You know what, sod it I don’t have a clue any more. I think there’s definitely something very wrong with the Alton Towers section of this forum and I don’t think it is due to people being too negative. However I’m not about to tell people to “man up” and just take the negative comments (which is what has been happening in topics like this) because I feel they have a point too. It is one thing to have a single member leave because they are not happy with the discussion, but It is quite another to have loads of members boycott an entire section of the forum.
like captain and many others I have preferred to spend more time in the other parks and attractions board and RCT sub-forum just because I feel like my post’s there are actual a part of proper discussion. I’ve only remained active in the Alton Towers section as occasionally someone asks a sensible engineering question and I like to give them a proper answer. Also as an Alton Towers fan I want to know what’s going on and give my feedback.
So yeah I haven’t got a clue anymore. It’s ironic though that the best debate I’ve been having lately is a topic over at the new Roller Coaster Philosophy dialogue section not discussing rides or parks but enthusiasts behaviour.
Negativity
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Tom G
- Member
- Posts: 1642
- Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 1:09 pm
The most important thing here is people's mental wellbeing. If people are seriously getting down, upset or angry with posts, then that isn't a good thing. When I say de-sensitise or 'man up' (perhaps that was an unfortunate choice of phrase), I simply mean why get emotional about a series of words from someone you have never met? Few people have met me, but my writing style is far more formal than my common, northern, smiley manner in person. Tone is extremely difficult to express on message boards, and I refuse to use an emoticon after every sentence so no one thinks I mean offense. It's not a case of being a keyboard warrior or whatever. I'm sure it's the same with many people here.
I think sarcasm and personal insults are the only things that we need be concerned about and I see very little of that around here, A) because the community is decent and B) the staff are on the ball.
I think sarcasm and personal insults are the only things that we need be concerned about and I see very little of that around here, A) because the community is decent and B) the staff are on the ball.
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Kaycee
I can completely understand where the original poster of this topic is coming from - I made a very similar one years and years ago ("STOP BEING HORRIBLE ABOUT ALTON TOWERS!! 
")! When the site/forums first started, it was very much a place for people who loved Alton Towers to come together and gush about the park they loved, and what they loved about it - and discover those other people who felt as passionately as they did - I certainly never found any at school, so TTF always used to be a place of kindred spirits for me, where we could all happily discuss our passion for the park together.
Nowadays, obviously the Internet is part of a daily life for a sizable portion of society, and people with such a (what was used to be perceived as) unique passion can very easily find it is more commonplace than they first thought, and it's not such a surprise anymore. Usage of the Internet/TTF has also changed - whereas originally, posters on TTF had no clue that Towers management would be reading the boards, now it's obviously more of a marketing tool/oft tapped resource of feedback and ideas. People now easily bear this in mind, and often (unintentionally or not) aim their posts squarely at Towers management, rather than each other.
So with that, comes the negativity. There's undoubtedly been a large shift in the way the park is run in the last decade or so... and unfortunately, it's not to most people's preference. The negativity, I've come to learn, is just a testimony to how passionate people are for the park. People are clearly keen for their ideas and feedback to be heard, and this is a very valuable tool for them to do so.
I certainly miss the days we all used to just have a massive conversation with each other, bumming Alton Towers unashamedly, blissfully unaware that anyone except ourselves were reading. Unfortunately, those days will never return, even if the 'old' Alton Towers a lot of us remember from the 80s and 90s came back! On another level, the freedom for people to be negative is also a testimony to the battle the team have had with the park over the years - certainly a few years ago, the park took a very heavy-handed approach with us for such negativity, and we shunned the idea that the team would have to moderate negative posts. I don't generally like negativity, but the idea of having to censor the forums was obviously not something we ever considered, despite the pressure.
I find for the most part, discussion on here is very constructive. That's not to say I don't think certain members level an inherently critical eye over absolutely everything unnecessarily, and I do think that is quite common too. But ultimately, it shows the level of passion people have for the park, and the negativity and feedback has often achieved good things with the park, in terms of them reversing bad decisions.
")! When the site/forums first started, it was very much a place for people who loved Alton Towers to come together and gush about the park they loved, and what they loved about it - and discover those other people who felt as passionately as they did - I certainly never found any at school, so TTF always used to be a place of kindred spirits for me, where we could all happily discuss our passion for the park together.Nowadays, obviously the Internet is part of a daily life for a sizable portion of society, and people with such a (what was used to be perceived as) unique passion can very easily find it is more commonplace than they first thought, and it's not such a surprise anymore. Usage of the Internet/TTF has also changed - whereas originally, posters on TTF had no clue that Towers management would be reading the boards, now it's obviously more of a marketing tool/oft tapped resource of feedback and ideas. People now easily bear this in mind, and often (unintentionally or not) aim their posts squarely at Towers management, rather than each other.
So with that, comes the negativity. There's undoubtedly been a large shift in the way the park is run in the last decade or so... and unfortunately, it's not to most people's preference. The negativity, I've come to learn, is just a testimony to how passionate people are for the park. People are clearly keen for their ideas and feedback to be heard, and this is a very valuable tool for them to do so.
I certainly miss the days we all used to just have a massive conversation with each other, bumming Alton Towers unashamedly, blissfully unaware that anyone except ourselves were reading. Unfortunately, those days will never return, even if the 'old' Alton Towers a lot of us remember from the 80s and 90s came back! On another level, the freedom for people to be negative is also a testimony to the battle the team have had with the park over the years - certainly a few years ago, the park took a very heavy-handed approach with us for such negativity, and we shunned the idea that the team would have to moderate negative posts. I don't generally like negativity, but the idea of having to censor the forums was obviously not something we ever considered, despite the pressure.
I find for the most part, discussion on here is very constructive. That's not to say I don't think certain members level an inherently critical eye over absolutely everything unnecessarily, and I do think that is quite common too. But ultimately, it shows the level of passion people have for the park, and the negativity and feedback has often achieved good things with the park, in terms of them reversing bad decisions.
Last edited by Kaycee on Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Blizzard
- Member
- Posts: 285
- Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:29 pm
- Location: Storybook land!
Iv'e been on the forum for over a year now, & have recently been noticing this extreme negativity. When I go to TTF, I go straight to the otherparks/attractions & rct & NoLimits forums, as with all this "M£rlin"ing is becoming more of a subject than about the park itself. Even for years before I signed up to be a member on TTF, I still browsed the forums, & found them very interesting. Now TTF seems to have gone from a happy getaway from life, to a ranting & complaining about merlin site. Yes I admit, i'm not too fond of merlin's management myself, but seeing what they have done recently with Swarm & Sub Terra, really lifted my spirits knowing what they are capable of producing. Would it not be better to praise them for the good things, instead of rant about the bad?
Obviously a debate is ok now & again, but on this scale, its becoming riddiculous. I think if posts were posted for the sake of members to read, instead of targeting the towers management, we wouldn't be in this situation. More to the point, all this negativity is surely going to make the parks management stereotype us as being complaining idiots with nothing better to do, so they would no longer read posts. Also think about how negetivity is driving away new members?
We are an enthusiast comunity, with high knoledge & love of alton towers, and SHOULD be setting an example to those who are just warming to alton enthusiasm. If this continiues happening, the negativity will spread to new members of the forum, making TowersTimes not the place it used to be.
I suggest we take action, something like signatures that protest agains negativity, therefore it will spread the word around the forums, showing that the Towers Times members do care about how the forum is kept, hopefuly removing trolls which have recently been occuring.
I'm really not the best in signature design, but if theres any good photoshoppers out there who also care about keeping TTF a happy place, theres an idea!
Obviously a debate is ok now & again, but on this scale, its becoming riddiculous. I think if posts were posted for the sake of members to read, instead of targeting the towers management, we wouldn't be in this situation. More to the point, all this negativity is surely going to make the parks management stereotype us as being complaining idiots with nothing better to do, so they would no longer read posts. Also think about how negetivity is driving away new members?
We are an enthusiast comunity, with high knoledge & love of alton towers, and SHOULD be setting an example to those who are just warming to alton enthusiasm. If this continiues happening, the negativity will spread to new members of the forum, making TowersTimes not the place it used to be.
I suggest we take action, something like signatures that protest agains negativity, therefore it will spread the word around the forums, showing that the Towers Times members do care about how the forum is kept, hopefuly removing trolls which have recently been occuring.
I'm really not the best in signature design, but if theres any good photoshoppers out there who also care about keeping TTF a happy place, theres an idea!
Last edited by Blizzard on Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Credit To SIMR for the signature & Avatar.
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Dormiens-Dave
Debate requires two sides of an argument, suggesting members should only mention the positives kind of stifles debate.
If you want to see more positivity argue your case for people being positive over the forum. As much as people wish it wasn't so only by interacting in positive debate can you change the tone of the forum.
The forum always gets a rap for being overly negative even though its been about as positive as it ever has this year, and although the Towers Management read the forums i don't think they beat themselves up based on what they read here and having actually spoken to some of them on this very issue they know a free forum produces a variety of opinions.
If you want to see more positivity argue your case for people being positive over the forum. As much as people wish it wasn't so only by interacting in positive debate can you change the tone of the forum.
The forum always gets a rap for being overly negative even though its been about as positive as it ever has this year, and although the Towers Management read the forums i don't think they beat themselves up based on what they read here and having actually spoken to some of them on this very issue they know a free forum produces a variety of opinions.
Last edited by Dormiens-Dave on Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ritadz
- Member
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:09 pm
Blizzard wrote: I suggest we take action, something like signatures that protest agains negativity, therefore it will spread the word around the forums, showing that the Towers Times members do care about how the forum is kept, hopefuly removing trolls which have recently been occuring.
Are you seriously suggesting anyone who doesn't share you happy clappy views on the park is a troll? If so you need to realise that a forum is for discussion, and anyone who expects 100% of the posts on this forum, or any forum for that matter, to be of the same view is deluded. Furthermore, posts are aimed at park management/M£rlin because they are the ones that are the reason for the negativity. :P
Sub Terra has been improved due to "negativity". The openings hours where increased (though not by much) due to "negativity". And yet people like you feel that this is a bad thing? I'm not negative, I'm realistic, and am giving the park constructive criticism.
Also may I point out that you don't like people moaning about the park (for justified reasons may I add), yet it's fine for you to moan about them and say they are trolls? I sense somewhat hypocritical posting here. If you do feel so strongly about it, then (as Dave said) argue your case. Why should we all be positive? Why shouldn't we be critical of park management? Why shouldn't people be able to voice their concerns of the park they love?
Last edited by Ritadz on Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Satch
I forgot. Because we once loved Alton Towers, we should just bum Merlin for all the crap they do #TrollTrollTroll
It really bothers me that some people think that Merlin-hating is done so because it's perceived as trendy ad the thing to do to fit in with the forum. That's not the case at all, there is clearly a sense of dissatisfaction on the community, and that is going to breed the negativity. Coming on here saying "can't we all just get along" isn't going to change that. Realising why and not just bumming Towers because it's Towers perhaps might
It really bothers me that some people think that Merlin-hating is done so because it's perceived as trendy ad the thing to do to fit in with the forum. That's not the case at all, there is clearly a sense of dissatisfaction on the community, and that is going to breed the negativity. Coming on here saying "can't we all just get along" isn't going to change that. Realising why and not just bumming Towers because it's Towers perhaps might
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Lucieloo
- Member
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:22 pm
[quote="Nightfall"]
The odd thing is I don’t think the negativity against the park is the real issue. There is a very snappy attitude when replying to some comments which is completely unnecessary. [quote author=Tom G
I agree with the above comment i'm afraid. I love Alton Towers and I joined these forums to be amongst a group of others who loved it just as much. I had a comment the other day from someone when I started a discussion "isn't there already a topic for this?????!!!!!!!" it was snappy and it was rude. I spend a lot of my time thinking of topics to start, which is getting increasingly difficult to do now, and this came from someone who seemed to be negative often and from what I could tell never started their own topic. I wont leave the forum because I enjoy it, but I agree that people are almost "having a go" at people personally behind the computer screen.. It is however a forum and the whole idea is to have discussions around the park or certain topics.
Maybe its the weather and once we get some sunshine people will generally cheer up and be more positive??!
I'm at Alton next Saturday and Sunday so I will ride ST and see what I think..
Keep smiling peeps!
The odd thing is I don’t think the negativity against the park is the real issue. There is a very snappy attitude when replying to some comments which is completely unnecessary. [quote author=Tom G
I agree with the above comment i'm afraid. I love Alton Towers and I joined these forums to be amongst a group of others who loved it just as much. I had a comment the other day from someone when I started a discussion "isn't there already a topic for this?????!!!!!!!" it was snappy and it was rude. I spend a lot of my time thinking of topics to start, which is getting increasingly difficult to do now, and this came from someone who seemed to be negative often and from what I could tell never started their own topic. I wont leave the forum because I enjoy it, but I agree that people are almost "having a go" at people personally behind the computer screen.. It is however a forum and the whole idea is to have discussions around the park or certain topics.
Maybe its the weather and once we get some sunshine people will generally cheer up and be more positive??!
I'm at Alton next Saturday and Sunday so I will ride ST and see what I think..
Keep smiling peeps!
Last edited by Lucieloo on Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
First person ever to be proposed to on the Smiler! xxxxxx
And because of that I am now Mrs A....
And because of that I am now Mrs A....
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Mike
- Member
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- Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:21 pm
- Location: Ramsgate/Bedford
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Blizzard, might I also suggest leading a campaign against one side of a two-sided debate (i.e. your idea for a sig campaign against negativity) without contributing to the debate yourself would make you seem like a 'troll' (I don't like that word!) - thus you suggesting that the negative people are trolls is a little bit silly
Last edited by Mike on Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks to Ian for the sig!
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Lucieloo
- Member
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:22 pm
See I can't even quote in the correct manner lol
Here is my post again seeing as I can't delete it and been a wally!!
I love Alton Towers and I joined these forums to be amongst a group of others who loved it just as much. I had a comment the other day from someone when I started a discussion "isn't there already a topic for this?????!!!!!!!" it was snappy and it was rude. I spend a lot of my time thinking of topics to start, which is getting increasingly difficult to do now, and this came from someone who seemed to be negative often and from what I could tell never started their own topic. I wont leave the forum because I enjoy it, but I agree that people are almost "having a go" at people personally behind the computer screen.. It is however a forum and the whole idea is to have discussions around the park or certain topics.
Maybe its the weather and once we get some sunshine people will generally cheer up and be more positive??!
I'm at Alton next Saturday and Sunday so I will ride ST and see what I think..
Keep smiling peeps!
Here is my post again seeing as I can't delete it and been a wally!!
I love Alton Towers and I joined these forums to be amongst a group of others who loved it just as much. I had a comment the other day from someone when I started a discussion "isn't there already a topic for this?????!!!!!!!" it was snappy and it was rude. I spend a lot of my time thinking of topics to start, which is getting increasingly difficult to do now, and this came from someone who seemed to be negative often and from what I could tell never started their own topic. I wont leave the forum because I enjoy it, but I agree that people are almost "having a go" at people personally behind the computer screen.. It is however a forum and the whole idea is to have discussions around the park or certain topics.
Maybe its the weather and once we get some sunshine people will generally cheer up and be more positive??!
I'm at Alton next Saturday and Sunday so I will ride ST and see what I think..
Keep smiling peeps!
First person ever to be proposed to on the Smiler! xxxxxx
And because of that I am now Mrs A....
And because of that I am now Mrs A....
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Dormiens-Dave
There is a case for saying certain members can be rude, if someone is rude please report their post so the team can deal with it accordingly.
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Lucieloo
- Member
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:22 pm
Noted reporting rudeness for next time! Its OK I didn't cry too much! lol
I think the point is that like with text, e-mail and forum posting, how things are written can be taken the wrong way.
I too have noticed a decrease in "happy" and "positive" comments and yes it does make you sigh out loud! Me personally I wouldn't respond to someone with a snappy response, because no doubt I would get one back..
I think we should give credit to those people who start topics really, because they care enough to get a debate or conversation going, and I imagine it doesn't feel good when people are responding in a negative way a lot of the time.
I think the point is that like with text, e-mail and forum posting, how things are written can be taken the wrong way.
I too have noticed a decrease in "happy" and "positive" comments and yes it does make you sigh out loud! Me personally I wouldn't respond to someone with a snappy response, because no doubt I would get one back..
I think we should give credit to those people who start topics really, because they care enough to get a debate or conversation going, and I imagine it doesn't feel good when people are responding in a negative way a lot of the time.
Last edited by Lucieloo on Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
First person ever to be proposed to on the Smiler! xxxxxx
And because of that I am now Mrs A....
And because of that I am now Mrs A....
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Blizzard
- Member
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- Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:29 pm
- Location: Storybook land!
I think you got me wrong there, by trolling, I meant the attacks from members from other forums making troll topics. I was not refering to ttf members ranting about merlin.Ritadz wrote:Blizzard wrote: I suggest we take action, something like signatures that protest agains negativity, therefore it will spread the word around the forums, showing that the Towers Times members do care about how the forum is kept, hopefuly removing trolls which have recently been occuring.
Are you seriously suggesting anyone who doesn't share you happy clappy views on the park is a troll? If so you need to realise that a forum is for discussion, and anyone who expects 100% of the posts on this forum, or any forum for that matter, to be of the same view is deluded. Furthermore, posts are aimed at park management/M£rlin because they are the ones that are the reason for the negativity. :P
Sub Terra has been improved due to "negativity". The openings hours where increased (though not by much) due to "negativity". And yet people like you feel that this is a bad thing? I'm not negative, I'm realistic, and am giving the park constructive criticism.
Also may I point out that you don't like people moaning about the park (for justified reasons may I add), yet it's fine for you to moan about them and say they are trolls? I sense somewhat hypocritical posting here. If you do feel so strongly about it, then (as Dave said) argue your case. Why should we all be positive? Why shouldn't we be critical of park management? Why shouldn't people be able to voice their concerns of the park they love?
Credit To SIMR for the signature & Avatar.
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Islander
- Member
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- Location: Space Station Mir
- Contact:
There is no excuse at all for people being snappy or rude, but I question whether this is really a good way to be interacting with the forum. Surely it's normal to contribute to existing threads, unless you happen to think of a discussion that doesn't fit into anything existing - in which case a new thread should certainly be created. There's no reason to be actively looking for new threads to create, and inevitably that will lead to a slew of less-than-great quality posts.Lucieloo wrote:I spend a lot of my time thinking of topics to start, which is getting increasingly difficult to do now...
To further my point above, and in response to this, members with fewer 'new thread' counts are certainly in no way inferior to others.Lucieloo wrote:...and this came from someone who seemed to be negative often and from what I could tell never started their own topic.
Though I reiterate - none of this excuses any kind of rudeness or snappiness.
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Joelio
I hate re-iterating myself, but...
If Merlin are doing bad its my right to state so with a reason to backup my claim, as much as its my right to say the same about Disney, Universal, Cedar Fair, Plopsaland or Europa Park. If a service isn't upto the standard you expected, saying bad things about is only a natural conclusion. The only reason you're reading all of this 'hatred' is because of their continued failings...
That said however, Merlin's Alton Towers seems to be striving in directions of guest satisfaction, by improving the frankly dire Sub-Terra from the abomination it was at Opening to what everyone seems to be ranting and/or raving about recently.
In short, don't tell people what to think, if someone is negative, being told to be 'more positive' is ridiculous.
If Merlin are doing bad its my right to state so with a reason to backup my claim, as much as its my right to say the same about Disney, Universal, Cedar Fair, Plopsaland or Europa Park. If a service isn't upto the standard you expected, saying bad things about is only a natural conclusion. The only reason you're reading all of this 'hatred' is because of their continued failings...
That said however, Merlin's Alton Towers seems to be striving in directions of guest satisfaction, by improving the frankly dire Sub-Terra from the abomination it was at Opening to what everyone seems to be ranting and/or raving about recently.
In short, don't tell people what to think, if someone is negative, being told to be 'more positive' is ridiculous.
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Sam
- Member
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- Location: People's Socialist Republic of Sheffield
- Contact:
This isn't that forum. This is a forum for a wide range of people. Some are theme park enthusiasts, with a wider interest in the industry, who comment on Towers as they're fascinated with its place in the industry. Some are people who once loved the park, or whose love for the park is waning, and that's why they feel so angry about how crap the park management has been in the last few years.Lucieloo wrote:I love Alton Towers and I joined these forums to be amongst a group of others who loved it just as much.
If you're looking for a circle-jerk about how great Merlin are and what a thoughtful multi-national corporation they are, I think the forum you're looking for is Go Merlin
You won't be after you go on Sub-Terrible. :PLucieloo wrote:I'm at Alton next Saturday and Sunday so I will ride ST and see what I think..
Keep smiling peeps!
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haydn!
- Member
- Posts: 2191
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:41 pm
Can I just add... (it is negative) ...all these 'The future of....' topics are getting really annoying. Seriously, we're getting to the point where the next one is going to be 'The future of the rubbish bin at the bottom of Towers Street'
Can we curb these? That's all I ask.
:P
Can we curb these? That's all I ask.
:P
