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MartensoftWorld Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:13pm

Or moderators, whatever you want to call them. Recently saw a thread closed for the first time by an actual Valve employee, or at least I assume so by the Valve tag. Don't know why someone would have even called them in or what would have warranted it, but they closed the thread, deeming it not constructive. Are there even any rules on what constitutes a constructive discussion or is this entirely up to each admin? How can a general thread admin even determine this on a game by game basis unless they have played it? Ok, actual main question. Is there a way to contact valve support to even determine any of this, or is that purely for game support.

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Showing 1-15 of 31 comments

Mad Scientist Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:20pm

Read the rules, generally it's very easy to tell. If it goes wildly off-topic they may act in a report and close threads or do anything they deem necessary.

If it's locked, move on.

MartensoftWorld Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:22pm

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:
Read the rules, generally it's very easy to tell. If it goes wildly off-topic they may act in a report and close threads or do anything they deem necessary.

If it's locked, move on.

So, there isn't any recourse for admins that don't seem to actually be following a framework. Well I guess it's no different than most forums.

Carlos100 Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:32pm

Originally posted by Microsoft has terminated file:
Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:
Read the rules, generally it's very easy to tell. If it goes wildly off-topic they may act in a report and close threads or do anything they deem necessary.

If it's locked, move on.
So, there isn't any recourse for admins that don't seem to actually be following a framework. Well I guess it's no different than most forums.

When you have your own post locked/deleted etc by a mod you have a message in the community messages -----> on the left.
You can talk to them and they will tell you roughly what where when and why

nullable Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:32pm

I don't think there's some logic you can spin up that makes it impossible for moderators to moderate unless they meet certain qualifications on a per discussion/per game basis. But you're gonna believe what you want whenever you disagree with a moderators decisions.

If you believe there's an issue complain to the developer. If they think Valve mods are wrecking their community they'll have their own resources to address that.

Last edited by nullable; Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:32pm

Mad Scientist Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:39pm

Originally posted by Microsoft has terminated file:
Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:
Read the rules, generally it's very easy to tell. If it goes wildly off-topic they may act in a report and close threads or do anything they deem necessary.

If it's locked, move on.
So, there isn't any recourse for admins that don't seem to actually be following a framework. Well I guess it's no different than most forums.

How about linking us so we don't have to dig around just to confirm their actions appear to follow the guidelines?

Edit: Let me guess, this?:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1240440/discussions/0/5299051552401517999/?ctp=6#c3189115186361633502

Last edited by Mad Scientist; Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:40pm

MoonC A T Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:44pm

There's a lot of interpretation/subjectivity for moderators. This leads to inconsistency among different mods.

MartensoftWorld Feb 16, 2022 @ 1:56pm

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:
Originally posted by Microsoft has terminated file:
So, there isn't any recourse for admins that don't seem to actually be following a framework. Well I guess it's no different than most forums.
How about linking us so we don't have to dig around just to confirm their actions appear to follow the guidelines?

Edit: Let me guess, this?:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1240440/discussions/0/5299051552401517999/?ctp=6#c3189115186361633502

Yes. Was it closed because people went slightly off topic and that's purely it?

MartensoftWorld Feb 16, 2022 @ 2:02pm

Originally posted by Carlos100:
Originally posted by Microsoft has terminated file:
So, there isn't any recourse for admins that don't seem to actually be following a framework. Well I guess it's no different than most forums.
When you have your own post locked/deleted etc by a mod you have a message in the community messages -----> on the left.
You can talk to them and they will tell you roughly what where when and why

Doesn't work when it's not my thread and they didn't single out anyones post. Wasn't even the last person to post in said thread, the one that gentlebot links.

Matt Feb 16, 2022 @ 2:04pm

Originally posted by Microsoft has terminated file:
Yes. Was it closed because people went slightly off topic and that's purely it?

I don't know if that was "purely it". However, if a thread goes off topic then closing it is certainly a reasonable thing to do.

MoonC A T Feb 16, 2022 @ 2:06pm

Originally posted by Matt:
Originally posted by Microsoft has terminated file:
Yes. Was it closed because people went slightly off topic and that's purely it?
I don't know if that was "purely it". However, if a thread goes off topic then closing it is certainly a reasonable thing to do.

Why not delete inappropriate or derail posts in order to preserve good threads?

#10

MartensoftWorld Feb 16, 2022 @ 2:06pm

Originally posted by Matt:
Originally posted by Microsoft has terminated file:
Yes. Was it closed because people went slightly off topic and that's purely it?
I don't know if that was "purely it". However, if a thread goes off topic then closing it is certainly a reasonable thing to do.

Then why not say that is the reason? And anyways it was off topic for maybe 1/8th of the whole thread if that, and based on the OP I don't know how you can even say it was.

#11

nullable Feb 16, 2022 @ 2:17pm

The mod provided a reason in the topic. A user wanting to haggle over it isn't the mods job to entertain.

Asking what the mod was thinking only leads to speculation. Latching on to another mods opinions like the original mod was being disingenuous or cagey is kinda missing the point: Moderators have authority to manage the forums. User agreement, permission, or understanding of every action isn't required.

Last edited by nullable; Feb 16, 2022 @ 2:19pm

#12

MartensoftWorld Feb 16, 2022 @ 2:20pm

Originally posted by Snakub Plissken:
The mod provided a reason in the topic. A user wanting to haggle over it isn't the mods job.

Asking what the mod was thinking only leads to speculation. Latching on to another mods speculation like the original mod was being disingenuous or cagey is kinda missing the point: Moderators have authority to manage the forums.

Moderators have reason to explain their decision in detail before locking one of the largest active threads in a subforum though. I understand being sparse with the detail if it's a report on a tiny thread or something. But anyways like MoonC A T suggests it would make a hell of a lot more sense to delete the offending posts and explain to the users why they were removed. I'm sure there are a lot of already existing responses they could copy and paste than make sense in plenty of contexts.

#13