D&D 4E Why do 4e doomsday threads get closed so quickly?

[Henry]

So the slightest hint of incivility is jumped on and is used as cover to close a thread? That part I already understand.

I just want to know why the moderators are so fast these days. It's almost as if they have a stake in it or something.

The WotC overlords declare it so.

I can't speak for WotC's forums, but here usually, all it takes is reading the last few posts to understand why a given thread is locked down. One or two people trying to ruin others' fun can be often handled with a ban, but when the flames are spreading more than that, we often times find it better to just close the topic, and try to encourage people to take a breather to get a level head before revisiting the topic. Many of the threads you are thinking of might be "joke threads", also, ones like "4E killed my dog and took it's stuff" or similar vein. One or two of these are cool, but a dozen on the front page causes the forum conversations to get stifled, and we close down all but a couple and tell people to cut back on the repetitive stuff a bit.

Frankly, I see quite a few 4E threads the past few days with healthy debate on pros and cons of a new edition - and I could probably spend the next day or so giving people reasonings for each specific thread, but I'd find it kind of a waste of time. If you had a specific one in mind, e-mail me at my e-mail address (found stickied at the top of the meta forum) and I'd be glad to answer if I can.

What we DO have a stake in, is keeping forum conversations civil, clean, and on-topic. If everyone could actually manage that, the mods would be really really happy people.

Since this thread is about forum issues rather than a 4E topic itself, I'm moving it to our Meta Forum.

 

[Korgoth]

There is also the fact that some 4E 'criticism' threads make pretty bold statements that basically verge on "disinformation".

Consider the following two statements:
1. "I don't believe what WOTC says: I think someday they'll release Edition 4.5."
2. "4.5 is coming and we all know it."

Statement #2 is very unfortunate, especially at this time, because there is still relatively little firm information about 4E and thus rumors can be easily started and perpetuated. And that's bad for everybody.

Note that I don't even know if I'll like or hate 4E, or just be "meh" about it.

Finally, and in a way unlike the WOTC boards, the WOTC guys are registered users of EN World just like everybody else. That means that attacking or defaming them, or even just treating them rudely, isn't allowed.

 

[Nifft]

What exactly is productive or informative about complaints regarding vapor?

There's nothing concrete to point at and hate. All we'd be arguing about is speculation.

That's fine for a blog -- vent all you want -- but here, I'd rather our forums didn't get clogged with such stuff.

Thanks, mods! Your faithful minion, -- N

 

[Piratecat]

I'd love an ulterior motive! Man, if someone promised me free 4e books for life if I closed a thread...

Seriously, people have summed up the reasons pretty well. None of the mods have a particular stake in the popularity of 4e one way or another, but we don't have much patience for hyperbolic and melodramatic posts on either side. I'd judge that anti-4e folks have been violating decorum a bit more than pro-4e folks, because they tend to be angrier and more worried, but addressing that problem is not any secret agenda on our parts.

Korgoth stated it nicely just above. Starting a thread saying "I'm worried about 4e, and this is why," is very different than starting a thread that announces "4e sucks and you're all morons for wanting it. Mourn the passing of D&D!" We don't have much patience for the latter. If you're rude or dismissive of other posters, expect problems. If you're polite and respectful, you'll be fine -- whichever side of the discussion you choose to take.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Yeah, 4e sucks gets shutdown pretty regularly. Yet somehow AD&D sucks is fair game.

 

[Darkness]

Yet somehow AD&D sucks is fair game.

Assuming it broke the rules: Did you report it? We can't read every post. As such, people reporting things is very important when something needs to be moderated.

 

[fanboy2000]

It's almost as if they have a stake in it or something.

Well, they don't have a stake in 4e, but they do have a stake in keeping these boards civil. If I've done the math right, and I think I have, "4e is coming and it's going to suck" threads pre-date WotC actually working on 4e, let alone announcing it. So I imagine that the actual announcement would cause the board admins to think "wow, we're going to get a lot more of those." Really, these threads were annoying three years ago, they haven't gotten any better.

I mean, it's not like there is a shortage of places to complain on the internet.

 

[Lanefan]

There is also the fact that some 4E 'criticism' threads make pretty bold statements that basically verge on "disinformation".

Consider the following two statements:
1. "I don't believe what WOTC says: I think someday they'll release Edition 4.5."
2. "4.5 is coming and we all know it."

Statement #2 is very unfortunate, especially at this time, because there is still relatively little firm information about 4E and thus rumors can be easily started and perpetuated. And that's bad for everybody.

A thread titled something like "Don't Be a WotC Playtest Guinea Pig" based on statement #2 above just got shut down in the 4e board; the reason given went something like "WotC have said there will be no 4.5". But didn't WotC also repeatedly say there would be no 4e, while trying to justify 3.5?

Not that I care one whit about that particular thread; it wasn't worth reading, but if WotC's 4.5e denial is going to be justification for shutting down more civil and potentially interesting "don't buy 4e, wait for 4.5e" discussions, that - to me - is a concern.

Lanefan

 

[Crothian]

I'm surprised more people aren't banned. As for ulterior motives, I'd also look at the posters causing the problems and see what theirs are.

 

[Ashardalon]

But didn't WotC also repeatedly say there would be no 4e, while trying to justify 3.5?

No, not to my recollection. Wizards made statements that some people (me included) interpreted as "there will be no 4E in 2008." At one point, they said that it won't be released soon, for example. Well, it was more than a year away at that point, and a year from now isn't exactly "soon." Also, there was a misquote that reassured people that 4E is still way off. Now, they didn't advertise that 4E will be coming 2008 before the big announcement, but they were open about that it will come some day.