2012-07-12, 00:51 | Link #41 | ||||
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A well-done cliffhanger is awesome, but for a cliffhanger to truly work you have to avoid spoilers. Quote:
It's not often anime can pull something off close to what Star Trek did with that 2-parter, but there are a few I can think of, such as at least one instance in Fate/Zero. and the recent final mahjong match in Saki Achiga-hen. Thankfully, Fate/Zero novel fans kept spoilers down to a minimum for that, while everybody was going in blind for Saki Achiga-hen's last episode thankfully. Quote:
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So I do appreciate the efforts you've gone to recently with Muv-Luv (even splicing off the geopolitical stuff from the more general Muv-Luv source material thread). That's been pretty amazing work, really.
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2012-07-13, 10:31 | Link #42 |
I don't give a damn, dude
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Actually, I do have something for which I don't see any reason why it cannot be done (apart from the fact that it would be more work for the mods, and we all know the whole lotta 'em are lazy jerkoffs )
Open two episodic threads, one with a spoiler-free environment for newbies, and one with a substantially more cavalier attitude towards spoilers for the source material veterans. Summarise the rules for each thread in a few words in the thread title itself, and it's as visible as it gets, no? Hell, it might not even turn out to be that much more work; after all, there's not even any need to moderate spoilers in the spoiler episodic thread. Only the spoiler-free episodic thread need be moderated for spoilers. This way, the newbies get their risk-free environment, and the source vets get their vigorous spoilen-laden equivalent, and the mods won't have to juggle between the needs of the two groups. Sounds like a win-win-win to me. |
2012-07-13, 10:57 | Link #43 | |
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Your suggestion also strikes me as a logical extension of what Anime Suki has been doing lately anyway (i.e. it's now typical to see a Spoilers and Speculations thread for source material fans, and a different one for anime-only viewers). relentlessflame's recent splicing of Muv-Luv conversation also strikes me as being philosophically in-line with your suggestion.
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2012-07-13, 14:11 | Link #44 |
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This has been proposed before, and was rejected, and not for being more work for the "lazy jerkoff mods", thank you very much.
There is a certain benefit in having momentum for discussion. Splitting the discussion into two separate threads, whether per episode or per show, only dilutes the amount of people involved in any given thread and makes it harder for a discussion to sustain itself for most shows. People who know the source material generally want to participate in the episode discussion with the anime-only viewers, and it will become increasing confusing to carry on two different conversations about the exact same topic in two different simultaneous threads (and to avoid cross-posting and cross-referencing). Since some people will still want to participate in both threads, there will still be the same temptation to give things away when confronted with questions or speculation. In another sense, you could say that this segregates our community into two different groups even beyond what it currently is, and you could see members who only participate in one "side" of the forum or another. This also goes against our overriding principle of "one topic, one thread", which applies throughout the site; it also makes it that much more difficult to find the right thread when performing a search. And it still doesn't really offer enough granularity in some cases -- in a case like Fate/Zero, would you really say we need to have three different threads for each episode to reflect the different groups? (The same could apply for currently-airing Total Eclipse.) When the topic is sufficiently distinct, we can create a new thread for it. For example, we separate "speculation and theories" from "spoilers & speculation" in sub-forums because the topics discussed within will be sufficiently different. I also did create the thread for the background of Muv-Luv because it's a special case where the adaptation of the spin-off assumes some familiarity with the original material that not all will want to spoil themselves on (since the show can be watched standalone as well). So anyway, I believe our overall community philosophy should be "united when possible, split only when necessary". I don't think knowledge of the source material is sufficient justification to require duplicating all anime discussion threads when we already have threads on other topics that can be used for all needed discussion.
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Last edited by relentlessflame; 2012-07-13 at 14:34. Reason: add missing word... |
2012-07-13, 15:26 | Link #45 | ||||||||
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I would estimate that your average episode thread on a series subforum runs about 8 or 9 pages. There's some that are less (a mere 3 or 4 pages), and there's some that are massive (SAO's first episode thread having 25 pages), but almost all of them have a very good amount of momentum. So I don't think that having two episode threads (one for anime-original viewers, and one for source material fans) would really have that much impact on momentum. Quote:
But under Ascaloth's suggestion, they could also discuss spoilers to their heart's content on the episode threads dedicated to source material fans. The benefit here is obvious: Source material fans get the comparison-based discussion out of their systems in the episode threads structured for them, better enabling them to refrain from posting spoilers on the anime-only viewer episode threads. Quote:
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Source material fans and anime-only watchers are often looking for very different things in an anime show. This will inherently cause many discussions to become segregated. I think it's better to accept reality here, and do what can be done to please both groups of fans, rather than fighting that reality by some futile attempt to get all fans on the same page. Quote:
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One for no spoilers at all, and one where any and all spoilers are fair game. It's simple, and fair, as long as its clear and upfront. Even as a person who would admittedly be caught in the middle, I'd prefer that over what we did have for Fate/Zero (episode threads were you couldn't even make comparisons between Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay Night the anime). Quote:
Let's face it, people love series subforum episode threads. They tend to be major hubs of activity here on Anime Suki. By all indications, source material fans would most like to discuss the anime episodes they just watched with total openness on episode threads. At the same time, viewers who are experiencing a narrative for the first time often don't want to be spoiled on what is to come. Trying to force these two groups together unto the same thread is often counterproductive, and can cause great dissatisfaction for both groups. Ascaloth's suggestion would address that dissatisfaction, which I personally think is a larger issue than any of the potential downsides that you've raised.
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2012-07-13, 16:15 | Link #46 | |
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Within sub-forums, there is already a thread for speculation & spoilers, which is in fact a thread where people familiar with the source can discuss what they think will happen next in the anime after watching each episode. Comparisons for what has already aired are allowed within spoiler tags. So this isn't really an issue in series sub-forums most of the time. At the beginning of each new show, we have to remind people of the spoiler rules, and it takes a while for people to get used to them, but then it generally settles down for the most part. I don't think this season will be any different in that regard. I don't see a great demand from anyone to have duplicate threads for every episode to segregate the discussion, so long as there is a place where all the needed topics can be discussed (and, there is). Arguably, the place that has a greater need for this differentiation is shows that don't have sub-forums, because they don't have the extra threads; the only choice is either the anime thread or the source material thread. This is less than ideal, but I don't think most franchises really warrant the creation of that many more threads which will generally be underutilized. So anyway, I don't agree with your understanding of what the problems actually are, and I don't think you've really properly thought through the implications of what you're suggesting. I do not support the suggestion. P.S. Making such a major change has huge ramifications, and such a change isn't likely to be adopted all of a sudden just because a few people think it would be a good idea. If you want to pursue the concept, rather than argue back point-by-point, please try to think of an alternate suggestion that would address both your concerns and the concerns I've stated. That said, I think it needs to begin by a clearer understanding/definition of what the problem is. From my point of view, it still seems to me that the current policy isn't well understood by some (not all). I'm more likely to support a suggestion that makes the policy clearer than I am to support a policy that fractures the threads even further, but that's just me.
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Last edited by relentlessflame; 2012-07-13 at 16:45. |
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2012-07-15, 10:39 | Link #47 |
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Okay, well, I'm going to defy convention and double-post in this case. I was hoping that someone would come up with a compromise, but I've still been thinking about it anyway. I still don't think that having double episode threads is necessary in most cases, and probably isn't what we want as a rule. However, I do see that in certain cases (Sword Art Online is a current example), there is so much novel comparison discussion that it could potentially fill a thread on its own, and it can distract from the topic at hand (and be annoying for people who just don't care about the novels).
So, just throwing this idea out there (it's not committed or agreed; just an idea). What if we did create two threads, but the topics for each were better-defined:
This would basically sift the discussion into two categories so that even source material readers can participate in the regular anime discussion thread but comparisons to the source material have to go to the other thread. So if source material readers want to participate in the episode discussion, they have to try to discuss the episode on its own merits. The episode poll itself would still be in the anime episode thread. If anime-only viewers want to see the comparison discussion, they can make that choice. In the hypothetical comparison thread, spoiler tags would not be required for comparisons to the current episode, but you still wouldn't be allowed to discuss future spoilers (which would still go to Spoilers & Speculation). The main thing I didn't like about the earlier proposal was the segregation of people based on their knowledge, but this segregates the conversation based on topic which is what we do already. From a conceptual standpoint, it's something I could live with. I also didn't like the idea that we would do this in every case as some sort of a rule, but I'd be okay in theory with doing this on a case-by-case basis when the situation requires it. Would this be an acceptable compromise? (Again, keep in mind that this is only an idea at this point, and not a commitment.)
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2012-07-15, 11:18 | Link #48 | |
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I can also see some novel fans thinking that future spoilers are allowed, as this thread is basically for them. Of course, simply reading the first post (and reporting posts that break the rules) would solve both these problems, but a lot of people seem to prefer to jump straight into the discussion without reading anything. |
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2012-07-15, 18:54 | Link #49 | |||
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Sword Art Online is a big part of the reason why I strongly supported Ascaloth's suggestion. It's also a factor in why I created this thread to begin with. I get that Ascaloth's suggestion is pretty radical, but what Anime Suki is now facing with Sword Art Online is pretty radical itself. It's been ages since I've seen an anime generate the level of instant discussion that Sword Art Online has. It even dwarfs the likes of Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, and Nisemonogatari (if you compare where SAO is now to where those shows were at after only two or three episodes). Sword Art Online might be the most heavily talked about new anime here on Anime Suki since a well-received Gundam show or Code Geass R2. The difference being, though, that those were at least anime original. SAO isn't, so it poses real challenges in trying to accommodate both anime-only viewers and source material fans. Quote:
All of that being said, I support your compromise proposal, at least as it pertains to SAO. I also certainly understand the value of testing an idea out before considering more wholesale changes. And it is true that not every series will present the challenges that SAO does. Quote:
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2012-07-15, 20:50 | Link #51 | |
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And I'm not that excited about SAO. Geez, I was even somewhat critical of its first episode. And I only just then watched its 2nd episode. That's hardly reflective of somebody who's "blinded" due to hype over a new anime.
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2012-07-15, 21:01 | Link #52 |
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Well, the quantity of posts may be different, but the issues are fundamentally the same. I would also point out that it's not very often that a sub-forum is created before the first episode, and it stands to reason the people most excited and with the most to discuss after the first few episodes will be the novel readers. Creating the sub-forum at that juncture was itself an experiment, and it had some positives and negatives. We'll learn from it going forward.
In discussing the situation with the staff, we will not go for the comparison thread option at the moment, though that doesn't mean the issue won't be revisited again in the future. We are still obviously open to ideas about how to make the spoiler policy clearer and easier to follow, along with making it easier/more-straightforward to enforce.
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2012-07-15, 21:39 | Link #53 | ||
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You even said it yourself!: There is so much novel comparison discussion that it could potentially fill a thread on its own, and it can distract from the topic at hand. Very nicely and succinctly put. You are 100% right there. That makes SAO different. Just compare SAO to, say, Hyouka. Hyouka is definitely not causing the same issues that SAO is causing. The difference is like night-and-day. And a lot of it is due to quantity of posts. Quote:
Why not wait to get more feedback from other AS members? Or if the moderating staff is so strongly against the idea, then why don't they publicly present their reasons for why they're against it so we can have a fair, open, and transparent discussion about it?
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2012-07-15, 22:25 | Link #54 | |
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I regret to inform you that this Forum is not a democracy. We do value the input we receive, but that is not necessarily always going to decide how things go.
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2012-07-15, 22:36 | Link #55 |
I don't give a damn, dude
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I actually like relentlessflame's compromise suggestion for a spoiler comparison thread, and would support it being put into practice.
I actually suggested the dual episode threads as something of an extension on the Spoilers & Speculations threads. The way I see it, the reason why people tend to post spoilers on episode threads despite the presence of the S&S thread is because... well, just look at the S&S thread. When you expect spoilers from an entire franchise to go into a single thread, what you get is a humongous mess spanning millions AND MILLIONS of pages' worth of posts. Let's say somebody wants to know the answer to a particular question regarding a previous episode... good freakin' luck finding it, man. So, I'll make a different, but related suggestion; how about simply turning the current S&S thread into an episodic format, instead? Like "S&S - Episode 1", "S&S - Episode 2", and so forth. Keep the general guidelines of the current S&S threads, and this way perhaps you'd get people more willing to divert their spoilers to the episodic S&S threads instead, knowing their answers won't get lost in the morass. |
2012-07-15, 23:07 | Link #56 | |
is this so?
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2012-07-15, 23:17 | Link #57 | |
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I definitely think a sub-forum like SAO would benefit more from relentlessflame's compromise proposal than a sub-forum like Hyouka's would, primarily due to the wide disparity in episode thread activity between the two. So yes, I'd be satisfied with a case-by-case approach.
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2012-07-15, 23:18 | Link #58 | |
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So yeah... my idea definitely had flaws; that's what I get for posting without fully vetting it and thinking it through.
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2012-07-15, 23:33 | Link #59 | |||||
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I haven't seen many people complaining about what you did there. In fact, I was very thankful for it, and I still am. You made the right decision there - A smart, quick, and effective decision that was to the benefit of anime-only Muv-Luv watchers and source material Muv-Luv fans alike. Quote:
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The thing is that by the time that the Moderators discover comparison-based posts on episode threads (and then edit, move, or delete them), it's often too late for us anime-only viewers. We've been spoiled already. The current situation is bad for both groups of viewers. It would be better if we went with your compromise idea, or with Ascaloth's latest suggestion. Those ideas, if implemented, would likely shift most of this comparison-based discussion off of the "main" episode threads. Quote:
Anime Suki going with your idea would make things much better than they are right now, imo.
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2012-07-15, 23:36 | Link #60 |
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lol... Well, I'm glad you think so, I guess, but we're not doing that for now. Your continued pestering on this point makes me really regret posting the idea here in the first place because you seem to have gotten your hopes up. I don't want to lock the thread because everyone on the staff is open to more discussion about spoilers... but continuing to argue this particular point isn't going to change anything at this time. Sorry...
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