I have been busy painting this week and haven't payed any games so this post is a bit of a rant about how we conduct ourselves in public forums.
Now this article comes with a disclaimer: most people are courteous and respectful in forums. If this is you, thank you! You are promoting a feeling of welcome within out hobby. I for one really appreciate it.
The first conduct issue is complaining. I get it. We all get those moments where we are frustrated and just want to get it out. The thing about doing this in a public forum is that it doesn't contribute anything to the hobby or community. In general I don't think it inspires people to interact with your post either, which is the reason forums exist. So instead of saying "GW doesn't care about the average consumer" "this new codex sucks" "this new unit is overpriced", turn that statement into a discussion and get the community engaged. "I think this. What do you guys think?" is a great way to turn it into a discussion and maybe it can help you to see a different way of looking at things.
The second conduct issue is bashing. This ties in directly to the first conduct issue. I see this all the time. A great thread with wonderful discussion suddenly turns sour when someone who disagrees with an opinion starts bashing someone else's character. Words like "idiot" "stupid" and "moron" inevitably turn up once the thread has gone the way of bashing. It's okay for us all to have differing opinions. We don't need to change anyone's opinion and we certainly don't need to take it as a personal attack if someone doesn't share our same way of thinking. So how do we deal with our emotions if we feel this need to defend our opinions? You can try saying things like "I see where you are coming from, I just have a different opinion," or state your opinion and walk away from the keyboard. How do you deal with someone who is bashing you? Well, this one is a bit tougher. You certainly don't want to bash them back, but sometimes you want to make sure he/she knows that his/her conduct is not acceptable. I would say if this is the case and saying nothing isn't your style then just be direct and honest while being respectful. "That kind of language/attack on my character isn't necessary", it's really just that simple. I have seen entire threads salvaged from the point of almost being completely lost just by saying that kind of thing. In most cases it is enough to snap a usually reasonable but now emotional person back to reality. This doesn't work in all cases, but if doesn't then you know you are dealing with a troll and perhaps a moderator is needed.
The last conduct issue is close to my heart: inclusive language and content. "This fan created picture of a busty female commisar in a g string is AWESOME!" Right click and save that bad boy and share it with your friends who will appreciate it. It honestly does not belong in a public forum where an already alienated female population is struggling to be taken seriously. If you do post something like that and people call you out for being insensitive it is NEVER okay to call them derogatory terms associated with their sexual orientation, gender, or moral ethics. The question I hear most often is "why don't women play 40k?" and this to me is one of two major reasons why. If you want a more diverse gaming community you have to conduct yourself in an inclusive manner that is sensitive to all members of society.
If we follow these suggestions we will make online forums friendlier and make more people feel safe while interacting with the community. More people contributing to the discussion means more content and a stronger hobby scene.
