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[NewClassic_v1legacy]

Discussions like these are landmines because they're some community centric. So I'm going to go on a bit of length here.

As far as the "better days," then you're automatically opening the floor to a subjective assessment of discourse. The link provided above (Here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.42869], provided by Cheese Pavilion) shows discussion on an intellectual and long-winded method. This sort of discussion is perfect for me, because I am naturally very long-winded.

Some people disagree with the long-winded, and believe all threads should be as succinct as possible. At the very least, should include "TL;DR" for people who don't have time or inclination to read long and elaborate posts.

Depending on your tastes would vary as to whether or not you would argue for or against, but post length is just one of the many things that shows how individuals can differ. Some believe in adamant spelling and grammar. Some feel strongly about content or discussion. Some believe strongly in opinions, others concerned with their points of view. All of these could cause points of dissension.

I do think that all of this discussion on the negative affliction of the forum is a rather moot point, though. Because everyone's utopia is made up of different paint and architecture. The forums will always be a place for discussion and conversation, though I'm not entirely sure how well everyone will co-exist. No one can know, because it varies wildly.

Though I will say at some length that his discussion strikes me as pointless. The only thing that is guaranteed to be alienating and hurtful for old and new members alike is if everyone is standing around talking about how things are wrong. It's the "Seed of Doubt" syndrome. If you start looking for evil, you'll find it. These types of discussions turn the users into radars for problems. Suddenly, fingers are being pointed as the cancer that is killing The Escapist.

The phrase "This is why we can't have nice things" comes to mind. We can't stay happy and co-existing because we're always looking for things to be unhappy about. Certainly things will arise that will cause problems, but it is not our place to police or judge them. The moderators are in place to adjust problems. We can suggest things change, we can make suggestions (because there is a thread for that, which has spawned my great ideas like the expanding reply box and the bookmark system), and we can hope that the Red Guard and Staff see things our way.

Trying to go lone-ranger on the forums isn't producing productive discussion, nor is it identifying problems or pointing out solutions. It's producing contention, and nothing else. Discourse like this is pointless because we have what could amount to many good ideas that aren't going to be seen because of the sheer amount of comments and discussion here.

If you want my absolute opinion, then it goes down to this:
Unless we all stop looking for things to hate, then it's all we're going to find.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Spoiler: Rebuttle to your photo

Spoiler: Oh yeah?

 

[Inverse Skies]

Moderators aren't the ones that make the community, we are. Granted, they serve a great purpose and do an excellent job at dealing with the problems they're faced with, but bowing down to them as supreme rulers and admitting powerlessness in the face of a higher power is foolish. They don't enjoy banning people, and why should they? I would assume they would rather have the problems with the existing population solved, rather than just have everybody be intimidated in the face of their power.

I'm of the same opinion. I'm not sure what the moderators think of the overall situation and we're probably unlikely to hear their views. I still think with the community we have we can deal with the situation as it stands, we just have to get enough support for the idea. There's still a lot of infighting between us whether there is a problem or not, but that's to be expected somewhat.

If there is a problem we can do something about it, but we all have to be heading in the same direction.

 

[Inverse Skies]

Trying to go lone-ranger on the forums isn't producing productive discussion, nor is it identifying problems or pointing out solutions. It's producing contention, and nothing else. Discourse like this is pointless because we have what could amount to many good ideas that aren't going to be seen because of the sheer amount of comments and discussion here.

If you want my absolute opinion, then it goes down to this:
Unless we all stop looking for things to hate, then it's all we're going to find.

If you want I'll happily look through this thread to glean any relevant suggestions and present them to the Escapist staff when this thread eventually becomes self-limiting. That way the good ideas (which are there amongst the other discussion points) won't be lost and can actually be put to use.

 

[Good morning blues]

Backseat moderation should be probatable, and bannable if repeated. Nothing ruins my Escapist experience more than "countdown to thread closure" or "we've had this thread before" or "enjoy your ban!"

 

[traceur_]

When i made my "what's your religion" thread, i accidentally pressed enter after typing the title which resulted in "no text" and I was very annoyed to see that in the 60 seconds it took me to correct it at least 3 people had commented on it and 2 had advised others to report it and move on. I couldn't believe that they took this course of action rather than wait at least a minute and allow me to correct it. Furthermore many had stated that there would be flames and such, yes it's a religion thread, of course there will be at least 1 flame, you're not a fucking genius for predicting it. My point is: seriously learn a bit of patience, not everything happens instantly as some seem to think it does. Stick to the damn topic, I don't give a fuck if the thread has been done before, whether it will bring flamers or what your predictions are, stick to the topic or shut the fucking hell up.

 

[090907]

ite had been like before the ZP explosion, and that's when I started to worry.

What had the site like before ZP, I've always been curious about that. I imagine it was a lot, lot smaller (obviously), put what type of things were discussed? And they certainly couldn't have had the number of threads we do today.

Cheeze Pavillion posted a link to a discussion which happened two years ago, http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.42869

It's an interesting read. A lot more intelligent debate and less people butting in or deliberately trying to start a flame war.

Man each post like a paragraph long, not a one liner (like the one I'm doing). There was also a lot more moderator involvement.

Hey there's an idea.
I hope this doesn't offend anyone.

When was the last time someone saw a moderator in a discussion? I admit, I haven't been out looking, or am I sure I would recognise one if they were, I also understand if you are Modding you may not want to spend any of your free time in the forums. But it would be cool to hear some of their opinions.

Earlier some one suggesting bringing back the moderator post before the lock, I think I like this idea, not for any personal entertainment, but because there are instances where I am not sure, and I am sure we could all learn from other peoples mistakes. Or maybe bulk PM the people involved in the thread. ("XX,yy thread was locked due to ZZ - Your local friendly Mod.)

 

[Zersy]

Less platform fanboyism. Every person has an opinion on what THEY want to play games on. Respect it.

this pretty much solved it

 

[Inverse Skies]

In other words, when they see the big boys modeling a certain kind of behavior, they emulate it.

When staff were around a lot, it was like bull elephants in the society. People emulated their behavior by and large. Now though, you see less of the staff for three reasons, really--one, there are just SO many more members, so the proportion of staff comments to user comments has plummeted; two, less of the magazine is written by the staff these days, so that gives them less reason to be involved; three, the magazine has given way to the Forums as the place where debate happens, so even when the staff are active in their articles, that's not where most of the posts are.

Also, back then, with all that staff involvement, you behaved in a thread not just because you feared the banhammer of the staff, but because you had somewhat of a connection to the staff, and you didn't want to be a jerk to people you liked.

While I like the idea of the more experienced members of the site behaving as the role models for the others to follow in regards to their posts and what content they describe it just doesn't have the same influence as when a staff member comments on a thread. Having a staff member present ensures a lot more respect is displayed within the thread, not only because of the fear of the banhammer but because staff are someone you look up to.

I'm not saying the staff should become more involved, they've probably got enough work on their hands as it is, but if the older members could command a similar sort of respect from the newer members, because of the older members experience people would be more likely to emulate their values on the forum.

The trick is to get the newcomers to emulate the more experienced people... and that isn't easy. Any suggestions on the idea apart from just hoping they'll follow our lead if we post correctly?

 

[Simriel]

Less platform fanboyism. Every person has an opinion on what THEY want to play games on. Respect it.

this pretty much solved it

Thank you. Good to see someone sees it my way.

 

[Sewblon]

We should have a delete post button, also we should have the option to only search thread titles with the search button instead of posts within the thread and the moderators should have to tell us whats wrong with a thread before they lock it.

 

[Inverse Skies]

We should have a delete post button, also we should have the option to only search thread titles with the search button instead of posts within the thread and the moderators should have to tell us whats wrong with a thread before they lock it.

I don't mind the idea of having the search button search the thread title, as most of the time that's what you're looking for when you are searching.

 

[Raven's Nest]

Who doesn't want the pony badge?

*clip clop clip clop*

Actually, you get the pony badge by engaging in pony play sex chat with me in Off-Topic.

Really.

Shall we start a thread then? I do like to mix it up a little so it'd be a shame to be all private about it.

anyway here's a suggestion...

When a user is signing up, have them read through the forum guidlines then make them fill out a little question sheet before they're allowed to post. Just to make sure they've read it. If they still can't be good within 50 posts or so, they won't get any sympathy from me and my report button.

 

[Inverse Skies]

anyway here's a suggestion...

When a user is signing up, have them read through the forum guidlines then make them fill out a little question sheet before they're allowed to post. Just to make sure they've read it. If they still can't be good within 50 posts or so, they won't get any sympathy from me and my report button.

That's a sensible idea as well. I knew some good ideas would eventually start coming out of this thread Later on I'll start compiling them into a letter which I can PM one of the staff with, unless of course they're reading this thread.

 

[Lullabye]

I'm fairly new. But I've somehow managed to not get banned, yelled at or incure moderator wrath at all. "How did I do this?" you ask. Simple, I used common sense.
Now here are my suggestions.
1) Have a posting guidline/ handbook thread with all the different things you can do and how to do them. It actually took me awhile to figure out how to post a thread. yah I know, wow, he's stupid, blah blah blah. Figuring out how to add spoiler boxs? forget about it.
2) We reeeaalllly need to establish a code of conduct. Because even though I don't mind dead baby/holocaust jokes, someone else does so we need to find a happy medium. Maybe make it mandatory to put warnings on thread titles.(ie: warning, anti-semetic jokes) or at least something.
3) Try to categorize the forums even more. Because having a new "whats your fav game?" thread every week kinda gets old. Try to make the threads lined up in terms of date vs number of post vs most recent post. I don't like searching threads but I also don't like having new ones every ten minutes. Though its okay once in a while'.

 

[Trivun]

I'm fairly new. But I've somehow managed to not get banned, yelled at or incure moderator wrath at all. "How did I do this?" you ask. Simple, I used common sense.
Now here are my suggestions.
1) Have a posting guidline/ handbook thread with all the different things you can do and how to do them. It actually took me awhile to figure out how to post a thread. yah I know, wow, he's stupid, blah blah blah. Figuring out how to add spoiler boxs? forget about it.
2) We reeeaalllly need to establish a code of conduct. Because even though I don't mind dead baby/holocaust jokes, someone else does so we need to find a happy medium. Maybe make it mandatory to put warnings on thread titles.(ie: warning, anti-semetic jokes) or at least something.
3) Try to categorize the forums even more. Because having a new "whats your fav game?" thread every week kinda gets old. Try to make the threads lined up in terms of date vs number of post vs most recent post. I don't like searching threads but I also don't like having new ones every ten minutes. Though its okay once in a while'.

Just to help you out a little, spoiler boxes are added by going [spoilers] (without the 's' at the end, just the singular), then end with [/spoiler]. Hope that helps

As for your ideas, I definitely like the idea of a warning being mandatory in the thread title. Problem is, that won't work because you'll always still have some idiot go onto the thread simply for the purpose of trolling and complaining even though they are made aware early on of the possible offensive posts. Fine, they'll get banned too, but the people will still flock just to troll and flame.

I also agree with your categorise thing. Maybe we could also have more differentiation and sub-topics within each topic, so it's even easier to navigate the system and find what we're looking for.

 

[Inverse Skies]

As for your ideas, I definitely like the idea of a warning being mandatory in the thread title. Problem is, that won't work because you'll always still have some idiot go onto the thread simply for the purpose of trolling and complaining even though they are made aware early on of the possible offensive posts. Fine, they'll get banned too, but the people will still flock just to troll and flame.

I also agree with your categorise thing. Maybe we could also have more differentiation and sub-topics within each topic, so it's even easier to navigate the system and find what we're looking for.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, this is what I had originally hoped the thread would promote. It took a little while for the bickering of the older members to die down, but now hopefully we can truly get some positive ideas out of this.