Spoiler Alert!

[Metonic]

Alright, this is probably the best category i could fit this topic into. This is regarding Spoilers in the SG1 and SGA boards. What it comes down to is people are saying "put a spoiler tag in the name" and then right below their post is a signature saying "Save Elizabeth" "Save Carson" "Say no to Sam on SGA" ECT. These are clear spoilers. Pretty much stating Something is happening to Carson, something is happening to Elizabeth, and Carter is coming over to SGA. All of which I found out first by seeing these signatures. Seriously I seen the Save Carson signatures a few hours or so before I seen Sunday.

The question comes down to is, Where is the line? Are these actually spoilers? I believe they are. I believe unless it's something big like the show being canceled or switching networks, or a movie it would be ok. But "Save So and So" kind give away that something bad happened or is going to happen to them, and they kinda just ruined any suprise of it happening.

Do you believe these are spoilers?

[Skydiver]

as we look at it, casting changes themselves are not spoilers. weir is recurring, carson has been written out, sam is joining the show. the fact that there are casting changes aren't spoilers, but HOW those changes happen are.

How they write out weir, how they wrote out carson, how they'll write in sam, those are all spoilers

I'm sure to an absolute spoiler purist, it is all spoilers...yet how can anyone have conversations and have the sigs they want if every single thing that hasn't aired yet is deemed a spoiler?

It's not perfect but we try to strike a balance between stifling conversation and trying to keep folks unspoiled

[TheGreatLordGeorge]

ow this is just my opinion but i was thinking that a fair blance would be putting things like "Save carson" in spoiler tags and a warning so that it can be viewed but by only those who want to see it.

[Metonic]

ow this is just my opinion but i was thinking that a fair blance would be putting things like "Save carson" in spoiler tags and a warning so that it can be viewed but by only those who want to see it.

thats the way i was thinking.

See I dont havea real problem with it. However when people with the sigs tell people to put spoiler tags on their topics, or say "thanks for spoiling this for me" I think "Thanks for telling me carson gets written off, thanks for telling me Sam is coming. Thanks for telling me Wier is getting thrown out of Atlantis. " Their no better than the people spoiling in topics.

[Skydiver]

there is no perfect rule.

Folks that want to run the campaign, how can they advertise it and still remain within the spoiler guidelines (which would require tags for another year and a half)

[Metonic]

campaign for what? the writers and producers already said the fans have no real input. its false hope! they are doing nothing but making noise and only spoiling the future of the shows for others.

I could make a sig that says " Save Carson From Sunday" and I'd get it removed instantly. but if i drop from sunday its fine. So I can spoil peoples show, as long as I dont tell them which episode I'm spoiling.

[Alipeeps]

I think GW does a pretty good job of striking a balance - details of episodes and major plot points are pretty much spopiler-tagged etc but major news of cast changes etc is not necessarily the kind of stuff that can be kept spoilered - it would be akin to trying to keep spoilered the news of SG1's cancellation and asking people not to have campaign signatures to save the show etc.

At the end of the day, if you want to remain utterly and comprehensively spoiler-free and not risk accidentally seeing *any* information pertaining to the future of the show, then you would need to avoid online fandoms.

[Metonic]

I see the point, but isnt it hypocritical for these people telling people to use spoiler tags if they themselves are spoiling things.

A few weeks ago, a topic titled something along the lines of "Promethus Returns" with a spoilers tag for road not taken on the title as well. The Topic was edited by mods saying something like a Ship Returns. That is EXACTLY the same as saying Save Carson. Yet instead of ruining one season only one episode is ruined at the expense of this spoiler. So why is it that a topic saying Prommethus returns is bad, but sigs saying Save Carson isnt? Literally, it doesn't give away plot, and according to most of you thats the main argument of why the sigs should be allowed. So why was this topics title ALTERED to "A SHIP RETURNS!" which is purely ridiculus as the only other earth ship was the korelev, it leaves little to wonder. But it's the same exact concept. Yet one is allowed and the other isnt. because ones a prop/set being reused and the other is a character getting killed and kicked off the show. Which ruins plotline more?


All I'm saying is these people have no right to complain about spoilers if their spoiling aswell. and that GateWorld needs a more accurate listing of what would be considered a spoiler and what wouldnt. Because until then, these signatures are technically listed as spoilers and as such should be removed at once. If Gateworld were to establish an actual layout of what would be considered spoiler and what would not then that would be different, but with these generalized and loose rules, one mod could see mentioning guest appearences in a topic as a spoiler, another could see that exposing entire plots for episodes in general as none spoiler topics.

Come up with a guide or examples of what would be listed as spoilers and what would not.

[SallyLizzie]

I think JM summed it up pretty good when he blogged at GW: There's a difference between spoilers and teasers.

eg,

"Save 'X' from 'Z' ep" could be considered a spoiler as it implies something fatal will happen to such a character in such an episode.

"Save 'X' " is more of a teaser as it implies something fatal will happen to the character, but it doesn't give away where, when, or how.

Metonic, I see your point on the sigs. If someone doesn't want to be spoiled for unaired eps yet, it's up to them not to go into the S3 and S4 threads, but it's unfair for them to spoiled by someones sig bc they both happen to post in General/C&R/Tech, etc.

[Alipeeps]

GateWorld needs a more accurate listing of what would be considered a spoiler and what wouldnt. Because until then, these signatures are technically listed as spoilers and as such should be removed at once. If Gateworld were to establish an actual layout of what would be considered spoiler and what would not then that would be different, but with these generalized and loose rules, one mod could see mentioning guest appearences in a topic as a spoiler, another could see that exposing entire plots for episodes in general as none spoiler topics.

Come up with a guide or examples of what would be listed as spoilers and what would not.

I think Skydiver has already explained above what is considered a spoiler and what isn't:

as we look at it, casting changes themselves are not spoilers. weir is recurring, carson has been written out, sam is joining the show. the fact that there are casting changes aren't spoilers, but HOW those changes happen are.

How they write out weir, how they wrote out carson, how they'll write in sam, those are all spoilers

Details of plot elements of new episodes are considered to be spoilers. Discussing how Carson dies is classed as a spoiler. News of cast changes are not considered to be spoilers - mentioning (even obliquely in a signature that says "Save Carson") that the character of Carson is being written out, is not a spoiler. In fact, if you didn't know details of what happens to Carson, then a sign saying Save Carson is not really spoiling anything for you.. it is telling you that some people feel there is a need to save Carson? Save him from what? Does he die? Does he disappear? Is his character being written badly and/or changed significantly in a way that the fans don't like? It doesn't actually tell you anything other than that some fans have reason for concern.

The same can be said - even more so - of the Save Weir signatures. We don't even know yet what Weir needs saving from! We don't *know* what happens to her in Season 4, we don't even know how many episodes she will be in. As Skydiver has explained, GW tries it's best to accommodate everyone and to spoiler tag as much as possible but there is no perfect solution and, much as I understand your frustration, I stand by my assertation that if you want to stay completely and utterly spoiler-free on every single aspect of the show and wish to know *nothing* about any future changes or developments, then the only way to really do so is to avoid online fandoms where people are going to be discussing and mentioning exactly those subjects.

[Team SG-1*save the show*]

why is my sig spoiling it for you. i havent said what happens. i have seen sigs using images of episodes i havent seen yet. This was when the usa was ahead of the uk. i didnt care. whats the problem?!

well done alipeeps for explaining it.

dont click on the links on my sig if you dont want to know

[Mousie]

Well I've just seen a sig that to me is a spoiler (depending on how much you know) for Unending. Personally I haven't seen the ep yet but have been told a couple of things - only along the lines of "something happens with xxx" but even knowing that little, the sig makes it obvious what happens.

It says

Spoiler:

Asgard Memorial Sig

[Pharaoh Atem]

Well I've just seen a sig that to me is a spoiler (depending on how much you know) for Unending. Personally I haven't seen the ep yet but have been told a couple of things - only along the lines of "something happens with xxx" but even knowing that little, the sig makes it obvious what happens.

It says

Spoiler:

Asgard Memorial Sig

yes, the mods are aware of the sigs just report it and there deal with it.

[Uncle Tobias]

One thing you can do to avoid spoilery sigs is just disable them;

My Controls > Edit Options > Uncheck Show Signatures.

[Pharaoh Atem]

One thing you can do to avoid spoilery sigs is just disable them;

My Controls > Edit Options > Uncheck Show Signatures.

that does work it still would be nice to see folks actually follow the rules and use tags and proper thread titles.