What Happened to Spoiler Alert?

[Unsung]

I'm just curious if people still do that because I would read a thread then BAM, without a warning there would be a spoiler to a game that I am playing (or going to play). It's happened a few times even though I try to avoid spoilers. Shouldn't people put spoiler alert before they reveal important information about a story? Obviously they don't have to if the title of the thread hints to the purpose like "The End of FFX" but what if it were just a regular thread discussing game(s)?

 

[Ohri-Jin]

Yes we have to put spoiler alert or tag it as such or use the spoiler tags.. etc.
But sometimes people forget you know or they think everyone already playid it etc.
It depend on how long the game has been released I guess.

 

[Linnaete]

Handling spoilers is a bit of a tricky issue for us especially if the majority has played a certain game. Ideally people should be using spoiler tags and perhaps if necessary clear spoiler alerts. This is particularly the case for the FFXIII section, where there are significant members who have yet to play or complete it. Without the Spoiler Discussion section now, people will have to be considerate and watch out for what they post particularly in the way of FFXIII spoilers. But for other games it's trickier. If someone has always talked about a certain game's plotline openly beforehand, they usually see few initiatives to use tags then because they assume most people already know about it. All I can suggest is that you avoid a section that you're hoping not to be spoiled in.

 

[Unsung]

Oh, okay. It just seemed to happen a lot with me and I began to wonder.

Edit: I try to avoid the threads but always end up reading about spoilers. Like when people use examples from the game to prove whether the game is the best or worst or something like that and don't warn you first. I do like that blackout thing people do, though. It keeps all of the spoilers out of the post so you can still read it.

 

[Bambi]

I rarealy use them myself, but I wont go into a thread on a particular game Ive not played, or if im up to a certain point and i need help il make sure anyone replying doesnt spoil it. It fucks me off if its in a thread that you dont expect it to be, and even i will use spoilers in those instances, but other than that, personally i just think its tough luck if youre venturing in a thread thats gunna have spoilers in it

Theres no way if i hadnt beaten FFXIII and i went in to a thread about the ending id expect all the posts to be spoiler tagged, its just absurd - whether its expected or not, i just think its stupid. As long as the thread titles clear enough, you enter at your own risk

 

[Unsung]

I know that. I said, I can understand not putting spoiler alerts if the title of the thread says something like "The End of FFX". That's obviously going to have spoilers in it, I'm talking about threads that aren't made to be full of spoilers.

 

[bearsfwd]

My problem when it comes to spoilers is when do you cut them off? I probably wouldn't bother tagging anything pertaining to FF4 or even some of the most talked about things in FF7 (you know what part I'm talking about). FF4 is nearly 20 years old. I mean, that would be like forcing people to put spoilers for games like Super Mario World (came out in 1991 in the US as well).

If I had to venture a guess, a good cutoff would probably be FF7 at this point. Now, obviously it depends upon the game, as well. Other than that, I'm not a very good judge for this.

 

[Demon]

The point about a game becoming old was one I was going to make. But besides the point of some games being a bit old, I'd say that:

Some games are so bad that revealing any storyline secrets isn't going to ruin the game to be any worse than it was to begin with.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

I think it's natural not to use them to be honest, I know it pisses people off when they read spoilers but you don't really think about it once you've actually played the game. This is especially true when it comes to a popular game or a game that solid well, you just naturally presume people have played the game as well.

That said, after about 8-9 months I end up giving up on spoiler tags anyway, that's plenty of time people have had to play the game.

 

[Valvalis]

My problem when it comes to spoilers is when do you cut them off? I probably wouldn't bother tagging anything pertaining to FF4 or even some of the most talked about things in FF7 (you know what part I'm talking about). FF4 is nearly 20 years old. I mean, that would be like forcing people to put spoilers for games like Super Mario World (came out in 1991 in the US as well).

The problem with going by a game's age, though, is that a lot of members, especially younger members, started out with games like VII or X and are just now going back and playing older ones like IV and VI. From what I can tell, a lot of people on this site actually haven't played IV for example, or haven't finished it. Not everyone can play them in order sometimes based on their personal situation, myself included--I played IV and VI on SNES as a kid, then VII, IX, and X just because those were the ones my SO owned when I met him, and I'm just now going back and playing III and VIII because I've only been able to buy them during this past year. And I never had the systems for I-III and V until just recently.

I mean for me personally, I knew coming onto this site that there was a good possibility of being spoiled, and I've already been spoiled for some things by my own fault for XIII, but I've also seen some thread titles that have been written somewhat carelessly. There was one recently mentioning something that I guess happens at the end of VIII, and I haven't beaten the game yet, so it's kind of irritating that the person who named that thread didn't take a little more care with that.

All in all, if the thread title says "XIII General Discussion" for example, or "FFVIII Ending," I would know to stay out of it, but if it's a thread such as "Most Hated FF Villain and Why," then that's something where people should definitely use spoiler tags.

Which incidentally, I've noticed that sometimes my spoiler tags don't want to work when I test them in the post preview, I'm not sure if anyone else has that problem but it seems to be completely random

 

[Demon]

The problem with going by a game's age, though, is that a lot of members, especially younger members, started out with games like VII or X and are just now going back and playing older ones like IV and VI.

Sorry but having those games spoiled is kind of what life is though. For example, there is no hiding certains things such as Aerith's death. The fact is that games many years old aren't going to be as good or tend to have as much surprise.

 

[Rey]

I am with Ryan on this. If the game has been out for a long time Ill just stop using spoiler tags sometimes. However if it really spoils the story Ill still spoiler tag it. I do make mistakes sometimes and forget to use them. Now I do it if I have to. It always sucks for someone to get spoiled especially if the game or whatever has an amazing storyline. Since I didnt beat FF X-2 or XII yet I usually avoid those sections incase I get spoiled.

 

[Bambi]

I know that. I said, I can understand not putting spoiler alerts if the title of the thread says something like "The End of FFX". That's obviously going to have spoilers in it, I'm talking about threads that aren't made to be full of spoilers.

Like what? If you are going into a game thread and you've not completed the game yet, then its at your own risk. I acknowledged its shite when its in an unexpected thread, but shit happens. Spoiler tags are a pain in the arse at the best of times, and as ryan said, its also dependent on the games age, I cant imagine a single person using a spoiler tag on a part in FFVII even if its just brough up as reference in say, a FFX thread. There's gotta be a certain amount of common sense, using them on everything would just render the entire forum one massive spoiler tag

 

[bearsfwd]

Sorry but having those games spoiled is kind of what life is though. For example, there is no hiding certains things such as Aerith's death. The fact is that games many years old aren't going to be as good or tend to have as much surprise.

I think Aerith's death is to the point where there is absolutely no point to put spoiler tags around it. It is so well known. And if you didn't know, you were either recently born, or you've been living under a rock, lol.

 

[Unsung]

Like what? If you are going into a game thread and you've not completed the game yet, then its at your own risk. I acknowledged its shite when its in an unexpected thread, but shit happens. Spoiler tags are a pain in the arse at the best of times, and as ryan said, its also dependent on the games age, I cant imagine a single person using a spoiler tag on a part in FFVII even if its just brough up as reference in say, a FFX thread. There's gotta be a certain amount of common sense, using them on everything would just render the entire forum one massive spoiler tag

My point is basically the same as Gamingway's. I'll quote him because he gave a good example:

All in all, if the thread title says "XIII General Discussion" for example, or "FFVIII Ending," I would know to stay out of it, but if it's a thread such as "Most Hated FF Villain and Why," then that's something where people should definitely use spoiler tags.

 

[Bambi]

yeah but where do you draw the line? Fof FFXIII, I can see your point in a thread like that, but if im coming in saying my favourite villain is whoever from FFX or whatever, I aint gunna spoiler tag it, its an old game. If I went in to a thread like that, and the whole thing was black through spoilers I wouldnt even bother reading any other posts. I like to skim read and its horribly off putting when its all black out and I have to hover my cursor over every post.

I won't deny Ive been fucked off in the past about an unexpected spoiler in an unexpected area, but if im heading into a thread titled favourite FF Villain, I know that theres a chance i could potentially ruin something for myself, Il try to skim read, see what game someone is on about, if its summat im not aware of, il stop reading. Scroll down and move on hopefully not have given anything away

I see your point Im just not a massive fan of spoiler tags

 

[Starships]

I agree with Gord Lolbez. We don't know who's played what Final Fantasy, or any game, or at what time, so we don't usually know when something is going to be spoiled for somebody. If we spoiler tag most things, most of the FF section is going to be spoiler tagged which would be annoying to some readers, and the author of the topic who wants discussion, and how can you discuss with something that's half blocked ?

Final Fantasy XIII and XII would be common sense to try and not spoil for anybody else, but Final Fantasy VII- X, most people know about the game, and have already played the game several times, because they're been around for a long time. I mean, mostly everybody has heard of Aerith's death, even Final Fantasy haters have heard of it and know it. There's so many potential spoilers in the FF games, that most of people's post will just be one big black spoiler tag.

 

[Valvalis]

Meh, I guess most people have just been lucky enough to have access to all the games for a long time now. That's certainly not everyone though, and just because most people are privileged enough to have played them already, doesn't mean that everyone has. Essentially that just means someone who hasn't played every game and every spinoff in the entire series isn't really welcome on the forum, if no one's willing to just highlight a block of text and hit a button to keep from ruining it for them. Or to just type "spoiler alert" at the top of the post; either way I don't feel it's particularly complicated to put spoiler protection, I do it all the time and my arm doesn't break off from doing it :dave:

And like I said before, with all the remakes, and the age of the systems the earlier FFs were released on, I think it'd be hard to find very many people who have actually played all the games in numerical order. Which would mean that the "game being old" argument doesn't really hold up, imho.

 

[Bambi]

Unfortunately, i dont see things changing, and yes I am lucky enough to have played all the numbered series, but the earlier games, were far more recently, and I managed to complete them all without a single spoiler, and its only been in the last couple of years. That is why you dont go near the game section til you are done. As for the general discussion ones, you enter at your own risk

Id rather cater for the majority than the minority tbh.

Not that I give the slightest fuck, because il never play the game, but if FFII gets spoiled for me, its my own tough shite. Ive managed to get by so far without ruining it. If someone came in now knowing that, and mentioned something key about the game just to be a cunt, thats where my issues would lie. Not over coming across it in a thread where it could be expected

 

[Tyler Breeze]

LOL I don't know how to use those damn tags to hide spoilers. I did write "SPOILER" though, the one time I did talk serious spoilers.

But holy fuck, WWE is horrible with this! Smackdown is taped on Tuesday and airs on Friday night. So on Tuesday night about 2 weeks ago I go to WWE.com and what do I see on the homepage?

"ALBERTO DEL RIO BECOMES NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION AT SMACKDOWN TAPINGS"

.... Are you fucking kidding me? WWE just spoiled it's own damn show and ruined it for everybody that wanted to be shocked watching it on TV. I guess this is to try and get more ratings, and honestly it's a good idea, because it worked. But they should at least put that the article has spoliers and actually have people click on it instead of having a huge picture of Del Rio celebrating with the belt on the goddamn homepage.

As far as games go... I really don't care. But something major like a World Title change pisses me off.