[ QUOTE ]
SmokeyBonez, you got alot of balls to try and pick a fight with a whole server but a very dumb thing to do. Trust me, thats not a very wise thing to do even if there is a monitor between us all. Of course I cannot nor am in no position to threaten you but giving you advise to ease back on what your doing would be the best thing you would ever do.
Like they say, kids say the darnest things 
[/ QUOTE ]
i am just contributing to the Protector server because i myself have played on this server for 3 years now. i do browse the forums alot and what annoys me the most is seeing a thread about something really important and having to scroll through pages and pages of utter nonsense. it is completely ridiculous. so, i am just saying my piece as part of this server, not that i particularly like this same ol' cliq that posts on these forums.
I, myself, have not felt welcome on this section of the Forum in many months. And I've noticed an immense decline in the posts made by several other members of this community who were once dubbed "The Welcoming Comity."
It used to be that anyone new to our server was immediately welcomed with big smiles and handshakes (and the not-uncommon ribald joke), but a while back other members of our community, for whatever reason, began to complain about all of these discussions that were going in all of these threads and how maybe we should stop acting like such a "clique" because it was commonly the same group of people who were making these posts.
So then those original people, feeling a bit betrayed and upset, stopped making as many posts, and eventually most of them just stopped posting all together.
Flash forward a few months and the group of people who originally wanted the "clique" to stop were the defacto "Welcoming Comity." And then they began to have discussions in their threads. And then someone else came along and started to complain that the same group of people made it uncomfortable for them to post and wanted the "clique" to stop.
...And then the pendulum swung again.
...And now it is again.
And I fully expect that by around Christmastime, a large number of the people posting currently will have vacated the forums because they no longer feel welcome in their "own community."
This is very much like high school. Being a smaller community here, well, everyone knows each other's business, and has an opinion on it.
Also, very much like in high school, everything is a crisis and needs to be resolved "now now now."
I come back here almost every day precisely to see the humor and camaraderie that used to be a staple of Protector. I hunt specifically for posts from Badge, Ishmael, Nylonus, Janlee, Major_T, Shadow_Jinx and several others, because I remember how much fun we used to have until (I feel) we were chased out...
And yeah, I'll go into a thread clearly intended to be a bit of fun and try to have fun in it. 
Seriously, if you're not enjoying something, stop participating in it. That's what I'm gonna do for a while.
Again.
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it's because Protector is so dead that they have to come on the forums to have any form of entertainment.
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Maybe true, maybe not.
When I first started here I had our moderator team track what forums were most popular. Now among the server forums you would expect Freedom and Virtue to be on the top of the list because there in game population is often double what some of the other servers reach on average.
However, what I found is that the numbers were not corollary. Freedom is commonly one of the least posted and visited in server forums, maybe that is because so many people can get their questions answered in game.
Maybe it is just a fluke.
Protector however was one of the median groups, never the highest never the lowest, usually right on par with a few of the others like Protector.
If forum activity were a precedent for folding a server under, Protector would be on the safe list.
So from my viewpoint you have a server that doesn't necessarily have the greatest population but are very communal and active.
Obviously we have all seen how quickly good things can go to bad in the Virtual world...one day it just seems that the pulse of a SG or VG just dies.
It doesn't happen over night.
So we have recognized there is a problem, some believe change can happen, others are suspended in disbelief.
And...others attempt to throw in a jack where there is no flat tire and believe you me the velocity of a moving truck with your jack sitting in the middle, you will get hit.
I make these points and I am here because I do care about the community's best interest. That said I am not going to be so bold as to pick out those who I think are the worst offenders and slap them with a warning, that will get us all about ..so far.
I know from experience what can happen to a community group when you remove two or three of the "problematic" posters, it may all seem good for awhile, but any void just begs to be filled.
So... Protector, the little server that could...what will you do?
Ex
[ QUOTE ]
I, myself, have not felt welcome on this section of the Forum in many months. And I've noticed an immense decline in the posts made by several other members of this community who were once dubbed "The Welcoming Comity."
It used to be that anyone new to our server was immediately welcomed with big smiles and handshakes (and the not-uncommon ribald joke), but a while back other members of our community, for whatever reason, began to complain about all of these discussions that were going in all of these threads and how maybe we should stop acting like such a "clique" because it was commonly the same group of people who were making these posts.
So then those original people, feeling a bit betrayed and upset, stopped making as many posts, and eventually most of them just stopped posting all together.
Flash forward a few months and the group of people who originally wanted the "clique" to stop were the defacto "Welcoming Comity." And then they began to have discussions in their threads. And then someone else came along and started to complain that the same group of people made it uncomfortable for them to post and wanted the "clique" to stop.
...And then the pendulum swung again.
...And now it is again.
And I fully expect that by around Christmastime, a large number of the people posting currently will have vacated the forums because they no longer feel welcome in their "own community."
This is very much like high school. Being a smaller community here, well, everyone knows each other's business, and has an opinion on it.
Also, very much like in high school, everything is a crisis and needs to be resolved "now now now."
I come back here almost every day precisely to see the humor and camaraderie that used to be a staple of Protector. I hunt specifically for posts from Badge, Ishmael, Nylonus, Janlee, Major_T, Shadow_Jinx and several others, because I remember how much fun we used to have until (I feel) we were chased out...
And yeah, I'll go into a thread clearly intended to be a bit of fun and try to have fun in it.
Seriously, if you're not enjoying something, stop participating in it. That's what I'm gonna do for a while.
Again.
[/ QUOTE ]
nuff said. "QFT"
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[ QUOTE ]
SmokeyBonez, you got alot of balls to try and pick a fight with a whole server but a very dumb thing to do. Trust me, thats not a very wise thing to do even if there is a monitor between us all. Of course I cannot nor am in no position to threaten you but giving you advise to ease back on what your doing would be the best thing you would ever do.
Like they say, kids say the darnest things
[/ QUOTE ]
i am just contributing to the Protector server because i myself have played on this server for 3 years now. i do browse the forums alot and what annoys the most is seeing a thread about something really important and having to scroll through pages and pages of utter nonsense. it is completely ridiculous. so, i am just saying my piece as part of this server, not that i particularly like this same ol' cliq that posts on these forums.
[/ QUOTE ]
Then next time say it with consideration without pulling out some guns and ready for a round or two 
Aerones,
Brings up some good points. Cliques. A very natural occurrence.
In some ways I blame the inflexibility of the forums themselves as I personally would love to create a safe place to play for everyone.
What about creating several (safe) threads and see how they can go about in taking shape and form?
It would be nice, but I rather think that names would be named, and flames brought out. :/ I don't think you were here for the Clique thing, Ex, it was very shortly before you arrived? It was... probably some of the nastiest flaming and arguments that I've ever seen - here or elsewhere. It hurt deeply and I personally would rather not bring up that again. But then I find I can safely ignore threads even after I've been dissed by someone, though not consistantly I can actually just walk away from some things...
I would love though, to see certain threads where we can just point and shoot - 'this is where you put official things' 'this is where you don't'. Though I never expect a thread to remain completely unjacked unless its subject is sooooo dull or resolved so easily that it fades too quickly.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
[ QUOTE ]
Aerones,
Brings up some good points. Cliques. A very natural occurrence.
In some ways I blame the inflexibility of the forums themselves as I personally would love to create a safe place to play for everyone.
What about creating several (safe) threads and see how they can go about in taking shape and form?
[/ QUOTE ]
I think there are a lot of molehills being upgraded to mountain status here...
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Aerones,
Brings up some good points. Cliques. A very natural occurrence.
In some ways I blame the inflexibility of the forums themselves as I personally would love to create a safe place to play for everyone.
What about creating several (safe) threads and see how they can go about in taking shape and form?
[/ QUOTE ]
I think there are a lot of molehills being upgraded to mountain status here...
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't agree, I think that some people are not quite as comfortable as say you are at hopping around the forums on this side of the pond or the other and putting in your say.
Some people really have some emotions and anxiety tied into posting. Trying to make a place safe for someone to be themselves even in a virtual world means a lot from a community standpoint and from a retention viewpoint.
If my needs are met in COH why would I ever need to go out there... and play another MMO. Most often times people who play MMO's play them because of the community and the friends and family they make while playing.
But if that environment becomes hostile or downright painful, well then it is my molehill/mountain to deal with.
So I have made several suggestions:
From running an index to commonly visited threads.
Titles which denote level of chaos.
Here is my latest... doing days of the week. example is:
It's Wednesday How do you like your pizza! Topic only valid on that day of the week, then the next day it rotates to a new topic new OP.
There I have made three suggestions.
I still see a pile of concerns though and no headway towards solutionville.
I'm still most fond of titling / requesting formalities.
I do come to this game and the forums to relax. I've got my own problems in real life and I don't like the thought that I drag them into my game play experience, OR that I inflict my bad mood on people. I've done that, and I hate that I've done that.
But I'd like to be able to come to a place where I feel comfortable, and where I can get a helping hand. Don't wanna jack the wrong thread, but also I want to feel like I'm having a better time than I am in real life.
>_< I also doubt that we'll hash this out in a couple hours, Ex It's something that some folks won't even have seen until late at night when the rest of us are sleepy.
Kinda like the way there's an explosion of IBTL+1 every friday in General...
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
[ QUOTE ]
Some people really have some emotions and anxiety tied into posting.
[/ QUOTE ]
There's also the possibility that some people are just way to sensitive to cope with a large internet forum.
They may be fine in small groups with a similar mentality, but in a place like this, with thousands of people with different opinions and outlooks, who are all passionate about their ideas and beliefs, the super-sensitive types just aren't built to cope.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Right but they're here none the less. And it's kinder to ask more insensitive people to tone it down, than to ask someone who's actually got medical problems or (needs to be on meds) something, to change when they aren't capable.
And again, GG - just because you are comfortable doesn't make everyone else that way. Helpful posts please.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
[ QUOTE ]
Right but they're here none the less.
[/ QUOTE ]
Here at their own risk 
It's impossible for the over-sensitive to be shielded completely on a forum of this size.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
? she expressed her opinion in discussion - which is the title of the thread. Thats not allowed now?
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Some people really have some emotions and anxiety tied into posting.
[/ QUOTE ]
There's also the possibility that some people are just way to sensitive to cope with a large internet forum.
They may be fine in small groups with a similar mentality, but in a place like this, with thousands of people with different opinions and outlooks, who are all passionate about their ideas and beliefs, the super-sensitive types just aren't built to cope.
[/ QUOTE ]
thousands posting on the Protector forum? that's seriously untrue, it is just the same old clique that posts on these forums all the time.
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? she expressed her opinion in discussion - which is the title of the thread. Thats not allowed now?
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Well, sometimes when people say "discuss" they mean "agree with me"
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Ok, all of what I'm going to say is just personal opinion. I just read about half of the pages in this thread, and couldnt keep up with it since its growing by 2 posts everytime I'm finished reading one. I also had to bit my tongue at a few of these posts. So I decided to just post my toughts real quick. Don't know how it's going to be perceived, but oh well...
First off, I love this server. First one I ever played on. Made a few toons on other servers, but just didn't feel the same. Heck, if I could, I'd make 100 toons on this server with my one account, but I can't. I love the people, the community, the team spirit, EVERYTHING!
Do we have "cliques"? Sure we do! Is that a bad thing? Like someone else in this thread mentioned, since our community is smaller than some others, it's only natural that we know "mostly" everyone. Of course this is going to lead to the forming of "cliques" or to lead certain people to avoid others. NO ONE IS PERFECT! But we still get along. Heck, our community recently won open Hami raids on both hero and villain side (props to DirtWolf), wich prooves that we CAN pull together and over look our differences.
As for the threadjacking, do we do it? Yes! It's one of the reasons why I like this server. Not the threadjacking per-say, but the fact that everyone here has a great sense of humour. I lost count at how many times i sounded like an idiot cause I was laughing out loud at work in front of my PC. BUT! I do it on OUR forums. If I have a serious question, I will go to the Player questions, or AT forums and so on. If I post something on protector, I am fully aware that threadjacking (a.k.a. sometime senseless babble wich makes this server fun) will ensue.
Like someone mentioned, this server is known (or at least used to be) as an "opened-armed" server. When I first started reading the Protector forums, I remember having this feeling too. Every thread would be filled with people spouting one-liners and inside jokes. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to stay here, it seemed so opened. Then, for reasons I ignore ( I was absent from the forums for a while, apparently this is when it happened ), something happened that changed our community. Since I wasnt there, I won't comment on it since all I know would be hear-say.
What do I think could be done to fix this? I don't know... cause to be honest, I dont want it to change. I want my Protector back darn it! I want Ishmael and Badge shooting one-liners at each other! I want Dirtwolf swearing up a strom!I want my regular dose of bad fish/Chuck Norris jokes!
Anyway, enough babble from me.
Take care all, and see you on the front lines.
(and bring beer and pie )
"You wear a mask to hide who you are, I wear a mask to show who I am"
Arc ID 91456: The Zombie Apocalypse Task Force:poster 1, poster 2
CLICK THE ABOVE LINK TO HELP DO YOUR PART TO SAVE C.O.H!!!!!
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Right but they're here none the less.
[/ QUOTE ]
Here at their own risk
It's impossible for the over-sensitive to be shielded completely on a forum of this size.
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eureka!
Ex-Libris just needs to make a forum! 
no. owch. stop with the stick. I didn't thread jack.
/e goes to time out
And another thing - what's the deal with this being only about Protector? I haven't seen a thread like this for any of the other servers.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Because we are the only ones apparently click happy enough to attract attention. We ought to be known as the sensitive side of the forums.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
[ QUOTE ]
And another thing - what's the deal with this being only about Protector? I haven't seen a thread like this for any of the other servers.
[/ QUOTE ]
pretty obvious.. Protector has the most incoherent forums of all.
Well, if it helps, from now on everytime I make a thread, I will add "dont be afraid to have fun here" next to the title.
And no I'm not being sarcastic and yes I am totally serious.
"You wear a mask to hide who you are, I wear a mask to show who I am"
Arc ID 91456: The Zombie Apocalypse Task Force:poster 1, poster 2
CLICK THE ABOVE LINK TO HELP DO YOUR PART TO SAVE C.O.H!!!!!
[ QUOTE ]
Because we are the only ones apparently click happy enough to attract attention. We ought to be known as the sensitive side of the forums.
[/ QUOTE ]
I recommend the mods gather the most sensitve ones here, then take them on a 3-day field study trip to the WoW forums to toughen them up a bit
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
[ QUOTE ]
Well, if it helps, from now on everytime I make a thread, I will add "dont be afraid to have fun here" next to the title.
And no I'm not being sarcastic and yes I am totally serious.
[/ QUOTE ]
You'll be able to fit that disclaimer into the allowed title space?
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
here in lies another problem with trying to fix something you never can - unidirectional non verbal communication.
Nothing I said was directed at you Beka, even remotely. As the Op of your thread, you of course have the right to request that.