Final straw with forum spam?

jasonrohrer · 2018-08-02 16:24:11

After trying everything, including outright banning URLs from posts, and seeing the spam still coming through....

It seems that, in the modern world of human spammers, there's no automated way to stop them.

Except charging them $20 each.

It's a bold move, but the forum could change to become for paying customers only (this has been suggested by others in the past).

Your personal Download Page could display the secret answer to the security question for forum registration. Or maybe the registration link itself could be hidden somehow, and only given freely to people on their Download Page.

Notice that this doesn't mean you have to buy the game to participate in the forums. You have to buy the game OR talk to someone who bought it. People could ask on Discord if they were really stuck.

And if the secret leaked to spammers, it could change weekly or whatever, in an automated fashion.

Trick · 2018-08-02 16:49:37

jasonrohrer wrote:

After trying everything, including outright banning URLs from posts, and seeing the spam still coming through....
It seems that, in the modern world of human spammers, there's no automated way to stop them.

Except charging them $20 each.
It's a bold move, but the forum could change to become for paying customers only (this has been suggested by others in the past).

Your personal Download Page could display the secret answer to the security question for forum registration. Or maybe the registration link itself could be hidden somehow, and only given freely to people on their Download Page.
Notice that this doesn't mean you have to buy the game to participate in the forums. You have to buy the game OR talk to someone who bought it. People could ask on Discord if they were really stuck.
And if the secret leaked to spammers, it could change weekly or whatever, in an automated fashion.

I think this is a good idea for allowing people to post, but I think all people should still be able to read.

Also, while we're on the subject, can you add a link to the Family Trees on the forums somewhere?

Neo · 2018-08-02 16:50:02

Interesting idea but couldn't it potentially deter new people from using the forums.

The spam is definitely out of control, I never received my fake passport.

Last edited by Neo (2018-08-02 16:51:36)

I am Pharo · 2018-08-02 20:59:26

Do it.

Ribbz · 2018-08-02 21:35:18

I support this idea 100%

Turnipseed · 2018-08-02 21:41:38

I really dont like the idea of making it harder for new players to join the forums

PunkyFickle · 2018-08-02 22:04:00

I agree.

Would there be restrictions to using a captcha or equivalent?

YAHG · 2018-08-02 22:19:58

PunkyFickle wrote:

I agree.
Would there be restrictions to using a captcha or equivalent?

Fuck captcha.

The spam doesn't really bother me. I just sort tune it out, like commercials on the radio.

jasonrohrer · 2018-08-03 02:45:15

Well, the main problem is that someone (me or one of the mods) has to deal with it. Remove it. That takes time.

And if I go away for a while, or in the distant future, the spam can really pile up. It takes constant intervention, and that's exhausting.

Like, look what happened here:

http://cordialminuet.com/incrementensem … m.php?id=2

I don't want that to happen! Yikes!

And the problem there is that the "security question" is too easy. They just have to look at a screen shot of the game.

Contrast that with The Castle Doctrine, which is still spam-free after all these years:

http://thecastledoctrine.net/forums/viewforum.php?id=2

There, the security question is harder. I don't even remember the answer myself, nor would I have an easy time looking it up!

That stops spammers for sure....

But yes, the idea here would be to have a "secret password" that everyone gets who buys the game. Same password for everyone. Like the way you get into Lefty's Backroom Bar or something...

And anyone could read the forums, of course.

LaughAtlantis · 2018-08-03 03:15:56

Could you make it so:
- new users cannot post new topics?
(or)
- new users can only post one new topic until approved by a mod?

That would cut down on spam and moderation. (The second solution might just make it so they are creating more fake accounts, and my experience with forum spam says they have no limit on those so that's likely subideal - that was just a thought based on new users posting 'I'm having an issue with my game' type posts.)

Turnipseed · 2018-08-03 04:53:58

The only problem i see with that is thst new players come here to ask very basic questions.

Like
Wheres the discord, or How to download the game

elpargo · 2018-08-03 04:58:31

it's been a while since I managed a forum but ... isn't there a "new users need the approval to post their first comments" this way accounts are in "audit mode" before going into "ok to post mode"

YAHG · 2018-08-03 05:07:55

Well if you want to make it so only people who bought the game, what if we had to link our account with our forum account? If the password is the same for everyone it only takes them buying one game.

third.eye · 2018-08-03 08:06:04

YAHG wrote:

Well if you want to make it so only people who bought the game, what if we had to link our account with our forum account? If the password is the same for everyone it only takes them buying one game.

Yes, just let people have to put in their game key (usable only once) when registering for the forum.

wondible · 2018-08-03 11:28:25

New users requiring a post to have been approved before appearing is a common solution. Though mods still see the spam, and have to approve the new users as well. But if it people, hopefully they will figure out posting here doesn't get them anything. Could provide a free pass to people with the game to cut down a lot of the new user moderation.

Uncle Gus · 2018-08-03 11:41:43

I'd rather periodically go through a list of new posts and approve/delete them than periodically go through a list of spam reports.

One Hour One Life Forums

#1 2018-08-02 16:24:11

Final straw with forum spam?

#2 2018-08-02 16:49:37

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#3 2018-08-02 16:50:02

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#4 2018-08-02 20:59:26

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#5 2018-08-02 21:35:18

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#6 2018-08-02 21:41:38

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#7 2018-08-02 22:04:00

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#8 2018-08-02 22:19:58

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#9 2018-08-03 02:45:15

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#10 2018-08-03 03:15:56

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#11 2018-08-03 04:53:58

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#12 2018-08-03 04:58:31

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#13 2018-08-03 05:07:55

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#14 2018-08-03 08:06:04

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#15 2018-08-03 11:28:25

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

#16 2018-08-03 11:41:43

Re: Final straw with forum spam?

Board footer