Forum megathreads reconsideration

[Seawolf]

I don't know if these mega threads we have going are really as good an idea as they may have seemed like at one time.

They make it harder to find the information you're looking for and harder for people who might know but not want to read 55 pages to get to the question to answer things (or converse if they only want to discuss specific aspects of something,) and they may clean up the topic list but given the downsides...

What do you guys and gals think?

[Tabajara]

I don't know if lots of small threads would be the answer... Maybe it would be better to use the search, or something. Most people open up new threads in spite of the rules, if I recall correctly.

[Seawolf]

IIRC the rules are against repeat threads, not threads with a different topic about the same product.

[nForcer]

Yeah, it's just so that all the relevant info on whatever subject can be found in one thread, instead of having to trawl through multiple posts of the same content. But that's not to say we can't have a whole bunch of separate threads relating to the same topic. Smaller threads - as opposed to megathreads covering everything - are easier on the database, mail server and probably readers too.

[Seawolf]

Yeah, I understand the theory, and I was over at the neowin forums where it's kind of a mess of seperate posts, but I found that I rather liked it that way. It was just a lot easier to deal with. What if I'm interested in Crackdown, for one example dear to my heart, but I don't give a crap about how to find every single hidden orb...does it really matter if it was in a global Crackdown thread? It just seems like a load of information is that much more bothersome to deal with when there are only certain aspects of things that you really care about, and more people will have relevant answers for you than the people who care to read through the huge threads.

So yeah, I'd definately say readers too. When you're more focused on specific aspects of things rather than everything, then you naturally would only want to discuss those aspects of things...

Mmm, yeah, I'm rambling, but you get the idea. I'd better head out to lunch and my job.

[wardog]

[Seawolf]

Search works for finding info but doesn't make conversations about specific things any easier...plus it's dependant on what exactly you're looking for.

[impar]

Greetings!

My view,
If there is sufficient interest in a sub-topic of a mega-thread, a new thread should be open just for that sub-topic.
For example, GoW topic had enough power to split successfully from the Xbox360 thread.
However, some sub-topic of mega-threads just dont have the necessary relevance to become a successful thread.

[Seawolf]

I am just very skeptical of its effectiveness. I would think most non regulars would avoid that kind of thing, effectively strangling our active posters.

[Tabajara]