Is forum participation changing?

[Elk101]

For what it's worth I have never found the moderation to be excessive and have appreciated it when action has been taken. I left tmp many years ago because it became almost pointless to discuss anything in many threads. Plus some people (some!) were just arseholes (again my opinion). I'm not overly sensitive, I just can't be bothered with the hassle. I very rarely feel like that on the LAF, if ever.

[Silent Invader]

I'm a fairly new member of LAF and I've always found it a relatively difficult forum to interact with.
That's because of its extremely tight moderation.
There are times when I've been thankful for that and times I've been incredibly frustrated by that.

It seems there are essentially two kinds of posts you can make on LAF and two replies you can make. Beyond that it can be hard work.
You can either post a picture of your latest paint job/game or you can post a 'where can I find...' request.
To which the only approved answers are either 'that looks great'/'you can find it here' or you can keep quiet.

That kind of restriction makes true forum participation a chore, since there's not much more you can really say about the hobby.

I'm not sure how you participate with this forum beyond that, the moderation makes it incredibly hard. I have the feeling LAF has always been so inflexible, so hard to see how it's changed.

As I said, there are times I have been pleased with such martinet behaviour and times where I've found that slavish devotion to rules dumbfounding and alienating. I know it's made it hard to think of myself as a LAFer. And I know the wider hobby acknowledges LAF for such limited behaviour.
So I reckon participation with this forum is what it is and what it always has been. Which, for me, means limited reason to come and use LAF but genuine gratitude for the limited need I have.

Oh, and no - I don't know what the answer is, and no - I don't think it should loosen up to the extent of some sites. It would be nice if it wasn't quite so uptight though...

I really don’t recognise the forum as you describe it.

I’ve been here a while and I know quite a few members personally and/or in person. I post a lot less than I used to but I do post when I am hoping for comment. (If I don’t get comment, my threads tend to tail off as like all conversations they are either concluded or whither.)

Not so long ago I started an Old West project thread. Loads of interaction, mostly from people I don’t know. Sound advice prompted me to go back and rebuild items that weren’t right. LAFers were a great help to me in achieving a result that I am very pleased with: their participation being unlike how you describe it.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=105278.165

[Arlequín]

I'm a fairly new member of LAF and I've always found it a relatively difficult forum to interact with.
That's because of its extremely tight moderation...

That this thread has run for nine pages and your post has not been edited or deleted, nor some punitive action taken against you for speaking out, I'd say is evidence against tight moderation. I can think of one forum where criticism of the forum/owner/mods would attract any or all of those measures.

Like any place LAF has its own culture, which is a product of how the 'hive mind' of its membership like things to be. The mods have all been members too and have absorbed that culture on the way. I know some folk here that you wouldn't recognise by their attitude and posts on other forums.

Sit tight, ignore the pod-like thing that will presently appear near your bed and I'm sure before long you'll feel far more a part of things here.

 

[Storm Wolf]

I don`t post all that often, but I do like lurking and looking at the fab, sometimes annoyingly fabulous work of people on this very august forum

I like the forum model and will refuse to move over to Facearse^TM (Facebook), unless there is nothing else to go to

As for model companies not reaching me, well its their loss as far as I am concerned, but it does point to how things are changing in wargames/RPG land.

I am not entirely happy about it, but what can one man do?

Except shout "Long Live the Lead Adventure!"

Glen

[forrester]

I like the forum model. It allows for a more measured and complete response and easily followed threads that can be traced back for future reference.
Im not a fan of social media, which seems to be more about instant responses and  promotion, and which feels restless and rushed..but I expect I'll be left behind by this.
I dont contribute much here,mostly as my active engagement was until recently elsewhere [see below] but at least in the boards I usually go to, good behaviour seems the norm.

I am currently mourning the apparent demise of The Guild, where there was a huge melding of knowledge and expertise, especially on WW2, all willingly shared, and promoted by several figure companies, that I would not have heard about otherwise.  I couldn't perceive of that sort of resource being available via Facebook.

I dont care about getting "likes"..if I post photos of my toys I don't need to tot up points!

[Paratrooper 42]

I just delete these without reading them dumb c***.

Scurv, I really am just trying to help.  Please seek some advice https://mhaustralia.org/need-help