Hi all,
I've played a number of MMOs and I am currently very much enjoying ST:O. One issue I've always had with any sort of large multiplayer game is the proliferation of profanity. While I recognize that ST:O has a profanity filter (thank you, Cryptic!) I fail to understand why in a forum like an MMO people feel the need to resort to vulgar or profane language. To me, this is akin to going into a shopping mall and dropping f-bombs or other expletives around others; not only is it inconsiderate, it is inappropriate. We never know who we're gaming with in an MMO, it could be someone's grandmother, someone's son or daughter or just someone who is sensitive to the use of profanity.
In private chats, team chat and other forums I can understand the use of profanity as that is a more familiar context (ie, it may be your friends or people you are more familiar with) and so there is less opportunity for offense. I would liken that to a party at someone's house (as opposed to the earlier mall analogy). There is room to be more free because there is more of a sense of "knowing" the other person. However, to be using rough language in zone chat seems to me, unneccessary and offensive. As well, it is an explicit violation of Cryptic's own Code of Conduct policies.
I don't want to come off as preachy or holier than thou, but I think if we all work to keep profanity out of zone chat ST:O can be a nicer place to play for everyone. Besides which, you never really heard Spock sending out a general hail saying, "Yo, wazzup $!
@#es! Let's kick some Klingon !
@#."

Peace and best of luck!
@samsa1979
Comments
Oooops!
Did you see that?
No, of course you didnt. BECAUSE THERE IS A THING CALLED PROFANITY FILTER.
T U R N I T O N.
Edit: It actually let one of the words trough :P I had to manually put * there, hahaha
This post has been edited to remove content which violates the Cryptic Studios Forum Usage Guidelines ~Dionaea
Now, do I think that not using profanity would improve the game? No, not really. People will still be petty and rude to others. It's the MMO way, unfortunately.
Oh, I absolutely agree. I don't think people are trying to be offensive, I think it's just the way they're used to speaking, particularly in MMOs. However, if there are people who will be offended by that language in zone chat, why not avoid using it? It's kind of like when I cook a steak for my wife. She likes it well done and I prefer it rare. The difference is I will eat it well done, but she won't eat it rare. So, for the greatest good to the greatest number, I cook it well done. It doesn't hurt me at all, and that way she's happier to eat it. Not using profanity isn't going to hurt anyone, but it may make others feel better about playing the game.
Again, in smaller group settings (team chat, private chat, even fleet chat) I can see using profanity if that's your preference. I just think zone chat is too public an arena for that language. Again, I don't think many people would walk through a mall dropping profanity, but they may do so when with a group of friends.
All the best!
@samsa1979
I can totally understand your point. However, maybe if we try to be nicer to one another in terms of watching our language, we'll be nicer to one another overall. One reason I play MMOs is to enjoy interacting with other people. If we all try to be nice to one another, whether through respecting others' sensitivities to language or just generally being polite, ST:O will be an even better game.
I know I sound sort of "pie in the sky" but I see a lot of potential in the game, and particularly given the IPs history (ie, based on show that was built around cooperation, collaboration and trying to do the right thing) I think we can have a kinder, gentler MMO experience for all.
All the best,
@samsa1979
"Can't we all just get along?!" <runs away crying>
No. No, we can't. Because no matter that you want the world to be a nice place and everyone getting along with each other and being friends and having pic-nics in the park..... that ain't gonna happen.
The world is *not* a nice place. People do not get along. There are things that others do that may offend you that may be perfectly normal for them to do.
Whether it's someone who faces east while praying, speaks in gangsta slang, or tosses in profanity like they're adjectives instead of expletives, not all people share the same philosophy as you.
There's a number of reasons for this: they thing it makes them sound cool, street, tough, or whatever happens to be in at the moment. More likely, they lack basic communication skills, which is something I see far more often on the Internet than in real life, mostly because of anonymity.
Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done about it. Profanity filters are in place mainly because admins, moderators and in-game supervisors lack the manpower to be everywhere at once. As this thread shows, however, mods can and will edit messages from users who try to skirt the rules.
And as "Khabok" puts it: people are jerks... Ok, I'm paraphrasing, but that's pretty much what he's saying. Whereas he feels this is justified, most well-adjusted people don't. Religious tolerance = ok, "gangsta" slang = ok, excessive profanity = you're just being a douche.