[EtherShock]

Hello,

Although I have not been here for long, I have seen enough threads get out of hand and people make personal attacks. I have even tried to keep the peace myself in some cases. All I ask is that all us members of HLP please consider the following before making a post on a potentially sensitve subject:
[list=1]

• Think before you respond.[/b]
  Many times people respond as a reflex, not taking the consequences into account.
  
  
  • Try not to let your emotions take control.[/b]
    You might say something you might regret, embarrass yourself, or others. They can lead to personal attacks.
    
    
    • Be assertive, not aggressive.[/b]
      If someone's response to an argument really gets your blood boiling, refrain from using "you" statements ("you are...," "you should...," etc.) as they usually connotate a personal attack upon the other person. Aggressive behavior will only succeed in making the other person defensive and cease all listening. Use "I" statements instead ("I feel...," "I see...," etc.) A cool response can defuse an explosive situation.
      
      
      • Take a time out.[/b]
        If you really think you might say something you don't mean, then don't respond right away. Go post in another thread or occupy yourself with another activity before you respond to that heated debate.
        
        
        • It's OK to say you're sorry.[/b]
          Apologizing can go a long way if you mess up, just don't be a doormat.
          
          
          • Use the search function or a search engine before asking a question.[/b]
            Obvious questions are frowned upon. Chances are, your question has already been asked or the answer lies in the web.
            
            
            • Back up your evidence.[/b]
              You'll be taken more seriously if you back up arguments with proof.
              
              
              • Forgive and forget[/b]
                Forgiving is probably the hardest thing for a human to do, give it a try, at least consider it.
                [/list=1]
                I reserve the right to append this list as I see fit. I realize we are only human. I am no better than the next person. We all screw up once in a while. Taking these few steps can mean the difference between a civilized discussion and an all-out flame war. I enjoy HLP. It's like a global village. Let's keep the peace.

[Anaz]

How about add a 6. or a 0.5. of "search first, either google or the boards before asking a question" Not meant towards anyone in particular, because it does turn up a lot.

[BlackDove]

Wow. This guy reminds me of myself at the VBB, five years ago.

Go go gadget.

[CP5670]

The VBB was awesome, especially the squadwar forum. There were like five different flamewar threads in progress every day. Very fascinating stuff to read.

[Kie99]

6. Before asking obvious question you think other will have done(Is there a FS3, How do you get the beams to work etc.) use the Search button or go here

[Charismatic]

Originally posted by CP5670
The VBB was awesome, especially the squadwar forum. There were like five different flamewar threads in progress every day. Very fascinating stuff to read.

Anyone have any working link to the squadwar forums or any remaining artifacts of the vbb forums i could have? I arrived in MP too late for the VBB and workable Squadwar. I would like to see the SW flame threads.

[BlackDove]

I have a working link.

I don't hand it out though. It's precious to me. Like a collectors item.

Also, if you were too late, you missed the train. Only those who were there know what kind of an impact it had on online gaming, naturally FS in particular.

[Charismatic]

Well as FS3 is a sensitive topic to many, 'miss(ing) the train' is a sensitive topic to me.

And bah. Ya cant even try to help me understand the impact? bah. bah bah bah.

[Krackers87]

Screw you, things dont get out of hand and i dont take things personaly, and im not ****ing sory..

*cries*

[EtherShock]

Originally posted by BlackDove
Wow. This guy reminds me of myself at the VBB, five years ago.

Go go gadget.

Thanks BD, but I'm just doing what anyone else would do. ^_^

Originally posted by kietotheworld
6. Before asking obvious question you think other will have done(Is there a FS3, How do you get the beams to work etc.) use the Search button or go here

I'll consider this, but what I meant by "sensitive topics" were heated political debates, something we see in the HL forum a lot. This is more like a guideline to keeping those kind of threads peaceful. Jeez, I feel like a diplomat.

[Krackers87]

Personaly, i like the chaos, sorrow, and anger the political threads create. In fact, it sustains me.

[achtung]

Great entertainment

Better than some movies.

But seriously great points

[CP5670]

The political threads are like that by nature. Most otherwise reasonable people get completely irrational and go ballistic at everyone else when talking about politics on internet forums; it's supposed to be that way. Every single forum I have seen, no matter how friendly or closely knit the community is, becomes an absolute warzone when political issues come up. It's funny how so many people take those threads so seriously, or even care so much about politics in the first place for that matter. I guess internet forums are just a good place to vent anger from real life.

It used to be nice when an0n was around in those. His sarcastic, pithy posts usually pissed off both sides involved in the fights, but frequently made sense.

However, I do think we have far too many political threads here in the main Hard Light forum, much more than there were last year. About two weeks ago nearly half of the threads on the first page were politics related, which is needlessly cluttering up this forum. Even as I post this, the top three threads in the list are all political squabbles. What we need is a separate forum dedicated to politics and current events and have all this stuff in there. Many other BBs have this.

At least there is a good side to it. Whenever I want a few laughs, there is no shortage of political threads on hand...

[Kamikaze]

The staff and moderators discussed the matter of creating a debate forum a while back and the staff conclusion was a "no". (Unfortunately, IMO)

[CP5670]

Any reasoning behind that? It would seem to be a no brainer decision given the sheer quantity of politics threads these days. It seems to be a recent phenomenon, too; I can't ever recall seeing nearly this many before around here. If I came here as a newbie today, I would think that the main purpose of the Hard Light forum is a place to argue about politics.

[Unknown Target]

I like the way things are, because debates help keep the main forum alive. Think about it - what would you post about in Hard Light if every touchy subject had to go into a different forum? Plus, you'd have to surf two forums just to get the same info that works fine in one right now.

What I don't like are rules threads HLP has usually been pretty good with rules, and it's only the influx of new members that are the ones that are really causing trouble. Other forums usually have this giant "READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST OR DIE" at the top of their main forum, and it turns many new users off to their forums, imo, because you (me, at least), don't feel like you can post things without having to watch what you say. I think really the only main rules at Hard Light were and always have been "use the search" and "don't post about FS3". The other things are nice suggestions but not really rules. The thing about flamewars at HLP is that they're entertaining (because if it's between older members, the language is usually pretty entertaining, and if it's between an older member and a younger immature one, it's fun to watch the latter get spanked ) - in most other places I've been to, flame wars devolve into "OMFG U LOZR UR NFVER GONNA GET LAYED LMFAO!!!!11".

Btw, there's a very good example of the latter "spanking" flamewar in...General Discussion right now, I believe

[CP5670]

There used to be all kinds of other crap in here. That's still the case, but with all the politics threads added in. I don't mind the debates and they can be fun to read, but seriously, in some cases the same people are "discussing" the same issue in like five different threads.

There used to be a lot of political arguing in the past too, but it was usually centralized in one or two threads at a time. This is no longer the case for some reason.

in most other places I've been to, flame wars devolve into "OMFG U LOZR UR NFVER GONNA GET LAYED LMFAO!!!!11".

Nothing wrong with that. Makes it all the better as far as I am concerned.

[EtherShock]

I am guilty of being amused by some as well, but these are only guidelines UT. No one has to follow them.

Btw, these can be used in RL as well.