General AdultSwim.com Discussion

[Ominotigre]

The campers in Rants, Babbling, and IB, and their respective discussion styles, are rather interchangeable.
At most, the only thing that actually makes the individual folders different from one another, aside from post volume, is each one's particular flavor of humor. They all talk about the same things in similar fashions.
I'm not concerned in the slightest about how people from the different folders will mix, as once you take away the labels, everyone will be on the same footing. No more home for the campers. Take away the pretentious aggression from Rants, and you have Babbling. Take away the "+1" posting from IB, and you have Babbling. The only problem lies in fitting so much post volume into one folder.

[KaptKrunch]

I agree with irv that the folders are pretty different, and I post in all three regularly.  And it's not something that you can say "well they all have similar thread topics" or "they all have similar maturity levels" or "they're the same with different cliques".  It's a lot more intangible than that.

And, personally, that's what I like about the message board.  I like that there are different places I can go depending on my mood, rather than the actual topic I feel like discussing.  I like that there are extremes in terms of pace and coherence.  Sure, there are campers, but big deal.  I'd rather allow for that variety of personality and mood than try to force everyone into a smaller mold.  I can't understand why anyone wouldn't.

Message Edited by KaptKrunch on 06-30-2006 12:28 AM

[capt_taco]

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Retardobuster wrote:

Concerns over traffic and the "maturity" of IB campers aside, the only real one I can see (and one I admittedly have forgotten in the past) is what will happen when cliques collide. I hope and think we can ride that out without much strife.

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That's still a stupid problem for them to bring on themselves (and on us), for the simple reason that they didn't have to do it. So, negative credit for them on that one.

Despite the fact that some people say getting rid of [noise] won't be that bad, I have yet to see anyone give any reasonable explanation of what, exactly, the positive benefits will be. I hear people say things like, "I don't care if IB goes," or "relax, it won't be that bad," but look carefully. No one seems to have any concrete idea about what will be better under the new folder structure. Though there are dozens of very tangible complaints about what will be worse.

As far as I can tell, the enthusiasm of the people who are glad about the [noise] change is based on a hope and a prayer. The anger of the opposite crowd is based on concrete, specific gripes.

Is the new GD folder going to make people become more interesting? Will it go more smoothly? Will it make me get along with people better? Probably not. I'm not going to support something that has no obvious benefits for either the community or the site owners.

[duzitickle]

maybe we'll all surprise ourselves and get along splendidly.
(it could happen)

[VashVSGoku]

It will happen.

Eventually.

But this place wont be able to contain my insanity any longer.

Which is sad.

[duzitickle]

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VashVSGoku wrote:

But this place wont be able to contain my insanity any longer.

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you may surprise yourself..

[capt_taco]

Eventually, maybe we'll get along... but how is that better than it is now? See what I mean? Getting rid of Noise only seems OK to people who look at the possibly of breaking even as a positive thing.

[The_2nd_Baked_Potato]

I hope the [AS] GD turns out like Gaia's GD...

[VashVSGoku]

I say the majority of the people who are for that change...just say it to **bleep** people off.

Cause like you said...they give no concrete reasoning to why they say it.

[duzitickle]

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VashVSGoku wrote:

I say the majority of the people who are for that change...just say it to **bleep** people off.

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not at all..
im for it cuz ther's folks ive never met here..
id like to meet new friends..
(but if i venture into the other noise folders..
its a little scary.. babbling is ok.. but only cuz of
the babblers who have come to IB talk to me there..
rants just feels bad to me.. i get ignored, or jumped..
no happy medium there at all for me..)

[Ominotigre]

I love the folder structure the way it is.
I'm just trying to cast a positive light on the inevitable. We may eventually convince Admin on the necessity for sub-folders in General, but that will only happen after General fails to settle down, due to uncontrollable traffic. That could take months. After all, it took them almost a year to remedy the stupid flash clouds and login that people were complaining about the day they implemented it.

[Ominotigre]

You used to post a lot in Babbling. I thought you got a long well with everyone.

[capt_taco]

Personally, I wish everyone would just boycott all the new features until they come to their senses about ranks and Noise. That might do the trick.

[Crimm]

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KaptKrunch wrote:

I agree with irv that the folders are pretty different, and I post in all three regularly.  And it's not something that you can say "well they all have similar thread topics" or "they all have similar maturity levels" or "they're the same with different cliques".  It's a lot more intangible than that.

And, personally, that's what I like about the message board.  I like that there are different places I can go depending on my mood, rather than the actual topic I feel like discussing.  I like that there are extremes in terms of pace and coherence.  Sure, there are campers, but big deal.  I'd rather allow for that variety of personality and mood than try to force everyone into a smaller mold.  I can't understand why anyone wouldn't.

Message Edited by KaptKrunch on 06-30-2006 12:28 AM

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I really hate to do the "quote posts," but you need to get the **bleep** out of my head!

Anyway: There is a reason I don't want a singular GD, beyond this.

When I want to discuss video games I go to forums that are drawn around that collective concept.  I'm not talking about 1up.com or ign.com.  The same goes for movies, music, and TV.  There are forums out there that are slower, non-corporate, that allow for "discourse" around those topics.

Created May 2004: "Gumpei Yokoi had a fairly clear vision when designing the GameBoy.  Given what we know about the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS which handhold is closer to his pioneering vision for handheld gaming?  Why?" 

I don't think that kind of discussion is interesting for many people here, but I enjoyed it greatly.  I also now think I was dead wrong (thankfully the thread is gone).  To be honest, it's a pretty esoteric question, and kind of stupid.

*Admission: I have made 6 video game related threads [here] that I can remember right off.

Those things really haven't been interesting for me here, nearly as much as other threads.  However, the layout of 3 noise folders lets me see everything available fairly easily.  If we made topical folders I COULD avoid the related folders full time, but I might miss the odd thread that would really get my interest. 

Topical folders would be much more numerous and really wouldn't accomplish the goals of administration.  It would give us MORE places to NOT talk about AS.  It would also make it harder to find the thread that interests me.

Similarly, pasteurizing three fairly distinct folders takes away a lot of variety and replaces it with something that I personally would find too fast to enjoy.  Once again, the end result would be missing a lot of threads that interest me.

Having a few folders creates different environments in which threads (even those with the same topic) can develop distinctly.  Removing that would be tantamount to removing a lot of this site's personality.

Message Edited by Crimm on 06-30-2006 02:08 AM

[duzitickle]

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Ominotigre wrote:
You used to post a lot in Babbling. I thought you got a long well with everyone.

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that was before i became an IBer..
the animosity between IB and Babbling is
something that the admins dont understand..
and certainly lazzo would have no idea of it..
i can go to babbling to post.. it just feels weird..
if i post normal (to me).. im spamming to them..
IB is alot faster.. its like babbling.. on crack.
id hate to change.. but, im willing to make some exceptions..
for the good of the board, of course..

i hope things go as smoothly as they can..
merrill and torrent (and all the rest) could certainly go for a break..
(theyve been come down on hard from us.. and others on their side of the site)

[VashVSGoku]

I said the majority...you are the minority...you too Omino...and I like those cloud thingys.

Those were cool.

[duzitickle]

haha..!
im not sure if im supposed
to be happy im a minority...
but i am..

[VashVSGoku]

Good.

Cause I dont even know where I was going with that.

[SwimMod_Luuv]

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KaptKrunch wrote:

I agree with irv that the folders are pretty different, and I post in all three regularly.  And it's not something that you can say "well they all have similar thread topics" or "they all have similar maturity levels" or "they're the same with different cliques".  It's a lot more intangible than that.

And, personally, that's what I like about the message board.  I like that there are different places I can go depending on my mood, rather than the actual topic I feel like discussing.  I like that there are extremes in terms of pace and coherence.  Sure, there are campers, but big deal.  I'd rather allow for that variety of personality and mood than try to force everyone into a smaller mold.  I can't understand why anyone wouldn't.

Message Edited by KaptKrunch on 06-30-2006 12:28 AM

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yeah there is that.  also though, I think being able to talk about a variety of other stuff makes for more interesting AS/WS related areas as well.  The difference being - like - speaking for myself, I can only spend so much time in any of the WS/AS sections before I have to wander off to something else (IB, Rants or Babbling or whatever).  Without that, I guess I'd wander off the board basically.  With that, I can wander down to Rants and read some stuff there, and then wander right back up to the WS/AS sections when finished.  It's just more of a diversity of discussion for me makes things less boring in general, and actually does enhance my desire and ability to discuss AS/WS topics more readily too I think.

And IB to me is even larger than that.  Because IB is, I think not only for me, but for quite a few posters, the folder you go to instead of surfing off the board.  It's the only folder that can always cheer me up no matter what.  It's the only folder that, every time I look at it, there's something there that's not boring.

Like - let's surf the boards shall we?

WSC:  BUMP ME!
            dear adult swim
           some announcement
.Com:  some announcement
            thread made by floatwhore
            game thread
            nother announcement
Action:  INUYASHA
             oh look another Inuyasha thread
            FMA
            FMA
           Lupin
Comedy:  Tom SUXXXORS apparently.
                 FG
                 FG

blahbliblahdiblah.  It's okay, there often are episodes and shows and threads worth discussing, but often you can skim the whole page and it just seems like the same few topics over and over, because the folder is, by rights (that's how it should be) relatively limited in what you can discuss. 

So, I go down to Noise and - bingo.  Any one of those thee folders will pretty much always have some topic that's interesting.

I get the notion of focusing attention where it often should be focused, the block.  But this isn't a 30 second commercial spot.  This is 24/7 freeflowing traffic.  It's a completely different entity.  We're not all here at the same time every night because that's the schedule, like with watching a TV block.  I think more is required in the way of providing people with a continued sense of interest, which in turn actually allows them the ability to run off and talk about something else without even leaving the site.

Rather than staring at the same 20 or so threads in the comedy folder until you eventually just leave, you can check the Comedy folder, wander down to IB and have some fun, and then by the time you check the comedy folder, there's new stuff there to talk about.  Expanded GD folders serve Adult Swim, even as a brand, in a number of ways I think.

[Ominotigre]

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Does_It_Tickle wrote:
id hate to change.. but, im willing to make some exceptions..
for the good of the board, of course..

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You may not have to. I'm worried that people are going to be afraid to post in a fun and creative manner in the new folder. That there will be this spectre of LAW over everyone's head. You have to remember, though, that General is going to be created by the people who are posting there. Who are the people posting there? Mostly ex-IB'ers. I haven't seen any mod speak lowly of IB or say that the style of posting IB people are used will be illegal; and they are the ones that will be responsible for directing General's development. If anything, it might be exactly like IB without all the rank spam. It could be an ideal IB. We don't know, but I think it's best to approach General in the manner in which you'd like to see it become. If fear is involved, the folder will definitely fail.

[Milarkie]

With the ranks gone will there still be a 48 hour restriction on New Members making threads? If not. Then someone should work on that.

[Retardobuster]

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Ominotigre wrote:
The only problem lies in fitting so much post volume into one folder.

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Really, that's my only concern. I'm hoping it will be diluted because of the cross-folder repeat threads, but that might not be enough. IB's post volume is what "worries" me (I don't lose sleep over this), because it leads to heavy "traffic" that isn't legit traffic at all (just a lot of brief posts). Like you say, maybe true IB (in my opinion, the IB in my first months here, when it was small but actually funny) will show itself. That with a lacing of casual discussion about life, hobbies, and interests, and some political and religious debate on the side. Few that ever get too out of hand, and all are largely contained to a single thread (i.e., no short-term repeats).

All in all, hopefully the more extreme tempers (including the pseudo-laidback, passive aggressive IB one) will be cooled. A better balance with little of the dullness typical in each existing Noise sub-folder.

capt_taco: I don't think any change is necessary right now. But I don't think the status quo should ever be so engrained that change is avoided for the sake of it. In other words, I also don't think having Noise is necessary. And I certainly don't think those pretty labels down there are what defines this community, so much as the spirit, attitude, and (I like to think) sense of humor that one can find anywhere here.

Then again, maybe I just catch the three Noise folders whenever they're being clones of each other. Last time I dropped in, Babbling was doing a Rants impersonation and Rants was half IB. This time around, Babbling is doing an IB impersonation and Rants is half IB. So, whatever. I don't care more than anything, and am overall positive more than pessimistic.

To illustrate: don't care > positive > The Village People > pessimistic

Milarkie: I think they should take this opportunity to revamp the "SwimNewbie" concept. Instead of a 48 hour wait, I think they could lower it to 24 hours, but add on a, say, 180 minutes online requirement, or something similar, to avoid someone registering and immediately leaving, then returning after two days, thereby skirting the intended effect.

[katt_goddess]

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SwimMod_Luuv wrote:

yeah there is that.  also though, I think being able to talk about a variety of other stuff makes for more interesting AS/WS related areas as well.  The difference being - like - speaking for myself, I can only spend so much time in any of the WS/AS sections before I have to wander off to something else (IB, Rants or Babbling or whatever).  Without that, I guess I'd wander off the board basically.  With that, I can wander down to Rants and read some stuff there, and then wander right back up to the WS/AS sections when finished.  It's just more of a diversity of discussion for me makes things less boring in general, and actually does enhance my desire and ability to discuss AS/WS topics more readily too I think.

To be blunt, the Noise folders are brain floss for the busy. That's exactly how I see them too. You have all this regular stuff to deal with and you just need to free the brain for a bit so you don't get bored and wander off or (in the case of the mods I think) get overly ticked off at current events and lash out because there's no other outlet. If I were to focus solely on .Com and Culture, I know I wouldn't be here half as long as I've been at times. It's the ability to go to the Noise folders and even just look around and read without bothering to post that keep me here.

And IB to me is even larger than that.  Because IB is, I think not only for me, but for quite a few posters, the folder you go to instead of surfing off the board.  It's the only folder that can always cheer me up no matter what.  It's the only folder that, every time I look at it, there's something there that's not boring.

There's at least one forum that I visit occasionally that pretty much handpicks the topics up for discussion. Guess how long I stick around there? It's only interesting for a very short period and then I'm gone. There aren't any open options there - no brain floss. IB is definately quality brain floss. Total topic free-for-all. I looked in Babbling once and there were nothing but gaming threads, a couple of religious threads (must have been an off day that I'm remembering), and a few Gorillaz fan gushing threads. And those were the ones that stuck out in my head and I was bored to tears even reading the titles (granted this was awhile ago and I'm not bashing Babbling, just using what I remember of that day as an example). Other than when it's going through one of its copycat thread phrases, IB has anything. It keeps me here.  

I get the notion of focusing attention where it often should be focused, the block.  But this isn't a 30 second commercial spot.  This is 24/7 freeflowing traffic.  It's a completely different entity.  We're not all here at the same time every night because that's the schedule, like with watching a TV block.  I think more is required in the way of providing people with a continued sense of interest, which in turn actually allows them the ability to run off and talk about something else without even leaving the site.

What do people normally do when a commercial comes on? They go to the bathroom. Or go to the kitchen to get something to eat in time for the show to start again. Or hit the mute and read a magazine. Or shoot bottle rockets out the tear in the screen into traffic. Few people actually watch all the commercials - maybe the ones that are new and/or novel or have a semi-famous voice actor doing to voice-overs, but not all the commercials. They are background noise. What it sounds like from the initial plans of this place to what the plan now currently is (with a GD allowance), they were seriously looking at turning this place into a commercial. Not a commercial site, but just a commercial. Straight [as], focus on the block with it's myriad reruns only commercial. Not a smart move. I'm hoping the more they think about that, the more things will change in the change. Otherwise, there's going to be a lot of fans sitting on toilets instead of surfing around here. 

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[SwimMod_Luuv]

Okay here's the story:

This thread has gotten pretty big and tough to wade through, plus the deadline may now be pushed back quite a ways (no way of knowing for sure when this is going to happen, but we now no longer even have as firm a date as "July").

So, in lieu of letting this monster roll on indefinately, we're going to close it up basically.

Feel free to make your own threads about the changes, specific elements of the changes, whatever you want to talk about.  The stuff you like.  The stuff you don't like.  Etc.

They're still reading.  The feeling is just that this thread is too big a monster, especially with no firm date now for the changes.  They are still coming, we just don't know when now.

Also the information might be better if we sort of allow it to disperse in thread form to more specific elements of the changes rather than one catch all thread.  As always, try not to make dupes.  If you see somebody already made a thread discussing Ranks going away, unless you've got a really different twist on it, try to post your comments there.