The Scouring of the Forum

[Jooli]

Cherek: to the community its glaringly obvious that the changes to the forum is because of people being critical to the latest farce of change strategy. I've seen posts being deleted that had zero insults or meanness to them, just critique. So the forum has become something else then what we signed up for.

[Cherek]

Cherek: to the community its glaringly obvious that the changes to the forum is because of people being critical to the latest farce of change strategy. I've seen posts being deleted that had zero insults or meanness to them, just critique. So the forum has become something else then what we signed up for.

The forum has contained a lot of mean and insulting posts long before the imbuement change, and we felt this has been a problem for years, but as Gorboth said we have not had enough active moderators to do something about it. Now we do. Yes, the imbuement change caused more of this, but it's just the top of the iceberg. Critique is still welcome. You can disagree with anything we do, all we ask is that if you're using the main forum you do it with respectful language, OR use the flames section.

As for recent deletions, some posts have been removed for being mean and insulting, others have been removed simply for consistency, for example if it was a post that was a reply to a rude/mean/insulting post, that no longer made sense when the rude/mean/insulting post was deleted, even if that post itself was not bad. Some posts have been removed because they were neither of that, but simply completely off topic. However, now when the old posts have been handled for the most part, we can look forward, and moderation will happen more quickly, and the need to remove replies, and whole off topic sections will hopefully not be needed very often.

There's no big conspiracy going on... we just want a friendlier forum overall. One that is welcoming, to both new players, and old players. And we want to try to attract those wizards and players who have chosen NOT to use the forum for communication because of the often hard attitude that has been going on here. We want wizards to be able to use the forum to get feedback, but we also want that feedback to be serious, and respectful. You should not have to have ogre-thick skin to be part of these forums, or to be a wizard, and we want mortals and wizards to be able to discuss things on how to make the game better. Do you really think we're doing this because we don't want to hear player input on changes? Why would we do that? Problem is that the useful feedback often drowns in very rude and insulting posts, and such posts only makes the whole wizard/mortal relations worse. Or do you really think someone screaming to another person's face about how stupid they are is doing anything good? Do you really think we listen more the louder you scream? This has been going on for a long time, but peaked lately. Regardless of how thick skin we have, allowing such posts will NOT do anything good for anyone. It causes a very hard attitude here, and it just discourages people from working on developing this game.

We want as many players as possible to enjoy playing Genesis, and have fun doing so, but we also also want the wizards to have fun developing the game, and we want developers and players to have a good relation. Why on earth would we not want that? If you ever knew anyone of us in the admin you should know we're nice decent people who does our best to make this game as good as it can be. That's the only thing we want. We don't have some hidden agenda. Believe it or not, it's up to you.

[Irk]

Some of you are extremely upset and wants to leave the game, the forum, everything because of it. Why? You don't want a moderated forum, and can't accept being part of a community that has one? Or you think we are horrible moderators and don't trust us to moderate the forum? Or what is it?

If you think and bieleve that all our upset is caused by moderating forum, you are blind (dont want to use more correct word here, it doesnt suit your new standards). Look at this from wider perspective, maybe you will see more and understand what is happening in your game.

[gorboth]

Jooli, the forum has become nothing new at all. Rather, it has returned to what it once was and exactly what it was stated to be from the outset. When you requested an account here, that is exactly what you signed up for.

Laurel, if you are requesting (demanding?) that wizards manually delete all posts made by you, I am sorry but we do not have the time to do that simply because you wish it. As some users have done in the past when leaving in anger/protest/disgust, it is quite possible for you yourself to review/edit all of your posts and blank out the content. Given that you were such a prolific poster, that would probably take quite a bit of time, and be a lengthy project, but it is your to undertake should you wish it badly enough.

G.

[Laurel]

I have voiced my opinions on possible improvements for years - in this forum, in PM"s with admin, on FB with admin. You (plural) decided to go the complete opposite way and stick to this.

I have stopped posting already, but Jooli's idea was too good to pass on. I'm ashamed it didn't cross my mind, so decided to ask for the same option as well. It's completely beyond me why it's too much to ask for. If you don't know how to do it, ask any of the active players who do know - by now you should be aware who has the skills required.

it is quite possible for you yourself to review/edit all of your posts and blank out the content

It's not.

[gorboth]

Laurel, can't you do the "See all your posts" button and go from there?

As for altering the source code of the forum to include the option to delete all your own posts ... I'm sure that is possible somehow, but very far from a priority.

G.

EDIT: Cherek informs me you can't do edit your posts or delete them after a week. Hmmm ... problem perhaps. I'll look into that.

[Cherek]

I have voiced my opinions on possible improvements for years - in this forum, in PM"s with admin, on FB with admin. You (plural) decided to go the complete opposite way and stick to this.

I have stopped posting already, but Jooli's idea was too good to pass on. I'm ashamed it didn't cross my mind, so decided to ask for the same option as well. It's completely beyond me why it's too much to ask for. If you don't know how to do it, ask any of the active players who do know - by now you should be aware who has the skills required.

it is quite possible for you yourself to review/edit all of your posts and blank out the content

It's not.

Okay, just sort out the confusion. Perhaps I was not clear in my previous notes, but it's not that we CAN'T remove all posts by a user, it's a simple checkbox actually. However we have chosen not to allow this. The reason is because in the past some disgruntled players have decided to leave the forums, and while doing so also deleted and/or edited ALL their posts from many years ago. This caused a serious mess in a lot of threads, mess that we still suffer from as a lot of threads now are very confusing. We also lost a lot of good information provided by these players. So a few years ago (?) I dont remember exactly, Cotillion changed a setting that makes it impossible to delete your own posts, and also prevents editing a post after a certain time has passed. The reason is simply to keep the forum consistent.

When it comes to footprints in the game, posting on boards, writing of books, etc, there is technically just not realistically possible to wipe every trace of a player, but for the same reasons as above, even if it was possible it would just cause a lot of issues if we did it.

We will of course agree to delete a user or player who no longer wish to remain in our community. But we do not allow deletion of ALL posts ever made, since we want to keep the forum sane. However, if there is a special post or something specific that you have uploaded, and that you for some reason do not wish the public to have access to anymore, for example a script, I am sure if you simply contact us we can talk about it and agree to a solution. We're not unreasonable if approached with a serious concern. But we do not want people just be able to delete hundreds of posts in anger, just to spite us and cause a mess on purpose to "punish" us.

[Kitriana]

I for one applaud the changes and hope that they will lead to an environment of cooperation and sharing of ideas.
I hope more people, both mortals and wizards alike, will come to the forum due to the changes -- who have otherwise stayed away due to their typically toxic nature.

I encourage all those who typically remain silent to express their support of this change so that the voices of what is typically the loud minority don't drown us out.

[Melarec]

On a side note..
If a player requests deletion of their in-game character, is it possible to give the money in their bank to everyone?

Sort of in a socialist way? (I'm a capitalist, btw..)
For example, they have 100 plat, there are 100 players (for simplicity) then each person gets 1 plat added to their bank account..

Would be nice.. I mean, where else would the money go?

Back on topic:
Forum moderation is the right of the forum administration. Their views can and will differ from your own. There will always be people who bicker about it. If you stay within the parameters of "acceptable posting" then you will never have an issue with the Administration.
I'd suggest an automatic editing filter to catch bad words and replace them with a different string ( [****] you, for example. ) instead of simply deleting posts.
Most forum hosts have this feature built in, but I'm not sure about phpBB..

Bottom line, there is no use in pointless complaints. If there's a real issue, then voice it. Don't get upset because the police are doing their job.

EDIT: Argh! Ana, you ninja!

[Ydred]

I encourage all those who typically remain silent to express their support of this change so that the voices of what is typically the loud minority don't drown us out.

Interestingly enough, this loud minority is why the imbues are still being worked on. And I hardly think the admin would be looking to fix it if we were actually the minority. So I think this misrepresents the function we served in holding the admin to account. Are we loud, sure. And now you silent ones might be louder. Which might run you afoul of the admin too. It is a very arbitrary line which we walk upon now.