Question for us GD'ers...

[Yama]

All right General Discussion, question here.

We've been trying to slowly limit the type of discussion that is pushed into a single thread as it tends to get lost easily, we're trying to push for more thread creation which leads to increased activity.

Now, aside from the random thoughts thread, would you be opposed to seeing the 'what made you happy', 'what made you pissed' and 'what you laugh' threads come to a close? Aside from the blurb here or there, a lot of these topics could get more feedback if they had their own threads. It's not flooding in any way, it's a general forum for just that, general discussion.

I seriously think it'd help the forums activity... a lot.

[Peter]

No offence to the posters, even though they may contain genuine information, they seemed like "too handy" topics, in that people post in them in a semi lazy way if that makes sense.

Also, its as if it forces you to post either something you probably dont want to post (but you do out of habit) or something thats worthy of its own topic for discussion.

In other words, i agree

[Yama]

More or less. In addition, we have the Random Thoughts Thread for lazy quickies, so it's not like the option won't be there. Honestly, there isn't anything in those threads that couldn't A) be in the random thoughts thread or isn't B) deserving of a topic.

[MiTT3NZ]

I hate topics like that. The only one that makes 100% sense is the "What Are You Listening to Right Now?" topic. A playthrough of a game can be discussed at length, requiring it's own topic, as can the listening of an album, or the watching of a TV series. Thoughts/feelings should be kept to yourselves, but if you feel the need to talk about it, go to the chatroom. Using a topic instead kinda makes it redundant. But yeah, lock em. Hate em. And hate anyone who posts in em. Except for myself. Coz I'm awesome.

[Crimson Ryan]

What I was thinking. Used to annoy me seeing random thoughts, made you laugh, made you angry etc topics were the only active posts in GD.

[mue 26]

I'm kinda indifferent about this to be honest, mainly because I don't really see it making a huge difference. People who can be bothered to make new threads will make new threads, and people who generally can't be bothered probably won't start. I mean, how much actually thread worthy material gets posted in those "what makes you happy/ laugh" threads anyway? I don't really care if they do get closed personally, but that's because I hardly ever read them due to fact that there's rarely anything posted in them aside from random gifs and memes, not the kind of stuff I can see leading to increased forum activity. Despite this, it is true that those threads do still tend to dominate this forum, so who knows, maybe there's a chance closing them will get people to think about posting other stuff?

[Who Really Cares?]

Don't mind having more random topics even if its something silly. If people don't think the subject needs its own topic simply stay out.

The R Kelly one was clearly just meant to be fun but got derailed.
As long as its not a topic made just to insult someone on here i don't see why it would be a problem.
If everything's kept in a couple big topics you never really get a discussion going on about whats actually posted.

Hell at times Random Thoughts is like a Facebook status page.

[Yama]

I'm kinda indifferent about this to be honest, mainly because I don't really see it making a huge difference. People who can be bothered to make new threads will make new threads, and people who generally can't be bothered probably won't start. I mean, how much actually thread worthy material gets posted in those "what makes you happy/ laugh" threads anyway? I don't really care if they do get closed personally, but that's because I hardly ever read them due to fact that there's rarely anything posted in them aside from random gifs and memes, not the kind of stuff I can see leading to increased forum activity. Despite this, it is true that those threads do still tend to dominate this forum, so who knows, maybe there's a chance closing them will get people to think about posting other stuff?

It would Mue, plain and simple. If you really go through them some serious stuff is posted from time to time and the poster gets very little to no feedback because there is so much clutter going on at once. Besides, anything mundane and little could be posted in the random thoughts thread, right? If it's small, at least let's keep that all in one place, not four. Even small things get passed up due to this.

I think when I took over there were a handful who thought I was changing things, granted that is already a long time ago and we're obviously on the same page, but I'm just bringing that up because I could see one or two seeing this in the wrong light. It's not changing, it's just modifying to allow for us to do what we already do on a bigger level. Less is more sometimes.

[Gingefners, The]

I don't like the random thoughts topic. The topic might be fine if it contained random thoughts, but instead it's loaded with banal images that don't even provide any thoughts at all. Not even thoughts about the image they stole (Yes, I'm assuming you didn't personally create those images/gifs. If you did I apologise).

Perhaps lock all the "What made you happy/sad/grumpy/sleepy/horny" style topics, and leave one random thoughts topic to contain only random thoughts. Meaning a post must contain at least some minimal amount of effort, even if it's just "I found this funny." along with image. Maybe also have a no quote rule for this random thoughts topic? If a thought is worth responding to and discussing, start a topic and reply there.

[Thief]

The community won't die and be too lazy to make topics if these "random" topics disappear, we love this place too much. We're in a rut and sometimes people need a little push. I say strip them away!!

Anyway, regardless of what I just said, some of them I think should definitely stay. Such as the "Video Game Music" thread. It doesn't serve as any means of discussion but it's a really nice place for people to share (and find) their favorite video game music. I love finding great songs that I've never heard from games I've never played.

[Who Really Cares?]

I think we only need the random thoughts and laugh/pissed ones.

The what did you buy and so on could simply be posted in RT.

[Riku Rose]

Do away with them.

A couple of years ago people would make topics for actual discussion or stupid and funny news stories. Even if it was a totally pointless topic some humor would come out in the replies. It just makes me laugh how people someone could get pissed about the R Kelly topic but all the laugh/cry or whatever topics are mostly filled with images from Facebook or 4chan.

Lock them all I say.

[Yama]

I could let this go on, but it's obvious how the ratio is unfolding. Time to take out the broom.

You guys owe me a dust pan btw...

[Crimson Ryan]

Which topics are on the chopping block?

I'd vote for "genuinely happy", "made you laugh", "pissed you off", "melancholic", "bothers you", "last thing you bought" and "scared the crap out of you" to lock up.

And bring back the Junk forum :-p

[Yama]

That's another topic, Ryan. But seriously, as the community gets smaller, we need to separate less and come together more. However campy that may have sounded...

And I'm glad you all agree, besides it only supports the new TOS:

New topics deserve new threads. For example, if you have something excruciatingly short to say, it could and should be posted in the random thoughts thread. If it is anything of value, no matter how small, create a topic. Many conversations have went overlooked because they are crammed inside pages of other conversation. This also helps boost forum activity and order.