I tell you what... everytime I read a "Hey guyz, I have no experience and a half-assed, derivitive idea, but DON'T WORRY -- I'm not like the other people on here. Tell me how to make a game for free in two weeks (cuz that's all the time I'll maintain interest)!" post I want to type mean, hurtful things.

But I consider myself kind, encouraging, and, above all, helpful.

Then the Internet happens to me.

As a wise TV character once said: "Virtue is meaningless unless it is slammed into vice. Unless it is tested." I'm being tested.

I noticed that a post came up that discussed real-world religious inspirations for an RPG. As an atheist, I'm not all that interested in a religious game, but I thought to myself "Cool idea. Probably a big market for that." Then I read the posts that attacked the believers for having beliefs... and I was offended. From my high horse I thought, "Disagree with the belief if you must, but respect the believer." Then I smugly rode my high horse around with triumphant music in the background.

But then I read "hay im 16 and making pokemon BUT BETTER dont worry i have permission needs to be MMO help PLZ" and I turn into a venom-frothing meany-pants.

I just want to help. What helps these people? Just ignoring them? Help me fit in and be productive.

How dont you lose more energy on these kind of posts compared to just giving first timers some good advice ?

And now this one wants to be snarky.

I'll just assume I should ignore those posts. There is no advice to give, really, at least none that would matter even half as much as owning an iPhone 5!

I've stopped responding to those types of "For Beginners" posts. Those MMORPG beginner posts. I haven't been on this site that long myself, and I am new myself, but I was learning stuff outside of this site before I came here. Those posts just don't seem that authentic, or either they sound like 11 year olds. But I think that those "101 reputation points" posts that post these similar posts just can't be that authentic, when there are 100 other posts (10 per day) with the same question. They can just read the other posts, or even the FAQs. Now, the FAQ pages are not that easy to find, so sometimes I just don't go looking for it myself.

I hardly post technical questions here though because I want to actually learn. If I keep getting help on my homework, what am I learning?

As for the topic you refer to, that is bound to happen (I sorta gave a warning before it even went down).

Sometimes I click on profiles before I post just to see if the person has a track record (website etc.)

Another thing to have on hand is a quick link to the FAQs page:

Start here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

You can't fix this.

I noticed that a post came up that discussed real-world religious inspirations for an RPG. As an atheist, I'm not all that interested in a religious game, but I thought to myself "Cool idea. Probably a big market for that." Then I read the posts that attacked the believers for having beliefs... and I was offended. From my high horse I thought, "Disagree with the belief if you must, but respect the believer." Then I smugly rode my high horse around with triumphant music in the background.

I confess having participed to this thread, and yeah, it quickly turned in something with no connexion to video games. But some posts were really funny . Well, at least in my opinion ^^'

But then I read "hay im 16 and making pokemon BUT BETTER dont worry i have permission needs to be MMO help PLZ" and I turn into a venom-frothing meany-pants.

How do you still have enery left to hate? There is so many ho these post that I gave up hating . In a more serious tone, it's probably best to just ignore those type of post, and focus on the post you think have better chance to be "true". If you still want to do something for them (and God or whatever bless you for that) maybe giving some links could be enough. (like a link to the Get started, or the FAQ)

Anyway, I want to thank you for trying to help, this is really cool for all the "true" beginner, and all the other