"Official" Threads

[SchaffinOSX]

While this may be better placed in the various suggestion threads, I thought that I would make this just to see specifically what people think on this matter, considering discussion in the other threads are just as well based around certain issues of Playstation Universe.

I think what an "Official" thread is needs to be clarified more clearly. While we have various official threads on this forum, you'll often find many similar threads scattered throughout the forum, with a small amount of replies. There are two key problems with this:

- They are, depending on what you determine an official thread as, duplicate threads.
- They make the forum look unorganized.

For instance, I was, just a moment ago, in the PS3 Games forum. I noticed the "Demon Souls Official Thread" and just a moment later, a thread called "Demon Souls Offline". While I notice the "Demon Souls Offline" thread is focusing in on a certain aspect of the game, I would think that it would be discussed in the official thread itself. If not, then the purpose of an official thread really is unclear. By my definition, an official thread is somewhere in which you can discuss everything concerning that game. For the longest time, the "Official Modern Warfare 2 Thread" was pretty much the only Modern Warfare 2 discussion thread throughout the forum, with a few others here and there.

To me, while others may disagree, that is what it should be like. It would not only tidy up Playstation Universe, but at the same time, give the moderators around Playstation Universe a lighter work load.

Also, to make sure that official threads are used, instead of the creation of other threads concerning the game, I believe they should all be stickied. Then, after a set amount of time after said game has been released, it could be unstickied, and replaced with a newer, upcoming title. After a game has been released for awhile, chances of many threads concerning it is significantly decreased as it is. Titles like Modern Warfare 2 continue to have threads made revolving around specific aspects of the game, but when a game has been given its own subforum, that is as expected.

________________________________________________

Now to my next point of discussion: Inside Official Threads.

If the above were to go into effect, making each official thread a bit more important than currently, I merely think that certain measures should be taken to make sure information in an official thread is properly kept.

Certain things in the title / OP etc. would help official threads become more useful for people, and, in correlation with PSU homepage and forum integration, could propose an idea:

If official threads were all kept with the same structure and design, they would be increasingly useful to find information concerning the specific game. So, when there is something on the PSU homepage concerning a game, take Demon Souls for example, they could say something along the lines of ( at the end of the article / preview / review ) "To find out more about this title, go to [Link to Official Demon Souls Thread]".

Now these are all simply suggestions for making the forum more organized, and more integrated with the Playstation Universe homepage.

Both positive and negative feedback is welcome.

[squirrelbo1]

that is the aim of teh official, thread unfortunately people post their own thread beciase they want lots fo replies etc, plus in official threads things can be skipped over

secondly you propose stickies for all games ??? waaaaaaaayyyyyy to many stickies

also with the thing all threads should have, requires too much work that the op might not want to put it.

also if anything moderation would be harder, its easy to spot a thread that could be a potential cause of flaming and trolling, whereas in an official thread can get all congested etc, and people could say things that get easily missed.

[VintageElise]

Sometimes, to be fair. It can be really annoying to search through over 30 pages of replies to find 1 piece of info and so making a new thread is easier. I don't see the harm in it as long as it's only 1 or 2 threads.

[smiggy]

Sometimes, to be fair. It can be really annoying to search through over 30 pages of replies to find 1 piece of info and so making a new thread is easier. I don't see the harm in it as long as it's only 1 or 2 threads.

Or just read the OP?

[VintageElise]

Fair point. If it's a question about the game then maybe it won't be in the OP though.

[SchaffinOSX]

that is the aim of teh official, thread unfortunately people post their own thread beciase they want lots fo replies etc, plus in official threads things can be skipped over

secondly you propose stickies for all games ??? waaaaaaaayyyyyy to many stickies

also with the thing all threads should have, requires too much work that the op might not want to put it.

also if anything moderation would be harder, its easy to spot a thread that could be a potential cause of flaming and trolling, whereas in an official thread can get all congested etc, and people could say things that get easily missed.

If you read my post correctly, you'll notice I said that only a few would be sticky at the same time. After a certain amount of time, said threads would be unstickied. Only newer, upcoming titles would receive stickies. Once the thread's prime time for information has passed, it would no longer need the sticky status.

And also, if someone does not want to put in the work, then they merely shouldn't be making an official thread. If you look at many of the official threads on the forums currently, you'll find that they require a lot of work as it is. People do not make official threads unless they really have a passion for said game, and, while providing information for others, want it for themselves. What I'm proposing would simply set-up a structure for threads like this. Really it wouldn't be adding more work, simply giving users a guide to follow when organizing their official thread. With one common structure, I think you'll find the confusion in navigating official threads decrease significantly.

[squirrelbo1]

If you read my post correctly, you'll notice I said that only a few would be sticky at the same time. After a certain amount of time, said threads would be unstickied. Only newer, upcoming titles would receive stickies. Once the thread's prime time for information has passed, it would no longer need the sticky status.

there's loads of new games released every week (thast why i meant by every game). how would you decide what warranted an official thread and what didnt.

And also, if someone does not want to put in the work, then they merely shouldn't be making an official thread. If you look at many of the official threads on the forums currently, you'll find that they require a lot of work as it is. People do not make official threads unless they really have a passion for said game, and, while providing information for others, want it for themselves. What I'm proposing would simply set-up a structure for threads like this. Really it wouldn't be adding more work, simply giving users a guide to follow when organizing their official thread. With one common structure, I think you'll find the confusion in navigating official threads decrease significantly.

tbh although its not a game thread, by English players thread (official thread of British shenanigans) requires very very little work on my part.

[SchaffinOSX]

there's loads of new games released every week (thast why i meant by every game). how would you decide what warranted an official thread and what didnt.



tbh although its not a game thread, by English players thread (official thread of British shenanigans) requires very very little work on my part.

Reply to your first statement: Usually it is pretty easy to determine which games most people want to hear about and which they do not. For instance, it was clear that everyone wanted to know about Modern Warfare 2.

Reply to your second statement: Official threads like that do not require much work at all. Official game threads require frequent updating and (almost) anything that has to do with the game goes into the thread.

[Galvanise_]

I would prefer the NeoGAF system. You can have multiple threads leading up until about 2 months before a games release, but then an official thread should be made. People should only then use that thread.

[Montevista]

Personally I hate Official Threads, I'd rather have any member making a new thread whenever there is new news. I don't like the idea of going through thousands of posts in one thread. I actually find having multiple threads on one game to be more organized(even though it might not sound like it is).

[Galvanise_]

Personally I hate Official Threads, I'd rather have any member making a new thread whenever there is new news. I don't like the idea of going through thousands of posts in one thread. I actually find having multiple threads on one game to be more organized(even though it might not sound like it is).

I don't see the need to go through a whole thread for info.

All relevent info should be in the OP. People discuss news as it becomes available. Anyone who doesn't read the OP in a thread anyways is a wally!

[L1nux K1ng]

Multiple threads are Okay in my opinion. One thread could be used for information like when the game is going to be released, post some pictures of it, ect. and one can be about what feature your most hyped for. It's best not to keep it all in the same thread, because then that one thread would go all cluttered up and that one simple question may go unanswered.

So that way, you have one official thread discussing news feeds, and another thread discussing other things about the game, like key features, ect.

[SchaffinOSX]

Multiple threads are Okay in my opinion. One thread could be used for information like when the game is going to be released, post some pictures of it, ect. and one can be about what feature your most hyped for. It's best not to keep it all in the same thread, because then that one thread would go all cluttered up and that one simple question may go unanswered.

So that way, you have one official thread discussing news feeds, and another thread discussing other things about the game, like key features, ect.

While I would agree with you, I've never noticed it to be a big problem in official threads when it comes to answering questions. Plus, a majority of the questions are answered directly in the OP.