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I think its time to run a rules awareness campaign.
I have noticed that PC has been pretty busy closing threads as of late. I have also noticed that most (9 out of 10) of the people causing the closures are people with post counts less than 300. This tells me that there is a lot of new blood that is unaware of the rules and the iron fist of the moderators.
Is it possible to make people more aware of a rules sticky somehow? Or how about a sticky pointing to a rules sticky? Or setting up the board that every tenth (or some number X) post you get taken to a rules page that you have to click a button to post through.
We need a rules reiteration.
Aaron.
__________________ Jester47- The Iconic Mimir
"We all take our risks, here in the dungeon."
--Bargle,D&D Red Box, 1983
If I recall correctly, people actually look at topics less when they're stickies than when they're actual topics. And the "every ten posts" idea sounds incredibly annoying. That said, a rules iteration might be a good thing.
People ignore what they're supposed to pay attention to and pay attention to what they're supposed to ignore. Human beings are contrary like that.
My suggestion therefore is to post the rules in a thread in General marked "Please ignore this thread". Then have a moderator close it. Between the subject and it being a closed thread it's bound to get noticed. Of course it'll need to be perioidcally reopened for bumpage, but, hey no system is perfect.
__________________ I've got a clan of gingerbread men / Here a man, there a man, lots of gingerbread men / Take a couple if you wish, they're on the dish ~ Syd Barrett
People ignore what they're supposed to pay attention to and pay attention to what they're supposed to ignore. Human beings are contrary like that.
My suggestion therefore is to post the rules in a thread in General marked "Please ignore this thread". Then have a moderator close it. Between the subject and it being a closed thread it's bound to get noticed. Of course it'll need to be perioidcally reopened for bumpage, but, hey no system is perfect.
Disclaimer 1: Above all, I am a very silly man. So if a statement of mine can be construed as joke - especially if it's not funny - it likely is.
Disclaimer 2: I am also opinionated, so when not joking I am still voicing my opinion. Except when I am stating facts.
__________________ "Conversely, I'm amazed at the number of people queueing up to tell people that don't like 4e that they are wrong. Why can't people just agree to disagree, and get on with actually playing the game?" --Delericho
If there's one dragon, it's a solo monster.
If there's five dragons, they're standard monsters.
If there's a dozen dragons, either most of them are minions or your DM is tired of the campaign.
--Lizard
For maximum effect, me might want to should ask a non-mod to start the thread for us. I'm thinking of someone like hong or diaglo here... Of course, we'd need to coordinate that well so nobody would reply before we can close it - or else give the poster in question moderator powers (of the non-super kind) in GD or Meta for a day. Or we could just split other people's posts off.
Having someone else have the first post would also prevent that people are clued in by the preview they see when hovering their cursor over the thread. (This could be achieved in other ways as well, of course.)
Further, I think making it a sticky is not the best way to go about it.
Lastly, if we decide to do it, I'd like to volunteer to write (well, copy-paste, mostly) and bump it.
__________________ "The best gnomes were in Dark Sun." --GRAOUH !!! (WotC boards)
Last edited by Darkness; 22nd December 2004 at 04:46 PM..
Upon reading the OP, I was about to make the same suggestions, especially that the thread be closed. I can't resist driving by those train wrecks to see what happened.
Another idea might be for a mod to post a copy of the rules in each thread that is closed. Maybe even bold the rule that led to the closing. This way, those of us attracted to closed threads would get repeated exposure to the rules, and specific, real-life examples of them.
__________________ "I urge you to make up a simplified version of the D&D game for play with as many of [your children] as are now willing and able to play. The thrill of the adventure and rolling of the dice is likely to make them devoted gamers ever after."
- Col_Pladoh's advice to me, and my advice to you.
I have also noticed that most (9 out of 10) of the people causing the closures are people with post counts less than 300.
Hey! I must object to this generalization . I've been around for 2 1/2 + years and have don't have 300 posts! In fact, I think this is my 100th. Just because I'm not a frequent poster doesn't mean I'm a trouble maker. Don't turn off the newbies with over gereralizations.
To be frank, I don't think there is any lack of awareness of the rules. People just choose to violate them sometimes. Generally, such violations tend to peak at certain times; people often feel more confident/free in violating rules when they see others doing it. I'm not sure that you would achieve your objectives by reminding at the moment or just in general more frequently.
__________________ A Fusangite
-----------------------------------
one must depart from the province of Lean-tong, north of Peking and that after travelling 12,000 li, the traveller would reach Japan, and thence to the north, after a journey of 7000 li, arrive at the country of Wen-Schin (the painted people). Five thousand li from this country towards the east is Tahan, which is 20,000 li from Fusang.
-- A 6th century account of Fusang, the country across the Pacific from China.
Hey! I must object to this generalization . I've been around for 2 1/2 + years and have don't have 300 posts! In fact, I think this is my 100th. Just because I'm not a frequent poster doesn't mean I'm a trouble maker. Don't turn off the newbies with over gereralizations.
Here, here!
I lurked for years before getting involved
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkness
Indeed. Just because someone has a low post count and is a troublemaker doesn't mean they're new.
I have noticed that PC has been pretty busy closing threads as of late. I have also noticed that most (9 out of 10) of the people causing the closures are people with post counts less than 300. This tells me that there is a lot of new blood that is unaware of the rules and the iron fist of the moderators.
Is it possible to make people more aware of a rules sticky somehow? Or how about a sticky pointing to a rules sticky? Or setting up the board that every tenth (or some number X) post you get taken to a rules page that you have to click a button to post through.
We need a rules reiteration.
Aaron.
I myself am very new to EN World. It took me a while to figure out that this very forum even existed. I am sorry to admit that I do not know the exact rules of the forums, but I try to best I can in what few posts I make to be respectful and polite to everyone until I learn the rules by heart. Speaking as a newbie, I would say that there should just be some big sign or something on the main page that gives a link to the rules, as well as to anything else a person would need to know to post at EN World. I am sorry to admit that the main page is so filled of advertisements and announcements that I find it too overwhelming to look at all of them. If there were something to stand out that would point to such important things as the rules, people such as me might be more likely to look at it.
Also, I commend all of you. Just the fact that this thread exists shows what a nice community is established here. I'm glad to be a part of it, and I'm thankful that I have been accepted so warmly.
There is an announcement thread at the top of each forum/subform (even the private forums) that is titled "The Rules - Please Read!". The rules are there for anybody to find. But since it is an announcement, it doesn't get read. It has a bit over 6,000 views in the last 7 months. I know I am responsible for at least 3 of those views since I just hit it to be sure it was still there.
Overall I think people do a pretty good job staying within most of the rules. Even if they haven't read them, it is hard not to slowly become aware of some of them. I laughed when I saw the thread posted and then slammed closed by Darkness. Then I hit the thread to do my part to bump up the view count.
I don't mean to rip on low posters. Thats definaitely not it. And there are 1000+ posters that know better than to break rules. But my point is that there is simply an ignorant demographic of people with less than 300 posts and join dates of the last 3 months. This is not everyone that is causing problems, but it is fairly common for the violators to fit this demographic.
I think there are some good suggestions in this thread!
Aaron.
__________________ Jester47- The Iconic Mimir
"We all take our risks, here in the dungeon."
--Bargle,D&D Red Box, 1983
I don't mean to rip on low posters. Thats definaitely not it. And there are 1000+ posters that know better than to break rules. But my point is that there is simply an ignorant demographic of people with less than 300 posts and join dates of the last 3 months. This is not everyone that is causing problems, but it is fairly common for the violators to fit this demographic.
I think there are some good suggestions in this thread!
Aaron.
It's good. Just teasing a bit.
Us lurkers want to feel important
In all seriousness. You were right. There are a lot of new posters lately and a rules review would not hurt anyone.
Of course, we'd need to coordinate that well so nobody would reply before we can close it - or else give the poster in question moderator powers (of the non-super kind) in GD or Meta for a day. Or we could just split other people's posts off.
. I've been around for 2 1/2 + years and have don't have 300 posts! In fact, I think this is my 100th. Just because I'm not a frequent poster doesn't mean I'm a trouble maker. Don't turn off the newbies with over gereralizations.
I still like it, though.
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