Threads run amok

[Dancingdeath]

Is there a way for the original poster to lock a thread or mark it as completed? They seem to veer away from the intended discussion topic fairly quickly and go off into various "what ifs" and semantic discussion.

[Tvtyrant]

Is there a way for the original poster to lock a thread or mark it as completed? They seem to veer away from the intended discussion topic fairly quickly and go off into various "what ifs" and semantic discussion.

Nope. The thread does not belong to the OP, abd people can post for as long as they want on the subject. If the thread veers too far off subject either contact a moderator or stop looking at the thread.

[An Enemy Spy]

No, and they shouldn't be able to. It's not up to the OP to decide where the conversation goes. They're just the ones who began it.

[DataNinja]

Threads are like cats. If you're lucky, they'll go where you want them to. But, let's be real, they never will.

[2D8HP]

...They seem to veer away from the intended discussion topic fairly quickly and go off into various "what ifs" and semantic discussion.

Threads are at their best when the run free!

Such great threads as

First time DM'ing and already killed a character

and

My players have rescued a bunch of Drow kids

And most recently:

How can someone be fit without going to the gym? Also, I hate sports.

can't have thrived caged!


Their awesomicity shines as an example to us all!


Also, I hate sports.

[Xyril]

Is there a way for the original poster to lock a thread or mark it as completed? They seem to veer away from the intended discussion topic fairly quickly and go off into various "what ifs" and semantic discussion.

Yes, that's exactly what we need: A specifically coded mechanism by which TheEye can spam the forum with new threads about how inferior everyone else is and then immediately lock them down.

As others have mentioned, some of the best threads have been the ones that veered away. I imagine the likelihood of someone starting specific thread about, say, naval ranks and pirate hierarchies, is pretty small, since most people don't really know much about the topic, and wouldn't out of nowhere think it would be interesting to ask about it here, and most people (here) who do know about the topic wouldn't be the type to think, "Hey, let's start a new thread so I can show off my knowledge of this random topic." However, if you hang out in the individual OotS strip threads long enough, you end up reading great discussions about all sorts of interesting topics you would never think were interesting (punctuated by that one guy who keeps passive-aggressively reminding everyone that we're off-topic and ignoring his insightful points about Elan's relationship with his father.)

[Rockphed]

(punctuated by that one guy who keeps passive-aggressively reminding everyone that we're off-topic and ignoring his insightful points about Elan's relationship with his father.)

You do, I assume, report him for "passive-aggressive behavior".

At any rate, there are 2 kinds of threads that the creator probably could enforce some level of staying on topic: homebrew threads and in-character game threads. In both cases, they are huge exceptions to the rule.

One other thing that relates is that we aren't supposed to bump threads. So if the thread you started isn't getting any response, then you don't have any recourse. The forum talks about what it wants to talk about, no more, no less.

[WarKitty]

I have found, if it's an advice type of thread, a lot of people do respond to "can we not get too off topic please?" I think I've said that once or twice on RPG-advice threads I've started that were veering into common arguments.

[Xyril]

You do, I assume, report him for "passive-aggressive behavior".

You assume incorrectly.

Why would I do that? I generally take the libertarian view of free speech (that the guys who run a forum have 100% say in how that forum is run), but I also favor the ones that take a hands off approach rather than trying to enforce policy by fiat. If someone's doing something I don't like, I can ignore him, criticize him, make fun of him, etc., and if people think I'm judging him by an unfair or unreasonable standard, they can do the same to me. The report button is for spam and child pornography. I understand that the forum rules would technically encompass more banned behavior, but I see no need to be the guy who calls attention to it. If it happens to the extent where it's a real problem, it will tend to attract moderator attention all on its own. Even if, for example, someone calls another forum member an offensive racial slur, I think a warning or a ban is a mild punishment compared to letting his comment stand and letting everyone sees that he's a guy who would use a racial slur under the right circumstances.

Similarly, I feel the social pressure/free speech system works fine to police thread-jacking. If one guy keeps responding with "While I appreciate your wonderful discussion on medieval siege weaponry, it completely ignores my point about how this comic was yet another example of the author jamming his pro-gay agenda down throats, and thus you're an idiot," he'll either be ignored, or people will be reminded about the original thread topic. If there's a significant number of folks who feel like a thread is getting two confusing with multiple lines of conversation that largely ignore each other, people can of their own initiative spin off a new thread.

[An Enemy Spy]

Gotta disagree with you there. In my experience sites that allow racism to stand tend to attract more racists. The thing about racists is they aren't shamed by their behavior. they just think people who get upset at them are special little snowflakes who can't handle a bit of real talk popping their bubbles. One of the things I like about GitP is that it's a place where I don't have to see the toxic atmosphere that pervades so many other sites where people just fling feces back and forth all hours of the day.

[Xyril]

Gotta disagree with you there. In my experience sites that allow racism to stand tend to attract more racists. The thing about racists is they aren't shamed by their behavior. they just think people who get upset at them are special little snowflakes who can't handle a bit of real talk popping their bubbles. One of the things I like about GitP is that it's a place where I don't have to see the toxic atmosphere that pervades so many other sites where people just fling feces back and forth all hours of the day.

I hear what you're saying, but to me, allowing racism correlates with shameless racist tools congregating because it is a necessary condition, not because there is necessarily a causal relationship. The thing about bubbles is that it's not necessarily limited to racism. Just poke around here: Maybe you don't see someone calling someone else the n-word, but there are plenty of people who have bubbles on certain subjects. There's often some guy who will basically dismiss everything anyone else has to say, because they're "SJWs obsessed with diversity," or sheep blinded by some social constructs, or a Marvel fanboy. For the most part, they pop up, spew their rant, and everyone moves on, if not when others call them out for it, then afterwards, when everyone ignores them.

Actually, that might be a bad example, since our buddy Rockphed reminds me of the possible civility-based ban, the existence of which might act as a corrective force even when not used.

[Jormengand]

One of the things I like about GitP is that it's a place where I don't have to see the toxic atmosphere that pervades so many other sites where people just fling feces back and forth all hours of the day.

This comment doesn't ring entirely true, but I suppose that's a symptom of different experiences rather than anything else.

[90,000]

Threads used to run amok a lot in the 50s.

A thread that had been exposed to nuclear radiation attacked a small town in the American south.

It ate the sheriff and a couple of teenagers who were having a good time on Makeout Point.

They brought in the army, but nobody could stop it.

They say it had semantics of steel.

[T-Mick]

I miss the good ol' days when bartmanhomer told us about the lady at the pizza place. Lately it's been just how we don't like people who work out. It's killing my joy.

[Xyril]

I miss the good ol' days when bartmanhomer told us about the lady at the pizza place. Lately it's been just how we don't like people who work out. It's killing my joy.

I liked bartmanhomer. He was perhaps a bit of an odd duck, but there was zero malice in that guy, and he genuinely seemed to want to connect with people, and I felt really bad that I could never think of anything constructive to contribute to keep his threads alive. Back on the topic of this thread, I kind of suspect bartman wanted that thread to do precisely what OP is complaining about: naturally and organically into a spirited discussion inspired by but only tangentially related to the topic.

[2D8HP]

I miss the good ol' days when bartmanhomer told us about the lady at the pizza place. Lately it's been just how we don't like people who work out. It's killing my joy.

I liked bartmanhomer....

Bartmanhomer is still spreading joy at this Forum:

I love sports.

See?

---

Threads used to run amok a lot in the 50s.

A thread that had been exposed to nuclear radiation attacked a small town in the American south.

It ate the sheriff and a couple of teenagers who were having a good time on Makeout Point.

They brought in the army, but nobody could stop it.

They say it had semantics of steel.

As I recall, a gifted but alcoholic scientist and his long suffering wife who were the only humans on a coastal island fend off the marauding threads until they discover that seawater dissolves them.

....or was it the cold virus that defeats the wild threads?

But... when threads reach the age of thirty the can "renew" by going to Carousel.

Unless they run for Sanctuary...

...... SOYLENT THREADS ARE PEOPLE! PEOPLE I TELL YOU!

[thorgrim29]

I hear thread amok-ness can be contagious, tales of woe about stone cold sober 20 year olds as unable to keep discussing a subject as drink-addled dementia patients. It is perhaps most apparent in politicians who never manage give a straight answer to a question and/or constantly veer off in odd and disturbing directions in the middle of a speech.

Also, much like a famous creepypasta, discussing the phenomenon online only seems to make it appear faster...

[Zurvan]

Threads used to run amok a lot in the 50s.

A thread that had been exposed to nuclear radiation attacked a small town in the American south.

It ate the sheriff and a couple of teenagers who were having a good time on Makeout Point.

They brought in the army, but nobody could stop it.

They say it had semantics of steel.

Legends say that it still runs amok to this day.

[2D8HP]

Legends say that it still runs amok to this day.

"Even a thread who is pure in heart and says their prayers by night may run amok when the wolfbane blooms and Autumn moon is bright."

---

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of threads?

The Forum knows."

[Zurvan]

"He who fights threads that run amok should see to it that he himself does not become a thread who run amok. Also I hate sports."

[2D8HP]

"He who fights threads that run amok should see to it that he himself does not become a thread who run amok. Also I hate sports."

Sigin' that! Just brilliant.

[Jormengand]

They say it had semantics of steel.

But can evil outsiders melt steel semantics?

[S@tanicoaldo]

But can evil outsiders melt steel semantics?

I don't think semantics can be melted at all, steel or otherwise.

[Tvtyrant]

I don't think semantics can be melted at all, steel or otherwise.

Except in the fires of honest conversation! And the volcano of integrity!

[90,000]

Except in the fires of honest conversation! And the volcano of integrity!

You're aware we're on the internet, right?

[2D8HP]

In celebration of all the wild creatures threads:

♫ Born free, as free as the wind blows ♫

As free as the grass grows
Born free to follow your heart

Live free and beauty surrounds you
The world still astounds you
Each time you look at a star

Stay free where no walls divide you
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide

Born free and life is worth living
But only worth living
'Cause you're born free

Stay free where no walls divide you
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide

Born free and life is worth living
But only worth living
♫ 'Cause you're born free ♫

[Tvtyrant]

You're aware we're on the internet, right?

The Oven of Overestimation! The Candles of Caricature!

[90,000]

The Oven of Overestimation! The Candles of Caricature!

That last one is a stretch

See? Now that's internet worthy dialogue.

[Rockphed]

That last one is a stretch

See? Now that's internet worthy dialogue.

Pshaaw I say! Away with them that err.
The internet is not but dross before
the coming storm. Prepare thyself to hear
of truth from both sides of the flaming war.

[Asmodean_]

Case in point:

New is better! No, old is better! Wow, that means you hate everything about everything that's happened since 1844! No, it just means I don't like these particular