A growing number of players are offending other players with the use of usernames, language, and graphics. We are exploring ways for Warlight to begin reviewing age appropriateness that will scale beyond the current system of reports and banning players.

First thing we would like to do is not ban anyone. However our abuse policy makes it clear that “disseminating or transmitting statements or material that, to a reasonable person, may be ... obscene, ... grossly offensive, vulgar..." is not allowed.

We have some ideas on how to handle mature content while not banning someone from playing the game and we would like feedback on this before implementing. Just make it clear it's just a pending idea and not actually happening as of yet. This is just a starting discussion at this point.

Proposed Rules:
1. All players start at a rating of "E" for everyone.
2. Players can be reported for obscene language or graphics (same as today).
3. A players council made up of players from the game will review the report.
4. If the player is deemed obscene, they will be marked as “M” for mature.

When forming a game. The game maker will choose “E” or “M” for the game rating.

Playing games under the new Rules:
1. Anyone can opt-in to see “M” content.
2. Games started by “M” players will only be visible by opt-ed in “M” viewers/players.
3. “M” players will not be able to join “E” games.
4. Tournaments, ladders, public forums are rated “E”.

Any player can appeal their “M” rating, but it will not be appeal-able on the third and final time.

If you like the idea, please upvote for it at http://warlight.uservoice.com/forums/77051-warlight-features/suggestions/7201540-content-ratings-for-players-games

Edited 3/12/2015 17:38:14

This is a really cool way of rating. +1 for creativity

This sounds like a good attempt at a fair system. It is certainly better than banning anyone who crosses some arbitrary line, and it allows some enforcement of etiquette. While I personally prefer a system such as this to err on the side of being too permissive, you would be hard-pressed to find a site on the internet that allows any and all content. Even 4chan has rules and enforces them with bans.

The suggestions I would like to make are:
-Transparency for the player council, so the community can be privy to the decision making process even if they are not directly involved.
-An appeal process, so that a player who has been rated "M" can present arguments that they have cleaned up their act and deserve to be rated "E" again. (edit: I see you already thought of this)

I appreciate that I will still be able to call players a silly bitch when they are, in fact, acting like a silly bitch without fear of being banned from the game entirely.

Edited 3/12/2015 17:49:27

Voted.

I find that the Vulgarity and crudeness of most things occur on the Forums and not In Game. How will this solve the abuse on the Forums?

I really like this suggestion, it's certainly a big step in the right direction.

Good idea but Other things are needed more than this, not necessary I think for now. People on this game are causers of their own abuse, perhaps a statement rather than this. We do have blacklists and reports already. "M" and "E" sound silly, would need an alternative. Does not have my vote for now.

I also still like the suggestion others have made, that I should be able to hide games on the "Open Games" list (just for my login, of course), by blacklisting the game creator. That would allow me to police my own content, without having to wait for a decision from the panel. I agree, banning from the site should be a last-resort -- but I think I should have a bit more control over the content I see from my login.

put me down as a B for badazz muthafvka

This doesn't seem to solve issues on the forums. If someone's name/pic/clan icon is offensive or vulgar will the "M" rating keep them from posting? Otherwise this new system doesn't solve anything.

Sounds good to me, though I wonder if a multi-tiered system would be better. E, PG-13 and M? Something to that effect?

Interesting that the ladders will be off-limits to Ms.

As for the forum, I would imagine that it would have tiers similar to the open-games wherein the Ms can only post on certain topics/boards while being able to view all boards/topics. Meanwhile the Es can only view the E-rated boards/topics and post in all of them.

Edited 3/12/2015 18:42:39

I love how LAWLZ is okay with this when he is a racist Nazi. How will he spread his "trolls"?

"M" and "E" sound silly, would need an alternative.

I'm like 100% they got this from the ESRB rating system. PEGI sounds even more ridiculous

Oh so this is American, that's why... so you are basing players maturity by age limits for games. Sounds great.

The European rating system (PEGI) use the: U, PG, 12, 15, 18

and all of those sound like a rating system for ikea furniture.

Tournaments, ladders, public forums are rated “E”.

My concern is that being rated M will be viewed as a punishment, since it excludes you from all tournaments, ladders, public forums, and talking to E players. We would basically be splitting the community into two.

Edited 3/12/2015 20:23:44

Why make it such a complicated system?

I would simply have a "M" games that can only be accessed by checking a box saying "I am 18 years or older and am willing to see content that is rated mature"

Also I don't see why it is needed to exclude "M" players from the rest of the community, I am sure that they can limit themselves when being in public / "E" places, if they have a place were M content can be expressed.


Specifically, I disagree with

3. “M” players will not be able to join “E” games.

as that is in practice seems to be the same as suspending a player from the site. Even players who don't really mind M content will probably create games "E" as that is the largest player base. Instead I would make it possible to block "M" players from joining your game, using the prerequisites system. (Same way you can have only Members join a game, and prevent Members from joining a game.)

Edited 3/12/2015 21:07:54

I like this idea
however you could change it a little instead of M games and E games I would just hide the text of M players automatically using the same mechanism that is used on BL players

but back to the current proposal it is not perfect but any step that can help me avoid unwanted content is a step in the right direction

Good theory - really. I like it.

To be practical, it would need

* to be supported by the creator and time - it probably touches more than just a few things in design
* a council that is active enough to handle the requests coming in, probably with ebbs & flows, etc.

If you can get that - great.

Scotty, mercer works directly with fizzer. He wouldn't have said anything if they weren't considering implementing it.