Poll: Would console-specific forums work on The Escapist?

[Fightbulb]

First off, let me say that this is not a request or a suggestion to insinuate that this site "needs" forums dedicated to specific consoles/companies/games/etc. As the growing number of active members shows, the forum as a whole is doing great as it is, and who am I to criticize a winning formula? (forumula? no?)

However, as some of you may have experienced, it seems that with every nine normal people that join up, they seem to bring along a tenth person who seems to have escaped straight from Gamespot, N4G or Gamefaqs. I don't want to come off as (too) elitist, but it seems that when I started posting here a mere 6 months ago, the forums seemed a lot less heavy on trolling and fanboyism. I do have to add that the mods seem to be doing as much as they can, and I certainly don't want to imply that they're not doing enough, but there's only so much you can do, because stuff is going to slip through eventually.

That little rant (which is probably my biggest liability in getting this topic locked, but c'est la vie) leads me back to my original point. While I do feel that while the Gaming Discussion forum is working fine, a lot of pointless debates could be avoided by creating an environment in which certain people simply don't show up. No more PS3 vs. 360 debates, no more people claiming that everything is inferior to PC gaming. No more 360 fanboys complaining about the PS3 and vice versa, because they would have their own forums to scurry back into.

So my question to you is simple: do you think The Escapist would benefit from having console-specific forums in addition to the current, "general" forum? Explain why. Thanks for contributing.

 

[Lukeje]

...except that people would just go into their hated console's forum to troll.

 

[Jamash]

...except that people would just go into their hated consoles forum to troll.

Exactly. Specific forums would make the fanyboyism and trolling worse, far far worse.

Segregation in America and South Africa didn't lessen or prevent racism, quite the opposite...

 

[Fightbulb]

Wouldn't that make it easier to pick up on, though? Easier to single out?

 

[xitel]

...except that people would just go into their hated console's forum to troll.

True, but we could hope and pray that they had some sense of honor. It's a good idea in theory, but it probably won't work in practice.

 

[Jamash]

Wouldn't that make it easier to pick up on, though? Easier to single out?

You mean like if every user had to register what consoles they owned, and this was displayed on their profiles so it would be easier to see which users were positing in the wrong forums, treading where they didn't belong?

I'd say it would be counter productive.

Besides, fanboyism and trolling is pretty bloody easy to pick up on anyway, it's hardly subtle or clever.

 

[Fightbulb]

Wouldn't that make it easier to pick up on, though? Easier to single out?

You mean like if every user had to register what consoles they owned, and this was displayed on their profiles so it would be easier to see which users were positing in the wrong forums, treading where they didn't belong?

No, I mean that when you have a topic full of people discussing a console-specific game and one person comes in to shout about how much the console it's on sucks, that person is going to stick out like a sore thumb. I do see where you're coming from though, but I honestly wouldn't expect dozens of trolls to show up in a "rival" forum every day just to make an ass of themselves. Of course it's going to happen, but I don't think it would have the scale that you and Lukeje are expecting.

 

[Syphonz]

have you seen the CAD Console specific forums? Xobox fanboys spend more time trolling the PS3 forums than in their forum. I would say the same could be said here, but on a smaller scale.

 

[Alphavillain]

No. Unless there is one for the Wonderswan.

 

[oAmadeuso]

I like the mixed bag you get here. once you start putting up walls you create an "us and them" situation.
This is now the only online gaming forum I go to now, sick of all the little fan-boy / trolls. elsewhere.

IMO this site would lose it's dynamic if it segregated and there's plenty of forums out there that do that if thats
what you're looking for

 

[axia777]

No, it would only encourage "fanyboyism". PS3 fanboys would thread bomb the 360 forum and 360 fanboys would do the same. Then the Nintendo fanboys would get even more snobbish. It would suck.

 

[MrGFunk]

While I do feel that while the Gaming Discussion forum is working fine, a lot of pointless debates could be avoided by creating an environment in which certain people simply don't show up. No more PS3 vs. 360 debates, no more people claiming that everything is inferior to PC gaming. No more 360 fanboys complaining about the PS3 and vice versa, because they would have their own forums to scurry back into.

So my question to you is simple: do you think The Escapist would benefit from having console-specific forums in addition to the current, "general" forum? Explain why. Thanks for contributing.

I like the conversations, hearing all platform's news and views. I think to segregate would mean the site would change into sub groups that would all have the same conversations. Everything being posted and discussed three times.

Owning a PS3, a 360, a Wii, a PC, numerous oldschool machines would mean being in all forums - doesn't seem practical. It would promote division and factions. Probably, making the fanboy problem worse.

I think we (the majority) are sensible and can interact fine.

Can't we just get along...

 

[milomalo]

...except that people would just go into their hated console's forum to troll.

and that will be fun

 

[TwistedEllipses]

I only really go on this and featured content...so indifference central here.

 

[Tonimata]

I think it would be interesting to see what happens, but then again, that is only postponing the issue of the gaming discussion forums, so all in all, it's like Forza 2 for me. Something you think is nice having, but that in the end is completely useless and frustrating.

 

[runtheplacered]

Besides, fanboyism and trolling is pretty bloody easy to pick up on anyway, it's hardly subtle or clever.

I guess. I think it's just as bad when I disagree with somebody and suddenly I'm labeled a fanboy for having a differing opinion. Actually, it may even be worse, because it's such an easy way for people to get out of an argument by dismissing somebody's opinion on the basis that they may or may not be a "fanboy". That's such a misused word.

People say it's easy to pickup on a fanboy, but I think that's because such little thought needs to be put into labeling somebody as such.

 

[Nivag the Owl]

I don't think it would work. I know these forums are totally pro and stuff, but the activity in each one would be too low. The 'Gaming Discussion' forum has an almost perfect amount of activity, in my opinion.

 

[Lukeje]

...except that people would just go into their hated console's forum to troll.

and that will be fun

How? All the people you want to troll will be in the other forum attempting to troll you.

This seems like a great idea for an RTS based on the console wars. Which threads do you flame? Where do you post the Lolcats? How many times can you call someone 'gay' within the same post? And all the while you have to watch your own territory - your own forum, making sure no-one starts a flame war there. All this, yet still trying to stay under the radar of the wrathful mods who are always watching, just waiting to strike you down with the Hammer of Ban...

 

[Frank_Sinatra_]

I was on the Sarcastic gamer forums and they had console specific forums. Let me just say there were some pretty intense flame wars on there.

 

[LesIsMore]

What we really need to do - if the console devotees want their own forums - is to set up console chat rooms, have you identify what console you want to be a part of, then block off the others from posting (i.e. anyone who joins Xbox 360 can read but can't comment on the boards for Wii or PS3). It may sound like gaming racism, but after the eternal flame wars that boards generate I think it might finally be time to lock the fanboys in a room until they can learn to play nice with other children.

Plus, if you're in a forum that consists of people who share your interests, there might actually be some discussion that is relevant to the consoles, rather than now where the Red vs. Blue discussion is alive and well (i.e. the PS3 fans lording their Blu-Ray players over the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death).