somewhat lengthy response and counterpoint to those who queried me about my position is, for some unfathomable reason, just not going to get past the moderators.

Sorry folks, I really did write a response to you all. :(

Survivor
Feb 21, 2009
16
gmpax wrote:
Qumil wrote:
PLEASE add in a way to disable the chat filter.

Yes! Please do something. I don't see why we can't disable the filter. It seems like an ok thing if you worry about your kids talking to the wrong people but for the adults playing this is just silly.

No, keep the filter.

I am an adult, I am not a parent, but nonetheless ... I feel that a chat filter is the right thing to do, to make an environment that Parents can feel comfortable about their kids participating in.

We adults have alternate means of communication available to us. You know what my girlfriend and I did? We set up a Ventrilo server. Less than US$5 per month for a small one (up to 10 people on at once). The client is free, and it works fine while Wiz101 is running.

While I think some of the things that are forbidden (e.g. "Hamburger" and "slightly") are silly, and some of the things that are allowed can be more than a little risque (yesterday, my girlfriend saw Phoenix cast for the first time, and ALMOST said "I have phoenix envy", but realised what that could be mistaken for, and said "awesome phoenix" instead) ...

... I still think the filter, in some form, is absolutely appropriate and necessary, and should never be somethign that can be turned off.


well i'm with qumil on this one i dont like the idea of that at all