# Shoot, why'd ya go and close the "Describe it in three words" thread? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265 "2007-05-01T04:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/21 "2007-05-01T13:41:22Z")
He’s anti-fun IMO \>\_\> ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/22 "2007-05-01T13:54:39Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] My understanding is they tolerate the game threads and have no wish to encourage them. Perhaps I am wrong, but that is my strong impression from the stated rules and way they close game threads from time to time. * * * I am curious, why did the Werewolf/Mafia games escape the Lock? Is there some sort of criteria of what is too mundane? I would think the Family Feud thread actually had some educational value, I can’t speak to the others. [/QUOTE] I e-mailed and asked why the song lyrics thread was closed; especially since the Werewolf/Mafia games are only open to a set (and decreasing) number of Dopers. I was referred to the sticky regarding game threads. I don’t think anyone was posting to the song lyrics thread to pad their post counts; the thing read like an epic poem! And I may not have much of a life, but I don’t even know what my post count is; I never look. I just hate to see a fun thread shut down because it was popular. If a thread isn’t popular it sinks and dies. If it is popular, it gets closed. Something is wrong with this picture. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/23 "2007-05-01T14:11:50Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] In a way, I am relieved. I needed someone else to step up and take over the hosting duties… [/QUOTE] Yes, thanks for being a wonderful host of the Family Feud game with interesting topics and even more interesting “answers on the board.” And, of course, a special mention to **Twickster** who took over after **Idle Thoughts**. JpnDude ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/24 "2007-05-01T14:16:58Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I am curious, why did the Werewolf/Mafia games escape the Lock? Is there some sort of criteria of what is too mundane? I would think the Family Feud thread actually had some educational value, I can’t speak to the others. [/QUOTE] Good questions the [Werewolf a game Part 2 (this time with MAFIA!)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=414041) has over 3400 posts and I’m assuming (because I hadn’t read it) that posting in it is pretty much limited to players of that game much like I had assumed for the [Family Fued](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=411797), however the [describe it in three word](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=403490) and [Lyric response](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=417584) threads seemed to be open to evey one to post in, and these last two threads combined don’t have any where near 3400 posts. So I’m confused. I had read the [Sticky thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=231482) that Skipper had mention in his closing of the threads and it mainly dealt with the use of resources. However that thread was last update in 2004 long before the new server. So again I’m curious, though maybe the recent problems have had something to do with this, I don’t know. Maybe we just need to dedicate ass many resources as possible to fighting ignorance. It’s taking so long because of all these game threads keep causing the server to crash??? 😕 😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/25 "2007-05-01T14:22:29Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] I may wait a week and start another “Describe it in three words” thread. [/QUOTE] Good Luck, Chief. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/26 "2007-05-01T14:23:23Z")
Ass many resources :smack: :smack: :smack: Should be as many resources and I edited I truely did. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/27 "2007-05-01T14:30:55Z")
I’m not sure whose e-mail you were reading, **SnakesCatLady** , but it wasn’t mine. When I responded to your PM, I replied with this: > [@SkipMagic](#): > > I’m sorry, SnakesCatLady, but the lyrics thread just had no end in sight; and with a page count of 11 pages, it was time. MPSIMS just isn’t built as a game forum (nor do we want it to become one), so all of these excess games were taking up too much front page real estate. In the future I think a new one can be started, but just not now. I made no reference to post count padding in any of my replies, and do not intend to do so with these closed threads. The sticky deals with both game threads and post count padding, and even though they, at times, can be the same thing, I didn’t make that accusation. In this thread and in my closing remarks I pointed to the sticky solely for the part about game threads. MPSIMS is an incredibly fast-moving forum, so when certain threads start appearing on the front page again and again, we consider how old the threads are, the number of participants, the number of pages already reached, whether there is a foreseeable end, and whether they fit into the purpose of MPSIMS or the SDMB as a whole. We want to make sure as many threads as possible have the chance to be seen; it’s more difficult to do so when the same old threads always appear at the top, shoving the newer threads to the second page. I left the Mafia threads open because they definitely have an end. We’ve allowed two of them at the same time on a trial basis because they are, indeed, very popular; however, once they end, we’ll be going back to one Mafia thread at a time. Not because they’re popular (as so many seem to think), but because it’s unfair to other threads–including other game threads–for them to take up so much time on the front page. In the end, though, and as has been mentioned before, MPSIMS isn’t a game forum. We allow them, but we don’t neccesarily encourage them, and have no plans to do so at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/28 "2007-05-01T14:46:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Not because they’re popular (as so many seem to think), but because it’s unfair to other threads–including other game threads–for them to take up so much time on the front page. I can’t imagine that this is actually a problem. But whatever. Here in the brave new world of “eight searches in four minutes crashes the boards,” nothing much surprises me about the logic of the highers-up anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/29 "2007-05-01T15:01:36Z")
[QUOTE=Gadarene] I can’t imagine that this is actually a problem. [/QUOTE] The Mafia/Werewolf threads currently generate two threads per game: one for the game itself, and a second for the dead players and non-participatory on-lookers. So, with two Mafia threads currently running, we get a total of four related threads. Add to that the three game threads that I closed and the new game thread that just popped up last night, and we have eight threads devoted to games. One of the threads I closed had been going since January and had 31 pages; another that had been going since March and had 25 pages; and the third one had eleven pages in a little over three weeks. None of them had an end in sight, and all of them had a good run. It was time for newer threads to have the chance at center stage. We’re not saying that similar games can’t be opened in the future, but we are saying that it was time to temporarily give it a rest. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/30 "2007-05-01T15:01:45Z")
So why not start a game forum? ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/31 "2007-05-01T15:02:43Z")
Well played to close them all right _after_ the membership renewal deadline. ::slowclap:: Thanks for the Family Feud game all; and in case others were wondering, it was open to new players. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/32 "2007-05-01T15:11:26Z")
[QUOTE=LilyoftheValley] Well played to close them all right _after_ the membership renewal deadline. ::slowclap:: [/QUOTE] Absolutely. It was nothing more than evil machinations that led me to close the game threads. Past procedures, stated purpose of the forum and a sticky that’s been around since 2003 had nothing to do with it. Pardon me for a moment as I now need to twirl my mustache. > [@Quiddity Glomfuster](#): > > So why not start a game forum? We’ve actually been discussing it. A decision hasn’t been made yet, but we’ll let everyone know. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/33 "2007-05-01T15:13:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Add to that the three game threads that I closed and the new game thread that just popped up last night, and we have eight threads devoted to games. Out of what I count to be forty-seven threads on the first page of MPSIMS (at least in my display). Forgive me if I don’t express horror at such a prospect. (In any case, y’all moved the Mafia onlooker threads from IMHO—where they were doing just fine—to MPSIMS in the first place, thus exacerbating the “problem.”) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/34 "2007-05-01T15:16:34Z")
[QUOTE=SkipMagic] We’ve actually been discussing it. A decision hasn’t been made yet, but we’ll let everyone know. [/QUOTE] Really? That is good news. I am pleasantly surprised. Can you tell us if the Sports Forum concept is at least under discussion, or is that one hopeless? I thank you for going into more detail of why the threads are closed. I am not sure I agree with the reasoning, but at least it makes a little more sense.\* Jim - The twirling of the mustache really helped to explain it all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/35 "2007-05-01T15:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > Absolutely. It was nothing more than evil machinations that led me to close the game threads. Past procedures, stated purpose of the forum and a sticky that’s been around since 2003 had nothing to do with it. Pardon me for a moment as I now need to twirl my mustache. Excluded middle, **Skip**. ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/36 "2007-05-01T15:21:52Z")
[QUOTE=SkipMagic] I’m not sure whose e-mail you were reading, **SnakesCatLady** , but it wasn’t mine. When I responded to your PM, I replied with this:I made no reference to post count padding in any of my replies, and do not intend to do so with these closed threads. The sticky deals with both game threads and post count padding, and even though they, at times, can be the same thing, I didn’t make that accusation. In this thread and in my closing remarks I pointed to the sticky solely for the part about game threads. [/quote] Which mention the strain on resources more than anything and also points to the fact that… [QUOTE=UncleBeer] The boards are slow and there’s nothing on the horizon that’s gonna change it. [/QUOTE] Guess what that was in 2003 and we’ve had a few changes since then Skippy. Maybe it’s about time that particular sticky got a serious update then. [QUOTE=SkipMagic] I left the Mafia threads open because they definitely have an end. We’ve allowed two of them at the same time on a trial basis because they are, indeed, very popular; however, once they end, we’ll be going back to one Mafia thread at a time. Not because they’re popular (as so many seem to think), but because it’s unfair to other threads–including other game threads–for them to take up so much time on the front page. [/QUOTE] In that case if the other threads in question had reach somewhere NEAR 69 pages as opposed to the 10 pages of the Lyric response thread then I may have been inclined to agree with you. However responses to the Lyric thread were starting to slow down. Blind Freddy could have reasoned that it was coming to an end I personally don’t think it stood much chance of reaching 20 pages but whatewver. [QUOTE=SkipMagic] In the end, though, and as has been mentioned before, MPSIMS isn’t a game forum. We allow them, but we don’t neccesarily encourage them, and have no plans to do so at this point. [/QUOTE] Then the answer is to terminate all of them and prohibit them all together. But I’m going to guess that won’t be at all popular. ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/37 "2007-05-01T15:31:48Z")
[QUOTE=SkipMagic] One of the threads I closed had been going since January and had 31 pages; another that had been going since March and had 25 pages; and the third one had eleven pages in a little **over three weeks.** None of them had an end in sight, and all of them had a good run. It was time for newer threads to have the chance at center stage. [/QUOTE] Three weeks??? In my world 04-20-2007 to now is um let me count the days all twelve of them 7 days to a week. God wake up no wonders it’s taking so long to fight all of this ignorance. Now repeat after me there are 7 days in a week so three weeks is come on you know the answer. 7 x 3=?? ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/38 "2007-05-01T15:34:23Z")
Heh. Yeah, for some reason I was looking back at the 6th instead of the 20th. My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/39 "2007-05-01T15:41:01Z")
[QUOTE=SkipMagic] Heh. Yeah, for some reason I was looking back at the 6th instead of the 20th. My apologies. [/QUOTE] 😃 Shit, ok forgiven for that one mistake. In light of what your saying here though I think that sticky is way too far out of date an is in serious need of an updated replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265/40 "2007-05-01T15:41:24Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Can you tell us if the Sports Forum concept is at least under discussion, or is that one hopeless? [/QUOTE] If (if, if, if, if, if, if, if ,if) a games forum were created, it would also become the new default home for sports discussion, as well as discussion of board games, checkers, chess, and golf. Baseball discussions would still be Great Debates material, of course. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoot-whyd-ya-go-and-close-the-describe-it-in-three-words-thread/402265.md?page=3)