Suggestion for improving MTF

Stu52 · 10-12-2009, 12:02 AM

I have a theory that MTF would be such a better place if you stopped insisting that ALL information about an entire project be contained in one single massive thread. Take something like the MWG thread for example: People are desperate for news about the new release (same as any new project) and so any time that thread is updated, a lot of people are going to click in to see it. As a result, whatever petty drama or tangent is taking place in that thread at that moment essentially gets broadcast to the entirety of MTF as a whole. As a result, more people keep getting dragged back into the major dramas day after day, people absorb the negativity, they keep lashing out, it's just a bad cycle.

Now imagine, on the other hand, that each major news item was allowed to inhabit its own dedicated thread. People would be able to stop checking a thread once they decided that they'd obtained all the news they wanted from that thread and discussed that facet of the project all they wanted to. Similarly, they'd be able to decide for themselves once a thread had devolved into a pointless drama, and they'd have no further incentive to keep clicking into that thread day after day. I think the forum would become a much more civil place as a result. People would be able to tell just from the thread titles when there was new news out there, and they'd be able to stop wasting so much time reading through every single post of a 3,000 post thread.

Let's give it a chance and see if it helps. Public please.

**Churumbela** · 10-12-2009, 02:04 PM

Thanks for your input, Stu52. We'll discuss your suggestion, but let me give you a bit of background as to the reasoning behind the system we are currently using. (And remember, this tends to be more of an issue during new release time, because people are more actively searching for information at those times, as well as more actively posting info.)

Anyone on @ can start a thread, and lots and lots of posters do. For instance, when Michael Jackson died, I had to personally merge five different threads that had been started, all sharing the same information. I'm not even sure how many merges and moves the other mods had to do, but I would imagine there were a couple, at least. It's no different with Tori info. We get duplicate threads with the same interview, duplicate threads asking for artwork or sharing artwork, duplicate threads letting people know where they can find clips, etc. Of course, it isn't a big deal to merge two threads together once in a while, but the flow of information during new release time is such that the excess of information in multiple threads can be hard to wade through, and it can become a real nuisance to those of us who have to read every thread posted in that forum. For this and other reasons, we felt that streamlining something like a discussion and news thread would help to keep the first page of the MTF a bit more under control. Of course it doesn't work perfectly!
I know having to wade through a huge thread isn't ideal. Perhaps we could close it after, say, a particular number of pages, and then start a "Part 2" thread? Whether or not that would have any effect on the drama, I'm not sure, but I think the drama persists regardless of how MTF is organized. This organization system is relatively new, and the drama is certainly not.

I'd love to open this up to everyone who uses MTF -- how do you feel about the organization? Any suggestions?
(BTW, I looked at the first page, the MG thread is the only one of the large composite "discussion"-type threads there. In contrast, almost every thread in OMA is like this, and probably half the threads in Scandal Sheet use the same method.)

**Artemus** · 10-12-2009, 05:56 PM

I don't use MTF often, but would creating a temporary subforum for specific topics, like the new album release, be more helpful or hassle? Once the hype has died down, those threads could be integrated back into MTF, or even merged into their own massive album thread, or whatever.

Public.

**Churumbela** · 10-12-2009, 07:28 PM

That might be an interesting idea, as well, Autumn. Thanks!

damienbp · 10-12-2009, 07:43 PM

I absolutely LOVE having one thread for Midwinter Graces...I remember for AATS there were quite a few different threads where everyone was posting this and that and it was so bothersome to have to check all of them. Sure a thread starts with a specific news item, but then they all become blended about the same new album talk. I dunno, do whatever you guys want, but I was just thinking how great it was that everything was in one thread the other day.

damienbp · 10-12-2009, 07:45 PM

Oh great, I forgot to type public on the post I just wrote here. If the mods have the ability to make that post public, please do so. public!!!

Jim · 10-12-2009, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Churumbela

I know having to wade through a huge thread isn't ideal. Perhaps we could close it after, say, a particular number of pages, and then start a "Part 2" thread?

I like this idea.

and then in the next thread, put all the relevant information from the last thread in the first few posts.... like when they do 2-part episodes on TV.

last time on Midwinter Graces!! Fori pops out of a sphincter to seduce Gay Angel. R@bert receives a promo. New lyrics about "holiday faves".

Stumpy · 10-13-2009, 02:45 AM

[quote=Stu52;5889427]I have a theory[quote]
that it's a demon. A dancing demon, no, something isn't right there.

**Churumbela** · 10-13-2009, 06:42 AM

Bunnies! Bunnies! It must be bunnies!

Spoiler

cee · 10-13-2009, 09:16 AM

I've already gave this feedback privately, but now I'll say it again publicly.

I think the new subforum for polls & games is unnecessary.. and it doesn't seem to be working very well either. It's pretty dead in there.

People aren't accessing and using those threads (very much) now that they're off the main forum. And while things naturally slow down from time to time, I feel like the MTF has slowed as a result of this change, too.

sixthcrusifix · 10-13-2009, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damienbp

I absolutely LOVE having one thread for Midwinter Graces...I remember for AATS there were quite a few different threads where everyone was posting this and that and it was so bothersome to have to check all of them. Sure a thread starts with a specific news item, but then they all become blended about the same new album talk. I dunno, do whatever you guys want, but I was just thinking how great it was that everything was in one thread the other day.

It's fine for a little while and then it gets out of hand. I want to find new information because I was gone for a single weekend and there are 30 NEW PAGES to the damned thread.

It's not worth my time to peruse the damned thread just to find out the scoop so I just wait until Undented has it.

I think a sub-forum for album release information would be nice. Tracking 5 slow threads is less annoying than tracking 1 ridiculously fast thread.

(pubic)

Jim · 10-13-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cee

I've already gave this feedback privately, but now I'll say it again publicly.

I think the new subforum for polls & games is unnecessary.. and it doesn't seem to be working very well either. It's pretty dead in there.

People aren't accessing and using those threads (very much) now that they're off the main forum. And while things naturally slow down from time to time, I feel like the MTF has slowed as a result of this change, too.

eh... no.

I like the change. who cares if there's not much activity? I'd rather not wade through 100 "opposites" polls just to find a new interview or clip or whatnot.

PUBIC... I mean, err... public.

**ebby** · 10-13-2009, 09:34 PM

the Games and Polls subforum is definitely staying there for the new album period at least, as those games tend to flood the main forum, which makes accessing information in MTF even more difficult than keeping up with the really super-long threads.

Scarlet · 10-13-2009, 09:41 PM

public

But isn't the first page of the MG thread updated with the new info? And if it's not, maybe it could be, like album pics, track lists. There is a MG sticky that has the info, short of the lantern and woodsy pictures, so if those were kept up-to-date with real info, then people who don't want to read 9 pages of updates could go there for highlights.

I like having it all in one thread. making part II would be fine by me though. I'm sure when it comes out, leaks, etc, there will be a lot more threads that happen like what happened with AATS, the "I'm not listening" threads, the "amended tracklist" threads, "appreciation" threads.

I was very impressed the other day that it was over 100 pages with no ghost pages.

I don't play the games or do the polls too often, but I know I haven't wandered over the the sub-forum much. It did get a little much when the entire front page was taken up with them, but then again, after MG and the tour, what else do we do for the next two years?

Maybe what's needed in MTF to keep the off-topic nastiness to a minimum is a "Bitch about @" thread, where all the "Why do you even post here if you hate her so much?" drama can go.

**Churumbela** · 10-13-2009, 09:59 PM

Scarlet - yes, in theory there is a sticky that should have the info, and I haven't been so good about the latest news. The last thing I put in was when the album cover originally leaked. I'm sorry about that, I let real life get in the way sometimes.

I am very hesitant about the idea of a "bitch about @" thread. I mean, MTF is not meant for bitching at other people, and I worry that having a thread for that purpose would just invite it more than anything else would. If that is what people want to do, they should follow the suggestions in place for @ as a whole, and pony up the $$ to become premium and post the off-topic nastiness in TMP. And the "why do you even post here?" bullshit is actually against the rules of MTF, so I don't particularly want to give it its own venue.

Thanks very much for all the input so far, everyone.