Is there actually value in having a game sub-forum when it has turned into a private forum for a single disgruntled user?

MikeS89

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@NUTTERNAME is very close to the only person posting on the sub forum.

Just a couple of recent (ish) examples:
http://www.gamesquad.com/forums/index.php?threads/patches-im-depending-on-ya-son.146442/
Where a single user is having a pointless conversation with him self. Not much value there.

Or this where someone asked a question and only one person responded with basically a bitch session that added no real answer.
http://www.gamesquad.com/forums/index.php?threads/whats-up.132933/

I read your TOS upon signing up and clearly @NUTTERNAME 's behavior does not violate them since you place no restrictions on having any level of decorum on your forum. To me it seems that other sub forums here *do* have relevance and an active and welcoming community. But this one does not. I would like additional places to talk about Combat Mission and participate on a few but every time I check back here I see nothing of value.

Honestly even if you were to update your TOS and ban @NUTTERNAME I doubt that a community would grow here given the poor content and hostile nature that has been here for years.
 

Michael Dorosh

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That forum was very active before Nuttername (aka Lewis, aka Mister Tittles, aka Yoozername, aka :username: aka ...) arrived. There was probably a level of disgruntlement then too, but there were some good discussions and for the most part respectful, of BFC and each other. It's gone from dozens of unique users participating in hundreds of threads a year, to basically Nuttername talking to himself in one thread a month. A number of us engaged the designated forum admin who showed no interest in actually moderating the discussions, as you allude to. Obviously I have a bias in this case, as you've seen the abusive signature block Nuttername (aka Daisy Flabbert, aka Zippy Flytrap, aka ....) displays in all his threads. No real surprise that people have moved on.

To be honest though, your final assessment is probably accurate. There is a computer wargames forum at grogheads.com and conversations about Combat Mission are rare. The few glimmers of discussion that pop up about CM generally don't last long. I don't doubt the game is still popular, but it doesn't seem to generate much in the way of discussion anywhere.

It might be worthwhile folding the topics in the CM subfolder back into the general wargaming forum. There are some other games (LOTRO comes to mind) that also enjoyed respectable traffic in their day but could probably fold back into the general computer game section due to lack of use now.

For what it's worth, Facebook has a decent computer wargames group. Discussions come and go more quickly there, which has its advantages and disadvantages, but the atmosphere is more respectful (most people use their real names, for one). Combat Mission does get some love there, though the older titles seem to draw more attention and a number of similar games are attracting more attention.

The link is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1883329641902873/
 
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Michael Dorosh

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I had posted here comparing the CM subforum in the first three months of 2014 to the same period in 2011: http://www.gamesquad.com/forums/index.php?threads/comparison-of-gamesquad-combat-mission-forum-jan-mar-2011-to-jan-mar-2014.117103/

Traffic had decreased to less than 20% of the number of active threads, unique users had declined to about 33% and the most active poster on the forum (you can guess who) was providing half the content, by responding to himself with multiple consecutive posts.

2011 Active Threads: 42
2014 Active Threads: 8
2011 Active Posters: 40
2014 Active Posters: 14
2011 Most Prolific: 14% of posts on forum
2014 Most Prolific: 50% of posts on forum

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For all of 2016 there were just 16 active threads.

For all of 2017, there were just 5 active threads, and the post total for the whole year was 18, of which 15 (83%) belonged to a single poster (again, guess who).

For the first 7 months of 2018, just 7 active threads with a total post number of 25, of which 19 (76%) were a single poster. There were four other active posters who contributed 2, 2, 1, and 1 posts.
 
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MikeS89

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Yeah, I agree with your assessment. Moderation is hard for sure and having a ToS that basically allows any behavior limits the site's ability to do much. Thanks for the stats there. It is sad when one person is allowed to have such a negative effect.

Thanks for the tip on the FB group I'll have to check that out.
 

Michael Dorosh

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It is sad when one person is allowed to have such a negative effect.
Well, we tried to warn the moderators, but I guess they knew better. Looks like "Nuttername"/Lewis has been the only person to post there in six months. The last time someone other than him posted was August 2017. So basically he's been talking to himself for half a year. Hope to see you on FB.
 

NUTTERNAME

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Dorosh is going bald

Both these 'Mike's' are misgruntled
 
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MikeS89

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Again I suggest there is no point continuing to have a Combat Mission forum since the only one posting is @NUTTERNAME and his posts are clearly totally off base and toxic. I am sure that is the primary reason why there is little to no activity there. A new game was just released the BFC forum is very active lots of people discussing the game and getting help with their problems. Over here not so much.

Can we kill this forum or create and enforce actual turns of use. Please.
 

Dr Zaius

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All the old PC wargame forums are a bit of an anachronism and probably should be rolled into one big gaming forum at this point.
 

Michael Dorosh

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All the old PC wargame forums are a bit of an anachronism and probably should be rolled into one big gaming forum at this point.
That would be great.

Worth noting there are some discussions at grogheads currently, in their computer wargaming forum, but looks like the guy who founded the site started yet another site and moved some of the regulars there...
 

NUTTERNAME

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The MIKES are back! .... and complaining together! What a 'team'....
 

MikeS89

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So, who owns things here? Rolling specific sub forums into a general war gaming one is likely a good idea given the low traffic but something needs to be done about the moderation for it to have any value. As we can see @NUTTERNAME really doesn't contribute anything of value - all he does is bash people and companies.

Yes, I am aware I have not contributed anything myself but why would I spend time doing that in the environment that has been created? You can see from the lack of posts that few dare to face the reaction that will come.
 

NUTTERNAME

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Seems I have a fan. Or is this another Dorosh incarnation?
 

Sparafucil3

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Rolling specific sub forums into a general war gaming one is likely a good idea given the low traffic but something needs to be done about the moderation for it to have any value.
The moderation is what the moderation is. It is generally a hands off approach that errs on the side of letting adults be adults. There is an ignore feature which you can use. If that isn't enough, the is a greasemonkey script you can add to Chrome/Firefox which absolutely excises anyone you want from your GS life. -- jim
 

Jazz

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So, who owns things here?
So, the closest thing to an "owner" of this forum has instructed the moderation to err on the side of "hands off" and "let the boys play".

Quite frankly, the job of moderating around here don't pay near enough to do much more.

Of course, you are free to spend your forum dollar anyplace you see fit.
 

NUTTERNAME

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Does this website have a Standards and Practices department?
 

NUTTERNAME

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If it hurts your feelings, maybe just use the 'ignore' feature? How is there any 'free-flowing combative atmosphere' in that forum? You are ridiculous. Go back to the BF forum and wait for your products to be fixed.
 

dlazov

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I realize the mods want a free flowing combative atmosphere and I kinda figured I would just give up on these forums but, sadly, I checked on things to day. Sigh. Come on, seriously, you guys are OK with this kind of behavior? http://www.gamesquad.com/forums/index.php?threads/steve-doesnt-read-this.150329/ Time to dump this abusive guy and drop this form.
I don’t have a ? in this ? fight but I read that post and I did not think it was abusive. I would think you’d have to be pretty thinned skinned to take that post as abusive. I see no reason to censor and delete things because one is offended.

Just my 3 cents
 
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