Hey guys,
Just thought I'd bring the subject of how different I find Airsoft forums from other type of forums.
TKO was pretty much the first forum related to Airsoft I came upon, and at the very beginning, I found the forum a little "tight" compared to other riding/gaming forums I was also on (no offense to Q and Anarchy
).
Then recently I tried looking around for other forums, French, related to MC, or even just ones that seem interesting, so I could have different point of views (and things were slowing down here a little too
).
Well, I actually changed my mind, and TKO is the most open forum I've seen so far about Airsoft. Even French ones where I thought I'd blend along just fine happened to be full of uptight jackasses very very strict on the forum rules and the "can/cannot do".
So here is my question: is there a reason for that ? I mean it's not like it's anything military, it's only a hobby, so why the tightness on all those forums ?! Again, not saying it's good or bad, but just looking for the cause of this.
I've been a forum mod/admin for countless times and even a guild/clan leader in an online game we used to play back home. What I learned about setting rules is that the one who follow (your) rules will be the easiest persons to get along with as they have personalities that are more-or-less aligned with your own. This is regardless of the subject of the forum.
Although the short answer will be "to keep things clean."
I understand that, but I felt like Airsoft, as a topic, was treated with much more seriousness than video games or motocross/bikes as an example (which are my two other hobbies). I was wondering why in particular Airsoft ?
But maybe it's just my imagination
It's because airsoft at its heart is a military simulation sport. Paintball is more of a traditional sport whereas airsoft appeals to those of us with honor, integrity and a desire to use real world tactics and loadouts to accomplish real world objectives using teamwork and strategy.
At least, that's how it should be. Of course you do get people calling those of us who play the sport as it was intended "wannabe's". And to them I say, go play paintball, because a lot of the "wannabe's" are actual military operators or personnel who enjoy a military combat sport. I miss the military/teamwork atmosphere in airsoft. After four years of paintsoft in Hawaii it will be nice to actually use some teamwork and skill here, instead of playing with these guys
![[Image: helmet.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/wraithxt1/random/helmet.jpg)
If you want a more relaxed (Read "retarded") atmosphere, go to combatsims.org or forumshawaii.net airsoft section. Those guys are full retard.
(01-02-2010 11:36 PM)Q Wrote: [ -> ]One word: "wannabe's"
Oh... makes sense.
(01-02-2010 11:53 PM)Wraith Wrote: [ -> ]If you want a more relaxed (Read "retarded") atmosphere, go to combatsims.org or forumshawaii.net airsoft section. Those guys are full retard.
Tell me if I'm wrong, but I read a tad of aggressiveness here Wraith.
You don't even know what I'm talking regarding "up tightness" for their forum. Those people ban you if not introducing yourself within your 2 first posts, then there are the ones where as soon as a subject of a thread broadens just even so slightly that they insult you and edit your post with thick bold red text while mocking you, etc... I have a bunch of examples like that.
So, now if this is "true" Airsoft, that sux big time. But you have no right to tell me "to play Paintball". I'm no military, and I have no intention to become part of it so far, but I enjoy the survival game, strategy and intensity of Airsoft. Being a complete @sshole on a forum has no relation with that whatsoever.
TKO to me is relaxed enough for what I need, but it's true that it was already different from what I saw before between bikes and games and other PC stuff.
I think Wraith is maybe going slightly off topic onto his intense and well documented dislike of the way airsoft is played in Hawaii. All I know is from his posts, but it seems that players there employ a spray and pray approach, using high ROF weapons with mad FPS. Part of the appeal of airsoft for most of us is taking it seriously when we get out on the field, whether we have any connection to the military or not. Perhaps this seriousness of approach to the way we play translates into a seriousness of rules and practices on other forums.
Well ycare, you never explained what you meant about "up tightness" in your first post. I figured you were talking less about strict forum administration and more about the attitudes of those on the forum itself, completely different subjects. I can see both sides of the coin on the subject of post introduction bans. If it's one of the forums rules, which should be read before posting, then you should try to follow them. I think banning someone for it is excessive, but those rules are in place for a reason, it could be to allow mods to spot spam or advertisers who only want to post once or twice to shill their crap on the forum.
Sorry about the perceived aggressiveness in that post, I wasnt instructing you to "go" to those places in a "leave these forums" sense as much as I was saying "go take a look at how they act". I'll be sure to check my future posts to make sure they dont come across as being an ass like that again.
Thundermidget pretty much summed out what I was trying to say in my first post, his comments on the subject are spot on.
Could it also be that many of us here at TKO are foreigners, and by that we have made a choice to walk away from the expectations of a simple life back home...that we have broader outlooks on things in general, and that living in a foreign country has made us a little more open to the idea that there are opinions and positions different from our own.
As I mentioned in a post that Aouwra started...it could also have to do with us knowing each other and meeting up for games now an then. I think that you won't be as eager to insult or come down on someone if you know them personally. This is the only forum I belong to that I have met and now know some of the people that are part of the forum?
My 2c
Fair enough, might be some logic to all of that !
(02-02-2010 02:15 PM)dstole Wrote: [ -> ]Could it also be that many of us here at TKO are foreigners, and by that we have made a choice to walk away from the expectations of a simple life back home...that we have broader outlooks on things in general, and that living in a foreign country has made us a little more open to the idea that there are opinions and positions different from our own.
YEAH, absolutely, I'm 100% with you Dstole.
I suggest we kick Wraith and Ycare out of the forum.
