Bash Pit

[VijchtiDoodah]

http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=15493.msg175521#msg175521

Perhaps it's wrong of me to pretend like I speak for all the mods, but I try to ease what problems I see when nobody else is posting.  I don't think anyone would complain that it's wrong to tell them to say what they have to say and that we'll listen but not necessarily agree, but I can see why some might be upset at me taking liberties when I shouldn't.

With that out of the way, I'd like to talk about the Bash Pit.  I know, as much as anyone else, that it can cause problems and be a bit of an infection that we don't need; however, it may be appropriate to give it a chance as long as we properly moderate everything else.

All we'd need to do is start a one or two month testing period -- tell the forumers exactly what we're doing: that it's only temporary to see how it goes and that they certainly cannot spam up the rest of the forums now that they have a place to do so.

If it works out, wonderful.  We've made the forums better for once.  If not, the sad part is that it's a bit like dangling food in front of a dog and never letting it actually taste any, but everyone around here has a short memory span and any damage done will be undone within a month.

In the end, the forums are either better or exactly the same.  I might say that since we effectively have nothing to lose that it's our duty to try it out for them, but that's a bit too cheesy, so let's just say that we owe them a chance to prove that they can do it right.

For anyone who might reply that they know exactly how it will turn out: you don't.  The forums have changed considerably since we last had a Bash Pit.  This could be a truly positive thing.

[Chakra]

Well, theres things to consider here.

A bash pit would be good in order to cater for the obvious degenerates that our off-topic community appear to revolve around. This will make them happy.

On the other hand, we kinda removed this vile element in order to promote a higher grade of wit, character and intelligence. This has arguably happened, to a small degree.


Also, what effect does promoting the kind of behavior we try to stamp down on put into a single forum section have? If we can firmly illustrate that that place is their 'home' and straying out of it with the same attitude is wrong, will it actually work as such?

And, what will the bash pit actually be for? A place to post absolute arsefluid? A place to specifically indicate dislike for another (aka: bash)? An adult only area? ..do these kids really need a place just to spam utter bollocks?

I'm all for 'test-runs' ...but we gotta be clear here. You might be in for a suprise as to just how crap it can be if turns out like it was once before.

[FliesLikeABrick]

On the other hand, we kinda removed this vile element in order to promote a higher grade of wit, character and intelligence. This has arguably happened, to a small degree.

a large degree.  Go look through the old forums archive and see how much spam and stupidity was rampant on the forums.

Also, what effect does promoting the kind of behavior we try to stamp down on put into a single forum section have? If we can firmly illustrate that that place is their 'home' and straying out of it with the same attitude is wrong, will it actually work as such?

we said the exact same thing on the old forums when stuff started getting out of control.  The entire forums still were loaded with stupid crap and more insults and flaming than we've ever seen here.

And, what will the bash pit actually be for? A place to post absolute arsefluid? A place to specifically indicate dislike for another (aka: bash)? An adult only area? ..do these kids really need a place just to spam utter bollocks?

I'm all for 'test-runs' ...but we gotta be clear here. You might be in for a suprise as to just how crap it can be if turns out like it was once before.

The bash pit is a spawning area for "<this member> sucks! here is why!"  "who do you hate on the forums?!"

and other stupid threads where everyone insults eachother.  People then don't like people because of what they said, and other people see stuff going on and stupid crap said and actually start to take offense. 

The bash pit is a shithole that influences the whole forums to turn to crap.  I'll say now that if the bash pit comes back, you guys can find another admin... I'm not going to stay here and watch the same thing happen again like on the last forums.

[Graham]

Hate to generalize but I think this statement is true in some of the mods/admins minds.

http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=15493.msg175690#msg175690

[Chakra]

Can't say I liked the old bash pit either (did have its rare moments), and agree with what Bricks says (though i'm open to discussion, hence all the question marks in my post), but I do promote the idea of people openly insulting one another, albeit with a little more thought-out critique than ye olde bash pit offered.
 Entertaining, maybe, but also healthy ... i'm sure we've all had brief discussions with one another saying "god I hate that <insert name>" now and then, but never actually 'told' them. Allowing people to collect negative opinions creates and binds cliques while also informing the likes of those not appreciated to get the **** off the forums, potentially ridding vermin and the community keeping itself pure.
 ...or am I the only one that lusts for the energy and oppurtunity to deliever a payload of verbal pain to the likes of captain ben and dascoo('s hair) ?

And you do have to admit Bricks.....an improvement we may have now, but we're still lumbered with bash pit 'vets' lurking around with their sub-par wit and such in the lounge, hence that little refugee camp called admin/mod forum. We've essentially got two lounge communities going on. Newcomers and old timers with actual living brains, and a collection of twats. I think thats generally the core of the problem that concerns both sides and spawns topics like this one.

[FliesLikeABrick]

Responding to the last paragraph of your post: how does adding the bash pit help with any of that?  We'd just be giving them another cesspool.

[VijchtiDoodah]

I just checked the last 10 threads of the archived Lounge and I can't say I saw much spam.  In fact, if that's any representation of what the forums were like while we had a Bash Pit, I'd gladly take the old forums over the new -- people were writing thoughtful responses devoid of much stupidity.

To be honest, I never really payed much attention to the quality of the forums back then and always assumed that Flies was accurate in stating that it was filled with spam, but from what I've seen he was dead wrong.

Check it out yourself, newest threads are at the bottom of the page.

[ElephantHunter]

I just checked the last 10 threads of the archived Lounge and I can't say I saw much spam.  In fact, if that's any representation of what the forums were like while we had a Bash Pit, I'd gladly take the old forums over the new -- people were writing thoughtful responses devoid of much stupidity.

To be honest, I never really payed much attention to the quality of the forums back then and always assumed that Flies was accurate in stating that it was filled with spam, but from what I've seen he was dead wrong.

Check it out yourself, newest threads are at the bottom of the page.

Vijcht, are you looking at the same posts I'm looking at? The newest threads consist of mostly one-liners, smileys, bashing and swearing.

[Graham]

I took a look at the bash pit and to be honest I think the current lounge is a great mixture of the the old lounge and the bash pit. We have silly threads along side of serious discussions. All the time void of such topics like:

http://archive.forums.soldat.pl/topic.php?topic_id=8409
http://archive.forums.soldat.pl/topic.php?topic_id=8934
http://archive.forums.soldat.pl/topic.php?topic_id=8953

[VijchtiDoodah]

Vijcht, are you looking at the same posts I'm looking at? The newest threads consist of mostly one-liners, smileys, bashing and swearing.

No, that was written while I read the first ten threads of the Lounge, then I realized my mistake, changed some of the words around, read the last ten threads, and began to seriously edit my post.  I should've just deleted it.

Yeah, the forums were stupid.  I think I've just changed my mind.

[FliesLikeABrick]

I took a look at the bash pit and to be honest I think the current lounge is a great mixture of the the old lounge and the bash pit. We have silly threads along side of serious discussions. All the time void of such topics like:

http://archive.forums.soldat.pl/topic.php?topic_id=8409
http://archive.forums.soldat.pl/topic.php?topic_id=8934
http://archive.forums.soldat.pl/topic.php?topic_id=8953

Thank you, I agree entirely.


Are we in agreement then, or are there still people who think that we should bring it back (after reading this whole thread, not just coming here to post)

[ElephantHunter]

I've been looking around at some other forums, and this forum is moderated very lightly... especially so because this is an official forum.

[FliesLikeABrick]

I've been looking around at some other forums, and this forum is moderated very lightly... especially so because this is an official forum.

I'm not sure what prompted you to say that, elaborate?

[ElephantHunter]

I've been looking around at some other forums, and this forum is moderated very lightly... especially so because this is an official forum.

I'm not sure what prompted you to say that, elaborate?

Other active forums that have been around for quite some time are more strict than ours. I seriously don't think we're at risk of anything by not having a bashpit.

[FliesLikeABrick]

Ah, ok, gotcha

[Graham]

We need a final statement on this subject given. We need to figure out any side of the argument we haven't debated and toss them all together in a topic for all to see and be linked to later on if someone brings up this crappy subject again.

[FliesLikeABrick]

We need a final statement on this subject given. We need to figure out any side of the argument we haven't debated and toss them all together in a topic for all to see and be linked to later on if someone brings up this crappy subject again.

doesn't that require us all agreeing on something first?

Do we all agree that the Bash pit is gone for good?  Please post to say "yes" or "no"

[ElephantHunter]

Yes 

[Graham]

I thought everyone that posted in this topic as in agreement. Yes its gone and will not come back.

[Chakra]

Yes, but i'm open to ideas towards an 'alternate' that'd allow people to simply vent at one another.