really? 
Anyway, I’d suggest that the proper course of action would be to 1. deliver a warning in the thread to stay on topic 2. deliver infractions to those who continue off topic after the warning. 3. temp ban those who continue off-topic after the infraction. 4. permaban those who have a history of deliberately/maliciously taking threads off topic.
I know it’s a more hands-on approach than the usual, but maybe that’s what’s necessary to turn this forum around.
The thing is sometimes conversations lead from one thing to another and so can’t always speak directly about the OP, and threads seem to get exhausted quickly when there isn’t much to discuss.
That’s the correct way of spelling it (along with colour etc)
That is how it is spelt
/offtopic
I think that this warning system would be a good idea, it would mean you get less trolls and snobs and more people who would like to contribute something sane to a thread.
What the BM discussion section really needs is a stricter “contribute or shut up” policy. Without necessarily being full of insults or blatant trolls, most threads are made of one-liners laced with 4chan memes every other post. When you get a 2-page thread with more comments about the original poster than about what they posted, something is quite wrong.
While people like hercule poirots nutsack can get away with being useless by being actually clever, subtle and funny, most posters are plain old stupid. The saying is overused but always so true: “Don’t say anything if it’s not more beautiful than silence”.
And yes, the forum would be one tenth its current size and real discussions could happen and things would be so wonderful. Ah…
Not in America, and Catz is FROM America. Show your “colours,” Catz, and spell correctly. 
How about STouFU
Why do I feel like I was owned in the most polite way possible?
I gotta fix my chrome spell check. It is all screwy right now I SWEAR.
And shucks John… just cuz you were the one to ask doesn’t mean someone else wasn’t wondering the same thing. amirite? Consider it a blanket statement of clarification for all. No pwning intended.
And to go further into what personally gets ME with off topicness is when it is a hostile off topicness. As many of you can see, there are tons of threads that are at this moment straying to the left and to the right but we don’t see the posts deleted or infractions given. In general as long as the topic is somewhere on the page, it seems it will probably be left alone.
But all it takes is one person to say one thing goofy, and another to jump on him for it, and another to diss the jumper, and another to tell everyone to stfu or gtfo, or the other guy to tell the stfu guy to stfu and stop trolling, and then another silent guy to report, and finally the original goofy guy to defend himself, and on and on and on. Really. It DOES go like this. You may not see it but it SO happens. It is actually quite funny and predictable when it starts.
We need more epic publicity stunts, so catz could you do me a favor and just in case it happens could you let it slide? For me? :3
This is my first post here, but I’ve been lurking on the BM forums for years now. Since this post is directly aimed at someone like myself I’m going to be bold and take a serious shot at this. I’m not going make any moral judgments individuals here, but there is an element of truth in what Raminator said. From what I have observed of him it’s my opinion that that he exhibits some troll like behavior at times. Again, I’m not making any moral judgments about his character, this is just my perception over time. I’m sure many people find him an enjoyable and a funny person, and he is without a doubt entitled to have fun and joke around in whichever way pleases him most. However, he is in a position of authority here and there is no question about that. When a person in a position of authority behaves in a way that is not constructive to community as a whole it sets a an example for everyone else and before you know it that kind of behavior becomes the status quo. Again, I’m not saying he’s a bad person for having fun in the manner in which he’s used to, I just don’t think that doing it on these forums where he maintains an aura of authority was the proper place to do it. He and those who have emulated his behavior, both members and other persons who are linked to the mod in some official manner, are most certainly a major factor in creating the perception that outsiders have of there being a lack of professionalism.
This is the other half of the problem. Moderators trying to act like act like a nanny are only going to exacerbate the problem they’re trying to curtail. If you treat people like children by putting them on “time out” they’re only going to continue to act like children and encourage others to do so as well. The slap on the hand approach only lets people know how much they’re allowed to get away with without there being any permanent consequences. The ban tool has one purpose only and that’s to ban people. It’s like a gun, if you draw it you had better be damn sure you intend to use it; and when you do decide to exercise that power it should be once or not at all.
I honestly don’t think the behavior here was because of ram, although it may have been a factor.
Like I said, it’s just my opinion. Also, it’s not about Raminator and who he is as a person, it’s about him being in a position of authority.
This kind of goes to the heart of the OP doesn’t it? Those of us who lurk and choose not to participate respect the fact that it is their forum and their rules. We however are not obliged to like those rules as the seem to be applied in an arbitrary manner at times that lends itself to suspicions of favoritism. The question was asked why we don’t participate, well there you have it.
If this is how the mods need to get their kicks then perhaps they’re the ones that need to get out more often and find real ways of having fun.
perhaps you can only see you own perspective on this. I like to have fun with the devs. MOST people like to have fun with them and vicea versa. I find it great that the developers do not run this place like demigods and sit in their cloudy towers and are all seriousness like you would have them be. First of all, it would be boring boring BORING, and it would appear snobby and unoriginal.
so if they are happy banning people, and WE are happy being banned, I see no reason to change that. goodness sake, cockroaches wonder why we hate them? it’s cause they are BORING! and way to serious for anyone’s good.
Yes, this is only my perspective. But remember, we were asked by the OP for our perspective. If you don’t like my views or think I’m boring that’s fine because I don’t really care and it’s your problem, not mine. But as the old saying goes, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. The mods, devs and the forum membership are free to carry on in an immature fashion, as is their right, but don’t expect everyone who’s on the outside looking in to regard this mod with any semblance of professionalism.
Apart from the nose, obviously…
And thank you Lurker for offering up your observations. I do appreciate your honesty.
I whole heartedly agree. As I said before, Arrogant SoBs (no offense meant to those who might be) are no fun, people like Ram, Kane, any of the devs in fact, are humorous to have fun with, and if they want to ban people for the hell of it, I say let them do so.
As I said a few pages ago; It’s their forum, let them run it how they want. You wanna get banned, be my guest, not even the moderators OR other Devs if I’m not mistaken are safe from it.
Case and point: We could be in a forum run by a bunch of Nazis, or we could be in a forum in which it’s run by a bunch of asshole demigods. It’s neither.
It’s a good diverse community, you have decent administrators, webmasters, and developers with a sense of humor and a light touch. All of this comes together to make this an enjoyable experience. Yeah there are some Nazis or trolls in the mix, but they get banned eventually. There are some elitists, those, if they step out of line too often get the ban hammer too.
Some of us lurk because they consider some of the community assholes, some of us lurk because we choose to. I’m the latter of the two.
'Sically some of them should be banned, some of them shouldn’t, if they step out of line, then they’re gone. Just don’t do anything stupid and you won’t have to worry about being flamed/banned.
The communities fine, you just have to fit in… yeah some stuff could be better, and some stuff could be worse. But over all, it’s one of the good communities out there. Not the best I’ve seen, Sven Co-op’s forums are better in my opinion, but I don’t complain.
It’s the way it is, accept it, and fit in.
You’re really basing the professionalism of the mod by it’s community? Really? I’m just going to give you 5 words: Left 4 Dead 2 Community.
Surely thats three words and two numbers?
Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.