A site issue put to membership vote.

If I may humbly say, I think ASSEMbler is loosing its roots in specific parts. All the popularity the boards are starting to get, all these new users I've never seen before, all this "My d*ck is bigger than your d*ck". I wish we could go back in time when ASSEMbler just had the museum and the forums were just “cleaner” for a lack of a better word. Sure the community was smaller, but it was better.

 

Restrict discussion to standard development, no hacking or exploits

This isn't xbox-scene, the forum is part of the game development area.
Other than that, i also think offending user should be banned as well.

I do try and stay out of most of the fights by just not posting in Flame-wars threads, if someone calls you out on something, just try to ignore them.

I know the flaming/fighting continues goes on, that's the the way scenesters are, the only way around this is adding moderators to deal with offenders. i know everyone slips up once it a while and may flame another user, and that's understandable, but repeating offenders need to be deal with, one way or another.

Ive casted my vote, but no matter what the decision, editing posts would be a nice

Best wishes!

 

Restrict discussion to standard development, no hacking or exploits

I'm still kind of on the fence about this one, so I see it as at least Option B. I've seen the offending posts and reminds me of one the reasons I don't frequent X-S much anymore. While it's great to have a place to talk about topics like that, all of us should realize that it's a privilege, and not a right, to be able to come here and post. Kevin has been gracious enough to pay for a server and bandwidth for this forum, and even I'm surprised at the amount of patience he's shown to those involved.

 

No, I have not been to the MS forum very much at all, as I don't have much reason being there. I do check it out from time to time if it looks like a good read.
I've read the entire thread. Did I miss something?
I was referring to how so many users' testosterone seems to be doing the talking for them.

Assember (the person) seems to be (in my opinion) optimistic about people. He is himself, and you are not him, and he is not you.

This thread exists to figure out the solution to a problem... as a community. That's what the poll thing is. A lot of folks don't seem to get that, instead it has been interpreted as some sort of contest.

--

I think it is a very VERY important point to make that this is a development forum, not a hack forum. That's what X-S is for. No need to flood this place with that sort of bullshat.
BUT. Evilways is very right in saying that it would be nice for that sort of discussion (well, in my regards, the technical side of it and developmental side of it) (hacks, that is) to exist without so much trash. This ISN'T X-S, but we need to step back and make sure that forum doesn't start taking on negative qualities.


This stuff is tough, mind-bending.
For me to think, "I don't want X type of person to be here. But, to not allow someone access could possibly keep someone great from joining. But, it's obviously hard to justify just flat-out removing a turd once they've found their way in.



Final summation: I feel like I'm talking out of line. I have no reputation here. Please understand that I understand this.

 

Hacks are what open development up to those without proper kits. Hacks and development go hand in hand.

Sharing of knowledge is good and is something that can be done by anyone. Given that, there is no reason not to insist on cordial interaction.

ASSEMbler shouldn't (and doesn't) care about what goes on at other sites. It isn't a part of "scene" drama and doesn't need to be. Everyone is welcome here unless you do something specifically to wear out your welcome here.

To those that have personal grudges against one another, if it helps, think of ASSEMbler as the gaming equivalent of Switzerland. These boards are neutral ground all around. If you want to blast the shit out of each other on another site, go right ahead (or use the unmoderated thread in off-topic). When you're here however, either play nice and contribute or take your ball and go home.

As far as hacks and piracy, hacks can enable piracy but hacks =! piracy. Knowing how a system works (and therefore how to bypass it) is not wrong. Providing direct access to copyrighted material is. There's no reason why we cannot have productive technical discussions about hacks and development while at the same time staying clear of piracy talk.

Remember, today's n00b is tomorrow's rockstar programmer.

-hl718

 

I don't post enough around here to really have much of an opinion but seriously... having people like MTWong around just makes the whole forum look bad, especially when normally mature members are lured into a flame war by his trolling. I don't care how much he contributes to the scene or if he's a genius hacker god, he needs to go.

 

So those three little icons on each person's post under the user name: online status, add to reputation and report post. I assume that the reputation one is how some posts have little rating stars? But what about the Report Bad Post button, does that do anything active?

Would it be possible to enable that button to block someone's ability to post? So if say, 5 or 10 people are unhappy with a certain individual, they can click that button and it would disable the offender's ability to post. A moderator(s) could then look into it to see what the deal is, and whether the potential offender should have privelages restored or feel the ban hammer.

Obviously this could be subject to abuse to some degree, but I think that we're all adult enough on this site to use it properly. And really, if someone can offend 10 people that badly they really do deserve to be banned. I just think that this could help the moderators with potential situations before they explode and they've had a chance to act or have even seen it. And also with these random spam attacks recently as I really don't want a cheap pair or Reeboks.

Edit - Oh yeah, I almost forgot: I think that the level of talk regarding hacking should be limited especially for current gen consoles. If you want full instructions on how to hack your 360, stick to PMs or bugger off to Xbox-Scene. Same goes for firmware flashing PSPs, Wiis and whatever else; there are appropriate sites/forums out there. We should stick to talking about what you can do with the hardware (hacked or official): development, playing betas/protos and poking around in system files.

 

That's true. Time and time again we'll have new members asking very similar questions about how to do this or that to this console. So, technically that falls into development. Not official development, but development nonetheless.

So, I vote for more rigorous moderation.

 

People like MTW have proven time and time again that reporting a bad post really does nothing. At this point I do not even understand why we have rules and a ban capability if there is no desire to actively enforce the obvious abuse.

I feel as if we have become the UN continuously sanctioning Iran and then when they break the rules we simply sanction them again hoping that this time they roll over and stop acting militant.

No one is afraid of a dog with no teeth. We cannot continue to gum offending members into submission as it has proven to be a completely useless and maddening endeavor.

-ServiceGames-

 

At this point it is up to Kev to make a decision on the future direction of the site. He's run the poll, we've all voted and voiced our opinions.

Assuming the Xbox 360 section stays (and from the poll it looks likely) anyone will be welcome to post so long as they can stay cordial and not flame others. Those who can't will have their posts removed.

When it comes to banning, only Kev can do that. He hasn't yet given that decision making power to any staff members. Personally, I don't think all staff should have that power, but it would be good if a few trusted staff members (such as Yakumo) were given the keys to the ban hammer.

Ultimately though that is Kev's decision to make and no one else's.

-hl718

 

That's what I was thinking.

 

Fixed, for good measure.

jkjkjk

 

+ 1

 

Maybe a two-tier moderator system (Senior Moderators and what would probably equate to hall monitors). The hall monitors would keep an eye on a forum or small group of forums and if problems occur, they have give a warning and if it continues give word to a Senior Mod to look at the situation and impose an infraction response if need be (up to and including dusting off said banhammer). Obviously, ground rules would have to be laid out for what the infractions are and appropriate steps of actions for each one.

Just my .02 on helping ease up on Kevin's responsibility to the site and his need to step up to situations like what occured in the Xbox 360 forum. Kev's provided a great forum fostering a great community and there's no reason for a relative few to ruin it over a petty argument.

 

Tolerance is one thing, but any members causing so much trouble that they directly threaten other site users or contribute to an entire section of the site being locked off / revoked frankly should be allowed to go and mature into amebic life else where?

When the Microsoft section was temporarily pulled and I had to plead for it's return I was furious. A huge amount of material from good, rule abiding members was being threatened with deletion all because of a small number of people incapable of adhering to the sites restrictions & rules.

The answer isn't to punish the long standing, rule abiding & contributing members, but to banish the asshats.

Thank God the MS section was brought back, even if it is problematic. If (as a site) we are not going to ban members who flaunt the rules, then whenever current gen sections exist, we are going to have these same conversations & conducting similar polls ad infinitum.

Tolerating the odd "strange" poster is one thing, but expecting an entire community to put up with and just accept what amounts to anti-social behavior (when we have rules we are all sticking too) is not acceptable.

I've never been on a site where an open poll was conducted when such a blatant piece of nonsense occurred. Other sites hit the ban hammer with ease, why can't AG? It's to a sites credit when it attempts to ensure the community runs smoothly and isn't asked to endure loons.

 

Good for you! It's not a harsh measure, it was a necessary step. What is it the Japanese say about the nail that stands up? ;-)

 

I suspect it's the same thing that most guys would say about Angelina Jolie.

-hl718