ts1227;1165523 wrote:We need to get over that "fear". Until we start making bullshit rules up on the fly, it'll never be close, and only the typical mouth breathers will say different.

Yeah, I agree with this. The rules are clearly laid out and (most) have been since the beginning. Only the idiots who bring nothing to the forum anyway are going to bitch about it. We just have to make sure we stick to the rules and don't enforce things that aren't laid out.

fan_from_texas;1165393 wrote:I think this is a good idea. The problem is that as we roll out and enforce rules, it'll start looking more like JJ. I don't know that there's any easy way around that.

It'll start looking more like a normal forum

LJ;1165573 wrote:It'll start looking more like a normal forum

We get it, you're a member on several forums there, mcburg.

But seriously, yeah.

justincredible;1165627 wrote:We get it, you're a member on several forums there, mcburg.

Things have calmed down quite a bit in the last few days after hinting at the upcoming changes in the basement. I want to rewrite this message to be a little less angry/dickish. I am going to work on it over today and finally post it tomorrow morning. Should be a slow day at work so I'll be able to hang out in the thread and deal with the vocal minority bitching and moaning about it.

I can't wait...the suspense is fucking killing me.

Oh fuck you.

A while ago I started a thread about knocking off the personal attacks in an attempt to get the site "under control" and more inviting to potential members and old members that left because they were sick of sifting through the crap. I did a bad job of actually enforcing it and making sure myself and all of the moderators were all on the same page so it just kinda fizzled out and we all went back to the free for all bitch fest we had been accustomed to. I've reached the point where the site needs to be cleaned up so it can grow or it just needs to be shut down. If we continue to let it go as-is it will no doubt fizzle out in a slow, painful death. I really don't want that to happen so we're going to clean the place up.

I know there will be a few people bitching, comparing us to the huddle, and at this point I don't really care. The vocal minority will not be making the decisions around here. If you can't see the differences between what we're doing here and what they've done/are doing over there you aren't worth the time to argue about it. Having rules and sticking to them isn't a concept unique to them and it seems like more often than not they just make up the rules as they go. Since day 1 we've had the rules laid out (they are in red in the secondary navigation menu up top), we've just done a piss poor job of caring enough to enforce them. For the most part people stick to them but there are a small number of members that tend to break them (at least the personal attacks rule) more often than not.

I created The Basement as a forum where people could still be assholes to one another but limit it to one place where people could stay away from and still have an enjoyable forum experience. Starting now we are going back to that plan and actually sticking with it this time. If you want to be a jerk to someone, take it to the basement. We know there are going to be disagreements in threads outside of the basement, and that is fine, but keep it civil. If you don't feel like you can be an adult about it, start a new thread in the basement and continue the "discussion" there.

We've added two new rules (outside of the basement), as well. Do not follow other members around to harass them. A few examples being the "CC is a pedo" and "LJ is the expert in everything." No agressive trolling meant to derail a thread. An example of this being sleeper's obsession with derailing threads with his anti-religion agenda. We get it.

We aren't making these changes to be power hungry assholes. We are making these changes to hopefully keep this place going for years to come. We're never going to grow if we keep the "free for all" culture and if we're never going to grow what's the point of existing? I think these changes will be welcomed by most members, even a lot of you that have been guilty of breaking the "rules" since the beginning. We're all adults here, we just need to start acting like it.

inb4 "TL;DR"

I also think we need to mention something about keeping the "NSFW" stuff in the basement, like a lot of the stuff in the GIF thread.

LJ;1166691 wrote:

Anyone have any suggestions or anything for the updated thread before I post it this morning?

Add a picture of Burt Reynolds and Chuck Norris so that they know you are serious

LJ;1167744 wrote:Add a picture of Burt Reynolds and Chuck Norris so that they know you are serious

No.

justincredible;1167752 wrote:No.

Then you aren't serious

Seems good to me. I know I have a question concerning us mods and modding that I thought of last night, but I don't remember it today (CURSE YOU, EXCESSIVE DRINKING!!!!), so if I drink of it...I mean think of it again, I'll ask you.

So you doin this? Cause I am about to sign off of this site forever....

lol, yes, sorry etb hurt your feelings.

justincredible;1168059 wrote:lol, yes, sorry etb hurt your feelings.

He didn't, I'm just really annoyed that I can't even post a thread without it turning into what it has. In other words, it has become absolutely pointless to post here.

I would take off the tl;dr shit at the end.

If you want it to be serious, be serious. If you want it to be a joke, add the sarcasm shit in. People already don't take what any of us say serious, so when you add in sarcasm it's going to be worse.

I wasn't really planning on putting that in, that was for you guys. Sorry I didn't get to this today, I got busy at work. I'm going to put it up Sunday.

Gotcha.

Announcement is up and rules acceptance has been reset. Everyone will have to re-read and "accept" the rules again before posting.