Merge General with Multimedia forums

[Frunk]

1. Background:

Multimedia and its forums were initially created to lessen the strain on a highly active General forum. Whatever initial success was experienced through this change is clearly now reversed, with the majority of the Multimedia forums, as well as General proper, largely inactive, particularly compared to how they used to be. General is mostly restricted to world news, the occasional unstructured debate, and topics about our community and its members.

 

Games, one of General's sub-forums, is active and popular amongst the community. On the other hand, Polls is very inactive. The limited content it does see tends to be largely exclusive of interest to the wider the community, and interaction by "outsiders" is not encouraged. This is not fault Polls users, but simply because, as a sub-forum, it is difficult for anyone else to get involved.

 

2. Proposal:

Remove Movies & TV, Music, and Literature, and merge their topics into General proper. Lock the Polls forum and instruct members to post any topics they normally would in General proper, on an indefinite trial basis. Thread tags (prefixes visible in the forum view) such as Music, Movies, TV, Debates, Polls, News, etc. be any others are created for General proper, and continuously created as needed. If a member does not remember to, or does not know how, to implement the thread tag, a moderator can simply add it for them.

 

Anime & Manga and Video Games retain their independence on the forum index. The Games sub-forum is promoted to the forum index beneath General, and re-branded "Forum Games" or "Posting Games" to distinguish it from Video Games.

 

3. Reasoning:

 

Anime & Manga and Video Games see a good level of activity, and both are particularly relevant to a pop culture-based community such as this. Movies & TV, Music, and Literature are clearly not as active, and their existence detracts from activity that could be housed in General proper.

 

The Polls forum no longer needs to be separate either. Irrespective of a perceived lack of relevance in topics to the wider community, there is potential that the wider community would become included in these discussions, to the benefit of both parties. Locking the sub-forum, rather than immediately removing it, allows for an easy restoration of the status quo ante. Where there is a concern that Polls has become a traditionally spammy section, this must be dealt with by moderators on a case-by-case basis as required. Having content pooled into one location could also make moderating easier, with less places and less scope for spam and spammers to go potentially unnoticed.

 

General, by its very definition, should be a place for everything that does not require a forum of its own. Too many options creates confusion, particularly when a thread is posted in an incorrect location, occasionally resulting in the OPer being chastised by other members, and ultimately discourages posting. Thread tags (prefixes visible in the forum view) would demonstrate to members what types of topics exist in General, reducing confusion, educating members as to what type of content exists there, and, in turn, encouraging them to post similar content, creating even more activity.

 

Games is a popular sub-forum, and its placement on the forum index could promote it to an even wider audience.

 

4. Expectation:

 

As opposed to one section (Multimedia) with 2 active and 3 inactive forums, and the other (Other) with a General proper that is far less active than Games, Polls, and Clubs & Organisations combined, after a possible adjustment period, the new Multimedia & Other section features 5 active forums, laid out as:

-Multimedia & Other

--Anime & Manga

--Video Games

--General

---Polls (locked)

--Forum Games (now a forum instead of a sub-forum)

--Clubs & Organisations

 

General, with a host of new content now calling it home, will become an extremely active bastion of the site once more. I expect all music, movies, TV, literature and polls threads to fit seamlessly in with General proper, creating an active base to promote even more discussion. This creates a forum where genuine friendships and community spirit can be created, as opposed to just casual posting.

 

This must be done sooner rather than later, to maximise its effectiveness.

 

5. Alternative:

 

If my suggestion is not implemented, I foresee a further reduction in activity in all the forums outlined, to the detriment of the forum as a whole. Forums without a section for general discussion and community interaction WILL only become less active.

 

6. Conclusion:

 

We can either combine 5 inactive forums to recreate a brilliant community hub, or we can persist with the current layout, that is clearly flawed, as testified by their combined serious lack of activity. I truly believe the forum would greatly benefit, and could not be at all hindered, by the implementation of this suggestion.

 

Please feel free to comment with your thoughts, support or opposition. Cheers, Frunk.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

I would largely be okay with this. You're right about your arguments regarding activity and moderation, and although it might put some newer members off posting (where does this go? is it of enough interest to talk about? etc) being in general would naturally open threads up to more views. Thread titles and tags make it more than evident what is what.

 

Music gets pretty decent tickover in itself more than the others, but then given the aim is increased acitivity there's no reason the Metal thread can't be stickied in General and other fad threads just live and die as long as they are needed/relevant.

 

Can't see a reason against it.

 

Only thing I'd say is: Polls I think is a pretty spammy section and should be treated more like Games than General if anything, although bigger polls, like the YCM Member Brawls/Awards or the like from example, should of course go in General where more users would naturally go and get involved.

 

EDIT: Also I have been put off posting in General recently due to these spambot likes recently, although given I haven't recieved a dozen likes from XCGAJGHNGDST in the Undertaker thread yet this issue may have been resolved.

[Frunk]

I could argue having just one forum (with an appropriately edited description as opposed to the classic "Talk about anything!") might actually be easier for new members to. Absolutely, popular threads like that could be a sticky in General. Really, nothing is changing except everything is now being pooled into General, with increased activity as a result.

 

Polls is supplementary to the main part of the merge, but I think the more activity we get, the better, so it should be included. Like you say, I would be more inclined to check polls out and possibly get involved if they were in General.

 

It used to be all about the integrity of post counts. Who really cares about that any more?! Not that I think moderation needs to be more lax in terms of what is and what is not acceptable, but if a kid wants to up his post count by replying to ever active thread, let the boy win his spurs. It will do the community good. Moderators can deal with any issues as they arise, like they always have. :)

[Goose]

Personally I think that the forum was better off when there was only a general section and no multimedia at all.  It was the hub of the website and a place where any member could interact with any other.  Without the general hub we end up with card makers, graphic designers, tcg players, role players and so much more.  This is most certainly a step in the right direction.  I'm 100% behind this suggestion (and so is Luna Lovegood who I've talked to about this many times before)

[Kazooie]

I would rather video games not be mixed into General, considering that section is still fairly active on it's own, though I may have just misread the opening post and that's what you meant at the bottom. I didn't sleep much last night.

 

I wouldn't mind the places merging. I hardly post as is, but if this starts to generate a bit more activity, then maybe I would. I don't see anything wrong on a conceptual level, and I've advocated for a "Talk about Anything" thread in the past. Another forum I go to has a thread for that called "The Bar and Grill" and that thread sees more activity daily then our General forum does in a week, and it's in their version of the General forum. Plus their General Forum is still fairly active.

[Frunk]

Video Games and Anime & Manga are excepted from the suggested merge. As in "exception." ;)

[Kazooie]

Video Games and Anime & Manga are excepted from the suggested merge. As in "exception." ;)

 

Damn I really was tired when I read this. xD

 

Yeah, I don't see anything that really gives a reason this shouldn't happen honestly. Unless someone comes in with a really good argument, I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Tentacruel]

I agree except for polls.

 

Polls is too spammy and should remain separate IMO.

[Frunk]

I agree except for polls.

 

Polls is too spammy and should remain separate IMO.

 

Is spam such an evil these days though? Really, I can tolerate some random polls popping up in General if it allows me the chance to get involved in the conversation. Again, anything beyond the line of acceptability can be dealt with by the moderators on a case-by-case basis as required.

[Cin]

Polls do get spammy when Coolspy posts them. Issue with polls the OP has a tendency to keep posting every few posts.

[Goose]

Polls do get spammy when Coolspy posts them. Issue with polls the OP has a tendency to keep posting every few posts.

 

Same is true in RC and Your Decks

[Frunk]

Polls do get spammy when Coolspy posts them. Issue with polls the OP has a tendency to keep posting every few posts.

Is spam such an evil these days though? Really, I can tolerate some random polls popping up in General if it allows me the chance to get involved in the conversation. Again, anything beyond the line of acceptability can be dealt with by the moderators on a case-by-case basis as required.

[Tentacruel]

It's not so much that spam is intolerable.  It's just that if this new section is 60% "Who would win Goku or Santa Claus," it might get in the way of other threads.

 

Of course, one could argue this new section would reduce the amount of those. 

 

Edit: I retract my initial statement, Polls isn't nearly as active as I thought.  

 

Go for it Frunk. 

[Lunar Origins]

I think that Coolspy should spearhead the new General.

 

Long live Coolspy!

 

but really, i support this.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

I don't really see anything that goes wrong with merging stuff, so why not.

 

Though as Yin already noted, General (particularly the main section and Polls) does get spammy when coolspy74 makes any form of posts about his absurdly high like count (he only earned about less than 40 of them; rest of them were added via a certain mod) and matching random things / altering results so his choice somehow wins. Spam isn't necessarily bad, but it's when people encourage him to keep posting is when things get out of hand. Some people enjoy his posts; others don't.

 

Only thing Polls really has nowadays are those Anime polls [which you could consider as an alternate to the YCM Grand Tournament].

 

The CC section has some degree of it as well (I've seen some members in RC / Pop Culture double/triple bump their threads at times; can't say much for the Deck section since I don't frequent that area.) Let's be honest, all of YCM has some degree of it; just that the mods responsible for the other sections keep things in order.

[Lt. Colonel Remo]

Not sure if you were aware Frunk, but the mods aren't restricted to any particular forum or jurisdiction, they all act forum-wide but generally just kinda stay in a sphere they feel most comfortable (or however they assign it). So I don't think we really have to worry about whether this will be easier to mind, right? I DON'T KNOW HOW MODDING WORKS, AIX BACK ME UP

 

I would rather we keep polls separate. When the Debate section was merged, all debates kind of just stopped happening. There isn't really an incentive, which I feel is likely going to happen with polls as well. Of course you could argue that since no one is making polls anymore we might as well get rid of it anyways, but I feel it still has potential. Things like Roxas's tournament and even coolspy's idiocy kept things kinda lively and at least interesting. And there's always the opportunity for future forum events to be organized and occur there. That old YCM member popularity contest comes to mind. 

 

The rest of Frunk's suggestion I concur with however. Multimedia might as well be merged with Other.

[Sleepy]

I agree with the OP.

Movies & TV shows has no reason to be it's own section looking at how inactive it is. 

Current General is not so general.

I ignore how active are Music or Literature, but current active regular members overall in the forum are not really enough for so much space to begin with, so I seen no problem with that.

 

 

Polls/Games I would keep isolated though. Not for the "spam" aspect on itself, but if that gets into general, it'll probably make more worthwhile threads slide back, and half a page of Polls/Games on a constant basis might be a turn-off for the section. It doesn't take many members to produce those ones, and although it could happen that it be tested while merged and then separated back if something went wrong, I still am not sure that'd turn out all that well.

 

 

Overall support.

General only really has 2 trends: World News and Social Debates. Which is fine but I wouldn't against seeing more activity there.

Adding the activity of other much more unused sections there will make it look more active and that'll produce more activity on itself. Sounds great.

[goddamnit names are a pain]

You see, the only thing I'm really against is the locking of the polls thread.

 

Things like the Best Anime Character tournament would be very scrambled IMO and disorderly. I guess you could just search based on tags...

 

 

Overall I like the idea.

 

 

Another possibility would just be to put Multimedia under General and still have sub forums. I guess.

[Frunk]

The closure of Polls would be probationary. If it doesn't work, it returns to the way it was. I believe it will be beneficial though.

[Thar]

I voted yes, but after some thinking, wouldn't that amount of added flexibility just be more of a clusterf*ck than anything?
 

One thing I realized is that General seems to hold a lot of Current Events topics. With reality there, and with the ignorant world of Multimedia, you have two flip-side discussions pushing each other down at a practically doubled rate.

 

I'll just keep my vote at yes, just to see how it'll work out. In truth, though, I'm indifferent to the idea.

[Frunk]

I think that's rather unlikely, particularly in the short to medium term. If you take a look at the first page of threads in each forum, this last post date of the thread at the bottom of each forum is as follows:

General: March 18 (and 9/28 of the threads on the first page are locked)
Games: March 14
Polls: March 22

Anime & Manga: March 30
Movies & TV Shows: January 18

Literature: March 15, 2013

Video Games: March 22

Music: January 22

 

So while threads go back usually about 3 weeks, in the Multimedia forums outlined for a merge, its 3 months to 1 year. There is a very limited amount of activity in these forums as it is, so I don't think we'd experience an issue of General being overloaded. The threads already in General, meanwhile, as you say are often news-related, and hence once they become old news, they fall out of activity anyway.

Polls, meanwhile, may seem relatively active, but threads appear there in clumps as they are required. A probationary period is the easiest way to see how this content is effected, positively or negatively, once relocated in General proper.

[Frunk]

Bump. Any more thoughts on this?

I have three detractors but none of them have actually voiced their opinion. Disappointing.

[Fusion X. Denver]

Why the hell not, I say.

Your reasoning seems thought out and sensible and if worst comes to worst, just put things back the way they were before.

[Frunk]

Any more official comment on this from the moderation team? Thus far we have a clear majority, and those who voted "no" have offered no input that could either negate, or help expand, the idea.

[Mugendramon]

Well... there is all but one thing about the proposal that seems fine.

 

Keeping them separate actually harms nobody, as far as I'm aware. Unless having to scroll through one section you never check, which can be hidden with a button, is that much of a problem, in which case we're talking a different issue.

 

The separation is done solely for the purpose of indexing. If "strain on general" was the original reason for it as you say, it doesn't have to be the only one. Throwing in five books together makes one bigger book, but it doesn't make the content in question any more. You'd be making nothing be more active.