I've seen a good increase in racism( a huge peeve of mine) stupidity, trolling and more racism and stupidy in the general chat.

 

The only thing ill disagree with is that F2P is the prime culprit. F2P players have a limited number of general chat posts, wheras I can think of at least 10 examples where I saw the same person spamming general chat(which would indicate a subscription player)

 

I get disgusted with the content of a conversation but then my FP queue pops(I'm a tank so it usually pops before I get a chance to use the ignore). What boggles my mind though is that when my FP is done and I'm back on the fleet, that same troll will often STILL BE TALKING. It makes me really wonder if that person could save money on a subscription by just making a free reddit account. But then I remember, Reddit has moderators.

 

I'm getting tired like all hell over the blatant sexism and rape threats. Even though those threats may not ever come to pass, it makes trying to chat or stand up for yourself or someone else very tiring and just almost not worth it.

 

I know I know, MMOs, comes with the crowd, but with more and more women playing these games, it's getting ridiculous and very uncomfortable. And it needs to stop. But the racism is just as bad.

 

and the god damn bacon crap. I am SO SICK of that being the go to when a conversation gets too serious or too mean spirited.

I'm sure the best use of BW's time and money is going to be in monitoring channels you can simply just leave if you don't like them.

 

If they don't have time to balance the classes, kick out the hackers and fix all the bugs that are plaguing the game- they probably don't have time to cover your ears and tell you the world is a pretty, happy place where everyone's nice to each other, princess.

My biggest problem are the rampant spoilers being tossed around. Now I've played all 8 classes at least once (and many of them LS and DS) so I know the stories but on Hutta/Kor and Tython/Ord spewing spoilers for all the classes over gen chat where newbies would be looking (for help or groups or w.e) is just rude

I leave chat off unless pug'ing for a group. Then I turn it off after I'm done. Most of my friends are on TS anyways.

Gen chat on Balmorra on Red Eclipse this afternoon turned into a barrage of rape "jokes". Needless to say, some more sensible players tried to get this to stop but they ended up just feeding the trolls. I've also witnessed casual homophobia on there more than once, equally not okay. Part of you wants to rail against stuff like that when it happens, and another more sensible part knows that kicking up a fuss with these people just fans the flames sometimes - I for one would like some moderation on there.

This has nothing to do with free speech as this is a company, it is not the government. And they do have a EULA, which is violated many times per hour in general chat. So much idiotic trolling, and so much left-wing and right-wing political trash.

 

I never turn on general chat anymore. Maybe it has gotten even worse with f2p, but I turned off general chat to avoid hearing the idiots long ago.

 

I doubt it will be monitored, I doubt they have the resources to do so. I just never turn on general chat. In fact all chat I don't want to see for any reason is turned off in preferences.

If General Chat bothers you so much that you think it needs to be monitored by hate police, then you really have spent no time on the Internet, at all. Lighten up.

This is where player moderators come in

I personally agree with the op. Apparently manners weren't taught to several in the general chat because personal attacks run rampant then feelings get hurt and it all gets played off as a joke or whatever excuse is made. I was personally attacked just minutes ago just for posting that i wanted to see if someone was willing to sell me a crystal at or below a certain price and I get attacked and treated like I had committed a really bad crime. Beyond that I've seen it happen time and again enough that I wonder what exactly happened to this generation where its apparently acceptable to treat people like crap and say whatever you feel like.

Chat has gone to hell since F2P. Way too many spammers. Way too much bacon talk. It's ridiculous. I will say that it seems to filter out as you get to higher level planets though. My ignore list is huge though as I've got two toons I'm trying to level.

 

You realize that F2Pers can only post infrequently, right? This game's community was never good. Blaming F2P is ridiculous. What, do you people think that WoW's community is somehow pristine and perfect and free of all bigots and bullies because it's sub based? Don't make me laugh.

 

Seriously though, the internet is a cesspool. Even with rules and regulations and an EULA for the game, people are still going to post terrible things that will rustle your jimmies. Nothing is sacred when you are anonymous.

Asking for volunteer moderators is a horrible idea. I can't wait to see volunteer mods abuse their power! Yay!

 

Honestly, you have the ability to not only ignore offenders, but report them, and you can even leave the chat! It's like leaving a room when people are saying offensive things, only it's for the internet! It's just like magic!

 

You're asking for martial law when it's really not necessary. Here is how you fix things. Don't feed the trolls, use the ignore list for what it's supposed to be used for, and move on.

 

Look, I get it. You want the community to get better. We already have a way (reporting and ignoring) to make it better. There are so many things that need to be fixed in this game. Please don't make BEAware waste resources on trying to police chat instead of working on actual content.

 

TL;DR, "Entire thread is BABIES!" - Heavy

You're honestly letting something some no life says on a game hurt your feelings? very, very, very thin skin....

 

if there is one thing i find more annoying than general chat, its the people that complain about general chat. let the kids be idiots, while you more mature players form groups and turn gen chat off.

Looks like alot of the touchy feely players need to grow up and just stop paying attention to general chat. I can get just as nasty as the rest of them on chat but what people seem to dont undertand its in fun and nothing serious. You just dont share the many types of humor thats out there is all.

 

Personaly i much rather see the crude in chat then boring convos of the mission they just did. And im sure i can speak for alot of players that do enjoy gen chat when i say its like taking a break from doing a mission or pvp. Sit on chat and talk trash. Sure alot of it can get out of hand but it doesnt last very long at all.

 

So instead of staying quiet and getting pissy about nothing that even concerns you, why not just say hey can we change the subject this is getting old. Or introduce a new subject. Lighten up and remember its a game and you can allways turn off general chat.

 

You guys are right, and a lot smarter than me.

 

Could some of you brave anonymous players post a few lines from gen chat here in the forums? Show us all how delicate we are.

 

Have some courage, man-up, back up your condescending replies, and post some of the best highlights from general chat. Let's see them.

I keep my Gen turn off if i don't need it unless i looking for a group. Plus don't forget we do have Ignore option on there to. But yeah there a lot of non mature people trolling on gen i just stay out of it and keep questing. If you people have hard time to turn off your gen or use your ignore button that your issule the gen don't need to be monitored 24/7. Just grow up do your quest it so easy to Ignore troll.

I just turned off general chat. Don't watch it, can't be offended by it... It's like magic!

So your answer to the problem of a hostile general chat is for all of the decent players to turn off chat so general can sink further and further into a cesspool and drive new players away since they can't get questions answered in a civil manner? Ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away, it just makes it worse. Racist, misogynistic bullies should not be given control over general chat!

Agree with the OP Gen chat at different times of the day really takes a turn for the worst I know I could turn it off but like to help new players if they wish to learn the game or are having trouble finding a Group. lower lvl planets can be some of the worst with some players trolling the Chat.

some think they have every right to talk about your mothers and what they wish to do to them if you ask a simple question about your class or a ingame topic. Seen this a lot and have reported many in last couple of mnths

Most of the trolls just love to think there special

 

Do like it when I point out on a few occasions that my mother is hitting her 76th birthday normally no response after that about what they would like to do.

Edited January 7, 2013 by ExcaliburKnight

i have 39 people ignored

As some have stated yes we can turn off general chat or ignore some of the chat on general chat.

 

But some of the things they are saying should not be said at all period. When someone makes a comment against a particular race, that is Racism. When someone makes a joke of rape, there is a problem. When someone thinks it is acceptable to make comments about hitting or abusing someone, there is a problem

 

Those are the problems that need to be addressed and dealt with by BW and/or EA and those comments are against the rules.

 

Some of you tell people to get a thick skin and tell them it's not a big deal. I hope I never get a thick skin where I don't care if those comments are being said. Those are the comments that need to stop.

Edited January 7, 2013 by ScarletBlaze

So your answer to the problem of a hostile general chat is for all of the decent players to turn off chat so general can sink further and further into a cesspool and drive new players away since they can't get questions answered in a civil manner? Ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away, it just makes it worse. Racist, misogynistic bullies should not be given control over general chat!

 

I never said you have to "give them general chat". Look at my previous post. Sheesh.

You already have the tools to stop them. Troll thrive on responses, on reactions. If you respond to them, you win. It doesn't matter how well thought out your response is, how rational or logical it is. IF YOU RESPOND, you are egging them on.

You have an ignore and a report function. Use them. Don't respond to the trolls. Make them social pariahs. By refusing to stoop to their level you are already improving the community. If nobody will respond to them and nobody will group with them, they will move on. They will get their kicks elsewhere.

 

The only way they have "control" over general chat is if you respond to them.

 

This coming from someone who has, in their day, been a troll. You honestly don't know how hard it was for me to type out this response instead of fanning the flames. Just by the responses in this thread, it would be so easy. You have no idea.

 

Demanding Bioware use development time to fix general chat is a fool's errand when, again, you already have the tools to improve the community in your hands. Please let Bioware fix things like game-breaking bugs instead of having to babysit chat.

Edited January 7, 2013 by Beslley

And the block option have the good thing that you cannot make groups with them and they cannot make groups with you.

Simple, add them to ignore, problem solved. You can still help new players and tell them to do the same, then they won't be offended if they even care. You can't regulate someone's chat in this game, much as it may suck. People are free to say what they wish, and those that don't like it are free to add them to ignore... responding to those players will just "feed the trolls" as they say

People are free to say what they wish...

 

That is incorrect.

1. 
   

That is incorrect.

 

How so?

Simple, add them to ignore, problem solved. You can still help new players and tell them to do the same, then they won't be offended if they even care. You can't regulate someone's chat in this game, much as it may suck. People are free to say what they wish, and those that don't like it are free to add them to ignore... responding to those players will just "feed the trolls" as they say

 

I wouldn't say the problem is solved but it's a start I guess. Now if they added the ability to globally ignore people....meaning all their alts from all my alts then I'd say problem would be solved. One person may be on my list 8 different times when in fact they should be there one time with an @global handle so I don't run out of ignore space. I mean c'mon, so many trolls and such limited space

 

As it is now, I have to ignore the same people on every toon I use and nothing stops them from getting on another toon and spouting off. Sure they are able to speak freely but what about my entitlement to block them permanently? Those are options that this game lacks but would go a long way if they added this capability. I think it would fix a lot of people's issues with the community but this is merely my opinion.

Edited January 7, 2013 by Master_Nate

Well... It's the best solution I can come up with using the tools I have But I do like your idea of global ignore. That would be handy.