Wh... wha.... what happened to the community?? :'(

[Executor]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

But one of the reasons I bring it up was the amount of surprise shown over the lack of info. Shrapnel has NEVER been much forthcoming with information in such situations. Not FT, Norfleet, Zen, me, Sombre and many others. Usually because most of it occurs in private conversations or emails so providing that info would be highly improper.

I haven't gone trough all the threads regarding that incident, but it sounds to me that is exactly what made everybody go bananas, the lack of info regarding the ban.

[Squirrelloid]

We have the relevant thread linked in the drama poll thread. You can go refresh your memory. Its actually a pretty good read.

[Gandalf Parker]

Exactly.
But WTF since thats been the way it has been with every incident for as long as I can remember it.

And its not likely to change. Or at least it shouldnt. As long as it involves posting something like "well in a private email to me he said".

This is not unusual. Ive moderated many forums, and online worlds. Its fairly standard to confront someone in private about their disgressions. And its also fairly common that the final straw occurs in those private conversations. Therefore, we will never really know what that final straw was.

[Executor]

Well I think a simple explanation could have maybe stopped or lessened the flame war, but than again, it's Shrapnel's prerogative, they have the final word and that's that, and I am all for dictatorship myself.

[Squirrelloid]

Justice is never served unless its public and transparent. And it lets the community know how justice operates and prevents accusations of power tripping or unfairness. (Unless of course that is what happened, then it becomes obvious - so public justice helps prevent favoritism, abuse of power, and other nonsense).

[Lingchih]

Nothing really happened to the community, other than it kind of split in two. I still come here, though I spend most of my time on the newer forum. It's where most of my compadres are.

As for that forum being unfriendly to noobs... there's maybe a grain of truth to that. But it's more like just friendly taunting. It's mostly vets over there, and if a noob pops in with a noob question, well, they're probably gonna get poked in the ribs for a bit. But someone will finally answer them, or point them back here.

Of course, the community is smaller on the whole. A lot of longtime players have left the game and don't post much anymore (it is a 5 year old game after all).

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by Squirrelloid

Justice is never served unless its public and transparent. And it lets the community know how justice operates and prevents accusations of power tripping or unfairness. (Unless of course that is what happened, then it becomes obvious - so public justice helps prevent favoritism, abuse of power, and other nonsense).

Thats one of those things that always sounds good. But Ive never seen it work well when Ive seen it tried. Posting a private conversation publicly and then declaring punishment doesnt tend to go over well. And having a public trial tends to be more drama than justice.

All in all I think a fast axe and clear statement of "no discussion" creates the least turmoil. We might not want it to, but it does.

But now we have a chance to see another forum tackle the subject.

"The only un-censored site is your own.

[Radio_Star]

Originally Posted by thejeff

What happened to the community? Not much really.

A bunch of people got upset and left. A bunch more stayed. The forums are still active, games are still being organized, new people still show up.

There's a new site. There's cross-pollination between the two. The other site seems fairly hostile to newbies, which isn't good for it's long-term health, but this place is welcoming so maybe they'll pick up people who learn a bit here first.

The usual predictions of doom seem overblown.

Okay, so this just aint true.

Being an unrepentant newbie, I can speak with authority on the tone of the 'other site', as you dub it. If I have a Dom question, my first tool is the search function here, followed by a trip to the wiki. If that doesn't answer my question, I re-assess and re-examine. If I still don't know, I assume that I have a flawed precept, start from first principles and repeat the above. If I still don't know? Then I ask, and I feel that I would get a good answer, nearly without needling.

Now, if I just got confused and asked every question that came to mind? I'd catch hell. And I should. Getting spoon-fed answers only annoys people with more knowledge and prevents me from learning.

I think that's the big difference between the 'other site' and this. This forum is, more or less, a bouncy ball castle full of child-like fun and unencumbered whimsy, whereas the other site is a boxing club. Go there as you like, but be unprepared, be foolhardy, and you may just get a fat lip.

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by Radio_Star

Okay, so this just aint true.

I think that's the big difference between the 'other site' and this. This forum is, more or less, a bouncy ball castle full of child-like fun and unencumbered whimsy, whereas the other site is a boxing club. Go there as you like, but be unprepared, be foolhardy, and you may just get a fat lip.

Heehee. Nicely put..
But isnt it the same description with different wording?

Either wording, both groups feel they have a handle on how a forum should be and seem to be on the road of creating it. As long as we have both, neither needs to put up with the other if they dont want to.

[Squirrelloid]

I think his point was hostility is equally distributed. (Also, you sort of deserve the hostility if you make no effort to find the answer yourself).

Anyway, I can't even respond to your post about public justice Gandalf. It makes me very angry. To believe that minimizing drama should be the goal... excuse me, I don't want to get banned for saying what I feel about that. Morally bankrupt doesn't even begin to describe it.