33 réponses à ce sujet

[FearTheLiving]

I really want this to be an option DAO PC users can already do this why can't I pick my picture? I understand people can put offensive things, but you could always give the more active helping users a smaller mod role to help on the forums. We already had a big problem with no mods being around during ME2 release so why not add more mods? So that sort of went off-topic but I really just wanna add my own avatar sad thing is its from ME so it isn't even really my own.

Anyways hope anyone from Bioware/EA reads this and considers it.

[Snoteye]

BioWare does not allow custom avatars on their fora to more easily maintain control. Moderators should not have to also worry about inappropriate avatars, they have enough work as is. What you're talking about is an exploitation of game mechanics, and a practice BioWare, to my knowledge, has yet to comment on.

[FearTheLiving]

I also stated having certain members chosen to be mod helpers (Only have certain amount of power on the forums). I know the DAO Avatar thing wasn't planned but they are still allowed to do it. I've seen other game forums do this in the past and I haven't seen any problems with it.

Modifié par FearTheLiving, 08 février 2010 - 08:00 .

[Snoteye]

FearTheLiving wrote...

... but they are still allowed to do it.

Officially, or is that an observation based on BioWare not commenting on the matter?

[FearTheLiving]

Snoteye wrote...

FearTheLiving wrote...

... but they are still allowed to do it.

Officially, or is that an observation based on BioWare not commenting on the matter?

Well yeah since they have yet to do something about it and it is pretty well known they are allowed to do it. They aren't being punished or having their avatar reset or something so they're being allowed to do it. What would your definition of allowing be?

[Chrispynutt]

I wouldn't even mind so much if the avatars were built for purpose. In most cases the premade avatars are blown up from old Bioware Forum avatars.



A better range would be nice. Perhaps even the ability to import my Shepard or even use one of the achievement medals as an avatar.

[Snoteye]

FearTheLiving wrote...

What would your definition of allowing be?

BioWare officially announcing that they do not mind the practice, which is far from the same as them not commenting.

[FearTheLiving]

Chrispynutt wrote...

I wouldn't even mind so much if the avatars were built for purpose. In most cases the premade avatars are blown up from old Bioware Forum avatars.

A better range would be nice. Perhaps even the ability to import my Shepard or even use one of the achievement medals as an avatar.

I would find this acceptable as well. Just annoys me others have the freedom to put their favorite ME character or other Bioware title as their avatar and we are forced to use these messed up ones and they don't even have the avatars from the previous site. I still would much rather just have the free will to find a cool picture of lets say Kal'Reegar and put him as my avatar. Even most of the Bioware mods have different avatars. I know it is kind of a stupid thing to complain about but I've always hated sites that do this you just don't get that feeling that your an individual.

Modifié par FearTheLiving, 08 février 2010 - 10:17 .

[FearTheLiving]

Snoteye wrote...

FearTheLiving wrote...

What would your definition of allowing be?

BioWare officially announcing that they do not mind the practice, which is far from the same as them not commenting.

That isn't a definition of allowing now is it? Bioware shouldn't have anything to do with what you just wrote.
Let me help you move this along.

Definition of allowing.
1.To let do or happen; permit
2. To permit the presence of
3. To permit to have

And not doing anything about it is "allowing them" to do it, but as you can see I really don't care about them doing it I just want to be able to do it also.

Modifié par FearTheLiving, 08 février 2010 - 10:16 .

[Snoteye]

FearTheLiving wrote...

That isn't a definition of allowing now is it? Bioware shouldn't have anything to do with what you just wrote.
Let me help you move this along.

Definition of allowing.
1.To let do or happen; permit
2. To permit the presence of
3. To permit to have

And not doing anything about it is "allowing them" to do it, but as you can see I really don't care about them doing it I just want to be able to do it also.

On the contrary, BioWare has not "permitted" the practice, and if they "allowed" it the ability to select custom portraits would have been natively supported. BioWare very much should have everything to do with that decision, because this is their site and their rules and there's a reason the ability to use custom portraits is not natively supported: that BioWare doesn't want to deal with the headache (which has roughly been the response to similar requests made in the past, before this started happening). Now, it is entirely possible BioWare will either refrain from taking a stance (until such a point that it becomes a real problem) or officially decide to let it slide, because the system changes necessary to prevent it all are a headache in and of themselves. If the latter happens there is a remote chance that the community will simply force BioWare to implement the functionality to select custom portraits -- I hope this does not happen.

[FearTheLiving]

Snoteye wrote...

FearTheLiving wrote...

That isn't a definition of allowing now is it? Bioware shouldn't have anything to do with what you just wrote.
Let me help you move this along.

Definition of allowing.
1.To let do or happen; permit
2. To permit the presence of
3. To permit to have

And not doing anything about it is "allowing them" to do it, but as you can see I really don't care about them doing it I just want to be able to do it also.

On the contrary, BioWare has not "permitted" the practice, and if they "allowed" it the ability to select custom portraits would have been natively supported. BioWare very much should have everything to do with that decision, because this is their site and their rules and there's a reason the ability to use custom portraits is not natively supported: that BioWare doesn't want to deal with the headache (which has roughly been the response to similar requests made in the past, before this started happening). Now, it is entirely possible BioWare will either refrain from taking a stance (until such a point that it becomes a real problem) or officially decide to let it slide, because the system changes necessary to prevent it all are a headache in and of themselves. If the latter happens there is a remote chance that the community will simply force BioWare to implement the functionality to select custom portraits -- I hope this does not happen.

They are still allowing it by doing nothing about it.... anyways like I said I don't really care about that and would still like to have custom avatars. So rather than just saying what you think Bioware will do can't you just let someone from Bioware answer? Also what reason do you have for not wanting custom avatars in what way does it effect you? If they just let a few members to be restricted mods of the forum they wouldn't have to have headaches and people would get their avatars. The excuse for them having headaches is a rather loose and weak argument. To me Bioware is better off adding some mods anyways if you were here a couple days before ME was released it took them almost 6 hours to come and bann a member who was spoiling the story in multiple topics. So if a Bioware rep would come in here and officially state it just isn't going to happen with a plausible reason why I'll drop it, until then I will keep asking for it.

[Snoteye]

FearTheLiving wrote...

So rather than just saying what you think Bioware will do can't you just let someone from Bioware answer?

I'd forgotten they already have.

FearTheLiving wrote...

Also what reason do you have for not wanting custom avatars in what way does it effect you?

I have to look at them, and many Internet people have surprisingly bad taste. I will be the first to admit that I have not seen anyone abuse above mentioned exploit yet but I do not like to think of where it could end up. Sterile dictatorship > anarchy.

FearTheLiving wrote...

If they just let a few members to be restricted mods of the forum they wouldn't have to have headaches and people would get their avatars.

It is still someone's headache, and getting moderators purely to police other users' avatars is absurd, not to say practically impossible.

FearTheLiving wrote...

The excuse for them having headaches is a rather loose and weak argument.

You probably don't assist in administering a site with 1.4 million registered users, maybe a hundred thousand active posters. It's a legitimate excuse.

FearTheLiving wrote...

To me Bioware is better off adding some mods anyways if you were here a couple days before ME was released it took them almost 6 hours to come and bann a member who was spoiling the story in multiple topics.

I have been here since public site launch, and as I understand it that situation was handled very professionally when the moderators became aware of the problem. It is possible (perhaps even likely) that non-American timezones are poorly covered, however, but that's another discussion.

[FearTheLiving]

Snoteye wrote...
I'd forgotten they already have.

Yet they allow it anyways, and give absolutly no reason for not having it..

Snoteye wrote...
I have to look at them, and many Internet people have surprisingly bad taste. I will be the first to admit that I have not seen anyone abuse above mentioned exploit yet but I do not like to think of where it could end up. Sterile dictatorship > anarchy.

Are you serious you don't want something because you don't wanna look at it? If you don't want to look at it don't no one is forcing you to stare down ones avatar. You act like there will be tons of people coming on here just to put up bad photos this will most likely not happen. I was apart of the SR boards a while back and actually talked them into doing just this and they did. When people come to a gaming site specifically for a game they usually come to talk about it not troll for no reason. You may get certain special cases but those can be delt with fast.

Snoteye wrote...
It is still someone's headache, and getting moderators purely to police other users' avatars is absurd, not to say practically impossible.

That's why you give it to the loyal fans that want to do it. I would gladly help moderate avatars if they gave me the ability to put my own avatar.

Snoteye wrote...
You probably don't assist in administering a site with 1.4 million registered users, maybe a hundred thousand active posters. It's a legitimate excuse.

Bioware is a pretty big company teaming up with EA I think they can handle a bit of forum modding and if you actually read my post it doesn't necassarly have to be a member of Bioware or EA. Also may I ask to what experience that you have in the matter that makes you come off as an expert in the field?

Snoteye wrote...
I have been here since public site launch, and as I understand it that situation was handled very professionally when the moderators became aware of the problem. It is possible (perhaps even likely) that non-American timezones are poorly covered, however, but that's another discussion.

The problem was not professionally solved if it takes 6 hours to get on it and about 20 thread topics made by the same person. At that moment you only needed one mod and none were to be found. Time Zone is besides the point many forum members were trying there best to contact  them and any way they could to prevent spoiling for others which proves how mature this forum really is and one of the reasons I feel custom avatars wouldn't harm it.

[Snoteye]

FearTheLiving wrote...

Yet they allow it anyways, and give absolutly no reason for not having it.

They have given those reasons (and I have relayed them to you) but I am not going to go look for an actual, useful quote. And they haven't allowed it. Really. They haven't. They just haven't stopped it either. My guess would be they haven't decided how to respond to an exploit they hadn't foreseen -- and as long as it isn't being abused they may not feel hard pressed to do so (an attitude I'd disagree with).

FearTheLiving wrote...

Are you serious you don't want something because you don't wanna look at it? If you don't want to look at it don't no one is forcing you to stare down ones avatar.

You cannot imagine how serious I am. I vehemently oppose the IMG tag for the same reason. The problem is that I can't decide not to see somebody's avatar. If I had the option of hiding them it would be less of an issue (but still an issue, mind), but I don't. It should be my choice to see something (for a variety of reasons, including bandwidth and potential offensiveness of material), I should not be forced to view something because somebody on the other side of the globe thinks it's purdy.

FearTheLiving wrote...

You act like there will be tons of people coming on here just to put up bad photos...

One is two too many.

FearTheLiving wrote...

... this will most likely not happen.

I do not see why we should give people the benefit of the doubt if a very possible consequence thereof involves more work for administrators.

FearTheLiving wrote...

When people come to a gaming site specifically for a game they usually come to talk about it not troll for no reason.

But some do; and some don't but accidentally break the rules anyway; and some will complain that rules are not being enforced or are too strict. There are many (gaming related) fora that allow custom avatars, most of them privately administered because the owners have no one to answer to -- unlike BioWare, who answers to EA, customers, and reviewers on a daily basis. It is not in BioWare's best interest to let this forum become another 4chan.

FearTheLiving wrote...

Bioware is a pretty big company teaming up with EA I think they can handle a bit of forum modding and if you actually read my post it doesn't necassarly have to be a member of Bioware or EA.

BioWare can handle a bit of forum modding. I would rather have them spend their zots making more games than more forum moderation. As far as using community members goes, I am not sure you comprehend how large a number 1.4 mio. (and growing) is. We're talking about a lot of moderators.

FearTheLiving wrote...

Also may I ask to what experience that you have in the matter that makes you come off as an expert in the field?

I did not claim to be an expert but I have and do manage considerably smaller communities where I have faced similar problems. It hardly takes an expert to see that I am right, however. I do not hope to be able to convince you of this.

FearTheLiving wrote...

The problem was not professionally solved if it takes 6 hours to get on it and about 20 thread topics made by the same person.

So you have been wronged by a single user with too much freedom and now you advocate that everyone should have more freedom? If anything we should have less.

Modifié par Snoteye, 08 février 2010 - 12:46 .

[FearTheLiving]

[quote]Snoteye wrote...
They have given those reasons (and I have relayed them to you) but I am not going to go look for an actual, useful quote. And they haven't allowed it. Really. They haven't. They just haven't stopped it either. My guess would be they haven't decided how to respond to an exploit they hadn't foreseen -- and as long as it isn't being abused they may not feel hard pressed to do so (an attitude I'd disagree with).[/quote]
You keep saying they gave reasons all it says is that it isn't permitted that isn't a reason. Either way I'm done discussing the DAO PC exploite its wrong and shouldn't be aloud if others can't do the same end of story.


[quote]You cannot imagine how serious I am. I vehemently oppose the IMG tag for the same reason. The problem is that I can't decide not to see somebody's avatar. If I had the option of hiding them it would be less of an issue (but still an issue, mind), but I don't. It should be my choice to see something (for a variety of reasons, including bandwidth and potential offensiveness of material), I should not be forced to view something because somebody on the other side of the globe thinks it's purdy.[/quote]
That's your opinon and your opinion alone doesn't run the forum.


[quote]One is two too many.[/quote]
That is a stupid that's like saying any one person does anything and you should just give up.


[quote]I do not see why we should give people the benefit of the doubt if a very possible consequence thereof involves more work for administrators.[/quote]
I'm not giving them the benefit of the doubt, that's just simple logic most people do not come to a specific gaming site for a particular game just to troll it, that's more popular for a gaming forum for all games.


[quote]But some do; and some don't but accidentally break the rules anyway; and some will complain that rules are not being enforced or are too strict. There are many (gaming related) fora that allow custom avatars, most of them privately administered because the owners have no one to answer to -- unlike BioWare, who answers to EA, customers, and reviewers on a daily basis. It is not in BioWare's best interest to let this forum become another 4chan.[/quote]
Yet again you turn to the worst look at most of the main stream gaming sites that do this there are hardly any problems that I've seen and I use them quite often.


[quote]I did not claim to be an expert but I have and do manage considerably smaller communities where I have faced similar problems. It hardly takes an expert to see that I am right, however. I do not hope to be able to convince you of this.[quote]
Do you realize how incredibly snooty you sound? Also what sites of you managed? You can't say your right without testing. Convice me what that some people are bad? Well you conviced me I know that. Each site is different but with a mature audience with a mature rating obsenity isn't really much of an issue either. Sure Bioware/EA still wouldn't want that being an avatar, but both games on this site are rated M anyways.


[quote]So you have been wronged by a single user with too much freedom and now you advocate that everyone should have more freedom? If anything we should have less.[/quote] A person who should have been banned from lack of mods yes, but I can honestly say that someone seeing an avatar isn't going to cause as much as an up roar and if they use my system it could work out, but yet again it would require some testing.

I suggest Bioware atleast start a poll for it and if the majority wants custom avatars to try it if it gets too out of hand shut it down. Also if your going to reply don't pick and choose what to reply too. When I put a couple of sentences into a debate don't simplify them to be more basic.

Hope that made sense typing in the dark and falling

[Snoteye]

FearTheLiving wrote...

I'm not giving them the benefit of the doubt, that's just simple logic most people do not come to a specific gaming site for a particular game just to troll it, that's more popular for a gaming forum for all games.

I agree, but some do.

FearTheLiving wrote...

Yet again you turn to the worst look at most of the main stream gaming sites that do this there are hardly any problems that I've seen and I use them quite often.

Users put a lot of effort into breaking systems. Some of them even do it intentionally. You should always assume, and prepare for, the worst, or you risk spending a lot of time taking out the garbage.

FearTheLiving wrote...

Do you realize how incredibly snooty you sound?

Yes, as a matter of fact. For what it's worth, I can assure you it's nothing personal.

FearTheLiving wrote...

Each site is different but with a mature audience with a mature rating obsenity isn't really much of an issue either. Sure Bioware/EA still wouldn't want that being an avatar, but both games on this site are rated M anyways.

Out of 13 games plus expansions, only three are rated M. This site is not rated M.

FearTheLiving wrote...

I suggest Bioware atleast start a poll for it and if the majority wants custom avatars to try it if it gets too out of hand shut it down.

The last thing we want is to leave such a decision to users. The majority is far too ignorant to be trusted with any kind of authority.

FearTheLiving wrote...

Also if your going to reply don't pick and choose what to reply too. When I put a couple of sentences into a debate don't simplify them to be more basic.

It was a critical flaw in your argument whichever way you look at it.

[Mudzr]

Wait, there are people all over the forums with kaiden, garrus, liara, etc. avatars, yet I can't seem to find them? How have these people gotten these avatars? is that what you're talking about?

[Kepha]

Mudzr wrote...

Wait, there are people all over the forums with kaiden, garrus, liara, etc. avatars, yet I can't seem to find them? How have these people gotten these avatars? is that what you're talking about?

They are manipulating the DA Character uploading functionality by overwriting the portrait of a DA character with a different image.

Modifié par Kepha, 08 février 2010 - 05:06 .

[StinkySQL]

Let me import my character in-game. Then all your "naughty avatar" issues are gone.

[El-Destructo]

The DA portrait thing seems like a potentially tolerable workaround for both sides. We gamers get a little bit of extra freedom and it is easier for Bioware to police people that refuse to not be jerks that abuse it, since uploading Dragon Age portraits requires registering your game CD key.

As a result, if someone does something objectionable with it and they get banned, they have to go buy a new copy and Bioware gets easy money if they want to exploit it again.

The problem with freely allowing people to set avatars in comparison is that it is far easier to simply create a new account to start trolling with. Accounts are free but game codes are not.

This is just my opinion of course.

A thought is that they could maybe, down the road, allow people with validly registered CD keys to set personal avatars for much the same reasons I've listed above.

Edit:
Of course it may well be the only reason Bioware hasn't done anything about the new 'functionality' of the character portrait feature is they don't know how to stop it without preventing people from uploading characters at all and are simply looking for an equitable solution. It won't bother me if they patch it in some way to prevent 'non-uniform' uploads, but I will miss Chitika vas Paws all the same. 

Modifié par El-Destructo, 08 février 2010 - 08:42 .

[Mass Fraud]

StinkySQL wrote...

Let me import my character in-game. Then all your "naughty avatar" issues are gone.

I would like that, I personally don't really like the default avatars.
I only have Duncan as mine, because he's so great.

[FearTheLiving]

Snoteye wrote...
Out of 13 games plus expansions, only three are rated M. This site is not rated M.

Wrong right now there is only Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2 boards where are you getting 13 games? This is a website made for Bioware/EA and both games on here are rated M fact.

[FearTheLiving]

El-Destructo wrote...

The DA portrait thing seems like a potentially tolerable workaround for both sides. We gamers get a little bit of extra freedom and it is easier for Bioware to police people that refuse to not be jerks that abuse it, since uploading Dragon Age portraits requires registering your game CD key.

As a result, if someone does something objectionable with it and they get banned, they have to go buy a new copy and Bioware gets easy money if they want to exploit it again.

The problem with freely allowing people to set avatars in comparison is that it is far easier to simply create a new account to start trolling with. Accounts are free but game codes are not.

This is just my opinion of course.

A thought is that they could maybe, down the road, allow people with validly registered CD keys to set personal avatars for much the same reasons I've listed above.

Edit:
Of course it may well be the only reason Bioware hasn't done anything about the new 'functionality' of the character portrait feature is they don't know how to stop it without preventing people from uploading characters at all and are simply looking for an equitable solution. It won't bother me if they patch it in some way to prevent 'non-uniform' uploads, but I will miss Chitika vas Paws all the same. 

This would be cool too, forcing them to register their games would also weed out most trolls as they usually hide behind newly created accounts anyways and wouldn't bother registering their game and if they did they could be punished.

[Snoteye]

FearTheLiving wrote...

Wrong right now there is only Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2 boards where are you getting 13 games? This is a website made for Bioware/EA and both games on here are rated M fact.

Inside jokes aside, this isn't Dragonbook. Or Mass Effect-book. BioBoards are being euthanized and this place will replace it. That means 12 other games, minus however many they decide to drop forum support for (if any). NWN's boards for sure will survive and that game isn't rated M.

[Ryukahn]

Mudzr wrote...

Wait, there are people all over the forums with kaiden, garrus, liara, etc. avatars, yet I can't seem to find them? How have these people gotten these avatars? is that what you're talking about?

Yeah, I was going crazy trying to figure out why I could not change my avatar to some of the ones I have seen, but I have my answer now thanks to this thread.  Hopefully they take these avatars down that are being exploited or at least add some new ones for ME2.