Escapists: Why are we so different?

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

(You'd be surprised but the rest of the internet don't like us. I've noticed it frequently while browsing TVTropes.)

Can you link me up? I'm intrested in that!

And were not, we just have mods that can keep a firm grasp on trolls and various other spammers.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/InternetBackdraft/VideoGames

That's the one I was reading at the time, it's not very flattering. I also remember once searching the site for a specific combination of words involving "The Escapist" would result in the first option being something involving the pharase "elitist twats", may have been their forums. Seems to have changed now...

Well March Mayhem is awful. The whole Zynga and Turbine thing was a bit too much even for MM and just erupted into a massive flamewar. At least Turbine do make games with a bit of depth even though before March Mayhem I had never really heard much about them but bad things. Zynga on the other hand not only admitted to being scammers or something along those lines and there was an article on it on this site but their games don't require much skill which is why people were so pissed off at them for being in it. Their games are fine for Facebook where you only play them inbetween typing to friends but aside from that they are pretty shocking. It just encourages spamming friend invites to random people as that is how you improve at the game by having lots of friends.

Although I do disagree on the ZP thing. If someone does a copy paste argument from ZP people usually call them out on it and it erupts in more hate and flame wars. A good example of this is people who seem to have learned the phrase "androgynous teens" and apply to JRPGs when it doesn't even apply to the JRPG in any thread involving JRPGs.

 

[Azure-Supernova]

This again?

There's nothing special about this site, bar the fact people like to pretend the community is somehow superior to other websites...

Again? *Sigh*, I guess I'm still not too adept at using the search-option.

It's not so much a common topic as it is a common post. But I don't see it as a problem.

I am curious too though. I always wondered what made the Escapist awesomesauce and I guess now I have a better idea. Generally I think we do have a better community than most forums and we should be proud that the mods sort most of the chaff out. If only other forums would do that.

 

[JoJo Bizzaro 7]

Yes, yes, trolls are bad and all that.
Really, this website isn't all that better most others. Granted it IS a lot more "user friendly" in a way, but the way it handles the so-called "black sheep" is kind of overzealous. Ridiculously so.
Hell, one the rules for posting is not to be rude to other users. It might keep would-be trolls at bay to some degree, but it also stifles the ability of some to accurately express their opinions. Being rude is not the same a inciting controversy, i.e. trolling. If we all acted like white knights and respected each others opinions, we'd be pretty fucking boring, now wouldn't we?
And so what if someone posts something that offends you or replies to your thread with a comment that incites grade-A butthurt from other users? At least it adds something of value(distorted, but value none the less) instead samey replies and vacuous responses.
Also, Mods do not equal Gods. Get suspended/banned? I got one word for ya'- PROXY. Either that or fish for a new forum. Plenty of fish in the sea.
Spammers? They increase comment/view count which, in turn, attracts more people to what it is that is being spammed.
Trolls? Incite controversy, i.e. make lulz.
People with bad personalities? Now your just being petty and biased. Your bad is someone else's good.
Enough with my little tirade; back to my point. What I originally meant to say was this: We are NOT so different. We are just more exclusionary and haughty.

But, hey, it's not all bad. At least we have quality videos and articles.

 

[The_ModeRazor]

Heavy moderation.
If it works in a fascistic government, it's gotta work on the Internet too.

 

[Jamous]

Why are we so different? What makes this site, better than most places in this aspect?

Other people have already told you the main reason. What I'm yet to see is someone simply reminding you that WE'RE FUCKING AWESOME.

 

[Dags90]

It's a nerd forum, and you're saying it's a quality community? Well yeah, maybe compared to IGN or Gamespot or GameFAQs or YouTube, but still, it's a nerd forum.

So the short answer is "We aren't."

This is pretty much it. We're not any different, the forum itself is different (rules, staff, etc.), but it's not something wondrous or psuedo-mystical like some people seem to think.

 

[Dr Snakeman]

A severe lack of tolerance for trolling (which can occasionally lead to rants from those who believe themselves to be exempt from criticism, some guy with I believe Hammy from Over The Hedge's avatar being a good example) and the fact that the sort of people attracted to the site (well, those who are for non-Yahtzee reasons) in the first place require a certain frame of mind.

Plus in a way it becomes a self-fulfilling stereotype: you expect things to be a certain way thus they are.

(You'd be surprised but the rest of the internet don't like us. I've noticed it frequently while browsing TVTropes.)

What?! But... I'm a Troper [sub][sub]sort of[/sub][/sub]. I had no idea. I'm going to go look at the Escapist trope page and see if it's really that bad.

 

[GamingAwesome1]

It's generally the moderators not the community that make the Escapist different.

Also, people here can spell properly, to be fair my previous experience with forums was the Steam Powered User Forums and GameFAQS, both of which are a hive of blithering numskulls with poor English skills so I guess my standards were set pretty low.

 

[LarenzoAOG]

This site is the internet equivalent of North Korea, anyone who has a slightly differing mindset gets banned instantly. I mean, there's a whole rule against disliking their content after all, which is just hilarious. But whatever, the site isn't better than any other site out there, and it's not worse either.

We've got good moderators and hate trolls.

Well, the lot of you label everyone with a slightly differing opinion as a troll, so I'd say that you're hating everyone who doesn't follow the mainstream thought rather than that you hate trolls. Just sayin'.

Yeah... I don't know about you or anyone else's definition of troll, but that is not my definition of troll, and I didn't say anything about what constitutes being a troll so I'm wondering why you chose to quote me.

 

[JoJo Bizzaro 7]

Okay, idio- oh, wait I can't say that or else I'll get BANNED.

Okay, escapists, I see a lot of you arguing about the definition of "troll."
Well, basically it's like this: The term does NOT originate from the mythical creature, but rather the fishing technique of sticking your fist into open water and waiting for a fish(usually done in a lake, swamp, or any place with wide-mouth fish like catfish) to bite. Trolling is described as "fishing for suckers." On the internet, the basic concept is the same.

Off topic, I know, but I felt like describing trolls for the ignora- I mean, "uninformed" masses.
...hmmm, I wonder if I'll be suspended again for this?

 

[Toaster Hunter]

We have standards. if people don't meet up to the standards, they are dealt with. Harshly

 

[Kakashi on crack]

Mods, professionalism, gaming, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

[Popido]

This site is the internet equivalent of North Korea, anyone who has a slightly differing mindset gets banned instantly. I mean, there's a whole rule against disliking their content after all, which is just hilarious. But whatever, the site isn't better than any other site out there, and it's not worse either.

We've got good moderatots and hate trolls.

Well, the lot of you label everyone with a slightly differing opinion as a troll, so I'd say that you're hating everyone who doesn't follow the mainstream thought rather than that you hate trolls. Just sayin'.

^This.

I was about to say 'butthurt sheeps', but North Korea does well.

I wouldnt say that we are intelligent or mature, more like denial, butthurt, pretenders, fanboys, butthurt..Did I say butthurt already? Because thats what this community is really all about.

 

[D_987]

I wouldnt say that we are ... in denial, butthurt, pretenders, fanboys, butthurt..Did I say butthurt already? Because thats what this community is really all about.

"Pretendors" and "fanboys" I can understand, but every forum has those types of people, it's not exclusive to The Escapist, and claiming the whole site population to be such types of people is excessive and childish - not to mention entirely unfounded and inaccurate.

As for "butthurt", could you clarify what you actually mean by that? As I have an inkling you haven't a clue what it means - a whole forum community cannot be "butthurt" just by posting - there'd have to be an issue they were upset about for anyone to use that phrase within a valid context.

 

[Popido]

As for "butthurt", could you clarify what you actually mean by that? As I have an inkling you haven't a clue what it means - a whole forum community cannot be "butthurt" just by posting - there'd have to be an issue they were upset about for anyone to use that phrase within a valid context.

Go to Search the Escapist.
Type in "butthurt".
Get!

Hmm..well. I have seen communities with thicker skins and turtlenecks. I could say its because the lack of trolls and naysayers, which then causes people to drop their defenses.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

Decent moderation and a general attitude of intolerance towards idiocy. Or at least that's what I'd like to think.

 

[D_987]

Go to Search the Escapist.
Type in "butthurt".
Get!

I repeat; you're incorrect.

Hmm..well. I have seen communities with thicker skins and turtlenecks. I could say its because the lack of trolls and naysayers, which then causes people to drop their defenses.

That's really not what the thread is about, and besides, the concept that people should be actively searching for trolls in threads, rather than just respond to the persons uninformed comment, doesn't make much sense. You can't really differentiate between a good troll and a stupid forum poster - I assume many will assume it's not a troll.

 

[CaptainKoala]

Mostly mods, but also the fact that the community isn't a bunch of douches and usually share a mutual respect for each other opinion. And instead of calling each other names, have a discussion over it.

 

[ShadowKatt]

We have standards. if people don't meet up to the standards, they are dealt with. Harshly

We are professionals. Professionals have standards. We are polite. We are efficient. And we have a plan to kill everyone we meet.

 

[Popido]

Go to Search the Escapist.
Type in "butthurt".
Get!

I repeat; you're incorrect.

G-get?

...Could I use you as an example?

Hmm..well. I have seen communities with thicker skins and turtlenecks. I could say its because the lack of trolls and naysayers, which then causes people to drop their defenses.

That's really not what the thread is about, and besides, the concept that people should be actively searching for trolls in threads, rather than just respond to the persons uninformed comment, doesn't make much sense. You can't really differentiate between a good troll and a stupid forum poster - I assume many will assume it's not a troll.

Wha-
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...
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Troll?