Regarding the locked thread from 'shockwave'

[Duke]

@BTXAxis:
Uhmm...I fail to see any rudeness in your response...

I think it could save you (and others) quite some work if we had an article in the wiki or FAQ about things that are NOT going to happen and especially *why not* for both coders and non-coders. So every time such a topic is brought up again you could simply post an RTFM-link

I would volunteer to write such an article if that's appreciated.

[shevegen]

Writing on the forums is a good way to not influence development.

I can understand that this is taken as a rude response to a first time visitor.

[Winter]

People don't read manuals, FAQs or anything of the sort. You can write it if you want but it won't prevent any of this retardation.

Just a quick reminder, though, we're not here to navel-gaze on the possible meanings of admin posts. That thread is now in the past and it doesn't need to be discussed any further.

Regards,
Winter

[Duke]

People don't read manuals, FAQs or anything of the sort.

I do

1. As a first step, I'd suggest you create the following post in this discussion forum and make it sticky.
(if posted by an admin, it has more 'weight'. I'm just a rookie)
Title:
What you should NOT post here
Body:
There are certain topics that have been discussed here over and over again, so the admins and devs are really tired of responding to such posts. These topics include:
- destructible terrain
- switching to a different game engine
- save game in battlescape mode
So *before* posting anything on those topics, please make sure you have read *every* discussion about them (use the forum search).

----

2. Did I miss a 'critical' topic ?

3. Give me some time to come up with a draft of the article. I will post it here.

4. If we want the article to reside in the wiki, a good place imho would be the TODO article, right below 'TODO/General'. At least that's where I would look for it. Open to better suggestions.

[freegamer]

It was the first answer that does sound rude:

1: Destructible terrain (I have read some posts here saying that it's difficult to impliment.. Well, compared to some of the other things you have implimented, it is not difficult!).

Sorry, but you clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Either that or you're a brilliant coder and you know how to get it done, in which case go for it. I suggest you read around some more to find out the particular issues with this. Do NOT press the discussion though, or I'll have to lock the thread.

His first post (from a guy obviously not hot on development knowledge) and you're not just blunt ("you clearly have no idea what you're talking about") but you're also threatening to lock the thread as a response?!  How about a gentler approach - "This has been discussed in detail, so please search for the relevant threads on why this is not as easy as you might think."

When somebody you don't know says something clueless, if you call them clueless you're asking for a flamewar.  If you show them where they can find the answer, you help them become a little more clued up.

[Kildor]

Tread was not locked when I read BTaxis responce. And user deleted himself after it. Anyway, I guess, ppls should read before write theys "brilliant advices", if they don`t want being disappointed. Especially about destructible terrains.

[Sir DOC]

I've been lurking this forum for quite some time now, and in this time I've seen the same topics come up again and again. At the same time, I've seen the answers from the project team to those repeated topics getting (understandably) more "harsh": from open and reasoned discussion to 4 words dismissal of the comment.
I think that Duke's suggestion is a good one: instead of just dismissing the comment, using the same 4 words to point the guy to a summary thread could save us some bad mood (bans, thread locks and the like).

One final word: this game is fantastic! 

[richlv]

i don't hang out much in forums, but yeah, btaxis can be quite blunt
that can turn people away, so having a wiki page listing rejected proposals would be great... hey, we have that
http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Trash_Can
so that page should be improved and linked (politely !) when such threads come up.

rudeness never ever helps as the first reaction (and i'm not the most polite person around).

[hotdog]

I'm hardly ever on (as in logged in) but I do check up on the forums a lot. I have no idea what was rude in BT's response. I see him saying no to a couple ideas and one of which he cuts off before it becomes another Pro vs Con topics.

It may have been a bit blunt but I honestly think shockwave was a little drunk or just not smart enough to read it the way it should have been read. (Now that was rude)

I understand what it is to slap together a game and even a game mod (I do it a lot) but I also understand the difference between these two terms.

Difficult: A term used to say "It's too hard for me to accomplish at this point." in a single word. The reasons can vary. In which case I agree that features are not *hard* or *difficult* to implement.
Time Consuming: A term used to sum up "It would take up a lot of time that could be better spent elsewhere." in two words. Again reasons can vary. In this case I would say that this is the primary thing. It's not *hard* to put in new content. All you are technically doing is playing around with a computer. I fail to see how typing and clicking is *hard*. HOWEVER. Time consuming is a whole new can of worms. A can I tend to think people mean to open when they say "It's too difficult." Why they say Difficult rather than time consuming I will never know. (Stupidity or habit?)

When it comes to it though I sincerely believe that most devs mean the task is too time consuming to achieve quick enough so they don't lose interest. Not everyone is like me...I have whole days to piss away because I don't work anymore. If I want to do something I can but I don't so right now I piss away everyday doing things I like to do. This includes modding games. As such I typically can get things done quicker than most since I don't have things like school, work, family, or other misc. things on my mind. I can completely focus and even when I have something to worry about guess what? I HAVE WHOLE YEARS TO WHIDDLE AWAY AT IT! So it doesn't worry me as much as it might someone like Winter who is trying his hardest to write his books and helping with this on the side. Or BT who does this and no doubt MANY other things just to stay alive and be happy. My point is that I feel partially responsible for people acting like "GIVE ME THIS NOW OR SHOVE YOUR GAME UP YOUR @#$%!" because I fall into that catagory of people who's life is making and modding games because their life is their hobby thus I ask people for ideas and do it because I don't have enough of my own. I apologize in advance if this is really the case.

Speaking of life though...what does BT do with his time he isn't slapping this together? (Mystery of the ages people XD)

We should take bets on it! I bet he's a spy or in the military in some secret unit he can't talk about

[richlv]

I have whole days to piss away because I don't work anymore. If I want to do something I can but I don't so right now I piss away everyday doing things I like to do. This includes modding games.

hmm. maybe we can get you to code for us ?

[BTAxis]

Or map. Or anything else.

[Surrealistik]

Instead of being crude and blunt, BTAxis and friends should probably just copy/paste prefabricated PR friendly responses should they feel the need to respond at all.

[Winter]

Instead of being crude and blunt, BTAxis and friends should probably just copy/paste prefabricated PR friendly responses should they feel the need to respond at all.

As you can plainly see, that's exactly what I did with the most recent chappy. Didn't deter him, did it?

Enough armchair moderation. We already have enough armchair developers, I don't want to have to lock this thread as well.

Regards,
Winter

[Surrealistik]

Why is it necessary to deter further posts? If you're going to reply, you may as well just leave it at the canned response and ignore any additional posts and/or lock the thread.

Your call though; continue to abuse and condescend the playerbase if you like.