AMA Ask The Mods!

[extermist]

I'm not sure...I'll see if I can get some more information about it for you. Please remind me next week :]

Thanks!
Really appreciate it Kamiko.
By the way... it's not an important question but I saw the list of staff and mods in the members section but I don't see you on the list, and there's no moderator badge on your profile (I think I used to see it before but I'm not sure).
I kinda wonder if there are more [secret] mods out in the open.. I mean I've seen you lock threads in the past and it makes me wonder who else might have the same ability but just don't have the moderator badge showing.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

Thanks!
Really appreciate it Kamiko.
By the way... it's not an important question but I saw the list of staff and mods in the members section but I don't see you on the list, and there's no moderator badge on your profile (I think I used to see it before but I'm not sure).
I kinda wonder if there are more [secret] mods out in the open.. I mean I've seen you lock threads in the past and it makes me wonder who else might have the same ability but just don't have the moderator badge showing.

 

[JustLooking123]

I wonder if i can check how much message somone left on certain thread

i wanna make some meme but it'll be hard to track every single one of the member manually '>'

You can do it with the normal search too:

- Set the search scope to "This thread"
- Set the "By" to member(s) you want
- And leave the search criteria ("Search..." textbox) to be empty.

 

[dkpopman]

Ok so no offense, and hopefully this isn't inappropriate or a rulebreak, but like...

How is Metroid_Hyrbid still allowed on the site? He's openly homophobic/transphobic. Plus, he berates the mods when He gets punished for his behavior. I think he's awful.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

Ok so no offense, and hopefully this isn't inappropriate or a rulebreak, but like...

How is Metroid_Hyrbid still allowed on the site? He's openly homophobic/transphobic. Plus, he berates the mods when He gets punished for his behavior. I think he's awful.

The answer to this is multi-faceted, and you may not agree with all of it, but here goes...

Firstly, nothing that I have read from Metroid_Hybrid clearly confirms that they are either homophobic or transphobic. They have, like a few other Users on this site, expressed concern about the benefits of discussing sexuality on this Forum. This concern may well be rooted in some type of phobia, but that is not conclusive.

I believe that mature conversations about sexuality in video games can be had. Conversations about LGBTQ+ themes, characters, and even (dare I say) how ones own identity can impact how one engages with a piece of art, are all valid conversations which I think are worth having.

However, in all my time moderating this Forum, I have never seen a single positive conversation come from a discussion of these topics, which didn't quickly devolve into in-fighting and personal attacks.

You may think this is solely because homophobes/transphobes derail the conversation, but oftentimes this is not the case. People on both sides have proven time and time again that they simply cannot handle these conversations. For some it is a topic that is so personal, that when challenged in any way, they will inevitably respond with scathing personal insults.

In my experience, those who are against LGBTQ+ being discussed on the forums, and those who are extremely vocal in their support of LGBTQ+, are just as likely to break rule #1, rule #4, or any other rule you can think of. In fact, those who are supportive, are oftentimes the worst offenders, because they do so believing that they are morally and ethically virtuous, and thus have no problem saying the most offensive things they can think of about those who they've determined to be "the bad guys".

 

[ZEGA ZONICZEGA ZONIC's icon]

The answer to this is multi-faceted, and you may not agree with all of it, but here goes...

Firstly, nothing that I have read from Metroid_Hybrid clearly confirms that they are either homophobic or transphobic. They have, like a few other Users on this site, expressed concern about the benefits of discussing sexuality on this Forum. This concern may well be rooted in some type of phobia, but that is not conclusive.

I believe that mature conversations about sexuality in video games can be had. Conversations about LGBTQ+ themes, characters, and even (dare I say) how ones own identity can impact how one engages with a piece of art, are all valid conversations which I think are worth having.

However, in all my time moderating this Forum, I have never seen a single positive conversation come from a discussion of these topics, which didn't quickly devolve into in-fighting and personal attacks.

You may think this is solely because homophobes/transphobes derail the conversation, but oftentimes this is not the case. People on both sides have proven time and time again that they simply cannot handle these conversations. For some it is a topic that is so personal, that when challenged in any way, they will inevitably respond with scathing personal insults.

In my experience, those who are against LGBTQ+ being discussed on the forums, and those who are extremely vocal in their support of LGBTQ+, are just as likely to break rule #1, rule #4, or any other rule you can think of. In fact, those who are supportive, are oftentimes the worst offenders, because they do so believing that they are morally and ethically virtuous, and thus have no problem saying the most offensive things they can think of about those who they've determined to be "the bad guys".

And he is still in the forum.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

And he is still in the forum.

Yes, for the reasons provided in my previous comment.

 

[ZEGA ZONICZEGA ZONIC's icon]

Yes, for the reasons provided in my previous comment.

Well, if he screws up & breaks a rule, you have to punish him.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

Well, if he screws up & breaks a rule, you have to punish him.

Yep, and the same is true for anyone who breaks one or more of the Forum's rules. Hopefully it won't come to that though. To quote MMA referee Mike Beltran: "Don't make me do my job!"

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

Suppose a moderator possesses complete knowledge of the forum rules but occasionally exercises discretion because context matters. If another moderator possesses less knowledge of the context but follows the rules with perfect consistency, which moderator is actually being fairer? The one treating unequal situations equally, or the one treating equal rules unequally?

Bonus question: if both moderators agree with each other's methods in principle but would have handled the same situation differently in practice, is fairness objective, subjective, or just whichever answer gets me the fewest warning points?

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

Suppose a moderator possesses complete knowledge of the forum rules but occasionally exercises discretion because context matters. If another moderator possesses less knowledge of the context but follows the rules with perfect consistency, which moderator is actually being fairer? The one treating unequal situations equally, or the one treating equal rules unequally?

Good question, but one for the Philosophers. There's an argument to be made for both and I don't believe one is stronger than the other.

Bonus question: if both moderators agree with each other's methods in principle but would have handled the same situation differently in practice, is fairness objective, subjective, or just whichever answer gets me the fewest warning points?

Fairness is subjective, though an effort is made to treat every report and rule break with impartiality, thus "objectively". It's looser than a science though, I will be the first to admit.

 

[ZEGA ZONICZEGA ZONIC's icon]

I keep reporting rule breaks, but nothing ever happens.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

I keep reporting rule breaks, but nothing ever happens.

Not every report requires actioning. Sometimes, inaction is deemed the correct response. Many of your reports have resulted in further action though, whether that be in the form of deleted posts, locked threads, issued warnings or otherwise.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Yep, and the same is true for anyone who breaks one or more of the Forum's rules. Hopefully it won't come to that though. To quote MMA referee Mike Beltran: "Don't make me do my job!"

You'll never take me alive!

 

[ZEGA ZONICZEGA ZONIC's icon]

Not every report requires actioning. Sometimes, inaction is deemed the correct response. Many of your reports have resulted in further action though, whether that be in the form of deleted posts, locked threads, issued warnings or otherwise.

It's getting frustrating trying to counter you, so I'm done talking here, for now.

 

[DjQuick2008]

Well, if he screws up & breaks a rule, you have to punish him.

i dont know whether to laugh or cry at this. youd love a night in the cells if ive done it you can do it too lol.

 

[ZEGA ZONICZEGA ZONIC's icon]

When are we going to change the video on the front page?

It's getting kind of stale.

 

[Clippy]

When are we going to change the video on the front page?
View attachment 199587
It's getting kind of stale.

When Spike uploads a new one I guess.