This ^^^ I do take some exception to based on my observations over the past 15 months here. Actually, one of the issues we've had with the Proposals section is that mods never looked at or responded to any of the threads except when posts were flagged as inappropriate behavior (rarely for dnsl). Even when multiple people pointed out a proposal was on DNSL, the thread typically continued without any post or action taken by a mod. Heck, I even tagged mods once on a proposal to solve an in-thread argument, to clarify if was DNSL. Only answers were repeatedly stating submit a clear outline of suggestion (which the OP already had done) & don't mod bash (which no one was doing). do you remember that thread? I think you & at least 1-2 other players privately may have had conversations with mods trying to get a reasonable answer to the reasonable question, without success.
Yes, there have been issues with the Proposals section. That was one of my motivating factors in applying for the moderator position. If you have never been a mod, it's hard to convey how difficult it is. I certainly didn't until I became one. All moderators are volunteers who do this in the time they have between real life and actually playing the game. Forum regulars, on the other hand, are here seemingly all the time. So you can have 3 or more pages on a proposal in just a couple of hours. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to get on the Forum after just a few hours absence and see an already out of control, off topic thread where posters are arguing about everything except the merits of the proposal.
We are taking steps to address this. One of them was relaxing the format requirements, because that has been the quickest road to off-topic-ville. And poster after poster chastising the new member for not using proper format has been about the least welcoming part of the Forum. Subsequently, we have adjusted the Do Not Suggest List. Some of the items we just clarified, others were added from a global DNSL that some other servers are basing their DNSL on. With that change to the DNSL, we ask that Forum regulars leave the determination of whether a proposal violates it to the moderating staff. If anyone feels a proposed item violates the DNSL, the proper response is to use the "Report" button on the proposal post, specifying that you believe it may be on the DNSL. Then it can be addressed and determined by a member of the moderating staff, who can hopefully then handle the matter without the OP feeling like they are being attacked by everybody on the Forum.
One of the things that we would like Forum members to keep in mind is that the main reason for having a Forum is to build community among the players. Making proposals to improve the game is (or should be) just a minor part of this.
relaxing?more like tightening..
Relaxing the format requirements. Clarifying and more closely aligning our DNSL with what other servers are using. It makes no sense, as
@Agent327 rightly points out, to let proposals of certain items proceed through the process when there is no chance that the developers will look at them. The purpose of the DNSL is two-fold. It is intended to not waste the time of developers having to look at proposed changes that they either won't do or are already working on, and also not to waste the time of players proposing, discussing and voting on things that won't be submitted.