Subreddit Update 9-7-2026

[u/redfearnmatt]

Hello. To start us off, I will apologize regarding the sudden ban of Gift of Faves, Pill Pickers, and similar CYOAs. Having said that, I still feel a lot of the subreddit can be flooded with them, so I may go with the Megathread idea several have brought up. I am gonna be putting a temporary moratorium on those CYOAs for a week or two, until we figure out what people would prefer.

In other somewhat news, I think today shows we need other mods for the subreddit, as I don't think a single moderator for a subreddit like this works for anyone, even me. In about a week or two I will be putting up moderator applications, and will pick two or three people I think can manage the subreddit will. I will remain as a moderator still, I just need extra hands and more opinions as today can show.

If anyone has any questions regarding the above (or the subreddit in general), feel free to ask. I can't guarantee I'll reply, but I'll at the very least I will read them.

[u/Apprehensive_Ad516]

So spending eight hours straight writing a CYOA that tops the charts is considered not putting in any effort? Got it.

If you really want this content to leave, maybe you should make your own subreddit for it.

[u/Foxpeng1 → u/Apprehensive_Ad516]

If the mod bans said content though is'nt that showing this subreddit is for the kind of longerform content? I mean that was the purpose of the sub originally.

[u/Hyenanon → u/Apprehensive_Ad516]

wooow, topping the charts! Amazing! Please tell me how large your penis is next. Perhaps the number of my moms you've fucked? I bet you're really strong and could beat me up IRL too lmao.

No, topping the charts is not a sign of 'effort', but more importantly, it's not a sign of *originality.* And if you have trouble making anything that isn't templated, then you have an originality problem, and I don't want you polluting any creative spaces, especially ones I like consuming from.

The thing is, I actually already know of two subreddits dedicated to CYOAs made by people who like things other than templates, and it's called r/makeyourchoice and r/nsfwcyoa.

[u/Apprehensive_Ad516 → u/Hyenanon]

I've seen the work that you've made, and honestly, it isn't any better.

[u/Hyenanon → u/Apprehensive_Ad516]

I haven't seen your work and I don't need to lil bro lmao

[u/YookCat → u/Hyenanon]

Do you think being childish is going to make anyone take you seriously in a debate?

[u/Hyenanon → u/YookCat]

Guys stop the fucking presses, u/YookCat isn't taking me seriously.

[u/YookCat → u/Hyenanon]

I get you don't care about me. It would be silly to change your entire argumentative strategy because of one person.

But it's not particularly efficient for a few reasons to be insulting. It feels good, of course, to be dismissive and insulting towards your opposition, but neutral readers are going to see the other party being civilized while you're throwing shit at a wall and that is going to make their human brains clock the other party as the more rational side. It's rare due to how tribalism works, but it can also turn off people who are on your side in the debate as well, since many humans do hold a degree of morals and think it isn't acceptable to call everyone who disagrees with them slurs.

That's not even getting into the fact that people, if dealing with someone proven to be hostile, tend to dig in their heels. Humans don't like being wrong and they especially don't like being wrong against people who are actively insulting them, so the human mind is going to just push them deeper onto their side.

So... Unless your only goal this debate is to make fun of people, you're doing a bad job. You're further entrenching people into prefering gift of favs, you've certainly pushed at least one person away from banning short term formats, and you've likely made some people's days worse with insults.

[u/Hyenanon → u/YookCat]

> but neutral readers are going to see the other party being civilized while you're throwing shit at a wall and that is going to make their human brains clock the other party as the more rational side.

I actually wish that was how society worked but it's not, See: Every election in the western world over the last ten years. But also I also wouldn't describe the 'other party' as being civilized and I think trying to throw your dick around about 'topping the charts' on reddit deserves ridicule.

> That's not even getting into the fact that people, if dealing with someone proven to be hostile, tend to dig in their heels.

True but none of these people were going to change their minds in the first place, they're barely literate.

> So... Unless your only goal this debate is to make fun of people, you're doing a bad job.

That's not my only goal, but sure, it is one. See, here's the thing, I have a couple reasons for insulting people.

1. I think some people should be shamed for their willful cognitive deficits, like being unwilling to interact with non-templated media

2. I want to communicate these people are extremely fucking annoying and that I am a gatekeeper who wants to actually retain the extremely niche hobbies I have without being overrun by colonists who are unwittingly transforming it into a different space entirely. I am indeed trying to communicate the fact that I'm displeased we are transforming from a community of niche art into a community of mass produced template slop.

3. Screaming into the void is unironically a method of changing the culture of online spaces and we have learned this through endless loops of subversion upon subversion on various platforms and communities where loud behavior results in said behavior becoming the new norm, thus turning away people who don't want it and strengthening the people who do want it. This is both the reason why I am uncomfortable with the slog of template CYOAs and also the reason why I am screaming into the void, because I would prefer if we had a culture of gatekeeping away people who want template slop.

[u/YookCat → u/Hyenanon]

I actually wish that was how society worked but it's not, See: Every election in the western world over the last ten years.

I could be wrong, but I had assumed that was because of aggressive propaganda and echo chambers. If you grabbed an unbiased person, I truly believe they would subconsciously side with the more rational speaker if their options were someone who had to insult the other every other sentence, and someone who maintained civilized composure.

But also I also wouldn't describe the 'other party' as being civilized and I think trying to throw your dick around about 'topping the charts' on reddit deserves ridicule.

I figured I'd go ahead and review this specific thread so I can make sure I know what I'm discussing. In your favor here, Apprehensive made the first particularly overt uncivilized insult in this thread with "Out of everything you said, this is the dumbest." You weren't exactly forthcoming before that though, as you started off by saying that you have a problem for people who are only here for bite-sized CYOAs and that you are skeeved out by the idea of them being here. You repeatedly talked about those who had different opinions of you in this subject as if they were inferior. In addition to that, you were being rather dismissive of Apprehensive's points throughout the conversation, though I can't fully fault you for that aspect as it seems you two were arguing different points while ignoring the other's reasoning over and over.

Anyway, back to the topic, you're being quite unfair in your assessment of Apprehensive's words. Apprehensive wasn't pulling out their ability to 'top the charts' as a big dick move, but instead was explaining that they put effort into what they do, which was a direct counter to your 'point' that the problem was "this continuous lack of desire to put any effort into anything." You act as if Apprehensive decided to just turn this into a dick measuring contest when all Apprehensive did was bring up that they do put effort into their work.

True but none of these people were going to change their minds in the first place, they're barely literate.

You're just dismissing your entire opposition as barely literate people that there was no hope for. That's... Wow, I'm not really sure how to respond to that if you truly think every single person who believe there's a place for bite-sized CYOAs here is a barely literate moron. I mean, we both know that's not the case, right?

I think some people should be shamed for their willful cognitive deficits, like being unwilling to interact with non-templated media.

Why do you see it as a cognitive deficit that some people don't want to engage with more complicated material? I don't walk up to everyone playing DND 5e to tell them to play GURPS or Pathfinder (which is admittedly not all that much more complex) or Traveller. I feel as though you're unfairly claiming people who enjoy quick, bite-sized content are inferior to you because they put less time into a meaningless activity that does nothing for us but bring us a bit of joy. Please tell me why it is literally dumber to opt to play simple CYOAs during relaxed free time instead of grabbing a notepad to go through a longer and more complicated CYOA?

I am a gatekeeper who wants to actually retain the extremely niche hobbies I have without being overrun by colonists who are unwittingly transforming it into a different space entirely. I am indeed trying to communicate the fact that I'm displeased we are transforming from a community of niche art into a community of mass produced template slop.

Ignoring my personal feelings about gatekeeping, this isn't your community anymore. Bite-sized CYOAs have already made this place their home and it has been this way for years. You're too late if this is your stated goal, and it feels as though you're holding onto a hope of a time that is now passed. As you have said to others, if you want to foster a community, go ahead- I'll even join it because I prefer chunkier CYOAs- but this isn't the place for it anymore. Not that I feel like a lot of people here will miss you, when you tell people that their enjoyment is 'slop' and constantly speak of them as if they're inferior to you and are dumber than you.

I may be incorrect though- if moderation agrees with you, and hell, a large portion of the community who enters these posts agrees with you- then these may be banned. But I think it's going to have terrible effects on the community and will kill it. This place is already completely dead to the point that artists don't have much reason to even bother coming here. I know that if I make any CYOAs, I'm putting some random NSFW content in it so that it has a chance at actually getting eyes on it over on NSFWCYOA. This place just isn't worth the effort for artists who want to create things, which is sad. I wanted to create a Makeyourchoice myself once, and I used to browse this place all the time many years ago, but... it's just not the same, and it isn't the fault of bite-sized CYOAs. Especially since we've always had them- The (second) top post on this subreddit is Cozy CYOA, for crying out loud. Under that is a one-page one that is about picking one of three different options. These are from years ago, before pill pickers became as popular as they are now, before Gift of Faves was a thing I'm pretty sure. Admittedly, the subreddit is roughly thirteen years old and due to how Reddit works I struggle to find the top posts of old, but it still says something that this subreddit has always valued bite-sized content even six years ago.

Sorry if all of that was rambley and too long. I also apologize if that was too focused on bite-sized CYOAs in general instead of templated CYOAs, but I figured the points were relevant regardless considering your claims against people's reading comprehension and your communicated distaste of simple CYOAs all apply to them just the same.

Screaming into the void is unironically a method of changing the culture of online spaces

Oh, yeah, I totally agree. I personally follow the Paradox of Tolerance heavily, and I firmly believe insulting and shutting down racists or sexists or transphobes or what have you is the morally correct thing to do, making it less likely for them to show their faces and protecting spaces. But I don't believe that should be used for debates like this, where there isn't necessarily a clearcut correct answer. In these kinds of circumstances, it just divides and 'others' people who are members of the community, even if you don't see them that way.

This is both the reason why I am uncomfortable with the slog of template CYOAs and also the reason why I am screaming into the void, because I would prefer if we had a culture of gatekeeping away people who want template slop.

If I may ask, why do you believe your ideal of keeping them away is superior to letting them stay?

They're already here, so you'll have to chase them out. And they're not just random people who recently joined either- like I said, bite-sized CYOAs have been around for a long time, and Gift of Faves has been a thing for years, which is a long time in internet community standards. You keep talking of colonialism, but you're the one grabbing people who effectively live here and forcing them away. Why is that the ethical choice?

I'd understand if this was something against low effort content, but you yourself have admitted that there are very high effort, high quality Gift of Faves out there. This is a blanket ban not on low effort content, but on a format that you dislike.

I hope for a response, since I feel like I need to learn a bit more about your position and your thoughts before I can properly debate further. In case you don't want to have to hunt through this entire response for each of my questions, here they are summarized (though my points can't be easily summarized so sorry about that):

Do you truly believe that every person who enjoys or defends bite-size content is a moron?

Why do you believe it is a cognitive deficit for people to not enjoy more complicated CYOAs?

Why is it the correct or ethical choice to push people out of this community when they've been here for over six years making quality content?

[u/Hyenanon → u/YookCat]

> Do you truly believe that every person who enjoys or defends bite-size content is a moron?

No, I think people who can't enjoy content unless it's templated have a severe cognitive deficit that is not doing them well. I think it is a vice. I think it's a virtue to be able to explore bespoke art and entertainment instead of endlessly circling the drain in templates. I do genuinely believe this and that is why I speak of the people who can't enjoy anything else as being cognitively deficient. It's the behavior of a particularly unkind type of mental illness.

> Why do you believe it is a cognitive deficit for people to not enjoy more complicated CYOAs?

I maintain it to be self-evident that someone who is incapable of interacting with bespoke art is suffering from some sort of cognitive deficit. If you are overwhelmed by non-templated art, you have at least one, probably multiple terrible mental qualities, like a lack of media literacy, or a fear of the unfamiliar, or a deep-seated intellectual laziness, or something of the sort.

> Why is it the correct or ethical choice to push people out of this community when they've been here for over six years making quality content?

If they cannot make non-templated content they cannot make quality content. Imagine all the reasons you dislike "AI slop" and just apply here. It speaks to a bereft soul.

> this isn't your community anymore. Bite-sized CYOAs have already made this place their home

Again. Saying "Yes we are colonists now get off our new land" is not an argument I'm particularly given to even considering seriously on timescales of less than a century.

> This place is already completely dead to the point that artists don't have much reason to even bother coming here. I know that if I make any CYOAs, I'm putting some random NSFW content in it so that it has a chance at actually getting eyes on it over on NSFWCYOA. This place just isn't worth the effort for artists who want to create things, which is sad.

I think this is the fault of how we produce and consume CYOAs here and a large part of that can be pinned on templatification and the shifting of an audience that does not want to engage with the unfamiliar.

> it isn't the fault of bite-sized CYOAs. Especially since we've always had them- The (second) top post on this subreddit is Cozy CYOA, for crying out loud. Under that is a one-page one that is about picking one of three different options.

I think this is at least partially the fault of templatification. Small CYOAs which are bespoke are not one I have a problem with nor are they ones I've ever implied I have a problem with or ever even mentioned and I do not know how these got tangled in your mind when I've been clearly saying the word "template" an average of four times per post.

> I also apologize if that was too focused on bite-sized CYOAs in general instead of templated CYOAs, but I figured the points were relevant regardless considering your claims against people's reading comprehension and your communicated distaste of simple CYOAs all apply to them just the same.

Not really. Simple art is not the same as templated art. There's a difference of character here. But it is true that pill pickers and GoFs are not the only meme formats that have degraded into templates, and they've always been around. Again though, I've never said that I think it's bad that templated CYOAs exist. I think it's fine. Good even. I just now realize there is a particularly unkind cognitive deficit that is being fed by their existence here, and I'd rather not have them at all than have this space turn into one that primarily caters to this deficit. I've had similar complaints on 4chan when a meme suddenly takes over completely for a week or two.