Curse

Sidra Meum · May 11, 2005, 04:55 PM // 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmersl*t

So you are saying that I should go up to the CEO of my company, named Dick and tell him I am offended everytime I hear his name because it has a slang connotation.

I didnt say that at all. Dick is a name. Which I stated. Does that mean it is not a slang work for penis? Not at all. Should someone with the name Dick Richards be banned? No. Should someone with the name Dick is Good be banned? Yes. Whether or not it is offending, or someone is perhaps trying to say a player with the name Dick is a good guy... it is inappropriet. I am pretty sure, the appropriet and inappropriet use of words was gone over by the time everyone was in 8th grade.

Now, when I use the word Ban, I use it because it is the only option right now. I am not FOR the permenant banning even I do think that it is the appropriet step. Inapproriet names should be Banned or "Locked Out" of the game, at least for now. It has already been stated they are working on a process of allowing character renaming. After they do figure this out and allow for the renaming, I think those inappropriet characters should be locked out, and at their first attempt to log in they should be forced to rename.

Inde · May 11, 2005, 04:56 PM // 16:56

Actually, Ho is a very common last name

Beta Ray Bill · May 11, 2005, 04:56 PM // 16:56

ArenaNet has the last say on what goes on in their game... and, yes, it is THEIR game. They wrote it, built it, marketed it, sell the licenses to use it, manage the servers, and most of all, DON'T charge a monthly fee or any other costs to let us keep playing. I say we have little to complain about if they wish to enforce a policy regarding naming schemes.

Those who find this policy unacceptable, keep in mind that there are plenty of other inferior games out there that don't have such policies in place and you are welcome to spend your time in those virtual worlds instead. And don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Dreamsmith · May 11, 2005, 04:59 PM // 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEATH AT THE DOOR

If you think ANY of those words mean anything else, it just proves you are not as "innocent" as you claim to be and you have no right to be offended by those.

That makes no sense. By that logic, no one can possibly ever be offended by anything: it either goes over your head, or if it doesn't, you can't be offended by it.

What does "innocence" have to do with it? One shouldn't be offended by offensive material if one has ever been exposed to it before? That's ridiculous. There's a difference between having been exposed to it and having become desensitized to it. It's unrealistic to expect anyone who isn't "innocent" to have therefore become desensitized.

I'm no innocent by any means. I'm usually the one explaining to friends what particular things mean in particular contexts (e.g. "watersports", recently, to another friend). But context is precisely the issue. I may have no problem with a name like "Hot Stickly Loads" in the right context, including an appropriately graphic avatar if it's the right forum, but I'd delete it in a heartbeat on this forum, and I don't want it in my face inside Guild Wars.

If you don't understand that, so be it. Sometimes what people think or feel is next to impossible to communicate across a cultural divide. All you need to understand is, something like that destroys the ability for a lot of people to enjoy the game, and it's no big deal for people to just pick a name that doesn't drive those people away.

Most people who want to name themselves "Vaginal W hore" will enjoy the game nearly as much if they name themselves "Virgina Wolf", whereas having names like the former in your face can make the game completely unplayable for a lot of people. So the developers have chosen to cause a minor inconvenience to one group of players in order provide a major, game-make-or-break benefit to a lot of others.

It saddens me that some members of the first group are so selfish that they can't tolerate a minor inconvenience in order that a lot of people can actually enjoy the game, but it doesn't surprise me. Selfishness has become the primary virtue in modern culture it seems. "Why should I have to put up with that when it's the other guy's problem?" If the answer to that question isn't obvious, you still have some growing up to do, IMHO.

kairusan · May 11, 2005, 05:12 PM // 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyGirl

reminds me of a good celebrity jeapordy lol

OO you like SNL dont ya. Why dont you come over to my place and we can watch the best of will ferrell

dansamy · May 11, 2005, 05:15 PM // 17:15

Quote:

it isn't falling victim to the lame and deviant chatter

That probably won't take very long. The game just hit retail. It's about to experience a population explosion, and with that comes the masses of lame and deviant people with nothing better to do with their time than to s***w around with others' gaming experience.

For the naming issue, realize that the game just hit retail release, and with that the mass influx of "noobs" (of which I admittedly am one - noob to GW, not other online RPGs) all coming up with names for their characters. After 15 minutes of trying to find a "sensible" name only to be repeatedly told that a character with that name already exists, you grow weary of attempting the sensible and start trying the outlandish. And let's face it, the names suggested by the naming screen are unimaginative at best.

Personally, I enjoy naming my characters. Their names are significant to me. I think about the style of character that it is and its appearance and how I intend to play it. I have a D2 sorc whose name is NchantdKilla, because she is exclusively an Enchantress. For GW, I have Myst Eria, a mesmer. (It was late, and I was tired. I may restart her with a fresh name. Her current one is just "ok", but doesn't really "mean" much.) I also have Killashandra Ree (ele), which comes from an Anne McCaffrey book. It is always the 1st name I try. If it's not available, then I try others.

While I commiserate with your agony, Kik, you must admit that the primary image associated with "Hot Sticky Loads" has absolutely nothing to do with an arcane bakery term. Nearly every sane and reasonable person will immediately think of something else, and that is the criteria one should use when selecting a name.

Amelia
(who just wrote her longest post to date)

Dumb Quixote · May 11, 2005, 05:23 PM // 17:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta Ray Bill

ArenaNet has the last say on what goes on in their game... and, yes, it is THEIR game. They wrote it, built it, marketed it, sell the licenses to use it, manage the servers, and most of all, DON'T charge a monthly fee or any other costs to let us keep playing. I say we have little to complain about if they wish to enforce a policy regarding naming schemes.

Those who find this policy unacceptable, keep in mind that there are plenty of other inferior games out there that don't have such policies in place and you are welcome to spend your time in those virtual worlds instead. And don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Would you take the same position of 'shut up and leave' if ANets position was reversed?

All told I think the concern being expressed by those who have been banned, et al is that they only want to know the nature of the issue so as they can be sure to correct it. Without means for them to resolve directly, they are in a position of nothing left to do BUT complain. They aren't saying they hate the game and want stop playing. I believe they have instead indicated the opposite - they love playing and would like to continue playing.

I will continue to be in the 'no blood, no foul' camp here. They've done nothing to earn them deletion of characters other than test boundaries (and in some cases they might not have even known they were doing that). I do not believe in corporal punishment for such a victimless crime.

It'd be different if anytime you came across them in-game their character names cast blindness on your character. Well then maybe I'd see your point....

Sidra Meum · May 11, 2005, 05:43 PM // 17:43

[QUOTE=Dumb Quixote]
I will continue to be in the 'no blood, no foul' camp here. They've done nothing to earn them deletion of characters other than test boundaries (and in some cases they might not have even known they were doing that). I do not believe in corporal punishment for such a victimless crime.
QUOTE]

EULA of the game prohibits innapropriet names. They CHOOSE to "test boundaries" by naming their characters "S L U T" and "Hot Sticky Loads". They deal with the punishment of doing so. Ignorance of the rule is no excuse if you do not read it.

Kik2k · May 11, 2005, 05:50 PM // 17:50

So Dr Pepe is a "offensive" name?

Inde · May 11, 2005, 05:53 PM // 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kik2k

So Dr Pepe is a "offensive" name?

Gaile admitted it was a mistake and unbanned the char.

Dazzler · May 11, 2005, 06:03 PM // 18:03

I only had one character. Why not just lock it and let me make a new character like they did for everyone else? Why am I singled out to have my account locked with absolutely no explanation or warning? I'm perfectly willing to use a normal name but alas I don't have that option to start over like all of the other transgressors.

My name is not really worse than alot of the others mentioned here. I didn't receive A SINGLE complaint about my name from anyone in the game. I'd think if people were so offended at least one of them might have said something to the effect. Again, why are they offended by the name, but not by the graphic portrayal of the female characters in the game?

EULA does not specify what an inappropriate name is. And as this thread indicates, opinions vary on what represents an inappopriate name.

And this MAY be ANet's game. They MAY have made it and marketed it. But it is OUR money they have taken for it. Yes the servers MAY be free. But the retail game is not playable without a server. ANet has a responsibility to make servers available to play on or else they are being fraudulent when they sell the game. I'm not complaining that they want to enforce some level of control over names. I'm complaining that the rules are not clearly defined and that I seem to have recieved special treatment.

I paid extra for the CE and have had the game only 7 days. I should not be prevented from playing without at least a warning to mend my vaguely defined inappropriate ways.

Soul Monarch · May 11, 2005, 06:05 PM // 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kik2k

So Dr Pepe is a "offensive" name?

That has no bearing on the current situation. Attempting to draw a contrast between a name which may or may not have been offensive to someone (such as "Dr Pepe") does not apply to your argument in this case.

We could argue borderline offensive names or contested names all day long and never reach a consensus. We admit that people have in the past, and most likely will in the future, been prone to use naming policies as a method to grief others. Reporting a player with a normal name as offensive is not uncommon.

That does not absolve you from the fact that the name you chose to use deserved to be deleted. You knew what it meant when you created it, and hence have no right to complain. You may, however, create a new character with an appropriate name and play that one.

Kik2k · May 11, 2005, 06:05 PM // 18:05

Even tho it was a mistake, what is preventing people from going around and reporting the people they hate just to get them banned?

Devil's Dictionary · May 11, 2005, 06:06 PM // 18:06

Dreamsmith:

I am sorry, I have expressed myself badly, I suppose.
Yes, I do have a problem with Hot Sticky Loads: it's simply ridiculous for an RPG character name. Yeah, you may call me a purist.
On the other hand (what I meant) is that a lot of names could be banned because they may be insults in slang.
Say I name my character Dick Tracy. It's unwise because it may be misinterpreted as something else. Okay, how about me naming my character Admiral Janet? Can you ban me bacause you know what's an admiral is? What if I just meant a girl named Janet who has an admiral rank in the navy?
Sometimes you can understand the meaning of the word by context, but not always: I once saw a player with a Moa Bird pet called "Little Pecker". What will you make of it?

You are no doubt right when you say that people who have been involontary exposed to bad language may be offended, I haven't thought from all the sides of the problem, but what I said above still stands.

Almost forgot:
Try Pecker and Homo on dictionary.com, Sidra Meum.

Dumb Quixote · May 11, 2005, 06:07 PM // 18:07

Quote:

EULA of the game prohibits innapropriet names. They CHOOSE to "test boundaries" by naming their characters "S L U T" and "Hot Sticky Loads". They deal with the punishment of doing so. Ignorance of the rule is no excuse if you do not read it.

To be specific, the EULA states: Character Name. In order to use the service, you must create a character and choose a name for your character to identify your character to other Members (your "Character Name"). You may not select as your Character Name the name of another person, or a name which violates any third party’s trademark right, copyright, or other proprietary right, or which may mislead other players to believe you to be an employee of NC Interactive or its affiliated companies, or which NC Interactive deems at its sole discretion to be vulgar or otherwise offensive. NC Interactive reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to (1) delete or alter any Character Name or (2) terminate any license granted herein, for any reason whatsoever, including, without limitation, any suspected or actual infringement of any trademark or trade name right, copyright, or other proprietary right.

This is a blanket statement used to basically tell users of software, "We have the final say and you can't sue us for it."

All I'm saying is I *personally* don't see the harm in allowing users to rename their accounts when they've crossed Anet's line of 'sole discretion' regarding vulgarity (assuming it becomes technically possible).

Additionally, I would hope it truly is Anet's determination and not that of a vocal majority (i.e. user reported). I sincerely disdain 'community standards' when most of the users are not participants in forums such as GWG.com.

Dazzler · May 11, 2005, 06:11 PM // 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidra Meum

I didnt say that at all. Dick is a name. Which I stated. Does that mean it is not a slang work for penis? Not at all. Should someone with the name Dick Richards be banned? No. Should someone with the name Dick is Good be banned? Yes. Whether or not it is offending, or someone is perhaps trying to say a player with the name Dick is a good guy... it is inappropriet. I am pretty sure, the appropriet and inappropriet use of words was gone over by the time everyone was in 8th grade.

Who are you to define appropriate? "Dick is Good" can either be appropriate or inappropriate depending on the intent. THAT is what you should have learned by 8th grade. That is an example of a name that is in the big gray area which is what is upsetting people. The rules are not clearly defined (and really they cannot be clearly defined when you are dealing with language as it is a complicated subject).

Given the difficulty of the task and the subjective definition of appropriate, it is extremely heavy handed to just lock the character (and in my case the entire account, rendering my $80 purchase null and void), when such a situation arises. I certainly hope they quickly add this rename feature to deal with this.

Fact is, when they announced the email addy to report bad names, I immediately thought maybe I should rename my character that I'd already devoted many hours playing. Guess what? I couldn't. So now I get the shaft even though I was perfectly willing to clean things up.

Ramus · May 11, 2005, 06:17 PM // 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmersl*t

And this MAY be ANet's game. They MAY have made it and marketed it. But it is OUR money they have taken for it. Yes the servers MAY be free. But the retail game is not playable without a server. ANet has a responsibility to make servers available to play on or else they are being fraudulent when they sell the game. I'm not complaining that they want to enforce some level of control over names. I'm complaining that the rules are not clearly defined and that I seem to have recieved special treatment.

Wrong, it is YOUR money they are taking. Those of us who payed for the game and did not take chances with vulgarity in our names are able to play with no problems at all. I do not see my name or my money being taken away in the near future.

Soul Monarch · May 11, 2005, 06:18 PM // 18:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmersl*t

And this MAY be ANet's game. They MAY have made it and marketed it. But it is OUR money they have taken for it. Yes the servers MAY be free. But the retail game is not playable without a server. ANet has a responsibility to make servers available to play on or else they are being fraudulent when they sell the game. I'm not complaining that they want to enforce some level of control over names. I'm complaining that the rules are not clearly defined and that I seem to have recieved special treatment.

Code of Conduct:

3. You may not use sexually explicit, harmful, threatening, abusive, defamatory, obscene, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive language.

Conduct Breaches:

[I]Naming Infractions -
*For unacceptable character names, a mark will be placed against the account and the character will be blocked. This means that the character will lose all inventory, levels, and skills. The only option for the player will be to delete the character.[I]

EULA:

(d) Character Name. In order to use the service, you must create a character and choose a name for your character to identify your character to other Members (your "Character Name"). You may not select as your Character Name the name of another person, or a name which violates any third party’s trademark right, copyright, or other proprietary right, or which may mislead other players to believe you to be an employee of NC Interactive or its affiliated companies, or which NC Interactive deems at its sole discretion to be vulgar or otherwise offensive. NC Interactive reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to (1) delete or alter any Character Name or (2) terminate any license granted herein, for any reason whatsoever, including, without limitation, any suspected or actual infringement of any trademark or trade name right, copyright, or other proprietary right.

Conclusion: A.Net/NCSoft has the right to do as they please. Next time protect yourself by reading and following the EULA, Code of Conduct, and Terms of Use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmersl*t

I paid extra for the CE and have had the game only 7 days. I should not be prevented from playing without at least a warning to mend my vaguely defined inappropriate ways.

Wether or not you bought the CE is irrellevant.

However, I do agree that you have every right to appeal to A.Net/NCSoft to be allowed back into your account. I see no reason why your character should be returned to you, but you should have the option to make another character from scratch with an acceptable name.

Unless, of course, there have been multiple infractions and warnings. In which case, your CD Key would logically be banned.

Dazzler · May 11, 2005, 06:36 PM // 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soul Monarch

Code of Conduct:

Naming Infractions -
*For unacceptable character names, a mark will be placed against the account and the character will be blocked. This means that the character will lose all inventory, levels, and skills. The only option for the player will be to delete the character.

Conclusion: A.Net/NCSoft has the right to do as they please. Next time protect yourself by reading and following the EULA, Code of Conduct, and Terms of Use.

Exactly my point. Nothing in there about them closing my account. Just says the character will be blocked.

Soul Monarch · May 11, 2005, 06:39 PM // 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmersl*t

Exactly my point. Nothing in there about them closing my account. Just says the character will be blocked.

Well, technically it is in the EULA.

But as you've noticed they obviously haven't been doing that, so there is no reason for you to have your license revoked. So I definitely agree with you on that particular point.