Mod Squad update covering January 27th through February 2nd.

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[hl=indigo][color=white][b]Mod Squad update covering January 27 through February 2 2003[/b][/color][/hl]


[b][color=indigo]Arrivals and Departures, etc.[/color][/b][ul]
[li][hl=purple][color=white][b]dp4m[/b][/color][/hl] was promoted to [link=http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10003]Literature[/link] moderator. Everyone was used to seeing him in colours anyway, so he fits right in. He has also thrown his 20 sided die into the ring and taken the [b][link=http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10196]Games: RPG[/link][/b] forum under his wing. More on this later in the update.[/li]

[li][hl=RoyalBlue][color=Chartreuse][b]Protege-of-Thrawn[/b][/color][/hl] was promoted to moderate the [link=http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10328]Role Playing Forum[/link], while incumbent RP mod, [hl=yellowgreen][color=black][b]DarthAttorney[/b][/color][/hl] will concentrate on the forthcoming [b]Star Wars Saga Forum[/b], once [hl=RoyalBlue][color=Chartreuse][b]Protege-of-Thrawn[/b][/color][/hl] settles in. [/li]

[li][b][hl=MistyRose][color=green]jedi-mind-trick[/color][/hl][/b] has returned from her break, and is looking to shift primary duties from the [b]JCC[/b] to the [link=http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10438]Fan Sites[/link] forum, as well as a few other administrative-type duties. The JCC mods seem to be on top of things, so it looks like [b][hl=MistyRose][color=green]jedi-mind-trick[/color][/hl][/b]'s slot in the YJCC won't be filled at this time. [/li]

[li][b][color=yellow][hl=darkred]Red-Seven[/hl][/color][/b] took a couple of days off, but should be back on board by the time you read this.[/li]

[li][b][color=steelblue][hl=silver]Kadue[/hl][/color][/b] is off for a couple of days for a "JC Mod Team Building" exercise.[/li][/ul]

[color=indigo][b]New Topics Under Discussion[/b][/color]

[b][i]Splitting the Fan Fiction forums:[/i][/b][ul]
[li][hl=darkgreen][color=greenyellow][b] JediGaladriel[/b][/color][/hl] asked what the response would be from site management about splitting fanfic into various different forums in the unlikely event that the forum goers want it this time. It is a regularly asked / polled question, but so far votes have always kept the status quo. For more, see this thread; [link=http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=10385022]Poll: Should we split up the Fan Fiction Stories Forum?[/link] [/li][/ul]

[b][i]Locking of a thread started by a staff member:[/i][/b][ul]
[li]A thread by a staff member, posted to the [link=http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10001]Attack of the Clones forum[/link] as a flow on from a TF.n poll was closed due to the fact that threads of that sort are against forum rules. The decision to lock was understood and supported by the mods, and a lot of discussion ensued about how to approach future TFn / JC crossover. Hopefully with a little more comunication between staff and forum moderators this sort of situation can be avoided in the future. [/li][/ul]

[b][i]RPG vs Games: RPG Forums:[/i][/b][ul]
[li]Some mods confused by the difference between the [b][link=http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10328]RPG[/link][/b] forum vs. [b][link=http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10196]Games: RPG Forum[/link][/b] were set straight by new [b]Games: RPG Forum[/b] mod [hl=purple][color=white][b]dp4m[/b][/color][/hl];
[i]The [b]"Role Playing Forum"[/b] is a Forum for people to act out like characters while posting in a thread and the [b]"Games: RPG"[/b] forum is for a discussion of the Star Wars role-playing game products (West End Games, Wizards of the Coast, etc.)

Basically, one (RPF) requires a LOT of management because it deals with a lot of users on a daily basis with a lot of them acting "in character" -- whereas the other Forum doesn't require tons of management because the products are infrequent and discussions rarely get out of hand. Pretty much just someone is needed to manage the recent "copyright issues" that were brought up in Comms. [/i] [/li][/ul]

[b][i] Games: RPG Forum:[/i][/b][ul]
[li][hl=purple][c

 

Well done i cnat wait to see the new saga forum.

 

Excellent and informative update, jp-30. Good job, and thanks.

Also, that's some of the best self-promotion I've seen on these forums, and every thread is worth a visit. Everyone check 'em out. They're way better than butchered Shakespeare.

AYBABTU?

 

How come no coverage on all the craziness going on in the Fan Films Forum? (A mod/staffer or two going on leave. Look for the "TFN Fan Films Issues" thread in the forum if interested.)




Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Well AYBABTU, I threw one of Debo's in there too, so as to add a tiny bit of balance to the blatant self-promotion.

Mind you, it was used to promote my "new" baby, the LucasFilm Projects forum.

 

> How come no coverage on all the craziness going on in the Fan Films Forum? (A mod/staffer or two going on leave. Look for the "TFN Fan Films Issues" thread in the forum if interested.)

I don't believe those comings and goings were reported to the Modsquad. If it's not put in the Modsquad, it doesn't make the update, hense the name.

If it was posted in the MS, and I missed it, I apologise wholeheartedly. No slight was meant to the FanFilms forum or its staff.

Umm... for more on this late breaking news, look for the "TFN Fan Films Issues" thread in the forum if interested.

 

I have a question.

What criteria does the MS look for in deciding if a forum needs a new moderator?

I ask because recently it was decided Lit needs five mods while JCC is fine with three.

Unless of course in line with one of the comments up there one or two of the lit mods have given 2 weeks notice.

 

I ask because recently it was decided Lit needs five mods while JCC is fine with three.

Sturm Antilles will be stepping down sometime this summer (?) as to not be spoiled for Episode III.

Kadue is dealing with technical stuff a lot of the time. And Gandolf and Genghis both have other duties.

Yes, I took Games: RPG but the Forum has like 6000 posts TOTAL, so I'm 99.44% focused on EU Literature. And I have no desire to change that now or in the future.

 

Great update, jp-30!

I'd also like to ask why it has been decided that three moderators are enough for the JCC. Is this merely because there has been less "trouble threads" recently, or is it an extension to a "less hands on approach" to moderating the forum?

Also, EP3(SA) seems to be getting a little hectic again, and as we all know, members come for EP3(SA) but stay for Community, so it may be worth keeping an eye on the need for more mods as new members posting profiles alter.

UKS

 

Farraday, the current moderator(s) for a given forum decide if they require more hands on deck. This is due to factors such as encroaching "real life" commitments, a particularly active forum, a feeling that a forum could benefit from more coverage, and mods taking on other duties such as other forums & administrative duties.

If they decide that their forum would run better with more moderator coverage, the case is stated in the MS, and the ball is set rolling.

 

I am in support of the Mentoring for new Moderators, sign me up! plus am down like four flat tires for the mods for the Classic Trilogy forums

 

Thanks for the update.

I second farraday's question about the number of mods in YJCC. How do you decide on how many mods for a particular forum?

There are been times where I'm at the YJCC and another mod is helping out there because there is no presence from the current moderators. I point this out, not to whine and complain but to present the issue that I feel there should be an attempt to ensure some sort of 24 hour coverage on that board due to the high level of activity.

Thanks.

edit - I guess I wasn't the only thinking this. Thanks for the response jp/

 

I ask also because, despite it's apparent size(caused by the lack of ever being pruned), Lit is not an incredibly active forum.

It's almost comical that it needs five mods, while, if anyone were to actively consider imposing the same standards on Fan Fic as are imposed on the majority of other boards, it would require much more then it's one current mod.

 

Not to mention, it seems the process takes forever for a Mod to be decided on.

 

The batsignal has been actived, and hopefully one or more of the YJCC mods will don their capes & tights, and be down here to answer your questions shortly.

 

I ask also because, despite it's apparent size(caused by the lack of ever being pruned), Lit is not an incredibly active forum.

Last question before I get down to more work at work today...

EU Lit is kinda different because there are new books coming out every month or two -- and we have no spoiler section.

Think of what would happen in Episode III is there were no 3NS and 3SA and everything was just an EP3 forum -- bedlam.

We have the people that intentionally go out of the way to spoil other people, the people who don't know any better, the people who don't see "no spoilers" in the thread titles... and we have the people that don't like to be spoiled. We have the rules and we enforce them. I believe our Mod geographical regions make us have coverage 24/7.

If we had an LNS and a LSA split we probably would only need one Mod each -- but we don't, so we have redundant coverage patterns.

For instance -- since Force Heretic I just came out tomorrow and some of us have had the books for a week already, there are whole bunches of spoilers roaming around -- some people want 'em and some people don't.

 

The JCC mods seem to be on top of things, so it looks like jedi-mind-trick's slot in the YJCC won't be filled at this time.

I sort of disagree here, but I'm just not in the mood to argue it. Other people will bring it up, I'm sure (and some already have).

We do need a CT mod though, the forum isn't super trafficed, but redundant and spam threads are on the rise, as the JC grows. I'm hoping for a candidate that isn't a ridiculous purist, but you can't always get what you want.

 

Of course the lack of activity is probably also why the lit mods tend to migrate.

<sigh> if only NJO is a train would come back.

 

We do need a CT mod though, the forum isn't super trafficed, but redundant and spam threads are on the rise, as the JC grows.

I definitely agree, xie. We do need one, and are in the somewhat-extended process of getting one. It will be done, however.

 

farraday...
Historically-speaking, in the past two years, the Lit. forum has begun the ball rolling of questioning the need.

For example, IIRC, it was wild_karrde who facillitated the promotion of two moderators to bring the quantity up to five.

Even with Darth Ludicrous, the Gatherer and Kadue, Lit. was still having its share of problems. So, the need was evaluated all throughout the forums. We had a lit. thread, we had Comms threads. And the need for new moderators was agreed with.

So, we got Sturm and Gandolf.

Since that time, we lost Darth Ludicrous. And, IIRC, it was again the forum who collectively noticed that his position really needed to be filled. And again, some work was taken to look into the need and fill the position. I ended up filling the spot. We lost the Gatherer, and gained dp4m.

As has been said, we will effectively be losing Sturm in the near future.

But, amongst all of this I would say the forum determines the need more than anything else. At least it's been this way with lit. When problems become apparent to everyone, it's a pretty good sign that there may actually be a problem.

 

If dp is right about Sturm stepping down in the summer, the enar future would be about the same length as the time you've been a mod Genghis.

And god help us if the other forums were as demanding as Lit in the number and coverage of the mods.

 

We do need a CT mod though, the forum isn't super trafficed, but redundant and spam threads are on the rise, as the JC grows.

I definitely agree, xie. We do need one, and are in the somewhat-extended process of getting one. It will be done, however.

Actually right now there is a thread that was a mistake, and the owner is asking for a lock. If some helpful mod could head over there (Link).

This is a good example of why we need a new one. There should probably be someone watching the "Where exactly *is* Alderaan?" thread too, as it could become a canon flashpoint. These are just two examples off the top of my head.

Thank you KnightWriter.

 

Taken care of .

 

farraday...
"And god help us if the other forums were as demanding as Lit in the number and coverage of the mods."

Well, being able to have the most forum on the entire internet has its small price to pay.

 

Good update.