Prince of Eckmühl
Posts: 2459
Joined: 6/25/2006 From: Texas Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Les_the_Sarge_9_1 Our posts are devoid of crucial elements necessary to REAL human discourse. Body language, tone of voice, subtle word use inflection are all vital components of proper communication (smilies simply don’t cut it). That's why you have to careful as to how you approach others. It's too easy to be misunderstood, 'Net personas too easily bruised. And don't think that the wounds will simply disappear with time. I've moderated two fairly active groups, one a company forum associated with two specific games, and a second, a fansite, again associated with two (other) games. Looking back, I can't help but believe that they were notable for their atmosphere, an ambience that was at once both congenial and collegial. I'd like to grant at least partial credit for this to myself, but modesty and the role of so many others in shaping the communities deters me from doing so. Still, the forums had some things in common: 1) Posters weren't allowed to use the forums to generate personal profit. 2) Posters were treated fairly, without regard to their "rank" within the forum. 3) Posters weren't allowed to dissemble, to "manage" discussion in such a way as to benefit themselves or their associates. 4) Moderators moderated; they weren't closet front-men for third parties. 5) MOST IMPORTANTLY, the forums were about the game(s). As long as you were active because you were interested in OUR games, you were TOTALLY welcome and were treated as such. About that last point... If, at any point, game-disussion groups, either a company forum, like this one, or one associated with a fansite, become a vehicle for anything other than (the) game(s), then school's out. The discussion will be devoid of useful discourse because the games aren't the focus of members' energy. What's left will be an agenda, attired in the cloak of an advocate, one whose ends are his own, and not those of the general good. And the best intentioned group member will be unable to make it otherwise. That's just the way that these joints work. PoE (aka ivanmoe)
< Message edited by Prince of Eckmühl -- 2/4/2007 3:39:08 AM >
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Government is the opiate of the masses.
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