Let's talk about ... Necroposting! 🧟

EA_Leeloo

Sul sul Simmers!

As you all know, our forum rules got an overhaul this year - some rules were adjusted and new ones were added so everyone can feel at home and comfortable on our forum.

One of the new rules we added is this:

• Don't "necropost." Reviving, updating or bumping old, outdated and irrelevant threads is not helpful for our community. It's best to check when the thread was created before you hit post, just to make sure it's not 2 years old for example.

We get that "necroposting" can be a bit confusing - sometimes it's okay to comment in an older, inactive thread but sometimes it isn't. And because this can be tricky, we want to give you a few guidelines to help you figure out when to revive a thread and when not to.

So, please keep reading to find out more about "necroposting":

• Dos and Don'ts
• Frequently Asked Questions
• What to do when you see necroposting
• A note for our New Members

If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the EA Forum Team: @EA_Lanna , @EA_Mako , or @EA_Cade

EA_Leeloo

The Dos and Don'ts of Necroposting

Dos

• Review the discussion. That way, you’ll get a good idea if the thread is right for you.
  So, please:
  • Read the opening post and thread title. This will give the context of what's discussed in the thread.
  • Check the location of the thread. At the top of the page, you can see the location of the thread. This will give you a better idea if you're right in that thread.
    For example, a thread in the Sims 3 section will be about The Sims 3 so posting about The Sims 4 in there won't be helpful.
  • Look at the timestamps. When was the last comment posted in this thread?
    For example, if the last person posted 6 years ago, chances are that the discussion is no longer relevant and doesn't need to be revived.
• Add new and helpful information. If you have news that wasn't shared yet, it's okay to bump a discussion even if it has been quiet for a while. So, please do post answers if you come across a thread with an unresolved issue to help other Simmers!
• Ask new and relevant questions. You can absolutely ask relevant questions - other Simmers might have those questions, too!
• Show your appreciation. Simmers have put a lot of effort into getting the helpful info and workarounds to you. If you come across a great post, you can say thank you and show your appreciation to those Simmers by hitting the Promote, Insightful, Like or Awesome button below a comment rather than reviving that discussion.

Don'ts

• Don't moderate other Simmers. We get that it can seem like the natural thing to educate other Simmers on the necroposting rule. But please be patient and understanding with your fellow Simmers. When it comes to the forum rules, we - the EA Forum Team - are responsible for communicating and applying these and will do so when necessary.
• Don't stay silent. If you see that a thread was closed but you have new or insightful information to add to the conversation, please let the EA Forum Team know so we can re-evaluate things.
• Don't chat about closed threads in other discussions. This falls under chatting about moderation (which is against the forum rules!) and derails the conversation. If you have any questions about why a thread was closed, please reach out to the EA Forum Team via direct message.

EA_Leeloo

Frequently Asked Questions

We have collected some frequently asked questions (FAQs) below and answered them. Let us know if we haven't covered yours!

Why do we need a Necroposting rule?
The main reason why we have the necroposting rule is that we want to make sure that the newer, more relevant discussions aren't getting buried by old, outdated, irrelevant discussions that would just clutter the forum.
So, this rule is there to better support the community's needs.

How old is 'too old'?
The answer to this question is not that straightforward; ‘old’ is a rather relative term that is entirely dependant on the type of discussion or issue.
A good starting point to figure out if a thread might be 'too old' is to look at the timestamp and the last comments. That way you will see if the discussion is still active and relevant before you post and can avoid necroing the thread.
That means bumping a conversation that has naturally ended or posting without adding new info would be necroposting (for example, just saying "cool" in a thread that has been quiet for 2 years).

Are there exceptions to the necroposting rule?
Absolutely! Some discussions don't really 'expire' because they are open-ended or even timeless. If you follow the tips in this thread, you'll be able to decide when it's okay to post in an older discussion and when it's not.

What about Stories & Legacy threads?
Stories and Legacy threads are designed to be added onto - they continue to grow and evolve over time. That means they can never be considered outdated or irrelevant! Think about it this way: when you have something to add to the story, this is the same as adding "new info" to a thread. And as we’ve outlined above, that's perfectly fine!

Why are old threads not auto-locked?
Long story short - there is no feature to auto-lock threads right now.
But that's not really an issue because, usually, there is little need for old threads to be locked. Discussions normally run their course over time and tend to drop off naturally.
The moderation team only steps in to close threads when it's required and the reasons why it's necessary will always be explained in the closing post.

What about deleting or archiving threads?
Many of you have pointed out that there are a lot of helpful threads on this forum that pre-date 2014. We feel that players should still be able to benefit from these so removing them would mean to take away a great resource for Simmers looking for guidance or insight.

EA_Leeloo

What to do when you see necroposting

Every now and then, one of you might come across a necro'd thread. But before you comment on that in the discussion, we'd like to ask you to think about whether ...

... you can help.
If the thread was bumped with a question and you know the answer or a workaround, please share what you know! It's always great when Simmers can help each other out.

... there is a newer, active thread on the topic.
If you know of a current, relevant thread, please share the link with the other Simmers. We all know that it can be tricky to find your way around the forum - especially when you’re new here - so a little bit of help goes a long way.

And if none of the above applies?
No problem, we got you covered. If you come across a thread that you feel shouldn't have been bumped, please let the EA Forum Team know by using the report function (that's the little flag symbol underneath each comment, on the left-hand side). We will then follow up and take appropriate action.

EA_Leeloo

A note for our New Members

Sul sul and a warm welcome to our new Simmers!

It's great to see that you have found your way into this forum!
We hope you are having fun, enjoy discovering what the forum has to offer, and are meeting new friends along the way.

You might have been wondering: hey, why can't I start a discussion to ask that question I've been wanting to ask for ages?
Well, when you are new to the forum, creating threads isn't an option for you at first - but you will be able to start your own discussion once you have gained full member status.

We know that it can be tempting to post your question in any thread or to bump old discussions to get full member status faster. But because that can lead to moderation, we're asking you to please make your contributions relevant. There are loads of great discussions waiting for you to join!

Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to a member of the forum team (@EA_lanna , @EA_Mako , or @EA_Cade ) and we will help you find the most appropriate thread for whatever you may have to share.

And because we know that things can be a bit overwhelming when you're new to the forum, we put together an info thread that you as a new member might find helpful - just click to read it HERE.