[Forum Guide] How to clean up the Realm Forums 🙂

Krontan-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 2:58pm

It’s just that they picked some forum software off the shelf and haven’t bothered with putting in much functionality in themselves.

Ortellus-moonglade · February 24, 2020, 3:07pm

Yeah, might be that they’ve not bothered checking to see if you’ve got a WoW subscription because they’ve got games which are F2P? idk.

Vervaina-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 3:18pm

As much as I see the appeal (and I do see the appeal), I think I’d rather wait for the ignore function be an officially implemented tool.

It isn’t one that I find myself in an immediate need of, and the number of people that I’d want to perpetually vanish from my forum experience is easily counted on one hand. It’s not a herculean effort to just not reply to that few posters.

Coldsháde-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 4:51pm

Not a thing. You cannot post anywhere else but the realm forums (and maybe the customer support ones, not sure about that bit) if you’re unsubbed. The ability to post on realm forums must be in some way intentional.

Croecell-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 5:06pm

yes, you can.

And technical etc. you know, the ones to help players with problems.

Constabulary-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 5:08pm

im going to think this after i cuss someone out in game after a bad BG and they put me on ignore

thanks

Perroy-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 5:39pm

tfw not brilliant enough to have 0 self awareness

Gobbert-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 5:43pm

You can’t ignore me, Garrosh.

My power is all around you!

Athramus-argent-dawn-257317 · February 24, 2020, 5:50pm

I always do BGs to talk to people. Its why Blizzard made them in the first place

Vilem-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 5:52pm

Public service announcement.

Folktale:

Good morning Argent Dawn!

I’ve decided to finally give something to the community in a humble effort to improve your forum browsing experiences. I am sure I’m not the only one who is tired of the following:
1. ERP apologists
2. OOClet apologists
3. Trolls
4. Trashposting unsubbed dragons
5. menopausal insane catladies
6. Gore fetishists with absolutely no remorse, self-awareness or backbones
7. Fencesitting contrarian alts, classic or retail
8. Players who for some reason insanely hate the RP Community and do lowkey griefing both in-game and the Forums
9. Forum personalities that add their 2 cents to virtually every topic in existence but post nothing of value or even the hint of an interesting thought
10. Barely senile alcoholic madmen who LARP as Christopher Lee but without any charisma and replace it with insane rambling

If you’re also fed up with the absurdly boring or annoying antics of those I listed above, worry no more! Blizzard’s old Forum Ignore feature can be implemented with a few simple steps.

The following applies to Google Chrome and Firefox users. For Microsoft Edge or Safari any contributions would be welcome by finding an appropriate CSS Code addin/extension that will work for the entire site.

For my fellow Chrome users here’s the few easy steps you have to perform:

Get the Amino: Live CSS Editor extension (or a neat equivalent that can apply CSS code to a domain).
Link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/amino-live-css-editor/pbcpfbcibpcbfbmddogfhcijfpboeaaf

Enable the extension and have the realm forums open.

Open up Amino, select “Domain” and paste in the following text:
article[data-user-id=“XXXXX”] {display:none;}

The XXXXX is the part with the User ID. To find this, right click on their name, pick “View Activity”. On that that page add .json to the end of the URL address and the first thing in the huge chunk of code that appears is the users ID. Paste it in the XXXXX part.
5.Hit “Save” and refresh.

For Firefox users:

Get the Live editor for CSS and LESS extension
Link: https://addons.mozilla.org/lt/firefox/addon/live-editor-for-css-and-less/

Enable the extension and have the realm forums open.

Open up Live editor and paste in the following text:
article[data-user-id=“XXXXX”] {display:none;}

The XXXXX is the part with the User ID. To find this, right click on their name, pick “View Activity”. On that that page add .json to the end of the URL address and the first thing in the huge chunk of code that appears is the users ID. Paste it in the XXXXX part.

Refresh the page.

And done! The forums will have an insanely reduced number of clutter and what you will be left with are healthy discussions, the odd reply to a debate with some otherkin or troll and general positivity instead of the derailed warzones that some threads become.

Note that the guide’s list is in no way complete. Naturally I’ll consider any submissions and add them to the code list above, as well as remain vigilant myself and expand it when needed.

!!!Edit!!!: I’ve also compiled a complete list of IDs and the characters associated with them of the local miscreants. If anyone’s interested I can share it via Discord (Dalaken#4691).

As for those who have been regretfully pruned by the code, no worries, it’s natural! There should be consequences for rampant sillyness as they existed on the old WoW forums. As mentioned by an MVP / reinforced by others, it’s “on the list” for Blizzard when they finally decide to read some features that Discourse is missing, but I’m here to hasten the process at least a tiny bit. (Source: https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/no-ignore-block-feature/31422/11)

All in all, happy posting Argent Dawn! I hope the forums will become more pleasant as more willing individuals follow this guide!

Folktale-argent-dawn · February 24, 2020, 6:03pm

A small update: I’ve added the steps for how you can use the same code on Firefox.

Enjoy!

Dorlas-magtheridon · February 24, 2020, 7:04pm

Wasn´t it because of Classic?
I think I remember some big post on Reddit that Blizzard is unlocking the forums for unsubbed players specifically to give access to the forums to huge community that wasn´t subbed but planned to renew it.
Might be wrong though.

Folktale-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 8:25am

A casual bump! 29 people contacted me over Discord at this stage asking for the ID list.

Reminder, Vilem’s post now includes the steps for Firefox too!

Aerilen-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 3:47pm

Ignore unsubbed posters.

Do not reply to unsubbed posters.

Hide unsubbed posts.

Moburon-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 4:27pm

Even something like this thread itself has become a nice read thanks to the fix it proposes

I had my doubts (cos “what are forums for”) but gotta say, I’m a fan

Brigante-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 6:25pm

Wasn’t a massive fan of the idea originally, but getting rid of a few egomaniacs, narcissists and sycophants has certainly made the forum a more pleasant read, as well as saving the poor downscroll button on my PC, and perhaps best of all, I think I have only seen that idiotic phrase ‘based and redpilled’ once…

Rogmasha-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 8:02pm

You can also right-click one of their posts and go to “inspect element” - the user id is the “data-user-id” specified for that post.

Vilem-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 8:26pm

While ironically summoning another one.

Brigante-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 11:49pm

That’s pretty much what I used. Cleaned it up. Less posts from Mr “I know they Grief RP, but I hold them on a Leash” Which was a real wake up call…Mother of Gods, this man actually believes his hype! “Umm, so you know they grief RP, but it is OK because you control them? Doesn’t that make you slightly hypocritical when even voicing an utterance of disdain at OOC’ers, I mean, doesn’t that mean you are harbouring OOC’ers?” Cue a hundred yapping toadies going “No, it is based and RP pilled”.

Anyway, all seems cleaned up now.

Aerilen-argent-dawn · February 25, 2020, 11:56pm

Blocking someone and then chatting mad crud is a pretty chump move to be honest.