I don't like the 200 post limit per thread. I'm often not around enough to carry on discussions before a thread inevitably becomes locked. I realize I can start a new thread, but it seems redundant and perhaps to some, like I'm trying to start an argument. :blink: So proper discussions die, which svcks. I have sent Private Messages in reply before, but they're not inclusive. And yes, I realize the forum's rationale for imposing the limit.

OK, rant over, back to the rah-rah sis-boom-bah [censored]. And what passes for work.

It's not an uncommon criticism to be told that we don't allow disagreement on the forums. In a similar vein when people are warned for flaming it isn't uncommon for them to defend this by claiming they were only telling the truth.

In both regards the rules are very simple: criticism is allowed and indeed welcomed on the forums providing it is civil and constructive. Personally I don't see this as a problematic requirement. It doesn't take much effort to make a criticism civil rather than resorting to insults, veiled or otherwise. As for being constructive, until someone can argue for the worth of unconstructive criticism I don't see this as an impediment.

And in fact there are plenty of discussions on these forums that involve disagreement, there are even some long-running topics that tend to revolve around opposed opinions. As long as people can keep these debates civil and constructive, and don't let them overwhelm the forums, we're happy to have them.

We all know we follow the rules because we don't want attrebus to come to our house and kill us.


Brb someone knocking ...

Unfortunately some posters can't seem to manage a dissenting opinion or disagree without calling the one they disagree with retarded, or an idiot, or stupid. I just deleted three posts and locked a thread due to less than appropriate nomenclature. I love the protesting private messages I've gotten in the past: "But they really are a retarded idiot. You can't warn me for telling the truth!!!!!!"

When we see a thread is heading in that direction, should we let it continue and have people complaining because they got a warning and posting ability suspension, or shut it down before it goes that far and remind people doing stuff like that isn't a good idea?

I remember a Community Discussion thread about "How would you react to your child telling you they are gay?" that was, even with the autocensor in place, a great discussion, complete with disagreements and dissenting opinions and only a few trolls who were ignored and reported. [At one time, due to the way less than mature members were using the word gay, it was in the autocensor.] Because it was a great discussion and everyone was participating instead of ranting and bashing no one got a warning for bypassing the autocensor. One of the few times that rule went by the wayside.

You can disagree with something, or someone's opinion. Doing so in a respectful manner is what can be hard. When someone has a vested interest in a topic it is easy to take an "attack" on the topic as a personal attack, and snap back in turn, and it snowballs from there.

I never knew we had a moderator named Talaran. Huh, learn something new every day.

Anyway, I think it's the result of the moderators, even though they are being modest and are trying to say it's the community. When I first came here, I was used to a forum that was full of flaming and trolling, but after a couple slaps from the moderators here, I managed to learn how to work with this community. Now that I've been here for a couple years, I can't even go to other forums anymore. BGSF raised the bar way to high for other forums

I also learned how to thinly disguise flaming! The secret is smilies :whisper:

AAGH! Admit it, they brought you back just to frighten me, right?


I suppose that's fine enough, but its when opinions get deleted before anybody's had a chance to read them, let alone respond in an angry manner, that I don't like.

Okay. Its official. Grumpy Bear is old er. :hehe: That was the year I was born, Ro.

Although I now have Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science" stuck in my head. ::heads off to listen to more 80's music::

I'm going to have to agree it is rather pacifying.

OK, we are on to that one as well.



I now know the threat of Talaran is enough to keep you in check.



Hahah .. that's the idea of it all.




I never said I was around when it was released, I just stated a fact ....................... didn't I? :huh:

I have to write this up into one of those 60s dystopias. The regime is run by an iron fist. Abberent drones are taken to a wall that flashes with shiny colours and makes them docile again.

No, I've been around. Lurking mostly. My Mom lived with me, and had some health issues that got real bad really fast and I was paying more attention to her than the forums. We found out from out of the blue that she had pancreatic cancer on Easter weekend. Everything happened rather quickly after that; she passed away in April. I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind to deal with the forums for a while.

On topic now: Okay, I can see your point. We do try to leave topics open, unless its something really bad. We're walking a line though; someone already pointed out there are posters who manage to stay just on the hairline border of "not warnable", but they sure do manage to hit buttons for some people who respond in a less than civil manner and end up with a warning. It isn't always fair, and we do take note of people who constantly seem to end up in contentious threads, but that doesn't help the people who already flamed in reply and got a warning. HD should post the screenshots of the Admin/mod forum he made. We have notes for everything. That way, when someone contacts Gstaff or Nick, everything is there for review. Sometimes they do overrule our decision. It happens, we're human [mostly] and can and do make mistakes. Contrary to what some people seem to think, we really can't warn, ban, lock, and wreak general havoc at will.

Damn, I'm sorry.



I know, its not exactly a black and white thing, and we don't exactly make it easy for you guys, but eh, I can't not argue.

and padalin opened the door to find http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s41/Attrebus/hitman.jpg

Geez our moderators can be scary

As intelligent and civil as most members seem to be on this site, I have noticed that as soon as someone disagrees with the more clinical or scientific point of view, a lot of members will jump on them and start attacking them. It seems to me that some people on here take science to an almost religious level and that is where a lot of the disagreements (ones that have shut threads down) stem from this problem. It seems to me (someone who doesn't put all his stock in science) that science is the only accepted " religion" of bgsf. I hope this makes sense, I'll try and explain better in a day or two if possible if it doesn't

Ernesto. He was way cooler than these cyber chinchillas . They say they took him out back and shot him, but I like to think one of 'em actually lead him down into the darkest depths of the dungeon and released him to roam free, then leid about hilling him.

Hopefully he hasn't found any dwarfs though - lovable as he may be, I don't think there'd be many princes lining up to kiss him.

Then the Bolivians shot him full of lead.

Catriarch? is that a rank above patriarch? :blink:

Also I agree I've been on other forums were trolls and such run rampant. Its nice having the moderators actually enforce the rules. I don't see alot of conflict and if I do they usually drop it, or say to each his own, or if its real bad it gets locked. Specially with a Catriarch prowling around, i know i wouldn't want to mess with a Catriarch.

Got to say good job.

I too have been on other forums where flaming runs rampant, trolling is an art , and spamming is a pastime.
BGSF: Thanks so much for decent members and for the great moderators that help to keep the peace.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AddedAlliterativeAppeal .


Its a rank above 'Moderator' .

I'm probably just coming on at a different time but I haven't seen Attrebus on in a long time.

RAWR.

She ate the hamster! :ahhh:

http://dummidumbwit.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/troll-bank-gr1.jpg.


[edit]

This is actually something I've noticed over the years. Forums tend to reflect the players, and games that don't focus on competition as much tend to have much friendlier communities, while many other games have a community full of people who are...let's say "abrasive." And I definitely agree that it's not just the moderation of these forums that makes it so pleasant, it's mostly the members. People around here know how to behave themselves in public, and how to play nicely with others.


...did you mean "leash?" Because I'm sure a few might actually prefer that :whistling:

Wow again im shocked this thread is only a day old and there are 122 post and every post was answered with grace and style . i can only hope to achieve this same feeling in my forums. And i had no idea that so many mature people played the past games from this company . Im not that knowlegable of the past games but i have a question where any of the games multi player online games. Its just a thought i have now that it might also be a big part ?

And also if anyone knows do the moderators work for the company ? Or were they just asked if they wanted to because they stood out as very helpful forum members. And im wondering is it just me or does this happen to other people. Ive noticed even though im active in the forum clicking different theads and such i kinda get bumped in a way . I can still read diferent threads but cant reply anymore untill i sign in again. Does this happen to other people , or should i maybe check my end for any possible issues?

The moderators are not Bethesda employees.