nickie on 24/2/2016 at 21:38
There's some good news. Your children grow up and have their own, you get older and greyer and you retire. And then you have time again.
I'll dip a delicate toe in the water. I have been here, officially, most days for 13 years with small breaks from loss of internet due to unpaid bills. And I'm still wary of posting in CommChat. Partly because anything I have to say comes from my opinion, based quite a lot on experience, and that doesn't cut it in a debate. A debate needs evidence and a lot of CommChat is/was debate. And partly because I'm completely aware that I can talk utter crap at times so my advance cringing inhibits my posting. My finger often hovers over the reply button or the post thread button and then wanders on to something else instead.
I think you have to work at it more than we do. For example, I've noticed that henke occasionally posts in ThiefGen, when no-one else has posted a reply. That's a kindness and we should all do more of that. Sometimes all it needs is a few comments to generate greater discussion. I now try to make the occasional inane comment here and there, encouraged by henke's example, purely because someone else has made the initial effort to post and I think that deserves a response. Other more Thiefy people do the same thing. We could do more in the way of responding and thereby encouraging discussion or at least, encourage people to stay and contribute.
Posting in CommChat however, takes balls and although I'm still not sure whether I have no dick or an enormous one, I do know I don't have balls. But in acknowledging that, I have just realised that it's completely opposite in real life - I have great guts out here. So that's good.
Stitch on 25/2/2016 at 00:40
Quote Posted by Brethren
One of the big questions is, why aren't some of regulars and diehards coming back and starting/opening threads anymore?
Right now I think TTLG is trapped in a self-defeating loop--nobody ever posts because nobody is posting.
How we got here is a bit more difficult to gauge, but I do think a lack of moderation certainly played a part (not that I'm calling out any moderators here, as keeping things somewhat hands off sure seemed to make sense at the time). But if it feels like every post you make is only going to result in an unnecessary struggle, you're probably going to eventually stop posting.
And so I did.
PigLick on 25/2/2016 at 09:05
Expanding on my previous post, what you have to remember is that a lot of the old "regulars", as such were quite young when they started here at ttlg, I mean like Noid was only 18 or something, Fat Burrick was like 15 or 16 and so on. The difference between that age and 10 years or so later is quite dramatic. People put so much of themselves into these forums that maybe its even a little embarrassing to look back on. Hell I was in my mid twenties when I joined up and I cringe at some of the stuff I used to post.
I miss a lot of the old crew, and comm chat is pretty much a wasteland and I dont think thats going to change, but there is still a solid group of members who I would miss if TTLG wasnt around anymore.
Aja on 26/2/2016 at 00:03
I've been here for almost 14 years. Back in my late high school/early undergrad days I used to hit refresh every five minutes waiting for replies. I get a little embarrassed reading my old posts, but I was just trying to be an interesting person and was totally insecure about it. Posting in TTLG for me was like a constant attempt to validate that, though I usually ended up just making a bit of a fool of myself. That being said, there was a lot of mean discourse that I don't think I would feel the need to put up with now. I don't have that same desire to be express myself constantly, to try to be so clever all the time. In some ways I kind of miss my old attitude towards life (which extended to my behaviour here), but I'm not really that same person anymore, and I'm not sure I want to go back to being so outwardly cocky and inwardly afraid. And this place definitely fostered that sort of thing in me.
So now I'm content to pretty much read what other people write. I recently stopped using Facebook, too, because I realized that the posturing (and the need to posture yourself) kind of fosters an anxiety in me, the constant comparing yourself to others, not unlike what this place used to do. Guess I still am insecure, but at least now I know better.
bjack on 26/2/2016 at 17:53
While not as active as long ago, it looks like things are picking up, no? This thread alone has generated some action. Seems like a lot of lurkers are about, like me. Maybe people now check in once a month, instead of once every 10 minutes? Many good points as to why that is have been posted. I think, as a late comer, those reasons seem valid.
For instance, the new Thief game probably did not generate too much new traffic, since many people (the few) that would buy that game would not come to TTLG for tips and whatnot. I came here for T2 help. Not too many new T2 players and it shows in the FM forum. Action is still there, but not like it was 6 years ago. Just time marching on. The Hanson fan club is probably not too active either. :joke:
I look at comchat once or twice a day and enjoy the banter. Not much activity during my day, since it looks like many active posters are in Europe. Lately, I have kept pretty silent. Not much to add, so no posts. I did just post something in the Kanye thread and suspect to be ignored as usual. Cool. :cool:
nickie on 26/2/2016 at 20:51
Quote Posted by bjack
Not much to add, so no posts. I did just post something in the Kanye thread and suspect to be ignored as usual. Cool. :cool:
I think that I think that there is a tendency to feel that if there is no response, no-one reads a post with interest. I'm veering to not believing that any more.
I enjoy all the posts that I read, even if I don't agree with what is said. I continue to feel that the people who do come to TTLG, come because there's a level of intelligence that doesn't appear to be apparent in many other forums. Not that I look at a lot of forums anymore. But, I also think that every post I make should either be hilariously funny or extraordinarily witty or brimming full of intelligent repartee. Because that's what I've been used to in CommChat. And that's a recipe for people not posting.
As for new members? Yes there are new ones, judging by the new registrations. But people lurk a lot. I joined and then got lost in a database crash and had to join again a few months later. I'm sure it took me a couple of years to post after rejoining, and that's in the friendly Thief FM forum.
And whilst I'm here, a note on the subject of moderating. It's always been my understanding that TTLG is a mostly self-moderating forum. Very rarely these days, someone will report a post. That post and possible action is discussed. More often than not, members will deal with the errant poster themselves and action isn't needed. Occasionally it is. Hopefully, the person reporting the post will get a pm to explain any action or non-action. It doesn't always happen, but we try to make sure it does. So I think moderating tries to reflect community wishes. If it doesn't, make your feelings known. Tell us what you want.
Pyrian on 26/2/2016 at 20:59
Is there any distinction between "n00b getting jump-flamed en masse" and "members will deal with the errant poster themselves"? I think those are pretty much the same thing.
heywood on 26/2/2016 at 21:40
Quote Posted by bjack
While not as active as long ago, it looks like things are picking up, no? This thread alone has generated some action.
We excel at navel gazing
bjack on 26/2/2016 at 23:31
Mine seems to have a lot of lint. It has since I started wearing black felt pajama tops to bed.
Tocky on 27/2/2016 at 06:50
Navel gazing indeed. Just shut the fuck up and say something. I love you stupid fucking bastards and I want to hear whatever stupid shit you have to say. Seriously. Some of that stupid shit is pretty goddamned intelligent. The best shit I get is from here. You yammer like you are trying to convince yourselves but damn you are convincing me. I won't tell you that. Fuck you. But you introduced me to The Walking Dead comics and then I'm watching the show and going to where they film it and none of that would have happened without you. You are a part of my life. I just wish you would post more. That Bowie tribute by Miracle of sound? I'm listening to it over and over. I can't even explain the wonderful ache of what it means. You are some brilliant peckerheads. Don't change. Just be more brave. You only have now. Don't give a bleeding shit what I say or anyone else just say it. You are a diamond forged in the fist of Superman as he shook it in anger at the godless sky. Be that.
