Photo-Receptor Focus on: SWTOR Official Forums
By Maer
A visit to the official SWTOR forums can resemble a scary walk through an unfamiliar forest. Only there’s no handy-dandy yellow brick road to guide you through. I must confess, I don’t visit them as often as I used to. When I do, it’s usually to check out the Dev threads or a specific post someone has mentioned. If I need general info, I find that Google is my friend. It’s easier to get answers there, than trying to search through the official forums on my own.
More after the jump…
Now and then, though, I brave the trolls and search the community forums. Sometimes it’s even entertaining. At least as long as I’m not trying to find something specific. If I haven’t succeeded with Google, trying to find the diamonds I’m looking for can be very frustrating and time consuming.
A special mention: I really like the new design they came out with a while back. It’s very classy looking. It doesn’t help me find info any better, but at least the colors are nice and it’s easy on the eyes.
I don’t like the endless trolls, though. They pretty much ruin the forums for those of us that might like to comment. I feel sorry for those who are genuinely trying to get a question answered and get buried under nonsense.
To be honest, I’m not sure why gaming forums in general aren’t better moderated. Probably someone more knowledgeable than me has an answer for that. It seems to me, that if there was a higher bar set and these posts were quickly removed, eventually the trolls would get tired of not getting away with their nonsense and leave. Now, to be fair, Bioware does a better job than most on their gaming forums, but it can still be daunting.
It’s definitely annoying to have to read through troll notes. I do feel sorry for the trolls in a way, though. Imagine having nothing better to do, than to see how much havoc you can create on a forum. I wish they’d turn all that energy into something positive instead of negative. I guess chances of that are probably somewhere between slim and none.
Another thing I wish for is that each server had its own forum and was not a part of an alphabet group. Having a dedicated forum would make it easier to find posts for each server. Scrolling through pages to find posts for one server does take time. I’m sure I miss things I’d like to read because they were sandwiched between other server names.
I have no idea how difficult it would be to give us our own forums. Obviously, with all the talk of super servers and server clusters (whatever those are), now is probably not the time to change the forums. However, I hope Bioware decides and announces what is to happen with the servers soon (closures, mergers, transfers, whatever). Once that’s done, I hope they consider giving each server its own forum. Oh, yeah, and some moderators with special anti-troll powers would be nice, too.
That’s my two credits. What’s yours?
Ready… Set… Discuss…
When I was a teenager, I used to have a friend who’d loved to troll in any forums until he’d get kicked. I think that he did it to seek attention, to provoke and to feel “powerful”. I felt bad for him. The thing is that in real life he was a really nice guy but once in the forums, he was transformed. So when I see someone trolling in any forums, I’m just sad for that forum member.
Compared to my previous mmo forums, the SWTOR one is actually quite good. The moderators are pretty efficient, most messages are decent and the flame wars are rare.
I don’t know where I read it but I know that they’ll give us server forums after the transfers. I think they’re waiting to consolidate the servers before creating the associated server forums.
I would like to see an upvote/downvote option something like reddit and amazon have. If a post gets past a certain number of downvotes it is hidden. If it gets alot of upvotes make it a special color or something.
That’s a very good suggestion, Six. I would totally vote up this suggestion. 🙂
BioWare does a MUCH better job of moderating their forums than other gaming companies that I have had the “unpleasure” of using their forums on. While I understand that gaming developers are concerned about sales, I would love to see them adopt a “no troll” policy. If you can’t say things in a nice manner (even if you are being critical), it gets deleted or edited. Then your account is marked. If you have 3 marks you get removed. Simple.
Because of the anonymity of the internet, some people use that to be nasty and lash out to others. If they were held accountable by a “no troll” policy and face being banned it might cut down on the nastiness of gaming forums.
I like Sixsins suggestion as well.
Id just like to say something because you know i wont be able to hold my tounge. You all cal us trolls like it is supposed to offend us, well you failed i actualy like being called a troll i guess my job is done. Most of us dont do it for attention it is just actualy our genuine feelings as to the question or statements given. You know i also always say a “stupid” question gets a “stupid” answer. Maybee i am not the same as the “trolls” you speek of on the swtor forums because i choose my fights as well. I dont troll just to troll but i will now and again give my 2 cents when waranted. So just remember we dont mind the name calling that you try to use to bother us, because after you have waisted your energy on being mad at us and calling us names, our job is done.
@Void The term “troll” is not name calling. It comes from the troll that waited under the bridge in the nursery rhyme. He only came out to give the goats grief and impede their progress over the bridge.
That said those that offer a different opinion or another point of view, I would not call “trolls.” I consider those who post on threads just to start issues or complain for no other reason. There are folks who enjoy starting trouble and inciting arguments. That to me is a waste of time and energy. I also feel that a system that the community had a way of “liking” and “disliking” comments would help to self police the forums.
Thanks again for your comments and viewpoint. 🙂
@Void I agree with Jason. Just because someone has a different opinion doesn’t make them a forum troll. I actually enjoy reading posts that contain different opinions. I think that helps us all to see the bigger picture. With that said, there is a respectful way to disagree and a disrespectful way. Trolls always take the disrespectful way.
Keep those comments coming!
Well then sir iam a “troll”. However maybe just maybe the admins for the forums dont see it the way you and many others apparently do. So I say either except itfor what it is and find another “tree huggerlike” ( not calling names just for maybe the kinder hearted unabrassive type) forum or maybe a forum that is moderated to a point where you cant even say anything without getting a warning. I know what it is now. I have figured it all out. This game is failing because of the forums and the inability to find answers. Good job bioware. Now fix it before you fix anything else or wait better yet throw new content at me maybe ill forget. Lolz. Thanks for your intellegent reply Mr. Taylor.not every day someone explains it Barney style what a troll is from a childrens book.oops I might have wasted some of your energy sorry. Lolz
I love intelligent debates. Those are interesting, fun and I almost always learn a lot. I don’t love it when some poor soul asks a genuine question only to get ridiculed by someone else for asking, but who won’t even bother to answer their question. Or someone posts something inflammatory just for the sake of stirring the pot.