SW:TOR's Off-topic Forum Closing

Link: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=301485

The... The... Bastards...

TitanT2 wrote:

The... The... Bastards...

Indeed.

Umad, guise?

I don't post in the OT at all, but wow that's kind of strange IMO. I wonder if that was because of where most of the infractions were coming from. Hopefully this doesn't cause any issues like driving people away from the game or anything.

Observation: MMO developers usually shutdown off-topic forum sections when a game is close to open beta and/or launch.

The Laughing Man wrote:

Observation: MMO developers usually shutdown off-topic forum sections when a game is close to open beta and/or launch.

orrrthey just wanna get rid of troublemakers. My last game did this multiple times to clean up our messes.




We came back every time.

I spoke to Shiloh. She didn't know why the OT is closed either...

This is from the community manager or something people... Someone up top doesn't like the OT that much...

Vigo Surai wrote:

The Laughing Man wrote:

Observation: MMO developers usually shutdown off-topic forum sections when a game is close to open beta and/or launch.

orrrthey just wanna get rid of troublemakers. My last game did this multiple times to clean up our messes.




We came back every time.

The OT will be closed (removed completely) on 04/22/2011, a Friday.

And what does the SW:TOR community get on Fridays? Oh! That's right, Friday updates! I've got the strangest sense something big that's SW:TOR related is about to happen. Could be nothing more then paranoia, however.

My original message

Dear Bioware,

I want to ask some questions and speak out my concerns for the Off Topic. And i hope you guys will respond.

My question is and my fellow OT'ers have the same question on their mind. Why? Why is the SWTOR OT getting closed? I mean i have been apart of the OT community for 2 years and i would at least like to know why the hell the off topic forum is getting closed.

Now my concerns for the future of the forum.

Now threads will deviate more because of the lack of a place to discuss things outside of the regular discussions. And it will only increase. You see, when you take away the off topic the dynamics shift and people start discussing things in other threads a bit more. Deviate from the original point and discuss things. This can be a friendly or a negative discussion. Or just about a specific subject. But by closing the OT Bioware will get this problem. It's only logical. No offense.

Now i must remind you that the oldest members are oftenly or where at the OT. Now if it is a managing problem i am willing to set up a bunch of volunteer moderators especially for the OT.

Thank you for any aswers given.

My regards,

TitanTZ

My reaction from bioware...

Hello,

Thanks for contacting the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Community Team in regards to the removal of the Off-Topic section.

We appreciate you taking the time to express your feedback regarding this issue, and assure you that the closure of the forum was not a decision made lightly. We know that many community members have spent time there and may have discussions they’d like to save, so the forum will be viewable until this Friday (4/22). Thank you for your feedback and for your understanding.

Best regards,
Eric Campbell

I doubt Eric Campbell is responding to my e-mail... Copypasta much?

The Laughing Man wrote:

Vigo Surai wrote:

The Laughing Man wrote:

Observation: MMO developers usually shutdown off-topic forum sections when a game is close to open beta and/or launch.

orrrthey just wanna get rid of troublemakers. My last game did this multiple times to clean up our messes.




We came back every time.

The OT will be closed (removed completely) on 04/22/2011, a Friday.

And what does the SW:TOR community get on Fridays? Oh! That's right, Friday updates! I've got the strangest sense something big that's SW:TOR related is about to happen. Could be nothing more then paranoia, however.

I had an inkling this may be the case. I mean, seriously the game is running out of time to be released (8 months, and it can't interfere with ME3, plus you need to for it to go gold and then get manufactured and set up, so given 2 months off from that we should be around AT MAX half a year away). Then comes E3 in a little over 1 month, which BETTER be epic.

I mean perhaps it is a coincidence (the friday date), but hey, it's got to mean something (open beta soon?????)

Ixidor Asgrod wrote:

The Laughing Man wrote:

Vigo Surai wrote:

orrrthey just wanna get rid of troublemakers. My last game did this multiple times to clean up our messes.




We came back every time.

The OT will be closed (removed completely) on 04/22/2011, a Friday.

And what does the SW:TOR community get on Fridays? Oh! That's right, Friday updates! I've got the strangest sense something big that's SW:TOR related is about to happen. Could be nothing more then paranoia, however.

I had an inkling this may be the case. I mean, seriously the game is running out of time to be released (8 months, and it can't interfere with ME3, plus you need to for it to go gold and then get manufactured and set up, so given 2 months off from that we should be around AT MAX half a year away). Then comes E3 in a little over 1 month, which BETTER be epic.

I mean perhaps it is a coincidence (the friday date), but hey, it's got to mean something (open beta soon?????)

Closing the OT will have NOTHING to do with this... Expect the next friday update to be about doors...

TitanT2 wrote:

Ixidor Asgrod wrote:

The Laughing Man wrote:

The OT will be closed (removed completely) on 04/22/2011, a Friday.

And what does the SW:TOR community get on Fridays? Oh! That's right, Friday updates! I've got the strangest sense something big that's SW:TOR related is about to happen. Could be nothing more then paranoia, however.

I had an inkling this may be the case. I mean, seriously the game is running out of time to be released (8 months, and it can't interfere with ME3, plus you need to for it to go gold and then get manufactured and set up, so given 2 months off from that we should be around AT MAX half a year away). Then comes E3 in a little over 1 month, which BETTER be epic.

I mean perhaps it is a coincidence (the friday date), but hey, it's got to mean something (open beta soon?????)

Closing the OT will have NOTHING to do with this... Expect the next friday update to be about doors...

Actually... As stated on the previous page... The closing of OT forums on an MMO website can mean open beta testing/release is close by. This isn't always the case however, though I have seen it quite a bit in previous experiences with the genre.

Moderation issues.

They're getting rid of visitor messages and the OT because the moderation is getting stretched too thin.

Nawkes wrote:

Moderation issues.

They're getting rid of visitor messages and the OT because the moderation is getting stretched too thin.

I find it funny that a shit company like Acclaim could keep their OT in line, when a decent company like Bioware, with much more bank and ability to get moderators that aren't volunteers from the community, Fails horribly at it.

I'm only speculating.
But it seems likely.

*sigh* Well I suppose now we don't have to worry 'bout shitty GD threads being dropped in the OT anymore.

On another note... I'm somewhat offended. I mean... without the OT... I would have never been here.

/nostalgia

Scott Chain wrote:

*sigh* Well I suppose now we don't have to worry 'bout shitty GD threads being dropped in the OT anymore.

On another note... I'm somewhat offended. I mean... without the OT... I would have never been here.

/nostalgia

Aye...Thats about the only good thing that came from the OT, to me.

Vigo Surai wrote:

Scott Chain wrote:

*sigh* Well I suppose now we don't have to worry 'bout shitty GD threads being dropped in the OT anymore.

On another note... I'm somewhat offended. I mean... without the OT... I would have never been here.

/nostalgia

Aye...Thats about the only good thing that came from the OT, to me.

That... and now the GD is going to burn with fire... I'm making popcorn as we speak.

1. Link doesn't work

2. GD now becomes OT.

They should of just taken out the Jedi Knight forum instead...

Nawkes wrote:

They should of just taken out the Jedi Knight forum instead...

Naw man... Trooper forums have less use.

Jedi Knight forums are stupid and full of Walsh though.

Nawkes wrote:

Jedi Knight forums are stupid and full of Walsh though.

>.>

Point taken...

Vigo Surai wrote:

Umad, guise?

Never heard that one before. I've heard Umadbro? though.

That's not cool.