***Introducing Private Groups***

[@rtisan]

Really interesting idea! Will definetly take care of some of the spam/annoying posts and such. Not that there really is that much on these forums anyway (Brickpicker is far cleaner than many), but still, neat idea! Brickpoints is a good idea to help encourage quality posting as well, so I think that`s great!

[brickmaster]

Brickpoints is a good idea to help encourage quality posting as well, so I think that`s great!

 

Good idea, bring back the thumbs down so that all the bad posts can lose 50 Brickpoints or something.  That will clean things up

 

Honestly, I think people just need to look at it as there is now a place to go if you and others want to have a conversation about anything.  It's a great option to have and I am sure once people figure it out it will be used properly.

[Anakinisvader]

If they are truly private, will mods be "watching over them" and be able to lock them if they don't like where its going? What if someone invites people and no one shows up? Do they get their points back? If I start a thread and invite someone and then decide I don't like what they posted, can I kick them out or "silence" them by deleting their post?

[Grolim]

If they are truly private, will mods be "watching over them" and be able to lock them if they don't like where its going? What if someone invites people and no one shows up? Do they get their points back? If I start a thread and invite someone and then decide I don't like what they posted, can I kick them out or "silence" them by deleting their post?

 

 

The mod team will not be watching over them unless you invite them.  Only the Admins (Jeff and Ed) will be able to see into each group.

 

If you make a group and no one shows up you should have perhaps made a more interesting group.  The fact it costs a few points will stop people from randomly creating tons of groups that no one uses and hopefully steers them into making interesting, useful and fun groups.

 

I'm not sure on the functionality of group owners being able to moderate their group, that's one for Jeff.

 

I hope the members that cried out for this feature so vociferously in the past now use it. 

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

vociferously

 

You win Grolim. You win.

[Jeff Mack]

If they are truly private, will mods be "watching over them" and be able to lock them if they don't like where its going? What if someone invites people and no one shows up? Do they get their points back? If I start a thread and invite someone and then decide I don't like what they posted, can I kick them out or "silence" them by deleting their post?

 

What Grolim said is accurate.  Mods will not be looking in at all unless they are invited in.  Also like I said in the original post.  Ed and I will be the only ones with access and we will have the right to remove something if it is truly something we don't want on the site, but honestly nobody will see it all or even know it exists unless you are part of that group.

 

I think it would be pretty unlikely that you won't have anyone show up.  I guess that means they might not want to chat with you (just kidding, but who knows)

 

Yes, there are options to control your group.  If you start the group, you are the leader of the group.

[Migration]

Just an FYI the private groups seem to show up on the homepage.

[Jeff Mack]

Just an FYI the private groups seem to show up on the homepage.

 

 

Good catch.  That is a custom query I on the homepage,  I will remove that category from it.  Thanks

 

 

**EDIT** This has been fixed

[Sauromosis]

Subscribing, yes my phone browser sucks.

[tractorboy]

I can see why some people have been requesting it. The only problem I see is that there will be groups (or even just one or two groups) made up of a few core members where all the useful investing info will be discussed, while the rest of the forum just becomes redundant and full of pointless chatter, useless speculation and regular Lego chat. And there are other forums where people can go for that.

That could harm the site in the long run and make it less useful as an investing resource to relative noobs like myself. Which I'm guessing is why people have been asking for it....?

[tractorboy]

2. As the groups are invite only, the main thing is to make yourself a valuable member in the public forums so that people notice you and invite you to join groups.  If you do nothing but joke around and show no value, then the chances of you being invited to join groups will be much lower.

That's the thing though Jeff. What does a noob investor like myself have to offer to the more experienced investors on here, other than more competition?

I've often wished I had more to offer the community on here, but I'm loathe to offer advice for instance, on something I'm so new to. All my buying is online and my investing is based on a simple big set/exclusive strategy. I'm no deal hunter either, so apart from the usual online stores that everyone will be familiar with, I don't have much to offer in that department either.

I just hope the more experienced investors don't become strangers on the 'regular' forum, as their insights have often made me think twice about rash purchases, and given me plenty of food for thought since I've been on here.

[Jeff Mack]

That's the thing though Jeff. What does a noob investor like myself have to offer to the more experienced investors on here, other than more competition?

I've often wished I had more to offer the community on here, but I'm loathe to offer advice for instance, on something I'm so new to. All my buying is online and my investing is based on a simple big set/exclusive strategy. I'm no deal hunter either, so apart from the usual online stores that everyone will be familiar with, I don't have much to offer in that department either.

I just hope the more experienced investors don't become strangers on the 'regular' forum, as their insights have often made me think twice about rash purchases, and given me plenty of food for thought since I've been on here.

Let's see how this goes. It will be a very small percentage of members that use this. Post your questions as normal. Plenty of members will always be there to answer

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

And remember - some of the fun is taking chances and learning for yourself.

 

Whether you have people telling you what to do or not, you have tons of incredible information on past sets, etc. at your fingertips. I would never recommend anyone starting this without tons of research.

[tractorboy]

Let's see how this goes. It will be a very small percentage of members that use this. Post your questions as normal. Plenty of members will always be there to answer

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

 

And remember - some of the fun is taking chances and learning for yourself.

 

Whether you have people telling you what to do or not, you have tons of incredible information on past sets, etc. at your fingertips. I would never recommend anyone starting this without tons of research.

Thanks fellas. I'm probably just looking too much into it.

Yes, I always do my research first before I get my credit card out, if only for my own piece of mind. It's always good to have a variety of opinions too. I'm pretty conservative with the sets I go for, so I hope I haven't made too many duff purchases so far.

[exciter1]

And remember - some of the fun is taking chances and learning for yourself.

 

Whether you have people telling you what to do or not, you have tons of incredible information on past sets, etc. at your fingertips. I would never recommend anyone starting this without tons of research.

 

Ohhhh, the Black Phantoms, why????? I shouldn't have settled for 300% profit.

[Bold-Arrow]

That's the thing though Jeff. What does a noob investor like myself have to offer to the more experienced investors on here, other than more competition?

I've often wished I had more to offer the community on here, but I'm loathe to offer advice for instance, on something I'm so new to. All my buying is online and my investing is based on a simple big set/exclusive strategy. I'm no deal hunter either, so apart from the usual online stores that everyone will be familiar with, I don't have much to offer in that department either.

I just hope the more experienced investors don't become strangers on the 'regular' forum, as their insights have often made me think twice about rash purchases, and given me plenty of food for thought since I've been on here.

there are always members here they are more than willing to help, i don't see this as ever changing. this is still a social and fun community.

the two guys that posted before me are some of the most helpful members out there and i wouldn't hesitate to ask either one of them any question, or me of course. 

and as DNIIM said, part of the fun is to make mistakes. heck i remember posting one of my very first deals on the daily deal thread thinking I discovered the very best thing after gravity, but my buddy exciter1 politely pointed out that 11% off is not something to brag about..lol.....i think he was polite anyways 

have fun

[Young_Gun21]

This appears to be one of those things that will be used when Mods tell members to calm down or not to say that. Not a place where experienced members will go and hide so newbies can't steal their tactics.

[Ed Mack]

Let's see how it develops. Many members who requested this were not giving out their secrets to success in the first place. Jeff and I will not take part in these forums. We will monitor occasionally for obscene and illegal activity.

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

[biniou]

I think this is really great.

 

It's some kind of "private messages" for multiple members. Really interesting, thanks for creating this, though I may not use it until some time because I'm a new member so I have not "friend" or "contact" to share informations with.

 

But still, this is great, I never saw such "sub forums" on other websites, and the use of BP is also a smart idea, though 5 BP seems a little high, I would more have though about 1 BP, I would fear to see flood messages on "classic" topics to have sub-forums to be used.

[brickmaster]

But still, this is great, I never saw such "sub forums" on other websites, and the use of BP is also a smart idea, though 5 BP seems a little high, I would more have though about 1 BP, I would fear to see flood messages on "classic" topics to have sub-forums to be used.

 

I love how someone complains that 5 BP is too much.  What is this world coming too?   As far as the last part of that sentence, I have no idea what that means at all.

[boxofcorey]

As long as you don't want to invite more than 19 people, how are these forums going to be that much different than just using the conversation option already on the forums?

 

Segregation on the forums is often times the beginning of the end but most of the "elite" investors here have been hoarding their information from the population here the entire time anyway so it makes no difference. I'm honestly not sure why you bother catering to people in this situation WITHOUT making them pay even more for the service... they use all of your software and tools and if they hide their information, they add nothing to your product. Just my thoughts.

[biniou]

I love how someone complains that 5 BP is too much.  What is this world coming too?

I don't "complain"... How could I ? I only give my thoughts (if you call that "complaining", well...)

[Jeff Mack]

Overall this section was created as a trial for:

• People that want to go into their own area and spew whatever garbage they want because they know we don't want it on the main forum
• People that are paranoid that Lego is watching them and want to change their username.
• People that think they have massive secrets and don't want to share
• People that feel that don't want to deal with noobs (even though they were once a noob)
• I am sure there is more we can add to this list

As of this exact moment there are 0 people using it and it doesn't bother me at all.  I just don't want to hear about it later if it gets removed from the site.  If people think this feature should be free, sorry. Everyone is lucky that Ed is a nice guy.  My original setup was for 500 Brickpoints to start and 10 a post.  He talked me off the ledge.  Bottom line, Ed and I try to cater to everyone.  We have no fear in trying something new.  If it works, great, then there is something here for everyone.  If it doesn't.  Then it goes. 

[LEGO HULK]

As of this exact moment there are 0 people using it

 

Wow, so the people that have asked about it or for it in the past have not jumped on it.  Maybe everyone is afraid that no one will join their group and hurt their feelings.

[Ed Mack]

As long as you don't want to invite more than 19 people, how are these forums going to be that much different than just using the conversation option already on the forums?

 

Segregation on the forums is often times the beginning of the end but most of the "elite" investors here have been hoarding their information from the population here the entire time anyway so it makes no difference. I'm honestly not sure why you bother catering to people in this situation WITHOUT making them pay even more for the service... they use all of your software and tools and if they hide their information, they add nothing to your product. Just my thoughts.

I agree with you.  This is a simple option for some members.  If they want to use it, it's there.  If no one uses it, we will remove the feature.  This is an option to the forum software that we bought so we figured to give it a shot.  We experimented with a live chat for a couple of weeks and that was a bust, so we removed it.  We are always trying to improve the site.  Boom or bust, Jeff and I are onto the next idea.