[Suggestion] Revised user groups

I'm still not convinced, SP, that the report function works. If you see any problems, you should just send PMs.

Keep the current mod setup. It finnaly is making sense to me after two years, and after thinking about it this is a smart set up. Who cares how many groups there are? As long as a job is done efficiently (which it has been) why try to change it?

Originally Posted by Shaun

1. Administrators

I don't see the point in a 'webmasters' group, they're practically (on the forums) the same as administrators. So, I think there should just be an administrators group where the people currently in the webmasters group could fit in.

This one, I can actually see working. As far as I know, Webmasters and Administrators do basically the same thing with the same powers.

2. Super Moderators

I think the only difference between global mods and super mods is that S. mods can change usernames. However, we can change our own usernames, so what's the point? Just one super moderator group would do, where global moderators would move to.

This is where my support begins to waver. Super Mods are like admins, but exclusivly for the forms while the Global mods are like Section mods, just over the whole forums.

3. Moderators

Just normal moderators. Currently we have section and forum mods, but it'd be better just to call them moderators.

See Webmasters and Admins.

4. Site/Forum Staff

And lastly, site and forum staff. I think the current site staff and community co-ordinators/ZUBC team should go into this group. They help the community and the site, and maybe we won't have the hassle about site staff having more priviledges than the ZUBC team. (edit: also BA council.)

This is where most of the problems lie. If you mesh together the Site Staff, Council, ZUBA and the Graphics Teachers, you have a logistical nightmare that rivals the post office. x3 Not only would people be unable to tell who's who at a glance, but you'd have people from one group spying and meddling in the affairs of an/other group/s. Everything would become chaotic and, in the end, the whole sin-against-nature mix would probably be thrown out all together.

See how much simpler and smaller it is? I'm sick of my eyes burning with all the different colours or text formatting on user names because of the different groups. It'd be better just to stick to those 4 and it'll be fine. Please give my suggestion some consideration ;D!

- Shaunedy

Smaller? Yes. Simple? Heck no! Confusion, Power Shifting and other technical problems aside... no, wait, those are the issues. If you don't like all the banners, well, tough. The system currently in place keeps everything simple and everyone easy to distinguish.

Althouth, I'm not completely shooting down your idea, since Webmasters/admins, and Forum mods/Section mods are close enough in power and level to warrent merging, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Jehanne

I'm still not convinced, SP, that the report function works. If you see any problems, you should just send PMs.

Well, I guess if they are a super mod, if not, you send a PM to someone over that particular section; well what if they are inactive and take weeks for them to answer your PM? (I've had this happen several times).

The only person I ever PM or chat with is Cody to directly solve problems or bring concerns to. Probably because he's always online.

Originally Posted by <3!

Well, I guess if they are a super mod, if not, you send a PM to someone over that particular section; well what if they are inactive and take weeks for them to answer your PM? (I've had this happen several times).

The only person I ever PM or chat with is Cody to directly solve problems or bring concerns to. Probably because he's always online.

You could try seeing who is online at the time of the problem, and who was online recently to that time. Last time I reported a post, I checked to see if any applicable mods were online (none were), and then I checked to see who was online the closest to, but not more than, 24 hours beforehand. The issue got settled within 5 hours. (In fact, all other times I've used this method, the issue has been taken care of within no more than 12 hours, so I'd say it works pretty well.)

Does reports get sent to mods in that section or all moderators that have powers there?

As far as I know, the reports get sent to a random mod, online or offline, regardless of their powers. :\

You're a lot better off sending a PM to any mod, even if you don't know where they mod. They'll be able to pass on the report to someone who can take care of it.

I liked the speed of the answer. Thanks. :3

Originally Posted by Panique

As far as I know, the reports get sent to a random mod, online or offline, regardless of their powers. :\

I prefer the system where any mod can view the reports and choose the ones they want to handle. It appears as a thread and the ones that have been viewed and taken care of are locked or posted in "I took care of this." That way, no report goes unnoticed.

I know you can do that in vbulletin, and its nifty, I suggest maybe switching to that system? Reports are handled immediately, not in 5 or 12 hours.

That'd go against the slacker mod style of this forum.

Originally Posted by Asskey

That'd go against the slacker mod style of this forum.

Hehehe if that is their style, I suggest they change it.

I've seen the "reports into a forum" setup before. Never really cared enough to do it.


Honestly, the logic and importance of the separation between "forum mod" and "section mod" was completely destroyed by people not liking my idea (I'm the brains of this operation, Jason just adds pretty flowers to make people squee, or whatever).

The idea of the different designations is there to understand what someone does. It doesn't hurt anyone to have different names. And, truth be told, I have always thought it would be better with slightly more.

How much more can there be, you ask? My thought was that mods of Zelda, Community, EH, and clans would all get different versions of the banners. So, you can look at somebody's little bars and say "ah, Zelda mod! They can help me." (And make people feel special.)

^ Interesting idea.

As far as the reports go, do we actually know if the blasted button is working? At all? Because if it isn't, then perhaps we should try fixing it first? I know that I haven't had a report of any kind for...absolutely ages, actually.

Originally Posted by Tiroth

As far as the reports go, do we actually know if the blasted button is working? At all? Because if it isn't, then perhaps we should try fixing it first? I know that I haven't had a report of any kind for...absolutely ages, actually

It sure seems like reports don't get answered fast enough.

Originally Posted by Scott

I've seen the "reports into a forum" setup before. Never really cared enough to do it.

It's your site, it'd be nice if you did care enough.

Originally Posted by <3!

It sure seems like reports don't get answered fast enough.

My point, miss, is that we don't get any reports. If we did, they might actually be dealt with.

Originally Posted by <3!

It's your site, it'd be nice if you did care enough.

You haven't been paying much attention for the last...year now? Scott owns the site just as much as you do. In other words, he doesn't.

Originally Posted by frate

I actually second this motion, however I think just a simple bolding or italic would be enough.

How did anyone miss this brilliant piece of comedy?

Originally Posted by Lars

I personally think we're lacking an essential usergroup in the current setup: "Founders".

Lars! Howdy!!

It's a rare occasion when you show your face out here where the little people can see you

(or even where we mods can see you)

You just kinda pop in.

I fully support Lars having a special "founder" banner. and an exclusive forum all to himself XD

EDIT: Also, Scoot, I agree that it would be cool if the different mods had different banners. they wouldn't have to have their powers change, just the banner that is displayed so people can know at a glance WHICH section they mod it. I'm a mod myself, and I don't even know which mods mod which section.

I like seperate groups. I mean, I still don't see the forum/section mod difference or why there is one, but the other groups all have different needs and powers and such.

Let's go through the list:
Webmaster: Works on Forums and Main site
Admin: Only has power over the forums
Super Mod: The group that can clan people
Global Mod: Everywhere mod, but no admin-ish powers
Forum/Section: Only mods certain parts

Site Staff: (What DO they do?)
BA: They need their BA forum and can approve characters
Graphics Teachers: We have our own little forum, 400 PMs, and ability to have a class
Community: We have power to our own little section. And 1500 PMs. And the ability to send 40 at a time.
BC: Another little forum and whatever special powers they might have.

So, the mods obviously are seperated because there's no point bugging any of them about something they can't touch. And since they do do different things they're already in seperate groups, so it makes sense to give them each a different banner.

As for the non-mods, well, you can't shove us all in the same place, or under the same name. What would happen if we couldn't tell the difference between BA, BC, Graphics, Community, and Staff? I'll list problems!
1. Everyone'll be able to approve characters. You can't tell who's officially able to do it when extra people have that banner.
2. Anyone in the group will be able to have a graphics class, and no one'll be able to catch them because that section is so unorganized.
3. Community people are often ignored. If there is no official title putting us in charge, we will continue to be ignored.
4. Everyone'll see all the areas, which'll be a pain. Suddenly there'll be 5 times as many people in there spamming up the forum when they have no say or reason to be in the discussion. It's like giving every member on ZU access to the mod board.
5. We all have seperate forums for whatever. If those are suddenly shoved together we won't be able to find what we need. Community already has that issue kinda because the BBP people don't need to read anything from the Gender War or anything like that, so it's more cluttered.
6. Again, people can't tell us apart. It'll be cluttered and we'll be getting asked about the wrong thing.

Pretty much, I vote no. Everyone has their spot and merging everyone together as generally as you can will just create confusion.

Wow, wasn't supposed to turn out that long. Anyways, keep us seperate and not equal.

Originally Posted by Dog Dog 123

Site Staff: (What DO they do?)

Exactly what it says on the tin. They're the staff for the main site, providing the Zelda content and the daily news etc.