A Request To The Ns Community

MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
edited June 2003 in NS General Discussion
<div class="IPBDescription">Everyone was new once</div> Heya NS fans,

Lately, the forums have been getting a little, well, snooty. People have tended to reply a bit more condescendingly, or perhaps treat new players with less respect then they are due. There's also been a tendency to try and moderate threads by people who aren't mods. And there've been too many flamewars, by NS forum standards.

<b>This needs to be stopped pronto.</b>

A lot of effort has been spent in the NS community to keep it very friendly, social, and PG. We want our forums, channels, and servers to be a refuge from the majority of the online world where anarchy reigns, and admins are nowhere to be seen. We can only do this with <b>YOUR</b> help.

In the next few weeks, the countdown to NS 1.1 is going to begin. This means that the publicity campaign is going to swing into high gear. All those screenshots, movies, battlefield stories, and the rest are going to bring a lot of new faces into the NS community. A lot of new faces that are not NS experts, who have not been playing since October 2002, have not been following the mod since July 2001. Basically, a lot of 'newbies'.

<b>These players are what will keep NS alive!</b>

They need to be welcomed, and treated with patience and respect. Again - <i>patience and respect</i>. This means that when someone asks some silly question for the 20th time that day, and you have nothing good to say, <i>then you have no reason to post.</i> First impressions are what counts in the online world, and if the first response someone gets to 'how do I evolve into an Onos?' is 'SUYF read the manual, n00b!' then that player is likely never to ask anything again. You and the NS team cannot afford for this to happen.

So, on behalf of the dev team, the mods, and the ops, I am asking you think before you post that flame. My moderators have also been told that we're tightening up, and they are going to enforce this new mindset with extreme force if necessary. This means you will get a thread lock and a PM if we find you getting out of hand. Then a temp ban. Then you will be gone forever. We don't want to ban anyone, but this is what it will take to maintain the peace and goodwill in here, we will.

That's all. Please make sure your friends and mates read this post (it will be stickied in a while). Ignorance will not be an excuse.

Thanks, and get ready for NS 1.1. It's going to be affecting your grades and work performance sooner than you think! <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
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Comments

  • MoquiaoMoquiao Join Date: 2003-05-09 Member: 16168Members
    agreed. nice post monsE

    im probarbly just as bad as some of the worst but muh i am better! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->

    j/k!

    lets all hold hands.
  • Ph0enixPh0enix Join Date: 2002-10-08 Member: 1462Members, Constellation
    I think the condescending attitude has crept in slowly over the months. A kick up the bum such as this post is just the ticket.
  • DethGauntDethGaunt Join Date: 2003-06-02 Member: 16938Members
    Amen to that MonsE <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • MEShootHereMEShootHere Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 6975Members
    edited June 2003
    w3rd to that, new players need to be taught basics, how else are they to learn them? Trial and error is rarely an option, especially in game.
    Nothing is more fun than helping someone learn the game and watching him/her/MonsE grow and become full fledged players, knowing they maybe stuck around just a LITTLE longer because you were nice to them.
    SnootyMembers--
    !

    [EDIT]: From the S&I forum one: Sticky it and make it big and red and menacing!
  • EzekielEzekiel Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3006Members
    cool, new ns, new players, more players, let the good times roll <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Iced_EagleIced_Eagle Borg Engineer Join Date: 2003-03-02 Member: 14218Members
    they probably will be all confused with all this talk from the "SCORPION THAT HOVARS WITH NO FLAPING!!!11" talk probably <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> but wUrd to that monse
  • The_Real_QuasarThe_Real_Quasar Has the I.Q. of 12,000 P.E. Teachers Join Date: 2002-11-26 Member: 9998Members
  • Ph0enixPh0enix Join Date: 2002-10-08 Member: 1462Members, Constellation
    Not content with spamming multiple 'news' posts in off-topic, MonsE has now unveiled his true colours and spammed the same message in every forum. Downright disgraceful <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Aries8Aries8 Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10719Members
    I can just see the flames when the first one of these newbies asks wheres the sniper rifle and flamethrower. Hopefully we will be able to put those flames out before it gets to bad.


    Note: Wouldn't a funny asnwer to this be, you get them when you find the scorpion that hovars without flapping, or is that considered flamming?
  • SirusSirus Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8466Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    Flaming is pretty much anything thats meant to be insulting or degrading...anything.
  • StoneburgStoneburg Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8174Members
    I've got to admit I have been a bit testy in some responses. I think there's a lower tolerance for <i>stupidity</i> then for newbieness though, even though it can be tedious to hear the same questions posted again and again, especially in the wrong forum ("Onoz shloud have lazerbeems!!!111" in Fronteirsmen Strategy or something).

    I'm very glad to hear that the mods are polishing their boots however, and I'll try to be on my best behaviour. I've advocated harsher moderation before since it is in my opinion the only way to keep a forum of this size, or bigger, semi-civil.

    I think the golden rule is that if you're gonna post "n00b", don't post at all. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • CobraChaosCobraChaos Join Date: 2003-06-19 Member: 17527Banned
    edited June 2003
    <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> I try to help people (newbies) on NS servers,some here,the other day someone asked me how to com or set something down which can be hard but I told him the inf portal was on the second row in the middle etc.,how to bring the com menu up n more so it made me feel good that I was of a great service to bring someone new into NS <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->.


    As for the 1.1 screenshots (not to be insulting,degrading etc.) but if you take a look at 1.0 to 1.04 n stuff we had ALOT of screenshots,not to mention that Flayra put out some patches n stuff,and what I find extremely funny this is not the case with 1.1?? hmm perhaps some secrets that await us that won't be told until release or something? lol,oh and the screenshots n movies n trailers won't be out until the closer 1.1 gets to release? There's an NS Trailer to get people intrested in NS I think so why not do it with 1.1? I've only seen maybe 2 screenshots of 1.1,1.04 and on??more than 2 lol.

    The second paragraph is in no way meant to be disrespectful or anything,I just try to pointout and go by what I see and read.
  • AgkelosAgkelos Join Date: 2003-02-07 Member: 13243Members
    2 Days ago I pmed that Elmichimaro chick from the new players forums, took her to a empty server, and began teaching her the basics -_-. Take in mind that I did it at 3 am, and I hadnt slept for 24 hours <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • CobraChaosCobraChaos Join Date: 2003-06-19 Member: 17527Banned
    <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> Too Much NS v1.1 eh Agkelos? hehe lol,whenever I get tired of playing on a server with peeps I just disconnect and have some outrageous fun with strats with RCBOT without peeps yik yak about that etc.
  • SentrySteveSentrySteve .txt Join Date: 2002-03-09 Member: 290Members, Constellation
    Indeed, MonsE. I have noticed the grumbling as well, there was also a fair amount of it around release of beta 1 if I remember correctly. Maybe I was a part of it - but now we all should be watching what we say and how we say it.
  • SilentMurdererSilentMurderer Join Date: 2002-10-30 Member: 1751Members
    Go for it MonsE <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->


    About a 1.1 trailer, it's allready in the making by the ChaosFilms Department.
  • tbZBeAsttbZBeAst Join Date: 2003-01-26 Member: 12755Members
    Can I play devils advocate to MonsE as usual, and ask if we're being cruel <i>enough</i> to each other?

    j/k

    although that does raise an interesting idea, a flames forum, for people to get it out of their system, and enable the return of my beloved Discussions forum. Um, ok then, maybe not.

    As always, I take people as I find them. I expect them to do the same for me. Do unto others, or summat.
  • bon_Hommebon_Homme Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17543Members
    Thanks MonsE!

    I do agree with your statement. I've been playing NS since the initial release. I've been a little wary to post questions or ideas here, due to a lot of the general "snootiness" you mentioned.

    I do see a lot of helpful people as well (Stoneburg, Chopper Dave, Teos et all) and it's their helpful posts/replies that keep me interested in the boards. Let's not let the trolls and flamers take the limelight away from great community members like them!

    Let no one flame newbies for repeat posts! Let there be links to original articles! So sayeth this guy.

    Keep up the good work with 1.1 guys!
  • Marine0IMarine0I Join Date: 2002-11-14 Member: 8639Members, Constellation
    OH YEAH! Is that what you think - well i THINK UR A FREAKIN n00... oh, oh i see.....
    /makes vain effort to hide AutoflamerXP3000 behind back
  • JBoyJBoy Join Date: 2002-09-27 Member: 1357Members
    edited June 2003
    This is what I like about the NS team. They've always played a very active role in the community in keeping it on par with the (professional) mod it follows. I remember how it was when I started out when the mod came out. No one knew too much about how to play, and everyone helped each other as solid teams. Thats when I remembered every detail of each game I played because it was that cool and unique. To bad the new newbies won't get to experience it like that, but we can still keep the atmosphere the same.

    Keep up the good work Monse. I think more mods need dedicated PR people.

    P.S. Oh, and don't let the post count (super low) fool you. I followed the mod for at least a couple months before it was out. I've just been more of a reader than a writer.
  • StoneburgStoneburg Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8174Members
    Not to be a wet blanket or anything but everyone *does* realise that the much-despised CS community was like this in the beginning. Relatively friendly, filled with people that knew eachother and helped eachother out.

    With the influx of lots of new people comes lots of new... well, unwated people. Or at least people with unwanted behaviour. If people that complain about the CS "community" don't want NS to turn into a mirror of it, they need to be very pro-active with regards to helping epople out and creating a nice atmosphere.

    Of course the Mods play a very important role in this too, since they are the ones who have the final say. After this announcement I assume that they will crack down hard on flamers and their like but the "normal" forum goers have to do their share to, or you will only be able to seperate between NS.org and CS.net by the logos and color scheme.
  • echsechs Join Date: 2002-12-27 Member: 11568Members, Constellation
    I'm glad something is being done about this Monse. I'd say the new folk and the regulars are definately devided in these forums, which isn't very comforting. We sometimes take for granted that we once we're the new folk on these boards and in the NS community.
    Roll along 2.0 and new players <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> I still want to play this game in years time...
  • JesusCJesusC Join Date: 2003-03-28 Member: 14996Members
    Yay! They're going to make all the meanies be nice. = )

    When I was new to the ns forums I never posted any questions, simply because you only have to look at any thread started by a newbie to see the reaction of most people. "OMG!!! Read teh &^*@! manual!!! USE SEARCH! Where teh admins lock + banz0r this n00b!!!!!one" Not everyone has the time in their life to memorize every stat from the manual, and even less people know forum ettiquite right of the bat... that's excluding the fact I've never once seen someone explain to a newbie <i>how</i> to get to manual. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Iced_EagleIced_Eagle Borg Engineer Join Date: 2003-03-02 Member: 14218Members
    we must force MonsE to change his name to MonsieurMeanieWhipper... but all good stuff monse and im helping nubs on our server left and right
  • oooooo Join Date: 2003-03-19 Member: 14709Members
  • XzilenXzilen Join Date: 2002-12-30 Member: 11642Members, Constellation
    Tool as in Outkast?
  • fewfew Join Date: 2003-04-02 Member: 15128Members
    gimmah 2.0 then i'm happy <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • ArawnArawn Join Date: 2003-02-01 Member: 12954Members
    Being new does not excuse ignorance, I started like a day or two after ns came out (it took so long I forgot what day it came out :\) and I'll be damned if I was just going to connect to some server and make an 4ss (the donkey) of myself by not knowing what I was doing. First I read the manual, then I tried a couple LAN games by myself to get a feel for the game, browsed the forums, and THEN I played for real. Of course thats probably more than even I would expect from most people, although I found it at least mildly entertaining, but I would be satisfied if they would just read the damn manual. I think we also have an obligation to keep the ns community trash free, IE NOT like the cs community, and if you have to ask dumb questions like 'how do I evolve into an Onos?' (which, by the way, usually comes out as 'OMFGZ r u plz be telling me how u go teh Onos?', minus the swear words though) then I think you should stop playing ns. It's not like this is some subpar mod where nobody even bothered to compile a faq or manual, I actually enjoyed reading the manual, it looks FANTASTIC, and its really easy to find answers to specific questions. I for one, am **** off for whoever did all of that hard work preparing it. I would agree with you 100% about being sensitive to n00bs and their repetitive and simplistic questions, except that there is a wide array of information concerning nearly every aspect of ns available to them, so I have no sympathy for anyone asking stupid questions. I'll try not to be downright abusive in my posts, but as far as being polite, don't push it.
  • de_CardiacArrestde_CardiacArrest Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10572Members
    Its important that we remember the issue of flaming newbies extends beyond the forums.

    Most newbies dont start in the forums. They start in the game, online, and they probably havent read the manual. I dont blame them, its huge; and besides, most games dont require a manual (although we know ns is a borderline exception to the rule). The also probably dont watch the slideshow. Even if they do read the manual and slideshow, NS is a complicated game and its inevitable they wont understand the entire thing.

    So play nice online too.

    I think the best way to help all the billions of new users there will be is a good, quick, and intuitive slideshow. Im sure the NS team has already done this, or is doing it (taking bets now...10:1). I think they should remove the option to NOT view the slideshow.

    NS is a much better game if you understand it. The more newbies understand the game the more will stick with it, and the closer the NS team is to world domination. Anyways now im drifting; but remember to be as helpful as you can online. I would like the slideshow to be good enough that i could refer newbies to it with confidence.
  • ArawnArawn Join Date: 2003-02-01 Member: 12954Members
    Well, if a n00b reads the manual and then comes to me and says 'hey i just read the friggin manual but i dont understand X' or 'the manual didnt mention this, what does it do?' I will automatically respect you and would be happy to answer the question. Really though, I'm getting EXTREMELY tired of noobs asking how to go Onos...as if the whole game was centered on aliens going Onos at the very beginning vs. unupgraded marines. It's common sense, why would anyone play a game where one team automatically wins at the start? Every single time? Since when did we have to accomodate stupid people? If someone is an idiot then feel free to bash on them and ruin their whole experience until they take the hint and leave. Compassion is for equals.

    Door's on your left.

    (I mean really stupid people though...not newbies who make mistakes...you all know who I'm talking about, the demented 10 year olds who really have no business near anything remotely electronic :P)
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