Pettition to the Mods/Admins...

[Dr. Freeman]

People need to know they can and certainly should do their part aswell. Use the report post instead of posting "in before lock". Just because you're not a moderator doesn't mean you can help them with reporting if you run into a bad post while reading through a thread.

In fact, posting "in before lock" repeatedly is so bad, I'm f*cking making a list right now and I'll put anyone who posts "in before lock" on it together with a link to the respective post, and attach the list to an e-mail depatched to one of the moderators if I see someone making more than 5 posts of this nature.
They don't contribute to anything and letting repeated offenses go unpunished is a good way to encourage more people to do the same.

agreed.
the mods here about 2 months ago were strict about the "in before lock" posts and magically.. these type of posts decreased...but in the last week there has been a comeback if u will of these types of posts.. but the strictness hasn't been there :|

 

[Chris D]

I've seen threads that have been viewed and edited by Moderators that have absolutely disgusting posts from forum trolls - yet the trolls go completely unpunished... how on earth can you expect to stop this behaviour if it is neither recognised nor punished?

How do you expect to recognise this behaviour if most of the instances go unreported?

A lot of people, rather than doing something useful will just cause even more trouble by retaliating instead what they should be doing is using the forum posts.

You'll all start to see some accounts being issued with bans over the coming week for the behaviour that you mention. We're not standing for it and in the new forum rules which we should get soon, there will be set punishments for each offence and they will all be carried out. I don't care if it's Greg Coomer flaming Cliffe for losing in a CS:S game - they'll get a temporary ban.

Maybe then we can get this place to the friendly and happy place it once was, especially without Cliffe and Greg Coomer lowering the tone all the time and calling us all newbs.

 

[Cybernoid]

OK, This whole place is getting out of hand.

Almost every thread has namecalling, cursing, Valve Bashing, other user bashing, etc.

Meh, what's wrong with cursing? Me thinks that it's just ultraconservative americans that are afraid of cursing (while being advocates of ultraviolent video games). Shit.

 

[poseyjmac]

that would be false, its not just americans.

 

[LittleB]

I really like the 'Ban me thread' idea, I think it would work wonderfully. And I wouldn't post in it And it would be funny watching all those people post in it.

 

[Chris D]

Meh, what's wrong with cursing? Me thinks that it's just ultraconservative americans that are afraid of cursing (while being advocates of ultraviolent video games). Shit.

It's not like we don't all swear and it's not like we've completely banned the use of them - but there's no need to do it excessively.

Also if you're trying to express your opinion, it's inappropriate (and not very intelligent in my opinion) to fill in the gaps with "****" or "****ing".

There's right times and wrong times to curse. But the rest of it like the bashing and namecalling is going to stop, and very soon at that.

 

[A2597]

Maybe talk to Pezman at Ataricommunity. The ban me thread really does work for some reason.

I am glad to hear that some changes are going to be made here though.

 

[Revisedsoul]

bout time even though i find it somewhat ironic that the mods where too harsh only a little while ago

SEE WHAT YOU WHINERS DID, hehe jsut kidding

i think we should have a canadian moderator or maybe a sweedish one if we dont already have one

 

[^Ben]

I think we should do some kind of screening process for signups.

Because I know cool people join up all the time, but mostly i see headcrabs posting flamebaits or hl2 vs d3, and they are the ones mainly posting spoilers

So just do some kind of screening process and that should maintain the amount of idiots allowed onto forums.

 

[The Dark Elf]

OK, This whole place is getting out of hand.

Almost every thread has namecalling, cursing, Valve Bashing, other user bashing, etc.

So, I'm petitioning you guys in power to do something. Preferably handing out bans. Or a warning level system. Or even the highly famous "Ban Me' thread idea from Atari that was VERY helpful over there during UT2k4's release.
(The ban me thread, for those that don't know, means ANYONE that replies, is IP banned. They are given plenty of warning of course in the original post. Surprisingly, it cleared out about 500 members, and that place has been ALOT nicer ever since).

But seriously, this place is becoming worse then an AOL chatroom full of 12 year old CS Cheaters.
So please, take some sort of action. Take on more mods if it's to large a workload for the current members, but lets try to re-civilize this forum.

Weren't you one of the guys who complained quite loudly about the staff being too strict with bans?

Infact I'm seeing a few of you who were involved in that little discussion a few weeks back changing your tunes entirely over the past few days and finally understanding things from our perspective and even requesting we ban people.

So I'm glad to see those of you are finally seeing we're not the enemy and we're making it a nicer place to post.


I was gonna gloat, but meh cba, anything for a quiet life right?

btw CrazyHarij.. 7 days ban for anyone doing an in before lock type post, warning them hasn't done any good to date, they still keep doing it. And these are older users from even last year who do it, surprisingly not so many new users are. Not sure what that says about them all heh

-
The Mistress, its not about how long you've been here, but the quality of your posts and general attitude and behavior, and also if we happen to be looking for anyone at the time.

-

ok im done, hungry now

 

[CyberSh33p]

Weren't you one of the guys who complained quite loudly about the staff being too strict with bans?

Infact I'm seeing a few of you who were involved in that little discussion a few weeks back changing your tunes entirely over the past few days and finally understanding things from our perspective and even requesting we ban people.

So I'm glad to see those of you are finally seeing we're not the enemy and we're making it a nicer place to post.


I was gonna gloat, but meh cba, anything for a quiet life right?

btw CrazyHarij.. 7 days ban for anyone doing an in before lock type post, warning them hasn't done any good to date, they still keep doing it. And these are older users from even last year who do it, surprisingly not so many new users are. Not sure what that says about them all heh

-
The Mistress, its not about how long you've been here, but the quality of your posts and general attitude and behavior, and also if we happen to be looking for anyone at the time.

-

ok im done, hungry now

closing registration for a while is out of the question, right?

oh yeah, and what older users are doing this? I'm not seeing it so much, except in ones that just awoke from a dormant state here. mostly I notice its unrecognizable members.

as for the discussion folks, I'm starting to cry again

 

[Sui]

i completely agree. This forum is haveing a negative effect on people. just look at this conversation i had with cybersheep on msn :

sheepy says:
rawr
.:: Suicide42 ::. says:
rawr
.:: Suicide42 ::. says:
or should i say
.:: Suicide42 ::. says:
baaaahhh
sheepy says:
rawr
.:: Suicide42 ::. says:
pizza
sheepy says:
/me dies
.:: Suicide42 ::. says:
/me cries
.:: Suicide42 ::. says:
STRANGE PERSON
.:: Suicide42 ::. says:
ARRRGGGHHHH

i rest my case.

in other news, that ban thread thing is actually a really good idea. anyone with the slightest amount of common sense would avoid it... everyone else would be (unregrettably) banned from the forums (maybe the first would be temporary. Its their own damn fault anyway).

*edit* btw, i disagree with harsh / cold / disrespectful attitude from mods (which is waht the discussion was about a while ago), but i agree completely with random and ultimate banning because someone posted in the "forbidden thread" or soemthing.
j/k

but seriously, a harsher attitude to spammers and annoying users / flamers is good... IF it is done right. but dont ask me how its done right.. im only young ;(

 

[The Dark Elf]

closing registration for a while is out of the question, right?

oh yeah, and what older users are doing this? I'm not seeing it so much, except in ones that just awoke from a dormant state here. mostly I notice its unrecognizable members.

as for the discussion folks, I'm starting to cry again

Well you wont see it much, I was deleting those posts randomly for some time now whenever I saw them, only recently started banning for it because its simply got out of hand. But its often been users who joined months ago, not as you'd expect, users who'd joined a couple of days ago.. granted they still do it, but not as many as you would think. It's those who'd know full well its frowned upon.

 

[The Dark Elf]

As for the ban thread, while in theory its a good idea, there's a few problems

Someone could if they wanted to, sign up faking the IP, using one that they know someone who they don't like is using, and begin effectively banning other users. Since many idle on IRC and forget to hide the details with a quakenet account, thats not as hard as you'd think.

Secondly, if there was one, it should be automatic, so its not wasting the staff's time running after people who need banning, as much fun as that would be *grins*. Automatic would be better.

thirdly, because you can't just arbitrarily ban an IP without consequence, such as banning an innocent member of the forum. There's nothing stopping these people coming back to complain (yes complain even though its entirely their own fault)


How about this, to help cut down on the trouble makers. Something I've wanted to do for a long time

Ban the use of webmail sites, such as hotmail, yahoo, gmail, lycos etc. So you'd be forced to use a proper account. VERY drastic measure though, as I know some of you don't have access to a proper email address. But it would sure as cut down on the trouble makers who simply couldn't get another email account so easily.

 

[Sui]

Ban the use of webmail sites, such as hotmail, yahoo, gmail, lycos etc. So you'd be forced to use a proper account. VERY drastic measure though, as I know some of you don't have access to a proper email address. But it would sure as cut down on the trouble makers who simply couldn't get another email account so easily.

i dont understand how that would help... i use hotmail... whats wrong with that? what email account CAN i use?

 

[Voodoo_Chile]

Ban the use of webmail sites, such as hotmail, yahoo, gmail, lycos etc. So you'd be forced to use a proper account. VERY drastic measure though, as I know some of you don't have access to a proper email address. But it would sure as cut down on the trouble makers who simply couldn't get another email account so easily.

Please dont do this,I have 2 proper E-mail address's from my ISP(Before DSL and after) and both are spamed to hell and back as Eircom charges for a spam filter(Charges I tell you)I wouldnt be able to find the Authenication E-mail in all the spam.

 

[A2597]

Weren't you one of the guys who complained quite loudly about the staff being too strict with bans?

ummm...I don't remember ever complaining...
*Does a search on his user name*

Nope, I never complained about to many Bans here. *Wonders if someone has a simuler username*

 

[The Dark Elf]

You can see our problem can't you

We're damned if we do, we're damned if we don't

If we did do that, we get rid of most of the trouble, but also many useful members of the community, if we don't do it, they can continue to sign up and be a thorn in everyone's side.

Oh the fun it is to be a moderator. All together now, *sings* oh what fun it is, to be a moder-ator

 

[CyberSh33p]

You can see our problem can't you

We're damned if we do, we're damned if we don't

If we did do that, we get rid of most of the trouble, but also many useful members of the community, if we don't do it, they can continue to sign up and be a thorn in everyone's side.

Oh the fun it is to be a moderator. All together now, *sings* oh what fun it is, to be a moder-ator

drama queen

suicide42 is right, we're all horrible demented people.

and banning webmail accounts wouldn't be a good idea, I have a proper email address myself, but many people don't =\

it would be pretty discriminatory against those who can't afford a proper account or their ISP doesn't provide one, or they just don't wanna use their ISP's

 

[CptStern]

The Mistress, its not about how long you've been here, but the quality of your posts and general attitude and behavior, and also if we happen to be looking for anyone at the time.

members who are a little too vocal about there opinions rarely make good mods (I'd make a terrible mod, I'd ban anyone who uses the word "fat" and "gabe" in the same sentence ...dont even think of saying "GWB" and "Freedom" ).

Please choose wisely (you've done well so far: the current mods do a great job and Icarus seems to fit in well)

 

[JimmehH]

Those 'in before close' people annoy me. Perhaps you should reset their post count as that's the only reason I can think of to do it. Even then it's pretty stupid.

 

[CrazyHarij]

Well like TheDarkElf said, they'll be tempbanning them from now on or something, I think that's a pretty good action to take against them.

 

[Dedalus]

the only place i absolutely hate on this website is the HL2 Discussion forum.

i don't know how it happened, but it's like everyone with recessive genes got bottlenecked in there and doesn't want to leave. members curse other members, they curse valve, deliberately try to offend/upset various groups etc. i hate it. i can barely manage a few minutes browsing that forum before i'm on my knees praying for nuclear holocaust.

although personally i don't think getting more mods is the answer. i think it would be a case of "too many cooks...".

but i'm interested to see how the new rules are enforced. might make an improvement.

 

[Champ]

Yes... I'll vote for some stricter rules on here. Just to make all the annoying children go away. (annoying in bold, seeing as I'm no adult meself, but atleast I'm not annoying.)

 

[ComradeBadger]

Just a little tit-bit, new rules coming soon.

Big crackdown

Get ready to seig heil!

 

[CyberSh33p]

Yes... I'll vote for some stricter rules on here. Just to make all the annoying children go away. (annoying in bold, seeing as I'm no adult meself, but atleast I'm not annoying.)

the adults aren't much better though :x

 

[Andy]

The adults are worse since they have all the hang-ups, regrets, chips and vocabulary to express themselves

 

[Sprafa]

The greatest example of unpunished trolls is eber, in the Rumors and Speculation forum.


Sieg Heil! (answer to Comrade Badger)

 

[CptStern]

wonkers gets away with slamming anyone who doesnt agree with him

 

[The Dark Elf]

wonkers has had his final warning, AFAIK so has eber


and guys, don't turn this into an attack some other user thread or you become worse than them

 

[CptStern]

ya sorry, he's just been pissing me off lately ...should have PM'd a mod instead of posting

 

[Sgt_Shellback]

Right... Because we can never have enough censorship.... And it's obvious that we all need someone else deciding what's right and wrong for us...

Please ban all people who I don't like and who don't agree with me.

 

[blahblahblah]

Right... Because we can never have enough censorship.... And it's obvious that we all need someone else deciding what's right and wrong for us...

Please ban all people who I don't like and who don't agree with me.

Disagreeing is one thing. Calling somebody four swear words and a body part is not disagreeing, it is flaming. I want the flaming to stop.

 

[A2597]

There was no call for that Sgt_Shellback.

The majority rule, based on rules set forth by the admins, which in a way we elect.

Goodness, we have our own little democrocy here....

And the rights that are being taken away are such thing as Flambing, excessive cursing, etc. No things anyone wants. (At least not the type of people we want here that is)

 

[Sgt_Shellback]

Being flamed is an act of the recipient.. Not of the sender...

I just got on this board... I'm at a lot of other forums... This forum seems to have the most thin skinned people I've ever seen...

Best way to handle a troll is not reply... Report post if you think you need to do something... But replying... And starting threads like this one just shows the trolls are living rent free.

 

[Sgt_Shellback]

There was no call for that Sgt_Shellback.

The majority rule, based on rules set forth by the admins, which in a way we elect.

Goodness, we have our own little democrocy here....

And the rights that are being taken away are such thing as Flambing, excessive cursing, etc. No things anyone wants. (At least not the type of people we want here that is)

Start the banning with this one... :wink:

 

[Adrien C]

Yo, what is this think about Cliff and CS:Source ?

 

[CyberSh33p]

Right... Because we can never have enough censorship.... And it's obvious that we all need someone else deciding what's right and wrong for us...

Please ban all people who I don't like and who don't agree with me.

censorship is good on a forum. I'm glad someone is here censoring stuff as well as they do, too.

On a forum its a good thing, and you're really not one to disagree with the rules, you agreed to em when you signed up.

The mods do a fairly good job here. there isn't unfair banning, little unfair closing, and if there are things called legal requirements which they must also abide by, so thats deciding some stuff right there.

anyway, don't complain about censorship, go have your own uncensored forums if you want them.

 

[The Mullinator]

Being flamed is an act of the recipient.. Not of the sender...

I just got on this board... I'm at a lot of other forums... This forum seems to have the most thin skinned people I've ever seen...

Best way to handle a troll is not reply... Report post if you think you need to do something... But replying... And starting threads like this one just shows the trolls are living rent free.

Its difficult not to reply when the goal of most sensible members is to keep the community clean, and that becomes increasingly difficult when it seems that every other new member comes in with the sole purpose of starting flame wars involving various topics.

 

[CyberSh33p]

Its difficult not to reply when the goal of most sensible members is to keep the community clean, and that becomes increasingly difficult when it seems that every other new member comes in with the sole purpose of starting flame wars involving various topics.

yeah, to be honest though to many of the regulars take the bait :\