SolitaryHowl wrote:Maybe, help to stop inappropriate behaviour, there should be an in-game report button. When you press that button, it automatically takes a screenshot of the game, and then a pop-up shows up where you can fill in a form to report an inappropriate player. When you press the 'send' button, this report (along with the automated screenshot of the game) can be sent to a WolfQuest Admin or Moderator (maybe similar to how reports on the forum operate), so they can take care of the matter quickly and efficiently. For repeat offenders, the I.P address of the offender should be banned (which should discourage them from just creating another account). The permanent banning can be overseen by either a WolfQuest Admin, and/or a trusted/long-time Moderator. You can also look into it being doing automatically, as in looking for certain keywords in a report.loboLoco wrote:Our original vision for WolfQuest was as a multiplayer game. During the original development period, however, we put much more effort into the single-player missions, and as a result, there's not a great deal to do in multiplayer. And then over time, we had to place more and more restrictions on chatting in order to ensure (or at least try to ensure) a safe environment for players of all ages. And so now....multiplayer just isn't that great.
We aim to improve that with the new version:
1) We've switched to a more robust MP service (Photon), which should make MP games more robust. As part of that, we're eliminating the bugs that make Private Games finicky to join.
2) We're creating a new multiplayer map that should be a lot of fun to explore and hang out in.
3) We're planning to add co-op multiplayer to Slough Creek. That's not guaranteed yet, since we haven't gotten deep enough into the work to be sure of it, but so far we're optimistic. It would let up to five players join a game as adults (parents and older offspring), raising the pups together. (Yeah, I know everyone wants to play as pups. That's not in the plan for this new version initially for a number of reasons, but if we get lots of sales, who knows what we might do?)
But what about chat? We've added a new option, voice chat, which is obviously unconstrained by the lexicon. That will be available only in Private Games. For Open Games, we plan to offer only Phrase Chat and No Chat, and encourage players to use Private Games if they want better chat options.
So what about text chat (with or without the lexicon and bad-words blocking)? I had thought that for tablets, text chatting was not very desirable -- it'd be quite awkward having the game pause for the virtual keyboard -- but I've learned that some people really prefer text chat over voice chat. And if we do eventually release this new version of the game for Mac/Win, then text chatting is obviously attractive for many people.
So we have to figure out how to balance risks and benefits of text chat. Possibly, Private Games could have some kind of text chat option. Everybody (including me) would prefer that to be open and unconstrained by the lexicon, but I do worry some about the risks that would entail.
So: what do you think about private vs. open games with these options? What would you really like to see? Knowing what you do about the current MP situation, what risks do you think these options would create or prevent?
Also: Speaking as a previous mod, Moderators should be able to join ANY game (private or no) for moderating purposes. They should be able to have the option for the game to announce if a moderator is present (or not). If the game is 'full', the moderator should be able to join as just an 'observer' to moderate the chat, and should not be 'announced' to the current players (unless the moderator chooses to do so).
It is important to have a fast, effective, and efficient system of banning inappropriate users, otherwise people will take advantage of any weaknesses in the system. And, since WolfQuest is marketed towards younger kids, it is vital to ensure parents feel safe having their kids play the game. Also, whenever I recommend the game to people, I always warn them about multiplayer having inappropriate content, and I shouldn't have to do that in a game marketed towards younger people.
In regards to the co-op: that can be a good or bad idea, depending. Currently existing glitches need to be sorted out for smoother and more enjoyable gameplay. The lexicon should be disabled for this type of thing, as effective communication is vital in a co-op game, yet this is a double-edged sword...people WILL take advantage of the no-restrictions and say inappropriate things. Perhaps it can have a trial for a couple of months (or however long you choose), to see how people react to it. If the majority reacts positively, and there are only a few bad apples...those bad apples should be removed promptly from the game and the forums.
When the phrased chat is added, there should be a 'suggestion button' that a player can press which brings up a form they can fill out to suggest a new phrase. If the phrase contains a swear word or any inappropriate content, an automated system should either reject that phrase, or send a report to an Admin or Moderator to deal with.
Maybe, if finances allow, more features could be added to the game that will hopefully prevent boredom and thus hopefully reduce inappropriate behaviour or roleplaying. Things that will enhance the gameplay, and aren't just aesthetic...so things like: more missions to complete (some much more challenging than others that require teamwork and cooperation from everyone), maybe some time-trial related things (get from random point A to random point B in a certain amount of time, or do this random task before time runs out).
Those are just my views.
I agree with everything you just said <3
