I'm a parent and game with my 8-year old son. We've enjoyed our time on Wizard 101, but I'm likely going to cancel my subscription. Tonight, my son was heckled by another player who had open chat. As a spoiled sport this individual proceeded to cast 0 level spells on himself and allow my son's character to die. While I understand that this is a game and no one has to follow any code, players should remember that little kids could be on the opposite end. My son's feelings were very hurt....He couldn't understand why someone would treat him so poorly.
I'm sorry that happened to your son. Unfortunately in every game I've ever played online there are players who act like that. The game is a lot of fun and if you can see past some of the bad players in the game there is a lot of enjoyment to be had.
My advice is to teach your son how to deal with rude people which is to ignore them and move on. Learning to interact with others online is something your son will have to learn after all. At least if he is going to have much in common with the kids at his school.
It would be a shame if you stopped your son playing because of the actions of one apparent idiot.
How did your son read the open chat messages anyway? (By open chat, I am assuming you mean Text Chat. The default option for 8 year-olds is Menu Chat which strictly limits the things players can say to each other. If your son can read Text Chat, it is because you enabled that feature for him.)
If you are referring to Menu Chat, then there are a few "Taunts" that can be used, but they are pretty harmless. If your son was upset by these, then perhaps he is still too young for a game of this kind.
It is also possibe that the other player was not taunting your son, but the monsters. I like to toss a few "Take that!"'s and "Meet your maker's" into a fight for colour. It's part of the role-play.
The other player may have been casting healing or protection spells on himself. He would not have known that your son was only eight years old, just as other players do not know I'm in my 50's. He would have expected your son to defend himself as best he could.
I would also point out that your son did not "die". No-one dies in Wizard101. If a player loses a match, he or she goes a bit woozy, and will be magically transported out of harm's way to the Commons. No death - just "get me out of here". If you explain that to your son, he may be less upset.
It would be a shame if you stopped your son playing because of the actions of one apparent idiot.
How did your son read the open chat messages anyway? (By open chat, I am assuming you mean Text Chat. The default option for 8 year-olds is Menu Chat which strictly limits the things players can say to each other. If your son can read Text Chat, it is because you enabled that feature for him.)
If you are referring to Menu Chat, then there are a few "Taunts" that can be used, but they are pretty harmless. If your son was upset by these, then perhaps he is still too young for a game of this kind.
It is also possibe that the other player was not taunting your son, but the monsters. I like to toss a few "Take that!"'s and "Meet your maker's" into a fight for colour. It's part of the role-play.
The other player may have been casting healing or protection spells on himself. He would not have known that your son was only eight years old, just as other players do not know I'm in my 50's. He would have expected your son to defend himself as best he could.
I would also point out that your son did not "die". No-one dies in Wizard101. If a player loses a match, he or she goes a bit woozy, and will be magically transported out of harm's way to the Commons. No death - just "get me out of here". If you explain that to your son, he may be less upset.
Well said ... especially the explanation about getting defeated in a battle (and not "dying"). I share the same character with my even younger son (Kindergarten). Because I also play the character and we have been leveling up, I enabled chat for the character...so my son sees the comments. He doesn't always know how to respond. And frankly, some of the nicer "friends" we have probably wonder about the erratic style of play and communication (my son doesn't chat, but I do when I play the character, we obviously play the character differently). But, in the end, it's a game. And it's been great about teaching my son good teamwork, how to play nicely. And, what to do when someone is mean (ignore and/or "unfriend" them). I have found the parental controls to be a great feature (when I remember to enable and disable certain abilities depending on who's playing). Give the game and your son a chance.
Before i say something comforting let me be clear as to what you are talking about.
You say your son was not treated right because the other player cast 0 spells?
If he joined your son's fight then that person was wrong, but if they were fighting and your son joined then its yours son's own fault.
I am not sure which it is. However my advice is that you never join a battle you are not prepared for. This includes being prepared to fight more than one or two foes. Because people jump in and flee all the time and unless you are ready you will die.
On the other hand if he is jumping in fights and thinking the more the merrier he should know that not all people on here likes to play in teams. They don't all want to be his friend and if he isn't old enough to understand that then he doesn't belong on the internet period.
I have kids but if they want to play (and only one does and he is too young) than they should prepared to NOT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY this is a game everyone pays to play as they'd like within the rules. If your son's feeling are too easily hurt (because of age - and it happens) then you should wait before letting him go online at all.
You can not control the world, to meet your needs or that of your children (despite your desire too) and the internet is your introduction to that fact.
If he's under 8 I would have him use Menu chat, If you cancel the subscrtion his feelings may be hurt even more. Tell him if some one is rude to him in battle,There's a Hide button in options spell book, I use it all the time.
okay I finally found the new topic flag. Anyway, why make grubb so hard you have to have help when players are so rude. I keep having problems with people not wanting to have anything to do with you if your not part of thier little group. I never ask someone to be my friend, always wait for them but when I say yes usually they wont talk to me, or delete me. I ran all over the sunken city trying to connect withthis guy who kept asking me personally for help, but when I found him he told me to go away? Why make gameplay depend on teamwork when people can be so rude? I am about to quit the game, but I've come this far. But I'm tired of having my feelings hurt over and over again. You say this game is for older people too but everyone acts so childish. Otherwise it could be a great game. I'm always polite, but have had people delete me after I help them level up over and over. Now I can go no farther just because I am not part of a little "group"? Someone please renew my faith in this game. Also how do you find your post later? And it says it notifies you when someone answers but how to they do that? Sorry to be so cranky but I hope I haven't just wasted all my time.
There are alot of people who act childish in this game kids and adults but they are many of us who do not and i hope that you dont give up on us that enjoy the game and like to help peopole out. I am an adult and dont mind having kids in my so called group. I only delete them when they get bossy or demanding. I enjoy helping the little guy get to grand master it is fun to see how excited they get to lvl up. hope this helps in your quest to find a better class of players dont try so hard at making friends with rude ones the good ones will come, trust me if i see you out there i will make you my friend, Emma Stormcaster
Don't give up on the game, it is a great family and friends game. Those of us that have been out here awhile forget how hard it was in the begining and yes, unfortunately there are alot of rude players. But, there are nice ones too. Also, if you sign up with, hope it's okay to say this here, sign up with Wizards101Central.com, you can get lot's of help and inside info on the game and just maybe meet some good players.
My first wizard was Life/Death and is now Grandmaster. I'm now working with five wizards, one from each school except Ice, just couldn't get that one through Krokatopia. Having a great time, meeting great wizards along the way and have my family involved too.
Rude players? It happens. I just press "escape" and change realms. There are lots of other players out there. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Sunken City? I tried it twice and haven't finished it yet. Ran out of time to play and had to leave before I got to the end. Had to log off.
If you just hang around the entrance to Sunken City, there are always other players there looking to team up with someone. If not, change realms again, and look in a new area. Start your own group or just jump in when someone asks and go for it. If they turn out to be rude, leave the group and find another one.
I add people to my friends list, and if I haven't heard from them or seen them around for a while, I delete them. Or else my list gets too long and I won't be able to add new people. Don't take it personally if you get dropped from someone's list. Just go find some new friends. And relax and have fun!
If you can't finish Sunken City right now, you can come back to it later when you are a higher level and have more power. It isn't required that you finish it now to move on...
okay I finally found the new topic flag. Anyway, why make grubb so hard you have to have help when players are so rude. I keep having problems with people not wanting to have anything to do with you if your not part of thier little group. I never ask someone to be my friend, always wait for them but when I say yes usually they wont talk to me, or delete me. I ran all over the sunken city trying to connect withthis guy who kept asking me personally for help, but when I found him he told me to go away? Why make gameplay depend on teamwork when people can be so rude? I am about to quit the game, but I've come this far. But I'm tired of having my feelings hurt over and over again. You say this game is for older people too but everyone acts so childish. Otherwise it could be a great game. I'm always polite, but have had people delete me after I help them level up over and over. Now I can go no farther just because I am not part of a little "group"? Someone please renew my faith in this game. Also how do you find your post later? And it says it notifies you when someone answers but how to they do that? Sorry to be so cranky but I hope I haven't just wasted all my time.
You are right; there are a lot of rude players in this game. It seems very easy for these people to all hide behind their computers and just be so hateful towards each other.
Some people probably think I am rude too, but it's just that for all the time I have played now and I have played a lot, I have 7 Grandmasters now as of tonight.
I like people who can use manners and common sense; ask before joining a battle that others are already running....this is one of my biggest pet peeves. Be kind and say please and thank you to others when you speak...too many people on here try to bark orders at each other.
I had to start keeping my friend requests off a long time ago for a few reasons:
1. Too many random add requests, especially after I got to higher levels. It's like people want to add you just so they can say they have a friend that is a Grand or a Master, at least.
2. I use to add people much more freely but when I had so many that didn't have text chat or open chat and they wanted help it was virtually impossible to talk to them and tell them why I couldn't. And with that "canned talk" they have it gets very annoying cause it's like they either come off sounding whiny or demanding. Also that a lot of these people wanted help ALL THE TIME. I get on here to have fun and do my thing and occasionally I like to play with friends, but most of the time I like to solo.
Some of the people you have encountered do sound rude, but remember some are also just being cautious and don't want to add just anyone who is asking for help or running around.
I know my fear of adding people I haven't talked to much or hung around much is due to the fact that almost 99% of the people I add end up acting like I am there to help them and for no other reason. It really gets annoying when someone is always asking for help. I figure I soloed most of this game, so can they and they don't need help for every street fight or minor boss encounter.
With that said there are dungeons, like Sunken City, that do require more help at certain levels. Personally, these days, I always wait until my wizards are at least Master level to go in there. That way I don't need the help, or having just one other person is enough. That dungeon is not a requirement to advance in this game. Personally I think they make that quest available a little too early. And if, by chance, you are a Life Wizard then you will REALLY want to wait. Life Wizards get sent in there for a quest much later and you can kill two birds with one stone by waiting to do the regular Sunken City quest when you get that Spell quest.
There are other instances that are like that and after you've run a few wizards and been around you know when the best time is to do some of these dungeon quests. Of course there are some dungeons and towers you must do to continue on the main and side quests of areas, but usually you are the right level to do those. It's just things like Sunken City and Kensington become available a little early for the general level of people who belong in those areas. Neither of those are required quests and it's better to wait until much later to do them, unless you do have a group....though Kensington would be pretty rough on a group of Magus level wizards...it really helps to have the big level 42 & 48 spells(for the most) in there, makes it all go a lot smoother.
Anyway, I, personally, am extremely selective with people I add anymore. And I give anyone I add a week max to see what kind of "friend" they will be. If they are too needy or they never even say "hi" to me then they are gone.
So, know it's not always that people are rude...it's just that a lot of us have had bad experiences on here, like you have with people, and now we are just overly cautious.
If someone really wants to be a friend and chat with me as well as battle beside me sometimes, then that's very cool. But it's the ones that constantly need help or just want to add you for the sake of adding you that I won't keep around.
In case you can't tell I am an adult player, so I am careful about adding the younger people, even if they have text chat. They have to be pretty mature for their age or a relative of another adult friend on here for me to add them.
Not sure this really would renew your faith in the game, but just wanted to say why some people are the way they are here. Try not to take it too personally and just remember to tell yourself that they were not worth it if they treated you that way.
As for notification of a message posted; you get an email to your email account that you used when you signed up here. Also sometimes those notifications seem to fail. I have often went back and looked at threads I had started or commented on and I had requested notification and one never came when a new post was added.
You have to realize a lot of the people playing ARE children. Dont let your feelings get hurt so easily. You wont get far in any MMO if you quit because of every last player.
Thank you so much everybody for your kind words. They were much needed and appreciated. For the record I never friend anybody, just wait for them to friend me, thats why its so suprising when they immed. ignore me. I did transport to people without asking a couple of times before I realized that was rude and stopped doing it. I'm glad to know I don't have to do that sunken city thing yet, I am a life wizard. I have helped people almost every time they asked and yet try to never ask for help unless necessary.In fact almost never ask for help, afraid of rejection, also know people are busy...but everyones replies really made me feel better. Thanks!!! You have made me feel better about the game.
if I am going to say Wizard City and you invite me as a friend I will probably accept , but if not even a minute later you are spamming "port to me" "HELP!" "come here" and not even a plz anywhere guess what? I probably wont. i am here to play as well as you are and I will help you if you are polite about it :D Anyway the next time you ask someone for help and you dont get a reply or deleted from their friends list just remember the word please goes along way.
this thread will most likely be closed this ( no offense to ur mssage) because its not rilly discussing anything ur just basically telling ppl u will not help them XD
if I am going to say Wizard City and you invite me as a friend I will probably accept , but if not even a minute later you are spamming "port to me" "HELP!" "come here" and not even a plz anywhere guess what? I probably wont. i am here to play as well as you are and I will help you if you are polite about it :D Anyway the next time you ask someone for help and you dont get a reply or deleted from their friends list just remember the word please goes along way.
so wait your telling us if we forget to say plz in are post in the game you'll delete us?
No I think what this person is doing is venting a bit of frustration at having a friend's list full of young wizards who constantly send out demands for help instead of asking nicely for it. Is it too much to ask for that when a person needs help from someone on their list, especially someone you don't know in real life, that you add a "plz" at the end of it?
I am with the original poster on this one....if I get a message on the side of the screen demanding for help, I immediately find something else more important to do. A little courtesy goes a long way.
No I think what this person is doing is venting a bit of frustration at having a friend's list full of young wizards who constantly send out demands for help instead of asking nicely for it. Is it too much to ask for that when a person needs help from someone on their list, especially someone you don't know in real life, that you add a "plz" at the end of it?
I am with the original poster on this one....if I get a message on the side of the screen demanding for help, I immediately find something else more important to do. A little courtesy goes a long way.
I have to agree.
Although, I think as older, more polite, and more mature players, we would probably do a great service to these young wizards, if we could find a way to politely let them know that we would appreciate a little more courtesy.
I have done this on a number of occasions. I may not be the most elequent person when trying to convey this to a youngster, but I have tried. Most times I have found that simply expressing to someone your discontent in the way things were approached, can help them to learn that the behavior is irritating to some people. And perhaps that will help them to think before acting the next time.
Perhaps these young wizards can be guided or mentored into being more kind human beings all together. This is a chance for those of you who believe in being more kind and courteous, to help that sort of attitude in the game grow and prosper. ;-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Steven SkullHammer - Level 50 (Grandmaster Thaumaturge) Steven SkullHammer - Level 25 (Adept Theurgist) Steven SkullHammer - Level 10 (Initiate Pyromancer) Steven SkullHammer - Level 11 (Initiate Necromancer) Steven SkullHammer - Level 11 (Initiate Diviner) Steven SkullHammer - Level 9 (Apprentice Sorcerer)
Although, I think as older, more polite, and more mature players, we would probably do a great service to these young wizards, if we could find a way to politely let them know that we would appreciate a little more courtesy.
I have done this on a number of occasions. I may not be the most elequent person when trying to convey this to a youngster, but I have tried. Most times I have found that simply expressing to someone your discontent in the way things were approached, can help them to learn that the behavior is irritating to some people. And perhaps that will help them to think before acting the next time.
Perhaps these young wizards can be guided or mentored into being more kind human beings all together. This is a chance for those of you who believe in being more kind and courteous, to help that sort of attitude in the game grow and prosper. ;-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Steven SkullHammer - Level 50 (Grandmaster Thaumaturge) Steven SkullHammer - Level 25 (Adept Theurgist) Steven SkullHammer - Level 10 (Initiate Pyromancer) Steven SkullHammer - Level 11 (Initiate Necromancer) Steven SkullHammer - Level 11 (Initiate Diviner) Steven SkullHammer - Level 9 (Apprentice Sorcerer)
You make a very good point. However, I think the original poster was talking about a situation where one is diluged with non-stop messages for help, most of them demands. I myself have been on the receiving end of that sort of flood, making it difficult to concentrate on one's game. There have been times where I have tried to stop and explain to someone who is constantly demanding my attention why I may not be quick to answer a rude request and most of the time it went in one ear and out the other. Basically if I were to do that with every one I got, I would spend half my gaming time helping other players do their quests, and the other half giving lectures on politeness.
You make a very good point. However, I think the original poster was talking about a situation where one is diluged with non-stop messages for help, most of them demands. I myself have been on the receiving end of that sort of flood, making it difficult to concentrate on one's game. There have been times where I have tried to stop and explain to someone who is constantly demanding my attention why I may not be quick to answer a rude request and most of the time it went in one ear and out the other. Basically if I were to do that with every one I got, I would spend half my gaming time helping other players do their quests, and the other half giving lectures on politeness.
Oh yes. Well, I was making the assumption that you have turned off your "Allow Friend Requests", removed all of the kids who friended you just for that reason, and started over with your friend list. (As most of us who have been playing for a while have now done)
I understand the frustration, but here's something to think about. If they really are kids without text chat, there's no "Help me please", only "Help!" when you're in battle. I've also been "Thanks"ed a lot when I am able to teleport to them and help. I've also gotten "OK"s when I tell them I'm busy. Then again, there are the bi-minutely "help" and "port to me"s out there. They do get deleted. :P
if I am going to say Wizard City and you invite me as a friend I will probably accept , but if not even a minute later you are spamming "port to me" "HELP!" "come here" and not even a plz anywhere guess what? I probably wont. i am here to play as well as you are and I will help you if you are polite about it :D Anyway the next time you ask someone for help and you dont get a reply or deleted from their friends list just remember the word please goes along way.
what about people on your friend's list constantly begging you for treasure cards. Or even demanding that you make them treasure cards because they are out. As far as demands for help, I get it constantly when I am on. I don't mind helping when they actually need it, but most of the time it is not a boss fight and they are close to wining when I show up. SO I stop doing what I was doing to help in a situation that really didn't need my help. I am ignoring a lot more people now a days.
if I am going to say Wizard City and you invite me as a friend I will probably accept , but if not even a minute later you are spamming "port to me" "HELP!" "come here" and not even a plz anywhere guess what? I probably wont. i am here to play as well as you are and I will help you if you are polite about it :D Anyway the next time you ask someone for help and you dont get a reply or deleted from their friends list just remember the word please goes along way.
ok so it is good to say pls but sometimes you in some big trouble and you need help really badly. i useally say pls but if i need help that bad sometimes i dont got a lot of alot of a choice.
and i REALLY dont think you should just delete someone cause i didnt say pls! :(
Ok so let me start that I am not a grown up but i am also not a teenager. And when I play with my friends sometimes it gets pretty dramatic and ends up in a big fight. I am no longer friends with these people but they said very rude things. Some of the people even cried over wizard101 if something bad happened :? . But what really bugged me is they cussed all the time. I don't cuss at all but these people did it all the time. I decided to just ignore it for awhile considering some of these people were my best friends online. Then one day it got really out of hand. I was trying to stand up to one of my fellow friends (that didn't cuss) emily. The mean kids were making fun of her and I told them to plz stop. Did they? No. I suddenly had gotten myself involved. It ended up to be a big fight and the mean kids were winning. Me and Emily finally just left. I deleted everyone there. Yet i still see them time to time cause they have tons of friends on my friends list, and cuss and make fun of me and emily,and reed. I reported them all there but it's just I don't really get the point of reports. They told me this was a fake report. Is that true? Well anyway hear are some of the people that bugged me
aaron thunderblade
ashley earth walker
jack moon blood
KI if you could plz find a way to report these people would you?
I'd also like to thank
emily fire flame
reed something something XD and kris for sticking up for me.
