Some Constructive Criticism [Forum]

WALL OF TEXT INBOUND!​

So after being around the forums for a short time I came up with a few suggestions. I know these are just other ways of doing things but I would like to know your guys opinions on them.

1. Specialized Forum Rules:
   • Ignore this whole section if we already have them. But after some searching I have been unable to find a set of rules just for the forum.
   • So, lacking a set of rules for the forums seem like a thing that need fixing. Since every forum need rules.
   • So I was thinking something like the Terraria Online Rules System. Utelizing the XenForo warning system to in force the rules.
2. Suggestion Forum Archive:
   • So after milling around the Suggestion forum a bit I thought there should be a place to send all those pesky locked threads, so in the Archive section have a Inactive/Locked Suggestions (Name pending) forum. Where mods can send suggestion that have been inactive for <1month or have been locked. Every post in that forum would be locked and a PM sent to the OP of the suggestion when it is moved. The OP would be able to request there suggestion moved back into the active discussion if they wanted.
3. A List Of Staff And There Jobs.
   • This falls under rules list also, but for a new member of the forums it is hard to differentiate between all the different staff. If it's the forum melon, the KAG guard etc. So maybe just add this to the rules to clear things up a bit.
   • Another possibility, remove the KAG guard from the staff online panel. Since correct me if I'm wrong, but they have no forum powers. So let them have there title and reference them in the staff list but don't have them appearing as staff (On the forums) Since it just add to the mix up of who is forum staff and who isn't.
4. Category Moving Around.
   1. Split the Announcements section into 2 sections
      • Developer Announcements
      • Forums Announcements
      • I thought this would just help people sort through which announcement they want.
   2. Move "Help!" & partially "Forum & Wiki" into a section called "Help & Support"
      • So help seemed a bit out of place in the general KAG section so I thought why not move it, and split it into to sub forums. "In-game Support" which would consist of bugs, and other in game needs. E.g "Can't place X" or "How do I switch class" and then another section within "Help & Support" called "Forum Feedback & Help" this would be a place for anything to do with the forums etc. And last but not least "Tech support" a place to ask all the techy questions you need eg. "Why can't I run KAG" & "KAG not starting" or "How to host server?"
      • It would look a little like this.
        • Help & Support
          • In-game Support
          • Forum Feedback & Help
          • Tech Support
   3. Create a new section called Creative.
      • There seems to be a lack of place for the creative folk to hang out, so I was thinking why not give them a sub section called "Creative" (Name pending)
      • This section would include "Fan Art" (I know there is already a art sub section BTW) with the sub section "In-game builds" also "Fan Fics" with the sub section "Role Play" and "Videos" with the sub section "Lets Plays"
      • It would look something like this.
        • Creative
          • Fan Art
            • In-game builds.
          • Fan Fics
            • Role Play
          • Videos
            • Lets Plays
5. Rename The Spamcan.
   • Maybe just re name it forum games. To make it more clear.

Disclaimer: Most of these points will likely be invalid due to my lack of knowledge on how these forums work. But it's just a few suggestions from some one new. Feel free to disect all my points and explain why they wouldn't work but be kind.

TLDR: Suggestions for the forum. Most of which are likely invalid since the OP's lacking knowledge of the forum.

 

Thanks for reading it all :).

1. Maybe have a link in the announcements or just a simple copy and paste. Since that's where people seem to check where rules are. Or make an actual post in the announcements with a formatted rules with a staff list etc and then a link to the rules in the top bar.
2. Yeh, that makes sense to keep the inactive ones.
3. Yeh, like you said make it more obvious. Maybe a list in the rules.
4. Well I guess all that is up to the mods for those respective sections, and ultimately the admins.
5. Oh sorry I miss under stood the use for that section. The description is a bit miss leading on that part. Maybe change it to "This is where we send the junk" or something.

Just some thoughts on the rules:

I think it's a bit vague here. Maybe set up an actual warning system. So breaking X rule will give you X amount of warning points. And if you have prokent he rule X times you will get X extra points.

Then X points is a 3 day ban.
X points is a month ban.
X points is a perma ban.

Something like this maybe:

Spoiler

Single Word Post Warnings

• Single Word Post: 1 warning point. 1 Week expiration. (For first offence)
• Single Word Post Second Offence: 2 points. 1 month expiration.
• Single Word Post Third Offence: 3 points. 2 month expiration.
• Single Word Post Fourth+ Offence: 5 points: 3 month expiration.

Double Post Warning

• Double Post: 1 warning point. 1 Week expiration. (Usually for first offence)
• Double Post Second Offence: 2 points. 1 month expiration.
• Double Post Third Offence: 3 points. 2 month expiration.
• Double Post Fourth+ Offence: 5 points: 3 month expiration.

Trolling/Racism/Sexism/Homophobia Warnings

• Trolling/Racism/Sexism/Homophobia : 1 warning point. 1 Week expiration. (usually for first offence)
• Trolling/Racism/Sexism/Homophobia Second Offence: 2 points. 1 month expiration.
• Trolling/Racism/Sexism/Homophobia Post Third Offence: 3 points. 2 month expiration.
• Trolling/Racism/Sexism/Homophobia Fourth+ Offence: 5 points: 3 month expiration.

Useless post

• Useless post 1: 1 warning point. 1 Week expiration. (usually for first offence)
• Useless post rank 2: 2 points. 1 month expiration.
• Useless post rank 3: 3 points. 2 month expiration.

Bans

• 10 points at any time is a 3 day ban
• 15 points at any time is a two week ban
• 20 points at any time is a 1 moth ban
• 25-30 points at any one time is a perma ban.

Obviously that's just a quick draft.

Also maybe use the content action tab to add a tag that anyone to see to a post to show when a warning has been given to that post? Just so users know if something has been delt with etc. (This may already be used and I just havn't seen it yet)

Maybe change this to: Post in English only, unless in the specific sub-section for a different language

That's true. But I assume the majority will see it as forum staff. This is why a staff list would be use full with a explanation of there roles. Fair enough with a bit of searching you can find out but just to make it more clear for new people.

 

dunno why, but I read this...
some nice work you did there!
GIVE HIM A COOKIE!

 

1. Well, where exactly can I suggest changes to the rules etc. Or shall I just use this thread as a base, how about a forum feedback portal (Just one big mega thread) where we can concentrate all the minor feedback instead of spanning across multiple threads. Just an idea seemed to work well in many other communities I frequent. Also what where your thoughts on the comments I made about the rules in this post.
2. It's just a organization thing, to clean stuff up a bit. It's not really a high priority.
3. Yeh, sorry I figured that out a bit later on. It is still a bit of a confusion when there title is guard and you can't see the ribbons on the staff on line section or there profile.
4. WARNING RAMBLE INCOMING!
   • I guess the announcement splitting is just a preference thing.
   • I'm pretty sure people would be able to find it if they just scrolled around a bit. But I guess it's a descision for you to make. I do think that it would be use full to at least split the help section into two subsections just for ease of use also IG help is starting to go into genral discussion like this & this.
   • As for the creative section, there may not be enough interest to warrant a change as of now but there probably will be in the future. So why not prepare now for the rush of users coming soon. (Since this is a very fast growing community) also as for the video section there are a few threads popping up all over with videos maybe it would be useful to actually give them a place. E.g Here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. But that probably isn't enough to warrant a change I'm just trying to think a head.
5. I guess ultimately it's your decision if you like the name. But maybe make the description more clear on that it's not all forum games.

You wouldn't need several copies of the staff list. Just one in the rules. It would just take a bit of work to create the list but then it could just be the one list to rule them all.

 

a little more on-topic:
I'd agree with Wired about the staff list!
it took me a month before I knew who FLAB, MM, Geti, Shad, kouji, the kag guards, the melon, and some others are!
how about a miniforum for newcomers? (same as with KAG, there are six or seven beginner servers)
then you could post all information about the forum (staff list, rules, etc) there, and the mods would be able to help people who need it, instead of explaining everything to (literally) everyone!
(I'm a mod on some other forum, so I know how that can be... terrible...)

 

That could work. But maybe it would be easier just to add a tutorial type deal to the rules, with links to useful threads what each section if for and then a staff list, but that would probably mean making a rules thread instead of just having it in the terms and rules section.

 

I don't think that is possible on vanilla Xenforo (At least as a moderator) but may be possible via addons. Why not just put a link to the rules in the top bar. (No as a drop down from help) But just a plain old link saying rules, which would then lead to the rules. This way we could make an actual thread with the rules in and just have that link point to that thread.

 

Thanks!
just the random thoughts of a 14 year old psychopath...

 

Would a Forum Help & Feedback work as a beginner forum, Since it would be a place where people could go to ask questions about how the forum works etc?

 

I knew that they worked as a filter I just think sub sections work better and are easier to navigate in the case of announcements, also using this it would be possible to add a filter so that ceratin posts in that section appear on a front page type deal which could be useful.

 

I didn't say I want it it's just a possibility, and don't rule it out yet. A portal is useful for community up dates, a place to put announcements with out having to check the announcements sub section (Even if you can use Kag2d.com it's still use full for people who frequent at the forums but not the homepage) a place to put the status up date box and other such luxerys. It's just a way we could go, not something we have to do. Just rabbling/brainstorming/bringing up ideas to see your guys opinions here. :p

I think if we split "Help!" into the 3 sub sections it might actually make things more clear, since I have seen forum help pop up in there a few times etc. So it might be less of a throw off having it in 3 section then just having Help! as one big forum. Help can be a pretty vague term.