Guild Wars Guru

NCSoft Wants you to PlaySafe...

1 pages • Page 1
Omega X
Omega X
Ninja Unveiler
• #1
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=10754

Quote:
September 5, 2006

NCSoft Announces PlaySafe MMO Program

NCSoft Announces PlaySafe MMO Program Major MMO publisher NCSoft (Guild Wars, City Of Heroes) has announced the creation of PlaySmart, a public service program promoting personal safety and data security when playing online games.

According to the company, the scheme targets personal safety including tips for families who play online games, and data security covering issues such as data loss or online scams. The set of guidelines will be placed on a card in all of NCsoft’s retail game packs as well as being available on NCsoft’s game portal, PlayNC.com.

Some of the tips to be given out as part of PlaySmart include the following:

For personal safety:
Parents should review a game’s ratings to ensure they are age appropriate for children.
-Parents should monitor or even play computer games with their children.
-Parents should be aware of the social interaction their children have in games, including chat -features and email exchanges.

For data security:
-Never give out your credit card information to anyone.
-Never give out personal information such as name or address to anyone after you have signed up for an online game subscription.
-Do not give out passwords or account information to friends so they may play on your account.

NCsoft commented that it has "chosen to proactively develop a program, which if followed, may help to make playing online games a more positive experience for individuals and families by helping to reduce risk factors". It is unclear whether the program might be designed to be adapted by any rival MMO companies, however.

The guidelines are being developed by NCsoft in accordance with industry standards made available at such sources as the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). NCsoft will also organize a panel of experts, including security and behavioral authorities to create, review and update the PlaySmart guidelines each year.

Robert Garriott, CEO of NCsoft North America, commented of the announcement: “PlaySmart is an effort to educate our customers about these issues and offer simple guidelines to help mitigate problems inherent in interacting online."
You would think that this would have came sooner rather than later from a company that specializes in MMOs.
Zinger314
Zinger314
Debbie Downer
• #2
So it's actually possible to run a program telling people to use common sense?

Where do I sign up?
KiyaKoreena
KiyaKoreena
Desert Nomad
• #3
They are coming out with it now because people cant use common sense and need everything written down in front of them so they can remember.
Minus Sign
Minus Sign
Jungle Guide
• #4
the "Slippery When Wet"/"Caution HOT Coffee"! sign of the MMO gaming industry...had to come sometime...
TheMosesPHD
TheMosesPHD
Jungle Guide
• #5
I think this is one of the things the 2000's are gonna be remembered for: The decade without common sense. Wasn't around or after 2000 when most of all these silly warnings started popping up on everything?
g
generik
Desert Nomad
• #6
NCSoft is full of corporate suits who knows nothing about their market other than how things "sound". Sorry, that's just my take. This has gotta be the dumbest press release ever.
Evilsod
Evilsod
Banned
• #7
Moses... i think you may be right. My friends 'This sign has sharp corners' picture is a classic.
TheMosesPHD
TheMosesPHD
Jungle Guide
• #8
Quote:
Originally Posted by generik
NCSoft is full of corporate suits who knows nothing about their market other than how things "sound". Sorry, that's just my take. This has gotta be the dumbest press release ever.
NCSoft deciding to release this information doesn't reflect positive or negative on NCSoft at all. It's merely a sign of the times.
bart
bart
Desert Nomad
• #9
"-Parents should monitor or even play computer games with their children."

hehe this sounds like an advertising bit.
R
Riken Chrono
Desert Nomad
• #10
yeh it does.
e
eternal pho
Banned
• #11
common sense ftw =D
Zinger314
Zinger314
Debbie Downer
• #12
I'm doing my part!

Lampshade
Lampshade
Wilds Pathfinder
• #13
So it's like "The internet for dummies?"
draxynnic
draxynnic
Furnace Stoker
• #14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evilsod
Moses... i think you may be right. My friends 'This sign has sharp corners' picture is a classic.
Or, my favourite: "Caution: Low Signpost"

And that dates back to the mid-to-late '90s. It may only be getting really obvious in this decade, but the signs were there (if you'll excuse the expression) in the last.
S
Silver_Fang
Lion's Arch Merchant
• #15
Quote:
Originally Posted by draxynnic
Or, my favourite: "Caution: Low Signpost"

And that dates back to the mid-to-late '90s. It may only be getting really obvious in this decade, but the signs were there (if you'll excuse the expression) in the last.
Whats worst is that, a bag of peanuts with a warning sign. 'Caution: This product contain nuts', of course it will contain nuts, you are buying a bag of PEANUTS"
madman420
madman420
Lion's Arch Merchant
• #16
Hmm...I guess I should stop giving my credit card number out to people in game.
Y.T.
Y.T.
Jungle Guide
• #17
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evilsod
Moses... i think you may be right. My friends 'This sign has sharp corners' picture is a classic.


"-Parents should monitor or even play computer games with their children."

- mom u're such a noob, u sold my 15^50 jade sword to merch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Legendary Battousai
Legendary Battousai
Lion's Arch Merchant
• #18
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMosesPHD
I think this is one of the things the 2000's are gonna be remembered for: The decade without common sense. Wasn't around or after 2000 when most of all these silly warnings started popping up on everything?
In short: Lawsuits. If someone gets hurt and claims to not have expected it, they get money for stupidity... not just money but YOUR money. Its worth the investment of lets say... 100 dollars? for millions of signs everywhere telling someone to use sence (apparently not so common if people have trouble with it) than to be sewed for not telling them and be out a couple thousand dollars.
Curse You
Curse You
Furnace Stoker
• #19
Quote:
Originally Posted by draxynnic
Or, my favourite: "Caution: Low Signpost"
If I were to make one of those, and put it on a sidewalk in, say, New York, how many people do you think would walk straight into it?
QuixotesGhost
QuixotesGhost
Krytan Explorer
• #20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver_Fang
Whats worst is that, a bag of peanuts with a warning sign. 'Caution: This product contain nuts', of course it will contain nuts, you are buying a bag of PEANUTS"
A Peanut isn't a nut, it's a legume.