Discussion on the <Blacklist> function

[hynaku]

It is functioning as intended. It's not supposed to be nice but it is actually quite neutral all things considered. It's supposed to work the way it does so that a person can continue to have their gaming experience unaltered or untainted by poor behavior, RMT spam, trolling, etc. Granted all of that is relative to the person doing the blacklisting. They may find something offensive that others don't. The world isn't always a nice place, but having some measure of peace and quiet can help sometimes.

Doesn't work how it should GM told me once that anyone had blacklisted would never be in your party using duty finder. Know once had a very bad experience where they sexual harassed me and even some how got my email address and sent nude pics. My parent had to finally take care up it since was there email he sent them to. It needs fixed because sure doesn't work like how it should be.

[JunseiKei]

A "Blacklist" feature. Must be filed in tandem with a "report player action" for documentation via GM.
Can only be implemented by GM, can only be lifted by GM, via automated ticket. The automatic functions are auto-approved, these functions include everything the current "blacklist" offers. However, if the report is investigated to be true and the offending player is flagged by multiple blacklist requests citing actual offences, GM will investigate and take action as necessary.
If action is taken, the requesting player will be "offered" additional options, and depending on the severity of the case, options of character name/image change, server transfer, two-way hard-coded concealment of in-game character and assets (yes, find a way to implement that code), and other supportive actions. May be transferred to customer support.

This is not a good suggestion. Game staff is incredibly small compared to your playerbase. This would require a system that knows who you're reporting and why. This does not consider players that will blacklist first (trust me, they exist, even if you don't think they do). This also doesn't prevent blacklist request spamming, and vicariously, floods the GMs' ticket queues, making investigations take even longer (because now they have to sort through spam). The end result you suggest is a player being given free pay items. That's a recipe for abuse right there. There are resources outside of the game to track who players are and were that are beyond SE's control.

[Vahlnir]

Doesn't work how it should GM told me once that anyone had blacklisted would never be in your party using duty finder. Know once had a very bad experience where they sexual harassed me and even some how got my email address and sent nude pics. My parent had to finally take care up it since was there email he sent them to. It needs fixed because sure doesn't work like how it should be.

That sounds like an issue that went far beyond the blacklist system. I never said it was perfect though, just that it serves its general purpose, probably for a majority of people. Most things can be improved though and the blacklist is no exception. But what you said here? Yeah, I doubt even an improved blacklist could have really fixed that. You have my sympathies regardless, that sounds awful.

[NanaWiloh]

No, I am sorry no sugar coating. If you afk, go offline, act like a jerk or just be plain lazy in a dungeon/raid I am vote kicking you. I mostly blacklist RMT bots and only on rare occasions have I blacklisted a player, the few that I have were getting under my skin which is not easy to do. Players have a right to ignore or not interact with players they dont like or agree with. Players have the right too remove another player from a dungeon or raid be it for playstyle,afking,etc. No one should be forced to tolerate others or go carebear mode to avoid hurting someones feelings.

[Raqrie_Tohka]

90% of replies are missing my main point (though I admit it’s not explained very clearly).

Blacklist, being a key subsequent action from toxicity, is not necessary nor fit to address many “lesser” cases of toxicity. While the more extreme cases of toxicity cannot be fully addressed or have their effects soothed simply by blacklist.

Furthermore, it is but a reaction, not a cure, to the symptom and not the cause. Many causes of player aggression or hostility, ranging from pressure from content and how the content is structured, to lack of supporting and positive social influence, all indirectly affect what we are scrutinizing and trying to improve, which is prevalent and permeating effects of in-game toxicity and all forms of systemic pressure, including but not particularly limited to the blacklist function and related systems.

Possible flaws and shortcomings of the system itself was also explored and briefly discussed, but which as idea points did not make much logical sense, understandably, as they were considered within a limited framework of only real and current perspectives of the system. “Theoretical” musings were largely (read: completely) ignored because I have the writing capability of a sandstone tile.

But in the end, that does not mean they system is perfect, there is no problem, and all my related suggestions/theories are worthless! I apologize for failing at it but in the end I too wish the game could be better. Just probably best to not hold it to “perfection” standards yet.

[Vahlnir]

90% of replies are missing my main point (though I admit it’s not explained very clearly).

Blacklist, being a key subsequent action from toxicity, is not necessary nor fit to address many “lesser” cases of toxicity. While the more extreme cases of toxicity cannot be fully addressed or have their effects soothed simply by blacklist.

Furthermore, it is but a reaction, not a cure, to the symptom and not the cause. Many causes of player aggression or hostility, ranging from pressure from content and how the content is structured, to lack of supporting and positive social influence, all indirectly affect what we are scrutinizing and trying to improve, which is prevalent and permeating effects of in-game toxicity and all forms of systemic pressure, including but not particularly limited to the blacklist function and related systems.

Possible flaws and shortcomings of the system itself was also explored and briefly discussed, but which as idea points did not make much logical sense, understandably, as they were considered within a limited framework of only real and current perspectives of the system. “Theoretical” musings were largely (read: completely) ignored because I have the writing capability of a sandstone tile.

But in the end, that does not mean they system is perfect, there is no problem, and all my related suggestions/theories are worthless! I apologize for failing at it but in the end I too wish the game could be better. Just probably best to not hold it to “perfection” standards yet.

You are correct. It does NOT solve the issues that tend to lead to blacklisting. That falls to the players and the players alone. But it is better than having no way at all to deal with it.

[Vidu]

90% of replies are missing my main point (though I admit it’s not explained very clearly).

Blacklist, being a key subsequent action from toxicity, is not necessary nor fit to address many “lesser” cases of toxicity. While the more extreme cases of toxicity cannot be fully addressed or have their effects soothed simply by blacklist.

Furthermore, it is but a reaction, not a cure, to the symptom and not the cause. Many causes of player aggression or hostility, ranging from pressure from content and how the content is structured, to lack of supporting and positive social influence, all indirectly affect what we are scrutinizing and trying to improve, which is prevalent and permeating effects of in-game toxicity and all forms of systemic pressure, including but not particularly limited to the blacklist function and related systems.

Possible flaws and shortcomings of the system itself was also explored and briefly discussed, but which as idea points did not make much logical sense, understandably, as they were considered within a limited framework of only real and current perspectives of the system. “Theoretical” musings were largely (read: completely) ignored because I have the writing capability of a sandstone tile.

But in the end, that does not mean they system is perfect, there is no problem, and all my related suggestions/theories are worthless! I apologize for failing at it but in the end I too wish the game could be better. Just probably best to not hold it to “perfection” standards yet.

Its neither the game nor its playerbase job to "cure" the cause of why people might blacklist someone.

Seriously, this a video game - an entertainment product - that people play in their freetime. Its not the place to teach people good manners or behaviour and considering that the majority of the playerbase are most likely people between 20 and 40 (kind of a wild guess, I'll admit) we should have the reasonable expectation that they come into this game knowing how to behave in a more or less social enviroment.

I spend my work day trying to teach children around 10 how to behave, I certainly dont want to have to deal with that when I come home.
So... when someone behaves poorly, I want to be able to make sure I have to deal with them as little as possible. And thats what the blacklist is.

Its not a punishment-tool or a tool to better peoples behaviour - again, a video game is not the place for that. Its a tool that allows people to keep the jerks out of their personal game experience.
SE cant do anything to change that fact that there are jerks in this world. We, as players, cant do much about that either - unless you want to sit down with such a jerk who just insulted you to tell them that that was really mean, hurt your feelings and to please not do that again (please try and tell me how that went...).
The underlying problem here cant be fixed and its not a problem a videogame company should even attempt to fix.

As a last note: You spoke about people considering the feelings of the poor, poor person being blacklisted... to that I can only say: Most people dont blacklist without a reason, so chances are that person did something bad/wrong enough that someone else doesnt want to play with them anymore. Poor soul! Being such a jerk that other people would rather not interact with them anymore! Yeah, we should totally consider the feelings of such a person...

[RoyalBeef]

90% of replies are missing my main point (though I admit it’s not explained very clearly).

Blacklist, being a key subsequent action from toxicity, is not necessary nor fit to address many “lesser” cases of toxicity. While the more extreme cases of toxicity cannot be fully addressed or have their effects soothed simply by blacklist.

Furthermore, it is but a reaction, not a cure, to the symptom and not the cause. Many causes of player aggression or hostility, ranging from pressure from content and how the content is structured, to lack of supporting and positive social influence, all indirectly affect what we are scrutinizing and trying to improve, which is prevalent and permeating effects of in-game toxicity and all forms of systemic pressure, including but not particularly limited to the blacklist function and related systems.

Possible flaws and shortcomings of the system itself was also explored and briefly discussed, but which as idea points did not make much logical sense, understandably, as they were considered within a limited framework of only real and current perspectives of the system. “Theoretical” musings were largely (read: completely) ignored because I have the writing capability of a sandstone tile.

But in the end, that does not mean they system is perfect, there is no problem, and all my related suggestions/theories are worthless! I apologize for failing at it but in the end I too wish the game could be better. Just probably best to not hold it to “perfection” standards yet.

Sorry, for me there is no point. It's word salad containing "toxicity" thrice per sentence and something about "systemic pressure"
What I get from it is another try to force players upon parties when those parties decided they don't want to play with that person. if you're on my blacklist, you are there for a good reason. Do I want you out of the game? No, keep supporting the game financially, that benefits me as well. But I don't want you in my parties, and I don't want to accidently join your parties bc I forgot who you are. So blacklist is working as intended.