CEO, Goblinworks
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We have updated the Goblinworks privacy policy. You can see the policy here.
There is no material change in the Policy except that we reversed certain terms that assumed that Paizo was handling our eCommerce and we were receiving data from them. Now the policy assumes that we are handling our own eCommerce and that we are sharing data to them. We also reserved the right to use 3rd party providers to send you email newsletters and promotional offers but we notify you that we won't allow 3rd parties to send you their own unsolicited commercial email.
We also told you to contact us instead of Paizo if you have questions about the Access and Control of your personal information and we removed references to using Paizo's system to view the information that we store about you.
We have updated the Terms of Service. Right now this only applies to Alpha testers.
We added the following to the Terms of Service (you can't see these unless you have Alpha access, so I'm posting the new Terms here):
Naming Policies.
Do not use the name of any historical person, any modern religious figure from any major world religion, any modern political, military, or entertainment figure, the name of any character in any fictional work, or the name of any named NPC in any work published by Paizo or its licensees.
Do not use a name that would be likely to offend or harass other players.
Do not use a name that implies you are a member of the Goblinworks staff, or the Paizo staff, or have any official position with the game's operations (i.e. don't call yourself a "Gamemaster" or "GM").
Do not use a name that could be confused with a game mechanic (i.e. you can't name yourself "Critical Hit").
Any name that you choose for your character, company or settlement is provisional. At Goblinworks' sole discretion we may require you to change that name and we may change the name ourselves if we deem it necessary.
No Children.
Pathfinder Online is appropriate for players aged 13 and older. If you are not 13 or older you cannot access the game or use goblinworks.com.
No Adult Content.
When creating character names, company names, settlement names or typing in chat channels that are not "opt-in" (such as General or Local) do not submit any material that the general public would classify as "adult content," offensive, or inappropriate for minors.
Communicating in-game with other Users and Goblinworks representatives, whether by text, voice or any other method, is an integral part of Pathfinder Online and is referred to here as "Chat." When engaging in Chat, you may not:
Transmit or post any content or language which, in the sole and absolute discretion of Goblinworks, is deemed to be offensive, including without limitation content or language that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful, sexually explicit, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable, nor may you use a misspelling or an alternative spelling to circumvent the content and language restrictions listed above.
In addition you agree you will not harass, threaten, stalk, embarrass or cause distress, unwanted attention or discomfort to any user of Pathfinder Online.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I read all the terms, I want to press "accept" and play... Where is the button? :)
Right here! (Hint: it's blue)
This should be of interest to the Vespiary.
When creating character names, company names, settlement names or typing in chat channels that are not "opt-in" (such as General or Local) do not submit any material that the general public would classify as "adult content," offensive, or inappropriate for minors.
When engaging in Chat, you may not:
Transmit or post any content or language which, in the sole and absolute discretion of Goblinworks, is deemed to be offensive, including without limitation content or language that is...sexually explicit.
These seem a bit at-odds. One line implies that a non-opt-in chat (like a private Company chat) is okay with adult content.
The other states that any adult content is off the table.
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Goblin Squad Member
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So just a quick question. I intend for my character to be called Tink. His full name is Tinker Cogsprocket (well, actually it is Tinkerton Billimue Rockwillup Pick Cogsproket the Fourth, but that is a bit long.)
Tinker has, in the past, been used as a disparaging term towards Gypsies (Gnomes name their children with verbs. Tink tinkers). I don't intend it in that manner, but your average person that runs across me might not know that. Am I OK? Should I be looking for a different name?
I think you're okay. "Tinkers" are people who travel around selling and mending metal stuff. They probably get compared to gypsies because both were, back in the day, regarded as "shifty" folk.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Oh, I am aware of the etymology, I'm just cautious about these kinds of things. It is the same reason I don't use the word niggardly - it has nothing to do with being offensive, but some people are looking to take offence.
I also think I might be more sensitive about this kind of thing because I am European, and we still have a lot of anti-gypsy sentiment around these parts.
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Goblin Squad Member
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So just a quick question. I intend for my character to be called Tink. His full name is Tinker Cogsprocket (well, actually it is Tinkerton Billimue Rockwillup Pick Cogsproket the Fourth, but that is a bit long.)
Tinker has, in the past, been used as a disparaging term towards Gypsies (Gnomes name their children with verbs. Tink tinkers). I don't intend it in that manner, but your average person that runs across me might not know that. Am I OK? Should I be looking for a different name?
I sure hope variations on "tinker" aren't considered offensive.
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Goblin Squad Member
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...I don't use the word niggardly...
I'm exactly the opposite; I *hunt* for opportunities to use "niggardly" properly. I've been able to cut the legs out from under a few folks, once quite publicly, when they take offence from a position of nigh-complete ignorance.
Language can often cut, but it also makes a good blunt weapon sometimes :-).
Goblinworks Executive Founder
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Yeah all I thought of was this Tinker but I suppose that could technically fall under the
Do not use the name of any historical person, any modern religious figure from any major world religion, any modern political, military, or entertainment figure, the name of any character in any fictional work, or the name of any named NPC in any work published by Paizo or its licensees.
If we're gonna ban any word that someone used as a name...well, we aren't gonna have many options.
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Goblinworks Executive Founder
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Self-referential problem: Pathfinder Online is, among other things, a mediated corroborative storytelling performance art.
If Character Names are not permitted to be identical to themselves, we will have problems.
However, all variants of Drizzt need to be stopped before they are even created.
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Goblin Squad Member
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If someone objects to a name and makes a reasonable case that the name is objectionable, we'll entertain it. Sometimes "someone" will be our staff. So far, I don't think anyone has made a reasonable case that "Tink" is objectionable.
I believe the recent fairy movies have characters using Tink as the friendly nickname for Tinkerbelle.
So how far do you want to push the "no fictional characters" rule?
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Goblin Squad Member
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So just a quick question. I intend for my character to be called Tink. His full name is Tinker Cogsprocket (well, actually it is Tinkerton Billimue Rockwillup Pick Cogsproket the Fourth, but that is a bit long.)
Tinker has, in the past, been used as a disparaging term towards Gypsies (Gnomes name their children with verbs. Tink tinkers). I don't intend it in that manner, but your average person that runs across me might not know that. Am I OK? Should I be looking for a different name?
If the onscreen name is Tinker Cogsprocket and people wanna call you Tink or you want to RP and make people call you Tink that should be a good and valid fantasy RP name.
Barring of course that you don't look like a slim elf chick with wings that always wears green and asks everyone if they've seen Peter or asks directions to Neverland.
I will be playing Rasputin.
What? He's a canon Golarion character.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Just another random thought.
I've been in pvp games before that had strict name policies and at some point people start name griefing, making up some BS explanation as to why a name offends them (to hide the real reason, because you just kicked they're arse in pvp) to try and grief people.
How do you intend to handle that here?
I'm his twin brother. Baba Yaga was just terrible at names.
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CEO, Goblinworks
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If I think there's a reasonable chance a name would draw a cease & desist and/or a copyright infringement or trademark infringement claim, we'll require that it be changed.
If I think someone is making unreasonable name change requests and they don't desist when warned of the consequences I'll ban them.
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However, all variants of Drizzt need to be stopped before they are even created.
I just planned to be a black skinned, white hair, dual handed scimitar, named Treex't. Tottaly not related of course....
I read all the terms, I want to press "accept" and play... Where is the button? :)Right here! (Hint: it's blue)
+1
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Goblin Squad Member
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If someone objects to a name and makes a reasonable case that the name is objectionable, we'll entertain it. Sometimes "someone" will be our staff. So far, I don't think anyone has made a reasonable case that "Tink" is objectionable.I believe the recent fairy movies have characters using Tink as the friendly nickname for Tinkerbelle.
So how far do you want to push the "no fictional characters" rule?
I know when I was playing RL Rand Paul broke my immersion. His name is clearly a rip off of Rand Al'Thor.
I hope the staff judging these matters is able to see the difference between Tinker Cogsprocket and Tinkerbelle Fairydust.
However, all variants of Drizzt need to be stopped before they are even created.I just planned to be a black skinned, white hair, dual handed scimitar, named Treex't. Tottaly not related of course....
...waaaait, how does a scimitar have hair?
Okay, now I'm objecting to the insinuation that elves have any more hair than kobolds do.
That lower jawbone on your avatar does not qualify as facial hair, you realize.
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Goblin Squad Member
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This should be of interest to the Vespiary.
When creating character names, company names, settlement names or typing in chat channels that are not "opt-in" (such as General or Local) do not submit any material that the general public would classify as "adult content," offensive, or inappropriate for minors.When engaging in Chat, you may not:
Transmit or post any content or language which, in the sole and absolute discretion of Goblinworks, is deemed to be offensive, including without limitation content or language that is...sexually explicit.These seem a bit at-odds. One line implies that a non-opt-in chat (like a private Company chat) is okay with adult content.
The other states that any adult content is off the table.
It is indeed. At least we have an idea on which ground we'll be walking and this will enable us to clarify The Vespiary's charter on this matter.
I don't see the rules even a bit at-odds. The first one is about "the general public" perception while the other one is about "the sole discretion of GW". It is an intelligent way of managing this since it would allow GW to exert it's own appraisal of what is "sexually explicit", especially in a lore and RP way. And I would rather have to follow the rule of GW who knows what's good for their game rather than "the general public" when we know that those voicing their concerns and asking censorship in the "general public" are in fact "a very small minority of the general public, most of them not even playing the game".
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Goblin Squad Member
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Mmkay. I'm not holding you to that or anything, I understand that you can't just come out and say if a name is OK and stuff. I just wanted to get a feel for what "objectionable" might include. Evil Tink shall rule the River Kingdoms!
The (Short) King in the North!
You've read the books right? Or at least caught the tv show?
Whenever you said Tink I only thought of Tinkerbelle and Disney coming after you; never anything else. But if your name in the code is Tinkerton Cogsprocket there's not even that much to it.
Well, I guess they can just refer to me as "that guy" when you're around.
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Goblin Squad Member
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About RP sexual content - anyone concerned should read a few of the Pathfinder Tales stories.
Queen of Thorns springs into mind - there are a few scenes where Radovan meets up with a priestess of Calistria. After all - her outlook includes Lust and Revenge.
I think that gives a good baseline of acceptable ways for non explicit descriptions of sexual content.
Paizo isn't censoring evil gods - so shouldn't censor a god like Calistria. But you have to be careful how to describe it when in public. At the same time I hope that players who don't follow such a god take offense if some slight hints are given and over interpret every word.
the only text they hold sacred is The book of Joy
The church sees prostitution as a sacred calling of power and pleasure, and its clergy are adamant about the safety of those who engage in sex as a profession
This is from a hardcover rulebook and Golarion lore and as I said - the Pathfinder Tales deal with it in a non-explicit way without claiming that it doesn't exist. I hope that this is also possible in PFO. As such I applaud the Vespiary in a seemingly RP manner - but don't expect me to visit you any time soon.