New Site Layout. [Members Welcome, Council REQUIRED]

[Xen155]

I understand giving responsibility to certine CMs for specific forums, I don't understand why we would limit the moderator status to one forum. It would seem simpler to simply have overall mod status and have responsibility for one (or a few) forums.

But aside from that I fear we are focusing to much on where and how omni-power is to be given and not enough on the real reason for the GMF getting its own website, the people. I think maybe we should hold off disscusion of power until the more important things are taken care of.

I also think we should tread carefully where restrictions are involved.

"The IBM lesson is important to us. Eveyday we ask ourselves, 'Have we become them?'"
- Richest man in the world.

 

[Blade of Desecration]

I understand giving responsibility to certine CMs for specific forums, I don't understand why we would limit the moderator status to one forum. It would seem simpler to simply have overall mod status and have responsibility for one (or a few) forums.

But aside from that I fear we are focusing to much on where and how omni-power is to be given and not enough on the real reason for the GMF getting its own website, the people. I think maybe we should hold off disscusion of power until the more important things are taken care of.

I also think we should tread carefully where restrictions are involved.

"The IBM lesson is important to us. Eveyday we ask ourselves, 'Have we become them?'"
- Richest man in the world.

Agreed, but if we don't have the site, it'll be harder to attract new members. On the other hand, we need the members to make it worth it. Hmmmm...

Mod status isn't really all that big of an issue, but it'd be nice if we can have site management pinned down early, so we can hit the ground running.

I think right now everyone needs to go to their local GMs for recruitment, and maybe we can start setting up recruitment threads on some forums. However, the recruitment threads will only really be useful when we can give people a reason to stay, so we need to start off with a bang.

Mod status in all sections could work, but I think it'd be easier if we were each concentrated on one or two jobs and not cutting into each other's turf. If whoevers running the forums wants to let something slide, I don't want to get into an argument with them over what is or isn't acceptable. That can be reserved for the Council Forum. But it sends the wrong message if I go over someones head to punish an offending poster.

As for strictness, this is something we're going to need to have a debate on. I'm in favor of maybe something a little looser than ENWorld or WotC, but that's because we seem to have a fairly mature crowd here. But I'm of the firm belief, that religious and social discussions must stay at the most basic level, and politics shouldn't be included at all. The reason I say religion should be included is because religious confrontation is one of the biggest problems for GMs today. I don't want to tell a GM who is having a problem with one of his players' religious parents that he can't ask for advice on a forum designed for that purpose.

Tommorow, I should have time to post an updated site layout. I plan on doing this every few days. The discussion we've got going here is good, but I'd like to pick up the pace. Ideally, we should have most if not all of these issues resolved before we start, so that we can have a smooth start, something neccessary if we want to attract new members.

 

[Xen155]

Mod status in all sections could work, but I think it'd be easier if we were each concentrated on one or two jobs and not cutting into each other's turf. If whoevers running the forums wants to let something slide, I don't want to get into an argument with them over what is or isn't acceptable. That can be reserved for the Council Forum. But it sends the wrong message if I go over someones head to punish an offending poster.

Hence responsibility for one or two forums, but the ability to moderate as nessescity demands in others.

My advice for attracting people is offer something usefull and new, or at least easier access to something tried and true. Recruitment threads, though usefull and probobly nessecary, cannot just be recruitment threads, we need a reason for someone to develop an intrest to the thread to begin with. Perhaps new game designs or outlines from the think tanks here.

 

[Xen155]

I have a good idea, similar to Cataverie's "Create This" thread. Once or twice a week, someone posts a map they've made. Then we have a contest to see who can make the best dungeon out of it.

I'm thinking that Cat's "Create This" project and something like this could be a good part of increasing interest when we get our site. If we have various contests, it might give people more incentive to post and participate.

I forget where I saw you say this CotDS but it is a good idea.

 

[Catavarie]

It is possible to get specific admin status over specific forums. (I am a specific admin on my WoW guild website as the Mage Class Leader)

I wouldn't warry about flamewars or spammers. As admins, we will be able to remove such posts.

With the current forum that is set up Admin status is all powerful over the whole boards, While Mod status is issued on a per forum basis.

 

[Catavarie]

That's a great idea. Of course I have no idea how to do that so I don't know how difficult it is.

I ran through the admin functions and we can assign mod status to users for specif forums. So that will work. Giving CE full access works to cover all loose ends and extras. Plus it's a nice perk for the founder

Plus Cat and myself have admin functions so we can also help out if needed.

See previous Post.

We just need to define the basic rule then to know when someone crosses the line of participating member to "loitering". The rest of the councils thoughts would be good to know on this.

If someones actions on the boards become disruptive or destructive then that is not a good thing. But if someone is just posting only in the "lobby" forum and not partaking in the other forums I don't feel that would be a bad thing particularly if they are being helpful to others in the lobby area. We won't know the answers to every question out there and a second opinion is always a good thing. And well we also don't want to get a reputation of a place where we censor people just because we feel their inputs is irrelevent or off topic. Threads get derailed. Thats the nature of all Message Boards. We even derail threads ourselves here. If it becomes a constant problem with one individual constantly derailing threads then thats another thing altogether and should be addressed. But if somone never leaves the Lobby forum thats fine, because odds are that they will tell a freind or two about thsi gr4eat Web site for GMs and they might visit the other areas, but if we bump the person then he's going to tell his friends and then we may end up with no one.

I think this will be tough. Advertising costs money, something we don't have. Free advertising (Spam) will get shot down quickly. So I'm not even sure of the proper approach for this.

One thing I would suggest, is that once we are up and running, we spread out and visit some of our other favorite forums with good links or banners in our signatures - and just participate there also.Maybe post a link when someone requests help or information that we have on the site. Also, GM's that see a cool banner or link to a GM members site may be inclined to clink on and see what's up. Before we do that, however, we will want the site going enough with some cool and useful threads to get their attention, that way they will want to come back. Marketing will get them in the door, but substance and quality will get them to stay.

Gah... I sound like a text book

We could always sponser a gaming podcast, or even host our own. That way we could get our voices out there and build an audience quite quickly. So long as our content is good and our quality is high. Any podcasts are recorded through the use of Skype or Vitrilo and then edited together to sound better later on. And maybe even do some "live shows" at a few gaming cons around North America.

Some basic rules would cover that. We should have an easily identifiable slogan(s) to these rules to keep it simple. Like ENWorlds "Don't say something that you wouldn't say to your Grandma." I'm not saying we need to go that far, but as a rule slogan that is great. Not only is it easy for all members to remember, but it also became a saying here: "Don't make Eric's Grandma mad!"

A simple way of deciding what is appropriate language is to follow the FCC 7 words that are never to be aired. If you don't know what 7 words I'm talking about check the Wiki entry here.

Agreed on the politics. That is just a debacle waiting to happen. And the flamewars need to be stomped out quickly.

I think this should go without saying but, In Game politics I think should be allowable. Discussing the different political factions of a Campaign world for instance can help people to either better understand that setting or maybe even help someone to flesh out their own homebrew world.

I like the lobby idea. It would be like this sites forum for questions about the forums or the GMF. Complaints and suggestions. I like the name to. It has character. IMHO.

As for the council forums, we could block the actual forum if we want, but could run the rest of the discussion through the lobby. The nice thing about that is that only people who participate enough to visit the lobby would be involved in the sites discussion while drive-by veiwers wouldn't be voting on things that they probably don't care about, thus deluting the views of involved members.

Perhaps a Private forum for council members only with a sister forum where we post a log of the Council forum discussions and let the members reply and vote on any major items that come up.

 

[Catavarie]

Originally Posted by Chosen of the Dark Sun
I have a good idea, similar to Cataverie's "Create This" thread. Once or twice a week, someone posts a map they've made. Then we have a contest to see who can make the best dungeon out of it.

I'm thinking that Cat's "Create This" project and something like this could be a good part of increasing interest when we get our site. If we have various contests, it might give people more incentive to post and participate.

I forget where I saw you say this CotDS but it is a good idea.

I guess this explains the "." thread you started, Xen.

Sorry we didn't figure this out sooner.

 

[Xen155]

I guess this explains the "." thread you started, Xen.

Sorry we didn't figure this out sooner.

And they call me crazy... I have started few threads in my tenure as a CM and im certine that I never created one called "."

I simply noticed that CotDS had a good idea awhile back and I thought I would comment on it. The ording of the quote should make this obvious.

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."

 

[Nightcloak]

I have a crazy thought. Maybe we could offer members private forums for their own games. They could buy a forum for some cheap price and then their group could use the forums for their own game discussion. Or some such thing. I might pay $5 or $10 for a forum to gather game information on my world, for my players to see and discuss out of game content. Kind of what we have here, but on a smaller level. I'm not quite sure how or if it would work, but it sounds nifty. Then again, that could be the grey goose talking...

 

[Catavarie]

I have a crazy thought. Maybe we could offer members private forums for their own games. They could buy a forum for some cheap price and then their group could use the forums for their own game discussion. Or some such thing. I might pay $5 or $10 for a forum to gather game information on my world, for my players to see and discuss out of game content. Kind of what we have here, but on a smaller level. I'm not quite sure how or if it would work, but it sounds nifty. Then again, that could be the grey goose talking...

That would require quite a large amount of programming and I'm not sure how to implement it. Of course I think we would have to make our PBP system outstanding and with features that no other PBP boards have. The other thing is how often do you pay? Monthly? Annually? Semi-Annually? One time only? If we could implement all teh functionality I would like to have in our PBP boards then it could be a possibility. Just going to take awhile before then. But a good way to make a little income for the foundation.


On a side note, has anyone thought about accually registering the GMF as a "business" of anysort? Such as a Company, corporation, or even a Non-Profit orginization? If we want to be able to make money its something we really should look into.