A Call For Sanity
CForrester
P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">NS boards</div> I'm posting this call for sanity to ask you all to stop in your tracks! Stop flaming, insulting, taunting, bumping and generally being jerks! Nobody has interest in your insults or childish remarks, nobody likes to see 2 pages of bumps, nobody likes to be insulted. The following in the unofficial rules of etiqutte on the board.
<b>- Structured posts</b>
When you post, take your time. Think about it. Has it already been discussed? If it has and there is further room for discussion, please post on the topic already active or do not poost. If not, then <i>please</i> write your post intelligently. Use proper spelling and grammar, give reasons for anything applicable, examples if possible. Try to keep it short, nobody wants to read forever.
<b>- Flaming</b>
Whatever you do, don't start a flame fest. It's not fun to be insulted. When you post, think about the other person. Would you like it if you were blatantly insulted like that? If the person is acting like a llama, calmly ask him to stop and include reasons for anything applicable. If that fails, report the thread to a monitor and have him/her deal with it
<b>- Double posting</b>
Don't double post. If you have forgotten to add in something, go back and edit your post to include what you forgot.
<b>- Bumping</b>
Don't bump topics - EVER. Nobody wants to have to scroll through all kinds of "bump" and "bump this is important!!!" If there is room for more discussion, refer to <b>Structured Posts</b>. If not, leave it be. People can find it if they want it.
<b>- Swearing and the swear filter</b>
Please, keep swearing to a minimum. It'd be easier on everyonre else if you spoke politely. Also, do not dodge the swear filter. It's there for a reason.
There you have it. Feel free to add to this. If a moderator would sticky this, I'd be grateful. Thank you all and please follow these rules, I know I will.
<b>- Structured posts</b>
When you post, take your time. Think about it. Has it already been discussed? If it has and there is further room for discussion, please post on the topic already active or do not poost. If not, then <i>please</i> write your post intelligently. Use proper spelling and grammar, give reasons for anything applicable, examples if possible. Try to keep it short, nobody wants to read forever.
<b>- Flaming</b>
Whatever you do, don't start a flame fest. It's not fun to be insulted. When you post, think about the other person. Would you like it if you were blatantly insulted like that? If the person is acting like a llama, calmly ask him to stop and include reasons for anything applicable. If that fails, report the thread to a monitor and have him/her deal with it
<b>- Double posting</b>
Don't double post. If you have forgotten to add in something, go back and edit your post to include what you forgot.
<b>- Bumping</b>
Don't bump topics - EVER. Nobody wants to have to scroll through all kinds of "bump" and "bump this is important!!!" If there is room for more discussion, refer to <b>Structured Posts</b>. If not, leave it be. People can find it if they want it.
<b>- Swearing and the swear filter</b>
Please, keep swearing to a minimum. It'd be easier on everyonre else if you spoke politely. Also, do not dodge the swear filter. It's there for a reason.
There you have it. Feel free to add to this. If a moderator would sticky this, I'd be grateful. Thank you all and please follow these rules, I know I will.
Comments
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Use proper spelling and grammar, give reasons for anything applicable, examples if possible. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thats pretty hard for me since English isnt my first language, but I'm doing my best to be understandable.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Don't bump topics - EVER. Nobody wants to have to scroll through all kinds of "bump" and "bump this is important!!!" If there is room for more discussion, refer to Structured Posts. If not, leave it be. People can find it if they want it.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah if a topic needs bumping its that it aint well structured to attract people in it.
I'm with you on that one CForrester !
Also, I noticed some people like to type out "Gernades" and "Turrents." It's GREnades and turrETS. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
My $.02
much of what I do is simply b/c I am a slow typer and abreviations are helpfull for me.
I also have the problem that I can't spell worth squat (and no I am NOT going to spell check my posts I am sorry if that realy offends you but, what ever)
for the most part I believe that so long as the person gets their point through, it is good enough.
If posts are illegible then yes there is something wrong there, over ussage of profanity, slurs, and posts that require a hit of acid to make them clear, well that is aproblem.
however those of us who simply are typing a stream of conciousness (like me) it is simpeler to type this way (and to get our point in therE).
(also please forgive those of us who don't proof read posts and thus don't catch our typos ;D)
random amusing side note, most people who I know who have english as their second language speak/write it better then many native speakers (generaly due to much more intensive english classes then we have take)
I doubt that any of the playtesters would say the game is more fun to play now on a public server than it was on the private playtesting server. I can't say for sure for but that's reasonable. Why? Because of all the new players. Who are the most annoying people in the game? The people who just tried this game and are trying to play it like CS, or Quake, or whatever else. And not just that they don't know how to play, but that they think they are right and go aren't yelling at other people. And that's not even mentioning TKers, people who scream in voice chat, or others.
And, of course, those same players also join the forums. Typing to express how stupid they feel this game is without bothering to check their spelling. Insulting other people to assume themselves that they are right and everyone else is a moron. Posting alot to bring their post counts up, including bumping their own posts that nobody wants to read. And using obscenities to express their opinions.
The only way to prevent this from happening would have been to <i>not</i> release the game, thus not having anything to attract flamers. Of course, that's not the best answer is it? The best we could do now to fix it would be to have more agressive moderating. But that would require more work on the part of the mods and would only make the flamers angrier that their posts were being removed.
I try to hope for the best in people when online, but this is one area where I've given up. There is no good solution except to just ignore them, nothing more.
In my opinion, this is the type of post we must <b>AVOID</b>.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Good call, I remember I joined all of a week before release right when the PR blitz began and I was really impressed by the calm and collected posts out on the boards. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, that was great. I once mod'ed a forum where things were calm and civilized, so I didnt have much owrk to do <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
I also would like to se a return of the boards back then (I happen to like seeing the *NUKED* threads, mainly b/c it tells me that the mods are still there controlling stuff as much as they can
Personaly my one solution that I thought up would be a forum that is moded with an iron fist (a compleate no flamming/abussive/whinning/what have you policy)
thus creating a place that civilized conversaytions and such could be held, and if any one steps out of line at all the post gets nuked
I suggest this as a new forum b/c that way there can also be the rest of the forum that will have less stringent rulles (basicaly as it is now)
my reasoning behind this is that the chance of being able to mod this entire place, like any big game forum, is imposible (I have heard stories of the CS, Dod, and DC forums, blech I don't want this to end up like that)
having said that, it SHOULD also be the (pardon the pun) .. hive <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo--> .. of this game's community, but only the community can make it that!
It would be kind of cool to have the mods run the place with an iron fist like Thansal said. I mean just deleting all topics that were not of some value and worth discussing.
So that we could have a place to go that would be like the old forum, however if the entire forum was like that, good by popularity of NS
Even the CS.net forum used to be a really nice place, until CS got "big". Undoubtedly NS will go that way too. Is there a way to stop it? I think so.
What do the Dev Team want out of the forum? I would guess:
#1: PR
#2: Feedback
Now let's start with #2, feedback. I doubt that they value the more and more frequent (and repetitive) posts yelling and screaming about this and that. I would guess they prefer the thought out comments of people who have played the game a lot, and have the same vision of the game as themselfs. I know I would.
PR then. Well, I really really doubt that having an army of jerks at a forum will give good publicity. Possibly it can get more jerks to play the game but that shouldn't really be too important to the Dev Team, since this is a free mod, not a game. Thus, a possible loss of jerks wouldn't mean less money, and (at least in my mind) would mean that the non-jerky part of the community would enjoy both the gaming and the forum a lot more.
Basically, my policy is this:
Ban them.
It works on the servers, it should work on the forums. Someone posts a flame or something really stupid/offensive? Delete their account. They come back and do it again? Ban them by IP. Lay the smack down. It's within your rights, it's your damn forum, and I am sure a big portion of the people would applaude you for doing so.
On servers I usually kick for first offense, and ban for the second. How about using such a policy here?
<!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
look, if these forums were compleatly rulled with an iron fist, well there goes this mods immage
there are alot of people who are toolsneed bans, however there are also alot of people who simply screw up, and if you screw up and meet a ban (even a temp) theyaint going to be happy with the game
Remember the community is what makes/breaks a game, and at the forefront of a comunity are the most vizable, and those are Flay, MonsE, and the other Devs/team members
As I said, one possible solution is to have some specific forums be moderated with a VERY heavy hand, but not all of them
my thoughts on this are:
1) Tech support (basicaly remove the 2-5x posts on the same topic, as well as keeping a running list of ACTUAL known bugs, also dell all threads that explain exploits)
2) a NEW general forum (one that can be free of complaining, and abusive people, yet leaving the other one as is)
3) possibly the suggestions forum (basicaly reply to each thread that goeas after something already done and then locking it)
ok at all form me
man, did you even read the first post?
they need a butt kickin <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->
3 years of BBS and server admin experience tells me otherwise.
<!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->perma/semiban ppl, IT IS NOT THE ANSWER<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's the only answer.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Why? So a moron like you can stink up the whole forum with your llamaness<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Something tells me you aren't getting the point.
Basically, if you don't admin the original board hard, new boards will steal away the good people.
This is how CoFR started by the way, as a haven away from the cs.net boards. We have a couple of NS players too, which is why I don't post here much.
EDIT: Text size was messed. No, I didn't add the **obscenity** statement during this edit.
Flames on the other hand should be nuked, I fully agree. If they repeat-flame, ban them on the IP level.. nobody needs to come here and get insulted. I think that's something we can ALL agree upon.
I also don't mind the obscenity blocker.. for the definitely obscene words at least. I get enough foul language over the voice comm in NS <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> Yes folks, it is possible to communicate without f-this and f-that.
Please don't over-police the forums, the community will only suffer from it.
And we love you Himura-san.
I really don't see the point in getting onto a forum then insulting someone. For example, a new player posted on an unspecified forum and was promptly insulted for his name and ideas, by two people. I mean.. geez.. If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all.
I have to say that the rate at which the forum is becoming less and less attractive (at least to me) is increasing rapidly. It's a shame, it was probably the friendliest forum of any HL mod I have ever seen.