Org Promotion

[Gregoshi]

Okay, let's pretend the forum index is "fixed", we've reached out to CA and promoted the MTW Tools Package. What other suggestions does anyone have to revive the Org?

[edyzmedieval]

Here's some ideas:

- invite local YouTubers, ones who activate on the Org, to submit their content so we can promote it over here (as I've said, the videos on the sidebar need refreshing - they haven't been changed in like 2-3 years)
- Org competition - an AAR competition would work out for a start
- cross-promotion - I've mentioned this before, but some other gaming sites would be interested in simply adding a good backlink and exchange advertising space for a little while to draw traffic (Warhammer website perhaps?)
- NEWSLETTER - when the time of the new historical Total War comes, definitely a newsletter to inform ALL members about the new game

I'll come with some more.

For the moment I understand we're in a bind - but the next historical TW is coming, so when that is coming, at least the announcement in the next 6-9 months, we should be ready and prepared with at least some more posters. And once the anouncement is released, invite everyone back for discussions.

[ReluctantSamurai]

What other suggestions does anyone have to revive the Org?

I'll repeat my earlier suggestion...poll our own members as to why they don't visit much anymore. IIRC, one has to have an e-mail addy to join, yes? Collecting data on some of our short-comings would help point the way to what needs to be done....

[Montmorency]

Collecting data on some of our short-comings

Maybe their lives just don't have a particular place for this forum? We aren't trying to push a product here.

[Gregoshi]

I'll repeat my earlier suggestion...poll our own members...

My bad. I missed that suggestion when composing my post.

[Axalon]

Okay, let's pretend the forum index is "fixed", we've reached out to CA and promoted the MTW Tools Package. What other suggestions does anyone have to revive the Org?

Why just pretend? Why not do? Why not do now? What are you waiting for? I rather (start) fix the index now for all TW-games, then pretend its "fixed" for some unknown time later. Besides, once the index is "fixed" or at least more serious/attractive/competitive for all TW-games, we will know that 1). you guys, in staff, finally mean business about getting this site back on track again. 2). whatever other ideas that comes up might get a sporting chance to have an effect. Without a serious index for all TW-games in place, not much else will matter anyhow. Again, it all starts with the index...

- A

[edyzmedieval]

Ax, let's focus on other ideas now. I'm pretty sure the mods have got your point about the index, we need more ideas besides the index to bring this place up to super scratch.

[Beskar]

On one interesting note, Axalon's fix is undoing edyzmedieval's fix for Warhammer: Total War. Instead of having empty/quiet forums within a game section, Avalon is suggesting they be on the main index, bloating it with sub-forums that receive next to no use. Speaking of popular forums which use a similar layout, there is Paradoxplaza which the structure of that was originally inspired from, as it provided an area for people to contribute in general, then specific sub-forums for dedicated space. This kept the game community more unified opposed to more spread out.

The other suggestion was simply reversing the order the games were presented in, so older games at the top and newer games at the bottom. If this 'fix' was really so clear-cut, I would have done it already. But honesty, that change will have no impact on anything. I have made minor changes to the index, and elsewhere based on posts in here already, it is part of the practice of adapting and reacting to feedback.

I did notice some links have vanished from the game forums though which goes straight to the user-mods. When I get some time, I will re-add them. As this helped in navigation.

[ReluctantSamurai]

Maybe their lives just don't have a particular place for this forum? We aren't trying to push a product here.

In an earlier post I already suggested that the #1 reason for not coming here anymore will most likely be: life/family/no longer play. Doesn't mean there aren't other reasons: don't like the mods, don't like the forum structure, other sites that sponsor TW games are more interesting, etc., etc., etc. With over 28k members, a poll will likely turn up some useful information. Not sure which product you are referring to...the games (which 'push' themselves), or the Org, which we definitely need to 'push' if we are to remain a viable site

My bad. I missed that suggestion when composing my post.

No problems mate...I do it all the time, myself

Ax, let's focus on other ideas now.

But his idea is the easiest, and at least in the short term, most viable way of implementing changes to make the Org more attractive.

[Vincent Butler]

Here's some ideas:

- invite local YouTubers, ones who activate on the Org, to submit their content so we can promote it over here (as I've said, the videos on the sidebar need refreshing - they haven't been changed in like 2-3 years)

I would certainly be willing to post a battle on Youtube from time to time (when I get the time to play, which is rare right now), is there a way to record my campaign battles or is it only custom battles that can be recorded? I am playing RTW, both vanilla and RTR.

[Monk]

I would certainly be willing to post a battle on Youtube from time to time (when I get the time to play, which is rare right now), is there a way to record my campaign battles or is it only custom battles that can be recorded? I am playing RTW, both vanilla and RTR.

i use https://obsproject.com/ to capture. its a streaming program but it also has a record feature that works incredibly well. the program is open source with lots of support forums that has info enough to tweak the recording settings for your quality standards.

Fraps is also the time honored "if all else fails" and has been around even longer than OBS. http://www.fraps.com/

[Vincent Butler]

i use https://obsproject.com/ to capture. its a streaming program but it also has a record feature that works incredibly well. the program is open source with lots of support forums that has info enough to tweak the recording settings for your quality standards.

Fraps is also the time honored "if all else fails" and has been around even longer than OBS. http://www.fraps.com/

I was hoping it would not involve outside software. I wonder if I have some similar program hidden on my newer laptop, I am constantly finding apps on it that I did not know about, simply because of my ignorance of what different stuff is.

I have been on the Backroom before participating in one or two discussions. What a complete waste of my time. I agree with RS, it is not a good sign for us if that is the main area that is visited.
RTR has its own forum now, so anybody looking for stuff on that will only find old stuff here. I don't know why they don't use the Org anymore, but it would be interesting to find that out. That is one example of modders going elsewhere. I don't mod, so I have no advice there. The bottom line is, it is hard to convince people to leave a perfectly good brand and go to a less known one that its developers don't know why it is becoming less popular. I know that is what everybody has been saying. 'Twould be nice to ask the people on TWC if they have heard of the Org, and if they were on it once, why they left.

[Vincent Butler]

I was hoping it would not involve outside software. I wonder if I have some similar program hidden on my newer laptop, I am constantly finding apps on it that I did not know about, simply because of my ignorance of what different stuff is.

Bingo.
For those running their games on Windows 10 (as I am), there is an app already on for doing game DVR, so no need to download external software (I don't think). Here is a link on how to work it
http://gizmodo.com/windows-10-is-hid...ool-1719196149
I will try this out when I get the time and report.

It seems a lot of blame is going to the index for the lack of enthusiasm for the Org and why TWC is getting a lot of traffic. I don't know that TWC has a much better index than the Org (though theirs does look less cluttered), I think the root problem lies deeper. Now their index seems more vivid with their TWC logos by each section, so that may help them. They have a lot of threads for Attila, much more than we have, but not much for Warhammer (comparatively), which tells me that
a) Warhammer was not as popular as the other games
b) Our problem started before Attila

Identifying exactly what drove people to TWC is the problem, and I don't know if there is any way to find that out. It is a sad state of affairs when the most generated discussion is on how do we get more people to visit the site, instead of the content of the site. It seems we need to get the newcomers, but here is something of note.

I googled "Total War Forums". The .com was the first, then after their stuff came TWC. We were the last link on the page. I googled "help with Rome Total War". I couldn't find us four pages in, I did see some erado.totalwar.org on page 2, whatever that site is. I got .wiki pages, ign.com, Total War Heaven, Steam communities, and TWC on the first page. That is a problem, but with my limited understanding of how that stuff works, I don't know how to fix the problem. Maybe give someone who does know something an idea, though.

[Mouzafphaerre]

I was just being silly

[Tuuvi]

It seems a lot of blame is going to the index for the lack of enthusiasm for the Org and why TWC is getting a lot of traffic. I don't know that TWC has a much better index than the Org (though theirs does look less cluttered), I think the root problem lies deeper. Now their index seems more vivid with their TWC logos by each section, so that may help them. They have a lot of threads for Attila, much more than we have, but not much for Warhammer (comparatively), which tells me that
a) Warhammer was not as popular as the other games
b) Our problem started before Attila

Personally I find TWC's index a pain to navigate, I had to click on several different links just to get to the EB II forums so I just bookmarked EB and I haven't really bothered with the rest of the site very much.

You are right that our problem started before Attila, I can remember the activity of this site starting to decline when Empire Total War was released and we had discussions about what to do about the decline back then as well.

[edyzmedieval]

I would certainly be willing to post a battle on Youtube from time to time (when I get the time to play, which is rare right now), is there a way to record my campaign battles or is it only custom battles that can be recorded? I am playing RTW, both vanilla and RTR.

That would work quite well, indeed.

Locally - Orgah produced - content would be the best for this website. Be it videos, AAR, content.

BTW, thanks, edyz, for initiating the discussion.

The Org is a special place for me, I'm doing my bit to keep it going.

As for your proposal - perhaps we can do a sort of an Org party for Shogun 2? It's more in theme with the Org as a whole, we were big fans of the original STW over here.