Off Topic reorganization - Call for Comments

[Gary Childress]

My vote is to keep things the way they are for two reasons:

1. I would think many red diamond threads are going to be quickly swamped or buried in the nether pages of a forum with 90% of the posts being less serious ones and receiving more activity. I think splitting the two gives the more strictly moderated threads (which the majority don't seem to like) a better chance to flourish.

2. Personally (perhaps selfishly), I like the extra moderation and it's easier for me to just go to the Chamber and find what the serious topics are.

However, I'll go with the flow. If the two forums will be merged then I'll just make most of my posts "red diamond" ones there forward.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Just checked, the last post on the last thread of the page is from 3 days ago.

First time I ever checked this, so no idea how representative it is. But there you go.

 

[Graceheart the Leopard]

My vote is to keep things the way they are for two reasons:

1. I would think many red diamond threads are going to be quickly swamped or buried in the nether pages of a forum with 90% of the posts being less serious ones and receiving more activity. I think splitting the two gives the more strictly moderated threads (which the majority don't seem to like) a better chance to flourish.

2. Personally (perhaps selfishly), I like the extra moderation and it's easier for me to just go to the Chamber and find what the serious topics are.

However, I'll go with the flow. If the two forums will be merged then I'll just make most of my posts "red diamond" ones there forward.

This. Also, if we want to keep the Chamber flourishing, why not just make a rule saying everything that has to do with politics and religion and whatnot must be made in the Chamber, like 99% of the Chamber-equivalents on other forums?

 

[Arakhor]

I believe I suggested that, but then 90% of the Tavern's material would dry up.

 

[JollyRoger]

This. Also, if we want to keep the Chamber flourishing, why not just make a rule saying everything that has to do with politics and religion and whatnot must be made in the Chamber, like 99% of the Chamber-equivalents on other forums?

I believe I suggested that, but then 90% of the Tavern's material would dry up.

I count a combined 1 thread started in the Chamber between the two of you. Be the change you seek.

 

[ori]

Voting is now open in a separate thread in Site Feedback (redirected from both OTs) - please vote and then if a majority is in favor we are off to implementation.

We removed the RD policy about non-RD/RD threads being present simultaneously, and will see if any restriction becomes necessary after implementing the whole thing.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

I still have a question, and I need an answer before I can vote:

If an instance of flaming/trolling goes on and it's obviously more than a minor annoyance, will it be taken seriously by staff no matter which kind of thread it occurs in? I ask because some behaviors are just awful no matter where they happen, and I would not like to see something like, "Yes, we know it was mean, but it wasn't a Red Diamond thread so <shrug>" happen.

 

[ori]

The Tavern is already moderated and grave breaches are actually dealt with more harshly mostly through temporary bans than in the the Chamber where infraction points are usually given - I expect that policy to continue.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

So in the "lightly moderated" forum you dish out bans, but in the "heavily moderated" forum you give points that may or may not trigger a ban...

Ori, would you please change the poll options? At this point I am honestly undecided, but I still care about how this turns out.

 

[warpus]

Given that, the staff would propose a change and recombine the Chamber and Tavern into a single Off Topic forum. Unlike the previous OT, we would keep the the lighter moderation of the Tavern as the standard for moderating. But to accommodate those who do want tougher standards for their discussions, we will encourage the use of the Red Diamond (RD) as an indicator that the thread starter would like a more restrictive and tougher moderation standard (a la the Chamber).

I like this compromise. I'm sure much discussion has been had about it already that I haven't read, but it seems to be a good solution to the.. problem.

As for other ideas, I think allowing human nipples into our posts would be of great benefit. Maybe 1 nipple per thread max to start with, but even buttcracks are allowed, so what the hell.

I also wouldn't mind it if all political discussions were relegated to a subforum, but of course nobody is going to listen to my very brilliant ideas.

 

[BvBPL]

...it is quite obvious that the Tavern is the forum where the majority of you spend your time.

Given that, the staff would propose a change and recombine the Chamber and Tavern into a single Off Topic forum.

I don't understand why the fact that more people post in the Tavern than in the Chamber is a sufficient reason to merge the two. You wouldn't merge Site Feedback with the Tavern because the two serve different purposes. Same with the Tavern and the Chamber.

Small forums die.

That isn't a bad thing.

If people actually wanted the more severe moderation then they be in the Chamber already.

We should learn from our mistakes and move on.

It's not accurate to refer to the two types of threads as 'serious' threads and 'fun' threads....

You know, I think this is a good point, but I don't think it will make a difference.

I don't think there's any real interest in people participating in fun topics with increased moderation.

But the proposal itself makes no comment on the future of A&E (or the other subforums).

Other subforums should not be merged into the Tavern either.

As we begin this trial, and I see it as that, any topic could have both an RD version and a "Tavern" version.

If a trial has already been declared then why are we bothering with the debate? Why the pretense of having a vote or discussion if this is already going to go ahead?

Edit: The above was a bit unnecessarily rude. I don't want to harsh anybody's buzz here and greater communication between the mods and the community is good, I guess. It's just that if the mods are going to make an executive decision to change the rules around then I wish they would simply do that. Saying "hey, what do you think if we made this change?" while the change was already in progress seems less than forthcoming.
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What will happen is that RD threads will start out with some novelty and then drop off within a month. Just like the "debate" threads and when RD was attempted before.

Then we will be left with the Tavern as it is now, with no Chamber where we can take our time by responding to topics without feeling pressured to do so before the thread drops away.

 

[Camikaze]

So in the "lightly moderated" forum you dish out bans, but in the "heavily moderated" forum you give points that may or may not trigger a ban...

Ori, would you please change the poll options? At this point I am honestly undecided, but I still care about how this turns out.

There is a higher frequency of moderation in the Chamber, and thus more 'minor' incidents are dealt with, which attract more 'minor' sanctions. In the Tavern, if you behave in such a way as to warrant moderator attention, then you've probably done something more serious. Aint nobody got time fo' that.