Iirc there was a venting forum at some point that was taken down due to the negativity, I don’t think lioden is the right place to vent to a bunch of people outside of PMs

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I completely agree. Forums and/or pms is MUCH better than any chat for venting. Not only will you be able to actually get more replies but it also wont make people uncomfy.

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Edit: double sent??

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Well duh of course it's gonna be negative, it's for venting.
I've run into the "to vent or not to vent" debate almost everywhere. It's a tough one, but it is worth mentioning that it would pretty much never be appropriate IRL. On the flip side I do hate the "just see a therapist" phrase that gets thrown around when therapy is very much not accessible for a lot of people.

I'm sticking to my guns with the forum suggestion, I actually think I remember seeing it around now that you mention it. But I do agree w/ the main post, a good rule of thumb would be to just avoid it if it's not something you'd bring up to strangers in person.

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Not everyone venting is 18+ though. Also, it'll need to be moderated 24/7 to make sure folks are following the rules which include no triggering topics. A lot of vents would most likely be triggering topics.

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Support.

It shouldn't be allowed in Main chat or anywhere on site. We used to have a venting/ranting forum, but it was removed due to people:
a) talking about topics not allowed by the CoC
b) people attacking each other in a veiled or not so veiled way (one of reasons why we have no public blacklists allowed!)
c) would talk about medical/inappropriate/vet or doctor needing issues and ask for advice instead of, well, going to get appropriate help outside of a pixel lion game
d) would do all of the above within one post

This is why it shouldn't be allowed anywhere on site, it's a pixel lion game, people come here to relax and de-stress after their day in school/at work etc., we all deal with enough bullshit in our daily lives so no need for extra in a game we play for fun.

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Venting needs to be curtailed from places like this and separating it out to its own vent channel just means encouraging people to use the site for venting, rather than sequestering it off. It just leads to more vent posts.

Venting, especially when it is in the form of someone having some kind of mental health crisis, is something no video game is prepared to deal with. There is another online game I know that has a few good bits of writing about why in their Code of Conduct that I'd like to share:

"Talking to people online can be beneficial during difficult times, but is no substitute for in-person talk therapy with a qualified professional, or even a chat on a crisis helpline. Please don't rely on the Island as an outlet to talk through your pain - the website is not designed for it, and the community is not qualified for it. The mods, admin and broader community would be devastated if a crisis became worse because the person at the centre of it sought help from a game website rather than an organization actually qualified to help. "

"Do not use global chat as an outlet for interpersonal venting, whether it's with other players or unrelated people in your life.
Not everyone in global chat is your friend. Dumping your problems on whatever random stranger happens to be looking at a chatspace is a shitty thing to do and makes everyone feel awkward. Because nobody wants to be the one to say "Hey dude, I don't know you, I don't want to hear about your issues," this can get normalized and spin out of control very quickly. Out of twenty annoyed lurkers, one might chime in to say hey can we change the subject, and six will hit the Mod Call button or send CMJ an email about it."

"If you're wondering whether it's going to be helpful or not to discuss real-life problems in global chat channels, follow the Animal/Vegetable/Mineral test:
If your problem is with a vegetable or mineral, and you're seeking advice on how to resolve the problem, it's probably okay to post. You'll likely get useful advice, and the convo might be helpful for others dealing with similar issues. This is subject to the "Don't give or seek advice that could hurt or kill you if it's wrong" rule in section 1b, so we're not gonna tell you how to replace your brake pads or align the blade on your table saw.
If your problem is with an animal, then it might be okay to post if it's a pretty minor issue. This really does depend on context, so be cautious. If you're trying to figure out ways to discourage your cat from eating your spider plants, post away - if your cat is injured or sick, take it to the vet. We're not vets. Anyone on the internet can say they're a vet even if they're not a vet.
If your problem is with a person, then it's not okay to post in global chat channels. Talk about those problems with your mates, not with strangers. If you need specifically to talk to a stranger about a problem with a person, for example if you need an objective opinion about a person in your circle of friends, then go to a website that's designed for that. This is a game website and cannot help you in that way."

At the end of the day, this is a pet sim. Personal venting doesn't fit here and isn't something the mod team should have to deal with. It's better to find another outlet for your venting, either a different type of social space, a personal blog/social media account/etc. that people are opting into looking at instead of seeing while trying to play a video game...just something other than here.

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COMPLETE SUPPORT.

Tbh I personally get overwhelmed by main chat but when I'm vibing and someone brings up stuff like that it reeeally makes me just go

Public chat isn't really a place for bringing up irl stuff like that anywho. I get venting is good, and ppl can still vent! but just don't be that guy to bring it too far. Some things are better in dms.

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Let me start with I absolutely see where you're coming from. However, when dealing with vague terms like "venting" vs "complaining" in a large community like this, there are several really ugly lines. Especially as lioden brings in members from all over the world. What is perfectly acceptable as a topic of conversation in one part of the world, even if it is a bit more "negative" in tone, can be incredibly offensive elsewhere. At what point does it cross the line? Is it defined solely by the other individuals in main chat? Is it up to the mods to make that determination?

Then there's the aspect of triggers. Now, I want to say that whatever triggers someone has, they are almost certainly valid (using almost here for the cases of where I have seen people use the term in bad faith).

However, there was a small period of time that I was triggered by certain food because of an illness I had. Recovery was rough. It would not have been reasonable for me to ask for people to never mention said food items. It didn't make my reaction or feelings any less valid, however, it was my responsibility to manage that trigger and remove myself from situations in which said trigger was present. There is simply so much gray area. It may be more helpful to have a community dialogue on various topics that should be avoided in general in main chat.

Overall, I don't entirely disagree with the concept. However, there definitely comes some concerns with how implementation would go.

EDIT: I also want to add I empathize with being frustrated with various topics being brought up and feeling obligated to devote emotional labor to someone when you may not be comfortable with that.

However, with human interaction, there are going to be cases where someone isn't at their best. That is part of being in a community and interacting with other humans. There is absolutely a difference between seeking connection because you are in need of community and support and a trauma dump, however that can become very difficult to define. I feel like, sometimes, we have gone too far into the "this should be reserved for a therapist" camp.

The Tl;dr: I am not necessarily against this. However, I am unsure how realistic it is to see implemented in an ethical and compassionate way.

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Totally agree, I'm not very active in chat but when I am these things can really effect the chats mood and start arguments. However lately I've seen mods do better at shutting down vents along some lines!

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