Many of our forums aren't as active as we'd all wish them to be, so lately we've been discussing combining forums. While I can't promise we can follow everybody's opinion or request on this matter, I think it's fair to ask you guys what you feel should be combined, and what shouldn't be combined. Here is some meat to get you started...
-We're talking about combining much of the "Gaming" forums, but not Forum Games. -Possibly removing "Newcomers Forum" and putting that as a sticky instead. -Combining Art/Programming into a creative forum. -Bumping Tavern up to the top, general chat generally is.
I think this is a good idea. Newcomer's is just taking space. Bumping "The Tavern" to the top isn't really necessary. Also, combining PH and AMW into one forum is a pretty cool idea, but... You would have to give some description for what kind of stuff goes into the forum. IF you just write "Creative Forum' with no description, people would think that it's the forum for just Art, Music, Etc. and wouldn't even be aware that the forum is also made for PH. After all, it's a pretty neat idea.
You mean my lovable newcomer's forum will no longer be a forum?... Fine by me, although that won't necessarily stop new people from making threads in the Tavern about their arrival.
-We're talking about combining much of the "Gaming" forums,
You should combine Flash games, walkthroughs, MMOs and maybe quests. Video Games and Forum games deserve to be separate, as you just said.
Have nothing to say about the other two except that I agree.
Could be combined... - Support with News Feedback & Suggestions - Flash Games with me Walkthroughs - The Tavern with Popular Media and Newcomers Forum - Programming with Art, Music and Writing
Video Games could be on Tavern for talk about them there , but for MMO i dont know . PS: this upatade is fine with me it would be cool to make it happen
I think it's more sensible to put Quests in Flash Games--they are what they reference, after all. Forum Games is the playground by which we make nice roleplay sessions.
Support Forum: Combining this with News, Feedback, and Suggestions would be a good idea. After all, Support Forum used to be called Support and Suggestions, and the News, Feedback, and Suggestions forum was created under the name Armor Games v3 for suggestions about AG3. But since AG3 is in progress, I think Support and Suggestions would work once again.
Newcomers Forum: Whether users read stickies or not, I think making an introductions sticky would be a poor idea due to clutter. Besides, the stickies in the Newcomers Forum are good for new users to read, though perhaps there should be a reminder in there to read stickies (e.g. a sticky called Read the Stickies). I also think combining with the Tavern would be a poor idea because the introductions would most likely get lost in all the other stuff that goes on in the Tavern, leading to fewer welcome posts in introduction threads.
News, Feedback, and Suggestions: See Support Forum.
Flash Games: This should be combined with both Quests and Game Walkthroughs because both of those forums are related to flash games.
Quests: See Flash Games.
MMO: I would leave this forum alone since MMOs are way different from normal flash games.
Video Games: I saw a suggestion to combine this forum with the Tavern, but I think Video Games should be left alone since video games are big enough as a topic to deserve their own forum.
Forum Games: The general consensus is to leave this forum alone, which is a good idea.
Game Walkthroughs: See Flash Games.
WEPR: I think it's pretty clear that WEPR should be left alone.
Popular Media: I would combine this with the Tavern since the stuff discussed in Popular Media is pretty much miscellaneous anyway.
Tavern: See Popular Media.
Programming Forum: I would leave this alone because programming is not that similar to art, music, or writing.
AMW: With this being the last forum, any combination suggestions would've been posted above. So I recommend leaving the AMW alone.
I personally think that "Newcomer's Forum" could still be around since it would be easier for those who are new to request help and they could also read the FAQ, Guide and Rules topics, and there could also be topics that lead those who are new to the way of Armorgames.
That's my personal opinion though - I would not give up that forum.
Support can be combined with Suggestions for me. It's better to have one simplified Forum where we can thrash out all technical related topics, or seek out help.
I disagree that the Newcomers' Forum could be combined with other Forums though....Almost all Forums that I frequent have at least set aside a Sub-section for beginners to familiarise themselves with. It's only logical, and combining it with say the Tavern is going to just sink down their threads, or cause a loss of focus. We would want to seem more welcoming to newcomers after all.
It's better to have one simplified Forum where we can thrash out all technical related topics
Ditto.
Also if you guys do take up the gaming superforum, I propose we make a chat for all the games, like they do on Kong and put the link on the game page somewhere. I think that would have lots of people coming to the forums.
As many have said, Newcomers should be kept its own location. Every forum I have ever visited has this setup with a separate location for introduction threads..and this is because it works. It's far more personable when one makes a thread and has welcoming posts directly to them FOR them.
Having a thread just takes out that starting connection between new users and existing ones. I could very easily come in every week and just say "Welcome newbies" to no one in particular.
Flash Games: This should be combined with both Quests and Game Walkthroughs because both of those forums are related to flash games.
Agreed.
Popular Media: I would combine this with the Tavern since the stuff discussed in Popular Media is pretty much miscellaneous anyway.
I disagree. I think switching the two would create a mess within the Tavern. Popular Media may not be all too active, but it has an established mindset.
