There is then very little room for proper discussion threads, and those that are started drop off the bottom too quickly.
Exactly, Jane. It's the dropping-off of discussion threads, whatever the subject, that's the problem IMO. Many of the Games threads are one-word answers so someone playing a few of those can knock something interesting out of sight.
I doubt if many of us go looking for interesting topics just take pot-luck with what comes up, but increasingly most of the Last Hour page is mainly Games threads.