Discourse on Games of a Spammy Nature

Hello everyone. Today I'd like to level with you on an issue that I feel has been simmering in the shadows for a little while now, and I think it's due time we had some good old-fashioned open discussion on the issue of Roleplay Threads and other such spammy content in the forum games.

Now, there are a number of people who seem quite passionate about the issue on either side.

Why do you care if we (NOT you) play a forum game with a somewhat spammy nature, in a forum that does not add to your postcount, which pretty much eliminates the "spam" part of it? So, in battle, we do one word commands, but in our RPing, we have pretty large posts.
LET US PLAY OUR GAME IN PEACE

One of the primary concerns with these things is that they seem to generate a large volume of vapid content that literally everybody that isn't directly involved has absolutely no interest in. You might say "Well don't read it!" but, the forum is very small; there aren't a whole lot of posts in any given day, so it's not unusual for people to want to read all the day's posts, or at least all the posts of satellite lounge or CS Discussion or whathaveyou. So, when they see a lot of posts that are really difficult (read: awful) to read, it can detract from their experience of the forum. Another point to consider is that these threads bump more serious or legitimate conversation off the front page, which is effectively shared by three of the most posted in subforums on the site.

The primary subject of discussion is of course the "adventurer's forest" threads. However, one should not forget the other forum games threads that seem to rapidly degenerate into two to three people posting reams of thoughtless, uninteresting, unfunny posts that seem to exist for the sole purpose of the author deriving immense personal pleasure in making posts appear on the screen.

I now invite you, the good people of the forums, to express your opinions on the matter. Let us air this issue out in a healthy way.

 

Additionally, they remove other threads from the "bumped" position, meaning that we have to go into forums and subgroups to sort through the new posts in the Satellite Lounge.

 

If anyone votes for numero cinco I will commit fake suicide.
Perhaps putting the forum based games in its own section, while drastic, would make updates in the lounge/spot/media far more visible.
\o/

 

Well, since I just View New Content, visibility's not an issue for me. I can (and do) easily ignore anything I want to. My only issue is that the forums are host to some very, very, very stupid forum games that I could not be paid money to participate in, and I can't help but think this reflects badly on the rest of the forums.
I'm not really angry about this affront to the forums' very being, since it's just some kids being dumbass kids, but people seem to be getting the impression that it's okay to roleplay in non-TAF threads.
You know who you are.
I'm not one to let my opinion dictate who is allowed to have fun (no really, I'm serious), but if you're just annoying everyone who doesn't play your stupid little roleplaying game, perhaps you should consider packing up shop. Roleplaying threads don't benefit the forum at all, especially if they are as terrible as the ones we've experienced.
I sort of, uh... despise the forum games forum, since everything turns into a braindead circlejerk, but if that's what we need to pacify the 14-year-olds, then let it stay so that I have a convenient collection of threads to avoid.

 

I am against all the RP threads in these forums.

 

I think that perhaps a good solution would be to create an IRC Channel for such roleplaying. That way, the only posts we'd see in the forum would be a post saying whoever's in charge of the RP is I'm the channel.

 

it can detract from their experience of the forum. Another point to consider is that these threads bump more serious or legitimate conversation off the front page, which is effectively shared by three of the most posted in subforums on the site.

I sort of, uh... despise the forum games forum, since everything turns into a braindead circlejerk, but if that's what we need to pacify the 14-year-olds, then let it stay so that I have a convenient collection of threads to avoid.

I am against all the RP threads in these forums.

Well, I guess I don't really have anything to say that has not been said.

Also, for the IRC idea, I don't understand why they haven't done that idea yet, because this is what? It has to be at least the third time that this has been suggested.

 

I am thinking that it's not the entire thread that is spammy. It's more of certain posters. like one of the reasons adventurer's forest is spammy is because WINDSOFWINDS KEEPS SPAMMING! That's most of the spam I can pick out of that thread. That's all I have to say, so I'm going to vote the fourth option

 

I think forum games are good for the forum community not only intellectually, but also on a social level. These spammy, crude threads are the only thing that makes my forum experience worthwhile, and without them I'm afraid I won't be able to cope.
Not really.
I don't find it difficult to ignore the "Durr hurr count how many blades of grass are in my front lawn game" threads, but I feel that they definitely do not affect the forums positively.

 

I don't know if this is what you meant or not but with the IRC chat thing you could have the RPing going on there and then the GM posts a summary on the threads, only problem is you would have to have all the game members on at once and it might become hard to follow the no double posting rule as the GM. I think everyone agrees that the tornoment was a fail and I'm not really a fan of the Hurt and Heal but I don't find that TAF2 is really THAT bad and some people that don't play actually read and enjoy it (I assume since they still read it and don't complain) because the posts DO often contain SOME content. If TAF was the only RP I wouldn't understand this argument at all but the fact that there are a few does make the bumps a tad annoying but they are the only things in forum-based games soooooo (I understand your moderating pain though moderators).
Also, is there NO way to ignore threads? There should be.

 

Okay, I managed to read the first few sentences of that before I gave up. What usually ends up happening in The Adventurer's Forest is two people get online, make a bunch of posts, then go to sleep or wait for someone else to start posting. Using the thread for posting summaries from IRC would accomplish the same thing but without bumping the thread every two minutes.
I'm not really interested in telling everyone how to have fun, but I am interested in letting you all know that I think your method of having fun is stupid. I don't usually post in the games section though, so it shouldn't really matter what I think.

 

I believe I have expressed my opinion on this very clearly, and my arguments are the same. I just want to ask two questions.
1.) Would it be possible to implement an "Ignore Thread" function for every thread? It would probably solve most of the problems here. It could be next to the "Follow This Topic" button.
2.) Who voted for number five? I mean honestly, EVERY forum? Number four is really the only reasonable choice for people who enjoy it.

 

@ Captain Fabulous: Awww... I worked hard on that... and there are only 4 sentences
@ Dunc2043: 1) Exactly what I thought
Another huge problem with the IRC thing is that people might take advantage of it and then there will be a hundred games nobody plays on IRC and there will then have to be a hundred different channels and then nobody will post on the forums. I mean who knows?

 

I believe I have expressed my opinion on this very clearly, and my arguments are the same. I just want to ask two questions.
1.) Would it be possible to implement an "Ignore Thread" function for every thread? It would probably solve most of the problems here. It could be next to the "Follow This Topic" button.

This.

Uhh I'm fairly certain that won't happen, Qwexe.

While I am not against forum games and role-playing, I do see the predicament. I like the IRC/chatlog idea (except that I'm constantly on a blackberry ).

 

Yes, we know.

Why are you unable to get a computer?

 

I have a computer, I just got a new one. I'm just not on it that often.

 

Another huge problem with the FORUMS thing is that people might take advantage of it and then there will be a hundred games nobody plays on the FORUMS and there will then have to be a hundred different threads and then the community will die. I mean who knows?

good point.

 

I am thinking that it's not the entire thread that is spammy. It's more of certain posters. like one of the reasons adventurer's forest is spammy is because WINDSOFWINDS KEEPS SPAMMING! That's most of the spam I can pick out of that thread. That's all I have to say, so I'm going to vote the fourth option

we don't mean "spammy" as in "useless posts that do not contribute to the forums," we mean "a considerable number of posts in a popular subforum, that are only intended for a few select users to care about."

So yeah basically the first one.

As I said before, I don't hate roleplaying on forums, but it is quickly becoming a sizable portion of posts in the satellite lounge.

And if you guys have such aversion to creating an IRC channel, then how about a separate forum for roleplaying? No I don't mean a new domain, I mean like another section for it, in the "other games" section so it doesn't get in the way of anyone who isn't looking to be in an RP thread.

 

Okay.

MagicDoors and I have had a conversation over PM. We really do not want an IRC channel, for two reasons. 1, windy. That pretty much explains itself. 2, it takes a long time to type out the GM posts, and to do that on IRC just makes me want to cry.

But, we are going to try to take out RPing elsewhere. I won't tell you the details of our plan, but it will be a separate domain. Also, someone should probably tell this to SEBTi, I'm sure he would want to see this, considering it means our RPing is most likely leaving.

 

Just go tell him yourself?
This is a forum, after all. That's kind of what they're for.