Forums / Discussion / General

A problem that seems to loom over many users is very simple: Boredom with the forums.
I decided to make this thread as a possible step towards a temporary cure. So I ask of you all, what kinds of threads do you like best? What kinds need to appear more often to get you to post more? If you already post a large amount, what kind of threads tend to draw you in most?
Perhaps some new ideas can be passed around in this thread, and everyone's answers can help turn the topics of threads to some more interesting things, if you see enough requests for a certain type of thread, why not try and make it?

I like threads with topics I know about (cough Science General cough). I'm not likely to post in a thread that is about anime or things I don't know/care about. Unfortunately, there's a lot in the forums that I don't know or care about. It's not something that I'd change about the forums though. So you're asking what I would like to see in the forums? I would have to say more in the Science General thread. Other than that, I'm pretty satisfied with everything here.

Helpful Threads. I wish people could help each other out with outside stuff. I made thread for tutorials on drawing.

Wish there were threads on helping improve on my grammar and on paragraph writing.

Story threads. I like to read good old short stories and share my own.

I like the occasional forum games, too.

General
Main board. Hot internets, fun finds, fresh news, questions -- anything besides meme research

This was just posted in the wrong section.

Fun threads. Threads which can inspire fun conversations and jokes, but not single joke threads which are pointless after the first post (aka The thread Thread). Occasionally threads can tend to get off topic, but disturbingly often these irellevant conversations are more fun and interesting than the "topic" of the thread. Basically, better conversation topics (after all, isn't conversations the main point for a forum?)

And by conversation topics, I don't just mean "what are your thoughts on this???", I just mean stuff that can inspire more thoughts and words than either "lol" or "fuck you this isnt funny".

LESS FUCKING FORUM GAMES THAT REVOLVE AROUND "PERSON ABOVE YOU'S X IS YOUR X" AAAAAA STOP

More threads that make do with the actual talents of the members (which i assume at least some people have). Like the drawing threads, but NOT more drawing threads.

Less single joke threads. I know i said this already but the point can't be emphasised enough.

More original ideas. If you see a thread elsewhere and think "that's a good idea, i'll do that here", that's cool, but I'd like to see more original threads and less running jokes/generals/rip offs.

Those are just some starters.

>Wants to make a forum suggestion box thread.

>Posts in JFF.

I can understand if you want visibility, but c'mon.

I'm going to echo DPF. Some threads may even be hilarious after one shot, but nothing can come from it. Sometimes, a simple idea is great, but I would want users to post with an ideal in mind and actually post afterwards to help make it happen.

I would also want some users to stop trying to whore karma by flying in, without fail (and yet…), and trying to make some remark with qualities that they believe resemble wit.

Of course, I would like more discussion threads. I have quite a few topics that I'd like to hear from users on, but I don't quite have the time or the initiative to keep conversation going. If I start a thread, then I was to actually see to it. That's why I've only made five (if that) threads since I've been here.

But really, that's not a huge deal. As long as users think about what people can contribute after they make their OP, then I think the forums would be fine. And they aren't bad as is.

What I want from threads are more that involve things that interest me, like music and movies among others.

I want karma, loads of karma. Just like everyone else.

Threads that live up to "Just For Fun" unlike ~60% of the threads here.

(In other words, what DPF said but completely summarized.)

I just don't really like shitstorms.

Simply saying you want quality threads isn't exactly helping anyone. Next time, be more descriptive in terms on what you want in threads.

More discussion and less reaction images.
Yes, reaction images get you lots of karma and I do that a lot too, but an entire thread with half that are gifs is annoying. A few is fine. If you see there's already 10 reaction images, don't post another one to jump on the karma train.

Also, please realize that the forums is not the most important part of the site. Especially JFF. If you don't post outside of JFF people will hardly know you.
A simple test to see if you're a good forum user: Look at your karma, and your total forum posts. If you have more posts than karma, you have a problem.

Kudos to Cyber6x for that gif.

But yeah, I will agree with the main point made here. I don't so much ask for mountains of discussion, but a few threads where I can post tl;dr at times is fine. But I mainly just want threads to have a purpose. Single joke threads are fine at time, but at least do some trouble when making them. If I see a thread where the first post is just some shitty (but funny) image, I know the OP made that thread for the sole reason of getting karma. I'm not always a fan of Katie's article threads, but they offer discussion about points that can interest people, so they're good threads.

For example, a month ago we had this CoD is overrated thread. You just know the first few posts will most likely contain OP being captain obvious. But if 20 people still post that, there is no reason for it besides circlejerking.

Other examples are the >dearpocalypse, the mountain of AMA's, and others. A few users keep spamming them, even when they know people think they're shit. The forums aren't your personal fap fuel. At times I find we're too mild with warning users surrounding this.

Also less shitty rip-off threads. If a person one makes a good thread that people like, you can almost set your alarm to when another person makes a rip-off of that first thread. But at times, people will keep making them, even when the joke is long dead. This is more a thing with the users, but I want people to be more aware when a joke is dead. The grotan was never funny, but it doesn't stop people from still posting about it. Just because you, your right hand, and your dick, like a joke, doesn't mean the userbase likes it.

I just want less threads that see JFF as "Just Do Whatever You Want". Give them a purpose, that isn't so much to ask for.

I agree with the second part here (and the first, but that isn't the point here). Some users just get a huge ego and think they're some big shot around here just because they post a lot in the JFF section. Sometimes I just want tot tell them in the face that they're living a lie. If I go to other parts of the site, I doubt people will know them.

For example: Nobody here knows most users I like for their posts in the Pony General, as we simply do have some that don't post much (or at all) outside that section. But that goes both ways. At times people make a post containing the name of a user posting elsewhere in the Pony General. Often these posts results in questionmarks of who that is. While in JFF, most people immediatly know who you're talking about.

Edit, as I can't edit my post above this anymore:

I like threads that ask of you to use Photoshop. Just give people a random exploitable and let them go crazy. I'm not a fan of stories and roleplay, but users like them and they ask people to do something instead of posting shitty image macros.

More threads that ask the users to actively do something like drawing, photoshop, writing, etc.

Personally?

Less ponies, more stuff I find interesting. But you knew that much already.

Something else I want to see, though, are some forum games that I can find interesting, and that I can keep up with.

For the record, I much prefer a serious, technological setting. No "magic", no "sorcery", no "wizards", none of that. Just cars, guns, tanks, planes, you get the idea. I also don't want it to be silly. I want the setting to be a harsh, gritty place. Not to say there shouldn't be humor in there somewhere, but when things start happening, it needs to take a back seat.

Another thing I will say is that I would like it if more of my requests in art and drawing threads got done. Seems like people enjoy ignoring me in those kinds of threads. Or worse, telling me outright that they won't do the things that I asked for.

I can help you with the last part. Your requests are commonly extremely difficult in comparison to what others ask. If most users asks the OP to draw a bird, you ask him to draw an AC-130 gunship with some specific camo while flying through some warzone shooting something specific with the driver being Captain Price wearing a circus afro and some extremely detailed armor. And if he doesn't draw everything in detail, you will still complain and dislike the drawing.

The OP is doing that thread out of free will because he likes to draw and/or wants some training in it while appealing the userbase. But your requests simply aren't the simple funny stuff the OP wants to draw. And with the risk of still receiving complaints even when done, it doesn't appeal to draw the request.

Just ask him something simple, in the way of you and someone else high fiving or swordfighting or whatever. And even when it doesn't contain everything or the OP gave it a twist you dislike, still say you like the drawing and thank him for it. He draws it, not you, so there is no reason to be selfish in your requests.

Then where can I do whatever I want?

/b/
 
 
In any case, I think that if threads that have no real point are allowed, then other threads will come up with more regularity. Then you have a board with threads that are all redundant, because they don't have a topic.

Hmm, I have some gripes, but talking about them here wouldn't really help. One thing I dont like though is the circlejerking that takes place all the time. Let's say someone posts an unpopular opinion, he doesn't need 20 comments telling him why he is wrong and a faggot and each one of those comments having +5 karma. That just makes the person feel like shit and unwanted. I understand if the person is a troll or saying something extremely inflammatory, but we only need to ignore him/her really. Also, it's kind of dumb when threads like "call of duty is overrated" made. What do you really think is gonna be discussed there besides dick sucking and circle jerking? Just gonna be a whole bunch of " what else is new, cod sux lol". And then if Thomas Nair says something negative about ponies, he gets his ass in deep water( well, as much as you can on the Internet). I'm not saying you can't have negative opinions on something, but be fair and let others say what they want to say as well.

This is a website about memes, macros being the life blood of this site. Why would we stop shitposting? and why is it the mods tell us to stop shitposting but do nothing but shitpost themselves? I would like to see more Lulz, more laughs, more fails, more macros, more memes, and less discussions about shit.

EDIT: why does RandomMan get krama for a shitpost macro and a tl;dr about us shitposting and why is his macro not being deleted by other mods for gore when we are told we can't post stuff like that? These are the kind of things that suck for all of us. Fuck the karma system and lets get back to a system of rules that we can post memes and have fun.

I think you're oversimplifying it a bit.

Granted, Chris, Teh Brawler, and I have posted in some questionable threads or have made them ourselves. That I can't really explain, but it doesn't excuse it. Just means we should be called out on it.

Also, any thread needs to have a topic. Heck, 4chan has topics for their posts and moderators and janitors that see that they are held to those topics. And they have a board specifically for random stuff. Furthermore, even though the intent of the site is to document memes and memetic material, but discussions about other things can still be held. General is anything but meme research, actually. (And JFF is for participatory fun on a topic.)

I understand that you could want even more lulz, but…you don't seriously think we have a lot of discussion, do you? I'm pretty sure most of the threads we have are made specifically for lulz.

EDIT:

why does RandomMan get krama for a shitpost macro and a tl;dr about us shitposting and why is his macro not being deleted by other mods for gore when we are told we can’t post stuff like that?

Again, that's stuff we need to be called out on. As for editing or deleting a mod's post, it's favoritism, plain and simple. I don't say anything, because I don't like to moderate older, more powerful mods. It's awkward for a few reasons.

But I have done it before.

I am disappoint @ everyone in this thread. Not a single one of you spelled krama wright.

-3 karma for EpicFailGuy (I didn't thumb him up or down)

Something amazing happened in this thread.
Natsuru Springfield wrote “would” and “should” without an “e”.

+3 karma for Tomberry (after I thumbed him down)
 
Mind you, this happened in the same thread. So it's probably not just mods. It's users without powers as well.

What I want from the forums?
IMO I would like everyone to get along. I think another community exercise thing, should be in order.
That's just my opinion.

Calling you guise out seems to be all I've been doing lately. Every tiem a mod says some bullshit to me about my posts. Like I said randoms gif should be deleted for gore according to rules laid on me by mods.

And yes there is a lot of discussion threads. (you're in one now) No Lulz to be had here. I was told that I had to have a discussion in my thread otherwise it's just an image dump. Even though there had been some small pockets of discussion in the thread (and this is in JFF). I really didn't want a large discussion thread and I don't like being told that I have to have one.

EDIT: someone likes to play the krama game. So since I got a -1 for telling you all how I feel and my opinions, I gave everyone a -1 sorry guise but hay at least I don't hide like a pussy. So let's make this a anti krama thread now shall we?
Give me you're best shot bitches at least that will be fun.

@derpy
Aren't you like 40 or something? You should be worrying about erectile disfunction, not negakarma.

Well, in so many words, you are a bit petty about karma considering your age. Some people will acknowledge being downvoted, but rarely will anyone karma bomb. It's juvenile. Not in the "I'm an adult and I watch ponies/play video games" way. In the "it doesn't really matter but I'm making a deal out of it" way.
 
But to bring it back around, I wish people would think before they acted. I think that would solve many issues. I had a tiff with a user named Fifths a week or so back, and it wouldn't have happened if I just stepped back and not posted. I've been furious with users before, but when I am, I just don't say (or do) anything until I've calmed down.

This is the Internet, and nothing has to be serious, but KYM has become a community. On the whole, I care about users and want to help out. With that in mind, I'm not going to want (or want others) to be so lackadaisical with how they post. It's not strictly for lulz when there's a community to consider.

amazing what the right pr0n n a lil blue pill kan do

Yes, reaction images get you lots of karma and I do that a lot too, but an entire thread with half that are gifs is annoying…
A simple test to see if you’re a good forum user: Look at your karma, and your total forum posts. If you have more posts than karma, you have a problem.

I definitely disagree with this. You say reaction images get you karma, but they are annoying. Then you say that if you have more karma than posts that you are a good forum user. If people see karma going to reaction images, they're going to post more reaction images. Posting reaction images in every thread you go to doesn't make you a "good forum user", does it? I have less karma than forum posts, but I don't consider myself to be a bad user.

@Topic
I think DPF summed it up quite nicely. No threads just for a single (usually unfunny) joke. No more "user above you" threads would be good, but they're not going to stop. More threads that people can actually get involved in. I think the interactive story threads are a good example even though most die. There is plenty more that could be said on this, and it's nice to hear everyone's opinions.

@madcat
I'll have to agree with you madcat, the karma to post ratio does not deem someone a better user than another. I have a pretty decent ratio, but this is due mainly to karma whore threads and my draw thread I had for a while, if you look at many other users, they may not have that kind of karma, but that doesn't mean they are bad users. Perhaps said users avoid places like Pony General or the Shipping Thread where karma is given out like candy, maybe they focus on more important threads like meme research or site related where people are so busy being helpful they don't give karma out.

@My own topic which I haven't answered
I'll go with once again, no more single joke/image threads. The occasional dance gif thread is perfectly fine, but threads with misleading titles and no topics are just bad. What I do want to see is more original forum games, maybe even some role plays if someone can pull a solid one off. I always like to see the competitive and cooperative sides of the community, and people tend to make new friends through said threads. I would also like to see more JFF only members stray into the general a bit more often for real discussion, and maybe those who already stray from JFF make sure they don't treat Site Related and Meme Research as JFF extensions(which I see a lot).

I had actually made a pretty awesome thread back on TV Tropes once…

Granted, it's fallen into the depths of obscurity, and I can't seem to get anything to turn up when I search the site; but for a time, it ran well. Many participants, big happenings. It was a sort hybrid between an RP and a strategy game.

It was based around a magic versus technology war, between two fictional factions: The Western Federation, masters of science and technology, secular and reliant on their machinery; and the Eastern Alliance, powerful magi and sorcerers of all stripes, followers of various gods.

I had in fact even realistically included religious types in Western territory, such as the various Native American tribes, or the Vatican, as being at least partially in line with both sides; and likewise with scientists and researchers in Eastern lands wanting both to preserve their homelands but at the same time continue to build machines.

If anyone here thinks they might be interested in partaking of a thread like this, I could certainly start it up. I doubt I'd be able to run it alone, but I would at least be able to get the ball rolling.

I just pick an choose which thread I post in. I'll post in almost any thread that has a good discussion going on about something that I care about. I also like visiting the general threads about specific shows and/or fandoms, even when they are filled with reaction images and GIFs

Speaking of GIFs and reaction images, I am definitely guilty of using them myself but I think they work well when used sparingly. Almost any time I use and image or GIF I make sure to stop for a moment and think "Will I look like a total d-bag for posting this?" Usually in a thread that isn't made to be taken too seriously, I'll say no. But obviously I won't be posting any "shit storm a brewin" images on the controversial/political threads. Generally, I haven't seen many cases where use of reaction images was a problem.

In conclusion: what I want to see from the forums is good in-depth discussion, but also a good amount of humor.

American Tanker:

Personally?
Less ponies, more stuff I find interesting. But you knew that much already.

…..
Do I even need to say how selfish and stupid that is.
Ponies are normally confined to one thread, one article, and one image gallery.
People rarely even post ponies outside of the one thread.
And even when they do, it is usually a pic relating to the current topic
If you're talking about people with pony avatars, I don't go around telling people how much I hate tanks and that I want you to change your avatar because I hate tanks so much.
People will like whatever the hell they feel like.
As for the "more stuff I find interesting", that's selfish. The userbase should not have to conform to your standards because you don't like what they're talking about. You want more stuff that you find interesting, make the damn thread yourself, but don't expect others to change so that you can have what you want.

Before this turns into something less manageable, please realize that Tankpants already has been given multiple negative karma and multiple lectures on the whole pony thing and quite frankly it isn't going to do anything because he prefers his opinions over your opinions. As for the second part of your reprimanding, just about everyone who has posted on topic has said in one way or another(albeit in less frank ways in most cases) that they simply want to see more thing relevant to their interests. This is not a bad thing as it is the entire point of this thread, other people share the same interests as he believe it or not so a bit more of what he likes wouldn't be a negative thing, in fact it might spur conversations that people have not thought previously to have here.

Oh and another thing, I actually want my threads to be popular.

I want something from the forums that they will never be able to give: extremely detailed, lengthy discussion on a few very specific, personally engaging topics. Seeing as how the users here are not unified by any of these topics, I can be a little disappointed at times. That being said, the forums don't and shouldn't cater to me specifically; this is a community I am a small part of, filled with varying interests and differing perspectives. The threads that I've made tend to spark some, but not a ton, of discussion, and I'm okay with that.

Ok, I hate to single you out, but this is pretty much what I was talking about in my post. He made a tongue in cheek joke about wanting to see less ponies and more of what he likes, so what? You are completely disregarding that he brought up to two things that were reasonable and randomMan was able to explain to him what he could do to improve his experience. It was on topic and reasonable, not worthy of an upvote, but -3? That's not right.
Saying something negative about ponies is not reason enough for a downvote. That was the point I was kinda hinting at at the pony thread. We have threads trashing cod, people talk shit on halo, YOLO, family guy, mainstream culture and pretty much everything. why should ponies be exempt from a little harmless bashing? Also, the reason we have shitstorms is because people feel the need to reprimand people like if they were naughty children for having a different, unpopular opinion, or are just wrong. Can't you just say, " come on now, don't say that" or whatever? To often those post are filled with condescending remarks that aren't needed to get the point across.

I think we should get signatures, like many other forums have.

We should have a Discussion General, for all random discussing, leaving/returnings, and single topic jokes that don't warrant their own thread.

But most of all I want someone else to make it because I am le tired.

Signatures have been discussed before. The idea was thrown out, because all they do is take up space.

I would like to state a very important rule that everyone seemed to forget.

Your opinions are not facts, so don't talk like they are.

Sometimes the reason why discussion goes very very bad and turns into a shitstorm is because of this. People are entitled to their own opinions, yes, but that doesn't mean everyone is. You can disagree with someone, and you can argue, but if you're trying to convince the other that you are right and they are wrong, you are brewing a shitstorm.
Lengthy discussions are fine, and so are short, concise ones, but one that attacks certain opinions are bad discussions and would eventually lead to shitstorms and thread locks.

EDIT: A lot of you told me I was contradicting myself in my previous post. Sorry.
Image macros aren't bad, they just break the flow of discussion.

You know, it's funny. The exact phenomenon you just described used to go on in Pony General, until every topic became stale and the users within formed a reclusive yet rather welcoming brotherhood and started to discuss their personal issues instead of My Little Pony. It's gotten a little better, but it's still not where it was around this time last year.

That seems to be a common occurrence around here: fandom threads tend to always spark more discussion, or so it seems. Pony General aside, there's always a general thread in the top five, whether it be Legend of Korra, Homestuck, or more recently Gravity Falls. What I don't see happening is threads about what this website is about: memes. Mind you, I don't mean research threads, we have an entire division for that, I mean people just talking about memes themselves. People could talk about memes they like, memes they hate, memes they don't understand in the slightest, and so on. So I guess that's what I want to see from the forums.

Ok, this time I will actually contribute my opinion on the main topic of the thread (apparently you guys do not want jokes on this thread). I honestly do believe that a good thread cannot simply be thought up, it is a process of trial and error. Fandom threads are successful because they create a sense of community which allow users to connect to one another. Just for Fun threads are successful because they are random and fun, they are not meant to be taken seriously. Good threads are not forced; they are an evolution of an idea or simply an open think tank where users can contribute their opinions and ideas. Finally, it is the community that makes a thread good, not the topic of the thread.

Finally, it is the community that makes a thread good, not the topic of the thread.

No truer words have been spoken so far

The quality of threads and discussion runs 100% parallel to the quality of the posters. Quality threads are made by quality contributors. Shit threads are made by shit contributors. It all comes down to who posts what. I've seen excellent and interesting topics torn to shitty shreds by morons who need to l2post. I've seen idiotic trash threads turned into gold by the right poster simply posting the right thing

Reading this thread, it sounds like people here hope "quality threads" will just suddenly appear if they only talk about it but so long as the user base and it's attitude remains the same then so will the threads.

Personally I don't really give a damn how good the threads and discussion is here. I don't care if it's filled with TL;DR's or image macro's. I don't expect anything at all from this forum. I don't expect it to be good or bad. If it's fun then it's fun, if its not then it's not. I don't lose sleep over that

Instead my expectations fall on the users here, not the forum. I don't demand better quality threads with better discussion but I do demand better users who can take a joke, make a joke, make constructive idea's, express creativity and be thoughtful and intelligent in giving opinions.

Furthermore I'd like more users here to be a little more optimistic and not act as though the world is ending just because this forum doesn't always go the way they hope it would. Regard that forums are always what you make it, so if you want it to improve, start by using it in an improvised way. Complaining wont achieve anything.

Now if you will excuse me I will be off enjoying the forum for what it is rather than worry about what it isn't

First, the obligatory I agree with everything BSOD, Verbose, RandomMan, and some other less significant users have posted.

Next, I rather like the forum for what it is now. Sure, it could be more active, sure, there could be less failed attempts at trolling, sure, there could be more quality threads, but at the end of the day, I like this community for what it is. A place where everyone can contribute (or not), discuss (or not), get kramas (or not), and have fun and just be our silly selves. We can always find something to complain about in any given topic or situation, that's a given, but we should always remember the things that make our community here special. Each and everyone of you.

Mostly? I kinda want some more enticing and imaginative forum games. Many have come and gone, but a select few have really piqued my interests. Like the KYM Mars Colony, for example. Mostly, they were fun because they really made you wonder what would happen next; the reputations of our little forum personalities really made it seem less like a game and more like a story. But I digress.

Also, some posters have either been deactivated or have slowly posted less and less, and it kinda scares me. These forums have a rather close-knit community (which I think is pretty awesome), and it's sad to see someone leave.

Just my two cents. Sorry if it seemed like a bit of a rant.