Forums - Good or Bad Idea

[Daveh]

I use to have site forums way back when but I didn't have time to properly monitor and maintain them so they died a slow death. My thoughts of the use of a site forum are:

• Site discussion and development. The Wiki Talk pages are good for some issues but its not the best place for a detailed discussion. The Talk pages are also scattered everywhere so things can be hard to track down.
• Game discussion including hints, help requests, modding, etc... I use to receive a good amount of e-mail requests for game help that can be posted in the forum instead. The downside is that people have to login to post a message which can inconvenient for some (anonymous posting is an option assuming its possible).

At any rate I'll likely let the forums run for a while and see what happens. Worst case is that this will be the only message posted to it...

[Arawn Hyll]

Personally I think this is a great idea, however I think you should advertise the forums better on this site (I only noticed that there was a forum a couple of minutes ago and I have been coming here regulary since TES2 first came out((I realise these forums haven't been her that long )).

Edit: First reply

[The Hanker Chief]

One thing with forums is that if they become too popular you get all kinds of deletory forum wildlife: trolls and their ilk.

If enough people start coming here when Oblivion is released, you might want to have some policies in mind.

Thankfully Oblivion isn't multiplayer - those games always generate the worst forum users.

Another good question to answer: do you want to host mods or information pertaining to modding (tutorials, etc..)?

[Guest]

What's wrong with the forums at elderscrolls.com? How are these forums here going to be different?

[Daveh]

re: "Deletory forum wildlife", as the (or if) the forums get popular I'm assuming there will also become available people willing to moderate the boards.

re: Hosting mods/information, the site will definitely host modding information and tutorials...there is already a very extensive section for Morrowind modding and I expect even more for Oblivion. There is already some information starting to be gathered for mods and while I don't host mod downloads yet, this is something I intend to look at and implement sometime (the main issue being installing or creating a good file management system, something that the Wiki doesn't include by default).

re: Whats wrong with the official forums? Well, nothing, and this is this the main reason why I haven't had forums until now. On the other hand, having site specific forums is nice as I can redirect all site questions/comments I get currently from e-mail to the message board allowing more than me to answer it (I usually get far more e-mails than I can answer). Another is since its not official we're not subject to official moderation like on the official boards (Oblivion release date topics for instance). Yet another is discussing site specific topics like this one which would be out of place on the official boards and are difficult on the Wiki discussion pages (I find anyways).

In the end, though, if the forums don't work out its not a huge loss. We may likely certain topics are more popular here and we can expand the forums as the need arises (for example, having many different boards discussing different aspects of Oblivion modding).

re: Advertising...now that the site is relatively stable and running well, I'll probably post a small news item on the main page.

[Simon Tell]

Did you open the forums November 23, because thats when it says you joined so I was just wondering how long they had been going

[Simon Tell]

Will avatars be an option eventually?

[Daveh]

Yes, they've only been opened a month since I changed servers and started to have some free time (a little anyways).

Fun stuff like avatars and things will likely be added when/if the forums become more popular...and I have the time to do it.

[ammant]

The site discussion board is a great idea. The UESP is the absolute best source of game info and the ability to make suggestions in a discussion format can only serve to keep it that way.

To be honest I doubt I would ever post or even read the Game Discussion boards since I'm very active on an ES forum at a different site. It would depend on how popular and how busy the Modding boards became as to whether I would use them or not.

If maintaining the full slate you have now doesn't detract from the core site I would say it's a good idea.

I would hope you could at least keep this Site board if it turns out that the forum in general is too much a drain on resources.

[Lee Carre]

add another "yes" vote from me

also regarding moderators/administrators etc.
this could be delegated out to trusted individuals as many other boards do

[Pseudopath]

I'd say a good idea too.

I would second your original point, that this would be a great place where peaple can make requests to add to the wiki or if there is debate as to details...

And as Ammant intimated, www.uesp.net is the definitive information site for Morrowind in my opinion (I haven't the previous games).

I'm sure given time this board will get busier. With Oblivion on the horizon there there is likely to be more interest in Morrowind and this site as a consequence.

Either way, I'd like to say thanks for keeping the site going.
I appreciate the work you've done and are continuing to do!

- Pseudopath.

[Guest]

Isn't that what the Discussion pages are for?

[Bloodsworth]

I'd like to say thanks for keeping the site going.
I appreciate the work you've done and are continuing to do!

- Pseudopath.

Ill Second that! and say keep the Boards,i may not Post everyday but i come here everyday

[HerrSticks]

i think forums are a great thing for something like this.
Everyone has thier little style that works, and everyone can learn from everyone. People here know better than to attack and slur others, so forums shouldent be a problem

[Wrye]

Anything to do with the wiki should be discussed on the wiki. That's what the talk pages are for.
* If you want to get someone in particular into a discussion on a talk page, then just post a brief ping on their user talk page directing them to it.
* To follow what's going on, just check the watch list and/or recent changes pages once in a while. If it's an active discussion, check your watchlist more often.

If you're working on Oblivion, add the Oblivion:Oblivion talk page to your watchlist. I'd also suggest putting UESPWiki:Editing UESPWiki:Style Sheet on your watchlist as well.

Personally, I'm already watching multiple issues on ES forums, plus the CS4 wiki, plus the Uesp wiki. The last thing that I want is *another* site to keep tabs on! (Okay, I'm not supergreat at multi-tasking. But having a forum to comment on a wiki seems... needlessly complicated to me.)

[Daveh]

Part of the reason I don't like using the Wiki talk pages, at least for major discussions, is that I have to monitor every single talk page on the site. I know I come across talk page discussions I've never seen, and probably should have seen and could have commented on.

I'm still a Wiki newbie so I'll have to take a look at watchlists and pings, but that still means monitoring 1000s of talk pages rather than a single forum. Forumsalso make it much easier for other people to monitor and contribute to.

I guess my reason for making the site forum was to discuss general site style, design, and other issues here and use the Wiki talk pages for shorter, individual page discussion.

[Wrye]

One way to monitor talk pages is to go to recent pages and then use the pop up to limit yourself to the talk namespaces. Keeping an eye on that and the main Oblivion talk page through your watchlist is a good solution.

Also, you can edit your watchlist to uncheck pages that you're not that interested in anymore, just to trim your watchlist down to something reasonable.

Site is evolving very rapidly right now, so keeping on top of it may be very difficult job for any one person...

[Lee Carre]

Part of the reason I don't like using the Wiki talk pages, at least for major discussions, is that I have to monitor every single talk page on the site. I know I come across talk page discussions I've never seen, and probably should have seen and could have commented on.

I'm still a Wiki newbie so I'll have to take a look at watchlists and pings, but that still means monitoring 1000s of talk pages rather than a single forum. Forumsalso make it much easier for other people to monitor and contribute to.

I guess my reason for making the site forum was to discuss general site style, design, and other issues here and use the Wiki talk pages for shorter, individual page discussion.

i have to agree with this way of thinking, a forum is much easier, especially for those new to the wiki system, and it may put off someone who may have a great idea, but due to the complexity involved in adding a comment to the wiki they might not bother

also how do you start a new discussion or a general one?
i'll admit i'm not a wiki-master, but a forum seems to fit the general goal/requirements nicely, as dave said, and in-depth discussions about articles and such should defenetly be on a wiki talk page, but general stuff, imo, should be here

[duncans_pumpkn]

I agree the uesp is the definative source for morrowind and hopefully soon oblivion. I hhave made additions to the wiki but only small ones i think this forum wont work thugh as its not very active.

[Lee Carre]

I agree the uesp is the definative source for morrowind and hopefully soon oblivion. I hhave made additions to the wiki but only small ones i think this forum wont work thugh as its not very active.

nobody posts so nobody reads, so nobody posts so nobody reads

see the patern?
the forums are handy for discussing things like server problems/configuration, and posting content/design/project-goal suggestions that aren't really appropriate for the wiki

also the discussion of games isn't idea for the wiki either, wiki talk pages should be about the wiki, anything else should be here

[Jondrasar]

Just discovered the forum today, glad to see it

I think this is a good idea, hopefully it will get used more as more people find out there is a forum. I'm relatively new to wiki and judging from some other posts it seems I'm not alone in that. A place to discuss technical aspects of wiki editing that aren't relevant to the actual wiki we're editing is a welcome addition, imo.

The game discussion forums seem to be decently active too and over time we may see topics that started in the forum get made into articles in the wiki and vice versa, articles get discussed on the forums and subsequently get improved on the wiki. A "one hand washes the other" arrangement, heh.

[Aristeo]

I think the forum is a great idea. I only have a couple suggestions for Daveh:

• *It'd be pretty cool if the forum was skinned. If you need a skinning idea, feel free to look at my forum for ideas. All you really need is a palette of colors and you can easily skin this forum in 15 minutes or less.
  *Could you disable guest posting? It's much easier to track and ban someone if there is a username to point to.
  *Could you enable avatars and avatar uploading? This is more of a personal request, as I feel my mini-profile to the left of my messages is more complete with an avatar.
  *It would be nice if there was a forum guide of etiquette (forum rules) thread/article. I could write one, but I would need clearance from you. It could be on the wiki or the forum.

[Vook]

One problem with disabling guest posting: If I was forced to register here, I doubt I'd ever join. The forum has few users already. Maybe a captcha when posting as guest instead, to filter off spam?

[Aristeo]

One problem with disabling guest posting: If I was forced to register here, I doubt I'd ever join. The forum has few users already. Maybe a captcha when posting as guest instead, to filter off spam?

Registration is relatively painless, and takes less than five minutes. It's more of a security reason than a "get more members" reason, and it cuts down on spam. Same reasons why anonymous editing is disabled on the wiki.

[Jondrasar]

"Could you disable guest posting?" - Good call Aristeo, I support that wholeheartedly.

I understand where you're coming from Vook. Normally I don't like having to register for stuff myself because it means one more site/forum/account/password, etc., to keep track of but I didn't hesitate at all to register for this forum or the several others I do belong to because I care about them, or at least about the topics they cover. Registration helps to sort the wheat from the chafe, so to speak.