The Bridge

GnomeSlice

22:00

@SaintWacko Your 'you're one person' comment seemed to suggest you disagreed that local multiplayer was useful.

@TrentHawkins Pretty sure it's still tricky, though most of the newer games do matchmaking.

SaintWacko

@GnomeSlice No, I was just pointing out that just because you play video games locally more often than online doesn't mean that that's true for everyone

GnomeSlice

@SaintWacko I didn't say it was the more common form of multiplayer.

I'm sure that for most people, it isn't.

OrigamiRobot

@TrentHawkins I think the WiiU will move away from them

Trent Hawkins

@GnomeSlice many games have long done matchmaking.... I'm talking about limited address book space, and each game having their own friendcode system seperate from that of the console, rather than a unifying console-wide thing ala Xbox live.

GnomeSlice

@TrentHawkins Yeah, I don't think they have any sort of online system like that yet.

I dunno though, I never really played my Wii online.

Powerlord

22:03

@TrentHawkins There was an article just recently on... ArsTechnica I think... about how Nintendo is moving to a new system with the WiiU.

Trent Hawkins

@Powerlord Oh good.

Tim Stone

Yeah, "The Friend Code is dead, long live the Nintendo Network ID"

SaintWacko

@GnomeSlice Well, maybe I misunderstood you, but when I said local multiplayer only covered a limited range of situations, you said "No it doesn't" and supported it with a personal experience

OrigamiRobot

Wii U

|display= |media=12 cm 25 GB Wii U Optical Disc12 cm Wii Optical DiscDigital distribution | Sound= |storage=Internal flash memorySD card, SDHC CardUSB storage device |controllers=Wii U GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Remote Plus, Wii Nunchuk, Wii Balance Board |connectivity=Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n --> 4 × USB 2.0 |online service= Nintendo NetworkMiiverse |top game= |compatibility= Wii |predecessor= Wii |successor= |unitssold= |unitsshipped = }} The Wii U () is an upcoming video game console from Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. The system was unveiled during Ninten...

Trent Hawkins

@TimStone Ooh, this makes me happy. Friend codes were poopy.

GnomeSlice

22:07

@SaintWacko I must have misunderstood you too, because that's not what I meant.

You COULD play online multiplayer face to face with someone, but why would you if you could play locally?

James

@TimStone Well hey what do you know, I guess 12091820381238time is a charm! :D

Tim Stone

:D

GnomeSlice

@James You're missing my point.

James

@GnomeSlice ... Which is?

Cause no gamer likes playing on four way split screen man :)

Wipqozn

@James That he just wants to see the world burn.

@James I concur good sir,but there are some games that don't need split screen to work locally. Like SSBB.

Or mario party

GnomeSlice

22:11

@James That's not the point, the point is that it's much easier than setting up multiple consoles in most situations.

Splitscreen isn't so bad.

SaintWacko

@GnomeSlice Right, if there's an option to play locally, and you're in a situation where you can play locally, obviously it's better. But there are also plenty of situations where local play is impossible

OrigamiRobot

@GnomeSlice Yes it is.

SaintWacko

@GnomeSlice But it's not as good as having a full screen to yourself :D

GnomeSlice

@SaintWacko I agree.

Wipqozn

@GnomeSlice two-player isn't, but four-player is terrible.

GnomeSlice

22:12

@Wipqozn Eh, if you're with a bunch of friends and you're having fun, you're still having fun.

SaintWacko

@Wipqozn And three-player is the worst

James

SaintWacko

Because then that one bastard gets his big double sized screen XD

James

@Wipqozn GEo wars 2 !!!!

Arda Xi

@James What... what episode is that?

James

22:13

@Wipqozn We also play that Ratchet and Clank all four one at times.

42 (Doctor Who)

"42" is the seventh episode of the third series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 19 May 2007. A spaceship hurtles out of control towards an alien star and The Doctor has 42 minutes to save the ship, but with a mysterious force starting to possess and murder the ship's crew, the Doctor and Martha are running out of time. According to the BARB figures this episode was seen by 7.41 million viewers and was the third most popular non-soap-opera broadcast on British television in that week. Plot After The Doctor adjusts Martha's ph...

SaintWacko

The only game I have that keyboard splitscreen works on is GLTron

Arda Xi

Oh, that one. I don't like that one.

James

@ArdaXi Its an ok one

Arda Xi

I intentionally skipped that one when I rewatched it all.

SaintWacko

and that's because each player only needs four keys

James

22:15

@GnomeSlice Dude, I have 2 42in flat screen TVs, and plugging in an HDMI, a power cable and a networking cable is not that big of a deal to utilize them and increase everyone's overall experience.

Its not like actually connecting a console is that complicated in this day and age.

OrigamiRobot

@Wipqozn I'd rather do 4 player than 2 player

James

THe hard part, was conencting my new 360 with out touching it.. I didnt want to get finger prints on it :D

@ArdaXi THere are very few I skip actually in rewatches.

Arda Xi

@James Me too.

James

@ArdaXi I actually can not think of one I do skip...

Brian

Ugh getting in internet arguments sigh some people have such big e-egos

OrigamiRobot

22:18

@Brian NOT ME I WILL EAT YOU IF YOU DISAGREE

James

@Brian That is what the internet is for... if ya want we can 'discuss' this topic :D

SaintWacko

Night before last, my friend finally got home from class and came over to play Halo 4, so we headed out to the front room... and I realized I had never hooked my xbox back up after I took it to a LAN party :(

@Brian Your e-ego is big!

GnomeSlice

@James As I said, you're missing my point.

James

@GnomeSlice You want more local co-op games

Brian

@OrigamiRobot @James @SaintWacko I concede

GnomeSlice

22:19

@James That's true, but that wasn't my point.

SaintWacko

@Brian Triumph!

James

For that stick to the Wii man its full of party games

Arda Xi

@James Huh. I can't either.

James

@SaintWacko defeat man.. everyone loses when no one argues :(

GnomeSlice

@James Hah, whatever, you're missing what I'm talking about.

SaintWacko

22:20

I'm actually in the process of rewatching Doctor Who, and I certainly don't skip any

James

@GnomeSlice Ok 5th time you have said that. Are you actually going to SAY what you are talking about any time soon man?

@SaintWacko Its easy to miss/forget about the David Tenant specials.. but you are a horrible horrible person if you do that :(

agent86

@SaintWacko I like Doctor Who now. Doctor Who is cool.

James

@agent86 ... What do you mean... now ....

ಠ_ಠ

agent86

@James I was trying to badly paraphrase the fez line.

SaintWacko

@agent86 I got it

agent86

22:22

unfortunately, it passed over from "bad paraphrase" into "completely incomprehensible gibberish"

this is a common issue I have.

Invader Skoodge

This it worth it just so that the question "Is Darth Vader a pig or a bird?" can exist on the internet. Anyone who votes to close on pedantic grounds has no sense of humour :-) — Keith 20 mins ago

James

Invader Skoodge

He doesn't belong here.

GnomeSlice

@agent86 Hey, me too!

James

@InvaderSkoodge Id almost lay even money I know this Keith cause this is the kind of question/defense he would say :)

Wipqozn

22:24

-1

Q: Is Darth Vader a pig or a bird?

Now that Angry Birds Star Wars is out in all of its glory, I just have to know: is the Darth Vader character supposed a pig or a bird? He looks like a pig but... I haven't completed the game with all of its bonuses and haven't seen mention of it anywhere.

angry-birds

GnomeSlice

-1

Q: Is Darth Vader a pig or a bird?

Now that Angry Birds Star Wars is out in all of its glory, I just have to know: is the Darth Vader character supposed a pig or a bird? He looks like a pig but... I haven't completed the game with all of its bonuses and haven't seen mention of it anywhere.

angry-birds

SaintWacko

@InvaderSkoodge Yay, we have no sense of humor!

Wipqozn

So can someone explain to me why this question was closed?

GnomeSlice

Why the hell did you guys close this...

Wipqozn

It's clearly about an in-game character.

GnomeSlice

22:24

If that question is closed this one should be closed:

42

Q: How much in-game time has passed between Portal 1 and 2?

At the start of Portal 2, it's clear that time has passed. You've been woken up every few months for physical and mental fitness tests, until something goes wrong and you're left in stasis for much longer. How long is Chell, your character, in stasis? How much time has passed between the end o...

portal-series

James

Holy CRAP

Wipqozn

It's not a good question, but that's what the down vote button is for.

James

When did that Vote Up and Vote DOwn arrows for questions get Hover Text!?

Wipqozn

@James They've always had those.

GnomeSlice

@James A long time ago.

Wipqozn

22:25

AT least for the time I've been on the site, which is well over a year.

James

¯(°_o)/¯

Arda Xi

Blog - Stack Exchange: Stack Overflow: Where We Hate Fun

Jeff Atwood on January 04, 2010

I noticed that the Stack Overflow question Strangest language feature has been closed and reopened several times now. The text of the question is brief:

What is in your opinion the most surprising, weird, strange or really “WTF” language feature you have encountered?

I agree this is not exactly an ideal question for Stack Overflow, per the FAQ:

Avoid asking questions that are subjective, argumentative, or require extended discussion. This is not a discussion board, this is a place for questions that can be answered! …

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert Make your own games then...

James

@fbueckert Waiiiit wait wait... Are you implying that Ubisoft has PC customers??? ROFL

GnomeSlice

@ArdaXi I don't have time to read this right now, can you quickly explain how it relates to my comment?

Arda Xi

22:26

Actually, I don't think this question should be closed.

GnomeSlice

It shouldn't be.

Arda Xi

@GnomeSlice I know that we’re all programmers, so we love thinking of the world in absolute, binary terms — either fun questions must never be allowed, or fun questions must always be allowed. Well, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but the world is more … floating point. We will sometimes allow fun questions that meet the three broad guidelines I outlined above, but even then, only a limited amount.

SaintWacko

@James I confess, I love Splinter Cell: Conviction

GnomeSlice

We have hundreds of questions that are pretty much the same sort of question.

James

@SaintWacko ... On a console right??? right??? :)

GnomeSlice

22:27

@ArdaXi I'm not a programmer.

SaintWacko

@James Nope

Arda Xi

It talks about SO, but it's still reasonably relevant.

SaintWacko

PC

Arda Xi

@GnomeSlice I quoted the text.

SaintWacko

With an Xbox controller, though

GnomeSlice

22:27

@ArdaXi Oh.

James

@SaintWacko ﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿

SaintWacko

@James Impressive

Arda Xi

@GnomeSlice Like I said, it talks about SO. But it's the same issue.

James

@SaintWacko Haha, ESO better have controller support :)

Wipqozn

Arda Xi

22:28

Re-open vote cast.

GnomeSlice

@SaintWacko chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/look-of-disapproval/…

You guys don't vote consistently on ANYTHING. It's really annoying.

James

@GnomeSlice ┌∩┐(◕_◕)┌∩┐

GnomeSlice

@James flags

:P

fbueckert

@GnomeSlice Yeah, we do

James

@GnomeSlice LOL

FAE

22:29

I don't agree that we should close the question. It's not an outstanding question, but I don't feel it's outside of scope given the other plot/character-related questions on the site.

fbueckert

But it's a community; there will always be things that lie in grey areas.

James

Stop giving away secrets... although you will see I have ones that do not come by default.. that is a handy tool for people who web chat a lot :D

FAE

If you don't like it, downvote it, but I don't feel that it's outside of scope enough to close.

GnomeSlice

@James Besides ,!,, (◕_◕) ,,!, is better anyway.

fbueckert

@FAE I don't like these questions at all.

Arda Xi

22:30

One more vote guys. Come on.

@fbueckert Then come up with a valid reason.

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert I can give you a list of things to downvote, in that case.

James

I am starting to think Keith closed the question just so the transcript of people arguing over if Darth Vader is a pig or a bird could exist on the internet :D

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Which does not invalidate numerous questions we have allowed since the inception of this site.

GnomeSlice

@James I do too, but not on the school computer, hah.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Oh, I hate them all.

SaintWacko

22:30

Hahaha, holy shit! This siege just destroyed itself!

fbueckert

I feel they're the start of the slippery slope into SciFi territory.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Like I said, reason properly or forever hold your peace.

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert You don't close questions you don't like, you downvote them.

SaintWacko

There were necromancers in it which resurrected some corpses, which attack another group in the siege

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Please don't abuse your reputation to push your own opinion through.

fbueckert

22:31

@ArdaXi First off, they have absolutely no impact whatsoever on gameplay.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert So?

That has never been our policy.

SaintWacko

That group fought back, but they used AOE spells, which hit other allies of theirs

Arda Xi

Arqade is for passionate videogamers from all platforms, including consoles, computers, handhelds, and mobile devices. If your question generally covers things such as …

Gameplay strategies and tactics
Puzzle solving or obstacle clearing
Game mechanics and terminology
**Plot and characters in games**
Game-specific hardware and utilities

James

@GnomeSlice (✌ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞

Arda Xi

Right there in the FAQ.

SaintWacko

22:32

There was a huge battle, leaving a lake of blood outside my fortress, then they all broke and ran... straight into my waterfall intake and the associated trap!

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Also in the FAQ: You should only ask practical, answerable questions based on actual problems that you face.

GnomeSlice

@James That one comes with it. =]

Wipqozn

@fbueckert: If you think we should be changing our policy then make a meta. THis has been a rule since the founding of the site. We can't just change one of our policies just because @fbueckert doesn't like it. I know you want to rename the site to "@fbueckert and friends", but other people still get a say man, like, come on maaaaaaaaaaaan,.

fbueckert

These story questions have no basis in problems.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert We've had that discussion many, many times before.

James

22:32

@GnomeSlice Yeah it does but it fits :)

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert ...So?

Arda Xi

That clause is meant to ensure we don't get unanswerable questions.

fbueckert

@GnomeSlice So, they're stupid.

Arda Xi

This question is answerable.

@fbueckert Oh, so it's stupid because it's not a practical problem?

SaintWacko

That was beautiful

fbueckert

22:33

They're the gateway to plot holes.

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert I disagree, and so do at least 43 other people

Arda Xi

@fbueckert So me asking my history teacher... anything... is stupid?

fbueckert

@ArdaXi History has a valid use.

Invader Skoodge

@ArdaXi History is stupid.

fbueckert

People can ask questions about parts of a game story that never got written.

Arda Xi

22:33

@fbueckert It's not a practical problem I face, other than curiosity.

James

@ArdaXi Actually if its not related to history it might be man :)

SaintWacko

We're really argumentative today. Is it a full moon or something?

Invader Skoodge

History class in high school was the biggest waste of time.

Wipqozn

@fbueckert Stupid isn't a valid close reason.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert If that is the case, then that might be a valid reason to close.

GnomeSlice

22:34

@SaintWacko I tried to share an opinion.

My mistake.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Sliding your argument to include history isn't helping.

GnomeSlice

43

Q: How much time has passed between Portal 1 and 2?

At the start of Portal 2, it's clear that time has passed. You've been woken up every few months for physical and mental fitness tests, until something goes wrong and you're left in stasis for much longer. How long is Chell, your character, in stasis? How much time has passed between the end o...

portal-series

Arda Xi

@fbueckert You didn't get my point.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Yeah, but therein lies the rub.

FAE

@SaintWacko it's the Bridge, man

GnomeSlice

22:34

There's an example, heh.

James

@InvaderSkoodge I had some pretty kewl history teachers actually... Almost on the verge of like hearing your grandfather tell ya stories about when he was a kid level history teachers :)

Arda Xi

@fbueckert No, it doesn't.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Yeah, I got your point just fine.

SaintWacko

@GnomeSlice That was just general, wasn't aimed at anyone. I've seen more arguments here today than I usually do in a week

Arda Xi

@fbueckert You didn't. Trust me. You clearly didn't.

Wipqozn

22:35

@FAE He hasn't been around long enough to see what we're really like.

Invader Skoodge

@James I've had cool history teachers. I couldn't bring myself to care about the subject matter, though.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Yes, it does. Look at all the crap SciFi gets.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert I don't know what crap SciFi gets, and I don't care.

Invader Skoodge

I think all lore questions should just be shoveled to SciFi.

GnomeSlice

@SaintWacko I feel like I started it.

@ArdaXi heehee, it's hilarious.

agent86

22:35

10

A: Do our questions have to be about actual problems that we face?

You should only ask practical, answerable questions based on actual problems that you face is code for Please don't ask chatty, bikeshed questions here. In fact, the next sentence in the FAQ actually clarifies this: Chatty, open-ended questions diminish the usefulness of our site a...

user2334

Bridge arguing over an over-enthusiastic closure? MUST BE A DAY ENDING IN Y AMIRITE

5

Arda Xi

@GnomeSlice Probably. I still don't care, though.

James

@InvaderSkoodge Yeah I guess history does kind of suck.. but historical figures are pretty damn kewl.. Pick up a book on Tesla some time, awesome reading. Lincoln.. also awesome reading :)

fbueckert

They like it, they like poking holes about parts of a story that have no bearing whatsoever on the current plot.

GnomeSlice

@InvaderSkoodge Not all games are science fiction.

Invader Skoodge

22:36

@GnomeSlice They don't care over there.

Arda Xi

@agent86 Thank you.

Invader Skoodge

All games are fiction, at the very least.

Wipqozn

@InvaderSkoodge I laughed audible.

fbueckert

The reason I don't like them is that we have to leave each and every story question open, because, "Oh, there might be an answer in canon."

SaintWacko

@GnomeSlice Haha, that's awesome

Arda Xi

22:37

@fbueckert ...no we don't?

James

@GnomeSlice @InvaderSkoodge Pft! All video games are murder simulators. didnt you know that? Even Sim Farm.. you butcher MILLIONS of worms and bugs!!!

fbueckert

@ArdaXi No? How do you prove a question doesn't have an answer in canon?

James

@SaintWacko He showed me that a while ago and I have to say I get a lot of use out of it :D

Arda Xi

@fbueckert That depends.

Wipqozn

@fbueckert I like to think we're all pretty smart people, and are able to deal with questions on a case by case basis instead of banning all questions because some of them are crap.

Invader Skoodge

22:37

@fbueckert Quote the entire canon.

user2334

@fbueckert Inane and unanswerable plot questions haven't overwhelmed the site. Any potential hypothetical harm due to some slippery slope has never materialized

SaintWacko

@James And those poor plants! You just keep chopping into them and killing them!

Arda Xi

@Wipqozn Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to say.

SaintWacko

@James When I was on kongregate, I had made a couple userscripts like that :P

James

@SaintWacko I know man, I know. Its so sad but I just can not stop myself :(

Wipqozn

22:38

@ArdaXi You're welcome.

SaintWacko

They operated from /xxxx type things

@James Killing is just so much... fun!

fbueckert

@Wipqozn So you're saying, "Is Darth Vader a Pig or a Bird" adds something valuable to the internet?

SaintWacko

(evil face, please)

Invader Skoodge

We should at least set up a migration path to SciFi for those special questions.

Trent Hawkins

For the record, I want no part of this argument... Now, I'm headed upstairs to get some tea. I am armed with a nerf gun. @fbueckert has been warned.

fbueckert

22:39

Or adds anything beyond inanity.

James

@SaintWacko Yeah too bad we can not kill the constant debates in here faster ;)

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Yes.

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert Play the game?

Wipqozn

@fbueckert How is the question inane?

Arda Xi

@fbueckert On a more prudent note, it doesn't hurt anyone.

It doesn't hurt the site.

SaintWacko

22:39

@James I'd say we can try, but I'd feel like somewhat of a hypocrite, since I was a major part of an earlier one :P

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Yes, it does.

My brain has lost cells due to that question.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Tell me more about how something that we've allowed for years is hurting the site.

fbueckert

@Wipqozn It's sheer curiosity.

SaintWacko

Although, none of my comments got starred, so I can pretend I wasn't in it!

fbueckert

Has no real impact on how you play the game.

SaintWacko

22:40

Everyone, stop fighting! Can't you see you're tearing us apart!?

Wipqozn

@fbueckert Neither does that portal question Gnome keeps bringing up.

42

Q: How much time has passed between Portal 1 and 2?

At the start of Portal 2, it's clear that time has passed. You've been woken up every few months for physical and mental fitness tests, until something goes wrong and you're left in stasis for much longer. How long is Chell, your character, in stasis? How much time has passed between the end o...

portal-series

Arda Xi

Neither does this

fbueckert

@Wipqozn And I'll vote to close that one, too.

Arda Xi

141

Q: Where is the "impossible space" in Portal 2?

One of the commentary nodes by a Portal 2 developer, Eric Tams, said they used "world portals" to quickly reconfigure maps and puzzles during testing, which allowed them to create rooms that were bigger on the inside, infinite falls, and other sorts of impossible geometry, save for the users own ...

portal-2

Second most upvoted question on the site ever.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Popularity != value.

Arda Xi

22:41

@fbueckert Erm... yeah, it is.

Did you read the blog post I posted?

SaintWacko

o.0

Arda Xi

Popularity is the key factor in whether we allow specific cases like these.

SaintWacko

I have 56 invaders inside my waterfall trap

Arda Xi

Something should never be closed unless it's problematic.

It's not like something should only stay open if it's not problematic.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi I disagree.

Arda Xi

22:42

@fbueckert Well, fine, go and disagree. But you're disagreeing with established policy.

fbueckert

I'm very against lore questions that have no bearing whatsoever on gameplay.

Wipqozn

@ArdaXi I disagree. Popularity can be an indication that a question has value, but it alone shouldn't decide if a question should remain.

fbueckert

At best, they're trivia.

Wipqozn

@fbueckert Then make a meta.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert So either make a meta post explaining why you think policy should be changed, disagree without abusing your reputation, or leave.

user2334

22:43

Answered. Our long, national nightmare is over

Wipqozn

As @ArdaXi, @GnomeSlice and I have already pointed out multiple times lore questions are on-topic as per the FAQ. IF you wish to change this then make a meta.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Casting a single close vote is abuse?

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Yes.

user2334

@fbueckert Personally, berating people in comments for asking on-topic questions you don't happen to like is what I'd consider abuse.

Wipqozn

@fbueckert Casting close votes on questions which are on-topic just because you dislike them is an abuse of power. You obviously disagree that is the case here, but that's what Arda is saying.

Arda Xi

22:44

@fbueckert It is if you're casting the vote against established policy.

Brian

@InternetArguing DAMN YOU!

Wipqozn

If @agent86 went around closing all ITG questions because he disliked them before we made a final decision banning them that would have been an abuse of his mod powers.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi This happens with every lore question on here; go check out the Mass Effect 3 Harbinger question.

Wipqozn

I use @agent86 as an example since he's obviously corrupt.

2

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Link?

Invader Skoodge

22:45

@ArdaXi Until I am a mod, I will cast my votes however I want.

SaintWacko

@Brian New sock puppet!

Wipqozn

fbueckert

17

Q: Why does Harbinger have only 4 claws?

Most of you who played Mass Effect 3 must have realized that the Harbinger does not have 5 claws. It only has 4: Other Sovereign class Reapers have 5: So why does Harbinger not have 5 claws? Did it lose in a battle or is it just its design?

mass-effect-3

GnomeSlice

42

Q: How much time has passed between Portal 1 and 2?

At the start of Portal 2, it's clear that time has passed. You've been woken up every few months for physical and mental fitness tests, until something goes wrong and you're left in stasis for much longer. How long is Chell, your character, in stasis? How much time has passed between the end o...

portal-series

Arda Xi

@InvaderSkoodge If you do so, consistently, against site policy, you become a problematic user.

fbueckert

22:46

@GnomeSlice Yes, you KEEP POSTING THAT.

SHUT UP.

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert Well, you said every lore question.

James

@SaintWacko Actually I think its the people in the convo thare are the only ones capable of giving up and moving on :)

GnomeSlice

Not that one.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert That question is currently open. How interesting.

fbueckert

@GnomeSlice Yeah. You're not contributing to the conversation.

GnomeSlice

22:46

@fbueckert I'm not trying to annoy you, it's just relevant.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Neither are you. We're not calling you out on that.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi And it got closed, first.

GnomeSlice

I'm sorry.

Wipqozn

@GnomeSlice Good job on countering his incorrect use of an absolute sir.

SaintWacko

I am about to murder the shit out of all the invaders in my waterfall trap

Arda Xi

22:47

@fbueckert Yes. What's your point?

GnomeSlice

23

Q: In the Portal games, what is the testing all about?

What was Aperture science really going for, with those "test chambers"? Was it an experiment in human cognition, like a rat maze? Were they testing the portal device? GlaDOS's AI? Cubes and buttons? And what does it all have to do with shower curtains or Pentagon defense contracts?

portal-2 portal portal-series

Arda Xi

There are more lore questions open than closed.

Invader Skoodge

I'm so glad @ArdaXi is back.

2

user2334

@fbueckert Harbinger question is not the same as this at all. Harbinger is "I found a plot hole. Help me rectify it". This is "What is the plot to this game?"

Invader Skoodge

I missed these.

fbueckert

22:47

@ArdaXi Point is, lore questions are a bone of contention in the community.

GnomeSlice

20

Q: Is Cave Johnson Chell's Father?

About around the time of the Portal 2 Announcement ARG, to the best of my knowledge it had become well established that Cave Johnson was Chell's father (with the latter being abducted by GLaDOS on Bring your Daughter to Work Day). However, many months later, with the release of Portal 2, all suc...

portal-series

Arda Xi

@fbueckert No, they are not.

GnomeSlice

Portal has tons of lore questions.

Arda Xi

They are a bone of contention in you.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Really? Could've fooled me.

GnomeSlice

22:47

7

Q: Why is 'Salt Asbestos Curtain' the Aperture Science motto?

I've been looking at some valve swag and noticed the company motto (?) on top of the Aperture Science logo. Why is "Salt Asbestos Curtain" the company motto?

portal-series

Ugh, that's terrible.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert You seem to have this flawed notion that your opinion is the community's opinion.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi I can't cast binding votes.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert I am aware of that.

fbueckert

Obviously there are community members that agree with me.

Brian

I think the easiest solution to this problem is to bring back identify this game questions

Arda Xi

22:48

@fbueckert Yes, so?

There are always outliers in a community.

Invader Skoodge

For the record, I think that most lore questions are stupid too.

GnomeSlice

8

Q: Half-Life / Portal Story Loophole?

Ok, so Black Mesa and Aperture Science were competing to discover and develop portal technology along with getting government funds. This "competition rush" caused the Black Mesa Incident and the Borealis accident. So, my question is: How could Black Mesa and Aperture Science be in this competiti...

portal-series half-life-series

Okay, that one is actually bad.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi So, it shows that I myself am not alone in my opinion.

Which is what you are insisting.

GnomeSlice

That's a ScfFi.SE question if I ever saw one.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Well, whoop-de-doo. 5 out of thousands of users agreed with you a few times.

GnomeSlice

22:49

@fbueckert We can't expect every single user to agree on everything, you're just being dumb now.

user2334

The contention is when someone asks something about a plot point that's probably unanswerable: i.e., plot holes and continuity errors. Nobody except maybe GnomieBear and Fbueckart thinks questions about plot points that are answerable and non-controversial are off-topic

GnomeSlice

He's right though, up til now, there's never been any arguments over lore questions.

Brian

Isn't that question a "why did the developers choose to mess up the plot by casting darth as a pig?"

fbueckert

@GnomeSlice Seriously?

GnomeSlice

@MarkTrapp I don't think they're off-topic.

fbueckert

22:49

We argue about them each and every damn time they come up.

Arda Xi

Look. Lore questions do not pose a problem to the site. They are not demonstratively dangerous to the site as a whole. They do, however, make our site popular. They bring new users to our site. As a whole, they are a net positive for our site.

2

user2334

@GnomeSlice Yay, I like you 0.00002% more now

Arda Xi

So long as that is the case, I don't see why we should close them.

GnomeSlice

@MarkTrapp I'm just posting current ones as relevant comparisons.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert So unless you can name an actual way in which lore questions are actually dangerous to the site if allowed, I suggest you yield.

fbueckert

22:50

@ArdaXi I really don't like the argument of, "They're popular and bring new users, so we should leave them alone!"

James

@GnomeSlice last time we argued about 'Lore' questions we called them "Story" questions. We discussed shipping them off to SciFi but then it came back to the FAQ and that line where plot anda character questions are On Topic here so we didnt..

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert What's not to like about that?

Arda Xi

@fbueckert And why not? What reason do we have to moderate our site if not to make sure it remains active and popular?

GnomeSlice

@James Oh, you know what, I remember that now.

fbueckert

@GnomeSlice That's what happened to SciFi.

user2334

22:51

@fbueckert No, we don't. You're oversimplifying disparate issues. The Harbinger question and its problems are not present in this question or most other lore questions.

GnomeSlice

But we determined they're not off-topic here, so why are we arguing about them again?

Arda Xi

That is the only reason we moderate it.

Invader Skoodge

@fbueckert I'm going to have to disagree with you here.

As long as the quality is there as well.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert SciFi has no bearing on our site. Shut up about SciFi if you want to talk about Arqade.

Wipqozn

@fbueckert SFF problem isn't lore questions but that they allow eveything.

James

22:51

@GnomeSlice Cause that is what we do here :)

Wipqozn

Anyways, as @ArdaXi said, we're not SFF.

user2334

SFF's problem is they allow speculative crap, which is exactly the type of plot hole questions people have a problem with on Arqade. Not questions answered with straight up facts

2

fbueckert

I really don't see the quality or value in those types of questions.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert So what? What is the problem with them?

Do you believe that we will run out of storage on our servers or something? What?

Wipqozn

@MarkTrapp Yes, exactly.

Arda Xi

22:52

Just because something isn't useful, doesn't mean it should be removed. If that were the case, the world population would radically diminish.

Brian

I have no problem with questions that have answers, but asking questions that don't have official answers defeats the QA in ArQAde

Arda Xi

@Brian Except that's not what we're discussing.

Wipqozn

@ArdaXi I missed you so much. You have no idea.

Arda Xi

We're talking about lore in general.

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert I don't think it would have made much difference to be honest, SciFi was doomed from the start.

user2334

22:53

@Brian Right: real questions have answers, not ideas or opinions

Arda Xi

@Wipqozn I missed this too.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Is not the whole point of SE to increase the signal to noise ratio?

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Yes. But this isn't noise.

fbueckert

From that mandate, it should be surmised that every question should add to the signal.

Arda Xi

Noise is detrimental. You haven't shown how this is actually detrimental.

Brian

22:54

@ArdaXi if the lore question has an official post by a dev then sure allow it

fbueckert

Useless questions don't add value.

Brian

otherwise its just going to be another question without a valid answer

Arda Xi

@fbueckert As long as they don't diminish value, who cares?

fbueckert

They themselves are part of the noise.

James

@fbueckert Who defines useless?

Arda Xi

22:54

You're just arguing to delete them for the sake of deleting them. It makes no sense.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi They dimish value by lowering the ratio.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert No, they don't.

They demonstrably don't.

GnomeSlice

@fbueckert They don't take away from value, but they clearly add value for the asker.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Ok, demonstrate, then.

Arda Xi

This is the first time in two years that this issue has come up.

@fbueckert Look at all the links that @GnomeSlice, @Wipqozn and I have posted.

user2334

22:55

Great, now look what you've done. He's made a simple question that's easily answerable into a gobbledygook speculative question about the motivations of the pigs in a simple mobile game

Arda Xi

All the examples of successful lore questions.

fbueckert

Real, practical questions provide value to everyone who reads them.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Tell me this.

Brian

Well lets all just agree to disagree like we always do after a healthy bridge debate!

Arda Xi

Why close a question that is not actually harmful in any way, but makes our site popular?

GnomeSlice

22:55

@MarkTrapp Probably because we closed it. Rollbackd

Invader Skoodge

@GnomeSlice Thank you.

Arda Xi

@Brian ...did you join after I left or something?

Brian

You guys are clearly not going to convince the other party to see your view so this discussion is pretty moot

fbueckert

@ArdaXi That's the thing; the questions themselves add no value. You've said that yourself.

Brian

@ArdaXi probably as I do not know who you are ;)

Arda Xi

22:56

@fbueckert I haven't. I've just said that even if they did, it's not a problem.

Invader Skoodge

@Brian It's like politics! Because it is politics!

fbueckert

We're not here to go, "Eh. It doesn't hurt to leave it."

Arda Xi

@fbueckert Yes, we are.

It hurts to close it because you alienate users for no good reason.

Wipqozn

@ArdaXi He's new.

Arda Xi

@Wipqozn That explains that then.

Wipqozn

22:57

We'll break his will eventually.

James

@fbueckert You are not going to be able to back that up you know.. Because every game on here that I do not play has 100% no value to me.. so there for they do not provide value to Everyone.

fbueckert

@ArdaXi We alienate users on a daily basis by closing their broken and crappy questions all the time.

Wipqozn

@James THank you sir. Took the words right out of my message box.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert "It hurts to close it because you alienate users for no good reason."

SaintWacko

@Wipqozn @James You thief!

Arda Xi

22:58

If it's a crappy question, sure, close it.

James

@SaintWacko I didn't mean too! :(

Arda Xi

If it's a question that is well-written but just not very useful to everyone, why close it?

The slippery slope argument immediately fails if it's something that has gone well for two years.

SaintWacko

@James Oh, so I suppose the words just accidentally fell out of his message box and into yours! Hm, is that is?

fbueckert

@ArdaXi Actually, I'd argue that the amount of disagreement we have over them actually improves them to the point where the slippery slope isn't applicable anymore.

Arda Xi

@fbueckert What. One user disagrees with it and suddenly two years of history don't matter?

SaintWacko

22:59

@fbueckert So it's more of an antigravity slope than a slippery slope?

Arda Xi

That's awfully self-serving of you.

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