What do you think of The Escapist community as a whole?
- Thread starter IPunchWithMyFists
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My favourite community, everyone is allowed to have their own opinions and not get shouted at. There have been times when a troll would show but thankfully the mods here are good at what they do and will take care of it quickly. We are all a big family where we all love each other.
Except that Daystar Clarion guy, nobody likes him.
Except that Daystar Clarion guy, nobody likes him.
I don't know. I love this place, but whenever a large, easily offended community begins to emerge (the more volatile bronies, the Take Back Mass Effect 3 babies, Nintendo fanboys) they tend to flock here. When things are calm, everything's dandy. I guess I don't know what I'm on about.
Eh, they're good people for the most part. Passionate too, which is good for the most part, although it can lead to some unsavouryness at times.
Anyway, it's the best community I've been part of. And some credit should go to the mods too, they keep this place in a good balance.
Anyway, it's the best community I've been part of. And some credit should go to the mods too, they keep this place in a good balance.
On the whole, seems more mature than other video game boards, with a decent cross section of opinions. Yes, once in a while, something will come along (feminism/tropes vs. women in games, anyone?) that gets some people's dander up, but aside from a few bans, their biggest problem is often the same things keep getting said, rather than becoming full-bore flame wars.
So, far from perfect, but still rather pleasant.
So, far from perfect, but still rather pleasant.
I'm glad to be a part of this community. I'll brag a bit and say that I think we're a more open-minded and thoughtful bunch than NeoGaf, GameSpot, YouTube, IGN, Kotaku, Destructoid, 1UP (as it was ending), and, hmm... I'd say the Escapist is on top! Stupid does poke its little head around here sometimes, but I know there are some intelligent people here.
Only got 4 problems with this site.
1) The PC bias is almost palpable ... even made a thread about it not to long ago.
2) There is never just one thread about a subject, if a big gaming thing happens 50 threads in the next week will pop up all about the same thing. Anita whatserface released a new video? Cue another 50 threads, Mass effect ending? 50 threads please!
Which is quite easy to abuse if you want a badge that is like "get a thread with 50K views" or something 'cos you just start a thread about sexism or something about 3 months after the last one and boom, instant badge.
3) People take things WAY too literally, I like to use a healthy dose of hyperbole (as you have already seen) but a lot of times people just completely miss it and take me seriously ... maybe I need to use more to make it super blatantly obvious, even to the oblivious.
4) Is just me being a little bitter about a mod wrath but I honest to god got a warning for not typing " 're post", which is when I realized you can insult somebodies post but not them.
Other than them 4 things it's ok.
1) The PC bias is almost palpable ... even made a thread about it not to long ago.
2) There is never just one thread about a subject, if a big gaming thing happens 50 threads in the next week will pop up all about the same thing. Anita whatserface released a new video? Cue another 50 threads, Mass effect ending? 50 threads please!
Which is quite easy to abuse if you want a badge that is like "get a thread with 50K views" or something 'cos you just start a thread about sexism or something about 3 months after the last one and boom, instant badge.
3) People take things WAY too literally, I like to use a healthy dose of hyperbole (as you have already seen) but a lot of times people just completely miss it and take me seriously ... maybe I need to use more to make it super blatantly obvious, even to the oblivious.
4) Is just me being a little bitter about a mod wrath but I honest to god got a warning for not typing " 're post", which is when I realized you can insult somebodies post but not them.
Other than them 4 things it's ok.
Escapist is my favorite because it's a little on the over-sensitive side. Makes it easier to weed out the people that are just here to start shit. I've also heard we have some of the strictest rules, which kind of scares me. They boil down to exercising basic forethought and/or human decency, which honestly anyone can fail at including myself, but I'm always surprised when someone manages to screw themselves over 7+ times.
Try starting a thread titled "consoles are better" and see what happens ... the flames would be like hellfire in a furnace, in a volcano.IPunchWithMyFists said:
It is a definite pro-PC crowd here, feels a little like being second class gamer if you're a console gamer here.
Good group of people, which is why I finally caved and got my own account instead of lurking through my sisters for years.
There are some annoying people, but if you ignore them it's all good. I usually stay away from topics with many pages as that usually means there's many arguments inside and I don't want to bother reading all that and getting worked up.
I like how mature topics can be discussed openly without any feeling of something being taboo and no one calling anyone else out for weird fetishes or obsessions and so on. I like how people can openly state their opinions and experiences without judgements from others. Everyone's so open and accepting and they ask honest questions about things that anywhere else would get flamed and torn apart.
There are some annoying people, but if you ignore them it's all good. I usually stay away from topics with many pages as that usually means there's many arguments inside and I don't want to bother reading all that and getting worked up.
I like how mature topics can be discussed openly without any feeling of something being taboo and no one calling anyone else out for weird fetishes or obsessions and so on. I like how people can openly state their opinions and experiences without judgements from others. Everyone's so open and accepting and they ask honest questions about things that anywhere else would get flamed and torn apart.
It's a large crowd that sometimes shouts ridiculous or hilarious things (or both).
On a more detailed and serious note, I quite like it. I'm not a member of many forums, but I do have a habit of snooping around places to see what their crowds are like. Here people are reasonably level-headed, can actually formulate articulate arguments, aren't afraid of a joke, and for the most part, people respect the rules/guidelines. All good things. And as I'm typing this I realise that it's actually quite strange for me to feel so positive about a site that I have no person-to-person (as in messaging and suchlike) interaction within. For that, though, I have to go with the time honoured 'it's not you, it's me.'
On the downside, well, sometimes the threads get repetitive if people get stuck on a certain subject, but that happens most places I go. Can't really do much about them or the inevitable trolls and flame wars. It happens, and apparently we deal with it reasonably well.
So on the whole, yeah, fairly awesome community.
...and I did not mean to make a speech of that, but hey.
On a more detailed and serious note, I quite like it. I'm not a member of many forums, but I do have a habit of snooping around places to see what their crowds are like. Here people are reasonably level-headed, can actually formulate articulate arguments, aren't afraid of a joke, and for the most part, people respect the rules/guidelines. All good things. And as I'm typing this I realise that it's actually quite strange for me to feel so positive about a site that I have no person-to-person (as in messaging and suchlike) interaction within. For that, though, I have to go with the time honoured 'it's not you, it's me.'
On the downside, well, sometimes the threads get repetitive if people get stuck on a certain subject, but that happens most places I go. Can't really do much about them or the inevitable trolls and flame wars. It happens, and apparently we deal with it reasonably well.
So on the whole, yeah, fairly awesome community.
...and I did not mean to make a speech of that, but hey.
I like it here, it's my favorite community on the interwebz, but I have to say the thing that gets me most is the smugness that comes from some people's responses. Even if people are agreeing with each other it seems like you must agree with everything they say otherwise you have a debate on your hands. Or people seem to like to argue about how their personal needs are being stepped on by someone who isn't 100% like them when it comes to subjective ideals.
Someone prefers calling themselves an egalitarian instead of a feminist? Better start telling them how feminism is egalitarian and how they should label themselves as such because for some reason being egalitarian isn't good enough to me.
People like to play video games? Better start telling them how PCs are better and how they should come over to the master race, because I care so much about their personal gaming choices.
Someone likes to laugh at certain jokes? Better tell them how they shouldn't tell those jokes because I, personally, don't find them entertaining, so they better cater their humor to my needs.
And it goes on.
It's just shit like that that irks me every now and again, because it feels like people have to argue over the most trivial of things here. Yet, I keep coming back, because I like reading the opposing sides' arguments. It happens here more then anywhere else, where I find myself in a cognitive dissonance-- agreeing with one side while also agreeing with another, then going back to only agreeing with one side, then to the other, then both again. This site has really helped me shape my opinion on the world and people in general. In a way, the Escapist community has helped me mature, with its sometimes childish bickering.
Someone prefers calling themselves an egalitarian instead of a feminist? Better start telling them how feminism is egalitarian and how they should label themselves as such because for some reason being egalitarian isn't good enough to me.
People like to play video games? Better start telling them how PCs are better and how they should come over to the master race, because I care so much about their personal gaming choices.
Someone likes to laugh at certain jokes? Better tell them how they shouldn't tell those jokes because I, personally, don't find them entertaining, so they better cater their humor to my needs.
And it goes on.
It's just shit like that that irks me every now and again, because it feels like people have to argue over the most trivial of things here. Yet, I keep coming back, because I like reading the opposing sides' arguments. It happens here more then anywhere else, where I find myself in a cognitive dissonance-- agreeing with one side while also agreeing with another, then going back to only agreeing with one side, then to the other, then both again. This site has really helped me shape my opinion on the world and people in general. In a way, the Escapist community has helped me mature, with its sometimes childish bickering.
An overall intelligent group that is mostly capable of civil discussion and interesting debates. I think misguided angst hijacks the forum from time to time (feminism, gender politics, etc.) but for the most part it's a good place to have an interesting discussion.
The community takes itself too seriously.
If there is an opportunity for the entire forum to get flooded, for weeks at a time, with seventeen page threads (filled with everyone quoting each other going 1. You're wrong 2. I'm right) about some argument that has no right answer, you take it. And then two months later you take it again.
Feminism, girls in gaming, anger toward rape references, oppressions, double standards, friends zones, police, gun rights, sexuality in gaming, lump stereotypes (and have mercy on our souls if those stereotypes are men vs. women), death penalties, objectification, lightheartedness of any issues stated as 'worsening a problem'.
I thought Religion and Politics was bad, but at least Religion and Politics keeps their issues relevant and keeps it within their forums. I hate coming onto Off-Topic, expecting to talk about the new movie I just watched, and I see melodrama that sticks to the front for weeks.
If there is an opportunity for the entire forum to get flooded, for weeks at a time, with seventeen page threads (filled with everyone quoting each other going 1. You're wrong 2. I'm right) about some argument that has no right answer, you take it. And then two months later you take it again.
Feminism, girls in gaming, anger toward rape references, oppressions, double standards, friends zones, police, gun rights, sexuality in gaming, lump stereotypes (and have mercy on our souls if those stereotypes are men vs. women), death penalties, objectification, lightheartedness of any issues stated as 'worsening a problem'.
I thought Religion and Politics was bad, but at least Religion and Politics keeps their issues relevant and keeps it within their forums. I hate coming onto Off-Topic, expecting to talk about the new movie I just watched, and I see melodrama that sticks to the front for weeks.
I don't really frequent other forums, this one is some good shit.
I've looked around other sites when I've been researching things and the stuff I read was just... vile.
There's a few batty creases around here though, I did see something in the R&Ps forum that made me NOPE the fuck out of their because even attempting to argue would be futile, I knew off the bat they thought their opinion was the right one.
Apart from those sort of people who usually stay in the R&P section and the 100s of repeat threads, it's pretty good.
Props to (most) of the mods doing a good job! This place seems much more well grounded and sane than some sites.
I've looked around other sites when I've been researching things and the stuff I read was just... vile.
There's a few batty creases around here though, I did see something in the R&Ps forum that made me NOPE the fuck out of their because even attempting to argue would be futile, I knew off the bat they thought their opinion was the right one.
Apart from those sort of people who usually stay in the R&P section and the 100s of repeat threads, it's pretty good.
Props to (most) of the mods doing a good job! This place seems much more well grounded and sane than some sites.
I think there's plenty of assholes, plenty of good people, plenty of assholes pretending to be good people, plenty of good people pretending to be assholes. That sometimes the assholes act good, and the good people sometimes act like assholes. So in other words, it's just like every other community, if better balanced.
I think it thinks too much of itself.
Anyone else remember the words, 'last bastion of intelligence on the internet'? Yes, those were often uttered here about this place, totally seriously. Takes a certain level of delusion to believe that shit. And yeah, the immense Pro-PC slant gets on my wick too.
That said, the community as a whole is still a generally good bunch of people. Just not noticeably more than any other moderated gaming website.
Anyone else remember the words, 'last bastion of intelligence on the internet'? Yes, those were often uttered here about this place, totally seriously. Takes a certain level of delusion to believe that shit. And yeah, the immense Pro-PC slant gets on my wick too.
That said, the community as a whole is still a generally good bunch of people. Just not noticeably more than any other moderated gaming website.