Code of Conduct and Valued Posters

That's actually a brilliant idea. WoW/Blizzard has used a similar system very successfully so I've no doubt it will work here, where the community is so passionate.

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GreenDude wrote:

That's actually a brilliant idea. WoW/Blizzard has used a similar system very successfully so I've no doubt it will work here, where the community is so passionate.

For better and worse.

It's a smart move. I just want to throw out my thoughts on the VP program really fast.

1.) Good incentive to post 'good' material
2.) Gives less toxic players, who are potentially newer, a status to rival veterans. Appearances do matter.
3.) Will probably lead to the forums improving.

There is only one problem I want to point out -> "Our overall goal is to make the Path of Exile forums the best resource for game information." I think that if that's your goal then you guys should make the forum into a wiki with comment chains.

A better mission statement would be "Our overall goal is to make the Path of Exile forums the best place for constructive and interesting discussion about Path of Exile."

1.) Constructive -> obviously, non-toxic/non-trolly discussion.
2.) Interesting -> makes you want to come onto the forums and read and post.

You guys are really nailing the constructive part hard consistently with the CoC change and VP program. But I don't think you guys are quite making any steps in the interesting department. I only really stopped visiting/posting on these forums because of the interesting part disappearing. What if you guys posted the top three hot threads on the front page of the website to the side? or at the top of the forums index? Those are my ideas I made up just now and I'm sure others could do better.

Just my 2c. Anyway, good luck.

Edit: I also want to say, I'm kind of saddened to see the use of a "Support" account. I remember when Riot used a solitary account for posting on the forums once and there was a massive shitstorm raised over the content of the post and the fact that they are using one account. It makes interacting with support impersonal and makes it feel like no individual can be held accountable for their actions. (Again, appearances matter, even if it's not the reality of the situation.) I guess the people left on the forums really did just stop caring about forum changes or I'm getting to old for the times. While it's not posting like crazy, since it's already here, there is no stopping it from posting like crazy in the future. ("Eased it in so that it only seems natural")

Just more of my 2c.

They're really just opposed to us taking it out on each other rather than sticking to the discussion. If you keep your comments away from "here's your problem" or "You're full of shit", you wont get probation.

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Shagsbeard wrote:

They're really just opposed to us taking it out on each other rather than sticking to the discussion. If you keep your comments away from "here's your problem" or "You're full of shit", you wont get probation.

This is too true. I mean, I've never had a single probation.

The most I've had was one warning on borderline 'bad' content in off topic. Pretty much a squeaky clean record.

There were definitely some very real cases of targeting and power abuse but hopefully those days are gone.

I will hold my judgement untill I've seen how it's going to be implemented and what critireas they choose VPs by.

It might help newbies, and that is a good thing.

It won't fix the fundamental issues with these forums though...the primary one being the trading system requires access here and your moderation efforts are too harsh to justify posting here regularly.

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jaredh wrote:

It might help newbies, and that is a good thing.

It won't fix the fundamental issues with these forums though...the primary one being the trading system requires access here and your moderation efforts are too harsh to justify posting here regularly.

Did you read the post? People on probation now maintain their access to the trade forums so their probation doesn't interfere with their gameplay. And the new Code of Conduct is much more relaxed; moderation should be more relaxed too from now on.

Your two complaints have both been addressed. Anything else?

Yeah the no name and shame thing needs to go. If one player can screw another over because they want this savage cutthroat economy it has to go both ways, his reputation can't have a safety blanket over it on the forums.

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LadyZeyra wrote:

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jaredh wrote:

It might help newbies, and that is a good thing.

It won't fix the fundamental issues with these forums though...the primary one being the trading system requires access here and your moderation efforts are too harsh to justify posting here regularly.

Did you read the post? People on probation now maintain their access to the trade forums so their probation doesn't interfere with their gameplay. And the new Code of Conduct is much more relaxed; moderation should be more relaxed too from now on.

Your two complaints have both been addressed. Anything else?

Changes to the code of conduct are pretty useless. Nearly anything could be interpreted to mean needlessly negative . It's subjective in the extreme. The same could be said of a personal attack quite frankly.

What's going to determine rather or not moderation becomes more relaxed is the individual tastes of the actual moderator and what he or she thinks is appropriate. That's really the bottom line. Frankly I do not even know why these video game forums insist on having these ridiculous codes of conduct they ask us to read over. They are useless tools and mildly insulting. I would prefer not to be treated as if I was still in kindergarten.

I'm just going to be myself. If they want to ban or probate me - have it it. Video game companies who discipline their posters on the forums do themselves more harm than good anyway. All it does is piss off their customers and cost them business. They would be smarter to just let players moderate the forums themselves via an ignore function.