Viewing Thread:
"All the crap ends HERE."

Many people are thinking that these forums are starting to split at the seams. I am starting to agree. This post istelf will argue against what it is trying to say, but taking this approach seems to be the only option.

When I started as a newbie, I said some dumb things, and posted some crap topics. Everyone did. My opinions were admittedly biased rather than constructive, but over the months I came to see how the place works, and reworded my thoughts into constructive argument rather than biased bitching. All the newbies that I have seen since my regular status have gone through this adaption, and credit goes to FinalFantasyFanatic, who started off as a spammer who people generally laughed at rather than with, has come to be a good poster, a GAD winner, and a generally cool bloke. You made me chuckle today, hats off to you.

But lately the forums are slipping. There are arguments coming out, and people, regulars included, are responding to posts with biasness and critisism, instead of the constructive arguments or comedy banter that made this place fun and interesting. Dammit, do you have any idea what you are doing to this place?

Example. I posted on the number of controller ports the PS2 has, and that it's not such a hinderance that 4-port machine owners would like to believe. Instead of the debate that it could have had, it recieved posts calling me an idiot for being so stupid. The post was wasted, and for a second I thought about not bothering to post anymore, if thats the kind of response it recieves.

Now. If that isn't stupid, then what is? If that was a Just arrived or a newbie, s/he might not have come back to post again. Is that what you want? Your own opinions forced home with insults driving people away? This place is supposed to be fun isn't it? New people coming to the site with their own opinions and views are what keeps this place fresh, and without them we would just be saying the same things over and over.

I've seen newbies come here and they get completely pounded. Admittedly, newbie posts have been done before, and sometimes they can be weak, or even just spam. Does that mean you have to hunt them down? Ban them? Why? If you aren't interested in the topic, what's the point in name calling and general nastiness? If it's been done before, how about handily popping the topic, so they can see what's been done and add their views to it? Slating people will only drive them away, and the forums will die.

I would like to take this opportunity to ask SR to instate a new rule. Newbies cannot be banned. Obviously, there are things that would be banneable, like language, but the newbie status is like the trial period. They come in, spam a bit, then learn how this place works and then start to fit in. By the time they are regular, they have their place, and it takes that long for people to settle. Give the new people a break, let them be themselves, let them find out about the rest of us, and back off the harshness.

As i started in this post, I was saying that the post will contradict itself. The main reason for this post was to ask people not to moan and be offensive, yet this post is a moaner, and has probably offended a few. To those offended, I apologise. To anyone I have ever offended, it was unintentional, and I apologise. To the people that this letter is addressed to, give it a rest. Nastiness to other posters is letting this forum degenerate into nothing but rubbish, like many other forums I have seen where people are just posting their sexual fantasies.

To summarise, give new people a break, they are the regulars of tomorrow and you were like that once. If there is a post you don't agree with, then either try and be constructive, or just don't reply. I really don't want to see this place go down the swanny, it would be a real shame.

Thanks for your time. Sorry for being a moany old trout.

Slave.

Theres been a lot of these sort of posts about recently... mainly about how this site isnt as good as it used to be.....

Although, they have been popping up for at least 6/7months now....

Though, if you do go back through the year or so's worth of posts to those of last December/January time, things are pretty much the same... a smaller number of members, but pretty much the same amount of midless - thought out-BLAtend GAD's

The only things Ive noticed that seem a bit dodgy, is when, discussions are posted, written by people who have obviously put in a lot of effort into writing, or made an interesting point... But once posted all replyes ignore the original post, and desend into one liners usually either console war snipes... or just muckking about... (although, I dont think this has happened to me yet?)

Point is... have fun... though this forum is about FOG, and obviously it would be a shame for this to become a complete mess of snipes, flaming, spamming, etc...

If you unhappy about what people post or dont post, then lead by example... post a decent topic... take the time to reply to other peoples topics (I suspect people dont reply because they think it will lower the chances of their posts winnning the days GAD) ... and if your post doesnt win GAD for the day, keep looking after it as long as theres interest...

Its really not worth getting stressed about... and if your not having a laugh... whats the point?

I feel this topic is directed at me...

Nah, the forums are actually better with mindless, biased rubbish.

PS2 RULEZ!!!

I have to agree that the quality of posting here is a bit hit and miss and I'll also be the first to admit to bitching at some people, but normally I tend to stick with clean posts on the subject in question.

I'm bored with all of the pointless posts, the futile online chatting-up and the juvinille bantering between some posters here.

Critisism is fine as long as it's constructive and has a point behind it other than giving another poster grief.

Discussion is cool, something that should be used more often, but only when it's in context with the subject other wise why bother posting?

Arguments are also good, but you should be prepared to justify your argument and that you have the evidence to support it other than a 2 word sentence.

This is the first set of forums I've really stayed in and actually grown a liking too, and that's purley because most of the subject are areas I'm interested in but sometimes I get the impression that some people are here just to use it for their own personal chatroom and go off on tangents in subjects which ends up annoying some of us. IRC was invented for chatting, so was MSN, use it...

To an extent, this forum is totally unmoderated, something I like and resepct about it. There's a couple of basic rules, and on the whole, most people stick to them but if this was a moderated forum, most of you would have been expelled from here ages ago.

I like Slaves suggestion regarding "Newbies". They do need time to learn, adapt and understand, and allowed to bend the rules slightly, but Regulars who have forced these forums into chaos should be warnned, and if unheeded, should be banned.

Slave... I slap your moany old trout, but in a nice way of course!!

I'd disagree.

Sure people disagree with each other and spats occur, but that's life.
I don't want a place where everyone is "Hello, how are you?" "I'm fine. You?" "Why I'm fine also, let's shower together" "Of course!"

You can choose to not click on topics you know will be rubbish, everything has a place. Be it serious "I am being serious about computer games" type of threads to my usual rubbish.
People argue and get angry, but it gets resolved with no hostility. Or someone gets banned, and usually for a very good reason.

Why should everyone be "I love you man!" to everyone? Why shuold every post be "Intense and deeply serious gaming post"?
So people post crap sometimes, big deal.
People have started to "I'm leaving unless you say nice things to me!".
Excuse me? This is a "chat" forum, do you stand up in a room and say "You are not chatting to my liking, please stop and listen to how I want it done"?
Hope not, cos you'd be ducking chairs in 2 seconds flat.

Nobody here really argues. Christ, I've gone toe to toe with enough people here over stuff, but it's always been resolved with a handshake and a pint (metaphor).
And there are newbies like Donkey Punch, Totoro and Funkygamer that are waay better than a lot of people who have been here a lot longer.
Some people are idiots, that's life.
But there is very rarely open hostility, because nobody here is like that.

Let people say "N64 sux" and similar topics, that's what chatting is all about.
God, I'd never have made it to head-clown if I listened to the abuse I got when I 1st came here, but I laughed and gave back as good as I got.

We're all big boys (and girls) here, if someone feels hard done by, they can leave.
Easy.

This has been a Goaty Political Broadcast on behalf of the "Bored at Lunchtime and can't get Castle Wolfenstein even though it's in stock and that makes meh head ache" Party.

Many people are thinking that these forums are starting to split at the seams. I am starting to agree. This post istelf will argue against what it is trying to say, but taking this approach seems to be the only option.

When I started as a newbie, I said some dumb things, and posted some crap topics. Everyone did. My opinions were admittedly biased rather than constructive, but over the months I came to see how the place works, and reworded my thoughts into constructive argument rather than biased bitching. All the newbies that I have seen since my regular status have gone through this adaption, and credit goes to FinalFantasyFanatic, who started off as a spammer who people generally laughed at rather than with, has come to be a good poster, a GAD winner, and a generally cool bloke. You made me chuckle today, hats off to you.

But lately the forums are slipping. There are arguments coming out, and people, regulars included, are responding to posts with biasness and critisism, instead of the constructive arguments or comedy banter that made this place fun and interesting. Dammit, do you have any idea what you are doing to this place?

Example. I posted on the number of controller ports the PS2 has, and that it's not such a hinderance that 4-port machine owners would like to believe. Instead of the debate that it could have had, it recieved posts calling me an idiot for being so stupid. The post was wasted, and for a second I thought about not bothering to post anymore, if thats the kind of response it recieves.

Now. If that isn't stupid, then what is? If that was a Just arrived or a newbie, s/he might not have come back to post again. Is that what you want? Your own opinions forced home with insults driving people away? This place is supposed to be fun isn't it? New people coming to the site with their own opinions and views are what keeps this place fresh, and without them we would just be saying the same things over and over.

I've seen newbies come here and they get completely pounded. Admittedly, newbie posts have been done before, and sometimes they can be weak, or even just spam. Does that mean you have to hunt them down? Ban them? Why? If you aren't interested in the topic, what's the point in name calling and general nastiness? If it's been done before, how about handily popping the topic, so they can see what's been done and add their views to it? Slating people will only drive them away, and the forums will die.

I would like to take this opportunity to ask SR to instate a new rule. Newbies cannot be banned. Obviously, there are things that would be banneable, like language, but the newbie status is like the trial period. They come in, spam a bit, then learn how this place works and then start to fit in. By the time they are regular, they have their place, and it takes that long for people to settle. Give the new people a break, let them be themselves, let them find out about the rest of us, and back off the harshness.

As i started in this post, I was saying that the post will contradict itself. The main reason for this post was to ask people not to moan and be offensive, yet this post is a moaner, and has probably offended a few. To those offended, I apologise. To anyone I have ever offended, it was unintentional, and I apologise. To the people that this letter is addressed to, give it a rest. Nastiness to other posters is letting this forum degenerate into nothing but rubbish, like many other forums I have seen where people are just posting their sexual fantasies.

To summarise, give new people a break, they are the regulars of tomorrow and you were like that once. If there is a post you don't agree with, then either try and be constructive, or just don't reply. I really don't want to see this place go down the swanny, it would be a real shame.

Thanks for your time. Sorry for being a moany old trout.

Slave.