3 replies to this topic

[novelty]

In the Sonic Stadium Message Boards, there has been an increase of members just joining in who don't follow the rules correctly (per se). For example, many people are doing repeat topics not to be lazy but to avoid necroposting as it is usually frowned upon on forum netiquette. Other cases, the new people might have not been on a forum before and has the mentality to assume that nothing has really happened yet when he or she arrives to SSMB.

Whats the point of this post? and why in Member Feedback/Bug Reports? Well, its pertaining to the forums (obviously) and it's focus is on discussion value and the vague area mods and staff have jurisdiction over. I'm not complaining about the increased amount of locked topics; as they are deemed appropriate. Instead, I am worried about the lack of reasoning behind locking topics that (even controversial) does stem a weak discussion value that can last for a good time.

Sure, there are status updates, but the system in itself is a bit clunky as there is no search feature. I could talk to Dissident (for instance) today through a status update and don't know what he would say to me back. Status updates only serve the purpose of the visitor to say that we are alive and kicking and have little to no convenience to focus on discussion value.

Also, there is the Personal/Private Message feature that pretty much comes standard with every forum website you go to. On SSMB, it is fully featured and almost feels like separate topics, the only pitfall with that system is that every member has a maximum limit and discussion value is limited there as we members can only talk so much that we have to revert to status updates (which is pointless).

So in conclusion, the main reason I made this topic is to answer one very specific question:

For the topics that are deemed "discussion valueless", how can we better view those topics with an open mind and not strictly on the rules of the forum?

Edited by novelty, 01 July 2012 - 07:39 PM.

[Carbo]

For the topics that are deemed "discussion valueless", how can we better view those topics with an open mind and not strictly on the rules of the forum?

Through common sense.

I'm not exactly sure you completely have a grasp on the explicit rules on topics, but here's the excerpt.

Make meaningful topics. Before you make a topic, search the forum to see if someone already beat you to it. Put some effort into your topic so other people are more likely to want to respond in it. Forum game threads, request threads and list threads are prone to spam so don't go making any of those bloody things.

Ask yourself; is the topic something that you actually think is a topic worth having? Is it something you actually believe is worth discussing? Is it something you think couldn't be better off as a miniature discussion or question on the status box instead? Most rules we have can ideally be accounted under the "common sense" blanket term.

Having a conversation with someone in a status update? Use the Profile Feed comments. Or the PM system.

The question of a topic with "discussion value" is one which can never be objectively classified, but mostly it's a place where both objectivity and subjectivity can have its place, and that's certainly not a list topic or a clean cut ask-question-get-answer deal. Sometimes we hold off on locking things for a while before we take action for just such reason in order to figure out where we stand on a topic, but while we do get reports from time to time that support a mod's general notion of finding a topic unworthy before we take action, if there's a problem with our decision, you're always free to contact a staff member and voice your opinion reasonably.

[Goldenlink64]

Sure, there are status updates, but the system in itself is a bit clunky as there is no search feature. I could talk to Dissident (for instance) today through a status update and don't know what he would say to me back. Status updates only serve the purpose of the visitor to say that we are alive and kicking and have little to no convenience to focus on discussion value.

If you go into My Settings, Notification Options, you can check off the boxes under Status Updates so you get notified when somebody replies to you in either yours or their status.

[Project Phoenix]

I think it's the same with any forum really. There will always be certain things that crop up.

The repeated topics being the most noticeable, because people are either too lazy/busy to use a search function, or want to be the "I found this guys, look" person.

Either way, most times all it takes is common sence, more often then not. But unfortauntely, due to the nature of why most of us are here, and the age range more specifically, unless we are the ones that grew up with said icon from birth, then naturally, the majority of the audiance here will be younger, and more likely newer to a forum in particular. And yes, while you can say that the rules are there, and should be read before anyone posts, we ALL know that they are rarely read, and more skimmed over if anything, and the younger people will be more "AMG Sonic fans", and share their excitable passion, because atypically, they won't know better.

That'll be where they learn, and if it takes a locked topic or two, or a quite word from one of the moderators to do ti, that's what'll happen, but from experience, they'll be all excitable until shown the proper way.

If the topics, of anyone, are deemed "valueless", then no-one will post after giving it a read/skim through. Or, they'll post, saying WHY it's valueless, but oly, and hopefully, with additional feedback to say where X post can be improved upon in content.