"This Topic Already Exists"

[GrnMarvl14]

I see this happen a lot. Someone makes a thread, then someone comes along and says another thread like it already exists. That's fine. But PLEASE provide a link. Even going back just a month, you end up with multiple pages of threads, and I'm not going to search through them all to find the appropriate one, nor will I expect the creator of a new thread to do the same (unless it's on the first page. To create a thread for something that exists on the first page is just laziness). But if someone who knows of another thread that exists on the same topic provides a link, I (or another staff member) will either close the new thread or merge it with the old one.

But just saying the topic already exists is very annoying, and really borders on spam (as it neither adds to the discussion nor provides any sort of real help).

 

[Soulweaver]

Well, it was not under this forum (but the Video Games forum instead), but still.

I said "there was this kind of thread before" here: http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/showthread.php?t=47734
This was the old similar thread: http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/showthread.php?t=41056

And I think the problem is that regular users are even more reluctant to look up for those old threads because they're so damn hard to find. I had to shuffle through my own post list for like 10 minutes to find that old one.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

This only applies to this forum (hence why it's only posted in this forum). And isn't really a rule, but a general guideline that will help the staffers with power in this particular forum be able to deal with the large number of likely duplicate thread topics that get made because of how quickly old topics get shoved down.

 

[coolcatkim22]

Listen, Pokemon has been around for 14 years. Forums (or at least popular forums) have about 5+ threads made on a common bases.
If you are going to make a thread make it something so out there that nobody has probably ever discussed it. Like, why do Goldeens spawn in the spring while Seakings spawn in the fall? Or, why did they change an NPC's dialogue in yellow to help confused players but then make the dialogue inaccurate?
Something like that, or heck, if you don't want to waste ten minutes looking through pages go to google, type out your topic and see if any body made an article or something about it.

 

[VanillaThunderbolt]

Why isn't this in the Rules Thre -- there's no rules thread? o.o Weird. Anyway, I'm sure repetetive threads waste space and time and all that, and most threads that get deleted end up being simple questions they could have gotten answered in another forum.

In the case UltimateSephiroth mentioned, the two threads were basically identical, but I know a lot of times people jump the "already been done" gun on slightly similar to already existant topics (Especially when said thread has been dead for months). >.>

 

[The Medicine Cat "猫"]

I say it's a little unsafe after all random people putting http's up people think it may be safe oh well not a real problem lol.

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

What are you talking about? Putting https up? But that's HOW you link something.

 

[Zekurom]

What happens if you post in a new duplicate thread and then report it?

...because that's what I just did *gulp*

As in, post a duplicate thread notice, I mean.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

Ideally, you'll do one or the other. But, honestly, as long as you're just trying to helpfully inform the user of an existing thread, you'll be fine. Can't promise you'll get that treatment in other sections, but in here, I'm fine with either method. Just so long as you're not JUST posting "we already have a thread on this" without a link or helpful information.