Before a new user can post on the forums they must 1st change from the default icon, and then they must wait a week. After that week they can start making post, but they can not start threads. In order to start a thread they must have at least 100 post in other threads. After all that they can post one thread a week until they make 5 threads that are not flagged by at least 2 people or are locked. After they meet all that they can be considered real members and be allowed to do what they want.  
This is not all serious.

Here is another idea:

  

" @Daveyo520: Or they are new. "

" @tiwi said:

" @Daveyo520: Or they are new. "

This. No better way to scare off the new users by letting them know their voice isn't welcome until they wait for no reason. "

I know, I kind of agree too. But Giant Bomb doesn't want to become an unfriendly place. We have to take the bad so that we can keep up the good.

" I know, I kind of agree too. But Giant Bomb doesn't want to become an unfriendly place. We have to take the bad so that we can keep up the good. "

A week might be a little long. 24 hours until you can create a topic isn't too terrible of an idea. But 99% of the time when I join a forum, it's because I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING RIGHT NOW and if I joined a site so that I could comment on something and then find out I have to wait 7 days before I can write anything, I would spread the news that the site is stupid and totally GAYYYEEE (in the words of former professor Chang).

The Avatar idea is a good idea though.

@JJWeatherman said:

Here is another idea:

HAH.

yes