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$5 Process fee 4 Open Chat Violations! Please

AuthorMessage
Explorer
Jul 31, 2011
95
I feel it IS a good idea and NOT an excuse for them to bill ANYONE extra money.. WHY?

Simple, do NOT break the terms of service, follow the rules, do not get muted and then no extra charge. It is a simple concept really.

Yes, it is life and yes people sometimes say bad words, but THIS game has no place for that type of language or activity. WHY? Because KingsIsle and Wizard101 created rules, a Terms Of Service and Use that states what is acceptable and allowed and what is NOT. IF they had not made those rules, they would never mute anyone or give us any tools to help alert them and then this all would be a moot point.

Yes, the charge would go to a parent's charge card because, One, to have open chat, one must say they are over 18 and have a valid credit card to verify that. Second, it seems many parents foot the bill for their children to play this game. Therefor, they get a $5 charge, figure out why and then realize that little Jimmy or little Mary are being inappropriate in a kid safe game. (They would hopefully also read the terms of service and use, read the rules and better explain it to their child)

BUT we can not compare real life walking down the street to a virtual online game, that is apples versus oranges. IF I walk through a school, full of children and talk of rape and racial slurs and use the F word left and right and talk of adult activities I can assure you I will be escorted out by security or police. If I walk through ANY public establishment doing that, same thing. In real life we have something called freedom of speech while in the public domain, but this is a company run website, a game that has rules and regulations that we all must abide to in order to have the privilege to use their service.... Yes we pay for the service but they have made it clear over and over again that we must abide to the rules, if not we lose our privilege and they no longer want our business.

In real life when we break the rules (school, work, signs posted in businesses, city laws and ordinances, national law, rules in place by parents for their children) we have to face the consequences of our bad choices.

So this suggestion in the end will help them thwart those who are clearly cheating the system that is currently in place. This also helps discourage bad behavior BEFORE it begins and will further reinforce the tools currently in place. Yes, it will apply to each and every one of us, but if we do not do anything to get muted, we have NOTHING to worry about.

With 25 million players and growing, it is time they update the filters and further reinforce the rules and consequences when those rules are broken.

I would also like to add, IF I had only $4 in my account the last thing I would be doing is playing games online, paying for internet... that is irresponsible... even my child knows better. BUT if that $5 fee can not be paid the account would be locked... but if little Jimmy or Mary caused that, I feel then they deserve a bit of time out until they can control their potty mouths.

I love this idea, so does my husband and our daughter, even my good old mother thinks it is a fair addition. (we are a wizarding family)


Illuminator
Oct 22, 2011
1304
skywarrior342 wrote:
Um people they already solved this problem once you set your age when you made an account no going back.


The thing is, parents are the ones that set the account, and unfortunately, they can allow Open chat for children under the age of 18. Many parents are not monitoring what their children are doing or saying in the game.

Snowyandspots wrote:
Also you realize there is the ignore button, report button, and if you want you can just go back to text chat. I really doubt adults are the ones using the profanity because that is just too immature. This leaves the kids so that means another kid is going to be using those words because the want attention and the poor parent unknowingly will be charged for it.

Simply every game is going to have people that use profanity this is why there is filters, and report buttons in place. That is like saying lets charge someone money for using profanity on the streets. Simply it can't be done. I don't feel it should be done since it is rude but no one has gotten hurt from it and life goes on.


Yes, there's the ignore and report button. But that only gets you so far. It's not only children, there are adults who are just as obscene. By charging the fee, parents will take notice of what their little darlings are doing. For adults who get muted, it will teach them a lesson about violating Terms of Use.

So, why should the nice players have to revert back to Text, or even Menu chat? Why punish the millions that do behave? Why not punish those who are using Open chat by making them revert back to Menu chat?

Why should millions of players witness swearing, racism, descriptions of sexual acts, drugs & alcohol, gender bias, harassment, bullying, talk of suicide, threats, naming body parts, etc? No child or adult who plays the game should. This is an "E" rated game, which means it's for EVERYONE.

Naughty wizards have found ways to type swear words around the filter. This is also a violation of the Terms of Use. The problem is, we have let this behavior go on too long and it has escalated. Ignoring it won't solve the problem.

Defender
Jan 01, 2009
155
Kings Isle should take a very good look at this idea. I am sure many parents don't have any idea what the little darlings are up to all day and night. I know most are great. I have many for friends in the game and have been friends with several for years. But this would be a way to let the folks know what is going on when they are not looking. All you have to do to avoid muting or being fined or banned is follow the rules you agreed to when you joined the game. Rule abiding players need not worry about penalties. I spent several days checking out the dye shop and commons in Wu realm, and the behavior and language are atrocious. If not this cure KI really needs to come up with something. I had no idea it was this foul.
Michael Nightgem Necromancer
knight without armor in a savage land

Armiger
May 10, 2010
2080
Thank you KingsIsle for this official post:

https://www.wizard101.com/posts/list/52195.ftl

I hope you seriously consider this idea as you will find, many parents will support this idea and accept the fee if our child misbehaves.

Even if I was to break the Terms of Use, I would accept the fee.


Archon
Feb 07, 2011
3175
I am for this as well~ $5 is not a huge amount, but just enough that those potty-mouths will notice how quickly it adds up. Perps need to understand that everything has a price, and that chatting is not a right~ it's a privilege and can easily be taken away, if/when it's abused.

Anyone who doesn't understand the principle behind this should go back and read JT's analogy (re: shoplifting)~ it's quite simple, really. And, as he said, if you don't break the rules, you'll never have to worry about being charged extra.

El Veeb

Mastermind
Dec 11, 2011
333
GREAT idea. I completely agree. Everyday I play Wizard101 I see somebody using "colorful" language. Weather it be in the Commons or in Drum Jungle, I always see one wizard using this language. Being muted for a day or a week or even a month doesn't seem to convince them to stop using this profanity. This will open their eyes and show them that this is a family game and open chat isn't their key to saying everything they want.

~Eric CrowSpear-Lvl 80-Diviner

Survivor
May 28, 2009
32
conno365 wrote:
i see what your going for but if they continue what there doing, they will ban them. If Ki notices them having multiple accounts they can ban the computer from playing wizard101.
my sister and my brother have an account on this computer so that wouldnt work

A+ Student
Mar 02, 2010
1643
As for just "unlocking" the account that is muted. NO. And CROWNS can not be used to buy the unmute. The $5 would not be applied until the parent or card holder reviewed the charges in "MY Accounts" section. It would have the option to "Accept" or "Reject" the charges. If accepted, the wizard would be unmuted, if rejected, that wizard would remain muted until it was paid. Saying "You're dome" is not something we look at for reporting. Those who are PEMANENTLY muted or banned would remain so. For those kinds of sanctions, there would be no BUY OUT. Nor should they be able to.

Why won't people just let the email do all the work? I don't curse at all in game, nor violate the terms of use, but taking money from a credit card isn't exactly what I'd call... fair. If wizards are muted, let them be muted, but paying 5$ for getting muted, what!? That's just crazy! That's just like getting punished for getting punished. But, what I do think should happen is parents should care more about what their children are doing, and check once in a while, because it wouldn't be the parents agreeing to the terms of use, it would be the kid. Parents have to be responsible, the internet can't just do all the work, if the kid wants to make the account, they should ask permission of their parents to:
A: Make an email
B: Make the account
C: Set a parental controls password
D: Purchase items in game

If the kid did things without his/her parents knowing, and then they get muted, it's their problem, because they'd get an email saying why. Well, I want to do some pvp, cya!

Defender
Aug 07, 2011
116
Rulz99 wrote:
So am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea? Okay. Chances are if a kid breaks the rules, their PARENTS will have to pay the fee. Think about that.


I'm sorry but the problem with that would be what exactly? They should be monitoring their kid's behavior and if they are not, I really have no sympathy towards them for getting the $5 fee for inflicting their spoiled brat on those of us just trying to play a game on-line that is supposed to be safe for the kids in our families that play.

I support this too and I've been financially challenged most of my life. It is totally fair to ask parents to be responsible for their kids behavior and to insist they play by the rules. Make this something they have to agree to then parents that aren't willing to risk it because they don't monitor their kid's behavior won't give permission for the kid's membership.

It's only fair to those of us who are paying for a family-friendly game and go into the spiral to have fun -- not be abused.

Survivor
May 21, 2009
1
I think this is a horrible idea. I spend my own money at walmart or where ever to get the cards to get membership and I am not all that good with money. Besides, I have seen people that did not say a cause word once and some how they got muted for a day. What if that happened to your child? I think that paying a fee is way out of line. Not everyone can afford an extra 5 bucks here and there you know.

Archon
Feb 07, 2011
3175
deathgoddess1234 wrote:
I think this is a horrible idea. I spend my own money at walmart or where ever to get the cards to get membership and I am not all that good with money. Besides, I have seen people that did not say a cause word once and some how they got muted for a day. What if that happened to your child? I think that paying a fee is way out of line. Not everyone can afford an extra 5 bucks here and there you know.


KI doesn't take muting lightly~ just because your friends are too embarrassed to tell you why they were sanctioned, don't assume that there was "no reason".

I've been falsely reported a few times, but never sanctioned, and I know I don't have anything to worry about because KI checks every, single chat-log and can see that I didn't break any rules. And, if you conduct yourself appropriately, you don't need to worry, either.

I think it's great that you buy the cards yourself. Despite what you said about not being good with money, I don't think your parents would allow you to play the game at all, if they thought you were irresponsible/going to abuse it~ it is, after all, a privilege to play games online.

Unfortunately, the internet (and "safe" communities like this one) are no substitute for attentive parents~ not everyone has those and, sometimes, the only way to make the inattentive ones wake up is to hit them where it hurts: their pocketbooks. If they can't afford it, then little Mary or Jimmy will be muted until the end of time... at least until they can pay to unlock their own accounts~ it'll teach them about money, as well as what kind of behaviour is acceptable in-game, and that there are consequences for their actions.

@joujou~ there's a huge hole in your email-covers-all theory. Most of the time, parents (or guardians) give their kids access to the master account password and email (which, if I had kids, would never happen), or teens control their own accounts, meaning that any news re: sanctions will never make it into Mom or Dad's inbox.

You seem to have completely misunderstood the point of this post. Darth wasn't suggesting $5/sanction~ it's a $5 unlock fee to unmute an account (not a single wizard) that broke the ToU. Most people would, after the first infraction, learn to keep their raging potty-mouths under control, but those who didn't would see just how quickly it can add up and be in for an unpleasant shock when their credit card bill arrives.

I come from a single-parent family~ if this game was around when I was 10-15, my mom (love me as she does) wouldn't have paid the $5 to unmute my account, if I said something filthy in-game~ she couldn't afford it, and would use it to teach me a lesson. I'd either have to earn the privilege back by doing extra chores, use my hard-earned money (I've been working since I was 14) to pay for it, or be stuck with a muted account until the end of time.

Unfortunately, a lot of kids and teens (even some adults) today seem to think the world owes them and are unwilling to work for anything. This "internet parenting" is horrible, since it just reinforces the idea that kids can say whatever they want in an open forum, without consequence or regard for the person on the other end of their disgusting innuendos.

I've been a victim of in-game sexual harassment~ yes, I'm grateful that the perp picked me instead of a 12-year-old, but it says something about the state our Spiral is in... These people don't care that there's a person on the other side of the screen, or whether that person is 12, 25, or 50~ their victims aren't human to them, and they don't care about the other person's feelings.

In closing~ if you wouldn't say/do it in front of a toddler, who repeats EVERYTHING s/he sees or hears, then it doesn't belong in the Spiral. And, if I ever break the rules, go ahead and bill me for it~ you can bet your bootstraps I'll never do it again.

My $5, for what it's worth.

El Veeb

Defender
Jul 28, 2009
190
Question what if your parents only get you game cards for membership and crowns and they dont use their credit cards?

Armiger
Feb 25, 2009
2425
joujou11cool wrote:
As for just "unlocking" the account that is muted. NO. And CROWNS can not be used to buy the unmute. The $5 would not be applied until the parent or card holder reviewed the charges in "MY Accounts" section. It would have the option to "Accept" or "Reject" the charges. If accepted, the wizard would be unmuted, if rejected, that wizard would remain muted until it was paid. Saying "You're dome" is not something we look at for reporting. Those who are PEMANENTLY muted or banned would remain so. For those kinds of sanctions, there would be no BUY OUT. Nor should they be able to.

Why won't people just let the email do all the work? I don't curse at all in game, nor violate the terms of use, but taking money from a credit card isn't exactly what I'd call... fair. If wizards are muted, let them be muted, but paying 5$ for getting muted, what!? That's just crazy! That's just like getting punished for getting punished. But, what I do think should happen is parents should care more about what their children are doing, and check once in a while, because it wouldn't be the parents agreeing to the terms of use, it would be the kid. Parents have to be responsible, the internet can't just do all the work, if the kid wants to make the account, they should ask permission of their parents to:
A: Make an email
B: Make the account
C: Set a parental controls password
D: Purchase items in game

If the kid did things without his/her parents knowing, and then they get muted, it's their problem, because they'd get an email saying why. Well, I want to do some pvp, cya!


Joujou, I think you are missing the whole point in this suggestion to KI.

The $5 dollar fee would be to get the account UN-MUTED. Many parents have set up the game for their kids. The HIGHLY possible aspect is that some of these parents have given their kids access to the master account password and the email associated with it. THEREFORE, in SOME of those cases, the parents ARE NOT GETTING the emails regarding the sanctions. For some of them, the only way they find out about these infractions is when the entire account has been muted or banned.

In case you have not noticed, KI did make changes to the "My Accounts" requiring the master password before being able to make any changes in the accounts.

For those that have given full rein to the accounts to their kids, they will not know what is happening until they start seeing the extra charges to their Card Statments. If the parent has to review the account to find out why, then they probably see these charges showing up in the account purchases. If these same parents contact KI questioning these charges, I sincerely hope they have changed the password to that email account otherwise, they will never see the reply. Unfortunately, the emails that KI does send out, do not always get read by the intended recipient.

As has been stated before, Parents would have to go the the "My accounts" section on this site and review and accept or reject the charges. Automatically charging the CCard would not solve the problem. If the parent chose not to accept the charge, then their childs account under the master account would be muted indefinitely. I can guarantee you that if my child incurred sanctions for foul language in the game, I WOULD NOT accept the charge and they would not only remain muted, but would lose computer priviledges other than for school work only for a very long time. Which also means they would have no computer in their rooms. They would have to do their school research under my supervision without exception.

KI has the right to change and or update the Terms of Use anytime without notice. It is up to the members to check this periodically just for this reason.

Armiger
Feb 25, 2009
2425
For those of you that are under the impression that KI can not change or add to the ToU or other rules of the game, you need to read what it says. They do have the right to make any and all changes they deem necessary and WITHOUT NOTICE. It is your responsibility to keep yourself up to date on any changes.

Defender
May 29, 2011
134
If I got muted for 1 day I wouldn't pay 5 bucks. If I got permantly muted I'd just quit and wouldn't pay the five bucks. Most people I know wouldn't be that desperate.

I guess this is ok, only if its a option to pay or not.

Armiger
May 10, 2010
2080
Orbit100 wrote:
Question what if your parents only get you game cards for membership and crowns and they dont use their credit cards?


Well, for Open chat you must have a credit card on file.

For txt chat violations, you would go back to menu chat until you paid the $5 fee.

Again, if you don't break the rules or Terms of Use you will not be charged.


Explorer
Jun 03, 2012
76
Wow, its always interesting to see what messages are responded to by the most people. I have to say I as an adult with several young children on my account am a little irritated by the fact that because of the bad, rude and completely unacceptable behavior of some people I can no longer allow my children to play unsupervised.

This started when my 6 year old asked me to "mute" his chat feature. He said people were mean to him and were saying mean things and he didn't want to have to talk to anybody. I was heart broken that he was being treated badly by people who should be abiding by the rules. Now I don't know about you, but I am pretty sure I know when I am playing with or around a fairly young player and extend them as much support as I can. I know you can't always be sure, so a solution to that is people need to behave themselves. And as the thread of this has been going - what would these kids parents/mother think if they found out how their child what behaving.

So...to that end I think the suggestions of Goldendragon18 are a great ideas and I wish KI would consider them. If parents had to take and action because the child has been misbehaving, I know my child would be in a lot of hot water with me and appropriate privileges would be removed and chores added to pay back the $5.00 fee etc.

Sarai Thundergrove, Master Pyromancer

Mastermind
Feb 29, 2012
323
Darth I have to hand this one to you, I think this is the SINGLE best idea to come through the dorms in my (short) time here.

From my time realm hopping in the commons, to the dye shop, to a girl who would not stop harassing my wife in a dungeon, the mute policy is not having as much of an impact on life in the spiral as the WCPs would like. The language has gotten better, but poor Fallon has become a virtual punching bag for less than nice wizards. Fallon, I commend you on your work. It must be tiring swimming up the river like you do!

This impounding fee would be perfect. It would not be a charge for being muted, but a fee to regain the privilege of having text or open chat.
If you care not how you converse, you pay nothing. If you do, you pay the fee.
Some parents, who have given the child access to the master account information/CC info would undoubtedly be upset if they saw higher billing from KI. Since KI would not be the one initiating the charge, it would place the blame squarely where it belongs, at the feet of the foul-mouthed player.

To those who cannot seem to grasp what the problem is, why not think like a child, and try to dye some clothes in the Wu realm. I found the seedy underbelly after trying to dye my just dropped WW robe. Just happened to be in Wu at the time.

Chris Nightwraith

Armiger
Feb 25, 2009
2425
mkt3 wrote:
If I got muted for 1 day I wouldn't pay 5 bucks. If I got permantly muted I'd just quit and wouldn't pay the five bucks. Most people I know wouldn't be that desperate.

I guess this is ok, only if its a option to pay or not.


Mkt3, I think you are missing the point. If this fee was imposed, there would be NO MORE 1 day mutes. That fee would have to be paid before that ACCOUNT would have open or filter chat again. What many don't realize is if you get muted, it is the WHOLE account and not just a single wizard. We have found that those who only get a 1 to 10 day mute will do one of 2 things.

1. They will wait it out.
2. They create a new F2P account with a CC on file and come right back usually within minutes ans start right back up where they left off. And brag about the mute. They continue this process repeatedly. Honestly, they should not be able to create a new F2P account if they have been muted.

@Darlar828, Thank you but this Idea was not mine. It is Darthjt. I only expanded on it so that members would understand that this could not and would not be an AUTOMATIC charge to a CCard. The charges would have to be accepted or rejected by the Master account holder under account management. As long as those charges are rejected, The Account they are charged for would not be able to access open of filtered chat. They would be limited to MENU CHAT ONLY.

It would be my guess that there would be alot of parents taking a few priviledges (computer) away from their kids for this kind of behavior. As for the Adults that are misbehaving, they may pay the fee, but sooner or later, it is going to start eating away at those CCards.

@Pods, I am not sure which Fallon you are referring to since we have recently added a couple more to the WCP group, but if it is my wizard, it has been very hard indeed for me and many of the others.

But with your support and those that have joined our group and 1 or 2 other groups that have formed for the same reason, it has made things a little easier knowing there are others in the Wizard Community that also care about cleaning up this unacceptable behavior.

My grandson and great nephew will not be returning to the game until it is FIT for them to play again and I am seeing the same thing from other parents and grandparents. This is really a shame that the innocent have to be denied because the environment has become so foul that it is getting even harder for some of us adults to keep coming back to try and clean it up.

It is my opinion, that if this suggestion of a $5 fee and restriction to Menu chat until certain requirements are met, this problem will only get worse. If that happens, My sub and that of my grandson and great nephew will be cancelled until the game is safe enough to play again.

Fallon WinterLeaf a "Wizard City Protector"

Champion
Sep 01, 2009
491
As a parent, I think this is a great idea. My son often runs into people saying highly inappropriate things and making comments that are truly offensive. He and his friends obey the rules, simply because they're having fun playing the game and have no interest in bullying or swearing or offending any other players.

I also agree that if I saw this $5 fee come across our account, my son would be grounded from Wizard101 and other games and he would have to pay us back the $5. I don't share my parental login information with our son, and recently moved him from open chat to text chat, much to his chagrin, but he understands why. We've spoken at length about some people who may not be what they seem, and text chat is a good way to make certain at least our son is never tempted to share personal information with someone who may be a predator.

If it is an adult who is charged this $5 fee, perhaps that would curtail the behavior, perhaps not. But if a parent is charged this fee for their child's behavior, trust me (and the other parents on this thread) when we tell you the behavior would stop in a heartbeat.

KI, this is a great idea, and I hope you look at it seriously. It's getting to the point, especially now that the game is so crowded all the time, that "safe realms" are almost non-existent. Everyone seems to be pushing the ToU envelope, and it's getting out of hand.

Thanks!

Survivor
Sep 23, 2010
42
This is awesome! I am encouraged to see the positive response to this idea from the parents. I think there is a further lesson to be learned here.

Kids and adults today need to be aware of using social media appropriately.
A typed message can make it's way around the world in the blink of an eye.
This may be a first time experience for some players. It is not like passing a note in school where no one else sees it. We need to learn to utilize self control and think about what we are saying before we hit the enter key.

Getting muted in game and paying the consequences is one way to learn this lesson.

mackenzie

Survivor
Jan 31, 2009
7
I understand this view, but there are so many "open chat" restrictions that it is hardly different than menu chat. I believe that making the open chat more free, then there might be less violations because people can barely say anything in the game on either chat

Illuminator
Feb 24, 2009
1357
I am confused... I would like darth to clarify for me, is this idea #1 or #2?
1. You get muted, and have to pay $5 to be able to log on again, but you are still muted.
2. You get muted, you have to pay $5 to be unmuted.

If its 1, sorry, but that seems kinda crazy, like joujou said, punished for being punished?

If its 2, sorry, but that seems kinda crazy also, LOL, what about the repeat offenders who dont learn anything and are spoiled-millionaire (well not millionaires, but can afford to waste $5-20 a day) brats. It would make a huge profit, but how about only for the little bans? You can't remove them off the 1 month or 10 year mutes. Well, maybe $1 for 50, and $1,000 for 10 years ;) PROFIT = LESS HOARD PACKS = LESS COMPLAINERS. SCORE.

Geographer
Dec 14, 2009
916
I see no problem with the charge.except that it is too light,and not a deterrent in my opinion. Make it a 50.00 dollar charge and you would certainly garner some attention. :)

Armiger
May 10, 2010
2080
Ronster55 wrote:
I am confused... I would like darth to clarify for me, is this idea #1 or #2?
1. You get muted, and have to pay $5 to be able to log on again, but you are still muted.
2. You get muted, you have to pay $5 to be unmuted.

If its 1, sorry, but that seems kinda crazy, like joujou said, punished for being punished?

If its 2, sorry, but that seems kinda crazy also, LOL, what about the repeat offenders who dont learn anything and are spoiled-millionaire (well not millionaires, but can afford to waste $5-20 a day) brats. It would make a huge profit, but how about only for the little bans? You can't remove them off the 1 month or 10 year mutes. Well, maybe $1 for 50, and $1,000 for 10 years ;) PROFIT = LESS HOARD PACKS = LESS COMPLAINERS. SCORE.


Obviously it will be #2 and how does that still seem kinda crazy? You think millionaires or people that can afford it want to waste that much money just to curse?

Oh, and KI will still have their muting and bans, those wont go away. This is just a good penalty for those offenders, a fine to be unmuted for their flagrant violations or to remain muted.

Now, if you don't break the rules, you have nothing to worry about, so how is this kinda crazy? It's crazy to sit there and ignore everyone and let the chat get way out of hand. It's crazy to punish those who are following the rules by demanging that they switch chats so they may not see it.

No, those ideas are crazy, the $5 fee, will keep everyone in check.