Forum Awareness

[PosterAnonymous Profile]

We discussed this briefly at the last town hall and, because of recent issues I'm having around the Aquadome and because it's just a good idea all around, I'd like to bring it up here. We're beginning the summer season here in the U.S., which means more kids on at all hours. With this, we've seen an increase in the number of players that have no idea this forum even exists, let alone the URL for it. I'd like for the mods/us to come up with some sort of program to boost forum awareness. Our mods, for the most part, work during the time of day that most of these kids will be logging in and won't be able to shepherd them in the ways of the server. As such, it would behoove us to give them every opportunity to get involved in the TWiTCraft community, learn the rules, etc. by actually getting involved on the forum. If not posting, at least READING it on a regular basis.

My proposal from the town hall was to basically force them to register on the forum before they would be allowed to build. I know this adds extra work for the mods, but it would also prevent some of the immediate griefing from new players we're currently experiencing before summer break even begins. It would also let the new arrivals know that the forum exists and that important information can be found here. The biggest problem I'm encountering when I see a new player building in the Aquadome Development District, for example, is that they don't have a registered account on the forum and do not know it even exists. I can't be on 24/7 policing the area and neither should I or anyone else have to.

"Why not guide them to the new player areas," you ask? We would if we were on and able to do so, but the aforementioned real life schedules prevent this. The easiest way to communicate that these areas exist? The forum the new players know nothing about.

I know we're all busy, but it'd be nice to get some sort of system in place before the end of the month when the kids are out. If not what I suggested, then something else that gets them over here so they at least don't have the ignorance defense. This problem is only going to get worse if we do nothing. Now is the time to act.

Agree? Disagree? Thoughts? Alternative Ideas? Please feel free to post.

[asim0v Profile]

Personally, I agree with everything you've said. I cannot speak for the mods as a whole, mind you. And it does add a fair amount of work white-listing everyone for the server. I have played on servers that use this method before, and it worked pretty well there.

[HGLCraft Profile]

I also agree with your sentiments - however I do not think it would make a practical difference (even if these players could work out the forums) they are not the kind of players that will get engaged enough to understand (e.g. My 8 year old that occasionally joins in - only good parenting will stop him doing the wrong thing).

Why don't we use regions more? e.g. Set up a region for the dome development area - it seems a lot of griefing could be solved that way too - if someone has gone to the effort to create a good shop or building, in addition to their home, then they could protect it?

Cheers
Craig (HGLCraft)
Using Tapatalk!

[abigail Profile]

as a short-term solution, what about a link in the welcome message about the forums?
not the message of the day but the message when people first come or something that command-block pops-up before heading into survival (i specify surv, since thats the one that has the most griefing and mods and plug-ins and region protect)

[PosterAnonymous Profile]

How about this: The new players currently have to enter a command in order to be able to build. Why not make it a passphrase and "hide" the phrase on the forum? Basically, have signs saying "What is the 5th word of the 3rd post on the 'Welcome' thread" and then they have to type /cunlock PosterIsAwesomeOMGLOLZ or whatever.

[Curley]

This plan is on the list of things to do. Rules will tell you to go to the site site will have password after reading the rules, there will be traps for those that don't actually read. Fun fun fun

[PosterAnonymous Profile]

Cool! I'll just carry on, then.

:inserts hands in pockets and whistles as he shuffles off to stir up trouble elsewhere:

[abigail Profile]

now i want to borrow an account of someone who'll never go on twitcraft jsut to see what happens if i "OMGPLEYNOWWHUTTEXT?" ...boom