I want to add in my two cents just really quickly. Some people here I know also in game and some I've only talked with on the forums. I don't think I've ever hurt anyone or said anything that has been mean or spiteful but if I have hurt anyone I apologize.
Next, Protector is my home away from home. There is a real sense of community and family and in every family there is tension and tempers that flare up. My personal opinion in this is that there is a lack of communication that takes place and instead of correcting this and a problem just being resolved like civilized people it snowballs into a the flame wars. Of course the easy thing to say (and people could do it) please be mindful of what you say and try and act civilized. If someone says something hurtful inform them of that and ask that they refrain. If they are at all mature they should, but you will have people who lack maturity (and all families do) and that is where tough skin and parents (moderators) have to be called in to moderate in those dire situations that get way out of control.
Also, I must say that in the time that I spend going through the forums we here in protector really do get along and act civilized in my opinion. But to help out the effort of improving ourselves I like the idea of noting the level of chaos in the thread, but this is going to go back to maturity, people HAVE TO be mature enough to respect others for this to work, but honestly it's the only idea I think that stands any chance for making a change.
Last, GG I agree we can't expect to shelter everyone, but we can WATCH our tongue and be considerate of others. Is it really so much to ask, and it's all about Protector because we rock like that 
I love Protector and the people I've met in it. We are such a great mix of leader, geeks, nerds, jokers, ect... it would be a shame to lose it.
*Gets off soapbox*
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. 
I have exactly 20 minutes to check the forums during the day. Once I get home from work I have more time but I am tired, beat, and mentally wiped out. This means I have neither the patience nor desire to wade through quote pyramids, random links to kitten pictures, or whatever other jacking has gone on in the posts about events or people looking for help in the game. I've found myself visiting the forums less and less because I only read the OP these days unless I am directly involved with a discussion or I think the thread is important enough to deal with threadjacking.
There've been a couple of threads I started to create a community event. One of those threads got jacked so bad someone directed the mods to it and it was left a smoldering ruin. I lost whole lists of names of people signing up to participate, my answers to people's on topic questions, and updates to times and meeting place. The sad thing is, some people were more upset that their pretty pyramid was gone and not the information I and others in the community felt was important. The event happened though and people had fun so it wasn't a total loss. Except for the people who didn't make it because the post informing everyone that the start time had changed was modded out.
Someone already said that she thought some mountains were being made out of molehills. I agree a little bit with that. Threadjacking will happen and, if it is minor, then it avoids harm. At the same time though I would point out that someone posting a game question or event announcment should be treated with respect. They're trying to get help with a problem or they are trying to build/fit-in to the community.
Since this post has turned more into a rant than I originaly intended, I'll try to toss out a solution.
A "PM to user" button on each person's post. So if you have an off topic comment about a thread/person you can just click the button, fire off the PM and have your say, and the topic stays on topic. Add a quote button to the PMs so you can keep track of a private conversation a bit more easily. Doing these things will let everyone have the conversations they want without derailing the original topic. It might also keep cranky old men like me from posting.
Anyway, that's my 2 influence. Don't spend it all in one place.
I'd suggest making a speical, carefully modded sub-section for the over-sensitive ones, and leave the normal people to carry on as before.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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A "PM to user" button on each person's post. So if you have an off topic comment about a thread/person you can just click the button, fire off the PM and have your say, and the topic stays on topic. Add a quote button to the PMs so you can keep track of a private conversation a bit more easily. Doing these things will let everyone have the conversations they want without derailing the original topic.
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I'm not so sure people would really use that function 
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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I'd suggest making a speical, carefully modded sub-section for the over-sensitive ones, and leave the normal people to carry on as before.
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Why? I really am just curious as to what is so hard about watching what is said a little bit, not taking away from the fun and occasional thread-jacking but the attacks mostly, what is so hard about that?
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I still see a pile of concerns though and no headway towards solutionville.
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My solution is just to "Live and Let Live."
If you want gaming advice, there is a whole section entitled "Player Guides" for that reason.
If you want Technical Help, there is a section called "Technical Issues and Bugs" for that very reason.
This entire section of the forums here? "Protector Server"? It is about the Protector Server Community... and our community is pretty chatty.
It always has been.
What I really want to know is "What important information are people having to search through threads here for?"
Ok, I grant you that there are Protector-specific Events (TF team-ups, Robo-Battles, Hami Raids) that can serve an informational purpose here, but beyond "Sign me up" what information is so important in that thread that someone has to go "wading through pages" to find?
We are not Tech Support.
We are not Build Experts.
We are not Promoting cross-server events here (aside for the occasional "There's gonna be PvP... go to the Training Room").
I've even stopped posting art here because it isn't where it belongs (unless, of course, it is earned through some event on here such as when Warface hosted a Costume Contest in a Protector-Specific party, and the prize was a commision by me. But even then I posted the pic in the announcement thread instead of starting a new one here).
This part of the Forums is about us and for us. It is about showing people what we are like. If someone is maybe interested in switching to a new server, and is thinking of joining Protector, this would be the place to look to see if they think they can fit in here.
It used to be that we went out of our way to try and make everyone who posted feel like they could belong... And now many of us who have been here for ages no longer do.
I feel that this section (I'm being repetitive here) is for people to see what the Protector Population is like.
There should be almost no information in this section of the Forums that someone looking for other information would need to find here. There should be no important information to have to sift through in order to complete one's experience here.
We have the highest number of Stickied threads of any server (iirc), already. If someone wants to know about SGs here, there's a thread.
If someone wants to know about Server-specific Events, guess what, there's actually a thread with a calendar for that already.
There is also a thread to let people know what Global Channels are here and for what reasons...
What other information is so important that someone has to go "through pages of nonsense" to find it?
If someone can't be happy unless they are pissing and moaning about something, well, when they start is generally when I leave a thread and don't come back to it again.
I'm sorry, but if I were a new prospective player, I would not feel like Protector is a comfortable fit for me, currently. Luckily I know in-game that it is different.
I also have no qualms with anyone specific. This is not me ranting about any particular person's behaviour... In fact, it is about me defending my own behaviour.
I freely admit to being one of the threadjackingest sonovabitches in the entire Forums. But I don't do it in serious threads in other sections of the forums where that information belongs.
The only information anyone new looking here should really be looking to find is, what kind of people play on Protector. The answer as I saw it used to be "carefree and silly." Now my answer would be "controlling and whiny."
Just learn to Live and Let Live, people.
I've been doing it here for over three years.
If you don't like the way something is going, then just back away and go find something else you like better. That's why I've been spending much more time monitoring the Art Section. The people there now remind me a lot of the way we used to be here.
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I'd suggest making a speical, carefully modded sub-section for the over-sensitive ones, and leave the normal people to carry on as before.
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Why? I really am just curious as to what is so hard about watching what is said a little bit, not taking away from the fun and occasional thread-jacking but the attacks mostly, what is so hard about that?
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But as this forum is no different from the ones for the other serrvers, that means the problem is with some of the people here - it's up to them to try and be a little less sensitive - every other server forum manages ok - there's no reason why this one can't.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
/e clap
Well said, I couldn't have said it better myself dude !
Oh! and...
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This part of the Forums is about us and for us. It is about showing people what we are like. If someone is maybe interested in switching to a new server, and is thinking of joining Protector, this would be the place to look to see if they think they can fit in here.
It used to be that we went out of our way to try and make everyone who posted feel like they could belong... And now many of us who have been here for ages no longer do.
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QFE!
"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!!!!!
Oz is a perfect example of my earlier post in which I said "I've seen a drastic decline in posts from certain players." His was a name I would see, well, not necessarily even on a daily basis, but a few times a week at least.
I don't even remember the last time I saw a post from him before now, though... It's been a while. 
Edit:
>.>
<.<
...Of course then I searched for his most recent posts and see that he's had like 6 in the last two days. 
I agree we can manage ok, but what I'm getting from you is that the problem lies with overly sensitive people and nothing to do with people coming out right and attacking others, is that what you are saying? Like I said fun and games is one thing, attacking someone (and for example so I make myself clear, calling names and attacking a person "you &*&%$ you suck you n00b" and the like is what I am referring too) is not so much a problem with the person being attacked in my eyes as much as it is with the person saying that.
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I agree we can manage ok, but what I'm getting from you is that the problem lies with overly sensitive people and nothing to do with people coming out right and attacking others, is that what you are saying? Like I said fun and games is one thing, attacking someone (and for example so I make myself clear, calling names and attacking a person "you &*&%$ you suck you n00b" and the like is what I am referring too) is not so much a problem with the person being attacked in my eyes as much as it is with the person saying that.
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Yes, but you get those types of jerks on all forums - they don't all just come here.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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I agree we can manage ok, but what I'm getting from you is that the problem lies with overly sensitive people and nothing to do with people coming out right and attacking others, is that what you are saying? Like I said fun and games is one thing, attacking someone (and for example so I make myself clear, calling names and attacking a person "you &*&%$ you suck you n00b" and the like is what I am referring too) is not so much a problem with the person being attacked in my eyes as much as it is with the person saying that.
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THAT I would have serious issues with, but I have to say I do not see it very often. Yes, it does happen, but not nearly as commonly as it does elsewhere. As a matter of fact, the times I see it most often here are when someone from here posts in another (specific) section of the boards and trolls follow them back here from there.
RIGHT! As I said in my first post, I really don't think our little corner of this virtual world is really that bad. We get along for the most part, occasionally a trouble maker comes and leaves but we are for the most part calm and I feel united. But if something must be done then for those who would be offended at a thread jack putting something in place where they can let people know not too would be my vote.
If someone feels a clique is leaving them out then let it roll off and find another group of people, we may be one of the smaller servers but we have plenty of people that everyone should be able to find someone they get along with.
And it never hurts to think before you speak right
(otherwise there is a chance for terrible foot in mouthitis and it's a pain to try and fix)
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I'd suggest making a speical, carefully modded sub-section for the over-sensitive ones, and leave the normal people to carry on as before.
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Why? I really am just curious as to what is so hard about watching what is said a little bit, not taking away from the fun and occasional thread-jacking but the attacks mostly, what is so hard about that?
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I find it interesting that people with a genuine concern over this are being called over sensitive. Just because some of us can't manage to post over 4000 times in one month doesn't mean our opinions are any less valid than yours, so do us the favour of not insulting us just because you don't agree with how we feel. I'm pretty sure we haven't done it to you.
A lot of the attitudes shown in this thread towards people with valid concerns is exactly why this has to happen.
-River.
Seeing insults where there are none is a good example of being over-sensitive
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
And throwing insults even in a joking fashion at someone who is genuinely concerned and not insulting is in it's own right insulting to that person
yeah, maybe a little but ya catch the over all drift
Let me see if I can clear it up.
Calling someone "over sensitive" is a way of dismissing what they have to say.
The problem is with them, because they are over sensitive, and is therefor not real.
So, yes it does seem to be an insult.
Bottom line, this is a problem. You can tell that it is a problem because we have Ex Libris in here creating threads for us to work out a solution to the problem.
Therefor, while it is certainly your right to come and say that there isn't a problem, its not really the most constructive thing to contribute to the conversation.
What we need is a solution to the problem.
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Let me see if I can clear it up.
Calling someone "over sensitive" is a way of dismissing what they have to say.
The problem is with them, because they are over sensitive, and is therefor not real.
So, yes it does seem to be an insult.
Bottom line, this is a problem. You can tell that it is a problem because we have Ex Libris in here creating threads for us to work out a solution to the problem.
Therefor, while it is certainly your right to come and say that there isn't a problem, its not really the most constructive thing to contribute to the conversation.
What we need is a solution to the problem.
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It's not dismissing what they're saying - it's helping them find the root of the problem
(And I did offer a solution )
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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yeah, maybe a little but ya catch the over all drift
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Drift? Surely not drift as in drifting off topic?
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
And now several (I bolded that for a reason. Don't anyone try and think I'm talking to them specifically) of us have started to resort to "correcting" each other and "implying" (I would have said "name calling" but no names were actually called).
People, please, if you don't like what someone has said, ignore it and move on. It is simply an opinion, and trying to make the other person look insensitive by implying that their opinion is invalid is just insulting.
Knock it off.
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yeah, maybe a little but ya catch the over all drift
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Drift? Surely not drift as in drifting off topic?
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...And the thread is damaged.
Not quite gone, but it can be salvaged with this.
This is the sort of behavior we're trying to find, scrutinize, define, and categorize. This is the behavior that turns your standard opening thread ("I feel this way about that subject.") into a threadjacked thread ("I feel this way about that subject." becomes "I love kittens! Everybody, post your pics!").
It's insidious! Take one page of any particular thread, visit it at a later page, compare them to each other and to the original post, and you'll usually see pretty definite differences in topic and subject.
The problem is it starts gradually. Sometimes it'll be a question within a question... Other times a full-fledged conversation breaks out.
I derailed myself here... I had a direction with this, but I think my train of thought ran out of track. I just wanted to add some things here, and wound up trying to help analyze the situation again. I apologize if any of this has already been covered, but My mind boggled from trying to make sense of some of these pages.
To think, this is the thread trying to deal with this sort of stuff!
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Ok, let's try this from a sightly different angle - a mod has made a special thread here on the Protector forum, but not on any other server forums
What is the more logical answer for this - that all the evil, baby-eatin', kitten-kickin' meanies only ever post on the Protector froums, or that some people on the Protector forum see evil, baby-eatin', kitten-kickin' meanies where there aren't any?
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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pretty obvious.. Protector has the most incoherent forums of all.
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I haven't replied directly to the issue at hand (yet) but I will say this:
If anyone, at any time, had any questions as to what troll bait would be defined as, the quote above would be your answer.
Please, if we're going to come to a solution on this matter, be constructive.