The Awesome and Cool Poll Thread - Poll #131: Would you pay more taxes if it meant receiving a pension when you retire?

[PluMGMK]

We actually have a topic about this, but no harm in having a quick poll about it too to get a current snapshot!

I think I can see the appeal of smoking (Bebe Glazer helped ) but the thought of deliberately inhaling (slightly-radioactive) soot and ash particles, as well as carbon monoxide, just turns me off. I'm sure if I did I'd get addicted as well (nicotine is very addictive after all) so I can't take that risk. It's definitely not going out of fashion though, some of my youngest coworkers do smoke!

[The Jonster]

I'm glad there were lots of votes in this one, it seems it was interesting for most of you!
So, the second best gaming franchise for RPC users (the best one is Rayman, right? ) is Super Mario Bros! That's a wise choice for sure, it's quality is undeniable.

poll-gamingfranchises.PNG


Poll #92 will be about gaming again, but let's do this one, which is a bit more personal. There's a big variety of people around here, so let's ask y'all this question... Do you smoke? I wrote different situations in the poll, but feel free to tell us your situation if none of the options fits you well

I think if I had voted (don't remember if i did), I would have gone for Super Mario Bros., Pokemon, Megaman, LoZ, and other (for Rayman).

As for this poll, I kind of want to say never, but that would be a bit of a lie since I did attempt to smoke one of dad's cigarettes (out of curiosity). I botched it naturally and the taste of the leaves when I chewed them were terrible (not really how that's supposed to go, but oh well). So yeah, I'll stick with never.

[DaveRattlehead]

Obviously, if you tried smoking but you didn't like it, I don't think it's fair to say you're definitely a smoker

Considering my previous explanations, I'll go with "I don't smoke, but I do it in certain events (weekends, big celebrations...)". I don't think I'm an addicted nor a fan of smoking, but we normally do it on special events for the laughs. I'd say I'm addicted to coffee since I need to drink it at least twice to not be sleepy af

[Adsolution]

Even though I'll still probably do it at a party or something if everyone's doing it (cigarrettes or cannabis), I picked "used to, but now don't", because I used to smoke both daily on my own, but now don't. I've barely touched them since last Summer, I just really don't like smoke anymore, my body hates it and it's so gross. I'll usually have an edible if I feel like getting a little high, which isn't that often anymore.

[Steo]

I'm going with "No, I've never smoked". I have tried cannabis at a party maybe twice in my life, but aside from that, I have never smoked anything else. I never understood the concept of smoking tobacco personally, it always just seemed like a waste of money to me. Some people say it "relieves stress", while realistically I feel that stress wouldn't exist in the first place if the person wasn't craving a cigarette.

I also know a lot of people are against alcohol when I raise this point, but I think this is different. With alcohol people usually loosen up a little and enjoy themselves if they're at a social gathering. So long as it's within moderation, I don't see much of an issue with it. It would be another story if a person was looking for a bottle of vodka or something the moment they opened their eyes in the morning.

That being said, it's still up to a person what they wish to do with their own body, this is just my own personal input as to why I make the choices I make. I do enjoy a few beers at times, but ever since I moved to Sweden it became seldom for me to drink. It makes it more fun when I do decide to have a beer tbh since I don't do it often.

[DaveRattlehead]

I'm going with "No, I've never smoked". I have tried cannabis at a party maybe twice in my life, but aside from that, I have never smoked anything else. I never understood the concept of smoking tobacco personally, it always just seemed like a waste of money to me. Some people say it "relieves stress", while realistically I feel that stress wouldn't exist in the first place if the person wasn't craving a cigarette.

In the end, it's all about a cyclic process. The nicotine activates the acetylcholine receptors (they regulate the release of adrenaline), stimulates the adrenal glands and that releases adrenaline, which is what stimulates the body. It also increases the release of dopamine, which is what makes you "happy" and gives you pleasure. These effects don't last too much, so you need that nicotine again to get that pleasure feeling again. Summing up: many people start smoking because of stress and the effects of nicotine in a short period of time are "effective" because of all that dopamine and adrenaline release, but after that you need more and more to stimulate that "stress".

[Adsolution]

I never understood the concept of smoking tobacco personally, it always just seemed like a waste of money to me. Some people say it "relieves stress", while realistically I feel that stress wouldn't exist in the first place if the person wasn't craving a cigarette.

It does give you a dopamine high, so it's more than just alleviating a purely addictive craving. There's a reason people get into into it in the first place of course. I did initially to escape my home... there was nothing like a cigarette to calm my nerves and totally clear my mind after being terrorised and screamed at, it was like magic. Instant nirvana.

I also know a lot of people are against alcohol when I raise this point, but I think this is different. With alcohol people usually loosen up a little and enjoy themselves if they're at a social gathering. So long as it's within moderation, I don't see much of an issue with it. It would be another story if a person was looking for a bottle of vodka or something the moment they opened their eyes in the morning.

The same applies to cannabis, except cannabis doesn't really pose any major long-term health risks if done regularly, unlike alcohol. It just kind of turns you into a lazy, forgetful turd, which goes away pretty quickly when you stop. Tobacco can have risks even if you only do it sparingly, so it's easily the worst, something no one should ever do ideally.

I'd say I have a slight drinking problem right now... but it's a lot better than it used to be. It never made me unhinged, I just like being healthy and fit. I haven't had any for 5 days at the moment (while I've been sick), which is a new record in the last long while.

[DaveRattlehead]

Well it seems we have a healthy forum here! We should feel proud about it, right? Well, maybe I should reconsider the habit of smoking for the laughs at big celebrations .

As promised, this poll will be about gaming again! If we are in this forum is because we don't only like Rayman, but also many other videogames, right? We've all played many years in very different consoles and we've built many beautiful memories with them, but this week you'll have to decide between 5 different console generations... Which one from the 5th to the 9th generation is your favourite one? There are many criterions here: you can vote depending on the one you had more fun, you can vote depending on the generation which had better games... Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions here

[Hunchman801]

Well it seems we have a healthy forum here! We should feel proud about it, right? Well, maybe I should reconsider the habit of smoking for the laughs at big celebrations .

I missed this poll, but I would have voted the same as you. It happens less and less as time goes by, but every now and then I still enjoy smoking one or several cigarettes. Even when I smoked a lot more, I was never addicted to it so it's really just that I feel like it sometimes.

[Elite Piranha]

For the previous poll I voted for: "No, I've never smoked", since there was no "I smoked one or twice during highschool and never did it again" option .

For the current one, I voted for the generation that included the GameCube, since it was the one where I was the most active as a gamer. However I almost voted for the 5th generation because the N64 was my first console and the memories of playing Mario Kart 64 with my mom.

[Greengoop]

Gen 7 because the Wii just had the firest games, the x360 had awesome social features and the PS3 had amazing backwards compatibility

[The Jonster]

The GameCube has a lot of nostalgia for me. It was that era of my childhood when I was obsessed with gaming and my family and friends would play with me and we'd all have a great time. We still did that with my Wii, but it wasn't as frequent and I didn't have a lot of multiplayer games on N64. Plus a lot of the Mario games I really enjoyed were on GC (Mario Kart Double Dash, Sonic Adventure, Pokemon Colosseum, Beyond Goog and Evil and Rayman 3 which these 2 I don't actually have but played that on emulator). Don't get me wrong, I love my Wii and my Switch too and they have decent games too (yeah aside from loving Rayman I also am a Mario boy so clearly Nintendo games have been part of my life for a long time now) but GameCube had the best moments for me. I do wish I had gotten a Dreamcast and Playstation 2 back then too since at this point I have played some games that were from those consoles that I also liked and would have played the hell out of as a kid.

For the current one, I voted for the generation that included the GameCube, since it was the one where I was the most active as a gamer. However I almost voted for the 5th generation because the N64 was my first console and the memories of playing Mario Kart 64 with my mom.

I loved Mario Kart 64 as a kid, such good stuff though hated the rubber band AI and when one just randomly runs away and makes it impossible to catch up on higher classes. Mario Kart Double Dash and Mario Kart Wii are more my jam these days. Just the right amount of in-verse themed characters, great soundtracks, etc.

[Elite Piranha]

I loved Mario Kart 64 as a kid, such good stuff though hated the rubber band AI and when one just randomly runs away and makes it impossible to catch up on higher classes. Mario Kart Double Dash and Mario Kart Wii are more my jam these days. Just the right amount of in-verse themed characters, great soundtracks, etc.

In my case I have more nostalgia for Mario Kart 64, however I played Double Dash way more (Petey Piranha and King Boo were my favorite characters). I can't remember having problems with the AI in Mario Kart 64, but that's probably because I haven't played the game in decades (I do remember going off track to visit Peach's Castle and being intrigued by the imprisoned thwomp in Bowser's Castle).

[Adsolution]

I don't know if I can really pick one, since, objectively speaking, every generation will accrue a ton of good stuff to remember it by. I'm personally nostalgic for the N64 and GameCube. I just realised most of my favourite games aren't on either of those systems though

[Hunchman801]

The GameCube is probably the console I have the fondest memories of, having played pretty much every Resident Evil game on it back then. However, I think it's the PlayStation 3 that I have played the most, just because I've had it for so long. I very seldom play games nowadays, but it adds up nonetheless!

[Steo]

I missed this poll, but I think I would have voted for 6th gen. I loved the PS2 era so much, it's when I used to walk into a game store and be indecisive, wanting everything on the shelves lol. The GameCube and the OG Xbox too, so many good games; those were the days. Nowadays, I don't find myself wanting most games or finding interest in them. I don't know if I'm just getting old, or it's because older games had more charm. It might be a bit of both.

I also loved the 7th gen in terms of playing online etc. as a teen, and of course, the 5th gen has its own charm too in terms of 3D gaming. I still have the new consoles, notably my Xbox Series X. I like that it has a lot of backwards compatibility also, and at times I still sit to play a game, but it's seldom I do these days.

[DaveRattlehead]

I also had a hard time making a decision. On the one hand, the PS2 generation was the one I grew up with, the one with which I lived my first experiences as a gamer and with which I developed my "love" for videogames, which undoubtedly have somehow marked my life. On the other hand, the PS3 generation includes most of my favorite games and the online mode was a complete revolution. Depending on the day I may end up opting for one option or another.

There has been a tie between those two generations and I can't agree more with the result

This poll is also going to have a certain type of relationship with videogames. To no one's surprise, it is a topic of interest in a forum about a videogame
The question I pose to you is... Do you prefer games that are more realistic or not? Just to make clear what I mean with "realistic" and "not realistic", when I say "realistic" I mean games like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed, Uncharted Gran Turismo (probably the most realistic of them ), etc. If I say "not realistic", I mean games like Rayman, Crash, Zelda...

Feel free to share your thoughts!

[ItzalDrake]

I personally prefer not realistic games, when I play I love to take a break from the harsh real life and distract myself by seeing and experiencing things I would never be able to do in real life.
Videogames are art and some of them have very interesting art styles, I love how certain games look like they are hand drawn thanks to cel-shading and other graphical effects.
I love cartoons and I adore when a game looks cartoonish or just the animations are exaggerated so that you can feel the movements better, for me it is very satisfying to look

[Hunchman801]

I don't think I have a preference, as I care much more about the story and the gameplay than the game's degree of realism. My favorite series include examples of both.

[Elite Piranha]

I remember than when I was a kid, I thought the more "realistic" racing games were more boring when compared to Mario Kart or Lego Racers, the only exception was when I got to play one of those arcade driving games, were you have an actual steering wheel, pedals and a tilting seat.

I guess, when I look at the games I have played, I lean towards the non-realistic games, however a game being realistic or not is not very important to me, there are others aspects of the game that I care more about (like gameplay, story, music, characters, unlockables, customization, etc.).