Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Voice your opinions, concerns and suggestions on how to make the Transport Tycoon Forums better.

Moderator: General Forums Moderators

User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

A common problem in all threads is, that after a while there are 10 pages with 50 answers and you have to scroll the whole sh*t of answers like "yeah" "no" "my mum is your dad" etc. and between those stupid or non-helpful answers there are several really good answers that help the topic to get on.

My suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers.

Technically that would like the following:

- You decide between "answer directly on a specific post" and "post a completely new answer"
- if you decide for a direct answer on a specific post, your answer will not get a new line inclusice avatar picture, signature and all the gimmicks. instead of that, the answer will just be written in a small font intended under the post you directly answered

In the end it looks like that:
forumstruct.jpg
forumstruct.jpg (21.01 KiB) Viewed 3568 times
That way, if you click a topic you only HAVE TO read the "real" answers (not intended ones) to understand the whole thread. The intended answers are things like "i see it the same way", "youre right", "dont think so", "i go to bed"... things that are unimportant but wanted to be said

I hope the forum has this functionality and you (who is you by the way?) can realize my wish via css formatting of the direct answers.

Thanks and good night. I go to bed now ;)
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
User avatar
PikkaBird
Graphics Moderator
Graphics Moderator
Posts: 5631
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 13:21
Location: The Moon

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by PikkaBird »

my mum is your dad
User avatar
Hyronymus
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 13235
Joined: 03 Dec 2002 10:36
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by Hyronymus »

Feel free to write forum software that does that. In the mean time we stick with phpBB 3.x.x and tell our members to stick to the rules.
User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

Hyronymus wrote:Feel free to write forum software that does that. In the mean time we stick with phpBB 3.x.x and tell our members to stick to the rules.
And I also want you to stick to phpBB 3.x.x. The question is: Is phpBB 3.x.x configurable the way i suggested?
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
welshdragon
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 2148
Joined: 27 Jul 2007 15:45
Location: Sunny Wales, Boyo!
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by welshdragon »

I know this from the forums i run: the answer is:
no
Semi-Retired TT-Forums Member.
These days I'm:
[list][*]A Local Transport Representative for Bus Users Cymru
[*]Social Media Advisxer for Bus Users Cymru
[*]Volunteer and Fundraiser for Guide Dogs[/list]
flickr | twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Steam

I used to be an idiot called tycoonmarkj.
User avatar
Illegal_Alien
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 7824
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 20:07
Location: Kingdom of Far Far Away
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by Illegal_Alien »

And if it is possible, it would be a mod, and Orudge dont like mods :P (Forum wise it is.)
:: Looking for the Locomotion section? Scroll down on the forum index or click here. :: See all releases in Locomotion section? Clicky here! :: Click here for the best tool ever! :: .datCrawler try it! ::
Following roadmap for releases: Whats a roadmap?
Releases of LocoTrains can be found by checking the posts of: LocoTrains - Goold old AMI Trains member of the first hour.
I have Private Messaging disabled, because of the stupid questions i get in my PM box.
Want to talk to me? Get on the #tycoon and #locomotion channel on OFTC thingy. :: Evolution of men: Loosing more braincells, everytime you post...
User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

Thought it was a good idea. But obviously I'm wrong.
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
User avatar
jonty-comp
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 2542
Joined: 22 Oct 2005 16:05
Location: Chesterfield, England
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by jonty-comp »

Oh no, I think it's a great idea, it's just very difficult to implement. You have to weigh up both of these as an administrator!
User avatar
orudge
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 25225
Joined: 26 Jan 2001 20:18
Skype: orudge
Location: Banchory, UK
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by orudge »

Maybe my brain is just a bit addled, but I can't quite follow the original post to understand exactly what is wanted. But it looks complicated, and as such is probably not possible.
User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

To summarize my wish:

I want a new option called "priority". When you answer to a posting, you select between "normal priority" and "low priority"

If you select "normal priority" your answer looks like it temporarily does (username, topic, avatar, signature, text ...)

If you select "low priority" your answer contains "username, date, time, text" nothing more. so you have only a lets say 1 or 2 centimeters high answer. (not a 10 cm high answer inclusive all the gimmicks like topic line, avatar, signature, etc.)

That would lead to a much more user friendly forum and you mostly read the important texts and sometimes (or always) ignore the low priority texts

Do you understand me now?
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
User avatar
Illegal_Alien
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 7824
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 20:07
Location: Kingdom of Far Far Away
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by Illegal_Alien »

Ah and everyone posts as high priority and voila... Yeah that will work. *sarcasm*
:: Looking for the Locomotion section? Scroll down on the forum index or click here. :: See all releases in Locomotion section? Clicky here! :: Click here for the best tool ever! :: .datCrawler try it! ::
Following roadmap for releases: Whats a roadmap?
Releases of LocoTrains can be found by checking the posts of: LocoTrains - Goold old AMI Trains member of the first hour.
I have Private Messaging disabled, because of the stupid questions i get in my PM box.
Want to talk to me? Get on the #tycoon and #locomotion channel on OFTC thingy. :: Evolution of men: Loosing more braincells, everytime you post...
User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

Illegal_Alien wrote:Ah and everyone posts as high priority and voila... Yeah that will work. *sarcasm*
I like sarcasm. But if you use it, read the answer a bit more carefully. I said there are two options "normal priority" and "low priority". But that doesnt change what you mean.

You mean everybody will just set his topic to the (default) option "normal priority". In this case the forum will look like it does today. Nobody gets hurt.

But lets say, there are 10% of people, recognizing that their answer is off-topic, not really necessary for the reasoning or just a quick remark like "i have the same problem". These 10% will use the "low priority" function which will make the forum much nicer to read.

Am I suggesting a stupid feature?! I thought that function has every forum in the year 2009 but obviously this is not the case ... Does noboby except me feel annoyed by some many answers that should have the formatting of a "low priority" answer so that you can just skip this answer without loosing the thread?

Hey guys! Switch on your brain and help me with this sh*t!
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
User avatar
Hyronymus
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 13235
Joined: 03 Dec 2002 10:36
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by Hyronymus »

If you switch on to reality: people will use one setting by default whcih renders the system null and void. People are lazy, they don't like to select something time and again. Hence why Firefox offers to store your passwords etc.
User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

Yeah youre right. People are lazy. And they will prefer doing nothing more than really needed.

But if they see the advantage of "low priority" answers (as you said they are lazy, so they enjoy being lazy and skip "low prios") they'll think "wow, that made me really happy not having to read so much sh*t. i will use the "low prio" function, too!"

(sounds naive but it is just expressive illustrated what i mean)
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
User avatar
PikkaBird
Graphics Moderator
Graphics Moderator
Posts: 5631
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 13:21
Location: The Moon

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by PikkaBird »

smallfly wrote:But if they see the advantage of "low priority" answers (as you said they are lazy, so they enjoy being lazy and skip "low prios") they'll think "wow, that made me really happy not having to read so much sh*t. i will use the "low prio" function, too!"
But we already have that option. It's called "not posting".
User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

PikkaBird wrote:But we already have that option. It's called "not posting".
Lets say somebody writes a new topic:

"Hey guys I have developed a patch for game XY. It does this and that. What do you think?"

- Answer 1: "Hey its great! Go on with that!"
- Answer 2: "I like it. Great job!"
- Answer 3: "You should add something like this and that."
- Answer 4: "I dont like it."

All answers needed to be posted because the developer was interested in the opinions of all players and they wanted to say what they think about it.

BUT: Only Answer 3 is important for other people wanting to get all important information on this subject, because only 3 contains explicit information (in this case a further suggestion for the patch. so only answer 3 should be posted as "normal priority"

Answers 1, 2 und 4 should be posted as low priority and so they get formatted quite unremarkable.
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
User avatar
Badger
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 7040
Joined: 10 Sep 2006 19:12
Location: Adwick-Le-Street.

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by Badger »

It's subjective. One user might deem their post "normal priority", whereas to someone else it seems "low priority".
There's no way round that.
|||| My OTTD/TTDP pics ||||Currently slighty obsessed with getting Platinum Trophies||||Retired moderator||||
User avatar
smallfly
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 892
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 13:29
Location: Germany

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by smallfly »

Badger wrote:It's subjective. One user might deem their post "normal priority", whereas to someone else it seems "low priority".
There's no way round that.
The default option will be "normal priority". We can only win, because the (unlikely) worst case is, that nobody uses the function. More and more people will recognize the sense of the function and click "low prio".

Isn't there a mod(ification) for phpbb to make a format difference between entries? If not there is a work-around:

Lets say we define a word user can use in subject to mark their posting not very important (low prio) like "LOW". If you answer to a posting and type "LOW" in front of the subject like "Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers" so that the complete subject of your posting is

"LOW Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers"

you can tell the forum software via php:

- look at the first three letters of the subject, if they are "low" or "LOW" then use a different format for the entry

in php code:

Code: Select all

$low_prio = false;

if (strtolower(substr($subject, 0, 3)) == "low")
{
     $low_prio = true;
}

// ...

if (!$low_prio)
    echo $avatar;

if (!$low_prio)
    echo $signature;

if (!$low_prio)
    echo $subject;

if ($low_prio)
    echo "<font size="10pt">$text</font>";

Of course that is very user unfriendly. But for the beginning its OK (just to test, if users like the function). If many users like it you implement an option "low or normal prio?" in the "new posting dialog". if not, you just delete these few lines of code.

with "you" i mean the technical responsible person of the forum, i think its the admin orudge, is it?
www.p1sim.org - P1SIM - Traffic, Logistics, City-Building & more
Join the discussions here on tt-forums.net!
User avatar
Dave
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 17249
Joined: 26 Dec 2005 20:19
Location: North London

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by Dave »

smallfly wrote:The default option will be "normal priority". We can only win, because the (unlikely) worst case is, that nobody uses the function. More and more people will recognize the sense of the function and click "low prio".
You're vastly overestimating the brains of users.
Official TT-Dave Fan Club

Dave's Screenshot Thread! - Albion: A fictional Britain
Flickr


Why be a song when you can be a symphony? r is a...
User avatar
AndersI
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1732
Joined: 19 Apr 2004 20:09
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: Suggestion: Separate Non-Sense from Helpful Answers

Post by AndersI »

smallfly wrote:BUT: Only Answer 3 is important for other people wanting to get all important information on this subject, because only 3 contains explicit information (in this case a further suggestion for the patch. so only answer 3 should be posted as "normal priority"
If I were the originator of the patch (or grf), I would like to see the "great!" posts - those are the only pay you get for working hard on an idea. And the "don't like it" may well put their finger on something that's actually missing, or less well solved, or outright ugly. So, IMO, all answers may be important and everybody will not agree on their importance. It will be just one thing more to fight about.

The number of "great!" posts vs. the number of "don't like it" posts also contains information.

There are forums where you can both upvote and downvote, there are forums where you can only upvote, there are probably forums where you can only downvote, and there are forums where you don't vote on the posts. TT-Forums is of the latter type, and should IMO continue being that.
Post Reply

Return to “Forum Suggestions and Feedback”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest