Gruff off topic

[Lancer]

Good edit, Lancer.

Yeah Nik, only people who I actually like can burn me up enough to go off on them like that when they turn. Friends, right? Or in this case just someone I liked.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I am not kidding at all, but at the exact moment I saw Nikolai's Gruff OT thread "What are you listening to?" I was listening to that old DJ Assault crowd-pleaser "Nut in your eye".

I think I might not fit that forum's target market.

[rah]

I doubt more than one or two people do.

[Lorizael]

The new forum's rules seem pretty similar to the rules in place when you and bizarro/mirror you were running things. I seem to remember us having plenty of posters then.

(I'm not making the argument that the less moderated OT we have now is responsible for the decline, just that there are definitely more than one or two people that would "fit the target market.")

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

I believe the more correct phrasing would be "one or two who currently post here".

The rules OT isn't going to work if it depends on the demographic in place now, and I'm on the fence - but I see growth potential in offering the option. Bringing on-topic back to life could be greatly aided by giving those more comfortable in a cleaner environment somewhere to hang out. I don't see it hurting this ocean of pee, merely taking up space in the root forum, at worse.

[rah]

The new forum's rules seem pretty similar to the rules in place when you and bizarro/mirror you were running things.

In your memory only. I remember it quite differently. We relaxed the rules from the previous administration (which we were a small part of, so I think I can speak with more authority on that.)

Splitting something small, just makes it smaller.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

Who's posting in it so far whom you miss?

I predict that trend will continue...

[Lorizael]

In your memory only. I remember it quite differently. We relaxed the rules from the previous administration (which we were a small part of, so I think I can speak with more authority on that.)

Splitting something small, just makes it smaller.

Okay, I wasn't clear about what I meant. I meant when you two were running the moderation in the OT, not when you two were running the site. In the heydays of Civ 3 and Civ 4, the rules in the OT were plenty strict, and the posters were aplenty.

[The Mad Monk]

So were players. I don't think you can leave this on moderation.

[rah]

I didn't make the rules then and ignored many of them but yes it was run tighter than now.
And as you stated it was in the heydays of Civ3 and Civ4 so the higher traffic was probably more due to that than any level of strictness in the OT.

If people really want strict they can go to CFC. I post on topic there, but their OT is too strict and really boring.

[Lorizael]

So were players. I don't think you can leave this on moderation.

I specifically didn't in my earlier post.

[Lorizael]

And as you stated it was in the heydays of Civ3 and Civ4 so the higher traffic was probably more due to that than any level of strictness in the OT.

Brargh! I am specifically not making this argument. I am only making the argument that a stricter forum on Apolyton can maintain a reasonable userbase.

[Tuberski]

If they're serious about it, yes. If a troll trolls and nothing happens, then we'll know more. Problem is, its years too late. People have changed, many have left because of it. Zkrib described to me his old friends had become like zombies, all changed and disrespectful, so he joined us at WPC, which is also disrespected. Disrespect, disrespect, disrespect. Its true. Tuberski whom I always got along with posted how I could find a 14 year old for BU who apparently wants one. Why? Is that disrespect a goal that reasonable people here suddenly aspired to? Have all bonds of civilization been laid aside for the sake of whatever trolls get from insulting others? Tuberski is a family man, I met his wife once, very nice woman. What happened?

People would have to reexamine who they are and what they've become in order for the "Gruff" forum to work. To me its a forum where hopefully respect will flourish once again, where gruff replies will be few, but we'll see.

First it requires someone have the balls to make a post, to break the mold, to dezombify.

This:

I couldn't tell you what happened to Tuberski. The incident you describe sounds like a continuation of the "Lancer-is-a-pimp" gag, which I was never really in on and don't care to learn more about.

ACK!

[Tuberski]

May I also point out, that you posted in that thread, and didn't mention what I said.

But now you want to call me out? In a thread I hadn't posted in?

ACK!

[Ming]

Okay, I wasn't clear about what I meant. I meant when you two were running the moderation in the OT, not when you two were running the site. In the heydays of Civ 3 and Civ 4, the rules in the OT were plenty strict, and the posters were aplenty.

As Rah pointed out, I didn't make the rules at that time... I was asked to enforce the rules established by Mark and Dan.
But the loss of traffic to this site had far more to do with problems in the uploads/site usability and lack of support to the mod community.
By the time MarkG left, CFC had taken over the majority of the on topic posting.

As far as the new forum goes, if that's what our new overlord wants, So Be It. It's his site.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to get much traction. When the split occurred, it was all about moderation and personal issues... it was thought that they could be successful if they only got away from Poly, and had a different "feeling"... and how did that work out for them

But to each their own. If that's what people really want, they can post there. However, I don't see it as the main driving issue to revitalize this site.
What the site needs is more relevant content... that should be the focus.