Poll: New forum rules - Yay or Nay?

[drisky]

Don't feel to bad about it, your not alone

Spoiler

Wait, what?!

It's real too. WTF.

Yep they used to post first on some of there own comment threads as a joke.

 

[busterkeatonrules]

New forum rules? OK, I'll just post this to make them appear, then I'll edit in an actual response once I've read them.

EDIT: The new penalty system does seem unnecessarily strict. In my experience, any trolls here on The Escapist have been dealt with quickly and efficiently. This whole "permanent probation" - deal strikes me as less likely to help deter unwanted behaviour, and more likely to hurt inexperienced newcomers who haven't yet discovered the "Posting Guidelines" - section.

Of course, if the rules can be made to appear automatically to anyone who opens a new account here, such as what happened when I posted that top paragraph, that would be a different story. That way, anyone violating the rules would be doing so knowingly. (I'm pretty sure this didn't happen when I signed up - but it's been so long, I can't really be sure.)

I also think it would be a better idea to end the probation period after a year. Within such a period, any actual troll would easily commit enough additional offences to get perma-banned, whereas a well-intentioned member would not risk a permanent stain on their record for the occasional innocent slip-up.

 

[Sun Flash]

Testin'...

EDIT: Tested. seems a bit harsh, but I'll bite. I was wondering why the red text was saying warning lately. I'll just be lurking more than usual.

Plus I've only got one warning in the two years I've been here. I feel like such a square compared to you yeller bars...

 

[JoJo]

Don't feel to bad about it, your not alone

Spoiler

All those first jokes probably don't seem as funny to them anymore.

That is absolutely hilarious!

OT: Overall I like these new rules as the last weren't that specific and apparently the "not advocating acts illegal in the U.S." doesn't covered actually debateable stuff like gay marriage or cannabis, just piracy/drugs etc.

 

[LaBarnes]

This site needs to be harsher on trolls and more lenient on real users looking for fun discussion who're just wise-cracking.

Dead on. I see lots of people issued probation for comments that are actually pretty damn funny and still OT. It's like the mods don't care so much about relevant discussion and civility, but have a hard on for squashing sarcasm or anything with more verbal complexity than "yes, I agree" or "no, you're wrong."

 

[Spinwhiz]

Don't care about the punishments but one thing that I see commonly on this website is people being told off for low content posts. Why not just set a lower limit for the number of characters in a post? Then that's one less thing the mods have to worry about and everyone's happy.

Good question. In regards to the other sites I frequent, most people just fill the extra character spaces with crap. We have no doubt members of The Escapist have lots to say, as most of the debates I see are spectacular and most opinions are well thought out and helpful.

Still, sometimes there's not much to say. What counts as low content?

"First", "LOL", an answer, a picture, a link...anything that doesn't take a brain cell to write. There is always more to write in order to advocate more discussion. If you want to answer someone's question, send them a PM.

 

[graverobber2]

Similarly, posts including, advocating, or linking to illegal or adult material are a very quick way to end your time as part of The Escapist community. An example of these are:
- ...
- ad blockers
- ...
- ...

I hope this doesn't mean we might get banned for using an ad blocker on the Escapist >.>

 

[Quazimofo]

hmm. let us inspect these new rules further.

ok, now that i have read the new rules. they seem pretty fair, and not terribly different. the whole idea of a shorter leash as you do worse i also agree with. i just do not agree that you cannot gain back a little more slack. it seems a bit harsh. while some probably deserve it, it is unfair for the rest of us.

 

[Zaik]

Well, I'm apparently on permanent suspension now, so I *should* say "nay", but I really don't care at all.

I, and many others, will inevitably get banned for having an unpopular opinion one too many times, and even getting it revoked will merely put you on the "next one is the last" notch.

What's going to end up happening is we'll all get banned, hop on our routers, change our IP addresses, make a new email account, and start all over again. The only thing this will really do is regularly wipe badges and post count, none of which matters at all to begin with.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I find it rather unfair that there's absolutely no way to clear your record. Everybody slips up now and then. I'm usually the first to advocate harsh punishment for infractions, but this is ridiculous. With harsh punishments should come rewards for good behavior. So if you've not committed any infractions for a certain amount of time, your 'forum heath meter' should go back down.

Nobody should be able to slip up 8 times and being given more chances. If anyone can't learn how to be respectful and follow our rules after what is pretty much 8 infractions, they shouldn't be here.

Not even if the infractions are upwards of 6 months to year apart? Maybe even 2 years or more? 'Cause clearly if that's the case, that's not a person who's out to cause trouble; that's a person who just got a little carried away one day.

That is why we give 7 chances. Don't think I'm trying to push you, or anyone else, off either. I completely understand where you are coming from as we've had this discussion internally before we could even think about launching the new penalty system and updated rules (which has been months now). We just feel that we do give chances, 8 of them, and those who can not hold it together for The Escapist to have to tell someone 8 times that isn't how you behave is more than enough.

Ok, but what really gets me is I didn't get the four warnings and I'm already in the yellow zone. Under the old system I've received mod wrath, I think, 3 times, 1 probation, and 2 suspensions. I'm not going to pretend I didn't deserve them, 'cause I did. I let myself get carried away, what gets me is how does that translate into 5 warnings under the new system?
Edit: esp. since there's no chance for redemption.

 

[CarlMin]

Are there any moderators on this thread discussing this? Because it feels like an open dialogue between users and moderators is what we need right now.

 

[Canid117]

Don't care about the punishments but one thing that I see commonly on this website is people being told off for low content posts. Why not just set a lower limit for the number of characters in a post? Then that's one less thing the mods have to worry about and everyone's happy.

Good question. In regards to the other sites I frequent, most people just fill the extra character spaces with crap. We have no doubt members of The Escapist have lots to say, as most of the debates I see are spectacular and most opinions are well thought out and helpful.

Still, sometimes there's not much to say. What counts as low content?

"First", "LOL", an answer, a picture, a link...anything that doesn't take a brain cell to write. There is always more to write in order to advocate more discussion. If you want to answer someone's question, send them a PM.

Then please explain my Warning for a thread that had none of the above?

Shhhhhh!!!! We aren't supposed to discuss specific cases of moderation on the forums! You could get suspended!



All joking aside the mods will frown upon this post.

 

[Tdc2182]

I'd have preferred it to reset seeing how I've been here for over three years and have made a plenty mistakes, but it's not bad.

But seriously, reset the score thing.

 

[Dango]

Well let's post and find out...

Eh, seems alright. Though I wish spelling and grammar got its own section.

EDIT: I assume mods aren't limited to the penalties listed there, or at least I really hope they aren't. Because having only 5 options for punishing a user would be pretty stupid...

 

[Canid117]

Don't care about the punishments but one thing that I see commonly on this website is people being told off for low content posts. Why not just set a lower limit for the number of characters in a post? Then that's one less thing the mods have to worry about and everyone's happy.

Good question. In regards to the other sites I frequent, most people just fill the extra character spaces with crap. We have no doubt members of The Escapist have lots to say, as most of the debates I see are spectacular and most opinions are well thought out and helpful.

Still, sometimes there's not much to say. What counts as low content?

"First", "LOL", an answer, a picture, a link...anything that doesn't take a brain cell to write. There is always more to write in order to advocate more discussion. If you want to answer someone's question, send them a PM.

Then please explain my Warning for a thread that had none of the above?

Shhhhhh!!!! We aren't supposed to discuss specific cases of moderation on the forums! You could get suspended!

All joking aside the mods will frown upon this post.

You can get suspended for farting the wrong way while watching Unskippable...

Do the two guys responsible have crippling self esteem issues or something?

 

[Lord Honk]

Well, it could be worse. In general, I don't feel that strongly about this forum that a ban would result in loss of friends, lack of saying what I want, or the death of cute puppies, so... yeah. I don't pay the Escapist or vice versa, so it's live and let live for me.

edit: I simply love that Ad Blockers are in one category with pedophilia and illegal drugs. S'cool man, I'll just shut up about those things, or any subset of them, then... or will I? *dun dun duuun*

 

[Woodsey]

I didn't realise it was that fucking hard to not be a dick. If you're that worried then you probably piss people off enough to deserve it...

Its less about that, more about the permanency. Just because you can appeal doesn't mean it will work.

I made a joke about roofies, got probated or suspended, and when I appealed it I was told I was "advocating date rape", no question.

And why should something you wrote a year ago have an affect on what you write now, anyway?

How many people have a health meter that looks like this? (or worse)

Take a peek at mine.

EDIT: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Its been fixed!

 

[joystickjunki3]

OK, I am posting right now just to see these new rules. In a moment, I will edit this post to reflect on how I feel about everything.

[edit] Upon reading the new rules, I feel that not much has changed. However, I do think that the Forum Health Meter does seem to be a little harsh; although, at least there is an appeals system. Ultimately, I think that there should be some sort of "cool down" period for the strikes, where after some amount of time, you move down a threshold.

I voted "Some 'Nay."

 

[Farseer Lolotea]

I mean, you can NEVER get strikes back? That sounds kinda impractical.

That's my one major concern here. The fact that calling out trolling seems to be considered "flaming" may also be iffy: On the one hand, it's an often misused accusation; on the other, there is such a thing as being deliberately inflammatory for its own sake.

Aside from that, the rules seem reasonable. (The forum health meter itself is a perfectly good idea.)

 

[dragonslayer32]

As with most people, I don't like change. This is no exception. The whole warnings are forever thing is a big no-no. A warning should just be what is is, a warning; it shouldn't be held against someone forever. I will continue to post here but I will be extra vigilant. However, thinking about it now, that is probably why they put that system there...

EDIT: Also, does anyone know if you appeal successfully, do the negated badges become available again?