The lack of an OTT. (this is NOT an ott. DO NOT go off topic)

so as im sure most of you know, the OTT's have been put on an indefinate hiatus. this thread is for the discussion of problems caused by this and solutions to those problems...

this thread is crated because this thread (http://cheapassgamer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39008) got locked, and i feel it was locked unfairly, because it was not off topic, but i PMed casey about it, and he said if i wanted to start one in the feedback forum, its fine, so long as it stays on topic.

so seriously guys...dont go off topic here, we do that enough in every other thread on the site.

that being said, i thought id share my views on the no more ott rule. and this is in no way ment to disrespect cheapy, defender, or any other techs/mods, so dont take it personally.

i feel the no ott rule is very hypocritical. why? because on the front page, theres a post about how many posts we have, and at the same time we have a rule in place to limit posting??

we were told the otts (and topics over 500 posts) pose a threat to the stabillity of the board, well why was this just recently done then? and why is it not enforced across the board? its a very selective rule.

the problems caused by not haveing OTTs is apparent. we make fake otts. we hijack threads and mold them in to otts. its because its what we're used to posting, and just saying dont do it w/o any explanation of why isnt going to stop anyone. theres no reason for anyone to believe that a 500 post topic is going to corrupt the board because there are tons of 500+ post topics floating around right now unlocked and the board remains here.

anyways, im just venting...as i feel alot of other people will...i understand this will cause a flame war, so lets just not get in to personal attacks here guys, lets just discuss the matter at hand.

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

punq, you beat me to it. I was thinking of doing one of these to discuss the current state of the OTTs at the moment. I too agree that the other thread was locked unfairly (I just read it). No offense to Cheapy or defender or to anyone who maintains this wonderful site but isn't it hypocritical to say that you will only limit threads to 500 posts at the maximum when deals threads and trader threads and even some threads in the OTT (they are not OTTs though) go over. Why is there this singling out of the OTTs?

[quote name='jmcc']My cat's breath smells like cat food.[/quote]

im not letting you ruin this thread, so dont even try.

I think defender was just having a bad day when he posted that.
I don't care if you have ONE ott thread at any given time.

I'll lock them when I think they get too big.

and just saying dont do it w/o any explanation of why isnt going to stop anyone.

Click to expand...

Cheapy's board = Cheapy's rules

Be happy that he gave some kind of explanation as he doesn't have to.

the problems caused by not haveing OTTs is apparent. we make fake otts. we hijack threads and mold them in to otts. its because its what we're used to posting

Click to expand...

If you can't control what you post ie taking a thread off topic, then you need to grow up and learn some self control.

[quote name='punqsux'][quote name='jmcc']My cat's breath smells like cat food.[/quote]

im not letting you ruin this thread, so dont even try.[/quote]

And, when the doctor said I didn't have worms any more, that was the happiest day of my life

[quote name='CheapyD']I think defender was just having a bad day when he posted that.
I don't care if you have ONE ott thread at any given time.

I'll lock them when I think they get too big.[/quote]



:notworth:

I've never understood the allure of either post counts or OTT's, so them being gone doesn't bother me one bit, but I hate to see this place getting too strict with rules and going the way of GFs where everything is modded.

I had this post ready to go for the other thread that was going, but it was locked before i could submit it.

Time for me to weigh in. I'd like to address a few specific things that I've seen.

OTT's create a sense of community for CAGers: Yeah, maybe for the 20 or so people who frequently post in them. If you've checked recently, we have about 23,000 members. Granted, a good bunch of them are lurkers, but you're calling 20 (give or take) people a good representation of the CAG community?

I remember somebody saying the following:
"The OTT's are almost more important than the deals themselves": This was one of the most rediculous things I've ever heard. Look at the name of this website, and you'll quickly see the purpose of this site. In any situtation pertaining to CAG, game deals will ALWAYS be the #1 priority here. That's why CAG exists. NOT because there's a funny show on TV and somebody wants to comment on it, NOT because you have to respond with your witty remark that you just thought of yourself, and NOT to chat back and forth. The meat and potatos here is getting cheap games, and everything else is to be considdered a "side dish".

"OMG, you're a hypocrite because you're speaking out against OTT's, yet you're posting in the OFF TOPIC FORUM!!! X-p": We are all aware of this glaringly obvious irony. I would like to state for the record that I am NOT against the Off-topic forum. It serves it's purpose, its where all of the "other stuff" is supposed to go. That's fine, and hell, I've posted in more than a few topics in the OT forum. They're fine. What ISN'T fine is creating topics for the sole purpose of chatting back and forth, and doing so constantly. The OTT's usually amass to 500 posts in a matter of days (or HOURS in one case), which is completely absurd. If you want a place to just chat about things, try an AIM chat room! Or any kind of chatroom anywhere! Or make an angelfire page with a bulletin board! This wouldn't be that hard to coordinate, you just make ONE post in the OT forum saying "hey, the chatroom is up! come join us!", and everything would be great. But instead of doing ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE, you just sit around complaining in any topic you can. If post count really doesn't matter to you guys, then why don't you just fix the problem?

"Well, there are other threads that get above 500 posts!": This has to be taken on a thread by thread basis. For example, deal threads are the most important threads on this site, so it might be worth the server stress to keep it open until the sale finishes or until the deal fades away. Locking a deal thread prematurely could easily cause other CAGers to miss out on the deal. Other side-threads (like the OTTs) aren't worth the server stress to keep them open, and so they deserved to be capped at 500 posts. Other threads (like the OMG basketball one), could be seen as self-terminating. As this is quickly fading from the news, the public interest also fades, and people will stop posting (most likely). All threads are not created equal, and that needs to be taken into account.

In sumation, this isn't at all. Its not hypocritical, and its not mean, and i'm not being a jerk. CheapyD and Defender both said not to make new OTT's, and not to post an insane amount. They're not being unreasonable by saying this, and instead of LISTENING TO THEM (you know, being the most important people on the site and all), you all try to do everything you can to defy them, and to bite the hand that feeds you. Don't be selfish, and try being mature and respectful. Wait for the new CAG chatroom, or create your own forum to share your interests. Fix the problem, don't complain about it.

[quote name='punqsux'][quote name='CheapyD']I think defender was just having a bad day when he posted that.
I don't care if you have ONE ott thread at any given time.

I'll lock them when I think they get too big.[/quote]



:notworth:[/quote]

Does this mean what I think it means?

[quote name='Scrubking']

and just saying dont do it w/o any explanation of why isnt going to stop anyone.

Click to expand...

Cheapy's board = Cheapy's rules
Be happy that he gave some kind of explanation as he doesn't have to.[/quote]
agree'd in full, if cheapy posted "i dont want anymore OTT's because i hate them" well, not much you can argue about there. but there was little reasoning given.

the problems caused by not haveing OTTs is apparent. we make fake otts. we hijack threads and mold them in to otts. its because its what we're used to posting

Click to expand...

If you can't control what you post ie taking a thread off topic, then you need to grow up and learn some self control.

Click to expand...

and you need to lighten up because there are people on this board that want to have fun, perhaps you should try it sometime

[quote name='CheapyD']I think defender was just having a bad day when he posted that.
I don't care if you have ONE ott thread at any given time.

I'll lock them when I think they get too big.[/quote]

Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you

line dance time \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

:notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth:

Our prayers have been answered [-o

evilmax17, in the time it took you to post that rediculous amount of garbage slamming the OTT, Cheapy gave the word that they are okay, I find that amazingly funny.

Yep. Hahahaha *ignores evilmax*

Thanks cheapy.

[quote name='evilmax17']I had this post ready to go for the other thread that was going, but it was locked before i could submit it.

Time for me to weigh in. I'd like to address a few specific things that I've seen.

OTT's create a sense of community for CAGers: Yeah, maybe for the 20 or so people who frequently post in them. If you've checked recently, we have about 23,000 members. Granted, a good bunch of them are lurkers, but you're calling 20 (give or take) people a good representation of the CAG community?

.[/quote]

Yes they do for the peopel that truly frequent these message boards and care about them. Not everyone can get in on a deal. Most people are just lurkers. If you don't know that than well, wow. Just go and check how many users have actually posted once. Also, I'm sure that some users made multiple acounts when there was the $200 gift card for VGD contest.

so who has the honor of making the new one? I'm voting for deadzone since she's our OTT goddess.

Punq made the new one already. In the meantime maybe we could get a mod to lock this up, now that it's moot.