Forum Suggestion: Forum Rules Pointer

[Mats Berglinn]

As many of you (if not all of you) have noticed in Games in Production there have been a lot of games threads that gets up by newbies and they don't follow the rules of posting two screenshots, telling the full story or haven't even begun on the game itself. I bet this pretty frustrating to Darth Mandrab to keep on closing the threads because they never read the rules so I'm suggesting here that we should include a programming question or a reminder that saying "Have you read and agree the Games Forum Rules? You can't publish the thread if you haven't" and two clickable squares with answers "Yes" and "No" on them. If you click on Yes then you can go on publish the thread and if you don't well, it will either take you back to the starting screen or take you to the Forum Rules Page.

This way it will make sure that nobody (or at least a lot less) posting before reading the rules.

What do you think about this? Any other ideas for this? Speak out your mind, please!

[mätzyboy]

I think the idea is good, but the result would only be people clicking yes without reading the rules anyway.

My suggestion would be to make a form that you have to fill out in order to start a new thread in the games in production thread, where you fill in fields according to this example...

Game name:
Plot outline:
URL for screenshot #1:
URL for screenshot #2:
Progress (% done):
Additional info:

Unless all fields (except the progress one that is optional...) contain data the thread cannot be created and you will be informed so after pressing the submit button. If all fields are filled in correctly the thread entry is created with the given data in a nice standard way that that makes the world beautiful and moderating becomes like a holiday in the sun! 

I don't think this is too hard to code in php, is it?

[Ishmael]

The original idea is good, but the preformating of threads isn't. There should be a reminder in the new thread page for GIP that has a link to the rules and a some sort of warning that those who do not follow the rules will be punished, or something. Like there's the Golden Rules thing here in gengen.

[Kinoko]

I think the first idea's good because a lot of people who end up breaking the rules are actually surprised and sorry, and didn't realise. I think it would at least cut down on the amount of locked threads, though it'd be pretty hard to stop them completely.

[Al_Ninio]

I prefer the second idea to the first one, if only because it is more practical.
The first one is just like when you're installing new software, and the EULA part asks if you agree or not.
C'mon, how many of you actually read it instead of just saying 'get on with it!' and checking 'I agree' without reading?

The first idea will just be the same, people not reading the rules but saying they did so they can post.

[Ishmael]

a some sort of warning that those who do not follow the rules will be punished, or something.

[Ashen]

I agree about people just clicking 'Yes' without bothering to check, but I also agree that most of the people who break the rules (in this case at least) do it because they didn't know, rather than they don't care.

What about a combination of the ideas? A reminder of the rules, a warning about not following them, and a link to a form (and/or examples of right and wrong ways to do it), for those who aren't sure. (Not that that would stop people who technically follow the rules, but are still posting way too early, but at least it'd be a start.)

[mätzyboy]

Ishmael, could you elaborate a bit on why you think prefromatted threads is not good? I'd like to think that making the start threads similar would make it easy to read about new games and get a fast first impression. Since there are so many restrictions as to what should be in a new thread, why not force them to be followed?

Of course replying to the threads should be as usual, without any forms.

Cheers!

[m0ds]

What you also need to take into consideration here is that a lot of people seem to think "menu screens" justify as a screenshot. I like the idea of some kind of submission process, perhaps there could be a middle man who decides whether the submission is worthy of being posted or not.

None the less, the GIP forum was created to prevent thousands of "game in production" threads being created on THIS board. I think we also have to take into account that everyone who visits here will want to talk about their games, even their ideas.

Personally, to qualify for a thread on that board - I think the persons game should be AT LEAST 50% complete. That way the readers will feel fairly confident that they will actually see this game, and the developer doesn't get bogged down in criticism and/or his/her ego before the release of the game.

As far as those that breach the rules - they're actually quite lucky that moderators move or lock threads, when in theory they should be deleting the threads that don't comply.

[Sam.]

is there not a way to search the posts, similar to the txt-style spelling check, to see if there are links to images? if there are not at least two, the thread could be stopped.

[Reko]

I think the preformatted post idea is good. After the thread is created, the user should be able to modify the thread using the normal method to customize it to their liking.

Although, if people wanted to avoid the preformatted method, I think it wouldn't be hard to skin the board so the 'Think before you post' text is added to if you're starting a new topic in GiP, something like:

You are posting in the Games in Production forum.
Please note that there are prerequisites to posting in this forum. You must have at least two in-game screenshots (menus and GUIs do not count). If you do not have at least two in-game screenshots to display, your thread will get locked.

Just putting a link to the rules there would probably be less effective.

[Darth Mandarb]

This is, obviously, something I have put much thought into

What did I come up with?

Leave it as-is basically.

Suggestions
- A link (on the new post page) to the Forum Rules rather than just the warning
- A sticky thread with an example of a properly formatted GiP thread

It works pretty well as is.

I don't think the idea of the special form is that bad BUT ... I think you'd get people not filling it out properly.  Putting the same screenie up for both, putting "story not complete yet" instead of a proper story description, etc.  Which would only make it more irritating.

It'd be like putting a sign on your door that says, "Knock before entering".  When somebody comes right in without knocking it's FAR more irritating when there's a sign on the door!

[passer-by]

When somebody comes right in without knocking it's FAR more irritating when there's a sign on the door!

Not strictly AGS, but don't you wish it was the case sometimes, so you could react properly???

Anyway, IÃ,  find the thread is OK and that contributors should read the rules, but being a person who always presses the "I agree" button and having read the rules only because the sticky seemed more interesting than the standard blue cup :-[Ã,  , I think a reminder or a big warning would be useful... Like the one that says that a new post was sent while you were replying and you might wish to revise...

Question (I mayÃ,  modify that later...)
The fact that we can't even delete our own posts is a choice or a forum construction thing?

[Ishmael]

to skin the board so the 'Think before you post' text is added to if you're starting a new topic in GiP, something like:

- A link (on the new post page) to the Forum Rules rather than just the warning
- A sticky thread with an example of a properly formatted GiP thread

Yes, indeed.

There should be a reminder in the new thread page for GIP that has a link to the rules and a some sort of warning that those who do not follow the rules will be punished, or something. Like there's the Golden Rules thing here in gengen.

Thankyou.

And sorry.

[m0ds]

The fact that we can't even delete our own posts is a choice or a forum construction thing?

On each post I see "reply with quote - modify - remove ..."

Don't you have the "Remove" option, on your own posts only??

[passer-by]

The fact that we can't even delete our own posts is a choice or a forum construction thing?

On each post I see "reply with quote - modify - remove ..."

Don't you have the "Remove" option, on your own posts only??

I only have reply (with quote) and modify...

[Al_Ninio]

The fact that we can't even delete our own posts is a choice or a forum construction thing?

On each post I see "reply with quote - modify - remove ..."

Don't you have the "Remove" option, on your own posts only??

You, sir, are a moderator.

[Ishmael]

The fact that we can't even delete our own posts is a choice or a forum construction thing?

On each post I see "reply with quote - modify - remove ..."

Don't you have the "Remove" option, on your own posts only??

You, sir, are a moderator.

f00'

[Pumaman]

The Start New Thread page in the GiP forum already says this:

HAVE YOU READ THE FORUM RULES BEFORE POSTING?

Seriously, have you?

If your new thread violates the rules, it will be LOCKED or DELETED without warning.


I can't see why that isn't explicit enough, and quite frankly if people can manage to ignore that and still break the rules with their post then it deserves to be deleted.

Perhaps a link from the warning message to the rules thread would be a good idea though.