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I cannot flag or report their status, either.

You can report statuses to mods through PMs/discord DMs, but as far as I'm aware that's the only option users have unless the mods (likely Legend and/or Mahz) decide to develop a block/reporting system such as what RPN has.

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@Kuro I'm sure that you can understand that this is an... inelegant solution. Especially considering there is nothing "wrong" with the status in question besides it being a dogwhistle for the person posting it being a massive shitheel. Thus why I'd much rather just block this person and move on with my life, were such a functionality in place.

Oh, yeah. I totally understand what you mean. But it's about all we can do for right now unless the mods decide to implement a feature. There was someone asking about block functionality on the guild awhile back, but I don't know if anything came out of it.

I would like a block function. The real question is how to deal with all of the intricacies of "blocking" a user. Does it black out all of their posts like Discord? Does it warn you before joining an RP with that user? Given that this site is about collaboration, it's a non-trivial problem.

How does RPN handle it?

I would like a block function. The real question is how to deal with all of the intricacies of "blocking" a user. Does it black out all of their posts like Discord? Does it warn you before joining an RP with that user? Given that this site is about collaboration, it's a non-trivial problem.

How does RPN handle it?

It isn't a true "block system", according to RPN. They can still see your content, but you won't see theirs, which replaces it with a discord-esque warning that you're blocking content from them.



There are also more specific features that you can toggle in privacy settings by who can see them (all visitors/members only/people you follow [follows are like RPG's friends list]/nobody) if you want:

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@Dead Cruiser That's basically how RPN and discord does things, so I think it could work on new-guild.

Auto-collapse is probably doable. I'll add it to the list.

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@LegendBegins I just want to express my appreciation for actually listening to this feedback and finding an actionable way to respond to it.

I've brought up this issue more than once before, and each time prior a mod usually responded saying how the site architecture couldn't handle block lists and that it ruined the spirit of the site. Give me a break.

They need Mahz to do it. (Last I knew he wouldn't share credentials to let Legend do it.) Mahz is absentee. Mods probably don't want to have to admit this publicly.

That's why most site function issues seem to fall on deaf ears.

@LegendBegins I just want to express my appreciation for actually listening to this feedback and finding an actionable way to respond to it.

I've brought up this issue more than once before, and each time prior a mod usually responded saying how the site architecture couldn't handle block lists and that it ruined the spirit of the site. Give me a break.

Unlike other forums which utilise a base program such as vBulletin or PHP Boards, the Guild is a custom built website with every aspect of it coded and designed from scratch. Features like the Block function have to be coded, tested, and bug fixed before they can be added to the site, unlike downloading an app for an iPhone and just expecting it to work straight away. As another analogy it's the difference between baking a cake from scratch with flour, eggs, and water rather than the packet cake mix you find in the supermarket.

So why did Mahz design the site in this way?
Well a lot of the features that you may take for granted are simply not available on other generic forum softwares. The IC/OOC/Char tabs is one feature, while the Zeroth Post where GMs and Co-GMs can edit the same post is another one that got added in a couple years back. Also, as someone who has worked on the back end of vBulletin before, I can say that the Guild does have a cleaner architecture without the needless bloatware that vBulletin has.

To give an idea, this is mod access on an older vB framework. Admin access is absolute crap and contains 3 times the amount of garbage that didn't need to be accessed.


As of now, Legend does have an update in the works for bug fixes and some quality of life issues (One I'm aware of being the incorrect direction for Visitor messages in the notification page), but we do need to wait for Mahz to return so that he can do roll out of the current update and test the stability of it. I do have to note as well that adding a block feature will not be in this update as there is only so much that any programmer should do in any update before they have to stop and say, "enough for now, let's see how this goes", otherwise you risk creating a major issue and possibly damaging the whole site. For a perfect reason why, it may be best to watch this video:

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@NuttsnBolts I understand fully well that site development takes time and effort, my (very mild) gripe is only that previously I had been told that such a feature was either outright impossible to implement, or that I was somehow encouraging antisocial behavior by requesting as much.

Ah. As a possibility you may be referring to a previous topic I had with you 5 years ago, long before I became a moderator (appointed in 2017) and saw how things worked on the guild from the other side.

To expand on that comment from back then I still do believe a white list would be the a good starting point for thread interactions so the GM can control who can enter the RP, or at least post/see the IC component. That way you could have a blanket block on everyone that you wouldn't like to interact with your RP thread.

As with the Block feature there would have to be a long discussion and planning on how far it would go.
Should it Block PMs/VMs?
Should it Block visibility of your Profile? (Remember, profiles are currently public to all who haven't even signed up to the site)
How would it affect an RP you are GMing?
How would it affect an RP you are a only member of?
What potential impacts could it have elsewhere on the site?

That second last question in particular is the hardest to answer because we could easily say, "yes, a block must hide post by any user", however how would that be fair to any GM when straight off the bat they have two applying members who should be writing together in their (The GM's) RP, but instead they have each other blocked and those two can't read each other's post. At that point a Block feature may have gone too far as it has the potential of negatively impacting the natural progress of an RP.

That's where we have to assess and weigh up the pros and cons of a new feature, or whether a suitable other option (like the white list example) may offer a better solution, or perhaps even a mixture of both (White listing for GMS, PM/profile blocking for the users). It's just finding that right balance.

Outside of that though and for the time being, do remember that you can raise any concerns about a member you may be having trouble with to an available moderator. My status is set to invisible only for the reason that I have a busy schedule and insomnia so some nights I'll be on the site at 3am. I do get back to all my PMs and share any necessary information with my fellow staff members, especially in the case where I may not be able to address the concern in a timely manner.

Note: Also do remember that RPs have an individual member ban listing under the "Edit Topic" section that can be used too.

I like the block idea. This website is freely open to the world. The only privacy needed would be I think a blocker.