Topic

Staff Topic

A Better 'Block'

"When I block them, I just don't want to hear from them any more."

This is what we've heard over and over again from players in the Forums, in help cases, and in one-on-one conversations whenever blocking another player was discussed. Because it's not the case that every person who offends or annoys you is actually someone you'd want to report for abuse. Sometimes you just want the ability to tune them out.

So, yesterday we added something to the way blocking works. Now when you 'Block' someone, you won't see anything they type into any chat, whether it be Local, Global, Group or Party chats (unless you happen to unblock them later). 

It's taken some time to get here because we wanted to make sure it wouldn't introduce complications that a less involved block could avoid. For one, we talked about whether the potential for causing confusion by muting certain players in all your chats outweighed the benefits of not being exposed to them. In the end, we thought it did. This is the first of a few changes we'll make to blocking, and I'll make sure to give you updates on the rest of them here when they're all set to go. 

Update! (11/14/2011): Players you've blocked will no longer see growls about your arrivals, departures, and achievements in Local Chat, so you have a little more privacy as you move around the world.

Posted 13 months ago by Blanky Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

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  • +1 to Miso George. I love that. It'd be like a suspension. I believe they could vary from a couple of hours, then to 5 hours, then to a day, then 72 hours and so forth, until your account is finally banned from Glitch and you'd have to start anew.
    Posted 13 months ago by pretzelle Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 too to pretzelle's idea of multiple warning suspensions and then finally a ban.  That way the player gets plenty of opportunity to correct his (or her!) action before a full ban is implemented.
    Posted 13 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I wish there was a way to clearly see in auction listings which sellers you have blocked.

    I blocked someone yesterday, because I think they're a [censored], and five minutes later nearly bought something from them at auction.  I would have loved to see their name in red in the results list, or on the details page a note saying "You don't like this person, do you really want to give them your Currants?"

    ---
    Re: blocks adding up into a game suspension/ban -- I don't like it.  If you think a block should accumulate into a ban, you can 'Report Abuse' when you block;  I'm sure staff track abuse reports.  I usually don't report abuse when I block someone, because I block people that I personally don't like, not necessarily people who are so awful they shouldn't be in the game.  'Block' != Abusive gameplay.
    Posted 13 months ago by echan star Subscriber! | Permalink
  • WHOO-HOO!
    Posted 13 months ago by Jarhaven Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think that if something about suspensions would be added, it would need to be __ blocks = a Flag on your account. Not an instant suspension or ban. Just a flag to let staff know to keep an eye on them. Nobody else would need to see it (no need to create a negative bias towards someone) for it to be effective.
    Posted 13 months ago by Biohazard Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Blocks will not and should not be used for moderation purposes, because frequently the reasons you may have to block people do not actually constitute abuse. And, we have no way of knowing which blocks were used in actual instances of abuse and which were, "Just don't want to listen to that guy anymore". People that are annoying, or off-color, vaguely trolly, or even a bit overly profane - none of these are abusive in and of itself. If you see behavior that is indeed abuse according to the Community Guidelines (and rape jokes definitely fall into this category!!), you should report it separately from your block. 
    Posted 13 months ago by Blanky Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think the idea of blocking someone from buying your auctions or buying *from* them is a good idea too.

    Sad to hear the staff won't take our ideas into account on the issue of number of blocks equalling a ban at some point, but I can see where you guys are coming from Blanky.
    Posted 13 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Miso George, we always take your ideas into account! The whole block update was in part thanks to input from the community. But there are reasons (at least for now), why we can't incorporate this one. (One of which is: couldn't a system like that also be used *for* abusive purposes?)
    Posted 13 months ago by Blanky Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Blanky: couldn't a system like that also be used *for* abusive purposes?

    That's the first thing I thought of.
    Posted 13 months ago by BarryW Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hey guys, there's another component of Blocking which was added just today: 

    Update! (11/14/2011): Players you've blocked will no longer see growls about your arrivals, departures, and achievements in Local Chat, so you have a little more privacy as you move around the world. 
    (Taken from my original post above.)
    Posted 13 months ago by Blanky Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wooooooooo hoooooooooooooooo Blanky getting better and better! Thanks TS!
    Posted 13 months ago by Casombra Amberrose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I didn't know those were referred to as "Growls". Cool.

    Excellent change. :)
    Posted 13 months ago by Tibbi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Miso George
    "I think the idea of blocking someone from buying your auctions or buying *from* them is a good idea too."

    You're a horrible business man/woman/thing.

    Friend or foe, I don't care who buys from me.

    Then again, why is everyone letting people 100 miles+ get to them that bad? :L
    Posted 13 months ago by Volkov Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "You're a horrible business man/woman/thing."

    Perhaps, but I think to some people it's just more important to cut someone out of their daily gaming experience than it is to make a few currants.  Nothing wrong with that.

    Thanks for making block even better, and for listening to your residents.  :)
    Posted 13 months ago by Wintera Woodswitch Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I said the first thing because I don't know if the person I was replying to is a man/woman/thing.

    Then again why do people get mad over the Internet?
    Is there no handle on emotions nowadays? I understand blocking spam.
    But still, I would still sell to those blocked people.
    Personal opinion.
    Posted 13 months ago by Volkov Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I also would like to block people from buying from my auctions.  For a blocked player to have the ability to continually buy all of my auctions and then place them for a much higher price multiple times a day can be tiresome and make my game less enjoyable.  Good for you that it doesn't bother you, but would be a nice improvement for the player to block (even auctions) if they desire.  It may not bother you, but that shouldn't trivialize how another views it.  If something bothers you, but not me, it doesn't lessen the impact for you.
    Posted 13 months ago by NyteWytch Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's most unfortunate that some players will feel the need to hide from and ignore another human being; in a game which is meant to be played socially. I've always considered such tactics to be far to anti-social for myself to employ. Even in an online and mostly anonymous enviornment, people still can't manage to get along it seems. :-)

    IMHO If we feel the need to forcefully ignore someone who can not physically abuse us, thats a good indication of low self-esteem. In order to be emotionally abused we have to give our consent that the other person's opinions actually matter!
    Posted 13 months ago by Token☆ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @toonix So It's a bad thing to block someone saying: "SELLING CRAP MESSAGE ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111"? I would do the same thing is real life most likely.
    Posted 13 months ago by koolaroo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Toonix, that's not how emotional abuse works.
    Posted 13 months ago by Scarlett Bearsdale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yeah, psychological research directly opposes your assessment of emotional abuse, Toonix.
    Posted 13 months ago by Kaja Rainbow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Toonix... In real life I don't feel I need to be physically abused to not want someone in my life,
    I don't actually have to be abused in any form. 
    I don't have low self esteem because I don't like the way someone thinks, acts and talks. I avoid them, or if I'm obliged to see them (work or family), then I ignore them within the limits the situation concedes me. 
    I agree with one thing you wrote:
     In order to be emotionally abused we have to give our consent that the other person's opinions actually matter!
    However that would presume answering them, reacting to their provocations and getting upset by what they say. Putting them on ignore simply means using my free will to avoid someone that in real life wouldn't be able to invade my vital space, which is actually what they're doing in the shared space of a virtual world. 

    Posted 13 months ago by Zira Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Toonix, Just hearing certain phrases, words, whatever, that trigger my personal disgust response--that's what I have every right to try and limit here.  I'm not hiding from anything.  I'm forcibly engaging my index finger on the mute button.  And my self esteem absolutely SOARS when I respect myself enough to take measures to limit exposure to things I don't want to hear in here. 

    TS honorable staff, thank you thank you--a Hundred Times Thank You for the Block feature upgrades!  You continue to listen to us players and I certainly appreciate your response to this.
    Posted 13 months ago by ~Alice~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • 2 Things when you block a person:

    1) They can still see your chat, so it isn't exactly like facebook. (They also can see your forums posts, Profile Page etc).

    2) I'm not really in agreement with OPH's idea, because of what Blanky said. I'm not sure if their is some sort of Graph of blocks on a person, because if not, it would just amount to number of blocks which is bad. I have blocks for the following reasons: Invited people too much, learned from that, and moved on. No clear reason, didn't do anything to them and the next thing you know there's a block, last thing I remember is a chat... And finally giving someone a key to my house and they didn't want it because of the rules I've set that people might not have trouble going by but that's OK since the key got revoked by that. (Thanks Windborn for pointing this out.)

    And that's about it.
    Posted 13 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When I block a someone I don't even want to see them anymore. I don't like to see naked people and I really don't like the spedo freak that was following me.
    Posted 13 months ago by Bathsheba Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When I block a someone I don't even want to see them anymore. I don't like to see naked people and I really don't like the speedo freak that was following me.
    Posted 13 months ago by Bathsheba Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Will/can/does blocking prevent being affected by the blocked glitch's sneezing powder?  Once might be mildly amusing, but over and over and over for a considerable length of time is just griefing (and makes me lag).   It's not chat, though...
    Posted 13 months ago by Ninjakitten Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've been playing since beta and quite often. I log in every day. It's true I don't spend so much time mining or partying or whatever. But I'm always on Global Chat.

    And after aaaaall this time: I haven't had the need to block another glitchen.

    Is it for real that there are annoying or bad people out there in the game???

    Just wonderin'...
    Posted 13 months ago by Tamarnouche Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!
    Posted 13 months ago by NO DELETIN BACON>:O Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Are there any plans to increase the block to include forum posts from blocked players? I'd love that.
    Posted 13 months ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There are a very few people that I have blocked for various reasons. Though one stalked me through several streets, even when I doubled back to get away I eventually had to teleport home to make it stop. The situation was thankfully resolved by TS.

    You also can't see their chat, you can see them come and go but nothing that they actually say.

    The main reason for me to block is a rude and condescending attitude particularly when a person tries to impose their rules on me. TS staff are the only people who have the right to do that. I don't want any keys from them no matter what their rules may be and if they are blocked I wouldn't know or care what they were anyway. Because of this I haven't had any keys revoked and I'm quite happy with that. Thank you TS.
    Posted 13 months ago by Leithwyn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm coming into this late, but I am hoping it will still be read.

    One person I blocked today was taking advantage of my eyesight problems. He was hiding directly behind me.  I was busy feeding batterflies, being in a "sweet spot" where the crowd of batterflies were always there to catch and feed--all I had to do was stand there.  I didn't know until I'd fed over 100 meats to the batterflies that this JERK was standing right behind me, hiding behind my own Glitch, scooping up all but one of the guano on the ground as they fell. If he'd picked up the last one I'd have caught him sooner, I think.  As it was I didn't see him till I started trying to pick up the guano.  I asked him to return it, and he sent back an IM saying on the ground is fair game.  He has done this to others. I've seen screenies.

    I think if I've blocked him, he shouldn't be able to hide behind me like that, but apparently blocking makes it EASIER for him to sneak up on me?  I won't know he's there at all, couldn't SEE him if he's there now even if he isn't hidden behind my Glitch?  In real life I'd be ready to tase someone like this. I'm seriously upset with what he did and his attitude. I'd have given him the guano if he'd asked, you know. It's not the currants I lost, or the effort I had put into this.  It's that he has found a way to pickpocket me, to steal what was rightfully mine, the fruit of my effort, and mocked me in reply that too bad, local law enforcement says it's not a crime.
    Posted 12 months ago by So sorry Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Sorry this is happening Silky. Seems there are jerks around every corner lately. This guano thing along with community herb gardens. I am really sad to see such nastiness happening as of late... actually makes me sick to my stomach. Sad to see Glitch turning out this way really as I love this game! I think if this nastiness continues I am going to take a break from the game. It is getting too much to see all this negativity happening in a lovely little game that I have fallen in love with.
    Posted 12 months ago by Casombra Amberrose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Silky M,

    The player who is sneaking up on you is not the one who gets to decide if what he is doing is OK.  
    The only people who can decide whether it's OK to do what he is doing is TS staff.  The next time this happens, please use the Report Abuse option on your player menu to send a report to staff.  

    Even if doing it once or twice is still within the guidelines, continually harassing another player is not.  It may take several reports to establish the pattern of his behavior, but keep reporting.  Griefing is not allowed in this game.  
    Posted 12 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yes, this is a social game.  And, yes.  It reflects certain social aspects of real life.  One aspect of real life is that there are people out there who lack social skills and do not know how to conduct themselves in social situations.  In the real world, these people typically have trouble maintaining friendships, holding down a job, and generally avoiding conflict.  These are the people we politely ask to stop calling us incessantly or at odd hours.  These are the people who are reprimanded at work for behaving inappropriately towards their co-workers.  
    If someone is pestering the ever-living dookie out of you, it is actually a sign of *healthy* self esteem to first ask them to stop, then to take further action when their behavior begins to interfere with your daily functions.  In the game, our quests and goals are representative of real life daily functions.  When you cannot tend to activities around your home without a player knocking on your door and demanding to be let in repeatedly or when you cannot walk down a street because some little kid thinks it's amusing to splank you 50 times in a row, it's time to stand up for yourself.  
    Refusing to put up with sociopathic behavior is not indicative of an aversion to normal social interactions.

    Peace,
    LV
    Posted 12 months ago by Little Violet Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Necromancer say whaaaaaat
    Posted 12 months ago by Volkov Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Blanky I was re-reading this thread and I just noticed this. 

    " off-color, vaguely trolly, or even a bit overly profane - none of these are abusive in and of itself. If you see behavior that is indeed abuse according to the Community Guidelines (and rape jokes definitely fall into this category!!)"

    Okay, not to diminish the horribleness of rape, but, um, the horribleness of racism is considered lesser...? Off color jokes are simply annoying and not intrinsically abusive but rape jokes are? Gonna call this one out.
    Posted 12 months ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • You read that terribly wrong.
    smh
    Posted 12 months ago by Volkov Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "off color" usually means sexual or scatological.
    Posted 12 months ago by Fnibbit Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Liza -- "off-color" is a vernacular English phrase often used in America (not sure where you're from) which simply means "vulgar."  It has nothing to do with race or skin color.  Racist jokes are not at all acceptable, and I think they'd count as both abuse and a TOS violation.
    Posted 12 months ago by Ashbet Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh, well then. I had a feeling that's not really what Blanky meant :P But I thought it was an issue of bad examples. Apparently I just never interpreted the use of that word correctly. I apologize for the misunderstanding :P
    Posted 12 months ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
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