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I come here to laugh and enojy myself. By trying to make this place "intelectual" or w/e its probably not goint to be very entertaining. Since most users of NG that come to the forums are from 14 - 16 theirs not going to be alot of einsteins'.

no smiley face here for you >:|

At 8/7/06 01:18 PM, mistah_spahkle wrote: I come here to laugh and enojy myself. By trying to make this place "intelectual" or w/e its probably not goint to be very entertaining. Since most users of NG that come to the forums are from 14 - 16 theirs not going to be alot of einsteins'.

no smiley face here for you >:|

More like 10-17

At 7/29/06 11:45 AM, Earfetish wrote:

So yeah, I dunno, 40% of you I would deem retarded. And 85% I have little tolerance for and the BBS would be 'better' if they left.

People use percentages to make themselves seem smarter. Show the proof of it and maybe I'll believe you, until then, I deem YOU a dumbass. :-D

No one could have expected Wade's thread to actually do anything other than resulting in the very idiots he was talking about replying with, "Ya u tell em wade!" type responces. Honestly I don't see how some of you spend as much time here as it seems. I'll never have a massive post count and experience points (I don't bother because they're useless anyway) because I just can't be bothered to spend enough time here to do it. Sometimes I'll get on the BBS and read/reply in a few interesting threads but in the process I have to see so much brain-numbingly stupid shit that I won't stick around too long for fear of getting invloved in a pointless arguement with said moron. The BBS can be interesting and all but only in small doses.

Well, after reading some of this. I've decided to try and improve my posting.

After someone bumped an idiotic thread of mine. I need to post better myself.

Because, you have to remember. Post COUNT is not what matters. It's post "heart."

The BBS attracts a young audience, where as a forum like SA, being you must pay for an account, well 13-15 year olds usually don't have any form of credit card, and parents would be " fuck this shit, why am I paying 10 bucks for you to use the internet"
the age barrier will always be different. However, the minority of actual 18+ on the site, mostly ( not all, dear god)impress me with some legendary shit, or funnies.
Every forum will have one, too big, audience attraction, too lenient, too foreceful.
I mean, everytime i log on, you'd be surprised how much more threads get deleted than you can catch. But we are still considered a lenient forum compared to something like SA.
Let's be honest, it's the internet, it's NG, two places to be not serious, childish, and silly. Anyone going on the net, and on a place that originated from blowing celebrities heads off, to random flash involving mostly offensive humor to silly flash movies or games, are to expect this. If this is a surprise, or you think it should suddenly be different, then I wouldn't bother being here anymore.
the only reason it seems to get progressively worse is due to the more new users findings the place in great masses, and it's like reteaching everything over and over when they come to the forums.
It's just how shiznat is going to roll here. If you don't think it's worth being here, no one is asking you to stay, however, i find enough entertainment goes on to keep me here beyond all the crap.

Got to remember the GOOD times. Keep rolling with a smile.

Because

The woooorrrld don't move
To the beat of just ooooonnne druuuuum
What may be right for yooooouuu
May noot be right for sooooooomme
A man is boorn
He's a maaan of means
Then along comes one
He's got nothing but his dreeeaams
Cause it takes

DIFF'RENT STROKES
DIFF'RENT STROKES TO RULE THE WORLD

We've gone from Cornellius to babyfuck. This is scaring me.

and rants like this, no matter how factual, are what happen when longtime users age past the site's target demographic.

I have just this minute read this post, and i also have read a few of the responses..
I believe that if you are an intellectual person and want to find some what more stimulating conversations, then like you have done, you should post a topic. This will attract the more intelligent and the discussion can begin.
I also believe that sometimes, people just want to let down they're hair and enjoy a rant about absolutly nothing of any importance. I myself LOVE to joke about and have a laugh. Then again, in the same breath i like to stimulate my braincells with a more dramatic sense of intellect. You CAN have things both ways. Two different groups for the two different sides.

I do however understand fully the "spam" the younger ones entertain themselves with. I think you also have to recollect what it was like to be they're age. I'm sure you didnt strike up a fully fledge conversation about "the world" they have a completely different world of they're own.

No one can stop anyone talking about what they want to. No matter how "stupid" it may seem to the rest of us.

At 8/7/06 01:54 PM, Nayna wrote: you should post a topic. This will attract the more intelligent and the discussion can begin.

You would think that wouldn't you? It's been more then once that I've entered what looked like a half-intelligent thread only to find pages of off-track bullshit.

At 8/7/06 01:57 PM, Zel0s wrote:

At 8/7/06 01:54 PM, Nayna wrote: you should post a topic. This will attract the more intelligent and the discussion can begin.

You would think that wouldn't you? It's been more then once that I've entered what looked like a half-intelligent thread only to find pages of off-track bullshit.

Then why couldnt you just bypass the "bullshit" responses and only answer to the ones who really do want to have a decent discussion. I'm pretty sure i would get completely bored if no one were to pay attention to things i was saying.

The reason nothing has happened since is simple; Wade's banter is nothing more than a utopia than a plausible solution. The idea that you can simply force "idiots" off of a website is pure lunancy, and anyone who buys into this pep-rally deserves to be shot in the face.

I know that presenting a pessimistic view of the forums and what can be "done" is actually doing harm (or rather just adding to the fact that nothing is being done), but honestly, the truth sucks; there's nothing really that can be permanently done. Wade needs to realize that you cannot force change; it has to occur on its own. But seeing how everyone is niched into their own little holes in the forums and are unwilling to compromise with others to make the forums less of a dumping grounds of rants, spam, and outdated humor, I see no way for but a few people who can see the errors in their ways to revolt and bring forth change.

Then again, why has NG become so terrible over time? It's not because of an onslaught of dumbasses who now occupy the majority of the space. These people have been there since and are just being recycled in a circular motion (when one idiot leaves, another replaces them). The problem is that people who once made the forum tolerable are now gone. From what I've seen, a lot of people can care less about dumbasses. One of the most reoccurring problems I've heard; be it from respected users or users equivalent to Alliance quality , is that the staff of the BBS. And out of those complaints, there are two I always hear.

1) The mods are nazis. This one is always up for interpretation. Sure, when you fuck up, there's always someone waiting to take you out. I think the problem that some people with legitimate claims (if there are any) to this would be the ones who feel that they're misunderstood. I for one was one of those people who would do things that I may have considered them to be in no way a violation of rules or an annoyance to anyone else since it was approved by other members. However, you soon learn that there actually is a set of unwritten rules that the mods still enforce. Sure, it's impossible to write EVERYTHING down that the mods will not tolerate, but when people consider matters of opinions to be in conflict, I think that's when mods get the term "nazi" added to their names.

There's also 2) The mods tend to be rather unapproachable. Once again, another harsh generalization of all people who mod. Some of the mods are some of the nicest, most helpful users you can find (most likely the reason that they are mods). However, there are those who have an elitist attitude above others and feel they have no duty to the common person other than to babysit them and punish them if they get out of hand. If I've experienced anything such as this, it would be the mods who feel they have no obligation to discuss certain things or share matters with anyone, or those who feel they can abuse power on occasion as long as they make up for it. Mind you that this is not too much of a rampant problem.

So when your biggest problem with the general population might be the one that is there to fix other problems, what can you do? I think there are actually things that can be done to reform the site to make it more tolerable for some people.

1) Make the mods anonymous.
At least this way, people will not try to act differently towards those in power, or spend their time making life a living hell for those in charge. Of course, this is impossible seeing how people know exactly who the mods are now, and how becoming a mod is now really a popularity contest, and those with power will still want to show that they have it. If this was done beforehand, I think you could have a forum that could have a staff that functioned as a regular group of members, but be able to do their work anonymously.

2) Get rid of this whole "smart-ass" attitude.
If anyone wants to know why so many people get pissed off at the mods, it's because they feel insulted when their topic is locked with a witty one-liner, or they get some half-assed humor in their ban message. I think this ties into the second problem people have with mods since they now feel some small inferiority to them. Have leaders who are loved, not feared and hated. If mods were somehow approachable rather than frigid and harsh, people could probably discuss troubles they have with them in a respectable manner rather than the obligatory "I FUCKING HATE U GO SUCK A DICK FAG" e-mails they usually get after a ban.

...But of course, what do I know? I'm fucking banned right now as it is.

You think were stupid. you should see the morons that spam my star fighters fourm. I'm getting sick of the syndicate scum's moronic ways.

to make the fourms better. The mods need to stop being star fuckers and respect the fact that not all of us love the syndicate scum.

I would never be a friends with a dirty star in a zillion years.

My only friends are star fighters like me.

At 8/7/06 02:04 PM, -wwwyzzerdd- wrote:

1) Make the mods anonymous.
At least this way, people will not try to act differently towards those in power, or spend their time making life a living hell for those in charge. Of course, this is impossible seeing how people know exactly who the mods are now, and how becoming a mod is now really a popularity contest, and those with power will still want to show that they have it. If this was done beforehand, I think you could have a forum that could have a staff that functioned as a regular group of members, but be able to do their work anonymously.

this is the only thing i disagree about. Not because of the power popularity contest, but because if they are anonymous, who do you complain to about a ban, or misunderstanding, how do we lock threads redirecting to proper threads, or explaining why it is locked, if we aren't to be known as mods? I get a few pms and ims already about situations, some of course are silly, and some are serious either things people consider spam, but I explain why it is or isnt, or a massive spam done in a forum not many mods go to, so they need assitance asap. If we are made anonymous, none of these things can be done. I understand what you are trying to imply, which is a good standing point, but it wouldn't work either.

At 7/29/06 11:45 AM, Earfetish wrote: So yeah, I dunno, 40% of you I would deem retarded.

Amen to that.

Well, aslong as I don't regret what I say i'm fine with whatever moronic threads I post in.

At 8/7/06 02:57 PM, ShitOnAStick wrote: this is the only thing i disagree about. Not because of the power popularity contest, but because if they are anonymous, who do you complain to about a ban, or misunderstanding, how do we lock threads redirecting to proper threads, or explaining why it is locked, if we aren't to be known as mods? I get a few pms and ims already about situations, some of course are silly, and some are serious either things people consider spam, but I explain why it is or isnt, or a massive spam done in a forum not many mods go to, so they need assitance asap. If we are made anonymous, none of these things can be done. I understand what you are trying to imply, which is a good standing point, but it wouldn't work either.

Simple;
Newgrounds account name - ModStaff.
E-mail address - modstaff@newgrounds.com

Simply make the actions of mods (locking, deleting, etc.) an action of a single account. Create a messaging system available to mods to read valid complaints or questions regarding the rules.

But this too is just blowing chunks of ideas out of my ass. I don't believe there's any way for mods to create a system in which they can all review each other's actions and decide if it's valid or not. Even Stamper pointed this conundrum out.

Shit gets worse, having 50+ mods banning people so they return 3 days later to retaliate isn't solving anything, and deleting accounts is simply pissing people off. They aren't going to magically fade away. As of now, I'm doing absolutely nothing but taking a shit on a pile of shit. Awaken. Additionally, you have tons of mods who think on different levels, who ban people in an unbalanced manner, and don't communicate with eachother to handle matters in the best possible ways. I get kids who bitch at me in flocks that they were banned for some bullshit that 20 other people get away with, then re-banned by another mod for the same offense. So what's the solution - lets get another 20! -Stamper

But that's just where this all ends up; there's no solution. I don't have a practical solution; Wade doesn't, no single person has it. We can all either hope that every single person straightens up, or just learn to tolerate the shittiness that we all have to deal with.

What pisses me off though is that this is all coming from Wade Fulp. Wade is telling us that this shit is going to end. Wade is laying down the rules. Why? Where the fuck is Tom Fulp? I know the man is fucking busy and all, but can't he at least lay down the law? That seems pitiful that he would just watch his own creation decay, and expect his highly opininated brother to fix shit. Fuck that, do it yourself.

I feel that this talk of "cleaning up the site" comes from harsh criticism from outside, and now we feel ashamed that we're actually considered a laughing stock rather than a revolutionary, cutting-edge idea.

http://www.something..x.php?a=3850&p=4

We're called a joke by a forum that charges admission. Sure the author of that article only points out a couple of dumbasses out of a total population, but ever the average user can see that a lot of that is persistent. Inside jokes, shitty humor from other sites, clichè topics. What also isn't mentioned is that this is a problem that plagues nearly any site/message board. Anywhere you can find 13-18 year old males strung out on videogames and TV, I doubt you'll see any intelligence other than the slight flash of brightness here and there.

I just cannot believe that people assume the "solution" would be to create more authority. More mods, more rules, and coming down harder on people is just asking for people to get pissed off. When you make it a game to ban people for longer periods and on smaller offenses, you're asking to get people who want to obtain the status of an "hardcore internet badass" because they think it's cool to get ban. Then, you have people who have no reason to test the rules, but they're brought down on a matter of opinion. By Wade's logic, if we put thousands of more troops in Iraq, they would be so terrified to do anything that they would straighten up. Let's ignore though that they would be super-pissed and just want to blow people up some more.

so what if NG considered the idea of reform; actually getting the mods to sit down and pound out a set of rules they can ALL agree to enforce, make these newer rules clear, make sure their actions are based solely on the maintaining of rules, and not just wanting to look tough, insult others, or ban because of a predetermined notion of a person or their actions? SNOWBALL'S CHANCE IN FUCKING HELL.

I'm just going to sit back and laugh as I watch Newgrounds go down along with our current generation.

there are problems definately on all ends in this situation. no doubt . It isnt just one thing, it's just a bunch of chainreactions to..well, everything wrong.
I think it's going to take a mass of people on all ends to finally put the past bickering behind themselves, and start from scratch when it comes to the new flood of users, new rules, new mods, the spam fests etc.
But pride is a big thing, and everythign thinking they are "right". So I really doubt a large group of people from any end, staff, mods, users, etc, are going to help this out besides what they think is "helping" already.
Clash of opinion is definately a major fault in the BBS, between own groups, and between the different groups.
But lets face up, it's like that almost everywhere, look at irl.
the best we can hope for is that everyone just does their part and things would fall in place. But to be honest..haha..ya right

^ Really good points, actually. ^

Dude, you're making it sound like Wade is doing a bad job.

Personally, I think it's gotten better.

But just complaining doesn't help.

What do you suggest Wade does? In my opinion, I think this an extremely complicated issue that you're making sound overly simple. What should he do? Implement a 0 tolerance policy? I mean comon', this is anything but a simple issue.

I like he BBS because of the occasional hilarious post or topic, but now they're considered spam most of the time :(

If you ever need to take a breath of fresh air you can go tot he politics forums where you'll find at least 4 users contributing something new and informational while the others will make useless rants about 9/11 controversy and "Bush sucks, anyoine else agree?"

General forum purpose- laughs and post +1 exercise

Politics forum purpose- where opinions actually sounds intellectual

programmers forum purpose- hackers and wannabe C++ writers

The list doesn't go on much longer.

At 7/29/06 11:45 AM, Earfetish wrote: So yeah, I dunno, 40% of you I would deem retarded.

90%?

The saddest thing about this site is that the best users all get tired of NG's life so the people that could set a good example for up and comers, just get bored and leave. There are tons of good users that even now have become fed up at how people can bend the rules at there will yet punish others for following in there footsteps.

And I agree tottally with the elitist mentatlity that some mods have come to adopt. Users now look up to or at least let themselves be influcenced by this sort of behavior. So the users that are supposed to be setting the example end up being the worst examples themselves.

To me its the users that the blame falls mostly on. There are a few things that you begin to notice the longer you post here.

1.) The majority of users hate to read if a thread is longer than a few short sentences most users post "too long didn't read". the only exception to this rule is crazy made up tales that seem to do a decent job of keeping the ADD user crowd entertained.

2.) If a thread is thought provoking it doesn't belong in General I've made my deal of what I thought were threads that provoked discussion. And many a user IM me asking me to dumb down the topic so they could quickly post a comment in.

3.) Users believe the becoming a mod is some sort of coming of age in there life here on NG's. Honestly, it kinda is now. New mods aren't based on what type of user people are any more, its more of an is this person accepted by the community and instantly identifiable to most users. In my opinion the best canidates for mods will never be considered for those positions.

These things never seem to change over time so most users get fed up with the way things are and move on. To me NG's is like highschool all over again. The popular users make the decisions, the freshmen are still learning the ropes and making mistakes along the way, the regulars are tuning up to become the popular users themselves and the target "good users" just go ignored.

At 8/7/06 04:22 PM, -Warhammer- wrote: programmers forum purpose- hackers and wannabe C++ writers

If there's one forum on this site that has intellect and is spam free, it's the programming forum, so shut up. Take a look at the programming forum. See any stupid or spam posts? No. Afro_Ninja keeps it nice and clean, and everything runs smoothly. If every forum on this site ran like the programming forum then this would be a non-issue.

I 100% agree with you, Earfetish. I have always been complaining about this ever since my browser flashed garbage in the forums. Although I'm not a super-smart genius or a funny joker myself, I try to put some thought into every post that I make. Newgrounds is full of idiots and people who act foolish but can be smart when they're serious. There are also a lot of people who try to act stupidly funny, just to fit in and be accepted with the rest of the group. Not that it's bad, we need some quick laughs in our lifetime. However, I have a limit to tolerating stupid humor. Those dumb, insanely retarded topics are starting to piss me off. IT'S NOT FUNNY ANYMORE. The BBS is very important to Newgrounds popularity, and I believe it is probably losing popularity exponentially. Newgrounders also need to stop generating crappy posts that are irrelevant to the topic. They need to spend more time thinking "how is my post going to be helpful, funny, sarcastic, etc. to this topic?" If you don't have any brilliant posts in mind, don't FUCKING post. I'm already more drawn to the somethingawful forums, which makes me think and not get plagued by "BBS" stupidity.

Sorry for the double post, but I was a former level 11 who gave my account to someone else. Therefore, I indeed have experience. I was Anti_Guy.