Please fix this forum!

[DM_Roäc]

I am making this post after a while seeing if I could get used to the new forum format, and I have to say I have completely failed to do so.

The combination of in-character and out-of-character threads basically just adds up to a mess, and I no longer feel welcome to read and write IC stuff when it's all bundled in like this.

I have also found that I am discouraged from using the system I set up to reward in-character posts, which is a great shame since there have been some really good ones lately. Where am I supposed to put the polls? There is nowhere that this can neatly be done without adding to the confusion, and there is now nowhere I can go to browse through old in-character threads.

I would suggest that at the very least, there needs to be one forum for IC writing, where active polls are stickied until about a week after they have closed, then maybe get collected into a running archive. Below that would be all the unstickied In-character threads that people have made over the years, where people can continue to either post in collective threads or in individual threads just for their own characters, as it always has been. Prefereably, there would be two forums, as we had before; one for polls, one for posts, so that the two do not make a mess together.

Either way, I have not yet heard a positive word said about the new layout with regards to the Roleplay and events forum, and I strongly urge anyone who feels the same to make a post here.

Thank You

[Wonder_Horse]

Dont like the fact that IC posts relating to individual characters are not together as they originaly were.

[Led Guardian]

I don't mind the subforums so much, but that whole IC story conglomeration thread really bothers me. I'm going to post my character history story thing soon, and I don't want to do it in a thread with a bunch of other jumbled tales.

[Nightwind]

While I'm personally not interested in IC posts (though Mèsfaned's journal is rather amusing), I do think that for the sake of those who are, each character should be allowed his separate thread, and all those sorted into a separate (sub-)board.
Polls on these threads should then also be conducted in the IC-board, possibly using the sticky mechanism proposed by Roac.

I understand that the current system - with all ICs supposed to go into one thread - discourages IC postings, but I also wouldn't like all the IC posters to "spam" the board that for me is the "guilds and events" forum with individual threads. So give them their own board and let them IC-post to their heart's content, and the rest of us (or is it just me?) can just ignore that board, if you catch my drift.

[DM_Kev]

Whilst I hold similar views to Nightwind on the postings, I should note that the forum changes, so far have acheived their aim. Postings have increased much more than expected, logins for NWN forum users/viewers have increased considerably. I put that down to a compact forum where every forum is an active forum with useful posts in it.

There have not been persistent, stormy objections. There was some initial feedback in the announcement (closed only because it was filling the announcements board with chatter) which could easily have been restarted on the misc board. There have been no jubilant celebrations of the new format either; to be fair, i didnt expect any. It was a necessary, profitable change which we should have made ages ago after calls from players. The fruits of this undertaking have been demonstrated over the last fortnight.

We can consider some options. Im rather keen on utilising the website and allowing players to create content submissions. Would certainly allow more freedom of layout, archiving and presentation.

By all means lets consider some further changes, but after the community has cried out for greater activity, let's not take a step back.

[Brindisium]

Whilst I hold similar views to Nightwind on the postings

Do you mean you aren't interested in them Kev? Or are you refering to this from Nightwind?


I do think that for the sake of those who are, each character should be allowed his separate thread, and all those sorted into a separate (sub-)board. Polls on these threads should then also be conducted in the IC-board, possibly using the sticky mechanism proposed by Roac

I very much agree with the later

[DM_Roäc]

I have to say that although I understand your reasons for locking the original thread where this was being discussed, I did not like it, and no one I spoke to liked it either. I am convinced that I am not alone in disliking the current layout, and a few people have expressed to me their annoyance at the way things have panned out. I would like to think that their (our) concerns will be heard and respected, and that they will lead to a change for the better.

As I've stated before, the reorganisation of the forums was largely positive and was a good idea for the most part. The other forum sections work well and have a good level of activity, but this one part needs addressing, and so far, I have not seen anyone say that it is fine the way it is.

[DM_Kev]

Im not personally interested in IC posts, as per Nightwind. I seldom read them, I dont feel inclined to make any. And that is purely my opinion as a forum user.

Past has proved such a board would be inactive with people bumping regularly. Im not against an IC service in principle. Just needs some careful thought.

[Brindisium]

Im not personally interested in IC posts, as per Nightwind. I seldom read them, I dont feel inclined to make any. And that is purely my opinion as a forum user.

Past has proved such a board would be inactive with people bumping regularly. Im not against an IC service in principle. Just needs some careful thought.

Fair enough. Thanks for clarifying

[DM_Roäc]

To address Kev's post, does it really need to be active 100% of the time? we have seen recent in-character posts, and I know I still have some up my sleeve, but that is not the nature of the beast. We don't have to keep every forum area a full and buzzing hive of activity. A library still works well even if it's not in the supermarket. Even put 'library' in the forum's title if you like. The point is, the arrangement we have now is discouraging to anyone looking to post i-character, or read others' threads. To me, that's just not acceptable.

[DM_Yavanna]

Although I don't feel so strongly about it that I'd fall on my sword, I would find it easier if the IC posts were grouped, and so were the guild posts. I don't see why some of the guilds are stickied and some not--seems odd.

[Ptolomy]

I can't see any harm in grouping IC posts if those who read/use them prefer it. The level of activity does not seem that important and, if anything, it would make them easier to avoid for those whom they bore. :)

[Nightwind]

I eventually decided to cast my actual vote in favour of a separate IC board, even though I don't feel strongly about it. But Ptolomy summed it up very nice and concise.
But please leave the Guild threads in the Events board!

[SpymasterGend]

Condolidation may have made it easier for the casual visitors to see what's new throughout the site, but it also jumbles things that ideally would remain separated. Which is to say that I agree with the previous comments, particularly with respect to the in-char posts. A separate forum or subforum for those just makes sense, both for those who enjoy and those who do not. And for those who do, jumbling the different characters' episodes is, well, definitively ooc. A separate thread as before for each character, keeping his/her story (let alone comments) cohesive, coherent, and comprehensible, I find highly preferable.

I also thought that Roac's review or beauty pageant of the in-char posts was constructive, especially the feedback. The..err...literary feedback...the xp is incidental. Because frankly, the better we become at communicating in the written word when those words are considered and revised, sweated over, tossed out, pulled back out of the ashbin, etc., then the better we all can be at communicating ad hoc in-game. More nuance, more flavor, more satisfying rp.

That said, much of the forum re-do, particularly the location/structure of essential info, is vastly better, esp. for new players. My two cents after a fairly superficial and somewhat confused lookover.

[DM_Kev]

Thanks to all for your valuble feedback.

It is clear there are some strong feelings against some of the changes made, though by and large there is consenus that the changes were, on the whole, a good move forward.

I have decided not to wait for the poll to close. Instead I have made a decision on how we can maximise the effectiveness of the changes.

What im going to do:

- Rename this subforum: "Events and Guilds" - For discussion of all things guilds (active guilds still get stickies) and in-game events on the orgsanisational, preperation and feedback level.

- Create a new subforum "Roleplay & Library" - Here lies all manner of in character postings and archives for curious users. All IC threads in this forum will be shifted over to the new one.

I expect this change to take place soon. This completes our forum improvements and I thank all those who have offered their thoughts.

[DM_Roäc]

I'd like to offer genuine thanks for that offer Kev, and restate that apart from the issue discussed here, I too thought that the restructuring of the forums was highly positive, and seems to have worked.

Thanks also to everyone here who has taken the time to make their views heard.

[Nightwind]

Good, I think everyone should be happy now. =) The poll has been unanimous so far, so I suppose there wouldn't have been any surprises in waiting for it to close. Cheers!

[MilouOpo]

Would it be possible to restore those IC posts to their former, original context, in individual threads?

[DM_Kev]

Unfortunately not.

[Led Guardian]

People could always copy the texts themselves, and then paste them into a new thread. Tedious maybe, but it would work.