Idle OOC Rules

[AmandaGreathouse]

I'd rather see Idle OOC undermoderated than overmoderated, personally. I enjoy reading and posting there, and I really think it's fine as is.

Exactly, precisely. Off the top of my head I can count six people I introduced to this game and none of them have ever had any problem with OOC Chatter. Two of them dont even read the GDB. All of them have been playing over five years now I guess.

This one. And, really, I don't take offense to anything on here. I mean, if someone wants to act like an asshat, how is that any of my concern? Not only is is it fairly easy to -not- read something that you don't want to read, it's even easier to -not- read, and then -not- reply to things that you don't want to read, or think are devolving into nonsense. And seriously, who cares if someone wants to say something close-minded and foolish about a group of people. Any person with half a brain will be able to see how foolish and ignorant some of them are. It's bad enough that so many other ways of expressing ones self are censored, I very much don't want to see it here.

[Desertman]

I'd rather see Idle OOC undermoderated than overmoderated, personally. I enjoy reading and posting there, and I really think it's fine as is.

Exactly, precisely. Off the top of my head I can count six people I introduced to this game and none of them have ever had any problem with OOC Chatter. Two of them dont even read the GDB. All of them have been playing over five years now I guess.

This one. And, really, I don't take offense to anything on here. I mean, if someone wants to act like an asshat, how is that any of my concern? Not only is is it fairly easy to -not- read something that you don't want to read, it's even easier to -not- read, and then -not- reply to things that you don't want to read, or think are devolving into nonsense. And seriously, who cares if someone wants to say something close-minded and foolish about a group of people. Any person with half a brain will be able to see how foolish and ignorant some of them are. It's bad enough that so many other ways of expressing ones self are censored, I very much don't want to see it here.

This is a great point...

Any person with half a brain will be able to see how foolish and ignorant some of them are.

What if someone didnt have enough brain to see how foolish and ignorant some of them are, and as such, they took great offense and wouldnt be involved with the game because of it.

Have we really lost anything of value?

[Yam]

I've been to Chicago. It has some really cool things in it.

However, before you get there, you have to go through a bunch of shitty, segregated outskirts. If I didn't know what Chicago had to offer, I would never, ever put myself through those shitty little sections of industrialized wasteland to get to the city itself.

[Desertman]

I've been to Chicago. It has some really cool things in it.

However, before you get there, you have to go through a bunch of shitty, segregated outskirts. If I didn't know what Chicago had to offer, I would never, ever put myself through those shitty little sections of industrialized wasteland to get to the city itself.

So what you are saying is regardless of the fact Armageddon might have some crappy suburbs (OOC Chatter) people will still play the game because its a great game and thats what really matters?

or...

People will simply fly direct into the main airport and avoid the suburbs all together because its not their cup of tea. (Play the game and not worry about the GDB, like some people do. Like I did, for years.)

[Yam]

No, I'm saying that your posts are the trashy ghettos of this game that makes the community look like a bunch of 20-somethings who are trying to cover up inadequacies by acting like obnoxious internet badasses.

And that, you know, maybe we shouldn't try and look like that.

[Desertman]

No, I'm saying that your posts are the trashy ghettos of this game that makes the community look like a bunch of 20-somethings who are trying to cover up inadequacies by acting like obnoxious internet badasses.

And that, you know, maybe we shouldn't try and look like that.

Oh, I'm sorry, I misunderstood.

In that case, I respect your opinion but I'm afraid I disagree with you entirely.

But for the sake of arguement lets assume you are correct.

Lets say I am a 20-something trying to cover up inadequacies by acting like obnoxious internet badass.

I think we can all agree that a large portion of the gamer community actually fits right into this niche.

Are we now supposed to try and make these people not be who they are? Are we going to try and force people to not be themselves and instead be what we deem they "Should be". I dont want to play a game that promotes that sort of short-sighted oppression.

I dont want to see specific groups of individuals discrimated against simply because we do not like their views and ideas and how they present them. This GDB shouldnt be about discrimination or trying to change people to be what we think they should be.

I simply dont believe that is the point and I dont believe it is needed.

I say no to discrimination against all groups, against all creeds, against all peoples.

That includes a bunch of 20-somethings who are trying to cover up inadequacies by acting like obnoxious internet badasses. I am for freedom for all. Not freedom for those I deem worthy.

[roughneck]

less is more as far as moderation goes for the ooc forum

I didn't read it for the longest time as I just viewed the forums as a place to read about people's opinion of the game but lately I'd probably say the 'Idle Chatter' forum is the real gem of the GDB and I'm rarely let down.  It's the HBO of our discussion board, well, HBO with Springer re-runs every other hour.  Pure, unadulterated entertainment.

[Malken]

How about just being able to write -1- post every three hours or so?

I'd take that happily.. Then you'd have to think about what you want to write.

It's easier to "ignore" someone you dislike when half the thread isn't cluttered with his/her posts, I'm thinking.

[Desertman]

How about just being able to write -1- post every three hours or so?

I'd take that happily.. Then you'd have to think about what you want to write.

It's easier to "ignore" someone you dislike when half the thread isn't cluttered with his/her posts, I'm thinking.

Thats actually not a bad idea. I kind of like it.

[Mood]

How about just being able to write -1- post every three hours or so?

I'd take that happily.. Then you'd have to think about what you want to write.

It's easier to "ignore" someone you dislike when half the thread isn't cluttered with his/her posts, I'm thinking.

God no.

[Desertman]

How about just being able to write -1- post every three hours or so?

I'd take that happily.. Then you'd have to think about what you want to write.

It's easier to "ignore" someone you dislike when half the thread isn't cluttered with his/her posts, I'm thinking.

God no.

Yeah, now that I think about it...Though I do believe Malken had a pretty good idea, I think letting people practice will power would be a more viable solution in the end.

As mean as it might be for me to say, if they lack the ability to see "Poster Douchebag" and ignore the post, well, they are reading it because part of them really wants to.

They can say..."Its just so hard for me to ignore it."

Well yeah...Because part of you enjoys being subject to it. Its like, as Manonfire put it, watching a car crash.

If you lack the ability to control your own impulses, thats not the fault of the poster expression their opinions. Its your fault. Get some control over yourself. Your weaknesses are not other folk's issues.

[Rahnevyn]

Thanks everyone, for agreeing with me...

Idle OOC is out of character but that doesn't mean that it's a no-holds-barred wasteland to post trashy threads about how a certain religion sucks or why a certain group of people should be killed.

Yam puts that pretty well.

This is a game community. I don't think we want to be presenting ourselves out of character as Jerry Springer's Unmoderated Internet Playhouse. We should be intelligent, witty, well-spoken, mature, amusing, and welcoming, out of character.

That way they'll only be more surprised at how ruthless and heartless we are inside the game.

In other words I pretty handily reject the argument that "If you don't like it, you shouldn't be here." In my ideal world, everybody who can roleplay and create a vivid story gets to be at Armageddon and they all enjoy the community when doing so.

On the other hand, let's not make the situation out to be worse than it is. I've been watching OOC Chatter much closer than I have before now, and I can't really find any threads to unleash my Moderation Weapons of Justice on. For the most part, the board is fine. Hopefully it stays that way.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

How about just being able to write -1- post every three hours or so?

I'd take that happily.. Then you'd have to think about what you want to write.

It's easier to "ignore" someone you dislike when half the thread isn't cluttered with his/her posts, I'm thinking.

God no.

Hell no.

[FantasyWriter]

How about just being able to write -1- post every three hours or so?

I'd take that happily.. Then you'd have to think about what you want to write.

It's easier to "ignore" someone you dislike when half the thread isn't cluttered with his/her posts, I'm thinking.

Ummm... no.

[Malken]

So, anyway, what's the point of this thread?

It'd be sort of ironic if it ended up being moderated.

Do what you think should be done, Staff people, you'll never get anything useful out of us.

[mansa]

Why not make OOC a 'clan' board that everybody automatically joins, and has to request to be removed from it?
Also, make it a board that guests cannot see.

Also, make mansa the moderator of zalanthas' toilet.

[Desertman]

*Puts his hands on his hips, nodding a few times*

Well folks, I have to say I think this was a relatively productive discussion.

I'm glad we decided to keep things pretty much the way they are.

Thanks to all that participated without resorting to name calling and flinging accusations, and to the staff for having an open mind.

[Malken]

Also, make mansa the moderator of zalanthas' toilet.

I thought you were already moderator of the MIRC room 

[mansa]

Also, make mansa the moderator of zalanthas' toilet.

I thought you were already moderator of the MIRC room 

I AM!  BWAHAHAHA.

[Rahnevyn]

I should clarify my earlier statements a bit:

I'm speaking from the view of somebody who enforces the rules, not somebody who makes them. I'm an interested party in the discussion, but I'm not somebody who gives The Last Word (that would be higher staff's decision based on what comes out of this thread).

When I said the board is fine as it is, I meant that the majority of the threads I see are actually pretty tame, informational, and sometimes interesting, occasionally even insightful. However the small majority of threads that degenerate into Lets See Who Can Win The Internets spoil all that. I haven't seen one of those pop up in the last couple days, but if I do, I'm going to be watching closely.

As I said earlier, I don't see the GDB's purpose as an unmoderated Wild West, and I don't think players shouldn't have to wade through offensive material as part of our game community. If people are reporting posts as offensive, I'll be taking a look and probably using my flashy new Moderataser 5000.

[Desertman]

I should clarify my earlier statements a bit:

I'm speaking from the view of somebody who enforces the rules, not somebody who makes them. I'm an interested party in the discussion, but I'm not somebody who gives The Last Word (that would be higher staff's decision based on what comes out of this thread).

When I said the board is fine as it is, I meant that the majority of the threads I see are actually pretty tame, informational, and sometimes interesting, occasionally even insightful. However the small majority of threads that degenerate into Lets See Who Can Win The Internets spoil all that. I haven't seen one of those pop up in the last couple days, but if I do, I'm going to be watching closely.

As I said earlier, I don't see the GDB's purpose as an unmoderated Wild West, and I don't think players shouldn't have to wade through offensive material as part of our game community. If people are reporting posts as offensive, I'll be taking a look and probably using my flashy new Moderataser 5000.

I think that is a very good policy. I like things the way they are.

[flurry]

I think that the ugly, offensive free for all that unmoderated forums tend to become would probably have a profoundly negative effect on the community, if racist, sexist or otherwise offensive posts are allowed to flourish I can imagine I'd lose a lot of respect for the posters responsible very quickly, and let's not pretend that feelings like that don't carry through to their personality on the gdb as a whole or how comfortable individuals feel partaking in a game together.

In short, we're here to play a game together.  There are plenty of unmoderated forums where you can be as offensive as you want, why do we need to ruin the GDB by doing it here?

Well put.

I think keeping it civil and avoiding racist, sexist, etc. comments is a completely reasonable standard.

[X-D]

Over moderated.

I'm not kidding.

Take the recent races thread. Nyr Moderated it by locking.

I went back and read every post in the entire thread and think that it was locked long before its time. I saw no actual flaming, a reasonable and mature discussion by 99% of the posters. Yet it was moderated because one person thought that this subject has been discussed enough. Don't get me wrong, I think Nyr is a great storyteller, but I get annoyed when anybody below highlord moderates a thread. Sorry. Hell, I get annoyed when most highlords do. And you want to talk about having non-staff moderaters...Ppphhhttt. That will raise more problems then it solves.

And really, why lock the thread, Specialy when you KNOW it will be started again in a month or two? People feel strongly about certain things and honestly, the search feature in this new GDB BLOWS CHUNKS. You all "staff" realize that it only picks the first post of a thread that has what you are searching for? SUCKS, completly worthless.

Adn as to moderating, I think that too often staffers feel the need to "moderate" simply because the thread does not agree with the opnion...yes..OPINION..they hold. 95% of threads fade on their own. In the other 5% that people feel strongly about and post for 6+ pages, what is so wrong with that? Long as it has not tiurned into 5 pages of 2 people calling each other dickheads in creative ways, it shou be aloud to continue to a natural death.

my 2.5 sid.

[Raesanos]

For the first pass I'm keeping it simple: http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,32273.0.html

The most interesting input to me was the concern of driving off new players.  So I posted that concern right in the rules.

I'm hoping now that we've discussed this and set the rules in stone, that concern will be allayed.  I'll leave the more extreme stuff (like hiding the forum from new players) for a time when it seems to me such measures are truly unavoidable.

You'll notice that I left out anything about differences in moderation between that forum and other forums.  I don't think that needs to be in the rules, but you may notice less moderation of things like off-topic posts.  This is simply a function of our limited moderation resources.

[Angela Christine]

While we are on the topic, is there any sort of suggested thread length limit?  For a while there was a 20 page limit, but then we changed software.  Does it matter now how long a thread gets?  Is one 100 page thread any better or any worse than five 20 page threads?