And also a lot of people go to the forums to ask some simple question and not much else if at all. Somrthing that is vastly more efficient on discord and even reddit
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
[Kotaku] Please Stop Closing Forums And Moving People To Discord
- Thread starter dex3108
- Start date
Companies absolutely want to control what you can see about their content and hiding UGC (forums, reviews, etc.) is good way to do that, as publishers can't really control those at all.
As good example: Epic Games Store using of "no forum", "no user reveiws" (but you can link to discord) and replacing with selected by Epic reviews from OpenCritic (and if there are only negative reviews, changes are they don't show anything at all).
Same. Discord just isn't the same and I'm going to be sad the day forums are gone.
This completely ignores places like reddit and even Twitter. In fact part of the reason for shutting down the Fortnite forums was to move all of that discourse over to the Fortnite subreddit.
Yes, game publishers and developers prefer to have some degree of control over the discussion surrounding their products. Moving away from forums isn't going to solve that when user reviews, Twitter and reddit still exist. The real reason why a lot of game companies are moving away from forums is due to the expense of it relative to the engagement return. Why build, maintain and moderate a bespoke forum when pre-existing channels with larger audiences exist? The same questions come up very regularly at the publisher I work for.
And ironically, a reason a lot of game developers argue for having their own forums is that it allows greater control. Not less. If what you're saying is true then they wouldn't be shutting down forums left and right in favour of platforms that they have zero control over.
User Banned (3 Days): Drive-By Trolling; Accumulated Infractions
"Please 🙏 stop killing our our clickbait traffic"
"Please stop making it harder to plagiarise forum posts for stories 🙏🙏"
"Please stop making it harder to plagiarise forum posts for stories 🙏🙏"
I definitely agree with Kotaku here. Forums and Discord aren't the same at all.
Forums are like a "hub" where users can build a sense of community over time. Discord is more for fast, casual communication. Both serve different purposes.
Also, in my experience, Discord is pretty cliquey. If you aren't part of the core group, you just get talked over lol (Forums have this problem too, but it's not nearly as bad.)
Forums are like a "hub" where users can build a sense of community over time. Discord is more for fast, casual communication. Both serve different purposes.
Also, in my experience, Discord is pretty cliquey. If you aren't part of the core group, you just get talked over lol (Forums have this problem too, but it's not nearly as bad.)
Replacing a forum with a Discord channel is just bad when Reddit is an alternative. If operations were moved to Reddit rather than Discord, you'd retain the permanence and the value that comes from that. Reddit is kind of like a forum, just with a different structure that I think is worse.
I've always preferred the more relaxed, deliberate, organized and permanent environment the forum format provides.
If discussion got relegated to an IRC chatroom, if Discord was the only option, I don't know that I'd participate.
I've always preferred the more relaxed, deliberate, organized and permanent environment the forum format provides.
If discussion got relegated to an IRC chatroom, if Discord was the only option, I don't know that I'd participate.
There's nothing efficient about troubleshooting on Discord. Not when a forum provide my answer, and give me the links I need to access whatever file(s) I need.
I believe forums aren't as appealing as they used to be with all those easy access alternatives we have today. People prefer Reddit for a reason
Pick whatever communities you want, your front page is only what you want and its all easy access. But Discord? no thats a very stupid alternative
Pick whatever communities you want, your front page is only what you want and its all easy access. But Discord? no thats a very stupid alternative
And you don't think I won't see this kind of stuff when searching Twitter or searching for YouTube videos? If a product is bad, it's bad and it spreads like wildfire on ALL platforms.
While I do enjoy Discord, I can definitely see issues with it replacing other online spaces, especially ones that can be informative. Fighting games in particular have had Discords sort of take over as where information gets shared which makes things harder to find/view without digging into and joining individual servers.
"They're nothing like it. Forums are more deliberate, more considered"
Considering almost everyone is deliberately being an ass...this isn't really a good thing.
You could argue forums and reddit and twitter etc wiping everything out once a week would probably help society. People would still be assholes, but they at least wouldn't fear being exposed and vote conservative because of it. Some might grow up.
Considering almost everyone is deliberately being an ass...this isn't really a good thing.
You could argue forums and reddit and twitter etc wiping everything out once a week would probably help society. People would still be assholes, but they at least wouldn't fear being exposed and vote conservative because of it. Some might grow up.
Of course not. The links to their forums are no longer working.
Yeah, but at least Reddit is public and indexed by search engines.
I do remember people on an official gaming forum getting pissy that the developers were answering questions on Reddit instead of the official forum and they feared the forums were going to eventually close. For smaller companies and games I do see the appeal of offloading the community aspect to things like Discord and Reddit since it's one less thing you have to manage, but they have their downsides as well.
Discord isn't a replacement for forums in function, but it's a replacement for forums in practice.
It's just people nowadays would rather have clearly divided chatrooms and talk with more or less the same group of people than browsing thru thousands of random posts in a forum. Heck, forums (like this one) usually have specific threads for this exact type of content and they're often some of the most popular threads. People just don't want to get into a discussion days later and argue with complete strangers, instead of just talking with a core group of chat regulars.
AS much as I, being an old fart, enjoy the functionality of long form posts in forums and such, complaining about discord feels a bit like old man shouting at clouds. For most people gaming forums provide much, much more than what they actually want to engage with. Discord is get in, talk about games with your friends, get out.
It's just people nowadays would rather have clearly divided chatrooms and talk with more or less the same group of people than browsing thru thousands of random posts in a forum. Heck, forums (like this one) usually have specific threads for this exact type of content and they're often some of the most popular threads. People just don't want to get into a discussion days later and argue with complete strangers, instead of just talking with a core group of chat regulars.
AS much as I, being an old fart, enjoy the functionality of long form posts in forums and such, complaining about discord feels a bit like old man shouting at clouds. For most people gaming forums provide much, much more than what they actually want to engage with. Discord is get in, talk about games with your friends, get out.
Forums are great for simple questions though. If I have one I search, find a post where it's already been answered and move on not needing to re-ask the same question again. Even if the same question gets asked you can link to relevant thread with the answer. Reddit is ok for that but discord is a black hole since you can't search for it outside the server.
I agree with this sentiment. They seem like completely different things to me.
All conversations, on some level, are steeped in copium. It is the human condition.
A subreddit would probably be a better equivalent. Text/voice chat serve completely different needs.
I don't know, man. Some of the people here, in this very forum, would rather see forums cease to exist (i.e., Steam forums) in exchange for something like Discord. And while Discord has been very helpful communicating with others in real time, I just don't think it's a solid replacement for message forums especially if you're trying to consolidate information or trying to establish a decent sized community.
For starters, if you ever want to look up something that you're dying to know the answer, whether it's a game fix, finding out the impressions of a game, what's anyone's top title on a system, you can't easily find that answer via a search engine because what is documented on Discord doesn't even pop up there. You'll have to be in that Discord server and even if you are, Discord's search functions aren't that great compared to the search functions one uses on a message forum. Sure, they added the new threads feature on it but they disappear into archived mode after 24 hours and then you'll have to rely on the search function, which once again isn't as great to use than some people believe especially with changes Discord has done over the past year.
Obviously message forums are going to have to sort of evolve into something that can entice people to use over Discord but I just don't think replacing one with another is the end all, be all answer. I mean, if it can work out for a website or someone that oversees it, sure. However as an information hub, it doesn't come close yet.
For starters, if you ever want to look up something that you're dying to know the answer, whether it's a game fix, finding out the impressions of a game, what's anyone's top title on a system, you can't easily find that answer via a search engine because what is documented on Discord doesn't even pop up there. You'll have to be in that Discord server and even if you are, Discord's search functions aren't that great compared to the search functions one uses on a message forum. Sure, they added the new threads feature on it but they disappear into archived mode after 24 hours and then you'll have to rely on the search function, which once again isn't as great to use than some people believe especially with changes Discord has done over the past year.
Obviously message forums are going to have to sort of evolve into something that can entice people to use over Discord but I just don't think replacing one with another is the end all, be all answer. I mean, if it can work out for a website or someone that oversees it, sure. However as an information hub, it doesn't come close yet.
Even if you're in the server ,it sucks.
Like I have tried searching for stuff like a particular twitter post for a FFXIV or Pathfinder or whatever discussion, and Discord will do dumb stuff like "oh so you want youtube links, right? I know you specified twitter but youtube seems related enough, right?"
Discord search is just godawful, has been that way for years, and judging from recent feature additions it doesn't seem to be in anyway a priority for the Discord devs. If there's one major casualty in the shift to Discords for everything, it's the ability to actually find that one post that helpfully explains a key thing you've been trying to look up for even if you know where to look.
I find Discord a much more positive place. Partly because when you're discussing in real time you can clarify and communicate better. Things can still get heated there, but its not like forums where its much easier to find yourself in an argument.
Part of it is also because Discord is much more echo chamber-y, because they tend to be smaller groups with specific shared interests. You could argue that's a bad thing for getting a broader perspective, but at least in terms of protecting your mental health, it feels much easier to avoid conflict.
I do like Reddit as well. On a forum like this, if you disagree, you reply. And then suddenly you can find yourself in a one-on-one argument. On Reddit you can just downvote. Obviously Reddit has a moderation problem.
My favourite is Era, but that is because of the community rather than the forum format.
Part of it is also because Discord is much more echo chamber-y, because they tend to be smaller groups with specific shared interests. You could argue that's a bad thing for getting a broader perspective, but at least in terms of protecting your mental health, it feels much easier to avoid conflict.
I do like Reddit as well. On a forum like this, if you disagree, you reply. And then suddenly you can find yourself in a one-on-one argument. On Reddit you can just downvote. Obviously Reddit has a moderation problem.
My favourite is Era, but that is because of the community rather than the forum format.
As a person who's used things I've found on forums to solve *countless* problems I agree.
Years old forum posts can (and often are) the only place I can find information on various technical issues.
Years old forum posts can (and often are) the only place I can find information on various technical issues.
I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Forums have some of the most knowledgeable people on the internet about various topics, and posts can be very in depth.
For example, when I am looking for different retro hardware solutions to buy for my setup, I'm much more likely to trust the word of someone on Shmups Forum, the Retro AV thread here, or on Retrogameboards, than some random YouTube person. A lot of people online will say something is "great" without exploring it in greater depth.
And while major retro YouTube personalities exist that I do trust - like DF Retro, Bob from RetroRGB, or My Life in Gaming - they simply don't have the capacity to review everything. You need a community that is focused and can have a discussion about these things. The community also makes some of these things in the first place. Forum posters are often responsible for new and innovative solutions to serve retro gaming needs like the guy who made GBI software for GB Player, or the guy who came up with the GScartSW
Furthermore, I have it on good authority that most of those YouTube personalities I mentioned do look at forum posts for feedback on their videos, and also more detailed information on what to cover next.
And that's just one small niche scene out of a sea of thousands of other hobbies / interests that exists. Forums are where you go for some of the most informed and well understood opinions on some super niche interests.
It's far easier to google to find answers to the question on a forum than it is to try to find it on Discord or have a bunch of people annoyed that something is being asked yet again (which also annoys people on a forum, but at least they can search for the answer)...
Honestly, I've primarily used forums solely for finding answers/tips/etc. for a very long time.
You're grossly misrepresenting why people here have a problem with Steam's message boards by comparing them in any way to what this article is talking about.
Losing historical data sucks. Especially when you're trying to find a solution to a problem only to find the forum linked to is gone.
I swear even when Kotaku has a good opinion it still comes off as dumb and poorly written.
I have been a member of Eurogamer for 14 years and at times the forums have been an absolute ghost town. The Discord seems to be a far more active channel. I suppose this is Kotaku in a nutshell, rather than perhaps putting effort in and setting up new forums on their own site and trying to drive a new experience. They instead carry on as usual with a drive-by shitpost of an article.
Eurogamer deserve some credit for keeping the forums going and reasonably active for as long as they did.
Somewhat related but while I use discord a lot, I think it's counter productive in games like FFXIV specifically in FCs. It's great when you need voice chat for raids but it can sometimes split the conversations between Discord and in-game FC chat. When not in-game I think Discord is great for continuing those community connections but when I login, I rather use the FC chart.
the conversations you hold on Discord are much more fast paced. there is a lack of cohesiveness as multiple people can interject and derail one conversation from another. I'm not saying Discord is bad but there is a use case for each which is why I said Discord can been seen as an addendum to the normal forums.
I find Discord a bit too messy to use the same way I use a forum. Then again, I'm just way too familiar with using forums, so I'm sure that's a big reason.
That's really no different from here. All it takes is a couple of posts in a thread to complete derail it.
Imo the reddit style of forum is the best one so far.
It's easy to have sub threads within a thread since replies start their own thread and you can just downvote off topic stuff.
Discord kinda has the same thing where users can make a thread but it's temporary and kinda clunky.
Using Eurogamer as a example isn't it. If there's little traffic on the forum, no sense in maintaining it. Discord administration and forum administration are different things
And the durability of forums cuts both ways: yes, you have technical and social information you can refer back to, but shitty offensive content remains just as durable even after providers of such content are banned from posting. Whereas discord chats come and go, and can be provided to, say, subscribers as a live-connection value-added tier where you're either allowed in or you're not.
And the durability of forums cuts both ways: yes, you have technical and social information you can refer back to, but shitty offensive content remains just as durable even after providers of such content are banned from posting. Whereas discord chats come and go, and can be provided to, say, subscribers as a live-connection value-added tier where you're either allowed in or you're not.
Chats and Forums hold VERY different purposes.
using Discord as a forum is a nightmare, it's basically if instead of threads there was just an idea of a board and everyone replied in a single thread
using Discord as a forum is a nightmare, it's basically if instead of threads there was just an idea of a board and everyone replied in a single thread
Many communities underscore that the downvote is for low-quality posts, not a disagree button. But, as you say, in practicality it is primarily used when you disagree with the content of the post. Someone can have a perfectly valid reason to dislike 'popular thing' and explain their reasons for feeling that way well, but what will often happen is that the post gets buried. On top of that, you are disincentivised from saying things that don't gel with the majority by way of the karma system (or, conversely, incentivised to post things that will draw upvotes and awards).
Last edited:
Discussion on Reddit eventually converges to the first 10 most upvoted replies or so. And when replies becomes increasingly nested, eventually they're even hidden. It's very much not good for discussion at all and is much closer to a glorified comments section. And I'm saying this as someone who uses Reddit a lot.
As for Discord, it's a chat room, it's not trying to do what a forum does and it's definitely not equivalent. Imagine having literally everyone from Era on a single Discord channel trying to talk about, say, 40 topics - as that's the number of threads on the first page of the forum. There's two possibilities here: it would be a complete mess of people discussing completely different topics and it would be incredibly hard to track the discussion you're in, or, what I find more likely, people would only discuss the latest topic and everything else would fall behind.
I prefer forums. I use discord and am in a lot of channels but to me it feels more like a messenger/chat room so I really only bother interacting with ones with my irl friends or ones that are smaller and dedicated for a specific thing.
Yeah reddit isn't perfect but I think it's a better way.
Like in here once a thread hits like page 5 the previous 4 pages aren't relevant and the topic has probably lost focus and is about some tangent.
In Discord there will be multiple rooms and with a new thread feature users can generate sub threads to discuss certain topics. After a period of In activity it gets deleted.
So yes Discord isn't trying to be a forum. But it doesn't need to be for it to be a better product.
For example I'm part of a few music genre communities. There's a set of chat rooms that covers the basics. General, non music, music recommendations, etc.
Then when a new album or ep or whatever comes up people create a new room so they can discuss.
This site does the exact same shit.
