Has the console forum been axed?

[AlgebraicRing]

I dont know if its possible to get a temp. forums running to fill the gap while the mgmt here can decide.

Well I hope the mgmt at least acknowledges the fact that the b3d console forum was a gem even with the detractors.

+l to giving a "head" moderator ban capability and a policy of banning repeated trollers.

as for the locking thread issue, I think that a policy of no duplicate threads is a little harsh. I'd say no duplicate threads at the same time, but if a topic cools off for a couple days and someone starts a new thread, what's the big deal? If people want to talk about it still, so be it. I admit there are many tough calls that need to be made, and moderating is no easy job. Kudos to the guys that are in those positions, I don't have the time and would only take the job reluctantly.

 

[randycat99]

Call it the conspiracy theorist in me, but it makes perfect sense there was a concerted effort to rid the whole "Console Forum" experiment once and for all. All "they" needed was a reason. Clearly, there is a group here that are all too eager to see CF go, as it is seen as a "2nd class forum" amongst the more traditional forums (and succeeding to attract far more interest from internetizens than its 2nd class status should deserve). Clearly, there is a group in some other website that would love to infect what was good about CF with their own brand of hostility and bias. So the conspiracy goes that the 1st group all but waves in the 2nd group to do what they do so well, watch as the CF keels over in chaotic paralysis, and then calls it a day for CF. There is no notion of "something lost", or even "something to fight for", rather than "job well done".

Then there is a 3rd group who enjoyed and cherished the unique and dynamic flora that existed in CF (in its better days), that are now displaced. They wish for CF's return, but ultimately, it is an irrelevant wish. The group 1 (who would also comprise "the powers that be") do not care to host resources for the "folly" of CF, hence there is zero incentive to placating what group 3 wishes for, in this respect. It's their website, and they shall do with it as they please.

So we are where we are now, and it all looks completely natural as to the turn of events that described CF's rise and fall.

I do say that the Beyond Consoles sister-site idea (mentioned earlier) sounds like an exciting idea (I said "exciting", not "feasible", for the very same reasons that CF was not to live on).

Also if there is to be a CF return with new moderator/administration structure, I believe there should be additional "checks" in place to keep the mods in check (now don't get all offended by this). It's too easy for even a little bit of power to become corrupt when checks are absent. I'm not saying the mods were corrupt, as the quality of moderatorship is a continuum, not absolutes. I'm just suggesting that the addition of "checks" to greater power (enforced by trusted sr members, perhaps) would keep those who exercise power treading the "proper" line a bit easier.

 

[3dcgi]

If there isn't anywhere to talk about R500 or RSX or Hollywood, then much technical knowledge will be lost, even about PC cards.

I've never understood the console forum as it previously stood. I could care less if a 3D chip is for a console or PC. It's still 3D tech and hardware. I also don't see why there is a need for a console games forum either since we already have Games talk. The 3D tech and hardware forum was split up a while back so PC specific topics would be discussed elsewhere.

I think discussion of Xenos, RSX, and Hollywood should go in the 3d tech forum, console games threads should be moved to games talk, and the console forum should strictly be for overall console discussions.

 

[passby]

Let the Console Board Die

Simply attaching 'Console' to a board means 'rivalry', and that attracts the trolls. And don't just blame Opa or GAF. The console board list of members has its own fair share of trolls and hypocrites. The upcoming console debuts just marks the mating season for the beasts and every of them goes into heat.

My suggestion
With no board named 'Console', the trolls will have less avenues for spewing their slime. Use the '3D Arch & Coding' to discuss programming, the '3D Tech & Hardware' to discuss hardware, 'Games' to talk games. Trolling efforts are weakened and diversified. The '3D Arch & Coding' and '3D Tech & Hardware' boards always had a more professional community, and lean more towards technology than rivalry.(The occasional Nvidia vs. ATI issue is peanuts compared to console rivalry) Fanboi posts and delusions immediately standout as self-ridicule, because many intelligent people are on those boards.

No 'console' board for anyone to go, 'ooh, a place for me to hype &lt;X>, bash &lt;Y>, troll about how <A> by &lt;Y> is rubbish compared to by &lt;X>'

Repeat: Just let the console board die.

 

[3dcgi]

I'm really disappointed in this move, Dave (or whoever did it). I appreciate you didn't care about the Console Forum, but a lot of us did.

I think If Dave and the admins didn't care about the console forum they would have left it only with minimal moderation and watched it rot. If the console forum is reborn it will show Dave is trying to keep it as a valuable part of the site.

I also think that B3D will by necessity become less PC centric as in the end there won't be much separation between 3d hardware in consoles and PCs. The Xenos article was the second step with the old console forum being the first.

 

[passby]

Just want to add a post to say I agree with 3dcgi's thoughts.

 

[Gubbi]

I hope, and think, the concole forum will be back in one form or another.

Remember why it was created in the first place? It was to get rid of the pointless console flamefests that polluted the 3D hardware forums. Without a sink for console discussions, these forums will see the signal-to-noise ratio go down again. IMO, a bad thing.

A first time reader might see the console forum as just another mudslinging forum, but once one got to know the handful of people who started pointless threads (so one could ignore the thread by just looking at who startet it), and the two handful of people who started good informative threads, it was quite rewarding.

Cheers
Gubbi

 

[aaronspink]

If anything the console forum has been whats dragging down the site . It has been constantly filled with trolls . At one point sonic and I were able to get it down to a good pace. I would say about 3 months before e3 . But once e3 hit we got put up everywhere and had influxes of new members coming in . Then dave put up the best article on xenos and that was it . That is the point where the console forum died .

Sounds like what is really needed is a posting delay. Something along a 1-2 month delay from account creation to posting rights would certainly remove the majority of the trolls and such, but may result in inconvenience and the stigma of exclusivity.

Another option is an invite only forum, but that seems to entail more work than Dave or the mods should have to endure.

If the forum does open up, a much more strict policy should be put into effect. Maybe something on the order of a zero tolerance policy for the forum with 1 violation resulting in losing access.

 

[karlotta]

Call it...

Also if there is to be a CF return with new moderator/administration structure, I believe there should be additional "checks" in place to keep the mods in check (now don't get all offended by this). It's too easy for even a little bit of power to become corrupt when checks are absent. I'm not saying the mods were corrupt, as the quality of moderatorship is a continuum, not absolutes. I'm just suggesting that the addition of "checks" to greater power (enforced by trusted sr members, perhaps) would keep those who exercise power treading the "proper" line a bit easier.

Mods set the tone, if you dont like it leave. The only reason for a good CF is because of the quality of 3D posters in the other tech sections. IT IS a 2nd class forum. To say one console is better because a lame ass poofy game is a exclusive, is all you realy need to know. The only way NOT to be second class is to split it up even more, then see if one of the new sections can be mature enough for the 3d forums. That doesnt mean the posters are second class, that means to many posters are 4th rate. And the good citizens get lost in the din. Its not my bandwidth, but if it was why would i want to pay for that?

 

[aaronspink]

DeanoC i believe we can post there . I am able to post there and don't have modding rights for it . I've also seen guests posting there

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5553

u can see many users post there

People can reply to posts, but if anyone without special access tries to start a new thread they'll get:

Sorry, but only users granted special access can post topics in this forum.

Hmm. Can mods change who can and cannot start topics? If so, it might be a method to allow pruning of some trolls within the banning limits of the underlying system.

 

[MechanizedDeath]

AFAIK, Console Forum was started b/c console discussion dominates PC discussion. Console fans like talking. I think it's a holdover from other gaming forums where debate and discussion is a lot more free. So it's a necessity. That or keep the forums PC-centric, which is just plain impossible IMO. Once RSX tapes out, those G70 and R520 threads are gonna be overrun. Console Forum needs to come back and soon. And it's not rocket science, there are a million console forums around to use as blueprints. You just need good mods with claws. PEACE.

EDIT:

Hmm. Can mods change who can and cannot start topics? If so, it might be a method to allow pruning of some trolls within the banning limits of the underlying system.

GAF has banned junior members from starting new threads. *ding* There you go. And to stop annoying posters from trolling with threads, they set them to permanent junior member status. It stops a lot of newbies from coming in and creating inflammatory topics. It gives long-time members a greater voice. But it is biased and does create some inconvenience. Ying and yang. :?

 

[karlotta]

AFAIK, Console Forum was started b/c console discussion dominates PC discussion. Console fans like talking. I think it's a holdover from other gaming forums where debate and discussion is a lot more free. So it's a necessity. That or keep the forums PC-centric, which is just plain impossible IMO. Once RSX tapes out, those G70 and R520 threads are gonna be overrun. Console Forum needs to come back and soon. And it's not rocket science, there are a million console forums around to use as blueprints. You just need good mods with claws. PEACE.

But is that what this site wants? you say there are a million console forums... well see ya. there are very few 3d sites and even less that are any good.

 

[PC-Engine]

I think it's time for you to just get over it. Doesn't matter what people do on other boards.

Was I talking about you?

Oh please Ty...aren't we feeling pretentious?

 

[MechanizedDeath]

But is that what this site wants? you say there are a million console forums... well see ya. there are very few 3d sites and even less that are any good.

Ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away. This was a unified forum at one point, if you remember. It was split multiple times for a very good reason. Wait a few weeks. See what happens to the 3D Tech forum. It will be overrun with console talk...again. The fact of the matter is that there's so much overlap now that you can't expect discussion to creep in. It's why we have a console forum here in the first place. 3D tech is a huge part of the console market, and with NVidia and ATI being big players, you're gonna have console talk here. Pursuing a realistic solution is better than putting your head in the sand. If there was a massive culling of the memberlist, and I got cut off with the rest of the fat, I'm fine with it. I liked this forum better when I just lurked. If you read my first post in this thread, you'll see why I lurked more before than now. The level of discussion has dropped considerably. And while I have hw knowledge, I know jack about writing graphics code, and that gives a lot of guys here a leg up. If it remained at that high level, you'd see less people so eager to engage in discussion, and maybe the quality of the forum can stay high.

I don't mind being one of the ejectees, I don't post here enough to make it a big deal. But I do want to see the console forum back, and in its old form. The forum was worse 5 years ago. That's a fact IMO. If you don't like console discussion, don't read the forum, that's all. But the reality of the situation is that as long as discussions are readily accessible to a large number of people, you will have a large number of people coming here to discuss consoles and their ever-important 3D graphics. B3D is a victim of its own success, and there is simply no turning back now. What's better, a console forum, or having the PC card forums overrun with console talk? Pick your poison. PEACE.

 

[jvd]

Well 90% of the trolling came from the political forum and the console forum on this site .

So what do you do . Dump the console forum . There goes the trolls already there and the trolls that would be coming in because of the name beyond3d has .

It was a wise choice for dave . One I back up fully . I think it shouldn't ever come back unless spun off to anotehr site

 

[Ty]

Oh please Ty...aren't we feeling pretentious?

Huh? Are you attempting to derail another thread?

 

[PC-Engine]

Oh please Ty...aren't we feeling pretentious?

Huh? Are you attempting to derail another thread?

Don't start insinuating certain individuals are at fault because of what they do on other forums. Please take your personal crusade elsewhere.

 

[Miksu]

you guys have failed the purpose of the internet by closing console forum

Heheh, that was a funny post. Please..

 

[Ty]

Don't start insinuating certain individuals are at fault because of what they do on other forums.

Uh, I didn't blame anyone for anything. The post you initially replied to simply stated my stance on moderation; a stance that others here have echoed repeatedly. Please step back from the keyboard, take a deep breath, and stop with the persecution complex.

Please take your personal crusade elsewhere.

Again, did I mention you by name? Are you the one I'm speaking about?

 

[PC-Engine]

Again, did I mention you by name? Are you the one I'm speaking about?

You tell me.