General Discussion Off-Topic Thread? Please?

I was just wondering if we could have one of these in the GD forum as it's the only forum I visit apart from FMS and after some of us had a thread closed for going Off-topic I thought it would be a good idea if a mod (or anyone) could create a Off-Topic thread and then a mod could put it as a sticky?

Predicted official answer: Use the off-topic forum.

Predicted official answer: Use the off-topic forum.

Yeah but I'd like one in the GD forum as it's the only forum some of us visit.

Just incase this is closed - Dafuge, would it be okay if a GD off-topic thread was made in OTF?

I agree, as if we tried making one in the off-topic forum, imagine the stick we would get. We just need a nice place to come and have a good old chat. If it was locked in one thread, who would it hurt?

Just incase this is closed - Dafuge, would it be okay if a GD off-topic thread was made in OTF?

No we should have one in the GD forum!

No we should have one in the GD forum!

While I agree this would be the best imo, I can see this thread being closed in the next few mins.

It would get filled with cretins and closed within about 2 hours because of abuse.

Ive just visited OTF and im scared by moderation by assination?

I like my life the way it is!!

That last thread was great, we shouldn't be inclined to use MSN to have a conversation. Most of it is somewhat FM related anyway.

It would get filled with cretins and closed within about 2 hours because of abuse.

Did you not see the macs thread? That was great and there was minimal abuse.

It would get filled with cretins and closed within about 2 hours because of abuse.

Not if you got a mod for that specific thread and just deleted the stupid posts.

The mods are usualyl pretty cool with off topicness, as long as it doesn't go too far and take over threads.

Minimal abuse is still abuse and too much for the mods to be bothered with, i'd rather they focussed on sorting the forums in gerneral.

The mods are usualyl pretty cool with off topicness, as long as it doesn't go too far and take over threads.

To be honest, that's what we did lol.

Did you not see the macs thread? That was great and there was minimal abuse.

It wasn't in the OTF though.

The thing is, multiple mods posted, and even joined in, in the old thread until it was closed, without closing it.

Yeah we did well with the Mac one all though I do agree it could overtake and closed quite easily.

Minimal abuse is still abuse and too much for the mods to be bothered with, i'd rather they focussed on sorting the forums in gerneral.

Not if they got a new mod just for that thread. I'm sure one of me, Alan, Peter and Huw would be more than happy to moderate it.

I would be more than happy to keep an eye on it. I don't see why not, of course we wouldn't be able to serve any punishment but as far as deleting posts is concerned I would do it.

The macs thread was my thread and I started the off-topicness so I don't see any problems.

Could there be an editors thread in the challenges forum, or a french thread in the LLM forum?

just go into otf, the forum jump at the bottom is just as quick as clicking on a single thread.

Could there be an editors thread in the challenges forum, or a french thread in the LLM forum?

just go into otf, the forum jump at the bottom is just as quick as clicking on a single thread.

As I've said twice already. This is the only forum I ever visit so I would like one in here.

Could there be an editors thread in the challenges forum, or a french thread in the LLM forum?

just go into otf, the forum jump at the bottom is just as quick as clicking on a single thread.

Correct me if I am wrong but the handheld forum has a off topic thread. I don't want to have a discussion over there. I want to have a discussion with this lot as we have a great bunch of lads here and we don't want to be dragged over to the off topic forum where we will get abuse hurled at us. Look what happened with the girlfriend thread. We just want one place where we can have some harmless chat about nothing in particular.

Correct me if I am wrong but the handheld forum has a off topic thread. I don't want to have a discussion over there. I want to have a discussion with this lot as we have a great bunch of lads here and we don't want to be dragged over to the off topic forum where we will get abuse hurled at us. Look what happened with the girlfriend thread. We just want one place where we can have some harmless chat about nothing in particular.

Are you still bringing her up Peter? If you keep on bringing my partner into these convos then I'll have to call you Pete Back OT and I wanted to change the title so It said *Could a mod please read* but it wouldn't let me!

As I've said twice already. This is the only forum I ever visit so I would like one in here.

Yes, but... surely his point was that visiting OTF would be extremely easy. So why not do that?

I was more on about the rebecc@ one where it got moved to off topic forum and just got immediately killed due to them giving us abuse.

You post whores

Are you still bringing her up Peter? If you keep on bringing my partner into these convos then I'll have to call you Pete Back OT and I wanted to change the title so It said *Could a mod please read* but it wouldn't let me!

The mods were made aware of the desire for an off-topic thread in the "These Forums" thread and the idea was pretty much rejected. Can't imagine they'll change their minds now.

Yes, but... surely his point was that visiting OTF would be extremely easy. So why not do that?

Good god, because I only ever come in this forum. I would post like normal in here and then go to the OTF in here.

The mods were made aware of the desire for an off-topic thread in the "These Forums" thread and the idea was pretty much rejected. Can't imagine they'll change their minds now.

Ah ok, looks like the idea is dead at the moment then. It seems a bit silly that the handheld forum has an OTF but the GD which has 3 times as many users, doesn't.

Good god, because I only ever come in this forum. I would post like normal in here and then go to the OTF in here.

Okay. Let's try it a different way. Why do you restrict yourself to just this forum? You want to talk off-topic, there is a forum for that purpose. So why do you only ever come in here?

Ah ok, looks like the idea is dead at the moment then. It seems a bit silly that the handheld forum has an OTF but the GD which has 3 times as many users, doesn't.

The fact it has three times as many users is a good reason not to have one, to be honest. The standard of posts would be terrible and too many people would be posting for conversations to develop. New posts on different topics would appear too quickly.

Okay. Let's try it a different way. Why do you restrict yourself to just this forum? You want to talk off-topic, there is a forum for that purpose. So why do you only ever come in here?

It's because some of us were having a discussion in a thread which is now closed, and because most of us only post in here then it would be a good idea to transfer any conversations into one thread which would be in the forum we visit most. I tell a lie, this isn't the only thread I visit as I usually visit the Bugs, FMS and the skins forum, but this is the only one I ever post in.

Okay. Let's try it a different way. Why do you restrict yourself to just this forum? You want to talk off-topic, there is a forum for that purpose. So why do you only ever come in here?

Probably because he is familiar with the users and enjoys speaking to them. It's like wanting a snooker table in your local pub where you know everyone, rather than going to the place dedicated to snooker where you do not know anyone. Afterall, what harm would the snooker table do, yes people will abuse it but there can be people watching over it.

You get my gist

The fact it has three times as many users is a good reason not to have one, to be honest. The standard of posts would be terrible and too many people would be posting for conversations to develop. New posts on different topics would appear too quickly.

I disagree, not if you had a mod specifically for that thread which is an idea I have already quoted.

I agree with Mike that the thread could easily be hijacked and if its been asked for before and regected then fair play.

But by the same token if threads have been moved and then shot down in flames I can understand peoples reluctance to post in other forums.

Ive been down to OTF a few times and the warning about moderation by assantion didnt exaclty give me a warm fuzzy feeling I have to say :-

I agree with Mike that the thread could easily be hijacked and if its been asked for before and regected then fair play.

Like I've already said, have a mod for that specific thread.

My problem with the 'Use the off topic forum' argument is that there is a massive FM09 thread in the OTF. Why is that allowed to exist in there? Why are OTF members not told to post FM related stuff in here in the same way that we are told to post off topic stuff in the OTF?

If the staff and mods are going to use that approach then it needs to be kept the same throughout all the forums.

My problem with the 'Use the off topic forum' argument is that there is a massive FM09 thread in the OTF. Why is that allowed to exist in there? Why are OTF members not told to post FM related stuff in here in the same way that we are told to post off topic stuff in the OTF?

If the staff and mods are going to use that approach then it needs to be kept the same throughout all the forums.

I remember seeing the FM09 thread in OTF and thinking "I'm sure that'll be closed any time soon." Then I looked closer and realised it had about a million pages. Seems a bit strange to me. I mean, if you start a thread on football in there, you'd be guided to the Football Discussion forum. But you don't get directed to here to talk about FM09. Very inconsistent.

Also this is the most used forum out of all of them so why should smaller forums get a OTF and the most used one doesn't?

Also this is the most used forum out of all of them so why should smaller forums get a OTF and the most used one doesn't?

We've already covered that. It would get out of hand. Too many new posts too quickly. A dedicated mod would help, but unless they were online 24/7, the problem would still exist.

I am online from about 16:10 until 22:30, I could do that shift and someone else do it through the day.

We've already covered that. It would get out of hand. Too many new posts too quickly. A dedicated mod would help, but unless they were online 24/7, the problem would still exist.

Yeah I realised that I had already mentioned it after I had posted it lol.

The forums are full of crap atm, anyone who would agree to mod a single thread is obviously mad It would either be like watching paint dry or hectic because fo the abuse.

You say that Mike but generally speaking when we go off on tangents we dont seem to have that problem, although I can see it happening if we had a GD OT thread.

Im normally online between 9 and 5 most weekday.

I would take part in the thread so I wouldn't get bored. If it was hectic I will be there with the 'delete message' button, firing like on Call Of Duty. Plus the proper mods could pop in occasionally.

The forums are full of crap atm, anyone who would agree to mod a single thread is obviously mad It would either be like watching paint dry or hectic because fo the abuse.

Obviously if you were a mod for this thread, you wouldn't just be stuck in there. You could go and post and mod anything else aswell.

I can think of about 10 people who would be interesting enough to keep the topic going.

There's no point in it, and it would only take one idiot to get it closed so there's no point in even starting it.

Obviously if you were a mod for this thread, you wouldn't just be stuck in there. You could go and post and mod anything else aswell.

Then you're asking for an extra mod and we've been told there will be no more mods any time soon.

Am I one of the ten? :S

The last off topic threads have hit page 3 (not out) and Page 5 so they can do alright.

I can think of about 10 people who would be interesting enough to keep the topic going.

There's no point in it, and it would only take one idiot to get it closed so there's no point in even starting it.

Then you're asking for an extra mod and we've been told there will be no more mods any time soon.

You would just delete the idiot's post then wouldn't you, and regards to the no mods business then that's the only reason I think this idea won't take off.

You would just delete the idiot's post then wouldn't you, and regards to the no mods business then that's the only reason I think this idea won't take off.

If you deleted every idiot post, you'd end up with about 5 posts Look at the state of the forums right now, they are shocking and i'd rather attention was spent sorting it out before anything was added.