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Post by Swampmist on Mar 8, 2017 18:47:34 GMT
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Post by blackdog on Mar 8, 2017 19:02:44 GMT
So they removed the old faction sub-folder for whatever reason and now open "groups" for each faction for whatever reason. Yep, sounds pretty reasonable to me XD
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Post by Aegis on Mar 8, 2017 19:05:57 GMT
It seems a lot like a take-back from PP. Probably they realized the error they made and are trying to correct it without openly admitting it. So faction forums aren't back, but an hidden from newbies sight and a lot less easy to access version of them is returning.
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Post by Warsmith on Mar 8, 2017 19:09:29 GMT
Looks like a terrible way to say their sorry. It's clumsy and difficult to find. Time will tell if it gains any traction but if this is their acknowledgment of screwing up then it seems like a pretty weak attempt.
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Post by blackdog on Mar 8, 2017 19:10:05 GMT
Although I understand that, Aegis, don't understand why use that "groups" format. A subfolder with proper threads is by far more useful than a box where you put everything related with each section. The old forum with the general faction folder and the lists were really good. Seriously, don't know what they think in terms of "forum user interface" and "customer satisfaction" :/
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Post by Aegis on Mar 8, 2017 19:18:10 GMT
The point is that to see the groups you have to: 1) Be subscribed (so random people stubling on the forums to see how the game is won't see them) 2) Know that the function exists (so newbies won't see them) 3) Willingly get into the groups (so most people will only chose their factions groups and less mixing-aka-whining will probably be generated, and people who don't like those forum can avoid to see them) Other than that, opening faction groups lets them say "we have just added a new feature", while putting subforums back would have be a clear take-back from them. In practice, they are forfetting the ease of use for the users (and years of accumulated knowledge) in change to a curtain to hide the dirty laundry Well, better than nothing I suppose, but I wait to see how much success they will have now that viable alternatives (like this forum) exist.
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Post by schostoppa1 on Mar 8, 2017 22:04:12 GMT
Just joined them. Definately not impressed.
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Post by redoctober on Mar 8, 2017 22:18:21 GMT
#forumdesignspace
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Haight
Junior Strategist
Posts: 396
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Post by Haight on Mar 9, 2017 3:33:23 GMT
Don't be surprised if groups aren't around long. They are not an unknown feature.
Note I know of no specific plan, to remove them, but it seems counterintuitive to what their overhaul intent of the forums is.
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Post by Aegis on Mar 9, 2017 3:41:37 GMT
Don't be surprised if groups aren't around long. They are not an unknown feature. Note I know of no specific plan, to remove them, but it seems counterintuitive to what their overhaul intent of the forums is. Did they say anything "after" the change to the mod team? Explained their decision in some way at least to you?
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Lanz
Junior Strategist
Posts: 685
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Post by Lanz on Mar 9, 2017 3:45:07 GMT
Did PP actually announce any of this? Groups were always a forum feature AFAIK. I recall I was actually invited into one or two of them. If PP didn't deliberately encourage this, then it could be seen as posters attempting to circumvent the new forum structure and they could get axed.
edit: Yeah, I've been a member of some crazy-old groups since, like, Pre-mk2. This isn't new.
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Haight
Junior Strategist
Posts: 396
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Post by Haight on Mar 9, 2017 4:01:55 GMT
Don't be surprised if groups aren't around long. They are not an unknown feature. Note I know of no specific plan, to remove them, but it seems counterintuitive to what their overhaul intent of the forums is. Did they say anything "after" the change to the mod team? Explained their decision in some way at least to you? We got no explanation about anything until today, and it wasn't so much an explanation as it was words of appreciation and some general expectations for the future. Real general. I can say this, I know the mod and judge program are "changing", though I have no specifics ( and in fairness if I did, I could not nor would I share them...). Our handler has been very cool so far, as I've said it's not her doing ultimately, she's just the messenger. We have not been given a vision of the future or explanation as to the why's and wherefores in any specificity. The letter to pg'so is about as much insight as any of us got. I assume with a lot less tempestuous content and a terms of service most easily described as "draconian", they won't need many, if any, external mods, but that is a guess. This caught the Mod team as much by surprise as any of the user base. I know it is not easy on the staffers I dealt with regularly. I feel bad for them. We were actually very tight believe it or not. Some of us shared some very personal stuff behind the scenes.
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Post by Aegis on Mar 9, 2017 4:08:21 GMT
I can immagine.
The first thing I thought was exactly that... With the forums reduced like that, they wouldn't need the same number of moderators, and I don't envy the ones that could remain in that position, since modding while frequenting a forum that you also like is a thing, but being a mod into a sort of "technical support" forum goes too much into a "should be a payd work" for my tastes.
Yeah, they seem to be revolutionating everything, but so far I can't say I agree with even a single decision they made.
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Haight
Junior Strategist
Posts: 396
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Post by Haight on Mar 9, 2017 4:20:03 GMT
Yeah I read the new terms of service, instantaneously recognized I coukd never enforce them, sat back in my office chair and said:
Well Firetruck. Looks like I need to resign.
It's a bummer. I've volunteered for them in some fashion for 6 of the last 13 years.
As to decisions... yeah. There's a lot ofor stuff I've found eyebrow raising or even questionable, but sometimes businesses need to do things like that, and cant tell their customers 100% why. It's a hard Line to walk and gamers are not your average consumer.
Basically this sucks for almost everyone. At best its a necessary evil with unpleasant fallout. At best it's a lot of disappointed nostalgics.
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Post by RamsesII on Mar 9, 2017 4:48:32 GMT
Yeah those group forums look terrible and appear completely unintuitive to use. Just awful. I hope nobody gives in and uses those things.
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