The only other forum that I really frequent is reddit and I absolutely hate the r/gaming subreddit. It's a bunch of PC fanatics and nostalgia-posts.

Damn it's true. I don't visit gaming sites anymore except for Gamefaqs(although the message boards can be pretty bad too but I have the option not seeing the comments anyway) when I'm terribly stucked at something and I don't have the time to be "Hey I'm a hardcore gamer, I don't use cheats, it's for losers" mentality...Whatever this bickering is getting all over the place and I'm not here for that.

I don't hate gaming forums. To do so I'd have to have fairly significant emotional investment in the posts involved, and I don't. I just don't care enough. I visit different forums for different reasons, and I get different communities in each, and to expect more than what is offered would almost certainly lead to disappointment.

For example, for general reactions to internet gossip and discussion of sales, I visit here. It's fun, often silly, sometimes funny, sometimes histrionic, almost always divisive, and, in general, a fairly decent community. I've been here pretty much since the beginning (though it took some time for me to sign up here; I'm slow like that), and I've watched it evolve, which gives it a nice familiarity and gives me a (false) sense of (bizarre) ownership.

For intelligent talk amongst mature, likeminded people, I visit another forum (let's call it Forum X; I'll only name it if people care).  It may be quiet, with only a couple of threads a day, but Forum X is informed, well-mannered, well written, and, in general, very reasonable. Mature gamers sharing a hobby they love. A quiet corner of the internet for people like me. Obviously, I like it, and it's membership work hard to protect it because the community is strong and quite unique (and certainly not for everyone).

But, would posts on either cause me to hate games fora? Uh, no.

I agree, but i haven't payed enough attention to see if it is the same people complaining. Because on the internet there is a wide array of opinions. Side A might complain about Issue A, while Side B likes Issue A. Then when Issue A is changed, Side A agrees with it and Side B complains. I doubt it is all the same people, but just that people feel strongly about there views, you will never have a time where everyone is in agreement with an idea. Though I do agree with you, there is so much negativity!

I visit Shacknews every now and then, it's filled with stuckup PC gamers, "Consolez ruinz our gamez!!!" or "LOL I BET U CANT RUN MORE THAN 30FPS!" or some other stupid comment such as that, despite being true in some cases, it's just ridiculous how much of a prat one can be in regards to a game :|

Oh, come on! This is the internet! Strangling each other for having opinions is how we fanboys have fun around here.

I stopped reading when you started talking about Enslaved. Not because it's a bad game. But because at that point, I knew that the rest of your post was going to be right after you said that.

I'm not going to mince words here. I know what I'm about to say will annoy some people. But I see far too well what you mean by this.

I have been called a harsh mod by many. And this stems from my noticing the tainting process increasing. A forum will always have a bit of taint; the other forum I moderate has very little, and it's because we'd clamped down hard on it. So I started trying to do that here. But, some of the regulars had been "stealth trolling" for so long that they appealed my bans on them for it. The person I have to report to said that stealth trolling is something made up by mods to unfairly ban people, and overturned several of my bans issued for it. And I hate to admit it, but I think that's when things started to escalate further.

What happened, is that people saw that others were stealth trolling and either not being acted on, or having their bans reversed. This sends the message (which is still being sent, hence why more are noticing the problem) that stealth trolling is okay. So more started doing it. I know that everyone has their favorite systems and games, myself included. But if the only way you can praise them is by putting down the others, then it creates a more hostile atmosphere for the people who like that other thing being put down. Exhibit A: the Microsoft fanbase on this site. Some of the fans in ALL of the other camps were getting away with trashing MS, and having no action taken against them. Thus, it's not a surprise that we have so few of them.

When it comes to the rules and enforcement, favorites do not matter. A post must be looked at from all sides. Even if I may agree and chuckle inside, if a post is bashing game X, system Y, or user Z, it is deserving of moderation for trolling or flaming. This is where the problem comes in. I'm not going to name names, but there are some people modding based on their favorites. (I'm not going to lie, I know early in, I was a little oversensitive on a few. That's part of the curve of starting to mod a forum.) And when one tries to step out of said favorites world, unless its so over-the-top, the ban is sometimes appealed, because it ties into the appelate's beliefs. As long as people are allowed to continue trolling like this, things are only going to get worse. The reason I initially joined the forums here was because the community was so much more civil than most others for gaming. I fear that I'm watching us slide, degenerate into the other forums, and despite my hammer, I'm powerless to do anything about it.

"Do you ever hate gaming forums".

Only in threads about point&click adventures, like this one for example. Whenever I read these kind of threads on VGC, I have the feeling that most people don't know or care about the current state of genre they're talking about, sometimes not even the thread starter.

Whenever I see posts like "I miss point and click adventures", I instantly know that the person actually doesn't miss them and I feel the urge to put him in a microwave.

well gladly VGC isn't always like that. we have our moments but its a rarity.

i agree though and thats why its good to take a break like most of us do here on VGC.

JNUL went out with a bang last yr and came back while me and others just went out quietly, so gaming forums have there problems, but knowing how to deal with it is the key.

avoiding certain threads is a great start, but not fullproof when it comes to rival fanboys. no matter how right you are they'll be there to rain on your parade even when things you say can be back by proof which is wht im sure the bases of this thread is about. all gamers should keep it civil but thats easyer said then done.