WTF is up with the useless posts here at GBATemp

[alucard77]

GBATemp was always one of my favorite sites, but it seems that the forums are getting out of hand recently. I am all for new members, but not morons. There has to be a way to control this.

You go into a thread now a days, and there is nothing on fucking topic with the thread. It's like a 5 page thread, with 1 or 2 correct postings about the thread heading.

I just want to get some agreement on this point. And for you fucking retartarded newbies who don't know better:

1- Fucking use Search
2- Don't have conversations about shit that is off topic. Go to MIRC, or fucking make a new thread
3- Stop writting where you download your games from.
4- Stop asking where to download games from.
5- Keep on fucking topic. Something titled Ghost Busters is about fucking Ghost Busters not some other fucking game you can't get to load.

I hate to see this place go the way of Maxconsoles.

Just some one do me a favor out there. If the intelligent people are migrating to a non retard forum about Wii/NDS, could you please let me know where it is before I am the last one on here and stuck with these people. PM me the new site, cause last thing we need is for others to go there and start this shit all over again.

 

[chickenmatt5]

Still feeling crappy....

 

[Hadrian]

In my opinion I think that new members should have to wait a certain amount of time before they can post. That way we'll just get those who want to be members rather than those who just want to ask a question and leave.

As for the Wii section, its a place that needs designated mods who are around more and know what's what, I myself have no time for it and I'm out of the loop with a lot of things.

OSW & Wildwon do their best but they also have other responsibilities. I used to be in all Wii sections daily, moving threads to where they belong and cutting the crap but half an hour later...its a mess again. We thought an added Back-up Loader section would help but clearly it hasn't.

To help you can aide us by reporting posts & threads you feel are "useless" and also if you could keep a cool head it would help. Simply going off on one and flaming someone just because they're ignorant or dumb doesn't help anyone. Having to deal with "flamers" takes time away from sorting out other crap and I hate having to warn someone just because they lost their rag once.

 

[dinofan01]

I'll throw this out. Feel free to shoot it down. Have a nooby forum. The nooby forum is separate from introductions. After registering newbs are only allowed to post in that forum. The forum allows for any type of discussion (so long it follows site rules). Also allow experienced members to post in their but not allowed to start threads. That way all those people that come here for one question then leave don't clog the rest of the forum and the experienced members can answer those simple questions. You can be allow access to the rest of the site after 50 posts or two weeks.


Just an idea.

 

[Lubbo]

I'll throw this out. Feel free to shoot it down. Have a nooby forum. The nooby forum is separate from introductions. After registering newbs are only allowed to post in that forum. The forum allows for any type of discussion (so long it follows site rules). Also allow experienced members to post in their but not allowed to start threads. That way all those people that come here for one question then leave don't clog the rest of the forum and the experienced members can answer those simple questions. You can be allow access to the rest of the site after 50 posts or two weeks.


Just an idea.

here here

 

[dinofan01]

I'll throw this out. Feel free to shoot it down. Have a nooby forum. The nooby forum is separate from introductions. After registering newbs are only allowed to post in that forum. The forum allows for any type of discussion (so long it follows site rules). Also allow experienced members to post in their but not allowed to start threads. That way all those people that come here for one question then leave don't clog the rest of the forum and the experienced members can answer those simple questions. You can be allow access to the rest of the site after 50 posts or two weeks.


Just an idea.

here here

u like? I wasn't sure if I explained it well enough. I just thought of it now and rushed to write it down before it left my brain forever.

 

[Law]

I'll throw this out. Feel free to shoot it down. Have a nooby forum. The nooby forum is separate from introductions. After registering newbs are only allowed to post in that forum. The forum allows for any type of discussion (so long it follows site rules). Also allow experienced members to post in their but not allowed to start threads. That way all those people that come here for one question then leave don't clog the rest of the forum and the experienced members can answer those simple questions. You can be allow access to the rest of the site after 50 posts or two weeks.


Just an idea.

here here

It'd be called The Pit, and the second they get 50 posts they're going to do what they did in there, in the regular forum.

Not to mention the fact that people may not have come here to ask questions, and want actual discussion, yet discussion is lost within the section because of all the spam, therefore members who want to take part in active discussion aren't going to bother getting 50 posts, they're going to go somewhere else, whilst the spammers will get 50 posts and then they would spam in a different forum area.

Edit: Perhaps giving them limited access to the forum? Like how only members with x posts can enter the trading forum, you must have x posts before you can post a thread/a reply in a certain section? At least that would let them take part in actual discussion within the other areas if that is what they're interested in, as opposed to asking questions.

 

[chrisf]

newer members shouldn't even be allowed to make threads. honestly. i visit a forum called teamliquid.net where the staff is strict as fuck, and new members can't even make a thread for like a week or 2 first, and ppl get banned for doing one or two stupid things. it may sound pretty extreme, but as long as ur a normal decent member, it helps quality control. if i was a mod, i would be doing a LOT of banning. my major complaint is our warning system here. u have to get a good 10 warnings before getting banned. i think it should be 5, or maybe even fewer.

fuck that shit. move to asia if u want to be controlled by people who r strict as fuck

QUOTE(dinofan01 @ Jun 26 2009, 05:18 PM) I'll throw this out. Feel free to shoot it down. Have a nooby forum. The nooby forum is separate from introductions. After registering newbs are only allowed to post in that forum. The forum allows for any type of discussion (so long it follows site rules). Also allow experienced members to post in their but not allowed to start threads. That way all those people that come here for one question then leave don't clog the rest of the forum and the experienced members can answer those simple questions. You can be allow access to the rest of the site after 50 posts or two weeks.


Just an idea.

here here

I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THAT IDEA.

just because someone is new to this site doesnt mean they are new to homebrew, and doesnt mean they are a clueless n00b. I am all for a forum just for helping n00bs, but new people to the site shouldnt be grouped in with them and only allowed to post there.

new members who are not n00bs will never get up to 50 posts because they will be bored with the forum. and if they have to wait two weeks where they are not allowed to post like a normal person they may not come back.

if there was a "homebrew quiz" that you had to take when signing up to determine if you are a n00b or if you are knowledgeable then i would be all for these forum restrictions for n00bs, but i dont think it be feasible or would be worth the admins time to implement that into the system.

 

[Law]

if there was a "homebrew quiz" that you had to take when signing up to determine if you are a n00b or if you are knowledgeable then i would be all for these forum restrictions for n00bs, but i dont think it be feasible or would be worth the admins time to implement that into the system.

Even that is a bad idea. Not everybody here is into "homebrew", some of us just want awesome gaming discussion

.

 

[chrisf]

if there was a "homebrew quiz" that you had to take when signing up to determine if you are a n00b or if you are knowledgeable then i would be all for these forum restrictions for n00bs, but i dont think it be feasible or would be worth the admins time to implement that into the system.

Even that is a bad idea. Not everybody here is into "homebrew", some of us just want awesome gaming discussion

.

fair enough. thats just another reason why average gamers shouldnt be limited to posting in only a certain forum because of the homebrew n00bs asking all same the dumb questions about softmodding their wii's because they are too lazy learning their shit first.

 

[Law]

if there was a "homebrew quiz" that you had to take when signing up to determine if you are a n00b or if you are knowledgeable then i would be all for these forum restrictions for n00bs, but i dont think it be feasible or would be worth the admins time to implement that into the system.

Even that is a bad idea. Not everybody here is into "homebrew", some of us just want awesome gaming discussion

.

fair enough. thats just another reason why average gamers shouldnt be limited to posting in only a certain forum because of the homebrew n00bs asking all same the dumb questions about softmodding their wii's because they are too lazy learning their shit first.

If you see my earlier post in this thread, you'll see that I also do not condone dinofan01s post, however a limited access scheme in terms of posting threads in the main forums that get a lot of repeat threads should probably be exercised.

 

[Psyfira]

In my opinion I think that new members should have to wait a certain amount of time before they can post. That way we'll just get those who want to be members rather than those who just want to ask a question and leave.

I agree with this time-based idea. I don't think asking one question and leaving is a bad thing, as long as it's a good question

The timing will force the impatient to pass the time by reading, which may help clear their problem up.

I don't think x posts before you can make threads will work, as someone stated earlier we'll get more spam in other threads to bump the postcount high enough, just like we do when people try to get access to Trading.

I'll admit I have no idea how bad the problem in question actually is though. I don't have a Wii so don't bother reading those threads, and there's nothing happening on the DS atm so I spend most of my time in Offtopic.

 

[Big Kong Boss]

The problem is, is that the new generation of internet users is close to batshit retarded, and there are too many children that have free use of the internet these days. Coupled with the ease that piracy is today, these people plague internet forums such as GBAtemp in search of answers for even the most simplest of things, despite that fact that piracy has gotten to the point that it's so easy, if you need help the best help you can get is to attend elementary school once in a while instead of hanging out in a basement.

People just don't teach common sense anymore, I guess. It's the reason for a lot of things, look at the health and safety rules of Britain as an example, they're essentially saying "People lack common sense, so we put signs and fences everywhere".

I thought you had to be 13 to register for an internet forum without a guardians permission? Perhaps we should start policing this rule.

This. Look, something has to be done in due time. I'm all up for the suggested actions, but..

1.) A post-count limit. A separate newbie forum could work, it depends. They could just rack up their post count with useless **** and walk into the original forums.

2.) Editing the top of the site. A BIG button that clearly labels, "SEARCH" that could extend from [Home] to . Idk

3.) A homebrew quiz...idk, not everyone is that into homebrew, although most of the "useless" posts pertain to that subject VERY frequently.

 

[Trulen]

Ahem.

I've seen this type of post and these types of suggestions for the past, well, ever.


Post Requirement/Wait Period for new topics

I've visited a site that had a 25 post requirement before making threads.
For a newcomer not knowing much about the subject, which is why someone would come here (I came here not knowing a darn'd thing about flashcards.), 25 posts is a lot.

For 25 posts not to be a lot, you'd have to be allowed spam.
Unless there's a sticky saying "Hurr hurr. You like Zelda? Mario? Come talk about it here," then there's no easy way to talk about something that you don't know.


The Search Bar

This suggestion aggrevates me most.

People should "Use the search" at newcomers asking obvious questions.

I'll give credit to GBATemp, though. It has a fairly powerful search engine. It doesn't exclude 1-to-4 letter words/common words (you know how much of a pain "Let's Tap" was to find on other sites? "Please refine your search. These words were exluded: Let's, Tap").


The most productive way to handle it is to help the newcomer. As in search for them the one time, and then maturely explain how to work the search function. Believe it or not, some people don't know how to ask the right question within a search. I know I still can't find the right words every time. Which is why I create a new topic.

Another flaw is the lack of "find the answer you need" in a mutli-page thread. People look for the first post, a few posts after the first post, and then the end of the thread for answers. If it's not there, then most people will give up looking and create a new thread, hopefully to be condensed for future searching so people asking the same question can find it faster.

And don't even start on the pretentious "Let me google that for you" link. It's snobby and unwelcoming flamebait.


The "Newbie" area

One of the more excellent ideas proposed. Remove post-increase if the thought of people gaining posts for asking questions scare you. I've used this area many times in a linux-related forum as I know very little about linux, and need some basics explained to me. I simply don't know what to search for to get an answer to my question (especially if the question goes, "So, my screen kinda went left and right, and then blacked out. What's the problem?")


Anti-Chatspeak

Older forum members are the worst about this. Absolute worst.

A person comes in and asks a very viable question.
Except it's done with terrible syntax, but it still readable and understandable.

What happens? The topic is de-railed by a member with many posts by commenting on the grammar. Other member follow suit, seeing as the member with many posts can also do it.

Chatspeak is not a direct reflection of intelligence or willingness to learn.
Some people don't see the need to proofread for something on the internet.

Which leads to the next topic.


You're not that imporant.

Your post count means nothing. How long you've been here doesn't make you all that better a person.
Just because you insulted someone on the internet doesn't mean your mom is going to make cookies taste better than she usually does. She'll do it on her own.

You're not better than anyone else here. Ever. From the Admins, to the Banned. Behind the computer screen, they could be just as nice as the next guy.

But we forget the "Internet audience + Anonymity = " theory.



Oh. And completely off topic.

You people
Stop your obsessions with all things Japanese.
It's unhealthy.




/Rant

 

[dinofan01]

Oh. And completely off topic.

You people
Stop your obsessions with all things Japanese.
It's unhealthy.




/Rant

lol. That came out of nowhere.

 

[Senbonzaku101]

In regards to thread creation, the problem with post counts at 25/50/100 (well really any amount above 5 or so) isn't just flat-out spam. The new members wouldn't post useless and off-topic messages in others' threads, they would ask the question they need answered just as many do now. All this would do is add fuel to the fire, with already annoyed veterans becoming even more annoyed. It would make more sense to incorporate a "First Question" restriction in the Introductions forum.

My idea would force the first post of a new member to be in the Introductions forum, where they can ask whatever their most urgent question is. This way they are helped, get a chance to introduce themselves, and learn how they should request help in the future. Even new members who know their stuff and just want to help others, can introduce themselves and be free of the restrictions and then go to whatever forums they wish.

 

[Trippy]

I'm all for the time limit thing. People might actually search for an answer while before they are finally allowed to ask the question. At least it'll slow down some of the questions.

 

[Hadrian]

A newbie forum wouldn't work as some will just spam the crap out of it until they have the right amount of posts.

Also I agree that a lot of new members aren't as stupid as most would assume, in fact a lot know a shitload more than most.

 

[UltraMagnus]

I am against any idea that would segregate users in any way, it stinks of elitism.

the search needs to be better as well, the current google based system sucks badly

 

[dinofan01]

I'm all for the time limit thing. People might actually search for an answer while before they are finally allowed to ask the question. At least it'll slow down some of the questions.

I like that. Maybe restrict a new member from posting for three hours. That way they can search for an answer while they wait, not spam, and no real segregation.

 

[Mantis41]

Hey you lot, do you want some cheese to go with that or what!!!