About status updates

[Sean 2,828]

Hello guys. I'm sure you know what this is about!

As of late, it seems that SSMB members believe that the status updates are some kind of free-for-all where anything goes. Unfortunately because of your little joyride, your immature behavior has been stressing out us staff due to our inability to really mod the updates. We're laying down some rules on what can't be expressed in the updates, lest we just remove them entirely (and believe me, that's the only thing that can be done about them; we can't disable members deleting other members' comments because that too is getting to be a problem). There are dozens of problems going on so as of this writing, these are just off the top of my head, but expect another staff member to include something.

1. Talking about banned members. Whenever an SSMB joke involves a banned member, it's degrading and beyond immature. Just recently, people were talking about hacking Silver_hedgie. No. Just fucking no. I don't care if you were joking about that shit. You shouldn't have been making a meme out of him in the first place because to immortalize someone in the form of constant humiliation is already bad enough, but to even talk about interfering with his life is just sick, you fucking children. So no more Silver_hedgie or other banned member jokes, we've had enough.

2. Status drama/bitching out members. This includes calling out members in public or just having arguments in general. SSMB isn't the place for your petty butthurt and to post this in the updates makes everyone involved look like a total fool. The status updates are supposed to be fun (or at least not controversial, we're not asking you to like, stop posting about your family or school problems if that's where you want to post them), not a flame war extravaganza. Just because they're harder to moderate doesn't mean you can get away with it there. In fact, from now on we're going to be harsher on people who argue in the status updates, with strikes given out much more regularly if we catch them or even get reports. The staff aren't on all the time, so it'd be appreciated if members could report on these while we're away.

3. Bitching out mods. This ties in with the earlier point, but for some reason various people have had problems with the staff in some way or another, such as telling us we're not doing a good job or somehow believing they can do better. If you have a problem with the staff, it doesn't mean you can't voice your disagreements, but you really have to do it via PM and in a civil manner. Believe it or not, I have had people who disagreed with my actions, told me in a reasonable manner, and occasionally I would agree on them and go back on what I did. If you come across as whining, patronizing, or condescending, no one's going to want to listen. Whenever we see people complaining about mods in the updates, it's generally about some topic of theirs we locked or an action we took in a particular discussion. In fact, just recently I recall someone saying that mods need to treat the members with more respect. Firstly, I don't see any mod here stepping out of line and acting rude to members. Secondly, mods sacrifice their free time for this board and do what they think is in their best judgment, no one on the team is a jerk for the sake of being one. If you want respect yourselves, then you're going to have to give it to us first by treating both the staff and fellow members like reasonable human beings, and following the rules.

This isn't an isolated event, these are problems that have persisted throughout most of the time the updates have been around on the SSMB. Because of the difficulty of moderating them, we are very likely to hand out harsher punishment if you're caught breaking any of these rules. I like to think that despite all of these problems, you people are capable of learning. So make us proud, right?

If any other staff would like to include or revise something, please feel free, either to this post or in a response.

[Noir 2,552]

I'm so glad we'll be seeing less (or hopefully none) shitspewing in the status.

We need less bitching and whining in the status box and more super sexy parties.

[Mick 372]

Ever since this feature was implemented, it was good idea at first. I like it, I thought it was a great idea when it was new. Then I had a feeling that people would abuse it and say stupid stuff as time would go by. Yes, I'll admit that I'm guilty of saying something stupid in my status update more than year ago... however it was misinformation and I haven't made a dumb status like that ever since. Thank you for addressing this!

[novelty 186]

What about "forum games" where using actual forum posts are disallowed?

[Sean 2,828]

What about "forum games" where using actual forum posts are disallowed?

...I don't see what this has to do with anything I wrote in the topic.

[Gaming Misfit 394]

Lol

Edited January 22, 2013 by Gaming Misfit

[LimeTH 326]

Glad to know there will be less whining and hatred in the status box now. The Silver-Hedgie thing was sorta funny at first, but then it just got ridiculous, and then it got undeniably mean. Good thing it's over now, because people going off of that to spew acid at other members was ludicrous.

[Stacy 1,145]

Not being funny but their have a lot trollish type posters over the last week or so won't name anybody but these seem to abuse the status updates more than ordinary posts. Why has there been an influx of annoying immature posters on this fourm recently? Lots of full Moons recently?

About Sliver-Hedgie. Honestly who cares now? Who cares?

Edited July 16, 2011 by BW199148

[Cola 3,383]

Well, time for me to post this here.

Alright, so I've been abusing the status updates a bit recently, and I think I pushed everyone over the edge with the silver_hedgie thing. Yes, it was a joke, but ya know, it's not like anyone else could tell. Sean and the other mods are completely justified for what they gave to me. So yeah, a word of advice: don't abuse the status update system. And don't pull stiupid stuff like I did. The flaming of thedarkknight's page didn't help, either. So yeah, the point is:

I'M FUCKING SORRY

Alright, there. I said it. Feel free to hate me and whatever, but just know that I'm sorry and I won't pull this shit again.

[Unknown User 141]

I agree with everything you said. As for the stupid status I shall be doing no more! I kind of ran out the mood for it.

[Sean 2,828]

Colasaurus Rex (and to anyone else involved), there's no real need to make an apology out of it, we just want people to follow the rules. So we're not going to be holding any grudges here; if it doesn't happen again, then everything's dandy.

[Cola 3,383]

Colasaurus Rex (and to anyone else involved), there's no real need to make an apology out of it, we just want people to follow the rules. So we're not going to be holding any grudges here; if it doesn't happen again, then everything's dandy.

Alright. But I'm still sorry and I still feel bad. I can't shake that feeling.

[Abominal SnowTaz 677]

I fully agree with this and i'll admit to some faults, as I too have done some wrong here and there. As a past Moderator, it's inexcusable so I SUCK! -Sincerely, Taz.

[King Frosty 645]

Alright. Have alot of things to say.

About that status. I already regret it completely and I wish I could take it all back. I'd TRULY NEVER actually try to interfere with people's lives. All I wanted to do when I joined SSMB is be a good member and not mess anything up. I don't ever want anything like this to happen again to anybody. I swear to everybody that'll follow the rules with Dignity and not make stupid status's again. I won't say anything bad about anyone anymore. The thing I'm trying to say is that's most Important is:

I'M TRULY, TRULY SORRY AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

I seriously don't want people to hate me or Cola. We made a mistake. TwT I know it's stupid to say but I'm literally crying at what I did. PLEASE FORGIVE ME EVERYBODY. I WON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS AGAIN.

I'll understand if you hate me either-way, but I said what I had to say to ease my soul a bit. I'm truly, truly sorry. I'm truly a fucking child and a loser with no fucking life for doing what I did. I won't pull this shit again. I swear it.

[Stacy 1,145]

What's with drama posts, its no biggie.

You know, live and learn!

[Flyboy Fox 2,391]

Guys, guys... it's all right. We appreciate that you're sorry, and are very happy to hear that you won't post that kind of stuff any more... but it's nothing to be really upset over. You made some mistakes, the official position on that content was clarified, and hopefully we can just all move on now (:

[Carbo 17,021]

New status update rule

Stop apologizing~

[Sami 10,798]

As BW199148 said, I think it's just because of the recent influx of, well, annoying and immature members. They aren't technically breaking any rules, but it's still as if they're working hard to make this a less enjoyable place. Sometimes we just need to vent, and the status box just seemed like the right place to do that.

That said, the status box was definitely the wrong place to do that and it just makes everything worse. In my opinion (and I can't believe I'm saying this), the rules need to be a bit more strict now that more and more people are joining. It seems to me the whole status problem stems from people being shy of reporting the... problematic people (I won't say any names, obviously, but everyone should know who I'm talking about), not sure if just being annoying as all hell is worth reporting over.

And about Silver_Hedgie, I still view him/her as a total joke and nothing more. We don't need to go and try and mess with this person by hacking him. It's bad enough that a large portion of the board thinks of him as the most unintentionally hilarious person ever.

[novelty 186]

...I don't see what this has to do with anything I wrote in the topic.

Someone other than the user locked a status update derivited a deathmatch game.

Edited July 16, 2011 by Loelita

[Flame Reaver 7]

Should probably also add one forbidding mentioning other forums (Passion, SEGA Forums, bumbleking (since that was a large part of the most recent silver post), etc) to avoid unneeded drama then.

[Flyboy Fox 2,391]

Should probably also add one forbidding mentioning other forums (Passion, SEGA Forums, bumbleking (since that was a large part of the most recent silver post), etc) to avoid unneeded drama then.

I think the golden rule is to avoid slagging off other members or the forums to which they belong (that including SEGA forums, SSMB, Retro and any other). There's a difference between mentioning and insulting/instigating drama, and hopefully everyone's bright enough to know the difference and there's no need to ban everything from mention completely.

[Spanner 38]

You know, let's take this in a different perspective - why should there be a status update section? It's pointless, can be distracting and in some cases, can kill forum activity (although this is luckily not the case but has happened elsewhere on forums which use IPB3). This isn't Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or whatever, activity on the forums should be done via posting in threads.

Some people here are probably going to bitch about this post but this is solely my opinion and you should respect this. Features like the sidebar and the reputation system can be abused, and it gives a hard time for not only the members, but the staff who have to sort out the issues.

One of the forums that I work on as staff are looking at upgrading to IPB 3.1 (as we're on 2.3.6) and we are choosing not to use certain features available as part of the forum software, but again, that's our choice. Obviously, the staff here at SSMB wanted to give the sidebar and rep system a chance to see if it would work, and if it didn't, they would have been removed by now.

As said above, this is just my opinion on this messy matter.

[Abominal SnowTaz 677]

You know, let's take this in a different perspective - why should there be a status update section? It's pointless, can be distracting and in some cases, can kill forum activity (although this is luckily not the case but has happened elsewhere on forums which use IPB3). This isn't Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or whatever, activity on the forums should be done via posting in threads.

Some people here are probably going to bitch about this post but this is solely my opinion and you should respect this. Features like the sidebar and the reputation system can be abused, and it gives a hard time for not only the members, but the staff who have to sort out the issues.

One of the forums that I work on as staff are looking at upgrading to IPB 3.1 (as we're on 2.3.6) and we are choosing not to use certain features available as part of the forum software, but again, that's our choice. Obviously, the staff here at SSMB wanted to give the sidebar and rep system a chance to see if it would work, and if it didn't, they would have been removed by now.

As said above, this is just my opinion on this messy matter.

Whoa. But i see what you're saying. I wouldn't call status updates pointless. Besides, it's pretty fun to tell people how you feel one day and your latest accomplishment without starting a pointless topic of course. But, we all have to expect something to get abused once in a while and the only thing to do is solve, move on, expect it again, solve it again, etc. But hey if they suck for ya, they suck period.

[Cola 3,383]

Oh hey, hey. You know what was hilarious about the entire thing?

I wasn't even here.

That's right, I left for the store as soon as I posted the status. Imagine my suprise when I came back to see what I had caused.

Thought that might brighten the mood in here.

[Pelly <3's U 4,866]

You didn't cause it. You were more like the final eye opener that we needed to make the rules more firm and clear.