The Thread Restriction is a Disservice to Members.
I am a long-time TW player, as can be seen from my profile I have nearly every game published. This is my first time joining a forum on TW, and I was motivated to join so I could raise and discuss a current issue of personal concern: AI Diplomacy. I saw the restriction on new threads, so I tried to find a thread on that topic but I couldn't, although after a search I did find several general threads where it is mentioned as a subsidiary topic.
I have two problems with the restriction.
First, because the restriction is not accompanied by a more expansive list of clearly delineated topic threads addressing specific categories (such as AI Diplomacy) it makes it difficult to identify which thread to locate answers in, or which thread would be best to post a question or issue of one's own within. Should I post as a "rant?" "Praise?" A "question," an observation, or a plea for help from the programmers?
Second, this restriction creates such massive threads, it takes an inordinate amount of time to read through any one of them. Most people won't do that, because they get frustrated after trying to sift through page after page of posts trying to see if their issue was already raised and properly answered. This also means that an individual's questions/concerns may be overlooked; and answers lost within the increasingly convoluted thread.
I believe the whole point of a general discussion forum is to give people an opportunity to raise issues of concern, and seek responses from other people who share those concerns or can provide specific answers to the questions raised. It is a way of being "heard." Allowing members to post separate topic threads enables them to easily follow the "thread" of posted replies, while engendering whatever level of member interest the topic raised truly deserves. Actual interest will determine when and if the thread dies a natural death on its own. A simple computer program can automatically delete old threads after a designated time where there have been no replies. A "sticky" can keep others on if the mods think the topic has a more durable purpose.
Meanwhile, forcing members to bury their issues within massive general topic threads is a disservice. At the very least, if you are going to enforce such a restriction then expand the list of threads to cover all of the most obvious topics of member concern, and then monitor the threads to ensure posts remain on topic and are not just space filler replies.
Now, I want to post a thread addressing AI Diplomacy problems. I joined the forum to do that, and want the option to do it for any other topic I might find of interest. If I can't, then I expect to have a larger, more specific list of topics to select from.
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Originally Posted by x0teutonic0x
