Smiles - the topic is exactly what it says in the title.
I am not a controversial person. I have built a life around following the rules and doing what is needed.
I do not often argue; nor do I challenge. I'm pretty easy-going.
But WHEN I see stark and absolute inequity, I speak up.
The confrontation started on this thread:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/359320/discussions/0/1642042464743166834/
Even a casual glance will tell that the thread is inconsistent; and many things were removed.
Look - I've been in this business for a LONG time and speaking as a (current or past) Moderator of two of the biggest science and aviation-related forums on the Internet, I can say with a certain amount of authority that I've been screwed over here. (Sigh) I'm not looking for absolution here. I'm just looking for someone to LISTEN.
Now - I'm not looking for support, or agreement, or even commiseration. I'm just steaming at the moment, and want to tell my side of the story; since my side was so absolutely excised from the thread in question.
For what it's worth - For all the years I served as a Moderator of the SimV and BadAstronomy websites, I would NEVER actively target and ban a member for challenging my authority. It was in that spirit with which I engaged the Moderators of the ED Steam forum.
I had written a couple of posts on the thread in question specifically stating that the OP needs to learn how to fight in the ED universe. Speaking as a professional flying instructor, I would NEVER offer criticism without offering learning opportunities and I did so. Several other posts were offered by experienced Commanders as well.
EVERY post offering constructive criticism and advice was removed by the moderators of that thread. The posts that remained were the OP's attack on ED and EVERY counter-attack against the OP. Not ONE of the constructive posts were kept. The Moderator posted a terse one-line comment saying we should answer the question; not the questioner.
I absolutely agree. Elite Dangerous is bloody tough to learn! We SHOULD NOT attack newcomers for having issues; we should HELP them. And that is exactly what I tried to do.
I was also upset that the Moderation took such a hard line. Speaking as a veteran Moderator of more than 15 years experience, I was bothered that the VERY minor argument was being shut down so severely.
EVERY post I wrote was deleted. EVERY argument I presented was ignored. LOOK at the thread I copied above. There were DOZENS of comments that were removed.
The ONLY comments that remain in that thread - other than the ones which are totally superfluous - are the ones where the OP attacks the game, or others attack the OP.
This is not leadership.
I tried to contact the Mods; I tried to speak to the issues. I tried to explain the situation and what I was writing. I TRIED to tell them that there WAS no actual controversy; just a disagreement.
Every post I sent was ignored. Every response I typed was deleted.
An hour ago they banned me for a week. I guess I'm a 'bad boy'.
Look.
I have been flying for FORTY GODDAMNED YEARS. I have been TEACHING people to fly for thirty five. NO; I'm not saying that gives me any credence at all. It just says that in the real world of stick and rudder I know what the hell I'm talking about. I'm just trying to use my skill and experience to HELP people who are complaining; to direct their attention AWAY from their failure and TOWARD the fine control of their ship.
I'm just...sad right now. I have all these real-life skills and YES - you can say that ACTUALLY flying a Jetranger for 25 years has little to do with ED. I will respectfully disagree, because I've spent damn near half a century learning - to the finest detail - about the ART of flight and whether or not that is in any way valuable I can at least introduce new members to the discipline of flight.
Sigh. I STARTED writing this post in order to rail against Steam Forum for banning me.
But I'm not a controversial person. I never HAVE been . I'm one of the toughest instructors you'd ever have, but I don't like confrontation.
I just want to TEACH.
Since my post was deleted by the Moderators of the Steam forum, I will post it here.
"I believe I can help the community by teaching basic principles in ED; my goal is to help newcomers think in the same way actual pilots do - in terms of procedure and discipline. It would be boring, tedious and DEFINITELY not fun, but it would be EFFECTIVE - the same type of teaching I've given to the hundreds of students I've trained in my time - some of whom are now fighter pilots; others who fly for Air Canada. I can HELP."
I'll try the prototype video this weekend. We'll see how it goes.
I am not a controversial person. I have built a life around following the rules and doing what is needed.
I do not often argue; nor do I challenge. I'm pretty easy-going.
But WHEN I see stark and absolute inequity, I speak up.
The confrontation started on this thread:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/359320/discussions/0/1642042464743166834/
Even a casual glance will tell that the thread is inconsistent; and many things were removed.
Look - I've been in this business for a LONG time and speaking as a (current or past) Moderator of two of the biggest science and aviation-related forums on the Internet, I can say with a certain amount of authority that I've been screwed over here. (Sigh) I'm not looking for absolution here. I'm just looking for someone to LISTEN.
Now - I'm not looking for support, or agreement, or even commiseration. I'm just steaming at the moment, and want to tell my side of the story; since my side was so absolutely excised from the thread in question.
For what it's worth - For all the years I served as a Moderator of the SimV and BadAstronomy websites, I would NEVER actively target and ban a member for challenging my authority. It was in that spirit with which I engaged the Moderators of the ED Steam forum.
I had written a couple of posts on the thread in question specifically stating that the OP needs to learn how to fight in the ED universe. Speaking as a professional flying instructor, I would NEVER offer criticism without offering learning opportunities and I did so. Several other posts were offered by experienced Commanders as well.
EVERY post offering constructive criticism and advice was removed by the moderators of that thread. The posts that remained were the OP's attack on ED and EVERY counter-attack against the OP. Not ONE of the constructive posts were kept. The Moderator posted a terse one-line comment saying we should answer the question; not the questioner.
I absolutely agree. Elite Dangerous is bloody tough to learn! We SHOULD NOT attack newcomers for having issues; we should HELP them. And that is exactly what I tried to do.
I was also upset that the Moderation took such a hard line. Speaking as a veteran Moderator of more than 15 years experience, I was bothered that the VERY minor argument was being shut down so severely.
EVERY post I wrote was deleted. EVERY argument I presented was ignored. LOOK at the thread I copied above. There were DOZENS of comments that were removed.
The ONLY comments that remain in that thread - other than the ones which are totally superfluous - are the ones where the OP attacks the game, or others attack the OP.
This is not leadership.
I tried to contact the Mods; I tried to speak to the issues. I tried to explain the situation and what I was writing. I TRIED to tell them that there WAS no actual controversy; just a disagreement.
Every post I sent was ignored. Every response I typed was deleted.
An hour ago they banned me for a week. I guess I'm a 'bad boy'.
Look.
I have been flying for FORTY GODDAMNED YEARS. I have been TEACHING people to fly for thirty five. NO; I'm not saying that gives me any credence at all. It just says that in the real world of stick and rudder I know what the hell I'm talking about. I'm just trying to use my skill and experience to HELP people who are complaining; to direct their attention AWAY from their failure and TOWARD the fine control of their ship.
I'm just...sad right now. I have all these real-life skills and YES - you can say that ACTUALLY flying a Jetranger for 25 years has little to do with ED. I will respectfully disagree, because I've spent damn near half a century learning - to the finest detail - about the ART of flight and whether or not that is in any way valuable I can at least introduce new members to the discipline of flight.
Sigh. I STARTED writing this post in order to rail against Steam Forum for banning me.
But I'm not a controversial person. I never HAVE been . I'm one of the toughest instructors you'd ever have, but I don't like confrontation.
I just want to TEACH.
Since my post was deleted by the Moderators of the Steam forum, I will post it here.
"I believe I can help the community by teaching basic principles in ED; my goal is to help newcomers think in the same way actual pilots do - in terms of procedure and discipline. It would be boring, tedious and DEFINITELY not fun, but it would be EFFECTIVE - the same type of teaching I've given to the hundreds of students I've trained in my time - some of whom are now fighter pilots; others who fly for Air Canada. I can HELP."
I'll try the prototype video this weekend. We'll see how it goes.
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