forum idea: separate subforum for promo code threads?

Discussion in 'Site Feedback and News' started by costanza, Jan 11, 2009.

?

Should Promo codes have their own forum section

  1. YES- Allocate a new forum section

    75.0%
  2. NO- Keep promo threads in the game section

    25.0%
  1. costanza

    costanza Well-Known Member

    Dec 5, 2008
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    Orlando, FL
    Personally, I think the clutter of all the threads for promo codes and random giveaways in the main forum is getting to be a bit ridiculous. IMO it'd be a really good idea to separate the threads from the actual game discussion and give them their own subforum.

    Thoughts?
     
    50HellsofPain likes this.
  2. spmwinkel

    spmwinkel Well-Known Member

    Oct 22, 2008
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    Agreed. For me being from Europe it makes me sad to see these topics anyway, I won't be able to participate in the giveaways. :(

    ;)
     
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  3. Everydaynormalguy

    Everydaynormalguy Well-Known Member

    Oct 5, 2008
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    Student By Day, Masked Vigilante By Night
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    Ok, so I take the whole afternoon off to watch my Cardinals embarrass the Panthers and when I log back on all I see is the Games section spammed with all this promo crap. Just take a look at this: http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=3601. Something has to be done about this. Here's a couple of ideas:

    1. Only the developer or representative of that game can issue promo codes, not regular members.
    2. Spamming those threads by directly asking for a promo code (even if the dev is handing them out) or posting something like "am I too late" or "I always miss these things" should result in an immediate ban. The length of which can be negotiated depending on the severity
    3. or
    4. Like the OP suggested, make a new Subforum for this kind of thing where posts do not count towards your total since what they truly are is spam.
    Thank you for your time...
     
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  4. I agree. I am getting VERY fed up with seeing all these promo code threads that don't have anything to do with actual game discussion. I vote for a seperate section or a ban of such threads.
    Something does indeed need to be done about this now.
     
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  5. #5 wastedyuthe, Jan 11, 2009
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2009
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  6. rootbeersoup

    rootbeersoup Well-Known Member

    Oct 4, 2008
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    New Orleans, LA
    PLEASE ban promo code threads... They do NO good. All it does is attract the vultures who lurk all day for codes. Just look how huge those topics get.

    The topics add nothing to the forum and just attract the wrong kind of people. Not to mention that hardly any of the contributive forum members ever get these codes.

    If we don't want to ban the topics, then at least make a sub-forum for all promo codes threads. Make this subforum invisible to anyone with less than X aamount of posts, so that the people that contribute to the forum can get free games instead of people who lurk all day for codes *COUGH*ipodtouchguru3*COUGH*
     
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  7. I have sent a PM to Arn linking this thread.
     
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  8. PoV

    PoV Well-Known Member

    Oct 10, 2008
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    London, Ontario, Canada
    Or start an "All Threads Must Include a Promo Code" policy. :p
     
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  9. mek

    mek Well-Known Member

    I agree, i was just thinking about starting a thread about seperating the promo codes from the main forums...
    it is clutter..and looks bad
    and it has made me stop checking the forums which is the reason why i essentially visit toucharcade
     
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  10. rootbeersoup

    rootbeersoup Well-Known Member

    Oct 4, 2008
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    New Orleans, LA
    Agreed. The promo code madness has been a real turn off for me
     
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  11. Yep. It is promo code madness- indeed. I just had to delete a thread someone started just to beg for a Spore code, when there are several threads on Spore codes already. I am not happy.
     
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  12. nattylux

    nattylux Well-Known Member

    Sep 17, 2008
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    Washington, DC
    Just chiming in here. I'm a developer, and I love the free advertising we can do on TouchArcade more than I love cake. And even I am getting tired of the promo code threads. A separate subforum for just these threads sounds like a great idea. The developers can still get their eyeballs, and the main forum can go back to game discussions. Everyone wins.
     
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  13. It's nice to hear a developers point of view. These promo codes are giving me a nightmare. They are promoting greed. I have once again had to delete a thread asking for a promo code for Spore.
     
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  14. I agree, a seperare sub-forum for Promo Codes would be good!
    Does anyone know if promo codes are always only valid for the US ? Do we in the UK not get any ?
     
  15. Mr. Charley

    Mr. Charley Well-Known Member

    Sep 6, 2008
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    I really like your last point rootbeersoup.
    I agree that these promo threads are getting out of hand, and attracting the wrong type of members. It think it is kind of (only kind of) funny that it is us, the "senior" and active members, who feel most strongly about this as it has changed the vibe around here. I also agree that these promo codes have become spam, especially the one that was advertising his site, and everyone needs to join/follow on twitter to be eligible for a code. blech.

    On the other hand :)
    I have been fortunate enough to receive a code or 2 and really appreciate the promo (no pun intended) and was able to try out a game I otherwise would never have tried. And that's why I really like your last point, with a subforum for the codes and only for active members. Then again, maybe I only like that point because I believe I fit in that group! ;)
     
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  16. brewstermax

    brewstermax Well-Known Member

    I like promo codes. I mean, I would have spent untold amounts of money to get the apps that I have recieved promo codes for. But this is out of control, and I completely agree that something has to be done. If nothing else, ban promo threads, make a list of upstanding member for devs to send them to, to get good feedback on it. It is certianly out of control, and if you miss a 200 code giveaway, I can only say to get over it, and get the game. Spore is ok, nothing too special, but it is fun.
     
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  17. Carlos-Sz

    Carlos-Sz Well-Known Member

    Nov 5, 2008
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    And there's (probably) a really bad side of those SPORE codes: it seems that one get a code that doesn't need or can't use just to start a topic like this taking away the chances of somebody else to get a code.

    One code. One topic. C'mon. PM a friend.
     
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  18. spmwinkel

    spmwinkel Well-Known Member

    Oct 22, 2008
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    I don't think that making a promo code forum invisible to members with few posts would be a good idea.

    People would spam until they've got enough posts to see the promo code topic.
     
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  19. Good point.
     
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  20. Mr. Charley

    Mr. Charley Well-Known Member

    Sep 6, 2008
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    I can understand the fear of the spamming to get to x amount of posts to be able to get to the subforum...

    What about brewstermax's idea of a list of upstanding members? We'll let you mods deal with the pressure of picking us out! ;)
     
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