Feature request: A way to ban individuals from chat channels

[sirgog]

I always thought the public channels with optional password system was working, but recent issues in at least one raiding channel on Khyber have convinced me it isn't. Raiding channels generally need a few dozen people in them to be useful, and once a password is known by that many a determined troll can and will find it out.

In a guild the solution is simple - you guildkick a problem member. But once an obnoxious troll discovers a channel password, there's really no simple solution. Get half the channel to squelch them and they make an alt (different or same account). The only option is to start a new channel with a new password - and while it's easy for the guild hosting the channel to communicate this to their members, it's much harder for them to let friends of their guild know without also letting the troll know.


For those reasons I want to request some way for either the founder of a channel to kick people out of it (temporarily or permanently) or for a 'votekick' system to kick people from channels.


And yes, before anyone asks: I'm mad, bro.

[Rip-V-Winkle]

While I have not had this issue I would say YES to it.
But in the same line can't the person be reported for harassment?

[sirgog]

While I have not had this issue I would say YES to it.
But in the same line can't the person be reported for harassment?

It's hard to actually nail an effective troll for that.

It can be hard for a GM to tell the difference between, say, someone giving advice that 'Fortification and Con are tank stats, your Cleric should not bother with them' because they believe it (perhaps they come from other MMOs where that would be true), and someone that's giving that 'advice' to troll or worse to actively grief new players that might believe it.

Plus really I'd rather the playerbase can solve these problems. You don't need to report someone that's abusive in guild chat, you just boot them.

[DrakHar]

It's hard to actually nail an effective troll for that.

It can be hard for a GM to tell the difference between, say, someone giving advice that 'Fortification and Con are tank stats, your Cleric should not bother with them' because they believe it (perhaps they come from other MMOs where that would be true), and someone that's giving that 'advice' to troll or worse to actively grief new players that might believe it.

Plus really I'd rather the playerbase can solve these problems. You don't need to report someone that's abusive in guild chat, you just boot them.

There's also the third group that you find in high level guild type channels who would say that, the ones who pretty much know the game so well that they make jokes like that constantly.

[Rip-V-Winkle]

It's hard to actually nail an effective troll for that.

It can be hard for a GM to tell the difference between, say, someone giving advice that 'Fortification and Con are tank stats, your Cleric should not bother with them' because they believe it (perhaps they come from other MMOs where that would be true), and someone that's giving that 'advice' to troll or worse to actively grief new players that might believe it.

Plus really I'd rather the playerbase can solve these problems. You don't need to report someone that's abusive in guild chat, you just boot them.

I agree with the players taking care of it.
I was just wondering if it was bad enough it could it be Reported?

[Garvin]

It is a sad thing when the founder of the channel is disrepcted in his own channel.
Where someone who is squelched created another toon just to come into said channel to continue the verbal assault.

Reporting such a person I would say definately, but is is worth the time, I would say not as it is faster to just kick the annoying brat from the channel each time he surfaces plus even to allow the channel password to be changed on the fly by the founder.

[Viisari]

I always thought the public channels with optional password system was working, but recent issues in at least one raiding channel on Khyber have convinced me it isn't. Raiding channels generally need a few dozen people in them to be useful, and once a password is known by that many a determined troll can and will find it out.

The chat system in DDO is horribly outdated and just plain bad, I don't think you can even see a list of users in the channel let alone manage the channel in any meaningful way.

Same goes for the friends list, it's horribly dated and cumbersome to use, you should be able to add people by account (with characters hidden in MyDDO not showing) instead of having to add and remember everyones bazillion alts.

[susiedupfer]

It would help so very much! And no, reporting harassment does not help. Neither does squelching as they create new toons to continue the process of making you miserable. Half the channel can squelch, and still they continue to post messages that others(not aware of the history perhaps) thoughtfully copy/paste to you.

My preference would be the leader being able to kick, but the /votekick would work if necessary.

[goodspeed]

theoretically that would work, but then you have the double edge effect. If it were a vote kick how many votes needed? 3? 5? 8? To many and you have a idc effect.

But with the right group, a very gleeful bunch of guys could laugh all day long vote kicking random people without so much as a peep.

I know cause ive seen it in other games. It's a fun lil game in itself to be sure. Theirs always some way to abuse a system, even when a group of trusted people have access to it. Theirs always that one guy that thinks it'll be funny as hell to create some random account and cause havoc just to see the reaction.

[Gremmlynn]

I rather doubt we'll see anything like this come about, at least I hope not. As the most likely solution would be to simply discontinue user channel rather than try to referee them. That or to start selling channels in the store with those sorts of features as that clears up the fuzziness of players administering game features to some degree.

Personally, I'd just rent a Ventrilo channel if this was an issue. As that would allow me to IP ban anyone I didn't want in it and Turbine wouldn't have to worry about siding with one set of customers over another.

[Viisari]

Personally, I'd just rent a Ventrilo channel if this was an issue. As that would allow me to IP ban anyone I didn't want in it and Turbine wouldn't have to worry about siding with one set of customers over another.

Huh? Siding with customers? Giving players the ability to moderate chat channels *THEY* create is siding with someone?

And one of the reasons these channels exist in the first place is so you wouldn't have to invite everyone to your teamspeak/ventrilo. For most people those are for guild/friend use only and these channels tend to have a much larger populations.

[Gremmlynn]

Huh? Siding with customers? Giving players the ability to moderate chat channels *THEY* create is siding with someone?

And one of the reasons these channels exist in the first place is so you wouldn't have to invite everyone to your teamspeak/ventrilo. For most people those are for guild/friend use only and these channels tend to have a much larger populations.It doesn't matter if they are or are not siding with someone, just that they are not perceived to be siding with them. Making chat user chat channels pay/VIP like guilds are though gives them an out from in the perception of all but those with an extremely overwhelming sense of entitlement. Whether this is right or wrong matters less to Turbine than simply staying out of it. Most likely by ignoring it, or if it becomes to big an issue to ignore by discontinuing the user channels period.

Also, last time I used vent it was flexible enough to handle the job simply by creating a separate channel with it's own PW for those you don't want wandering around guild/friend channels.

[Razcar]

While I would be all for it, it won't happen. Turbine has historically been very reluctant to implement features that would single one player out, in any way or for any reason. They like to keep the appearance that their games are one big, happy Sesame street playground where everyone is friends with everyone.

Development spent on mechanics that could suggest that the game community is not always the "bestest of friends" is seen as bad for business.

[Quetzacoala]

They like to keep the appearance that their games are one big, happy Sesame street playground where everyone is friends with everyone.

Tell that to Oscar the Grouch... he is not the most friendly character.

[Anthios888]

Would be one of my favorite game additions in a long time.

[Emili]

Change everyone over to a new channel or log on when the individual is off and change the password for the old (everyone /leavechannel and /joinchannel again but use a new password).

The one thing I dislike about channels the most be there are only four user channels available.

[Healsavant]

The person who creates a channel should be able to moderate it...

[Xynot2]

/squelch add dork

later if you really need to speak to them

/squelch remove dork

Stop suggesting things that distract Turbine from fixing the stuff they just borked, they are going to bork with U15 and things that have been borked for years.

[Sanadil]

Another option would be to allow the creator of the channel to /listusers so it shows everyone in the channel. Also allow the creator to change the password while people are in it. The next time people log in and attempt to auto join it will deny them with a message stating who to mail in game for the new password. They could also announce it in the chat channel for all those present, provided they know everyone on the /listusers list.

[MRMechMan]

/signed

But the entire userchat system just needs to be scrapped and rebuilt from the ground up, to be honest.

[NytCrawlr]

/signed

But the entire userchat system just needs to be scrapped and rebuilt from the ground up, to be honest.

This, and I'll add that the entire chat system needs to be redesigned from the ground up. Something more IRC-like or similar with more user-friendly functionality would be a huge step.

[Eladiun]

This is one of many upgrades custom channels need.

[voodoogroves]

I'd like this quite a bit. A while back I dropped every user chat I had defined/joined because the noise on them became annoying.

Possibly even an option to found a static channel with moderator/membership controls. I'd pay TP for that.

[barfuss]

The person who creates a channel should be able to moderate it...
/signed


Another option would be to allow the creator of the channel to /listusers so it shows everyone in the channel.
/signed, absolutely.

[Xynot2]

Another option would be to allow the creator of the channel to /listusers so it shows everyone in the channel. Also allow the creator to change the password while people are in it. The next time people log in and attempt to auto join it will deny them with a message stating who to mail in game for the new password. They could also announce it in the chat channel for all those present, provided they know everyone on the /listusers list.

/squelch is plenty. If the people you party with also squelch him, you wont have to worry about squelch remove.

sorry... the entire structure of this thread is wrong. If you give out the password, then be prepared to deal with the results of your actions. Allowing the creator to change the password would work but I think people would soon tire of the whims of the creator.

again /squelch works fine. No need to change anything. And shouldn;t we be ignoring cruddy little stuff like this so that Turbine can focus on the important task of fixing the stuff that's actually broken instead of giving them something else to break?

[Hordo]

It is a sad thing when the founder of the channel is disrepcted in his own channel.
Where someone who is squelched created another toon just to come into said channel to continue the verbal assault.

Reporting such a person I would say definately, but is is worth the time, I would say not as it is faster to just kick the annoying brat from the channel each time he surfaces plus even to allow the channel password to be changed on the fly by the founder.

Hear, hear!

/signed

[Gawna]

100% signed. How does Hordo keep getting into all my channels?!?!?! :D

[Polarkin]

One of the best things about Everquest was it's chat channel capabilities.

Each chat channel had:

Owner: Full admin rights to the channel including password, kick, invite, set moderator, etc...

Moderator: could update passwords, kick people from channel, and invite people to the channel (inviting people to the channel allowed you to give specific characters access to the channel without giving them the password)

From within the channel you could /list to see who was in there (available to all channel members)

I posted a big long thread on chat channel capabilities in the suggestion forum similar to the topic of this thread but it received little if any attention.

[Munkenmo]

/squelch is plenty. If the people you party with also squelch him, you wont have to worry about squelch remove.

sorry... the entire structure of this thread is wrong. If you give out the password, then be prepared to deal with the results of your actions. Allowing the creator to change the password would work but I think people would soon tire of the whims of the creator.

again /squelch works fine. No need to change anything. And shouldn;t we be ignoring cruddy little stuff like this so that Turbine can focus on the important task of fixing the stuff that's actually broken instead of giving them something else to break?

Alot of endgame players from different guilds use channels. We do this to avoid people like you, leaving us both with a better ddo experience.

This is absolutely an important area of the game, maybe oneday you'll see.

[wkavinsky]

Just implement an IRC server into every game server.

Shouldn't take very much, and expands the potential of the chat system immensely.

[Hordo]

100% signed. How does Hordo keep getting into all my channels?!?!?! :D

Ancient Rabbi Secret...

[Xynot2]

100% signed. How does Hordo keep getting into all my channels?!?!?! :D

Ancient Rabbi Secret...

And if he told you... he would have to absolve you of your sins and bring you into the hebrew religion. *shudders*

Edit: I'll prolly get points for making a religious reference.

[Gunga]

The person who creates the channel should be able to /channelsquelch toonname.

Just my humble opinion, of course.

[Gunga]

I get lost in Gawna's channels.

[Gawna]

I get lost in Gawna's channels.

You should always use the buddy system in there!

[AestorTheKnight]

Thank you for suggesting this Sirgog! :)

I was founder of a medium sized (probably 50 people at its peak) Raiding User Chat Channel on Cannith server back in 2010.

I originally created this channel because the old Raid Chat Channel used by a lot of high level raiders had become over run by highly abusive and disruptive players, and since their was no-way to get rid of them, and they just kept disrupting polite conversation, the only solution was to make a new channel.

So for a couple of months I tried really hard to be very selective and careful about who got the Channel Info and password. And I mean, I actually made each person I gave the Info, to promise they would not hand it on to anyone else without my permission first.

And it worked for a couple of months. And the Channel thrived, and we had a lot of really cool high level players. All really friendly, cracking a lot of fun jokes! We had built a really nice inter-guild raiding community on Cannith.

And then... finally after 2 or 3 months of peace, quiet and fun, someone leaked it, and the Trolls discovered the Info.

And that was that, Troll Invasion! Soon any troll or noob who wanted to get into elite raids was in the channel. And that was the end of it.

And there was nothing me the founder, or anyone else could do about it.

I would definitely like to see a way for the Founder of a Chat Channel being able to Boot and Ban people from their
own User Chat Channels!

/signed! Thanks!

[GeneralDiomedes]

Just add ability to squelch an entire account.

[sirgog]

Just add ability to squelch an entire account.

Yeah this would help a lot. It still doesn't solve the problem entirely as people can be quite disruptive even when you have them on squelch though (starting arguments that get other people involved, especially those that don't realise they are dealing with a pest).

As an example, if Fred and Bob are in a channel and Bob has Fred on ignore, Fred can still post things to the channel like 'Bob offered me an in-chest trade of my SOS shard for his +4 tome, then didn't pass the tome'. (Loot drama always causes arguments, and lying about loot drama is a good way to try to tear apart trust in a guild or channel). With a channel boot option, if the channel was sure that Bob was lying, they could boot him.

In that case Fred having Bob squelched actually hurts Fred.

[MeliCat]

While I have not had this issue I would say YES to it.
But in the same line can't the person be reported for harassment?

Not this person :/ He sits in trades all day doing the same.

I am really sorry to hear that this person has been abusing I assume Mil this way. I am very disappointed in them.

Please note, if you lend your account to anyone please /leavechannel all channels because the command /listchannels lists the name of the channel name and the password. It would not surprise me if this particular person that is the cause of this thread got the channel information this way.

[Blank_Zero]

/squelch add dork

later if you really need to speak to them

/squelch remove dork

Stop suggesting things that distract Turbine from fixing the stuff they just borked, they are going to bork with U15 and things that have been borked for years.

Judging by your response, I can deduce two facts.

1. You cannot/choose not to read.

2. You probably aren't in any private channels that you did not create yourself.

Edit to add: your further responses, including the ones you complained about receiving negative reputation for (which is a forum violation) were inflammatory and added absolutely nothing to the conversation other than negativity. Chat channels have needed a good once-over for a long time.

[Blank_Zero]

Not this person :/ He sits in trades all day doing the same.

I am really sorry to hear that this person has been abusing I assume Mil this way. I am very disappointed in them.

Please note, if you lend your account to anyone please /leavechannel all channels because the command /listchannels lists the name of the channel name and the password. It would not surprise me if this particular person that is the cause of this thread got the channel information this way.

It isn't who you are thinking.

It was Stop, not Mil.

[Khellendros13]

Not this person :/ He sits in trades all day doing the same.

I am really sorry to hear that this person has been abusing I assume Mil this way. I am very disappointed in them.

Please note, if you lend your account to anyone please /leavechannel all channels because the command /listchannels lists the name of the channel name and the password. It would not surprise me if this particular person that is the cause of this thread got the channel information this way.

Wound, not Mil.

[MeliCat]

It isn't who you are thinking.

It was Stop, not Mil.

Ah... well that's bad then.

And Stop :(

That's really slack as Stop is a total sweetie (when he's not being perverted... o.O )

[MeliCat]

Hmmm... well this is interesting. I don't know why a raiding guild wouldn't make their own raiding channel. Sorry to hear who it was and all that. And that they have been creating new alts just to grief etc. Just too much chest looting I guess. Sad that. I used to think that they were cool.

[barakhiel]

In firm support of this suggestion, despite the fact that I'm probably trolling said channels...

[Hordo]

ah... Well that's bad then.

And stop :(

that's really slack as stop is a total sweetie (when he's not being perverted... O.o )

ssoidnh! :d

[Chette]

Would very much like to see this feature implemented. Have seen more than one chat channel get ruined by a few determined trolls. Simply squelching the troll is not the answer when they do things such as post the channel information in the harbor advice channel citing it as a good place for noobs to go to get tips.