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Making XBox Live Less Horrifying

Posted by Zonk on from the so-many-varieties-of-jerk dept.

Gamespy has an article talking about ways to make XBox Live a better place to play. The article lists ways to improve your relations with others and generally improve the community feel of the Live network. From the article: "Xbox Live isn't always a nice place. Everyone has horror stories about some of the things they've heard (or, in rare cases, seen) coming from some of the more 'unsavory' elements of the burgeoning online community. There's a good chance (especially if you play as much Halo 2 as I do) that you've heard more racist and homophobic comments than polite ones. Now, I'm certainly no prude, and there are plenty of moments when I'll spew a steady stream of profane invectives at whichever fool just blasted my avatar. Usually, it will be something along the lines of 'Oh man, &%&$# you, you $^%#& %$@&#! I should %*#(@ tear off your $*^%@^% head and %#@#*& it!' As the old saying goes, never trust anyone who doesn't swear."

18 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. A ratings system, maybe? by KingSkippus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Disclaimer: I'm not a member of Xbox Live...

    Perhaps it would be worthwhile to implement some sort of ratings system. You get to rate your opponent on his or her conduct and sportsmanship.

    Accrue enough "demerits" from different members, and you get tagged as a habitual asshole.

    1. Re:A ratings system, maybe? by CoffeeJedi · · Score: 3, Informative

      already there, its the "feedback" system. cursing, cheating, screaming, etc are all options

      first they get a temporary ban, habitual griefers get a service cancelation

      the problem is, that its not automatic, staff have to evaluate each "problem case" when enough negative karma is acrued, then monitor the player's behaviour, so its a slow process

      --
      May you be touched by His Noodly Appendage. RAmen.
    2. Re:A ratings system, maybe? by LordNimon · · Score: 2, Interesting
      The rating system is not flexible enough. The only outcome of a poor feedback is account suspension or cancellation. In addition, you can only leave negative feedback for the worst offenses. Just being annoying doesn't qualify anyone for negative feedback.

      I hear that Xbox 360 will have a more robust system.

      --
      And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
      To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
    3. Re:A ratings system, maybe? by KingSkippus · · Score: 4, Interesting

      That's what I had in mind, something that other users can see and use to decide whether or not they want to play with other people.

      Before I decide to waste time with some anonymous person, it would be helpful if I saw something like this:

      Of this person's co-players (teammates and opponents) in the past, 14% have taken the time to rate them.
      • 74%: griefer
      • 22%: incompetent
      • 4%: capable
      This person is on 31 other players' ignore lists.

      I'd probably avoid that person. The temporary suspension of someone's account doesn't help me as a player decide whether or not I want that person as an opponent or as a teammate. The account cancellation does, but that's only used as an extreme last resort, and only after the person has already caused a lot of damage. The beauty of the system is that it would be automatic; no game admins would have to get involved except under really weird circumstances.

      Using a system like this, players will generally behave not because they're afraid of being banned, but because they're afraid of being ostracized and publically displayed as an asshole.

      It's kind of like an idea I'd like to see implemented for drivers, something I call the "Stupid System." By law, everyone's car has to have a stupid meter installed in the window, which is a receiver. Everyone who wants one is also given a stupid transmitter. When you're driving, if someone does something really stupid, like cutting across three lanes in front of you because they weren't paying attention and were about to miss their exit, then you can use your stupid transmitter to tag their car. After they receive a certain number of stupid tags from different people based on the population in their area, they get a traffic ticket. After a higher threshhold, they lose their license. The number of stupid tags a person has at any given time is displayed on the stupid meter, so that other drivers will know what they're dealing with.

  2. Homophobia by syynnapse · · Score: 3, Funny

    When I'm on live and somebody makes a homophobic comment I respond with "How old are you? twelve?". Of course, many times they are, making the argument a little bit harder.
    It also helps to remind people that they are spending their time playing videogames on the internet. This typically usurps any delusions they have about being "the shit" and makes it easier to make your point. The anonymity can give people delusions of granduer.

    --

    System.out.println(syynnapse.getSig());

    1. Re:Homophobia by KrisW · · Score: 2, Informative

      The anonymity can give people delusions of granduer. ...as explained by John Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory.

      --


      "Think you can take me? Go ahead on. It's your move." --Joe Don Baker in Final Justice
    2. Re:Homophobia by jericho4.0 · · Score: 2, Informative
      A UT inta-gib server I spent way to much time on once had a big problem with an idiot with an aimbot. The guy would sit there for hours, racking up 50 kills 0 death type numbers in 2 minutes. My normal response when he showed up was to leave immediately.

      Once I tried to get him to stop. After receiving a few 1337 insults, I responded with a post along the lines of "You are obviously a child, fat, with very few friends who gets beaten up a lot." etc. He disconnected, and was much easier to get rid of after that. I felt kind of sorry for the little shit.

      Sometimes you see behaviour in online gaming that's so frickin' pointless and dumb, the perps must grow up to be psychopaths. I look forward to a sucsessful system that keeps me from having to see that crap.

      At the moment the only game I'm playing is Enemy Territory. The server I play on auto mutes for saying "damn", and usually has a couple of admins with kick privileges playing. This has broader effects than removing TKers and cheaters. It also raises the level of team-play and friendly chat, and I see a lot of dads playing the kids. That makes it more fun for me.

      --
      "A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing" - Alan Perlis
    3. Re:Homophobia by Spoing · · Score: 2, Funny
      When I'm on live and somebody makes a homophobic comment I respond with "How old are you? twelve?".

      I've responded "Only for you sweet cheeks."

      This usually results in either;

      1. Silence. They cut out acting like an ass.

      2. Insanity. They totally loose it and start to make mistakes.

      In the case of #2, I just ramp it up. At some point they can't offend me as much as I can offend them...and they usually stop or change the subject.

      One time a commander was abusive to his team. Really nasty beyond just calling them fags, etc.. To deal with that, I sabotaged a few of his efforts. By the time he figured it out, it was too late. Rightfully, I was kicked from the game.

      15 minutes later after the ban expired, I came back and he was humbled; no more acting like a jerk.

      --
      A firewall can not protect you from yourself. Turn off what you do not need. Do not use the firewall to do your work.
  3. Mute? by sho222 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    In case you were wondering, but too lazy to RTFA, the author is aware that you can mute other players. From TFA:You can also choose to mute them (this will only affect what you can hear, not what everyone else does) if you don't want to hear what they have to say.

    Which begs the question: if this guy knows that you can mute peope you don't want to hear, why is he still bitching? I guess it was a slow news day in Xbox live land... and /. for that matter. And, why the hell am I posting to /. on a Friday night... I need a life.

  4. I was going to get an xbox.. by slughead · · Score: 3, Funny

    but then I saw this.

    --
    Latewire
    1. Re:I was going to get an xbox.. by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 2, Insightful

      How old is that kid, 9?

      If I was his father, and he spoke to me with that kind of language at such a young age.. I'd rip the X-Box out and toss it in the garbage.

      "Get your own motherfucking chocolate milk, bitch!"

      --
      Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  5. Not really an issue for me... by Wraithfighter · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I don't know about anyone one else, but I've never really had a problem with that. Yeah, you'll hear someone occasionally swear off his entire team, and rarer still drop f-bombs or n-bombs (or bombs of other racial epitaphs), but I've really never seen a horrible problem with it.

    Frankly, I'd rather a person use his microphone, throwing around curse words in times of stress (like when grenades are going off all around him) than someone not use the microphone at all, choosing to leave me in the dark as to where the sniper is, whether or not he's seen the bomb, or if the warthog has spawned and he needs a driver. I'll live through a couple bad words if it means that he'll tell me strategically useful things!

    Oh, and it should be noted that Bungie and Microsoft have dropped the Banhammer on a lot of users just for lots of repeated cases of negative feedback of the "he's an ass" variety.

    --
    Beyond the Polygons : Because 50,000 polygo
  6. All I want for Christmas... by Swanktastic · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Is to be able to play XBox Live with people who have been verified as:
    - older than 18, 21, 25, etc...
    - graduated from college
    - Graduate Students
    - Ivy League Grads
    - whatever...

    I don't care what the criteria is, but I don't socialize with high schoolers in real life. Why should I be forced to in XBox Live?

    1. Re:All I want for Christmas... by Lepruhkawn · · Score: 2, Interesting
      but I don't socialize with high schoolers in real life. Why should I be forced to in XBox Live?

      I second the sentiment.

      When I first spectated a Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow match (I did this on PC but I imagine it's similar on Xbox), one Sam Fisher put a guard in a headlock while the other Sam Fisher crouched down to put his goggles in the guard's crotch. The two young men controlling the Fishers repeated this head-lock/head-in-crotch maneuver over and over. Each time it was just completely hysterical as evidenced by the maniacal laugher I heard coming over the voice channel.

      I have spent many hours playing online games without voice communication and found the immature people annoying but easy to tolerate when the communication is limited to text.

      But, repeatedly, voice communications ruined the experience for me because it makes it much harder to tolerate people I don't like (i.e. tune them out).

      --
      Jesus saves....And takes 1/2 damage.
    2. Re:All I want for Christmas... by Kingrames · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I know I'll get modded down for this but I always find it fascinating that people believe that all human beings magically become mature as soon as they turn a certan age or enter a university.

      --
      If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
  7. Re:electrodes anyone?? by skepticult · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think anyone who comes out with anything racist or homophobic should be shot with a real gun.

    Ah yes, the sweet smell of tolerance.

  8. It isn't just live... by supabeast! · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Anyone who has been playing online games for any length of time knows that Xbox live isn't the only place where this is a problem. You're just as likely to get cursed at, called faggot/nigger/spic/etc., or stomped down by cheaters in any online PC game. Xbox live is just worse because so many games default to broadcasting the voices of other players, which is one of the worst design decisions a game manufacturer can make.

    This is one area where MMORPGs shine. Because the servers often track the last few lines of a player's chat, players who prattle on like this too often tend to get complained about so often that they simply get banned. It's also nice to be able to permanently /ignore people with little effort.

  9. babies. by NihilTyrannis · · Score: 2, Informative

    whats so wrong with cursing etc? for crying out loud, if that bothers you its you with the problem.