Popular runners ≠ good SRC moderators.
4 years ago
Canada

This is somewhat of an issue on a lot of retro boards I have runs submitted on.

A lot of people are added to boards, which are notable people within a game's community, but on SRC they're basically non-existent as a moderator and their duties. This ends up dispersing the workload onto one person, and if that one person isn't around, submissions hang.

We had this problem on Batman (NES) boards a long time ago. I literally got rid of myself (and asked the site) to remove like 7 people who never approved anything but held a moderator position anyway, but were added to that board, and I appointed new people who were both knowledgeable about the run but more importantly ACTIVE on SRC.

Seems a lot of boards I'm aware of with or without runs are like this and it's sort of an annoying trend.

To maybe clarify: I'm not looking for any kind of immediate resolution or anything to something specific, but I'm curious at what point should it be addressed or brought up. A lot of boards I'm talking about have probably if you check the verified runs, one dude working crazy hard at verifying and staying on top of things and a bunch of dormant moderators.

At what point does this become an issue that should be addressed?

Edited by the author 4 years ago
Novawolf, HopeTrash and 8 others like this
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Damn, you are the hero we needed but debatably didn't deserve.

Canada

Just honestly tired of things that could easily be prevented with logic. Ironically right now one of my submissions is stuck in queue because one super moderator who heavily dislikes me on the board possibly quit or was axed by staff, but he didn't verify my run before whatever happened to him, happened, and all the others are inactive, and the one active moderator is away currently in rl. So it's literally stuck in limbo.

Last online 1 month ago Last online 2 months ago Last online 3 months ago Last online 16 days ago Last online 16 days ago

^ Are the moderators last logins on that board.

The only moderator that's ever verified my runs there is the one that's currently AWOL.

Also, a request on the boards there went unanswered about adding a new category for over a month now.

The problem is a lot of retro (NES) boards are like this. A lot were setup by members popular in the community, but again, that doesn't make them good SRC moderators. What should I do in this situation and to who and when should I address it?

It's an annoying issue that reoccurs quite constantly.

You shouldn't have to message someone externally somewhere to check this site every time something needs to be moderated.

Edited by the author 4 years ago
meauxdal, Emmoji and 3 others like this
Jönköping, Sweden

I agree that it shouldn't be on the runners to take private contact on social media just to reach out to mods not being active, but until SRC messages gets going, we don't seem to have a choice. Ofc, if the mods in question are inactive, I don't see what good that would do.. What it should come down to first and foremost is having mods whom genuinely care, in reality: that's not at all how people come to be mod for most games featured here. I myself am stuck as placeholder mod for 1 game right now, simply because im at least an active runner and check SRC daily.

Unfortunately: The truth is that not enough people care and step up to help moderate, and the other problem being that the right people choose not to, power abusive vultures have no problem stepping in to fill the slot: as we've seen on multiple occasions. What it comes down to is offering the position to already established and trustworthy people that the staff is familiar with, but then risk putting way too many titles on well known runners. Ultimately, people generally have to get more comfy with the idea of helping out with moderating in the community. Its an ungrateful job most days and I can certainly understand the appeal of leaving the position to others, but that's partially the reason we get into these positions as well. The community needs to help itself if it's gonna last longterm. I for one hate the idea of being a moderator for anything, im lazy... But if the option is to leave it to individuals unable to care for said games, I'll suck it up and help out where help is needed.

Edited by the author 4 years ago
Vakala, WoofMasterArf, and Hako like this
New York, USA

I feel this pain. I've got a run that's been sitting in queue for four months and every time I bring it up to somebody, I'm met with apathy. Mods are actively ignoring it and staff allow it. It can be very frustrating.