Extra Credits on harassment

[Sol_HSA]

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/harassment

Now, the focus of that episode is on multiplayer on xbox, but the problem is pretty universal. Unfortunately the solutions they list aren't. =(

[Crashbanito]

Although the video applies mostly to Xbox LIVE, there are various methods that other platforms like PC gaming could use.

For instance, a while back I played a browser based MMORPG (drawing a blank to the name) that required you to pass a literacy/politeness test before you could talk to other players. You could play the game like normal, (not being able to chat didn't detract from the game any) but if you wanted to interact with others you had to prove yourself. It was surprisingly effective.

[BlueLegion]

Although the video applies mostly to Xbox LIVE, there are various methods that other platforms like PC gaming could use.

For instance, a while back I played a browser based MMORPG (drawing a blank to the name) that required you pass a literacy/politeness test before you could talk to other players. You could play the game like normal, (not being able to chat didn't detract from the game any) but if you wanted to interact with others you had to prove yourself. It was surprisingly effective.

Such methods need to be implemented in a lot more online environments. I used to be active in a particular community that had some very necessary rules, but there was a very very large part of the community who were probably just not literate enough (at least not in English) to understand the rules, and caused a lot of trouble.

[Jack Dandy]

I think this entire idea is bollocks. Extra credits is nice to watch from time to time (The main guy's voice kinda makes me thing of it as a videogame-related Animaniacs), but this is a worthless cause.

Although the video applies mostly to Xbox LIVE, there are various methods that other platforms like PC gaming could use.

For instance, a while back I played a browser based MMORPG (drawing a blank to the name) that required you to pass a literacy/politeness test before you could talk to other players. You could play the game like normal, (not being able to chat didn't detract from the game any) but if you wanted to interact with others you had to prove yourself. It was surprisingly effective.

Hey, I remember that one- Kingdom of Loathing, IIRC? Used to play it years ago. It was pretty funny.

[TZO2k12]

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/harassment

Now, the focus of that episode is on multiplayer on xbox, but the problem is pretty universal. Unfortunately the solutions they list aren't. =(

This is the primary reason why I detest Online gaming! (That, and I'm also a borderline misanthrope because of this... {jk} ) BTW, I spent an entire day watching Penny Arcade, thanks to this forum, I would've never knew it's exsistence!

Although the video applies mostly to Xbox LIVE, there are various methods that other platforms like PC gaming could use.

For instance, a while back I played a browser based MMORPG (drawing a blank to the name) that required you to pass a literacy/politeness test before you could talk to other players. You could play the game like normal, (not being able to chat didn't detract from the game any) but if you wanted to interact with others you had to prove yourself. It was surprisingly effective.

This is the most ingenious method of weeding out these dumb-fucks...Now, if we could only weed out the pedophiles and bigots (Black, White, Yellow and Red...) from youtube...

[Kthanid]

This is definitely a problem and the solutions certainly aren't straightforward (and very likely need to be determined and applied on a case by case basis as they make the most sense). Gaming forums or other community portals could probably benefit from a system not unlike what Stack Overflow currently uses. Minimal privileges for initial users (possibly even expanding that to requiring all new user submitted content be moderator approved before actually being visible to anyone) and growing sets of privileges and eventually access to community-based moderation functionality are then accumulated based on the collective worth of content provided by a particular individual.

[Arctor]

This is the primary reason why I detest Online gaming!

Back in 2001 I had just purchased and started playing Alien Front: Online on my Dreamcast. If you'll recall, this game was one of the first to come packaged with the microphone (other than that Seaman game) for team chat. When 9/11 went down, the anti-Muslim racial slurs I was hearing - from a lot of adult voices as well as children's voices - made me so upset, I have avoided online gaming since. And I have never used voice chat again.

[TZO2k12]

This is the primary reason why I detest Online gaming!

Back in 2001 I had just purchased and started playing Alien Front: Online on my Dreamcast. If you'll recall, this game was one of the first to come packaged with the microphone (other than that Seaman game) for team chat. When 9/11 went down, the anti-Muslim racial slurs I was hearing - from a lot of adult voices as well as children's voices - made me so upset, I have avoided online gaming since. And I have never used voice chat again.

You just gave me an idea for an answer to this problem!

Since we have voice-chat, why not cam-chat? (Only required/offered to those who would want extra privileges/content) That way, they won't be so anonymous any more, and further it would be their decision...And in order to have both, you must earn your way by passing a "literacy/politeness test" otherwise...

And if it seems draconian well, tough! Maybe if grown men were responsible enough to act like adults then they wouldn't have to worry about it!

[Sol_HSA]

You just gave me an idea for an answer to this problem!

Since we have voice-chat, why not cam-chat?

Ever heard of chat roulette? Ever heard what kinds of problems THEY had? Cameras make things worse, not better.

[seebs]

This is the primary reason why I detest Online gaming!

Back in 2001 I had just purchased and started playing Alien Front: Online on my Dreamcast. If you'll recall, this game was one of the first to come packaged with the microphone (other than that Seaman game) for team chat. When 9/11 went down, the anti-Muslim racial slurs I was hearing - from a lot of adult voices as well as children's voices - made me so upset, I have avoided online gaming since. And I have never used voice chat again.

You just gave me an idea for an answer to this problem!

Since we have voice-chat, why not cam-chat? (Only required/offered to those who would want extra privileges/content) That way, they won't be so anonymous any more, and further it would be their decision...And in order to have both, you must earn your way by passing a "literacy/politeness test" otherwise...

And if it seems draconian well, tough! Maybe if grown men were responsible enough to act like adults then they wouldn't have to worry about it!

Absolutely not.

You, like many people, are making a HUGE assumption. This assumption is TOTALLY FALSE.

You are assuming that bad behavior would only affect people who have "done something wrong". This is not merely untrue, it is very close to the OPPOSITE of true. Being identified opens you up to harassment by badly-behaved people no matter what you do, even if you behave perfectly.

The idea that bad things happen because people did something to provoke them is called the "just world fallacy". It is a very, very, dangerous mode of thought. Avoid it.