I have no idea how well this will work, but I thought I'd try it.

There has been a lot of heated arguments on this site over the past 6 months -- actually, there has been heated debates over the past 6 months on any video game forum. In most cases, including this one, Nintendo fans have surged forth, clearly heady with their sudden return to prominence and victory. I can understand that feeling, for sure. 

The problem isn't really that the Nintendo fans are being particularly mean spirited here: they don't (usually) call PS3 fans idiots and losers, they don't usually curse or laugh or say anything obscene and cruel. Really, it's just that there are so many Nintendo fans populating these types of boards that they (usually) inadvertently swarm over any PS3/360 fan, responding 6 or 7 times to any post to tell them why they are incorrect and wrong. That doesn't feel good and it's not constructive.

I have a great affection for this site in particular, and I'm quite afraid that it will end up being no more than a Wii fansite. Seriously. We've already pushed a healthy portion of PS3/360 owners off the site by bullying them, and I don't want that to continue. I want everyone to post here happily -- even if we disagree. I doubt even the most ardent of Wii fans wants this to turn into a Wii site, either.

So please, sign here if you agree to treat PS3, Xbox360, and Wii owners with respect, even if they don't agree with your opinions. This obviously can't always work, as it's hard to remain totally calm and composed if someone comes in and tells you you're a retard and a homo for liking System (X): this is a general contract, and I'd hope we can agree on limited boundries. Let's start with these, and they can be changed over time:

1) If someone curses, uses profane language, or ridicules you (calls you an "idiot," "retard," or any such thing), you are not held to this contract.

2) If someone clearly lies, as in "The Wii has sold 20 million systems already," or "The PS3 has sold way better than the Wii," then you are not held to this contract. Vague half truths don't count -- it has to be a bold, outright lie to free you. 

Unless someone breaks the above rules, let's all agree not to mock and/or gang up on people who simply disagree with us. If someone signs this contract, then continues to incite flame wars, link them to this page to remind them.

I'll go first.

/sign 

This would be an example of someone who has broken the code, and you'd have permission to treat as hostile. DaBias has:

1) Come into a thread aobut being nice to each other, and has not agreed to be nice (implied by the suggestion that this thread is "not serious")

2) Called anyone who owns a Wii a "racist" and a "bigot."

When people behave like this, I think it's asking a bit much for you to remain composed and kind hearted. Rip away. But people who are nice and just happen to like the PS3? Not so much. If you want a great example, look up Shane's posts.

I think, like a lot of people here, I'd like to see this site become the premier internet location for Video Game sales news and analysis. This simply won't happen if we scare all the 360/PS3 owners away. So I'm not just saying this for the sake of the PS3/360 owners: I hope the Wii-supporters can see that this benefits everyone.

Oh, a sign thing!

/signs!

Good idea, hopefully it helps ^_^