Reading the "DO NOT BUMP SPAM" and State of the Temp threads, it's got me to thinking. What exactly is an "acceptable" level of off-topic-ness? Some single posts get deleted for being off-topic, but in other cases the off-topic-ness can last for several posts in a row and not be moderated at all. Take, for example, something that happened in the State of the Temp thread earlier today. The thread was going smoothly (at least at that moment in time), then all of a sudden we get someone (Foxi4) talking about sex dungeons, which is clearly off-topic, and then he gets called out on it. In response to being called out for being off-topic, he responds thusly:
The way that came out, it sounds as if he's saying that it's okay to joke about non-crisis topics, but the vast majority of threads aren't about crisis situations. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming him. I know Foxi4 is not the voice of GBAtemp and his word isn't the absolute word of God, but it brings up a question that I think we should get a solid, definite answer to.
How exactly do we balance on and off-topic posts? When is it okay to talk about sex dungeons? When is it okay for someone to make a post in a thread that doesn't contribute to the conversation and only serves to get a laugh or a "like?"
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I'm trying to keep the discussion lighthearted because we're not really facing a crisis - we've been through spells like this before (Pokefloods, for instance). Exchanging opinions is great, but there's some room for a giggle or two too. That's the core issue we're facing, I think - people being unable to strike a balance between the serious and the funny.
The way that came out, it sounds as if he's saying that it's okay to joke about non-crisis topics, but the vast majority of threads aren't about crisis situations. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming him. I know Foxi4 is not the voice of GBAtemp and his word isn't the absolute word of God, but it brings up a question that I think we should get a solid, definite answer to.
How exactly do we balance on and off-topic posts? When is it okay to talk about sex dungeons? When is it okay for someone to make a post in a thread that doesn't contribute to the conversation and only serves to get a laugh or a "like?"