Ask the Mods questions about the Forums!

[Ethanadams]

would you rather have ksp on the xbox 1 then ps4?

[technicalfool]

would you rather have ksp on the xbox 1 then ps4?

Windows, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, assorted mobiles and handhelds should they be shown to be able to handle it. It's all good.

[Red Iron Crown]

would you rather have ksp on the xbox 1 then ps4?

Neither, I guess. I like KSP on PC, and I'm not sure what the control scheme will be like on a console version.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

I don't mind sharing, especially for science.

I figured out how to make it look like someone else edited my posts, so for lulz I did so in a thread about the Magic Boulder, made it look like the SQUAD account was editing my posts to keep the location of the boulder secret. I knew I was skirting the rules when I did it and fully expected a warning or something, but instead I got a 30-point infraction for impersonating Squad staff. The moderator who infracted me was kind enough to write me a very nice PM afterwards explaining why it is not a good idea to do such things even in jest.

Shortly afterwards Rule 3.3 was slightly revised to include the phrase "intended for use of parody", I can't help but feel partly responsible.

Wow, I considered doing something like that, but I couldn't think of a way to use that in a funny way. It's a good thing I didn't. Thank you for sharing your experience, so I didn't get in trouble.

There's no rule about impersonating another forum.er (stupid auto-correct) though... Don't worry, this is only a joke, I realize that it would be in poor taste.

[Ethanadams]

what do the colours on your name mean?

[DuoDex]

what do the colours on your name mean?

Green is 'Moderator', Blue is 'Team Leader/(Senior) Global Moderator', red is 'KasperVld', and orange is 'KSP dev'. I believe that streamers have a light blue and that wiki operators have a special color but I am not sure what it is.

[Red Iron Crown]

Wiki operators are light green. HarvesteR is the same color as Kasper, and Ted is a darker red.

[Randazzo]

Didn't think this warranted it's own thread: Is it possible to update/remove/unlock a poll?

[Red Iron Crown]

Yes, just ask in the thread immediately below this one, or report the post and ask in the report.

[peachoftree]

If we see a thread that is not ours but probably needs to be moved, is that an appropriate use of the report function?

[sal_vager]

If we see a thread that is not ours but probably needs to be moved, is that an appropriate use of the report function?

Yes of course, any help like that is appreciated

[worir4]

I have a support thread that no one has replied to. It has been lost in the depths of the forums. Also I have added a new post with more information to bump it up, following the advice of RIC. However it has still got no replies. What should I do now? Create a new thread?

[DuoDex]

I have a support thread that no one has replied to. It has been lost in the depths of the forums. Also I have added a new post with more information to bump it up, following the advice of RIC. However it has still got no replies. What should I do now? Create a new thread?

'Still having this issue with X new version of KSP' or 'Tried a few fixes of my own, nothing worked. Ideas?' are both fine. We don't mind bumps as long as they add content, as opposed to saying 'bump'.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

So, now I know about GIC, the april forum disaster, and I was there for 2015 april fools', but what other forum lore is there? Do you do something for april fools' every time? What have you done previously?

[sjwt]

So, now I know about GIC, the april forum disaster, and I was there for 2015 april fools', but what other forum lore is there? Do you do something for april fools' every time? What have you done previously?

This year was MS paint avatars for the Mods, and Comic sans posts by them, with full danial, along with an announced Mod ..

Mod Project Announcement - The Speculative Physics Alternatives Mod!

Edited June 24, 2015 by sjwt

[Red Iron Crown]

So, now I know about GIC, the april forum disaster, and I was there for 2015 april fools', but what other forum lore is there? Do you do something for april fools' every time? What have you done previously?

April Fool's 2014 saw "k" added to the profanity filter in the forum software, so people were tal*ing about using roc*ets to get Jebediah *erman to orbit around *erbin, but the *ra*en attac*ed.

[LABHOUSE]

Would it be okay to post in my older threads for an updated version of craft?.

[Red Iron Crown]

Yes, as long as there is some content in your post. "Bump" is not acceptable. "Updated for 1.0.4" is acceptable.

[LABHOUSE]

So a necro is okay if it is your thread and not a bump?

[Master Tao]

So a necro is okay if it is your thread and not a bump?

It's always a judgment call. Generally speaking, if you post in a thread that's been quiet for a while, we'll look for a few things:

• Is the thread still relevant?
  
• Does the new post contribute to the discussion?
  
• Are there more recent or better discussed threads?
  

If the thread's still relevant and you're contributing, it wasn't really dead. If you're not sure, or the thread's no longer relevant, it's best to start a new thread and link to the old one.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

So a necro is okay if it is your thread and not a bump?

I think they mean as long as your necro post contains some content, rather than just a bump to put it at the top of the forum.

EDIT:

Moderators are the masters of ninja.

[sjwt]

I think they mean as long as your necro post contains some content, rather than just a bump to put it at the top of the forum.

EDIT:

Moderators are the masters of ninja.

Well it is ask the Mods a question thread

[Megan]

In light of some of the posts in a current thread, would it be possible for RIC (or anyone else) to elaborate on this response from a while back:

I would love to be able to separate my regular posts from my posts made in a moderative capacity, and indeed it's a topic that comes up among the mods form time to time (using colors or fonts to make it explicit when one is moderating). However, a veteran mod explained to me that such things are counterproductive for a number of reasons, a moderator should remember that his or her words will always be read through the lens of "said by a moderator" and if users need special fonts or colors to figure out when you're moderating then you're doing it wrong.

I don't have a kerbal on that launchpad, as it were, but I'm curious about why it's counterproductive to do the colors/fonts thing. Couldn't that help reassure users when you guys just want to participate in a discussion, and don't see any need to step in otherwise? I'd like to understand what the potential pitfalls might be.

PS. Thanks for the light touch I generally see around these parts.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Megan

[Superfluous J]

In light of some of the posts in a current thread, would it be possible for RIC (or anyone else) to elaborate on this response from a while back:

I don't have a kerbal on that launchpad, as it were, but I'm curious about why it's counterproductive to do the colors/fonts thing. Couldn't that help reassure users when you guys just want to participate in a discussion, and don't see any need to step in otherwise? I'd like to understand what the potential pitfalls might be.

PS. Thanks for the light touch I generally see around these parts.

I've never been a mod here, but I have elsewhere and have tried to split myself off as "mod me" and "normal me" and no, it does not work. No matter what you do, it won't work.

And different fonts and colors almost always annoy more than help. They work for structuring an otherwise standard-fonted post, but as the standard font they always stick out and look either annoying or at the very least obviously different.

And when something looks obviously different, it states that the poster thinks it's extra special. Which is exactly what RIC is trying to avoid with his "I'm not a moderator" font.

[Claw]

I don't have a kerbal on that launchpad, as it were, but I'm curious about why it's counterproductive to do the colors/fonts thing. Couldn't that help reassure users when you guys just want to participate in a discussion, and don't see any need to step in otherwise? I'd like to understand what the potential pitfalls might be.

I share the view that a moderator's words will always be read with an undertone of "official" noted around it. Some users even hold a belief that moderators are Squad employees.

The crux of the "if users need special fonts or colors to figure out when you're moderating then you're doing it wrong" is that, when posting in a moderator capacity, it should always be done in an extremely clear manner. One of the things that moderators need to be most cautious about is not inadvertently weaving in personal opinions and thoughts into a post that's meant in a moderator capacity. That's much easier to slip up on if one relies on using color coded words to delineate personal opinion from moderator action. Even worse, is when personal thoughts are posted in a post that locks the thread. It's something that I generally try to avoid, and that (to me) is the essence of "you're doing it wrong" if people can't tell.

I have a guess as to which thread you might be referring to. Most specifically, when emotions are worn down, there's always an air of "moderators waiving around their authority" regardless of the capacity in which they act. This is a primary reason why I avoid personally commenting in contentious threads. Which is unfortunate because I certainly have opinions, but have to forfeit some of them for the sake of neutrality. Anything I say pro-Squad (regardless of the color font) comes off as "moderators are fanboys." Anything said that is anti-squad can (and sometimes does) get quoted later as if it comes from squad itself.

I'm not sure if that really answers it for you.

Cheers,

~Claw