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10/10/14
The GRAND "RE"-Opening of the forum is TODAY!! October 10th! This new and inviting atmosphere was recreated with a cool new look for all users, past/present/future to touch back with their old roots!! Hope you like it here, at the RETRO PIZZA ZONE!!

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2/8/15
There's always new things happening on the forums, and y'all are helping it bloom faster than a flower in Spring! Don't forget to check out your favorite topics, and continue the conversations!

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--/--/15
WE HAD A BLAST setting this up for you all! On the center scroller, you see us thanking everyone on the staff team, but we should be thanking you! THE FANS! You inspired us to touch back to our roots, with a LARGER "play area", with more to talk about, more to do, and more people to see! We surely hope you enjoy it here, and even share about this new era!

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8/8/15
As we aim to make your experience more enjoyable, we're always trying out new things!! In the near future, there MIGHT be some new things coming to light, as we help to make this place what it should be! As well, I'm marking this day as the day some updates happened!! XD The Member scroller has been updated, and things are in the works!!

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4/1/16
THIS IS MY FORUM, AND I'M TAKING OVER, WITH AS MUCH CHEESE AS I WANT!! I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOY YOUR STAY, HERE ON MY FORUM!!! CHEESE!! CHEESE!! CHEESE!!

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4/1/16
We got the forums back, and it's been a very eventful day!! We think Rick needs a bit of a break though, and during that time, be sure to check out the new theme!!

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2/23/17
Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to announce that we've updated a few things! Feel free to extend a congratulations to our new mods, and continue to have fun!

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Underage users, board activity and what to do about them; We need your input
Topic Started: Dec 1 2016, 10:27 PM (2,022 Views)
80sgirl
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Electroidal Animal Doctor
The admin and mods have been grappling with this problem for quite awhile. Before we take steps we think it's important to ask for your thoughts and feedback so we can make changes in 2017.

In the beginning the policy was no users under the age of 14 at all. It didn't take long for them to show up anyway because age verification online without getting into charging money or scary NSA stuff is problematic. So we decided to take a "wait and see" approach. For awhile that was fine. There are quite a few young teenagers and pre-teens who are able to act mature, hold adult conversations and add to the level of discourse.

Maybe it's due to the subject matter, but the problem is now there are users who are not so mature. People who make juvenile and/or pointless threads outside the spam section, steal content or take credit for the effort of others, start fights and drive other users away. I don't think I need to give any examples. You've all seen them. Because of this the level of activity on the board has declined and we're looking for a way to turn this around. We want RPZ to be a friendly place for adults and mature individuals to discuss FECs and animatronics, not the online equivalent of the Toddler Zone at CEC.

So we have a few issues we're looking for input on:

How do we get these users to shape up or ship out effectively without turning people against one another or unjustly punishing the people who do not meet a minimum age requirement but are still valuable members of the community?

How do we vet new users without making it so difficult to prove your age/maturity level that no one wants to join?

If we find out later that someone doesn't meet the age requirements and they start bothering others with juvenile antics, what should happen to them? This goes for existing users as well.

Is there anything else you feel we've missed?

Feel free to reply to this thread. If you want to give private input, PM me or send an anonymous email to rpzforum@gmail.com.
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CEC AR
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I really think that all the problematic people should be temp banned. If that doesn't work, they're out for good.
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ptt lover
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Have the same age requirement when you sign up but also put if you be rude your first punishment should be temporarily banned then ban them for good if they go against the rules a second time
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CECFAN321
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I'd say to get them to shape up give them a strike limit. Here's how the system would work, if the supposed member makes a decision out of line, posting privileges would be revoked. Kind of how AIM's warning system would work, based on the percentage or number of out of line actions, Staff can limit the user's post limit and rate of posting for the day, week, etc. This would force them to have an incentive (being able to post freely) for behaving. I'm unsure if there's a way on Zetaboards that we can implement this, but I'd think it'd work, or something similar to this.
Edited by CECFAN321, Dec 2 2016, 12:44 AM.
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toycollector

I think you guys need to adhere to COPPA-it's a US law that places a lot of restrictions on websites that serve kids under 13. That's why most websites don't let kids under 13 make accounts. I don't know all the ins and outs but I think it is something the mods need to look into further to make sure.
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Hammy
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What I think needs to happen is an unwritten rule of sorts: you'll be tolerated if you're underage and you act like an adult, but if you consistently behave like a child, you will treated as one and the banhammer will be dropped. The age limit needs to be enforced somehow and, at this point, the best way I can see is a don't ask, don't tell kind of deal. If you're underage and you behave properly, just keep it to yourself and everyone's happy. If you're underage and you're making a scene of yourself, well, just another reason to get you outta here. Of course, a policy such as this is much harder to enforce late in the game, but other options that come to mind are largely all or nothing or lifting the age limit entirely so as to not constantly have rule breakers running around.

What I really want to get across is that rules need to be set and enforced. If they're not, the staff looks weak and bureaucratic. Way too often, I get the sense that the lunatics run the asylum around here and that absolutely deters me from posting. You don't need to witch hunt, just don't be afraid to reprimand people who are clearly being immature and not adding anything of value. I don't really care what the specific punishment for various infractions are, so long as its enforced and everyone can see they're being enforced. Making examples out of certain people might not be the nicest thing, but I'd say it's what needs to happen. In fact, I think that generally an easing up of the extreme pressure to be nice and never say anything negative needs to happen, though, that's on the community as a whole. That's what really makes the site feel like a Toddler Zone to me, the constant kiddie gloves and softening of every little thing.

Honestly, at this point, I'm pretty cynical about this forum and don't expect much to change, definitely not based on my advice. I'm sure I've suggested something impractical somewhere. I'll keep browsing one way or another anyway. I'd be impressed, though, if things did shape up and it was possible to find a meaningful conversation about pizza robots without it being buried by asinine helicopter light lists and such.
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1997 caddy
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:) i like the idea
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pttraefan2
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This is pretty hard. I would say require a copy of state issued ID or any card with a birth date on it.

The only thing I do see is that when this drama happens, the admins and mods are always offline. There needs to be more people with certain qualifications (they dont pick any particular user to ban, they are on rpz full time, they have enough responsibility to be able to solve a range of problems, they know how to use the coc, etc).

We need to increase staff numbers with responsible people.

Maybe give people the opportunity to be promoted to a certain low level moderators whos only power is to delete a post that he/she knows is against the code of conduct and be able to take a quick screenshot and let the admins know "hey! i had to remove this post, it violated the coc" There are many people you can trust to hold this position.

I see many people who target the younger people in this forum, there are some mature kids in here but I also see endless drama and when it comes to naming a public group chat as rpz and posting a link here, coc now applies in that group chat because the forum is linked to it. Dont post anything unless what you are going to post also complies with the coc.

Some of us cannot handle the drama anymore and it makes us cranky.
Edited by pttraefan2, Dec 2 2016, 08:10 AM.
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Patrick Boots CEC

Maybe a test, but that discourages people trying to learn about the topics..Hmm..
Edited by Patrick Boots CEC, Dec 2 2016, 01:45 PM.
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Beauregard
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Patrick Boots CEC
Dec 2 2016, 01:43 PM
Maybe a test, but that discourages people trying to learn about the topics..Hmm..
I worry they may look up all the answers online, but it's a good idea.
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toycollector

I don't think asking for ID and testing new members is realistic. It'd just scare away new users and make it very hard for tie site to grow. I know I wouldn't go through that much trouble just to join an animatronics forum.

I'd say enforce COPPA (no under 13 users) and put the young teens on a short leash. If they can behave themselves, let them stay but if they start trolling and e-begging give 'em the boot.
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jasper_the_beach_bear
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I think all users should be required to write a small paragraph describing why they want to join the site. Grammar, spelling, and the actual content are used to decide whether the user is accepted or not.
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CECArizona
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Proud owner of a Studio C Alpha
Look I have been a teenager for over a year now but I think that we shouldn't tease people with bad grammar. Yes it is weird but if they are telling something important. We should not bash on them for that. They might have dyslexia or another learning disability that is making them mess up with typing.
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Hammy
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CECArizona
Dec 2 2016, 07:53 PM
Look I have been a teenager for over a year now but I think that we shouldn't tease people with bad grammar. Yes it is weird but if they are telling something important. We should not bash on them for that. They might have dyslexia or another learning disability that is making them mess up with typing.
Oh, God, how do I say this without coming off like a total jerk?

It's not teasing. It's holding everyone up to the same standard. Frankly, as someone with a mental disorder, I think it's insulting to hold low standards for the sake of those with mental disorders. How little do we think of them if that's the case? Of course we should try to be understanding, but that shouldn't mean just shutting up and ignoring a problem for fear of hurting feelings. It's not bashing to expect better of people.

I mean, I'm not gonna go after anyone for minor mistakes, but if I can't understand what you're saying, that's a problem, no matter what disorder you may or may not have. Ignoring that might be the nice thing to do, but it's hardly productive or healthy. Having a pathological need for total niceness without any room for criticism isn't healthy. So, I think implementing standards that are the same for everyone is a good idea. I doubt it will happen, but I think it would be good.
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CEC Indiana
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Well,i am a young child myself. (So is Mr. Ruxpin) But,i am a sane child (even though i sometimes loose my temper) I will kinda go to for the kids who sign UP for the forum,that act foolish,they get Banned instantly. That's how i think it should work.
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CECArizona
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Proud owner of a Studio C Alpha
Hammy
Dec 2 2016, 08:31 PM
CECArizona
Dec 2 2016, 07:53 PM
Look I have been a teenager for over a year now but I think that we shouldn't tease people with bad grammar. Yes it is weird but if they are telling something important. We should not bash on them for that. They might have dyslexia or another learning disability that is making them mess up with typing.
Oh, God, how do I say this without coming off like a total jerk?

It's not teasing. It's holding everyone up to the same standard. Frankly, as someone with a mental disorder, I think it's insulting to hold low standards for the sake of those with mental disorders. How little do we think of them if that's the case? Of course we should try to be understanding, but that shouldn't mean just shutting up and ignoring a problem for fear of hurting feelings. It's not bashing to expect better of people.

I mean, I'm not gonna go after anyone for minor mistakes, but if I can't understand what you're saying, that's a problem, no matter what disorder you may or may not have. Ignoring that might be the nice thing to do, but it's hardly productive or healthy. Having a pathological need for total niceness without any room for criticism isn't healthy. So, I think implementing standards that are the same for everyone is a good idea. I doubt it will happen, but I think it would be good.
Look I didn't mean it to be offensive I just said it I have autism and I really didn't mean it like that. Sorry for making it sound weird but sometimes I struggle with reading conversations with people. I am really sorry and I didn't mean it to come out like that.
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Hammy
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CECArizona
Dec 2 2016, 10:19 PM
Look I didn't mean it to be offensive I just said it I have autism and I really didn't mean it like that. Sorry for making it sound weird but sometimes I struggle with reading conversations with people. I am really sorry and I didn't mean it to come out like that.
Fam. This is the problem I'm talking about. You don't have to be sorry for having an opinion on a somewhat controversial topic. My feelings are not hurt and even if they were, I don't think that's a reason to be sorry for having a different point of view. I may not agree with your opinion, but I'd never ask you to apologize for it. I'm not offended at all, I was just stating my case like you were stating yours. Chill.
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Mr. Ruxpin
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professional-pizza-timer
I'd certainly like to give my input. As an under age user, I can see these concerns showing up. There are plenty of immature users that have driven so many of my friends away... You used to see 200 users at a time. What happens now? We've got 20 users on stretched throughout an entire day. Hey, I'm not saying I'm perfect. I'm sure that I've unintentionally driven a few users away. It actually makes me really sad. But, this is about new rules...back on topic. There have been few new users, but all of them seem to desperately try to act mature, it really bothers me. It's like they're poorly trying to imitate the mature users. And others just don't care, they Talk Like This And They Say Odd Things. others mite tok liek dis an try thretning usrs wit cusses 2 ack matur but they really are just bullie- I've seen people like these, especially on YouTube. "Motherf****er, I hate you you little b****, I'm so much better than you and I'm richer so burn in heck"... yeah. That happens. We need to deal with these guys and give them a 1/2 warning. Second time, you're out. Others have odd grammar but are actually really friendly and trying to fit in. Those people, those are the gems man! They're really special and you don't get people so friendly that often. They don't deserve bans for poor grammar, something they can't control.
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CEC Master
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Giving you info about the Show!
Moving aside from the little conversation that the above members are making that prove your point,

I think that if there was a test sent to every member, it would be something like "how would you respond?". Questions that would put the test taker in scenarios of common problems on this board, and how well they reply determines how well they take the test and whether or not they stay on the board.

Or, maybe the Admins and Moderators could do a "search" on each member. This means that they will go through the members' replies and posts, and if they lack effort of grammar, relevance, or originality, the member is warned to change and then banned if failed. Though it is also important to note that the same banned members have come back as "new" ones, so you may want to check on that as well.

People who have nothing relevant or original to say should not say anything. I joined this forum to be helpful and make great contributions to the CEC community, and I make sure never to lose sight of this. I make sure that I use proper grammar with not a single mistake in every single post to prove my worth. I suggest that members do the same, because there are the members who are trolls, copy work, lack grammar, make rumors and lies, and they need to change this if they want to stay. There are specific topics for fun and opinion comments, but some members need to realize which are which.

So, the purpose of this entire suggestion was to make members prove their worth for this forum, and make the members who do not appreciate this board as much as others do, change, or be banned if they fail to do so.
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Hammy
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CEC Master
Dec 3 2016, 10:32 AM
Moving aside from the little conversation that the above members are making that prove your point,
Are you referring to CEC Indiana and I? If you are, are you implying that disagreement and conflict in discussion is a bad thing?

I hate to post even more in this thread, but it's one of those things that bugs me. I was calmly and legitimately trying to discuss this issue honestly while doing my best to not be snippy. I don't think I or Indiana said anything rude or drama-y, I thought it was a just a normal disagreement worthy of discussion. Challenging and discussing opinions is the only way to get things done, more often than not.

If I'm mistaken about your intent with that statement, my apologies. I see both a lot passive-aggressive nonsense and shutting down of any and all conflict around here. I'm a little sick of it, so if I've misinterpreted and you meant something else, well, that's embarrassing for me more than anything. I mean, I just wrote at least a paragraph rebutting nothing if that's the case. Otherwise, I totally can get behind your other ideas.
Edited by Hammy, Dec 3 2016, 02:16 PM.
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