ponczo_: Guys, please stick to the topic. If you do not wish to continue the discussion, we will simply lock the thread.
There is indeed another thread about this, however it is inactive for some time, so now I do not see the reason to forward your discussion there.
We are sticking to the topic.....which is the downrating.
firstpastthepost: In my experience it's easy to avoid being downvoted. Follow the forum rules. If a thread has posted rules, follow them. Don't post gibberish. Don't spam the forum. Be civil. And avoid commenting in any way on controversial topics since you're likely to be downvoted no matter what your position is.
For the most part if you stick to those things you won't get downvoted. There are exceptions to this of course but they're good guidelines.
1. No it is not. I get downrated all the time for talking about GAMES or other media in the apporpriate threads. Some morons will follow me around each day and downrate because they know it bothers me(the act not the point loss) and they do it to push my buttons as much as possible.
I follow the rules 9%%+ of the time, and am as polite as I can be for the most part(except with actual trolls), and I still get low rated for posting ontopic content that irks someone because they dislike my opinions or me personally for some reason. And I am not the only one it happens to.
1.b. And why should one not comment on "controversial" topics? Who made a few forum users arbiters of what is acceptable on gog as they think they are, and why should they be allowed to harass some by low rating them and following them around/derailing their threads?
2. They are for the most part but I wouldn't say that suggesting one should shut up and hide one's views/not talk on certain allowed topics to appease a few self-appointed "forum managers" is a good suggestion.
Rather, maybe those said people should leave and find a place more to their liking.
LordEbu: Give +/- button only to those who bought a game on GOG store, that should clear waters a bit... Other than that it's nothing more than a number having no impact on anything, so there's that.
THIS....then those with alts would have to buy something and be here a set period before they could downrate at all.....that would curb it a bit.
InkPanther: I hate this approach so much. Not like it wasn't obvious that this topic will end badly from the start... But what do you guys intend to achieve by closing derailed topics time after time, instead of punishing those who derail them? What's the point in collective punishment? The usual suspects intend to stir up trouble and hurt the community, and by closing topics you're simply reinforce their efforts.
darthspudius: What's even the point in punishing if what was done was completely harmless? This topic was not going anywhere. This place is so miserable. Punish, lock, delete!
Because it's usually the same dozen or so people here who derail ANY thread they find unlikable or against their code of what is acceptable and they turn such threads they dislike into cesspits of controversy to shut them down/drive people away or get them locked?
Also locking threads solves nothing in that regard.
Crosmando: GOG forum mods have become extra crazy last few days, I got a 2 day ban simply for dropping the f-bomb in a post.
Really? Yet bigtime offenders here get away with much more and have been banned many times yet they are allowed to come back. Also many of those that derail threads(to cause people to stop posting) are also still unbanned(even temp bans).