Does anyone think we should have an age restriction on the forums? - Page 3

***fov*** · 03-02-2005, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabacco

They probably won't. I don't think vB recalculates post counts on thread moves.

Sure does. I just moved this thread into Chit Chat and then back here. My post count went down then back up, accordingly.

(Would this constitute an abuse of power?)

Tune in next week, for another episode of Stupid Mod Tricks...

Intrepid Homoludens · 03-02-2005, 12:24 AM

While you're at it, tabsie, could you please ban AGA for acting childish?

[serious Trep] I don't think it's much of a problem, really. I think fov, Voodsie, and others would agree that we can maintain an egalitarian treatment of everyone here regardless of age. Thus, you spam, you get panned. Or banned if you're truly, relentlessly bad. But as far as the little boogers stumbling on more 'mature' topics being discussed, I think it's unlikely they'll be scarred for the rest of their lives from it. For one thing, they may not know wot the frick we're talking about essentially. [/serious Trep]

Wormsie · 03-02-2005, 12:24 AM

I started posting when I was 15, and I remember I was even more stupid than now. I think there were a few posts in the Agast discussion board that had CAPITAL LETTERS AND A WAILING TONE!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO, AGAST CRASHES!!!!???? AAARGH!

...That was rather childish, but I hope I've grown slightly.

Intrepid Homoludens · 03-02-2005, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fov

Tune in next week, for another episode of Stupid Mod Tricks...

Silly rabbit. Tricks are for kids.

Glenn Epic · 03-02-2005, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake

The user can chose whether or not their poll will disclose who voted for what. If you look around at past polls on this forum you'll discover that some have public results and some have private.

Okay, cool, I didn't know that

artwking4 · 03-02-2005, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadworm222

that had CAPITAL LETTERS AND A WAILING TONE!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO, AGAST CRASHES!!!!???? AAARGH!

Good to know you've overcome your pirate ways and realized that wailing is wrong. Agast, me heartey, the poor whales only want to eat plankton and mate. Who among us hasn't wanted to do one or both of those things? It doesn't warrant a harpoon in the blowhole, though.

Sorry, I'm just being silly and it's late, so I could not resist... I hope that's okay.

I'll just go to bed now...

Glenn Epic · 03-02-2005, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

While you're at it, tabsie, could you please ban AGA for acting childish?

[serious Trep] I don't think it's much of a problem, really. I think fov, Voodsie...

Even in serious mode you add 'sie' to the end of usernames... Amazing...

*Jake* · 03-02-2005, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGA

I was 15 when I first started posting on forums, and I typed and acted exactly as I do now, which I like to think is maturely and sensibly.

Have you got proof of that?

I know that I'd like to say that sort of thing about myself and my old posting habits, but then the Scumm Bar site unearths guest book entries I wrote in 1997 or something that are completely embarassing and hilarious which paint me as the ranting (I Was a Teenage) Newbie that I was, and am hopefully not so much anymore.

Elton28 · 03-02-2005, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fov

I would hesitate to suggest something like an age restriction, simply because younger people can be productive members of the community, too. Who decides how young is too young? How old were many of us when we started playing adventure games? Sure, we may not have been great conversationalists at the time... but that's not (necessarily) the focus of this site, and there are plenty of articulate "younger" people among our ranks, too. Age should not determine someone's inclusion in a community -- their contributions should.

People who don't mesh with the community tend not to stick around. On the flip side, I'm sure there are plenty of lurkers who would love to post here but are intimidated by the general tone of our posts. Which doesn't mean we should change who we are -- but we should remember that a community is not only comprised of its most vocal members.

Besides, although the occasional out of place post can be annoying (for me too, believe me! Or have you all forgotten that I poop on logs?), it's not as if the forums have become overrun with them. Not yet, anyway.

-emily

Well I agree with Emily on this one.

Yes kids can be annoying with how and what they post, but they should not be restricted; at the end of the day the Internet is a potentially risky place where kids can be exposed to "adult" themes - its up to their parents to ensure that they take the necessary measures with web security.

But if I came here as a young lad and found I was restricted, I'd be a bit narked tbh.

AF

AGA · 03-02-2005, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake

Have you got proof of that?

I know that I'd like to say that sort of thing about myself and my old posting habits, but then the Scumm Bar site unearths guest book entries I wrote in 1997 or something that are completely embarassing and hilarious which paint me as the ranting (I Was a Teenage) Newbie that I was, and am hopefully not so much anymore.

This is the earliest post I could find, on the first forums I registered on. I was there for a year or two before that, but the forum archives don't go that far back. I would have been 16 at the time of posting.

Glenn Epic · 03-02-2005, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGA

This is the earliest post I could find, on the first forums I registered on. I was there for a year or two before that, but the forum archives don't go that far back. I would have been 16 at the time of posting.

There is one of those 'crazy frog' Jamster ads on that page. I don't get it, why the heck did they give the frog model a penis? They had to cover it up in this ad. Its one of life's little perplexities.

AGA · 03-02-2005, 03:48 AM

I don't know. It's places like EZboard that make me glad I use Firefox and AdBlock. The ads are so obnoxious there. As for why the frog has a penis, I have no idea. It's freaky enough without realistic genitals...

EasilyConfused · 03-02-2005, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fov

(Hey, EC, I like the new avatar!)

Thanks--I'm mostly posting so I can see myself.

(Well, Zoe . . . or not really, since they changed her . . .

)

Anyway, one more thing--how lame would it be for the ADULTS who want to come to AG forums to have to read something about how you must be 18 to enter, and are you really 18, etc. I don't think a notice like that would convey the right impression about forum content to new forumites. There is certainly adult conversation in places . . . but adults are adults, and they can avoid topics they don't like. (Personally, I'm avoiding the Neapolitan Ice Cream topic like the plague, because I hate that stuff.

)

Meanwhile there is and of course is supposed to be ample discussion of serious and weighty gaming topics of momentous global importance on the gaming threads. 8-)

***Marek*** · 03-02-2005, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fov

I would hesitate to suggest something like an age restriction, simply because younger people can be productive members of the community, too.

Case in point, I was probably 13 when I started making websites, and about 15 when I started AG (or, more accurately, the site that would later be renamed to AG).

I think the only solid argument in favor of an age restriction is keeping younger gamers away from mature topics in Chit Chat. But that sort of thing is near-impossible to enforce on the internet.

gillyruless · 03-02-2005, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marek

I think the only solid argument in favor of an age restriction is keeping younger gamers away from mature topics in Chit Chat. But that sort of thing is near-impossible to enforce on the internet.

There are definitely threads/posts in Chit Chat that I personally wouldn't want younger kids to read. I must say that I have greatly enjoyed some of those threads myself and would feel a great loss if they go away. The Sex thread that's currently on going and the seduction thread (isn't it interesting how these "mature" threads seem to be always started by Trep?

) are two good examples.

Now, the question I want to ask is this: since there are younger forum members who shouldn't be reading those threads and most of us would agree that an age-based restriction on the forums is wrong and not easily implemented, do we need to police ourselves and be careful about what we post? As Trep observed and as far as I can tell, none of the threads are explicit or overly raunchy but I still wouldn't want a ten-year old to be reading them. I consider AG, the site in general and the forums in particular, to be a very valuable source of entertainment and information and would like to have it become available to a wide audience. So that means I should try to be respectful of all people who might be accessing the site and be careful about what I post, right?

What are your thoughts? Is this just a hypocritical nonsense or am I making some sense or am I being just my usual self and walking around worrying about the sky falling?

Wormsie · 03-02-2005, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillyruless

What are your thoughts? Is this just a hypocritical nonsense?

Yes. I remember that in school sex education started when we were around nine years old or something. What harm could it possibly do to a child to know about things like that early on? The topics are discussed in a civilized manner - it's not pr0n. And let's face it, they don't even understand what it is that adults like so very much about sex. In their opinion girls/boys are yucky.

I wouldn't mind it if a ten year old read those threads, but they probably just wouldn't be interested anyway.

***fov*** · 03-02-2005, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillyruless

Now, the question I want to ask is this: since there are younger forum members who shouldn't be reading those threads and most of us would agree that an age-based restriction on the forums is wrong and not easily implemented, do we need to police ourselves and be careful about what we post? ... What are your thoughts?

My thoughts: Where are the parents?

That's their job, not ours.

Although I completely disagree with age verification on this site, it would be kind of funny if it were done like the "Are you legal?" questions you used to see at the beginning of Leisure Suit Larry games. Of course, I managed to hack through those... a challenge in itself.

-emily

SakSquash · 03-02-2005, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fov

Do you remember Prodigy?

...didn't think so.

Of course I do!

BREATHE THE PRESSURE! DON'T PLAY MY GAME I'LL TEST YAAAA!

or

SMACK MY BITCH UP!

They were kinda wick.

Wormsie · 03-02-2005, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artwking4

I hope that's okay.

Of course it is not OK! You used the word "mate", and made an off-topic post in Forum Feedback. We will keelhaul you now.

Ninth · 03-02-2005, 09:14 AM

What the others said.
We have a few great 10 to 14 years old contributors, and one (slightly) annoying spammer. Who cares? (erm, apart for Mansie, that is

).

View Poll Results: Should we have an age restriction policy?
Yes - these are adult forums with adult topics!!!	3	6.25%
No way - haven't you heard of freedom of speech???	38	79.17%
I think children should be allowed to post in certain areas only!	6	12.50%
Other	3	6.25%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 48. You may not vote on this poll

03-02-2005, 12:24 AM	#42
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	While you're at it, tabsie, could you please ban AGA for acting childish? [serious Trep] I don't think it's much of a problem, really. I think fov, Voodsie, and others would agree that we can maintain an egalitarian treatment of everyone here regardless of age. Thus, you spam, you get panned. Or banned if you're truly, relentlessly bad. But as far as the little boogers stumbling on more 'mature' topics being discussed, I think it's unlikely they'll be scarred for the rest of their lives from it. For one thing, they may not know wot the frick we're talking about essentially. [/serious Trep] Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien

03-02-2005, 12:24 AM	#43
Wormsie Doctor Watson Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 4,736	I started posting when I was 15, and I remember I was even more stupid than now. I think there were a few posts in the Agast discussion board that had CAPITAL LETTERS AND A WAILING TONE!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO, AGAST CRASHES!!!!???? AAARGH! ...That was rather childish, but I hope I've grown slightly. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Don't worry, I'm a doctor.

03-02-2005, 03:48 AM	#52
AGA AdventureGameAficionado Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Cardiff, Wales Posts: 1,968	I don't know. It's places like EZboard that make me glad I use Firefox and AdBlock. The ads are so obnoxious there. As for why the frog has a penis, I have no idea. It's freaky enough without realistic genitals... Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Berian Williams - [SIZE=1]Visit agagames.com for free adventure games!

03-02-2005, 09:14 AM	#60
Ninth Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Paris, France Posts: 6,409	What the others said. We have a few great 10 to 14 years old contributors, and one (slightly) annoying spammer. Who cares? (erm, apart for Mansie, that is ). Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ ...It's down there somewhere. Let me have another look.

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