Input on Changing the Forum Structure

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Less is More.

Whatever you decide at the very least listen to Coco Chanel: just before you leave thinking you are best arranged, take two things off. :heart: It works.
 
At least two. And no, the wrecking ball doesn't count as an accessory.
 
Yes, I do like the homey feel here.

I always wondered why forum owners created like 50 sub-forums right off the bat for just about every topic. A sure way to make it appear dead.
Speaking as someone who has done this - I had The Dumb that day.
 
How about keeping it as is but with the addition of Crowdfunding, and Resources: Resources having Reviews & Articles as subforums. (Resources may also be a repository for shared FAQs or similar things if we ever go that far.)
 
To me, the forum is all one big thing under a link called "New Posts", where I Ctrl-Click on anything I find possibly interesting, then when I've gone through the list click "Mark forums read". I guess that means I don't find any value in the separation of sub-forums or feel the need for more (or any, for that matter). On the other hand, the ability to do that means it doesn't bother me if more sub-forums make people happy (as long as I can view them in that "View New Posts" manner.)
 
To me, the forum is all one big thing under a link called "New Posts", where I Ctrl-Click on anything I find possibly interesting, then when I've gone through the list click "Mark forums read". I guess that means I don't find any value in the separation of sub-forums or feel the need for more (or any, for that matter). On the other hand, the ability to do that means it doesn't bother me if more sub-forums make people happy (as long as I can view them in that "View New Posts" manner.)
This is mostly how I work too. The only reason I care is when I post and have to pick a section.
 
I would suggest this simplified structure:

Dank Memes Forum
All Other Topics Forum
Oh, no. I think the memes are so much better when you have to pick through them to find the conversations.
 
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Actually, a format I used on a Fantasy Hoops site back in the day site that might actually kill here at the Pub is what I call the Statler and Waldorf approach. You get two regulars to have a back and forth conversation about something current, within the boundaries of the format, and publish it as an article. It's great for reviews too (it's what the Fear of a Black Dragon podcast does, if you've ever given that a listen). Rotating participants takes some of the pressure off too.

 
I really don't want to see more sub-forums. Moving promotions and kickstarters out of the main thread would definitely be a mistake. Most people love news about new and upcoming games, so it makes no sense to hide it.

If we want the Pub to be an interesting place about games, it doesn't make sense to force people who actually design games to go sit in a drafty shed in the backyard when they want to talk about the game they made. Yes, some designers can go over the line, but it makes more sense us mods to talk to them individually.

At present, our main forum a Bundle thread were the owner regularly drops in to provide customer service, and Mythras threads where Loz drops in with upcoming news. Are these the kind of things we are looking to banish? If we are going to change anything, I'd like to understand exactly what problem we are trying to fix.
 
Only change I'd make, personally, is fold the design & development forum into the main RPG forum (it's kind of a ghetto right now), and change the Gaming Resources forum into "Reviews & Gaming Resources", to have a place to archive and easily search reviews

that actually leaves us with 1 less subforum
 
I agree with both of those that say that there's no pressing need for a change, and with those that say "crowdfunding and promotions could use their own forum".
So, I guess my vote, as weighty (ha!) as it is, would go to "keep it basically as it is, but split crowdfunding off":thumbsup:.
Don't see the need for (nor the usefulness of) other changes.
Granted, I'd still love the Pub regardless of forum structure. But I'm used to the current structure, which probably colours my opinion...

Hey, is it time for our own Pub Edition Structure War:grin:?
 
At present, our main forum a Bundle thread were the owner regularly drops in to provide customer service, and Mythras threads where Loz drops in with upcoming news. Are these the kind of things we are looking to banish? If we are going to change anything, I'd like to understand exactly what problem we are trying to fix.

This is a very important point I think.

Not only customer service from Allen, but I believe he's actually added stuff to the Bundle that people have requested a few times.

If there's a tradeoff between people like him and Loz contributing as designers/publishers and having to deal with the occasional Knobby McKnobhead being overly aggressive with their KS marketing it's a tradeoff more than worth making.
 
Really about the only thing I think I'd like to see is a seperate section for reviews that I could go into. Otherwise I've enjoyed the basic setup of the site.
As an outspoken opponent of more sub-forums, I'd be okay with a section for reviews. Ideally, some kind of database would be best, but I don't know if we will get enough reviews to justify the effort.
 
As an outspoken opponent of more sub-forums, I'd be okay with a section for reviews. Ideally, some kind of database would be best, but I don't know if we will get enough reviews to justify the effort.

If you build it, they will come.

Bet we could get Dan Davenport to upload his substantial backlog of reviews just as a start
 
If you build it, they will come.

Bet we could get Dan Davenport to upload his substantial backlog of reviews just as a start
Yes, and I expect having some kind of database would encourage people to bring reviews here more than simply having a sub-forum. It would also be better to set this up from the beginning, rather than waiting for people to start 200 review threads, then deciding to migrate everything to a database.
 
I like this idea. I haven’t seen anything like it on any other RPG forum.
TBP have one but I think ours should be more democratic than the mods telling everyone which threads are good.
 
Some of the threads haven’t been posted to in a couple years though. Some might not be remembered so readily.
 
So what I think I will do is this. I will merge Resources into the Main forum and then I will add a Reviews forum. Then I will possibly add a Swo Forum with the greatest threads from the Pub’s history but that will be a sub-forum of the Main forum most likely. That way the look of the forum on the front page will not change.
 
wait resources into the main forum? won't that make them much harder to access?
 
wait resources into the main forum? won't that make them much harder to access?
Just the threads, not the resources themselves. Resources will always have their separate section. I am going to add a prefix to the threads that say “resource” to make them easier to See as well.
 
Might it be worth separating them into even narrow categories (fantasy, scifi etc.) to help people find them? Our resources section is the narrowest section in terms of who's going to be looking for them.
 
As an kinda off topic remark. Ever notice that often there are more guests than there are members on the site? It's one of those things I can't help but be fascinated by.
 
As an kinda off topic remark. Ever notice that often there are more guests than there are members on the site? It's one of those things I can't help but be fascinated by.
That’s usual for most forums. Many of those are bots.
 
Simpler is better, speaking as someone who (poorly) ran a (shitty) forum. I'm not sure it needs to be any more complicated that it is, EXCEPT it would be a good idea to put promotional/crowdfunding/potentially spammy stuff in its own place.

Barring that, we need a sub for noodz breh.
 
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