What makes a good OVP thread?

[Nihilego]

Answer the question! What do you think makes a good OVP thread? What makes a bad one? Do you bother replying to OVP threads which you don't think are very good?

 

[Archenoth]

I think how good an OVP thread is determined by how effectively it can waste someone's time...

Seriously...

If you want to stick around a thread, and respond to it often, and actually want to read the other replies, I consider that to be a good thread. Not one that necessarily is useful, but one that is simply fun, or interesting and insightful. (Though those aren't really mutually exclusive)

I think a bad thread is something that takes itself too seriously. It's a place for mass feedback, and not criticizing any one type of response. I sometimes respond to bad threads, but I generally try to avoid them as best I can.

 

[Yoshikkko]

Something that provokes thought, or something that forces you to think about something in maybe a slightly different way than usual, something that piques your curiosity, those kind of threads are fun and make you want to answer. Aka not threads that you could answer while virtually being BRAINDEAD. I usually don't even bother with those threads because the posts are just completely obvious/predictable and shallow most of the time so there's no point in answering.

Something that can however also be easily answered and does not require like, lots of explanation or whatever.

 

[Captain Fabio]

There is no such thing...

I don't think one type of thread makes a good OVP thread; just something that is a little different and not repeated every month or so.​

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[Hybrid Trainer]

The topic. If it's something that a lot of people want to talk about then it'll be popular. Like for example if it's something where the user will have to talk about themselves they will probably post because everyone likes talking about themselves.
Controversial threads also work, ones that would usually break the rules are usually popular because people are more likely to look at the thread.

 

[Shining Raichu]

The best thing is not to over-complicate it. The longer I post in this section the more I see that it's the nice simple threads with questions that haven't already been asked seventeen times that get the best responses. The more complicated threads that have more effort put into them are fantastic and I try to answer them in as much detail as I can, but a lot of people are (for want of a better word) intimidated by them and tend not to post as much because they can't think of answers that would do the thread justice.

So if you can think of an original idea and keep it relatively easy to answer, those are the best kinds of threads.

What makes a bad thread are questions to which the answers are incredibly obvious, so you get a whole bunch of people giving the same answer because the other possibility is not something a normal person would choose. In those threads I try to answer the opposite if possible just to mix it up :P

But yeah, I answer probably 95% of the polls here whether I think they're good or bad - if I don't answer it at all it means I either think it's just soul-crushingly terrible or it means it's too intimidating for me and I can't think of an answer to it :P

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

The main reason I keep coming back to OVP more than nearly any other forum on PC is because the discussion points are, for the most part, very laid-back and easy to contribute to. For me, 'good' OVP threads are ones that are broad enough to get really simple, often one-line answers, but also really deep and thoughtful treatises on the topic at hand. I like to post answers that are probably in-between the two, but I often like reading people's responses, so a mix is always good.

In terms of how many I respond to: in all honesty, unless I can't think of a single thing to say in a given topic (or if I have a feeling that it'll be closed for whatever reason), I'll normally respond to every thread made. When I spend time away from OVP, I have a tendency to binge on topics when I come back. A few days ago, for example, I posted in 40! That was kinda cool, but it has led to some people saying I've 'raped' OVP before which - while not conjuring up the best imagery - is something I can understand and sympathise with.