Simviation Forum - too many subforums and a few ideas

Oct 9^th, 2011 at 9:49am

Overkill Beyond Overkill Ex Member

This website has far too many sub-forums covering very similar topics. There's a number of reasons why I think this must be changed which are:

1. It makes the forum appear cluttered with members, especially new ones, posting topics to the incorrect sub-forum.
2. Very Similar discussions can occur in different sub-forums.
3. The structure of the forum index is strange and the placement seems arbitrary.
4. The sub-forum topics seem arbitrary.
5. Many sub-forums are dead.

In my opinion the forum needs re-structuring and consolidation.

In summary, here is how I would have it:

"Current Flight Simulator Related Discussion"
Flight
Flight Simulator X
Flight Simulator 2004
Other Current Flight Simulators
Addon Discussion
Multiplayer
Hardware & Tweaking <--- I keep seeing people posting hardware topics in the FSX forum?
Fight School

"Flight Simulator Gallery"
Screenshot Showcase
Studio V Workshop
Screenshot Contest
Payware Product Screenshot Showcase
Edited Screenshots
Photos
Video

"Software Forum"
Software & Games
The Cage

"General"
Real Aviation
General Discussion & Humor
Music, Arts & Entertainmaent
Sport
Autos
History

"Design Forums"
Creating Aircraft Traffic (AI) & Gates
Aircraft & 3D Design
Scenery & Panel Design
Aircraft Repainting
Home-built cockpits

"Simviation Site"
Simviation News & Info
Site Questions, Problems & Feedback

"Other Websites"
Websites

"Old Flight Simulators"
FS 2002
FS 2000
FS 98
Combat Flight Simulator 3
Combat Flight Simulator 2
Combat Flight Simulator
CFS Development
Other Old Flight Simulators

I'm not saying this is the best way it can be. But I think it could be better than it is now - besides - I keep seeing people post Hardware topics (for example) in the FSX forum... I then don't see them and then I don't try to help them.

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Reply #1 - Oct 10^th, 2011 at 1:08pm

pete Offline
Admin
'That would be a network
issue'
Cloud Cuckoo Land

Posts: 8500

Food for thought. Thanks

Think Global. It's the world we live in.

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Reply #2 - Oct 10^th, 2011 at 1:50pm

Steve M Offline
Colonel
Cambridge On.

Gender:
Posts: 4097

I don't think I would ever put General discussion and Humour together. Even though occasionally threads come up where it's hard to tell the difference. Roll Eyes

If one who wants to post a serious topic kept getting bumped by jokes it would be a little frustrating I think.

Flying with twins is a lot of fun..

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Reply #3 - Feb 10^th, 2012 at 6:27am

Chris Cosgrove Offline
Colonel
Fly FS
Scotland

Gender:
Posts: 15

Slotback has definitely one useful suggestion in what seems a reasonably sensible proposed structure : under his proposed heading of "Old flight simulators" is a sub-heading for "Other old flight simulators". I am fairly sure there used to be a heading 'Other sims' on this forum site but if there was, it is there no longer. I may be confusing this site with another of course, but it is a good idea.

Chris Cosgrove

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Reply #4 - Feb 10^th, 2012 at 6:47am

ArcticFox Offline
Colonel

Posts: 77

This is a problem with many forums that specialize in an interest, and I've learned to keep my mouth shut and deal with it. But hey since someone else opened this topic.

I'm sorry but most forums suffer from an exaggerated sense of importance and greatness. Hence anal rules like not allowing image posting from image-hosts and a ridiculous amount of sections and sub-sections. Like I said: not a problem, but that doesnt mean I don't think it's utterly stupid and self-important. This site could do with these simple sections:

Flight Simulator - (talk about flight simming, any version and topics like troubleshooting or flight planning)
Design and repainting - (self-explanatory)
Screenshots and video - (self explanatory)
General discussion - (self explanatory)

You can just add rules that say you have to put payware/freeware in the thread title for a repaint post, or sports in a general discussion post. You can make the contest thread a sticky instead of an entre sub-forum.

Like I said that's just me, I don't really care how it's done it's not my site I just have an opinion about it.

[ASUS P8H67]- [Intel core5 2500k]- [4gb Corsair DDR] - [Asus 560ti]

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Reply #5 - Feb 10^th, 2012 at 1:01pm

pete Offline
Admin
'That would be a network
issue'
Cloud Cuckoo Land

Posts: 8500

Well I think you are mistaken if you think we are full of self importance and anal rules ......

This forum grew organically - largely by requests and suggestions - over many years -- and the boards cannot be merged. The only choice is to dump all posts in a board if that board is scrapped. Which seems a great shame. (I reluctantly did this with the 'Cafe' when that was voted out ... b ut we lost 1000's of interesting & great posts -- reacting to user requests)

Again with 'rules' - these rules are here to maintain levels of welcome to our members. I usually stay WELL AWAY from most forums as my posts invariably get spat at and ridiculed by faceless coward warriors sitting safely in their (single bed) bedroom in their underpants. Not a pleasant experience and one we avoid here... Why we have the rules. Period. Keep it friendly. Keep it nice.

Nor can these forums be converted to another format -- believe me I have had programmers from around the world trying to think of a way to do it but the answer is simple

Scrap this Yabb forum and start from scratch

or

Live with it. (I'll underline that the boards grew organically mainly by request and the boards cannot be merged or converted in any way)

... & I would love to convert to something else - merge - etc ... but this is a Yabb forum .... we've gone with it & for now are stuck with it. (sorry to myself & those who agree with me ..)

« Last Edit: Feb 10^th, 2012 at 3:04pm by pete »

Think Global. It's the world we live in.

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Reply #6 - Feb 10^th, 2012 at 7:59pm

DaveSims Offline
Colonel
Clear Lake, Iowa

Gender:
Posts: 2453

pete wrote on Feb 10^th, 2012 at 1:01pm:

Well I think you are mistaken if you think we are full of self importance and anal rules ......

This forum grew organically - largely by requests and suggestions - over many years -- and the boards cannot be merged. The only choice is to dump all posts in a board if that board is scrapped. Which seems a great shame. (I reluctantly did this with the 'Cafe' when that was voted out ... b ut we lost 1000's of interesting & great posts -- reacting to user requests)

Again with 'rules' - these rules are here to maintain levels of welcome to our members. I usually stay WELL AWAY from most forums as my posts invariably get spat at and ridiculed by faceless coward warriors sitting safely in their (single bed) bedroom in their underpants. Not a pleasant experience and one we avoid here... Why we have the rules. Period. Keep it friendly. Keep it nice.

Nor can these forums be converted to another format -- believe me I have had programmers from around the world trying to think of a way to do it but the answer is simple

Scrap this Yabb forum and start from scratch

or

Live with it. (I'll underline that the boards grew organically mainly by request and the boards cannot be merged or converted in any way)

... & I would love to convert to something else - merge - etc ... but this is a Yabb forum .... we've gone with it & for now are stuck with it. (sorry to myself & those who agree with me ..)

And we love this forum, and appreciate all the work you and the mods do to keep it this way. I only participate on this and a couple of other professional aviation message boards. Most others are too full of spam, bickering, and name calling. Thanks Pete!

Dave

www.flymcw.com

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