When I first came here, I was like 13 or 14 years old and a really huge noob (like...what's an internet forum noob). Back then was considered a really dark age for my life as it's when I started a really out-of-control internet addiction coming on the site often as well as other forums. This site was really new and unheard of so it was really different (as it was my second place being a regular with GameFAQs being the first). Eventually I asked to become a mod to help out and the first team of mods was formed. Not much was done other than send threatening PMs to tell people to behave or else. Back then I was way more "iron fisted" with the way I handled users and things relatively were calm but I didn't gain a whole lot of attention. FFQueen put it rather well in saying that I used to be extremely intimidating.

Nowadays, more and more people say that I have a soft spot that can be seen easily. There are a few people that I thank for that slight transition as I probably couldn't have done it without them. I still have a semi-reputation to mod anyone on this site regardless of whether they're a friend or not. I know that I go unstable time again and again and it's something I want to change. I sometimes wonder if my charisma is simply because I'm a moderator or because of my extremely low user ID. Either way, I sometimes wonder if I could be more integrated as friends with other users if I wasn't a moderator and didn't have all that power and status in the way. Building a reputation and I guess what you called respect in this way is good and all, but I don't really like that approach to building a friendship with people here. Kind of an interesting barrier. Now I tend to lurk more than be active and keep other users in line as always.

[Edited by Neo7, 6/2/2010 12:53:30 AM]

What exactly do you think of me?
You're just some guy on the internet that I know. Not very exciting but we don't interact with each other in anyway other than being users on the same site so I can't exactly call you a friend nor have you done anything vile to make me hate you. I believe the official term would be "acquaintance"

[Edited by Neo7, 6/2/2010 12:24:37 AM]

Oh dear...I can go on and on with many different things as I come across them.

There's a need for a lot of damage control of the moderation system between users. For social users, there isn't much of a problem, but a lot of the UNL Members develop that "I pay so I should be able to do whatever the hell I want on the forums" attitude and they get slammed when I have to throw the book at them since it's a breach of the site's TOS.

Probably the main problem is that the site isn't what it used to be years ago when most of the regular users of today were not here. The site grew A LOT but the staff hasn't done so that much. The amount of new demand on a staff that has only a few new members to develop and push trainers out is taking it's toll on the administration (I recall seeing that Caliber was working around midnight to update a trainer to keep the site up to date with the games).

Overall I think an expansion of a non-moderation staff that can help Caliber and PWizard and Nevermore each do their specific tasks would help out a lot. The only problem standing in that way is cost.

Another thing I would probably add is more variety in punishments. Yeah some members are extremely ****y, but the only solution is to swing the ban hammer if they don't stop. Two methods I'd probably add are temp bans and account mutes. The former simply banning the person for a limited time instead of permanently. The latter being the ability to simply take away a user's ability to use the forums (but still use trainers and etc). Posts just are not that big incentive to keep the members who only care about trainers and posting on the game boards.

I think that's all I got for now.

[Edited by Neo7, 6/1/2010 7:56:52 PM]