Position of the Lotro Forum

[Echoweaver]

As far as I can tell, the toxicity of video game forums is universal. Maybe that's why it's not dealt with more assertively -- it's just considered to be industry standard. I've come to think we need much more engaged moderation. Video game forums are dinosaurs in the world of online communities in the level of abusive behavior they permit. They're about 2 steps above 4chan.

It's not just the abuse directed at staff. Regular forum posters take a lot of abuse too. Don't get me wrong -- I'd really like more SSG engagement on issues I'm concerned about (which I started to list, but that just encourages the thread to get derailed, so I won't). But the biggest reason we can't have much in the way of interesting conversation here is that most folks who drop in expecting to have a normal conversation are driven back out the door. There's a cost to permitting rampant toxic behavior. That cost is pretty much anything OTHER than toxic behavior.

I do worry about it because it's clear that the devs DO read the forums. I feel like some of the recent gameplay changes have been directed toward player types that are over-represented on these forums. There are broad swaths of play styles that are largely absent here.

I don't know if we would have more dev engagement if the community were less abusive. Dealing with that abusiveness is part of the job for most of the industry. But I am quite sure we'd have more engagement overall if we had enough moderation to stop new/infrequent forum posters from getting blasted across the room every time they say something thought-provoking or new.

don't think, that it's important to have such a stream or another platform, but to exchange with the customers is a highest priority, the more transparent the better.
A forum is a very good way in my eyes. Streams are mor direct and helps for sure, but not for so many people. social media is for the discussions and thoughts/sorrwos not important.

This part I do disagree with. Forums like these are the dinosaurs. I bet a lot more players attend streams. I'd go there but I hate streaming overall, and I don't have a ton of space in my life to watch videos. I have sometimes watched Cord of the Rings or the stroll through game podcasts. They're always informative, but they take so LONG. Ah, well.