Forum Update and Reorg

Unless the thread starter indicated it was an error and wanted it moved, yes.

There's one very easy way to find out. As Tamar says, it could always be changed after a few months if it doesn't work.

I could see where some so-called Media Central might be RR material - considering how heated some opinions are about certain Star Trek movies/series. Ditto Star Wars.
And when someone might want to discuss some of the same without the slinging of the manure pile.

There is also the notion that a Media Central thread could have a free-for-all debate in Media Central if the Red Room Rules icon, usually used in the Blue Room, is used.

I mean, if the idea is to spread out the traffic a little bit, maybe using that icon in other forums might help.

I could see combining Media Central with Press Start and potentially the Workshop, but that's about it. Personally I think the board is fine with the forums as they are, but whatever. I know some places like changing things just for the fuck of it, so why should Wordforge be any different.

Not trying to diminish Techman's passing, but is there not some other way to honor Techman than naming a forum after him, especially when it doesn't jive with the theme you are going for? And why just him and not other lost posters?


I have to say I like the idea of combining your and Async's Proposal together:

The Furnace (Red Room Rules)
Quench (Regular Rules)
Hearth (BR rules)
Ledger (Admin)

Consistent theme combined with innovative forum organization.

I do not like the idea.

I do not like those names.

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam I am.

Techforge should stay full stop.

Pretty much the same as it is now, except Camp Wordforge, Gold Room and Iron Room are merged into the Green Room. (They can be subforums, or all the threads can be thrown together or whatever. Just so long as they're not sitting on the main page looking dead.

Press Start is merged with Media Central. Subforum, complete merge, don't care.

Shelter and Help Desk can only be viewed by members. Strangers and the banned don't need to see our dirty laundry.

I don't think we need to reinvent the wheel or make and massive changes, but I do think it'd be nice to tighten things up.

This.

None of the forums I suggested merging into other forums have more than a couple threads that have been posted in within the last week.

So what?

So if I was checking out a new board, seeing that half of the forums are barely active would make me think less of the place. Some people like a quieter place, but no one likes a dead place.

They are dead and a drag on posting and thus the board as a whole.

Why not try something radical? If it doesn't work out we can always go back to 'reorg light.'

How do you figure? Who cares if no one posts in them? I sure as hell don't. Why should you have such a vested interest in all of this?

You're really going to try to sell that?

Yes, because it's true.

Would you like to explain why you disagree?

Over the years I have learned that people really don't look at the categories and forums all that much on message boards, they go to "New Posts" and post in topics that interest them.

Until you have seen some really BADLY organized boards that are out there, you won't fully appreciate WF, which is pretty darn coherent and organized IMO. I've seen a helluva lot worse ones.

B/c I've spent almost a decade here and more than that with some of the people. I have a vested interest in this board and want to see it flourish and not die. I want to increase posting (which consolidation does), bring in new posters and try to bring back old posters. The way things are ISN'T working on any of those fronts and so I want to try things that have been proven on other boards to work.

So now that I have answered your question, why are YOU so vested in the Status Quo?

Here's what's killing boards - Facebook.

Does WF have a facebook page yet? A Twitter feed? How is it for smartphone users, is it friendly to them? Can people sign on here with their facebook account?

Not particularly aside of saying horseshit. I made my thoughts crystal clear some time ago on this matter.

You seem to think that fucking [-]up[/-] with the board will have people coming in droves.

Maybe you did. Maybe I missed it.

But if you're gonna keep criticizing other peoples opinions, would it hurt to reiterate your own now and again?

No, I just think it'll be cleaner.

THE BOARD IS DYING!!1!!



New posters have come and will continue to at their own pace. Old posters have more than likely left for reasons other than the board itself, in effect the layout, and are free to return at their leisure since as far as I know Lanz has lifted all bans save the more current ones after his takeover. Apparently they chose not to. Do you think a bit of paint and spackle will have them kicking the door down? I sure as hell don't.

Posted in wrong thread, can't delete.

First off, while I had the courtesy to answer your question, you have not returned it by answering mine: Why are YOU so vested in the Status Quo?



A lot more posters have left than new ones joined. If you were going to send an email to say:

marathon
gul
bryce
matthunter
Cervantes
MiniBorg
markb
Spider
Leit
Xerafin
faisent
Ryan
armalyte
Reno Floyd
Grammour Boy
Jeff Cooper Disciple
Kyle
Matty
persianmouse
Powaqqatsi
Chris
Rincewiend
Scruff
Sunshine
Bobcat
Chest Rockwell
Crosis
Darwin
Delaware
Dendroica
Doctor Manhattan
Guffbox
GuiltyGear
Harmon Bokai
Herpetologist
Jenna
Jeriko
KamelReds
KatyJane
Lethesoda
Linda R.
locustinferno
Mandi
mburtonk
Meka
mostlyharmless
Number_6
Parallaxis
podgers
Samwise
schmitty
Spaceman Spiff
SpatialDude
starkt
StarMan
Stewey
the_hawk_flies_at_dawn
trinity
Vignette
Yahweh
ZanZokeN
Zodiac
classichummus
Dunamis
Eminence
Excelsius
Fox Mulder
Friday
Gagh
JohnM
JoshC
Zenow

which appeal do you think would actually get them to click:

OR

Obviously just a rough draft I just typed up but you get the idea.

And that's just for getting older members back.

I and others have explained how consolidation ups posting and discussion and also how it makes the board more attractive to new members. If you disagree with any of those points feel free to go back and quote them explaining your disagreements. I'm not going to retype them just so you can ignore the points and just restate your position (DON'T GO CHANGIN' NUTHIN!) yet again.

Why wouldn't you include "Since you've been gone a lot of the trolling in the RR has ceased, with the tools for trolling being removed and trolls deciding to leave so good debate and discussion has picked up"* in the first e-mail?

Clearly you're saying "Come back the evil rep system is gone!" Which is true whether the forums are changed or not.

An honest e-mail would be an amalgam of these two e-mails: Hey X, this is Anc from www.wordforge.net. Haven't seen you around for a bit so just wanted to invited back to check out the forums. There are less posters and less activity but there are no more neg-reps. Come check it out and say hi!

You've made that claim and I'm for updating the board lay out too, yet we've updated the board many times over in the past and I can't remember it ever increasing traffic.

And nobody has said "DON'T GO CHANGIN' NUTHIN!" except for you.





*We still have plenty of trolls and trolling.

Seems that changing rep hasn't lived up to the hype, so now it's not neg-reps but the forum lay out that is the problem.

Aren't you kind of stretching there? Just because some people have some suggestions about changing the layout does not make it at all the same kind of problem as rep wars, driving people away on purpose, and all the other childishness that went on.

We have figured it out: You are opposed to any changes being made to the board, and don't like to hear about them. If that represents the position of the whole staff, just say so and lock the thread.

Which of my posts are you replying to?

Nobody has said "DON'T GO CHANGIN' NUTHIN!" that's but a strawman created by Ancalagon.