Author Topic: TMK Board Reform/"Down the Crapper" Prevention (Read 15525 times)

Trainman · « **on:** September 28, 2009, 05:21:29 AM »

Yes, this should probably be in Site Discussion; however, hardly anyone checks that leg of the forum, so this topic would probably sink to the bottom of the list quickly if it were there. I was going to reply to the "Going Away, Signed TMK Member" topic of how the board is increasingly going down into the pit of despair, but I want to keep that topic on track and feel that this issue needs its own thread. Also, I want to tie any discussions about how annoying the forum can be into this sole thread so complaints/suggestions can actually be heard and not be flooded out or continue to aid any topics' deaths.

This thread is for discussing any changes for the better that this forum needs... be it preventing topics from being horribly derailed, spammed to death with unnecessary Google image search pictures, and/or turning into a let's-try-and-one-up-each-other-or-talk-crap-for-a-couple-pages fest.

You could argue that the forum isn't in that bad of shape; however, this is a prevention thread... as in, the forum is starting to show possible signs of decay and we need to be aware of all this and address it before it really takes off and, like the title states, goes down the crapper.

Moving on with one of the issues brought up at the "Going Away" topic (and what my original post in "Going Away" was going to be):

Quote from: ShadowBrain on September 27, 2009, 02:11:55 PM

conversations turning into a memefest, ["who's funnier" fest], or an unsupported-ragefest

Yeah, I agree 110% that that is what this forum has stooped down to.

You know, it's okay if people post 50 pictures of dumb, Google image search crap as long as it stays in the appropriate thread(s). Topics are turning into pictures upon pictures of crap related to just one person's unintentionally "funny" post or what-have-you and completely dismantling the original purpose of the thread.

It's particularly annoying to start a legitimate thread and have it trashed with overly-large pictures that have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Also, an alarming number of threads are being derailed within the second or third page of posting which is annoying when legit posts or legit replies to other posts are flooded out by pictures or members just posting just to say something they think is absolutely hilarious.

I could go on a bit, but I don't need this first post to get any longer.... so discuss.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2009, 07:07:00 AM »

You quoted me quoting Captain Jim...

Well, Mario being a plumber and all, I think this forum metaphorically being in a toilet might actually help its image.

But seriously, so people are having problems with threads getting off-topic? Hey, it's the internet--impermanence is the name of the game. The way I see it, even when "derailed", the original conversation usually bounces back. If it doesn't, then maybe it's usually a sign it wasn't worth talking about in the first place. If anything, I've laughed more and been flamed less in the last few months than any other time in the past, and it only stops when someone starts complaining about memefests, etc. (which I don't think we've ever really had lately--the last true-blue meme I remember seeing around here--shoop da woop--was actually posted by me, and there were swift calls for my detention)

Have there been topics that have spun wildly out of control because of a few well-timed macros or photoshops? Well, sure, and I guess it irritates me sometimes, but I've been taking political science classes and I've learned something I kind of knew before: Radical revolution never works out as well as gradual change. If we let all this craziness run its course, maybe it'll do just that and pan out. Or not. All I'm saying is, we can't just all sit down around a huge table and vow to never be weird or irrationally angry again; for one, we don't have a table, and for two, it flies in the face of parts of all of our natures while also expecting a bunch of people who probably haven't met get their acts together at the drop of a hat.

Finally, I don't mean to offer up sacrifices or throw people under the bus (I hate that phrase) or whatever, but another possibility is to get to the root of the problem. Is everybody spamming pictures and arguments? I'm not naming any names (partially because I can't remember most of them), but so far as I can recall, it's usually just one or two mods with some sense of self-entitlement who give the finger to common courtesy and some guys who can't grasp that most people don't think they're funny. They're found all over the internet, but it's really only the former of the two that gets me, along with high-profile members who pull completely bizarre stunts for some inane emotional release or "just 'cause".

WarpRattler · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2009, 08:00:34 AM »

Quote from: ShadowBrain on September 28, 2009, 07:07:00 AM

If it doesn't [bounce back], then maybe it's usually a sign it wasn't worth talking about in the first place.

So that somehow makes it acceptable to go off on something not even marginally related to the original topic for another five pages? I mean, I know I've been guilty with this from time to time, but that doesn't mean it's any less wrong.

Name these "one or two mods" with a sense of entitlement. (Hint: When you've been here for a decade, you too can for the most part do whatever the hell you want, especially if you're a mod.) Name the users who think they're funny but aren't. (Hint: If they're who I'm thinking of, all but one of them actually are.)

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2009, 10:44:18 AM »

If I get a humorous sensation from a thread because someone posted a funny picture in it, you can bet that I'm not going to make a big deal of it being derailed. I haven't seen many threads that have completely lost what they were started to talk about, but also: topics of conversations change. This is something that people on forums often can't comprehend (especially if it's their thread, I guess). Granted, that doesn't include getting random pictures posted as part of that topic change, but I don't see this happening in every thread. And seeing as how it hasn't happened, I don't believe it will happen either.

PaperLuigi · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2009, 12:28:21 PM »

"Now is a time of great decision. Are we to stay or up and quit? There's no avoiding this conclusion. Our town is turning into [dukar]."

Mr. Wiggles · « **Reply #5 on:** September 28, 2009, 02:11:15 PM »

To be fair Trainman, most of our images come from Imageshack or Photobucket.

As a member of multiple message boards, I've witnessed my fair share of board decay as well. This one isn't really all that bad, people just need to show a little bit of restraint. There's a time and place for humor, but it doesn't mean you can drag a thread completely off-topic or fill a page with reaction images.

However, this had been happening for years, its only more apparant now because a number of senior members are either gone or on a self-imposed exile because they can't stand this new style of humor. But think back to the threads that were derailed by people quoting chat transcripts, or throwing around random in-jokes to one another. I guess back then it was appropriate because that kind of humor was the only thing that would fly in our old censor happy days.

That also brings up the issue of moderation. In the past it was quite strict indeed, but as time went on the staff seems have given the members more leniency in what they can and can't do, to the extent that it almost seems like most of them don't even bother putting their foot down anymore. So perhaps this is a test, they want us to prove we can handle this freedom to do whatever we want, within certain limits of course. Now how can someone take advantage of that without abusing it?

Glorb · « **Reply #6 on:** September 28, 2009, 02:43:01 PM »

The main issue that I have with this board is that every time a prominent member acts retarded, three or four other members feel they need to jump on the bandwagon so they can get attention too, which ends up drawing out the length of the retardedness beyond human tolerance levels. Not only is it stupid but it displays a startling lack of originality here. The flow of this entire place has been reduced to:

Everything's mostly quiet > Somebody tries to start a ruckus by being a ****** > Bunch of people imitate and/or kiss the ass of that person > Everyone else either remains indifferent or becomes ****ed > Fad dies down > Everything's mostly quiet

And so on, until someone becomes ****ed enough to leave because the place is turning into 4chan.

Trainman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2009, 04:19:40 PM »

Quote from: Chupperson Weird on September 28, 2009, 10:44:18 AM

...topics of conversations change. This is something that people on forums often can't comprehend (especially if it's their thread, I guess).

Well, yeah sure, that can be understood and that's fine, but I mean, have the new topic change stem from the original topic... not have the new topic be based on Photobucket pictures or any type of arguments springing up mid-thread.

The reason "reaction" images and things can be annoying for me is that, yeah, hey, it happens at lots of forums... what are you gonna do... but TMK has always had a certain set of standards it upended that has kind of faded away.

Let's rewind a couple years or more (especially before the board update)... try and post a stupid picture, start any argument, or try and be unnecessarily witty or whatever, and see what happens: instant +b hammer. Hell, if your grammar was that of our member uvg, and you consistently posted that crap, then you'd probably be banned that way also. (Wasn't uvg banned?) If the thread was supposed to be a more-or-less serious discussion (like this one) or whatever, then that picture PaperLuigi posted just to be an idiot would've probably gotten him banned (maybe by Sapphira, I dunno...). I liked Sapphira's moderation. She put up with a person's BS for about 2 or 3 replies then got rid of them as far as I remember.

The end result is that the message board always looked nice and slick with minimal crap around the edges which was always nice.

WarpRattler · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2009, 04:24:18 PM »

Uh? I want to see examples of posts that prove your point. I don't remember the forums being like that at any time.

Glorb · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2009, 04:40:10 PM »

I liked Sapph's take-no-crap attitude. I did not like what constituted crap to her. In addition to the redundant swear-censoring, she would pretty much censor anything that conflicted with her personal/religious/moral beliefs, as well as things that were not actually objectionable or already pre-censored. Unfortunately, during the whole Great Right-to-Cuss Uprising, a whole bunch of people just decided to hate on her for no real reason.

Koopaslaya · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2009, 04:43:47 PM »

Personally, I found visits to this place a lot more enjoyable when good grammar, witty posts, and genuine members -- not folly and obscenities -- were the hallmarks of the Fungi Forums.

WarpRattler · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2009, 04:56:51 PM »

Unfortunately, most of the genuine members responsible for witty posts involving good grammar left, whether for real-life reasons or because they're disgusted with what the forums have become.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #12 on:** September 28, 2009, 04:58:41 PM »

up⋅end
/ʌpˈɛnd/
–verb (used with object)
1.    to set on end, as a barrel or ship.
2.    to affect drastically or radically, as tastes, opinions, reputations, or systems.
3.    to defeat in competition, as in boxing or business.

I can't help but see this thread as an old retread of the "Trainman was a halfop once" whine.
I don't remember the forums ever being as you describe, Trainman. The kind of police state you idealize is a hideous re-imagining of the way things used to be. Really, it was just a different group of people on a small, little-used forum.
If uvg was banned, it must have taken a really long time, because I don't remember what even happened to him.

WarpRattler · « **Reply #13 on:** September 28, 2009, 05:05:16 PM »

He got a name change and left at some point after that. He was last online in June of this year.

Trainman · « **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2009, 05:55:32 PM »

I did remember uvg coming back and chastising himself for using such poor grammar (under a different username, of course).

Chupperson, the half-op thing is in the past. Yes, I do bring it up every once in a while, but I'm not getting the position back and I don't want the position back.

Also, a hideous re-imagining? The worst thing you'd see back then was a text-based flame war (think old marioguy). No pictures, etc. etc. etc. And really, if you tried anything just completely stupid, sure, you'd get banned for sure.... "completely stupid" including consistently pointless posts, crap-talking, etc. No one sat around and just watched it materialize; it'd typically be dealt with within a few posts or a few days of the member joining.

I'm not saying the forum needs to be put on lockdown and the ability of adding attachments, etc. be stripped, but maybe it needs to be scrutinized a little more for certain posts. If the picture has nothing to do with the topic or it's a "reaction" image or whatever the hell, maybe it should simply be edited out by a moderator so we don't have to scroll down through miles of pictures to find one legitimate post and that would also discourage any other posters from following suit and posting pictures back to back.