mmmmmm nom nom.... cookie...

Yes, the extra traffic is a good thing. It equates to more money that can be squeezed from advertisers to provide the good(ish) forum users with interesting things.
The iron fisted rule of the mods also prevents us from suffering a fate worse than 4chan.

Erana:

Nazkay:
Just because some people get banned, doesn't make everyone who comes on for ZP a troll does it? Each to their own...

You didn't even read my OP, did you?

I did, just at the time of reading it sounded like you were flaming people for liking ZP. I started coming on this site because of ZP and moved onto other things such as these forums, etc.

Found this site because of ZP, joined because I wanted to rant about Ico.
Frankly there can't really exist a forum without idiots. And sometimes it's really for the best.
If mods get too comfy with not having to do anything, then bad shiznit can go down when an idiot comes on. I'm a mod on another site, I'd know. Mainly because I'm one of the people who barely does anything.

will I came because of ZP and me being here can only be a good thing
(sorry couldn't resist that one)

Make a poll
and No, Its bad, most people who come to see ZP only see zp and sometime unforgotem realems.
They slow the server and don't give anything [good] to the community.

It's only good if the new users actually try to be intellectual, relevant to the post and attempt to spell and use proper grammar.

J-Man:

neoman10:
but without ZP many people wouldn't be here including me

Same.

Same.

Came for ZP, stayed for forums and Unforgotten Realms.

I think all the survivors are worth dealing w/ the horde.

Symp4thy:
I'm a new member. I just joined today, and I can honestly say this particular thread is a big reason why. I have been coming to the Escapist for some time now, usually just for ZP, but occasionally I will glance at the forums. Today this thread caught my eye. I've been looking for a good forum to join, but most I've seen are flooded with imbeciles and/or children. After reading all the comments to this thread about the strict rules and the banning of idiots, I was convinced that this was the forum for me. You all seem to have a good community going here, and hopefully, in time, you all will consider me a worthwhile member that ZP has brought in.

Welcome.

J-Man:

Hello, and welcome to the escapist. It's safer here. *Beats with stunstick*

You totally stole that from Combined.

Jandau:
Well, speaking as a person who got dragged in by ZP, I'm glad I found this forum (ZP or no ZP) and I like to think I'm a part of the non-troll newbie population.

Population increases are always a mixed blessing and generally tend to seem worse than they actually are since idiots tend to be more vocal. However, Escapist appears to be very well moderated and if the mods can keep up the pace, the downsides of more trolls will be insignificant compared to the benefits of a greater number of productive community members.

Agreed. However, I might be a bit biased, since ZP brought me in and I still watch it regularly.

By the way, all of a sudden the text on this site got small and the badges changed from 4 side-by-side to three side-by-side and one below. Did I hit something weird or is it like that for everyone?

I am very new to the Escapist community (I think this is like my 10th post), so I may not be as qualified to answer the OP question as some of you long-time members, but I think all-in-all the additional traffic is a good thing. I am one of the many who originally came to this site for ZP. This is the only place online that I've been interested enough to bother joining to post (in my opinion) lucid, coherent responses. I agree that a lot of "unwanted" people join because of ZP in the first place; I also believe these people will fall into one of two groups: those who leave after getting bored or banned, and those who are decent contributive people or those who can be after following others' example.

Syntax Error:
Came here for ZP, stayed for the forums. This is the only forums I know of where grammar is taken as a priority in posts. Plus there's a sense of community here not present in other videogame culture forums I went through.

This is the same for me. Although, I watched zp, got into the forums, and continued to watch zp. I have probably made three, maybe four, posts on the zp forums.

ZP and the forums are the only good thing on this site IMO.
And as the majority of forum users wouldn't be here without ZP it stands to reason that it must be good. 3 idiots a week getting banned is worth it.

Well, I came here just because of ZP, to be honest. At first, I didn't care about the forums at all. Then, for one reason or another, I decided to lurk around a bit, decided I liked it, and decided to move in. We've been best friends ever since!

On the other hand, I do see a lot of trouble following people who blindly follow Yahtzee. I never felt an urge to shout "FIRST" whenever I got somewhere. Wouldn't it be more suitable to say something witty or charming? After all, everybody is going to see the first post, right? Might as well leave a good impression.

I came to the Escapist along with Yahtzee, though I didn't join the forum for a couple of weeks. Didn't really notice anything except the videos, and assumed the forums were just for them.

Well ZP brought me here and you guys like me..............right? Oh no, the self-doubt monster is back, I'll be in my shame hole crying if anyone needs me.

I'll admit that I came here because of ZP. I was looking for BioShock videos on youtube and I found his review. Then I saw a few more of them, decided that I love them, and then joined the Escapist. I used to OMGITZLIKEWEDNESDAY but now it's just something really fun to do when I remember. I mostly visit the Escapist for the wonderful forums and the expertly written articles (oh, and Stolen Pixels is fantastic)

I'd just like to say that idiots exist everywhere and if they weren't attracted to ZP, they'd be attracted to something else. Even if ZP attracts idiots, it also attracts people who I think would be at least slightly smarter than idiots, and the ones who are idiots will show themselves and either get banned quickly, or become hated by a majority of the community, and the proceed to leaving forever.

In short, no, I don't think the traffic from ZP is bad for the community.

ZP got me here. I think it is good. But the "fanboys" are retareded...

its how ii found the es

It's great for the site, lovely traffic = lovely monies!
I guess the(relatively) small amount of trolls that we get is worth it, as the money helps improve the forums. Anyway I don't generally pay much attention to the Forums on Wednesdays and so I avoid the majority of posts/threads starting containing Yahtzee related things.

orannis62:
By the way, all of a sudden the text on this site got small and the badges changed from 4 side-by-side to three side-by-side and one below. Did I hit something weird or is it like that for everyone?

You might have accidentally zoomed out, try zooming in again.

J-Man:

neoman10:
but without ZP many people wouldn't be here including me

Same.

Ditto...

Syntax Error:
Came here for ZP, stayed for the forums. This is the only forums I know of where grammar is taken as a priority in posts. Plus there's a sense of community here not present in other videogame culture forums I went through.

Exactly what he said

Syntax Error:
Came here for ZP, stayed for the forums. This is the only forums I know of where grammar is taken as a priority in posts. Plus there's a sense of community here not present in other videogame culture forums I went through.

this.

Sylocat:
I blame ZP, at least partially, for the fact that we're not allowed to like any video games anymore that weren't made by Valve.

what?

Of course it's good - I mean, I'm here, and I'm awesome! Heh, just kidding, I suck really :'( Nah, these forums are good. Screw those who don't bother integrating with the society - they can watch the videos as much as they want, and you 'Better than thous' who seem to despise such traffic can ignore them. There, everyone's happy :D

TBH, without the videos what would this site be? Just some boring gaming news and discussion board? Who would care, beyond a small close-knit community? The videos, particularly ZP, bring in the crowd interested in gaming and with a sense of humour. The interesting minority remain on the board. Win-win...

Followed ZP here from YouTube, I can't remember where my first post was.
I also stayed for the forums, I still haven't found one that quite rightly leaps on people for using txt speak when they're not texting/IM'ing, or using "LOL" as their sole post.

I actually visited a ZP thread recently, it's been a looooong time. I realised very quickly why the man himself never visits them - it's unbelievably polarised - either "ZP rulez" or "stop being a fanboy", or the often used "this week's wasn't as funny as last weeks".

I do so adore seeing people making prats of themselves online and seeing why they're banned (guess it's a car crash mentality), but a lot of the people there, ooh, say 98%, take the proverbial biscuit.
Yes, kids like to feel part of a group and say the same things, but surely "First" and similar must be out of fashion now... It's got to come soon, right?
Right?

PedroSteckecilo:
For the site? Good.

For the Forums? Bad, because we get so many "I only watch ZP and have no opinions of my own" idiots wandering in here on Wednesdays. However we all started as one of them, admit it!

I will do no such thing.

I have always found him funny, but never actually refused to buy a game because of him.

Currently the traffic is good for the site but I have my own predictions on the forum reaching critical mass, where waves of trolls will emerge every time a moderator goes to bed.

I know I am definately here because of Zero Punctuation, although the push to join the forums was after watching all of Unforgotten Realms. ZP is still my main reason for browsing the site though.

I don't think that is really a bad thing, yes there may be hoardes of brainless oafs joining but there may be a particularly less-brainless oaf amongst them who turns out to be a decent member. If the staff are persistant and manage to weed out the annoying folk who join the sight to be silly then there will be a net gain of awesome for the community.

The traffic from ZP is great. It gives the masses of unwashed Channers a chance to see what the interweb can accomplish with a little scathing wit, some grammar and a reading level past grade 4.

I'm talking about the forums.

Erana:
Of course, who would be here today without ZP having drawn them to the Escapist in the first place? (Cookies to you if you found it in another way.)

I would be! I'll take that cookie!

I used to visit this site before it was all fancy shmancy. I actually prefer the old layout to the current one. The article layouts were so unique, it felt almost as if you were looking at an actual magazine on your monitor.

I didn't start posting on forums of any sort til i came to find this site (yes through zp.. )
The progression for me went that way but i dont understand the whole "first" crap someone further up the thread said somthing about a digital prize. Like plus 12 to Int or Stam somthing to that nature ?
And to answer the question imo of course because i can't speak for others zp brings all sorts of people to the site to say its a bad thing is kinda on the dumb side cause there are moderators that cast out all they don't see fit. Kinda like Spartans in a way.(only much less bloodshed)