NationStates Jolt Archive

Official Mod Opinion Requested: Would this constitute spamming the moderation forum, or is it a good (or at least acceptable) idea?

I got this idea because of Automagfreaks "Mod-wanabees" thread a while ago and recent "Tagging=spamming" thread (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=108112) (being the most relevant threads, there are others though) stating that they are for mods only, but players still respond. This is because players (other then moderators) want to have (and will continue to want) a say in the topic at hand if it isn't something fairly routine (like a thread lock), I have a suggestion to put forward about what you should do when you make a mods only thread that is bound to attract comments from non-mods.

Make another thread for players to make non-official responses and comments about what they think on the subject. Putting mods only obviously isn't stopping players from replying to them, and it isn't going to start working any time soon. If you make a thread where people will want a say, but you want a thread devoted to the official opinion, give people who want a say but can't give an official opinion a place to voice themselves or they will do it in the mods only thread.

Furthermore, since the players are very a part of the game they deserve an opinion, especially when it comes to deciding on policies that have not yet been formed, or that are unclear. It has been pointed out before and frequently that "If Max says something, it happens," but that doesn't mean we as players can't have a chance to bring up points that may change the official rulings.

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I like the idea on first reading. Actually thinking through any potential implications/hassles is something I'm not qualified to do right about now.

Once again, mods don't have a problem with players trying to help out, or give opinions.

However...

When it's an issue that requires the assistance of a Mod, when the player is giving inaccurate information, or when the requestor asks that only Mods resond, we get frustrated with non-mod responces.

With the first, player responces are a waste and essentially spam.

The second is probably the worst, as until a mod comes around, confusion is created.

The third is simply a matter of common courtesy.

Honestly, I think if the first two were addressed by the players themselves, we wouldn't have nearly as many instances of the third.

As an alternative, if a player sees a mods-only topic they want to reply to they could make a clone of the original topic (basically quote the first post of the original topic, except without the mods-only part).

As an alternative, if a player sees a mods-only topic they want to reply to they could make a clone of the original topic (basically quote the first post of the original topic, except without the mods-only part).

That strikes me as mildly spammy tho. Seems to me that people could simply not respond.

At times the responces in Mod (or Tech) seem to be little more than good old fashioned AOL +1 "me to!!!1" spam.

Exactly. It seems like some of this could be cleaned, if not a lot of it, if people would simply be more respobsible. i have greatly limited my posts on Mod topics, trying to see if it is a discussion of theory or specific incidents.

Really, we should only be to confirm or dis-cofirm an actual happening. Or, to discuss game dynamics. We aren't here, as players, to say a player is right off damned or saved.

If people would simply display self-control and for-thought to post where they can help, rather to try to walk in Mod shoes, we wouldn;t even need to discuss this so much.