Appropriate gen-gen threads

Andail · Mon 30/03/2009 12:08:46

Just some general moderation-talk here.

Recently there has been a surge of very narrow, personal threads in this forum. Threads with topics like "which games should I play", pure advertisment-threads (linking to personal sites) and very specific tech-questions.

Try to remember that this forum is for topics that are in the interest of the broad community. Topics that can be appreciated and discussed by our general audience.

A known, trusted member that has contributed to the community before, may of course politely invite people to visit their new homepage/blog, but all spam must be kept to a minimum.

If you have a highly specific technical problem that is not related to AGS, you should first consult a website with an orientation towards the problem in question. Don't use this forum as a shortcut for any possible question or problem.

So before hitting that post-button, think: "Can this be of any help or interest to my fellow forum members?"

Thank you for reading!

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Mon 30/03/2009 12:09:55

Perhaps this should be locked and stickied?

RickJ · Mon 30/03/2009 13:30:06

Is this the obligatory annual "Quality of Threads" thread?

I noticed that there has been a lack of interesting threads lately rather than an overwhelming number of "inappropriate threads". Gen-Gen after all is where we socialize and I don't see anything wrong with tell your friends "Hey look at what I did..." or asking "What do you guys think about this or that idea I have..".

SpacePaw · Mon 30/03/2009 13:54:16

We can always go back to serious discussions like about...um...religion...now..That reminds me, it turned out to be bad idea already

Let's just keep it simple and funny

Akatosh · Mon 30/03/2009 14:38:15

ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION IS AN INHERENTLY BAD THING I'M GOING TO RIP OUT YOUR SPINE AND BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH IT

That said, I'm disappointed with the quality of this thread. Last year's reminder about decline in post quality was much better.

That said, too, maybe we need a message like this shown when you're trying to start a thread in GenGen. Kind of like what we have for the game development section, just with different content.

SpacePaw · Mon 30/03/2009 15:01:04

Quote from: Akatosh on Mon 30/03/2009 14:38:15
ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION IS AN INHERENTLY BAD THING I'M GOING TO RIP OUT YOUR SPINE AND BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH IT

That said, I'm disappointed with the quality of this thread. Last year's reminder about decline in post quality was much better.

That said, too, maybe we need a message like this shown when you're trying to start a thread in GenGen. Kind of like what we have for the game development section, just with different content.

Yeah exacly what I meant. Good idea as far as it would be written in BIG RED LETTERS to make sure everyone sees it (esspecially newcomers)

Nacho · Mon 30/03/2009 16:37:33

Thanks Petter... I' ve been tempted to make a similar post in some periods during the last weeks, but yours is probably better and more polite ^_^.

Oliwerko · Mon 30/03/2009 19:04:58

One more suggestion: USE PERSONAL MESSAGES for getting help.

If you like someone's work, if you wonder how this or that is done, but it isn't exactly appropriate for gen-gen, write a personal message to someone.
I am sure if the request is not straightforwardly dumb, anyone will be happy to help.

I have, personally, used this method many times for specific or small-time help and it's very effective indeed.

Misj' · Mon 30/03/2009 20:27:31

Quote from: Andail on Mon 30/03/2009 12:08:46Just some general moderation-talk here.

Recently there has been a surge of very narrow, personal threads in this forum. Threads with topics like "which games should I play", pure advertisment-threads (linking to personal sites) and very specific tech-questions.
...
...
So before hitting that post-button, think: "Can this be of any help or interest to my fellow forum members?"

The thread called An eye for an eye is so not of help or interest to me...can we please ban the guy who posted that thread?

Oh can we? - Please, please can we?

Anyway...I remember a few years back someone asked about 'good' music-software in the general thread, and several people were all over him for why he didn't use Google and stuff. They felt the thread should be closed because it was useless and specific and could have done with a single web-search. On the other hand, Nikolas answered the question, which is how I learned about Pianoteq...so apparently it was a useful thread to the original poster's fellow forum members (or at least to me).

True, there is a lot of junk in the general thread. But the truth is: I really consider that 'eye for an eye' thread to be part of the junk from my point of view. Still I don't think it should be blocked, or that Andail should have been more reserved posting it. It's part of the fun of the general discussion threads.

Advertisement on the other hand...if you want to present your blog (even if you're a 'known, trusted member that has contributed to the community before'), do it in your signature, because if I like you (from your previous posts) chances are that I will visit your site at least once. Otherwise you just annoy me...

Ps. Andail...you may start a "raise your hand if you think Misj' should be banned for life from the AGS community"-thread

Andail · Mon 30/03/2009 20:35:59

Hm, yeah I can admit that the eye-for-an-eye thread is turning out a bit junky.

Anyho... my point isn't that all threads must be great and 100% serious and fascinating, but at least consider if what you're just about to post is of any worth for anyone except yourself.

LimpingFish · Mon 30/03/2009 21:15:45

On the one hand, this raises the age-old problem of one man's junk being another man's...um...non-junk.

On the other hand...

I think we've seen a number of self-promoting or blindly lazy posts in Gen Gen over the last while. On the other hand, we rarely ban anybody or take action against anyone, bar some sternly worded warnings about "the rules". Which are staring me in the face as I type this:

Three golden rules:
1. Is your post interesting, helpful or funny? If not, don't post it.
2. Post in a mature manner. Remember, the minimum age here is 16 - if you're unable to act that age, don't post.
3. If you're not a moderator, don't pretend to be one. If a thread needs to be moved or locked, the moderators will deal with it.

We've asked nicely. But internoids are, by and large, self-absorbed narcissistic man-children or, more to the point, actual children. And asking nicely is usually as effective as trying to topple Communism by tattooing Old Glory on your penis.

Therefore, I propose:

Two golden rules:
1. Is your post interesting, helpful or funny? If not, it will be deleted.
2. Post in a mature manner. Remember, the minimum age here is 16 - if you're unable to act that age, you will be banned.

It's a dirty world.

Stupot · Mon 30/03/2009 21:26:51

A little while ago I created THIS THREAD.
I hoped that people would use it for all those piddly little questions that are invariably answered within a couple of posts.

Questions like 'What's the name of that film whose name I can't recall?' or 'Does anybody know the lyrics to the Mexican National Anthem?' are the kinds of question which, for me, clog up unnecessary forum space because they have no real purpose other than to satisfy the petty query of a single person.

So maybe if you could sticky the thread I made, or make and sticky a new one with clearer details about its purpose.

Sam. · Mon 30/03/2009 22:10:34

Interesting that this thread seems to have sparked more useless threads..

Babar · Tue 31/03/2009 07:15:23

Quote from: LimpingFish on Mon 30/03/2009 21:15:45
On the one hand, this raises the age-old problem of one man's junk being another man's...um...non-junk.

On the other hand...

I think we've seen a number of self-promoting or blindly lazy posts in Gen Gen over the last while. On the other hand,...

:o

How many hands do you have?!

Yes, this is a waste of a post.

Trent R · Tue 31/03/2009 08:53:27

Quote from: Babar on Tue 31/03/2009 07:15:23
Yes, this is a waste of a post.

But apparently better than a waste of a thread.

~Trent

LimpingFish · Tue 31/03/2009 18:58:36

Quote from: Babar on Tue 31/03/2009 07:15:23
How many hands do you have?!

Oops. Seems I need an extra one every now and again.

Dualnames · Tue 31/03/2009 22:28:12

m0ds · Tue 31/03/2009 22:32:48

QuoteEver seen ProgZ (sorry if I use you as an example, it's not in purpose) brag about anything? No.

You obviously haven't lived

Maybe it was just a very bad example :

Ghost · Tue 31/03/2009 22:38:21

Quote from: Dualnames on Tue 31/03/2009 22:28:12
...just having the best fun he can out of his role here, and not having the best role out of his fun.

I like the sound of this; really sums it all up.

Dualnames · Tue 31/03/2009 22:58:31

Appropriate gen-gen threads

m0ds

Ghost