Forum Suggestions

[Vauthil]

No, that's not what I meant, I meant like a suggestion for a mod. Like "Oh, this is a good concept, but I don't know how to do it" type thing. I think it's more applicable for the plugin idea though.

A better audience for that could be found at the official minecraftforge.net site. The official Minecraft forum also has subforums dedicated to this. What would this site be offering that's different/superior to those venues?

The human urge to neatly categorize and box up everything is difficult to resist, but it's stupidly easy to turn a forum into a gerrymandered Cthonic beast if those urges aren't reined in. I'm speaking as an admin of a forum where we're in the high triple digits on forum ID numbers: it's really best to decide what you're good at and what people come to your forum for and do that, instead of sprawling out to fulfill the urge to give everything its own filing cabinet. =)

 

[Ashzification]

What would this site be offering that's different/superior to those venues?

Absolutely nothing. But you never know where you'll find a good idea, or a misguided one.

 

[Munaus]

This is similar to what my next suggestion was going to be: mod, plugins.
An area where people can suggest something be created, like a new mod, or a plugin.
As well as an area where people can discuss existing mods and plugins.

Your surge of adrenaline for helping people never cease to amaze me, bride.
Neither does the fact where you are getting all these ideas

A better audience for that could be found at the official minecraftforge.net site. The official Minecraft forum also has subforums dedicated to this. What would this site be offering that's different/superior to those venues?

Nothing?
Or everything?
What could a community of users come up with, hmm? Re-directing them elsewhere is just annoying and stems the creativity. Slow wants people to be here, playing FTB and have a nice time chatting like chickens while talking about whatever comes up on their minds.
During all this chit-chatting and mouth-flabbing, someone somewhere will suddenly jump and scream " I have an idea for a mod/plugin!"
What is YOUR response then? "Take it somewhere else"? "dont post that here or here or here"?

Put up a section for mod/plugins like Ashzification suggested. It will only enhance the creativity and the friendly atmoshpere.
Sure enough, most mods will probably never rival works like Alblakas or Eloraams. But who knows?

A diamond might be rough but only needs polishing to get shiny.
This is where a community filled with ideas and support would kick in.
That's what a forum is for, right?
Feedback?

 

[Vauthil]

Yes, the answer is "take it somewhere else", this forum's primary purpose revolves around the FTB pack and its community and not All Things Minecraft. There's another forum that handles that; trying to handle all things means you handle all things poorly. Handle things where there's strength and competence.

Additionally, you don't need a subforum for every conceivable topic. Mod Discussion by itself handles this whole umbrella you're talking about. Why gerrymander it further from there? Again, you have to rein in the urge to compartmentalize every conceivable compartment; it just becomes bloat.

Obviously the decision there is up to the folks actually doing the work. I'm just offering my counter because I have experience as a big forum administrator and I've been there and made some of these mistakes (I say this as I look at a list of 700 forums and subforums). The staff aren't omnipotent or omnipresent, they have to make decisions on management that make sense with regards to their own scale. Limited resources begets a triage of resources; adding each of those little clicks and making each of those little compartments has a potential to magnify errors and increase workload.

This community has the potential for explosive growth. The resources need to be able to scale. Gerrymandering and overcompartmentalization of the forums up front isn't the way to do that, in my opinion. Address the needs that we have first, not the "what ifs".

 

[Munaus]

heavy words...

I suppose I am a agent of chaos
We will see what the forum staff says... I like this thread though. So many things that this forum needs to improve on.
A proper mandatory "Rules" section up top for new and old users to know what is and isn't liked here would be advised.

This community has the potential for explosive growth.

And that is why this forum could use some more moderators to shield it from harm.

 

[Vauthil]

And that is why this forum could use some more moderators to shield it from harm.

I agree that it'll need more moderators, and slowpoke did announce that sectional moderators would be coming soon so that the global ones aren't overtaxed with sectional concerns, so that's already taken in hand (or will be in the near term).

And by no means are you an agent of chaos. I'm simply imparting what I've learned in my experiences, both with a "big board" and with running a business. Paralysis and inagility are sometimes even more perilous than going off on wild goose chases, though, so don't mistake that for me saying "don't do anything at all". I most certainly am not. Just make sure to weigh the concerns and do things that make sense. =)

 

[Jadedcat]

I suppose I am a agent of chaos
We will see what the forum staff says... I like this thread though. So many things that this forum needs to improve on.
A proper mandatory "Rules" section up top for new and old users to know what is and isn't liked here would be advised.


And that is why this forum could use some more moderators to shield it from harm.

There is a rule section tab at the top of the page

And we will be picking more moderators. We just need to ensure we get to know people and pick the right ones.

 

[Munaus]

There is a rule section tab at the top of the page

I missed that one... silly me.
I would argue however this rule (if it's okay with bride that I post it here?)

6. Do not argue with a moderator. If a moderator is abusing their power report them to the global moderators. If the issue is with a moderator private message Slowpoke.

This makes me feel uncomfortable... a mod is someone with power. To see him/her abusing it, or the admins going "oh ooops. did we hire the wrong man for the job? My bad.."
I would edit and remove the highlighted part of the rule, as it would seem to the readers that you pick mods willy-nilly and with the toss of a coin.
Just my opinion.

upset?

Huh? there is no Technic anger in here? Not anything that I can sense... unless you are reading some hidden messages that I am too simple-minded to understand.

 

[Jadedcat]

I missed that one... silly me.
I would argue however this rule (if it's okay with bride that I post it here?)


This makes me feel uncomfortable... a mod is someone with power. To see him/her abusing it, or the admins going "oh ooops. did we hire the wrong man for the job? My bad.."
I would edit and remove the highlighted part of the rule, as it would seem to the readers that you pick mods willy-nilly and with the toss of a coin.
Just my opinion.


Huh? there is no Technic anger in here? Not anything that I can sense... unless you are reading some hidden messages that I am too simple-minded to understand.

We don't pick mods willy nilly. However mods can go wrong. It happens. And there should be a way for the regular member to address an issue where they feel picked on.

 

[Munaus]

I know this suggestion will never be considered, too many people are used to them.

Signatures, could you pretty please think of removing them?
It's hard enough to read someones wall of text, but get it mixed with a quote by some users favourite poet, or a pc's specs. Or a silly "hi, im from the interwebz1!!11!!".
It just makes reading difficult.

 

[Jadedcat]

I know this suggestion will never be considered, too many people are used to them.

Signatures, could you pretty please think of removing them?
It's hard enough to read someones wall of text, but get it mixed with a quote by some users favourite poet, or a pc's specs. Or a silly "hi, im from the interwebz1!!11!!".
It just makes reading difficult.

Signatures are allowed as long as they conform to the guidelines in the rules.

 

[Ashzification]

I know this suggestion will never be considered, too many people are used to them.

Signatures, could you pretty please think of removing them?
It's hard enough to read someones wall of text, but get it mixed with a quote by some users favourite poet, or a pc's specs. Or a silly "hi, im from the interwebz1!!11!!".
It just makes reading difficult.

I like the line between signature and post body. It helps a bunch

 

[Jadedcat]

Of course we will re-vist the signature topic if people get out of hand with the animated stuff.

 

[Munaus]

Of course we will re-vist the signature topic if people get out of hand with the animated stuff.

I'm thankful if you still give it a thought

Out-of-topic question, your post words are normal this time? I first thought you posted like highlighted and colourful 'cuz you are a mod?

 

[Ashzification]

We can do the same thing Munaus.

 

[Munaus]

Oh good goddess of Erida Occisor... this is so weird...
I refuse to use that thing too much... It will only lure people into making silly colourful spam posts.

 

[Ashzification]

New suggestion: probably think about disabling that

 

[Jadedcat]

ROFL I and the others do that usually in the busier threads where people overlook our comments because of the sheer amount of posts that come in. We'll look at the colored font thing if it becomes a problem. Otherwise we preferto allow people to express themselves (within reason).

 

[Ashzification]

Use colored names? That usually is a sure bet for an attention grabber

 

[Jadedcat]

Use colored names? That usually is a sure bet for an attention grabber

That is one of the options under discussion.