Suggestions for Apolyton's Future

[Nikolai]

Thx!

[Lancer]

Aeson, I've considered your situation where you've promised to not change the OT. Perhaps if you do what CFC did and create 2 OTs, one in which anything goes and you can keep your promise and one in which all posts must be of a more serious nature, such as at CFC, moderated. By moderated I mean in such a way that if you break a rule, something bad happens to you. That way you can cater to trolls as you promised in the original OT while at the same time protecting those who have other interests, such as myself, in an alternate OT.

As I was discussing with Zkrib the other day in the pool, if in real life some ******* walks up to me and says that the women I've helped are whores, I can take a swing at the guy, I'm interested in the reputations of these women. In a forum setting like yours any little twit can say anything that comes to mind without fear of repercussions, so people who have respect in their souls leave. Zkrib related the various reasons he left Poly which all revolved around trolling and the negative changes he saw in old friends. He put it a little stronger than that, but hey, its Zkrib, I left it out. May God bless him. He was very disappointed with Apolyton when he left. I'm now trying to get him to go to CFC because WPC OT is not so busy these days. Ask me about that over the bar sometime if you drop by, or don't, I'd almost prefer it that way. Provide a place where folks can discuss stuff without harassment, an alternate forum, give it time to take root, and it might help overall traffic.

Regarding CFC, they had 2 moderated OTs, one very strongly moderated. So they cut it to one OT with Red Diamond (RD) threads which were more moderated than others. Apolyton has no moderated OT, so I think the alternate OT has a better chance of survival. I for one will post there regularly. I'll mention to Zkrib this option if it occurs.

Your call.

[Aeson]

I had considered a care-bear OT for more moderated discussion. It would be good if activity starts picking up on-topic to have somewhere for them to go for friendly off-topic chat.

("Care-bear" being slang for a gaming server where pvp isn't allowed ... not a place for furries!)

[Lorizael]

I agree with Lancer that the OT would be a more civil place if we could respond to inane trolling with physical violence.

[Aeson]

I have created a "Gruff Off Topic" along these lines. Anyone can post, but rules will be strictly enforced.

[Lancer]

Cool. Hope there are folks left who will use it. You've got an open mind Aeson. I suggested a 'freeposting forum' to the admins at WPC, basically a place for spam, but they never acted on it. Now there's no need, its slow.

Not sure about the title though...

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gruff

Full Definition of GRUFF

1
: rough, brusque, or stern in manner, speech, or aspect

[Aeson]

Well, that will apply to the moderators when dealing with any violators. But it was a reference to Three Billy Goats Gruff

[Nikolai]

What about moving some "good" threads over? Like the music thread?

[Lancer]

Okay, I can see it now. I don't know if most folks will identify the forum with the tale.

Now here's something you'll not go for but might help make the forum actually work. For future reference anyway. I'm sure there will be opposition to such an effort as trolls need victims or they're not trolls, not cool, whatever. When a serious thread is started in the OT it quickly fills with spam, witty one liners and seldom goes anywhere because of it. If you train the posters to leave their garbage in the OT and put their good stuff in Gruff, you'll have accomplished something.

Move all serious threads created in the OT to the new forum and leave only spam related stuff there.

Good luck.

Edit: Dang Nik you beat me to it!

[Aeson]

I'd rather let posters choose which one to post in. There is a lot of discussion in the OT by people who I'm sure will chose not to go to GOT. If the topics are duplicated that's fine. Something for everyone.

[Ming]

I'd rather let posters choose which one to post in. There is a lot of discussion in the OT by people who I'm sure will chose not to go to GOT. If the topics are duplicated that's fine. Something for everyone.

Thank you... The site is for the posters. If people want to post their topics in one off topic forum or the other, they should be allowed.
The new forum will either succeed or not based on the posters wishes. Forcing threads to one forum or the other is just plain silly.
There is no need to start picking threads in the OTF and saying, GEE that should be moved to the polite forum.
If people want to discuss a topic, they can start a thread on the topic there.

[Lancer]

You guys are right, and have changed my opinion.

[Nikolai]

I think the main forum view should be reorganized. My proposal is like this:

Civ section
Civ BE
Civ V general ---subforums
Civ IV --- subforums
Civ series general --- subforums (spanish, world[perhaps archive it, it's dead, no?], alt civs
Civ series classical --- subforums (Civ I&II, Civ III, perhaps Civ IV, but I think it should stay as above)
Other games section
SMAC
CtP 1
CtP2
Other games
Misc section
Site feedback
Civilized OT
Barbarian OT
Archives

[Sava]

Can we also have a forum that is a safe place? Like, where we can talk about our feelings... maybe using only "I feel..." statements.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

I think the main forum view should be reorganized. My proposal is like this:

Civ section
Civ BE
Civ V general ---subforums
Civ IV --- subforums
Civ series general --- subforums (spanish, world[perhaps archive it, it's dead, no?], alt civs
Civ series classical --- subforums (Civ I&II, Civ III, perhaps Civ IV, but I think it should stay as above)
Other games section
SMAC
CtP 1
CtP2
Other games
Misc section
Site feedback
Civilized OT
Barbarian OT
Archives

The Spanish forum is one of the healthier on-topic folders - but you meant Civilization World, didn't you? I didn't get that on the first pass.

Could you walk us through your thinking about why a reorganization is needed? -And how this will address the need?