Regarding threads with identical topics

[Karnik]

Wouldn't it be better if when a user is writing the title of a new thread, similar titles of already published threads appear under it? I say this because I have seen various threads that repeat the same topic as other equally banal ones (what do you want for Christmas? Your favorite anime? Favorite game? etc.). If you show existing similar titles, you could then be encouraged to reply to them, rather than opening identical threads (which has been the case on GBATemp since time immemorial).
Furthermore, they displace more original and studied threads from the top places, replacing them with the usual banal and hackneyed topics.
Thank you.

 

[starseeker300]

i dont think its that big of a deal, so what if sometimes duplicate threads pop up, the mods here are preety good at takign care of him, and we are smaller than those places anyways, it sound slike too much work for too little payoff.

and calling duplicate threads "banal and hackneyed" seems overdramatic anyways

 

[MasterEn]

it's bound to happen. the site has over 130,000 members as i type this. the problem could be alleviated a bit with dates added in the title or more specific themes like genres or decade numbers.

 

[RageBurner]

Or maybe thread duplicates that have been closed could simply be pruned from time to time to keep things lean and tidy.

 

[AnonymousCookieMonster]

Hmmm... There's another forum i go to, which when you are typing up in the subject, it searches and displays similar threads and subject matter, which can help avoid duplicates as they may end up using those instead.

 

[DragonMals]

I would definitely agree to this, since GBATemp, a forum that also uses XenoFro as its framework also supports this. This would be great to avoid having the same pages over and over.

 

[Deleted member 131501]

A reminder to incentivize people to use the search feature before posting could also help.



I do believe this is the kind of issue that Megathreads could solve, specially when it comes to popular topics like suggestions or the discussion of specific platforms or franchises, but their use has to be incentivized and enforced, and the thread also need a clear and easily searchable title so new comers don't get hit with the "Oops, there's already a thread about that, you just didn't search hard enough!".

In fact, if you browse the 'General Gaming Discussion' board you'll see 4 threads about suggestions/recommendations on the first 2 pages, there's no need for that many threads when the topic as a whole fits on a single one.

I don't really think the Megathreads issue warrants a suggestion as they've been a staple on forums as a whole for many years at this point, it's just a matter of "officializing" them and enforcing their use.

Edit: There should also be a Meta board under the Feedback category to discuss the forum itself without having to make a suggestion or reporting an issue.

 

[RageBurner]

A reminder to incentivize people to use the search feature before posting could also help.

View attachment 14469

I do believe this is the kind of issue that Megathreads could solve, specially when it comes to popular topics like suggestions or the discussion of specific platforms or franchises, but their use has to be incentivized and enforced, and the thread also need a clear and easily searchable title so new comers don't get hit with the "Oops, there's already a thread about that, you just didn't search hard enough!".

In fact, if you browse the 'General Gaming Discussion' board you'll see 4 threads about suggestions/recommendations on the first 2 pages, there's no need for that many threads when the topic as a whole fits on a single one.

I don't really think the Megathreads issue warrants a suggestion as they've been a staple on forums as a whole for many years at this point, it's just a matter of "officializing" them and enforcing their use.

Edit: There should also be a Meta board under the Feedback category to discuss the forum itself without having to make a suggestion or reporting an issue.

Everything you said! hopefully the search system is robust enough to already allow for easy combing of subjects. Also, enough tags need to exist to cover the most basic queries people might have.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Edit: There should also be a Meta board under the Feedback category to discuss the forum itself without having to make a suggestion or reporting an issue.

That sounds interesting, but what kind of topics should that category/section hold?

 

[RageBurner]

That sounds interesting, but what kind of topics should that category/section hold?

I'm being tentative here, but say, there could be a board cosmetics subsection, a board functionality section ("what do I do if I lose my password?"), that kind of every day board functionality question... hm... the board suggestions would become a daughter board to the meta board, something like that. Sorry, I know it's vague.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I'm being tentative here, but say, there could be a board cosmetics subsection, a board functionality section ("what do I do if I lose my password?"), that kind of every day board functionality question... hm... the board suggestions would become a daughter board to the meta board, something like that. Sorry, I know it's vague.

No, not vague at all. That gave me a pretty good idea of what to expect, thanks!

Not a bad idea, either. We could always have a FAQ at the ready.