Off Topic threads...@Gaile Gray

[Loosmaster.8263]

I'm at work and on my phone which seems unable to do PM's.

I saw this just as it was posted and thought it would be worth an experiment to see if a completely OT thread was something the members wanted to see.

I don't think the reporting was due to the subject but an in place policy that we have been indoctrinated to follow. As the reason I reported it.

[derd.6413]

make a nonsense category and see what happens.

[SkyShroud.2865]

hohohohoho......the off topic forum's moderation work load will be equivalent to rest of the forums

[Loosmaster.8263]

I think that subject was brought up in those discussions but never went anywhere due to that fact, lol

[TexZero.7910]

@"derd.6413" said:make a nonsense category and see what happens.

What will happen in any off-topic forum since the history of forums.It will garner far too much moderator attention as the boundaries get pushed and more reports than average get filled. Off-topic/Non-Game specific things like this almost always end poorly. Not speaking from inexperience either, i've modded several forums with varying degrees of "acceptable bounds" and typically speaking 60% of the reports come from Off Topic.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

The thread got reported for not following this forums rules but I think a off topic forum would be something people would like to see. It’s common enough on other forums.

[Gaile Gray.6029]

@TexZero.7910 said:

@"derd.6413" said:make a nonsense category and see what happens.

What will happen in any off-topic forum since the history of forums.It will garner far too much moderator attention as the boundaries get pushed and more reports than average get filled. Off-topic/Non-Game specific things like this almost always end poorly. Not speaking from inexperience either, i've modded several forums with varying degrees of "acceptable bounds" and typically speaking 60% of the reports come from Off Topic.

That is my experience, too. My first position as a forum administrator was focused nearly exclusively on a OT Forum (for a forum about a game with a very, very large audience). It became such a moderation burden that we actually had to bring on a second person -- just for that one forum!

I feel mixed emotions about the topic of off-topicry (as I call it): I think it's nice to have light-hearted, informal, friendly conversations. I also like the idea of lighter moderation and of not having people puzzled about a comment's removal (even while we try to not impact someone's ability to participate with an OT removal or two). However, a moderation team is challenged when "this OT is ok, but the other is not" and a cleaner, clearer guideline works better from their viewpoint and for a consistency that the forum community can embrace.

This is a forum about a game, and there are a gazillion conversations we can have about the game. Discussing yesterday dinner, or last week's movie release, or whether someone has a cookie jar in their home is... just not worth the time investment and the scattered and wildly diluted conversational flow.

[Omega.6801]

I'd say the forum format is kinda outdated to have off topic discusions. Ppl like to discus their favorite cake recipes, their views on politics, culture and religion elsewhere. I like that these forums are about GW2. I know where to find informations on GW2 and where to find ppl to discuss things about GW2. It's here on the forums. Off-topic forums tend to spiral down a dark path between fundamentalism of any color and irrelevance. Let's not go there with this forum. And that's exactly why I reported that thread.

[Gaile Gray.6029]

@lokh.2695 said:I'd say the forum format is kinda outdated to have off topic discusions. Ppl like to discus their favorite cake recipes, their views on politics, culture and religion elsewhere. I like that these forums are about GW2. I know where to find informations on GW2 and where to find ppl to discuss things about GW2. It's here on the forums. Off-topic forums tend to spiral down a dark path between fundamentalism of any color and irrelevance. Let's not go there with this forum. And that's exactly why I reported that thread.

Agree 100%, and thanks for the report.

[derd.6413]

@TexZero.7910 said:

@"derd.6413" said:make a nonsense category and see what happens.

What will happen in any off-topic forum since the history of forums.It will garner far too much moderator attention as the boundaries get pushed and more reports than average get filled. Off-topic/Non-Game specific things like this almost always end poorly. Not speaking from inexperience either, i've modded several forums with varying degrees of "acceptable bounds" and typically speaking 60% of the reports come from Off Topic.

i never said i wanted it because it's a good idea

[TexZero.7910]

@derd.6413 said:

@TexZero.7910 said:

@derd.6413 said:make a nonsense category and see what happens.

What will happen in any off-topic forum since the history of forums.It will garner far too much moderator attention as the boundaries get pushed and more reports than average get filled. Off-topic/Non-Game specific things like this almost always end poorly. Not speaking from inexperience either, i've modded several forums with varying degrees of "acceptable bounds" and typically speaking 60% of the reports come from Off Topic.

i never said i wanted it because it's a good idea

I too am guilty of wanting to see fire on occasion. However, i was just informing you of what would happen.

[Palador.2170]

Maybe we could have a "GW2 Sillyness" or "Tyrian Slice of Life" forum instead? Topics that are still attached to GW2, but don't have to be anything serious. Asking "Do you have a cookie jar" (meaning you as in the player) would be off topic, but asking something like "Does your character have a cookie jar" would fit.

[Danikat.8537]

I have mixed feelings on off-topic sections on forums. On the plus side I think being able to discuss things other than the one game (or band or TV show or whatever) helps people get to know each other and see other posters as people rather than just names on a screen, which can make the community closer and over time can lead to real friendships. (And more - I met my husband on a forum and the off topic section definitely helped us realise we had some things in common...other than an interest in debating every minute detail of a song.)

On the other hand people are absolutely right that it tends to need more moderation than the rest of the forum put together. Over the years I've been a moderator/admin on about a dozen different forums on a wide variety of topics and that was true of every single one of them. Just like it can bring people together it increases the range of issues which can drive them apart.

I don't think that one topic was a good choice for an experiment because it was so random it didn't invite much discussion, and like other people have said a lot of people will have reported it just because they know it's against the rules. I'd like to see a more structured discussion, but I can completely understand the issues for the moderators and I think it does need to be up to them to decide what they can handle.