The Shrine

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>After seeing the SC over Zelda: Wind Waker thread I decided to see how the Japanese would do in a similar situation, so I dropped by Typemoon's message board where they're discussing the most recent popularity vote for Fate/Stay Night, and everyone's so happy and peaceful there. No character smack talk (actually it's forbidden to put down other characters on Japanese message boards), no one even mentioned the fact that Saber basically stole #1 from Rin (even the game makers thought Rin was going to win for sure). No accusation of scandals, and so on. It's like everyone's happy with the way everything turned out! I can't even imagine this or any other message board I frequent work out the same way. What would this place be like if we can't put other people down for what they say? I was reading Typemoon's other message board where you can put feedback on the game and everything goes like this:

"I played your game and it is the greatest game ever. I am honored to even to be allowed to post here to express my appreciation for this awesome game. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this game at all, even though I hated (some part) but obviously that's just me being too stupid to comprehend the game's greatness. Thanks again Typemoon for such a wonderful game!"

I have heard that Japanese don't actually feedback balance suggestions for FF11 because they think it's rude to criticize the game makers, and while I'm not sure if it's fact or fiction it sure doesn't surprise me if it's true.

Japanese message boards must be pretty boring, indeed.</div>

<div style='font: italic bold 14pt ; text-align: center; '>Ok I'm tired of hearing about that damn game. Ok we get the point already that it's the coolest game ever and puts everythign else to shame. Just shut up about it until it's translated and the rest of us can play it cause it's getting annoying.</div>

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Ditto.</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>But thanks for not even looking at my point just because I mentioned my favorite game again.

Maybe a system where all sources of argument are removed isn't as horrible as it first sounds.</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>But thanks for not even looking at my point just because I mentioned my favorite game again.

Maybe there is some wisdom to the Japanese way of removing all possible sources of argument before you even post after all.</div>

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>I think the problem is a lack of reference. You keep quoting this game, and nobody's played it. Therefore, it's useless to use it as a reference.</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>This isn't a Japanese message board, either.</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>I am honored to express my opinion that coke is a superior soft drink to pepsi.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt arial; text-align: left; '>This is an official Typemoon MB you're talking about, right? That's much different from a casual board like TOWS. Big official boards like that are usually a lot more restrictive than casual boards. Have you observed this aversion to criticism on other, smaller Japanese boards as well?</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Arial; text-align: left; '>I can't speak one way or the other about Japanese boards, but I have seen some US boards that practice similar content restrictions, bans on "character bashing" and whatnot.</div>

<div style='font: italic bold 14pt ; text-align: center; '>oh I looked at your point. and it was a pretty good one. just stop using it as a reference or let aus know when this "amazing game" is translated but until then stop comparing every thing in existence to it. Sooner or later I'm expecting to see Don's Holy Church of Fate/Stay Night</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>Japanese boards just appear to be very unargumentative in general. They seem to serve more as a FAQ than a place of discussion really. I'm tempted to think it's that way because there isn't an equivalent of Gamefaqs in Japan.

Chinese message boards are a bit more argumenative, but still not nearly as active as US boards. I mean you can actually go to an Anime board and post like 'I think (whoever) sucks" and there's a pretty good chance it won't evolve into a flame even if the mods don't get rid of it (and they often do). Then again, maybe that is a reflection of the communist having a pretty tight control on all forms of speech. The Chinese boards has stuff like 'you will not say anything that threatens to undermine the stability of our country (China)', which I've never seen elsewhere.</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>Character (or game) bashing is what makes gaming related message boards fun</div>

<div style='font: 10pt Arial; text-align: left; '>I agree. Hence, why I don't frequent boards with strict content restrictions.</div>