What actions can we promote that will bring back the old AO?

[Magaman]

That's the problem... the worst offenders don't 'think'. You would fix your act, but these fools will not. That's the root of it! They are professional trolls.

But it would work better for a permanent ban. If they went thru 2 warning level bans then they obviously are breaking the rules enough that they should be banned permanently.

As stated up above, the rules for permanent bans really don't apply to some of the stuff the bad apples dish out. If there was a warning level system in place that only the mods could see and the Individule user could see, the mods could better judge the permanent bans.

[PBX Ronin 23]

Players relatively new to the sport should be given a little bit of a leeway. If they have a legitemate question, then perhaps it should be politely answered by the more experienced members of AO.

Its the dumb threads that showcases the 1 in 500 guns that's the bane of AO's existence. Is there really a polite way of saying, "sorry bud but you gun isn't all that impressive and I don't care if you've spent the entire summer saving for it."

Perhaps if AO was to establish more strict posting parameters, then these type of things wouldn't happen so often. Maybe creating a permanently stickied picture thread will give these posters a venue to showcase their pride and joy.......just some random thoughts.

[Lohman446]

What I like, what I don't like

Like
Thordic's idea. I understand that I push the line quite often, I know (at least I think I know) where that line is and flirt with it. Seldom do I do anything that is really ban worthy in and amongst itself, but well... I'm sure I could accumulate warnings. Granted I try to be a productive part of AO, but I know some of the things I do are just to get reaction . Thats how I am... I pay the cost of my actions when I misjudge... but I like to push the edge

A stickied check out my marker thread, like the hot chick thread... why do I have to see 72 different check out my gun threads on the first page

Dislike
A private forum - why not just make a new forum and invite the people you want to it? A private forum will hurt AO as a whole, especially new recruitment to replace those who go away/post less.

A karma system - great in theory I think it goes south in practice. Too much room for abuse, unless the mods are the only ones able to give out Karma? A spin off of Thordics idea in a way.

What I think I should say
I think that you are all remembering an idealized AO that likely never existed to what you remember. Was it better or worse, perhaps, but you I don't think that memories are always good at recalling the mediocre or bad. Your remembering the high points, what it used to be in your mind, I don't think your remembering what it truly was.

[PBX Ronin 23]

What I think I should say
I think that you are all remembering an idealized AO that likely never existed to what you remember. Was it better or worse, perhaps, but you I don't think that memories are always good at recalling the mediocre or bad. Your remembering the high points, what it used to be in your mind, I don't think your remembering what it truly was.

It's the greatly diminishing level of headier discussions that's replaced by my "Gat is Agg"-type discourse that's perhaps the most dissapointing.

Do people idealize. Yes they do. But if the reality is like what I've stated in the paragraph above, then I can understand the frustration of those who see AO as an Oasis in the PB desert. It's like constantly going back to that oasis and watching the leaves on the palm trees go brown and the water level gets lower and lower.

[Lohman446]

PS - can we please ban the whiney types who whine that the mods removed there sig. that violated rules. I mean I see sigs that are a constant complaint about mods forcing them to follow the rules.

You broke a rule, the mod put you in conformance... next time don't break it. What you lost (your sig) was your own fault for nto having backed up somewhere else if it took so much effort. Quit whining about mods enforcing rules... I think public whining about mod actions should be bannable. You broke a rule, apologize, move on, quit whining.

[hitech]

[paintballrulzs]

I think one of the real main differences between the current AO and the old AO is the friendly forum (yes i am guilty too). It seems that more posts are posted in there than any other forum (except markers for sale). The forum needs to go back to when the main concern was paintball. It seems that this place is mostly to trade equipment and the occasionally random off topic discussion.

[Miscue]

Quit whining about mods enforcing rules... I think public whining about mod actions should be bannable. You broke a rule, apologize, move on, quit whining.

!!! If we had a karma system, that would earn you 2000 points.

[rpm07]

I dont think AO will ever be the same as it was. You have to look back the reason AO was good it the old days is because there was new products to talk about. We had the Super bolt. Intelli Frame, Lv10 Bolt, 4500 Flatline XMag and ULE Bodies, We had chat parties, when was the last one of those. Team Blackcell hosted the first AO day in NJ, then almost every state did 1. That is what made AO. When new products were coming out people had something to talk about. Or planning AO days. It was nice to come on and talk about the AGD teams and how the were doing, No more teams nothing to talk about. No more new products nothing to talk about. So I dont see AO ever being what it was.

[WenULiVeUdiE]

[QUOTE=Thordic] Each user has a "warning" meter. Mods can raise or lower the warning meter for acts of stupidity / intelligence. If someone makes a useless / dumb / flame post that doesn't quite warrant a ban, they get warned.

If someone with a warning level posts a particularly good post and the mods notice, they can bring that users warning level down a notch.
[QUOTE]
At Force of Nature we use the same thing. I have nboticed that after members get warned to say 10% they either stop posting useless stuff, or leave the site. One of the problems with the Karma system is it would require more mods.

[PBX Ronin 23]

Another thing that perhaps we ought to consider is a "new" role/position and integral to AO like the Mods. What if you actually had a cadre of people who will intentionally start a heady hypothetical thread. To keep the intellectual juices of AO flowing maybe sometimes you need a spark here and there.

[skipdogg]

Is there something wrong with AO? I havn't noticed a change in the last 4 years except more people are here now.

[shartley]

Another thing that perhaps we ought to consider is a "new" role/position and integral to AO like the Mods. What if you actually had a cadre of people who will intentionally start a heady hypothetical thread. To keep the intellectual juices of AO flowing maybe sometimes you need a spark here and there.

[PBX Ronin 23]

I dont think AO will ever be the same as it was. You have to look back the reason AO was good it the old days is because there was new products to talk about. We had the Super bolt. Intelli Frame, Lv10 Bolt, 4500 Flatline XMag and ULE Bodies, We had chat parties, when was the last one of those. Team Blackcell hosted the first AO day in NJ, then almost every state did 1. That is what made AO. When new products were coming out people had something to talk about. Or planning AO days. It was nice to come on and talk about the AGD teams and how the were doing, No more teams nothing to talk about. No more new products nothing to talk about. So I dont see AO ever being what it was.

The "old" (pre AGD purchase) was a place for the heady. The topics of conversation didn't have to be just about AGD products or teams.

There's a myriad of thought provoking topics out there in the paintball world. I think more so now than ever. From the legal issues to new technology, there's always good fodder for an intellectually contentious discourse.

The problem isn't the lack of noteworthy subjects to discuss. The problem is AO is quickly becoming just "another" forum where you showcase you "GAT". Sad but true. Is AO and elitist clique. No. But it also most certainly need not be a haven for the uninformed.

I know what you mean Sam. I wish sometimes that it was just like the way it used to be.

[Magaman]

Maybe AO just needs to be cleaned up a bit.

Set up a few new Forums like, New Paintball Setup, Way Off Topic Stuff, Um Help Please, I'm New, Don't Know the Rules, Etc.

There also needs to be a Political Discussion Forum