Sandboxing new forum accounts

factoid · Post by **factoid** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:11 pm

If it were really an issue, even a two day timeout period would be sufficient, just to get new members into the habit of asking questions in the newbie forum. But I don't think we could create a newbie forum and then just let the newbies post wherever they want right off the hop, this is why we get rants in general, and helpline topics in gameplay, etc...

Post by **Tigereye** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:21 pm

Hm. The idea isn't bad, and it definitely is possible.

Let me sleep on it and do my usual pro/con balancing to see if it's worth the effort and overall is a positive change.

--TE

HSharp · Post by **HSharp** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:01 pm

im with badpazzword, all up for a newbie forum but really a 2-3 week/day timeout before access to the rest of the fourm??? I know everyone gets annoyed by all the new pointless posts by the newbies and perhaps instead new forum accounts could be given an auto-message or a sticky in the newbie forum about etiquette? It seems that newbies like to do the whole hello I am new here type of posts so the newbie forum can cater for that away from the eyes of the rest of the vets.

A 2-3 week/day timeout on the rest of the forum for posting priviliges just seems a bit mean I mean you have to sign up to view anything at all anyway so there is putting in some effort unlike some of the newbies actually ingame.

Can also just put

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

Classic, wonder if anyone has the skills to slightly change every steam reference to Alleg

madpeople · Post by **madpeople** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:45 pm

i don't like the sound of this.

seems institutionally anti newbie (from the point of a new player), what's to stop them having valid contributions to other topics in forums they can't get into.
why sanction all incoming new players for fear of a few who are annoying, also what happens to the annoying ones? even they can be useful, even if we hate to admit it.

CronoDroid · Post by **CronoDroid** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:47 am

A newbie contributing to a topic? I can't think of any off the top of my head. Let's face it, no amount of "This community is suck" threads will force the usual culprits to change their ways unless they want to, inevitably those threads degenerate into flames and trains and even lolcats so what's the point?

Two weeks+ may be a bit too long...maybe limit it to one - one and a half weeks, and let them have access to offtopic too. Some newbies have posted things in there that are quite enjoyable, plus that forum has nothing to do with Alleg so there's no harm in letting them post in there, as well as the newbie forums.

Not a bad idea, and it will alleviate quite a few headaches within the jaded/cynical/asshat strata of our community.

Post by **Tigereye** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:45 am

Yeah. I did some thinking about this on the train and I really don't like the idea of restricting information from new players - or anyone for no reason.

Just because they are new doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to read Allegiance stuff.

I like the idea of restricting their posting though. There have been way too many people posting things prematurely without realizing that their suggestion is already implemented, or wouldn't work for one reason or another.

I'm still on the fence though as to whether or not this is a _good_ idea, or if the idea simply has good intentions. I like to weigh all options before committing to anything.

--TE

Tallon · Post by **Tallon** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:58 am

Tigereye wrote:QUOTE (Tigereye @ Oct 30 2007, 11:45 PM) Yeah. I did some thinking about this on the train and I really don't like the idea of restricting information from new players - or anyone for no reason.

Just because they are new doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to read Allegiance stuff.

I like the idea of restricting their posting though. There have been way too many people posting things prematurely without realizing that their suggestion is already implemented, or wouldn't work for one reason or another.

I'm still on the fence though as to whether or not this is a _good_ idea, or if the idea simply has good intentions. I like to weigh all options before committing to anything.

--TE

Restricting posting privileges doesn't restrict access to information though. Is it possible to make the other forums "read only" for a time?

Post by **FreeBeer** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:49 am

While good-intentioned, I think it sends the wrong message - are we trying to include newbies into our little fraternity or not? (and it goes against the whole principle of FREE software, yada yada.)

Let's face it... most newbies don't find their way on the forums until after they've made the decision to stick with the game, or delve into it more deeply. Once they take the initiative to look/learn more about us, do we really want to stifle that with a restriction to post (however it is implemented)?

It's been my subjective experience that for every "roxxors" poster that comes around and makes a fool of himself, there's 10-20 (or more - it seems cyclical) that are perfectly fine and are exactly the kind of player we want to attract. Blocking them for the sake of a few exceptions seems counter-productive to me.

My worth.

HSharp · Post by **HSharp** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:54 pm

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

Seriously just force newbies to watch that on signing-up.

Just put a sticky in the newbie forum on Alleg Forum Etiquette and let them spam up that place with the mindless drivel. I dont think anyone was talking about restricting viewing access and if so thats even more worse then just posting restrictions.

I agree with FreeBeer as well it just makes Alleg seem more and more like an old boy's club and detracting away from newbies, also think of the rants forum, whats going to happen if all we get are just sensible people who stick to the rules and there is no one to rant about????

factoid · Post by **factoid** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:08 pm

Tigereye wrote:QUOTE (Tigereye @ Oct 30 2007, 10:45 PM) Yeah. I did some thinking about this on the train and I really don't like the idea of restricting information from new players - or anyone for no reason.

Just because they are new doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to read Allegiance stuff.

I like the idea of restricting their posting though. There have been way too many people posting things prematurely without realizing that their suggestion is already implemented, or wouldn't work for one reason or another.

I'm still on the fence though as to whether or not this is a _good_ idea, or if the idea simply has good intentions. I like to weigh all options before committing to anything.

--TE

1. New forum accounts are given read only access to the forums, except for a small subset of forums:

TE, We let them see everything that a normal unsquadded member would see.

If they join cadet, join a squad, join the dev team, they could be automatically placed off probation. If they PM an admin or make an articulate post to be let out of the sandbox, no problems there either, as far as I'm concerned. They do get their own place to talk amongst themselves which should ultimately have a higher signal to noise ratio for basic questions. If 2-3 weeks is excessive, that can be reduced, but there is also a 'min post count' threshold so that active participants in the newbie forums get let out early.

If you remove the values I proposed, then the basic proposal reads like this:

All new forum accounts are given read only access to <list of forums A>, and normal access to <list of forums B> for a period of <x days> or <y posts> which ever comes first. Newbies can be prematurely removed by request, or upon <list of other escape clauses>. In exchange for reduced access to <list of forums A>, newbies are also given exclusive access to a newbie section of the forums, administrated by <list of persons/groups>.

If you can find some set of values to fill in the blanks that you like, then we've got a workable proposal.