semajnollissor wrote:
I don't know how everyone else approaches this forum, but whenever I visit I click on the view new posts link and see what topics have been active since the last time I was logged in. Thats where I learn what the newest fan-made models are, and what the latest rule question/debate is, and what the result were from the latest tourney.
If that approach is no longer going to work because the modeling section (and all the fan-made 3D printer art) is in a separate forum from the EA rules development, then I'm against it. Making things harder to browse is a step backward in my opinion. If, however, there is going to be some portal page with all the latests updates shown, then I could probably adapt to that.
Many thanks for your comments. This would be an issue. With the EA Development here, and the modelling and miniatures on the new boards, the search function would not cross over. It is possible that I could integrate these boards into the new site, but I still dont think that the search would cross the borders. This is actually a common issue with CMS.
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Another concern I have for the BFG stuff is that posting non-GW models that are available for sale is against the rules over on the SG site (isn't it?). Any for-profit fan-made stuff will have to be posted over on the new forum, which will just serve to split the community anyway, and it will slow down the creation of cool new ships by the community.
This is less of an issue. The SG boards are currently run by myself and Lex, and I would need to check with him, but I dont see any major issues with non-GW miniatures being broadcast there. Its one advantage of it not being a GW site.
However, this does address something that cannot be ignored, and that is the excellent new miniatures being produced. On the one hand, many of these are can be close to the line legally, but on the other hand there are several that should be fine. I would like to see a board dedicated to miniature production, out in the open and unrelated to a specific game or board, on the new forums.
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Finally, if you are wanting to become the 'premier' army-scale game forum, then what forums will you be competing with? Yahoo groups? usenet? I think you should go find some of those communities and see 1) how big they are, 2) what games they are discussing, and 3) what the major problems with those boards are so you can offer a better service. Then, even if the users from those groups migrate to here, I suspect they will remain in cliques (at least for a while).
I guess I've always viewed this forum (and the epiccomm forums it started from) as the place for epic fans to go a discuss epic and other stuff. Epic is more than the rules (which can be seen in the number of fan-made rule sets available), its more than the models, and its more than the background material. It's greater than the sum of its parts.
Because of the linked background, the epic site will need some place to post WH:40k news and models. Because of the wide array of proxy manufacturers, the epic site will need an open modeling forum. Because of NetEpic and NetEA, the epic site will need to accomodate both. IMO.
Currently, as far as I am aware, there are no other large sites dedicated to 6mm and army scale games. Our closest compatitors would be places like Warseer, Dakka and so on, but these have a definite GW/PP focus. I guess that Frothers and similar places would be close, but these are aimed at the more mainstream 28mm wargames.
This place HAS always been the place for Epic players to discuss Epic. Thats kind of the issue. With the game in its current state, I simply dont think that it will support this site on its own any more, and that there is much more that can be done. I would like a site that cross-fertilises ideas, miniatures and other concepts from a broad range of games and miniature lines. With geberal Epic discussion moved to the new boards, we would have places to discuss all of the 6mm (and 10mm) lines and games freely, posting pictures from a variety of ranges and manufacturers and including miniatures that wouldnt fit into Epic but would fit - for example - from GZG and drive inspiration that way.
Also, while the focus will be army scale games, I can see an 'other' board for larger miniatures, space ships, and so on. I dont want to ban peoples pretty pictures!
WestSide wrote:
It's a shame the EA rule site (epicoms) that's being proposed can't just be an Epic site, with q/a, rules, and models.
Then the other site could be the 'generic' 6-10mm war games site.
The majority of the posting activity on TacCom seems to be Epic. It's all the other 'stuff' that's perhaps too much in one place, especially since it's not being utilized as much.
Or to put it another way, there are plenty of 'generic' sites, but this is pretty much the only Epic site and it would be a shame to divide it and dilute it.
I do take your point here. However, while possible, this suggestion would mean that the new boards would be to discuss any army scale games.... except Epic. Effectively, pushing it off to a different forum, and kind of defeat the object. Or, it would have another Epic discussion board, and lead to more duplication which is unneccesary. Its a difficult issue. Dont get me wrong, I understand the issues here, and I have thought about this a lot. I have gone round and round with this. The last thing that I want to do is to upset the valuable and fantastic community here, but I cant help in thinking that there needs to be some changes here. I do think that a CMS will be a great addition to the site. I do think that broadening the scope of the place is necessary and valuable.
If we add the CMS here, we have a couple of options:
- drop these boards and move everyone and everything to the new boards
- use these boards and dont use any new ones
- use both sets of boards
If we have a single set of forums, it will need to encompass both the broader scope of army scale games, as well as Epic in its many facets. If we only use these boards, then they wont integrate so well with the rest of the site.
If we have two sets of boards, and this place remains focussed on Epic generally, we duplicate discussion about the game, or exclude it entirely from the new boards.
The best solution that I can see is leave these boards for development, and the new boards for army scale game discussion, including Epic and all miniatures.
kyussinchains wrote:
I agree with Dave that greater separation of parts of the site will certainly reinforce cliques and group mentalities, and I find that quite an offputting thought.
I'm also a little worried for the other 6mm games around and where their presence will lie, it seems that other systems are developed on here, yet the miniatures and games are also discussed, will they move wholesale to the new boards?
I would never have heard of exodus wars and their fantastic products if they weren't quite a big part of this forum, and it's easy to find their fans on this site, rather than trawling over to an unfamiliar forum to get information.
A big forum shakeup and reorganisation would be a very positive step as I have often found navigating around here to be tricky, but surely a dedicated development sub-forum is a perfectly good option?
I apologise if I'm missing the point here.....
Many thanks for your experiences.
Exodus are really the only other 6mm games currently discussed here. I would very much like to continue this, and move their discussion to the new boards, and one result of this would be that any new releases would get highlighted as news and added to the front page to further highlight them. This would be true for lots of new releases, and is one of the main reason that I want to upgrade.
Navigation here is tricky. I can see the new boards split by genre (SciFi, Fantasy, Historical, Napoleonic, etc) with each game/miniature range getting a discussion area. This place should be easier to navigate as a result (only development - main and then force lists) and the new boards should be easier too, as you would have the main genres, then miniatures. One of the issues with navigations is the result of the lack of focus, which is something that I am trying to sort out.
I really do value all of your opinions, guys. Many thanks for contributing. The absolute last thing that I am trying to do is isolate and tick off a part of the community that we have built here. Change is always going to be difficult. However, I just dont think that this site will grow or evolve without this kind of a shake up.
Thanks.