One G&T Thread to Rule them All

Mr_Snuffle

I would like to see an end to this single thread for each topic trend in G&T. I was talking to mcc about it the other day, and he mentioned that the mods were trying to push it back to people making multiple threads about the one topic. It's all well and good that the mods are not going to stamp down on multiple threads anymore, but people are still scared to make multiple threads about the one topic. It's like we can't talk about different aspects of the one topic outside of the one thread without someone pointing towards an 'offical' thread. I understand that back in November the game industry was going crazy and we couldn't really make a hot topic for each of the big topics, but things have slowed down a lot now. I really think that if we do think a topic warrents an 'offical thread', it should just be made a hot topic.

I'd like to see an offical announcement that says yes, you we can make different threads for different aspects of the same topic, I'm tired of interesting news getting buried in a 50 page thread.

Toast

For the record, I've been saying this for about six months.

Henroid

I don't really see how this will do any good. Instead of having easy to find threads on page one or two (in terms of recent discussion) people will have to start back tracking quite a bit. It would make things really cluttered. Granted, people could bookmark the threads they want to read, but that would be pretty out of the way and clutter up their bookmarks. I think this one thread per topic rule comes as an advantage to everyone. I've never seen anyone get flamed, for example, in a megaman thread when instead of talking about the nostalgic gameplay he talks about the music.

Mr_Snuffle

Henroid wrote:

I don't really see how this will do any good. Instead of having easy to find threads on page one or two (in terms of recent discussion) people will have to start back tracking quite a bit. It would make things really cluttered. Granted, people could bookmark the threads they want to read, but that would be pretty out of the way and clutter up their bookmarks. I think this one thread per topic rule comes as an advantage to everyone. I've never seen anyone get flamed, for example, in a megaman thread when instead of talking about the nostalgic gameplay he talks about the music.

except that you need to keep up with a fast thread to keep track of what's going on. If you're going to use that reason, why don't we just put all the conversation into the one thread? That's pretty easy to find. Heck, why don't we just abandon the forums all together and use IRC?

Information gets lost in those threads. I don't want to look through 60 pages of posts to try and find interesting information and discussion, which I can't bring up again anyway, because the official thread is talking about something else now

Henroid

Mr_Snuffle wrote:

Henroid wrote:

I don't really see how this will do any good. Instead of having easy to find threads on page one or two (in terms of recent discussion) people will have to start back tracking quite a bit. It would make things really cluttered. Granted, people could bookmark the threads they want to read, but that would be pretty out of the way and clutter up their bookmarks. I think this one thread per topic rule comes as an advantage to everyone. I've never seen anyone get flamed, for example, in a megaman thread when instead of talking about the nostalgic gameplay he talks about the music.

except that you need to keep up with a fast thread to keep track of what's going on. If you're going to use that reason, why don't we just put all the conversation into the one thread? That's pretty easy to find. Heck, why don't we just abandon the forums all together and use IRC?

Information gets lost in those threads. I don't want to look through 60 pages of posts to try and find interesting information and discussion, which I can't bring up again anyway, because the official thread is talking about something else now

Then there can be exceptions to hot topics. Not every thread moves a million miles per hour. World of Warcraft got its own section of the forum for this reason that you just addressed. I'm sure that if another topic as huge as it came about a new section could be made to address it. Granted, that would be up to Alpha and depends on how long/hard it takes/is to do so. The fastest moving threads in G&T are the chat thread and the Halo2 clan thread.

Henroid

I would propose this.

Keep the current system in place, but have a sticky or something that lists the current "hot topics," which would be threads for things that do move pretty damn fast. New game releases would be the best example. Aside from that though, G&T wouldn't need five threads covering Starcraft tactics or something.

Pheezer

Henroid wrote:

I would propose this.

Keep the current system in place, but have a sticky or something that lists the current "hot topics," which would be threads for things that do move pretty damn fast. New game releases would be the best example. Aside from that though, G&T wouldn't need five threads covering Starcraft tactics or something.

I propose that you all stop complaining. That's far too much work.

Learn to deal with threads requiring valid purposes. If there's a thread about HL2 mods, then maybe a thread just for discussion of the story. Maybe that's too much. I don't know, nor do I really care. Take it up with your G&T mods on a case by case basis and if you dislike the answer you get, go cry in the corner or do whatever it is you do.

Henroid

pheezer FD wrote:

Take it up with your G&T mods on a case by case basis and if you dislike the answer you get, go cry in the corner or do whatever it is you do.

I, personally, like to listen to Linkin Park at times like that.

Pheezer

Henroid wrote:

pheezer FD wrote:

Take it up with your G&T mods on a case by case basis and if you dislike the answer you get, go cry in the corner or do whatever it is you do.

I, personally, like to listen to Linkin Park at times like that.

I would've pegged you for a Dashboard Confessional kind of girl.

TalkingClay

pheezer FD wrote:

Learn to deal with threads requiring valid purposes. If there's a thread about HL2 mods, then maybe a thread just for discussion of the story. Maybe that's too much. I don't know, nor do I really care. Take it up with your G&T mods on a case by case basis and if you dislike the answer you get, go cry in the corner or do whatever it is you do.

The question is how broad does a a thread topic have to be. If someone makes a thread about any sort of DS new fors instance chances are a mod will get on his high horse and start whinging about needless threads. Apparently any new related to the system is supposed to go in one thread. The effect? Well the same news gets posted multiple times because since it's just incidental posts randomly in a very long thread it's difficult to search for. Then the mods start crying about repeated news posts. It's a very insane situation that seems almost exclusive to these boards.

Mr_Snuffle

pheezer FD wrote:

Henroid wrote:

I would propose this.

Keep the current system in place, but have a sticky or something that lists the current "hot topics," which would be threads for things that do move pretty damn fast. New game releases would be the best example. Aside from that though, G&T wouldn't need five threads covering Starcraft tactics or something.

I propose that you all stop complaining. That's far too much work.

Learn to deal with threads requiring valid purposes. If there's a thread about HL2 mods, then maybe a thread just for discussion of the story. Maybe that's too much. I don't know, nor do I really care. Take it up with your G&T mods on a case by case basis and if you dislike the answer you get, go cry in the corner or do whatever it is you do.

I'm not sure if you tried to come across as a jerk in that post, but that is the impression I got.

All I would like to move away from this mentality people have of pointing things towards offical threads. A lot of people seem think that we can't have multiple threads about the one topic, which isn't the way I feel forums should work.

Sorry I brought up something that concerns me about the community.

Henroid

The truth is, and this applies to what I've said as well, it all comes down to a mod's interpretation of the rule "one thread per topic." A topic could mean a games music or graphics, and not just the game itself.

I guess they are mods because Alpha/Deni trust their judgment.

Pheezer

Mr_Snuffle wrote:

pheezer FD wrote:

Henroid wrote:

I would propose this.

Keep the current system in place, but have a sticky or something that lists the current "hot topics," which would be threads for things that do move pretty damn fast. New game releases would be the best example. Aside from that though, G&T wouldn't need five threads covering Starcraft tactics or something.

I propose that you all stop complaining. That's far too much work.

Learn to deal with threads requiring valid purposes. If there's a thread about HL2 mods, then maybe a thread just for discussion of the story. Maybe that's too much. I don't know, nor do I really care. Take it up with your G&T mods on a case by case basis and if you dislike the answer you get, go cry in the corner or do whatever it is you do.

I'm not sure if you tried to come across as a jerk in that post, but that is the impression I got.

Actually, I was. And it was mostly in response to Hen's specific suggestion.

Your concerns make sense. But did you really expect a consensus to be obtained by making a thread here? Do you really think it's possible to arrive at a set protocol for this?

I think your concerns would be better pursued in direct conversation with the people responsible for those decisions.

Mr_Snuffle

pheezer FD wrote:

Mr_Snuffle wrote:

pheezer FD wrote:

Henroid wrote:

I would propose this.

Keep the current system in place, but have a sticky or something that lists the current "hot topics," which would be threads for things that do move pretty damn fast. New game releases would be the best example. Aside from that though, G&T wouldn't need five threads covering Starcraft tactics or something.

I propose that you all stop complaining. That's far too much work.

Learn to deal with threads requiring valid purposes. If there's a thread about HL2 mods, then maybe a thread just for discussion of the story. Maybe that's too much. I don't know, nor do I really care. Take it up with your G&T mods on a case by case basis and if you dislike the answer you get, go cry in the corner or do whatever it is you do.

I'm not sure if you tried to come across as a jerk in that post, but that is the impression I got.

Actually, I was. And it was mostly in response to Hen's specific suggestion.

Your concerns make sense. But did you really expect a consensus to be obtained by making a thread here? Do you really think it's possible to arrive at a set protocol for this?

I think your concerns would be better pursued in direct conversation with the people responsible for those decisions.

I had thought about doing that, but I felt I should leave the modding up to the mods, and bring my complaints to them.

I know there is no black and white "this deserves its own thread" and it really is on a case by case basis, but I feel there is something that can be done to push things along. I feel an anouncment that you aren't going to be as strict on multiple threads, and maybe jumping on people thatare jerks about "n00b! put it in the offical thread x!" might do that.

Dog

The Cat wrote:

Where are the G&T mods in all this, anyway?

Probably modding in G&T.

Pheezer

SeñorAmor wrote:

The Cat wrote:

Where are the G&T mods in all this, anyway?

Probably masturbating & in tears.

Dog

pheezer FD wrote:

SeñorAmor wrote:

The Cat wrote:

Where are the G&T mods in all this, anyway?

Probably masturbating & in tears.

This from someone who apparently likes Jerkcity.

Your words mean nothing to me, Jerkcity-lover! Nothing!

The Cat

SeñorAmor wrote:

The Cat wrote:

Where are the G&T mods in all this, anyway?

Probably modding in G&T.

what, can't they manage 2 things at once? weak

Raijin Quickfoot

The G&T mods never seem to be around when they are needed...what G&T needs is a fiesty guy who used to be a mod there that now mods Linksville...that would make the place so much better.

mcc

Mr_Snuffle wrote:

I was talking to mcc about it the other day, and he mentioned that the mods were trying to push it back to people making multiple threads about the one topic.

It should be noted this was just observation on my part, not any kind of a actual representation of a specific position of the G&T mods. We don't have any big one topic threads at this point except the DS and PSP threads, and those are dying out-- they aren't really used for major news event discussion anymore, and they fall off the front page frequently...

deadonthestreet

I really don't see a problem in there at all. If there is a redundant thread it gets locked. If you have an issue with your thread getting locked, most of the time a quick PM explaining your case fixes the problem.

Nfinit Vylence

I'd venture to say these big threads die out because it's simply impossible to read through those beasts to glean any useful information.

Pheezer

SeñorAmor wrote:

o. rly??

Dioretsa

There are good things about it. I know on this other forum I read, on the night Half Life 2 was released there was a whole page full of Half Life 2 threads. But not here. I think it makes us look a little smarter, or more civilzed, or something.

Deusfaux

i think the fact that someone asked a minor simple question about the DS and was immediately told to go slog through the big all encompassing DS thread was pretty lame.

multiple threads should be allowed, people just have to use discretion when considering if they are valid or not.

topics which will soon die should NOT be a problem

mcc

I think we should treat the DS and PSP threads like what they are-- chat threads. The only concern then is that specific "will die soon" threads not turn into general discussion threads themselves...

I do think it makes sense to continue to quarantine REALLY big releases to one discussion thread and one GAME ON thread when they occur, but if people are afraid to create new threads this is probably a problem.

FyreWulff

The Cat wrote:

(hint: use the sodding search function, plskthxsoverymuch)?

it's funny when people tell others to use a function of the forums that doesn't fucking work.

Älphämönkëy

FyreWulff wrote:

The Cat wrote:

(hint: use the sodding search function, plskthxsoverymuch)?

it's funny when people tell others to use a function of the forums that doesn't fucking work.

Explain.

mcc

alphamonkey wrote:

FyreWulff wrote:

The Cat wrote:

(hint: use the sodding search function, plskthxsoverymuch)?

it's funny when people tell others to use a function of the forums that doesn't fucking work.

Explain.

Well, as far as that goes, the search function doesn't work. It hasn't for several days.

Try it. No matter what you search for, anything, it says "no posts found that meet that criteria".

I assumed you knew ^_^;

Älphämönkëy

mcc wrote:

alphamonkey wrote:

FyreWulff wrote:

The Cat wrote:

(hint: use the sodding search function, plskthxsoverymuch)?

it's funny when people tell others to use a function of the forums that doesn't fucking work.

Explain.

Well, as far as that goes, the search function doesn't work. It hasn't for several days.

Try it. No matter what you search for, anything, it says "no posts found that meet that criteria".

I assumed you knew ^_^;

Well shit. It's too late for me to work on tonight. I'm going to look at it in the morning. Until I get out of my addiction phase to WoW, if a thread isn't started in monkey den, I don't know about it. Also, I'm spending a lot of my time working on server things recently.

MrFisticuffs

Search function works peachily for me, and has for the last couple of weeks

mcc

For me "search for author" works but if I put anything at all in the "search for keywords" box ("resident evil", "nintendo", "sony") nothing is returned.

Orthanc

mcc wrote:

For me "search for author" works but if I put anything at all in the "search for keywords" box ("resident evil", "nintendo", "sony") nothing is returned.

I beg to differ.

Classics Ho

I suspec that nintendo and sony are sufficiently common that they have been added to the ignored words list.


Too many fanboys

Toast

What is needed is basically a rules clarification so that it reads something like "no duplicate discussions". Where having multiple threads is dumb is where you end up having the same argument with the same people in two different threads simultaneously, because it's just a) pointless and b) repetitive. General topic threads should be for rambling discussion and minor tidbits, and frankly the "omg official topic fool" should only apply where the information in the new thread isn't in the first post of the official thread, because no-one wants to read 60 pages before posting. I'd like to keep up with HL2 news, but I can't because it's all in that ridiculous HL2 thread which I don't have time to read.
The reason this won't work as just an informal chat with a few mods is that the people doing the "official thread!!!" posts atm are actually backed up by the actual rules, the actions of most of the mods and the general unwritten laws of G&T. The only way to change it properly will be a rules change and some way of bringing this to the attention of everyone.
And anyone suggesting that topics like the DS need a Hot Topic doesn't understand how forums work.

mcc

OK...

I should probably say that I do not think it makes sense to unify or consider as unified the dupe threads policies for G&T and D&D. We talk about different kinds of things and the circumstances under which the One Big Thread phenomenon occurs are very different.

mcc

Orthanc wrote:

Classics Ho

...

"duke nukem" works.

"duke" DOESN'T.

i just typed in "tolkien" and that worked. that's the only search i've done in like a week that was successful. regardless "lord of the rings" doesn't return any hits.

Pheezer

mcc wrote:

OK...

I should probably say that I do not think it makes sense to unify the dupe threads policies for G&T and D&D. We talk about different kinds of things and the circumstances under which the One Big Thread phenomenon occurs are very different.

Given that both forums are very different and have very different rules charters, I think this would be a wise move.

apotheos

It's very simple.

Subjects should be confined to single threads at the discretion of the mods. There are many times when multiple threads are perfectly valid, ie.

- Half Life 2 Single Player Campaign
- Half Life 2 Game On
- Half Life 2 Mods

Cramming all these subjects into one thread just makes that one thread sucks balls.

Recently there was 2 Blockland threads - one was a Game On and the other I didn't really get and seemed to be kind of a Blockland in-joke. I'm not entirely certain, but I don't think we needed both.


...


The problem then becomes one of users knowing what to do with threads suspected of being duplications. If we leave the door open ambiguously, people will be "OMG GO POST HERE/NO U FAGGOT THIS THREAD IS OK FOR (insert nuanced explaination here)/I DUNT THINK SO COCKMAGGOT U SUK/O YA? U EAT POO"

Unless we can get Mod on around the clock - which I don't think we can ever do - this will always be a concern.

So how about:
- One thread per subject without prior mod approval.

?

Henroid

apotheos wrote:

Unless we can get Mod on around the clock - which I don't think we can ever do - this will always be a concern.

Just an off handed comment on that - things seemed to work that way before 90X got his soul stolen by WoW. :P

MulysaSempronius

-=sigh=-
wtf people.

Deusfaux

MulysaSempronius wrote:

-=sigh=-
wtf people.

its because you defended my purposes to some degree in the other one. lambasted by association