You are now an Escapist Moderator

[Hjalmar Fryklund]

1. Work to institute a function I'd call "thread temperature" (or "thread temp") where a user is informed on how heated the arguments in a thread has gotten. I would use some images of a thermometer at different temperatures similar to the forum health meter where max temp would lead to a thread lock.

I like this idea enough to suggest you post it in here about it. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/chat/Ideas-for-The-Escapist]

I would like it to be user powered, with one click from a viewer moving it up a tiny notch. If enough people click the gauge swings... It'd have to be small and unobtrusive though seeing as it wouldn't be relevant in at least two forums.

I wouldn't make it user based actually, I'd make it a six-step meter with every thread starting at grade 1, and the mods would be in charge of its status. It could potentially be very useful for people who are too close to Ban Town for comfort or people who want to avoid heated arguments and just relax a bit on here.

If the thread cools down after two weeks or so the thread temp is lowered one notch, and if it stays on that track for an additional month the temp will be lowered to grade 1 again. If no one posts in the thread in month and a half, the temp will lowered to zero, effectively making it "dead," if you will.

Side-note: I forgot the name of thread and when I got your quote messaged to me, it of course said "You are now an Escapist Moderator." I was quite weirded out by it until I remembered the thread title. >_>

 

[Aerosteam]

I would ban the shit out of anyone who derails a thread. That was a joke, Jeez.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I wouldn't make it user based actually, I'd make it a six-step meter with every thread starting at grade 1, and the mods would be in charge of its status. It could potentially be very useful for people who are too close to Ban Town for comfort or people who want to avoid heated arguments and just relax a bit on here.

If the thread cools down after two weeks or so the thread temp is lowered one notch, and if it stays on that track for an additional month the temp will be lowered to grade 1 again. If no one posts in the thread in month and a half, the temp will lowered to zero, effectively making it "dead," if you will.

The thing is even one month of inaction in a thread leads it off of page 20 in the forums index. When it passes page 20 reviving the thread more or less becomes necromancy. In my eyes and some mods eyes anyway. So I think the cool down period needs to be a lot faster. I don't know how one would code that into the site.

The other thing is that the mods do have lives outside of the Escapist (shocking, I know!) and tackling the report queue on a bad day here must be a nightmare as it is. They aren't paid to do this and some are taking university classes IRL. Adding to their duties might lead to the report queue getting less attention and that means things will slide past them for longer before they catch up. I don't have doubts about the work ethic of our mods, I just think adding to their duties is asking a lot of them. I honestly think having it user powered would be the way to go but I don't know the right way to go about it.

I like the idea but I think it'll need a lot of work before implementation. I foresee people using it to target OPs they don't like by spamming the gauge mechanism or whatever. I have little faith in people not abusing things for the sake of trolling.

But that's my thought on the matter. I suggest you talk to Mods and Staff if you want to draft a serious proposal about it.

Side-note: I forgot the name of thread and when I got your quote messaged to me, it of course said "You are now an Escapist Moderator." I was quite weirded out by it until I remembered the thread title. >_>

That would be freaky.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I would ban the shit out of anyone who derails a thread. That was a joke, Jeez.

There goes the entire Forum Games userbase. Way to go.

I know.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

I'd go mad with power. No one listens to you if you don't have power :/

Honestly, I'd enforce the rules and proudly serve with the Red Guard!

 

[mParadox]

A bit of restructuring is in order!

And petition making a new section of the forum. Let's call, Introductions.

Simple! Let's new users introduce themselves, and then all the guides can be moved there. It's kind of nonsensical that all the guides are in Off Topic section.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

The old reign of moderator terror is over. Let a whole new reign of even more brutal oppression begin.

Being serious probably;

Closing threads with similar already popular topics to avoid the whole Skyrim/Mass Effect 3/Gender/Drowning trends we get.

Give warnings for over use of gifs in posts. Seriously anymore than one is really just excessive.

Make a definitive rule on thread necroing.

Death penalty for derailing.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I love how people think being mod means they have the power to change something.

You enforce the rules of the Escapist and make judgements based on those rules.

You can't just ban people willy nilly, and you certainly can't change any of the rules to serve your own desires.

 

[RanD00M]

I would ban everyone and everything because why not. Not like there are any great users left.

 

[Ruedyn]

See if it is possible to Thor myself around with the Banhammer.

WHEEEEEE!

 

[yuval152]

Ban this guy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view],

But seriously, I will enforce the laws of the escapist and then It's highly likely that I will go power hungry and ban people for no reason.


Also I will blame kross for anything.

(If anybody asks I didn't steal the ban this guy joke from the bioshock dude) or DID I? MWHAHAHAHA!

 

[JoJo]

I'd ban this user [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view], God I hate that guy so much. Other than that... just laugh manically at my newfound power.

 

[SpectacularWebHead]

I'd be like the Batman of moderators.
Taking down organised trolling, one arsehole at a time.

 

[EstrogenicMuscle]

I'd delete all topics with the word "nice guy" in them on sight.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I would so abuse my powers! That is if my Mod powers prevent other mods remove my mod status from me or other type of warming (I mean what's the point if having such powers if they can be removed so easily).

 

[Hjalmar Fryklund]

The thing is even one month of inaction in a thread leads it off of page 20 in the forums index. When it passes page 20 reviving the thread more or less becomes necromancy. In my eyes and some mods eyes anyway. So I think the cool down period needs to be a lot faster. I don't know how one would code that into the site.

Argh, I mixed up two of my ideas. Let me try again here:

If the thread is left alone for two weeks or so the thread temp is lowered one notch, and if it stays on that track for an additional month the temp will be lowered to grade 1 again. If no one posts in the thread in month and a half, the temp will lowered to zero, effectively making it "dead," if you will.

If the thread cools down anyway while getting fresh posts the thermometer would be lowered accordingly, manually.

But yes, you are right, the cooldown time is too long. Seems I went overboard on the side of caution, so let me propose a newer version: 3 days - Down one notch. 1 ½ week - Down to zero.

The other thing is that the mods do have lives outside of the Escapist (shocking, I know!) and tackling the report queue on a bad day here must be a nightmare as it is. They aren't paid to do this and some are taking university classes IRL. Adding to their duties might lead to the report queue getting less attention and that means things will slide past them for longer before they catch up. I don't have doubts about the work ethic of our mods, I just think adding to their duties is asking a lot of them. I honestly think having it user powered would be the way to go but I don't know the right way to go about it.

I like the idea but I think it'll need a lot of work before implementation. I foresee people using it to target OPs they don't like by spamming the gauge mechanism or whatever. I have little faith in people not abusing things for the sake of trolling.

Well, that is a reason why I wouldn't want users fiddling with it. And yes, I did know about mods having a tough schedule.

But that's my thought on the matter. I suggest you talk to Mods and Staff if you want to draft a serious proposal about it.

Maybe tomorrow, you did get me thinking about some other things that requires some more thought.

 

[DeadFOAM]

Hand out warnings for the excessive smugness that seems to permeate the current userbase. Warn/ban users that are often hostile/rude to others. Try to make the forums feel welcome again.

 

[KefkaCultist]

I would be the moderator this site deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So you'd hunt me. Because I can take it. Because I'm not your moderator. I'm a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A BAN-HAMMER WIELDING MOTHER FUCKER!

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Move all the sexism/feminism threads to religion and politics.

 

[Secret world leader (shhh)]

Move all the sexism/feminism threads to religion and politics.

I know they're sexism threads but come on, have you no heart?! D:

OT: See that nobody's breaking the rules, punish those who break them, wield the Banhammer with wisdom and grace.