[Hitman]

Let's have my say now, both as moderator and as modder:

The "tone" in some discussions is quite harsh. It cannot be, to experience how long term modders (not me!), who released a lot of fine stuff, are attacked by some members, who seem not to have any education and/or knowledge about the discussed things. I wonder about the reaction from other members and the moderators. Its often not very helpful. A respectful member of this community should have the feeling of a good backup from the moderators here and be supported by them and other members.

*Takes a deep breath*

I'm not willing to start a moan about how complicated the job of moderating is, nor do I want any empathy or compassion. I do it, I suffer it and that's OK. But we have had many times discussions among us about how to moderate the forums, and have arrived to the conclusion that forums such as these are better left as much unoderated as possible because there is a solid and reasonable community around. You see, it is easy for me to issue infractions, warnings and bans, "shooting on sight" but somehow I have noticed for a long time that problematic members that start getting disrespectful with older hands are usually soon overwhelemed by the community's reaction - The older hands get inmediate support and that repulse to such behaviour is much more effective than a moderator action: Because a moderator is authority, and some people simply are childish enough to like to continuosly confrontate with authority. But when they are opposed to a massive community reaction, they stick the tail between their legs and leave it be, or simply end up doing such silly things that the ban is even more justified and as such the moderating action is much more backed up by everyone.

We all here are interested in subsims and the modding of it. Especially in the Silent Hunter Series. But many are still handling the modding-craft as their personal and private thing. Sure it is, but not the way some treat it. If you become a member of a social network, where you take part in and share thoughts, the people develop expectations and a kind of faith in you. So you should behave this minded. Go and meet these expectations, be polite, share your knowledge and your skills. Help people, who are not that skilled.

Some people are helpful, others not, some like to help and have time others don't, some don't want but have time and others want and have time but lack knowledge. This is essantially and open community and everyone who mods does it for whatever reasons he might have, ego, praise, approval, will to contribute, showboating, it all doesn't matter as in the end it enrichens the game we all enjoy. There are modders who can do incredible things and create tools, but prefer not to share it, and that's perfectly OK. If we would pretend it otherwise, it would be like saying that their reasons are not as respectable as ours, and in the context of an internet community where everbody spends his free time this simply would not make any sense. If you don't like that guy, well then don't go to a pub to drink beer with him and do not invite him for dinner to your home, but that's about it. Ignore him and don't expect him to have to share or help you in anything. It is great if he does, and it is his problem if he doesn't and ends up receving no attention from anyone. I might be very wrong, but having expectation about what someone must do with his free time in regards to others, is a sure way to end being angry and deceived.

For example, if there are the attempts of forming modding groups or mod-projects, suddenly many seem to feel called leaving a negative opinion on that. You always hear a: "oh no, another failed attempt", "this is not going to be successful", "good luck, i dont think its gonna work"...etc. Very motivating, and very helpful for the whole community. So if someone is not confident about the modding group or the project, he should not be that negative, he/she should give the best for it and leave productive feedback, even when theres no active participation. Or leave some rational reasons for a review of this group or the project.

Yeah, there's people who have negativity in his answers for different reasons, and when it is not backed up with arguments and helpful warning to whoever wants to start something it certainly sounds depressing. Those people would better stay silent and leave others push forward their projects and illusions, but again in an open forum like this if you discuss publically a project you are exposed to the typichal negative observations from some of the crowd. There's always a percentage of themn in any community, and they never fail to make their point. Again, I prefer to leave to the general reaction of the community to stop that negativity, because quite frankly, no matter how stupid some of that negativity is, we can't make an infraction out of it.

Discuss with arguments, guys. Especially if it is about technical things, and things with rational facts...I alway encounter subject related discussions here, which drift far into an emotional one, even there is a rational core. It often passes the borders of a "normal" emotional note. And in case of someone who calls all discussion-members to be behave more friendly, he or she is attacked, too. And the moderators following the discussion, often react not adequate to it. The flamers and the "bad guys" should be given a warning and/or beeing keelhauled.

As mentioned in the first note, RESPECT is decreasing here. I request the moderators and Neal as the owner of these forums, to follow the development quite carefully. As to my experiences, some people here need a serious conversation about this. Otherwise the community will slowly dissolve, by long term modders leaving.

Agree with the rational and argumental discussion. Regarding the rest, see point #1 of my reply. I don't pretend to be the perfect moderator, and in the last year and a half I'm also having some time constraints due to real life commitments (2 sons of 4 & 5 years and my job) to keep an eye on everything that is going on, so I know I might here and there have had to put a line earlier to issue some infractions or warnings. I try to do my best, sorry if I have failed on some occasion.