The main problem with multiple bars is that there is only a limited number of topics that are shown on the page, so topics that are perfectly active, such as unanswered questons, are thrown off the first page to a realm very few people actually look at, and thus the questions are never answered.
Considering that, and the fact that the posts in bars are complete spam, to keep bars at all a considerable change must be made. So, I'll try and be productive here, and make a few points. Although I'd tend to lean with Warbeast's opinion, that this really isn't very purposeful - because we all know Soviet Mikee will say "hmm.... I think I'll do my plan anyway" <winks> - I think this time I'll try and take part in this discussion, instead of doing what I normally do, which is to read over and find myself with no reason to post.
First matter, the content of bars. I made an effort in one bar to make a plot, however, that didn't go far. At least, I made it with a few other people and formed the whole story very quickly, because we all knew - and Phoenix proved it - that someone would just come in with their Infinite Unending Totally Unstoppable Omega Blaster (or CHEAT as it is sometimes referred to when found in games) and just stop the plot in it's tracks. Since we finished it before anyone could post, that couldn't happen, but we got one or two "alternative endings" with the whole "I killed you all with my CHEAT".
Thus, I would like to propose this:
If a bar descends into spam, and lacks a) a formulated mini-webstory like plot or 
a discussion forum (such as the bar centres on talking about achievements in EVO or fictional stories the person or their character would like to tell), then that bar should be deleted. Not locked, deleted. That gets around the problem with topics going off page, I believe.
Of course, if one or two people post spam, or go off topic, that isn't enough of a reason. It's if in a dozen posts there isn't a single productive one that I believe this should be done. Sorry, Mikee, that this course of action deletes the need of your locking picture. <smiles>
It should be made clear that bars do not escape the normal posting rules of EVO. They don't need to be in-topic, in-character all the time. They are one of the best places for someone to ask "where did XX go?" instead of posting a topic about it. Taking them away isn't the answer, nor is ignoring them. Striving to make something of them is in my opinion the best option.
And when it comes to the number of bars, one. Any more and they are just a bunch of topics that are completely useless. One bar at a time has more traffic, and thus it would be better used as an off-topic questioning topic as well as a place for small plotlines and stories. If someone asks "where's XX?" in an unused topic, then s/he won't get an answer. Also, if they post "where's XX?" in about ten different bars, they are simply spamming.
So, in my opinion, delete any multiple bars, and have a single "official" bar. The system of "who gets to start the new bar" actually works, by looking at the people who visit the bars a lot. On another note, worthwhile bars might be one of the major things that bring back my interest to the boards. The first was losing my computer for a week, the second will be Reign of Chaos II and Golden Horizon.
Finally, please note that webstories and bars are extremely different. One webstory at a time... <shivers> Personally, I believe the limit on that should be two. If you think back for a moment, Dark Tide and Reign of Chaos worked fine together, each with totally different but still enough players.
SilverDragon
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"That's all very nice, but where are the guns?"
- SilverDragon
