Post by danni on Nov 9, 2007 12:17:23 GMT -5
Alright, this is my second thread on this subject, but the first one didn't get me all that far, and I have been encouraged by members of this forum and another one to make this post, so . . . here goes.
First of all, if you want to flame me for posting an honest opinion, please don't. I'm going to be doing a heck of a lot of complaining in this thread, but I'm not setting out to flame anyone, and I'm going to be as mature as possible about this. If you disagree and you want to say something, go ahead. Just don't flame.
The way this site is run is pushing people away and killing it. And I think it's really sad, because I used to love it here. I've talked to a mod about this, and they suggested I make a thread about it. I don't know if it will help, but I figured it's worth a try, because, even though I don't have any friends left here, I really don't want to see HH fizzle into nothing.
It isn't moderated very well, first of all. Now, if the rules were lax, maybe I could deal with it. But you have pretty strict rules that limit what well meaning, friendly members can post, but at the same time, trolls, people who flood the forums (have a look at the Other Movies section copy-paste incident, for example), and people who post hateful slang are allowed to run unchecked unless you go directly to a moderator or admin and complain. I feel like, for the most part, that's all I do around here, which makes me feel pretty bad, but at the same time, like I said, I just really hate to see what's happening here.
The roleplays? I don't even know where to start with that one, to be honest. I've always wanted to roleplay here, but I simply can't find a way to fit myself in with the way things currently stand. Which is a same. I'll leave it at that, because that's a big can of worms.
And, of course, the whole slash thing. It's been mentioned before by me, and some of you are probably rolling your eyes right now, but the fact of the matter is, I was told the rule would be changed, and it simply never was.
Let's get something clear, first. Slash is NOT porn. Slash doesn't mean porn. Slash means a pairing that isn't straight. As the rules still stand, non-straight romance is not allowed in any fanfiction or any roleplay. Keep in mind that violence and blood and whatnot are allowed. I was told this rule would be changed, as I said, about six months ago. I went to post a G rated fanfic, but noticed that the first rule in the fanfiction section was still "No slash" so I respectfully removed it.
But what's the deal? If it's rated G, why is it banned? No one is forced to read it. The reasoning behind the banning, as far as I can tell, is because it "starts arguments." When, the last time I checked, the only time arguments start was when someone flames someone elses work. And flaming/trolling is against the rules, right? Anyone else who has a disagreement because someone doesn't like their wok doesn't have their work banned. It's a really ill disguise. And, believe it or not, Des allowed slash in the old Cars forum. That alone says a lot about the current rule, not to mention the fact that I was basically given a pat on the back to quiet me down the last time I brought this up, but absolutely no action was taken on my behalf. And that rule deters a lot of my friends from joining, I can tell you that right now. Whether they want to post slash, a rule like that looming over someone can make them feel pretty uncomfortable. And again, it limits what I can do in the roleplays, even at a G rated level, unless I want to make a new character or adjust the orientations of my existing characters.
Basically, I think Hillbilly Hell needs a massive overhaul, or it's going to be dead (more dead than it is now) soon. I've been posting here since the day it was put up, and while I'm the last one standing out of my original group of friends, and my posts are, for the most part, ignored, I still feel protective for the darn place, and I think if a few changes were made, and the mods were a little more on their toes, we could turn it around. The Cars fandom is alive and kicking, it's just Hillbilly Hell that's suffering.
Even if the rules don't change, and I never get into a darn roleplay, I'm still not leaving, and I'm still going to try and contribute intelligent discussions to try bring some life back into this place, if only for sentimental reasons.
First of all, if you want to flame me for posting an honest opinion, please don't. I'm going to be doing a heck of a lot of complaining in this thread, but I'm not setting out to flame anyone, and I'm going to be as mature as possible about this. If you disagree and you want to say something, go ahead. Just don't flame.
The way this site is run is pushing people away and killing it. And I think it's really sad, because I used to love it here. I've talked to a mod about this, and they suggested I make a thread about it. I don't know if it will help, but I figured it's worth a try, because, even though I don't have any friends left here, I really don't want to see HH fizzle into nothing.
It isn't moderated very well, first of all. Now, if the rules were lax, maybe I could deal with it. But you have pretty strict rules that limit what well meaning, friendly members can post, but at the same time, trolls, people who flood the forums (have a look at the Other Movies section copy-paste incident, for example), and people who post hateful slang are allowed to run unchecked unless you go directly to a moderator or admin and complain. I feel like, for the most part, that's all I do around here, which makes me feel pretty bad, but at the same time, like I said, I just really hate to see what's happening here.
The roleplays? I don't even know where to start with that one, to be honest. I've always wanted to roleplay here, but I simply can't find a way to fit myself in with the way things currently stand. Which is a same. I'll leave it at that, because that's a big can of worms.
And, of course, the whole slash thing. It's been mentioned before by me, and some of you are probably rolling your eyes right now, but the fact of the matter is, I was told the rule would be changed, and it simply never was.
Let's get something clear, first. Slash is NOT porn. Slash doesn't mean porn. Slash means a pairing that isn't straight. As the rules still stand, non-straight romance is not allowed in any fanfiction or any roleplay. Keep in mind that violence and blood and whatnot are allowed. I was told this rule would be changed, as I said, about six months ago. I went to post a G rated fanfic, but noticed that the first rule in the fanfiction section was still "No slash" so I respectfully removed it.
But what's the deal? If it's rated G, why is it banned? No one is forced to read it. The reasoning behind the banning, as far as I can tell, is because it "starts arguments." When, the last time I checked, the only time arguments start was when someone flames someone elses work. And flaming/trolling is against the rules, right? Anyone else who has a disagreement because someone doesn't like their wok doesn't have their work banned. It's a really ill disguise. And, believe it or not, Des allowed slash in the old Cars forum. That alone says a lot about the current rule, not to mention the fact that I was basically given a pat on the back to quiet me down the last time I brought this up, but absolutely no action was taken on my behalf. And that rule deters a lot of my friends from joining, I can tell you that right now. Whether they want to post slash, a rule like that looming over someone can make them feel pretty uncomfortable. And again, it limits what I can do in the roleplays, even at a G rated level, unless I want to make a new character or adjust the orientations of my existing characters.
Basically, I think Hillbilly Hell needs a massive overhaul, or it's going to be dead (more dead than it is now) soon. I've been posting here since the day it was put up, and while I'm the last one standing out of my original group of friends, and my posts are, for the most part, ignored, I still feel protective for the darn place, and I think if a few changes were made, and the mods were a little more on their toes, we could turn it around. The Cars fandom is alive and kicking, it's just Hillbilly Hell that's suffering.
Even if the rules don't change, and I never get into a darn roleplay, I'm still not leaving, and I'm still going to try and contribute intelligent discussions to try bring some life back into this place, if only for sentimental reasons.