These forums

[Saintjonny]

These forums need more people moderating and the more 'senior' users (as in the people who contribute to the forums the most) should be given some sort of recognition to the public that they are acting on behalf of SI.

I would say 30 moderators and to start with SI should invite the people with the most posts to be a mod. Then put it out to the general public to be a moderator acting on behalf of SI, of course if you dont do a good enough job, like Jose Mourinho - your time will be up!

Also, the idea about new members being unable to post threads left right and centre immediately is a sensible one along with the number or posts they can make over a period of time.

Its very frustrating looking through the first 5 pages on the forum of the General topics, many of them are shut because of stupidity on the person creating the thread.

(I nearly said another word instead of shut - that word would have been appropiate too mind you...one letter away, easy spelling mistake to make!)

[saved_by_barry_horne]

Originally posted by Jimbokav1971:

The only other website that I post on is the Barnet FC fans messageboard.

It's pretty basic but counts posts like most messageboards do.

The one feature that it has, that has been touched on before, that might work here, is the ability for every poster to rate every post that they read, thus giving every single post an average rated score of 1-5. It also calculates the average rating for each post posted by an individual and that rating shows up under their name.

By looking under the name you can see instantly what grading of 1-5 other posters have in general given this persons posts.

I must admit that I think it would be of benefit here and I think it is something that should be investigated.

The other idea that has been mentioned that I particularly like is the ability for Mods/SI staff/selected senior posters to be able to give "titles" to posters as if they were a badge of honour.

Examples off the top of mu head might be.

dafuge. "Founder of the dafige challenge thread" and then possibly a link to the thread.

PM7. "something to do with FMS" and then manybe a link to the Hall of Fame or that legendary thread of his.

Kipfizh. "The AI Experiment king" and a link to his thread.

Nobby. "If he's not in Llama Land he is lost"

WWfan. "something to do with tactics"

Amaroq. "If you ask me a question, make sure you take the time to read my detailed answer"

You get the idea anyway.

They don't have to be serious either. They can be funny or whatever.

essentially the idea of: these posters come reccomended by mods?

Like it.

[Seagulls Forever]

I think SI have made their own contribution to the problems here. Lack of communication about certain issues for one. However, some posts from the existing mod team here show that perhaps there is a bigger problem where SI have basically failed to understand how online communities work (I've got a couple of biggies running at the moment so I should know).

The first was the comment that mods were told to ban as few users as possible. In other words, alienate as few customers as possible. I can understand that you don't want to lose customers, and let's face it, no-one wants a mod going crazy banning everyone (I've seen it happen, it's not nice.. a mod banned the entire board and deleted every thread on a rival forum once, nasty business). However, that shows that the focus of the forum is a sales exercise and not a community one. This is not something to criticize, merely an observation. However, for SI, if that is the case, then perhaps they have less right to complain about it being less than fun.

The second point was made about the choice of software. This is cheap. This has come along with various comments about how certain things cannot be done with the existing software. So by going down the cheap route SI have taken tools out of their own hands to make the place more pleasant.

By failing to understand the nature of online communities SI have ended up with this mess. People have egos, groups form, it's the nature of the beast. One needs tools to manage that, without them you're just ****ing in the wind.

[Seagulls Forever]

Oops, I forgot to add the third and fourth points. The game itself is also part of the problem. To be honest I think that since the loss of wibble wobble, tactical discussion has been much more difficult and esoteric, with people trying to guess what obscure numbers mean, rather than having something more concrete. This means that people are more frustrated, as the game is now simply complex for its own sake simply through poor design rather than through increased realism.

Also, separating off all the interesting things, like tactical discussion, challenge threads (like the rather wonderful thread by kipfizh) has left very little for GQ. Hiving things off even further would do little good, so to those suggesting a suggestions forum I ask what would be left for GQ? Personally I wonder if it might be cool to bring Good Player Guide and Tactics back to the fold and just add a new rule where any player naming has to include a spoiler tag or the thread title is tagged as such. It'd help reinvigorate the forum with new content, and might get new users to join in some of the occasionally excellent tactical debates (which as previously mentioned would be so much better without sliders and numbers).

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Jimbokav1971]

I wonder if it might be cool to bring Good Player Guide and Tactics back to the fold

I agree with you about splintering off too much and I especially think that the dafuge and Gundo challenges not being in GQ it to it's detriment, but I really can't agree that GPG & T&TG should be re-introduced.

There is a limited discussion of tactics allowed, but I would hate fot it all to be lumped together again. I've managed not to go on to either room since they opened and want to keep it that way thanks.

I would be in complete favour of re-introducing a ban on player naming though.

[Jimbokav1971]

And I think that part of the problem with tactics is that people don't understand just after having a quick glane and do not have the patuiance/will-power to sit down and read a thread like I would imagine are in T&TGF.

They want a quick fix, they want to download it, and they want to download it NOW!

[BBB]

2 forums I frequent, both football related, I pay to access parts of them , you find that the main forum is populated by total morons and you get utter drivel posted, the paid part is far better and has far more intelligent discussion, £10 a year is nothing and I'd have no issues paying something in the region of that.

[dudester]

Player naming I will admit when i first starting posting on the forums in GQ I had no idea player naming was not the done thing.

Mainly due to the fact i had never wondered into the llama forum.

This again is just a another simple rule that could be pointed out in a sticky please do not player name where possible.

Now I see it happens all the time in GQ at least someone was kind enough to point it out to me but at the moment it happens to far too much for one or two people to politely ask users to refrain.

[Jimbokav1971]

This is the sort of thing we are up against!

Ok, I know this really isn't the best forum to say this in, but there's really nobody at all in the editor forum, so I figured someone would see it here.

People know what the rules are, they just don't care about adhering to them.

What do you say to this person to educate him so that it doesn't happen again.

There is absolutely nothing that you can say because he simply has decided to put his needs before the rest of the community. He knows it's in the wrong place, but rather than wait until tomorrow and have a correct answer in Editors Hideaway, he comes in here and creates a thread with a question that we are unable to answer because it is specific to the editor.

This is the sort of thing that annoys me.

If I was to tell him he was in the wrong forum I would be wasting my time, because he already knows. He simply doesn't care.

This is exactly the sort of post that someone answers saying it is in the wronf forum, gets a smart remark back and all hell breaks loose.

If you take away the cause of the argument, you take away the argument.

[Taz & The Devil]

I fail to see how paying to access a forum makes it better. I understand small forums charging to keep themselves going but bringing it up here as way to improve things implies that bullies and idiots dont have money.

Also having a newbie forum or having to post so many replies before making a topic or waiting a week before you can make one. It does nothing but alienate new users and put them off coming here while encouraging the post boosting that people hate.

In the past i have frequented forums that demanded you had so many posts to do this that and the other that i was interested in and i found i just tried to make as many posts in as quick a time as i could that were poor posts on subjects i didnt care for just so i could get into the things that attracted me there in the first place. If someone has come here to ask a question as i first did i dont want to have to wait a week to ask it.

Then theres Karma. People have to understand that Karma just keeps track of peoples post counts. I enjoy knowing how many posts i have made and other people have made but i dont judge them on it. I judge people on the quality of their posts.

Maybe one or two new mods are needed and just a general firm hand with idiots unwilling to help. You start cracking down and eventually people will learn it isnt right and you wont get away with it and these forums will become a nicer place.

You want to stop post boosting just a general warning followed by a resetting of post count should help.

What turns me away from these forums isnt the idiots but what i find just general boring topics that offer me nothing new after playing the game and being here for years.

[Glyn]

Originally posted by Seagulls Forever:

The first was the comment that mods were told to ban as few users as possible.

That is not what we were told. And your 'in other words' takes you even further away from what was said.

[avstwentyone]

Originally posted by Taz & The Devil:

What turns me away from these forums isnt the idiots but what i find just general boring topics that offer me nothing new after playing the game and being here for years.

Well that's it isn't it. There is only a finite number of topics one could bring up about one game which in turn makes GQ stale and repetitive. I find that and I've only been playing FM since 06! So I can understand some wanting to reintergrate other forums back into GQ.

Although being a LLaMa I wouldn't want to see Tactics and Good Players merged with GQ, perhaps some compromise could be reached to add a little diversity to this particular forum.

[starvin marvin]

I maybe guessing here but i presume most of the mods for the forums are based in England/UK. Living in a diffrent time zone i rarly ever see any mods on what so ever.

Perhaps it may be a good idea to get moderators from different countries, such as Australia, NZ, Asia or north America or even get volunteers to help out. This may help out as people could see that there is an actual presence of mods.

[Dayle Wood]

Originally posted by starvin marvin:

I maybe guessing here but i presume most of the mods for the forums are based in England/UK. Living in a diffrent time zone i rarly ever see any mods on what so ever.

Perhaps it may be a good idea to get moderators from different countries, such as Australia, NZ, Asia or north America or even get volunteers to help out. This may help out as people could see that there is an actual presence of mods.

I volunteer on behalf of New Zealand.

[starvin marvin]

Originally posted by Dayle Wood:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by starvin marvin:

I maybe guessing here but i presume most of the mods for the forums are based in England/UK. Living in a diffrent time zone i rarly ever see any mods on what so ever.

Perhaps it may be a good idea to get moderators from different countries, such as Australia, NZ, Asia or north America or even get volunteers to help out. This may help out as people could see that there is an actual presence of mods.

I volunteer on behalf of New Zealand. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Exactly the idea might seem a bit silly but if trusted board members were given an opportunity to moderate i think it could work.

[Seagulls Forever]

Originally posted by Glyn:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Seagulls Forever:

The first was the comment that mods were told to ban as few users as possible.

That is not what we were told. And your 'in other words' takes you even further away from what was said. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Originally posted by Kris:

And , as mentioned, SI want bans to be a last resort.

Please tell me where I have been inaccurate? SI ask you to ban as few people as possible. The reason is because the number one priority is to sell a product. People banned from forums bear grudges and don't buy your products. However, they've misjudged the point as people told to f off and read the manual or whatever will also hold a grudge and not buy the game, or at least have less of a loyalty to the brand.

I notice that the other point about the poor quality forum software has not been addressed so I can only assume that you have no comment on that.

[Dayle Wood]

Originally posted by Seagulls Forever:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Glyn:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Seagulls Forever:

The first was the comment that mods were told to ban as few users as possible.

That is not what we were told. And your 'in other words' takes you even further away from what was said. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Originally posted by Kris:

And , as mentioned, SI want bans to be a last resort.

Please tell me where I have been inaccurate? SI ask you to ban as few people as possible. The reason is because the number one priority is to sell a product. People banned from forums bear grudges and don't buy your products. However, they've misjudged the point as people told to f off and read the manual or whatever will also hold a grudge and not buy the game, or at least have less of a loyalty to the brand.

I notice that the other point about the poor quality forum software has not been addressed so I can only assume that you have no comment on that. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Seagulls - bans as a last resort DOES NOT mean the same as banning as few people as possible!

[Rashidi]

Originally posted by Glyn:

One thing I'd like to see (even though I know it wouldn't happen) is for there to be a unique code inside the FM box that gives the purchaser access to parts of the messageboard.

Keeps the pirates out, and makes sure that reported bugs are proper ones and not resulting from cracked games.

Yes Yes, me maties...lets keep those pirates out of here...luv the idea

[emgergo]

About payment for the usage of the forums:

I don't really like the idea. However, as it was said before me, giving a code in the game's original box for the forums could be fine.

[Rashidi]

Originally posted by Amaroq:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ackter:

Karma in its current form is good for new users as it helps them feel involved, but there should be a cut-off point - say after a certain amount of time or posts your karma rating is no longer visible.

Unless you spend a lot of time posting, or post a lot of one-liners, it doesn't grow very rapidly at all. It felt like it took me forever to reach "Part-timer".

Your "Different karma systems for different forums" idea actually makes very good sense; as you say, a GQ legend may be an utter noob in LLM or FMS. "+1" might be an appropriate karma system in OTF, and in fact the OTF'ers are probably the ones most invested in the current system; letting them keep it might make it easier to "sell" a "*actual* Karma system" for GQ.

PS - dafuge, the feeling is

mutual! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'll throw me weathered hat in with your lot. Far too many people on these forums me laddie...not a way to tell apart the good from the bad.. hardee har har

[chopper99]

Originally posted by Kris:

As for introducing reasons for thread closures, the obivous closures dont need a reason as you are instructed to read the house rules in the welcome / sign up email.

But many people don't seem to bother to do this and I personally think that every closed thread should have at least a brief reason on it, even if it's just 'please read the forum rules'.

Some people are do need to have it pointed out to them what they're doing wrong. Other members can tell them they're doing something wrong but many will not be inclined to listen until the person with the power to close their threads actually tells them they're doing something wrong, and what it is.

[Rashidi]

Originally posted by starvin marvin:

I maybe guessing here but i presume most of the mods for the forums are based in England/UK. Living in a diffrent time zone i rarly ever see any mods on what so ever.

Perhaps it may be a good idea to get moderators from different countries, such as Australia, NZ, Asia or north America or even get volunteers to help out. This may help out as people could see that there is an actual presence of mods.

I'm not from england...i'm the one who comes on line after the mods in the uk go to sleep. I'm +8GMT

[Taz & The Devil]

And while i dont know who mods what forums rashidi isnt the only non uk mod on here.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by chopper99:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Kris:

As for introducing reasons for thread closures, the obivous closures dont need a reason as you are instructed to read the house rules in the welcome / sign up email.

But many people don't seem to bother to do this and I personally think that every closed thread should have at least a brief reason on it, even if it's just 'please read the forum rules'.

Some people are do need to have it pointed out to them what they're doing wrong. Other members can tell them they're doing something wrong but many will not be inclined to listen until the person with the power to close their threads actually tells them they're doing something wrong, and what it is. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This isn't a forum full of lawyers or actuaries trying to comply with legislation. Let's be realistic here - not everyone reads the rules and those who do don't print them out and refer to them every time they post.

Surely it wouldn't be much of an undertaking for the excellent mod team to write "Sorry, this thread has broken forum rule #5 *link*", when closing a thread.

If the rules were seen to be enforced more formally then lurkers might be discouraged from breaking them, such as our friend with an editor problem. It would also cut down on the occasional but ridiculous "FFS Rashid, why was my thread closed?"

[dannyboy24]

I'd be another to give a to the voted Karma according to quality and usefulness over time. This I think it the best suggestion i've read in this thread, and should be seriously considered.

I wouldn't agree with the "having bought the game gives you access to certain parts of the forum" idea, simply because of the pracitcalities of enforcing it. Do people have to have the lastest game to gain access?, If yes, then that's simply a marketing trick for the game, If no, then what counts of proof that you bought a previous version of the game? I don't see that being all that effective.

[Pim1984]

It is a pity, but the rules have to tighten. Someone I see topics in which people say awful things, yet the moderators don't ban him or don't even give a yellow card. From time to time there is an idiot who posts a useless topic, followed by three others a minute later and yet he is still around or not even yellow carded which is absurd.

[Pim1984]

Besides that the moderators need to be nice and polite at all costs and give the good example, no matter how irritated they are.

[BBB]

Hoista! is from Japan iirc

[Ackter]

This isn't a forum full of lawyers or actuaries trying to comply with legislation. Let's be realistic here - not everyone reads the rules and those who do don't print them out and refer to them every time they post.

It takes about 5 minutes to read them and they're pretty easy to remember.

Mods are busy enough.

[chopper99]

Originally posted by Ackter:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">This isn't a forum full of lawyers or actuaries trying to comply with legislation. Let's be realistic here - not everyone reads the rules and those who do don't print them out and refer to them every time they post.

It takes about 5 minutes to read them and they're pretty easy to remember.

Mods are busy enough. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You'd think so but people obviously don't. Education is the only way to make sure they know what they've done wrong, otherwise they'll just keep doing it.

I understand that mods are busy enough but maybe that's why we need more mods.

[Box]

I think this thread has become typical of why action is needed. I have read about two pages worth of decent posts, the rest are just those who have read the first post and replied, or picked out the odd post and replied to that. Ive seen numerous ideas repeated and discussed then rediscussed.

Its' exactly as what was already said by Amaroq, The good stuff is lost among the irrelevant or one liner crap.

So far the general consensus seems to be to filter the posts somehow, reduce the irrelevant/useless posts that care answered in stickies and to stop the abuse.

I know there is a system of putting in a minimum amount of characters in a post, although I'm not sure if you can apply it to these forums. That would reduce the one liner posts.

So far the best opinions Ive read;-

- a subscribed section of the forums (£10 a year/6 months??)

- board access that is supplied with the game (i.e. a key that only comes with the game when its bought)

- re-introducing paid for/ISP email accounts for registration.

- Technical soloutions such as small bans, minimum character inputs per post & restricted posts for a time after registering

I realise this is now going to be pulled apart for the next 4 or 5 posts then forgot about among the 10-20 one liner posts and then rediscussed when someone else suggests each of the ideas.

What ever SI decide to do needs implementing soon.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Ackter:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">This isn't a forum full of lawyers or actuaries trying to comply with legislation. Let's be realistic here - not everyone reads the rules and those who do don't print them out and refer to them every time they post.

It takes about 5 minutes to read them and they're pretty easy to remember.

Mods are busy enough. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, agreed, but it's not happening and that's why we have a problem. Not everyone on here is wary of the rules. Taking the moral highgournd and knowing that a member is clearly in violation of the rules when they post in sms doesn't stop the rules being broken in the first place.

I know the mods are busy and are doing their best and I'm not recommending that they write an essay every time someone is out of line, but a stock, "This thread has broken rule #5 *link*" post surely would not increase their workload by a huge amount.

[Spanky]

I think this thread has become typical of why action is needed. I have read about two pages worth of decent posts, the rest are just those who have read the first post and replied, or picked out the odd post and replied to that. Ive seen numerous ideas repeated and discussed then rediscussed.

I couldn't disagree with this more.

Numerous ideas are being introduced and the pros and cons are being discussed. If a reasonable idea is contructively dismissed for its failings then that's just as useful as a good idea which the consensus agrees upon.

In fact, I'd say this is one of the best discussions I've read on here in a long time. And others have said the same on here too.

[chopper99]

Originally posted by Box:

I think this thread has become typical of why action is needed. I have read about two pages worth of decent posts, the rest are just those who have read the first post and replied, or picked out the odd post and replied to that. Ive seen numerous ideas repeated and discussed then rediscussed.

Its' exactly as what was already said by Amaroq, The good stuff is lost among the irrelevant or one liner crap.

So far the general consensus seems to be to filter the posts somehow, reduce the irrelevant/useless posts that care answered in stickies and to stop the abuse.

I know there is a system of putting in a minimum amount of characters in a post, although I'm not sure if you can apply it to these forums. That would reduce the one liner posts.

So far the best opinions Ive read;-

- a subscribed section of the forums (£10 a year/6 months??)

- board access that is supplied with the game (i.e. a key that only comes with the game when its bought)

- re-introducing paid for/ISP email accounts for registration.

- Technical soloutions such as small bans, minimum character inputs per post & restricted posts for a time after registering

I realise this is now going to be pulled apart for the next 4 or 5 posts then forgot about among the 10-20 one liner posts and then rediscussed when someone else suggests each of the ideas.

What ever SI decide to do needs implementing soon.

Not every answer needs to be 100 lines long. Quality of posts isn't always connected to their length so I don't really see your point. I could waffle on for 100 lines and it could still be rubbish, insulting or rude.

At the same time many questions can be answered constructively with one or two lines, or a link.

[Dayle Wood]

Originally posted by chopper99:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Box:

I think this thread has become typical of why action is needed. I have read about two pages worth of decent posts, the rest are just those who have read the first post and replied, or picked out the odd post and replied to that. Ive seen numerous ideas repeated and discussed then rediscussed.

Its' exactly as what was already said by Amaroq, The good stuff is lost among the irrelevant or one liner crap.

So far the general consensus seems to be to filter the posts somehow, reduce the irrelevant/useless posts that care answered in stickies and to stop the abuse.

I know there is a system of putting in a minimum amount of characters in a post, although I'm not sure if you can apply it to these forums. That would reduce the one liner posts.

So far the best opinions Ive read;-

- a subscribed section of the forums (£10 a year/6 months??)

- board access that is supplied with the game (i.e. a key that only comes with the game when its bought)

- re-introducing paid for/ISP email accounts for registration.

- Technical soloutions such as small bans, minimum character inputs per post & restricted posts for a time after registering

I realise this is now going to be pulled apart for the next 4 or 5 posts then forgot about among the 10-20 one liner posts and then rediscussed when someone else suggests each of the ideas.

What ever SI decide to do needs implementing soon.

Not every answer needs to be 100 lines long. Quality of posts isn't always connected to their length so I don't really see your point. I could waffle on for 100 lines and it could still be rubbish, insulting or rude.

At the same time many questions can be answered constructively with one or two lines, or a link. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Well that makes me feel better.

I usually give someone a thorough answer in a couple of lines then watch as Amaroq answers with a detailed lengthy sublime piece of writing including links, pie graphs, quotes and bibliographies!

Puts me to shame.

[chopper99]

Originally posted by Dayle Wood:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by chopper99:

Not every answer needs to be 100 lines long. Quality of posts isn't always connected to their length so I don't really see your point. I could waffle on for 100 lines and it could still be rubbish, insulting or rude.

At the same time many questions can be answered constructively with one or two lines, or a link.

Well that makes me feel better.

I usually give someone a thorough answer in a couple of lines then watch as Amaroq answers with a detailed lengthy sublime piece of writing including links, pie graphs, quotes and bibliographies!

Puts me to shame. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Amaroq's obviously got far too much time on his hands

But there's no denying his posts are fantastic.

On the other side of the coin there're people like Akter who give an answer to someones question but rarely go over more than two lines.

I suppose what I'm trying to say that size doesn't matter

[Rashidi]

Originally posted by Ackter:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">This isn't a forum full of lawyers or actuaries trying to comply with legislation. Let's be realistic here - not everyone reads the rules and those who do don't print them out and refer to them every time they post.

It takes about 5 minutes to read them and they're pretty easy to remember.

Mods are busy enough. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Frankly most of the rules are downright common sense, such as abuse or spamming.

[h@@kon]

I have been here for ages (since 2000 methinks). I'm not a big poster, quite the opposite. Lost my passwords so i have had a few username along the way. But here's my 2cents (since me too feel the quality has fallen bigtime):

1. More moderators

2. Alot fewer sub-categories. Alot of previous interesting GQ has been moved to other subcategories. The GQ is almost dead now, only the usual "my suggestions for FM0X)" and "this game is too hard/too easy". Interesting reading like Dafuge challenges, Kipfish's AI experiments etc is JUST available to registreed users. I would guess that there are a lot of guests visiting the GQ and the way the forum is now, they ain't coming back. I'm in here about once a day, skimming the GQ.

3. More interaction with/replying from SI. That's whats people love. If SI don't want to hang out in the GQ, nobody else will either.

[h@@kon]

One more:

4. make it possible to edit my own posts. (like i would like to now) :-) )

[Dayle Wood]

Originally posted by h@@kon:

One more:

4. make it possible to edit my own posts. (like i would like to now) :-) )

That was a privledge that was abused and therefore removed.

[Glyn]

Originally posted by h@@kon:

The GQ is almost dead now, only the usual "my suggestions for FM0X)" and "this game is too hard/too easy".

You wait till the demo, and then the full game is released, and for several months after.

This is very much the calm before the storm. And when the storm hits you appreciate all the sub-forums taking threads away from here and leaving (ideally) just the threads relating directly to the game's performance. It helps SI people (and other users, of course) from having to wade through loads of irrelevant stuff to get to the threads where they can really help people.

[Rashidi]

Originally posted by h@@kon:

One more:

4. make it possible to edit my own posts. (like i would like to now) :-) )

We did allow editing in the past, but that feature was abused as well. So we dropped it to prevent further abuse from happening

[h@@kon]

"edting of posts":

Seriously; how could that be abused?

No other forum's i have been to is that a problem.

[Ter]

Users would abuse other users then edit their post as if nothing had happened.

[h@@kon]

I still would let editing be possible. It can't have been a major problem, and how long could the insults have been written? I think this would have been solved with more moderators.

If the insult was published a long time: moderator would have discovered and could make a ban.

If the insult was published a short time: did anybody see it or only the abused? Either way; if one person kept doing that sooner or later a mod would have seen it.

Really have difficulty in seeing why restrictions are based on a few peoples idiotic behavours, but as i said i'm not posting often so its really no problem for me.

[bob]

ah... now i see!

unfortunately i agree that no edited be allowed now.

sad!

[Rashidi]

Originally posted by h@@kon:

I still would let editing be possible. It can't have been a major problem, and how long could the insults have been written? I think this would have been solved with more moderators.

If the insult was published a long time: moderator would have discovered and could make a ban.

If the insult was published a short time: did anybody see it or only the abused? Either way; if one person kept doing that sooner or later a mod would have seen it.

Really have difficulty in seeing why restrictions are based on a few peoples idiotic behavours, but as i said i'm not posting often so its really no problem for me.

Trust me it's a lot of work..its a case of who do we believe? Nah much better to leave it the way it is. If some posts are long and require some edit..the moderators usually do it either without being asked or after an email.

[Taz & The Devil]

Originally posted by Box:

I think this thread has become typical of why action is needed. I have read about two pages worth of decent posts, the rest are just those who have read the first post and replied, or picked out the odd post and replied to that. Ive seen numerous ideas repeated and discussed then rediscussed.

Its' exactly as what was already said by Amaroq, The good stuff is lost among the irrelevant or one liner crap.

So far the general consensus seems to be to filter the posts somehow, reduce the irrelevant/useless posts that care answered in stickies and to stop the abuse.

I know there is a system of putting in a minimum amount of characters in a post, although I'm not sure if you can apply it to these forums. That would reduce the one liner posts.

So far the best opinions Ive read;-

- a subscribed section of the forums (£10 a year/6 months??)

- board access that is supplied with the game (i.e. a key that only comes with the game when its bought)

- re-introducing paid for/ISP email accounts for registration.

- Technical soloutions such as small bans, minimum character inputs per post & restricted posts for a time after registering

I realise this is now going to be pulled apart for the next 4 or 5 posts then forgot about among the 10-20 one liner posts and then rediscussed when someone else suggests each of the ideas.

What ever SI decide to do needs implementing soon.

I'm sorry Box but those ideas you have singled out as the best. I actually think they have gone way off track. they dont do anything to improve the standard of the board but just make it harder for people to get on here.

When these people have paid their money or got their code out of the box what then stops them being just the same abusive non welcoming bunch that we have now who would rather abuse a new user than point them in the right direction?

As i mentioned earlier on, having the money to pay for access doesnt make you a good user.

[Rashidi]

Paid subscription is not a good idea, not when the boards are a major source of ideas for game development. For me the simple solution is tighter monitoring by mods, closer attention to rules, harsher penalities for rule breakers and a rewards system for great posts. That way everyone wins and no one loses.

[Michael F]

Im suprised nobody has suggested moving the House Rules Forum to the top above GQ, at least then they dont have the excuse ofnot reading the rules cause they couldnt find them because there at the bottom.