Racism in the Lobby

[Mulholland]

I've noticed that the longer this game has been on the market the more the Multiplayer Lobby is being used to put forward individuals' racist and homophobic views. I don't think this is acceptable at all, especially in a lobby designed to set up Multiplayer games and to follow up with some post game discussion.
I just want to know that if Firaxis/Gamespy makes a patch for the mutiplayer aspect of the game if you would support a zero tolerance policy on racist/homophobic comments. All reasonable suggestions are welcome.

 

[Eddie The Best]

Words are only given power by those who hear them.,but those who spoke them can be annoying if they like aswell. so ys.

 

[jcikal]

Obscene language/slurs occur when a person's limited vocabulary has reached its limits.

This is a game for intelligent/thinking individuals, and as such, everyone from reading age and up should safely venture into the lobby without having to witness childish behavior by grown children who think they are adults but have not acquired the necessary vocabulary skills to speak like one.

So my vote on this issue is a defite YES. There are a zillion places in the internet where people can display their ignorance, but as stated before, Civilization is a game of intelligence, and everyone should be expected to behave with at least a minimum of decorum.

 

[UnitQ]

This is a game for intelligent/thinking individuals

Coughf Coughf. I voted yes. While playing on the lobby I have witness lots of racism. Its very anoying becouse debates will start up and people wont want to play civ nomore

safely venture into the lobby without having to witness childish behavior by grown children who think they are adults but have not acquired the necessary vocabulary skills to speak like one.

I think the magority of people who do these things are adults that are trying to act stupid. hay just my opinion

 

[Smokey McDope]

I would rather ban sheltered babies who's ears are offended by some immature kid typing the newest vulgar words in his vocabulary.

 

[Mulholland]

I would rather ban sheltered babies who's ears are offended by some immature kid typing the newest vulgar words in his vocabulary.

I'm afraid i don't see your point in that I come off as a "sheltered baby", but perhaps I misinterpreted your intent. If by sheltered baby you mean not associating with racists and not responding to racist comments, I will agree, I am a sheltered baby. But when these words are written in an unrelated forum for all to see, I see this akin to spraypainting "die *expletive* die in a public place. All I'm saying is that if these people want to discuss the best way to exterminate *fill in culture/nationality/colour/sexual orientation here* there are many extremist forums designated for that. Finally if you think ignoring a problem is the best way to deal with it then I ecourage you to keep practicing that in your day to day life.

 

[Lockesdonkey]

A definate no, on the simple grounds that no physical harm to a person or property could possibly result, unless the receiving player goes into a rage and smashes his computer. It should be strongly discouraged, of course, but I feel that if someone wants to act like an idiot, he can mark himself as such all he pleases. [NOTE: My dream=ACLU lawyer]

 

[Mulholland]

A definate no, on the simple grounds that no physical harm to a person or property could possibly result, unless the receiving player goes into a rage and smashes his computer. It should be strongly discouraged, of course, but I feel that if someone wants to act like an idiot, he can mark himself as such all he pleases. [NOTE: My dream=ACLU lawyer]

I see your point but I just can't agree with it. In my opinion it can cause harm, we've seen that recently in an irrational reaction to a simple cartoon. I'm all for free speech, freedom of the press, etc. but not as a conduit to express hatred. It should not be tolerated, especially in a forum that is dedicated to the clash of civilizations. Ummm forget that last point.

 

[SPQR300]

I havent seen such violent conversations even in Warcraft III battle.net, even tough Warcraft is known about it's mostly played by aggressive kiddies online. Blizzard has solved the problem by making very small and very many ladder chatrooms online, without a central place to talk. The atmosphere is much calmer there, even without Blizzard having invested to moderators etc... The more I know about Gamespy to more I long back to battle.net, even tough I am definately bored of Warcraft III :/. BTW I support that the chat should get a filter to kick people who keep repeating their words, who use the usual swears etc, but I am not sure if a moderator is needed.

 

[chewbaccad]

You should try Halo2 on XBL... makes Civ4 lobbies look like C-Span

 

[jcikal]

I havent seen such violent conversations even in Warcraft III battle.net, even tough Warcraft is known about it's mostly played by aggressive kiddies online.

The UT boards contain some of the most verbally abusive kiddies (mostly teens) that I've ever encountered. It's not so much the words they use, just the fact that you just can't get an intelligent answer or a good response to your queries, just simply a "because I say so" kind of answer. And if they start to flame someone, it's non-stop, at least until the "moderator" steps into the scene.

The few boards where I've met some of the more positive individuals where in the Flight Sim community, which outside of the folks over here at CFC which are very helpful and show intelligence, the Flight sim community is also one of the most helpful and positive bunch of people you're likely to come across in the internet.

Really folks, if you can't put your ideas and thoughts in a constructive intelligent manner, you have no right to post anything on the Civilization lobby/forums. As I stated before, there are more than enough places where they'll take people with verbally-challenged skills and put them up for everyone to see (and laugh at). So I stand by my guns and believe that they should get the boot.

 

[Sidhe]

Fortunately they included a mute button with the patch. I'm one of those rare people who has fun making the bigotted look stupid or ignorant. But I wouldn't condone this unless you like a good debate/argument like me. I suggest you just ignore the person in question.

Never argue with an idiot bystanders may not be able to tell the difference

 

[Mikesla]

Hi all.

Well, this is quite the subject to be venturing into but as always my brain is smaller than most.

I think this tolerance issue has become out of hand because there is no way that everyone will be satisfied on one level, this is why we have rooms for adults, rooms for children, and warnings before television shows, and the list goes on. We as people have become far too political in everything we do, and say.

For instance, if I'm a room full of robust people, I can't use the word pig, the word fat, or overwieght, or anything that seems to remind them that they are robust (also remember take the time to understand the context in which it was written or spoken when the term(s) are used. To hear or read a little is not enough, hear or read the whole thing before jumping). It's almost like people want to forget who they are, and what they are (I'm not saying they are pigs, all I am saying is that if I use the word in any conversation within earshot of anyone in that room, I would be kicked out before I could explain). Now with this being said, there is no room for conversation that blantantly throws explicit terms that are without a doubt can never be misunderstood by anyone.

These people have to be dealt with immediately. Now please, if swear words offend you, don't go into a room that is for swearing only. We all have to take responsibility for what we choose to do. Even if there is no warning before you enter the adult rooms, for goodness sakes please try to remember what world your living in.

I find being tolerant helps to a degree in all things, but when it comes down to me being forced to go agaisn't my belief system to satify another person, I can't, and will not do it.

I have only one more thing to say: Instead of concentrating on our differences which poromotes racism, let's try to concentrate on how much we are alike.

Later!

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

As much as I dislike those kind of people, banning them won't stop it. They will always be around.

 

[lost_civantares]

But it will discourage other people from starting to do the same thing.

 

[King Jason]

But it will discourage other people from starting to do the same thing.

Not really. In a real world situation, sure, making examples of people work to deter people from doing things, however I find that on the internet that's often not the case.

People don't care on the internet. So I say, the rest of us shouldn't care either, It's text. It's immature yes, but it's not like the person is sitting right next to you shouting it into your ear. You don't have to respond to it, or even read it.

 

[Thalassicus]

The few boards where I've met some of the more positive individuals where in the Flight Sim community, which outside of the folks over here at CFC which are very helpful and show intelligence, the Flight sim community is also one of the most helpful and positive bunch of people you're likely to come across in the internet.

I've been a longtime member of Simtropolis, and I have to say Sim City fans are a lot like that -- it's the friendliest, most open and positive forum I've ever visited...even with some 5,000 active posters.

Probably has to do a lot with the audience (those who buy simulator games) and good moderating

I'm surprised to learn that Civ has lobby problems...wouldn't think a game of this genre would attract that type.

 

[Ranos]

A definate no, on the simple grounds that no physical harm to a person or property could possibly result, unless the receiving player goes into a rage and smashes his computer. It should be strongly discouraged, of course, but I feel that if someone wants to act like an idiot, he can mark himself as such all he pleases. [NOTE: My dream=ACLU lawyer]

While no physical harm can come to a person, there is a rating of E by the ESRB for Civ 4. This means that everyone who is capable of playing the game is allowed to purchase and play it. If you were at war with Gandhi and tried to talk to him and his text came up with, "What do you want mother ****er," then the rating would be higher and people under 17 pr whatever, wouldn't be allowed to purchase it.

Why then would it be okay for these 10, 11 or twelve year olds to go into the multiplayer area and see these words that they arean't allowed to see or hear in higher rated games? GTA: San Andreas was already rated M and could only be purchased by adults. That sex mini game was discovered and the rating was increased and multiple stores removed it from their shelves. Should Civ 4 then have its rating increased so the younger games don't have to be subjected to those words in multiplayer?

I think they shouldn't have to since Civ has always been a game for everyone. Anyone who feels the need to use those words should make games that are for adults only and anyone using those words in a public area should be banned.

 

[Duelingground]

Well, IMO, it's simply a matter of respect, which commodity seems to be, unfortunately, in short supply these days.

As fascinating as these words may seem, and as grown up and cool as they may make their users feel, they just really don't have any place in a public forum, whether internet based or not.

Those are my thoughts concerning the use of shock value profanity; as to the racial comments, it dumbfounds me that anyone would have such a poor sense of their own humanity to stoop to such, but again unfortunately, the internet provides these cowards an anonymous home for their twisted views.

Whereas I might be inclined to warn those using profanity, effectively giving them a second chance to leave such childishness behind, the racists should be banned immediately, with their CD keys revoked.

There's no room in this world for that type of behavior, much less in a game forum.

 

[illram]

*Disclaimer:* I haven't played civ 4 multiplater yet BUT I have played several multiplayer games online before, some of which attract more morons than others. (Like Socom... that's the worst even though it's extremely fun) SO I believe I do still have a point to make, and it is this:

I voted yes because, even though I am the first one to defend free speech, the kind of people that say these kinds of things in public forums are generally not the type of people I want to play any type of game with. Playing these games is meant to be fun, and the people that do this kind of stuff in public forums amongst strangers are generally immature and tend to either cheat or just not be very fun people to engage in any sort of competitive leisure activity, such as civ 4. Especially this game, I mean this is a fairly sophisticated game that requires more forethought and intelligence than your average video game and these folks are probably morons anyways so I'm probably not going to have a fun/good game with these people. If you are in a private game amongst friends and you all share a similar sense of humor I could care less, to each his own, but I'm talking about wierdos that just spit this stuff out to strangers on public boards. They probably have personal issues and I don't want some wierdo immature little kids, or idiotic adults, playing me in any game, let alone civ 4. It's just not fun.