Outpost Universe Forums
Community => Feedback/Suggestions/Problems => Topic started by: Leviathan on March 23, 2005, 05:19:34 PM
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We were thinking of reshuffling the forum a little.
Possibly by adding sections for Internet Relay Chat and Other Games section. Maybe have more sections for computer subjects like they have at UEGO. Anyone have any other suggestions on what we should do or not do?
A main question is for the Fan Made Games and Community Projects section: should we merge (after all they're all the same thing, projects) these but more importantly put them into a subsection so they can't be all seen on the main page. Also, maybe show the active projects on main page and the others (not-so active) in the other subsection. The projects should have a main forum section for general topics.
Also a newbie section would be good as that is going to be part of the new site.
Each section should have links to sections on the site.
As for OP2, I think OP2 should be a subsection, and in that have main OP2, multiplayer, strategy/other and OP2 changes for polls and suggestions for projects/improvements etc.
What else could and should be done or not done with the forums?
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irc section is ok, but I'm against other games. A bit of everything is worse than much of one thing. I know that. I have been active in another community for long time, but when it had forums just about everything, it became boring. people would pay less attention to more things.
do we really need a newbs section. we can help them better on irc.
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I think a newb section is a good idea. Lev u can put all kinds of op2 strategies that newbs should folow.
But make a new thread for each strategy and lock it so that ppl can read it only and not mess it up by adding stuff to it.
Its better with a locked strategy section so newbs can come and take a look instead of bothering every experienced player for instruction, it can get pretty annouing with newbs runing around u asking for advise.
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Reasons for newb section:
- Im sure there hav questions
- questions about OP2, like help playing and how to improve
- here on forums we hav record of it so any one can read
- its not just a section for geting them setup, its to help new members overall.
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I think a newb section is a good idea. Lev u can put all kinds of op2 strategies that newbs should folow.
But make a new thread for each strategy and lock it so that ppl can read it only and not mess it up by adding stuff to it.
Its better with a locked strategy section so newbs can come and take a look instead of bothering every experienced player for instruction, it can get pretty annouing with newbs runing around u asking for advise.
strategies without discussion should better be put on the outpost-universe site, not in the forum.
Reasons for newb section:
- Im sure there hav questions
- questions about OP2, like help playing and how to improve
- here on forums we hav record of it so any one can read
- its not just a section for geting them setup, its to help new members overall.
good point, but make sure, you don't create a replacement of the general oupost2 forums.
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Ive started work on strategies as part of the /help section. I think its a good idea if they can be discused. So people can get help etc.
Back on topic: We need to totaly clean, resort and move the forum about.. making new sections etc.
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The Outpost 3 projects should probably be moved from the main page. There is too little activity on them to really justify it. Plus it seems to create a lot of false hope for some new members as many of the projects will either take many years to finish or never be finished at all. I'm more inclined to believe the later as software projects that take that long usually aren't finished. It's hard to stay interested in the same project for that long and it's more time than most people can devote to it even if they did somehow keep interest in it.
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people would pay less attention to more things.
We would make sure the major stuff is still on the main page. i think we could add more stuff, and have in in subsections etc. like uego would hav there own section. but topics which are genral we can combine.
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looks good to me.
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It looks good to me. If i think of anything that we are missing i'll be sure to let you guys know.
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Are you sure you want the introductions forum that low? I've seen forums where people don't see it at that level and start the new threads where they would be spam
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It's not that low, the intro forum would be in about the same spot as it is now.
Remember you don't see the subforums till you actually click on the parent forum.
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Im gonna start moving things around. I was thinking:
Site Administration
-Moderator/Admin Private Discussion
Forum
-Introductions
-Feedback/Suggestions/Problems
Genral Community
-News
-Issues
--Polls
-IRC Help
Outpost Series Games
-Outpost 2: Divided Destiny
--Polls
-Outpost 2 Strategy
-Outpost 2 Multiplayer
-Outpost 2 Newbie Help
-Outpost 1 / Other Topics
Outpost Universe
-Outpost Programming
--Mapping
--Coding
--Dev Team Forum
--Internal Dev Team
-Outpost Novellas
-Team Forum
Community Projects
-Outpost: Renegades
-Outpost: Missing in Action
-Inactive and Other Projects
--Outpost 3: The Final Chapter
--Outpost 3: Alien Worlds
--Outpost 3: A New Power
--Outpost: A New Beginning
General/Other Topics
-General Main
--General Game Discussion
--General Computer Discussion
--Debate
--File Forum
--Archive
-Test/Spam Forum
Hosted Forums
-UEGO
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looks good IMHO
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Is new forum layout ok ?
Ive been moving topics around to get them in the right places.
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new layout IS ok.
Everything ok, even the redirects in Outspost2 forum.
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When I get a chance to look over this forum some more, I will make a suggestion on what to do. Until then, I have this little nugget of wisdom:
It doesn't hurt to be ruthless with reorangization.
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Okay, no dash is a category, one dash is a forum, two dashes is a subforum for the closest forum above it
Forum and Community
-News
-Introductions
-Feedback/Comments/Issues (combine the General/Issues/Other and Feedback/Suggestions/Problems/General)
-IRC
Outpost Series Games
-Outpost 1 and other Outpost games
-Outpost 2: Divided Destiny
--Outpost 2 Multiplayer
--Outpost 2 Strategy/Single Player
--Outpost 2 Newbie Help
--(delete the Outpost 2 polls forum, there is only two topics in it, empty the stuff into Outpost 2: Divided Destiny)
--Outpost Universe Team Forum
-Fanmade Outpost Games
--Outpost: Renegades
--Outpost: Missing in Action
--Outpost 3: The Final Chapter
-Outpost Programming
-Inactive Projects
Miscellaneous
-General Discussion
-Outpost Novellas
-Test/Spam Forum
Okay, now for quick statistics, there are currently 6 categories. My scheme would reduce it to 3. There are 18 forums on the home page. My plan would reduce the number of forums on the main page to 12. By my estimates, this should shrink the size of the main page by 33-38%. I see no acceptable way to make the main page any smaller than I have suggested.
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There is a difference between Fanmade games and Genral Projects, so they should all go under the title Projects.
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Ok, well, switching the name from fanmade to projects in my proposal is what you are suggesting, I have no objection. Do you have any other objection to the proposed layout?
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Ill see what i can do to make it less cluterd, we can move the OP2 things into OP2 probly.
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Added a TV, Anime, Movies and More section.
Also moved some stuff into Outpost 2.
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Should we reorganize the forum at all? Get rid of some of the sections or whatevea?
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Eh, looks fine to me. LOL - I wonder what made you bring this up again.. IMO everything's fine. A little condensing is always in order- since we have a few forums/subforums that are seldom/never used. I feel the Test section and General section should be merged, I mean we really don't have too much stupid stuff to talk about- plus forum games have their own subforum (that IS here right?, not at one of my other sites I frequent?) so the Test section should be obliterated or merged with another.
I'm still thinking- I'll think on it, sleep on it.. etc
Chris
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Where is genesis in the list? I think it is fine the way it is, imo
Edit: Oh! LOL, Genesis wasn't around then... haha :lol: ....
Whoops... Anyway, a little organization in the other forums would work, but I think the projects section and the spam/etc forum are fine...
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Heh, yes. Those suggestions I made ages ago that every seems to have forgotten about. I had a feeling that would happen. <_<
I've been thinking we could probably improve the forum organization. It's looking kinda disorganized and cluttered. So, here are a few ideas of mine:
1) Rename the "Forum" forum. We know it's a forum, they all are. Let's give it a useful name.
2) The first section I think should contain Introductions and News, and nothing else. The first thing people should see should be current events, where word needs to get out, or welcoming new people to the site.
3) The second section should be the Outpost related forums. ("Outpost 2 Divded Destiny", "Outpost 2 Multiplayer", "Outpost 1 / Other topics"). That is of course why we are here, and is our main attraction. It should be higher up on the page so it's more prominent.
4) Merge the "General/Issues/Other" section with "Feedback/Suggestions/Problems/General". What's really the difference between these two anyways?
5) Remove the links from one forum section to another. When I first saw them I thought they were confusing. Why would I choose to go to the Outpost 2 Divded Destiny section, and then go to Outpost 2 Multiplayer, when I can just go to the later from the main page in the first place. It just adds clutter in my mind. Besides, it gives the appearance of having more subforums than there really are. It puts more strain on new people trying to remember where everything is.
6) Tie the IRC section more closely to the Multiplayer section.
7) Reorganize the "Community Projects" section? We have fairly innactive sections on the main page, and the most active in a subsection. (Namely OP3: Genesis). I think we either need to move things based on use, or move them to make things more consistent. (Probably better to go for consistency since use may come and go). We might even consider merging this section with the "Outpost Universe" section. All those areas are just projects by forum members after all. Granted, the projects do differ substantially in a number of ways.
8) Regroup the General/Issues/etc. stuff with the "General/Other Topics" section at the bottom? I feel this sort of section should be placed closer to the bottom. Besides, how can people provide feedback without looking at the forum first. Seems like you should let new people look at stuff in order going down the page before getting to this one.
Anyways, I'll stop with these ideas for starters. Certainly we might want to consider some of the later ideas before figuring out what to do, if anything. But that does't mean we have to delay all ideas because we can't agree on one. So, if you like an idea, post you agree so it can be done. I dont want nothing to get done because we're wasting all our time debating the finer details of the more obscure points.
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No they were not forgoten about Hooman.
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Most of what Hooman posted sounds reasonable.