I like to believe I bring some polite immaturity to The Escapist...

And yes, I don't even go over to Warcry, let alone hell holes like gamefaqs or whatever.

I like it here.

Reaperman Wompa:
I like to believe I bring some polite immaturity to The Escapist...

And yes, I don't even go over to Warcry, I like it here. Let alone hell holes like gamefaqs or whatever.

GameFAQS isn't that bad, I mean you got some cool guys like Trevor and greato-boosta.

And then you got the Nazi-Dictator Moderator Fencedude.

Labyrinth:
Welcome to Escapist. We have manners and dictionaries.

http://s462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/slayermaster123/?action=view¤t=Escapist.jpg

=D

seydaman:

=D

Win.

I like this site. I wasn't really interested in forums before reading a few post here. Oh and a Gigantor review, that helped.

But if you're wondering what happens to someone who isn't civilised here. Here's a little make-beleive situation.

Douche***: THIS SITE SUCKS
RAM: NO, DON'T SAY THIS!!

Mods squad arrives and blackbags the poor guy V for Vendetta style and takes him away.

RAM: Well, I warned him.

It's ok overhere, but I usually just refrain from posting all together on most forums. I've had some wonderfull convo's on forums with people I actually know a little, but it's a well known fact people online are generally idiots.
Without direct eye contact, the worst comes up in people and the usually shy mellow people get a big mouth and curse more then can be seen in a general rapvideo. The ones with a big mouth already in rl, well you know them by now.. they usually have mics and votekick you :)

Personally I feel the internet's one of the causes in today's world for more social agression. Did we curse each other out in the 50ties for having another opinion? The whole concept of 'being cool' most likely didn't exist as much. It's an interesting concept imo, heck I might do a paper on it someday.

But in short, why people online talk like idiots:

1 ability to speak anonymously -> big mouth, no respect for others

2 admins that don't control but enhance this bad community -> sometimes asses suffering from 1, usually young. Though at escapist they all seem pretty well mannerd and a bit older in general, making the escapist a 'safer' place to talk in.

3 gaming is build on the concept of score, making competitive behavior a factor in most online conversations + point 1 = point 3: people making even bigger idiots of themselves.

4 people that used to be respectfull, but are suffering from severe frustration from other people with 1,2,3, and are now getting a big mouth themselves. Yes you know them, they find it constructive to post things like:
*o god learn to search already! ( search function is poor or last thread died ages ago )
*you misspelled word x and y, clearly english is my first language and yours is not, I rule!
*you are new and don't have my 100000 postcount, clearly your opinion is inferior and doesn't matter! ( please escapist, turn postcount off.. it serves no purpose )
*lol, in before the lock ( does this post ever serve a purpose, no it doesn't )
etc..

If you combine these things, it's not that far fetched to say that 1-5% of total online forum posts actually have any meaning. Most is jibberish, ranting, or the typical e-cock forfilling his urges. So yes, the online world is a hostile place imo. I will most likely get a reply on saying that, stating something like:

O god you weenie, internet is serious business!! Learn to talk, learn to spell, you suck..

I'm just disappointed that alot of people online act like total retards, that the internet isn't serious is no excuse. You're indirectly communicating with other people and there is no reason to behave like you have your brain shoved in your ass. This goes for online forums and gaming chat in general.

My 2cents

Labyrinth:
Welcome to Escapist. We have manners and dictionaries.

God i love dictionaries.

That is all.

MasterStratus:
I have joined several other forums and this is by far the best forum out there. Other forums are filled with inconsiderate people who cannot spell and throw F bombs around all day long. This forum is filled with insightful topics and civilized people who have respect for other human beings.

This is an interesting point, I have a problem with swearing, vulgarity, cold-hearted retorque and general elitist belittleling but in this forum I don't swear, I respect other's opinions and I try not to be an ass. This could have to do with teh quality of minds that are brought to these forums, if you look at the escapist as a sight it has intelligent articles and well-spoken reviewers/posters, this means that anyone who is on this sight long enough to be drawn to the forums has some ability of thought and communication, this creates a more intellegent atmosphere than invites us to debate amongst ourselves and respect each other as equals. This has made the escapist a superior forum in my eyes because I can discuss in full paragraphs and people actually take interest in my thoughts.

Labyrinth:

Captain_Planet:
A forum like the Escapist seems focused enough that it doesnt attract too many of those types. Heres hoping.

Check the comments on ZP some time. It's like moderator whack-a-mole and they don't even need their eyes open.

Those are quite hard to read, but they never move over to the full forums because they aren't respected and they get shunned back to watching videos of a game critic and snickering (spelling?) and then mindlessly agreeing with his every thought even thought the have never played the game and probably will never try it.

Theophenes:
Personally, this place seems intelligent, even though I've been here but a day. Also, of course the religious discussions end badly.

Discussing religion or politics on the internet is much like committing harakiri with a pogo stick. Even if you're intentions are honorable, your only reward is a black eye and severe humiliation.

Best. Mental image. Ever

Captain_Planet:

In all seriousness, I think that we can all recognize that every console has its share of fanboys, and in that way the PC is no exception.Of course, console (pc included) flame wars are often the most pathetically entertaining threads on other forums...

QFT

TheNecroswanson:
Welcome, welcome to The Escapist. You were either selected for or requested a transfer to our website. I take great pride in this web site, so much that I've made it my home. So, Welcome to The Escapist, it's safer here.

That's a HL2 reference, right?

Anyway, it just occurred to me why the mods are successful. Someone (sorry, too lazy to go back and quote)mentioned that they work because we want them to work. Now, why do we want them to work? Because they aren't just nameless assassins like on other sites, they're actually users (most visible being Nilcypher(SP?), I think).

The reason our Escapist forums are so polite is for several reasons. First and foremost, we have mods that actually care and uphold the rules of etiquette here. Also, some of us actually help new members to understand the rules, whereas other forums will attack people relentlessly if they screw up. Plus, we Escapists make a concerted effort to keep our forums intelligent and not filled with people saying "bump".

But mostly it's through the efforts of the mods that keep our forums clean. Thank you mods!

Speaking as someone with moderator experience, I do want to express my thanks to the moderators here for keeping the "jerk factor" down to manageable levels. I know exactly how hard that can be... well done, Red Guards!

-- Steve

Labyrinth:
Welcome to Escapist. We have manners and dictionaries.

And anger management.

two great forums:

jedi council forums

cloverfeild movie forums

everyone is quite polite

sorry man but thats so ironic it made me laugh really hard nothing against you though, probably just a typo.

speaking of this thread, i love how a couple of weeks back i saw a cartoon on an escapist thread that was about how someone had developed a virus that before someone commented on youtube they would have their post read out to them, it was funny as hell, even funnier is that youtube now has audio previews, man i love messing with that thing. "im too sexy for my hair, to sexy for my face, im too sexy."

This place really reminds me of my first ever forum membership - it was rather obscure, a UK based chinchilla breeding/keeping site back at the turn of the century, and I was on there so much I racked up more posts than the mods and people worried if I wasn't online for a few days. Everyone there was extremely polite to each other, plus newbies were welcomed and initial mistakes they made (i.e. not searching) were excused. Just the once.

Cue two years later, after broadband caught on. The place was a nightmare - it was still a nice place, but you could literally sense the hostility and tolerance leeching out of the place over time. You could almost see it.

There were people who had bought their chins from some bloke in a pub, didn't know what gender they were, and if they did were wondering why the female was getting so much fatter than the male she was kept with... Anyway. We'd end up kindly telling these new members something, like the fact that chins don't know they're related and will just get on with humping each other, then end up being shouted at IN CAPS because the bloke in the pub told them otherwise.

It was so sad seeing something we'd worked so hard on go down the toilet.

But this site is wonderful, it really reminds me of the good old days, along with a good dose of wit and acerbity when needed. As long as it's polite and well spelled.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it the best forum overall (but that's mostly due to personal taste, nothing against the site as is), but I will say that it is the best game forum that I've been to. And since I be a gamer nerd, that makes all the difference.

Drakstern:
Trolling?

In my forums?

It's more likely than you think.

You so crazy. Who would would seriously troll these forums? Erhem.

The most stupid posts I have ever seen have been on Youtube. People really need to learn how to be civil on that site.

Labyrinth:

Captain_Planet:
A forum like the Escapist seems focused enough that it doesnt attract too many of those types. Heres hoping.

Check the comments on ZP some time. It's like moderator whack-a-mole and they don't even need their eyes open.

If you posted before it was 5 minutes after the ZP video was up though you said something like "Video won't work for me" or something like that, would you get banned for it?

Labyrinth:
Welcome to Escapist. We have manners and dictionaries.

^{Dictionaries may or may not be supplemented with girl gamers, supervillains, thesauri or Halo fans. 3D Glasses not available in all areas. Warranties of safe passage and not being banned void where seen or used. Licorice sauce not available upon request. Batman used as regular supplemental exclaimation is trademark of DC Comics and NBC, General Electric. Users can and will explicitly use accented es thus: é. Be forewarned.}

the rusk:
I like the fact that you're actually allowed to have an opinion here... most other internet forums seem to frown upon it.

I think it's more like you're actually allowed to have a different opinion here. A lot of sites allow the posters to have opinions too, just as long as they're in line w/ the rest of the site's users.

The Escapist

It's safer here

This place is pretty awful, to be honest.

Most likely because it has more than 72 members.

I remember something someone said about 4chan once (Which IS the internet, don't kid yourself) that shall be paraphrased
"The internet is where you can be the biggest asshole you can be
and get off scotch-free"

Rhymes FTW.

Besides, if you don't like 'em, troll 'em.

So this is the: "we love you The Escapist" thread. It is an adequate forum for intelligent discussion though the majority of that discussion is directed to matters of triviality.

Philosophy and psychology forums are so much more polite.

*coughhack*

But yeah I agree with qbert4ever, this is the most well-behaved video game forum I've been to.

"Any ideas why people are like this?"
My theory is that it is easier to be an asshole than it is to be well behaved, i am an asshole on the Internet and irl but that is because i am rather smart (oh and did i mention modes) so i never degrade myself to the "your mum" insults. If any of these pre-pubescent hyper active kids where ever to be equal assholes irl they would get their asses kicked and totally humiliated because in the outside world group pressure and grouping work in a different way than it does on the net.
My best example is this, if you are out walking and some guy yells "Hitler was right" you joust keep walking with barley a backwards glance whatever your own opinion is, if you create a thread on any of these major forums with the topic "Hitler was right" every kid and his dog will post one of these:
"you r an ass"
"yea fucking jews"
"my mom was in concentration camp you damn nazis should all be shot?"
The sentence "Hitler was right" doesn't say much when you analyze it, does it mean Nation socialistic politics are the way to go or ? every one will interpret the sentence their own way and state their opinion on it.

Labyrinth:
Welcome to Escapist. We have manners and dictionaries.

please tell me your submitting that for the slogan contest.

also i love these forums. all the people are very intelligent and polite, even in halo threads...

i never found that religion thread problem though. might just be my relative newness (need a better word) to these forums.

Skipping every post before mine because I'm too tired and lazy to read it all, what I find most appealing about The Escapist forums is that immaturity and improper spelling without significant contribution to the discussion is pretty much grounds for instant banination. I also love how you can get off creating a thread like "Should Nintendo bury the hatchet in the Mario franchise" and not enter a discussion full of slander, inflammatory remarks, belittlement. It seems like almost every other forum I visit only seems concerned with idle chat about nothing in particular, and "Top 10 'X' Lists". Mind you, however, I haven't been on Escapist much lately so correct me if I'm wrong.

And, that's another thing: even if you're dead wrong and slammed left and right at least arguments don't end up in tears of agony if you present yourself as a reasonably corrigible person with his screws firmly wound in, such as myself (I think). I'm not the brightest bulb in the box but every hairy encounter I've had here I've been able to firmly resolve without coming off as a haughty douchebag.

On a side note, I love how the 'F bomb' isn't censored nor frowned upon. And I could keep spewing praise out of my rat hole but I'll chalk up to it after I reach the 200 post mark or thereabouts.

This is the only forum I have joined in... ever. The people are nice and actually intelligent and the site offers bundles of fun.

Russian Redneck:
Skipping every post before mine because I'm too tired and lazy to read it all, what I find most appealing about The Escapist forums is that immaturity and improper spelling without significant contribution to the discussion is pretty much grounds for instant banination. I also love how you can get off creating a thread like "Should Nintendo bury the hatchet in the Mario franchise" and not enter a discussion full of slander, inflammatory remarks, belittlement. It seems like almost every other forum I visit only seems concerned with idle chat about nothing in particular, and "Top 10 'X' Lists". Mind you, however, I haven't been on Escapist much lately so correct me if I'm wrong.

And, that's another thing: even if you're dead wrong and slammed left and right at least arguments don't end up in tears of agony if you present yourself as a reasonably corrigible person with his screws firmly wound in, such as myself (I think). I'm not the brightest bulb in the box but every hairy encounter I've had here I've been able to firmly resolve without coming off as a haughty douchebag.

On a side note, I love how the 'F bomb' isn't censored nor frowned upon. And I could keep spewing praise out of my rat hole but I'll chalk up to it after I reach the 200 post mark or thereabouts.

I agree- I love all those things about the Escapist that you mentioned. While there are a few supremely dumb and close-minded users here, like in any forum, the Escapist has such a wonderfully high concentration of intelligence that it more than makes up for any shortcomings.

The funny thing is, I've heard other forums look down on us for having intelligent discussions and controversial topics. I think, though, that they're just jealous.

I think the bigger a forum gets, the more trolls pop up, and the seemingly less mods there are to stop them.
I'm part of many small community sites, only a few thousand (sometimes hundred) people around. Trolls occasionally pop their heads up, but a mod chops its head off quick, or the other members ignore them.
It's the bigger forum sites that get a large amount of trolls and spam. Since Gamefaqs merged with Gamespot, every other forum seems to be a flame-fest, troll trap, or just has horrible grammar.

I'm surprised escapist doesn't have a lot of this. I lurked here for awhile before I started posting (looks at join date) and I must say that it's doing pretty well for a large community. there are a lot of flame wars that start up though, but rare is the troll around here.

Prior to this, my only forum experience was on DeviantART. It's like night and day.