[Johnny Playert]

Just wanted to ask why 2 topics i was replying to in GTA V section (Christmas surprise and another one) got deleted while i was in the middle of a discussion about new members ruining the forum with stupid topics and spamming away...

I don't know who else caught wind of this... but surely the discussion is relevant... a lot of new members are trolling away these past couple of weeks and it seems to be keeping the vets away...

Now i don't wanna seem like i'm on a high horse right now, and i'm certainly not a wannabe-mod (can't stand those types tbh) but isn't there a way to address these morons for turning our forum to shyte? I understand, more members is always a good thing, especially true fans like most of us, but don't you agree the GTA V section is a real mess right now??

And commenting on this fact results in topics being deleted, so i hope someone here will acknowledge my concerns.
Just to be safe, i really don't wanna jeopardise my account here, i'm just checking if there's any support out there.

[Craig]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking here, but I'm going to assume you're asking if anything can be done about newer members "ruining " things for others? In short, not really, no. Topics are usually binned for a reason and while it's crappy to have a post lined up as it's being trashed, that's just how it goes sometimes. One more topic binned is one less for idiots to breed in. Vets don't tend to populate the V section anyway, and activity is going up not down, so we must be doing something right. Does that increased activity mean better quality posts and members on average? Hard to say, but I'd hope so eventually.

[Johnny Playert]

Of course, I get it, more activity is always a good thing. But what i really meant to say, is that it was quite obvious to me those topics were deleted the minute i raised the question about these spammers. Topics rarely get deleted to my knowledge, cus there are loads more topics that could be deleted, and they don't.

But what i was thinking, Ryan made a sticky a couple of weeks ago about posting/replying to spam. Wouldn't it be an option to make another one, addressing especially new members about making new topics, making sure they construct quality topics with actual discussion value and not making useless topics or they will be deleted and get a warning? Something like that you know...

And i also know, that it's not nearly all the newest members that are doing this type of thing, i'm not suggesting that.

[Girish]

QUOTE (Johnny Playert @ Saturday, Dec 24 2011, 20:04)

But what i was thinking, Ryan made a sticky a couple of weeks ago about posting/replying to spam. Wouldn't it be an option to make another one, addressing especially new members about making new topics, making sure they construct quality topics with actual discussion value and not making useless topics or they will be deleted and get a warning? Something like that you know...

That has never worked. You've to remember that majority of our members are teenagers or even pre-teens. The 'New Topic' button is their best friend until they acquire a few more brain cells and actually learn to search or post in a mature way. We try our best to curb extreme spam as and when it gets reported but we can't go the nazi way on every little pointless post made by a newbie. Given the high levels of activity in there, sometimes it's best to let things run their course.

[Johnny Playert]

Alright man, i see there isn't much to do about it. And i sure as hell wouldn't want y'all to go all nazi on 'em, just wished they'd make topics with some level of intelligence. They should only make statements they can back up with sources, you know... that way would spare us a lot of pointless prediction topics... like release date topics and what not. But thanks for your time anyway.

[Butters 2011]

One of the main things you neglect to mention is that alot of the 'veterans' and 'regulars' you see posting in the majority of the other sections, did actually start off in the general manner of what some of the V members are like. Banning these people is not the solution to the problem.

You've got to see that GTAForums is hugely popular, and the name itself is why this forum is so popular. If you want to discuss GTA, you'd type 'GTA Forum' in to Google, of which this forum gets the top result. If I've only typed that in to Google in the hope of finding somewhere to express my opinion on the latest V trailer or whatever, I'm not going to bother to search the rest of the forum, or read through the hundreds of topics, just to see if someone else has mentioned my point.

Yes, alot of crap is going on at the moment within the V section, and this is ultimately ruining that section, keeping alot of regular members away from there, but as mentioned, banning these people and constantly locking topics isn't going to solve anything. What we are seeing is totally inevitable, especially with how little detail R* give people.

[leik oh em jeez!]

QUOTE (Butters 2011 @ Tuesday, Dec 27 2011, 22:04)

One of the main things you neglect to mention is that alot of the 'veterans' and 'regulars' you see posting in the majority of the other sections, did actually start off in the general manner of what some of the V members are like. Banning these people is not the solution to the problem.

No, of course not. Not but if someone starts a completely off-topic thread, repeat thread, spam thread, etc. A reminder in the user log should serve it's purpose to deter them from doing it again. And for those that like to click the "New Topic" button 15 times a day creating repeat threads to discuss something that's already got 3+ open topic on the front page, I'd say a verbal warning is justified.

It seems to me the Led-bys are taking care of most of it by simply locking topics, but with the same people doing it over and over again, it seems like no further action is taken even against repeat offenders.

One thing I'm particularly annoyed with is the "IN B4 THE LOCK" posts. If it were up to me, there'd be a verbal warning for every single post I saw containing that text.
Another thing is the "replying to spam" is mentioned in Ryan's topic. (Thank god, it has helped some.) But I think replying to obvious repeat topics should be included there. For instance there are 15 open protagonist topics in the V forum right now. Most people feel they need to post their opinion again every time they see a new one, it just gets ridiculous.

[*MURDOC*]

If you could only see the staff room, you would see how much of that stuff actually is dealt with, though not in a public manner.

[abishai.kochara]

thats an issue, when I was a newbie, I created one or two useless topics(which got locked) I mean when you're new you just do whatever you want but as time passes you realize stuff but, come on, those topics are ridiculous!
A normal person would have the sense to not do such stuff but...........
how can you post the same sh*t again and again! unless theres some abnormality they should have some sense

[Irviding]

Get off their backs we were all new once. Also don't forget if they're that f*cking stupid and useless, they probably won't stick around much longer than writing up a few topics.

[leik oh em jeez!]

QUOTE (abishai.kochara @ Friday, Dec 30 2011, 02:36)

thats an issue, when I was a newbie, I created one or two useless topics(which got locked) I mean when you're new you just do whatever you want but as time passes you realize stuff but, come on, those topics are ridiculous! A normal person would have the sense to not do such stuff but........... how can you post the same sh*t again and again! unless theres some abnormality they should have some sense

Exactly. One guy in the V forum posted a topic that had been posted before, at which point I directed him to the correct topic. Other than a few "ur not a mod" replies, I was ignored and after a few hours his thread reached two pages and then slowed down, but didn't get locked. And the next day, he posts the same topic again. Even with his old one sitting there still open on the first page. I mean really, what the f*ck.

I was stupid when I was new here. I didn't have the best grammar, I didn't make the most intelligent posts, but I also didn't spam the new topic button. That's just common sense.

[Icarus]

QUOTE (leik oh em jeez! @ Friday, Dec 30 2011, 01:05)

That's just common sense.

Common sense isn't always so common.

[radioman]

QUOTE

But what i was thinking, Ryan made a sticky a couple of weeks ago about posting/replying to spam. Wouldn't it be an option to make another one, addressing especially new members about making new topics, making sure they construct quality topics with actual discussion value and not making useless topics or they will be deleted and get a warning? Something like that you know...

There are already Two(2) topics that cover that exact same thing-One Pinned here in the Announcements section, and the other one that is linked in the Pinned topic in Announcements. So, since there are two topics that cover that exact same thing(not to mention there is one in almost every section, I know there is from San Andreas(done here by Girish, on into the IV section and the one that Unlimted did in the V section(funny thing is, this is only a feature in the SA section and newer games(there is a similar topic in the LCS section, as I did that one myself)-there is none for III and VC-there used to be one for VC-done by either Demarest, Justin, or Spuds(can't remember which), but I could not find it? Just a heads up that since there are multiple topics about this, and this problem still exists, that goes to show new members do not read Pinned topics(yet alone the rules and regulations)...

But, as Craig said, the older members(the forum veterans like myself), do not tend to go into the V section right now, so it is pretty much a vast majority of new members there. I know I don't usually post in the new sections until after said game is released-done it with IV and still doing that with V.

[john12]

Giving Priority to the announcement topic. Miromiro's Newbie Guide is enogh but he isn't a staff so he can't post in Announcement Section.

[chapapote]

QUOTE (radioman @ Friday, Dec 30 2011, 08:17)

Just a heads up that since there are multiple topics about this, and this problem still exists, that goes to show new members do not read Pinned topics(yet alone the rules and regulations)...

Well, it's a bit like the software license that appears each time you install a new program. I mean, you're supposed to read it before pressing the "I agree" button, but... Am I the only one who always skips it? It always says the same thing. Same happens with all forums.