User pushback from allowing red text by non-mods

[oldmud0]

The ability for non-moderators to use red text has not been particularly well-received. This feature has been present since the AO1 days, and it's standard for moderators to use it to quickly assert authority in a room.

It sounds like this will have to be a toggle feature, and the default clientside markup (tilde for red text) will be used as a basis for the filter.

[Crystalwarrior]

Impossible to properly enforce this without overhauling the coloring system or returning hardcoding bullshit

[Crystalwarrior]

YO @oldmud0 ACTUALLY I HAVE AN IDEA

To pull this off, users trying to spoof [MOD] should be prevented from sending the message.
Problem is, the server would have to use the same in-line redtext coloring the client would recognize, but it's a start.

[Crystalwarrior]

ACTUALLY EASIER WAY.

All that needs to be spoof-checked is [MOD] tags in this case.

[oldmud0]

I don't really understand the argument about clientside markup breaking enforcement. Why would clients change the red text markup to something that mods aren't using? In general, why would clients not conform to the markup language used by all other players? Unless there was a markup for freeform color like \c[#ff0000] (which honestly might have been a nicer idea), I don't see a reason for clients to unconscionably switch to another markup syntax that prevents them from seeing everyone else's color text.

[in1tiate]

The easiest way to do this, in my eyes, is to copy what worked in the past - IRC, specifically. A prefix character in the showname, like this:

@User1: moderation stuff etc.
%User2: moderation stuff but different
User3: i am sad for i have no prefix

An arbitrary number of characters could be defined and assigned to the existing "profiles" that tsuserver has. This allows differentiation between, say, a moderator and an administrator if it's needed. Any user trying to spoof these would simply be given a message telling them to change their showname.