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Threads becoming chat rooms.

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« on: <09-11-10/1008:04> »
I've seen it in a couple of threads and I'm curious if this is the direction the forum will be taking.

On the one hand, it's great for the regulars who just think of this as a casual place.

On the other hand, it turns the signal to noise ratio to mush.

As an example, I'll point to http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=222 mainly because it's only three pages long, which makes it a bearable length. By pg 3 it's become a private chat room. There isn't a single post on page 3 at this time that has to do with the actual topic.

Personally, I don't care enough to do anything more than start the discussion. This isn't my forum. You guys can run it any way you want. The question is, what do you want this forum viewed as? If you're building a place for people who like shadowrun to hang out and chat, it's fine, and if that's your goal, keep on keeping on. If you're building a place to go to get answers, the absence of developers and the signal to noise ratio makes it close to useless. There is neither fast response or effective way of seaching threads (since, as demonstrated, they become chat rooms), which makes the official forums less useful as a research tool.

FastJack

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« Reply #1 on: <09-11-10/1131:48> »
I think the reason why is people are getting 'in character' in most of the threads and it kinda devolves like a normal conversation does. If it gets too far off topic, I've seen some posts kindly pointing out that it has and try to steer it back on topic.

I like the casual feel so far (as my post count can attest), and I know I've derailed a thread or ten myself, but some of the more official threads (asking about errata, discussing rules, etc.) tend to stay more on topic than the more general discussion threads (at least, IMHO).

Chaotic Insane

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« Reply #2 on: <09-16-10/2326:06> »
Give me or dad a good slap on the nose if it starts bugging anyone and we'll shut right up. No worries. Don't even worry about being polite about it. XD Both of us are REALLY BAD at hijacking threads. Especially if we're both in the same one.

I personally like the more GD threads being way more casual and laid back. It's helping me get settled enough both with the people here AND the fluff text of the setting so I'm not going to feel like a total noob dumbass when I try to ask more serious questions about rules later on.
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Critias

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« Reply #3 on: <09-17-10/1309:54> »
It would be nice if the off-topic ramblings stayed in...well...the off-topic area.  Particularly where folks are asking rules questions and similar "strongly on topic" sort of threads, it'd probably be good for the forums in the long run to keep things a little more focused.

kinderkrieg

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« Reply #4 on: <09-17-10/2125:32> »
Ya, i do have a problem straying way off topic sometimes, well...more than sometimes and i do apologize for it, i'm working on trying to curb my enthusiasm and stay to the topic of the certain thread i'm posting in.

Devil

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« Reply #5 on: <09-18-10/1005:42> »
I don't think getting off topic is so bad, so long as people keep in mind what the thread is about and try to get back to it. Hiacking threads with irrelevancy is a problem, i agree.

People should be getting the answers they need AND people should be having fun and enjoying themselves. I agree that for the most part we should be focused on the subject of a thread, but let's be shepherds and not fences. It's better to guide people than to attempt to tell them what to do. If a things are slipping away from the original subject then why not lead by example and post something about the original subject. Or if things have been off topic for a while, say something like "I think we are getting pretty far off topic here."

This is just the way I like doing things. It's gentle and no reasonable person gets upset by it. Food for thought.


FastJack

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« Reply #6 on: <09-18-10/1132:34> »
And, if you notice a particular off-topic subject keeps popping up (like the Firefly references), I suggest creating a thread on that topic in the Off-Topic boards...

(see what I did there? ;))

Usda Beph

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« Reply #7 on: <09-20-10/0900:50> »
Honestly I don't try to threadjack anyone. But I am a joker at heart, and can bearly contain my desire to try and get folks to spit Dew at their monitor in laughter. I will try ti play nice with other's topics. As for ones I start... If I have my answer already I'm fine whith whatever direction the thread takes. For those I have personally derailed. I am sorry. :)
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Mäx

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« Reply #8 on: <09-22-10/0501:54> »
I'm not sure if the op is linking to right topic(link takes me to a topic about contact), becouse from what i see page 3 is still pretty much on topic, they are after all still talking about contacts.
Also thread rift is pretty standard on all forums, when it bothers you, you should just gently push the topic back toward the original topic, but often there's no need for that as the original topic has allready been resolved and the current conversation is quite interesting. ;)
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