Access Restricted/Private Forums
by Infinitum3D · in Site Feedback · 04/30/2009 (10:08 am) · 9 replies
Its frustrating as a TGE1.5.2 license owner to be forbidden access to other private forums. Many of my questions have been answered in the Torque Game Builder (Private) forum. Many scripting questions are the same for TGE, TGB, and TGEA. I understand the reasoning behind restricting access, but maybe there could be a Scripting(Private) forum that all license holders have access to? In my experience, most people with licenses avoid the public forums and post strictly in the Private forum of their engine. Does it really matter if a TGE owner reads TGB or TGEA threads? Yes, someone may try to cheat garagegames out of an engine, but the majority of license holders only want to finish their own game with the engine they purchased.
My opinion is that a license holder should have access to all forums. It may not be the popular opinion, and maybe I'm too naïve and trusting, but this is primarily an indie group, and we all just want a chance to make our games.
I doubt anything is going to change, but thanks for letting me vent. I just want to add that this in no way meant as a flame against garagegames. I love it here, and everyone has been very helpful. This is just a gripe on my part.
Tony
My opinion is that a license holder should have access to all forums. It may not be the popular opinion, and maybe I'm too naïve and trusting, but this is primarily an indie group, and we all just want a chance to make our games.
I doubt anything is going to change, but thanks for letting me vent. I just want to add that this in no way meant as a flame against garagegames. I love it here, and everyone has been very helpful. This is just a gripe on my part.
Tony
#2
With such cheep license fee's such information becomes much more valuable. But now that some very detailed DOCs are available to EVERYONE, and even the RESOURCE section (old website at least) showed code snips even when NOT logged in, it always seem more like some type of childish power play game for GG to separate the engines into private forums. I probably would own MORE GG products if I was able to read the various forums to learn more REAL info about them...
04/30/2009 (10:54 am)
I have said the same thing for years. My solution was to just buy the engines who forums i wished to read; not at all a perfect solution unless your GG... With such cheep license fee's such information becomes much more valuable. But now that some very detailed DOCs are available to EVERYONE, and even the RESOURCE section (old website at least) showed code snips even when NOT logged in, it always seem more like some type of childish power play game for GG to separate the engines into private forums. I probably would own MORE GG products if I was able to read the various forums to learn more REAL info about them...
#3
Yes, the public forums are specifically for mods (i.e. scripting), however, most people own a license and therefore post questions in the your.engine.name.here(private) forums.
I think they should either move ALL the script questions into the public forums (that'll keep the moderators busy for weeks) or give all license owners access to all private forums.
If they can move the C++ threads INTO private forums, they could just as easy move script threads OUT of private forums.
Either way, I just want access to the script threads, to find the answers to my questions.
Of course I COULD just ask the question again in the private forum of my engine, but why? Its already been answered! Just let me read it.
Thanks for listening.
Tony
04/30/2009 (11:56 am)
Quote:isn't that supposedly why the public forums are open
Yes, the public forums are specifically for mods (i.e. scripting), however, most people own a license and therefore post questions in the your.engine.name.here(private) forums.
I think they should either move ALL the script questions into the public forums (that'll keep the moderators busy for weeks) or give all license owners access to all private forums.
If they can move the C++ threads INTO private forums, they could just as easy move script threads OUT of private forums.
Either way, I just want access to the script threads, to find the answers to my questions.
Of course I COULD just ask the question again in the private forum of my engine, but why? Its already been answered! Just let me read it.
Thanks for listening.
Tony
#4
For instance, this guy doesn't have a license to any engine yet he obviously has access to the source.
Alternatively, Tony (not me, the other one) has been around for years and shares everything he learns with the rest of the community.... possibly he should have access to the script forums?
Or possibly create a new community rank somewhere between "Licensee" and "Associate" such as "Community Advocate" or "Silver Star Community Member" and you give them special privileges... (kinda like the Gold / Yellow colored associates)
At any rate, balancing security with freedom is always a tough call.
04/30/2009 (1:08 pm)
I have mixed feelings on this one.For instance, this guy doesn't have a license to any engine yet he obviously has access to the source.
Alternatively, Tony (not me, the other one) has been around for years and shares everything he learns with the rest of the community.... possibly he should have access to the script forums?
Or possibly create a new community rank somewhere between "Licensee" and "Associate" such as "Community Advocate" or "Silver Star Community Member" and you give them special privileges... (kinda like the Gold / Yellow colored associates)
At any rate, balancing security with freedom is always a tough call.
#5
04/30/2009 (2:04 pm)
Yeah I think it could be a good idea, I've come across similar things when hunting around for a solution, the search returns something that looks like it might be useful/similar but it's TGB rather than one of the engines I'm licensed for.
#6
I just noticed there are a couple other threads with similar topics, so it's not an isolated case. I like Orion's suggestion for a 'generic TG*' forum.
Tony
04/30/2009 (2:11 pm)
Thanks Tony, but I want to be clear - I'm not asking for special consideration or any special treatment for me as an individual. I think ALL license holder have invested financially in garagegames, albeit only $100 in my case. Still, we DID buy licenses, so open access to the forums seems like a minor risk.I just noticed there are a couple other threads with similar topics, so it's not an isolated case. I like Orion's suggestion for a 'generic TG*' forum.
Tony
#7
But I, too, would like to see some better organisation in the way the fourm content is split up. I'd actually advocate something like the 'tagging' feature in the Artist forum. We could have one subcategory of 'public' forums and one of 'private' forums, and whichever subcategory we post in, we can tag forums that might be appropriate. So if I posted a scripting question for Players in TGE, I would also tag TGEA in the post, since the answer might be applicable to those people as well. If I posted a GUI question for TGE, I'd tag TGEA and TGB. Then when you view a specific product forum, you get to see all the posts with that tag.
05/05/2009 (4:05 am)
Here's a solution - stop searches returning results we don't have access to :P.But I, too, would like to see some better organisation in the way the fourm content is split up. I'd actually advocate something like the 'tagging' feature in the Artist forum. We could have one subcategory of 'public' forums and one of 'private' forums, and whichever subcategory we post in, we can tag forums that might be appropriate. So if I posted a scripting question for Players in TGE, I would also tag TGEA in the post, since the answer might be applicable to those people as well. If I posted a GUI question for TGE, I'd tag TGEA and TGB. Then when you view a specific product forum, you get to see all the posts with that tag.
#8
but i think that a common private torquescript forum maybe is good idea.
05/05/2009 (2:02 pm)
Quote:Here's a solution - stop searches returning results we don't have access to :P.i dont think so, is a good marketing strategy, if you want access, buy it...
but i think that a common private torquescript forum maybe is good idea.
#9
But really, the access to the forums is a priveledge to licence holders for a specific engine. I understand that too. And I accept that.
I like Daniel's suggestion to block search results that I can't access.
At least then I wouldn't get frustrated :)
Tony
05/08/2009 (10:02 am)
Even though I understand the whole concept of protecting the source code, in reality, the code that's posted in forums is miniscule compared to the thousands upon thousands of lines of source code in the engine. Even if all forums were public, no one could piece together an engine from the code bits.But really, the access to the forums is a priveledge to licence holders for a specific engine. I understand that too. And I accept that.
I like Daniel's suggestion to block search results that I can't access.
At least then I wouldn't get frustrated :)
Tony
Associate Michael Hall
Distracted...
But isn't that supposedly why the public forums are open?
I've never needed access to the TGB (Private) forums so can't complain about being locked out of it.