-= Gametoast.com =-

I do NOT think the GT Discord server represents the values of GameToast.

I joined GameToast a long time ago. It was a place that I could rely on for being safe. I looked up to the admin team because their moderation was measured and fair. Most of all I really enjoyed the sense of community. I've made some really great friends over the years and many of them I still keep in touch with. It's one of those places that I don't mind telling people about. I'm not ashamed to be part of GameToast.

I joined the GameToast discord by invite from Marth about 3 years ago. Even from the start, it's never felt quite like GameToast. In fact, the discord server is one of those servers I hide away at the bottom of my server list because I don't really feel comfortable with the discussion that goes on there.

Server members were pinged this morning and told that "discussion of politics and religion is now banned throughout the server". This prompted myself, and a few other old GTers who I was talking to at the time to take a look at what led to this. Seems as though the #current-events channel has been torched, but someone was suggesting that "the LGBT movement will help introduce pedophilia", and people *actually* discussed that—instead of, you know, shutting it down like a normal community. In the #lounge channel, someone named "Aaron is actually gay" said "If your weight starts with a 2 or 3 you aint a woman", and nobody bats an eye because that's normal conversation here. The same person posted 25+ photos/gifs of Ellen Page, and talked about how he plans to become her neighbour. A moderator mentions "she has the body of a 14 year old boy. definite no". A user named "Gonk Droid" says "I just realized I can say the n word in Gonk speak", and someone replies "Gonk". Truly elevated humour. At the most severe, members are told by the admin that the conversation is "divulging into #nonsense territory, be careful", referencing a channel where... anything goes? I honestly don't know. The #rules channel states "Do not be inappropriate outside of #nonsense". At the least severe end of the spectrum, admins and moderators react positively and join in the fun. Very cool community.

Some screenshots in the spoiler tag:

The discussion is very edgy, toxic, and immature. There is a user with the name "retard", many instances of using "gay" as an insult, and I saw someone use "autistic" as an insult just today. There are SIX emotes with nooses in them. Apparently someone was knowingly sent a virus by another member—and that member is still in the community from what I understand.

A few longstanding GameToast members (Grev, Twilight_Warrior, myself—and if I may include Teancum and Gogie as well, though I haven't talked to them, because they made some remarks openly) have expressed worry over the content over the last couple of days—and from what I read, in the past as well.

Quite a few old GTers have now left the server. Gogie left a day or two ago. Teancum left today, saying that he doesn't feel comfortable being in a server he'd be ashamed for his kids to see. Eggman left today. Thire refused to join that server (a few of us have been talking about this issue for *years* now). LeaderGrev, Twilight_Warrior, and I shared some frustrations to the discord server this morning (admittedly, Grev's comments were a little more on the fiery side—but I think he's understandably frustrated). The initial response from admins and moderators seemed to be a mix of "haha it's all jokes bro" and "it's not as bad as other discord servers i'm in". Troubling.

My question is: why is this representing GameToast?

Judging by the conversation (and 3 new mods recently?), it seems as though multiple communities have merged into one. Why does it have to use the GameToast name and logo? Personally I don't care to dismantle a community that seems to be active, but why should it carry the name of something that seems to have very little in common with GameToast?

I don't often have to step in here anymore but after hearing about this today, I believe a statement from a mod is required.
This is a server made by one non-staff member of the forum and in no way does it represent the GT Forums. I would appreciate that member changing the name to reflect that it has nothing to do with us and anybody who joined under the false pretense that it was made by and for us should probably leave. That culture is the kind of toxic culture that kills forums, and if any of that happened here you better believe those members would be banned.

We're Gametoast, not KotOR II: The Edgelords. Is it really worth keeping problem members unbanned if they drive everyone else off?

I appreciate your comments on this. I’ve been on the discord server because it is more active than here and has some GT old timers, but I completely stay out of most of the channels because of all the stuff you posted above. I think one thing many people appreciated about the GT forum is that it’s actually a civilized place, which can be hard to find on the internet. I think having a vibrant discord is important, the forums just don’t draw the activity they used to, but I’d really like things to get cleaned up on the discord.

yeah I scrolled through a bit today and saw a video of a man batting his Diet Dr. Pepper around. I can't even say Diet Dr. Pepper here, but apparently that's fine on the discord.

I think that's a good demonstration of the value disconnect between the two entities without having to get into anything actually offensive (of which, as Dohnutt showed, there is plenty)


Thank you for posting this, dohnutt

Hey, just wanted to say a couple things.

I am not happy with the direction the server has headed over the last couple years. It's completely my fault they ended up that way and for letting things slide - my goal was to keep things a little more relaxed than the forums and obviously that spiraled out of control. With that said we're making serious efforts to fix the issues, such as enforcing the rules harder and having better rules to begin with that are more in-line with our rules here.

Fair enough re: wanting the server disassociated with Gametoast. We'll look into it.

As of yesterday, the Discord server has been going through many major reforms to make it more like the Gametoast we all know. And as time goes on, hopefully, the Discord server will consistently uphold the norms and values of the Gametoast community, and once again be considered as extension and representative of the forums. i believe that was always the original intention behind the server's creation. But yes, it's no secret that things had been going really downhill since then, and that has become very apparent more so recently.

I too was noticing the disconnect between the two entities. I have voiced my concern in the past, not publicly, but I personally did not do much to help fix the Discord server and make the changes I wanted to see. Even though I had the "GT Staff - Mods" rank, it was only an honorary one, just to indicate that I am a moderator on the forums. But I'm still on the server, and now I have volunteered to be a moderator there, a position that I did not really consider before because I didn't think it was necessary until now, of course. The current server moderators are willing and have been helping to clean up the inconsistencies that exist between the Discord and the forums. Please give them a second chance and do not be so harsh on them. They became moderators at a time when the environment of the server did not allow their roles to foster. I have taken a supportive role to help them do so.

Despite the negative things that were going on, yes, the Discord was and is active in terms of modding SWBF2. People ask for assistance/get assistance, show off their W.I.P.'s, and release their maps, mods, and assets, and there are/were civilized discussions. The server also already has/had a good number of members from the forums on it. I understand that you guys are upset and don't want to associate with the nonsense that had been going on. And so I understand why you guys have left. But I, speaking as a Gametoast member and on the behalf of the server staff, ask that you guys consider rejoining the server again, not necessarily right away, but some time in the future. While we are only in the beginning stages of making changes to uphold the norms and values of the Gametoast community, it would help greatly in our efforts if dissatisfied veteran Gametoast members didn't leave the server in such a disruptive manner (again, it's understandable). Better yet, if you're still on the server and have thoughts about leaving as well, please reconsider sticking around to help make the community whole again. No one is obligated to do anything, of course. Maybe things aren't perfect yet, but given the time and effort from everyone, things can and will get better.

Appreciate AQT's measured response.

I made my thoughts clear on the Discord the other day, but prompted by a notification, I checked in and saw that conversation had leapt beyond the bounds of reason and normalcy. I saw serious discussion of fringe conspiracy theories, disparaging things written about people of different sexual orientations, autism and disability used as an insult, among other things (!) — and often egged on or posted by moderators of the server. Didn't feel right not voicing my displeasure, and I'm glad Dohnutt posted something too.

It's a :sad_plokoon: state of affairs on there. Hope that changes, and glad people are drawing attention to it.

Well i really like the GT Discord server, for the named reason that you get help and feedback much faster.

But i absolut dislike the trash that's going on there. First the server was different from the legacy discord server that has even less grade then RTL2. I tried to clean this up, but run into a wall of unreasonable Members and admins. That was the point where i muted the server and stopped watching it. I fear that the GT server can become the same. I wish marth and the moderators all the luck to get the server clean and polite again. I think the main Problem is that real moderators are missing. Most just participate in the trash.

All good, Grev.

After a lot of work, the server is way closer to where I want it now. The behaviour issues are much improved, the bad actors are removed, new rules are in place, the nasty stuff is eliminated in the major channels (still sweeping through the others) - and we have a bot ranking members with the Gametoast ranks!

There is still work to be done but I hope y'all will have a change of heart when the time is right.

Dohnutt wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 27, 2020 11:16 pm

My question is: why is this representing GameToast?

...

Why does it have to use the GameToast name and logo? Personally I don't care to dismantle a community that seems to be active, but why should it carry the name of something that seems to have very little in common with GameToast?

This was really my reason for leaving. I miss all the family-friendliness of things, and it's just not there at all on Discord. I had other reasons as well unrelated to the toxicity, but still probably would have stayed if that hadn't pushed me over the edge.

I did not intend to start a trend by leaving.

The reasons for me leaving were briefly touched up on the Discord but I will touch up on them here.

I get why you guys over on the discord want the more veteran modders to stay in the Discord, but I myself cannot do this.

When I started designing Scarif, I really really wanted to present myself in a positive manner as one of the few experienced game artists among our community, I wanted to create assets and help new modders to establish themselves. I wanted to be someone who the site administration could be proud of as a member of their community, and I wanted the newer modders to look up to me.

Life happened and unfortunately it took me a couple years to come back to modding, and unfortunately after joining the discord I got into a few... lets call them heated arguements. You guys watched me explode on other members, and say some let's say regrettable things in the heat of an arguement. Things that otherwise on the forum I would have been banned for saying.

Now I by no means am saying the Discord is at fault for my behaviour. Let me make clear, there is only ONE person responsible for my actions, and that is me.

There was an event, involving a member named Hardium where some members (including initially myself) were bullying him for streaming modding, and asking for help. After I found out certain members sent him viruses, sent him redirect links to unmask his location, and sent damaging exe's to hide certain portions of his computer (ie his hard drives), I started to realize that I was becoming increasingly toxic and didn't want a part of it anymore, I let Hardium know on the discord what was sent to him.

That was kind of the turning point for me for the discord, like that to me was pretty inexcusable conduct but it made me reflect on my own conduct.

I since took Hardium under my wing, and personally have been guiding him in his efforts to learn how to create new assets.

So with that being said, during my time reflecting after that incident, I realized that I myself was simply not the person I wanted to be. My constant arguements and lashing out, name calling, ect were extremely innappropriate, and it went against my original goal of becoming someone "the staff would be proud of and the community would look up to".

Upon reading the LGBT arguement, I made the decision to leave the discord, rather than argue. Not only because i felt it was a strongly innappropriate thing to discuss over the gametoast discord, but because I felt like maybe it would turn into another "Gogie Explosion".

I likely will not be rejoining the discord, I still want to build a positive reputation for myself, and again i WILL NOT say the discord is in any way responsible for my own actions, but I feel like for me to be able to be the person I WANT to be, and for me to make the COMMUNITY a better place, my place is not on the discord but rather on the forums, where I know if I ever misbehave I have a ban with my name on it.

Do we
Need the discord server? I have not been to it in a few years if it’s got problems I’d say just close it

Discord server is fine now, the problems are eradicated and it's far more active than the forums