[META] Too many OT threads?

The Sigil · 15th May 2002, 06:57 PM

I'm hoping it's just the Star Wars/end of season X-Files/Buffy hype, but I for one am a little surprised at the high number of OT threads that seem to be getting most of the views and posts right now in this forum... when I posted this, the first 4 threads were all OT, and 7 of the threads on the first page were OT - and most had 2-4 pages of replies!

I don't mind the occasional off-topic post (and HerAp's is actually probably more or less on-topic), but I come to these boards to read about D&D, not Buffy (or Star Wars or Hockey or a hundred other things). Can we please not let the OT posts take over?

<end minor rant>

--The Sigil

EricNoah · 15th May 2002, 07:04 PM

It's a delicate balance indeed. Having some OT discussion means that there will be the "right amount" for some and "too many" for others.

One good rule of thumb is to look and see if there are already a bunch of OT thread. If there are, consider holding off for a while. Or see if you can fit your comment into an existing thread. Having several Star Wars movie threads at once, for instance, isn't necessary. Though I imagine in a couple of weeks those SW threads will taper off a bit.

d12 · 15th May 2002, 07:30 PM

Oh, but by starting a thread about off-topic threads aren't you just contributing to the off-topic threads?

Sorry, I've been writing a paper for the last three hours and I needed to be a bit silly.

WSmith · 15th May 2002, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by d12
Oh, but by starting a thread about off-topic threads aren't you just contributing to the off-topic threads?

Sorry, I've been writing a paper for the last three hours and I needed to be a bit silly.

Maybe. But shouldn't this thread should in the Meta Forum?

Ashtal · 15th May 2002, 08:50 PM

Why, indeed it should.

*boing*

Quickbeam · 15th May 2002, 10:09 PM

I certainly agree with your (The Sigil) viewpoint in a general sense, despite the fact that the NHL playoff thread in question was begun by me. I would greatly prefer a forum meant to quarantine such OT threads, but I still enjoy discussing non-RPG topics with my friends on these Boards.

Eric suggests a reasonable solution, but unfortunately we're not always very good at monitoring ourselves. Overall, I spend 85-90% of my time at EN World on D&D (and other RPG) related items, but every so often it's nice to chat with folks herein about other things.

Ashtal · 15th May 2002, 10:47 PM

I think we can cut folks a little slack - we're hip deep in season finales and playoffs and the new Star Wars movie. Give it a week, and it will sort itself out like it always does in that ebb and flow of topic/offtopicness.

Besides, the best way to combat topic bumping is to keep participating and generating new on-topic discussions.

Not spamming, of course, but if you see a discussion, participate! If you have an on-top question, ask it! The boards don't spontaneously generate content - you do. If you don't like what you see, put up stuff you do want to see, and try to keep it on topic, or, alternatively, looking for threads already started on your off-topic interest so at least they are contained in one thread.