Maybe FFG doesn't like people dragging "controversial agendas" into their forums (his new signature).

Are you talking about his "these things are dumb and don't exist" signature?

EDIT: Whoops!! Never mind! I didn't notice the far-right side.

Anyway... while he could be a bit acerbic at times, I also found him very informative. I certainly had no desire to see him gone.

Yeah I had the odd clash with him at times and the odd agreement. He certainly wasn't a troll though, just strongly opinionated, which is pretty much the type of person that is attracted to a site like this where we argue and discuss passionately with complete strangers.....

I know most of the posters here dislike CPS, which is fine, because he obviously has little to no respect for the people on this forum. That said, none of his posting that I saw was trolling. Dude is quick to criticize other posters, but he actually believes in these criticisms. He also begrudgingly admitted when he was basically wrong about something. Fdsfsg, showed a lack of respect to broad groups of people (and to posters who disagreed with him), but also argued about it in obviously bad faith. I'd rather have a poster like ThenDoctor who just hates my guts than a poster who types up minstrel show dialogue and then insists that I'm racist for objecting to it. Cps, is an *******, but he's not a troll. At least you can argue with an *******.

Somehow I managed to get along just fine with both of them and had a number of enjoyable discussions about the game, even though it was at times awkward to see them behave like oil and water. I disagreed strongly with some of the opinions Fdsfsg had, but it never escalated into dislike as we managed to keep our cool.

It's just a question of chemistry - I can be pretty **** stubborn, too, and I know at least one poster on this forum has put me on ignore, yet I get praise from others. Perspective colours reaction, I suppose.

If in fact he was banned, it is unfair to act against him and not the other party he was routinely fighting with!

Without further details (we don't even know if he actually got banned), I'd refrain from further speculation, though. It's a surprise to see his account inactive, but it could be for any number of reasons, and it may be unfair of you to prematurely point the finger at another forum member.

Maybe he chose to leave for some personal reason (though it's odd and I would have almost expected a bye-bye post).

Maybe he got hacked (and his account temporarily shut down to prevent spambots from cluster-bombing the forum).

Maybe he was out of line in a way we cannot see (PMs).

Maybe FFG doesn't like people dragging "controversial agendas" into their forums (his new signature).

Give it time. If he wants to, he can just make a new account and post what happened, or PM one of us. They don't IP-ban here, or do they? Hell, for all we know it might just be a temp ban and he'll be back in a week or so.

He got banned. I found out via skype. for whatever reasons, he doesn't know. Wasn't informed by FFG nor was his warning level ever raised.

That's just unprofessional.

Yeah, though I could understand a "not up for debate" stance, I would at least have expected the reason to be communicated.

That's a little disappointing.

I feel we must keep in mind, although I personally don't believe it, the possibility that he is being dishonest to save face. That or it was an automated process, a belief i hold in a higher possibility.

May I suggest a series of respectful letters of protest to the moderators? As I've said before, I don't believe fgdsg was an innocent bystander (He wasn't!), but he wasn't the worst abuser either! (By far!) Most of his most virulent posts were IMO made in response to a personal attack. While that doesn't make it right by any means, it does, in my mind allow for a little slack. (You know, maybe a warning or something.)

Protest? Not for me, but I do feel the reason should be revealed.

May I suggest a series of respectful letters of protest to the moderators? As I've said before, I don't believe fgdsg was an innocent bystander (He wasn't!), but he wasn't the worst abuser either! (By far!) Most of his most virulent posts were IMO made in response to a personal attack. While that doesn't make it right by any means, it does, in my mind allow for a little slack. (You know, maybe a warning or something.)

From what we know, it seems he got treated unfairly. After those 3 DH2 bashing threads with multiple people on different sides, just banning him alone for bad behavior feels almost like setting an example. I've seen far worse from some other members here during those "discussions". Why even have warning points if you're just going to ban people without even giving a reason.

Very unprofessional.

It's possible that something behind the scenes happened, but why would he lie about that.

Let's not just assume it was unfair. Perhaps there was an internal discussion with him before the final decision was taken.

Why would he lie? Why would anyone lie? He could have been angry and wanted to spite them.

Maybe. Right now we don't know anything so we can only speculate.

The reason should be revealed in any case as you mentioned.

FFG owns the boards. They allow the privilege to use the boards as a courtesy to (most of) their customers, but they are under no obligation to be "fair" in how they moderate them nor do they owe us any explanation. If they do offer an explanation, it's another courtesy they don't need to extend.

While I appreciate that they provide these boards, nothing is free in this world. It's part of their customer service, it influences sales. Don't be naive to think that they just do this as a courtesy, without any strings attached.

That said, I like FFG, overall it's a good company.

What's happening right now, or at least the perception of what's happening doesn't really fit that well with their reputation. So I hope somebody from FFG can clear up this potential misunderstanding at some point?

If they don't tell us what he did wrong how will we know as an example what not to do so we don't get surreptitiously kicked off the boards?

I'm guessing it has to do with the change to his signature. I've seen other places where such links draw out moderation.

A link to another gaming site? Maybe I'm missing something but I believe I've seen the same thing from other posters. Hell, Baronvleigh runs one of the more popular 40k websites on the web! What's the difference?

If it was the link, it wouldnt still be there

A link to another gaming site? Maybe I'm missing something but I believe I've seen the same thing from other posters. Hell, Baronvleigh runs one of the more popular 40k websites on the web! What's the difference?

People are referring to his added link about ganergate in his signature which linked to an 8chan post about gamergate. Maybe FFG doesn't allow anything about Gamergate being discussed, or maybe they don't allow any linking to the chan websites that also happen to be great sources to find pirated copies of their games.

And if you're not up to date on Gamergate, it's a movement that started with people claiming a female game developer was sleeping with game journalists for coverage. For one side, it ballooned into a harassment campaign against the woman based on faulty evidence and misogyny, with this side wanting to expose a lot of gamers as whiny entitled brats. For the other side, it's a campaign to expose unethical practices and game journalism that also is intent on exposing game journalists and social justice oriented writers as whiny entitled brats. I won't get Into the side I'm on, but pretty much every gaming discussion board has banned bringing it up due both to the amount of drama it causes and a general consensus that gamergaters are an organized harassment campaign that they don't want to risk any liability for.

So maybe FFG doesn't want links to Chan sites or maybe they don't want to be tied up in possible harassment charges.

And yet the link is still there, as Cogniczar already mentioned.

Wow, fgsdfg getting banned was the probably the best holiday internet present I could have come home to. Bravo, FFG!

To help clear up some of the mystery, he posted something kind of racist and I reported it. Looking back, and knowing how he responds to criticism, my best guess is he got into it with the mod looking at it over whether it was in fact racism (it was).

Ha, I just saw the signature. Of COURSE he's a ganergater. Of course.

That makes so much sense. That link alone should have been an ipban.

Well, I dealt with it all right. With two cups of soda all over his shirt and pants. But ever since then I've always been leery around people who wanna play the holy warrior type. Sigh...

This is the kind of story that really makes me appreciate the players I have.

Anyway, I hope you were able to find a better group.

I'm not normally one to support throwing liquids on people, but reading the rest of your post, ****, that guy sounds insufferable. Any time someone uses, "I'm only roleplaying my character" to justify behavior the people at the table find objectionable... well that's not someone worth playing games with. Your GM should have nipped that in the bud and the fact that they didn't doesn't speak well for them, either.

No gaming is better than bad gaming.

And if you're not up to date on Gamergate, it's a movement that started with people claiming a female game developer was sleeping with game journalists for coverage. For one side, it ballooned into a harassment campaign against the woman based on faulty evidence and misogyny, with this side wanting to expose a lot of gamers as whiny entitled brats. For the other side, it's a campaign to expose unethical practices and game journalism that also is intent on exposing game journalists and social justice oriented writers as whiny entitled brats. I won't get Into the side I'm on, but pretty much every gaming discussion board has banned bringing it up due both to the amount of drama it causes and a general consensus that gamergaters are an organized harassment campaign that they don't want to risk any liability fo

A fair summation if there ever was one.

I'm guessing it has to do with the change to his signature. I've seen other places where such links draw out moderation.

You can guess what you like, if they don't tell us we'll never know.

Well, too bad about Fgdsfg, it's a harsh call but understandable. I know it's more of a touchy subject over there in the US, I don't believe his actual intentions were bad or racist in nature.

The inciter should have been talked to as well.

Hopefully they will be!