WAA Forum profile updates

[Downslide]

Maybe its just me, but I think it would be beneficial for everyone involved if anybody who will be posting on the forum threads update their profiles to include their age and location. In light of the recent ugliness in the "Orange Paint" thread a few days ago, I think it would help all involved if we all knew who we were talking to and lecturing. It is hard enough to discern language and emotion (sarcasam, anger, humor, etc.) from the written word in the threads. It would help if we knew the age/ education level/ maturity of those doing the writing. I realize that age and maturity are not always closely tied (there are some big time immature 35+'ers around) but it would be a place to start.

The more data in the profile, the better informed everybody is about everybody else. Less toe crunching and thread flaming will come of it.

[Black_Kade]

not to be an ass or anything, but I think that knowing everyones age could make the forum More problematic. Much of it coming from stereotyping (IE: God damn teens or ****ing old bags kind of thing).

I hate to say it but as much as I would like to think that we are all viewed as peers on this network, we are not. Even back when I first started on the old forums in december of last year I recieved crap partially because I was 16 at the time even though I was as polite and respectfull as possible at first. As with most young people I didnt handle unconstuctive criticism well and became a flaming rage at moments and I still do every once in a great wile.

I still do recieve crap for bieng 17, maybe not on the boards, but at school, work and in general interaction. So I fail to see how knowing others age will bring understanding. In my opinion it could only bring hate.


The only thing I can suggest is to be polite, respectfull to everyone and try to be as openminded and understanding as possible. If some one says something that offends you, PM them and ask politly if they mean it in the manner you think they do. Alot of the problems here on the boards arise from interpretation and or how everyone sees things differently.

For example I a 17yr old says "Yo thats Fat!" when I see a family guy Hoodie,
now most any teen would know that I am saying that that hoodie is "cool". Most adults, probably 40 and up would be like "Did he just call that sweater fat??"

(Yes I know thats a really dumb example but it conveys tha point)

I hope this helps and someone takes my advice because at this rate these boards are going to have some seroius problems by spring. I have even reduced usage of the boards by alot, and it helps.

Good luck with you quest for understanding.

[Night Stalker]

" I realize that age and maturity are not always closely tied (there are some big time immature 35+'ers around) but it would be a place to start."

You just answered your own question. Age and maturity have nothing to do with one another, so why go through the effort to make them fill out a profile to let everyone know? I don't think it is really going to matter. First thing anyone will do when they get a statment that is a little off is look at the profile and check the age,.. then probably post saying they are a stupid kid.

None of this came up until some person got jumped on big time in that thread you stated. Let's examine this without turning this thread into that one... Turns out he was younger, with age,.. but more importantly by the statements made, was immature, posted about walking around in public in BDUs and carrying his as gun, and bragging about it, as well as statements made about pulling down on a cop and making him shake in his boots. Now anyone regardless of age will get jumped on on this board no matter who you are, or how long you have been around here. Had that have been someone in the WAA, they would have gotten it twice as hard since he should know better. And yes, you can get it twice as hard as that kid did. He only got called an idiot or retarded. It could have been worse. And for someone to walk around and act like he did on a constant basis, (not saying he will) it wouldn't matter what you say or do, or how old they are, nobody will want to touch that guy with a 10 foot pole. So explain to me how him posting his age would have turned that thread any different.?? You can't, and it wouldn't beyons the shadow of a doubt. Anyone would have done the same since his age was there for all to see and make that stereotype. And filling out the profile isn't goign to let anyone "know" you or him any better to curb that situation. You might know how old they are, where they live, and what their IMs are. But other than that it wouldn't do anything.

In short, I really honestly see no point with the exception to see where they might be from.

And Black Kade, you didn't get jumped on for no reason. It didn't start until that game you tried to hold as a minor when you wouldn't listen to anyones reason as to why it wasn't a good idea, why nobody wanted to show up, or answer too many questions about that or the field being used. That was the only reason, and that was the unconstructive critisism you recieved. Tell the whole story. It had nothing to do with you or if I remember correctly, your posting. But your posting went seriosuly south (read- far less than respectable like you claim) once you found out not too many people were interested in attending that game. But rightfully so, nobody over the age of 18 in the right mind will go to a game hosted by a miner without "something" from the land owner.


Anyway, that is just my opinion and I am sure others will disagree,.. but hey that's cool.

[Downslide]

it was just an opinion to try to get perspective. I think in actuality, the majority of the "old farts" around here would muster a little more patience for the youngin's statements if they better knew from whence they came. Obviously it was the wrong answer. I see that.

Both sides to the argument have been presented.

We can probably let it go. It was just a thought.

[Black_Kade]

I know what your talking about, I could cut and paste examples if the old boards still existed. However I am NOT referring to the game I attempted to host, that is another whol story in itself.

[Night Stalker]

BK- That was the only incident I knew about. To your defense, anything else I was not aware of and cannot comment on.

DS- Every other forum I am a member of they do require you to fill out the prolfile. I think it has good and bad issues with it. But I can only reason as to why age is not good for the issue you presented. Your idea wasn't stupid, and I do get curious when I look at someones posts, I just don't want to jump into the stereotype mode when you always know who the kids are. Some of them post obvious like they are, but we don't want to draw unwanted attention to them. Unless they post like the issues presented. Then that is another ball of wax. But like I said, it could have good points too. Sorry if you thought I was shooting your idea all to hell. only stating why it could be bad for your reason.. but like I said could be good for other reasons that I cannot think of that will outweigh those first reasons.

I would like to hear what some of the WAA officers think of this idea, after all they have the final say and might like it. ;)

[Downslide]

I didn't think you shot the whole idea down, NS. I was just irritated at the greased up rocket sled to hell that the Orange Paint thread was becoming, and was flailing for some way to corral this sort of thing from happening more often. I can backup your comment about other forums requiring the profile completeness, as i see it in the other ones I post on as well.

Unfortunately, I also see this sort of momentum on other forums, too. But since this one hits closer to home, literally, than the others, I feel there is a need to try to nip it in the bud, before the ordinances and laws of our counties and state go into DEFCON 1 hysterics and we are out of a hobby.

[Night Stalker]

^^^^^^
Agreed!

[Black_Kade]

Same here.

[Ghostbear]

The profiles are not set to manditory fill out because there is nothing that verifies the fields.

For instance, I could set my profile to say that I am a 22 year old. And there is nothing that is going to change that impression. That is until you meet me, and you can see by the grey in my beard that I am not 22 but older.

Now, this also goes to the honesty of the player, but what would stop someone from lying? nothing.

So rather then pushing someone into giving information about themselves that they clearly dont want anyone to know (because they would have filled it out in the first place if they didnt care) it was left to not required.