IRC: Come On Guys!

[Lulzebub]

I'm guilty of it. I like a good troll probably as much as anyone here, but I like having new players even more.

When I find a new player, I do my damnest to make sure they know how to do the things they want to do in EfU:A. I put a lot of time and energy into shepherding new PCs, and I know that other players do too. There have been at least two of my recruits who, after being told the best way to contact a DM, took one look at that channel and didn't even bother to say "goodbye."

In my opinion, it's not the children you need to worry about. It's the adults who get most turned off by the shenanigans in there. That's what convinced me to just knock it off.

If you enjoy trolling, there is always Fark.com.

[xxWhisperingWindsxx]

[nods to Lulzebub] ayup.  It's been my experience that it's the adults that get turned off and irritated, and the "kids" that are creating the most havoc.

[Kotenku]

#efugross is now the official #efu troll smut trash channel.

Make it happen.

[Dirtskunk]

I doubt this will be met with anything but overwhelming disagreement, but:

To be honest I do not think people should really be faulted for having fun and chatting in a public chat room.

I know new players should really be given a good impression. Welcoming them and shaping up should be a given. Forcing everyone to act like drones is going to just rid one problem while creating another.

While there are limits like absurdly overwhelming spam, or behavior that is just completely disruptive and malicious beyond a shadow of a doubt, if people are getting 'irritated' and 'turned off,' then it should fall to them to not look at what bothers them. I can definitely understand that though really it is seldom.

If I see or hear something in real life, I turn my head or walk away and I do not see/hear it anymore.

It is even easier to skip over single offending lines in an online chat room and move on instead of crying and taking it too seriously, with all due respect, though naturally I will understand and accept reasonable DM wishes and intentions.

[Kiaring]

I agree with people who have said that this is the internet, that people who get offended should grow a thicker hide, and that we're all trying to blow off steam.

This is not what this is about, though.

People who leave because of IRC did not do so because they were offended. In my opinion, it usually boils down to people being frustrated over a server that bills itself as a place for mature roleplay and superior storytelling being populated by such wanton trolls and flamers. We're all guilty of it to some extent.

The second a new player gets turned away because of IRC, we're doing something wrong.

[Cerberus]

it's not the children you need to worry about. It's the adults who get most turned off by the shenanigans in there.

^ what he said ^

I'm 47 and just plain don't get half of "the shenanigans". I've been told it's because of my age, so I try to take it all with a grain of salt and just use IRC as a tool for the game. I mostly (not all the time; I still beat a few with the dead trout now and again ;)) just look for game related topics and ignore the rest.

[Snoteye]

We are not going to perma-ban people for swearing occasionally. Just keep in mind that we're not /b/.

[12 Hatch]

I have to agree with Kiaring.

The problem isn't the offensiveness, it's that this is an incredibly mature server in-game, but IRC sends a very different signal.  People looking for a mature server who stop by IRC may be duped into thinking the server itself is immature.

I'll gladly give up a little IRC freedom for more players in-game.

[prestonhunt]

I agree with the basics of what Plum has said, as well as many others in this thread also.  Next time you decide to go off about cussing specifically though Plum?  Maybe you should edit your forum autosignature, brother.  lmao.

[putrid_plum]

hehe yes perhaps, i forgot it was there actually :)

[Drakill Tannan]

12hatch, your forum picture scares the shit out of me.

[Meldread]

Kairing, Cerberus, and Lulzebub accurately summed up my own opinions.

I've had the pleasure of interacting with every person in the main IRC room in one way or another.  I know from experience that the people there are good players, are great additions to our server, and are capable of raising the bar on their behavior - they prove it every time they log onto our server.  There is no reason that good behavior in game should not also translate into good behavior in the IRC channel.

I am supportive of this move by Howland and the other DM's.  As a player who is probably slightly older than the majority of players on the server, I don't generally find the frat house / high school humor to be funny.  It doesn't bother me per-say, but it is a major reason I don't pay attention to what takes place in the main IRC room.

If we are losing players because of the behavior there, we need to re-evaluate what is taking place.  It is not about people growing a thicker skin.  It's about creating an OOC atmosphere that compliments our IG atmosphere, which is why I know everyone in the main channel is capable of raising the bar.

[lovethesuit]

Yeah you guys. Grow up. :rolleyes:

[Winston Martin]

Well maybe the Pope shouldn't defend pedophiles Putrid Plum.

[Caddies]

I think that people should grow thicker skins; if you are genuinely being offended massively by some scrawny acne-ridden geek on the other side of the world saying dumb things to you in a chatroom, that's on you. Take it with a grain of salt and dish something better back up, IMO.

That said; #EFU is the public extension of EFU:A and a place which new players (the most PRECIOUS commodity going around nowadays) are like to frequent, and so we would like to keep it clean. I know that might be hyopcritical of me, but its time we all put more effort into playing nice in #EFU from now on. If someone wants to start another, private channel where all the trolls battle each other, I would happily join it and decimate you for my own personal satisfaction.

So, let's keep EFU clean. This isn't a request, either. We don't want to ban but will, so just be aware.