Politcal forum rule changes, asking for input.

[Aleth]

The general/political section is added value to the FF MMO parts of the site. It has a draw that is longer-term than a single MMO video-game.

Come for FF, stay for general.

BG is like having access to the biggest FFXI linkshell I was never in. Or even on the same server.

Part of the the awesomeness of talking to LS members was talking about things that weren't FF but with people of the mentality that would play/stick with a FF MMO.

FFXI was like a quality of character filter... albeit mostly focusing on perseverance more than any other trait.

[Seraph]

Nobody that still posts around here plays any of these games anymore anyway, not with any real seriousness. We're all the better part of 30 or older.

We're still here because we've been here since we were still kids. There's not gonna be a new site, just gonna be exactly what happened with Roy (Miz). Said fuck it and gave up after the Isla shit.

I agree with this. The other sections outside of the core gaming ones always seemed to pop up when gamers wanted to come on here and talk about something not related to gaming, and that was just fine by me. Why even have sections outside of 14 (and I guess 11 is still limping along too) at this point if the BG admin team hates them so much? I always assumed the idea was for separation and containment. We keep the trolling out of the gaming section(s) by having spam. We keep the politics out of gaming by having poopdeck/youtube/whatever. Same with Bentertainment Geekly, Tech, etc. Page views up, drama that comes with it contained.

I understand the need to crack down on literal harassment and such, but this seems quite a bit like walking on eggshells. When FF14 and FF11 stuff go by the wayside (and they do quite often), people stick around here for the other discussions and information. I see this as the potential first step of taking this type of discussion out back and shooting it. It does seem disturbingly similiar to when Isla started waving her hammer around, made a mess, and then vanished once the damage was done. Disconcerting, with less drama, shock, and awe than last time though.

[Aleth]

BG: my IRL linkshell that I rarely type in. Seriously it's a bit like that.

Also: You know that it was the weirdos in your LS when you played FFXI who helped make it fun. Even if it was just laughing at their escapades.

[Tarage]

I have another question.

Has anyone been banned because of what they posted in this thread? Because I'm seeing a lot of banned people all of a sudden.

[Charismatic]

I just see NynJa and that was a 24hr timeout for being stupid in a sports thread.
(nvm, panda got hit too, didn't catch that)

[Tyche]

Why does Ksandra have to white knight the mods? If they hate the sub so much, why don't they play politics and defend their position? Seems egregious to want to regulate debate without participating in it.

[Ksandra]

I have another question.

Has anyone been banned because of what they posted in this thread? Because I'm seeing a lot of banned people all of a sudden.

panda was timed out for using the f word. Nynja sucks at sprots. There was a dude that posted here on a sock account. Think that is it.

[kuronosan]

I want to change rules because I don't like it. Wah wah wah.

If you don't like it, don't post.

Your job is to moderate conversation, not control it.

[RKenshin]

I'm pretty much only on BG for general, tech (lolghosttown), bentertainment geekly, and this section these days... so yeah, even though I could probably spare this section the most I'm not too keen on it getting nannied/nuked/overhauled(aka nerfed!).

Current life situation doesn't allow much time for serious gaming (how to casual!?), though I miss it and hope to jump back into it when things are less busy... but in the meantime it's really only the non-gaming sections and the ability they grant to keep with the community that holds me around here. I understand gaming is still the focus of the forum and it certainly was mine too for most of the 9 years here, but I'm sure there's a decent number of posters with similar shifts in priority/outlooks on the forum. Sath and a few others seemed to state/imply just as much here.

I would think that helping to keep posters around (and upping traffic) through a variety forums (whether gaming, non-gaming, or even... political) is desirable in the big picture, even if it means dealing with feels. I honestly also have a hard time believing that many posters here really care about what people post in the other sections.

[BaneTheBrawler]

Bane is the only newish member I can think of who offers any insights in any number of threads or who has really jumped on posting. And he's awful.

you know you love me <3

so basically what i'm getting is that milkster is a twat and some invisible mods hate the poopdeck because reasons. other than their threats, why should i care what the invisible mods think?

[Mazmaz]

mods are oppressed check your poster privilege

[BaneTheBrawler]

also, i'd be completely fine with adding at least a token postcount requirement to see the poopdeck. nothing strenuous, just enough to prevent milkster's twattery.

[Charismatic]

mods are oppressed check your poster privilege

Funnily enough, this doesn't seem too far off from a serious post you would make.

[Tarage]

Again, if a mod has a problem with this forum, post. Stop hiding. I'm sick of this passive aggressive bullshit.

[Aleth]

If you put a token post count in... make it to post. Let peeps below it see though. More and more forums require people to sign up to see anything at all these days. A post count to see threads would be like some horrible slippery slope. What next? A pay-wall?

Edit: Even worse.... Micro-transactions? It'll cost 5 BG gemeralds to see political for a week!

[Charismatic]

If you put a token post count in... make it to post. Let peeps below it see though. More and more forums require people to sign up to see anything at all these days. A post count to see threads would be like some horrible slippery slope. What next? A pay-wall?

BlueAwful? SomethingGartr?
Hope you got 10bux.

[BaneTheBrawler]

yknow i was going to say i get the sense the invisimods are scared poopdeck sullies their reputation, and that throwing up a postcount wall would prevent that, but it wouldnt, really. there's nothing to stop someone like milkster from just posting screenshots.

why don't they just throw up a "poopdeck posts do not represent the beliefs of bluegartr blah blah blah" message

[Aleth]

BlueAwful? SomethingGartr?
Hope you got 10bux.

Steam sales take all my change....

Seriously though, big topical news events especially around disasters will always create threads in the general forum. Whether it's shootings or terrorism or wars and so on. People will always want to discuss such big current things right after they happen.

These will all turn into political debate within a few posts. By keeping the political section around at least you have somewhere to put them once the initial rush of interest turns to "how did this happen / how do we stop this happening in the future" and therefore political.

[Tyrath]

why don't they just throw up a "poopdeck posts do not represent the beliefs of bluegartr blah blah blah" message

Doesn't it go kind of hand in hand with the fact that this is a FORUM that not everyone is going to have viewpoints that reflect the site?

[BaneTheBrawler]

yeah but apparently thats not enough for the invisimods.