So, after the last thread I posted, which had its ups and downs, I thought it would be good to make a new one to broaden and refocus the discussion a bit. But first, I want to summarize some of what happened since the previous thread ("Moving More Quickly On Moderation") was made.
- We will probably have someone in a moderation role soon, per Mike's reaction to the thread
- Mike also implemented a block function not too long after that thread was posted
I don't want to summarize people's discussion points, as I don't want to cheapen any arguments that were made. Those are a bit more tangible to just say outright. But anyways, there's something that Blamonkey mentioned in the midst of the flame war that caught my attention. He mentioned the old Debate.org Orientation Thread, which has been absorbed into the newer, still pinned New Members Read Me Thread, on the main DDO forum.
Getting back on task, I think that a thread similar to this that explains the jargon behind debating, voting, mafia etc. would allow new people to become better acquainted with the site and competitive debate in general. This is assuming, of course, that we do not have one right now. Please correct me if we do have one. If not, a DDO veteran who has the time would preferably be the best bet in creating this type of thread.
I like the idea of making a new one of these, even though DA has a ways to go on attracting new clicks to the site, on the occasion we do it would be helpful to make one of these. And, in the spirit of community, we can follow up our recent issue with working on something cooperative. And, maybe some structuring can provide a reason for other old DDO members to try DA out. Of course, there is some things that need to get in order first.
We should also include the basic rules of the site in said thread and expected punishments for violations, (i.e. temp-banning, removal of thread etc.) By making the rules clear we would likely deter people from engaging in dubious behavior. I guess a rulebook for the site and general recommendations on debateart activity would be what I am advocating for.
With this in mind, some of this will have to be made after we have a stable moderation system. There was discussion of things of this nature in Virtuoso's Site Rules/Terms of Service thread, but now that we've had a few weeks on this site and it's starting to look like a long-term thing, I think it's time to start thinking about making something official. My suggestion, though Mike has the final say on everything, is that when a mod is appointed they organize a vote on motions for rules for the site, and what passes becomes a part of that.
Other Ideas
Aside from more formal matters I think our informal community aspects could use a bit of work. We have a "beginner's" series of mafia running, and I take that as a good sign for that - I thought it would have taken until September, at least, to start any forum game. But aside from that, it's been a bit weak. I understand a few members are going back to school and such things, but there are some things I would like to see happen on the site in the relative near future.
- Weekend games Hangouts (e.g. mafia, risk)
- AMAs, or Hangouts-on-Air discussions (I'd just suggest to spread them out a bit)
- Occasional live debates
My hope with these is that maybe some links to these get sent to DDO members that haven't made the jump over here, so it can not only get people talking to each other here but attract the attention of others.
Those are all of my thoughts I wanted to share for now. I want to hear from all of you on what I said, or any ideas you might have for what to do around here.
