Game Threads

[Boo]

[strike][size=1][font=wingdings]Seriously, most of the game threads I've seen until now are utterly useless. For example that scramble thing. The posts only include the answer, a new scramble and a hint. What kind of quality is that?

Lots of members who've post in the thread, have posts that are way below any kind of standard. The posts are missing punctuation, capital letters and a serious amount of content. I mean, come on, the 'Choose...' thread even had more words [i]and[/i] thought put into each post than the scrambled words thread.

Now I hate to be the whiny old member, but in threads like this one, it's clearly to see how the quality of OtakuBoards has dropped. I have no idea when this happened exactly, all I know is that it [i]did[/i]. There was a time, not so long ago, that these kinds of threads would've been instantly closed as there was no discussion possible on the subject.

Surely there are new members who don't have much experience yet, but threads like these threads, loaded with bad posts, does [i]not[/i] encourage them to do any better. Everyone was a new member once and old members such as me, or older, probably have had their own share of bad posts. However, at one point OtakuBoards decided to improve it's quality incredibly and made new members improve their post quality as soon as possible (if necessary). If not, they would be slammed out of the OtakuBoards with a certain rod, never to be able to return again. Or at least they'd be pointed at their quality.

Now, let's get this clear. I am [i]not[/i] talking about 3 years ago or whatever unreasonable number there was being talked about in The Complaint. As I said, I am not sure when it was that the quality was being improved drastically, so don't come throwing threads about 'favourite socks' or anything at me. I'm just saying that I believe, once people were pointed at to improve their quality, which I don't remember to have seen a lot lately, while it certainly [i]is[/i] necessary. It's a lot of only 'pointing back to stickies' lately, which some members will very likely just take a glance at, at most.

Meh, [b]anyway[/b]. I would say threads like the game threads lately are really not good for the quality of OtakuBoards. There's no discussion possible and they swarm few word posts.

And to make it clear again: The point is not "look at where we started at", but the point is "look at where we once were, not so long ago". It was probably the time that OtakuBoards was being called "too strict". I don't mean to bash the moderators or anything, it's just something that came to my attention lately.
[/font][/strike][/size]

I love piggybanks and flowers, lolol!

[Solo Tremaine]

[COLOR=#503F86]Personally, I don't think the post quality's degraded at all.

I'll admit, I rarely participate in game threads because it feels like a cheap post. But you don't have to look very far for something intelligent and engaging. S'just one thread out of many, many more.[/COLOR]

[Sandy]

Oh, [I]please[/I] let's not start this whole quality-debate again! It's been too little time from the last thread of this type... :/

[B]Boo[/B], you [I]know[/I] that if you have a problem with a thread, you can just [B]report[/B] it with your arguments and let the mods decide if your points were valid or not. I know you know this.

So... enough?

[Charles]

Haha, take a chill pill Sandy.

[quote name='Boo][size=1']Seriously, most of the game threads I've seen until now are utterly useless. For example that scramble thing. The posts only include the answer, a new scramble and a hint. What kind of quality is that?[/size][/quote]

Eh, it depends. I haven't bothered with the scramble thread but as long as the hint or puzzle, or whatever is creative and engaging, then the posts shouldn't necessarily need to involve long discussions. Don't mistake quality for post length. As long as something has a point and is enjoyable then it is of quality. Just look at the riddle event; that game is pretty cool, involves thought and doesn't involve long discussion. On the other hand, if a game is just spam and operates around nonesense, then obviously there's a problem. "You say a word, I say a word" games are generally a good example of that.

Yeah, it's true that this is a discussion forum, but this place shouldn't put on a serious face all the time. Fun is important too; for me, fun is the most important.

[Ikillion]

[COLOR=#234d8a][SIZE=1][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Well although I havent been here to see what the OB was like back in the "Golden Age" I think its kind of fun to have a game thread every once in a while. I mean hey Its not like this is some kind of communist forum... right?

Although I do have to admit, some times in said game threads people do have absolutly no post quality. Yet what Charles said its more of mistaking it of post quality with post length yeah?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Dragon Warrior]

[size=1]The way I see it (like anyone cares ;)) is that if it's not breaking the rules and people are enjoying it and it's making the forum fun, so be it. Let sleeping dogs lie, word :^D

'Nuff said.[/size]

[Desbreko]

[quote name='Boo][size=1]Now, let's get this clear. I am [i]not[/i] talking about 3 years ago or whatever unreasonable number there was being talked about in The Complaint. As I said, I am not sure when it was that the quality was being improved drastically, so don't come throwing threads about 'favourite socks' or anything at me. I'm just saying that I believe, once people were pointed at to improve their quality, which I don't remember to have seen a lot lately, while it certainly [i]is[/i'] necessary. It's a lot of only 'pointing back to stickies' lately, which some members will very likely just take a glance at, at most.[/size][/quote][color=#4B0082]The push for quality has been happening for as long as I can remember, and is still happening today. I think the last big push happened with the launch of v7, but we always encourage members to post the best they can. At the least, I don't think we've eased up since then.

Also, an important thing to remember is that you're only getting half the story when you see in-thread warnings. Yes, we do a lot of pointing to the rules and the various stickies, but there's also discussion happening in the staff forum, warnings being sent via PM, and bans being carried out which you aren't seeing. So we do follow up on those in-thread warnings if someone doesn't heed the rules/stickies.

[b]Anyway[/b] (:p), I've always been of the opinion that fun, entertainment-oriented threads (as opposed to discussion-oriented threads) are a great thing to have around. Obviously a majority of the threads out there are going to be discussion based, so the game threads are a nice change of pace. So as long as they don't actually violate any rules, I don't have any problem with them.[/color]

[Boo]

[font=wingdings][strike][quote name='Sandy]Oh, [I]please[/I'] let's not start this whole quality-debate again! It's been too little time from the last thread of this type... :/[/quote][size=1]That's why mine was about more specific subjects, like the game threads. I do not intend to stir up a debate about quality on OtakuBoard, as no one ever agrees on an other. [/size]

[quote name='Sandy][B]Boo[/B], you [I]know[/I] that if you have a problem with a thread, you can just [B]report[/B'] it with your arguments and let the mods decide if your points were valid or not. I know you know this.[/quote]
[size=1]Sandy, I [i]know[/i] that I can [b]report[/b] posts, but if there's two pages full of bad quality posts lacking punctuation, capital letters and any sign of content, I'm not going to report them all, kthxbai. [/size][/font]

[quote name='Sandy']So... enough?[/quote][size=1]Whatever. You're just acting pissed, because[/strike] I'm cooler than you. :whoops:[strike]
[font=wingdings]
Now Desbreko, my point about the game threads was not really that the game threads immediately break the rules. I was trying to say that they beg for low quality repliers. And a whole lot of the replies are easy anyway and not a challenge at all, but seem to be just posted 'just to post in the thread'.

Ah well, I knew I'd be regretting this thread in the morning. -.-[/strike][/size][/font]

My mum can bake very wel, roffelzilla!!!

[Solo Tremaine]

[quote name='Boo][size=1]Sandy, I [i]know[/i] that I can [b]report[/b'] posts, but if there's two pages full of bad quality posts lacking punctuation, capital letters and any sign of content, I'm not going to report them all, kthxbai. [/size][/quote][COLOR=#503F86]Or you could send a PM to the forum Mod expressing your concern.

[quote name='Boo][size=1']I was trying to say that they beg for low quality repliers. And a whole lot of the replies are easy anyway and not a challenge at all, but seem to be just posted 'just to post in the thread'.[/size][/quote]That's generally what I feel, but how many other threads are started just for posting's sake even with discussions you can actually talk about? Not every thread has to have a higher purpose to it other than just being to post in. Kinda defies the point of the Boards, otherwise :p

I don't mind there being harmlessly fun, inane game threads- it's not as if I'm obliged to read them.[/COLOR]

[James]

[font=arial]I think others have covered it relatively well, I'll just say one thing.

I am sick and tired of the whole "look at how much worse off we are now than we used to be" sentiment. I do not think it is an objective viewpoint.

We've had game threads before, we've had times where they've been closed...and they reappear. It's a natural ebb and flow. Some game threads are worth keeping, some aren't. It's about the Moderator's own judgement.

In many ways, we are even tighter on quality now than we were before. Just use the thread search function and you'll see.

Basically, while I want to focus on quality...I'm not going to starve OtakuBoards of [i]fun[/i]. And fun means different things to different people, regardless of whether or not they post with good English and obey the rules.

I am sure I run the risk of being misinterpreted, so let me reiterate that I [i]do[/i] believe in quality. But let's keep a healthy perspective - we can maintain a variety of threads and [i]still[/i] be a fundamentally high-quality site.

We just have to lighten up a little. :catgirl: [/font]

[Boo]

[size=1][strike][font=wingdings]Ikillion, it's not a matter of mistaking quality for length, trust me. The post quality is horrid in there. xRiku Fanx[enter lots of numbers here] is a very good example of someone who spends their time posting half a page full with bad quality. What I [i]remember[/i], he would've been banned or at least be warned several times by now, normally. I guess I remember that incorrectly though. [/strike][/font]

And fun on a forum has nothing to do with communism, thank you very much.

[strike][font=wingdings]Solo, I do not have anything against the games themselves, but I have something against the bad quality they attract.

The quality of most of OtakuBoards has indeed only improved. It's just that it seems that OtakuBoards has loosened up a bit too much regarding post quality of new members in certain areas. But yeah, like I said, I probably remembered that wrong.[/strike] [/size][/font]

Big pancakes in the sky with maple syrup.

[Sandy]

[quote name='Boo][size=1] xRiku Fanx[enter lots of numbers here] is a very good example of someone who spends their time posting half a page full with bad quality. What I [i]remember[/i'], he would've been banned or at least be warned several times by now, normally. [/size][/quote]

How do you know he's not [I]already[/I] been warned by a moderator? I haven't because he hasn't broken any rules in Adventure Square, but somebody else might very well have.

I certainly wasn't pissed off at you, Boo, I'm sorry you interpreted it that way. I just share my opinion with James; it's really annoying to hear about the quality of this site going down constantly, when this is still the cleanest and most well-run forum I've ever seen in the internet, and I, for one, have heard enough of the complaints.

Some typoes and short posts in one thread ain't going to kill you, Boo, so let the kids play for a while. If it gets out of hand, there's a whole bunch of mods in the Lounge to take care of it.

[Desbreko]

[quote name='Boo][size=1']Now Desbreko, my point about the game threads was not really that the game threads immediately break the rules. I was trying to say that they beg for low quality repliers. And a whole lot of the replies are easy anyway and not a challenge at all, but seem to be just posted 'just to post in the thread'.[/size][/quote][color=#4B0082]I don't think that's really the case, though. It's just as easy to write a short, sloppy post in nearly any thread out there as it is to write one in a game thread. They may attract a lot of new members whose post quality may not be up to par, since they provide the entertainment many members are looking for in a message board--why visit if you don't enjoy it, after all--but that's no reason to disallow them entirely. You could use the same reasoning to ban favorite threads or even RPGs.

Game threads do get closed down if they get too spammy, though, just like other threads. It's not like we make a special exception for them or anything.[/color]

[Boo]

[quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082']You could use the same reasoning to ban favorite threads.[/color][/quote]
[size=3][font=Wingdings]I like big french cheese, so what?[/font][/size]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]Er, no, they weren't. Favorite threads were discouraged for a while, after a huge rash of them popped up a long time ago, but they've never been banned completely. As long as the original post and the subsequent replies are of decent quality they stay open.[/color]

[Boo]

[size=1] [i]08-06-2002, 09:18 AM[/i]
[quote name='Sensei-San]Nope, favourite threads [i]aren't[/i'] allowed.[/quote]

[i]04-05-2002, 11:46 AM [/i]
[quote=Break][size=1]The rules state that there are to be no more "who/what's you're favorite..." threads.

Topic closed. (I love saying that ^^;;)[/size][/quote]

[i]5-29-2002, 04:28 PM [/i]
[quote=Sephiroth]
There are two things wrong with this thread....

1. It is about final fantasy, this is the sony forum, post final fantasy related topics in the final fantasy forum

2. We no longer allow any "favourite" topics on OtakuBoards

and so, I will now close this thread....

Topic Closed [/quote]

[i]05-10-2002, 05:02 PM[/i]
[quote name='Transtic Nerve']Favorite Threads are not allowed. [/quote]


And thus the favourite threads were closed.

"Not Allowed" does not equal "Discouraged".[/size]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]Hmm, maybe they were actually banned altogether for a little while. That was four years ago, and my memory of v4/v5 is a bit fuzzy. . . . But still, that was only done to stop the flood of them that was pouring into the forums at the time. Later, when the craze had died down, we allowed them again so long as they kept up with the quality standards, which had steadily risen since the threads were banned. After that, right up to the present, favorite threads haven't been a problem.

Getting back to the topic at hand, game threads haven't gotten anywhere close to the level favorite threads were at back in 2002. Some of them are spammy and get closed, but they're still very much in the minority of the total number of threads being posted. Favorite threads, on the other hand, had taken over 1/4 to 1/2 of the first page of some forums before they were banned. (The Final Fantasy forum was a hideous sight to see at that time.) So I really don't think there's enough justification to ban them entirely.[/color]

[Solo Tremaine]

[color=#503f86]I don't think the phrase 'Favourite threads are not allowed' exists in this OB era.

Ever since I first started moderating Yu-Gi-Oh I always treated favourites threads as Desbreko described. It's unfair to close threads just because they [i]have the potential[/i] to get spammy as long as they're handled responsibly. Similarly, you could also immediately close any threads discussing values about marriage or homosexuality because they could get abusive. You can usually tell from the outset what it's going to be like, but it's not always the case.

If you look at the Boards four/five years ago I'd say the overall quality was probably significantly worse than it is now, hence the reason for stricter controls over the threads that popped up. We're probably only posting here now because of the way the Rules had been put into the place in the past, but to keep that level of regulation with a larger member base isn't practical or fair, especially considering how game and favourite threads like that play a part in almost any forum on the net anyway.

But there are still controls in place to stop spammy threads where they aren't meant to be. Any thread in the Anime Lounge I've seen titled something like 'Sesshoumaru or Orochimaru?' gets closed because it isn't going to lead anywhere far, and there are other threads to discuss the anime already. It's up to the Moderator to judge whether the quality's bad enough to warrant a closure and/or warning. Besides, it usually isn't long before people get bored of threads like that anyway. There are only so many times and so many members that can post codes, favourite lists and any other inane information in threads like that. And for the most part, anyone whose post quality is too bad either gets banned pretty quickly or just leaves of their own accord. It's not doing that much harm.[/color]

[Boo]

[size=1]Yeah, I don't really care anymore, as nothing will happen with the things I said anyway. Good evening. :)[/size]

[DeathKnight]

[quote name='Sandy']I know you know this.[/quote]

[color=crimson]Then why even say that, lol.

You sound like a broken record in these forums lately. Just take a break, get yourself a lemonade and let yourself relax.[/color]

[quote name='Ikillion][COLOR=#234d8a][SIZE=1][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Well although I havent been here to see what the OB was like back in the "Golden Age" I think its kind of fun to have a game thread every once in a while. I mean hey Its not like this is some kind of communist forum... right?[/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote]

[color=crimson]It was a lot of spam and interaction that was good hearted but not really engaging or deep. It was pretty annoying sometime. I mean, I know I was annoying. We were all annoying and really damn hyper.

It was phased out for a cleaner, more user friendly OB full of [strike]egotistical retards[/strike] users that hound forums like "Otaku Lounge" and "Suggestions & Feedback" awaiting the proper threads to engage in whimsically fantastic debates.

So, both the "Golden Age" and the "Current Age" were irritations in their own right but very amusing at times.

Nostalgia just clouds oldies vision to the former more than the latter.[/color]

[quote name='James][font=arial]Basically, while I want to focus on quality...I'm not going to starve OtakuBoards of [i]fun[/i'].[/font][/quote]

[color=crimson]*confetti*

ALRIGHT! THREE CHEERS FOR JAMES![/color]

[quote name='Boo][size=1']Yeah, I don't really care anymore, as nothing will happen with the things I said anyway. Good evening. :)[/size][/quote]

[color=crimson]...

*confetti*![/color]

[James]

[font=arial]It's not that we won't do anything about it...it's just that we all have to step back a bit and take a clear look at things.

No matter how high-quality OB becomes, you're always going to have members who aren't quite as capable as others when it comes to amazing posts. And you're always going to have different tastes in thread style.

I don't like game threads at all, but I know there are people who do...so why rule it out?

One-line posts are fine, as long as they add something and aren't [i]entirely[/i] pointless.

If we became [i]too[/i] focused on how many words are in a post or the post subjects, we'd end up with a very sterile and uninteresting site. I'd really hate for OB to completely lose its sense of fun and humor. ^_^[/font]

[uchihagirl]

[quote name='Boo][size=3][font=Wingdings]I like big french cheese, so what?[/font'][/size][/quote]


o.O Um, tell me what "I like big french cheese" has to do with the subject...I don't get it. :animestun

[Sandy]

[QUOTE=DeathKnight][color=crimson]
You sound like a broken record in these forums lately. Just take a break, get yourself a lemonade and let yourself relax.[/color][/QUOTE]

What have I said to deserve that? :/ Unlike you think, I'm not an uptight person, really. I might say things in a short way without using excessive "pleases" and "thank yous", but that's just the way I speak.

What do you even mean by "broken record"? That I'm just repeating stuff over and over again? Huh?! I was just stating my opinion, which I think I have every right to do.

Heh, I wasn't aware that I was annoying people to this extent. Good to know. ;P

[Dragon Warrior]

[quote name='uchihagirl']o.O Um, tell me what "I like big french cheese" has to do with the subject...I don't get it. :animestun[/quote]

Don't mind Boo. He's special :^D

Heh, ohhh, Sandy, we love you :) There's no annoyance here. OB's a big happy family.

[DeathKnight]

[quote name='Sandy']What have I said to deserve that?[/quote]

[color=crimson]*offers you a lemonade*

Confucius say: Wise men never reject offers of lemonade and relaxation.[/color]

[quote name='Sandy']What do you even mean by "broken record"? That I'm just repeating stuff over and over again?[/quote]

[color=crimson]Perhaps?[/color]

[quote name='Sandy']I was just stating my opinion, which I think I have every right to do.[/quote]

[color=crimson]If you have that right, I do as well.[/color]

[quote name='Sandy']Heh, I wasn't aware that I was annoying people to this extent. Good to know. ;P[/quote]

[color=crimson]Knowledge is power! *confetti~~~*[/color]