Moderating Suggestions

[Peregrine]

Well firstly, due to the harshness of the "Nazi" word in use to connotate the nature of the staff on this forum, I generally give auto-strike's. If used a second time, I generally give auto-ban's.

 

I agree entirely (and have posted this rule months ago). If you can seriously claim that even the harshest forum moderation is anything even remotely close to the evil of mass genocide, you have some serious psychological problems.

 

Secondly, I see a major need to enforce an easier means of moderation for our moderators. A few basic template replies to common thread occurances as well as a few basic template PM's where only a person's name need be changed seems to be in order.

 

So instead of our moderators having to type out a reply each time for the tedious "Proper use of the search function" style of responses, they simply copy/paste from a "blank template" and edit the name as well as a few example keywords. Since it's a template it will be easy to word in a constructive manner that is not so short of temper and verbage.

 

This would be helpful, especially if one sentence mod actions are not seen as friendly enough. Most of the time I don't post "search before posting, thread locked" because I want to crush the foolish newbie, but because there's not much more to say. And I don't feel like typing out a long custom answer that probably won't get read anyway.

 

Standard thread replies aren't the best place for the warnings. They're easy to miss, and especially in the case of things like double posting, just get in the way of the real purpose of the thread. A simple "locked for x reason" should be enough, just to make it clear why the mod action was done.

 

That said, standard PM warnings are an excellent idea. It would make it a lot easier to inform members of the correct rules... as well as keeping the whole thing private between the member and the moderator only.

 

Fourthly, I notice that generally it is not the moderator who responds harshly, but rather Forum Vigilante members that do most of the harsh responses, and then a moderator comes along and gives a simple statement and/or lock. So cracking down on forum vigilante activity would benefit the moderator by eliminating some of the authority resistance of some members as well as properly instruct those members that actually care about the forums and are attempting to assist in moderation... however are doing so in such a manner as to cause massive headaches for the moderating staff.

 

Exactly. We've warned against this before, and its still just as wrong. We have a report function for a reason (and only a tiny fraction of the posts I see that need mod action have been reported), so please use it. If I see a thread full of "don't do that" replies, I'm even more motivated to simply lock it and be done with it.

 

I don't see where the Morrowind Source Forums have any relation whatsoever to a Nazi structure and I don't see where the staff of the MWSrc Forums have a Nazi-esque attitude. Authority is given to individuals who are seen by the Admin as being able to represent the forums and the forum members as well as being able to properly administrate the forum rules. This means that if someone who is not familiar with the Forum Rules crosses over the boundry of a rule, the authority will be properly administered. So to avoid any conflicts, a smart person should become familiar with the Forum Rules and be sure not to cross over them.

 

As I said... no matter how you look at it, no matter how harsh you call our replies, the simple fact is that the posts are against forum rules. A little reading and respect for them would not only save us quite a bit of work, but remove all the problems with "nazi-like moderators".

 

Morrowind Source Forums have a very very SMALL ban list. Presently only 4 people out of over 30,000 people are banned. There are less than 40 people out of 30,000 members that have "Strikes" on their record. This means that only 0.0013 % (percent) of our members have broken the Forum Rules enough to deserve a Strike. Out of the 3,109 average new member registrations per month, we deliver less than 100 "warnings" each month. Out of the 756.7 average new thread topics each month, we lock less than 70 of them a month (average). Out of the average 7,094 new posts each month we respond using our authority to instruct the poster in less than 300 posts per month average.

 

Thanks for the statistics. I knew it was pretty low, but I didn't think the numbers were that low...

 

And it gets even worse for the case for nazi moderators. Let's look at the posters who have actually made a reasonable contribution to the forum and eliminate the one posters/lurkers who don't post enough to get any attention. There's about 400 people with over 20 posts on this forum. That's a 1% ban rate, and every one of the banned posters clearly deserved it. Only 10% have been given even a single strike, which does nothing more than provide a clear warning.

 

Yes, that's right... even by the most pessimistic numbers, only 10% of our members have ever received anything more than an informal warning/suggestion. Hardly abuse of power and rule by the nazi iron fist...

[Daerk]

Let's look at the posters who have actually made a reasonable contribution to the forum and eliminate the one posters/lurkers who don't post enough to get any attention. There's about 400 people with over 20 posts on this forum. That's a 1% ban rate, and every one of the banned posters clearly deserved it. Only 10% have been given even a single strike, which does nothing more than provide a clear warning.

 

Yes, that's right... even by the most pessimistic numbers, only 10% of our members have ever received anything more than an informal warning/suggestion. Hardly abuse of power and rule by the nazi iron fist...

Shouldn't that last bit be worded more akin to:

 

Yes, that's right... even by the most pessimistic numbers, only 10% of our actively posting members have ever received anything more than an informal warning/suggestion. Hardly abuse of power and rule by the nazi iron fist...

 

;D

 

-- D

[Dark0ne]

Most of the time I don't post "search before posting, thread locked" because I want to crush the foolish newbie, but because there's not much more to say.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, Blackmage, but is that the sort of thing you don't like?

[Malchik]

Daerk, thank you for the stats. I always maintained that the number of locked threads is far lower than those who react to it realise. If you were to take into account that a high percentage of those locked are locked at the request of the initial poster it puts it into even better perspective. I'm sure the problem stems from being irritated at one instance and the subconscience thinking 'I've seen this before, it's too common'. It's easy to mislead yourself when annoyed.

 

BTW I have no problem with Blackmage's posts. Indeed I have few problems with any posters. My pet hate, as stated above, are those who only read one post in a longer thread and so post nonsense. And those members who having been requested several times about sticking to the rules PM me after a week to ask where the rules are! Which happened earlier this week! (You know who you are!!!)

 

Although posts criticising moderators feel a bit repetitive at times, we shouldn't be above being called to order and it does give a good feeling when forum members come to our support.

[Blackmage]

I apologize for the Nazi comment. Most of the other forums I post on have no real problem with being called "Modictators" or Forum Nazis. Some of them pride themselves on it. :P So sorry for the comment, I didn't mean the actual "Boots and Iron Cross" Nazis, more like the lovable Nazi's from old Walt Disney cartoons. Heh. Either way, no hard feelings?

 

Pretty much the only qualms I had with this site have more or less been answered. I realize that these forums are diffrent from the forums that I've posted in the past, due to the nature of this game. This is really the only single player game that I've gone to a message board about. I dont think that sentance made too much sense, but whatever.

 

So I'm back to trolling ^^

 

Edit: Forgot to answer your question Dark0ne.... I'll do it later cuz the bell just rang lol.

[Shakkara]

:!: Better late then never...

 

I would say that the posting guidelines/TOS aren't adequate, since people like me get warned/striked for things that are not in the list there, despite meaning no harm with our actions (thus generating the idea that certain staff members are just going rogue and creating the 'law' where they go, so we will never know what we're up to) . There is nothing about multiposting, nor particular things that do not seem to be allowed to be discussed. Maybe it doesn't have to be in the TOS directly, but to make an additional guideline thread couldn't do any harm. The definitions of spam and thread hijacking are very unclear too at the moment, some people might think that what they posted is actually relevant content at the moment, because a topic often goes astray over multiple posts, not just one. And while hijacking must not be encouraged, it sometimes doesn't hurt to let things go on if another INTERESTING issue is being discussed instead, but I don't have much examples for these cases at the moment. I agree that flame threads and/or posts should be dealt with harshly though, and I have no problem with such threads being locked. Neither do I have problems with noobish threads (hijacked or not) that have been adressed plenty of times or serve no point whatshowever being closed.

 

That's all for now :whistling:

[NinjaSalad]

I AM POSTING TO EXPRESS MY ANGER TOWARDS VARIOUS MODERATORS, I HAVE SEE NUMERUS INSULTS, WRONGFULL POST DELETION AND A WHOLE SCORE OF OTHER THINGS I HAVE SAVED MESSAGES OF A MODERATOR ISULTING ME FOR ANYONE TO SEE AT REQUSTE I HAVE EVEN TRIED TO TALK TO Dark0ne BUT WAS IGNORED PLEASE DON'T LET THIS GO, I CERTINLY WILL NOT! IF SOME ONE WANTS COPIES OF THE VARIOUS WRONGDOINGS OF THE MODERATORS JUST MESSAGE ME! THANKS.

[Peregrine]

I AM POSTING TO EXPRESS MY ANGER TOWARDS VARIOUS MODERATORS, I HAVE SEE NUMERUS INSULTS, WRONGFULL POST DELETION AND A WHOLE SCORE OF OTHER THINGS I HAVE SAVED MESSAGES OF A MODERATOR ISULTING ME FOR ANYONE TO SEE AT REQUSTE I HAVE EVEN TRIED TO TALK TO Dark0ne BUT WAS IGNORED PLEASE DON'T LET THIS GO, I CERTINLY WILL NOT! IF SOME ONE WANTS COPIES OF THE VARIOUS WRONGDOINGS OF THE MODERATORS JUST MESSAGE ME! THANKS.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

And this, forum members, is how NOT to deal with a disagreement with a moderator. You now have one strike for harassing moderators, and I'd like it to be two.

 

 

But go ahead, post your false evidence you've made, so we can ban you and get it over with.

[Abramul]

NS, please do us a favor, and remove the key between TAB and SHIFT. Also, take the time to run stuff through a spellchecker. Thanks.

I am posting to express my anger towards various moderators. I have seen numerous insults, wrongful post deletion and a whole score of other things.  I have saved messages of a moderator insulting me for anyone to see at request.  I have even tried to talk to Dark0ne but was ignored.  Please don't let this go, I certainly will not!  If someone wants copies of the various wrongdoings of the moderators, just message me!  Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1. It is your choice to use these forums, and if you find that you don't like the way they are run, there are others you can use instead. I hope you resolve whatever complaints you may have, since you seem nice enough.

2. You say a moderator insulted you. I've seen plenty of activities around here that deserve a harsh response, and (thank $Deity) some of the moderators here are quite blunt. Is it possible you misinterpreted criticism as simply being an insult?

3. Peregrine, you say his 'evidence' is false, or at least imply it. Do you know of a way that the PM system can be duped? Also, can mods check user messages? (Of course Dark0ne can. Bow before root)

4. Dark0ne is probably busy at times, so taking this to him may not be the best way to deal with it. You probably already did this, but the obvious first step is to message the moderator who you believe insulted you, explaining why you think so. Anyone responsible enough to recieve the Green Bar of Moderating should be willing to read and respond to a rational request for clarification.

 

Edit: Help! Quoteline isn't showing? Silly psuedoHTML!!!

[Peregrine]

3.  Peregrine, you say his 'evidence' is false, or at least imply it.  Do you know of a way that the PM system can be duped?  Also, can mods check user messages?  (Of course Dark0ne can.  Bow before root)

 

No, the PM system can't be duped (at least not how you're thinking). But I imagine what he'll do is just make up some quotes and send them, not actually forward a PM from a moderator.

 

It's pretty obvious he's just bluffing, or he'd post his evidence. Since he refuses to do it where the people he's accusing of these things could see it to prove it wrong, the only answer is that it's fake.