Do we need somewhere for people to "chat" instead of the amount of PM style posts going on in the forum?

[Shagger]

I know that many of you have been expressing frustration over how "spammy" (for lack of a better word) some sections of the forum are becoming by a handful of people using the threads more like a chat. The forum gets flooded with off-topic posts on threads that really should have long since died but keep getting bummed because some people feel compiled to reply to them with anything.

 

This thread is not about pointing fingers or blame, it is just about how to better organise the forum so that the threads can be more welcoming for the whole community. So people can post, for example, without worrying about there posts getting bummed down by people posting barley relevant, low value replies just to up posts counts. Four possible idea come to me.

 

• A "shitposting" sub forum for people to, well, "shitpost". A thread for memes, jokes and other irrelevant dribble to have fun with without impacting other areas of the forum.
• A re-focus on forum games. Upping post counts is essentially what these types of threads are for, but almost nobody on VGR tends to use them. For this to work, it would necessitate a change of habit that, to be honest, I don't really see happening, so I'm less sure about this one.
• A chat box added to the forum itself. This works well in theory, but could be difficult and time consuming to implement, not to mention hard to monitor and moderate, which is why I'd personally prefer...
• Opening a VGR Discord server. As well as a place for live chat, it would also open up the community to the opportunity to group up and actually play games together. Now, @DC, I remember we have had this discussion before and you didn't want to do this because you feared it would move traffic off the website, and I truly understand that, but this CAN be run and moderated in such a way that it would work, and may even attract new people to VGR.

 

Still, that is just one man's thoughts. If you have anything to add or if you want to push one of these ideas, reply below. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Shagger

[Reality vs Adventure]

I think a 'shit posting' thread might be the easiest way to go. The problem though is that people are interested in a gaming topic and get carried away. A sub forum wouldn't spark convo as well. I think when there is a gaming topic that starts to get carried away, there could be a link or invite to move that conversation elsewhere. And they can post there as much they want. Something like that I think is easier to mod. 

As far as live chat, that would take away from the number of forum posts and good things people say about gaming isn't saved forever for others to read. It would be cool to have though. But in no way whatsoever should politics be allowed in live chat. lol

[Crazycrab]

The Discord server is something that we should have done ages ago.  Not only it would saved all this shitposting but we could set up online community to play online Gaming sessions in online games.  @DC  there are plenty of online games that as a community we could partake 

 

There's even single player (or at least internal forum) possibilities like Gwent, or Machine Strike (Horizon Forbidden West).  Then scoreboards for achievements and trophies.

[Shagger]

52 minutes ago, Reality vs Adventure said:

I think a 'shit posting' thread might be the easiest way to go. The problem though is that people are interested in a gaming topic and get carried away. A sub forum wouldn't spark convo as well. I think when there is a gaming topic that starts to get carried away, there could be a link or invite to move that conversation elsewhere. And they can post there as much they want. Something like that I think is easier to mod. 

As far as live chat, that would take away from the number of forum posts and good things people say about gaming isn't saved forever for others to read. It would be cool to have though. But in no way whatsoever should politics be allowed in live chat. lol

 

I think a lot of things shouldn't be discussed on the Discord server if that's what was decided. @DC's concerns about traffic moving of the website is a legitimate concern. This would only work if posts on the Discord sever were limited to what we DON'T want discussed on the threads. The more impulsive chat points about games or whatever that don't really work as full on forum posts.

[Yaramaki]

My 2 cents for what it's worth :

-> Get atleast one more Moderator or maybe 2, i think the forum is just way too busy for 2 people who have have a full time job and family stuff going on, you can correct me on that if i'm wrong. Either just give them access to the gaming part of the forum which is the busiest part instead of the whole board. 

-> I'm not really a fan of discord, so i'll just leave it at that. I find it weird to use and don't really get why it's so populair, but then again i'm old and ways off with modern technology.

->While we are on the subject the forum already has more then enough section so adding another section to just chat if you really want to do that go ahead but isen't that what the general chat section is about.

-> I'd say the whole board could use a little overhaul, the subsection videogames and platforms could be moved together because in theory they are just the same thing. For the rest of the board i'll admit i don't ever really use it since i come here to talk about games with like minded people. The mainstream topics like what's going on the world i already discuss enough in daily life. 

->Maybe on a last note a conversation is bound to go off topic at some point, it's only natural but some people keep going on and on about the same thing that's what irritates me the most. It's not that i don't care what you have to say but atleast add something usefull, for example yeah i know the ps5 is out of stock everywhere but must we go on and on about it. Do some effort to secure one instead of complainging online all the time.

-> i really like this place and i'll be happy to keep on posting for aslong the site is around, sometimes a single post takes me half an hour or more (like this one) when nobody bothers replying i feel like i really wasted my time.

Edited March 29, 2022 by Yaramaki

[Shagger]

1 hour ago, Yaramaki said:

My 2 cents for what it's worth :

-> Get atleast one more Moderator or maybe 2, i think the forum is just way too busy for 2 people who have have a full time job and family stuff going on, you can correct me on that if i'm wrong. Either just give them access to the gaming part of the forum which is the busiest part instead of the whole board. 

-> I'm not really a fan of discord, so i'll just leave it at that. I find it weird to use and don't really get why it's so populair, but then again i'm old and ways off with modern technology.

->While we are on the subject the forum already has more then enough section so adding another section to just chat if you really want to do that go ahead but isen't that what the general chat section is about.

-> I'd say the whole board could use a little overhaul, the subsection videogames and platforms could be moved together because in theory they are just the same thing. For the rest of the board i'll admit i don't ever really use it since i come here to talk about games with like minded people. The mainstream topics like what's going on the world i already discuss enough in daily life. 

->Maybe on a last note a conversation is bound to go off topic at some point, it's only natural but some people keep going on and on about the same thing that's what irritates me the most. It's not that i don't care what you have to say but atleast add something usefull, for example yeah i know the ps5 is out of stock everywhere but must we go on and on about it. Do some effort to secure one instead of complainging online all the time.

-> i really like this place and i'll be happy to keep on posting for aslong the site is around, sometimes a single post takes me half an hour or more (like this one) when nobody bothers replying i feel like i really wasted my time.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

1 hour ago, Yaramaki said:

> Get at least one more Moderator or maybe 2, i think the forum is just way too busy for 2 people who have have a full time job and family stuff going on, you can correct me on that if i'm wrong. Either just give them access to the gaming part of the forum which is the busiest part instead of the whole board. 

 

I don't think more mods is the answer, though. It's not that we're overwhelmed, is that with the rules and guidance in place as it is, there isn't a great deal we can really do about it. We cant issue bans or suspensions to people for posting too much. Technically, nobody is doing anything wrong. All we can do is try and advise people and help them improve on thier posting habits, but we can't force anybody to do or not do anything.

 

1 hour ago, Yaramaki said:

-> I'm not really a fan of discord, so i'll just leave it at that. I find it weird to use and don't really get why it's so populair, but then again i'm old and ways off with modern technology.

 

If we did go that route, nobody would be obligated to use it. It's an option for people to "chat" on without flooding the forum.

 

1 hour ago, Yaramaki said:

-> I'd say the whole board could use a little overhaul, the subsection videogames and platforms could be moved together because in theory they are just the same thing. For the rest of the board i'll admit i don't ever really use it since i come here to talk about games with like minded people. The mainstream topics like what's going on the world i already discuss enough in daily life. 

 

The suggestion is noted. There are tweaks that could be made here and there, but this is ultimately about trying to encourage better posting habits and/or giving space on the forum for irrelevant chat. I don't really see the way the way those sub-forums are organised as a route cause of the problem, especially since it appears to be General Gaming" with most of the issues

 

1 hour ago, Yaramaki said:

->Maybe on a last note a conversation is bound to go off topic at some point, it's only natural but some people keep going on and on about the same thing that's what irritates me the most. It's not that i don't care what you have to say but atleast add something usefull, for example yeah i know the ps5 is out of stock everywhere but must we go on and on about it. Do some effort to secure one instead of complainging online all the time.

 

I hear you on that. I remember locking thread not long ago that was initially a query about how long a Dualshock 4 battery should lase, but the same handful of people kept the thread rambling on for 16 pages with mostly repeated and/or off topic statements. It's people just not caring about what they post, just so long as it's something, anything, as often as possible.

 

1 hour ago, Yaramaki said:

-> i really like this place and i'll be happy to keep on posting for aslong the site is around, sometimes a single post takes me half an hour or more (like this one) when nobody bothers replying i feel like i really wasted my time.

 

I here that too and understand completely how frustrating that can be. Not only do these people bump down everyone else's posts, the same people who seem to interact with each other as well. We will find an answer. We are glad to have you here.

[The Blackangel]

I don't think a discord channel is the answer. I actually see it becoming a problem. Too many topics, too much chat, all jumbled up together, even through different channels. It would end up just being another forum, but with the same problems only compounded and participation here would dwindle until people slowly stopped using the forum. I've seen it happen with good forums more than once in the past.

What we could do is start to split topics when they go from auto mechanics to monkey brain pizza. @DC you could create a sub-forum for split topics to be moved to, so people could continue those conversations if they so choose, and at the same time let the initial topic become the focus of the conversation once again. Obviously we wouldn't move every discussion, and we couldn't move every discussion. But for the ones that go completely nuts away from the topic, it's an idea.

2 hours ago, Yaramaki said:

i think the forum is just way too busy for 2 people who have have a full time job and family stuff going on

That only applies to @DC and @Shagger I'm afraid. I'm on disability, and have nothing but open time. As for family, I have none except for @Rain Dew, my dogs, bird, and rats. So I'm in and out here several times daily, unless it's a day that I just don't feel like getting online and do something else instead. But those days are few and far between.

 

Also, as was pointed out, isn't the General Chat forum supposed to be used for these kinds of things?

Edited March 29, 2022 by The Blackangel

[Heatman]

29 minutes ago, The Blackangel said:

 

Also, as was pointed out, isn't the General Chat forum supposed to be used for these kinds of things?

This have already solved the question or inquiry to me because it fits in perfectly for all manner of discussion that falls outside gaming discussion. Setting up any other section is duplication of the work. 

[Shagger]

2 hours ago, Heatman said:

This have already solved the question or inquiry to me because it fits in perfectly for all manner of discussion that falls outside gaming discussion. Setting up any other section is duplication of the work. 

 

I don't want to be rude, but I don't think there is a nice way to ask this. As one of the worst offenders who thinks that's the answer, why don't you use the general discussion sub-forum like that?

[kingpotato]

I agree something has to be done about this but at the same time I dont want people to be discourage to make any type of comment. One of my main complaints is that when a thread gets overwhelmed with unrelated comments the actual releated comments tend to be ignore and this is mostly because all of us tend to check and reply to the latest comments made and sometimes when this happens a lot of people tend to ignore the original post. I just had this issue today were I decided to create a whole new thread for the PSplus service update since the original had over 100 unrelated comments on it already and I was afraid my updated comment went unoticed, and thats the whole point some times I dont bother on commenting on some threads since its currently being used for something else unrelated to the topic so Im afraid of wasting my time making a comment that is going to be ingnored or majorly unoticed.

But I do have to say Im totally against Discord, I dont use it and I dont want to use it, Just like DC said once,  If we start using discord that is going to take away activity from the forum. More modderators might help but thats not going to 100% eliminate the problem. Adding a sub section to the thread might help but again thats not going to solve the problem entirely. I do agree that we need to start changing the habits of the users on the forum, even if we are not modderators we should encourage other users to stop making unrelated comments on the thread and focus on the original post. As well there should be an option to remove or delete those comments from thread.

[Lamarr the strelok]

I'd sota add a Miscellaneous sub section maybe.I got in trouble a while ago because I didn't put it in quite the right sub category. I di spend some time searching the sub forums and added my thread to the best one I thought would be relevant.It wasn't a big deal but I sorta felt like a jerk even though I tried to put it in the right sub forum.the trouble with that is that most of the irrelevant posts start with an actual gaming thread and just goes off the rails.

            As far as Discord,I avoid it like the plague.You need to make an account just to view anything and (I think) you need to be invited to even make an account.I had to go there to find out something about Lutris and it was one of the most frustrating experiences I've had in almost 20 years on Teh interwebz.Then i tried to log into Discord the next day and it wanted me to go through the verification process all over again.Not the end of the world but it convinced me to not deal with Discord again if at all possible.

[Shagger]

7 minutes ago, Lamarr the strelok said:

I'd sota add a Miscellaneous sub section maybe.I got in trouble a while ago because I didn't put it in quite the right sub category. I di spend some time searching the sub forums and added my thread to the best one I thought would be relevant.It wasn't a big deal but I sorta felt like a jerk even though I tried to put it in the right sub forum.the trouble with that is that most of the irrelevant posts start with an actual gaming thread and just goes off the rails.

            As far as Discord,I avoid it like the plague.You need to make an account just to view anything and (I think) you need to be invited to even make an account.I had to go there to find out something about Lutris and it was one of the most frustrating experiences I've had in almost 20 years on Teh interwebz.Then i tried to log into Discord the next day and it wanted me to go through the verification process all over again.Not the end of the world but it convinced me to not deal with Discord again if at all possible.

 

The invite system on Discord is just so you can invite people to join that sever, it's nothing to do with creating an account. I suspect the reason you had so much trouble is because you didn't have an account. Still, I'm surprised to find you had so much trouble, Discord has always been pretty pain free for me.

[StaceyPowers]

I agree with everyone here who has expressed concerns that Discord could siphon traffic off-site. I kind of like the idea of an on-site chat, but I don't know if it can implemented or if it would really solve the issue. 

[Lamarr the strelok]

Yeah Shagger I was part of the problem I'm sure. i can do some stuff with computers but some times I'm just dumb on some things. I found it off putting that you need a Discord account just to see anything at all.Personally I would stick to the website instead of a Discord site.

   And I'm all for as much dialogue/chat as possible.That's one of the important things about the internet to me. It's just distracting when threads go off the rails.Maybe threads could be monitored and placed in a Miscellaneous sub forum if it goes off topic.I know almost nothing about moderating a forum so it may be easier said than done.

[Shagger]

14 minutes ago, Lamarr the strelok said:

Yeah Shagger I was part of the problem I'm sure. i can do some stuff with computers but some times I'm just dumb on some things. I found it off putting that you need a Discord account just to see anything at all.Personally I would stick to the website instead of a Discord site.

   And I'm all for as much dialogue/chat as possible.That's one of the important things about the internet to me. It's just distracting when threads go off the rails.Maybe threads could be monitored and placed in a Miscellaneous sub forum if it goes off topic.I know almost nothing about moderating a forum so it may be easier said than done.

 

Honestly, you are not one of the people that come to mind. No reason to be so hard on yourself.

Edited March 29, 2022 by Shagger