...? Why was this thread moved?

[AstralFire]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87956

It's about D&D and it wasn't meant to be a "here, come on in and list stuff" topic, though I don't mind other people doing that. It was me actually coming to a realization that I haven't done many of the things that are iconically D&D and wanting to discuss that. The thread already got derailed a little more than I'd have liked and if it stays in Silly Message Board Games then that nails the coffin.

[NerfTW]

Probably because just listing things like that really doesn't promote discussion, and is more of a game than a discussion thread.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

The two paragraphs after the list don't count?

[AstralFire]

I was under the impression one could have both lists and paragraphs without it automatically becoming a forum game.

[Admiral_Kelly]

I agree with the original poster. The thread was a discussion, not a game. It was a mistake to have moved it.

[NerfTW]

Yet the majority of the posts were simple "I have never" lists. They probably did what I did, skim the thread and notice that most posts were simple lists of "I have never *blank*", and not notice the valid discussions going on between those posts.

[AstralFire]

Yet the majority of the posts were simple "I have never" lists. They probably did what I did, skim the thread and notice that most posts were simple lists of "I have never *blank*", and not notice the valid discussions going on between those posts.

So what, I have to remake the thread entirely like a big egomaniac and say "HEY GUYS I DON'T ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT YOU LET'S DISCUSS MY VASTLY MORE INTERESTING QUIRKS"

Just because it's in list format doesn't take it to the level of "hey guys let's put in what's currently in our clipboards."

[Roland St. Jude]

This is a good example of what The Giant mentioned in the recent thread on thread locks. The OP does not control the thread once it's created. In this instance, the thread started off rather like a list with some discussion and developed into to be more list and less discussion. That makes it more appropriate for SMBG and less appropriate for Gaming. A thread that is more a series of lists than a discussion is more SMBG than Gaming. There are plenty of gaming themed SMBGs.

What could be done to prevent this? Be careful when creating a new thread in gaming to create a discussion rather than a "mention something (or list of things) in this category." But really, you can't force people to post in a way you desire, and over-instructing them on the issue only makes them rebel and derail the thread. My best advice is to look at it in the manner The Giant suggested: when you create a thread, you release it into the wild and what happens to it then is out of your hands.

Mind you, I didn't move the thread, but it seems a reasonable exercise of judgment on the issue to me. It could easily be moved back and people instructed to discuss more and list less. Maybe we'll do that. It's really just a judgment call.

[Rawhide]

Just to help you out for the future, I will add that looking at the thread I can see several reasons why it became a game.


Your title was very indicative of a game, especially after immediately launching into bullet points
The general tone of the message was like that of a "list things you have never done in D&D" game
Your discussion was minimal and simply explanatory of your bullet points


All of these lead others to think it was a game and reply as such.


Basically, the general tone of your original post caused it to become a game, even though that was not your intent.