Language in games - your thoughts?

[Akasha]

When at work I am usually forced to sit and watch TV, unless I am at one of those lucky houses with a computer... and internet... and they let ME use it :D With no home distractions like food... cats....food I try to catch up on my reading. I have been slowly trying to catch up with the stuff on the beta boards, and with 100 'boo hoo' posts made a day it's no mean feat I tell ya..

For those that have been following them, there was a discussion going on about the word '***' causing someone to be banned from game for a period of time. I didn't sift through 30 pages to try and find the original thread, but basically a guy said *** and got banned, and the discussion is that banning for that type of word might be a little harsh.

When ever something like this happens, the talk seems to go on endlessly about language in games, those for and those against. There's normally a few groups in discussions like these, the ones that say, "Use the language filters, ignore and just don't read...." Going against them is the group of, "You need to use other words, grow up, and why should I be forced to put on my language filter because you can't use mature language....?" Of course there are always people on the fence and other thoughts, but generally those two are the loudest speakers.

This topic was brought up once again when Spikey from the beta boards asked if acronyms such as WTF, OMG and STFU would be classed as “vulgar language� in the eyes of moderators. This is actually an interesting question, because although I like to consider myself fairly clean when it comes to language, I have often used WTF and OMG quiet a few times while gaming… hell I’ve even said the full length version a couple of times in real life… try explaining that to your mother.

Me personally, I really don’t have a problem with acronyms such as those used in game or on forums, so long as they are used in the right context and not spammed by some over excited 14 year old. Of course I like to also see the funny side of things and

WTF can mean "willing to fart"

just really made me laugh…

I am curious to hear other people’s view on things like this… obviously we all get annoyed at the people that spam dribble in the public forums ( I would hope anyway ) but I’m more interested in the occasional group WTF or even in a public channel if something that deserves a WTF is mentioned… “The guard outside the bank just fainted…� followed shortly after by a lot of “LOL’s� and “WTF’s�

I think Asesinos sums it up the best :

You can offend someone just by opening your damned mouth these days. You simply cannot please everyone all of the time. I saw some tard post about how he was offended at the lack of ethnic food the other day. I casually spent the next hour cleaning the coffee off of my monitor while explaining to management why I felt I needed a new keyboard.

As long as people are not purely harassing players with racial, sexual, religious REAL LIFE tripe, then game on.

Grow some thick skin people. Use the language filter. If you don't like what someone has to say, /IGNORE! Supervise your own children. Embrace free speech.

Why do we need a baby sitting services for overly sheltered, weak stomached, hot heads?

So… thoughts?

[Kalazor]

I agree... i mean seriously - if you are worried about your kids(shouldn't be playing anyway, there is an age limit) seeing swear words, then keep the filter on. If you don't mind reading the occasional swear word and don't get offended by it - turn it off. So long as people don't spam rubbish(in which case you /ignore them). Some people are way too serious about these things.

[boscolio]

your kids are playing a game based solely upon violence and you are worried about a couple of swear words? i can't remembered the last time someone was sweared at to death. besides, i'm sure they've heard these words and worse.

i'm on the same page as Asesinos. just with less coffee splatter.

[farslayer77]

Words are words in most cases profanity used at you is a sign of a weak intellect trying to express itself forcibly P Its not just the words its the intent and context. Example "hey give your mom a chili dog" could be give your mom some food. Or if this was said to me in RL in a different context the fight would be on, simple assaults still a cheap fine where I live. :badgrin: If you don't know the phrase and you go look it up . You will be disturbed and its most likely not work safe . You have been warned.

Pretty much if you assume you are on camera and everything you say and do in a game is recorded. It should help you keep perspective on what you say and do in an mmporg. In a very literal sense you are on live television all the time in a game. I know people who kept their logs on for all five+ years they played EQ. Then saved them to disk. Also although I am totally unfamiliar with the hardware or software requirements to do it. You can make realtime movies of your WOW playsessions. Caveat Don't say or do anything you don't want to see on a public messageboard for all to see P.

[R2D2]

I know most wont agree with me... but i think its easy to ignore this immature talk in games... well If Ure not interested in ppls comments... you shouldnt hang around with those... i prefer tofind buddies that is a bit serious too... and dont just say crap talk all the time...

[Akasha]

I agree that you should only hang with like minded people... but most of the time the problems are caused because it's in /yell or a public channel like Auction, General etc....

[Salalorn]

This is more then likly going to sound very weird, but when I first started playing an MMORPG it was b/c I wasnted the social interaction with other people for good or worse...

Sure I can get as mad as other people when someone spams the general chat with some stupid message that no one cares about and make them look like a complete loser... but still it is part of the social interaction of an MMORPG. I can equateit best to driving down the road... there is always going to be that person that drives REALLY slow and causes most of the wrecks on the street, but that part of driving down the road....

I enjoy life not b/c it's easy and there are no problems but b/c their are problems and life can get crazy sometimes.... Heck I'm one of thoes people that thinks heaven would be a complete hell... SUPER boring and just plain dull

So if you ask me hat my take on it is.... use the filter if you want too, if not then not... to each his own

stay safe everyone,
-Sala

[Corrupt_magi]

Personally I ignore almost everyone in the game unless they ask to group with me then I will group with them. It doesn't matter to me what type of dialect they use. I don't care if they are japanese or Bulvarian for that matter, this goes along with cursing as well. For the most part I don't mind cursing, it's a part of life in most cases, Although I personally don't curse. Well almost never, except for the occasional D*** and D******* which I use sparingly. Anyway I do feel that some people tend to over react in certain situations. I mean in my average day I hear more people curse than in any of my MMORPG's. Now the previous statement anyway you like, I personally don't care. I have walked through halls where one says Hey *expletive* where's my *beep*in money! -cut to other person- I don't have your *@#*!*in money! I spent it on your *Horn*in moma! and I...well you guys get the point.(real conversation) Now this has become the norm, and I can't utilize the filter that many use in MMO's so how do so many people get through everyday life if they are concerend about cursing? Oh I don't care I just think people sometimes over react I'm not condeming cursing nor am I saying we should all curse to our hearts content. We should all try and limit when and where we use the curses. It is our duty to keep the world in our immediate vicinity clear, basically take care of yourself and you will be fine...okay I've lost my point just contemplate over my ramblings.

[Kalazor]

Magi what is the D*** word? Damn? Never knew that counted as a curse.

[Akasha]

If I am correct it's something males play with a lot ;)