# Notes on Game & Post-Count Padding/Party Threads **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 26, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118 "2003-12-26T14:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/1 "2003-12-26T14:39:01Z")
Folks, we’ve noticed a vast increase in game type threads here in MPSISMS. While this isn’t necessarily a “Bad Thing,” and some of them have been rather clever, we find that they use up an inordinate share of our very limited resources. Since game threads aren’t central to the purposes of the board, we are going to attempt to reduce use of the server by things of this nature. This effort is, for the time being, going to be entirely voluntary on your part(s). Before starting threads like this in the future, we ask that you please consider a few things: like how many active game threads are currently running; how broad the appeal of your thread may be; and the entertainment value it may provide. As I said, this is going to be a voluntary effort, at least initially. If we find that there are still too many scarce resources going to these types of things, we’ll figure out at that time what else we might find efficacious. Allow me to thank you all in advance for your consideration. And, so you know that we’re not pulling this out of our asses, here are a series of numbers I ran this morning on these types of threads. I think even a cursory examination will show that game threads are consuming more than a fair share of the resources. > [@](#): > > On to the analysis of the current MPSIMS threads from the first two pages of the forum. I’ve not included the two sticky threads at the top of the forum. If we were to include them, they would have the effect of slightly reducing the view/reply factors calculated below. > > Total threads: 100 > Game threads: 7 > Non-game threads: 93 > > Total Replies - all threads: 8184 > Total Views - all threads: 81498 > Avg Replies - all threads: 82.67 > Avg Views - all threads: 823.21 > > Total Replies - non-game threads: 4211 > Total Views - non-game threads: 52320 > Avg Replies - non-game threads: 45.28 > Avg Views - non-game threads: 562.58 > % of all threads which are non-game threads: 93.00 > % of all replies which are in non-game threads: 51.90 > % of all views which are in non-game threads: 64.20 > > Total Replies - game threads: 3937 > Total Views - game threads: 29178 > Avg Replies - game threads: 562.43 > Avg Views - game threads: 4168.29 > % of all threads which are game threads: 7.00 > % of all replies which are in game threads: 48.10 > % of all views which are in game threads: 35.80 > > Game threads it appears, on average, generate 12.42 times more replies and 7.41 time more views than non-game threads. I think everyone can agree that this is significant. Also, in this effort, we will be locking any post-count parties we run across, as we already do with other “post padding” threads. Thank you, once again. I’ll leave this thread open, for you to discuss this matter. Unless it turns ugly. If that happens, I’ll be compelled to close it and direct the offending participants to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/2 "2003-12-26T15:01:13Z")
It’s about time, I say. Thanks, **UncleBeer**. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/3 "2003-12-26T15:45:15Z")
I’d just like to point out that the volume of game threads was due to old ones being revived rather than new ones being created (I think) I know that one of the recent ones was one I opened roughly 5 months ago. That said, I am not against the closing of game threads and post-party threads. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/4 "2003-12-26T15:50:11Z")
Bravo. This move was long, long overdue. Haj ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/5 "2003-12-26T15:55:43Z")
Quite frankly, I’m glad to see (finally) an official stance from the SDMB. On a related note, do we have to have post counts at all? Or is that an ATMB question? ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/6 "2003-12-26T15:56:49Z")
This was a very good move. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/7 "2003-12-26T16:04:02Z")
While I’m neither for nor against game threads, I don’t come here to participate in games. If it needs to happen to preserve the SDMB’s resources, so be it. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/8 "2003-12-26T17:10:09Z")
Hoo-rah. About time. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/9 "2003-12-26T17:26:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UncleBeer \* > \*\*Also, in this effort, we will be locking any post-count parties we run across, as we already do with other “post padding” threads. Thank you, once again. > > \*\* I don’t quite agree that post-count parties (which there have been very few of lately, unless I’ve just not seen them) are nothing more than post-padding threads, as many of the game threads seemed to be. How come you will lock down a post-count-party thread automatically? ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/10 "2003-12-26T18:00:47Z")
Great move 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/11 "2003-12-26T18:36:24Z")
I bypass those, anyway. I’m sure they have appeal to some of the members, but if I want to play, I’ve got plenty of other stuff and places I can go to. YMMV. Q ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/12 "2003-12-26T18:46:17Z")
What we’re trying to do here, Dan, is reduce the reduce the fluff quotient. Post-count celebration threads (most of 'em anyway) are, in the view of the staff, the whipped topping on the marshmallow fluff. They’re the fluffiest of the fluff. Now, of course there are exceptions, like this current one [This is my 877th post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=231348), which isn’t really a post-count celebration thread at all. So, it is permitted to remain open. The boards are slow and there’s nothing on the horizon that’s gonna change it. We see that an large percentage of the server requests are going to things that aren’t central to the theme of the board. The obvious solution is to reduce the fluff. And we’re gonna try to do that as painlessly as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/13 "2003-12-26T18:58:40Z")
Does that include the stupid flirt threads? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/14 "2003-12-26T19:04:09Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=231468](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=231468) ? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/15 "2003-12-26T19:23:38Z")
> [@](#): > > ? Well, that thread appeared before I made this announcement and it’s only run for a short time. In my experience, threads where a person has to go to another site & answer a series of questions, generally garner a whole lot less posts than other game type threads. It’s also highly unlikely that a single poster, or two, will dominate the thing by making hundreds of posts to it. Again, as I stated, this proscription isn’t absolute; we’re gonna try it this way for a while and see how it goes. > [@](#): > > Does that include the stupid flirt threads? It includes all _stupid_ threads. (And this is me winking here.) Threads that are begun specifically for flirting will be considered on a case-by-case basis, exactly as the game threads, but I wouldn’t hold out much hope for them. If we find threads that have run too far off-topic and become nothing more than flirt threads, they’ll likely be closed, too. Especially if they become dominated by a relatively small number of posters. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/16 "2003-12-26T19:48:05Z")
When **UncleBeer** closed my new Corrupt Wish Game thread, he wrote: [quote] [Moderator’s Notes: You don’t read so well, do you? /quote] Okay, okay. Sorry. Look, the SDMB is huge, so I don’t always even scan each and every thread in every forum. Is that really such a huge offense? Simply asking me to “please see the sticky,” or something would have gotten the point through to me. But I do apologize for being a pain in the butt. Unlike many of the other posters to this thread, for me, the games and other lighthearted threads are the major reasons I participate on this board. For me, the SDMB as a great way to lighten up, have fun exchanges with witty people, and play challenging, brain-based games with some really smart cookies. I usually learn something in the process, and I try to share what little knowledge or expertise I have when someone requests it, but I’m not really here for Great Debates or to Comment on Cecil’s Columns. I understand that the games make the board slower. Your reasons for shutting down the Corrupt Wish Thread make sense, and I see why we’re now limiting the amount of bandwidth the games take up. Could we possibly have a separate space just for SDMB games and other long, popular, but not particularly ignorance-fighting threads? ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/17 "2003-12-26T19:48:31Z")
Thank you. May I also recommend that games actually require some thought to play? ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/18 "2003-12-26T19:51:22Z")
Yeah, shutting down stupid threads and flirt threads is a good idea. But I think that most of the games here _do_ require some thought, wit, and/or imagination to play. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/19 "2003-12-26T19:57:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Could we possibly have a separate space just for SDMB games and other long, popular, but not particularly ignorance-fighting threads? Well, that would require a whole separate server with a means of access unrelated to the current T1’s. Since we can’t afford to upgrade the current set-up, it’s highly unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118/20 "2003-12-26T20:04:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scribble \* > \*\* Could we possibly have a separate space just for SDMB games and other long, popular, but not particularly ignorance-fighting threads? \*\* Well, I’m not speaking as a mod, but placing the games threads in a separate category really wouldn’t help the “slow-board” problem, would it? I mean the threads would _still_ be taking up the bandwidth, yes? Q [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notes-on-game-post-count-padding-party-threads/221118.md?page=2)