Lack of intelligent posts in the Zelda boards

Let's face it, this is no new problem. For a while now, there have been tons of repeat topics, useless threads, and a general lack of thought going into nearly everything posted in the Zelda boards. Though I don't participate in the discussion there all that much, it somewhat annoys me that all people can think of are "Wohs ur fave." and "Whcih mask do you liek most?".

I think this is caused by the recent abundance of newbies, the lack of moderators due to it being the holidays, and the promotion of the Zelda boards over the other ones. Yes, it's a good strategy, Remus, but not only does it promote the boards, it also promotes more spam and uselessness from new members. There's also the natural "cycle" of the boards, when there isn't much else to talk about (seeing as everything has already been discussed on the last game), and the onslaught of new members with too much time on their hands.

Therefore I request that there be a strict ban placed on making on such useless topics. While some should be allowed, for the most part, they should be locked on sight, especially the ones that have been done a million times over. I know it sounds rather harsh, but it's very agonizing to constantly see new posts in the Zelda boards, only to see that it's more uselessness. Even if we don't ban it completely, a moderator crackdown on anything pointless would be appreciated.

No offense to any of you who may be posting like this, but it's just annoying that there isn't anything interesting to discuss there anymore. We used to have topics going on for 50 pages containing detailed and insightful arguments over the games, now we have one-sentence-answer topics that scream "spam".

I hope that some of you will agree.

well, it's a lot easier to find something intelligent to talk about when a new game comes around that shakes the foundations of whatever was left of the single-link theory...

whereas, after a year on the market, there's only so much that you can discuss about one game, unless you get an influx of newbies with new ideas which, however wrong and obviously stupid they are, still need to be beaten out of their heads...

i'm not saying that posts like "Navie iz stoopid!! OMG!! :::killz navie:::" shouldn't be shot down the moment they're sent out, but really. The zelda games themselves are limited works, and while some topics have been worn bone-dry for you and others who have been on the board for months, the newbies don't know this. if a topic is made over and over, just point them to the old topic (if it's relatively near to the front of the section) and "report to a mod" to get them to lock it... it's only with help from older members who frequent those areas that the mods can all do their jobs properly...

:::sighs::: there's a reason i haven't been into the zelda topics for ages, and it's because it seems i've heard all of the arguments before... and that's because there's only *so much information* you're given to debate with in the first place...

as much as i completely agree with you, you still fail to see that the zelda forums can't exactly blossom without any more material to grow on, or without some EXTREME trudging through old information (namely, you'd have to start digging up the old oot alpha shots to try and get a good non 'fanfic'/literary discussion going in there at the moment...)

... :::doesn't think she's making sense at the moment... o_O:::

Well one thing is how can you expect intelligent posts from people who barely realize the Zelda world? I mean they are only comming here to gain knowledge from smarter people, but we look down on them and get moderators to ban them ect. Really people who make topics like andi said "Navie iz stoopid!! OMG!! :::killz navie:::" are only expressing their opinion in a n00bistic kinda way. I think they shouldnt be shot down but told to please act a little mature, since if you went into a chat of internet n00bs and saw the way they talked, its exactly like that. I know thats how I talked untill people at the ACO forums started to tell me nicely like "Dude thats annoying post with normal words...". Anyway let them talk with eachother about those topics, not everyone has 6243 posts you know... Yes there may be a lack of intelligence but this is a way to gain knowledge by taking in what other people say, that way everyone learns, and more intelligent discussions can be made. I say we let posts like that slide, just reply and say what you think maybe slip a note in there telling them to clear it up a little bit.

Originally posted by andi
as much as i completely agree with you, you still fail to see that the zelda forums can't exactly blossom without any more material to grow on, or without some EXTREME trudging through old information (namely, you'd have to start digging up the old oot alpha shots to try and get a good non 'fanfic'/literary discussion going in there at the moment...)

... :::doesn't think she's making sense at the moment... o_O:::

You are making sense.

And, if you'll read my post a bit more carefully, I say that one of the factors is the "cycle" of the boards, and the fact that there isn't a new Zelda game out.

But yeah, like I said, I know we can't lock every single topic, but the fact is that there are sometimes three topics that are so similar, they might as well be merged. Not only that, but while there is some potential for good discussion within them, all I see is one-sentence, less-than-twenty-word answers, spamming by saying things like "lol tahts a good idae". Many times it comes to re-stating the exact same thing a previous poster typed. This kind of thing should be unacceptable.

Zero_3, it has nothing to do with post count at all. Yes, they may be new to the Zelda community, so they may not know as much as DrZaius1 or anything, but they should at least have the common sense to speak...err, type using proper grammar and words that aren't spelled with a "z" every three letters. I've also seen a surprising lack of question marks when people are asking questions, adding to the confusion.

I know that the newbies should not be banned, and I did not state that they should (I said topics of that nature should be banned), or warned for that matter. However, they should be told by a moderator(s) to stop making such useless posts, threads, polls, etc.. I mean, a little encouragement goes a long way. I realize that many of these members will improve, but when? Some have been here for a less than a month yet have post counts in the hundreds. I know it took me at least two months to get a hundred posts at first, and it sure wasn't obtained by spamming up the Zelda boards.

Thats unusually unreasonable SearanoX. Now, if you can make absolute parameters by which to judge what a useless topic is, then feel free to do it. I will bet you, however, that it cannot be done. Firstly, you are going to be delievering a harrowing experience to newbies who have no way of knowing that a topic has been overdone. Secondly, "useless" is a highly subjective word. I certaintly don't want every topic to be your definition of "intellectual" or "stimulating" because that isn't fun either. Law has to be consistent and fair.

I completely understand what you are saying, but it comes out as ambiguous and impossible to enforce. Take two steps to remedy this. First, draft actual legislation that mods can use. I'm sorry, but you only increase hate for mods if you give them gestapo-like powers that need not be refrenced from the rules. Increased resentment to mods is certaintly not needed. Second, be specific. What will happen is some cases that are mild will be deleted, while certain extreme flauntings of this rule will be allowed to stand.

Be consistent. No more allowing topics outside of where they are supposed to be. No more exceptions for vets. Period. I know what I'm thinking if I'm a newb, why is this guy above the law, when my post, in the right place gets deleted for their subjective view of it. I have no problem with vets posting (a la Keds sig thread, or leaving/coming threads) in General Chit Chat, but if you want to get unreasonable in a crackdown, then be consistent. (you must hate that word by now).

I agree with you SearanoX. This is one of the most noobular forums that I am part of... I find it harder and harder each day to be part of an intense debate. However this is a huge community, and there is still plenty of intelligence.

^^^ No, Ive seen alot less noobish forums...But with far less people.

Of course, that is the price you have to pay for being such a large network of people ^^

What the real problem is with the Zelda boards is the strict l;ine placed by members of the forum who have been here longer than the ones who are trying to make posts inthe boards. People think they have good ideas or opinions, want other people to put there's in and the best that the people who think they know everything about the games can say is "thats stupid. Thats not how it is." Most of the time offering little to no explanation.

Who can't haev a good place to communcate if people only shoot eachothers' ideas down and don't explain why things might not be right. The real problem in there is people thinking they know everything there is to know about Zelda and when someone has a shoot of creativity getting told off.

Simply there are too many *******s for the discussions' own good. Face it, most of the people in there are stuck up jerks. And that is why those discussions suck. People aren't allowed to have ideas becasue as soon as they do, it's automatically wrong.

No explanations given? That's odd I'm seeing quite a few explanations being given to the newbies, who do not fight back at all, and generally submit to the opinion because they are wowed by the fact that someone could show them they are wrong. However, they're still making these threads, despite the fact that they have been proven wrong time after time.

I'll agree that most people there are jerks, though. Just look at nearly every argument there, and you'll see that each one is shot down by someone here like DrZaius1. Then they start flaming, spamming, contradicting themselves, running in circles, etc.. It's actually quite funny to see.

The thing is, by limiting these kind of useless topics and posts in there, we can either get the newbies to become more intellectual posters, or leave altogether. I prefer the former, but if they choose the latter, then, well, most people won't freak out if a few newbies leave.

If I see another "Wot about a Zelda Movie!" thread, I'll puke and die. But a nicer alternative is for me to roll my eyes and move on. Think of your forum life as dolled out in cat-years - you're not just a veteran user, you are older than those just coming in, even if you're just 14.

Being on the boards for a few years (or even a few months), gives you the chance to go through pretty much everything you've ever wanted to say about Zelda - usually in the first eight or nine posts. As I think andi said, it's a limited area of discussion. I was so excited about discussing the never-to-be Zelda movie when I first came. Now I'm all like, "Geeze, give it a rest." Because I've already gone through it.

I do think it would be a cool idea to have a Veteran Forum - a place for those of notable post-count, or whatever - hidden in the same way the Clan Forums are. And, as in the Clans, you'd either have to take a test, or be invited, to join. That way we'd develop a kind of oasis for those of us who've grown out of the regular boards but not each other.

In fact, if I ever start a website, that's what I'll do. I'll invite all y'all over to play, but only let the special folks in to the VIP toy room.

Slight correction on that - I'm 15, 16 in August.

As for the Veteran Forum, it;s been discussed countless times, and there was even one here awhile ago, but there was nearly little traffic in it, and people complained about how it was unfair that they got their own forum to use. And I agree that it's a good idea there isn't one. It would cause conflict between members, and would be a waste of space, seeing as how there is virtually nothing to discuss that can't be discussed in the other boards.

And if he had one, and used is good, the general chitchat would be taked over by the new, we would rather post in the Veteran forum then the general chitchat then.. And if only newbs posts one place, it becomes more and more boring, and in the end will will be left alone as veterans rotting in our own hole..
<_<
OK, maybe not so dramatic, but you understand wht I mean..

It's all a matter of someones opinion. There is no true "lack of intelligent" post.

Originally posted by XLinkX
I agree with you SearanoX. This is one of the most noobular forums that I am part of... I find it harder and harder each day to be part of an intense debate. However this is a huge community, and there is still plenty of intelligence.

i find that to be the case myself. though i may seem like a spammer myself, i really do try to put a cause to my posts, even when im just outright spreeing (y'all remember when i wanted to adopt ). i think, like andi said, that the newbs should be pointed to the older topic and have the new one locked, but not to be so darn strict about it. i myself look for quality threads each day to post in, but it is becoming increasingly hard, usually i just post in older threads i have participated in before to add onto what i have said previously, and as a result i have slowed down. the few topics that are half-decent are usually used out by the end of the week, and quality as they are, they are spammed in themself because of lack of quantity of these threads, and usually they are smoked out in a few days, a week is tops.

i too miss the days where there was less spam and more quality discussions, people are so immature these days...

Maybe there should be a board open for people with 100 or more posts and 1 or less warnings.

Originally posted by DiVinEDraGooN
Maybe there should be a board open for people with 100 or more posts and 1 or less warnings.

Riiiight. And if you had more than 1000 posts your opinion would be 10 times as much and you'd never back down if someone suggested otherwise.

You wanna know how long it takes an avid poster to get 100 posts? 3.5 days. 3...point 5....days.

w00tw00t! They managed not to spam!! No warnings!!

Yeah, I think I did that in my first week. And if I ever got an official warning, it was alongside of CIVILIZATION--nowhere else. It can be done.

Why did I go through all that? One, I am procrastinating on something which must be done within the next half hour. And two, there will not be a "veterans' board" or an "i'm better than you board" and especially not a "look I just stopped being a n00b, too!!!!11" board.

This isn't aimed at anyone in particular (well..that first "paragraph" is...) but just drop this idea of the so-called Veterans' Board. If anything will ever kill ZU, it'll be that.