[Rozlyn Robinson]

Arthmoor said it all, when you have a search function that svcks so ridicolously much you can't really expect anything better than this honestly. I don't like blaming inanimate objects generally, but in this particular instance I will

[benjamin corsini]

I'm sure no one wants to hear this, but posting load orders in every thread also contributes to the search problem. The last few times I've tried searching for a thread, all I've gotten are unrelated threads where the mod I wanted was in a load order. Infuriating.

[Angus Poole]

Arthmoor said it all, when you have a search function that svcks so ridicolously much you can't really expect anything better than this honestly. I don't like blaming inanimate objects generally, but in this particular instance I will

Well, I do expect that when you're not familiar with a forum, you take your time to read at least 24 hours of posting there before creating a new thread. And if people do that, they would at least have seen the main FCOM and MMM threads. I think getting to know a forum a little bit before starting to create threads is common courtesy.

[BEl J]

yeah, I'm not justifying people who open a thread about something that's clearly answered in the thread right below theirs

just pointing out that a working search function would go a long way here, as one could simply answer by "search engine is your friend" or some other forum-mantra

[rebecca moody]

Wow I'm an idiot past a certain hour.

No 3 letter searches.

Ignore this poster till he gets it back together.

[Daniel Lozano]

Maybe the problem would be solved if a FCOM/OOO/MMM help thread were stickied. Then any misc FCOM etc help threads are not helped, they are simply directed to the stickied thread. Thus training newcomers in the correct proceedure.

[Claire Mclaughlin]

What would help is if more of us responded to wayward help threads by linking to the appropriate thread and firmly directing traffic there.

Yes, it's a couple minutes of work sometimes to find the thread and link to it, but we are more likely to succeed than the hapless thread-starter.

gothemasticator

[Hope Greenhaw]

I think something that needs stressing in this discussion is what I remarkably well behaved, pleasant and helpful forum this is. This is of course largely due to the experienced modders and mod users who answer questions, but I also think that most ordinary users do try to research problems themselves, and do ask questions in an appropriate thread. Compare this board to the Cheats Hints and Spoilers board to get a flavour of how it could be, with the same badly spelt and phrased questions coming up time and time again, when virtually everything casn be answered on the wiki.

There is of course a small minority that want to be spoon fed everything, and start a new thread every time they hit a problem. There will be a disproportionate effect on the forum if half the threads on the first page have been started by one person. (I always imagine these posters are 13 year old American boys, but perhaps that's just me). These people and threads do tend to disappear quickly though.

I suppose what I'm saying is that although I recognise the problem, I think it is a minor one, and probably unavoidable in an open forum. Let's be grateful that 99% of forum members are well behaved.

Personally, I would not be offended if, in response to a question I raised, the reply was a one word link to the thread containing a solution

[Jordan Moreno]

I read a long time ago that it is a law of nature:

Even if you make something as simple to use and understand as possible, there always will be about 10% of the users who will get it wrong.

I think it is time to accept laws of nature and bow before them

[Lou]

I see gothemasticator that you've just followed your own suggestion.

[lillian luna]

Maybe the problem would be solved if a FCOM/OOO/MMM help thread were stickied. Then any misc FCOM etc help threads are not helped, they are simply directed to the stickied thread. Thus training newcomers in the correct proceedure.

Why not sticky the current threads for any major mod? Or, have a sticked thread linking to them.

[Tessa Mullins]

I suppose what I'm saying is that although I recognise the problem, I think it is a minor one, and probably unavoidable in an open forum. Let's be grateful that 99% of forum members are well behaved.

I fully agree, and think that this forum is generally very friendly and well-behaved. But by random chance of whatever reason, I think it there was a large increase in such threads the last couple of days.

[T. tacks Rims]

For my own amusemant I went back through the last 20 forum pages, going back to 23 November. One member has started 26 threads since then, from the thread titles it appears that most of them are either about well known mods with 'official' threads, or 'what's the best?' type questions.

[trisha punch]

Just to chime in with my opinion on this. I think that the search is partly to blame, but as others have said, it's also got to do with the lazyness of a minority who can't be bothered to read. The same people who don't read readmes will post 20+ threads on various common issues because they never had the good sense to do a good old fashioned lurk. Lurking is very good forum practice, IMHO. It means you spend years (in my case ) observing the community in question, and reading about all the various issues. Then, when you do come out into the open with your first post, it isn't something completely inane, but rather a pertinant question or valuable input.

People just don't read enough nowadays.

Stickied threads aren't the answer, because people post these threads because they can't be bothered reading and therefore won't have the patience to go through a massive sticky. Modding and using mods can be a very complicated experience, and that's something that some people just don't understand.

I too would agree in praising the general attitude of this community though, I've said before that I like how it's one of the more mature communities I've seen.

Now what would be good, as an extrapolation of the good practice of linking these problem threads to the correct official threads would be some sort of macro or automated script (I don't really know what it's called) that would post in such threads, using an anolysis of keywords to then post links to the relevant official threads, and perhaps even asking the thread to be locked. I say locked, because frequently the links will be posted, but the OP will just ignore them and insist on solving their problem in their thread, regardless of the fact that they could easily get a better quality of support (IE. from the author) by posting in the linked thread.

Oh, and I think that 'the best?' threads should be automatically locked. It's a rediculously stupid question to ask, no matter the environment, and especially on the internet. It only takes a moment's thought to realise why too.

/ramble.

[Sarah Bishop]

Oh, and I think that 'the best?' threads should be automatically locked. It's a rediculously stupid question to ask, no matter the environment, and especially on the internet. It only takes a moment's thought to realise why too.
/ramble.

Ouch, that would really hinder my quest to find "the best" video card for playing oblivion on...

[courtnay]

I think one thing we can all do that will make a difference is... when these threads appear post nothing more then a link directing to the Official Thread. If someone else has already posted the link, leave that thread alone.

Done over and again this will 'train' the people who are repetitively doing it and will both warn and train new members as well, as well as demonstrate to those looking that they must ask questions in the Official Thread for that mod. At the moment there are more people posting these threads because everyone elses threads are getting answered by the very friendly people here.

This is something we can actually implement ourselves without the need for stickies or scripts and I think this will cut down a lot on these threads that bury most of the WIPS and RELZ threads to an annoying extent. I have actually seen this work on another forum almost as large as this one.

[bimsy]

Scenes at a library!

bg: "These two books today."
Librarian 1: "Odd. The second one isn't in our system. Is this from us?"
bg: "The library's icon is all over it. And I've got it from the dark pits below*."
(* = ever had to deal with the kind of underground archives not expecting many visitors? With book shelves on rails you've got to move to create a space to walk along, with nearly no light? Nicknamed: "Dark pits below".)
Librarian 1: "This can't be!" (to other Librarian) "Could you check the old papers?"
Librarian 2: "Ah, found it! It was taken and not returned in 1958!"
Librarian 1: "That'll be one hefty return fee!"
bg: "This can't be!"
Librarian 1: "Our system doesn't lie!"
bg: "First, I wasn't born in 1958."
Librarian 2: "Maybe your parents...?"
bg: "Second, I don't want to return the book, but borrow it! It was actually in the library."
Librarian 2: "Not according to the papers."
bg: "Third, the book was released in 1998!"
Librarian 1: "Impossible!"
bg: "Time travel?"

Other customer (OC): "According to your system *name* should be at *strange coordinations in dark pits below*, but it isn't there!"
Librarian 1: "Can't be, I'll check it out!" (walks out)
Librarian 2: "No need to embarassed, many people have problems finding what they're looking for. That's what we're here for, to help!"
Librarian 1: (comes back) "Uhm. It's not there."
OC: "That's what I said."
Librarian 1: "Maybe it was just misplaced. You could look around a bit."
OC: *looks into the dark pits below* "No."

bg: "I'd like to return this book."
Librarian: "Alright, let me check."
Librarian: "Oh. That's bad. That book is a hundred years overdue!"
bg: "That's the only thing the millennium bug has to offer? Psh."

bg: (Different library with several wings, entering the U wing)
bg: "I'd like to return this book."
Librarian: "Oh, that's from T wing. Please return it there."
bg: "I can't."
Librarian: "Do you know how much hassle it is to take books back from different wings? It takes a week to put it back into place!"
bg: "You wouldn't be able to put it back for much more than a week."
Librarian: "Oh, we aren't that slow! Nevertheless in the interest of all other library users I have to ask you to bring it into the T wing!"
bg: "Everything south of here is off limits for at least six months. Ever wondered what those people with inhalation protections are doing here? Do you even care what's happening next door?"
bg: (Puts book down.) "Don't answer."

Embrace the chaos!
_____________________

Who are opening up the "repetitive threads" are new users, often with their very few posts in the mod section. You will not be able to prevent it, because every discussion like this only reaches the people already acclimated to the forum, not the new souls blessing us with their presence and threads.

Besides a forum isn't a fully organized thread library. Which isn't that of a bad thing. Just sayin'.

[Invasion's]

Love the library conversations.

I took a look back only a few pages to see if it was indeed the case that the thread starters are new to the forums and...

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1058877 Join date, quite a few help request threads by this one.
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1059224
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1058376
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1059250 New but not that new.
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1059285 Okay this one is pretty new.
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1059030
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1058953
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1058916

So I think we can fairly safely assume that the newbies may even be in the minority here and that the majority are people who have been around long enough.

[Kat Lehmann]

First of all I want to apologize for all the multiple threads of the last couple of weeks. I have been a member since 2006, but only recently started using wyre bash and this forum. Previously I had only used omm. I remembered this forum about a month ago and had hoped to get advice on how to keep wyre bash from crashing my computer. When I first started using this forum, I was unaware of the rules but now I will make sure to pay more attention to the 'read me'. I hope you guys will still give me help because I really enjoy all the feed back. I will do my best to follow the rules from now on. I apologize for my transgressions.

[Kaylee Campbell]

I think you have to have realistic expectations. A great deal of people coming to a site like this for help are players, not modders or forum users, and they may not be familiar with proper forum "protocol" such as parent threads. They just join or show up to get help for their immediate issue. If repeating yourself several times a week is so tedious, you do have the option of not replying. :shrug:

[EDIT] I mean sure, someone may have joined the site in 2006 as mentioned above, but they only posted here 100 times in nearly 4 years, not really a regular. Some people just know they need help and are within their rights to make a thread for their issue. If you don't want to answer, then don't. I don't think we can dictate who can make what threads. :read:

[REVLUTIN]

Like I said earlier I realize the read me's are important and I am trying to read and understand them, but sometimes it doesn't make sense and I neeed a little or alot depending on who you ask. I don't want to piss people off only want to learn i realize i have been a memeber since 2006 but like I said earlier never real; used the forum and Now that i ral ize the rules I will look for the thread first before posting a new one. I hope people will still help me I hav played rpgm games since a kid even the old d & d form tsr back in the 80's and oblvion is alot like it sorry again for all the excessive post.

[how solid]

Like I said earlier I realize the read me's are important and I am trying to read and understand them, but sometimes it doesn't make sense and I neeed a little or alot depending on who you ask. I don't want to piss people off only want to learn i realize i have been a memeber since 2006 but like I said earlier never real; used the forum and Now that i ral ize the rules I will look for the thread first before posting a new one. I hope people will still help me I hav played rpgm games since a kid even the old d & d form tsr back in the 80's and oblvion is alot like it sorry again for all the excessive post.

Don't feel like you have to apologize, mate, this forum exists to give support to Oblivion fans. As long as you are posting within the official rules of the forum you post whatever you like and those who can help will. No one can dictate to you that you have posted too many times for their comfort. If we all held back this forum would have dried up ages ago. :foodndrink:

[joseluis perez]

Don't feel like you have to apologize, mate, this forum exists to give support to Oblivion fans. As long as you are posting within the official rules of the forum you post whatever you like and those who can help will. No one can dictate to you that you have posted too many times for their comfort. If we all held back this forum would have dried up ages ago. :foodndrink:

I am the one in meeks post last night and i felt bad about it I fell like a yuong boy asking his dad for forgivness and i didn't mean to piss people off maybe if I had used the forum before I would have realized the rules and I also understand their resons . They don't want a 1,ooo,ooo thread on the same topic I will try better

[Doniesha World]

I am the one in meeks post last night and i felt bad about it I fell like a yuong boy asking his dad for forgivness and i didn't mean to piss people off maybe if I had used the forum before I would have realized the rules and I also understand their resons . They don't want a 1,ooo,ooo thread on the same topic I will try better

That's the thing that svcks mate, you shouldn't feel bad. There is no rule about posting outside the parent thread to get help, you haven't done anything wrong. Everyone posting in the same thread doesn't make sense either, people's questions can get lost in the mass and help can be difficult to get for specific issues. :nod:

[bimsy]

@goblueman, don't feel like we're picking on you.
We're not.
This just this seems to be an ever increasing trend and a couple of your posts were picked out as random examples.

@Darkrider, I think your missing the whole point of why I made the original post.
Most new members will come to a forum, read the stickies and basic rules.
Then use the search function to find basic questions they may want answered.
With literally dozens of independent threads open, where do these people start finding the information they are looking for?
On top of that, as I mentioned in the OP, often these threads carry misleading or even incorrect information.
Nobody is denying any member the right to sumit a new thread topic, but....