Why all the Moderating

So FireLotus, remember that one time you said exactly this?

 

We are still in the process of reviewing several threads. Not to worry, when we are done, all notifications will have been issued.

 

The forums have to be moderated. Some of these arguements could really blossom into something none of us want.

I have been moderated a few times, discussed why with the mods, didn't agree always agree with them but I saw why they did it.

I see a lot of victim posts being posted and liked here, but what we are not seeing is the actual things these users posted. I'm willing to bet they were deserving of the moderation or at least there was some good reason why it happened.

Now, as for Alts. These really make my blood boil. I know I have had arguements with Alts of people because I could tell by their posting style, or a line they have used before. I think it is a cheap way to try and sway an arguement in your favor. I only have this account and have never thought about making an Alt.

I think anyone who does make an Alt account really speaks about their character.

At the end of the day this is a forum belonging to Portalarium and they can Mod it any way they like....they are pretty open IMHO in allowing some pretty damaging threads to continue. The ones they close usually are complete garbage by the time they are closed or were garbage when they were open. I'm fine with things here.

 

"In Concerns of Our International Community"
(a community message of concern)
I would like to point out that it is very difficult for our foreign language users to find the subjects of many threads because of the trolling effect of arguing off topic.
I find it very acceptable that anyone throwing some humor in, or friendly exchange, yet some threads become literally hijacked from discussing the true topic.

This in itself is no news, yet I do feel that if we are to encourage a more broad community of international fans, then we must stay "closer" onto any thread's topic.

For my part, "I am a heavily moderated member" just as many are. Yet I respect Portalaium's rights to limit, restrict, or remove my content, because "we are building not only a game, but a place where the player's ideas can flourish into better game content".

Our international community will some day be equal to or exceed our English speaking community. It is very difficult to fully understand all the content of our forums by way of online translators, yet we all need to have these very valuable international members be as informed about our game as we English readers are.

More people, more funding, more minds, more ideas, more players, more fun...
~Time Lord~

 

Actually I find the way they run this forum bizarre in a lot of cases. I have been on internet forums before but what everyone (including the company) seems to have forgotten is that this isn't just another forum, its a form of customer feedback and ALL feedback (even that you don't like, deem correct or deem inappropriate) should be handled with that aim in mind (especially when its negative). If its all sweetness and light then sure you can basically ignore it but when its negative, even inappropriately so it needs to be handled. Currently the way its handled is by deletion, warnings and bans which is really stupid.

It maybe necessary to delete a complaint but instead of doing this in a dictatorial way, especially accusing the complainant of misconduct the company needs to address the issue. Even if you think the WAY the feedback is given goes to far you still need to follow it up in a customer focused way. Why do you feel like that? what could we do to address this? an explanation as to why you can or can't change it etc
http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/customer-service/managing-customer-complaints

When I started working I was forced to watch all those stupid induction videos but one has always stuck with me, "I CARE, Customers Are Really Everything. without customers we don't have a business"

I have said before I wouldn't recommenced this game and would actively discourage anyone from buying into it and that is 90% because of the way this company handles feedback.

I honestly think to many people on both sides of the line have forgotten this is a company selling a product, nothing more

 

You pardon me in saying... how in the bloody hell is that possible?

*grins*

 

Funny that you say that. Because one of the reasons I encourage people to buy into this game is the way this company handles feedback. They kick butt. I've seen so many positive changes result from our feedback. In my last youtube vlog, I encouraged people to check this site out due to the awesome community.

You can criticize all you want as long as you're civil and you follow the rules. I've done it. So have a myriad others.

 

You have your opinion and I respect that but I don't think you are taking in to consideration that the only thread that was deleted yesterday from the forums was the 'We support Portalarium' thread.

Again, you have your opinion and I respect that but it doesn't make a ton of sense that you are so active on the Shroud of the Avatar forums when you actively discourage people from buying it. If it were me and I didn't like a game and thought people shouldn't play it I guess that I would just move on.

 

I'd wager that Asguard had a different outlook on things a thousand posts ago. Forums often have a bitter after-taste. Who knows, maybe you'll be a dissenter in a thousand posts Kadumel.

My opinion on moderation:
No moderation is perfect. Most of it is mediocre to terrible. SotA's, however, is pretty decent.

 

I doubt I will ever get there. I would be willing to bet if they had released the game through a normal process and then opened the forums afterwards almost no one would have 1,000 besides maybe TimeLord.

 

People just don't like each other enough
I basically like those that I want others to follow because they are ether smart about the game or gaming, they have a good opposite view than mine because I can't have good ideas unless I to read those who are smart about our game or are good subjective viewpoints...
It's most of the obstructers that don't get many likes from me. "I love invention" and so if someone has an objection that comes to obstructing creative thoughts for our game to take notice of... then I am sorry, but no Kudos for them
~Time Lord~

 

how is the community awesome if they have to continuously moderate it?

How is the community awesome if members voices are merged into non contextual threads or "archived"?

 

It's awesome BECAUSE they continually moderate it. I don't much care for the hateful anarchy that can erupt in an unmoderated forum.

The moderating rules are clear and fair. The team listens to our feedback and responds (not always as fast as I'd like, but they've got a game to develop!). They continually make changes based on what this community tells them. They listen to both positive and negative feedback equally, as long as the feedback is presented in a tactful manner which adheres to the forum rules.

 

just to clarify.

I think us, out here, great people and voices, yes even the fanbois and the trolls. you need that to grow and learn the boundaries of your product.

However, we are only 50% of that community equation.

 

moderate, yes, but not squelch. archiving or merging threads is not moderating, that is editing.

moderating would be locking a thread, leaving it for the community to evaluate.

moderating would be removing hate speech or other terms that are expressly forbidden.

moderating would be asking those parties to take a time out.

Those last three, yes, that first one, no.

 

This is a case of YMMV.

I do not see any squelching. I see people clearly breaking forum rules and getting the appropriate response.

Merging threads IS moderating. Spamming the same topic violates forum rules, merging solves the problem.

Are the moderators capable of making mistakes? Yes. Have they? From time to time. They're human.

 

I think everyone can see that our opinions are listened and in many cases have changed the way devs construct this game. That, in my opinion, leads to a very passionate debates that escalates very fast with hurt people on both sides of opinions. Heavy mod is really needed on this scenario to keep debate relatively calm.

On other games forums you know your opinion probably will not generate a reaction because the game devs are not that transparent, and will not make an important change based in community feedback.

PS: sorry for bad grammar xD, but i am getting better

 

that is not really different here. You have plenty of games where devs are reading forums and not interacting. We have more interaction here but that doesn't automatically apply to changing game play or design. again, yes, more here, but that absence from the forums by devs in other product does not preclude their reading and use of players ideas in the design.

tldr; silence is not an indication of absence.

 

I have to admit, I find this attitude repulsive, when you get to this point and frustration level, don't you think it's time to take a step back or move on? I mean who's interests are you serving by discouraging people from joining? Do you feel you are saving these poor uneducated souls from wasting their money? Wow , this is one of the saddest things I have seen in the forums in a while...(and there's been a lot lately)

Voicing your concerns is one thing even aggressively is cool, however actively "anti-promoting" the game while being an active forum member is a whole different level of low, disappointed my friend.

I think people on both sides of the lines have forgotten (mostly because of the high dollar amounts pledged) that:

A.) At the end of the day it's just a "game"...
B.) Portalarium, is not "activity" or intentionally trying to screw you, they get up everyday and try their best to make the best decisions they can in an attempt to keep the most people happy and engaged.

No more no less...

 

The other statement of non responsibility lately, they are human. and? so are we all.

Also hard to see threads disappear when you don't know they were there, but. ..

merging is editing. moderating would be to leave it alone, lock it, and put people to the one thread, not trying to collapse ideas into a single place. thst destroys continuity and context.