Topic: Newcomers' Zone? (and other discussion)

[Pfil]

Here's some things I thought that would help maintain the forums at peace.

* First of all: Require to log-in in order to read the threads. That way no one can spy on the forum. If they want to participate they should make an account. A database that checks duplicate e-mails is also very helpful.
* A list of recently created users, visible to everyone, so any new user without posts will become logically suspicious, and admins could check the IP so they can come to conclusions. Any new user that don't post, or just post nonsense, could be blocked.

And before anyone come to conclusions about why I'm saying this: it's because I'm afraid that eventually someone from my town could read this and find out that I'm here. I wouldn't want people I know personally from my life to interfere here. They would ruin the experience.

Please, admins, take these suggestions into consideration.
Thanks 

[Neobelmont]

Huh.. There's a new comers zone. Oh Don't mind me Going to read all three pages.

So with all this talk of new moderators should we not begin nominating who should fit the bill. Yes there is responsibility
and all so who among us is there that is completely unbiased and can bear the "with great power comes great responsibility" of being a mod hmmmm....  I'll reread just to clarify anything I might misunderstand.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Yes, you get to nominate people.

[uzo]

Here's some things I thought that would help maintain the forums at peace.

* First of all: Require to log-in in order to read the threads. That way no one can spy on the forum. If they want to participate they should make an account. A database that checks duplicate e-mails is also very helpful.
* A list of recently created users, visible to everyone, so any new user without posts will become logically suspicious, and admins could check the IP so they can come to conclusions. Any new user that don't post, or just post nonsense, could be blocked.

And before anyone come to conclusions about why I'm saying this: it's because I'm afraid that eventually someone from my town could read this and find out that I'm here. I wouldn't want people I know personally from my life to interfere here. They would ruin the experience.

Please, admins, take these suggestions into consideration.
Thanks 

I do not agree with having to login to view threads. It is overall damaging to the community. We'll not only seem like elitists, but also many people look to a community's posts before joining in. Often times they register because they started reading something interesting, and wanted to reply.

The forums already block duplicate emails. 90% of them have been doing that for years.

We have a "latest user" at the bottom of the main page. Not sure if that counts for you. You could always do a member search sorted by registration date.

As for your personal life: Honestly, and I don't want to sound harsh, but you should have taken that well into consideration before posting it. You even went as far as to post your photos. Much more you posted a photo of you in a distinguishable costume, inside a home. Sounds like a dead giveaway if someone who actually knew you saw it.

How much you reveal of your identity is your responsibility, not the forum's. The community shouldn't be closed off just because you think you made a mistake in the public eye.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Huh.. There's a new comers zone. Oh Don't mind me Going to read all three pages.

Actually I removed it after consideration and reading this thread.

@Pfil:

Requiring users to log in to view threads defeats the purpose of this board.  Many people come to this board instead of the fossil of a site we've got, in order to get the latest and greatest news on Castlevania.  If you search "Castlevania Dungeon", you will see the site pop up, and the forum pop up second, but the forum contains more information than the site does on the latest games.

That is my fault for lacking the gumption to update the site as often as I'd like...

In addition, whenever I approach a forum and it's locked, it doesn't encourage me to make an account; instead, it encourages me to look for the info I need elsewhere.  This is the same with forums that require you to log in to view attachments and to download items (I totally HATE that, especially with boards like gbatemp.net and the like, where they don't even allow you to click on their links).

So yeah that ain't happening here.

While I appreciate the desire to remain anonymous on the internet, it sounds like there is some deeper-rooted problem going on with you and your town... a problem we're really not meant to deal with, here.  If the people in your town are actively spying on you personally, you should take it up with your local police, not try to get get everyone on the internet to hide you even further from them.  It is up to you, as Uzo said, to choose the amount of anonymity you would like to have.  Further, if the people in your town have a problem with whatever it is you enjoy doing, as long as it's not anything illegal to do, they can go sit on a tack, as far as I'm concerned.

[Dark Nemesis]

I'll have to agree with uzo and Jorge, the first years here, i was a lurker and it was only a few years later that i decided to join actively here. If i couldn't read the topics and threads here, then i can tell you that 99% i wouldn't have been a member here.

[DarkPrinceAlucard]

I know I lurked since 2008 and did not decide to join until 2010.

really just peeped in on discussions to see what was being talked about.

[Pfil]

It's OK, I just wanted to contribute to the topic with ideas that came out, but I needed to clarify that I'm not thinking about this because of some potential user of the forum, so no one felt offended by the idea.

I used to read all posts to find the latest Castlevania info since the times before Lords of Shadow, so I guess the same happened with me, although I would have created an account to read the info.

And to be honest, I'm happy talking about my life here, I've found more kind hearted and open minded people than I have in my real life (with the exception of some family and a few friends), and I removed my face from the pictures, which aren't even taken in my town. It's nice to hear kind words, for a change, even if it's online.
Yeah I won't stop liking anime, manga and games just because people think it's kiddy stuff and I'm 24 years old, and I certainly can't change the fact that I'm also attracted to women (and that's what I was afraid some people could eventually read about).
I don't think anyone's spying on me, I'm just being paranoid I guess.
But the idea wasn't just personal, it was on behalf of the forum's peace. If the information is available all the time, any user made for annoying / banned user can check if they are talking about him... and things like that.
Anyway, this shouldn't be about me, it's about the forum.

About recent users, if the forum don't require to log in in order to read the posts, I was talking about the possibility of checking newly created users with 0 posts, or just a few posts that make no sense, because they are likely to be users created for trolling the threads or the votes of everyday users.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Administrators and Moderators can indeed check that.
In fact, I prune the boards occasionally.

Sometimes I hesitate, however, when I see a name of a forum goer who used to post a lot and then stopped.
But yes, indeed, accounts can be pruned by a few criteria, such as (but not limited to) number of posts cross-referenced with date registered, etc.

If you ever feel the forum moving slightly slower than usual, that may be administration (me) running forum diagnostics and maintenance.

Glad you find this place a safe haven.  It is my intent to keep it as such.

[Pfil]

Yeah, I like to think that this forum is the place on my signature, some place like that...
I'm material for psychologists, I know 

[Shiroi Koumori]

Oh Pfil, you are free to be yourself here.

Anime, manga and games are not kiddie stuff. That's why we have genres, ratings, etc.
It was just associated to those things maybe due to traditional beliefs that cartoons are kiddie stuff, etc.
Maybe you just need to visit Japan once and see your outlook on these things change. Oh and it would definitely help if you are into the latest anime/game trends.
Just don't go on a massive shopping spree~! --> I am guilty of this.

[Pfil]

Visiting Japan is one of my dreams.

[GuyStarwind]

So, because of the newcomers zone gone are you still looking for new moderators? If so who are the current ones so I don't put them down?

So, just a random thing but I had a dream last night that I wrote a post that dropped me down to 33 respect. I was pretty upset.

[Dark Nemesis]

Pfil, this is a picture of my keys.

I have these on, so that when i go out, everyone can see them. Whether people like it or no or even if they think that i'm weird, i don't care. This is my life and these are what i like, so don't get stressed about what others think about you.

[Shiroi Koumori]

I want those keychains!