I'm sad to say guys, but it looks like the threads are getting submerged with trolling and fanboyism and I've been finding it very difficult to actual have meaningful debate in the threads of late.

Is there a solution to this, mod team? Users?

I'm pretty discouraged.

Edit : nevermind.

It's the stealth trolling that annoys me, it's pretty much constant. The worst thing is, it's not against the rules despite being the most damaging thing to the website's community in my opinion.

I've been fighting trolling ever since I got here, but I feel like the more you fight them, the worse it gets. Does anyone else feel that way, is it like that or is it just me?

just keep fighting bro.

Don't confuse trolling and fanboyism. They look similar on the surface, but they're very different.

How to handle a fanboy: Challenge them with facts, keep beating them over the head with the facts until they consider an alternative to their viewpoint.

How to handle a troll: Turn the trolling attempt against them. Their aim is to elicit an emotional response from the target, so choose your words to get an emotional response from them, instead. Never, ever, try to argue in the regular method with a troll.

Question: Is one man's troll another man's reason-seeker?

Has it happened that you consider something trolling that, when seen in another light, is actually not?

Like I find spammy people who call trolls out in threads where they aren't trolling, I consider that fanboyish. Yet, even though I find it fanboyish, they are trying to reduce trolling. Are they wrong to do it there and then, are they wrong to troll that person's thread because of another thread he/she made?

may be i need to follow you around cause it's been a while since i've seen any trolling, and i got back 3 months ago. before then there was to much trolling.

I agree, there is a large number of low account trolls to boot, I am of the firm belief these are multi account types who built up some of these accounts with some posts and just troll all the time. Look at some of these people, 90% of their posts are in one thread or another simply saying something negative or baiting someone.

I disagree.

Its not that there are too many trolls, its that people are too thin-skinned, paranoid and get offended at the least little thing. This site has always been this way. Its been far worse than how it is now.

One thing that makes VGChartz forums far worse than many other forums is the competitive nature of the site. Its about sales. Cold, hard numbers. Naturally, this brings in the fanboys and threads get trashed either way. Be it a Halo thread, a Mario thread or a Gran Turismo thread.

I also think that we could do with another couple of active moderators.