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GAF Redux - An introspective dialogue

Fbh

Member
Things are great around here, congrats to the staff for all the hard work you have put into the site.
The gaming forum is IMO slowly getting to that sweet spot in terms of activity. Old Gaf often used to be too active and some threads moved so fast that posting in them almost felt irrelevant.

I also like the new style of moderation and the fact people are allowed to give their honest opinion regarding social or political subjects without fearing a ban. I used to stay the hell away from those types of discussions on old Gaf after I got banned once for disagreeing that a game was racist, but now I feel like I can participate without having to worry that my opinion won't be considered "acceptable".
I do wish the community would focus a bit more on the games and find it a bit ridiculous how a trans flag in a game results in a longer thread than several OT's or big news. But ultimately I'm thankful people are allowed to talk about it without fearing a ban.

In terms of features the only one I'd still like is the classic theme on mobile displaying notifications when viewed vertically
 
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Thabass

Member
Final Fantasy XIV dungeon runs up in here!

Subscribed. Jun Bonner on Mateus. If you're wondering.

Also I want to echo the GAF Gold statements made throughout the thread. It's great to show a post has gold, but I don't like how the row turns Gold itself. I think having a badge on the left side of the title would be okay or keep the badge where it is and no more than that.
 
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Dr. Claus

Vincit qui se vincit
Subscribed. Jun Bonner on Mateus. If you're wondering.

Also I want to echo the GAF Gold statements made throughout the thread. It's great to show a post has gold, but I don't like how the row turns Gold itself. I think having a badge on the left side of the title would be okay or keep the badge where it is and no more than that.

Claus Grimhildyr on Mateus - always up for a run.
 

Roni

Gold Member
The loss of personnel is noticeable. Entire subcommunities are gone now, but we'll rebuild them in time. I didn't use to create threads at all, but I feel like there's something to contribute now.

Can't complain, really. Good job keeping your cool when the split came!
 
My only sugestion is to update the FAQ, specially "Terms of Service" and "Account approval". That is because the FAQ still says that a paid email account is needed in order to register in NeoGaf and that the account approval is manually done and both statements are not true anymore. I think that stating that you can register in NeoGaf with a free email address is important to attract more users (and a lot of spammers too, but GAFs staff has done an excellent work banning spambots).
 
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Terce

Member
Only been here for a year or so, never really paid much attention to the politics and all of that. I'm not really a big "forum guy" however the discourse on this site is really great. The ability to jump between playful sarcasm to deep dives in controversial topics makes this a very engaging place to spend time and the only site I visit to keep up to date on the industry. Don't change GAF
 

Tarkus98

Member
I’ve been a “lurker” probably since the site started. Was originally Vetteboy98 but it expired and I was never able to get a new account under the old regime for some reason.
Immediately following the meltdown I signed up again and here I am.
Personally I think this site has never been better then it currently is now. I really like the continued improvements being made and the cast of characters here is second to none. Keep up the great work!
 

Ichabod

Banned
Really love how the place is shaping up. Nowdays, GAF is in a really great place, as it feels more like an online speak-easy instead of a social justice warzone. I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in making the place what it is and look forward to what's around the bend.

As far as features I'd like to see, I'd love to see the return of animated avatars even if its limited to a GAF gold perk 😝
 
It seems to feel like a very balanced, open forum for discussion where my only real complaint is that console warring still gets obnoxious from time to time, but that’s pretty much just a part of the nature of video game discussion, it seems, and the staff does a great job dealing with the more extreme aggressors.

There are a lot of times I read something I don’t agree, especially when it comes to topics revolving around inclusion in video games/entertainment, but I’m glad that the discussion exists, that everyone is allowed a chance to speak their mind appropriately.
 
Maybe some kind of kudos system would be good. Or 'rep'. Which you can award once a day to someone once only if you like their post.

I love the ability to react to posts with like, lol etc. That's a great feature that elevates it above other forums.

I say a kudos or rep system would be good because forum heavyweights like myself, that has been a loyal Gaf user for going on 7 years, should be elevated somewhat above the riff raff.

What I'm saying is all posters are equal, but some posters are more equal than others (to use a wise quote from Mahatma Gandhi).

So I would propose the following, should a rep system be integrated:

- Members of 1 year start with 100 rep to their name
- Members of 2 years are given 200
- Members of 3 years are given, believe it or not, 300 rep points.
- And so on

These points are base and then you can gain more by receiving rep from other members.

Now to give the rep system weight, perhaps the following should be integrated:

- Users of 6 years or more should be give a tag, something like 'Heavy hitter poster' automatically, or choose from a list of similar titles (like 'Better listen to this guy')
- 6 years time served members are given admin powers like the ability to randomly change thread titles or, have powers to *reduce rep of other members that are in their ignore list *you'd have to put the poster in your ignore list before nerfing their rep, this ensures such a mechanic not abused.
- Other perks that make them feel priveleged or get a sense of lording it over the peons
 

Lady Bird

Matsuno's Goebbels
Why would we change our name tho?
If you want a good reason, the name has a negative vibe due to its history. For many people outside of this forum, NeoGaf is "that toxic place that died and became ResetEra". It carries a lot of misconceptions about what it has since become, and it's common to see posters from other places who are immediately turned off by it. What would be the best way to pass the message that this forum is now different than what it used to be? A name change could be a good strategy to pass that message and to attract more people, but, at the same time, it could lose some of its popularity as well...

And there would be no need to change the name completely. Keep 'GAF' in it, put a new word in there, something simple and still 100% recognizable.

I support the idea, but I'm fine either way.
 
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If you want a good reason, the name has a negative vibe due to its history. For many people outside of this forum, NeoGaf is "that toxic place that died and became ResetEra". It carries a lot of misconceptions about what it has since become, and it's common to see posters from other places who are immediately turned off by it. What would be the best way to pass the message that this forum is now different than what it used to be? A name change could be a good strategy to pass that message and to attract more people, but, at the same time, it could lose some of its popularity as well...

And there would be no need to change the name completely. Keep 'GAF' in it, put a new word in there, something simple and still 100% recognizable.

I support the idea, but I'm fine either way.
I guess I don't see a reason to change it because of the uninformed people.

If someone out there thinks
A) GAF is dead
B) Is far left Forum
C) Is a Alt-Right/Nazi forum
D) Whatever else

We can't really do anything to change the minds of people lacking information.

Just my opinion tho
 

Thabass

Member
I would also like to second the motion that perhaps a new name change would be good.

Just an idea anyway. A big bang start if you will with your rules clearly laid out.

This is a good point. Well I agree with they technically called "Terms of Service", I think it may be better to be put them in a more recognizable and easier to read format. Similar to this:

W7uIAmEJTCo4SIK6-i6jTQwQn6Me4_czz3FiflCRVDBwO3JOoFjtALC7WJ6Q_UzH3whwgfr5HjwtZ_S9mUdOrjR6fDxdf9sP5Urjy_cUtWcjBySdMXJxjNyYcES-H9Y4biLyUwayD8ipk7gYJmzlhIaV5WFyypKzSd1UwLPe7uY9QoMLzIqj0mUlaz-zwtv1WN47bAqvXKqGoez30GdSWxxuM6jfa-mjRzdLNG2MzvMTNemKFJKQcG_VBQgLJK_h4d5uH3EvVTVNgzCSbIKL5JRE06FscIcl3Dc1JErf2AGhfSukRtkL_cY__rUA_rvselBTCAAZpI4xRuPCBVu7KbzubZOBSSfGjMCsowUaa0v5-WOu0k7FJDy7fljN9_4NsuGwXlSrm8VxWkuEy32_bMfAmet9emhv-ip_bzZw1XxEnuh_idEjfoak50jLikvo7MFoFewRpMH1AWOvY4Tld9pDYSMztrX51tq2UQjvpRzpCKxq_7NaFSSzSmxc8UzWOsZSU1W__Cnij7LuocgZSaP7J0mQNBnLATNevvriRAZpA_sjDX_r1a7j1Za3QjeEg7kJZL6UhF_zOkufm8PzO3xd_l3_X58B_gR146blV81qxg0Y1iV1RaM8zFe94pMo5pllR4h8rZJdt3uBiRlG0K8IsRhXlrMP=w845-h1263-no


Also I'm also for the name change. Neo sounds so 2000's and does carry some negative energy around it.

Not changing the name.

That's fair too lol
 
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JORMBO

Darkness no more
I've been here over 10 years. I lurked before that. I think the place is in great shape now. It's mostly decent conversations with chill people. It beats being quoted 20 times by a bunch of angry lunatics telling you to fuck off for posting a perfectly normal viewpoint.

I don't have any advice. Everyone should just keep doing what they are doing.
 

Scopa

The Tribe Has Spoken
If someone lacks intelligence enough to believe rumours about this place and then not bother to check if there is any truth to those rumours, I am happy for them to stay away. I don’t want GAF to ever change name. It’s kind of defeatist.

In saying that, welcome to NuovoGAF.
 

Stuart360

Member
My only problem with New Gaf compared to old Gaf, is the amount of console warz and shit posting, especially by a select few who seem to get away with it. I have seen people warned, and even banned, for calling out the said shit posting, but the shit posters get way with it (everyone knows the few people i mean).
Thts one thing old Gaf did well, shit post and you will probably be banned.
I mean dont get me wrong, i'd hate new Gaf to be as bad as old Gaf where you could get banned for sneazing the wrong way, but the shit posting and console warz makes reading the forum frustrating for a PC gamer like me.
Apart from that though, new Gaf is miles better than old Gaf in every way.
 

Kadayi

Banned
My only problem with New Gaf compared to old Gaf, is the amount of console warz and shit posting, especially by a select few who seem to get away with it. I have seen people warned, and even banned, for calling out the said shit posting, but the shit posters get way with it (everyone knows the few people i mean).
Thts one thing old Gaf did well, shit post and you will probably be banned.
I mean dont get me wrong, i'd hate new Gaf to be as bad as old Gaf where you could get banned for sneazing the wrong way, but the shit posting and console warz makes reading the forum frustrating for a PC gamer like me.
Apart from that though, new Gaf is miles better than old Gaf in every way.

PC Gamer here also. Console wars?

tenor.gif


tenor.gif


Zero shits given. I don't read the threads or I just pop in for the lulz.
 
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Also I'm also for the name change. Neo sounds so 2000's and does carry some negative energy around it.

I think the name is fine. One of the reasons I finally signed in here vs. well over a decade of lurking is that right now it feels like the 2000's. I can post shit here that would get me banned on most forums, I can have my opinion, and I can disagree with people all the way up to staff members without worrying about having my posts deleted, being shadow banned or outright getting banned. I can post something crude without worrying about some snowflake getting offended about an opinion some dipshit wrote when he should have been outside changing his oil... I'll do it tomorrow...

To me the name NeoGAF, just like the forum, survived the storm. After the exodus/enema/septic servicing GAF remains, minus the cancer that was consuming it. Lessons were learned and the site is getting back up on it's feet. While GAF's spin-off site continues to censor, ban and berate everyone that doesn't conform to a singular point of view, here we have people having discussions, debates, even heated arguments. There are characters here, personalities, that are unique to this forum.
 

Kadayi

Banned
Yes but i was a console gamer before this gen. I'm even thinking about picking up a next gen console as well, so reading this shite in 50% of the threads on here, its beyond tedious.

You're not obligated to read every thread. I sure as shit don't. Invest in what looks interesting and pass over the rest.
 

Mista

Banned
Name change would be stupid.
My only problem with New Gaf compared to old Gaf, is the amount of console warz and shit posting, especially by a select few who seem to get away with it. I have seen people warned, and even banned, for calling out the said shit posting, but the shit posters get way with it (everyone knows the few people i mean).
Thts one thing old Gaf did well, shit post and you will probably be banned.
I mean dont get me wrong, i'd hate new Gaf to be as bad as old Gaf where you could get banned for sneazing the wrong way, but the shit posting and console warz makes reading the forum frustrating for a PC gamer like me.
Apart from that though, new Gaf is miles better than old Gaf in every way.
Old GAF shitposting and console wars was way worse than this. What are you talking about mate? The shitposters you mean got their thread creation privilege taken away and got banned for a week or two I guess as a warning so I don’t know what you’re on about unless you’re willing to be more specific
 

Stuart360

Member
Name change would be stupid.

Old GAF shitposting and console wars was way worse than this. What are you talking about mate? The shitposters you mean got their thread creation privilege taken away and got banned for a week or two I guess as a warning so I don’t know what you’re on about unless you’re willing to be more specific
Not for me, shit posters were warned and banned constantly on old Gaf. You would go in any 'console Warz' related thread and half the posters would be banned for christ sake lol. With New Gaf its just everywhere.
 
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Mista

Banned
Not for me, shit posters were warned and banned constantly on old Gaf. You would go in any 'console Warz' related thread and half the posters would be banned for christ sake lol. With New Gaf its just everywhere.
Yeah if you want anything you dislike gets banned over then you know who does this. Definitely not here..
 

Stuart360

Member
Yeah if you want anything you dislike gets banned over then you know who does this. Definitely not here..
I would rather console warz wasn't allowed, or like i said on old Gaf, have sub Xbox and Sony forums where console warz meant a ban. You know so people could go in those sub forums and discuss Xbox and Playstation without the shit posting, memes and console warz. Keep the main forum for 'anything goes' if people want that.
 

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
I would rather console warz wasn't allowed, or like i said on old Gaf, have sub Xbox and Sony forums where console warz meant a ban. You know so people could go in those sub forums and discuss Xbox and Playstation without the shit posting, memes and console warz. Keep the main forum for 'anything goes' if people want that.

We don't break up platforms into dedicated subforums so that people have to confront opposing viewpoints, harden up, and the best ideas survive. The internet is already full of credulous fanboy circle jerks.
 

Tesseract

Banned
i'm pretty happy to be here, i survived the storm thanks to some friendly users and mods

i have very few suggestions at this point, maybe gradually introduce a few more like options, they seem to establish a nebulous brotherhood among users

also uh, one man's shit post is another woman's mega man energy tank ~ descartes
 
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Melon

Banned
I've been here for a little longer than a year; and only after majority of the drama dust had already settled. With that said, though, I have been here long enough to see significant improvement in the site as a whole. The staff are doing their job exceptionally, and the community itself is just so much more care-free than even when I initially joined. We're heading in the right direction, and I'm excited to be hitching a ride along the way. My only complaint is that weird bug where the user Papa Papa can post is still a thing. Jokes aside, I am very thankful I joined this site. We're a dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless.
 
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Nymphae

Banned
You would go in any 'console Warz' related thread and half the posters would be banned for christ sake lol. With New Gaf its just everywhere.

It's really not that bad, I honestly don't even see many braindead "consolewarz" posts, and when I do I go right past them, the vast majority of posters here are not engaging in that behaviour.

I would rather console warz wasn't allowed, or like i said on old Gaf, have sub Xbox and Sony forums where console warz meant a ban. You know so people could go in those sub forums and discuss Xbox and Playstation without the shit posting, memes and console warz. Keep the main forum for 'anything goes' if people want that.

Just ban users that you consider a problem, you have an ignore button.
 

Mojoraisin

Member
Very surprised to see so many people advocating a name change.

In my opinion, being able to reclaim a word/name and get it back on track is the only way to fight extremists. We saw Neogaf turning from George Orwell's 1984 into something damn beautiful. That is a BIG part of why I love this place, the mods and the users making this possible.

A name change would have signaled defeat.

There have been so many great posts and suggestions by more contributing and frequent users than myself, so I just want to say thanks. Thanks for standing your ground in a world that is quickly losing the art of discussion and how it can create empathy for the other side. :messenger_heart:
 
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Nikana

Go Go Neo Rangers!
Been on here for I think about three years now. The Exodus was a good thing imo. A lot of people left that had no business being here.

While it's better, I feel like there needs to be a better grasp on posters that clearly just derail threads with clearly biased (pronounced fanboy) mentality. Everybody can name 4 or 5 posters right off the top of their head that don't add anything quality to a conversation.

Other than that, it's a much better place than anywhere else.
 

nush

Member
Not changing the name.
This is the right way to go for example.

I used to work for Volkswagen in the UK and specifically the Skoda sales dept. Skoda cars back in the 80's were the most unreliable cars ever and were always the target of jokes. I worked for Volkswagen in the early 2000's so I was interested to hear how they turned the brand around after Volkswagen brought the Skoda company. I was chatting with one of the older staff there and he told me that they discussed many ways and approaches to a relaunch of the New Skodas, changing the entire name, changing the logo, making the badge on the front of the car very small or even getting 80's comedians that were known for making jokes about the cars to endorse the new ones. What they decided to do is nothing different. Just proud of the brand and make good quality cars and it worked.

So just make a good well managed forum with a great feature set and be proud of the brand.
 

Lady Bird

Matsuno's Goebbels
This is the right way to go for example.

I used to work for Volkswagen in the UK and specifically the Skoda sales dept. Skoda cars back in the 80's were the most unreliable cars ever and were always the target of jokes. I worked for Volkswagen in the early 2000's so I was interested to hear how they turned the brand around after Volkswagen brought the Skoda company. I was chatting with one of the older staff there and he told me that they discussed many ways and approaches to a relaunch of the New Skodas, changing the entire name, changing the logo, making the badge on the front of the car very small or even getting 80's comedians that were known for making jokes about the cars to endorse the new ones. What they decided to do is nothing different. Just proud of the brand and make good quality cars and it worked.

So just make a good well managed forum with a great feature set and be proud of the brand.
That's a very interesting story, and also inspirational. Not being ashamed of the brand, sticking with it and elevating it to greatness.
 

Pallas

Gold Member
I love this place and community, I used to lurk quite a bit during oldGaf and the atmosphere at that time ... you can say, intimidating? I’m happy to have taken the plunge and joked when I did. Moderation and the staff have been awesome and very transparent.
 

nush

Member
Kill the community sub-forums and bring communities back into the main gaming and off-topic forums.
At least in the short term, communities can use the watched topics function to dive into them and if they are marked community topic then they are absolved from complaints of bumping old topics. Gives a better visibility of community topics and makes the forum appear more active.
 
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