After FTP this has become a serious issue. Yes I know I can use the ignore function. However, that is NOT the point! Why have a STATED naming policy, yet not enforce it?

Bioware just needs to drop the policy and let us all know that naming your toon after a sexual act, or a racist slur, or curse words is OK. I have reported individuals mutliple times, as has my wife, over months now, yet nothing happens.

Basically, if you have a policy ENFORCE it!

I don't get why the OP cares so much. I myself always make names that I think sound appropriate for the setting, but I couldn't care less if someone names their toon Ipwnhard or something.

How does this at all affect gameplay? Mind your own business.

Never understood why so many people seem so damn concerned with what other name their characters.

I work with people in real life who have like 5-6 names with 12+ letters in each name, I dont report them, I just call them "dude". They can call themselves whatever they want. doesnt mean I have to call them that.

So if someone picks a lame name in the game just call them Homer or something.

Basically, if you have a policy ENFORCE it!

They've got a filter in place that'll catch some things but internet people, being what they are, will always find ways to work around them.

Even with some sort of automated database scan, there's no way they can ever hope to predict every offensive thing people will come up with.

If YOU find an offensive name, it is YOUR responsibility to report it.

At that point, BioWare will investigate and take action based on their policies.

It should also probably be pointed out that 1) just because you're offended by something that it isn't necessarily offensive, and 2) there's no rule against stupid names.

After FTP this has become a serious issue. Yes I know I can use the ignore function. However, that is NOT the point! Why have a STATED naming policy, yet not enforce it?

 

Bioware just needs to drop the policy and let us all know that naming your toon after a sexual act, or a racist slur, or curse words is OK. I have reported individuals mutliple times, as has my wife, over months now, yet nothing happens.

 

Basically, if you have a policy ENFORCE it!

There are a couple features to report names that break the policy. You can do it through a CS ticket, or if you get close to them and target them, right-click on their portrait > Report > Player Name.

Naming policies are enforced. Often they need to be reported though.

There are a couple features to report names that break the policy. You can do it through a CS ticket, or if you get close to them and target them, right-click on their portrait > Report > Player Name.

 

Naming policies are enforced. Often they need to be reported though.

I just saw this after replying to the other input, so my apologies for the double post. That's my point exactly TheBBP. I have reported them, yet nothing is ever done even after months of the report action.

@Lium: It is my business. I pay, therefore I have a voice. Obviously you care, although on the other side of the argument, or you wouldn;t have posted a reply.

I just saw this after replying to the other input, so my apologies for the double post. That's my point exactly TheBBP. I have reported them, yet nothing is ever done even after months of the report action.

Sometimes it does take a while, but name changes do get forced. I have witnessed this.

Do these names really effect your day? Unless it's a RP server, who cares. I mean if it's insanely vulgar I can partly understand but if your an adult who when they read a bad word you go into fits and foam at the mouth with rage I think you have the bigger problem then the halfwits naming their characters. I for one am impressed sometimes with the creative ways people try to get around the system. I would suggest either get over it or start reporting names. Outside of that I don't really know what you want done.

I am indeed an adult. No it doesn't "effect" me; however, it does "affect" me. Are there things that "affect" you? I'm sure there are. I appreciate your reply, but I really don't have any other problems as you suggest.

Life is very good my friend.

Sometimes it does take a while, but name changes do get forced. I have witnessed this.

He is right. I have also been made aware of name changes.

I am indeed an adult. No it doesn't "effect" me; however, it does "affect me". Are there things that "affect" you? I'm sure there are. I appreciate your reply, but I really don't have any other problems as you suggest.

 

Life is very good my friend.

Ah, now I understand why it bothers you. Everything makes sense now that you have resorted to correcting people grammar.

For someone who was very adamant about people staying on topic you sure quickly jumped at the chance to not do so with this response.

Ah, now I understand why it bothers you. Everything makes sense now that you have resorted to correcting people grammar.

Huh? If someone is going to post a, although slight, insult then yes I believe they need to have an understanding of the words "affect" and "effect". However, correcting grammar has nothing to do with reporting vulgar and hate-filled names such as FA^^OTKILLER", and having an expectation that the name be changed.

I typically do not correct grammar as mine is far from perfect; but, I did feel it appropriate here.

Stay on topic please.

Well, at launch naming policy was enforced because LucasArt didn't want players to use original Starwars names and some people, in fact, lost their names because of that.

Soon after, a flood of Revans (spelled or mis-spelled in every conceivable way) washed over the servers and at the same time, the subs dropped dramatically.

Two "good" reasons for Bioware to give up on enforcing their own policy.

That one word in the sentence that you decided to pick out caused zero confusion to anyone, including yourself. You clearly understood what I intended to say as you decided to respond to exactly what I meant. You should have kept your focus on why your gaming day is ruined by people with off color names. I also partially agreed with you that certain things should be brought to the game developers attention. However, you are also lying when you say that it doesn't AFFECT you because if these people's names had no AFFECT on you, you wouldn't have come to the forums to complain about Bioware's no enforcement of the naming policy.

Hiya friend. At some point you stopped reading what I wrote. I clearly stated that it does affect me. Does it "ruin my gaming day"? lol ummm...no. Why do trolls have to be so far on one side or the other, as in "ruins my day"?. No, it does not my friend. Far from it. However, I do feel the naming policy should be enforced.

Do you?

Hiya friend. At some point you stopped reading what I wrote. I clearly stated that it does affect me. Does it "ruin my gaming day"? lol ummm...no. Why do trolls have to be so far on one side or the other, as in "ruins my day"?. No, it does not my friend. Far from it. However, I do feel the naming policy should be enforced.

 

Do you?

No, I do not. I believe, outside of RP servers, that you should be able to name yourself what very you want. If you get enjoyment running around the game as C*ckSmuggler3000 then have at it. As much as it is not my first choice of as a name, I don't expect other people to conform to my sense of right and wrong in a virtual world. I believe that, as one poster has already pointed out, the naming policy is old and outdated and Bioware probably doesn't take it as serious as they once did.

Naming policies are rarely enforced at character creation in most MMOs. As well as many message boards.

Typically offensive names/words need to be programed into a database somewhere and this takes time. Also some words could be innocent in one context and offensive in others, depending on the words/letters around it.. It would also take the people in charge to know and understand every slang term for everything offensive around the world. Using foreign letters (ascii characters) , or misspellings also avoid most name checkers.

If you find a name that offends you and violates the naming policy then report the name. In a couple of days they be forced to rename the character. If they are still using the name, report it again.

After FTP this has become a serious issue. Yes I know I can use the ignore function. However, that is NOT the point! Why have a STATED naming policy, yet not enforce it?

 

Bioware just needs to drop the policy and let us all know that naming your toon after a sexual act, or a racist slur, or curse words is OK. I have reported individuals mutliple times, as has my wife, over months now, yet nothing happens.

 

Basically, if you have a policy ENFORCE it!

You reported it. You've done your part. It is up to Bioware at that point. Just /ignore and move along.

No, I do not. I believe, outside of RP servers, that you should be able to name yourself what very you want. If you get enjoyment running around the game as C*ckSmuggler3000 then have at it.

I disagree. When you allow people utter freedom in naming their anonymous online character, some peoples intent becomes to be as vulgar and as offensive as possible for the "lulz"...That type of freedom should not be allowed. This isn't your own personal game, it's a gaming environment we all must share and common social decency should be enforced.

Well, at launch naming policy was enforced because LucasArt didn't want players to use original Starwars names and some people, in fact, lost their names because of that.

 

Soon after, a flood of Revans (spelled or mis-spelled in every conceivable way) washed over the servers and at the same time, the subs dropped dramatically.

 

Two "good" reasons for Bioware to give up on enforcing their own policy.

Yes, usually what I do with the folks with the alt code Star Wars name like, Vader, Bane, Nihilus, Revan even...well lets put it this way, I point at them, and laugh. Then I straight up tell them they are unoriginal, and then go about my merry business.

I disagree. When you allow people utter freedom in naming their anonymous online character, some peoples intent becomes to be as vulgar and as offensive as possible for the "lulz"...That type of freedom should not be allowed. This isn't your own personal game, it's a gaming environment we all must share and common social decency should be enforced.

I can understand that position, I just tend to disagree. This game has an ignore feature for a reason. The population that uses vulgar names is very small, I rarely encounter them in game and if I did encounter one that bothered me I would just /ignore them to ensure I would never be grouped with them in anyway.

I do agree that I think there should be social decency in a social environment, however when it comes to the internet I don't think it's going to ever happen, so I have just accepted it as is and moved on.

i think that there may be another completely logical reason for letting people bend the naming policy rules:

This game kicked off with somewhere around 2-3Million subscribers and in not even a year was down to, what I believe somebody quoted earlier in this post, as 5-700k subscribers. So, with that having been pointed out, if they started asking every player with a name in violation of the policy to change their name or risk account banishment, the player base would simply respond by quitting the game and citing the 1st amendment as their reasoning. People like to think they are being clever that way, you know. This game is struggling to hold on and the developers, while I agree are having major staffing issues, are doing everything they know how to help this game get off the ground and hopefully find a footing to sustain itself the way WoW did for so long.

So in response to the OP question: Why don't they enforce their own policy? I have two responses:

1. There are major staffing issues and they do the best they can. And,

2. It would just be plain stupid and irresponsible, from a business stand-point, to start upsetting their clientele by enforcing such a policy right now that would most likely end with either an account banishment or the customer leaving voluntarily citing 1st amendment issues. This is because people tend to lash out. They tell their friends why they got banished or quit then their friends quit and tell their friends who then quit and before you know it the game dies from lack of subscribers. They are a business. They are in it to make money. Removing customers from already dwindling numbers is, as I said, JUST PLAIN STUPID!