45 replies to this topic

[Achilles]

Hey guys, quite a few things for you today. Here they are:

1. Consultants - We've created a new group called "consultants". This is essentially a temporary moderator position. We will add on people who we think can provide valuable insight in improving a section, so we have them as consultants. They can delete posts and close/pin topics, but can't warn other users. In that sense, they are not full moderators. After a period of time has elapsed, the consultant will either be removed, given more time to perform, or be promoted to a full global moderator.

With that said, I'd like to say congrats to our first Yugioh consultant: Love. Hate. Cherish. He's got some great insights, and we're going to work with him the next few months to get a lot of stuff done! Congrats mate!

If anyone is interested in being a consultant, please shoot me a PM with a description of what you would do in the next 3-4 months and why you can't do that right now. We're not LOOKING for people, but if you provide a good case we'll be happy to take you on.

2. Solemn Shadow Toilet Realm of Dark Judgment

This is a new section. The purpose is to have random arguments, flame, QQ, whatever you want really. Feel free to attack other users, yourself, or your mother. You can go there to just vent about anything, or join in on attacking someone else. No warns are given in this section, so don't complain to us if you're unhappy about libel in this section. If you don't like it, avoid the section. If random arguments break out in other parts of the board, they will be moved to the SSTRDJ.

3. Team ETC will stop recruiting on 12/31/2010. If you're interested, make it clear before then.

4. We will be adding a new default skin soon, which will be relatively light. If you have any suggestions, post them in feedback or PM me.

That's all folks!

[Krizz]

All good news.

[Nomad]

Hmm, this almost makes me wanna start a Blitzplayer thread.

Almost.


... seriously though, are we gonna keep that section hidden to guests?

[Toxic`]

Making a tag for consultants. Should have given me a heads up. :)

All good stuff in this update though.

[Shadow]

#2 is the most retarded thing I have ever heard of. What the grape are you people on?

[Mikhail]

Shadow, on 23 December 2010 - 07:56 PM, said:

#2 is the most retarded thing I have ever heard of. What the grape are you people on?

[Apollo]

The name is lol, but it's basically the ETC version of the Smash'd forum

It makes plenty of sense. People always want to rage, so give them a spot to do it. It keeps the forum clean, since we can either delete or move all of the crap off the main forum. It's also just an option, so people who come to the forum don't HAVE to see the constant flaming or trolling that you guys do. Those who enjoy the drama can visit the subforum, and those who want nothing to do with it can now enjoy a squeaky clean forum.

And if you don't agree, then go flame me in the subforum ;]

[Mikhail]

Do you seriously think that the disrespect which occurs in the sub-forum won't carry over to the other forums? All you're doing is giving members a specific place where they will insult and gang up on others with little to no punishment.

Edited by Mikhail, 23 December 2010 - 08:19 PM.

[Apollo]

Mikhail, on 23 December 2010 - 08:15 PM, said:

Do you seriously think that the disrespect which occurs in the sub-forum won't carry over to the other forums? All you're doing is giving members a specific place where they will insult and gang up on others with little to no punishment.

It won't carry over, because there's absolutely no reason to allow it. Some of the staff were too lax to go with a strict zero tolerance on the boards, but now that we can tuck all of it into one section, there's no reason to not have zero tolerance on the main board. Anything carried to the outside of the section will be moved/deleted with the appropriate punishment.

[The Rock]

I am very happy with even just the initiative that you guys are taking. Little steps are the genesis of great things. =P

[Nomad]

You or Kotsin should start a "Behold, the power of Straight Edge!" thread in there & run with it.

[The Rock]

Oh God how epic would it be....

[Mikhail]

The hostile mentality stays. Just because something is said in a certain section does not mean it isn't said at all. Hypothetically speaking, say I make a thread about you and call you a fat, ugly, orangegot than proceed to post pictures of you all over the thread. Would you not treat me differently on other parts of the forum? Would you not associate me with those insults and respond to my none flaming posts in a bitter way?

A forum where there is no fine line between harmless flaming and full-blown insults will turn ugly and fast. Especially when the Staff, a group of members that others are supposed to look up to join in on it.

[Apollo]

Mikhail, on 23 December 2010 - 08:46 PM, said:

The hostile mentality stays. Just because something is said in a certain section does not mean it isn't said at all. Hypothetically speaking, say I make a thread about you and call you a fat, ugly, orangegot than proceed to post pictures of you all over the thread. Would you not treat me differently on other parts of the forum? Would you not associate me with those insults and respond to my none flaming posts in a bitter way?

I could treat you differently, but why does that matter? Members are allowed to respond in bitter ways if they don't like each other. That's how it's always been. Not everyone likes each other, but at least now they have to conduct themselves correctly on the main forum. As long as there's no flaming being brought onto the main forum, then it's all good.

In addition, if a member can't handle the subforum, then they can choose to not to visit it. It's not like flaming doesn't happen out in the open right now, so at least this way people have a choice if they want to deal with it and they're able to respond without punishment. It's also been proven that if a member gets hated on extensively, over a long period, it gets very stale and people really stop blindly hating on that person.

Smash'd forums are used on plenty of sites, and I've never seen one taken down. They serve their purpose.

[Mikhail]

It matters because at the moment, ETC consists of only moderate levels of hate, but with this new section it will surely escalate. You're giving people a new and consequence free area where these kinds of bitter and hateful connections can form. You say that members can choose to partake in the sub-forum but that's completely untrue. ETC is connected in more ways than by the sections of this board. If someone is called out in the "smash'd" forum, they will be well aware of it, whether by AIM, Skype, Xbox Live, or however you guys talk to each other now. If they choose to ignore the thread it will only make the them look cowardly in the eyes of their ETC peers.

No one is calling you anyone's parent. I don't know where you even got the idea, but unless ETC's view on Moderation has changed. Your job is to make ETC a more enjoyable place for everyone, to be an example for other members. This includes moderating the quarrels which occur between various members. Improving ETC is your job, and I don't think making people feel poorly about themselves is the way to go about it.

This section will change the dynamic of ETC, and if that's the direction you wish to take the community then by my guest, for I have lost concern for the site a long time ago.

Edit: This conversation is over on my part, but it would be cool if you stopped editing your post.

Edited by Mikhail, 23 December 2010 - 09:28 PM.

[Apollo]

I edited one line like 15 minutes ago lol

You don't have to agree with the decision, but it definitely deserves a shot

It has worked well on a lot of other forums, and I don't see why it would be any different here

[Tyrant]

ETC shouldn't be DGZ.

[Ice King]

Achilles, on 23 December 2010 - 07:33 PM, said:

2. Solemn Shadow Toilet Realm of Dark Judgment

This is a new section. The purpose is to have random arguments, flame, QQ, whatever you want really. Feel free to attack other users, yourself, or your mother. You can go there to just vent about anything, or join in on attacking someone else. No warns are given in this section, so don't complain to us if you're unhappy about libel in this section. If you don't like it, avoid the section. If random arguments break out in other parts of the board, they will be moved to the SSTRDJ.

So, ETC Fight Club?

[✖ Steve ✖]

Smash'd forum is probably the dumbest idea I've ever heard of.

[Shadow]

It's pretty sad when me and Mikhail agree with each other.

This is pretty much the staff lying down on their backs and saying "Okay, we can't control you guys so we're going to put you in a play pen". I mean seriously, what the hell is that crap man? This is going to horrendously backfire because sure, the area is going to catch maybe 10% of the plumposting but a) That leaves 90% of the plum out there and b) You're giving the trolls and flamers free reign on the forum elsewhere because they know they have you in the palms of their hands. Are you trying to make a little mini Undernet because you're damn well trying.

Yeah, I'm mad. And I've been rolling my eyes at Mavs preaching gloom and doom of the forum but you know what? The youngun might be on to something because this is absolutely awful.

You want to clean up your forum? Man up and control your posters and ban the trolls. How hard is that?

Edited by Shadow, 24 December 2010 - 12:20 AM.