Language Censorship in Multiplayer Games

SkuLL

SkuLL

Chad McRealman
Orderite
As the title says.

I've only just realised this trend when I bought Battlefield 2. I mean, I've seen it implemented on certain servers as far back as Unreal Tournament, but those were clearly serverside mods/add-ons, perhaps aimed at younger audiences.

Battlefield 2 is the first game for me where I can hear the scripted voices of my fellow soldiers screaming things like "GET THAT MOTHERFUCKER!" (and I assume something similar for the Russian team), a game where I can kill a soldier with my knife and keep his dog tags as a trophy, a game where I can (ideally) use my microphone to say whatever I want to say... But when I write something like "Damn, good game!" the word "damn" gets censored into a bunch of symbols.

Having just installed and played the demo for Crysis 2, I see the same thing - even mild words like "damn" get censored into a bunch of asterisks, making it seem like I said something a lot more offensive word than the relatively harmless "damn".

While some happily ignore this, I find it makes me angry and frustrated. Even though I have proven my age countless times (on Steam, during purchase, registration, etc.), someone decided that on top of it all, they will 'protect' me by filtering my language? Am I the only one seeing the massive hypocrisy in this? A game whose content is violent and offensive in itself (war, killing for points, etc.) suddenly decides that the written language must be censored?

Somehow I doubt the companies (EA?) are legally forced to do this - after all, the audio tracks contain vulgar language, why can't my written messages? And I hardly see 'concerned parents' lobbying against vulgar language in chat messages, but ignoring all the blood and violence at the same time... Which leads me to think it was just some stupid employee's 'idea' that caught on - a retarded way to make the game more politically correct in their eyes, but failing entirely.

The reasons for my outrage (well, I'm pretty calm about it), is that communication is essential in multiplayer games - that's why we play them, after all. Otherwise we'd just play against bots. So when a game that's based on communication (Battlefield 2) is shipped to me with a faulty engine causing microphones not to work, I am left with nothing but written chat messages for communication. And when those messages get censored by some arbitrary 'bad word' list, my ability to communicate is impaired. And we all know that many non-vulgar words get banned, not just the mandatory fuck, shit, etc.

I'd like to know other people's opinions on this, as it seems like it's a trend that's going to stay. Do you mind it? What other games have you experienced it in?
 
just do it like the cool kidz do it. Write D-A-M-N isntead of damn. Makes any cencorship useless.
 
Uh...you don't really mean Battlefield 2. You mean Battlefield: Bad Company 2. There's no dog tags and "GET THAT MOTHERFUCKER" in BF2.

Silly censorship is silly, but I don't really mind, since I use my mic to communicate in online FPSs whenever teamwork is needed. Much more effective.
 
I play on a console (PS3) so there no text chat. But I have encountered this in certain games (LPB and Runescape but those are geared towards younger crowds).

Could this be a regional detail/issue?

I think it may be a compromise, parents are kinda stupid when it comes to games so they may think this is a "win" for them.
 
it has always been that way. Though a cencorship of "text" will not really help here. It just gives you that nice fuzzy warm feeling that you have "done" something.

Dunno. It doesnt bother me really. Not with games that are meant for young audience. But hey ... I buy 18+ games just to see a cencorship or language filter in place. Always feels hypocritical in my eyes.
 
It's in DoWII Retribution too. Same thing as well, even simple old damn gets filtered into a bunch asterisks. I wouldn't mind it if they just filtered your top-notch curse words, fuck and things of that sort, but damn? What next, hell's gonna get all censored?
 
That annoys me too, very, very much (I am easily annoyed, especially with such little, subtle things many don't even notice, but I do).
Maybe one day we will have PG versions of multiplayer games, just for the sake of good parents wanting to keep their kids good. :smug:
 
fedaykin said:
Uh...you don't really mean Battlefield 2. You mean Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
Click to expand...
Indeed. My bad! :oops:

And like Hoxie said, I understand that if they have to censor something, they can just pick out the few actually offensive swear words that have no other use. But many other words are banned, and variations of those words, and different spelling of those.

No one can tell me that EA was legally or morally obliged to ban the word "fuk" or "fook". That's just not possible. So I draw the conclusion that it's some good-for-nothing retard that did this out of their own initiative, probably thinking they were doing the world a huge favour.

Sure, it's pretty useless getting worked up about this - I certainly can get by without swearing. But it's still censorship and it still needlessly limits communication and freedom in game. Especially since more than just swear words get banned (look for the 'list' for various EA games, some are just outrageous).
 
Some games have a built in filter that can be turned off so I always look through the options first (I do that anyway). I don't mind that and gore controls as it allows people to change things on their side. That said, I've always found it laughable that so many servers have had language filters and ban people for swearing too much. I just don't see why language is the thing to worry about when a game is rated for 17+ and the gameplay consists of violently killing people. It's always funny because the excuse given is always "My kids play on here," or "Kids play on here."

The only thing that I care about is civility and honestly that is even debatable as it's fun to give buddies shit during a game. As long as the atmosphere is fun, who gives a shit about everything else?
 
It's kinda hypocritical, really. Not a big deal for me, though. It's just sort of futile. Maybe they should concentrate on enforcing age restrictions better rather than inventing dubious means to make it "kid-friendly".

On topic of Crysis, are the registration servers back up yet? I wanna try it out but had no luck connecting yesterday.
 
Demo still announced for PC ... damn you Crysis!

I guess they think only "kids" play games, which is a stupid politic that many follow. I can't understand web site age censoring registration, click whatever date and you're in. Why even bother making that age registration?
Hmmm i can only think of ME2 since i play it now, as i remember there is a lot of swearing in it if only subtle looking. Shit crap and that sort of stuff, Jacob says mean motherfucker. And EA was the publisher.
 
I've always questioned the admins about this when I find a server like that. Watching them flail as they try to defend the hypocrisy is hilarious ("My kids play here" 'Really? You let your children play a murder simulator, but you draw the line at foul language?' "....."). It's the same thing with TV in the US, really.


You'll see violence/gore that would make Stanley Kubrick cringe, and watch two semi-clothed actors grind all over one other... but show a NIPPLE or say FUCK and suddenly it's inappropriate.


We're backwards as fuck.
 
League of Legends , censored typing stuff :
puta, bi, toilet(no i'm not kidding),shit ,fuck , tits, damn(again) and probably more which i have to try.
What ticks me off is toilet. Crap is not censored. Retard too, amen to that. I can really express my thoughts on on other people with it.

I need to go to the bathroom vs toilet. Because they don't understand "piss brb".

stfu ,gtfo ,noob ,sux/suck is also not censored .
"I hope you get cancer" - basically what they do now when they want you to see their rage level.

But you can combine into shtihead, dumbfuckingshit and craptard, they don't censore you there. All that creativity >D
 
they cencored bi :eyebrow:

That feels somewhat wrong. On so many levels. If they mean actualy with bi the same as what I do. But what could it mean else ?
 
Well, an alternative bad words must be used in case of censorship. :)
I'm working in a german company and some time ago, a staff training was organised there for a Mexican crew. When our Mexican friends were asking us how to adress the superior person in our language, we learned them a curse word kokot.
Another morning, when our most respected big directors came at place, the people was starting to shout at them: "Hi, kokot! Good morning, kokot!" It was the best day in my whole career, I can tell you. :mrgreen:
 
They take that bi is the same as fag. Plus they block you if you talk too much. You can't type for 20 seconds.
But most guys use Ventrillo, i don't. Don't need a rage voice on my ear.
 
Heh, you should try playing SoE F2P MMO's like Freerealms or Clone Wars Adventures. The censoring is so bad it's impossible to have a conversation. They also blocked out anything you can use to substitute to make bad words like numbers, both 5 and five.
Saying that RF Online censored Tuesday and no one was really sure why.
 
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