The Infamous Scamola:
Eh, you should be more lenient. I remember when I was a wee paperboy, I did a lot of stupid shit. Time is a teacher though.

The good will stay, and will learn the arts of fine posting, the rest will just go away and find a new site to hold their attention for the next couple of weeks.

True. But if you've been around later then the last year then you'll notice the change. Too many people assume this place is like the rest of the net. Drawn in by Yahtzee who swears too much, they too feel that the Escapist is just the Yahtzee forum where everyone can swear and act like idiots.

PurpleRain:

The Infamous Scamola:
Eh, you should be more lenient. I remember when I was a wee paperboy, I did a lot of stupid shit. Time is a teacher though.

The good will stay, and will learn the arts of fine posting, the rest will just go away and find a new site to hold their attention for the next couple of weeks.

True. But if you've been around later then the last year then you'll notice the change. Too many people assume this place is like the rest of the net. Drawn in by Yahtzee who swears too much, they too feel that the Escapist is just the Yahtzee forum where everyone can swear and act like idiots.

But this is just like the rest of the net. At least, at present. Nothing can stop that, nothing can reverse it. Absolutely nothing. I came here last year at this time, after the Yahtzee changeover, and it took me almost a year to realize that this is just a nice website with some forums and a few cool people. It's a decent place, but it's not the Holy Grail of the Internet. Or if it was before the change, it has diverged from that and will never be that again.

PurpleRain:

The Infamous Scamola:
Eh, you should be more lenient. I remember when I was a wee paperboy, I did a lot of stupid shit. Time is a teacher though.

The good will stay, and will learn the arts of fine posting, the rest will just go away and find a new site to hold their attention for the next couple of weeks.

True. But if you've been around later then the last year then you'll notice the change. Too many people assume this place is like the rest of the net. Drawn in by Yahtzee who swears too much, they too feel that the Escapist is just the Yahtzee forum where everyone can swear and act like idiots.

Yeah, but Yahtzee kinda created these forums. I mean, pretty much all of the "big" posters here were drawn by his vids, me included.

I can imagine these forums being quite... boring before his arrival.

He is a mixed blessing, I guess.

chronobreak:

I'm not talking about penalizing anybody, especially new users. Unless of course you think them taking a quiz about the rules we are all expected to know would be punishing them. It isn't elitist, and it isn't just "my" opinion. The sentiment has been mirrored all over this thread and the forum as a whole. So don't try to play it off like it's only me, pal. If the majority of our community would see fit to have such a system in place, I'm damn sure it would be considered, because without a community, you don't have much of a forum, do ya? Also, I would recommend reading the whole thread to find out exactly how bad posts and threads hinder our site, such as bumping good topics down the line and such.

Give me one person in here who is suggesting harrassing new users, or have even done it. Nobody is trying to harrass anyone, just simply make our forums the best they can be.

And, when I first came here, the "flow" of the site was good grammar and ettiquite, and relevant and interesting discussions. THAT is The Escapist most of us know and love, and the reason most of us have stuck around so long.

MODS: PLEASE do not lock this topic, delete the spam posts but please let us have our discussion, which has been very civil so far.

I dissagree. To suggest that someone has to make x number of posts before they can start new threads, if not harrassing, is certainly unfair. I didn't have to, you didn't have to.

As far as spelling or ettiquite goes, get over yourself. This is a site that caters to videogame and electronics enthusiats, who like to sling their own lingo as a matter of identity, community as you like to keep throwing in my face. If you want folk to stick their pinkies out as they sip their tea, go right ahead. But don't blame me because the Escapist is changing and you don't like it. Some of us do like the way this site and the forums have been developing. Some of us don't feel an overwhelming need for more authority, or authoritarians.

If you feel like bad threads are bumping good threads off the list, make more good threads to combat them. There are at least four to five different ways to search the forums or click on tabs to seperate the wheat from the chaff. Bad threads either get reported for violating the submission rules, or don't get responded to because they lack worth. Seems pretty simple and Darwinian to me. Doesn't need more moderation than that really.

If bad threads get perpetuated, then that is the choice of the forum goers, the very community you seem so proud to serve. It's not anybodies fault if a perponderance of them fell like that maybe the Escapist should resemble 4chan or youtube more. That's convergent evolution. It's up to the forum goers what makes a good or bad thread. Moderators should just enforce the rules as they have been laid down, and everyone who comes here should be able to say whatever they want to say whenever they want to say it, as provided for by those same rules. I think that if the same thread comes up again and again, then that is the will of the forum goers. If I don't like it, I IGNORE it. Just that simple. Change to this site is inevitable, as more people come here to participate. If you don't like the changes, maybe it's the Escapist you're not happy with anymore, not the posters.

odubya23:
As far as spelling or ettiquite goes, get over yourself. This is a site that caters to videogame and electronics enthusiats, who like to sling their own lingo as a matter of identity, community as you like to keep throwing in my face. If you want folk to stick their pinkies out as they sip their tea, go right ahead. But don't blame me because the Escapist is changing and you don't like it. Some of us do like the way this site and the forums have been developing. Some of us don't feel an overwhelming need for more authority, or authoritarians.

Well, firstly, this is more of a magazine website with a lot of writers within. People here who I have personally befriended a brilliant and amazing writers and will eventually go on to do it professionally. This is, well, was a site that held writing in such a high regard. People would be banned if they were loft with their spelling and grammar.

So, get over yourself. Writing and the English language is such an wonderful tool when you use it write. I would love to sit here and be criticized over the way I write and the structure of my writing so I can get so so much better. Not enough people realize the power of words.

odubya23:
If I don't like it, I IGNORE it.

You're right. This is how we advance as a society. Let us all be trodden on! Let us not shout out when things are crap.
Don't be a hypocrite. Always shout out and try to make a change. Threads like this may change only a hand full of people that want to change. So let him shout out!

There was a point at which this place wasn't "to the dogs?" I'll be damned.

It's an internet website. You got internet people. Enjoy.

Edit: It's "fascists."

PurpleRain:

odubya23:
As far as spelling or ettiquite goes, get over yourself. This is a site that caters to videogame and electronics enthusiats, who like to sling their own lingo as a matter of identity, community as you like to keep throwing in my face. If you want folk to stick their pinkies out as they sip their tea, go right ahead. But don't blame me because the Escapist is changing and you don't like it. Some of us do like the way this site and the forums have been developing. Some of us don't feel an overwhelming need for more authority, or authoritarians.

Well, firstly, this is more of a magazine website with a lot of writers within. People here who I have personally befriended a brilliant and amazing writers and will eventually go on to do it professionally. This is, well, was a site that held writing in such a high regard. People would be banned if they were loft with their spelling and grammar.

So, get over yourself. Writing and the English language is such an wonderful tool when you use it write. I would love to sit here and be criticized over the way I write and the structure of my writing so I can get so so much better. Not enough people realize the power of words.

odubya23:
If I don't like it, I IGNORE it.

You're right. This is how we advance as a society. Let us all be trodden on! Let us not shout out when things are crap.
Don't be a hypocrite. Always shout out and try to make a change. Threads like this may change only a hand full of people that want to change. So let him shout out!

Yeah, a videogame magazine website, you kinda proved my point.
And I'm quite over myself, as I would hope my unflattering avatar proves.
How is what I said hypocritical? I simply defend the changes that are coming as a matter of fact, was anything I said untrue? Is there no way to peacefully ignore bad threads? Should this only be a forum of english majors?

BTW, English is a lumbering fool of a language, it's very alphabet ripped-off from the Romans. The only thing english communicates truly well is hate and dissatisfaction.

odubya23:
I dissagree. To suggest that someone has to make x number of posts before they can start new threads, if not harrassing, is certainly unfair. I didn't have to, you didn't have to.

As far as spelling or ettiquite goes, get over yourself. This is a site that caters to videogame and electronics enthusiats, who like to sling their own lingo as a matter of identity, community as you like to keep throwing in my face. If you want folk to stick their pinkies out as they sip their tea, go right ahead. But don't blame me because the Escapist is changing and you don't like it. Some of us do like the way this site and the forums have been developing. Some of us don't feel an overwhelming need for more authority, or authoritarians.

If you feel like bad threads are bumping good threads off the list, make more good threads to combat them. There are at least four to five different ways to search the forums or click on tabs to seperate the wheat from the chaff. Bad threads either get reported for violating the submission rules, or don't get responded to because they lack worth. Seems pretty simple and Darwinian to me. Doesn't need more moderation than that really.

If bad threads get perpetuated, then that is the choice of the forum goers, the very community you seem so proud to serve. It's not anybodies fault if a perponderance of them fell like that maybe the Escapist should resemble 4chan or youtube more. That's convergent evolution. It's up to the forum goers what makes a good or bad thread. Moderators should just enforce the rules as they have been laid down, and everyone who comes here should be able to say whatever they want to say whenever they want to say it, as provided for by those same rules. I think that if the same thread comes up again and again, then that is the will of the forum goers. If I don't like it, I IGNORE it. Just that simple. Change to this site is inevitable, as more people come here to participate. If you don't like the changes, maybe it's the Escapist you're not happy with anymore, not the posters.

To be fair, I never endorsed that idea whole-heartedly, but instead I endorsed people to come up with ideas, and to at least try to think of different things to curtail the influx of bad posting. I actually thought a quiz was a good idea myself, but I'm sure other people have good ideas as well. And, you are right, it isn't fair, but too bad. Sometimes unfair rules have to be instituted to curb a problem, it happens all the time. Look at the Patriot Act, for example. (Not trying to open that can of worms) If it came down to it, I'd do it myself, I would have no problem waiting even 100 posts to make a topic, even though I already can.

Also, you seem to be missing that I am not the only one with the problem here. It is a concern shared by many members who have been here long enough to see what is happening. It isn't a matter of tea-sipping, good grammar and ettiquite are common courtesy. This isn't 4chan. We have deliberately set ourselves apart from other forums by openly being a tad more strict in what we percieve as good content and by enforcing at least halfway decent spelling. You say that I maybe can't handle what the site is becoming, maybe I could just as well say it doesn't belong the way that it is, and something should be done.

As far as thread bumping, I agree people should keep making good topics so bad ones are the ones that get bumped down. That's elementary, though. We can also lock terrible threads, I mean why not? For repeat threads though, I don't see how you could condone it, as it is a "
"rule of thumb" of this site to not do it, as I understood them. They should be locked, as per the community consensus.

Overall, what I'm trying to say is there is a problem, whether or not you choose to see it that is way is on you. All you have to do is look at the other people's posts in here, and you can see that much. I'm not making it up. Also, I know you are not very fond of me, and I don't have much good to say about you, but I am glad we can at least have a civil discussion, which, after all the bullshit, is at the heart of why I love this site.

I don't really mind the little offenses committed by the newbies, I just ask them to the guidelines. But when they make the forums a less enjoyable place, I tell them so. And if they really annoy me, blatantly breaking the rules, I report them.

danskrobut:
YOU PEOPLE ARE RETARDED

danskrobut:
you people are retarded

danskrobut:
FACISTS

Can you not do this? This isn't cool.

chronobreak:

WhiteTiger225:

[quote="ChaosTheory3133" post="18.139811.3139893"]snip

Fair enough, I respect your opinion, and I am hoping a day will come where things are a little better. I know it probably will not happen, but a man can dream. A man can dream.

I'm with you there :D

I agree that there a a lot of [shit game]vs[shit game] threads lately and of course "DO U LIEK HALO" threads, but I think that saying that the escapist is on a highway to hell is a bit overreacting. Nothing that a ban hammer can't solve :D

polygon:
There was a point at which this place wasn't "to the dogs?" I'll be damned.

It's an internet website. You got internet people. Enjoy.

Edit: It's "fascists."

People have been saying "the Escapist is going downhill" ever since I got here. I guess its a meme of sorts.

I'm going to try and purge the spammer and his spam, please continue and try to ignore those posts.

They shall be cleansed.

EDIT: Yes, I did lock this for a second, you may now continue.

chronobreak:
Also, you seem to be missing that I am not the only one with the problem here. It is a concern shared by many members who have been here long enough to see what is happening. It isn't a matter of tea-sipping, good grammar and ettiquite are common courtesy. This isn't 4chan. We have deliberately set ourselves apart from other forums by openly being a tad more strict in what we percieve as good content and by enforcing at least halfway decent spelling. You say that I maybe can't handle what the site is becoming, maybe I could just as well say it doesn't belong the way that it is, and something should be done.

Enforcing rules about spelling and grammar is absolutely a matter of tea-sipping. Language is a means of communication; it doesn't matter if I spell "asshole" with one S and no E so long as the idea that I think you're an asshole gets across. Banning someone (or putting them in the timeout corner of "probation") because they misspell words is nothing short of ludicrous pedantry.

And here's something funny: you misspelled "etiquette" and "perceive." Infraction time!

chronobreak:

Overall, what I'm trying to say is there is a problem, whether or not you choose to see it that is way is on you. All you have to do is look at the other people's posts in here, and you can see that much. I'm not making it up. Also, I know you are not very fond of me, and I don't have much good to say about you, but I am glad we can at least have a civil discussion, which, after all the bullshit, is at the heart of why I love this site.

I don't dislike you, per se, I more dislike what you stand for. When I read your posts I hear them in an english accent, like one of the officers on the Death Star. I feel that you have embraced the "garden" philosophy while I have subsribed to the "jungle". I feel that you would be a community leader in one of the gated communities where rich people live, while I would be down with the greasy non-conformists.

I feel that the Escapist would benefit from less rules, while you seem to want to make more rules to tailor the site to suit a more 'controlled' air, like a bonsai tree, though lovely, it is wholly artificial.

We are diametrically opposed.

Ah, finally, the 'facist' is banned.

Anyway. Every time I make a creative thread that hasn't been done before, it rarely lasts more than a page. So I'm thinking that people just LIKE the same old VS. threads and stupid polls, whether they admit it or not.

Aqualung:
Ah, finally, the 'facist' is banned.

Anyway. Every time I make a creative thread that hasn't been done before, it rarely lasts more than a page. So I'm thinking that people just LIKE the same old VS. threads and stupid polls, whether they admit it or not.

Thats not entirely accurate, now i cant say much since ive never seen any of your threads before...or maybe i have? I think the basic problem is the new members who refuse to acknoledge the rules and get a feel for this place before they start posting random stuff they got away with at other places.

They're new users. Its not like they can snap to the rules so quickly in one day.

Give them a little leeway, maybe a smack in the face, and they'll get better eventually.

Aqualung:
Ah, finally, the 'facist' is banned.

Anyway. Every time I make a creative thread that hasn't been done before, it rarely lasts more than a page. So I'm thinking that people just LIKE the same old VS. threads and stupid polls, whether they admit it or not.

Couldn't agree more. A lot of original and interesting content barely lasts a page and a bit, and then sinks down the bottom, while VS threads and repeat topics and post dumping threads go on for 4 or 5 pages.

It's quite irritating. Oh, and I blame Yahtzee also. I'm thankful he exists, because I wouldn't be here otherwise, however he's a double-edged sword. He's sheep are irritating, and it's worse that he's referred to them as sheep in his own videos, yet they soldier on.

PurpleRain:

The Infamous Scamola:
Eh, you should be more lenient. I remember when I was a wee paperboy, I did a lot of stupid shit. Time is a teacher though.

The good will stay, and will learn the arts of fine posting, the rest will just go away and find a new site to hold their attention for the next couple of weeks.

True. But if you've been around later then the last year then you'll notice the change. Too many people assume this place is like the rest of the net. Drawn in by Yahtzee who swears too much, they too feel that the Escapist is just the Yahtzee forum where everyone can swear and act like idiots.

Agreed. Now, punch anyone?

Cpt_Oblivious:

WrongSprite:
Does it really matter that much??

Christ...just ignore it.

This. You learn to ignore them after a while and whenever I encounter a new person I point them in the directions of the rules. We can only hope they learn and do the same.

then you become a grammer nazi and i avoid the thread all together