Flagspam: [nation=noname] BBCode on RMB Concerns

[Milograd]

http://www.nationstates.net/page=rmb/postid=2321879

Is this sort of thing really necessary? I can see how [nation=noname] can be useful, but using it like this is garish.

Is there a way to make it so that the flag images that show up are smaller? The flags that usually show up next to nation names aren't that large, and I don't see why they are so much larger when the nation names are omitted.

EDIT: I must admit that I'd prefer to see this code disabled for RMBs. It's obnoxious.

[Jamie Anumia]

I agree that the flag image sizes should be smaller. Nations posting adspam like that is more infuriating and annoying than adspam usually is. And like Milograd said, it's extremely garish.

[Weed]

I was the first one to do this, as noted a little back on the RMB of TSP. When [nation=noname] was first added it was the smaller flag sizes (like the size on an endorsement) list instead of the size on the world rankings. That was better.

EDIT: And this was not a one-off. I have a telegram from GGR about how they will use it in the future.

[Sichuan Pepper]

Mmm, if the feature is just going to be used to insert arbitrary images, I'll disable it again. It's not supposed to be an [img] tag, it's supposed to be a nation link.

That was violets thoughts on it back when it was being put to use outside of a nation link.

Here: viewtopic.php?p=11239638#p11239638

[Hesse]

No, I think that this should stay. This makes people want to read our ads, with such eye candy.

[Todd McCloud]

Yeah, I vouch for getting rid of it. We've already had two regions run this type of ad on our RMB. It's very garish, as someone pointed out.

[Weed]

Or, you know, seeing as this is now what is seen as a good ad nowadays, we could look once again at the cost-benefit of allowing this type of advertisement. I still yet to believe there are any players that see a RMB ad and decide to move regions. The only purpose these ads serve now is to annoy those that use feeder RMBs regularly, and they are getting regularly more effective at achieving that goal.

[All Good People]

NS used to consider posting for the purpose of annoying others "griefing". Which is what I consider these purposefully annoying AdSpam RMB posts.

Looks to me that [violet]'s concerns need to be revisited.

[Cromarty]

I highly support getting rid of this.

[Zutroy]

I am wholeheartedly opposed to banning this, and I reiterate the reasons I gave in this statement.

The fact of the matter is this isn't causing a problem for NS at large---only the delegates of game-created regions. Their complaints aren't significant because (1) they wouldn't be receptive to recruiting no matter what form it took and (2) they're punching above their weight by trying to get involved with what recruiting messages contain in the first place. If they don't like what they see, they can do what they've always done---eject, ban, and suppress.

As for the technical aspect of it, I really don't see how it harms or irrevocably changes the nature of the game. Again, the complaints here seem to be mostly from a small group of people (compared to the rest of NS) who dislike recruiting on their RMBs (something that is out of their hands anyway) regardless of what it contains.

NS used to consider posting for the purpose of annoying others "griefing". Which is what I consider these purposefully annoying AdSpam RMB posts.

Looks to me that [violet]'s concerns need to be revisited.

Recruiting on the RMBs of game-created regions is most certainly not griefing, and that is quite well established. Again, how the recruitment messages are recieved by bystanders not interested in being recruited has never been relevent. The formal rules regarding the frequency of the messages have been adhered to (at least by me), as have the informal rules regarding the size of the messages. I also reiterate that the spirit of the game in general and recruiting in specific remains the same.

[Charles Cerebella]

If you want to recruit successfully, and not make a bunch of annoyed people along the way, then the way to do it is good-old fashioned recruitment telegrams. It is not a coincidence that none of the biggest UCRs use adspam: it just does not work.

I fully support Milograd's request.

[Frattastan II]

I support any of Milograd's suggestions (disable it; make the flags smaller; disable it for RMBs).

[Communist Quinntopia]

redacted

[Great Savannah]

I am completely opposed to Milograd's proposal. The majority of his supporters are just communist RP scum.

[Cromarty]

Considering that your region has ripped off a communist region in recruiting that way...

Lol.

[Vladisvok Destino]

EDIT: I must admit that I'd prefer to see this code disabled for RMBs. It's obnoxious.

Personally I'd rather see it gone all together, some of the junk I've started seeing in recruitment TGs using this technique is just awful.

Then why was one of your ads suppressed immediately?

Because one person didn't want to read it, same as with any other recruitment ad.

[Wind in the Willows]

Let it stay.

[Frisbeeteria]

The majority of his supporters are just communist RP scum.

Given your history with prior puppets, I believe we can do without your flamebaiting and insults for a few days.

*** Three day ban for flamebaiting. *** You're on thin ice, New Slifer. I see a Delete on Sight order in your near future if your approach to this game doesn't change.

[The Republic of Lanos]

Let it stay but disable it for RMBs if we're going to keep seeing things like that. They're creative but they shouldn't be on the RMB.

[Hesse]

Come now everyone, we are simply using a feature that is apart of the game to make our recruitment ads more creative.

I've also noticed that when Communist Beach did it, people just seemed to brush it off, and perhaps even commend their creativity... but when the The Greater German Reich does it, all hell breaks loose.

[Nationalist State of Knox]

Come now everyone, we are simply using a feature that is apart of the game to make our recruitment ads more creative.

I've also noticed that when Communist Beach did it, people just seemed to brush it off, and perhaps even commend their creativity... but when the The Greater German Reich does it, all hell breaks loose.

Tu quoque?

[Milograd]

I've also noticed that when Communist Beach did it, people just seemed to brush it off, and perhaps even commend their creativity... but when the The Greater German Reich does it, all hell breaks loose.

No. We found their message equally annoying and Communist Beach has been blacklisted from the South Pacific. It doesn't matter who is posting the message. This new recruitment technique is inherently garish and irritating.

[A Classless Society]

If this is really such an issue, we should just remove RMBs.

Or maybe take down WFE's and allow nations' flags/mottos/nation types only viewable by those nations.

No one would have to be exposed to anything "garish" or "annoying". That'd be great.

Maybe we can remove telegramming too.

[Wind in the Willows]

Deleted.

[A Classless Society]

If this is really such an issue, we should just remove RMBs.

Or maybe take down WFE's and allow nations' flags/mottos/nation types only viewable by those nations.

No one would have to be exposed to anything "garish" or "annoying". That'd be great.

Maybe we can remove telegramming too.

No.

Exactly.

This entire issue is based off of opinions and speculation.

What isn't comfortable for some can be delightful for others. This form of advertising regions isn't harmful to anyone. In fact, I recently moved my nation to the region it currently resides because I thought their suppressed RMB ad was intuitive. Why must NS be filled with so many drab complaints?