Melon
Banned
Let me preface this whole post by saying this is in no way, shape, or form, an 'official' guide or anything remotely close to it. I am nothing short of a mediocre shitposter most of the time. With that said, however, I feel like the newer (and some old) members struggle when it comes to gauging what exactly the forum's culture is, and how to contribute to it; so I decided to make a simple little guide for people that may need it. Below will be sections breaking down points I'd like to make, and attempt to make them as clear and concise as possible. Thanks in advance for giving my guide a read!
Part I: The Culture
Wow, that was a lot more typing than I am usually comfortable with! I'm sure my two last remaining brain cells will want to kill me later. Thanks again for giving my little guide a read, and I hope it was at least somewhat helpful.
Part I: The Culture
NeoGAF, compared to its counterparts, is a lot more relaxed in terms of the allowed topics and discussions. People are a lot more free to speak their minds (to an extent) without the worry of facing unjust punishment via a lynch mob. There have been 'witch hunts' on this site, as it is inevitable for a forum of this size and capacity, but they are quickly shut down and discouraged. The moderation here is strict but fair. Don't be an outright asshole and you're usually good. I think one of the biggest issues the forum faces is the inability to distinguish the difference between banter and legitimate attacks of character. So I will be breaking it down for you on a technical level and provide examples.
- Banter- a playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks
- An example: You and your friend are very close and like to pick on each other in good fun. No low-blow remarks, just simple, funny jabs.
- Personal Attack- an abusive remark on or relating to somebody's person
- An example: Someone you do not like is very sensitive about a topic due to certain circumstances, so you intentionally bring it up as a way to upset them.
While we all can get caught up in the heat of the moment, it is best to avoid personally attacking someone when you are trying to get a point across. You will never sway someone over to your point of view by going for low-blows. Another issue I see a lot is people not knowing who is okay to banter with and who is not. While I know this is the internet and formalities shouldn't matter all that much, I do think it is wise to be aware of who we are bantering with. Bantering with the wrong person can lead to unneeded arguments and fights. Take the type of discussion you're participating in into consideration when knowing if the use of banter is okay or not.
Part II: Making Quality Threads/PostsI've seen several complaints lately about the lack of solid topics and discussions and how the amount of shitposting topics are on the rise. I can see where you get that idea, and agree with you to an extent. We are still getting good topics, but the shitposting threads are more 'loud'. They are like a neon-pink sign brightly displaying "LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME." That's all they are, really, an attention-grab. Below are some ways to combat those flashy shitpost topics.
- Make eye-catching thread titles
- Make the title of your thread something that would easily pique someone's interest without being too obnoxious. If you are going for a more serious-toned topic avoid using clickbaity titles to counter the number of shitposters you get in your thread.
- Post topics no-one else has done
- While I know this forum is several years old and overlapping thread ideas are inevitable, try your best to be original. People are less inclined to take your thread seriously if it's already been done a million times. If you DO want to post about something that's already been discussed, try and put a spin on it to provide a sense of newness.
- Provide sources and references
- If you are trying to make a serious claim in your thread make sure to provide sources and links. People will not take you seriously if you make a post about an issue without anything to back it.
- Be open to constructive criticism
- Making a hot topic isn't always easy and you may not get the results you anticipated. If people tell you how you could have done the thread better (in a nice way) listen to them. It's all a learning experience.
- Don't give up
- Try not to let yourself get too down if your thread doesn't garner as much as activity as you were hoping for. Some topics are going to be hit-or-miss. That's just how it works. Keep up with your regular posting, and you'll eventually get that Shangri-La thread you've always wanted.
While I don't think the above points will be the cure-all of the unnecessary shitposting threads, I think it will at least help some.
Part III: MiscellaneousBelow are important points I wanted to make that didn't fit into any of the sections above.
- Be welcoming
- Not every member will fit in right off the bat, so try to be more welcoming and inclusive with newbies. It may seem simple and tedious, but it goes a long way in terms of growing and maintaining our userbase. People will want to come back if the users make them feel involved with the community!
- The mods are people too
- This may seem like a silly point to make, but you'd be surprised at how often I've seen people mistreat mods and expect them to act a certain type of way. While I know it's just part of their job to handle people giving them shit, you never know what they're going through in the real world. It's important to remember that there's a person behind that account, not a machine.
- Don't take anything too personally
- Some people can deflect any shit thrown their way online, but not everyone is capable of doing that. I know I'm sure as hell not. People can say some really mean and cruel shit on the internet, but it's important to remember that it's just that, the internet. Some people say rude shit just for the sake of being rude. Don't take what they say to heart.
- You come first
- Online friends are amazing, and in my opinion, can be just as good as real-life ones. With that said, however, we cannot substitute for real-life comfort, treatment, help, etc. If you are in a dark spot, log off for a while and take a break. DO NOT invest all your time and energy into the site. That is how you get burnt out. Take care of yourself.
Wow, that was a lot more typing than I am usually comfortable with! I'm sure my two last remaining brain cells will want to kill me later. Thanks again for giving my little guide a read, and I hope it was at least somewhat helpful.
- Melon
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