[Mazzlefizz]

OK, there's a lot of brewhaha in the forums about this and it's starting to detract from the purpose of other threads, so I'm just going to post my views on people's objection to the Mazzlegasm. If you want to discuss it, do it here in this thread rather than the other ones.

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Question: Oh my god, my character did something I didn't tell it to do! It's out of my control! That's just not right.

Answer:

If you don't like an add-on that makes your character say something when you install it, don't use it. It's the same thing as choosing not to use an add-on like Necrosis that mutters something when you summon your pet. No one is forcing you to use this.

To make sure you know about this, I've added a clearly labelled note at the end of the the description of the UI that warns you that your character may yell and emote when installing.

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Question: Why do you even do this?

Answer:

My UI has an in-character theme throughout the whole process about converting your character, mazzification, etc. For better or worse, having your character exclaim and dance is the final part of the installer's presentation.

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Question: Well, I don't mind it making me say something, but it used the syllable 'gasm' which, after looking it up, means intense. While intense isn't offensive, it's also in the word 'orgasm' which has to do with sex, which really offends me! I know you don't say the actual word orgasm, but the two sound alike and I'm on the internet, so that's grounds enough to complain!

Answer:

The game simply isn't Toontown. It's rated T and clearly says "suggestive themes" on the box. That syllable isn't even half as suggestive as the official content of some of the /flirt and /silly emotes that come with the game.

Outside of the obvious fact that this game is basically an sequences of quests to mass murder one group after another (which I do think people should also find offensive), these are value judgments. What is important is this: Objectively speaking, comparing it to the rating in the game and content built in to it, I don't think it's at all inappropriate in the WoW environment.

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Question: I'm worried about getting in trouble! What if someone reports me?

Answer:

If you're really concerned about it, don't use the add-on or mazzify away from other people. I've put a lot of thought into it and decided that I don't think it's inappropriate for the environment.

If it's any comfort, me and probably about a hundred testers have been yelling this term for well over a year. No one has ever had a problem come out of it. Moreover, one of my characters, whom I've had for a year and a half, my priest, is named Mazzlegasm. She used to be my main character. Given the duration that I've had this character and the fact that I'm on a server with actual naming constraints, I would be very surprised if no one has ever reported it. I have never once got any indication that it was inappropriate from a GM.

Sadly, there's nothing people love in MMO's more than complaining, young and old alike. If you don't want to deal with people who object to things that you say, I'd suggest not playing an MMO. And if you don't want to deal with people objecting to this particular thing, either don't use the UI or mazzify somewhere people won't hear it. I think they're making a mountain out of a molehill and that it's well within the bounds of what's appropriately suggestive in this game.

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Question: What about the children?!? They are our future! We must teach them well and let them lead the way!

Answer:

If parents are concerned about inappropriate content and they deem "Mazzlegasm" as inappropate, then they shouldn't be or let their kids be anywhere near WoW. The suggestiveness of the syllable "gasm" is trivial compared to the lewd stuff that her kids are GUARANTEED to run across in general chat and interaction with the crude teens and 20-somethings that make up the majority of the MMO population, profanity filter or not. They simply cannot control that. And, at the risk of repeating myself, it is well within the bounds of the suggestive offical content already in the game. Frankly, I think the term is tame and silly-sounding more than anything.

Should you tell parents that they're being absurd? That's up to you. I probably wouldn't. (Hmm, you could point them to this thread if you wanted to.) Anyway, I'm just telling you that I don't find their argument compelling, and I don't think it's a basis to change anything.

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Question: Personally, I love the Mazzlegasm. I just don't like hearing it 20 times in a row as I re-mazzify or mazzify multiple characters. Can you do something about that?

Answer:

I agree. And to this end, there has been a throttle on Mazzlegasms for quite some time. Unfortunately, it's current disabled. While in beta, some people reported that they were never getting Mazzlegasm. I disabled to see whether it was an issue with the throttle or a more general one. I forgot to re-enable it. It should be back in the next version.