Having a hot woman as avatar may attract some inappropriate comments, but it also has advantages: many guys will help you in the game trying to make a connection with a pretty girl :)

IMHO shiphilis' avi is a model, rather than her real picture (unlike XXXgirl whose mrs piggy looks more likely to be the players pic)

I chose a neutral avi cause I'm not here for romance

^ Kermie??

Why does a stereotype remark elicit an insult but a personal attack gets humour? It should be the reverse.

Sadly being insulted is par for the course with a free online game with in game chat facilities.

Because it's free, the average age is much lower than you'd get in a paid for game. Hence the intelligence level is lower and you are more likely to come across opponents who's only option is to resort to play ground name calling. They do it because they are too stupid to think of a witty comment, and do it here, because they are not brave enough to vent their emotions in front of a real life person.

The issue however is one of harassment generally, not sexual harassment per say. Let me explain: You see a lot of abusive chat in the games, one guy Changeling totally lost it with me, calling me every name he could think of, cockface etc (the list wasn't very long, as I said, not that bright). He used many methods of attack trying to get under my skin. Had I had a female avatar however, he would have used that. The battle of the sexes is an easy drum to beat. The very fact that you started this thread Sophalis, proves that it works as it has clearly bothered you.

IMO the only solution will be a technical one implemented by Ryan. Options are:

- Profanity filter the chat: this is unlikely to be successful.
- Add an /ignore command: this won't stop it, but it will mean you won't have to read it.
- Add a /report command: as noted, Ryan would get flooded with reports, real and imagined.
- Implement mods, who have the power to ban / kick / silence, players. The risk here is how trustworthy are the mods and who holds them to account?
- Implement a /sinbin option, or similar: say if someone gets 3 votes in a game, they can no longer chat for a period of 5 minutes.

Anyway, there are lots of options, it comes down to whether Ryan has the will and motivation to tackle it.

"IMHO shiphilis' avi is a model, rather than her real picture (unlike XXXgirl whose mrs piggy looks more likely to be the players pic) "

firstly, if you're trying to comment about someone it might be wise to spell their name correctly.

secondly, if i were a man with a model's picture up, don't you think the girl in question might be lean and large breasted and wearing very little, rather than a fully clothed, not erotic in the slightest, face shot? i'm flattered that you think i look like a model, but amused that you think it impossible that what you consider to be an attractive female might actually play kdice from time to time, and that someone with what you consider to be an unattractive picture (it was completely unnecessary to insult dicey like that, by the way) must therefore be the real player.

this is definitely a picture of me. full stop.

i can't find a way to edit my previous post, but i was ging to add on that, aside from those who have tried to turn this from a serious post into a humerous one, i'm really pleased by the amount of support that people have been expressing for the idea. i really hope that the moderation system can be brought in, and work towards the elimination of the worst kinds of abuse and harrassment on this site.

Here's a nice case in point Sophalis, I just had a game I was clearly winning, F*I*E*N*D was an easy 2nd with Brown in third. However he grew to within a few territories of me, and had stockpiled several attacks in reserve dice, so I cut him and F*I*E*N*D started attacking me. Here's the exchange:

F*I*E*N*D: flag brown
GuiltyCol: you should be attacking him [not me]
F*I*E*N*D: yr [brown] just giving points away
F*I*E*N*D: u cut me
GuiltyCol: I left you 5v2
GuiltyCol: for 2nd
F*I*E*N*D: just kill brown
F*I*E*N*D: this is pointless
GuiltyCol: I cut you cos your stock pile of troops were building up
F*I*E*N*D: i said i wouldnt attack you
F*I*E*N*D: im a man of honour
GuiltyCol: I believe you
F*I*E*N*D: brown yr an idiot
GuiltyCol: ;-)
[game ends, Brown 3rd, F*I*E*N*D 2nd]
GuiltyCol: gg
seleo has left
F*I*E*N*D: col yr a cock
F*I*E*N*D: go fuck yrself
GuiltyCol: :-O
GuiltyCol: what was that for?
F*I*E*N*D has left.

I have no doubt that if I had a female avatar, the unprovoked personal insults would have been sexual in nature.

u make a fair point soph, but being a chick works in your favour too...

let me ask u this and answer it honestly, how many games have u got 1st/2nd/3rd when u dint deserve it cos u r a girl?

i'll bet u say none but fact is u probly have many. when things go ur way, ur chuffed to bits but when theu dont, well u know...

the fact is sex, race, age, wotever.. shud not be a factor in this game but it is!

u have 2 options imo, remove ya avatar if u cant handle the fact small minded idiots play this game (cos they do, and it will be the only wat around avoiding comments)

or

deal with it!

its really is that simple.

just for the record, i dont condone what weedeater said and he is probly a 13 year old lil freak that strokes 1 out to the sound of his parents doing it but u know wotever

aw

This might help: You can mute a player by typing:

/mute player_name

in the chat box (players are muted for the length of the session, or till you use the /unmute command).

Thankfully one can also mute his/herself.