23-03-2005 19:45									#1
	Creation Forum Traffic Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Lord_Icewind from this thread I've already sent this post on the AC: Creation forums, but it seems no help can be given there. Can anyone here help me?

This is the problem with the Creation forum. There just isn't enough traffic through there. I know some of you have experience with map making, and could have helped out. We simply forget to stop by the creation forum, and/or the little 'new post' graphics just don't last long enough to let us know. Since the amount of posts in that forum come in at a trickle, we simply don't notice the new ones.

So my proposal is to lock up the creation forums (leaving the current threads where they are) and post all new threads in the General forums, so at least they'll get noticed by the right people. Additionally, we may get lucky and this may spark interest in mods/factions/etc. in those that previously had not cared about them. For now, there just isn't enough traffic to warrant a separate forum for creation.

I am fully expect a negative reaction to the idea, so let me have it. All I ask is a reason for your argument.

	23-03-2005 20:21									#2
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Actually, I think youre right...little else I can say.
BTW...help!

	23-03-2005 20:53									#3
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Not a bad idea, just such threads should have some remark that they're going on about creation.

Fiction forum is quite silent as well.

	23-03-2005 21:29									#4
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I support the idea of merging both forums.

	23-03-2005 22:42									#5
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wish the fiction forum would be a little more active but seeing as how it isn't I agree merging them sounds like a good idea though it might make the game seem less popular than it is. (I mean I at least hope more people play this game than CTP)

	23-03-2005 23:36									#6
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quote: Originally posted by dacole though it might make the game seem less popular than it is.

Considering this is a what? 6 or 7 year old TBS game that still has many frothing-at-the-mouth fans posting on a daily basis speaks volumes. The fan base is there, but given the time we have all been playing, the idea traffic is going to slow down. This is normal and nothing to be ashamed of.

So if general consensious is positive I'll post an unoffical "offical" poll to take a vote on the matter. If the vote succeeds, who do we bring this up to? Anyone have any idea how this would work out?

	23-03-2005 23:58									#7
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I prefer merging Creation and Fiction into a single Creative forum than merging it with General-Strategy forum.

	24-03-2005 00:53									#8
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On a traffic level I agree with Fiction being included, but on an organizational level it doesn't really make sense.

Creation is still ultimately about gameplay. If you make a mod, or a new faction, it is used directly in the game. Fan fiction otho does not directly effect gameplay.

I would rather keep them separate than only merging Creation and Fiction together. That would leave them just as ignored, and all the more disorganized.

I wouldn't be against mixing General/Fiction/Creation, as long as we set a convention of prefixing the subject with a "Creation: " or "Fiction: " so that those folks not interested can just skip over it.

	24-03-2005 01:26									#9
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quote: Originally posted by livid imp I wouldn't be against mixing General/Fiction/Creation, as long as we set a convention of prefixing the subject with a "Creation: " or "Fiction: " so that those folks not interested can just skip over it.

Thinking about the problems people have to figure out the simple rules in FAQ, I don't think these conventions will survive for long.

There has been 7 posts in Crea and 2 in Fic the last 30 days and 45 in General - I think I can live with opening 9 extra threads a month - it might even make me interested in the content

	24-03-2005 01:33									#10
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Point well taken Cat, it is hard to argue with numbers.

	24-03-2005 02:44									#11
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quote: Originally posted by binTravkin Fiction forum is quite silent as well.

Fiction Forum is emptied now.
And Creation reduced to three topics.

	24-03-2005 04:31									#12
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At least we kept Aldebaran2 alive during Smacksim's absence. Your idea makes sense, and there's not really a need to "brace for flaming" around here, I think.

But perhaps custom thread icons for different types of thread? People will get lazy and forget the convention, but I don't think it'll matter longterm.

	24-03-2005 18:38									#13
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Mixing all three forums will cause great confusion. People can't find or read FAQ, don't notice the Multiplaying forum etc. I am against. This forums should spring back to life as soon within a month or two - I remember a episode much like this one before. We are probably overreacting - if this persists for a month or two, we should act.

	24-03-2005 19:34									#14
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quote: Originally posted by Illuminatus Mixing all three forums will cause great confusion. People can't find or read FAQ, don't notice the Multiplaying forum etc. I am against.

Nonsense. If you go to most niche forums they will only have one forum for everything including off topic chat. People stay aware in these other forums where folks are not as intelligent as SMAC fans

quote: Originally posted by Illuminatus This forums should spring back to life as soon within a month or two - I remember a episode much like this one before. We are probably overreacting - if this persists for a month or two, we should act.

I can't say much for Fiction since I rarely go in there, but Creation has been at best a slow trickle of traffic for the entire year I have been visiting these forums. We have waited.

These forums will probably always have some traffic. As old fans come back after their current gaming obessions become novel, the numbers will expand and then contract again as new games hit the market. But there will be no sudden explosion of hits unless SMAC2 or another expansion is released.....and we all know how likely that is.

The point to all this is that it is better we have a place where those that are visiting Poly can post their Fan Fiction with a resonable expectation that more than two or three passerby will see it.

	24-03-2005 20:43									#15
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quote: Originally posted by livid imp Nonsense. If you go to most niche forums they will only have one forum for everything including off topic chat. People stay aware in these other forums where folks are not as intelligent as SMAC fans.

At least ten percent of threads created here are questions answered in FAQ and/or questions about finding SMAC. We even have people asking if anyone is interested in multiplay games, despite the fact there is multiplaying forum.
Skimming through Apolyton I noticed a lot of forums that have low traffic, but nobody wants to merge them. :P
Fiction should stay where it is, as it is easy to find all fiction there, and so is creation. They do have low traffic compared to this one, but keeping them separate makes sense. All other games have separate forums for creation as well.

	25-03-2005 22:41									#16
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quote: Originally posted by Illuminatus At least ten percent of threads created here are questions answered in FAQ and/or questions about finding SMAC. We even have people asking if anyone is interested in multiplay games, despite the fact there is multiplaying forum.

That is caused by lazyness, not confusion. Besides, what does that have to do with an extra 9 or so posts per month in the general forum usually by poly vets?

quote: Originally posted by Illuminatus Skimming through Apolyton I noticed a lot of forums that have low traffic, but nobody wants to merge them. :P Fiction should stay where it is, as it is easy to find all fiction there, and so is creation. They do have low traffic compared to this one, but keeping them separate makes sense. All other games have separate forums for creation as well.

Just cause "everybody else is doing it" is no reason to continue the stasis quo

	26-03-2005 06:29									#17
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Doesn't this discussion come up at least once a year?

Categories are there for a reason. The forum divisions are perfectly logical - tinkerers, scribblers and the rest of us, as a friend of mine once put it. Just because the Creation and Fiction forums are lying fallow right now isn't a reason to lump it all together - who's hurt by keeping them separate? 'What's the point' works both ways; I for one find the current forum system much easier to navigate than having to flick through page after page of OMGSMACXPHOW? and WTFPATCHWHERE? to find the piece of fiction I'm looking for. Forum usage is always cyclical - I can remember when Fiction was getting almost more traffic than AC-General.

In short, it may be baroque, but it ain't broke.

	26-03-2005 20:08									#18
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Actually, a forum consolidation took place several years ago. We used to have separate forums for "General", "Help" and "Strategy". IIRC the site owners proposed the consolidation (due to lack of traffic) and solicited opinions.

I favor keeping the status quo.

	26-03-2005 23:00									#19
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As author of several Creation therads, I would appreciate it if they could be moved here rahter than frozen in a ghost town never to be bumped again!

	27-03-2005 00:15									#20
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Purpose of separation of forum is to find fiction and mods easily, not activity or traffic. This is where you are wrong. Merging them would create chaos. This way there is always an easy way to view fiction or mods separetely, and thus they must exist separate from main forum. Merging them would make it hell on earth to make searches.
Do you really believe that people who are too lazy to check other forums will reply to threads when they are in a single forum? I think not. Most of regular SMACers check all forums regulary anyway, and they are capable of answering 95 percent of questions.
If you want to solve problem, ask owners to alter software like this: add option in user control panel to set a default level to view threads since last X, thus eliminating need to manually adjust it. By setting it to say 100 days instead of 10 days, that will prevent forums from looking like desert. This is only sensible solution, not merging forums.

	27-03-2005 09:10									#21
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Okay, so maybe it is easier to find fiction and creation on separate forums...

But when I make posts, I don't go to each forum...I just go straight to strategy forum and click on each thread, read it, make a response, go on to the next forum...

So maybe I have some crackpot responses, but the point is, I don't respond because I am looking for a certain category, I respond because that thread is on the same page as every other thread I respond to...

Most responses, I would assume, are made because they can be...people make posts because they can...and having different categories is nice, but ultimately it kills the whole idea, because you end up getting less responses...

	28-03-2005 22:20									#22
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quote: Originally posted by Clear Skies who's hurt by keeping them separate? 'What's the point'

Who is hurt? Anyone that posts in the those forums. I have posted my share of ideas in the Creation forum that only get seen by folks who just so happen to be wandering through at the time. Those of us that want to give a little something to the SMAC community need feedback. Any knid of developer will tell you that you need feedback from potential users in order to put out anything of quality. The Creation and Fiction forums are ghost towns. 9 posts between 2 forum in 1 month is not exactly busy.

quote: Originally posted by Clear Skies In short, it may be baroque, but it ain't broke.

If it ain't broke, then why is there a call to fix it once a year as you stated in the opening of your post?

	31-03-2005 01:22									#23
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Yeah, there is no much traffic anymore in these forums (sad but true). But I feel very uncomfortable with merging them into the General forum because you may see the opposite effect as than these posts will/may "disapear" too fast onto the next page and - even worse - finding new creations (and their ideas) and/or fiction will be more difficult.
Merging these two forums into one Creation/Fiction forum seems to be an option as the title of the thread itself should be indicating enough on the topic/field.
But on the other hand... is there really any advantage/need in cuting down one forum ???