Castle Paradox

Bob the Hamster · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:33 pm Post subject: a friendlier community

I wanted to share some general thoughts on community etiquette.

Sometimes I watch as community members -- usually newbies -- but this sometimes even happens with people who have been around for awhile -- um... lost my train of thought... yes! Sometimes I watch as community members break the rules of etiquette, such as off-topic posting, double-posting, reviving dead posts, graphics ripping, self-reviewing, advertising other boards, ARF3NH0US3SP3AKz0rz L0L0L!!!111, and a myriad of other things which cause the veteran community members to bark, and the CP admins to lock threads.

Now I am not one to say that we should let newbies run rampant across the boards, but before yelling at a newbie (or a veteran who is acting like one) here are some things to think about:

(1) The community is FULL of unwritten rules. Most people learn these rules only by breaking them, so when you are correcting someone for posting out of line, do so gently (the first time or two, anyway)

(2) Some of our etiquette seems strange to people. the taboo on graphics ripping for example. Any experienced OHR-er knows that to rip graphics is to be cast into the lake of eternal fire, but in some other game-making communities, ripping graphics is simply the only way to do it. We tend to take artistic integrity and copyright permission far more seriously than many game makers in the world, and I think that is a good thing, but if somebody posts a two-map joke game featuring ripped Wandering Hamster sprites, there is no need to bite their head off on my behalf :)

(3) The cure need not be worse than the disease. Nine posts mocking a user for posting off-topic is silly. Even if they were badly off-topic, the irony makes me giggle.

(4) And lastly, and probably most importantly, don't take things personally. especially not this post ;)

Uncommon · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:40 pm Post subject:

That's a good enough point to deserve a sticky.
I'll try to be nicer to first-time offenders. :(

Moogle1 · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:51 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I think CN was having a bad day when he banned redmagewhatshisface. May be a bit late to unban him and apologize now, though.

I've been thinking about this, too, and it seems in general like the mods are pretty anal around here (don't hurt me!). I mean, it's not like there's a limit to the number of threads this board can hold... or reviving a month-old post will hurt anyone. Yeah, it's kinda annoying, but unless you want to make rules about how old posts can be before you can't reply to them anymore or how many topics you can post in one day, you should probably just chill out about it.
_________________

Slime Salad :: Independent Game Design

The Wobbler · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 2221

Iblis · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:46 pm Post subject:

It seems to me that on CP people (admins and otherwise) are much more lenient towards members who've been around for a long time. It seems like people who've proven they can be intellegent and on-topic are given much more of a liscence to be stupid and off-topic. It may seem unfair, but I think it can be a good thing. Anyone who can't stand the critiques or can't learn the rules will either leave in tears or get banned. People who can take the criticism and learn the rules will hopefully become productive (or at least non-annoying) members of the community.

Chaos Nyte · Reviewer Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 511 Location: Hirakata

I was not having a bad day with RedMage. He ignored his first warning and spammed another thread, and sent me two PMs, telling me I was being unfair and then threatening me. (He also told me, "what happened to freadom of speach" but that's neither here nor there.) So I banned him. Sorry, I won't take being harassed after warning someone lightly. As for how we deal with new comers, we do give out first time warnings, people. If the person ignores the warning, or in the case of RedMage, threatens me, they get a ban. Most of the time it's a non-issue, the person heeds the warning, end of story.

And jeez you guys, we have a private admin forum to deal with offenders. I'm not going to start publically posting the nitty gritty details of why people were banned, that just leads to them being harassed more when the ban is lifted. I'd rather look like the bad guy and give the person a 2nd chance with his crimes then have them carry their earlier stupidity over their heads forever. We're big on 2nd chances here. In the case of some people, we're big on 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th chances. (Knoodle anyone? No, no, no...

;

Setu_Firestorm · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 9:56 am Post subject:

I agree with James, however, I find it quite amusing that everyone's all ears when James says it, but if anyone else were to have said the same thing, they'd more than likely get a "STFU, N00B!" response.

I'm all about being gentle with people, which I believe would be a great quality for people in this community to have, very much including admins. Don't get me wrong, even I know that at times sternness is the only way to go, but it is also true that people get jumped on far too easily here.
_________________

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/georgerpowell
Newgrounds: http://setu-firestorm.newgrounds.com

Bob the Hamster · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:50 am Post subject: tough love

Zombie Hunter Green

The Wobbler · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 2221

Zombie Hunter Green · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:38 pm Post subject:

I've never heard anyone here say that. In fact, I've never seen anyone here distinguish between lineart and a fully shaded and colored work.

Soule X · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 131 Location: Indiana

Chaos Nyte wrote:

JSH357 · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 1705

.. The who's in the what now?

RedMaverickZero · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 5:38 pm Post subject:

I've had a discussion similar to this with someone else from CP, and we seem to think some admins, although they are doing their job are doing it rather harshly. Specifically in a certain art thread with a mistir Leroy. Anyways, administrators are kinda like governors of the message boards. And governors are made to help the community and not talk them down right? I see one or two administrators doing the second more than helping. And it frustrates me.
_________________
---------------Projects----
Mr.Triangle's Maze: 70%
Takoyaki Surprise: 70%

Uncommon · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:28 pm Post subject:

Red, you have to take into account that Leroy has had a handful of chances, and has been around for about three years, but he still posts like he got here yesterday. His intentions may be good and all, but his execution is maddening.

However my harshness with him may frustrate you, his posts frustrate me even more. Amnd it's not like I'm the only one who feels this way, either, it's just that I'm the only one who's vocal about it.