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Why No General Chit-Chat, Guys?

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Well I tend to post in both sections but I much prefer it down here. I don't know about the other consoles board, but the Nintendo and Retro ones are more friendly and inviting that the general ones.

 

For starters, there are less egos down here. People for the most part want to get along but are happy to have an interesting discussion where they don't always agree. Which is a big change from the "I'm going to make my point and not shut up until everyone knows it and no I'll never care about your opinion so don't waste my time writing it" mentality which comes across with certain posters up there.

 

Here, anyone can jump in on a topic and make a contribution - they could be a day old member or have been here from the beginning. They get brought into the conversation very quickly and their comments will be read with the same level of interest.

 

Up there, it's not the same. I see posts where members make good points but the get glossed over so the same select group of people can continue to monopolize threads. And then when one of them eventually gets round to making the same comment that was missed previously, they'll get a million thanks for it or people will say how insightful it was.

 

And don't you dare voice an opinion that goes against one them or you'll get a response that could snap a thesaurus like a twig.

 

For me, it was never the thread sizes that put me off speaking, it was reading the comments of the more frequent posters. They were far more off putting than anything else.

 

I make posts in the general thread to try and maintain a somewhat active presence so that when I do have something I want to say, it won't get passed over. I don't have the benefit of having a particular character quirk or being female to automatically get everyone's attention over even the most inane of comments.

 

I could get my legs cut off and I might generate one reply. If I were someone else, I could sneeze and start a stampede of comments that would lead to a thread rip.

 

Basically, for me, it's not so much the contents of the threads (though I do prefer to talk about games) that puts me off, it's just that everyone down here is generally a lot nicer - there are a couple of exceptions of course but it's a worthy trade off.

 

Haha It's hard to disagree with a lot of that. I think a lot of it stems down to the fact that alot of these guys have each other added on msn and facebook and what not, and have had meetups and stuff so they know each other better. So it's inevitably going to get a bit cliquey. Some members up there are plain and simply attention seeking whores though. It seems to get yourself heard up there you gotta go in shouting and fighting with someone.

 

To be fair it's been a bit better since the mega-threads have disappeared. There are a lot of threads that don't interest me personally up there but that's just me.

 

I'm more at home in the gaming sections myself. I love how about 5 or 6 of us are loyal "name a game" thread participants. We argue, but it never gets insulting, never gets awkward and everyone is heard.

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Captain speaks the truth. I'm not complaining that I'm put off by the things he is, and I'm probably a contributing factor, but he's right on the money.

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Captain speaks the truth. I'm not complaining that I'm put off by the things he is, and I'm probably a contributing factor, but he's right on the money.

 

In fact, you're probably a good example Diageo.

 

When you joined, you were always down here in gaming boards, particularly the Smash Bros threads and not so much up in General. And I bet none of the few posts you made up there were given any really notice.

 

Now you have the purple colour and post all over the place. You're making a lot of noise and the level of attention it generates you has increased substantially.

 

You even got the Spammer Award, which is practically the award for useless posts by any other name, but it doesn't matter because when you speak now, a lot more people are listening.

 

But it's what you had to do to get to that level. You could probably ease off for a bit now with the posting and be fine. You have your "thing" and we all know your posts whether we can see your name next to them or not.

 

I don't mean it as an insult or anything - it's just an observation of how someone suddenly became very popular.

Edited by Captain Falcon

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Don't worry man, you're right.

 

When I first got here I was trying to be as nice as possible so I could be accepted into this cool new community I discovered. I didn't want to cross anyone and noticed all the things you were talking about with your first post. Then I gradually began to sink in more and noticed some people actually responded to me, mainly Dannyboy and Rez that I can remember. And eventually I felt like I could loosen up a bit. Turns out though that my real life charm doesn't translate well to written text and I come off very blunt. I also got bored of seeing some people expressing their opinion like it was better than everyone else's, and thought I should express my opinion too, no point being in the background. What's the worst than can happen if I say what I really think, some people on the internet won't like me? So what. The whole purple thing was kind of a coincidence but I wasn't afraid to stand out any more. Then I got a lot of a attention when I spoke out about subjectivity and objectivity and then loads when I went against santa claus. For a while I thought, crap, being myself gets a lot of attention, and a lot of negative attention too. Maybe I should revert, I pondered. But then I remembered how boring it was back when I stood back. And I love myself a good argument.

 

But yeah, I agree that the general board has a lot more negativity than the wii board.

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I had noticed that before, the cliquey nature of Gen Chit Chat, but I didn't pay much mind, because for each jerk, there's a reasonable person around.

 

I tend to look for the best in anything (and ignore the worst), which is why this issue might've passed me by, but I can see why some would feel bothered. Sometimes people do take their own opinion as fact.

 

@Diageo: I do think you should stick to your opinion. In the Santa Claus debate, I disagreed with you, but you were taking so much crap from everyone, I was actually about to defend you. By standing by your opinion, you got a few respect points from me, actually.

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Sometimes people do take their own opinion as fact.

 

I'm fairly sure I know of whom you speak there ;)

 

 

But it is very cliquey and certainly feels like there is a tier system at play with people trying to get to the top of it. As I said, being female, having a quirk or being a bit of an arse is a sure fire way to get you up it. Or being a total try hard and attention seeker. I can't be female and god help me if I ever become any of the rest.

 

I don't feel the need to flaunt my friendships with people on here in open public. I keep it to PMs, MSN, the phone or whatever other means I have at my disposal. If I want to have a discussion with them, Ill have it in private, not clog some forum up with posts knowing full well I have an easier way of speaking to them.

 

But there are people like Diageo mentioned who are most inviting. Tellyn joked that Rez scares people off but in fact, he does more to bring people in than anybody and does a lot to unite people up there by willing being the joke that everyone can get behind to make fun off. He doesn't care - he's making people laugh and bringing harmony with it.

 

 

I wish there was a general chat board just for the gamers as these are the people I'd actually like to have conversations with about games and everything else.

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Other consoles is where the cool guys go too.

 

The Wii Board is where people who aren't bothered about being cool go - that's why we get along so well.

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But it is very cliquey and certainly feels like there is a tier system at play with people trying to get to the top of it. As I said, being female, having a quirk or being a bit of an arse is a sure fire way to get you up it. Or being a total try hard and attention seeker. I can't be female and god help me if I ever become any of the rest.

 

Hmm what? I have to disagree there. Unless you're a new female, you won't really get more attention as a girl. Unless you go posting nude pictures of course. But I still have to "fight" to get my opinion heard, and my posts get overlooked as much as others. Probably one of the reasons why I post less, as there's not much point.

 

As for the cliques, I guess you get those everywhere? I'm sure here in the gaming boards there's cliques too. I can't really speak about them as I don't "belong" to any heh. Seeing as there's only two people from N-E I speak to, one being Jim and the other being someone who doesn't post (much). =P

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The Wii Board is where people who aren't bothered about being cool go - that's why we get along so well.

 

It was a joke, that post you just made pretty much answered this whole thread.

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Hmm what? I have to disagree there. Unless you're a new female, you won't really get more attention as a girl. Unless you go posting nude pictures of course. But I still have to "fight" to get my opinion heard, and my posts get overlooked as much as others. Probably one of the reasons why I post less, as there's not much point.

 

As for the cliques, I guess you get those everywhere? I'm sure here in the gaming boards there's cliques too. I can't really speak about them as I don't "belong" to any heh. Seeing as there's only two people from N-E I speak to, one being Jim and the other being someone who doesn't post (much). =P

 

Being new helps - being single helps even more. But you have to post too. It's just that certain things help and that's one off them. In a predominantly male forum it's natural for it to happen. Nude pictures would probably do more harm than good but a picture of you looking nice with a bit of make up on, if you require it, in the pictures thread certainly would improve your chances.

 

I spend a lot of time in both places and I wouldn't say there are any cliques down here - at least nothing overtly obvious. We know people know each other in real life, or play online a lot together, but we don't beat each other over the head with it.

 

The only thing that comes marginally close to one is the DKC brigade. It's not some impenetrable fortress though. You either like DKC and chat with them about it or you don't. And even if you don't, that's still no reason not to talk to them about it. Because they like hearing what people have to say.

 

You say you have to fight to get your opinion heard. Up there you most certainly do. Over here? Not at all.

 

Down here, there are only posts. Up there, there are only faces.

 

So why don't you come down here and spend more time with us? Even your none posting friend makes an appearance every now and again down here :)

 

It was a joke, that post you just made pretty much answered this whole thread.

 

I speak only for myself and my post itself was meant in a light hearted fashion - much like yours. You assumed I didn't read your joke when in fact it was that you didn't read mine.

Edited by Captain Falcon
Automerged Doublepost

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I'd post here but to be honest, I don't really have much to say about games. Especially Wii ones. I simply don't have the time to play them, and even when I do I don't feel like I have much to say about them.

 

I come in here (and the DS forum) sometimes to read some threads though, mostly about the games that interest me. But if I don't have the games myself and people are going on and on about them and posting their progress and game spoilers, then I stop reading heh.

 

Maybe if someday I have more time for games again I will post more in the gaming boards. But I guess for now I'll stick to just reading the occasional thread/posts.

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As I said, being female, having a quirk or being a bit of an arse is a sure fire way to get you up it.

 

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2010 Member OTY ReZ

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I'd post here but to be honest, I don't really have much to say about games. Especially Wii ones. I simply don't have the time to play them, and even when I do I don't feel like I have much to say about them.

 

I come in here (and the DS forum) sometimes to read some threads though, mostly about the games that interest me. But if I don't have the games myself and people are going on and on about them and posting their progress and game spoilers, then I stop reading heh.

 

Maybe if someday I have more time for games again I will post more in the gaming boards. But I guess for now I'll stick to just reading the occasional thread/posts.

 

Well I understand threads about games you don't own or aren't interested in aren't going to see much Eenuh presence and that's fair enough. As someone who tends to pick up games on day one, I stop looking at threads of games that have been released and I don't own as I rarely go back and purchase them and if I did, I wouldn't want the spoilers although it's rare to ever see one outside of spoiler box.

 

I only say post more because we welcome all posts providing they aren't flame worthy because the only thing that isn't tolerated is purposely trolling comments and why should they be - it only leads to arguing and that's not what we are hear for.

 

If you have nothing to say, then it would be difficult to post. But just know that when you do, we will all be listening... and it's not because you're female ;)

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Thanks. =P

 

I think the thing is that it takes me ages to play my games, or sometimes I don't get games until way later (like I got A Boy and his Blob recently), so it's kinda difficult to join in on threads about those games. By the time I am (finished) playing them, the threads are already old and buried haha.

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Up there, it's not the same. I see posts where members make good points but the get glossed over so the same select group of people can continue to monopolize threads. And then when one of them eventually gets round to making the same comment that was missed previously, they'll get a million thanks for it or people will say how insightful it was.
Yep, happens to me all the time!

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Thanks. =P

 

I think the thing is that it takes me ages to play my games, or sometimes I don't get games until way later (like I got A Boy and his Blob recently), so it's kinda difficult to join in on threads about those games. By the time I am (finished) playing them, the threads are already old and buried haha.

 

 

Well to that I would say don't be afraid of bumping a thread. The Muramasa one recently had jolt and has enjoyed some fresh comments and people relaying their experiences. If it's dead and buried, it just means it's waiting to be rediscovered again. Why can't you be the person who finds it? :)

 

Yep, happens to me all the time!

 

I know, I've seen it. I've seen it happen to other people and I've experienced it myself to.

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Gee Cap'n, I never figured you an N-europe social experts:laughing:

 

To me, the General Chit-Chat is just all over the place. THere's so much to read, so much to discuss that I usually just focus on one thread if I make a post in that area at all.

Of course, you seem like fun guys and gals, but I came here for the gaming community; and the bumping of ol' threads such as Little King's Story or Paper Mario and The Thousand Year Door (haven't quite found that one yet ::shrug: )

 

What I find interesting though, is why this thread was made?

 

Is there a need for fresh [non-gaming] silliness and opinions over there?

Rez's penis getting ol' and saggy?

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Gee Cap'n, I never figured you an N-europe social experts:laughing:

 

 

What I find interesting though, is why this thread was made?

 

Well, an expert might be pushing it a bit...

 

It's just that this is what I've observed over my time being here. And this is of course only my opinion on things - I'm sure someone up there would have a different view. But I'm getting the feeling I'm certainly not alone in my way of thinking.

 

Well Scoop explains in his first post about the different people who post in the various sections and what keeps one set from going into the other. Given he's posted it up there too, it will be interesting to see some of the opinions being posted there and how much they differ to these ones.

 

I guess he was wondering whether it's just that the social people don't want to talk about games and the gamers don't want to talk about anything else or if there was a deeper reason for the obvious division... which I would argue is the case for some people such as myself.

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Up there, it's not the same. I see posts where members make good points but the get glossed over so the same select group of people can continue to monopolize threads. And then when one of them eventually gets round to making the same comment that was missed previously, they'll get a million thanks for it or people will say how insightful it was.

 

I don't think anyone else has made note of this point, but I totally agree with it.

 

lololol. Seriously though, Cap'n seems to be bang on the money with things I never even considered before, very astute. Personally I try and float all the forums, and check about 6 of them on a semi-regular basis, but often there's not much that interests me to post in. 'General' topics however can generally have a much more general appeal, General. I'm not sure if you always need to have a 'thing' to get noticed, but I can understand where you're coming from with the point.

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The Falcon raises good points, especially the point about posts going un-read/not being seen. It does seem very much that you have to have a particular personality to "stand out", but then, does everybody want to "stand out", as such? I think a large amount just like to post, have their say and then read what others think. Although, it is very difficult to take part in a discussion if certain posts aren't read, etc.

 

Personally, I think I'm one of these ones who tends to wander about anyway. I don't really go into Creative, The Playground or Tech Talk. I stick to Wii and General, and sometimes Retro and DS. That's what I usually post in, but I tend to read pretty much every post anyway. It's a shame that the Wii board isn't a bit more lively. I remember posting about Punchout recently and that thread has received something like 3 posts in a year. Whereas ExciteTruck earlier in its lifetime had quite a large following on this board.

 

There's a cult and loyal Wii following on here which is great (and you guys know who you are) but it's a shame that there isn't a larger crowd. I'd love to talk about Muramasa but there doesn't seem to be a lot of interest, which is a shame. Although, I am perhaps too late to get any real discussion going, as people have played it and moved on.

 

As for people sticking to their respective boards: Well, people will post if they think its worth posting. I never post in tech talk because I haven't got a lot to say there and the subjects which get talked about don't interest me. So, I don't. In general, the thread I mostly post in is the football thread anyway.

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The Falcon raises good points, especially the point about posts going un-read/not being seen. It does seem very much that you have to have a particular personality to "stand out"

 

Basically this.

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Another little thing is TRY to be nice to newer members, you don't get them ALL that often to be honest :) I've seen it happen in general loads of times. They start getting pounded by a lot of "in-jokes" and stuff. Also giving out to them for posting too many threads and stuff. This could be their very first forum!?

 

Not a big deal just something to keep note of :) In general though being ignored for another person with a "bigger" personality happens in real-life conversations too. Always pisses me off when someone repeats a joke I've said louder than me and get's a laugh.

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Hmm, a lot of good points guys...

 

I do post here and there, now with the aid of the handy New Posts function :D Still, I'm not that frequent a poster anyway, one reason being this:

 

But I still have to "fight" to get my opinion heard, and my posts get overlooked as much as others. Probably one of the reasons why I post less, as there's not much point.

 

Yeah, there are so many voices and opinions going on already in GCC, many of which are so established that getting noticed would really take some fervent posting, and for maximum effect, with a gimmick of some sort, like Cap'n already mentioned. I just want to post and share, that's all...and like everyone else, get replies and make a connection with other people. If this requires something else than just being myself, I don't see the point...Also, when I write, I do tend to take my time and enjoy crafting and fine-tuning my posts to create something at least semi-awesome ;D However, it's a sea of posts here like in any forum really, so quantity > quality. I guess I could always start an English blog as well...

 

Still, I can def see a pattern here in regard to how I've been in real life as well. Usually, the more people there have been already taking part in a discussion, the quieter I've been, just listening...Letting the other people direct the discussion with their energy. Very passive...What I really want, however, is to be active and give my share, talk about things I'm interested in as well...

 

Anyway, I do prefer the positiveness of the gaming boards...they just feel more cozy and friendly. Sharing great gaming memories and music, hyping upcoming titles, raving about the latest masterpieces and one's online adventures, naming those games, all in good-will and with a bunch of smiles :) The overall vibe is very positive, thanks guys and gals!

 

I wish there was a general chat board just for the gamers as these are the people I'd actually like to have conversations with about games and everything else.

 

What an interesting idea... :D Glad there are retro discussions as well' date=' since I'm not really gaming that much anymore...

 

Another little thing is TRY to be nice to newer members, you don't get them ALL that often to be honest I've seen it happen in general loads of times. They start getting pounded by a lot of "in-jokes" and stuff. Also giving out to them for posting too many threads and stuff. This could be their very first forum!?

 

Yeah...maybe we should direct introductions to the gaming boards instead? That's why they've come here in the first place, right? :D

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