Suggestion re mods

[Hoddie]

Why do mods lock a decent topic that has some funny, well composed messages, when they could simply add it to a watch list and keep an eye on it. That way they could delete the posts containing verbal dioherrea (speeling) and infract those resposible. Perhaps in time the seriously challenged members who do nothing but post "/thread" and "l2play dude" etc will get the message that they're spoiling no-one fun but their own.

By locking threads these people take part in you punish everyone for the minority's inability to interact on an intellegent level. You're rewarding them.

[eternalwhitemoon]

Because the number of posts on the "watchlists" would border on obscene, and some threads would probably be overlooked, and mass hysteria will ensue.
Bans are for trolls. Locks are for threads that could get out of hand.

[Badpaladin]

I often found that taking a "posting moderator" can be more effective than just banning and locking. Most posters(see -> MOST) tend to post more maturely, even if they're pissed off at a mod or being a little unruly. Just the presence of the Bolded Green, Blue or Red is often enough to keep something going.

However, sometimes there just isn't enough we can do in that regard. A perfect example would be the Straight-Person's thread that popped up after the LGBT thread in Off-Topic, That thread had a few people posting legitimately and posting quite well, but the sheer ratio of trolls to decent posts was so ridiculously large that it had to be locked.

Now on to what you're talking about, unfortunately there isn't a whole lot more we can do. If somebody posts a relatively funny "L2P Brah" type of post, that tends to attract a hell of a lot more negative, trash posts. Is it right for a mod to start chain banning 12 people? I don't think so. It's usually a lot easier to just lock the thread.

[Lysah]

It comes down to personal decision. Is the thread, given the state of things, going to continue breeding more and more troll posts? Sometimes, you can clean it out and keep it open. Sometimes, we know the thread is unsalvageable and only going to cause more problems. There, we close. And then there are threads that just plain break rules to begin with.

I know I've gone into threads after a few pages and given out verbal warnings to end the trollfest, even multiple times in the same thread. Totally ignored. It's not worth keeping these threads open.

[Simca]

Regarding the specific thread you mention, I have deleted any trace of the issues that it used to have and reopened it.

Knowing how these things go from past experiences, I imagine it won't last long, but hopefully it does.

Edit: Yeah, I went to bed after reopening it, lasted around 10 posts. People cannot resist trying to correct a foreign story that doesn't make sense to them.

We're not going to watch a thread until the end of time nor allow a thread to remain open where half the discussion is off-topic, so I support Dalliah's decision.

[Phenomina]

Regarding the specific thread you mention, I have deleted any trace of the issues that it used to have and reopened it.

Knowing how these things go from past experiences, I imagine it won't last long, but hopefully it does.

Edit: Yeah, I went to bed after reopening it, lasted around 10 posts. People cannot resist trying to correct a foreign story that doesn't make sense to them.

We're not going to watch a thread until the end of time nor allow a thread to remain open where half the discussion is off-topic, so I support Dalliah's decision.

I had that feeling from the start, thankfully I was proven right this time

[Hoddie]

That's not the reason you gave for locking the thread Phenomina... you're trying to claim the high ground undeservedly.

I still think that the better option is to simply delete posts within threads and infract the authours; by simply locking the threads you're moving the problem on rather than solving it. Same people go on to ruin thread after thread while the intelligent members of this community see debate spoiled by trolls and halted by mods who are reacting to those trolls.

Thanks for the PMs Simca, I appreciate the effort you put in to explaining things, and trying to allow the thread to remain open. I guess our views just differ on the best way to deal with such people.

[blizzy]

I still think that the better option is to simply delete posts within threads and infract the authours; by simply locking the threads you're moving the problem on rather than solving it. Same people go on to ruin thread after thread while the intelligent members of this community see debate spoiled by trolls and halted by mods who are reacting to those trolls.

Exactly what I was thinking with the second and final lock of the "Biggest jerk ever" thread. Someone just HAD to post the dreaded "mages can't queue as healer" which halted the thread. An infraction would have been the better way to go in my opinion.

[Phenomina]

That's not the reason you gave for locking the thread Phenomina... you're trying to claim the high ground undeservedly.

I still think that the better option is to simply delete posts within threads and infract the authours; by simply locking the threads you're moving the problem on rather than solving it. Same people go on to ruin thread after thread while the intelligent members of this community see debate spoiled by trolls and halted by mods who are reacting to those trolls.

Thanks for the PMs Simca, I appreciate the effort you put in to explaining things, and trying to allow the thread to remain open. I guess our views just differ on the best way to deal with such people.

I am curious if you remember the reason I gave for locking the thread? I will refresh you.

Locking this as it will only lure flames.

That was the reason I gave which turns out was exactly what had happened. The thread ended up getting locked 3 times by 3 different Moderators, so I would say it was conclusive enough to be closed.

As for loitering in a thread and deleting and infracting every post, do you realize how many threads are generated on these forums everyday? It's not possible to sit and read every post from every thread.

If a majority of the thread is filling with troll and flame posts it gets shut down.

[Hoddie]

No I'm sorry that's not what you said. You said "fake story" and something else I can't remember. Curiously your reply was deleted (though not the rest of the thread), as was my post where I quoted your reply. Twilight Zone indeed.

In any case, I have no idea how many threads are generated, but I can see how many are locked and don't think it's so many that adding them to a watch list would overwhelm the mods. Doing that might prevent loads of other threads from being generated on the same topic.

And if you deem locking the thread to be the only option, is this instead of infracting those who spoiled it, or as well as that?

If a majority of the thread is filling with troll and flame posts it gets shut down.

And again, I'm sorry but after the thread was unlocked there were 4 further pages of replies with just 2 querying the OP, 1 of which was clearly a piss take after the mod's warning not to post a "fake story" reply (like you yourself did). It was an over-reaction each time it was locked imo, but I accept you don't think it was.

[Elementium]

I am curious if you remember the reason I gave for locking the thread? I will refresh you.

Locking this as it will only lure flames.

That was the reason I gave which turns out was exactly what had happened. The thread ended up getting locked 3 times by 3 different Moderators, so I would say it was conclusive enough to be closed.

As for loitering in a thread and deleting and infracting every post, do you realize how many threads are generated on these forums everyday? It's not possible to sit and read every post from every thread.

If a majority of the thread is filling with troll and flame posts it gets shut down.

Pretty much.. there's no point in deleting trolls and spam anyway because if they posted once they'll post again.

If a thread is being derailed,trolled,spammed we generally do say "sorry OP but your thread's not so important that we're going to allow masses of trolls,flames,spam and derailing just so you can be heard."

It's fine that your upset about the thread lock Hoddie but we occasionally have to choose whether to upset one person if it means that we stop trolling and flaming on the forums.

[Simca]

The only way I could see to save the thread would be drastically edit the OP, erasing his story, or copying clarification from later in the thread into it and at that point, I'd much rather you just started a new topic without the potential for it.

[Phenomina]

No I'm sorry that's not what you said. You said "fake story" and something else I can't remember. Curiously your reply was deleted (though not the rest of the thread), as was my post where I quoted your reply. Twilight Zone indeed.

It seems as though you suspect some sort of crazy conspiracy or cover-up, I can assure you that your reading much further into this then need be. The reason my post was deleted was because it said the thread was locked. Considering the other mods decided to open it back up it made little sense to leave my post there.

My comment to the OP was a fake story. the " something else you can't remember " line was the lock reason which was word for word what I had posted. Locking this as it will only lure flames.

Mods can see deleted posts and they can verify that statement if you choose not to believe it and I don't even have to edit it

I also didn't delete your post either.

[Boubouille]

There was something like 15 posts deleted in that thread, not 2. Mods actually tried to reopen it once to see if people could play nice and it failed, it's not like reopening it a 3rd time will do any difference and that's why it was closed.

Calling other people jerks is fun, especially when they are, but it's a risky thing on the interweb.