Profanity Filter -> Optional

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
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Hi

I think at this point there has been enough discussion on both sides on whether the new profanity filter is good or bad. Personally I think it’s bad because people will find different ways to be toxic if they want. But that doesn’t matter.

Just add a setting to disable it for those of us who appreciate freedom of speech.

If people are willing to explicitly set their game to allow “profanity” (more like, being able to say “brb pee” or “onager” or “wtf” with friends) why refuse to give them the option? Wanting to reach a younger audience is understandable, but most of your loyal fans are people in their 30s. Would be nice to be taken into consideration on design decisions for once. Cheers.

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Yes, I totally agree. Some of us can tolerate all kinds of bs but I get that there are some that can’t, and it should be option to them.

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I agree as well, the other day i typed something that contained " newbies " refering to someone who’s new to the game and the whole text got censored and is just annoying and ruins all the fun u have in a game, before this “change” i’ve barely seen someone that was toxic in a game, people usually just resign when they dont want to play anymore, as u said, reaching a younger audience is fine and all but dont ruin the fun for us, the older players

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I was hoping they would add an option to enable/disable it with this update, but no such luck.

It still censors a silly amount of things including some of the in-game cheats, taunts, and bunch of words that aren’t profane, or aren’t profane in the language one is playing in.

Example, the taunts 61, 63, 66, 68 are still censored for some obscure reason!

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Agreed. Make it optional.

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I don’t think you understand what Freedom of Speech is. It only applies to the Government censoring you.

It doesn’t have anything to do playing video games, or MS filtering you. Its really limited to the US Government.

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Make it optional and enabled/disabled by default and everyone is gonna be happy. There’s nothing to discuss here. It’s common sense.

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The OP is not talking about the 1st American Amendment. They are talking about the ability to express yourself in a precise and free manner inside a video game that’s rated pegi 12 to begin with (which allows for rude language).

And OP is right. The language bot censors entire messages instead of just the bad word…so in case it kills your communication in an unforgiving RTS game such as AoE where every second counts - it might very well just cost you the game due to miscommunication. At LEAST issue out a hotfix where only the bad word is censored rather than entire message.

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When you use the term ‘Freedom of Speech’ commonly meant to the freedom guaranteed in the US Constitution, that gives people the freedom to express themselves without fear of repercussions from the US Government. Outside of that, it really doesn’t exist (as PragerU found out recently).

MS and the developers can censor anything they like on their platform. They don’t have to care about your feelings or worries, they have to only care about sales and their audience.

And like it or not, the game is not geared to mature audiences only. Like almost all RTS games, it’s geared to as wide an audience as possible. Unlike games like Gears of War, or Mortal Kombat, this game isn’t based around extreme bloodshed or graphic deaths. It’s based around moving units around to defeat the other player.

Heck, we even have a very small group of vegan plans that refuses to hunt.

In any case, it’s a silly argument, compounded by the addition (in later posts) that this is somehow an SJW thing, instead of just a corporate profit thing.

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Agreed. Medieval warlords that cannot curse? Other than that it breaks immersion, it hinders communication during play.

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In the context of our discussion, freedom of speech is obviously used as “the ability to express yourself freely within the boundaries of the game’s rating - pegi 12, which allows for mild swearing.”. No one is arguing whether or not this censorship bot is legal or whether or not it complies to the US law. It is quite obvious and normal to expect what is conveyed by the term “freedom of speech” within this particular discussion. Please don’t derail the conversation into something irrelevant.

Obviously MS and devs are free to do whatever they want, but the community criticize those decisions - which is what is happening right now. Just like people criticize certain civilizations as being overpowered given a certain patch - people can criticize this change as well as it affects your playing experience.

I am not arguing whether or not the game is geared towards a mature audience. I have even stated somewhere (perhaps not this thread) - that I don’t care which demographic is the target demographic. I argue solely from a “playability” perspective.

I assume people are saying it’s an SJW thing because the corporate profit is driven by the fact that SJW internet mobs would likely target age of empires as being [insert word]-phobic, in the event that someone somewhere saw a comment posted in this game that can be drawn out of context. Also, if it were solely a profit thing - I would argue that this was a waste of resources as no one has asked for this, and now you have more people asking for this to be removed than to be kept in the game.

But I digress, everything we’ve discussed now is besides the point. Fact of the matter is - it’s logical and normal to let us enable or disable this within the game’s options. If you want this - keep it on; if I don’t want it - I can turn it off. It’s as easy as that.

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He obviously doesn’t understand what context is. But it’s the most creative thing he could come up to derail the conversation away from what was suggested in the first post. Yes, there is no counter argument towards making this filter optional and it goes to show how some people simply want to enforce their political views into others.

Heck, we even have a very small group of vegan plans that refuses to hunt.

What’s next, refusing to kill knights because they ride on horses?

This is the logic we’re dealing against here guys.

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Okay, I have to know. What political views do you think I am pushing forward when I am agreeing with the profanity filter?

I made my argument that a two tiered system would lead to more confusion and more trouble then any issues that a the profanity filter could possible cause.

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Please stay on the topic of the profanity filter per the forum code of conduct. If you have an off-topic question please send the commentor a private message.

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The bad word filter really makes me angry sometimes. Communications often needs to be fast.
Messages being filtered out:
“so you want to make the persian douche”?
“cu” = see you
Or a simple “wtf” is just casually being used in online games without any meaning of insult.
Seriously this is not a fortnite community and I would like to keep it as that. Focus on real insults and not expressions like “oh ■■■■ he’s coming to me” (seems to be applied in forum aswell to Sh_it lol). Devs please don’t accuse the community to mean everything agressively and let the people speak with each other uncensored.

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I made my argument that a two tiered system would lead to more confusion and more trouble then any issues that a the profanity filter could possible cause.

You misportray the situation, it is the profanity filter that leads to confusion in chat. “The two tiered system” would allow us to toggle off this confusion.

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The profanity system is a necessity and a requirement for kids playing and those of us with kids.

Without it, I won’t be playing the game online. I doubt people would be able to stream there games online either, since they will lose audiences.

And since MS wants to make this an E Sport, that audience is pretty much the most important thing around.

If there was an option to turn it on or off, some of us would never turn it off.

Having the option to turn it on or off defeats the purpose anyway. Children will obviously turn the profanity filter off as soon as possible, even though the whole point is that it’s for them and they aren’t mature or responsible enough better.

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Having the option to turn it on or off defeats the purpose anyway. Children will obviously turn the profanity filter off as soon as possible, even though the whole point is that it’s for them and they aren’t mature or responsible enough better.

That is your responsibillity as a parent. Perhaps the game can make sure this feature is somewhat hard to find for kids.

It is clear that for you only your own views matter and everyone around you has to deal with it. You remind me of myself when I was a little child, and I thought the government should ban smoking 11.

I doubt people would be able to stream there games online either, since they will lose audiences.

You conveniently leave out the toggle option where it suits you.

Without it, I won’t be playing the game online.

Quite manipulative to use this threat to force limitations on others, while nearly everyone agrees on a toggle.

If there was an option to turn it on or off, some of us would never turn it off.

Ok? Good!

And since MS wants to make this an E Sport…

I have become to seriously doubt this, at least their methods. Makes me wonder if they are saving that for aoe4, which I have no interest in.

I agree that it would be positive to have an optional filter for kids and sensitive people like yourself, but you are out of line and unreasonable in your demands.

My personal experience is that the aoe2 community is quite mature and I hardly ever hear insults coming at me. I tend to come across many familliar faces on the ladder and enjoy long post battle talks with advice going back and forth. The filter will have a quite limited effect on your kids. It might reduce bad words, but people who mean to insult will find clever ways.

But please don’t minimize the inconvienience this filter brings, you cannot think for others. If it doesn’t bother you one single bit, then this probably tells a lot about your lack of experience or communication in teamgames. There is already barely time to talk in this high apm game, so a couple of stars that cause miscommunication has a huge impact on the game.

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Memb insults like the mad Español He is and it’s popular at is gets!

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Oddly enough, I have a mild form of Asthma that triggers around smokers. It’s an awful experience. I really can’t deal with people that makes such horrible decision that impacts them, but the people around them, and of course our medical system (since Lung Cancer is a costly way to die, and dead people usually don’t pay their hospital bills).

As for parenting, sorry, I still have to work, prepare meals, and clean up. So, watching my kids 24/7 has its limits. I am sure other parents are in the same boat. Maybe it doesn’t met your high standards. Perhaps you could show it how it is done.

Let me ask, besides the cry of ‘freedom of speech’, which isn’t even a thing outside of the US Government, what is has the burden been on you with the profanity filter?

What game play experience have you been missing out on that is necessary to play the game? I am having a tough time empathizing with your or your squad because I can’t figure out what you are even complaining about.

If you hardly ever hear insults, how are you being impacted by this?