First, to go on to the course of events. April 13, 2015, Pottermore inadvertently leaked that comments would be removed from Pottermore, due to it's own inability to keep up with inappropriate comment, and misuse by the userbase to delve into a "chat" function that was far from the original intention of the site. This took effect April 14. It was the intention of Pottermore to keep this secret from users, and while no reason was given aside from "we thought it would be best" it was probably done in part to avoid panic, disruption on the site, a spike in inappropriate content (we will break the rules while we can!) and just to make sure that the headache would be a quick spike as opposed to a longer roar.
Before I go much further, I want to make it rather clear I am of the few that could live without the common room (for anyone that is a new reader). While I could always get people to come to the forum (and here) through Pottermore, the shift in focus to Facebook is a bit more liberating (and fun when it comes to tweaking Pottermore's management).
However, here's the thing, I do know that the comment sections played an important role in Pottermore's existence. Deleting those basically nuked a fourth of the actual charm and purpose of the site, as the games are far from perfect, though recently improved to some extent, and following Harry's journey is rather minimal. There's no order to it, you used to follow Harry's journey, and now it's following your own, and now.. I don't know what story there is to Pottermore, aside from an over-glorified version of Rowling's old site and a far cry, even from that. Unlike Rowling's old site, there's not much challenge in Pottermore, and not many "secrets" to explore that feel worthwhile. There are no puzzles to be solved, just keys to be pressed.
Pottermore without comments seems antagonistic to it's purpose. Even on it's child protection page it mentions the limited social network functions the site will provide, so that children and other users may express ideas. Now admittedly, Pottermore was well within it's rights to take chat away. Furthermore, there was even some good cause to be leery of comments as a system, as it's been a source of abuse, both through over reporting, trolls and bad role players. Looking at it from their perspective, it almost seems to be a "why not" rather than a why. Except for one thing. There are quite a few "easier" solutions. They could reduce the chat areas to a mere 7. Duels, potions, common rooms, great hall. They could have spent more in moderation, and actually taken to IP bans on the website regarding inappropriate behavior. They could have had actual, live moderators review posts before they go out. They could have an ability to silence bad users, by adding another variable to accounts. But they did none of this. Why? Well, the sad matter is it goes probably to money, limited resources, and Pottermore's unique brand of utter stupidity. I admit, I don't know how feasible these options were, but I would not be surprised if they were waived going "well 7 comment boards don't get rid of the situation" "IP bans may ban parents, or other innocent users in the family" "How much does the capacity to IP ban cost. Is that feasible with our system" "to do this we have to upgrade to a better system for how much?" and finally... "I'm certain this is for the greater good." I'm going to pause on that last one. "for the greater good." I saw that thrown around on the Pottermore comments on their facebook page. Needless to say it brings back bad memories, of the Ministry of Magic, doing things for the greater good, because Harry didn't know better, or so they thought. On that note, it's almost amusing to see how Pottermore has reflected the Ministry, going from ignoring a problem, to overcompensating the response, to being run by well.... This guy.
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| How DO you send ingredients? |
So overall... do I think this was a good idea? Well, on paper, yes. They played a perfect paper game. You prevent the users from reacting, do it in the middle of a week. Let the effects take hold over the weekend, distract them with a pretty picture or two, blah blah child safety (that is as good a reason as any to actually justify this) and then you handwave the anger with promises of good things to come. And I almost think that might have worked with any other scenario. If this was Gamefreak of Pokemon saying it, I'd totally get it. Nintendo with Zelda games, same thing. Marvel pushing back Avengers Age of Ultron, got it, take all the time you need. Goodness, even beta-era Pottermore saying they'd shut the site down for a week to add new things. The problem Pottermore has now is simply trust. A good amount of us, like good ol' Harry, the Chosen One that Lived, look at the people claiming to be our protectors and a good few of us see the more cynical angles. Pottermore wants a profit. Pottermore doesn't want a scene. Pottermore doesn't want bad press. Pottermore wants to keep it's users. The problem is, a good few of us will leave. It's just how it goes. For the longest time, the most effect Pottermore would have in retaining people was the inadvertent chat function served by the comment boards (though even inadvertent is a bit disingenuous, the Common Room and Great Hall can be inferred to relate to basic chatting, even as new sorts are encouraged to introduce themselves to the house).
So with that being said, I hope everyone enjoys, or tries to enjoy, Pottermore V 3.0 otherwise known as VoldeMore. The ministry has fallen indeed.
Hello Rune,
ReplyDeleteI do agree, after much reflection, that PM was well within it's rights to remove chat. After all, PM is not answerable to us, the users. There was a debate going on in duel a few backs back (which caused me to jokingly refer to duel club as debate club) about PM being a free site and thus the limitations ensuing therein. Many have volunteered on facebook to moderate chat but I can see too, regardless of what people say, the potential for bias arising so that will not be a viable solution. Whilst I was against the removal of comments when I heard about it, I can see the benefits already, in Potions where I was to be found daily of late. No more fear of trolls, no more spammers, or beggars, etc! I myself did not always use the chat solely for potions related talk although I knew better, however, I was there to help others, too, (alongside chatting) and that is an important feature now lacking. How many a newbie will ruin a cauldron because they don't know how to maintain heat? How many know how to handle the Voldyberries? These are problems which may drive wannabe pptioneers away, a problem to which I reckon I have a solution.
Unfortunately I have no facebook or Twitter account of my own (I merely view the comments on facebook without having to sign in) to make suggestions to PM and the contact us button on the actual site is not something I will waste my time with.
My idea is to have a concise guide directly below the potion books, on clear view for brewers to see. The guide will have a heading for handling bottles, stirring counter clockwise, how to maintain temp, and other various potion related things, explained easily. Because quite frankly, many have neglected to read PM's 'great' potion and duelling guides, and exploring the moments to move straight on to brewing and duelling. A similar guide or whatever you want to call it should be in duelling club, rather than as a link on the side which is easily ignored. Alas, I am writing a lengthy essay to a Slytherin. I should contact PM but don't want to be ignored by them. >.<
Well Ravenclaw Night, I know the facebook problems would be big, but the problem is less "is there some benefit" because admittedly, this is some benefit, as children are safe, and trolls are gone, but rather "is this worth it?". The guides are more or less what they've put up, but the problem is, most of those I am not quite sure if Pottermore came up with, or if they were adoptions of User videos and techniques, posted and disseminated. Yes, pottermore codes the site and may know it, but rather, articulation... communication, that would be the major problem and where they usually fail. Just the fact you posted that response here rather than to them is sign enough that, well... Pottermore knows nothing of what to do.
DeleteHey Night,
DeleteI may or may not have been an active participant that day at Debate Club. :P But I agree with you, although I do miss the chats greatly and all my friends there (and the debates of course), I think this may be for the better.
I have seen many petitions floating around on Facebook asking for the chats to return, but I won't sign those. I do wish that there was a better option than removing the comment sections completely, but seeing that this is how it is, they should not return immediately since they will just have the problems that they used to have. Pottermore's chat system was very flawed and since they don't have much money, this may have been the only viable option for them.
I hope that this will allow Pottermore to improve other aspects of the site (well, so far I have only seen more glitches not less...), but in the long term I think the chats will return someday, because Pottermore must obviously see that they are losing a large part of their userbase due to this situation. I hope that eventually the comment sections will be reinstated but improved so the same issues do not arise again.
Like Runi says, the guides that they have put up are probably the substitute since I think Pottermore must have been preparing to remove chats for quite some time. While the potions guide is helpful, I have a couple major disagreements with the dueling one. The Help page is virtually useless as well, since it is horribly outdated (refers to the Gateway, Chamber of Secrets, and so on). Pottermore unfortunately does not have the experience that we users have in answering questions so the removal of chats will definitely lower their user retention rate simply because newbies don't know what to do. (I used to run Frequently Asked Questions sessions in the common room... :P wish Pottermore added some of those questions to their Help page.)
I agree that Pottermore has the right to remove chat. It is their site, and they can manage it however badly they wish. I understand why they did not want to use free volunteer moderation. One has only to look at the subversion that exists with Wikipedia and the wheel wars that occur there to understand that free moderation also has risks.
ReplyDeleteI'm was disappointed with chat moderation, and I am disappointed with Pottermore's reaction when they fully realized that chats were a problem.
Pottermore put up too many chat boards... there did not seem to be a feasible way to monitor the hundreds of chat boards. Remember, every object, potion, spell, character, creature, moment, chapter, place and whatever had it's own chat board. That was too many and I saw when it was installed it was too many.
Pottermore never gave concise answers of why a comment broke rules or why the other player thought the comment broke rules. It was all a mystery. Despite their claims to the contrary, I have a bonafide screen shot of "Greetings and welcome to all" that failed moderation. Quotes from the books failed moderation. I remember witnessing the arguments in the common room, of various players trying to drown each other out, the rationale of "this is my common room and I can say whatever I want' alongside with the snake charmers who would get reported for posting tips because they got in the way of role-play.
Chat removal seems to be the All-Or-Nothing Smack-Down Hammer that Pottermore is fond of using when there is a problem. Problem with cheating, let's remove all points from the Leaderboards. Problem with reports, user gets banned and never mind that they were a victim of cyber bullying. Kill them all and let God sort out the souls for Heaven or Hell.
The chats in the form we had needed to be overhauled, Absolute filth in chat boards would get reported, removed and then reinstated. I wish there could have been a overhaul and not obliteration.