Bring back the Ban

[Tonberry]

This place keeps letting the worst scumbag users get off scot-free for continuously breaking the extremely easy to follow rules, spreading vitriol and poison everywhere and at most getting away with a slap on the wrist, only to re-emerge a week later spewing drunken rants breaking rules left and right.

I’d say ”don’t feed the trolls” but the way the site is set up right now it’s like they’re being fed by design, and the rest of us are forced to just look the other way while trying to use the forum like normal people.

The mods are powerless to do nearly anything and keep getting the brunt of the flak because Spike doesn’t want to deal with the occasional angry email from disgruntled ex-members threatening to ”take action”.

This weak Reader Mode shit clearly isn’t working, and just lets toxic assholes keep waltzing around barfing everywhere, and just pushes more and more well-meaning and amiable users out because the trolls and schizos overpower them, and protects the worst offenders from any sort of repercussions.

 

[PhaseJump]

I guess you'll be a mod for this site, since you know everything.

This reminds me of being on IRC a thousand years ago. Where random kids would spam and goof around, eventually some going on a power trip to demand ops privileges, just so they can kick or ban people that hurt their feelings.

 

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

 

[PacGuy]

View attachment 161190
View attachment 161191

Just talk about videogames. I don't understand why this is so difficult. Talk about your penis on reddit, talk about Mario here.

 

[bjork]

Just talk about videogames. I don't understand why this is so difficult. Talk about your penis on reddit, talk about Mario here.

Bad take. It's video game forum with sections for other things, and who people are is what shapes their experiences. Without each person's life experiences, you could just replace the entire forum with press releases, why discuss anything?

 

[PacGuy]

Bad take. It's video game forum with sections for other things, and who people are is what shapes their experiences. Without each person's life experiences, you could just replace the entire forum with press releases, why discuss anything?

Half of our users are impressionable underage autistic people. Either make the site 18 plus or go talk about who you want to fuck somewhere else. Jesus

 

[bjork]

Half of our users are impressionable underage autistic people. Either make the site 18 plus or go talk about who you want to fuck somewhere else. Jesus

Would you please show me where this alleged talk is happening? I've been here over a year and have never seen such a thing. Expressing preference =/= wanting to fuck YOU. Perhaps learn to climb the smallest curb possible.

 

[PacGuy]

Would you please show me where this alleged talk is happening? I've been here over a year and have never seen such a thing. Expressing preference =/= wanting to fuck YOU. Perhaps learn to climb the smallest curb possible.

https://retrogametalk.com/members/xdqwerty.54028/

Just two comments in and we've got an underage kid talking about sex with an adult. That's just today. I didn't even have to look hard.

 

[bjork]

https://retrogametalk.com/members/xdqwerty.54028/

Just two comments in and we've got an underage kid talking about sex with an adult. That's just today. I didn't even have to look hard.

Where? You've already named names, but what post? I'm not seeing it.

[edit - if that's the example of something you can't personally deal with, perhaps you should go for a walk as well.]

 

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

Bad take. It's video game forum with sections for other things, and who people are is what shapes their experiences. Without each person's life experiences, you could just replace the entire forum with press releases, why discuss anything?

Well put.
@PacGuy
There are probably some autistic users here, that is aside the point. As for "talk about your penis" aside from a few odd users who like to do so, I haven't seen a lot of this either. Regarding the "talk about who you want to fuck" comments, aside from the "who would you date" thread, unless there is a thread that the mods have completely missed I think you are just spouting things out of your ass.

You don't seem to grasp the concept of why banning needs to be reinstated. It rid's the board of users who would do exactly what you were talking about, not invite them.

But I assume you're a child, or at least have the attitude of one.

And no, this site doesn't need to be 18+. It needs to get rid of harassment and the behavior of users who are so hive-minded from using social media for so long that they think everything is about their view and their view only, without being absolute assholes to other users.

 

[Xdqwerty]

https://retrogametalk.com/members/xdqwerty.54028/

Just two comments in and we've got an underage kid talking about sex with an adult. That's just today. I didn't even have to look hard.

View attachment 161198

What? I can't be messing around?

 

[PacGuy]

Where? You've already named names, but what post? I'm not seeing it.

Posted a screenshot too in case it was deleted. That example took me all of five seconds to find.

 

[PhaseJump]

Mods right now:

 

[PacGuy]

Well put.
@PacGuy
There are probably some autistic users here, that is aside the point. As for "talk about your penis" aside from a few odd users who like to do so, I haven't seen a lot of this either. Regarding the "talk about who you want to fuck" comments, aside from the "who would you date" thread, unless there is a thread that the mods have completely missed I think you are just spouting things out of your ass.

You don't seem to grasp the concept of why banning needs to be reinstated. It rid's the board of users who would do exactly what you were talking about, not invite them.

But I assume you're a child, or at least have the attitude of one.

And no, this site doesn't need to be 18+. It needs to get rid of harassment and the behavior of users who are so hive-minded from using social media for so long that they think everything is about their view and their view only, without being absolute assholes to other users.

You said there was persecution against lgbtq people. I'm saying sexuality has no place at all on a discussion forum where minors and adults co mingle. These are not the same thing.

 

[Lady Aldia Lady Aldia]

Not this shit again

 

[PacGuy]

Where? You've already named names, but what post? I'm not seeing it.

[edit - if that's the example of something you can't personally deal with, perhaps you should go for a walk as well.]

My guy, if you wouldn't talk like that to a kid on the street, why is it okay on the internet?
This is how roblox happens

 

[PhaseJump]

 

[bjork]

My guy, if you wouldn't talk like that to a kid on the street, why is it okay on the internet?

I think thou doth protest too much, if you're able to read as much into that exchange as you are.

I don't think your "this forum exists only to talk about video games 100% of the time" forum actually exists, anywhere on the internet. But if it does and you know of it, I'm sure they'd love to have you.

 

[PacGuy]

Post automatically merged: Mar 9, 2026

I think thou doth protest too much, if you're able to read as much into that exchange as you are.

I don't think your "this forum exists only to talk about video games 100% of the time" forum actually exists, anywhere on the internet. But if it does and you know of it, I'm sure they'd love to have you.

I don't know what to say my friend, if you want to talk to 13 year olds on here about your penis that's beteeen you, god, and the admins. Good luck. God speed etc

 

[bjork]

I don't know what to say my friend, if you want to talk to 13 year olds on here about your penis that's beteeen you, god, and the admins. Good luck. God speed etc

Nice false equivalency there. I would say nice try, but.

 

[PhaseJump]

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

*Deep breath*.

I wanted to stay silent about this because it truly isn't my call to make, but you have all been missing the point of why banning was removed in the first place.

There are life-ruining consequences for running a place like this one and no shortage of bad-faith actors willing to exploit this very fact for personal gain or leverage on a sort of "war" Don Quixote would scoff at and call "ridiculous".

For months now, we have sat through emails sent by disgruntled sons of bitches threatening this-or-that action over fucking warns or whatever, "evolving" into increasingly unhinged rants with every new reply that came through.

At some point, you do something for your mental health and just attack the problem at the root -- you truly have no idea of how close we came from closing shop several times in the last two years, the latest one happening way too recently.

Am I happy about there being no bans? Absolutely fucking not.

Have we lost members because of it? Undeniably.

Is there a better solution? Not yet... But we are working on it.

Fuck.

 

[PacGuy]

*Deep breath*.

I wanted to stay silent about this because it truly isn't my call to make, but you have all been missing the point of why banning was removed in the first place.

There are life-ruining consequences for running a place like this one and no shortage of bad-faith actors willing to exploit this very fact for personal gain or leverage on a sort of "war" Don Quixote would scoff at and call "ridiculous".

For months now, we have sat through emails sent by disgruntled sons of bitches threatening this-or-that action over fucking warns or whatever, "evolving" into increasingly unhinged rants with every new reply that came through.

At some point, you do something for your mental health and just attack the problem at the root -- you truly have no idea of how close we came from closing shop several times in the last two years, the latest one happening way too recently.

Am I happy about there being no bans? Absolutely fucking not.

Have we lost members because of it? Undeniably.

Is there a better solution? Not yet... But we are working on it.

Fuck.

...maybe the real ban was the friends we made along the way?

 

[RageBurner]

I've nothing to add; it's just as Waffles says. Day of M was inevitable, massive depowerment, we carry on with the tools we are given. Mods aren't machines, nor are we magicians.

 

[PacGuy]

Not for nothing but this topic has done nothing but fire everybody up. It's pretty much run its course. Can we all shake hands and go back to being chill?

 

[PhaseJump]