View Full Version : Creative Assembly Gamespy, Do they Really Love Us?
well im lost for words, it seems gamespy, more affectionatly known as GaySpy, has been muting a lot of people for unjust reasons. Kyle and Battle Scar are but two, if you have been muted by gamespy, please share your stories here, it may help the community become aware of what mods see as viable or not in thier foyer
Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe
06-14-2003, 15:07
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/shock.gif
Did GS provide any reason for muting?
Nobody ever answer me in the foyer, but I guess it's no proof I have been muted http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif
Louis the Simurgh,
Knight_Yellow
06-14-2003, 15:30
hmm i know Kyle and Battlescar
dont know why they would be gettin muted though.
f'n gay spy
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
It was surprising to me that Battle-Scar got muted (Templar said she even got banned). Then when Templar wrote to GameSpy, he got muted too
This Chat Monitor - Komodo Dragon - Wall Lizzard is getting out hands. These people have no concept of what is good what is bad. I can live with a few spammer (I can always ignore them) but muting one of the nicest persons is beyond comprehension.
Are the planets align the wrong way or what? "Happiness only comes once in a while, terrible things always come in triplet".
Annie
Mithrandir
06-14-2003, 16:06
Muting Batle Scar is definately weird http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif
anyway how does all this work? based on the player name? ip? cd-key? the chatmonitor belongs to gamespy, activision, ca?
Hm maybe people should work on an alternate server instead of another forum/website http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Sounds a bit strict?
CBR
youssof_Toda
06-14-2003, 16:29
CA/Gayspy should write a guide: "How to kill one of the most beatifull mp games of all times."
RTKLamorak
06-14-2003, 16:46
sadly youssof that phrase is spot on http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif
GilJaysmith
06-14-2003, 17:19
It's GameSpy who bans or mutes players in their chatrooms, although CA can independently deactivate someone's CD key, and of course either we or Activision could report someone to GameSpy and ask them to take steps.
Further to that, though, here are a couple of observations which should be thrown in for the sake of balance:
First, I won't name names or dredge up the details, but some of you might remember what happened last time there was a big outcry over an unjust and untrue attack on a respected MTW player's reputation - it turned out to be justified and true after all. I don't know what anyone has been banned or muted for, but there's always the possibility it was because they were acting like an offensive idiot.
Second, if you think the casual use of the term 'GaySpy' is acceptable, you might not be the right people to comment on whether someone's online behaviour is acceptable.
However, with all that said, if you feel GameSpy is handling the chatroom and its chatters with an inappropriately heavy hand, give me a list of details and I'll try to take it up with them.
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif T*** http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif
Knight_Yellow
06-14-2003, 20:00
why dont we just do it this way
Gamespy does not have the right to ban ppl
if a player feels annoyed by another player its simple just mute them manualy
its got f*** all to do with what some gamespy geek has to do with it.
Maybe i should change my sig to
"i want a multiplayer that doesnt ban my friends for no reason"
i dont care what ppl say Kyle and Battlescar could never have said anything worth a banning/muting.
Gil:
Reffering to Gamespy as Gayspy is perfectly understandable when this sorta uncalled for banning crap starts happening.
hell they can me too i dont care cos i lost all interest im MP TW.
im not really fond of gamespy.. never have been, and now we have the lurking mod, it seems as if even the foyer will become a silent place
As it is very easy to #ignore people you dont want to hear gamespy shouldnt have the right to mute anyone...
TGI http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/angry.gif
MK_HenryV
06-15-2003, 07:47
I don't about the rest of the world - am certain that the U.S have it, but since the intro of the Human Rights Act over here in the UK and the European Convention on Human Rights, FREE SPEECH is considered a pretty massive deal
I agree with everyone here, whilst racist/etc chat has no place in the game room, all of us here are capable of typing #ignore and you normally find that anyone who is being out of order to another player is reprimanded by the rest of the game room and in extreme circs. is banned by other players from playing their games.
Banter (friendly abuse) is a fundamental part of the game, to remove it would be to remove half the fun from mp. Its a tricky situ, but I am not sure that GS have any legal authority to ban/mute someone unless they were being racist/etc. If this is the situ (and I'm not talking about things like "you British mother ... er") then something had to be done, but can you at the Org at least find out a set of guidelines as to what we can or cannot say.
For eg: If I were to call Chat Monitor a sad, lonely man who has to cut the nuggets of mould from his anal beard due to the length of time he spends sitting on his fat arse, would that be considered muteable. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/argue.gif
youssof_Toda
06-15-2003, 11:40
Actually Gil I was taking this topic more general. I'm convinced of the goodwill of at least a good part of the ppl involved in this game. I'm even more convinced of the incompetence of some others (and by that I'm referring to the men in the big chairs of whom I would be surprised if they would even have the slightest idea of what this game is about).
Jst a few examples:
1. Inbalances which for whatever reason aren't fixed. Much of this due to the fact that it is impossible and uneconomical to balance so many different units. In RTW even more units (with different stats?) will be added (which I hope wont have the result we can all expect from it).
2. Crapy MTW server (improved since its first version) with features like the own chatrooms removed.
3. Again(!http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif splitting community by hosting expack games on a different server than the original game (seems the lessons out of the stw/mi experience were forgotten).
4. The discussion in this topic about mod behaviour.
As long as the Total War series are the only strategy game of its kind CA/Gayspy/whoever-else-is-involved will get away with these kind of flaws. Since the bosses don't seem to feel any moral obligations to deliver a proper product we can only hope that competition will arrive at some point to force them to do so.
I believe that you had to agree to a TOS to sign up for Gamespy. Since they own it they will reserve the right to mute or ban members for certain abuse as outlined in the TOS (terms of service). Legally, this is justifiable. If they are acting outside their published TOS then they may be liable for legal action. At least in the US law says they must follow the TOS. Freedom of speech goes a long way but is not absolute. Abusive speech would not be allowed. However I would think the offending member would get a warning before being banned or muted. And being muted just for asking about someone else`s muting (trying to shut someone up) should be actionable.
Sometime`s companies will feel they can do whatever they wish just because they have the power. And it is up to the offended party to seek restitution (unmuting and an apology).
Croaker
I suggest all members of the community express civility to Gamespy as an entity and address it using its own name. Gamespy, despite what the players perceived as not having any added values, actually provides monitored servers. Somebody has to pay for the servers...
Giljay:
The online name of the person is Battle_Scar. She couldn't chat on foyer nor in private chat, or in unit selection. But she could talk using 't' or 'y' in game. She told me yesterday she (through her husband), contacted Gamespy and they said they didn't ban or muted Battle_Scar. Seems they don't know what happened.
Also, one of my clansmate has this problem with MTW. Her player name is [FF]Unicorn or Lady-Valeria. She couldn't chat during Unit Selection phase, but could write to Foyer or send private chat. This happens intermittently, and as of this morning, she has the problem.
I heard that someone had same problem but has to reinstall everything to get around the problem.
It is very appreciative, at least from myself, to have a CA representative reading this forum.
Annie
Hmm Yes I had that problem some time ago. Could only chat in battle. Guess I'm not the only one who has been the victim of that bug/whatever it was.
Edit: Dont know what GameSpy normally does but I would think they send an email if they really ban/mute someone.
CBR
t1master
06-16-2003, 22:24
from what i've seen in the foyar, those who are acting outta line usually get an ear full from those who are there to play the game and enjoy the company of good friends and opponents. mp goers seem pretty good at policing themselves and acting accordingly.
Quote[/b] (LadyAnn @ June 16 2003,23:27)]I suggest all members of the community express civility to Gamespy as an entity and address it using its own name. Gamespy, despite what the players perceived as not having any added values, actually provides monitored servers. Somebody has to pay for the servers...
Giljay:
The online name of the person is Battle_Scar. She couldn't chat on foyer nor in private chat, or in unit selection. But she could talk using 't' or 'y' in game. She told me yesterday she (through her husband), contacted Gamespy and they said they didn't ban or muted Battle_Scar. Seems they don't know what happened.
Also, one of my clansmate has this problem with MTW. Her player name is [FF]Unicorn or Lady-Valeria. She couldn't chat during Unit Selection phase, but could write to Foyer or send private chat. This happens intermittently, and as of this morning, she has the problem.
I heard that someone had same problem but has to reinstall everything to get around the problem.
It is very appreciative, at least from myself, to have a CA representative reading this forum.
Annie
.. ah.. woman is always a headache http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif
j/k Ann http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif
I think I saw Battle_Scar the last weekend. She ok now?
Nope, she's still hosting games having names like "Battle_Scar is muted boohoo" and "joined muted boohoo"
Annie
Brutal DLX
06-17-2003, 08:33
For real? I played with her and battle wound a couple of days ago and we could chat just fine, in private, lobby and in game. Guess the bug struck again now...
spacecadet
06-17-2003, 09:12
Quote[/b] (t1master @ June 16 2003,22:24)]mp goers seem pretty good at policing themselves and acting accordingly.
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif
@Annie:
I have seen that kind of problem (although only in in-unit-selection messages) with players who have a space/low-dash in his/her name. Celtibero_Zuri didn't read his clan mates for months, until someone (a SPQR I think) said it has to do with the _. Removing it solved the problem. Please, tell Battle_Scar to try it, may be it works for her too
BTW, I'm not sure Gamespy is muting anybody, unless obscene cases. I think ChatMonitor even has a little sense of humour (or infinite patience). Some days ago there were seen some Celti-bots in the foyer, and they (errr... we http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif )didn't get muted or anything else.
Well.... it seems that our own unicorn has got this problem now as well.
The last words she was able to say in the lobby were:
activision how can you sell a game full of bugs with out even tryed it propely. Only reason is you are money hungry and dont care about people .
She strongly suspects that is what caused her ban in the lobby and it strenghten her ideas about the primitive dictator way activision and gs are treating games....
Also, she got very annoyed about customer support when she tried to get information as well as a working solution about what exactly happened...
SPQR__DoUrden
07-20-2003, 20:14
hiya guys....
It was me who pointed out that some times , players with online names contating ONE _ sometiems lose the abiltiy to chat INTHISGAME , ALLIES when in a GAME FOYER...
SPQR clan , as you may know tends to use SPQR followed by
ONE _ ....
eg: SPQR_Name..
We as a clan found out that after a week or two , for no reason , we lsot the ability to CHAT ina GAME FOYER
answer.....
(A) remove the SINGLE _
or
(B) do what we did and increase the lines from
SPQR_Name to this::>>> SPQR__Name
help this helps..
AND GAMESPY: comeon guys , gamespy is a ENTITY
NOT a person...........
sure some customer service staff need LESSIONS in customer service.... , but please do not group an entire company into one FRAME OF REFERANCE..
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/argue.gif
yours sincerally , EX spqr member DoUrden http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
the chat monitor is a person, an admin of gamespy
sometimes its a bot
but in truth, ive seen people get muted
Thanks for that info DoUrden.
Only FF does not use any _ in their names. I have had the problem of not being able to chat in game chat although I never used any _ in my name. I think Unicorn's problem is not due to the _ issue. Also note that she has a problem in lobby chat as well. This could be due to something else. Btw if you read the "INterview with Michael de Plater" article you will notice that the Gamespy admins are pretty hot headed. I would not be surprised if someone got muted without prior notice.
The Chat Monitor is a bot, but an admin can at any time command that user name and intervene in any of the Medieval lobbies. An admin can review all chat that has taken place in any of the Medieval lobbies. This makes it easy for person A to get person B banned or whatever by qouting the time and date of the incident. In this case an admin will review the log (theoretically) to find the incident. I doubt if they actually review the log on a daily basis, it is like the phone tap used in business transactions. At time the Chatty person has spoken to me.....OMG THE LIGHT THE LIGHT I AM BLESSED http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif so anyway the bot can talk.
Just as a reminder:
Some time ago I suddenly couldnt chat anymore thread (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=2;t=6161) . No one could see what I was typing, only in a battle. Foyer, gameroom, allies and private.. everything.
My older pc worked fine and so did Gamespy arcade. I never really found out what was wrong. I didnt do a roll back on XP(should have tried that first) and ended up doing a format and reinstall Windows and that helped.
CBR
Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe
07-21-2003, 13:32
CBR,
Your system was so ashamed by what you were typing (apology of Da Mighty Click, how good is swipe feature, not to mention harming la pitufina), that it prefered to mute itself.
Nobody was complaining http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif. Was a good feature
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif
Louis the simurgh,
MizuKokami
08-19-2003, 06:06
in some places i've been in chats, the power to kick or mute a person rests in bots that have no conscience, and lack judgement in situations...for instance....peacock would be a naughty word. so...imho, if the chat monitor is not a liveing person, or at the least, is not a person reading logs to check context as well as content, then it should be removed.
gah, im muted
but i havent recieved any notice about it, all i now is no-one can see me talking, and i cant remember bagging Gayspy in ages
Ah thats why you didnt say hello...
You have any type of system restore? Might try that first.
CBR
system resolve, what do you mean by that?
Restore
XP and I think windows 2000 has it too..ME also? You can basically undo changes and move back in time.
I forgot to do it when I had the bug.
CBR
fair enough, being a noob at PC's, your gonna have to tell me how
Well I have XP... but I can find it under the start menu..maybe called system tools? (I have Danish version)
If its activated then it should be pretty straightforward to go back..a few days perhaps. Just to last time you played MTW and had no problems.
Another thing: have you installed anything the last few days?
CBR
ElmarkOFear
10-15-2003, 00:04
..
same here, its still not going well for me, ill give another crack at things tomorrow
this does seem bad, i hope you get it all fixed alro http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
well untill its all fixed ill have 2 users online, me via gamespy and me via MTW, the gamespy one can at least chat
If anyone has any SPECIFIC things that would help Gil understand what is going on (like some have already written) they should put it here, as you as the consumer have slim to no power with Gamespy.....and slim just left town. Last year my entire university got blocked by Gamespy because some idiot here tried to hack their servers or something. So for about 2 weeks, none of us could play. I contacted Gamespy myself, and they gave me the brush off every time. Our Network Services finally had to contact them as they told me they "didn't address individual issues". I guess I'm not worthy of their time. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif
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