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Sinking threads that are deemed "negative"?

EQBallzz
EQBallzz
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I created a poll about people leaving the game and it started sinking quickly to the bottom even though it was getting responses. Apparently, there is an admin option to "sink" a thread and cause it to not be bumped to the top when people post in the thread?

Seriously ZOS? This is beyond pathetic. I have been a supporter but it's getting hard to keep the faith.

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/comment/962735#Comment_962735
  • Nox_Aeterna
    Nox_Aeterna
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    Heh , funny , just tested it , had no idea they could do that , really interesting to know.
    "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
    -Hanlon's razor
  • Azphira
    Azphira
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    I just seen a thread disappear too.
  • Lynnessa
    Lynnessa
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    Yeah, I just tested it too. Interesting.

    To be fair, OP, using phrases like "beyond pathetic" or "bleeding players" does convey negativity.

    You know, I've seen quite a few posts about "zomg ZoS we warned you and now ur subz R drying up". Funny thing though, I still see plenty of people in game, as many as I ever did. Perhaps we oughtn't jump to conclusions, hm?
  • Shiroro
    Shiroro
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    Yeah a bunch of threads have disappeared since this morning. Somebody is putting in some OT.
  • Nox_Aeterna
    Nox_Aeterna
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    Lynnessa wrote: »
    Yeah, I just tested it too. Interesting.

    To be fair, OP, using phrases like "beyond pathetic" or "bleeding players" does convey negativity.

    You know, I've seen quite a few posts about "zomg ZoS we warned you and now ur subz R drying up". Funny thing though, I still see plenty of people in game, as many as I ever did. Perhaps we oughtn't jump to conclusions, hm?

    You are in a mega server mate , outside your guilds/friends list , where you can see people logged or not , i would always expect this game to be able to fill a layer with players for you to "see".

    If there are not even enough players to do that ... well something is really wrong :P.

    With that said , it is unlikely the game got to the point anyone can say it is dead/F2P already.
    "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
    -Hanlon's razor
  • Dusty5
    Dusty5
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    Would not be surprised. Just in time for the launch of the E3xpo. How about that awesome customer service.
  • Shiroro
    Shiroro
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    If the issue with VR zones being empty is just a matter of improper distribution of players in the megaserver I would be very happy if they fixed it ASAP. Never more than 5-10 people in a zone "phase" of the megaserver at VR6-10.
  • EQBallzz
    EQBallzz
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    Lynnessa wrote: »
    Yeah, I just tested it too. Interesting.

    To be fair, OP, using phrases like "beyond pathetic" or "bleeding players" does convey negativity.

    You know, I've seen quite a few posts about "zomg ZoS we warned you and now ur subz R drying up". Funny thing though, I still see plenty of people in game, as many as I ever did. Perhaps we oughtn't jump to conclusions, hm?

    I said bleeding players because that's what I'm seeing in my own guild and it's concerning me (and I was curious if others are seeing the same thing). I also said I was not interested in that game and I'm not an advocate for it and I don't think it is better. I'm not bashing the game. I like the game but it needs issues resolved and quickly. The pathetic comment was made *after* the thread was "sunk" so has nothing to do with why it was sunk in the first place.

    Besides, who ever said every post has to be positive or it will be censored? That is ludicrous.
  • DireKit
    DireKit
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    EQBallzz wrote: »
    Lynnessa wrote: »
    Yeah, I just tested it too. Interesting.

    To be fair, OP, using phrases like "beyond pathetic" or "bleeding players" does convey negativity.

    You know, I've seen quite a few posts about "zomg ZoS we warned you and now ur subz R drying up". Funny thing though, I still see plenty of people in game, as many as I ever did. Perhaps we oughtn't jump to conclusions, hm?

    I said bleeding players because that's what I'm seeing in my own guild and it's concerning me (and I was curious if others are seeing the same thing). I also said I was not interested in that game and I'm not an advocate for it and I don't think it is better. I'm not bashing the game. I like the game but it needs issues resolved and quickly. The pathetic comment was made *after* the thread was "sunk" so has nothing to do with why it was sunk in the first place.

    Besides, who ever said every post has to be positive or it will be censored? That is ludicrous.

    Well it's not.

    But you'd do well to learn some tact when making objective points. Typing your posts with hints of bitterness and personal emotion in them probably isn't going to be received well and likely isn't very conducive to the point you presumably want to make.

    Be clear, concise, and unbiased. Don't make emotional posts and think about what words you're using. Post intelligently.

    Otherwise We can kinda understand why they'd sink a post, given the overt negativity on the forums and the fact that a lot of users appear to be trying to be subversive to the game as a whole for the sake of being subversive and negative.
  • EQBallzz
    EQBallzz
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    Can you point out the overt negativity in that thread? Can you elaborate on the lacking "tact"? There was nothing overly negative in that thread other than the implication that some people may be leaving the game which was the entire point of the thread. So please do elaborate on these excessively tactless, negative statements that were made because I don't see it. I went out of my way to say I was not advocating for that game and I never bashed this game.
  • Ragekniv
    Ragekniv
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    There is no reasonable explanation for a developer deliberately sinking threads!

    These are public forums, debate and constructive feedback should be encouraged.

    If its occurring its despicable and contrary to free speech. I hope this is simply not true.
    Edited by Ragekniv on June 7, 2014 6:34PM
  • DireKit
    DireKit
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    EQBallzz wrote: »
    Can you point out the overt negativity in that thread? Can you elaborate on the lacking "tact"? There was nothing overly negative in that thread other than the implication that some people may be leaving the game which was the entire point of the thread. So please do elaborate on these excessively tactless, negative statements that were made because I don't see it. I went out of my way to say I was not advocating for that game and I never bashed this game.

    Well for one, you're saying you're not advocating for another game and yet your post is a post basically advertising its name all over the place. You're posting about a competing product in a forum dedicated to another game. You don't think that might be construed as a bit.. tactless?

    You're going to go get food from a Chinese restaurant and then go to a Thai restaurant and sit around talking about their food? "Oh, I'm not an advocate for their food, but I see people going to their restaurant more than I do going to this one.," yeah.. probably most companies aren't going to receive that well and it doesn't seem particularly conducive to the forums as a whole.

    Given the number of threads that reference that game, it's unsurprising that Zenimax is perhaps trying to sink posts regarding references to it. Do you understand how business works?

    Every post you make with that games name may serve as an unintentional advertisement, especially when you're doing it in Zenimax' place of business.

    Yes, that is tactless.

    Especially given the numerous times you used that games name in that thread alone.

    Further, this point? You're automatically going conspiracy theory, assuming they're out to get you. Couldn't be that you've made a mistake in etiquette at all, could it?

    Us? We are personally tactless by design typically, you however seem to be mostly oblivious. And don't take it as a personal attack, it's not meant to be; it's objective criticism since you asked.

    Your post is also negative in the sense that it beats a dead horse. You're saying how dead these area's are, have you taken a look at the forums lately? The amount of people saying the very same thing? Yeah, that gets tiring after a while. We're sure that Zenimax is well aware of how grating it is for some of their Customers (not us, personally. We find amusement in seeing the QQ threads, but again; tactless by design. ;)) but for others? Yeah, not so much. And not so much for Zenimax either.

    There's some level of PR they have to maintain. A little bit of damage control is to be expected, especially when your thread didn't really offer anything constructive.
  • Reykice
    Reykice
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    Oh my God... they are really this low?!

    I really hope this game runs out of money and they get fired... this is really low.

    People have been have been getting killed for freedom just to have a low pay admin do this silently... i`m already unsubbed but i`ll make sure every friend i have knows about this, here in the EU we have parents who were injured/killed to keep this kind of communist crap out... none of them would ever pay a company who does this.

    So spread the word let`s see how they like their communist practices to be exposed.
  • Jankstar
    Jankstar
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    Welcome to forum software. Why shouldn't they control the content of their own pages?
  • Blackwidow
    Blackwidow
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    I just tried to bump it.

    Now we know why the bugs are not getting fixed. They are too busy pulling this crap.
  • tylarthb16_ESO
    tylarthb16_ESO
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    Crappy behavior if its their damage limitation policy. Tells me more about how the company is really doing than just a few negative posts can.
  • TazerReloaded
    The forum is already ugly and super messy, and now that... gets better every day :smile:
    But I still enjoy being around here, because there are some people who really want to make ESO a better place for everyone.
  • Blackwidow
    Blackwidow
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    The forum is already ugly and super messy, and now that... gets better every day :smile:
    But I still enjoy being around here, because there are some people who really want to make ESO a better place for everyone.

    Thank you. I wouldn't say I was a hero, but if you insist. ;)
  • Nazon_Katts
    Nazon_Katts
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    Blackwidow wrote: »
    The forum is already ugly and super messy, and now that... gets better every day :smile:
    But I still enjoy being around here, because there are some people who really want to make ESO a better place for everyone.

    Thank you. I wouldn't say I was a hero, but if you insist. ;)

    There's worse things you could do on your way out, that's for sure. Like sinking threads instead of just honestly locking them, for instance. :p
    "You've probably figured that out by now. Let's hope so. Or we're in real trouble... and out come the intestines. And I skip rope with them!"
  • Ser Lobo
    Ser Lobo
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    EQBallzz wrote: »
    I created a poll about people leaving the game and it started sinking quickly to the bottom even though it was getting responses. Apparently, there is an admin option to "sink" a thread and cause it to not be bumped to the top when people post in the thread?

    Seriously ZOS? This is beyond pathetic. I have been a supporter but it's getting hard to keep the faith.

    http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/comment/962735#Comment_962735

    Or it could be more players are concerned with other topics than game hate.

    A 'sink' ability? I doubt these forums are that subtle, and I really doubt the moderators are. They'd lock your post for being off topic WAY before they added something like that.
    Ruze Aulus. Mayor of Dhalmora. Archer, hunter, assassin. Nightblade.
    Gral. Mountain Terror. Barbarian, marauder, murderer. Nightblade.
    Na'Djin. Knight-Blade. Knight, vanguard, defender. Nightblade.

    XBOX NA
    Ruze is a veteran of the PC Beta, lived through the year one drought, survived the buy-to-play conversion, and has stepped foot in the hells known as Craglorn. He mained a nightlbade when nightblades weren't good, and has never worn a robe. He converted from PC during the console betas, and hasn't regretted it a moment since.

    He'd rank ESO:TU (in it's current state) a 4.8 out of 5, loving the game almost entirely.

    This is an multiplayer game. I should be able to log in, join a dungeon, join a battleground, queue for a dolmen or world boss or delve, teleport in, play for 20 minutes, and not worry about getting kicked, failing to join, having perfect voice coms, or being unable to complete content because someone's lagging behind. Group Finder and matchmaking is broken. Take a note from Destiny and build a system that allows from drop-in/drop-out functionality and quick play.
  • XquixoticalX
    XquixoticalX
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    Giant LOL to the people crying "freedom of speech" and tossing around the word "communism."

    And did someone actually, like really, say something about how people have died just so we can have these freedoms? Amazing. Trust me, nobody is out there fighting and dying so you can have the freedom to QQ on an internet site owned by someone else, and suggesting so is actually kind of insulting to the people who are out there fighting wars for real life legitimate reasons.

    Do you see what it says there in the address bar? The domain is elderscrollsonline.com. Who owns Elder Scrolls Online? ZeniMax.

    It's no more an infringement on your rights than it would be if you decided to delete a comment on your personal blog that you did not like. This is their house, they can do what they want. Yeah, it's not really that cool, but it certainly isn't communism.

    Now if you decided to post on that same personal blog a rant about how much you hate some new legislation coming through congress, and the government shuts down your site, you have a right to cry "communism" and invoke your right to freedom of speech. However, when you post here you have already agreed by even signing up for an account to abide by certain terms of service and to accept whatever policies Zenimax may deem to use in any situation.

    So get over yourselves.
    Edited by XquixoticalX on June 7, 2014 7:44PM
    ~ Belle Folie

    "I'm here to kick ass and eat sweetrolls. And I'm all out of sweetrolls."
  • Ser Lobo
    Ser Lobo
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    Though my post did not come back to the top. Not that I'll miss that post that was intended to advertise for Wildstar at all, but I would say that it's either bugged or some mechanic like the op mentioned is in effect.

    Seems pretty classy and ahead of the game. I wonder how many other game forums do something like that? It would have saved World of Warcraft and EvE Online from flame wars many times over.
    Ruze Aulus. Mayor of Dhalmora. Archer, hunter, assassin. Nightblade.
    Gral. Mountain Terror. Barbarian, marauder, murderer. Nightblade.
    Na'Djin. Knight-Blade. Knight, vanguard, defender. Nightblade.

    XBOX NA
    Ruze is a veteran of the PC Beta, lived through the year one drought, survived the buy-to-play conversion, and has stepped foot in the hells known as Craglorn. He mained a nightlbade when nightblades weren't good, and has never worn a robe. He converted from PC during the console betas, and hasn't regretted it a moment since.

    He'd rank ESO:TU (in it's current state) a 4.8 out of 5, loving the game almost entirely.

    This is an multiplayer game. I should be able to log in, join a dungeon, join a battleground, queue for a dolmen or world boss or delve, teleport in, play for 20 minutes, and not worry about getting kicked, failing to join, having perfect voice coms, or being unable to complete content because someone's lagging behind. Group Finder and matchmaking is broken. Take a note from Destiny and build a system that allows from drop-in/drop-out functionality and quick play.
  • wrlifeboil
    wrlifeboil
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    I saw this happening on several 'interesting' threads weeks ago so OP you're not unique or the first person to experience this. Out of sight, out of mind - until it isn't.

    I suppose this phantom downrating is less intrusive than what they had been doing which was actually editing forum posts and inserted their re-interpretation of the content. I guess they found out that editing took too much of forum mod's time. That policy never made sense, not even when the beta site was on the bethsoft forums.
  • JinShepard01
    JinShepard01
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    It's sad that they do it, it is in my opinion another clear sign the game isn't doing great.
    Why do people complain?
    ''Because players want to provide feedback and help shape a product they still see as having the potential to be great.''
  • seneferab16_ESO
    seneferab16_ESO
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    Happens all the time, everywhere.

    Sucks, but deal with it. It's Zens forums and they can do whatever they want with it.
    Aerin Treerunner, pre dinner snack
  • EQBallzz
    EQBallzz
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    EQBallzz wrote: »
    I created a poll about people leaving the game and it started sinking quickly to the bottom even though it was getting responses. Apparently, there is an admin option to "sink" a thread and cause it to not be bumped to the top when people post in the thread?

    Seriously ZOS? This is beyond pathetic. I have been a supporter but it's getting hard to keep the faith.

    http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/comment/962735#Comment_962735

    Or it could be more players are concerned with other topics than game hate.

    A 'sink' ability? I doubt these forums are that subtle, and I really doubt the moderators are. They'd lock your post for being off topic WAY before they added something like that.

    Do some of you even read? Where was there any game hate? I like this game. I play *this* game. I don't like that other game. I *don't* play that other game. I said so in the thread. That doesn't change what I am experiencing first hand in-game.

    I realize I mentioned another game but how else would I make a poll about people vacating this game for that game if it wasn't mentioned? Come on people...ignoring the elephant in the room by sticking our collective heads in the sand isn't going to fix anything.

    Also, if you don't believe what I said then go ahead and try posting in that other thread and see for yourself if it bumps back to the top. Many others have confirmed it in this thread. What other explanation is there?
  • Nazon_Katts
    Nazon_Katts
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    EQBallzz wrote: »
    I created a poll about people leaving the game and it started sinking quickly to the bottom even though it was getting responses. Apparently, there is an admin option to "sink" a thread and cause it to not be bumped to the top when people post in the thread?

    Seriously ZOS? This is beyond pathetic. I have been a supporter but it's getting hard to keep the faith.

    http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/comment/962735#Comment_962735

    Or it could be more players are concerned with other topics than game hate.

    A 'sink' ability? I doubt these forums are that subtle, and I really doubt the moderators are. They'd lock your post for being off topic WAY before they added something like that.

    It's a Vanilla thread management 'feature'. I find stealth moderation questionable, but it's their board, their rules. See here: http://www.wikihow.com/Manage-Threads-in-Vanilla-Forums
    "You've probably figured that out by now. Let's hope so. Or we're in real trouble... and out come the intestines. And I skip rope with them!"
  • AlexDougherty
    AlexDougherty
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    EQBallzz wrote: »
    I created a poll about people leaving the game and it started sinking quickly to the bottom even though it was getting responses. Apparently, there is an admin option to "sink" a thread and cause it to not be bumped to the top when people post in the thread?

    Seriously ZOS? This is beyond pathetic. I have been a supporter but it's getting hard to keep the faith.

    http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/comment/962735#Comment_962735

    Yes I have seen them do this until they see some positive comments.

    It really isn't cricket chaps.
    People believe what they either want to be true or what they are afraid is true!
    Wizard's first rule
    Passion rules reason
    Wizard's third rule
    Mind what people Do, not what they say, for actions betray a lie.
    Wizard's fifth rule
    Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self
    Wizard's tenth rule
  • Maverick827
    Maverick827
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    What a scummy thing to do.

    This is probably the most dishonest thing I've seen a game company do in a long time.
  • HandofBane
    HandofBane
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    It's happened not only to some of the more "negative" threads, but also to anything that can be considered controversial by the moderator/admin flagging it. See the Skimpy Armor thread that stopped getting bumped up despite still getting replies up til a day or two ago, for just one example. While it had some back-and-forth between posters, there really wasn't that much flaming or negativity about the game itself to justify such a response from the community staff.
This discussion has been closed.