These are some of my recommended conditions for an HYO return (which I am in favor of, by the way):
- As gamesurf said, shut off the section to non-members and initiate an automatic probation period for new members — say, six months — before they may begin participating in the section. I don’t necessarily believe there should be a set number of posts one must reach to unlock the section, however. I can see this being abused, plus some members post more frequently than others. Rather, allow the probation to automatically be lifted after set period of time, and if any member behaves in an unproductive manner, it’s at the discretion of G-R staff to have the offender’s probation reinstated.
- Have more than one moderator overseeing HYO and only allow mods and forum staff to create show threads for confirmed hosts, completely eliminating the issue of trolls trying to start shows without permission.
- 12 hour reply limit for hosts and contestants. The general rule of thumb has generally been 24 hours for contestants — primarily at the sole discretion of the host — and hosts themselves have much more leeway, sometimes taking days to respond back to their own shows (and I’ve been guilty of this, myself). However, it’s not 2005 anymore. The vast majority of us have smartphones that are more than capable of accessing the site, so 12 hours should be plenty of time for most. If you’re a host and plan to be away from your computer, then consider using graphics that can be created from your phone (and such apps are easily accessible and inexpensive, if not free). You can even go text-only, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you’re a host and take longer than 12 hours to reply, the section moderator(s) may take over hosting duties until such time that you return. Excessive time away from hosting during your show may result in penalties (see next item below). Same for contestants.
- Three Strike System (hosts): If a host abandons their show for a period of 48 hours or longer, this will result in a strike. If three strikes are accumulated over the course of (two) succeeding shows, the offending member will be placed on probation from hosting further shows, perhaps six months to one year.
- Three Strike System (contestants): Generally, if you miss your turn three times as a contestant, you are out. This will still apply, however the strike will be applied automatically to the offending member after a period of 12 hours, regardless if the host or next contestant has posted. If the offending member’s turn remains valid, they may take it at the host’s discretion. However, their strike will remain. Three strikes in a given show, the contestant is out. If this happens over the course of three shows, the offending member will be placed on a probation period of six months to one year from participating in HYO, either as a host or contestant.
I believe these suggestions would go a long ways in taking care of the issues that have plagued HYO. The faster pace shows move along at, the better. Also, I believe these rules can allow for two concurrent shows, as well as the hour-long format, provided there is enough participation.