Politics Forum

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Azzer

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Just as a bit of clarity to quell any un-necessary reports or arguments... the politics sub-forum, and what I made it for....

First important thing to remember: In-game "propoganda" - stirring trouble, or making friends, up a resistance, encouraging a fight, turning group X of players against group Y of players with propoganda, or exaggerating a story that happened in-game, is fine, as long as it's kept to "in-game" people/activities/companies.

If Weeble makes a politics thread saying "We're going to war with Azzer's Army, they're all spies and backstabbers and couldn't kill a tractor, in fact they're rubbish and we'll wipe them out, oh and they're trying to powerblock!" - that's fine. Even if it's untrue, it can be seen as in-game propoganda. He's not targetted me as a real-life person, instead it's a lovely bit of in-game politics/banter/propoganda, and hasn't gone overboard, and isn't full of swearing and spam - in fact it's a bit of entertainment and getting in to the spirit of things.

If he says the same thing but words it like this; "We're going to f*** over those useless sh**s in Azzer's Army, the stupid idiots!", well, it's not very intelligent, mature, creative, original, and to be frank, you might as well be a 7 year old stamping your feet, hardly the words of somebody who should be getting involved in politics.

That's two examples of "in-game banter", one that I approve of and encourage, and one that I don't approve of and don't think belongs on the forum.

Second important thing to remember: Personal flames, trolls, insults, or anything that is targetted at the real-life individual - the player behind the screen sat at their keyboard - is not allowed.

If I reply to Weeble's thread saying "Weeble you're a moron you've got bad breath you've got no morals you're a liar and you couldn't get a girl even if you went on a Russian Brides website" - clearly, that's getting personal. I've crossed the line. That's not on.

If you get so wound up about in-game activities and in-game banter, or if you cannot differentiate between the real life person, and the "character" they play in an online game (which is, afterall, meant to be an escape from the real world, not a replica of your personality if you really did lead a gardening company to war IRL), that you have to resort to getting personal, stalking a user, harassing them, or anything else - then you need to walk away from your PC, look in a mirror, and say to yourself "I is has done gone mentals lol!!!!oneone" (say the one's too). And go have a cup of tea. And come back when you can play this as a game, not a real world personality clash simulator.

There are obviously going to be "Grey areas" where it's hard to tell whether somebody is being personal, or whether somebody is sticking to the spirit of politics/game-banter etc., and in those instances it's going to be a judgement call from an intelligent moderator.

Keep the politics board to in-game stuff, and keep your personal real life problems and grievances with individuals out. And these politics will then become much more entertaining for all the spectators... :D

PS: There are no rules to say that if Weeble posts some propoganda against Azzer's Army, that nobody in Azzer's Army is allowed to go and refute those claims or make counter claims. In fact such entertainment should be encouraged, if it keeps to the above guidelines. In short: If you post some propoganda, don't be suprised if the targets of that propoganda try to deny those claims, or even turn them on you. Use your skills as a politician, don't get personal, and don't run to the moderators for help because somebody was a better politician than you.
 

Azzer

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in other words you won't be doing anything about people posting offtopic ?

Normal forum rules - off-topic, spam, warez, porn, illegal activities, apply. Rules about "flaming or trolling" are more lenient as long as it's in-game only and done within the character of game politics.

I was just trying to make the point about the abilitiy for people to post propoganda, the targets' of that propoganda being able to refute it, other people being allowed to come in and join in the propoganda either side, and that it must all comply with being "in-game politics" not real-life arguments. I'm sorry if my post was unclear and led people to believe I was saying "no forum rules apply except this!". I wasn't inviting people to spam politics with porn just because I didn't mention porn, before any of you weirdos attempts it :p
 
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