Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

This is the place where you can conflab about all the other stuff besides videogames
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Alex79
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Alex79 »

FYI, just got this notice when I logged in to the forum...

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ratsoalbion
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by ratsoalbion »

Odd!
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Stanshall
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Stanshall »

This is obviously not a criticism but the forum seems extremely quiet at the moment. I wonder whether it's because the non-Patreon folk haven't had any shows for a while but seems quite a few regulars have disappeared. It does feel a bit...demotivating.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by ratsoalbion »

Possibly, although the vast majority of the forum conversation isn’t based around the podcast anyway.

Besides, we’d assume that the majority of forum users are Patreon subscribers - or at least we’d hope so (though we haven’t any plans to make that mandatory).

To be honest, forums were becoming a thing of the past even when we set this one up back in 2012 or thereabouts. Most have been replaced in people’s lives by more immediate and contemporary forms of social media.

We’ve had a number of requests to start a Discord server, as those now get a lot more traffic and engagement than forums. If we do go down that route however it would very likely be a) instead of this forum and b) for $2 per month Patreon subscribers.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by KSubzero1000 »

ratsoalbion wrote: February 18th, 2020, 11:41 am We’ve had a number of requests to start a Discord server, as those now get a lot more traffic and engagement than forums. If we do go down that route however it would very likely be a) instead of this forum
Not quite sure I'm understanding this correctly. Where would that leave the forum regulars and the years' worth of quality posts?
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Alex79
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Alex79 »

Nooooo! Please don't kill the form for a Discord channel! I love this forum, it's the only place online and in real life I have to talk about games! Selfish I know, but I do think a Discord channel wouldn't be half as good. It's nice to be able to create threads and read stuff at your own pace and Discord just isn't the same. Personally I've not noticed it seeming any quieter than usual, but then I think it's a nice, reasonably sized community here. I'd much rather fewer people, all of whom I 'know' rather than thousands of random names. I'm not saying it's not good when new people join but if you go on the likes of rllmuk or some big forum it's impossible to keep track of everyone. Don't kill the forum, I'll up my pledge!!
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by ratsoalbion »

No plans at the moment, folks - don’t fret.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by FemalePheromones »

In my opinion this forum has always been a bit quiet but as Leon said I think that's just the way it is these days. People prefer things like Discord or just Twitter and the like. I come on here every few days to have a look at what's happening but the conversations don't tend to be topics I have anything to bring to.

I used to regularly use a couple of forums in about 2006-2009 and there was always something happening you could get involved with, pretty much non-stop posts but again it's just a sign of the times.

As for the idea of a Discord server I personally wouldn't even bother with it. Not that you should take my opinion as anything meaningful. A forum seems much more open to me where as Discord is more like a chat room isn't it? With people all talking at once rather than a discussion.

Maybe it's just me though and a Discord server might actually end up being really good.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by FemalePheromones »

clippa wrote: February 18th, 2020, 4:18 pm The real time chat room style seems to flair up my social anxiety way more and I just can't be doing reading a long list of one line, flippant replies dotted with pictures of seals.
I know how you feel. I'm in a 14 person whatsapp group and that's way more than enough for me.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Alex79 »

clippa wrote: February 18th, 2020, 4:18 pm Thirdman mentioned Gamerswithjobs, I've started posting there just recently.
Had a look, but the forum layout really puts me off. No links at the tops of the page, and no easy way of quickly checking which threads have been replied to since your last visit. Just seems a couple of glaring QoL omissions. Seems like a nice enough place though, but shallow as it sounds, the forum itself irritated me enough after five minutes that I couldn't use it for very long.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Suits »

FemalePheromones wrote: February 18th, 2020, 7:26 pm I know how you feel. I'm in a 14 person whatsapp group and that's way more than enough for me.
Over a year ago now I pretty much left all the big messages groups I had with pals.

I just explained that I was sick of constantly 100+ messages every time I opened my phone.

Everyone understood and I have such better conversations now with people over text because of it, as it’s one to one.


Do it.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by FemalePheromones »

To be fair people hardly use it anymore but the memories of how bad it got are still pretty fresh.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Alex79 »

Thanks for links, they look useful. As for other bit - no middle click, I access forums pretty much exclusively on my phone so that doesn't really work. I'll lurk about a bit but I doubt I'll post much, I want to save my top quality content for here...

:lol:
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Alex79
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Alex79 »

Suits wrote: February 18th, 2020, 9:36 pm
FemalePheromones wrote: February 18th, 2020, 7:26 pm I know how you feel. I'm in a 14 person whatsapp group and that's way more than enough for me.
Over a year ago now I pretty much left all the big messages groups I had with pals.

I just explained that I was sick of constantly 100+ messages every time I opened my phone.

Everyone understood and I have such better conversations now with people over text because of it, as it’s one to one.


Do it.
I'm in a 63 person group with every single person in my Uni cohort. It's madness. I would leave but it's actually useful when I need it, but you have to turn notifications off or it's an absolute fucking nightmare.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by KSubzero1000 »

Chopper left.

I don't think he'll be coming back. :(
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by ThirdMan »

His last few words were spent giving me an earful so I feel oddly privileged. He was a great contributor and very helpful and encouraging. He pulled me back from the brink a few times, for example cautioning me against playing MOBA's when my addictive and compulsive personality was already starting to take over. To echo clippa's comments, you don't get that type of friendly concern on Reddit or Twitter. So long, Chopper, you'll be missed.

It's really sad when forums start to die off. I don't know if that's happening here for certain but it does seem to be the same handful of people each day. How many regular contributors are on here? 20? From a membership of over a thousand. It's worrying.

The other forum that I frequent, albeit mostly to browse, is over at Gamers With Jobs and that and the associated podcast are thriving. The forum is a hive of game-related and off-topic activity. I'm not sure what's in their special sauce over there but it's looking increasingly remarkable in 2020.

I think the Cane and Rinse team and all of you guys have done (are doing!) a great job in making this a friendly, welcoming place to visit, but the day of the dedicated forum seems to be coming to an end, relative to their virtual necessity a decade or so ago.

There's so many avenues of information now. Most of what we used to have to seek out and ask about is showing up in our news feeds, replete with healthy comments sections asking the big questions before you've even thought of your own.

But that's just my opinion, live from my echo chamber. I'm sure there's many examples of niche forums that are still doing great business. Ireland's largest discussion forum, Boards.ie, was listed as 21st of the country's top 50 most popular websites in 2018, with only the state broadcaster and the usual Silicon Valley brands ahead of it. And that's a proper old-school forum, although it's very broad in its subject matter.

Maybe there's life still left in the old dog.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by ThirdMan »

Alex79uk wrote: February 18th, 2020, 8:26 pm
clippa wrote: February 18th, 2020, 4:18 pm Thirdman mentioned Gamerswithjobs, I've started posting there just recently.
Had a look, but the forum layout really puts me off. No links at the tops of the page, and no easy way of quickly checking which threads have been replied to since your last visit. Just seems a couple of glaring QoL omissions. Seems like a nice enough place though, but shallow as it sounds, the forum itself irritated me enough after five minutes that I couldn't use it for very long.
There are definitely some of what I would also consider 'omissions' but they are actually conscious choices. One of their guiding principles is basically 'what's said is said'. You can't search for or access a list of all of your posts or those of another contributor. They're in the wind. Regular use is encouraged. It's not an easy place to revisit after taking a few months off but consequently those that are involved stay involved and there's a great sense of familiarity.

On a personal note I enjoy the many open-hearted off-topic threads. I've received plenty of great advice on all sorts of issues and because of the nature of the site it all felt very private. I couldn't easily revisit what I'd written, much less worry about anyone else reading what I'd said. That's manna for anxious-depressives (talk about niche appeal!).

There is actually a way of checking which threads have been replied to and you can also mark your favourites. That helps you keep up with things and negates at least some of the problem of having no search bar - at least you won't have to dig deep to find your frequently visited threads.

Anyway, enough of my extolling the virtues of another podcast and forum! But let me leave on this, the results of the annual Gamers with Jobs poll (you can vote for your best game of the year but it doesn't have to be new, just new to you). Just look at the work that's went into this thing. It's a real cause of excitement every January.

https://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/1303089
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Simonsloth »

I really enjoy reading everyone’s thoughts still but life has been very busy so don’t get the opportunity to post as much as I’d like. I suspect there are a few more like me on here especially with the member to posts ratio being the way it is.

I wonder if it has anything to do with a relatively sparse release schedule so far this year? We tend to play different things but a big release can generate some discussion.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Flabyo »

Yeah, there has been a lot of delays so far this quarter. I expect some of us will liven up when the FF7 remake finally arrives.
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Re: Forum Changelog and Forum Suggestions

Post by Suits »

Animal Crossing.
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