Slightly OT: Mods, can we do a better job @ merging topics please?

[walk with me]

I posted this in the “lakers/Lebron” mega thread but can you guys figure out a more effective solution than just merging a bunch of different threads?

I’ve actually seen this happen many times on the general board and for me it’s killed threads/conversations rather than keeping them going in a fair and clean way.

Sure, often times they can be discussing a similar topic but not THE SAME TOPIC. By mergerig “similar” topics you’re essentially killing a conversation before it ends as there could potentially be 5-10 totally different topics in one thread. To compare it would be like merging a thread about having a common cold, thread about a broken leg, and a thread about depression all because they occur in the human body.

I don’t feel like it’s a good solution, I don’t have all the answers but maybe temporarily opening sub forums off the general board for “trending issues” such as the lakers/Lebron struggles. That way everything can remain focused but doesn’t disorganize the main board. Or maybe just a “trending issues” sub forum in general. That way if 8 different lakers/Lebron topics opened, it would t really hurt the cleanliness of the board.

Merging like 7 different topics into one tread is honestly feels lazy from a mod POV and not a good user experience from a non mod point of view.

If your concern is the cleanliness of the main board just delete topics. One big “mega thread” that is created from 12 different threads doesn’t do the people participating in those threads any favors. You can’t have a bunch of people in one place talking about 6 different things and expect that convo to continue when they don’t even know where the conversation went or is going.

[Ontario]

And a less aggressive locking trigger would be nice... I know you have rules to follow, but if people are actually engaged in having a conversation you at least wait until someone complains about a thread before you lock it up. Think incidental contact as opposed to literal interpretation of the rules.

[afarmenian]

[taikibansei]

I, on the other hand, want to THANK the mods for an awesome job merging topics. The “lakers/Lebron” mega thread is a great example. Most of the time, the "new" threads are really just slightly reworded--"iS It LeBrON's FaULt tHaT LaKeRS sUcK aND BaLl and Bi gOt InJUreD?" becomes "iS It ReALly LeBrON's FaULt tHaT LaKeRS sUcK aND BaLl and Bi gOt InJUreD?"--versions of the same "hot" take. People are either trolling or fishing for And 1s, and the resulting clutter--there were ten Lakers/LeBron threads ongoing at one point (with each saying the exact same crap)--made it hard to find anything else.

No offense, but if your post "got lost" in the mega thread, maybe it was because you didn't write anything new/different from anyone else? Moreover, the answer isn't to start a "new" thread so you "can stand out," but to have something new/interesting to say.

[My Main Man]

I fully agree. When I’ve been a part of a conversation and then come back to see it got merged into a super thread, the threads get weirdly confusing and I just peace out and never click the thread again.

[walk with me]

I, on the other hand, want to THANK the mods for an awesome job merging topics. The “lakers/Lebron” mega thread is a great example. Most of the time, the "new" threads are really just slightly reworded--"iS It LeBrON's FaULt tHaT LaKeRS sUcK aND BaLl and Bi gOt InJUreD?" becomes "iS It ReALly LeBrON's FaULt tHaT LaKeRS sUcK aND BaLl and Bi gOt InJUreD?"--versions of the same "hot" take. People are either trolling or fishing for And 1s, and the resulting clutter--there were ten Lakers/LeBron threads ongoing at one point (with each saying the exact same crap)--made it hard to find anything else.

No offense, but if your post "got lost" in the mega thread, maybe it was because you didn't write anything new/different from anyone else? Moreover, the answer isn't to start a "new" thread so you "can stand out," but to have something new/interesting to say.

My thread got lost asking what would be a fair package for trading Bron. It was already on its 4th page and was a fluid (although slowing down) conversation. I’m not saying the mods are doing a bad job, I’m just asking for a better solution. I’d rather the thread be locked honestly then it going into a mega thread. A mega thread is basically one big mushed sloppy mess.

I’d love a trending topics sub forum for prisoner of the moment type threads that’s a little more free wheeling and it basically only last for 72-96 hours.

To me and the people participating, it was interesting for you maybe it wasn’t. Thats totally fine, but a topic that’s similar but different doesn’t hurt the GB from a cleanliness POV. If it’s a a duplicate topic of something already opened or something totally silly like “Lebron is the reason Ingram got hurt” I get it. But if it’s not, then the mods should exercise more awareness before merging.

Without clear cut definitions, “clutter” is subjective. There are a few open and unmerged threads on the gb now to me that are clutter but I’m not complaining about it. I just don’t click on them.....

[MrPerfect1]

For the most part I think merging threads is stupid.

For example, imagine 5 people post threads about Frsnk Kaminsky. If all 5 are identical then delete 4. However, If 1is because he broke Wilt's 100 point game record, 1 is asking where he should go as a FA, 1 is asking how he improved so much, 1 is talking about his community service, and 1 is asking about how much he should command as a FA, then all 5 should remain as they are since they all have different topics.

Then, the users will decide how useful the threads are. Those with active convos will remain at the top and those that are unpopular will quickly vanish.

[taikibansei]

I, on the other hand, want to THANK the mods for an awesome job merging topics. The “lakers/Lebron” mega thread is a great example. Most of the time, the "new" threads are really just slightly reworded--"iS It LeBrON's FaULt tHaT LaKeRS sUcK aND BaLl and Bi gOt InJUreD?" becomes "iS It ReALly LeBrON's FaULt tHaT LaKeRS sUcK aND BaLl and Bi gOt InJUreD?"--versions of the same "hot" take. People are either trolling or fishing for And 1s, and the resulting clutter--there were ten Lakers/LeBron threads ongoing at one point (with each saying the exact same crap)--made it hard to find anything else.

No offense, but if your post "got lost" in the mega thread, maybe it was because you didn't write anything new/different from anyone else? Moreover, the answer isn't to start a "new" thread so you "can stand out," but to have something new/interesting to say.

My thread got lost asking what would be a fair package for trading Bron. It was already on its 4th page and was a fluid (although slowing down) conversation. I’m not saying the mods are doing a bad job, I’m just asking for a better solution. I’d rather the thread be locked honestly then it going into a mega thread. A mega thread is basically one big mushed sloppy mess.

I’d love a trending topics sub forum for prisoner of the moment type threads that’s a little more free wheeling and it basically only last for 72-96 hours.

To me and the people participating, it was interesting for you maybe it wasn’t. Thats totally fine, but a topic that’s similar but different doesn’t hurt the GB from a cleanliness POV. If it’s a a duplicate topic of something already opened or something totally silly like “Lebron is the reason Ingram got hurt” I get it. But if it’s not, then the mods should exercise more awareness before merging.

Without clear cut definitions, “clutter” is subjective. There are a few open and unmerged threads on the gb now to me that are clutter but I’m not complaining about it. I just don’t click on them.....

I hear you, and I'm not singling you out by any means. (I also really like the "trending topics sub forum" idea in bold above.) That said, there were multiple threads about what would be a fair package for trading Bron on the GB--most now merged/locked--and at least six others on the same topic are currently ongoing on the Trades and Transactions forum:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1814701
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1814707
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1812901
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1813885
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1812934
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1812259

I think what bothers me most, though, are the obvious troll attempts by absolute idiots. I mean one moron started (at least) three threads yesterday about "LeBurn," basically rambling on about how he is the root of all evil in the known universe. The threads kept getting locked, but the dude JuSt hAd tO Be HeaRD, so kept starting new threads with slightly different wording. Finally, his PoSt got merged and he went elsewhere--the best result possible.

In my opinion, the Mod who merged that dude--Dirk?--is a true American hero.

[The4thHorseman]

I posted this in the “lakers/Lebron” mega thread but can you guys figure out a more effective solution than just merging a bunch of different threads?

I’ve actually seen this happen many times on the general board and for me it’s killed threads/conversations rather than keeping them going in a fair and clean way.

Sure, often times they can be discussing a similar topic but not THE SAME TOPIC. By mergerig “similar” topics you’re essentially killing a conversation before it ends as there could potentially be 5-10 totally different topics in one thread. To compare it would be like merging a thread about having a common cold, thread about a broken leg, and a thread about depression all because they occur in the human body.

I don’t feel like it’s a good solution, I don’t have all the answers but maybe temporarily opening sub forums off the general board for “trending issues” such as the lakers/Lebron struggles. That way everything can remain focused but doesn’t disorganize the main board. Or maybe just a “trending issues” sub forum in general. That way if 8 different lakers/Lebron topics opened, it would t really hurt the cleanliness of the board.

Merging like 7 different topics into one tread is honestly feels lazy from a mod POV and not a good user experience from a non mod point of view.

If your concern is the cleanliness of the main board just delete topics. One big “mega thread” that is created from 12 different threads doesn’t do the people participating in those threads any favors. You can’t have a bunch of people in one place talking about 6 different things and expect that convo to continue when they don’t even know where the conversation went or is going.

Translation:

"Can we have a sub-forum where us haters can make 20 LeBron threads and joyful sword fight amongst ourselves while trashing him"

[LKN]

I posted this in the “lakers/Lebron” mega thread but can you guys figure out a more effective solution than just merging a bunch of different threads?

I’ve actually seen this happen many times on the general board and for me it’s killed threads/conversations rather than keeping them going in a fair and clean way.

Sure, often times they can be discussing a similar topic but not THE SAME TOPIC. By mergerig “similar” topics you’re essentially killing a conversation before it ends as there could potentially be 5-10 totally different topics in one thread. To compare it would be like merging a thread about having a common cold, thread about a broken leg, and a thread about depression all because they occur in the human body.

I don’t feel like it’s a good solution, I don’t have all the answers but maybe temporarily opening sub forums off the general board for “trending issues” such as the lakers/Lebron struggles. That way everything can remain focused but doesn’t disorganize the main board. Or maybe just a “trending issues” sub forum in general. That way if 8 different lakers/Lebron topics opened, it would t really hurt the cleanliness of the board.

Merging like 7 different topics into one tread is honestly feels lazy from a mod POV and not a good user experience from a non mod point of view.

If your concern is the cleanliness of the main board just delete topics. One big “mega thread” that is created from 12 different threads doesn’t do the people participating in those threads any favors. You can’t have a bunch of people in one place talking about 6 different things and expect that convo to continue when they don’t even know where the conversation went or is going.

Translation:

"Can we have a sub-forum where us haters can make 20 LeBron threads and joyful sword fight amongst ourselves while trashing him"

Meh there's plenty of pro Lebron s**t posting too.

There's way too many threads in general that are basically pro/anti Lebron s**t posting

[-Sammy-]

The nature of the General Board makes this matter challenging on both the moderator side and the side of the community at-large.

Merging threads isn't something the mod team does often, and we take seriously the directive to let the community decide what kind of forum it wants to have. However, the reasonable reader must admit that in recent days, the GB has become overrun with threads that are (sometimes frustratingly-slight) variations on a handful of closely-related topics; at some point, this proliferation needs to be dealt with in order to promote a flowing, diverse forum that reflects the full range of current NBA events.

It's a function of balance: we're not looking to merge threads into oblivion anytime parallel discussions on related topics emerge. But if the community observes that a glut of threads has been merged suddenly in the night, it's our way of saying 'we've gotten slightly ahead of ourselves; perhaps we need to collectively throttle back a bit'-- to take a breath, so to speak.

Put another way, we don't want to neutralize anyone who feels they have a compelling new point or angle on a timely topic. But those who are considering creating a new thread--on whatever topic is the current cause celebre-- should canvass the first couple of pages of the GB, to see if it (or something very similar to it) is already being engaged.

[-Sammy-]

I've locked this thread not because we don't value the input of the community, but because mod-centric threads have an unfortunate tendency to devolve into personal-attack sessions pretty quickly. Feel free to PM any GB mod or Howard Mass with suggestions, questions, or concerns; alternatively, you can post in Feedback & Suggestions; I ask only that you keep your comments civil and reasonable.

[-Sammy-]

At the OP's request, I'm unlocking this thread and moving it to the Feedback and Suggestions sub-forum.

[LKN]

While we are at it.... There have been like 10 threads about "how to fix tanking" in the last week. lol

[walk with me]

I think what bothers me most, though, are the obvious troll attempts by absolute idiots. I mean one moron started (at least) three threads yesterday about "LeBurn," basically rambling on about how he is the root of all evil in the known universe. The threads kept getting locked, but the dude JuSt hAd tO Be HeaRD, so kept starting new threads with slightly different wording. Finally, his PoSt got merged and he went elsewhere--the best result possible.
.

Obvious troll attempts should just get deleted on sight. If it’s a rehashed topic then mods should reference the old topic before locking/deleting/merging. If my trade question just got moved I would have been fine, although I’d preferred for it to have been in the GB for viewership. Big merges kill the convo completely.

Translation:

"Can we have a sub-forum where us haters can make 20 LeBron threads and joyful sword fight amongst ourselves while trashing him"

Not at all, massive merges happen pretty often and it’s annoying regardless of the topic. To be having a actual legit good discussion only to see it piled into like 20 other topics that are approaching 90 pages total is pretty frustrating.... regardless of the topic.

[walk with me]

While we are at it.... There have been like 10 threads about "how to fix tanking" in the last week. lol

Perfect example of a “trending topics” subforum topic...

[Dirk]

Spoiler:

I agree with the general sentiments about the so called "megathreads". I believe that's the general sentiment of most users, so they will never be a norm. It will only be "employed" in very very very specific cases. If/when they're employed, just reach out to mods to give your feedback if some particular 'merged topic' calls out your attention.

At the same time, while conceding that "megathreads" kill off discussion (but let's not kid ourselves, the discussion that it kills off has been had a million times before), let's never lose track of this: there are way too many topics about certain subjects at different times. So mods are effectively put in the awkward position of having to either "lock" topics (and upset some users), leaving them open (cluttering the board and upsetting other users...) or I guess the final option... "merging topics into a larger one". It's a delicate balance. There is also this pattern --- obvious bad users/trolls and/or very lazy users (who don't put any effort into the topics) should not really be "rewarded" with having their topic opened... but this still happens frequently... you have frequent cases of topics where half the replies on the first page are complaints about the OP or attacking him.

What users should do --- be rational. Always. Do not get over emotional about any mod and their actions or any user and their bad posts. If you disagree with something, contact the mods. Contact the Admin if needs be and give your feedback. Put yourself in the shoes of a moderator: he sees plenty of terrible posts, i.e, posts attacking the OP "Oh god, another crappy thread", posts baiting users with the usual "stans" lines and so forth. So should the moderator just stay away and leave the cesspool open or should he intervene? The moderator should definitely intervene. And if moderators on this site and on the GB in particular were out to punish/disciplineevery single bad post/post against the rules, dozens and dozens and dozens of users would be off the board.

Users can certainly question moderators --- I actually think that should be encouraged (but in a proper, rational way of course --- not a whiny, attacking way like certain users do - but even in those cases, mods should be able to take it with a grain of salt) [this topic was fine by the way as a one off --- one shouldnt open topics on the GB like this routinely]. But there is something bigger in play here... users (in general) should do some introspection:

--- I see a bad post, do I report the post?
--- I see a bad post, I do not report it, but I engage with the bad post?
--- I see a bad post/topic, do I actually report it, but also engage in it (dragging down the discussion further)?

We (and by we, I mean mods, users, it's all the same to me) need more good sense/reason. We (users/mods) need to be more rational. We (users/mods) need to not get flustered.

Keep in mind that mods are not online 24x7. So it's certainly likely to have scenarios where reports are not immediately handled, where 'bad' topics grow without mod intervention, where bad posts remain untouched etc...

Course of action:

1. report bad posts; do not quote them and make it worse
2. when you see a bad topic, first option is reporting it and say why you think it should be locked. Don't generally attack the OP/topic
3. if you disagree with a mod. Contact them. This includes, seeing a topic being locked, seeing your report closed, etc

This is obviously utopia. The large majority of users never report posts, instead using the opportunity to take the bait and strike back. They never react reasonably to actions that they disagree with and instead op to think that there's some sort of conspiracy against them or there are tyrants running around.

I will finish this by giving you a clear cut example of how bad things can be. Topic:
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1815478
Title "KB breaks down James Harden's game"

Expectation: discussion about Harden and/or Kobe's points about Harden and then possibly (inevitably) seeing it derailed with some comments focusing on Kobe himself and the usual exchange about "stans", "haters" and so on.

Reality: As I write this, the topic has 58 posts and counting... none of them discussing "Harden's game". Zero posts about Harden's game. I understand the video is behind a pay wall, but think about it... how can one not see that they're engaging in the same discussion over and over and over again. The topic literally shifts to an entire different discussion right away.

Keep this in mind --- users have histories and when one has a 'bad history', you will find patterns. So it's possible in certain cases to verify that certain users have trolling tendencies and a history of inflaming the forum. In the particular example of this topic, it is very clear to see what some users are up to... and are always up to. The most fascinating thing is that if a mod locks a topic such as that one, there will still be some niche of users upset and/or frustrated about it.

TL;DR
Users "moderate" the board. We should ask if we are bettering the forum or not with some particular posts/actions. Disagree with something --- strongly encouraged to reach out to mods/admin if it needs be. Use the report button as opposed to retaliating. Nothing on RealGM is ever that serious for anyone to hold grudges or visceral negative feelings towards anything or anyone.

[Howard Mass]

Thanks to BombSquadSammy and Dirk for answering these.