News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Hello, I’m Mr. Null. My Name Makes Me Invisible to Computers by carlio on Monday September 05, 2016 @01:56AM (#12428408)
Yeah the 'bad words' thing was hard, it's your classic Scunthorpe problem. Since the game was mainly targeted at people 12 years old and up, it was important to get right. However no matter how good the filter got, people would find creative ways to get around it, including a short period where players started using lots of fires and arranging them to spell out swear words.
Re:Hello, I’m Mr. Null. My Name Makes Me Invisible to Computers by x1798DE on Monday September 05, 2016 @03:17AM (#12428652)
> Since the game was mainly targeted at people 12 years old and up, it was important to get right

Let's be honest, this is not important. Even if 12 year olds didn't constantly see/hear/use "bad words", there are really no ill effects of lack of censorship in that way.

Re:Hello, I’m Mr. Null. My Name Makes Me Invisible to Computers by BillinghamJ on Monday September 05, 2016 @03:33AM (#12428708)
It's important for the subscription revenue - which comes from their parents.
Re:Hello, I’m Mr. Null. My Name Makes Me Invisible to Computers by carlio on Monday September 05, 2016 @03:43AM (#12428745)
Exactly, this wasn't puritanical zeal from Jagex but a realistic decision based on the fact that parents are the ones who control the credit cards.
Re:Hello, I’m Mr. Null. My Name Makes Me Invisible to Computers by x1798DE on Monday September 05, 2016 @06:01AM (#12429230)
Then it's even less important to get "right", since the consumers who actually see the results don't care if they accidentally see swear words, and almost any token effort at censorship (a "parental control" option mode, for example) will probably be satisfactory. You might lose some subscribers from extremely zealous parents who bother to read logs and see some stuff "accidentally" get through because the filter is too permissive, but I imagine the vast majority will give you the benefit of the doubt.
Re:Hello, I’m Mr. Null. My Name Makes Me Invisible to Computers by nl on Monday September 05, 2016 @08:44AM (#12429872)
Are you a parent? Speaking as one, it doesn't work like that.

One parent sees a dick pic/swearing in a game, they ban the game, tell all their friends and then someone puts it in a school FB group, which is then shared around the country.

(Yes, Runescape was before much of this. That just made it slower, but the same process happens)

Re:Hello, I’m Mr. Null. My Name Makes Me Invisible to Computers by derefr on Wednesday September 07, 2016 @12:26AM (#12440970)
The best thing here, I think, would be to create an informational pamphlet kids could print out and give to their parents, showing examples of dick pics and swearing in literally every game imaginable, with the message of "this is just what 12-year-olds do to other 12-year-olds when given microphones and the ability to upload pictures; there is no way to stop this. Even if you ban them from games altogether, other 12-year-olds are just going to swear and draw graffiti dicks in places your child can see at school. Just give up already."