Okay I literally came up with this idea overnight. I'm being serious, I just woke up from a dream about Wizard101 (which happens maybe once every two months) and this idea was my dream. Basically this is how it works. As most of our adult chat players know, people can still manage to get around the filters and either curse or use words that refer to things that are really not allowed to be mentioned in the forums and the game. Now granted there are other things that came to mind, but I'll go over them in a moment.
Officers Basically these people are given a title. It can be displayed as a badge, a symbol next to the name, or even not at all if they so wish. They can get this title if they so choose/wish through years of gameplay (I'd say maybe two years at the very least), an essay written to the Wizard101 team about why they would like to become an officer and what they can do to aid the game, having purchased at least $20 worth of items (loyalty to the game), and being at least 18 or older (hence adult players). Officers are here alongside the Moderators from the Wizard101 team to watch the commons in order to make a safer gameplay experience and it was my thought that there would be some things Officers can do that a normal player cannot.
First, I think it would be beneficial to say that the Moderators from the W101 team should also get these benefits alongside the Officers.
Benefits of Being an Officer: 1) The ability to click on a player in battle who has stood idle for longer than five rounds (probably due to a malfunction of internet) and safely send them away to their house or the commons area. I've seen a lot of people who have died due to being in battles they weren't around to finish, and if another player joins the battle...they don't want someone extra being there that won't help them out or they might feel the obligation to help that person survive until the end of the battle (they'll get pulled into another one right afterwards).
2) Their reports will take more priority when it comes to language or behaviour they spot anywhere in the spiral.
3) A screenshot option that can be sent directly to the W101 team.
4) An ability to suggest a ban on a player if they are caught doing inappropriate things more than once. This is where a screenshot button will help in order to back their claim. Any employee of W101 would need to see screenshot before consideration to make sure the officer isn't doing this just out of spite.
5) The W101 team can obviously think of other benefits that could work with aiding gameplay experience through the players (read: players that become officers), and I honestly think that some of this stuff can help to make W101 a much safer and even more enjoyable game (because it's already so much fun in my opinion) and I hope that the W101 team seriously considers an addition like this. Obviously it isn't perfect, but things can be added to it over time.
In my opinion, it shouldn't be 18+. Some kids would make really good officers too. Other than that, nice idea but too many officers would just cause KI problems.
I understand a concern for working around the filters, however I think this would actually give a negative impact. People do not come into a game to feel paranoid that someone some where is always watching and lurking, ready to report. Also, a screen shot is not necessary, as W101 and KI have the ability to read chat logs of a player, which is how reporting works currently. An officer should not have priority, IMO. These Officers would not be the only ones who see things, and someone may see something more offensive than others.
I agree with ElvenGoddess86. There's no reason to make this game into some Orwellian dystopia. We don't need a game where some players pay to be game police. The current safeguards work well enough for me and my kids. Yes there are ways around filters, there ALWAYS will be no matter how good the filters are. Instead of worrying so much about filtering and banning, concentrate more on teaching your kids and friends correct behavior and stop worrying so much about what other people do.
I too agree with ElvenGoddess86. There is no reason to add this. This is a game and should be fun. Could there be some improvements? Sure, but all in all the safeguards and rules and limitations set now work.
You can already do this simply by hanging out in areas with a high population of incidents and then just watching for rulebreakers. No badge or title needed. I actually had my own team called Team Report'em to get this done one time and we would hang out in commons shopping district and highly populated areas and just keep are eyes open. Other problems I see with this system is:
1. It puts the average player above everyone.
They will go around bragging to their friends how they are an officer and they are not, threatening people, they would feel more of a sense of entitlement than other players and this is something that would get very. You know how self centered and braggy some Warlords can be with their Warlord badges? Just imagine how much worse they would be with this since they could actually get accounts muted and banned.
2. There would be lots of people would become officers then start groups in game and ban together to get people banned, intimidate and threaten people.
Self explanatory especially if you read first part.
3. Lots of the people becoming officers, would be rule breakers themselves and would continue to break rules in the game.
Leave it to the hall monitors since they are specially chosen people known to have good integrity.
4. Which speaking off. They already have hall monitors, which would have more power than these officers.
No real need for officers. The community reports and we have hall monitors.
5. Officers would abusive their power and their status as we all know.
They would not stop to think necessarily if someone really needs to be reported. Its not ALWAYS a good idea to report someone when they break a rule. That is something to know. Many would report for any tiny reason.
I also think that 1 and 4 should definitely not be allowed if this was to be done and they should not have badges or titles which basically means, what would make them any better than just reporting people breaking rules.
I agree ElevenGodess86, this would probably only drive people away from the game, and keep them from being other peoples friend because they might ban them.
I understand a concern for working around the filters, however I think this would actually give a negative impact. People do not come into a game to feel paranoid that someone some where is always watching and lurking, ready to report. Also, a screen shot is not necessary, as W101 and KI have the ability to read chat logs of a player, which is how reporting works currently. An officer should not have priority, IMO. These Officers would not be the only ones who see things, and someone may see something more offensive than others.
Nevertheless, a large number of people have lost confidence in the reporting mechanisms, and I am happy that people are thinking of helpful alternatives. Yes, KI might have the ability to read chat logs, but do they? Who knows? For all the players know, they may be too busy and the chat logs might just be deleted without looking at them. (That certainly is one of the prevailing opinions in the game.)
To be clear, the OP was never talking about creating Big Brother in the game. That's something that only came up in the replies, and is frankly an overreaction. The author was simply talking about an amplified reporting feature, essentially, basically an officer can tell a moderator "hey, I know you're probably really busy, but this really needs your attention."
Would people be able to abuse this system? Yes. Can they abuse any system? Yes. Do they abuse the current system? Oh my goodness yes, to the point of tears. Would the officer system add value that current functions don't? Yes. Does KI have to keep officers who abuse the officer system? No. So the cream rises to the top, and good officers get to stay on? Yes. I say give a handful of dedicated, respectable players a probationary run and see if it works. It's free labor (yes, free) and might help restore some semblance of decency in the game.
Nevertheless, a large number of people have lost confidence in the reporting mechanisms, and I am happy that people are thinking of helpful alternatives. Yes, KI might have the ability to read chat logs, but do they? Who knows? For all the players know, they may be too busy and the chat logs might just be deleted without looking at them. (That certainly is one of the prevailing opinions in the game.)
To be clear, the OP was never talking about creating Big Brother in the game. That's something that only came up in the replies, and is frankly an overreaction. The author was simply talking about an amplified reporting feature, essentially, basically an officer can tell a moderator "hey, I know you're probably really busy, but this really needs your attention."
Would people be able to abuse this system? Yes. Can they abuse any system? Yes. Do they abuse the current system? Oh my goodness yes, to the point of tears. Would the officer system add value that current functions don't? Yes. Does KI have to keep officers who abuse the officer system? No. So the cream rises to the top, and good officers get to stay on? Yes. I say give a handful of dedicated, respectable players a probationary run and see if it works. It's free labor (yes, free) and might help restore some semblance of decency in the game.
You make a lot of assumptions. Here's one for you. Is this system wanted? NO Is this system needed? NO Would this system add value? NO We already have a reporting system in place there is no point in singling out certain players and making them into cops for KI. This idea at it's very base IS creating Big Brother and a Police State within the game and creates a separate user class above regular players. There is nothing good about it.
Okay I literally came up with this idea overnight. I'm being serious, I just woke up from a dream about Wizard101 (which happens maybe once every two months) and this idea was my dream. Basically this is how it works. As most of our adult chat players know, people can still manage to get around the filters and either curse or use words that refer to things that are really not allowed to be mentioned in the forums and the game. Now granted there are other things that came to mind, but I'll go over them in a moment.
Officers Basically these people are given a title. It can be displayed as a badge, a symbol next to the name, or even not at all if they so wish. They can get this title if they so choose/wish through years of gameplay (I'd say maybe two years at the very least), an essay written to the Wizard101 team about why they would like to become an officer and what they can do to aid the game, having purchased at least $20 worth of items (loyalty to the game), and being at least 18 or older (hence adult players). Officers are here alongside the Moderators from the Wizard101 team to watch the commons in order to make a safer gameplay experience and it was my thought that there would be some things Officers can do that a normal player cannot.
First, I think it would be beneficial to say that the Moderators from the W101 team should also get these benefits alongside the Officers.
Benefits of Being an Officer: 1) The ability to click on a player in battle who has stood idle for longer than five rounds (probably due to a malfunction of internet) and safely send them away to their house or the commons area. I've seen a lot of people who have died due to being in battles they weren't around to finish, and if another player joins the battle...they don't want someone extra being there that won't help them out or they might feel the obligation to help that person survive until the end of the battle (they'll get pulled into another one right afterwards).
2) Their reports will take more priority when it comes to language or behaviour they spot anywhere in the spiral.
3) A screenshot option that can be sent directly to the W101 team.
4) An ability to suggest a ban on a player if they are caught doing inappropriate things more than once. This is where a screenshot button will help in order to back their claim. Any employee of W101 would need to see screenshot before consideration to make sure the officer isn't doing this just out of spite.
5) The W101 team can obviously think of other benefits that could work with aiding gameplay experience through the players (read: players that become officers), and I honestly think that some of this stuff can help to make W101 a much safer and even more enjoyable game (because it's already so much fun in my opinion) and I hope that the W101 team seriously considers an addition like this. Obviously it isn't perfect, but things can be added to it over time.
Sydney Lotus; 78 Transcended Necromancer
1. No. We don't need people with the ability to boot you out of the Hades battle because you had to use the bathroom. The penalty for "dying" is pretty much nonexistent, so that system will add almost no value and open up a major potential for abuse. 2. No. KI gets to all reports eventually, and they do look at them. If you report someone for a good reason, they get punished, if not, you get punished. 3. Press PrintScreen and send it in an email. 4. Report button. 'Nuff said. 5. No. KI should be focusing on improving the game for everyone, not just for one special class.
