Now I want to explain something first of all; I love this website. I love the variety of games, I love the developers and their blogs and I 'used' to love the forums and game comments, but recently that's been changing.
Now I've been a regular here for around two years. At first I just played the odd game here and there and lurked on the forums now and then but eventually I got round to making an account. I started commenting on the games I liked, making some forum posts almost exclusively in the flash games section and generally getting more involved. However it seems to me that the game comments are becoming more and more just youtube comments version 2. And the forums aren't a whole lot better.
So my question is; do you agree? Is the community here dumbing down, possibly even ruining the fun for you or do you think I'm just talking out of my rear end? Discuss!
It is only dumbing down with more users. When there was hardly any users, the one who used the forums were more likely to have good, non-spam comments and posts. oh, and with Christmas and AG coming around, it is to be predicted that there will be less effort put in to the posts. I think a forum regular comes along once a month or so that isn't a spammer.
It is only dumbing down with more users. When there was hardly any users, the one who used the forums were more likely to have good, non-spam comments and posts. oh, and with Christmas and AG coming around, it is to be predicted that there will be less effort put in to the posts. I think a forum regular comes along once a month or so that isn't a spammer.
But it's a good thing that we have new users. Once they learn the rules they will have better quality forum post. The comments on games should be less spammy with AG3 around the corner.
Most people have to be told by a moderator what spam is and are made to look at help section
I don't get the "and are made to look at help section"
Well the mod is doing is job and once the newcomer or knows all the rules (by mod or sticky) they can make better comments and forum posts. So more newcomer means more quality posts in a way. Yes the forum are dumbing down a bit but in a few weeks it will be filled with more quality posts and regulars. So it's a win-win.
Well, the typical age of an AGer is anywhere from 13 to 16, with less each year you go up from there. I think a lot of those kids want to be really high ranked and so they:
- Make an account. - Don't read any rules. - Spam, Spam, Spam. - Ask how to get a merit. - Complain about their lose in AP.
The mods shouldn't have to tell a user to look at the rules, it should be obvious for you to look at them. Older users who either ignored or don't know the rules corrupt the new ones, i.e. User goes to post a comment on a game, and all he see on the page is; "this game sucks!1!", and others like it, hence the newbie begins to think "I guess this is the normal way of posting." and so it begins.
And if you seek intelligence head to the WEPR, the posts within are usually of quality at the very least.
I tried to read the rules, but there was so much gobbledygook (I'm assuming in order to be as politically correct as possible) that I had trouble understanding it all and got frustrated and bored. Is AG dumbing down? I would not know because I am somewhat new to the site. I do find a lot comments that are inadequate because the user is uninformed, bored, or trying to quickly gain Armor points. As far as forums go, I found them not too long ago. Most of the comments are good and well informed. I stay away from the World Events, Politics, Religion, etc. because the posts from those users are too well thought out for me to combat.
I like how users from 2 years ago complain about the now. I think this user is #4 on that list.
No, we are not dumbing down. Au contraire, we are smarting up. You see, Cormyn and the mods are taking steps to delete spam, en masse, to get ready for AG3. Sure, more spam posts pop out every now and then, but they get taken care of. After all the "useless" posts have been taken care of, only the good posts stand out.
Now, I can't say much for 08, but 09, we had a pretty good amount of active users. Out of that, there were quite a few from my time that stepped onto the pedestal to become a regular. In 2010? There are even more regulars popping up. We even have a few that are rational, helpful, and insightful in their post records. We have more guys making threads in the AMW to post their works or compete in a contest. I think the...review-making ratio is a little less than before, but that's no biggie, and their loss.
Excluding the Forum Games there isn't all that much spam seen on a regular basis in the Community. It's the comments/reviews that hold the majority of all spam.
However it seems to me that the game comments are becoming more and more just youtube comments version 2.
Maybe they flamed, but the Youtube comment section was and is, wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better then this one. At-least people said something. Instead of "good game" or, in that case, "Good vid"
The spammy comments in question is something we can all do something about. When you have this spam on whatever page you are on, there is this handy little flag in the upper right hand corner. From being a helper previously on another website, I know that sometimes it gets a bit ridiculous with all the flags to work through, but it is our job to police the forums, not just the mods. If we help the mods/admins with their job, pointing out the spam posts, finding habitual offenders, and educating those who simply do not know and are too ignorant to look, we can ebb the flow of spam. Flag a post, keep a mod busy for a minute or two, educate a new user, prevent a plethora of spam posts in the future.
I understand where the OP is coming from, but I personally don't care too much. Enough people remain in these forums, despite some former regulars disappearing. The game comments have always been screwed up.
