Can We Stop Dogpiling, Please?

[GraspingVileTerror]

A number of forum regulars seem to have a particular bugbear regarding yet another individual who is expressing unpopular opinions and some erroneous assumptions.

I can understand being frustrated about that.

But does anyone really think that escalating things with snide comments and flagrant insults is being helpful?  Or conducive to a sense of community?

At the very least, some of you may want to consider giving the GMs a break from having to step in on such threads.

 

If a particular poster annoys you, please consider using the Ignore feature.

I really don't like advocating for this . . . but between that and having to see posts of -pointless- aggression targeting a single individual poster over trivial banality . . . I'm afraid I have to promote the Ignore option.

 

At the very least, maybe I've painted enough of a target on my own back with this thread to deflect some of that vitriol away from your other target.

 

 

 

(To the members of the community who continue to reply in those threads with nothing but helpful advice and friendly questions; thank you for your patience and understanding for the variety of different people who exist within this community.  Please, keep up the good work there, and thank you.)

[Aurora_Girl]

Trying to be helpful doesn't work. I appreciate where you're coming from, I do, but it literally is easier to try to talk about particle physics with my kindergartner. 

[Industrious1]

Stepping up when no one else is, is admirable.  

 

That being said, there are people that want attention and in some instances don't care if it's positive or negative when they get it.   This forum is among the most cordial I've been on..most of us have been around the block a couple times at this point and I'm honestly surprised (and relieved, of course) it hasn't been less civil.

[GraspingVileTerror]

I'm not asking everyone to be perfect angels.

 

I'm just hoping some people will stop themselves from hitting "Submit Reply" when their message buffer is full of something decidedly antagonistic.

[Ruin Mage]

A thread will do no good. Just report it if its being over-aggressive, GMs will do the rest.

[DoctorDitko]

I'd suggest more folks use the magical Edit button.

 

Revisit when you've had a chance to cool down, maybe switch some hot-button keywords for less aggressive alternatives?

 

It can also help to cite your sources. Many times searching for references has led me to see that I grasped the wrong end of the stick.

 

I also try to apologize or retract when I've misremembered or realized I'm misinformed. 

 

I guess I draw from scientific practice when I can. It's a good model because Science is designed to be argumentative without being uncivil. Every hypothesis should be tested, every experiment replicated. Most important part of the process!

[Glacier Peak]

Policing the forums is the job of the mods, but what you're asking isn't unreasonable.

[The_Warpact]

Block its a fantastic option. I typically don't use it, but, some people seem to thrive off being f@ckheads.

So in these instances its a necessary decision.

 

Listen we know who the trolls are, no matter how much you'd like to prove a point, or are in the right its going to do no good. They'll post their drivel, p!ss people off and go plot their next thread to push buttons.

 

The ones I feel sorry for are the the ones trying to help not realizing they are being played.

 

Its an old saying but, it still holds true, "don't feed the trolls".

[Albion]

43 minutes ago, DoctorDitko said:

"...It's a good model because Science is designed to be argumentative without being uncivil..."

Ideally, however I have seen some researchers debates that made the battle of Cannae look like kids squabble ^_^

 

[Coyotedancer]

1 hour ago, Shadeknight said:

A thread will do no good. Just report it if its being over-aggressive, GMs will do the rest.

 

This.

 

And VT, if you really want to play at being a mod... which it really seems like you do... why don't you just apply for the position?

[TheZag]

Sometimes it takes a grown adult to tell other grown adults that they shouldnt need to be babysat by other grown adults.

[Solarverse]

3 hours ago, GraspingVileTerror said:

A number of forum regulars seem to have a particular bugbear regarding yet another individual who is expressing unpopular opinions and some erroneous assumptions.

I can understand being frustrated about that.

But does anyone really think that escalating things with snide comments and flagrant insults is being helpful?  Or conducive to a sense of community?

At the very least, some of you may want to consider giving the GMs a break from having to step in on such threads.

 

If a particular poster annoys you, please consider using the Ignore feature.

I really don't like advocating for this . . . but between that and having to see posts of -pointless- aggression targeting a single individual poster over trivial banality . . . I'm afraid I have to promote the Ignore option.

 

At the very least, maybe I've painted enough of a target on my own back with this thread to deflect some of that vitriol away from your other target.

 

 

 

(To the members of the community who continue to reply in those threads with nothing but helpful advice and friendly questions; thank you for your patience and understanding for the variety of different people who exist within this community.  Please, keep up the good work there, and thank you.)

 

+100%

Shit, where is the love button on here? That post right there needs a big fat heart, not a thank you, not a thumbs up, but a big ass button filled full of love. I love your brain, Vile.  ❤️

[biostem]

If you choose to post on a forum, you run the risk of others responding in ways you don't like.  If those responses violate the forum rules, then report them.  If those responses don't violate said rules of conduct, then learn to take criticism and move along, or stop posting...

[Solarverse]

2 minutes ago, biostem said:

If you choose to post on a forum, you run the risk of others responding in ways you don't like.  If those responses violate the forum rules, then report them.  If those responses don't violate said rules of conduct, then learn to take criticism and move along, or stop posting...

Nuh uh...you're wrong...because...reasons!

[Ironblade]

1 hour ago, The_Warpact said:

Listen we know who the trolls are, no matter how much you'd like to prove a point, or are in the right its going to do no good. They'll post their drivel, p!ss people off and go plot their next thread to push buttons.

 

The ones I feel sorry for are the the ones trying to help not realizing they are being played.

Yes, BUT - if they're posting useful information then others can benefit from it.

It doesn't matter if the troll is having fun or not.

[Solarverse]

35 minutes ago, Ironblade said:

Yes, BUT - if they're posting useful information then others can benefit from it.

It doesn't matter if the troll is having fun or not.

 

I refuse to believe that people can be trolls. I simply think that some people truly are just that stupid.  😄

[Parabola]

I've long thought that the tone of far too much of the posting on these forums has left a lot to be desired. As a community we often pat ourselves on the back for our positive virtues but I see far too much evidence to the contrary. I've been taking a break from the game and these forums and that has been partly down to feeling less of a fuzzy sense of community here.

 

I completely agree with the op, the dogpiling needs to stop. In addition I would love to see the back of /jranger and all similar shorthand for 'your idea sucks and it is beneath me to explain why'. It was banned on the original forums and it should be banned here. If someone posts a bad idea then either have the courtesy to properly explain why or just don't respond at all. The thread will sink without trace on its own.

 

During my break I've been lurking in a couple of other forums (to do with ttrpgs), which seem to be moderated to a higher standard of community behaviour than this one and the difference is noticeable. There is far less antagonism and an acceptance that different people hold different points of view and that's ok. Whether it is prevented by an automated system or active moderation I don't see any of the snide shorthand posting and they are much better for its absence.

[The_Warpact]

7 hours ago, Ironblade said:

Yes, BUT - if they're posting useful information then others can benefit from it.

It doesn't matter if the troll is having fun or not.

Agreed, I still feel sorry for them thinking they are helping the OP, BUT, I take solace in the fact that someone else might benefit from the info they are trying to bestow.

 

*Fixed* 🙂

[Nemu]

The problem is that the dogpile is too concentrated. You put that many people with nothing else to do in one thread and boom! Dogpile.

 

I suggest more HEALERZ/TAUNTLESS TANKZ/BLASTERS ARE PURE RANGED AND MELEE POWERS SUX/LOL SENTINELS threads to spread the dogpile out. These people will then have to decide where to spend their toxic capital and boom now you have a poodle pile.

 

In addition we all need to make alt accounts and divert such potential for concentrated dogpile by presenting more avenues for these people to spend their toxic capital. What's better than 1 HEALERZ post? 50 HEALERZ posts. Divide and dissipate, that's how we win!

 

I'm very smart uh huh.

[Peacemoon]

11 hours ago, GraspingVileTerror said:

A number of forum regulars seem to have a particular bugbear regarding yet another individual who is expressing unpopular opinions and some erroneous assumptions.

I can understand being frustrated about that.

But does anyone really think that escalating things with snide comments and flagrant insults is being helpful?  Or conducive to a sense of community?

At the very least, some of you may want to consider giving the GMs a break from having to step in on such threads.

 

If a particular poster annoys you, please consider using the Ignore feature.

I really don't like advocating for this . . . but between that and having to see posts of -pointless- aggression targeting a single individual poster over trivial banality . . . I'm afraid I have to promote the Ignore option.

 

At the very least, maybe I've painted enough of a target on my own back with this thread to deflect some of that vitriol away from your other target.

 

 

 

(To the members of the community who continue to reply in those threads with nothing but helpful advice and friendly questions; thank you for your patience and understanding for the variety of different people who exist within this community.  Please, keep up the good work there, and thank you.)

I agree with the sentiment of this post. Come on everyone, be the community you want to see. 😊

[Triumphant]

I'm torn. 

 

I do think the constant use of the /jranger meme is a bad look for our community.  On the other hand, I can sympathize with those that feel a particular forum member is beating a dead horse, over and over again.  This can feel like (and, perhaps is, at times) trolling.

 

Maybe just try to be more diplomatic and less snarky (Sorry Snarky! 😛) when replying to these sorts of comments.  If you really think someone is trolling, flag them for the mods, and so on.

[Snarky]

I honestly have no idea what you are talking about.  And I ENJOY posting Snarky comments.  On the other hand..."dogpiling..."  No.  See, a Snarky comment is only fun if you are the first to post about it.  Being the 12th person to be Snarky?  Boring.  

 

But again, no idea what you are talking about.  And i read a lot of the General and Brute forum comments.  Maybe its in other sub forums.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Snarky

[Industrious1]

3 hours ago, Parabola said:

I've long thought that the tone of far too much of the posting on these forums has left a lot to be desired. As a community we often pat ourselves on the back for our positive virtues but I see far too much evidence to the contrary. I've been taking a break from the game and these forums and that has been partly down to feeling less of a fuzzy sense of community here.

 

I completely agree with the op, the dogpiling needs to stop. In addition I would love to see the back of /jranger and all similar shorthand for 'your idea sucks and it is beneath me to explain why'. It was banned on the original forums and it should be banned here. If someone posts a bad idea then either have the courtesy to properly explain why or just don't respond at all. The thread will sink without trace on its own.

 

During my break I've been lurking in a couple of other forums (to do with ttrpgs), which seem to be moderated to a higher standard of community behaviour than this one and the difference is noticeable. There is far less antagonism and an acceptance that different people hold different points of view and that's ok. Whether it is prevented by an automated system or active moderation I don't see any of the snide shorthand posting and they are much better for its absence.

 

That is all well and good to a degree, but the fact of the matter is that it absolves most of the responsibility of the OP for creating questionable content and puts the responsibility on the devs and the community responding.   In business and most parts of society people don't get catered to that way and it is a slippery slope to get onto.  

 

I'd also like to re-iterate the fact that this community is amazingly patient and if this was any other forum that I follow (be it commerce, sports or politics) shenanigans like that would be dealt with in a much less tolerant way (probably by the moderators).

 

Personally I don't see much harm in it (and I find it amusing) so I don't get involved in a negative way but I can understand how the forum regulars would roll their eyes at a certain stream of threads that seem to crop up.  

 

 

 

 

[Bill Z Bubba]

1 hour ago, Peacemoon said:

I agree with the sentiment of this post. Come on everyone, be the community you want to see. 😊

 

/looks at own sig line

 

Heeeeyyyyy, waitaminute....

[Marine X]

10 hours ago, TheZag said:

Sometimes it takes a grown adult to tell other grown adults that they shouldnt need to be babysat by other grown adults.

 

I think that covers it nicely.

It's well documented our average age is in the 40-70 range. Some of this is crap we would scold our children or grand children about doing, and rightfully so.

Bullying, baiting and being verbally abusive is childish, and something most anyone in this community should have put behind them long ago.