On the subject of NSFW pics on the forum.

[Vault Dweller]

An unmoderated, rough-and-tumble RPG site with intellegent discussion is a great thing. Letting the Codex degenerate into a cesspool of unfunny, juvenile, pornographic 'gotchas' ain't.

Agree with every word.

 

[aweigh]

How's this. What if I threw in two options in the forum, next to the "You have X new messages", we have "Disable images in posts" (IE: Make Forum Work Safe Friendly) and "Enable images in posts". So if you're at work, you can click that and it'll disable all images in threads. Instead, it will show them as URL links.

Then when you're not at work, you can click on the "enable" link and the forum reverts to normal. It'd have benefits beyond just NSFW images including people on slow connections or people who just don't like encountering giant 1200 pixel wide images on their 800 pixel wide screen.

Thoughts?

Genius.

EDIT: I don't see any problems with linking all images in URL's either. Both options seem fine to me. However DarkUnderlords suggestion at least gives the illusion of freedom, which we all love so much in our games.

 

[Jason]

"How's this. What if I threw in two options in the forum, next to the "You have X new messages", we have "Disable images in posts" (IE: Make Forum Work Safe Friendly) and "Enable images in posts". So if you're at work, you can click that and it'll disable all images in threads. Instead, it will show them as URL links.

Then when you're not at work, you can click on the "enable" link and the forum reverts to normal. It'd have benefits beyond just NSFW images including people on slow connections or people who just don't like encountering giant 1200 pixel wide images on their 800 pixel wide screen.
"
That would be awesome. Do it. All you have to do is log in and press a button. It only takes 2 seconds to log in.

 

[Micmu]

I can't believe you people actually want to include NSFW img-s in your posts. God damnit, even when you're not at work some people don't want to see this shit on some RPG site, they just repel people off and are TOTALLY unnecessary.
What about JuvenileCodex subforum?

 

[Vault Dweller]

I can't believe you people actually want to include NSFW img-s in your posts.

I can't believe that either. I can't believe that we are arguing about the freedom of posting a dumb picture just because one feels like it, like our EX-friend Kamaz did who thought that disrupting this discussion with goatse is very funny.

What about JuvenileCodex subforum?

What about "the rest of the fucking internet"?

 

[Rat Keeng]

To be honest, I've seen offensive images displayed directly on the Codex maybe 2 or 3 times in the time I've been here (not counting the ones in this thread), and as far as I can remember, those times were in some shit threads that weren't worth replying to anyway. "Letting it degenerate into a cesspool..." seems a bit over the top, but I would like to see some of those decent threads that got degenrated by tubgoats in the past.

I'm awfully biased of course since I view the forums from home, but I still think disabling images is the better way to deal with this. Not that I really care if the images are linked or not, but you can't protect yourself against some idiot, who signs up, and makes a new topic with loads of tubbies and goatees and whatever else they consider disgusting these days. Plus, they don't have to be goatses to be unsafe for work, a regular chick pic/hentai fake Magic card, or a naked Morrowind wood elf tree sprite whatever-the-fuck isn't exactly safe either, so where's the line? I'm not against the linking-rule, but you need a clear definition of what's allowed and what's not.

Also, I honestly find some of those larping pictures that were posted far more horrifying than goatse or tubgirl. I'm sure that's because I'm used to those, but still, those bluepainted people in costumes, any sane boss would fire someone looking at those.

 

[LlamaGod]

I fucking hope that the difference between us and RPG Dot is not that we can post offensive images. If it is, I'll do my best to fix that and ban every stupid motherfucker who thinks that posting pictures is teh fun.

the difference is that we arnt a website filled with a bunch of pussies that never try to do anything besides friendly happy time discussion and posting

I'm not for posting images more then they are posted, but for being able to post things that could be 'offensive', no matter what they are.

The whole NSFW trend is retarded and like Rat Keeng said, what will be the line? It's subjective and things will just continue getting labeled NSFW for every retard that plays with fire.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I'm not for posting images more then they are posted, but for being able to post things that could be 'offensive', no matter what they are.

Being offensive for the sake of being offensive is kinda stupid, no?

The whole NSFW trend is retarded and like Rat Keeng said, what will be the line? It's subjective and things will just continue getting labeled NSFW for every retard that plays with fire.

Nobody is saying don't ever post anything at all. You have something to share? Use a link. Simple as that. That way people who are here for discussions don't need to stare at a stupid picture, and people who are here for the pictures, can click on every link they can find.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Patrick is 17. Deal with it.

 

[Nicolai]

Rex is almost 22 years old, better respect him.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

[17] <Spazmo> 16... 17... 18... 19... 20... 21... 22... DEATH (hopefully)

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Kamaz, you are a one dumb bitch. Have it your way.

It's nice to know we can have discussions about forum policy and then have you ignore it and implement your own ideology anyway, even though we seemingly haven't reached a decision (except for the fact that I see the poll has slightly gone in your favour this morning).

I remember Rex used to do that...

What's wrong with links again?

What's wrong with not opening threads titled "Hentai" and not reading threads which have clearly degenerated into a 4 page discussion about tubgirl, again?

 

[LlamaGod]

Patrick is 17. Deal with it.

I'm almost 19, you're two years older than I am. Whoopie.

 

[Nicolai]

Almost three.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I remember Rex used to do that...

Feel free to take my admin status away.

What's wrong with links again?

What's wrong with not opening threads titled "Hentai" and not reading threads which have clearly degenerated into a 4 page discussion about tubgirl, again?

How about opening a serious discussion like this one and seeing a giant anus and the following comments:

"I reallly wanted to do this here

Maybe some people allready tried this before me and got banned.

Lol"

Or half of the General RPG threads featuring penuses, twirling dicks, shemales, and other crap.

 

[Nicolai]

Also,

 

[Astromarine]

If the posting of tubgirl or goatseman REALLY gets you off to such a degree that you're willing to drive people away from the website so you can do it in peace, can you AT LEAST confine yourself to the General Forum? You can simply not excuse any posting of that lame crap in any of the specialized forums.

 

[Seven]

What's wrong with not opening threads titled "Hentai" and not reading threads which have clearly degenerated into a 4 page discussion about tubgirl, again?

I agree with you, but this is also one of the things I find stupid—who the fuck wants to see a 9 page thread about hentai and cartoon kiddie porn on the Codex? It's ridiculous. I'll grant you that maybe because I don't participate or post as much as I used to my opinion probably doesn't matter as much as more active members, but if the best that active members can come up with is, what kind of cartoon porn do you like then maybe there's a reason why the high content discussion has declined here. Let’s be honest, how many threads are about game mechanics or design—this is an RPG site, and we have to own up to that. No moderation worked when this was a small community, but now it’s pretty large and because of this you’re going to get assholes who post stupid shit like what food do you like—who the fuck cares? Do you remember Chrisbeddoes, didn’t he use to get flack every time he posted a stupid political link? Now every one does and no one cares. You probably won’t believe me but I’m sympathetic to no your stance, I just don’t see how it would be workable given the current state of a small number of members who are very active.

 

[kingcomrade]

Hey my food thread was respectable.

 

[aweigh]

Well if according to Seven we shouldn't talk about food, sex or politics, what the hell can we talk about then, considering there are no RPG's to talk about? Endless threads about what we wish games in a dead genre would have? How fun.

 

[Rat Keeng]

Let’s be honest, how many threads are about game mechanics or design—this is an RPG site, and we have to own up to that.

Heh, what do you suggest? Force-starting threads about serious subjects? Or maybe closing unrelated threads? I would think that these serious RPG-threads would get started if there was adequate demand for them. Considering the state of RPGs today, I can see why people would find it increasingly difficult, coming up with the motivation to keep discussing game mechanics.

 

[Avé]

Ban users for displaying shock images for the sake of it, no need for rpgcodex to turn into dac forums.

 

[SlavemasterT]

As I've said before, I support the linking rule. This isn't about freedom of expression, this is about defining the rules of a game.

Nobody wants to see these pictures. The only reason people link/post them is for the thrill of exposing others to something disgusting and disturbing. The pictures have no intrinsic value whatsoever - they are just part of a game.

Now, if there's going to be a game, then there damn well ought to be rules, and people ought to acknowledge that that's what this discussion is really about, not some bullshit about freedom of speech. At the moment, there are two propositions for the structure of the game: one where the pictures can be posted openly in a thread, thereby automatically exposing every reader to it, and one where the reader must be tricked into viewing the image.

I humbly submit that the first formulation is unsportsmanlike, and so unchallenging as to render the exercise merely pointlessly offensive. A game where you automatically win isn't a game. The second option actually pits the linker against the reader in a fair contest which both sides have a chance to win, which is how a game should be.

The people who want to post this crap openly in threads are, in my eyes, cheaters - they want to turn God-mode on and go on perverted little rampages whenever the whim takes them. Well, fuck them - the rest of us deserve a fighting chance to avoid exposure. No one's saying that the game itself has to be outlawed, just that it be fair.

 

[Shevek]

I've never been one to use gotcha images or really stupid juvenile banter. That being said, I find the thought of Codex getting all regulated to be fairly weak. If people come here they take a risk. That is just the way it is. That is part of this site's charm. I work around kids so I know not to browse here at work and am ok with that. People with similar concerns should use similar restraint.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

I remember Rex used to do that...

Feel free to take my admin status away.

Now you know damn well that's not what we're supposed to be about. Taking your admin status away would be daft considering the number of news tems and other contributions you make to the site. All I'm saying is everything needs to be done in moderation. Willy-nilly banning people because "You said so" isn't the way the Codex works or has EVER worked. That's exactly the sort of stuff Rex did when he banned Role-Player because he thought he was posting crap.

What's wrong with links again?

What's wrong with not opening threads titled "Hentai" and not reading threads which have clearly degenerated into a 4 page discussion about tubgirl, again?

How about opening a serious discussion like this one and seeing a giant anus and the following comments:

"I reallly wanted to do this here

Maybe some people allready tried this before me and got banned.

Lol"

Or half of the General RPG threads featuring penuses, twirling dicks, shemales, and other crap.

You edit it out. As I said, it's called moderation. It's what's worked in the past. Not every discussion is appropriate for tubgirl and in that case, you edit it out. Just like times when caveyboy was digging up threads and posting irrelevant crap on the end. We edited them or deleted them and warned him for posting "spam". But when it comes to a thread called "Hentai" and it's an 8 page discussion about tentacle rape, hey posting NSFW images seems appropriate.

... and you know what? Not everything at the RPGCodex should be about attracting developers, having serious debate about RPGs or converting TES Fans. Sometimes is nice just to be a bit stupid every once in a while. So what if the thread ends up in retardo land 5 pages later? At least it was a bit of fun and those involved had a laugh and enjoyed themselves. Hell, sometimes I come here wanting a serious discussion and all I can find is crap. Sometimes I open a thread about RPGs and find it's morphed into a thread about the war in Iraq. Sometimes I don't like it, other times I enjoy it and I join in.

It's all about choice and I'm all for giving users choice. Having an option to disable embedded images is a choice and contains many other benefits beyond NSFW. A blanket ban on all NSFW images as defined by the whims of the moderator of the day isn't going to work. What I think is safe may not be what you think is safe. Like-wise you may not care about an image in one thread while I might. Again, it's that whole moderation thing.

Some threads call for NSFW images just because it is a dumb thread and everyone knows it'll end up in Retardo Land, so why not join in the fun? Other times yes, it's completely inappropriate. Someone posts a giant tubgirl image in a thread which doesn't fit, completely out of kilter with the rest of the thread. Are we going to ban all stupid image posting though (like Rex's photo above)? No. Like-wise we shouldn't ban NSFW images just because we want the Codex to be child friendly. As always, you judge things as you come across them and if necessary, you move threads to retardo land. If necessary you edit out shock pictures. And if absolutely necessary (past example of POOPERSCOOPER posting tubgirl everywhere for no reason), you do ban people but as per what I thought was pretty much our only "rule", only after it's been discussed with the other moderators (past example of Saint asking if we should ban someone).

We sure as hell don't ban people because you implemented your own rule while the rest of the staff are still discussing it.

Let’s be honest, how many threads are about game mechanics or design

Quite a few actually. Mostly overwhelmed by Oblivion at the moment (IE: Buried in the Oblivion threads). I've been around various forums long enough to know things work in phases. You'll have the out of control tubgirl phase, then you have the "Serioz Discussionz" phase, then you have an Oblivion phase... and so on. The other thing to keep in mind is that we've discussed game mechanics to death on this forum. Most of the "regulars" have been around to participate in 5 or more such conversations. Starting new threads about it all again isn't exactly high on anyone's personal agenda. Again, it's just a phase the forum goes through.

No moderation worked when this was a small community, but now it’s pretty large and because of this you’re going to get assholes who post stupid shit like what food do you like—who the fuck cares?

That's why we created Retardo Land. I think Retardo Land is still the perfect place for "inappropriate" or just plain dumb threads to end up once they've run their course. I'm certainly not advocating tubgirl being allowed everywhere and every post getting chock full of NSFW images (or any other images for that matter). All I'm arguing is that it's handled on a case by case basis. Not with a blanket ban.