D&D 4E 4e News Threads vs. 4e Discussion Threads

[Morrus]

I'm not sure if this is possible, but can you have the 4e News forum allow replies but not new topics unless you have permission?

Yes... how does that help? That's how it is right now.

 

[Blackrat]

Well, we could merge a discussion thread into a news thread no problem. That would move it out of the discussion forum, though.

Alternatively we could merge a news thread into a discussion thread, but then it wouldn't be in the news forum any more and would disappear from the news page.

The problem is you can't specify specific threads to appear in the news; it's "everything from forum X or nothing". So there's no way to merge the news thread into the discusision thread and have it still appear on the news page.

There isnt an easy technical solution at present. As PC says, I guess each thread could be closed and a link posted, but I wonder how many people will bother to click through; plus the extra work looking for existing threads etc. would be a major PIA.

The simplest thing, IMO, would be to lock the News Thread and just let someone create a discussion thread for each topic that arises; I mean, we know it'll happen spontaneously, and since the same types of discussions arise in each thread with equal potential for (moderated) vitriol, then those who want to discuss it will just go there. It's not the perfect solution, but it's the one that will flow the smoothest.

I could give you a suggestion which builds on Henry's idea. I don't know if this would work or not, but give it a consideration. (maybe get someone volunteer to do just this). When our good newshounds post a newsthread have them close it down immediatily as Henry suggested. Then the volunteer will keep an eye on the 4e forum for a discussion thread about it or make one for it and when he finds/makes the thread, he modifies the original newsthread to have a link to the discussion thread. This allows for those who generally avoid 4e-forum (but still follows the news) to find the discussion about it easily without having to try and find it from 4e-forum. Now there are difficulties in this too, and finding someone to volunteer for that might not be easy, but hey, just a thought .