NOT meant as a dig on any particular person or group.

I suggest that prior to a person's ability to use (post to) the Suggestions forum, they must take (and pass) a test to show several things; this test would be used on all new accounts.

1) That they understand that this is a pay to play game, and as such, making the game free is totally out of the question.
2) They can show that they are familiar with the list of "ad nausuem" suggestions AND can say they will read threads on said suggestions and post to them instead of and before starting new threads on said subjects.
3) They are familiar with the Rules of Conduct.

If the person can pass the test, then the ability to post in the Suggestions forum becomes "unlocked".

I think most of us are all getting tired of some of the rather silly "suggestions" being posted--and I think this could have the potential to cut down on them.

Before the guides go all lock-o-rama on this thread, I would like to ask that people actually have the chance to say something first.

something

Not worth it, IMO. It would help some, but there will always still be repeated suggestions, no matter what is done, and IMO this would be more annoying that it's worth.

I think that with the test we'd be able to say "You took the test; you know the rules, so if you break them we reserve the right to punish you (in a manner of sorts)."-- this would provide guides with a *fair* reason to lock/delete/remove said threads without any questions asked.

[Edited by Eldrad] Please don't flame.

let ideas be free, doesnt matter if its been suggested before or whatever, a suggestion forum is like a brainstorm, doesnt matter, there are NO bad ideas, just keep em comming. This maybe something you can do whan we have 1000+ players, but atm, this community isnt that large, lets just see what commes up, repeated ideas may be good ideas, it shows how much some things live with a lot of people. If it gets anoying, just count to 10 :)

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT!!!

why do you lie? we all know your 'idea' is about me.

bring it to b8, then we can settle it, like men!

... they will read threads on said suggestions and post to them instead of and before starting new threads on said subjects...


Please be polite.
There is over 37.000 messages, 144 pages of threads. Most of them (I hope) lost their actuality. Why should a newbie read all of them?
And even if he bumps an old topic what will he gain? Hes a$$ will be kicked for as well.

"Before the guides go all lock-o-rama on this thread, I would like to ask that people actually have the chance to say something first."

Aaaah yes, because threads just get locked for no apparent reason. Thank god you stopped me in time. Your post appears to be a "dig" at a particular person or group to me. Please take your concerns directly to Incarnate if you have them.

I like point 2 for Suggestions, but I think that point 3 could be applied to posting anywhere in the forums. Point 1 seems unnecessary given point 2.

Here's a rough draft of the test:

Yes or no?
[ ] yes
[ ] no

I don't see any way to improve it, really.
I'll be nice and allow you to try and come up with something though.

toshiro's friendly spellcheck:
'Ad nauseam', and yes, it does matter, very much so, even.

On freedom of thought by ArAsH

If every idea were to be allowed, the absolute bashing and flaming by others would have to be allowed, and you could reply with more flame.

Do we want that?

I agree that a certain degree of freedom is needed, don't get me wrong. It's just that extremes get to me. Very much so.

That being said, if this forum was a brainstorming session, I would agree with you. However, it is not. If we want to apply such terms, 'customer feedback' would probably be most appropriate. Maybe call it brainwriting (moderated brainstorming, kind of).

ppl, what do you want to limit on this board?

There are no flames. Each provokation cools down fast.

So?

... somebody lock this thread pls or I start to flame :P

Regards,

Darkwood

PS: if you would like then moderate me :)

hmm, in regards to some form of test.. i have to say no.

one of the major things that makes guildsoftware appealing to me as a game producing company is the fact that they have provided a forum where everyone can post his/her ideas.

It is true that the locked threads can be a bit annoying, especially the ones posted by people who should know better. (yall know who ya are.. knock it off or we'll dip ya in peanut butter and throw ya in wit da pigs)

The repeat suggestions arent as bad, because every so often someone manages to come up with an original part of a new idea buried in the repeat of an old one.

Maybe we could break the suggestions forum down into sub-forums tho.. have a section for ship changes, one for game design, one for new content where only the devs can START threads, (anyone can post, only the devs can start.. this way they can solicit ideas on something specific).. then maybe have a forum for common suggestions with the links to older discussions... hmm well probably not...

anyway.. no to the test idea.

Note that I never said that they had to read ALL threads on a particular subject--just be familiar with what has been suggested already.

And while yes it can be inferred that I'm digging on certain trolls, note that I never mentioned the term "troll"--I implied that the "Be Nice" page is not enough. I don't see any reasons for thread locking or post editing/deleting that have been given that don't fall under the "nondescript" category. If the inferred dig was directed at anyone or any group in particular, it would be a dig on EVERYONE who uses these forums.

People ask questions about "why was my post deleted/edited" or "why did that thread get locked", and having a way to KNOW that people know the rules and are responsible for following them allows for more fair use of the "Be Nice" excuse. If someone has read the rules and can be proven to have done so, then it should be OK for a guide to simply go in and lock a thread/delete posts that show that the person is IGNORING those rules. If someone's ignoring them after having passed the "test" (or whatever substitute is reached at if any) then the guides have much more clear grounds upon which to lock a thread or admonish a player for being a twit.

Think about the EULA prompt when you log in--you agree to abide by those rules and the associated ROC if you click "I accept" regardless of whether you actually read them. If you break said rules, then it's really a case of "you agreed to the rules, and now you're breaking them after the fact" where the administration has a clear view of what to do--especially considering that in both the EULA and ROC there is a clear statement of this:

"By pressing the "I Accept" button, you accept the terms and conditions below." --the EULA

"Failure to act responsibly and comply with these rules within Vendetta Online and the Official Vendetta Online Forums may result in the termination of your account without any refund of any kind." -- ROC

I've got an improvement on genka's test:

Are you genka?
[ ] yes
[ ] no

If no, your IP is banned from the boards. We all know who makes the best suggestions. Heaven forbid we would have to read anything else besides the best...

Leber, Genka, do I have to check just one block? What if both are applicable? Also, can I still submit suggestions using recycled bits, or do I have to use brand-new ones and zeros?

Celkan: I meant you were digging at the guides.

Very few threads are locked, particularly in Suggestions. Locked threads always include a reason for the locking. Deleted threads must sometimes go away without comment to avoid drawing flames or calling attention to a bug. If people could get over their "moral outrage" at having their post removed, they could probably figure out where they went wrong and just repost if appropriate. These forums belong to Guild and are to be used for the purpose of open communication between the devs and the users. They have a right and responsibility to see to it that the forums are moderated in some fashion. This is not a public place, and free speech rights are not guaranteed here. That said, this is a remarkably tolerant place.

The forums are accessed through the "Be Nice" page, and it is incumbent upon the user to read it. I think it is overkill to expect that a user re-affirm that they have read it prior to being subject to having their posts locked or otherwise managed. The EULA is a different situation because a violation of that agreement could result in the loss of paid access.

It is unreasonable to require that the reasons for locking/editing/deleting posts be governed exclusively by all-or-nothing rules. Under such a system there will undoubtedly be failures where some users manipulate the rules and others fall prey to them unnecessarily. Human behavior is erratic and there must be some subjectivity to some of the rules in order to keep them from being too oppressive.

Can we at least add spell-check functionality?

Hum. My browser already has spell-check built in. :P

How about a "curse words" list, which would automatically **** text such as ppl, pls, ur, lolol, omg, wtf, and so on.

hehe.

Heh. Thanks for understanding, FM. Sorry I didn't make that clear earlier.

I'm just really of the opinion that if you've played the game (and clicked the "I Accept" button to do so) then you are bound to know the ROC and EULA -- more so the ROC -- and that actions that show you don't know them (or are blatantly ignoring them) should be something you can be (or are) held accountable for.

Of course, I do think a test might be overboard now -- but it was the only thing I could come up with that would have the potential for showing/proving that a given player is familiar with the rules and agrees to abide by them.

I would like to see some sort of way to make sure that people do read the "Already suggested zillions of times" post or are at least familiar with the list of topics there; perhaps making it a page that is viewed before one enters the Suggestions forum as a new account would be effective.

I think that another part of that particular problem is that players are told ingame to "Go to the Suggestions forum" without any real directions. This often results in cases where the player goes straight to the "post new thread" link before even looking around or at the "list thread", which in turn elicits the standard "This has been suggested many times before, please go look at this thread (insert url of the list thread)" or "OMFG NOT ANOTHER _____ SUGGESTION!" responses.

[joke]There is one problem: what do we do about the trolls? They clearly agreed to the EULA and by extension the ROC, but they have this *nasty* habit of toeing the line... ;) [/joke]

Zoras: spellcheck would be nice, but which english distro do we use for the checker? UK (international) or American? One might hope the UK one because everyone knows Americans are elitist about their spelling :D

The UK spellings would be best.

Also, on the topic of trolls "toeing" the line... let's just cut off their toes?