Are inapropriate names reportable?

[OniDaimyo]

Like if someone has a sexual sounding name, is that something the people running this should be notified of?

[subbacultchas]

I believe that is covered here OniDaimyo:

 

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/index.php/topic,1102.0.html

 

 

[JusticeBowler]

Essentially PG13 and above content doesn't violate the rules. I hope folks avoid it but tops-with-skin have been around since the beginning of the game and we can't exactly freakout about swimwear.

 

But I did see a guy on the other night that I'll admit really twisted my limits. He had the Water blast powerset color tinted bright white, ran around in tighty whiteys, and called himself Splooge. I mean, its tasteless and offensive, but if there's only a handful of people doing that and that's how they enjoy the game, I'd rather stay away from pushing for any official ruling on these things.

 

If CoH becomes toxic with pornstar names and other vulgarity in the global channels that's a bridge the community as a whole can cross when we get to it.

[Frakk]

I personally like seeing names with double entendres.  Most of the time when I see someone like "Sploogeman" mentioned above I just figure they are immature people having fun.  Then I hope they level up to 6 so the name stays taken and forgotten.

 

If there was something bad enough that it needed to be reported discord is where I would do it.

 

[_NOPE_]

[WanderingAries]

 

Hmm, RP concept? Eh, I just figure those that Would do something mentioned above is either drunk or a (pre)teen. :p  Honestly, so long as they aren't harassing people or being aggressively vulgar to anyone, then I say let it pass. It's not like they're hogging a name.

[Player2]

I personally like seeing names with double entendres.  Most of the time when I see someone like "Sploogeman" mentioned above I just figure they are immature people having fun.  Then I hope they level up to 6 so the name stays taken and forgotten.

 

If there was something bad enough that it needed to be reported discord is where I would do it.

Agreed.  I have the name F-Bomb on a mercs/FF mastermind, and it's obvious connotation is as a reference to that most heinous of four-letter words starting with F, but it could also be short for Force-Bomb as their is a repulsion bomb power in the FF powerset.  Clever is cool.  Generally offensive, I believe should be handled by people being able to be mature enough to ignore the offensive individual(s) by refusing to team with them and/or blocking them so they can't be harassed.  But blatantly offensive regarding sensitive issues should be handled more directly.  I don't think we need people with names like The Sodomizer running around trying to force RP on others.

 

I recall even Marvel getting daring occasionally, with a member of AIM (or was it Hydra) calling his invention the Penetrator because it allowed him to teleport into places.  I think he had Penetrator armor.  Seems suggestive but without actually referring to a sexual act.  Back in the old days of COH, I had a spines stalker named The Penetrator because his whole thing was penetrating people's flesh... obviously.  Sure, it's awfully suggestive.  But I wasn't trying to play him as some sexual offender.

 

 

The Homecoming code of conduct, however, is a bit vague in some regards and overly restrictive in others.  For example...

 

• 
  What are examples of content that is prohibited on the public Homecoming Platforms?
  
  • Content involving illegality. For example:
    
    • Gambling, piracy, child pornography, obscenity, or criminal activity
      
    • Underage drinking, illegal drug use, or socially irresponsible behavior connected with drug use (e.g. drinking and driving)
      
    • Terrorism
      

    [*]Content that could harm or harass a person, including yourself or an animal. For example:

    • Negative speech (including hate speech or threats of harm) directed at people who belong to a group, including groups based on race, ethnicity, nationality, language, gender, age, disability, veteran status, religion, or sexual orientation / expression.
      
    • Suicide-related content
      
    • Content showing or promoting animal abuse
      

    [*]Content that is controversial. For example:

    • Sexual, provocative, pornographic, or adult content
      
    • Violent content
      
    • Controversial religious content
      
    • Anything involving notorious people or organizations
      
    • Anything involving sensitive events, current or historical

 

Okay, illegality is an important topic because not only do we get to be heroes but we can also be villains.  While I'm all on board for keeping talk of child pornography out of the game... obscenity can be open to interpretation.  Also, are we not allowed to make reference to gambling, piracy, or criminal activity?  The CoC doesn't specify acceptable uses, just prohibited content.

Second line involves young people again... no underage drinking.  So if someone wanted to pay homage to that old Green Arrow & Speedy story where Speedy is a junkie?  Making that kind of reference is right out because drugs are way worse than underage drinking.

Terrorism?  I'm pretty sure that Arachnos needs to be removed from the game now because they're pretty much terrorists.

 

I believe the CoC is trying to establish parameters to prevent real world discussion of these topics, but it doesn't make the distinction.  So technically you could have a hero with a gambling problem but you can't talk about it or reference it any way beyond saying "he's a gambler" or you're technically in violation of the CoC.  You could create a villain whose sole purpose is the destruction of a peaceful way of life through violent acts... a terrorist.  Don't talk about it, though, because you could be subject to the penalties for violating this CoC.

 

No negative or hate speech directed at groups... "including" those listed in the CoC, but technically not limited to those.  That means I don't want to see any heroes talking about how they hate Arachnos and or want to see criminal scum beaten down and locked away forever, because that can be construed as hate speech directed at people who belong to a group.  Well, those are NPCs, they don't count?  Don't they?  Because those groups include players.  That's fine, heroes shouldn't talk like that anyhow.  Okay, so reverse it and have villain players saying how they think Longbow agents should be tortured or murdered.  Well, players can access Longbow costume pieces and represent themselves as Longbow, police, or whatever other fictional group, too.

 

Also, no heroes or villains who are now disembodied spirits in the land of the living as punishment for having committed suicide.  You can say your character was murdered and you're stuck here, but your character cannot be the author of his own fate.

 

Content showing or promoting animal abuse.  By the loose definition of the CoC, any mastermind who sends their animal pets into combat and gets them killed is showing animal abuse.  Any mastermind who openly talks about sacrificing their animal pets to save their own life is promoting animal abuse.  And any player who attacks another player's mastermind animal pets in PvP is guilty of showing and promoting animal abuse.  Okay, maybe you can do it in self defense, but don't talk about "I killed your wolf, ha ha, you're next!"

 

I agree with restricting pornographic content.  We don't need that.  Sexual, provocative, and adult are more loosely defined and could be applied to a broader range of topics than intended.  Where do babies come from?  Geez, everyone knows this by now, right?  But if you mention it, you could get punished.  Well, why would you need or want to?  "My character is the illegitimate son of Statesman."  Okay, that implies that Statesman had sex with someone out of wedlock, violating sexual and adult content.  "My mother was magically seduced by a demon and I have a half-demon heritage."  Like Raven of the Teen Titans?  Yeah?  No, you're punished because that's rape and we'll have none of that talk no matter how nicely you try to phrase it.

 

Controversial religious content... I think we should agree to not bring religion into anything, but you know we'll get there when someone makes a holy crusader of whatever religious figure and someone gets offended by it.  Let's just ban all real-world religion that has not fallen into the category of ancient mythology...  And I'm specifying that because there are some old pagan gods who are getting worship once again because of the modern view of religious freedom and people wanting to break away from traditional religious systems.  It's one thing to claim you are a Pastafarian, because that's fictional.  But what about the Thor and Odin worshippers out there in the real world?  They may not like your interpretation of their gods or beliefs.

 

Anything involving notorious people or organizations...  I think this one needs to be specified as non-fictional, because otherwise we can't talk about any of the villain groups in the game.

 

Anything involving sensitive events, current... sure.  9/11?  Still too soon to see someone trying to pull off a "9/11 survivor out for justice/revenge" type of character.  But what about the Crusades?  No heroes involving any backstory connection dating back to that, right?  It's historical but, given all the talk about what went on during the Crusades, it could be sensitive.  Why?  Because it was all driven by a faction of the Christian religion that is still active today, so that's just a taboo topic, right?

 

 

My issue with these vague, ill-defined standards is that who makes the judgement calls?  Because I'm guessing the GM staff and interpretation may vary from member to member of that staff.  What one doesn't find offensive another may find extremely so.  And is there an appeals process?  What if a GM's interpretation of something is too far over the line?

[Healix]

The only names I would report would be of an openly sexual/vulgar/racist nature. A lot of people don't want to see that stuff here (or elsewhere) and I assume that there might be young'uns playing. (Subtle, double entendre stuff can be funny and clever as long as it isn't hurtful.)

[Player2]

Agreed.  No hateful stuff, no blatant sexually explicit stuff.

 

Double entendres are fine, and if you've been a parent and watched old cartoons with your kids, you know that even they occasionally managed to squeeze in some adult humor that would go over the young'uns heads.  Clever is not only fine, it should be encouraged.

[ghost emoji]

My issue with these vague, ill-defined standards is that who makes the judgement calls?  Because I'm guessing the GM staff and interpretation may vary from member to member of that staff.  What one doesn't find offensive another may find extremely so.  And is there an appeals process?  What if a GM's interpretation of something is too far over the line?

 

If you read properly the text you quoted, it's not about usernames alone but content in general. I'm also pretty sure the mods are applying these rules in the same way many other games and sites apply rules like this. Presumably naming your character "Pirate" or discussing fictional gambling is ok, but linking to gambling or piracy sites would not. You seem to be making a really big fuss and seeing loopholes were there are probably aren't any in practical terms.

 

I do think certain names and content would really cross a line even if they're fictional, such as child porn, slurs, suicidal ideation, etc. If nothing else it's rude to expose people to this if you don't know what their hard limits are. For some people it's not just being "hypersensitive", it's about not wanting to deal with real life problems they may have experiencing when trying to have fun and play a game.

 

The game itself has some aspects that I don't think have aged very well but of course I don't think that's the Homecoming team's fault. I would just expect some good moderation when it comes to interactions between players and some consideration to try to make even "dark" missions and plots dark but not offensive if they ever make new ones. That doesn't mean shying away from the fact that crime and villains exist in this game and that you can play gritty characters, just making sure that people aren't roped into situations that distress them in real life.