Viewing Thread:
"For Tony, Ali and Notables"

Please, unless you're one of the above, please dont spam this thread with nonsense, I just want opinions from these guys on the following:

I’ve been reading through the posts concerning how the forums have fallen recently, pointless topics etc and spamming from newbies just to get their stats up.
RBS suggested it should it based on time, not word counts and that’s cool.

I would also like to suggest that you use Moderators for the forums.
One or two people per forum that are able to monitor and/or modify posts.
Be it deleting or simply closing a thread to prevent anymore posts on something considered futile.
Be the moderators Notable or regulars that are respected and counted with expertise in particular forum topics.
For example, Sonic and Bonus are tech wizards, Grix seems to know Nintendo etc etc and I know movies and music.

I’m not saying Moderators should take over from SR web staff, it would just remove some pressure from you guys to monitor and check each thread, regulars you can trust and spend most of their day in here (being at work with nothing else to do etc) and can make sure their “allocated forum” maintains some degree of interest.

No idea if it would work, but I’ve seen moderators on other forums and it seems to work pretty well there.

Just an idea

In response the Meka's questions:

There need not be mods on all the time... like the SR staff they would just have to check their boards reguarly.

If for any reason a mod that was voted in could not do this (eg during exams), then they would make this clear to the staff who could then replace them.

Also, I agree that mods might not be the best answer... but the problem is that while people are still posting rubbish, somethign ahs to be done.

Sonic

Agreed.

I'm not saying Moderators are the answer, just throwing ideas out there.

I've seen them on other forums and they work pretty well, not always on-line but you have a point of contact for problems instead of "Oi Tony!" topics.

It's just me, but I'm amazed when people demand attention from the guy that owns the company, never seen that done anywhere else.

But just how many people have the time to do this?

There could come a time when no forum moderator was online, and this could cause some problems.

People could think that certain things were acceptable, as they wouldn't be rectified.

I'm not sure that moderators are the solution. I'm not saying it won't work, I'm just not sure.

The main thing, of course, is tryingto keep the forums to what they are supposed to be, and starting gaming related threads does that better than anything.

We just need something to keep them on track....

Granted, I'm not laying down "Dont post in here!" rules, just trying to keep it to the moderator idea, but you're right, you in-topic.

Sorry dude, just expect "blah blah blah" from people, it happens a lot lately.

But not with you or Shanks etc.
Ok, let's run with the moderator idea:
So far(not cast in stone):

2 per forum, elected by notables and staff.

Both moderators have to agree with deleting a post, only with OK from staff at SR.

Thread can be closed to prevent future postings if deletion is too severe.

Newbies (and regs) can post to Moderator with any questions for that forum and how it should be played.

Moderators are NOT there to only tolerate posts they like from people they like. Any and all posts are valid, until such time is is apparent that it's getting out of control with insults, flaming, irrelevant topics etc.

Moderators themselves are "monitored" by notables and staff to ensure they are not power-hungry despots.

- - -

Any more?

Goatboy wrote:
> Sonic mate, these are all good points, but I'd like to keep this
> thread down to moderator idea for Tony and Notables for read.

I'm
> not having a pop, I've read your posts and have to admit that you
> post seriously good stuff, I'd just like to keep this to a
> minimum?

Cheers

Goatboy


Of course you're right... but the staff will only creat moderators if:

1) they see good reason to... and that's why I'm posting my views

2) they know the option exists! After all, if we didn't put our suggestions up then where sould the site be!

Sonic

Surely...

The most drastic move we would need to make...

(if any?)

would be to have any/all non-prime topics, posted within the FOG(Prime), shifted across to FOG(chatter)

This could be done by the Webmaster, whomever, whenever they have the time/can be bothered...

(although I wouldnt reccommend any notables/regulars having this sort of power)

I can understand if people complain about dodgy/chat topics being posted into FOG(Prime)...

But, surely noone can complain about the topics being posted into chatter... the whole point of the forum to to have non-FOG related topics being posted there?

This is pretty much the fastest moving forum around at the moment... even American forums, with much a much larger user base generally move a lot more slowly...

Theres also a much better social atmosphere around the FOG forums... which would change greatly if too much of the forum was altered...

Equally, I think making Moderators of regulars or notables would be a bad move...

Surely its up to us to police ourselves?... Are we so irrisponcable that we need more people to decide what is valid to post and what isnt?

We have the forum we made for ourselves... I would rather we attempted a little self restraint... (which itself would largly be followed by the newbies)... than have further rules and regulations put down on us...

Sonic mate, these are all good points, but I'd like to keep this thread down to moderator idea for Tony and Notables for read.

I'm not having a pop, I've read your posts and have to admit that you post seriously good stuff, I'd just like to keep this to a minimum?

Cheers

Goatboy

Also, maybe we can "warn" members... if they post something bad, then the moderator/webmaster can put "warning given" on their tagline. If they then go on to repeatedly post badly, then they will be kicked off.

Sonic

here is something I posted on another topic... but is also relevant here:

HAve a star point system... every day good posts get one point.. with as few or little being awarded as the posts on that day merit. Points can be taken off members for bad posts.

A NEW IDEA would be to have the forum moderators (of they are implemented) being the people who award/take away these start points.

These points will be displayed in taglines, and will be used when selecting newbies to become regulars (eg. a newbie who has 10 star points and the required number of posts wuould become a reg... a newbie with -1 star points would not!). Also, members can be kicked off if they have too many bad posts (eg. -10 points)

Sonic

Agreed, to a point.
I'm not sure about newbies not starting new topics, but that's just my opinion. Some have made very interesting and valid contributions, there might be a newbie with something really original to say, but unable to start a thread?

I'm not disagreeing with you, just chewing the fat so to speak.
RBS suggestion of time vs word count is cool, and I still go with my moderator idea.

2 people per room, that way at least one is usually about.
2 people voted for by notables and staff (not in the forums but via email to stop one of those huge "i vote for" threads), with some knowledge of whichever forum they should take care of.

I think with 2 people, if 1 thinks a thread should be deleted, it takes the other moderator to agree and they then submit it to whoever at SR - that prevents malicious removals of threads willy-nilly.

That way, any queries by newbies can be directed towards a moderator, be it via email or a thread. It frees up Tony etc from policing and clearing up thread after thread after thread.

I think, with some careful guiding, we can get this back on track with little effort.