# Too Many n00bs



## serious_sean (Jun 20, 2006)

I don't want to sound rude, buuuut.......

every time i check the latest topics, it's always people asking the same questions over and over.  These questions have been answered a billion times;  

What card should I get?
What is flashing / flashme ?
Why doesn't #XXX rom work?

etc, etc. blah blah blah

there are already too many topics that answer these questions. I propose locking repeat topics like this.  I like helping as much as anyone, but does this get to anyone else?


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## Opium (Jun 20, 2006)

I don't think it's gone quite out of control yet. Most of the topics are sensible and as long as they post in the correct forum sections I have nothing wrong with it. A lot of people out there are just getting into DS and GBA flashcarts. They're becoming a lot more mainstream now that it's simple as pie to pirate.

The only thing that got on my nerves were posts asking what flashme is hours after I post my big flashme guide....


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## Arm73 (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(Opium @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> I don't think it's gone quite out of control yet. Most of the topics are sensible and as long as they post in the correct forum sections I have nothing wrong with it. A lot of people out there are just getting into DS and GBA flashcarts. They're becoming a lot more mainstream now that it's simple as pie to pirate.
> 
> The only thing that got on my nerves were posts asking what flashme is hours after I post my big flashme guide....




I agree.


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## time-warp (Jun 20, 2006)

Ofcourse there are going to be n00bs here. The NDS and more the NDSL are relatively new consoles. Myself only purchased one two weeks ago.

The forums should remain an open and friendly place for people to interact and gather information that they can't easily obtain from other sources.

Just a thought


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## leetdood (Jun 20, 2006)

Noobs can be encountered anywhere, it's not a big thing. The best solution is to simply, once in sight of a noob, insta-ban his ip block, ban all his friends, put him up on a string, and problem solved! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




But, really, they're to be expected. Just try to A) Ignore them or B) Educate them. If that doesn't work, a removal is in order.


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## Opium (Jun 20, 2006)

^If everybody goes towards the 'B' option that makes my job a hell of a lot easier


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## leetdood (Jun 20, 2006)

Yeah, sometimes it's just worth it to try and help some poor guy out, he just really doesn't understand how things work. After you educate him, he may get off better and won't bug anybody anymore. Unfortunately, this won't happen with most people, mostly because some people on the internet are just... apathetic and want people to do their work for them.


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## odf (Jun 20, 2006)

Everybody has been a noob.. thats why we help eachother out


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## wohoo (Jun 20, 2006)

yeah i guess you weren't a pro Nintendo Hacker when you just have got your DS/GBA and a flashkit, so let's help them as much as we can and maybe some day, all these noobs you're talking about are even better than most of us


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## .TakaM (Jun 20, 2006)

Im a huge n00b to the whole flashme thing here, infact I dont know the first thing about it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



i just know if I ever care enough to find out about it, I can just search


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## Mehdi (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(serious_sean @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> I don't want to sound rude, buuuut.......
> 
> every time i check the latest topics, it's always people asking the same questions over and over.Â These questions have been answered a billion times;Â
> 
> ...



New carts and flashing methods always come out so actually those n00b questions aren't so n00bish because it may have you end up with a old flash kit that used to be the bomb 2 weeks ago or so.


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## akuma99 (Jun 20, 2006)

I'm thinking the the reason for the sudden flood of noobs here has to do with the fact that alot of people just got a ds lite and have alot of questions. I know when I got my first DS I had alot of questions, but instead of just jumping on here and asking a bunch of questions I looked at the topics already posted. I found that most of my questions were already answered. Now that I have a DS Lite I learned a few new things and try to help others just like I got helped. I guess it is just easier for people to start a new topic instead of taking a little time to search for the answers.


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## litesaber (Jun 20, 2006)

i think during the registration, you should have an informative guide posted during the sign up and they have to answer a few questions (multiple choice?) regarding what they read (the basics of flashme/flashcarts/passme's) and they must get them right inorder to register an account here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




that would educate the people and help control less repetitive questions


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## BlueStar (Jun 20, 2006)

So wat is da best flash cart to get? Kthx bye x


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## scruffman (Jun 20, 2006)

hey, stop bangin on the Noobs. I am one too. In fact this is my first post. I have just joined some wks ago. We were all noobs at some point in time.  am the type who will lay low and observer what is going on. I will getting dsl and a flash cart but am at school so funds are low, so I cant get one now, i already have 2 sp's with a flash cart but they are with my 2 kids. I will love to post more but I really dont have any thing to share to the scene cause I dont have a nds. Anyway, I have to agree that they should try alittle harder to read and use the search engine. I came to gbatemp to learn, I have learnt alot by using the search engine and loggin on everyday. But then again some of those Noobs might be kids cause some of the stupid questions they ask. So go easy on the. Help them if u can, thats what the forums are for, who do u want them to go ask, Nintendo???. Sorry for the long post.


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## odf (Jun 20, 2006)

HELP!!!! I can't insert the passme in to my GBA SP!!!!!

j/k


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## BlueStar (Jun 20, 2006)

People here are much nicer and more patient when being asked the same question for the 200th time than on most forums. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Everyone's a n00b at some point to be fair.  But saying that, before I got my flashcart and knew what the hell I was doing I managed to read the reviews, guides and existing threads and get more than enough info that way without needing to start a new thread.


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## roar (Jun 20, 2006)

Am I the only person who hates the word 'noob'? IMO your use of the word directly reflects your level of maturity.


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## Psyfira (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(serious_sean @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> every time i check the latest topics, it's always people asking the same questions over and over.


Agreed. There are a lot of repeat topics yes, far more than there were in the past. There's at least 3 G6 vs M3 vs Supercard vs EZ4 threads a day, not to mention the "what is flashme / passkey" threads. I know the DS complications (firmware and passkeys) make things more complicated than the GBA but it isn't rocket science to read up on it. 

The people who look stuff up and then ask specific questions are fine, it's just the ones who research for an hour and assume that's all they can learn without asking questions. Well sorry, but it's gonna take a bit more effort than that.

Locking doesn't help anyone. I tend to just paste links to the threads where it got discussed before and leave it at that (if I can be bothered to reply at all).

And to the guy who said kids come here; if more than a handful of kids can afford this shit then I should go back in time and sign up for whatever fundraising schemes they're using cause it's clearly working


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## RyuKakashi (Jun 20, 2006)

Yes people can just read around but evne when there's tons of info around there will still be people asking dumb questions.
There COULD be a small improvement if a thread with this info is stickied http://forums.maxconsole.net/showthread.php?t=21893

And then a picture of a passcard, sd adapter, and a sd card saying these are the only 3 things you'll need.

I don't know this is just a minor suggestion and i am a noob myself so....whatever.


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## serious_sean (Jun 20, 2006)

I don't want to sound rude, buuuut.......

every time i check the latest topics, it's always people asking the same questions over and over.  These questions have been answered a billion times;  

What card should I get?
What is flashing / flashme ?
Why doesn't #XXX rom work?

etc, etc. blah blah blah

there are already too many topics that answer these questions. I propose locking repeat topics like this.  I like helping as much as anyone, but does this get to anyone else?


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## yuwing (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(litesaber @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> i think during the registration, you should have an informative guide posted during the sign up and they have to answer a few questions (multiple choice?) regarding what they read (the basics of flashme/flashcarts/passme's) and they must get them right inorder to register an account here!
> 
> 
> 
> ...





AGREED!


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## roar (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(litesaber @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> i think during the registration, you should have an informative guide posted during the sign up and they have to answer a few questions (multiple choice?) regarding what they read (the basics of flashme/flashcarts/passme's) and they must get them right inorder to register an account here!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Back in the BBS (Yes I'm showing my age) days before you could get onto a site you were often asked a series of 'scene' related questions and depending on how you answered them would get you access... I'm thinking it may be a little difficult to implement into the 'pre-packaged' forum software.

Another option would be to require a waiting period before a user could post, something like 5 days, hopefully that would make the user want to do a little more reading... or have new users limited to only be able to post in one forum for their first _x_ number of posts.


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## Lily (Jun 20, 2006)

Well..

As a member of the staff here, I can definitely see the validity of your complaint. However, that's what we're here for! It doesn't matter how many times a question gets asked, we're here to help, to educate and to troubleshoot. It's not as if help for flash kits is in abundance, especially since they're produced by non English speaking countries without much documentation.

Some obvious repeat threads may get locked up, but we're definitely different than the majority of communities. We're not going to yell at people to search, madly locking all the topics and booting "noobs". We're a community for everyone, and as long as there are people dedicated to the cause, we'll be here to help everyone from the most experienced user to the folks that just purchased their first NDS.

Viva GBAtemp and all the friendly souls who inhabit it!


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## The Teej (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(Qrayzie @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> Some obvious repeat threads may get locked up, but we're definitely different than the majority of communities. We're not going to yell at people to search, madly locking all the topics and booting "noobs".



Well, now that puck has gone anyway 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)

But seriously, scruffman summed it up in one sentence: "We were all noobs at some point in time". We're here to help, not to judge.


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## RayorDragonFall (Jun 20, 2006)

I have to say, if it weren't for Gbatemp and the wonderful people here, I wouldn't have enjoyed my M3 as much, or it would have been a lot harder for me. Like other people have said, you have to give newbies a chance, "no one was born knowing" (spanish saying, I think I heard it in english too).

RDF


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## The Teej (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(RayorDragonFall @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> I have to say, if it weren't for Gbatemp and the wonderful people here, I wouldn't have enjoyed my M3 as much, or it would have been a lot harder for me. Like other people have said, you have to give newbies a chance, "no one was born knowing" (spanish saying, I think I heard it in english too).
> 
> RDF



I haven't heard that saying before, but it's a good saying nonetheless!


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## SDodnetnin (Jun 20, 2006)

QUOTE(RayorDragonFall @ Jun 20 2006 said:


> "no one was born knowing"



Actually, if you are a follower of Socrates, you would think that saying is wrong. Socrates had a theory in which everyone was born with all the knowledge of their previous lives, but the knowledge just had to be unlocked again. If you really think about it, the theory makes a lot of sense into explaining why some people learn faster than others and also why some people are able to do things without ever learning how to do it.

Uhhh, since I've gone way off topic: Make the Search button bigger and the New Topic button smaller because if you are smart enough to find the New Topic button, you should be able to find the Search button as well.


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## daRealist (Jun 28, 2006)

I just read this site briefly, went to ebay and bought a supercard + passme. No questions required and everything worked.  I was never a noob!


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## shaoranm (Jul 3, 2006)

QUOTE(daRealist @ Jun 28 2006 said:


> I just read this site briefly, went to ebay and bought a supercard + passme. No questions required and everything worked.Â I was never a noob!Â



Sadly, not everyone is as lucky (coz there are some that encounters a problem even after reading and purchasing) and as optimistic (coz there are those that even if they have read a lot they still are not sure which is best, or if they would work - this could be also related to finances, as not everyone can buy off the rack whenever they wish). :'(


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## Opium (Jul 3, 2006)

I'm currently working on something that'll help with the 'n00b' situation. The almighty FAQ of DS emulation!

...well perhaps not so almighty, but helpful, and if someone asks the same questions just direct them to the FAQ, bang!


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## El Diablo (Jul 3, 2006)

Isnt that what the search button is for?


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## Opium (Jul 3, 2006)

QUOTE(Et Cetera @ Jul 3 2006 said:


> Isnt that what the search button is for?



You'd think people used that big 'search' button in the banner, but no


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## El Diablo (Jul 3, 2006)

So, if they dont use the search button, what makes you think they are going to use your FAQ?


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## Opium (Jul 3, 2006)

It'll be easy to just give them a link to the FAQ if they still ask. That way they get the answers they want rather than someone just saying 'go search' or having to explain something again


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## El Diablo (Jul 3, 2006)

Its easy to give them a link to search. Right-click, copy link location. 

Paste link location


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## Opium (Jul 3, 2006)

stop being complicated you


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## SkuiD87 (Jul 3, 2006)

Nah Opium's guides are fantastic...that FlashMe guide is still the most comprehensive guide to flashing I have seen. I just refer all noobs and all my mates to the guide. It covers more or less everything. I'm looking forward to this FAQ. However, I do think the Guides and FAQ's need to be made more visible on the site...

I remember when I was new to the scene wen I had my GBA..needed a flashcart and came to this site....after a lil browsing and some help from the guys at #gbatemp i got my first flashcart : EZFlash2 256MB. Still use that baby for my GBA games today! Since then I've been on the forums. learnt alot and tried as much as i can to help everyone else. The other day on #ndstemp I walked someone through flashing their DSLite, i gotta say, felt good to help em out. He was over the moon. Hopefully, he'll do the same for a noob in the future.

Even though I think we should be there to help out the noobs, there IS a certain level of responsibility on their part to do some of the reading and work themselves. Naturally, they'll still have Questions or not have understood summin properly. Thats where we can help out.

Can't wait for you FAQ Opium...leme know if I can help out in any way!


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